The First World Sphere

Chapter 61: Callem's Killing Intent

Chapter 61: Callem's Killing Intent

Early on the morning of the 7th day, I made my way to meet Callem at Ennet’s house. Aelyn and Wynna were making breakfast when I knocked, and I quickly joined them. Aelyn kept looking at me, and finally, I told her she should just ask her question.

“Storme, why didn’t you ask me to join your delve team?” she seemed hurt at being left out.

“I don’t have a delve team. At least I don’t plan on delving myself. I am just hiring some adventurers to harvest specific materials for me. I plan to have a team gather consumables for the restaurant and materials to construct a skyship,” I replied, and she seemed a little less dismayed.

“Callem and Wynna seem to think you are planning to attend the dungeon delving academy in Aegis city,” she retorted.

I hadn’t told Aelyn of my more in-depth plans since she had been living in town at Ennet’s house. “That is true. But it is only to utilize their magic training classes. Like I said, I don’t plan to delve myself.” Aelyn still seemed confused. “Don’t worry, Aelyn. If everything goes to plan, then that mark on your neck will be removed in less than a year,” I said confidently.

“You will be free of Skyholme and me,” I added, and she showed uncertainty on her face. Either she was doubting my words or didn’t want to be free of me. I was betting on the former.

Callem entered the kitchen, and I was relieved to end the conversation with Aelyn, “Callem, are you ready to head to Solaris? Selina said she would meet us at the skyship docks and go to a private place to interview Talia. Then we can take a ship to Aegis City and hit up the adventuring guilds.” We quickly stuffed all the food into our mouths and started for the door. I paused.

Aelyn looked melancholic the entire morning so I thought I would offer her to come along. She hated being in public with the tattoo branding her as an indentured, so I assumed she would say no, “Aelyn do you want to come? Your input would be appreciated.”

“Yes!” she said too excitedly, and her face instantly brightened. I guess she just wanted to be included. I noticed Wynna and Ennet had smiles they were trying to hide as they did the dishes, and Aelyn ran to change.

We walked into town, and I told Callem what I was looking for in my delve team. Two core front liners who were strong in defense and good at melee. A support member that was good at healing. Two scouts with good ranged combat capability. The sixth member was to be a mage who had good offensive spells for both area effect and individuals. In addition, I wanted at least two porters. Porters were responsible for carrying out the dungeon loot. So eight members in total.

Callem thought I could find everyone except the support healer. Healers were rare in Skyholme as the navy usually scooped them up, and there just wasn’t enough to go around. He suggested I look for two mages and give one of the mages some incentive to learn a healing spell or two. I knew mages didn’t have a large aether matrix, so utilizing space on their spell matrix for a tier 2 healing spell was difficult to make over a powerful tier 2 defensive or offensive spell. Aelyn was quiet, but she carefully listened to the conversation.

We found Selina waiting on a bench for us. The skyship from the capital had not arrived. She was surprised to see Aelyn but started asking her how her third spell imprinting was progressing. I was not aware Aelyn was working on the privacy spell. I thought she had told me she was working on the cleanliness spell. I guess I was really growing apart from her after we longer slept in the loft together.

Callem and I moved slightly off to the side, and he was relaying what kind of defensive skills my two front liners should be able to demonstrate. The skyship landed shortly after, and Talia disembarked, and as she approached, Selina introduced Aelyn and Callem. Aelyn was making lightning eyes at Talia, which she returned. Why the fireworks?

Talia and Aelyn walked on either side of Selina as Callem, and I followed them to the meeting location. Callem chuckled and said in a low voice, “I think those two are ready to face off for your attention, Storme.” I looked confused at the trio walking twenty paces in front of us. I didn’t have time to consider Callem’s words more seriously as he started quizzing me on my observations as we walked.

It was a game, and I had to keep my eyes forward, and he would ask for details about things or people we had already passed. I was getting about 70% correct and 20% partially correct, which I thought was really good. Selina turned into a tea house, and we were seated upstairs on a balcony. Selina cast a transparent privacy shield as we settled in. The privacy barrier encompassed the entire balcony.

Aelyn sat to my right, Callem to my left, and Selina and Talia across from us. Selina poured some tea and relaxed. She was only here as an observer. I think she was hiding a smirk at Aelyn’s and Talia’s dagger eyes. Everyone was waiting for me to start, so I did.

“Talia. Selina has mentioned that you are training to be a combat wizard and asked you to be a member of my delve team.” Talia looked confused and looked back and forth between Callem and me. I set her straight, “Callem is financing the team, but I am running it. What makes you qualified?” I always hated being put on the spot in interviews. I felt no matter my response, I was doing poorly.

She turned and focused on me, making eye contact. “I am in my fourth year at the Mage Academy. My imprinted spells include a tier 2 fire whip, a tier 2 ice lance, the tier 1 wizard lock, privacy, light, aether bolt, aether armor, and alarm spells. I am currently working on the tier 3 spell fireball. I have finished 3rd in mage duels at school and am currently ranked 4th overall in my class.” She nodded after relaying all the information.

“What level are your spells?” I asked while taking mental notes. Talia looked at Selina, who answered for her.

“Storme, even in an interview, asking a wizard their spell levels is impolite. But it is ok in this instance,” she smiled and nodded to granddaughter.

“You do seem to like to have big things, Storme,” she laughed softly. I had no response, and we joined Callem on the long walk to the adventurers guild hall.

Callem had rented a private training room to test our candidates. We were actually an hour early, and Callem asked if Aelyn and I would want to challenge him in the interim. Aelyn jumped at the chance, and I produced a staff from my dimensional storage. I had a dozen in there now of varying quality.

Aelyn and I tried to circle Callem but couldn’t penetrate his defenses. Aelyn bravely sacrificed herself repeatedly to try to get me an opening. I wasn’t sure if it was Callem’s grin or the beating Aelyn was taking on my behalf, but I thought Callem needed a surprise. I activated my lightning reflexes spell.

As if sensing the spell, Callem’s stance and forms changed to balance the increased rate of attacks. It was like I was getting closer but still unable to touch him with the staff. Callem was, for sure, slightly slower than me, but since he was wielding two heavy short swords, he still managed to block me every time. This did give Aelyn a chance to actually press the attack. After 5 minutes, I felt my spell advance to level 12. Maybe if I could reach level 13 and increase my speed again, Callem would be caught off guard.

I had about 35 minutes before I emptied my aether. Aelyn seemed to sense my determination and joined the assault on Callem with a new fervor. Callem was just wearing a stupid grin, and his eyes were twinkling in delight. Then he goaded me, “Oh, Storme, even with this spell, Gareth can still beat you. You need to get inventive.”

I started chaining the special sequences I had learned from Elora. They didn’t phase Callem in the least. At least the old square man was sweating. Fifteen minutes later, my spell reached level 13, and it evolved again. I needed to disengage and let the spell matrix weave the enhancement in and recast the spell. Callem thought I had given up, and Aelyn looked confused.

When I returned to combat, Callem was caught slightly off guard, and my staff connected weakly with his elbow. His eyes widened, but I didn’t erase the grin or twinkling eyes. Fine! Callem, you asked for this! I went into overdrive on the spell, increasing my speed from 73% to 146% faster.

My first strike got his left knee and then his right shoulder. His eyes suddenly changed after the two solid hits and changed from twinkling enjoyment to hard and focused in a blink. I never thought ‘killing intent’ was real. It was just something they put in anime from my past life to make people sound dangerous. But Callem’s eyes and aura suddenly made me feel like I was in a deep well, and he was looking down at me from the opening far above.

Aelyn immediately disengaged and recoiled, leaving me to fend off Callem myself. The blows came fast and quick, and I think I hit him eight or nine times, but I sported eight slashes myself, and my staff was missing chunks. I don’t know why I continued to fight. Callem could have ended me at any time, but he was letting me proceed. Finally, my aether ran out, and I collapsed in exhaustion. Callem stood over me momentarily before falling next to me, crossing his legs underneath him.

Callem was soaking wet, breathing heavy, and he was bleeding from his forehead where I connected. We didn’t speak as I desperately used my aether as it filled to my core to stop my own bleeding. I touched Callem and examined him with the spell. Six sizable bruises and a very light concussion. Everything else was minor. I did his concussion first and then alternated between us.

A knock at the door, and Callem yelled, “Ten minutes.” He looked at me, “I wondered when you were going to challenge Gareth or me. I followed you a few nights and watched you working on the spell. It is extremely impressive. If I hadn’t been prepared mentally for it, you would have had the upper hand.”

I laid down on the ground and saw Aelyn nursing her own injuries on a seat in the corner. I waved her over, and she had two torn ligaments which I healed. “Callem, that is bullshit. You could have had me at any time.”

“Not so, Storme. If you hadn’t pulled the strike to my head, you might have dazed me or knocked me out,” he said seriously. I didn’t even remember connecting with his head. The entire fight was just a blur to me.

“Well, it cost me. I have four broken bones, and it will take me an hour to regain enough aether to heal my ligaments and tendons,” I groaned in pain as I stood. Callem looked concerned, and I waved it off, “A side effect of the spell when I double its effects. You didn’t do much damage to me other than ruining a perfectly good set of clothes.” It took a second to use my cleanliness spell to eliminate the blood, sweat, and dirt, so the cuts Callem left all over my outfit were now easily seen. I pulled a new set of clothes out of my space and changed.

“So when are you going to challenge Gareth,” Aelyn asked eagerly, now that things had settled. Callem looked at me as well, interested in my answer.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to destroy his confidence. Also, my spell leveled twice during the forty minutes of our fight with Callem. That shouldn’t be possible,” I said with some excitement and surprise in my voice.

“I figured when you increased your speed. Fighting against a superior opponent will do that, and I didn’t pull many of my strikes. You should have felt truly threatened,” he replied nonchalantly. I shouldn’t be surprised, as that was how he sparred with Gareth. “If you want, I can join you on your nightly excursions and train with you at Twin Rocks.”

My eyes popped. He had been following me. I liked the run to the lake, and it was my favorite spot, especially when there was no wind, and the lake was calm. “I would appreciate it. I think my lightning reflexes may be my best offensive and defensive spell.”

A devious grin came over Callem, “Since you don’t mind me training with you, I am sure Elijah and Elora wouldn’t mind a late-night run out to the rocks as well.” I groaned. How did I get myself into these things? “We should focus on the task at hand. A friend of mine put together a strong list of candidates for us.” Callem stood slowly, feeling his body out. I remembered when he realized what a prize Gareth was all those months ago. Now he was looking at me the same way as he tested out his deceptively old-looking frame.

Well, at least I could control who I hired, “Let’s meet the contestants,” I said while still healing myself.