[61] Ready For The Next Step

[61] Ready For The Next Step

The past few days had seen little improvement for Bjorn’s skills in terms of stats but he’d put as many hours as possible into mastering his body. He used Tanisha’s working hours as an opportunity to venture around the city or return to the Isi estate and train his body and muscle memory. He even performed meditation like Tanisha to see if he could master his magic like a mage. His body might be that of an animal but he still had a human, or rather nephilim, mind.

While he didn’t discover much in terms of magic he felt far closer to understanding the limitations of his body in its increased size. He felt that it was just in time too; he and Tanisha were preparing to face off in a match that would determine if she was ready to advance in her training. They would fight together, which over the course of the past few days they had gotten rather good at... Well they were still novices, but they were novices with guts.

Status Menu

Name: Bjorn Isin Scalebound

Species: Lernaean Hydra

Level: 21

Vitality: 150 / 195

Restoration: 220 / 270

Constitution: 85 / 135

Strength: 100 / 130

Dexterity: 85 / 100

Stamina: 95 / 115

Maya: 50 / 50 (DO NOT USE!)

Magic: 10 / 25

Magic Regeneration: 20 / 50 (+100 from bond)

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Skills Analysis

Reincarnation Failsafe

An incomplete reincarnation magic and your best friend who has your back no matter what!

Error: Unknown Pact

You are connected to a Progenitor Being from the Infernal Planes. They are watching you.

Venomous Bite

Magic Cost: 0

You have a neurotoxic venom which can be injected through a bite with your fangs. (II) Bite of the King of Reptiles, Maya Cost: 10, Your venom becomes infectious and will spread to nearby targets within five feet of the injected target. Allies are unaffected by your venom.

Poison Cloud

Magic Cost: 5

With your right head you can mix venom into the air using magic creating a large area of poisonous gas. This gas will rapidly reduce the health of those inside. Allies within your Poison Cloud are unaffected by the poison. (II) Breath of the Infernal One, Maya Cost: 15, Exhale a breath infused with the decay of the Infernal Planes. Targets within the cloud will rot over time as long as the effect is not cleansed.

Plague Fire Breath

Magic Cost: 6

Stamina Cost: 7

With your left head you can breathe a plume of superheated toxin which will ignite enemies and infect them with your neurotoxin. Flames retain toxicity until you release the spell. Plague Fire will spread like normal fire. (II) Infernal Fire Breath, Maya Cost: 20, fire will spread over non-flammable material at a reduced rate.

Hellmouth

Maya Cost: YOUR SOUL (Seriously, if you use this we die!!!)

I really don’t want to tell you what this is because if you use it our heart is going to explode or something, I just know it! However, your middle head can exhale all of the maya stored in your body. This maya can be breathed in by your other heads to use maya infused breath attacks. It can also enhance the durability of your scales and potency of your venom.

Poison Claws

Magic Cost: 3

You can infuse your claws with neurotoxic venom, making even small scratches fatal. Allies are unaffected by your venom. (II) Claws of the King of Reptiles, Maya Cost: 5, venom becomes harder to cleanse.

Infernal Scale Armor

Maya Cost: 25

Absorb maya into your scales, making them more durable and resistant to physical and magical damage.

Bjorn released control of his right head. “Failsafe, keep an eye out.”

“Yay, I get to use a head again finally,” Failsafe said cheerily as he bobbed the appendage up and down. “I mean of course. Serious.”

Joha hadn’t moved from his spot as the two prepared themselves. Tanisha released her first attack; a stream of high powered water shot out. The stream was barely the thickness of a pen but zoomed across the distance with terrifying speed. The orb of water shrunk a little and Joha dodged by smoothly side-stepping the attack. With that he was fully engaged. He started to run towards them as Tanisha directed several more shots with her bardiche.

“Bjorn, keep your distance,” Tanisha said.

Joha continued to dodge attacks as Bjorn continued to kite Joha by jumping back anytime he got close. They could tell Joha was seeing what they could do, as he could use Maya Blink if he wanted to catch up to them. Tanisha shot the last of her water which Joha dodged again easily, he then used Maya Blink as Tanisha expected. He appeared in the air next to her with a kick aimed at her chest.

She lifted the bardiche just in time and Bjorn shifted, turning them both and allowing the force to pass by them. Joha landed on the other side while Bjorn swung his tail, hoping to catch the tiger demon as he landed. In a feat of agility partially obscured by his red maya, Joah landed on a single finger and threw himself back into the air over the swinging tail.

Tanisha wasn’t idle; while this happened the arena was covered in her magical water. She motioned with her weapon for the water to return, which it did in hundreds of streams that moved just as quickly as the Water Missiles had. Joha was forced to use Maya Blink to avoid the thin but deadly water as it sliced through the air and reformed as a single orb.

Bjorn used that time to lunge forward, his powerful legs launching him through the area towards Joha, each of his mouths open and bearing down on Joha. The tiger demon deflected the snapping maws with open palms and knees, the distraction allowing Tanisha to finish gathering the water in preparation for another assault. That was until Joha grabbed one of Bjorn's necks and threw the familiar.

The action happened so quickly that neither had time to react. The two separated in the air. Bjorn landed on his side and Tanisha rolled along the ground before she stopped a few yards away from him. The pair quickly got back up to their feet. Joha rushed at Tanisha, using his absurd speed and Maya Blink to reach her almost instantly. Tanisha dodged the first jab just in time to not get punched in the face. She retaliated with two water missiles and a downward slash from the bardiche.

Joha weaved between the attacks then punched again, this one connecting with Tanisha’s side. Pain rattled her but her buffs kept her in the fight. She was hit again, this time by a fist to the face which caused her to stumble. She was in a bad situation with her bardiche this close. She stored the weapon in her necklace, causing it to vanish from her hands.

She went into AgniKavach unarmed form, which allowed her to dodge the next two strikes and block the third kick. There was no time for retaliation; the differences in their skill was far too wide. She was being pressed and she had a feeling this was part of the test to see if she could handle her defensive form. AgniKavach was, after all, a form that allowed the practitioner to take magical and physical damage and keep going. The maya wanted to protect those that utilized it, and this form epitomized that notion.

During the assault Bjorn had rejoined the battle with an explosion of furious bites. Tanisha ducked down just in time to avoid Bjorn’s snapping jaws by inches. The bond and her trust in her familiar allowed there to be no need for communication for her to know the exact moment she needed to do the maneuver. Joha was pleased with the teamwork as Tanisha used the distraction to get back to a workable distance with her magic. She resummoned her bardiche and recalled the water she had already expended.

“Elder Isi, Hrolf!” A panicked voice screamed. “Lord Nazem, he is going to be executed! The First Prince and Lady Ingrid are here and they are performing a public execution as we speak.”

The commotion stopped the match as everyone including Tanisha froze in place. She knew the prince being here meant one thing. The Salstars were taking the territory after Lord Nazem died. Hearing that her mother was in the city filled her with dread. It suddenly made Thyra mentioning the terms of her banishment from the domain take on new meaning.

“Joha, I need to leave now,” Tanisha said. “If I’m here when they take over they will kill me.”