"Matthew Lordstone – Level 39

Doctor (T2) – Level 1

Warrior (T1) – Level 4

Gunner (T2) – Level 2

Plague Doctor (T3) – Level 1

Ranger (T4) – Level 1

Summoner (T2) – Level 3

Priest (T1) – Level 2

Necromancer (T3) – Level 1

Witch (T3) – Level 1

Witch Doctor (T3) – Level 1

Caller (T1) – Level 2

Assassin (T3) – Level 1

Berserker (T4) – Level 1

Tautomancer (T3) – Level 1

Mage (T1) – Level 1

Miko (T4) – Level 1

Lancer (T3) – Level 2

Swordsman (T2) – Level 1

Scout (T1) – Level 1 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Merchant (T1) – Level 3

Defender (T1) – Level 1

Thief (T2) – Level 1

Dancer (T4) – Level 1

Shadow (T4) – Level 1

Hydromancer (T2) – Level 1

Healer (T1) – Level 1

Worker (T1) - Level 1

Seer (T3) - Level 1

Stats

HP = 62/ VIT = 62

MP = 96/ MAG = 62

STR = 63/ AGI = 65

MIN = 62/ CHA = 60

Skills: Anesthesia (E), Imbue Mana (B), Boost Gunpowder (D), Resist Disease (E), Animal Companion (E), Purification (E), Unholy Mana (E), Witchcraft (E), Healing Totem (E), Summon Spirit (D), Pact (E), Spirit Magic (E), Reckless Agility (E), Berserk (E), Copy (E), Lingering Mana (E), Summon Lesser God (E), Stand Magic (D), Summon Pact (E), Sharpen (E), Sense Traps (E), Identify (D), Vitality Boost (E), Sense Others (E), Secrecy (E), Entice (E), Bless (E), Shadow Form (E), Create Water (E), Heal (E), Inventory (E), Sixth Sense (E)."

Matthew kept looking at his stats after his level up. It was known on Earth that you couldn’t level up from defeating other people. However he just leveled up from defeating Oifan.

It seemed it only applied to other people with the System. Perhaps the System itself wanted to discourage infighting.

"The Mana knows." The old adventurer’s saying rang in his ear. It knows.

Farzan’s army returned from the assault. The fortress burned in the distance. Farzan’s armored vehicles were lost, the last helicopter was struck down and crashed onto a tower bringing it down with it.

But the assault was considered a victory.

The main gate was destroyed and now rested open for Farzan’s troops to go in. Their losses were low compared to the defenders. One of their most powerful men had surrendered himself to Firynn and was now in shackles together with 53 other elves.

Matthew watched the captured elf closely. It was Raglynn, a level 61 Geomancer. The same who took out Farzan’s armored forces and the one responsible for the magical defenses of the fortress.

He was tall and strong, but still lean like most elves. He had short blond hair and purple eyes similar to Faralynn’s, but a shade darker.

The news of Oifan’s death was a surprise for the Geomancer who sincerely mourned his fallen comrade.

Soon the siege engines resumed their work, making it rain boulders of fire onto the fortification.

"Have you sent him a surrender offer?" Countess Azan asked Farzan while he undressed his armor.

The war council reconvened with no time for the warriors to rest.

Count Dalynn didn’t even remove his helmet.

"Yes. Let’s hope he sees reason." Farzan said.

"I heard Oifan died." Firynn questioned.

"Yes. The shield, lady Ffyr and one of their retainers, the blonde Luxomancer, fought and killed him" One of the other nobles said.

"Did we have any casualties from their attack?" Farzan asked.

"10 dead, 110 wounded." Azan noted.

"Less than expected." Firynn commented.

At that moment, a messenger arrived. Farynn refused the surrender terms and issued a surrender notice to Faralynn herself.

Farzan sighed.

"We’ll rest for 4 hours. Then we’ll resume the assault." He ordered, ending the war council and going to his tent to get some sleep.

Faralynn went to her new tent where Matthew and Ffyr were resting under the supervision of Erin. Tina, Faynn, Helen and Mia were spread out throughout the encampment helping the army on what they could.

"How are they?" Faralynn asked Erin who watched over the other two sleeping on the luxurious bed.

"They’re fine. The doctors thought it would be better for Ffyr to heal some parts of her intestines naturally. Therefore she can’t fight anymore. Matt is in one piece, just needs to rest and eat." Erin explained.

Faralynn sat on the bed by Matthew’s side and caressed his hair.

"We’re going for the final push in four hours. All swords at hand." The elf explained.

"Are you going too?" Erin asked, nervous.

"I am. You don’t have to come, if you don’t want to, Rin." Faralynn smiled at her friend.

"Of course I’ll go with you." She said resolutely.

Matthew woke up an hour later feeling the cold of Faralynn’s armor on his skin. She fell asleep by his side. Ffyr was still asleep on the other side and Erin was nodding off on a chair.

Matthew placed a kiss on Faralynn’s forehead, waking her up.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you." He apologized.

"No. It’s alright. I shouldn’t be sleeping in armor anyway." The elf said, stretching her body which was hard due to sleeping in the metal plates.

"Then remove them and lay with me." Matthew smiled at her.

Faralynn chuckled and kissed him.

"I wish. But we’re in the middle of battle. We’ll be charging forward at any time." She said, getting up from the bed.

"I should put mine on then." Matthew said, getting up as well.

"Your armor is busted. It depleted all its defenses. We had our best smiths working on it, but I doubt there is much they can do for it in the encampment." Faralynn explained. "It’s no better than a normal sheet of iron now."

The elf walked to the entrance of the tent and said something to a soldier who was guarding it.

"Well. I’m used to fighting bare chested anyway." Matthew joked.

"I know." Faralynn said with a sad tone instead of laughing. "Every time I see you, you have new scars." She said tracing the new scars on his bare chest with her fingers.

"You don’t need to worry about me." Matthew smiled at her, holding her hand.

Faralynn blushed and looked away when he kissed her hand.

"Cringe." She tried to joke, but her voice fluttered with her heart.

After a while, the soldier brought in a regular breastplate for Matthew to wear, the same most soldiers used.

"It’s better than nothing." Faralynn commented while tying it around Matthew.

Another hour passed and then the war horns sounded.

Ffyr was now resting inside Matthew’s necklace in her ethereal form where it was safe. The others rushed outside the tent to find their troops rushing to organize themselves.

"With me." Faynn said, finding them in the middle of the encampment.

She brought them to the encampment earth walls where Farzan was already waiting for them surrounded by the other nobles of the war council.

At the distance, Farynn’s army was exiting the fortress in battle formation.

"He’s trying to take advantage of his cavalry." Dalynn explained to those who didn’t understand that course of action.

"A desperate charge." Farzan noted.

Firynn started to shout orders and suddenly the camp was in chaos with men running to get fitted for battle and join the defenses.

There was no time nor need to dismantle the trebuchets. They left them out and just rushed their troops behind the walls.

Farynn positioned his men for a direct assault, with his cavalry, where he himself was, waiting on the flanks.

Farzan’s arches and riflemen took positions behind the earth battlements, built only to keep the enemy troops out and not resist a direct assault from an army.

Farzan and Firynn mounted horses and led two battalions of knights. Dalynn was responsible for commanding the defense of the encampment.

Farynn’s red armor seemed to glint under the morning sun.

By his side Kazan and Karynn, also on horses, were easy to spot.

Faralynn’s hand instinctively searched for Matthew’s and held it fast. He could feel her nervousness.

Farynn positioned cannons that he took out of the fortress with him on the front of his lines.

They roared.

The cannon balls hit and exploded on the improvised walls making it rain dirt over Farzan’s forces.

Farzan’s mages put up mana walls to protect the men while their own cannons shot back, also being stopped by mana walls from the other side.

The Vissof was positioned to shoot against the fortress walls and lacked sails to move freely on the sea waters. Hydromancers used water magic to make it move and position it to shoot against Farynn’s army, but it moved very slowly.

When the encampment’s earth walls were full of holes, opened by the cannons, Farynn ordered their soldiers to attack.

"Shield walls!" Dalynn ordered the men to step forward.

"Archers!" Another commander yelled.

Faralynn looked at her uncle in the middle of his men. She could not make out his features well from afar. But it was clear the frown on his face and the anger in his eyes.

She grabbed her bow, letting go of Matthew’s hand and put one arrow on it.

Farynn got up on his saddle by the stirrups and also drew his own bow.

From that distance he shot a straight arrow at Faralynn that flew in the sky as fast as a bullet.

Erin, Tina and Mia erected walls to protect Faralynn, but the arrow hit with such force that it shattered all their protections and hit the elf on the chest making her fall backwards.

"Lynn!" Matthew shouted.