Chapter 22: Chapter 22 – Floating Fire Dog!

Next up was an enormous room with its own ecosystem. Someone planted randomly large trees all over the place. There was no order to them. It was like they had just randomly chucked the seeds onto the floor haphazardly. They replaced the hard tiled floor with dense soil and roots that poked out of the ground.

As soon as Astrid and the others walked through the doors. Jacob slammed it shut. The major was nowhere to be seen. No explanation of what they were to do. Nothing.

Gloria rushed off into the distance, her eyes filled with a concentrated blaze.

Astrid’s head spun, and she looked closer at the trees. They are jungle trees. Dashing over to the tree, she pulled out a section of vines. With her teeth, she split the bark and separated into its fibre. Next up was finding a stick that wouldn’t snap easily. It took her a minute to find one that wasn’t too dry. Bending the stick, she stuck it into the ground and against her foot and pulled it taught. Tying the vine around, she finished the makeshift fire making bow.

Next was the hard part, using friction to start a fire. I wonder if I can somehow create fire with Psychokinesis? She shook her head at the thought. No point thinking in the realm of impossibilities for now. Spinning her head, she watched as Froderick’s fire spurted to life. With his high strength stat, he relied on pure friction with just a stick in his hands to finish his fire.

Astrid placed her concentration back onto her little pile of tinder. She placed a two-finger thick piece of wood in between the fibrous jungle vine and began sawing back and forward. An ember flickered to life. Astrid’s eyes lit up as she felt an excitement well up inside her, only for it to be extinguished alongside the flame. A powerful gust of wind blew away any progress she had made.

God fu– I should have picked the stupid fire mage class. Taking a deep breath, she continued, having her entire body covering the tinder this time. A little flame flickered into her vision, quickly blowing it. She stacked more sticks in a teepee formation. The sound of the fire crackling, the smell of burning wood and smoke. She couldn’t hide the smile of joy from her face.

A wet drop splashed her skin, only for it to quicken at a drastic pace. She wanted to use her body to cover the fire, but it was already too big at this point. She didn't want to melt her face off. Her Mind Barrier formed around the fire as it shielded the burning wood from the rain, but it only lasted for around ten minutes before her mind thrummed with pain.

Astrid connected to the leaves around her and covered the top of the fire to stop the rain, but it was no use. All she could hear was the beating rain and the sizzling of what was left of her fire. Her eyes twitched. She could feel her heartbeat rise. A large howl, mixed with human screams, reverberated against the trees, scratching at her eardrums.

“Ah, I’m so pissed right now.” Astrid clenched her hands, then sighed, looking in the howl's direction. She dashed forward. Stopping just behind a tree, she could see the wolf in a melee with two of the Lower District examinees. Nick and Mina… or was it Zarah?

Level 15 - Lesser Fire Wolf

Damn, no need to be so sneaky then. With her experience from the Underbelly, she made sure there wasn’t another enemy in the vicinity. Coast is clear. Feel the wrath of ruining my damned fire! Astrid casually sauntered forward. At the sound of the twigs breaking under her feet, the wolf spun its head towards her and backed off from the duo in caution.

“Hey you damned mutt, you ruined my fire!” Astrid said.

Astrid's Psychokinesis connected to the wolf, and she suddenly shot it up into the air. It spun, it projected its muffled howls in all directions as it twirled. A spurt of uncontrolled fire ejected out its mouth like an uncontrolled water hose.

Fire! An idea sparked to life within her thoughts.

Then she slammed it to the ground. She did not give it a moment's rest as she flung its body through the air once more, smashing into the nearby tree. Finally, she let it go as it hurtled onto the loose soil.

Walking forward, she crouched down in front of its face. The wolf’s eyes were spinning inside its skull. Astrid looked at the wolf and frowned. Hmm, I felt nothing with the spawn… but is this guilt I feel? Is it because it’s fluffy? It must be. With Astrid contemplating, the wolf shook its head. Its beastly eyes rested on her face, opening its mouth, a spark of fire shot forward at the girl's face.

The blazing fire looked as if it had hit an impervious translucent wall. It stopped just in front of her nose. That was close. Astrid smashed her mind into the wolf's skull, digging it into the ground. Hoisting the wolf up with her mind, she levitated it forward as she walked. Nick and… Mina? Looked at each other, their mouths agape as they watched the wolf flail its legs in midair as Astrid took it hostage.

Just like that, she disappeared back into the trees.

Astrid pointed to the stack of kindling.

She opened her mouth wide and exhaled. “Fire, c’mon breathe fire, you stupid thing. All this wood is too wet now to rely on friction.” Her hand brushed up against the saturated firewood. Then, a sudden heat surged towards her hand as she snapped her limb away. With a crackle, the wood burned to life.

“You did that on purpose,” Astrid continued, “you know, I don’t really know the limits to how far I can throw something your size.” The wolf’s tail disappeared under its body.

“Alright, be a good boy. I need to finish my test.”

Using half of her mental energy to keep the beast under control, Astrid got to work on creating a shelter that could ward off the harsh elements. Next was identifying the different plants around them. Making sure that none were going to poison her to death for brushing up against them.

Although they received no information on what the test was, she guessed it was just a show of her survival techniques. I wonder if introducing the wolf was to show our teamwork or something. I would definitely fail if that was the case, or would I? I saved them after all.

“Time is over, everyone gather around!” Jacob’s shout filled the entire forest as the examinees rushed over.

“Everyone passed.” Jacob’s eyes lay on the wolf, forced to lie by Astrid’s side.

He wasn’t the only one. All eyes lay on Astrid as they stepped away from the wolf, fearing that it could break free.

“This room was to test your own initiative and survival skills without being guided, with some danger involved, well it was meant to, anyway,” Jacob continued, “alright, two tests done, and that leaves the best for last. Combat examination.”

Gloria looked at the wolf, then back at Astrid, and grit her teeth.

They went to the other end of the forested room before Jacob stopped them.

“Scram,” Jacob said without turning round as the wolf scrambled away like its life depended on it.

Although our time was short, farewell fire doggo. Astrid waved to its retreading back, then followed Jacob into another room. It reminded her of the Sinwen training grounds. Hardened sand seemed to be the choice for training.

“You’ll be facing off against a junior member of the Wayfarers.” Jacob glanced at the examinees. “They receive a good bit of coin for beating you, so you better believe they won’t hold back. The quicker they beat you, the faster their day is finished where a good cold pint awaits them. Ain’t that right?”

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The soldiers standing in the middle of the training grounds howled and shouted.

“Astrid, you’ll be against John.” Jacob motioned towards the soldier off to the side. He was the only one that didn’t bother making any noise.

His gaze looks sharp as a sword. Astrid walked forward without fear. Standing in front of him, she had to look up to peer into his eyes. Astrid could feel the matter within him constantly change. One moment it was scattered, the next it was compact like a dense-metal.

Astrid noticed they placed the other examinees strategically against opponents that countered their class. Astrid was no different.

She was up against a warrior. Judging by his slender build, he would focus on dexterity.

Against Froderick was a robed soldier that held a staff. The around her was frigid. Frost mage, I’m guessing, to punish a paladin’s lack of mobility.

While Gloria was against an armoured warrior, clad in heavy metal. A rogue's natural enemy, a full frontal assault class, versus one sneaky girl with a little dagger. I wonder how she’ll manage.

Mina was an archer, if that was her name. She’s against a rogue. Can’t hit what you can’t see.

Nick and Josh were both warriors, and they forced them to face a mage and a tall soldier with a spear. A spear user is a weird choice to counter a warrior.

Level ?? - Name: ??? - Class: ???

Damn disrupting stones. Astrid shook her head. She gazed forward to the other soldiers, all wearing the same stone around their wrists. She couldn't see any information regarding them.

“Do we have a possibility of winning?” Astrid asked.

“The others might.” Jacob said. He looked at John. "You, on the other hand, good luck." Jacob's lips turned into a playful grin.

“Are you scared?” Gloria took out her daggers and twirled them in between her fingers.

Astrid frowned at Gloria

“Start in five seconds.” Jacob warned the examinees.

Putting the thought to the back of her mind, she focused on the opponent in front of her. Astrid glanced at the medics to the side of the training field.

Should I use my minor illusion? Astrid shook her head at the thought. Her skill was too rudimentary, he would see through instantly. She had to use what she was most proficient in. A translucent armour flashed into existence, before disappearing and mending with her body. Then, Mind Barrier was formed around her.

“Start!”

At Jacob’s words, the tall, slender man in front of Astrid charged forward the moment the Major's words uttered. Astrid’s eyes widened in shock as the man reached her in only a second. Her mind latched onto the blade, an intense pressure sliced into her mind as blood seeped from her nose. As she diverted the slashing blade, it sliced through a few strands of her hair. Astrid’s mind flared. Using [Crash] multiple times in quick succession, it slammed into his chest, sending him backwards and stumbling to the floor.

He's too high leveled!

A thought flashed through her mind. Using Minor Illusion, she created a blinding ball of light that flashed his eyes.

He was quick to jump back onto his feet. Without a word, he dashed back in the blink of an eye. Seemingly unaffected by the light. Astrid hastily connected to his ankle. She twitched her mind, sending him stumbling. Rolling forward. He took a single step and blasted towards her with a faint glow. Astrid's eyes widened at the sheer speed he was traveling.

Astrid connected to the sand on the floor and exploded it into a mass of dust and debris. Then, she gathered a dense mass of matter in front of the shield and [Crashed] it. With a great explosion that rocked her brain. Her eyes twitched. The warrior had re-positioned himself to the side and moved at a speed she couldn't see.

With being unable to use her Psych Domain to see where he was from his speed, she used [Crash] all around her body in a mass of explosions.

I can't keep this up!

Astrid's mind connected to her top and levitated herself up in the air, and continued to cast [Crash]. Explosions filled the arena and dust splattered all around. Then she fell. She was running out of mana.

Astrid blinked, and he was in front of her. John attacked. Her mana screamed in protest as she willed the man to stop. Blood spilled from her nose, staining her top red. The swordsman halted. Confusion drowned within his eyes, which was quickly replaced with a keen tint.

With a strained grunt from his throat, the resistance disappeared.

Astrid, instead of taking a step back, lunged forward. Thud. Her knee snapped to the soldier’s groin. However, the soldier’s reaction wasn’t what she expected. Instead of crippling down onto his knees, he raised his sword and rested it across her throat.

"Shit, are you almost level one-hundred?" Astrid wiped the blood from her face.

John smiled at the question. "Please don't take it to heart my lady, they are worried because you haven't suffered defeat yet." John said.

"I've already learned my lesson during the Leviathan attack." Astrid glared at John. Her piercing eyes shifted over to the Major. She knew why they had done it. She had heard of plenty of nobles that had succumbed to their arrogance. But it didn't stop the anger from bubbling inside of her stomach.