[Omen of the Witchblade] Chapter 101 — An Indecent Proposal

Mel couldn’t take her eyes off the witch that floated just above their heads. Not just because Mel recognized her or that she was a total smoke show, but because of the hat.

Another Magi with a witch hat. A rival for power. One that would go beyond this competition.

Whatever. I can take her.

“Please don’t kill each other,” Gwen said beneath the din of battle.

Mel turned to her. “Wait, what?”

Heath was too busy using one of those blue orbs to pay any attention. Thomas looked over, but didn’t seem surprised by Mel’s reaction.

Gwen’s eyes widened with shock, then deep worry.

“Listen,” Mel began, “if she doesn’t start shit with me, there won’t be any killing. Though there may be some light slaying. If you know what I mean.” She pumped her eyebrows at Gwen, then looked around at the rising threat of monsters starting to spawn in around the pillars and rush out like flood water. “I’m pretty sure if we don’t band together, we’re not going to get that top spot. My mist doesn’t stop a tide of tentacles and teeth. We need more people if Thomas and I are going to keep our crowns.”

“Magi killing Magi?” Frowning, Gwen lowered her gaze to a green orb and picked it up. She waved to the witch above. “Hello Charlie Asleton!”

The witch, Charlie, fluttered her fingers in a wave to Gwen, then moved sidesaddle on her broom and gracefully wove her hands in the telltale sign of spellcasting. Violet magic burned on the fingertips of her dark gloves.

Aspect Skill: [Gravestone Upheaval]

Surging rows of lopsided gravestones emerged from the dirt and stone, forming a wide, multilayered defensive barricade with no exits or entrances.

It probably wouldn’t stop some monsters from crawling over, but they’d be less likely to.

Especially that monster struggling half-buried in the gravestones. Thomas put it down with a bolt of lightning.

Mel was the last one to grab some of those [Vital Harvest Orbs]. Mostly the blue ones. They weren’t nearly as good as mana potions, but they recovered some of Mel’s MP.

Besides, free was free.

Charlie descended from the sky, her attention falling upon Thomas, lingering on Gwen, and then finally resting entirely on Mel. At that point, no one else existed to Charlie.

A dangerously wicked grin blossomed on her full lips when Charlie recognized the Magi hat on Mel’s head.

Mel’s fingers itched to take her [Primeval Brew]. It had been made specially for this battle, but it was clear that it didn’t last long.

Should I use it now when we need it or when I get desperate?

If she wasn’t careful, she’d end up like Deklin. He had a habit of hoarding every potion and special buff item until they beat the damned dungeon, and had nothing to use them on anymore.

On the other hand, saving it for an opportune moment could turn the tide of battle.

With a little over two hours left to fight and the monsters getting not only stronger, but growing in number, her position would soon be overrun even with those barriers.

The brew could get her out of Dodge if she needed to, but there was no way she would keep her false crown and definitely no way for the others to join her.

They had all brewed up the same type, but none of them had her agility. Without a [Cinder Ampoule], Heath would definitely be left behind.

Even if he had an ampoule that he could turn into a brew, he wasn’t there when they killed the first plateau beast. He lacked the required materials.

[Primeval Brew]

(Blitz Pearl + Wind Ember)

The drink of ancient gods, given to mortal men and women. The effects of imbibing this brew are temporary to prevent total soul dissolution. Higher Rank permits a longer duration. Those who imbibe this brew are said to become the avatar of primordial forces long since forgotten by all but the Realmtree.

Imprint: Significantly enhances movement speed, attack speed, and wind-based skills. Greatly raises Agility. Effect is short-lived.

Painted in gradients of colors that Mel could scarcely put into words, she watched with [Gaze of the Serpent] as the monsters rushed around the gravestones, seeking easier targets.

Arena or meeting ground? Mel asked herself as she stared down the other witch hat. Unlike Mel’s hat, Charlie’s dark green hat looked a little ramshackle. Mel couldn’t help but grin and tilt her chin up at that.

Studying Mel’s face as if she was trying to memorize every line, Charlie hovered above the ground with her staff cradled in the crook of her arm. “A gesture of good will,” she said with a breathy, refined voice.

The Necromancer motioned at the red, green, and blue orbs.

Gwen was busy scooping up the lion’s share of stamina restoring orbs like a golden retriever after a horde of tennis balls.

“I take it you’re leading your group?” Mel asked, gesturing toward her hat.

“How could there ever be any doubt?” Charlie lowered further, getting well into Mel’s personal space.

Mel gestured to her hat again. “Well…yeah, ’cause of that. Look at the poor thing. Did you toss it into a dryer with a bunch of rocks or something? Or does that happen when the hat realizes who it’s attached to?”

Her grin thinned to a sinister smirk. “Is yours woven out of the flesh and viscera of your enemies?”

“Shit,” Mel said, her eyes going wide. “I wish! That sounds awesome.”

Charlie tilted her head, shadowing those brilliant blue eyes with the brim of her hat. “It does sound rather wicked,” she admitted.

“Hello, Charlie,” Thomas said, stepping back from the deceased monster. “Been busy?”

“Oh, very much so.” She didn’t bother to shift her attention to Thomas.

Thomas shook his head. “You could cut the sexual tension here with a chainsaw.” He looked between the two of them. “Is this really the time or place for a dick measuring contest? Really! I expected better of you, Charlotte.”

“As if you understand what I’ve been through ever since the grand invocation,” Charlie replied darkly.

For the first time that Mel had seen, Thomas’ eyes glittered dangerously. “We’ve all been through a lot,” he said tightly.

Gwen hurried over. “Did I hear something about dicks?”

Shaking his head, Thomas turned his attention to one of Charlie’s allies, stalking over to him. “Almace! How’s the arm?”

Mel chuckled and looked over at Thomas, then back to Charlie. “What’s your play here?”

“Let’s take first place away from Jacob Windsor,” Charlie offered bluntly. “Together. For a time. You’ve pulled ahead, more than shown your worth.”

Mel held up two fingers. “From fiftieth to second isn’t so bad for a late bloomer like myself. What makes you think I want to team up to get the top spot?”

Charlie smirked. “Because you know as well as I do that it’d be easier to take the top spot from me after we’ve partnered up. I only have a Magi and an Archivist on my team. Hardly outfitted for as much destructive power as your team.”

She’s got a point.

“I’m already number two.”

“You could be number one.” Charlie lifted her palms skyward and shrugged delicately, turning around mid-sentence. “Of course, if you don’t have the stomach–”

“Hold up,” Mel said. “I didn’t say ‘no’ did I?”

Charlie looked over her shoulder, her gaze smoldering. “You didn’t say ‘yes’ either.”

Assuming Magi haven’t changed since I last was at Brookmoors, there’s no downside. Plotting and scheming is as easy as breathing for Magi, but we never seriously hurt one another.

It was a lot to assume when things seemed so tenuous, but the offer was too good to pass up. Mel noticed that Charlie also had a [Fool’s Crown].

Worst-case scenario, she backstabs me after we’re tied for first place.

Fighting a person right next to her for first place was easier than fighting a living legend among the Magi.

Charlie studied Mel’s face a little too calmly to be convincing. “You have my offer.”

Mel extended her hand. “I accept, and I know exactly how we can do it.” She glanced at her staff. “Gonna need a lift, though.”

Charlie took Mel’s hand in hers and pulled her up to the floating staff. “Show us where to hunt.”

Without missing a beat, Mel twisted and sat sidesaddle on the staff. She shifted around uncomfortably.

“Would it kill you to have some padding for this damned thing? How do you sit on it without losing feeling in your ass? Hup!” Mel pushed herself off and got her feet beneath her, balancing easily on the narrow surface. “That’s better.”

“The staff’s shape is molded for my assets,” Charlie pointed out, a touch amused.

“Over there.” Mel pointed. “Up to that brace, I can see better once I’ve got a layout of the whole thing.”

Mel hopped off the staff and stood easily on the six-inch-wide brace. It stayed remarkably firm beneath her feet. Mel walked along it as easily as she would down a wide street.

Gaining confidence, Mel turned to Charlie and saw she was already following her. Guess I don’t need to tell her what to do. Smart girl.

Up above with [Gaze of the Serpent], Mel could see the entire colorful tapestry of monsters and mana. While she couldn’t see mana directly, high concentrations of mana warped the air and heated it.

High above all the ants milling about over a hundred feet below her, Mel could make out the exact areas that would yield the highest, strongest monsters. She grinned, cupped her hands to her mouth, and shouted down to their two groups.

“Southwest!”

Rather than drop down and join them, Mel used her [Hidden Mist] to illuminate and guide the others while she ran along the narrow braces toward their objective.

Charlie pulled some of them along with threads of [Faedust Weave] that shone with a steel-like luster, getting them over obstacles.

“How unlike you,” Charlie said thoughtfully, tapping her dark painted lips.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m a regular tactical genius.” Mel pointed to an island of stone with a powerful concentration of mana build up. “Over there. If you can use those grave stones to secure the high ground, we’ll be set. You can do that, can’t you?”

“Easily.”

Soon, it was just Mel and Charlie above a sea of monsters. It was a lonely place to be with two [False Crowns].

A glob of burning acid streaked through the air toward them. It was significantly easier for Mel and Charlie up above the morass of monsters and the confusing layout of the pillars. Mel summoned her twinblade and batted it aside with a swipe of her blade. A faint flash of mana repelled the attack down into the press of creatures.

Combat Art: [Shinobi Parry]

Charlie opened up another blue and green pocket of [Vital Harvest] to support the group of Magi below, then raised a glove swirling with purple energy.

Bleached white skeletons materialized in the air all around them, covered in all sorts of mismatched armor and weapons. Glowing necromantic fire for eyes flickered to life as they fell atop the monsters.

Aspect Skill: [Summon Undead]

[Bane of Tartarus] screamed as it landed and expanded among a throng of monsters assaulting the eastern flank of the group. The bumbling squad of armored skeletons surged out of the destruction, hacking clumsily into the monsters.

One of the many benefits of aspect skills was being able to select which targets were affected. Without it, working together would be nearly impossible. Charlie’s undead were able to weather it unharmed, whereas the monsters similarly caught within were scorched with Omen mana.

Once they arrived at the appointed location, Mel jumped back onto Charlie’s staff and rode it down to the ground. The cave was more natural back here, with unworked sections that led to higher, practically hidden levels teeming with powerful monsters.

Mel immediately realized her mistake in setting down before the others reached this height. The monsters that were surging down a bottlenecked side path turned toward the two [False Crowns].

“Some brilliant tactician,” Charlie said, unimpressed, rising up out of the monsters’ reach.

Mel summoned her twinblade, batting aside one attack after the other, but it wasn’t enough. Even with her enhanced speed, an attack slipped through and clipped her shoulder. Mel’s deflection went wide, and a bone spur launched from a demonic hedgehog the size of a fridge hit Charlie.

“You did that on purpose!” Charlie shouted, cursing and holding her bleeding leg.

No longer afraid of getting hit, Mel waded into the battle without fear.

Would have been cool if I did.

Gwen lunged forward and danced at the forefront with Almace, clawing deep gouges into the monsters with [Primal Rend]. Almace battered the beasts with his greatshield and bladed mace.

The Archivist heavily favored using [Molten Barricade] and [Missile Mace], providing the vanguard with a solid anchoring defense and the capacity to hit enemies beyond his shield’s reach.

Adam whirled his longspear, seamlessly attacking past his allies with [Drake Thrust] and pulling monsters in with [Barbed Hook].

The men in Charlie’s team were both heavily armored, fortified with metal-coated bones strapped to their breastplates. They certainly looked like they all belonged together. They even fit in with Charlie’s skeletal minions.

Or her bone boys, as she called them.

I don’t love that name, Mel thought as she parried a monster’s grasping claw and sliced it off at the joint.