Moving Mountains

15

.^^ Red Dragon Josef ^^

— Josef —

My day started going a little wonky when an arrow pierced my tabletop, shattering my ceramic bowl and spilling my stew.

I noticed a contraption on it, and gripped it, crushing the simple machine and tossing the arrow away as the net inside it released raggedly, ensnaring some of the crops in the field I was crystal-farming anthracite in. Then I looked around, looking for the person who'd fired the arrow, and strung my bow swiftly.

"I can't believe you missed a target that big from so close." A disappointed sigh sounded above me, to my surprise, and I pulled a shield out of my Hidden Space, covering my head just as a second arrow slammed into it, and released a net. The entire shield and my right arm were caught up in the net, but I ripped it off easily, and looked up.

Four masked elves were sitting on the backs of what looked to be Pegasi, aiming bows at me in a ring, each about 20 feet up and twenty feet back.

"I don't want to harm those beautiful beasts, but I will, if you don't dismount them. If you don't know who I am, I will introduce myself as the High-Warden of the Wild Hunt, and I'm currently armed with a Bow." I frowned at them.

They glanced at each other, and then loosed two arrows each, one after the other. The arrows scratched my skin, but didn't penetrate, and I nodded. "Yeah, Anyway; Off the Pegasi, or they die with you." I activated Intimidating Presence and King's Gaze, giving them time to react.

One moved to land, and the one who'd spoken and alerted me to their presence hissed at him in Elvish. "Are you fucking stupid? He's going to kill you the moment you're on the ground!!! He doesn't even have any arrows!!!"

"Oh yeah? He didn't have a bow or a shield a moment ago either!!!" The one she'd snapped at hissed back.

"Just Fire again, you coward!!!" She growled, and loosed another arrow.

I caught the arrow with insulting ease, and smiled dangerously. "Well, I definitely have arrows now... what will you choose? Final warning." I spoke their language to spook them, and waited.

The leader growled and drew a wooden staff off her back, and started muttering a spell, so I shot her in the throat with her own arrow, halting the spell and killing her instantly.

"So, does everyone else want to surrender, or shall I let you say your last words?" I asked calmly.

The Pegasus that had been carrying the woman keened softly, and landed next to her, nudging her with his nose to wake her up. His mind didn't seem much more complicated than a very smart canine, (judging by the swift telepathic search I flung his way,) but he seemed very loyal. It was a bit depressing, but I focused on the others, summoning three arrows and nocking one of them.

The three remaining people drew staffs as well, and I shot two of them before they uttered a syllable, then pointed the last arrow at the one who had originally talked back. "Don't do it, child, you really don't want me to kill you."

'You can technically question his spirit, seeing as it'll be inside the ArchLich's Phylactery...' the Messenger hummed.

"Good to know." I loosed the arrow, and he fell slowly, crashing to the ground amidst the other bodies and the mourning Pegasi.

'Assassin's Strike, Augury, and Silence Spells have been Attained at Rank A... Rank B Spells given Rank A Status, and Rank A likewise to Rank S... multiple repeated and tangential spells, so they'll just evolve a bit... Alright, done. You've now got Rank S: Air, Earth, Fire, and Water Elemental Magic's, as well as Transmutation; plus one Rank A spell, Message. The Elemental Magic's further combine, obviously, into the ArchMage Section, known simply as 'Elemental Magic'. Anything else?' She asked.