Secrets of Starlia (LitRPG)

Chapter 10

"Bolt." Nathan's wand shoots forth another ray. He eliminates the hog.

I'm shaking, as if I could've been severely injured by a monster in a game. "Oh my gosh," I say. "I'm so sorry. I was about to use play but I froze up all of a sudden."

Nathan's all smiles. "No worries. You're still getting used to your abilities."

"Right," I say. I'm so immensely grateful that he's here to protect me. "I have other abilities too. I should use them."

"Good idea." Nathan taps the ground with his staff, and I'm still bewitched by the jewel on top. "You'll get three more skills with your second advancement. And then two more when you reach level fifty. Once you reach level seventy, you'll get your ultimate skill. They're the strongest in the game."

I turn to him with wide eyes. "You mean you already have your ultimate skill? You should show me!"

Nathan's eyes dance. "Really? It would take all my mana to use, but impressing you sounds like a good tradeoff."

I feel like my head is spinning. Why does it seem like he's flirting? I shake my head and remind myself that he's probably this charming to everyone he meets. I'm nothing special to him. It was probably Aileen who sparked his interest at first....

"I'd love to see it," I say.

Nathan nods, his lips upturning to a dangerous grin. "Let's go to a place where there are more hogs."

I follow him, hiking through the rocks, mud, and clay to reach a clearing where more than ten hogs gather in a pack. They sniff each other, lounging about, totally unaware of the destruction that's about to come. Nathan doesn't give them a chance to move. Once the hogs take notice of him, he already declares his ultimate ability.

"Erupt."

The whole world seems to change when he says the word. The sky swirls above us, the clouds gathering above Nathan's upright staff. The air feels heavier somehow, and heat emits from Nathan's body. It feels like direct sunlight but multiplied by two. When Nathan points his weapon toward the hogs, I prepare myself for a blinding display.

It's more spectacular than I could've ever imagined. Suddenly, the ground beneath the hogs shakes as a dome of blue energy explodes where Nathan points. The range of energy must encompass the size of a basketball court. The sound, like a blast of thunder, commands me in place. Nathan immediately destroys the hogs. They're overcome by the blue light without any time to react. They squeal and fall over, succumbing to the mage's most fearsome ability.

20 exp gained from your ally!

"Oh my goodness." I can't even move. What if it was me who was caught in the explosion? I can't imagine dueling against a mage of Nathan's caliber. "That was like the climatic scene of a movie."

Nathan chuckles. He leans back and uses his staff to remain standing. "That took like, all of my energy. I feel drained now."

"That's funny," I say, still in awe of what I just witnessed. "It's kind of crazy how a game can take away your energy."

"That's the VRS for you," Nathan says. "Tricking our brain since the twenty-second century."

I breathe through gritted teeth. "I would hate to duel a player like you. I'd be completely obliterated."

Nathan shakes his head. "You know, there aren't that many high-level bards. I bet if you caught up to me, you could be a challenge. Bards have the element of surprise right now. They're kind of a wildcard. I'm actually glad to have you in the guild. I don't think any guild is complete without having all the classes."