Upping The Ante

103. Magical Ant

As my first victim languishes within my spell that is quite literally trying to pull it apart in every direction, I turn my attention to the rest of the monsters. Right now, there are six titan-crocs and three of the larger double-crocs who need dealing with.

Come to me, you leathery chumps. I’m not holding back this time!

I vengefully command my sub-brain to pass more Gravitational Mana to me and begin swiftly weaving ordinary Gravity Bolts. With the relative ease of construction, the spell leaves me enough awareness to turn and present my back zone to my foes.

Have a taste of this, you darn crocs!

POW! POW! POW!

Quick as a flash, three blasts my own special brand of acid are fired off of before I turn around again and unleash my spell.

The acid arcs through the air. They’re on alert this time and two of the shots miss but the spell slams home into one of the titan-crocs who immediately feels the weight of the world fall on its shoulders, slowing its movement to a crawl.

Plenty more where that came from!

[Crinis, get into a defensive position in front of me. I’ll throw spells until they reach us.]

[Understood, Master.]

No nonsense in the heat of battle, my faithful pet glides gracefully in front of me and rapidly deploys her web of tentacles. The monsters will have to get past her if they want to reach me, and I don’t think she’ll allow that.

Gravity Bolt!

With my current mind I can whip one of these out in just seconds. The next one is already prepared and on its way.

This time I target one of the double-crocs. I want to see what these beefier monsters are made of. As they draw closer, the spells become more difficult to dodge, and this one easily strikes home. The target looks angry to have been struck, and when the gravity descends it unleashes a roar of frustration, the anger rumbling out from deep in its chest. But it keeps coming. Slower than before, thankfully, but still coming. It appears these monsters have enough Might to overcome the normal Gravity Bolt and not suffer too much. I won’t bother spending more of that on them then.

Weighing them down and restricting their mobility is nice, but there’s a hell of a lot better I can do with my time and every second counts.

I’ve been weaving another Gravity Bolt even as I watched the effect of the last one and it’s ready.

Fire!

Another titan-croc feels the pressure pulling its feet down to the ground and it struggles to overcome the weight.

The crocs are moving at full speed now, the ground shuddering under the impact of their massive feet. Overhead the trees shake and shiver. The monsters moving through the water shift into high gear, spraying water as they pass, their jaws opening wide to reveal their surprisingly pink tongues nestled between rows of razor-sharp teeth.

I’ve got room for maybe two more spells before they hit us.

Maybe I can buy us some more time though…

Gravity Mana begins to pour out of my gland at the behest of my sub-brain and I bring forth the full power of my prodigious mind to compress it down and weave it into a new shape. I have to focus hard on this one as I haven’t had enough practice with it to be able to shape it with ease.

I can almost feel steam pour out of my ears as my mind starts to overheat. Compressing Mana and building up the structure at dizzying speeds. Loops and whorls, spheres and lines, layer on layer taking shape as the seconds tick by. The crocs thunder ever closer, emerging from the water just a few metres away.

Aaaaand… done!

Gravity Bola!

[Advanced Forceful Mana (II) has reached Level 6.]

[Precise shooting has reached Level 3.]

Haa! It’s nice to fight tier three monsters! The difference in XP is really showing. I can’t wait to eat.

The Gravity Bola materialises and flings out in the shape of a wide line. By angling it just so, I manage to clip the crocs emerging from the water as well as those running overland. Only one titan-croc is able to avoid being hit as it faces forward, shrinking in width as it passes.

The crocs who are hit seem almost confused as they notice no effect. Unbeknownst to them, there is a sliver of energy that ties them to the bola as it travels. The farther the spell goes, the smaller it becomes until it has shrunk to a single point and becomes still.

At this point, the spell takes effect. With a tremendous pulse of gravitational energy, the crocs are pulled backward toward the spell. They jerk as the pulse yanks them back a few steps. The massive beasts freeze then begin to walk forward, only to be yanked back by another pulse of energy.

The Gravity Bola!

The normal version isn’t much, but the Forceful version comes out wider and the pull is much, much stronger.

Phew! That took a lot out of me. Thankfully my Gravitational Gland is so deep, I still have plenty in the tank.

Angry and frustrated, the double-crocs strain against the pull until their muscles creak and pop. The closest one opens wide and flames flicker within its mouth.

Yikes! I hastily begin spinning up a spell.

The croc leans forward and unleashes a huge ball of fire that races toward us, the fire bursting out of its mouth with a tremendous roar!

[Master?] Crinis questions.

She can probably feel the heat. The temperature is certainly rising fast.

[I’m on it!] I grate out as my brains work together at lightning speed.

Done!

Water Bolt!

The dense ball of water flies and impacts against the fire just before it strikes us.

PSSSHHHHH!

With an audible THUMP the spells collide and an explosion of steam bursts out, the two substances consuming each other in an instant.

Dammit! I can’t see a thing!

I hastily whip up another water bolt and hold it as I peer through the steam. My antennae start going crazy as my heat detection lights up like a firework. Yes, I get it! There is heat everywhere!

[What have you got, Crinis?]

[They’re coming!]

The steam has no effect on her vision… since she doesn’t have any…