Trope World 14 Quaking Escape

My orc companion was slack jawed and staring at the swirling vortex of spiritual energy. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know she was out of her depth. Asking her what's going on would be useless. My eyes met Thunder's, he wanted to flee but wouldn't leave me behind. If he put all his effort in it, he could break his reins.

Cultivators gained strength by cultivating spiritual energy. I gained strength through battle. If I wanted to be strong then retreating every time wasn't an option. Fighting in a collapsing grotto wasn't to my advantage. Then there was the ash cloud still on the wind. Either option left me blind.

CAC lv5

I focused my insight directly at the center of the singularity. My mind leapt forward armed with the lion's share of my spiritual energy. It rampaged forward locked on the ma.s.s of spiritual energy. It was like shooting a bullet in a tornado. Only, I gained a bit of information.

BP 1m BP 2m BP 1m BP 3m BP1m BP10m

There were many in the singularity and they were all stronger than Hertha. I didn't know exactly what was down there only that I'd only detected a small number of them.

Focus lv3

Detect lv5

a.n.a.lyze lv10

In Sight lv49

Blood shot out of my mouth, ears, eyes, and nose. My health bar was gone and slowly recovering. This wasn't what I expected. I turned to see Hertha with my bags attaching them to Thunder's saddle.

"Hey, are we leaving or not?" I wiped the blood from my face and shoved my way in front of her on the saddle.

"I'm driving," taking some cloth, I tied it over thunder's eyes and nose. We left the grotto in a hurry. The trees around the grotto were dying. Their green leaves withered turned brown and fell off. Whatever was in the grotto was strong and growing stronger. I had no idea what was down there and didn't want to know. I kicked Thunder and headed north for Low Port.

As we galloped out of the grotto, I felt the attention of one of the beings from the grotto. He looked at me and I felt a measure of amus.e.m.e.nt from him. We left at a breakneck speed gaining distance from the presence. It didn't take long before we emerged from the ash cloud and I realized why it took so long for it to clear. The cloud wasn't carried by the wind it was rotating around the grotto.

The ground shook and a purple light emerged cracking the grotto open and firing up to the heavens. Behind us the ground began to collapse. I kicked thunder and he moved faster. With my hands on the reins, I guided him away from the trees and down the only road leading away from the grotto. Dark clouds appeared over head and the boom of thunder rang out.

Lightning like I'd never seen before gathered swirling around the grotto before firing down as numerous as bullets in an AK47. "Tribulation Lightning," I heard Hertha mutter as thunder galloped flat out.

Tribulation lighting BP 1b

My eyes widened at the shear power behind each bolt of lightning, but it wasn't enough. I could sense the beings in the grotto grow stronger with each lightning bolt. Whatever was down there had no fear of tribulation lightning. They did not fear the heavens.

For six hours we traveled north before I had to slow Thunder down. He was exhausted and so were we. Whatever was happening behind us was far beyond anything we could handle.

We dismounted at a stream and Thunder immediately began to drink his fill. We weren't dismounted for a minute before a group of starved goblins leapt at us in an ambush. I moved without thinking delivering a powerful haymaker to one, grappling another, and using it as a human shield against a barrage of arrows. This way of fighting was instinct. The goblins didn't know what to do. I moved and punted a goblin against a tree before giving it another haymaker. My fist crushed its rib cage and destroyed its organs. I turned to the disorganized goblins.

Blood was pounding in my ears. I was tired of feeling weak. First it was Od, then Hertha, and finally those monsters below the grotto. One goblin managed to drive his spear into my side under the ribs. It made it half an inch before I turned to the goblin. The pain had driven my mind to even grater rage. I grabbed the poor green goblin and opened my mouth. The dragon cackled within and leant his breath to mine.

The goblin's pointed ears curled up under the head and its eyes melted out of its head. The poor creature kicked it legs as it took a breath to scream only for its lungs to melt. I threw the corpse to the ground and turned to the fleeing goblins. Thunder had kicked two to death, Hertha killed four with her spear, and I killed 10 with my haymaker, stomps, grapples, and fire breath.

Haymaker lv8

Crush lv20

Grapple 10

Dexterity has surpa.s.sed a milestone

Power Skill discovered: Quiet Step lv1; pa.s.sive; +10DEX

Strength has surpa.s.sed a milestone

Next milestone 1000

Power Skill discovered: Quake lv1: active cost 1000SP; +10STR

Personal BP 26,941.48

I was growing stronger, but it wasn't enough. I had no idea how to use Quake and the number of Dao I had could be counted with two fingers. Did I need to also cultivate to gain enough power to fight guys like those in the grotto? What about Hertha? She was much stronger than me. Yet, she killed so few goblins. I didn't know how the world worked. Even with In Sight I was lost. Where was Od? Did those Chu clansmen manage to **** her?

Taking a tentative step, I followed my instincts. My steps were a little quieter now. "What level of cultivation do you think those guys in the grotto were?" I asked.

"Core formation of the great cycle at the least. They may have reached Nascent rebirth. We need to get some distance before the fighting starts. We are but leaves in the wind to those great storms." Hertha said.

"Then we need to get to the city. There is a chance my mistress is there waiting for me. She is at least in core formation." I said. Hertha nodded and we rode north.