I could feel the sweat pooling off of me, or at least, what I perceived as sweat. The air was caught in my throat, and no clear thought could form. Then I suddenly heard a shrill whistle and cast Asteroid wall immediately, two of the shards smacking the leader in the chin before I scrambled back. Everyone except Radwin had exited the carriage, but he looked like he was preparing something out of what looked to be a book.

  I took my position at the front like I was instructed, I still had all my shards but I was two hits down till they broke.

  “Join!” I heard the party leader shout behind me.

  -The Cub Pack has invited you to their party. Accept Y/N.-

  I joined without hesitation as soon as the option showed itself.

  -You've joined The Cub Pack.

  -?

  -?

  -?

  -Radwin Roal.

  I quickly noticed that part of the screen told me who was in my party and their names, but only if I knew them. If I selected anyone specifically, I could see their health status. It really caught me off guard.

  -Party General Skills effects active-

  -Effects total, -20% weapon durability loss, -15% stamina cost, -5% mana costs, stealth is more effective, non attack spells are enhanced by +10% efficiency.

  ‘I wonder if this is all the skills they have, or just the ones I can benefit from, being in a party. For that matter, I hope my skill helps them as well,’ I thought, as something seemed to shift in me.

  “Thanks kid, we needed that,” I heard after the sensation faded away. “But, a kid like you really shouldn't have these skills.” Her tone was almost sad.

  “But I didn't do anything,” I said, as I positioned the shard that was already about to burst to the front, blocking an arrow and dagger combo. I used the ice shattering as a quick smokescreen to reposition, as I started to channel and replace my missing shards.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  ‘So using them as attacks does count, good to know.’

  “What do we do? I can only see three of them, but there are still two people firing on us.”

  The party leader lady just zipped for the tree line along the road, straight for where the arrow went. Watching her almost cost me a new hole in my stomach, and as I quickly moved two shards on instinct to block this blow, both shards shattered and threw me back by the force of them rupturing. The bandit leader, Or at least this band’s leader, had deemed me the M.I.T (Most Important Target) and I hated it already.

  ‘Thanks Brimiri you really saved me and you don't even know it.’

  Everyone was tied up. Radwin was working furiously in what appeared to be a cauldron working on its own and the Cub Pack were stuck to their own devices. The female leader of the party was trying to flush out rouges in the trees, the men were pushing back six on their own with no advantage, and the Boss decided I was the target.

  ‘Always a fucking tutorial boss.’

  I blocked his blows, missing some and taking others. I tried in vain to send out some feelers to help the others but my mana was running out, and I could probably only cast another Card or summon a few new shards. My mind was slipping, and only the fear Brimiri taught me had kept me on my feet.

  I'm not entirely sure what happened next. The leader kept coming at me, shattered all my shards, and backed off. One of the men watching on the side moved in from behind me to finish me off. On instinct, I cast Ice Slash, catching the blade and swinging in a bad parry, knocking the blade off course and slashing my arm a few inches from my shoulder. The spell wasn't done yet as it continued to turn into a slash of icy energy that continued into the man's throat. He sputtered and clutched at his slit and frozen throat before falling back.

  -You've Kil—-

  I retched onto the ground in front of me, the shock of what that notification would say slammed me straight in the gut. This moment of self disgust almost cost me my life, as the leader rushed in to finish me off and he would have if not for a shiny blue vial smashing the ground between me and him, a frozen blast rushing out like a soft breeze around us.

  -You've received an area buff-

  -Effects: All ice skills are able to be cast at greatly reduced mana costs, reduced cast time for spells.

  I wasted no time and Summoned another Asteroid Wall, slamming all 8 shards into his body at once and sending him flying just behind the two men who had finished off the other five men, and slashing across his back with both their swords ending the confrontation. I could only lay there in the realization of what happened.

  ‘I killed someone.’

  I started retching again for a while, a hand coming to rub my back calmly and reassuringly. For the second time in just a few days, I broke down into utter sobs. I'd never known violence, and video games only go so far.

  ‘I'm a monster, I just wanted to stop him. Not kill him.’

  Before I could fully spiral, a sharp slap snapped me out of my panic. The female party leader, -I should really ask her name after that- was staring me in the eyes.

  “Enough of that, it doesn't serve you now. It speaks well of you that your first reaction is to detest the action of taking a life, but know this, he would have taken yours without a sliver of remorse.” She paused and pointed at Radwin who looked like he wanted to come over but wasn't sure, the pacing marks on the ground he was walking in were similar to the ones next to me.

  ‘Thanks buddy.’

  “Your friend is certainly happy that you're not dead, and I'm certain your family is as well. You'll grow from this, if you take the right lessons from the situation.”

  She gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulders and went to help the men push the carriage back over, the coachmen already seeing to have recovered off to the side, nursing his wounds. And I just sat in silence taking in deep breaths, trying to find peace again.