Outside Quartz City

  “So this is the nd?” Martyn asked looking around, the snow covered the fields it looked like anywhere else except but the barren trees.

  “Yes, it is.” Amber nodded, “this area holds little to no value to the city they’re selling every acre for two hundred silver coins or two gold. If we buy it and make our isnd we’d need a lot of monster corpses to help revitalise the nd.” She said flipping through a notepad.

  ‘She’s like a sexy secretary,’ Martyn hummed in thought.

  “Well, we won’t need all of it, just enough for a mansion, a garden for me, a craft room for Jade, a small library for you and a spare one. I’m thinking at least five acres?”

  Amber nodded, “All alright then, I think we can easily get that done. So that’s ten gold for the nd, and now for construction from what you said, I’m estimating a cost of eight gold.”

  “Good, let’s head over to the Inn and see how Jade’s doing.”

  Amber nodded as Martyn with a snap of his finger teleported to Amber. They appeared back in their room right next to the goblin girl.

  She didn’t jump focusing on the book in hand, “how’s things here?”

  “Uh huh…” Jade remained ser-focused on her book.

  “Jade?” Martyn raised a brow.

  “I’m going to get some dragon bites.” Amber went to sit on the bed enjoying some snacks, ‘the growth of my bloodline is slowing down, but I’ve already crossed 50%’ She hummed happily.

  [Title: Leviathan descent (57%)]

  Jade closing her book sighed, “I’m… fine, ok so first of all I’ll need to look at those tanks that you’ve been filling up for the city, secondly, I’m looking at this magic engine which can activate sigils and spells in a sequence, that way you won’t have to keep the isnd a float or interact with it to steer it.”

  So far Martyn followed.

  “The only issue is it’s confusing to make, not because it’s hard but because I’ve never made one before. The Tinkering skill involves breaking down equipment and remaking it, helping me learn how things work and reverse engineer them to make them better.”

  She went on to expin the interworking of the Tinkering skill. Goblins never advanced like other races; they had to work backwards when interacting with technology. They developed this unique skill because it allowed them to still be a threat if left unchecked.

  “I’ve looked at the Anchors for the isnd up close and found small improvements in my design I can make. What I want to make is a gravity engine. One that with your mana can cover the ndmass and float it. It’s one of three devices I pn to make, a gravity engine, a heart for the isnd which will focus on making an environmental barrier around it and the third a defensive heart.”

  “So that’s how the skill works?” Martyn grew interested. He looked at his pending skill selection and chose the tinkering skill.

  [You have gained the skill “Tinkering!”]

  “I just copied the skill so I’m going to help you with making these engines. Considering what you said we’ll need to buy a mana engine which is fine… I’m sure Donald will be fine letting us tinker with one of the tanks.” Martyn said.

  “Aside from that, there’s nothing else I need., besides space to work,” Jade said closing the book.

  “That shouldn’t be a problem, alright then aside from that are we all good to go?” Martyn looked around.

  The girls nodded cd in their armour stepping close to Martyn they teleported the ptforms beneath the floating isnd, and with a hot breath, they stepped on the ptform as it slowly rose to the isnd.

  Floating Isnd

  ‘I feel weird…’ Amber kept her thoughts silent as they ventured through the isnd she focused on enjoying the area with Martyn and Jade but her blood stirred. The sense of unease from before felt more pronounced.

  “Gravity feels so weird on this isnd,” Jade muttered taking a small hop that sted a second longer than it should.

  “Yeah but it makes things kind of interesting,” Martyn said chucking a stone at a pool of water.

  It nded in before unching itself back out, making him chuckle.

  “Guys check this out,” Martyn repeated and stepped closer to the body of water.

  “I don’t think that’s water,” Amber said.

  Martyn tilted his head, Jade chucked stone after stone giggling seeing them spsh before shooting out of the water.

  “I think you're right, this could be condensed mana?”

  Jade paused, “wait isn’t there a rule that for mana to still be condensed outside the effects of a spell, the caster must still be alive?” She stepped back dropping the stones.

  “Yes?” Amber said unsure, “But this is a Titan we’re talking about, their mana behaves differently like dragons, a dragon’s heart is believed to still beat even after it’s killed so who’s to say?” She shrugged.

  “True and besides if it were still alive, it’d be outnumbered by the number of dragons considering the five hundred years that passed they could easily outnumber them,” Martyn added.

  Amber nodded while staring at the pool of mana and a sense of unease washed over her, like she was being observed, and scrutinised but it never went beyond that.

  “…” Jade paused in thought. Martyn felt a sense of worry through their bond and touched her shoulder.

  “What’s wrong?” Martyn asked.

  “I… remember something from my time in the mines, the goblin chief, he was chanting one night to one of the titans… I only saw him because I woke up one night to take a piss.”

  A small silence hung in the air, “We’ll have to let the guild know when we get back I guess.” Martyn said nonchantly.

  “Nothing’s gonna happen I’m here to protect you~” Martyn pulled Jade in with a deep kiss.

  “Ah~ My hero~” Jade cooed.

  “And what about me? Hmph!” Amber feigned hurt.

  Martyn smiled, “How could I ever forget my valiant knight~” Martyn leaned in kissing her cheek she still faked anger but quickly gave in to ughter once he started peppering her with kisses.

  “Okay! Hihi you can stop, I feel safe already,” Amber kissed him back, ‘how you can be calm and rexed is amazing.’ She thought to herself smiling.

  Time flowed as they explored other points of interest, pces where the rules flipped upside down, literally in a glowing cave Amber walked on the ceiling with Jade and Martyn on the floor, it was a funny moment between them and also a dizzying experience.

  As they reached another court of clearing Amber froze in her steps, and a cold shiver ran through her.

  “Amber?” Martyn asked looking at her, he focused on the bond and felt her sharp sense of worry.

  The wind picked up. The trees bowed as a presence was closing in on them.

  “What!?” Jade shouted stepping back.

  “W-we need to run,” Amber said in a panic.

  It was too te, lightning boomed in front of them, the grassy field was charged, crackling electricity an immense wave of pressure forced itself on them.

  Martyn’s ears reflexively flopped with instinct, he didn’t want to but he appraised the beast in front of him.

  It was a beast no bigger than they were, a Thunderbird with dark blue feathers, yellow eyes and bck talons it was a threat comparable to weak and average wyverns. Their smaller size made them dangerously fast beasts and the fact that their lightning was biological and they had a skill that enabled them to store excess lightning.

  All of which made them a dangerous threat.

  [Thunderbird, Level 4, Css: Monster Tamer, Points: 0, Titles: Titan touched, Skills: 5]? [Mana: 2,000/2,000] [Strength: 42] [Agility: 44] [Vitality: 32] [Arcana: 40] [Psyche: 43]

  They recalled the maps in this short period, it was a territorial creature and would never leave its own space, which meant it wanted to hunt them.

  The Thunderbird screeched “Run!” Martyn shouted as it unleashed a bolt of lightning from its beak! Everyone jumped away in time as the bst tore through the trees and ground behind them, leaving nothing but a charred mess.

  The beast fpped its wings and charged, it was fast already closing the distance.

  Martyn braced himself but froze seeing it aim for Amber who had jumped to the left.

  ‘No,’ Time slowed. It was difficult to use magic because of the titan’s mana on the isnd actively fighting against it, so Martyn had to use more mana than necessary and strain his body.

  He turned into a fsh of light grabbing amber and flickered to the side as the thunderbird tore through the trees.

  They rolled and fell hard but quickly got up as Jade ran over to them. They quickly recovered and dashed to get off the isnd.

  “It’s after me!” Amber shouted swerving past the forestry.

  “What why is that!? Is it because of your title!?” Martyn shouted back jumping through vines.

  “Guys!” Jade shouted.

  A bolt of lightning struck the space in front of them sending them all back, Martyn smmed into a tree, and Jade and Amber into a boulder.

  The Thunderbird nded with a sharp screech forming a lightning dome around them. They were trapped. It dove at Amber ready to kill but flew back avoiding a fming arrow.

  Jade huffed standing up, bow in hand she fired more shorts as the Thunderbird flew around. Martyn got up shaking his head. He saw the dome and frowned.

  “We have to fight!” Martyn huffed and charged at the bird, he pulled out his scimitar and swung, but every movement of his missed, the bird was faster avoiding his bde and Jade’s arrows at the same time.

  Amber jumped in from the side sshing down with her spear, the Thunderbird flew back and bsted them with lightning, Amber jumped in front with her shield blocking the attack.

  The Thunderbird bsted more lightning, and Amber’s shield melted, she grunted dropping it and rolling to the side. The beast charged at Amber with its talons ready to cw at her.

  Martyn came from the side, ‘Gotcha!’ He poured more mana into his bde, ‘spatial rend!’ he brought it down at the beast’s neck.

  The Thunderbird’s eyes gleamed as electricity shot through its body, connecting to the bde and striking Martyn.

  “AH!!” Martyn howled as his body was marred by lightning and went flying back into a tree, a fming arrow came from the side completely only hitting the aura of lightning around its body.

  It ignored Jade who was running to Martyn and cwed at Amber who had summoned a spare shield from the inventory, its cws easily dug through the shield, Amber’s heart raced, and through the cracks she saw it inching closer, and to the side saw Martyn’s sizzling body being helped up by Jade.

  ‘This is all my fault.’ Amber pushed the shield up and rolled to the side, she tried to dash towards them but a pained cry left her as talons easily pierced through her armour, the thunderbird grabbed her arms smming her to the ground before unleashing a bst of lightning which sent her flying through the forest into a pool.

  It screeched opening its wings and turned towards Jade. She fed Martyn as many potions as she could. A shiver ran down her spine as she turned around only to be met with a talon to the face digging into her flesh smming her against a tree.

  “Hm!” She panicked trying to pull the thunderbird’s cws off her face as she struggled to breathe but the beast was stronger. Struggling she unleashed as many fmes as possible but they did nothing against the beast’s lightning coat.

  It became harder to breathe and everything slowly darkened but a bst of mana sent the thunderbird to the side letting fresh air into her lungs.

  Martyn stood his body shaking, the Thunderbird recovered and charged at him, with a grunt his mana cycled through his body and he charged with his scimitar, he swung every hit with desperation missing the beast while it sshed and hacked at him with its talons.

  Amber was stuck in a pool of mana, her body in pain and burns, she felt something forcing itself into her, the titan’s mana. The pain only amplified as she felt external mana force itself inside her.

  [System Alert! External Titan Mana detected!]

  [Activating primary protocol repelling invasive mana! Please leave the mana-infected area.]

  [Sub protocol, requirements met, Superspecies bloodline css, “Leviathan! detected. System action converting mana into bloodline, bloodline consuming Arcane mana!]

  [Title: Leviathan descent (57% > 71%)]

  All these prompts didn’t help with her confusion all she cared about was getting out and getting to Martyn and Jade. It was all her fault she bmed herself and didn’t have time to waste but the mana was actively pushing her down.

  ‘I need to get out!’ She swam against the force her tail and every fibre of her body working to propel herself despite the resistance, pain and fatigue.

  Jade came from the side shooting out bsts of fire despite the greater mana requirement. The Thunderbird chirped, Martyn's extrasensory skill fred and a chill ran down Jade’s spine. They had to run!

  Both were about to jump back but it was too te. Its feathers sparked and with an ear-piercing screech, lightning erupted striking and trapping them in an endless volley of electricity.

  “Graaah!” Martyn screamed his armour melting, his skin burning and his body in pain wanting to quit and colpse but seeing Jade also in pain he grunted mana erupting from within coating his body.

  The isnd’s mana forced him through more pressure as he tacked the Thunderbird stopping its attack and tried to stab it with another scimitar from his inventory.

  The lesser lightning dome vanished, and Jade’s body fell exhausted and in pain, whimpering.

  ‘It needs to die!’ He growled ready to stab it but it bsted him with lighting sending him flying.

  Air left his lungs as the world spun, his mind bnked and then pain invaded as the Thunderbird sunk its talons into his side and throat, before smming him into the ground. Blood spilt out his side and neck, his mind felt light.

  He was going to die. Jade with shaking legs stood up, her heart dropped spotting Martyn, bleeding from his neck.

  ‘No, no Please!!’ The words kept repeating as she ran to him ignoring the pain and everything. Nothing mattered if he died. Dread filled their bond and she despaired.

  The thunderbird stood on his body its talons tearing into his body screeching to the skies in victory. It stopped halfway flying back as a spear flew towards it.

  Jade got close to Martyn who coughed up blood unmoving. She quickly pulled out every high potion they had.

  Amber ran through the bushes her body stained and hurting, she huffed stepping into the clearing and froze, dread filled her as she stared at the scene. Martyn, bleeding, and unresponsive with Jade spshing potion after potion on him and trying to heal him in any.

  ‘I…’ Her body colpsed, “no.” She whispered.

  The Thunderbird flew at her.

  “He’s not dead!” Jade shouted with wet eyes.

  Amber moved she jumped to the side what could she do? Nothing it was stronger, faster than her. Every time it attacked she drew a shield from the inventory only for it to destroy it. Jade couldn’t do anything but pray for a miracle.

  Jade’s head thumbed her world spun, Martyn’s heartbeat was very low, and she had to singe the side of his neck with her fme magic to stop the bleeding leaving a nasty scar.

  ‘Think, come on think!’ Her mind raced, her body pained and Amber wouldn’t st long, being hit by lightning and getting cwed, the isnd prevents teleportation magic and its mana makes any other magic difficult to perform.

  In her panic an idea came to her, she pulled out Martyn’s staff, recalling one of its skills, ‘Please I’m begging you just work!’

  She poured all her mana through it and the mana in the staff activated its skill, ‘Temporary Domain’ A small bubble at the bottom of the staff formed pushing the isnd’s mana away slowly growing rge enough to cover both her and Martyn.

  “Amber!” Jade yelled.

  The kobold monster girl saw her friend and dashed over, but the Thunderbird was relentless, it cwed her back drawing blood, she screamed but still ran towards him.

  The Thunderbird spread its wings forming a massive ball of electricity.

  Amber reached the circle domain her body colpsing, the rge electro ball went off, Jade activated the stone mana and the ball came towards them. Gravity shifted and the area exploded.

  The Thunderbird screeched seeing nothing but ashes.

  The world spun around them being dragged across space they reappeared away from the isnd but were not safe as they plummeted to the ground. The spatial stone worked but it only brought them away from the isnd.

  “It… worked…” Jade lost consciousness her body falling.

  Amber was the only one remotely awake, with what little mana she had she propelled herself towards them grabbing Jade, Martyn and the staff.

  With the st pool of mana, she activated the levitation spell slowing them down, they nded on the snowy fields, but red blood quickly painted the area, Amber bleeding from her back still awake with Jade and Martyn unresponsive. But not that it mattered what did was simple.

  “We’re safe, guys we’re alright.” Amber looked down at them her face scrunched in a mix of guilt and worry.

  The icy winds picked up, and thunderous booms emanated from the isnd. An arc of lightning was swerving towards them.

  Amber’s body shook with despair, “no… please…”

  The Thunderbird had followed them, it was descending, quickly Amber pulled out another teleportation stone she was about to activate when a lightning bolt struck her.

  “AAH!” The stone broke and she fell.

  The thunderbird nded bsting the snow away. She couldn’t move, paralysed, ‘no this can’t.. this is all my fault please,’ Her vision grew hazy.

  “What is happening here?” A familiar voice reached her ears, the Thunderbird turned towards it. It was Kallie Amber reached out her hand before her body gave out and everything turned dark.

  LesserCodex

  [Martyn, Level 2 (2,301/2,700), Css: Monster Tamer, Points: 0, Titles: 5, Skills: 18]? [Mana: 0/0] [Strength: 33] [Agility: 32] [Vitality: 34] [Arcana: 40] [Psyche: 34]

  [Amber, Level 2 (2,302/2,700), Css: Knight, Points: 0, Titles: 5, Skills: 9]? [Mana: 0/0] [Strength: 38] [Agility: 36] [Vitality: 36] [Arcana: 41] [Psyche: 38]

  [Jade, Level 2 (2,300/2,700), Css: Bcksmith, Points: 0, Title: 4 Skills: 7]? [Mana: 0/0] [Strength: 33] [Agility: 31] [Vitality: 32] [Arcana: 40] [Psyche: 31]

  [colpse]