Master Of None

Three eagerly went to the training field and set up the nearest wood and straw dummy. Midnight and Onyx had stayed in the forge without any difference; they were way too focused on the elemental mana crystals they had to eat. Walker moved the dummy halfway across the training field from where they stood. "This should be far enough so we don't get caught in any of the effects of the arrows." The wandering blacksmith and Gil gave the thumbs up in approval. 

"I have been waiting forever to have these arrows just the way I wanted them. They are even better than I had hoped for. They are perfectly balanced and I can't see any reason why they won't fly straight. Let's do this." Gil was radiating excitement as he drew his bow. 

The arrow pulled back swiftly in Gil's hands until it looked like it couldn't be pulled back any farther. There was a flow of mana from Gil to the arrow causing the arrow head to glow. The blue glow attracted their attention, Gil released the arrow as soon as the glow seemed to be at its height. His aim was perfect as usual and the arrow found its mark at the center of the training dummy. 

For a second they stood there thinking that nothing had happened. However, they were proven wrong in a blink of an eye. Water droplets seemed to come out of thin air and converge on the training dummy. It looks like it had been sitting out in a soft misty rain for hours. Then again, before they could blink, the water sprung out in to a burst of spiky ice. The arrow was left frozen in to the training dummy long with the ice that had pierced through it. 

The wandering blacksmith rushed forward to see the results, he had never made arrows that had been infused with such magic before. He had the skills to make parts of the arrows like the arrow heads but he could not fully create an arrow unless it was completely made of metal. Therefore he was often left having to partner with someone with archery skills who could carve the arrow shaft and add the fins to keep it flying straight. He felt that there was a lot to learn from seeing how the magically infused arrow head took the force from the change in the water element. 

Walker and Gil were right behind him finding that the crystal clear blue ice showed them everything they needed to know. The arrow had come in to contact and penetrated the training dummy but had been pushed back out by the freezing water. It left a slightly dented arrow head on the arrow, which was otherwise undamaged. 

"Looks like I will need to maintain the arrow heads when I use these arrows if I can get them back. The good news is if I do break the arrow head then I should be able to use the arrow shaft still. I wonder what will happen with the fire elemental arrow?" 

"I would assume the arrow head would be fine and the arrow shaft would burn. I think the darkness element when added could cause the entire arrow to decay. The earth element would probably cause the ground to spike like the ice but I have no clue on what the wind would do." Walker was trying to theorize what would happen with each element but couldn't be sure of every single one. He hadn't even mentioned the light element because he had no clue if it would even be able to accuse any damage. 

"Well, the wind would most likely just cause the same slashing wind effect that my bow makes with its wind elemental arrow. I am not worried about it since I have an idea. I am more worried about what the elements I have no affinity for will do and how I can properly use them. If the darkness element makes the arrow decay along with the target then it could be trouble. What if I miss and hit something important? Or even worse what if the arrow is similar to a poison arrow and it doesn't stop a  monster in its tracks?" 

Gil was watching the ice start to melt slowly off of the dummy revealing more of the damage it had caused. He could tell that it had even pulled some of the moisture from inside the dummy to condense and formed spiky crystals of ice. Even if the enemy he hit with this arrow had survived it would leave a dire injury. This was good if he was trying to defeat the opponent but terrible if he hit something he did not mean to. 

"The withering wood is really an amazing material for the arrow shaft. It felt very natural when I draw it between my fingers. There was almost no resistance from the air as I released it." The feeling of releasing the arrow was stuck in his head, it was the smoothest process he had experienced since becoming an archer. 

"There's only one way to test everything else out and get you used to the feeling of the withering wood arrow shafts." Walker looked at Gil with a light in his eyes. The wandering blacksmith was right there with him. The two wanted to see the other effects the infused arrows would have.

"I can only make a few more today, I used up a lot of my mana this morning so it was harder to make this one properly." He was thinking that with his remaining mana he could only make about ten more arrows before he reached his limit, however he was not prepared for what Walker said next. 

"I can just go ask Remey for some of the mana potions she made while training. I need to make sure she can make some antidote potions for when we are in the forest anyway." Walker didn't even look at Gil for an answer before he went toward the alchemy lab. This left Gil to go back to the forge and get to work on making more of the elemental infused arrows. He planned to prioritize those that would cause the least damage to the forest if he missed since Walker had also been training different skills for such a reason. 

When Walker looked at the smoke stack on the top of their alchemy lab he found that it was spewing white yellow smoke. It smelled very bitter and definitely was not from the same process Remey had been using the previous days. 

"Quick add the florescent fungus and stir as fast as possible to break it up." The old man's voice was easily heard as Walker opened the door seeing the yellow potion being mixed by Remey as her life depended on it. The two were incredibly focused on what they were making and paid him no mind. 

The two added a few more smaller herbs that looked very absorbent and similar to mushrooms and funguses. They dissolved in to the bubbling yellow liquid while Remey stirred it vigorously. She had sweat pouring from her face but the determination In her eyes was hotter than the fire beneath the pot. "The lid, get the lid and cover it. We need to seal it and let it cool down overnight." The last order from the old master alchemist made Remey nearly throw the large stirring stick to the floor. She slammed the cauldron lid down on to the top and started to wrap a cloth around the edges to seal everything inside. 

The lid tried to bounce off from the steam coming from the still bubbling cauldron but it was too tightly fastened on to it. Remey sat down on the nearby stool and looked at Walker for the first time. "Come over here to see the antidote potions being made?" 

"Actually I was going to ask about them but you beat me to it. They look like a lot of work but I know it will be worth it." Walker was looking at the cauldron then to the shelves that were now lined with the potions Remey had used to practice since she got the upgraded system. From the looks of it, she had been constantly working to improve and memorize the actions she would need when making potions alone. 

"I also need to ask for some of the mana potions so Gil can keep making his new arrows. They pack a decent punch but he is running low on mana." 

"So you came all the way here? Are we invited to see what our hard work leads to? I want to know what I will need to avoid when he used them. If I am too close I am the one who could get hurt." Remey was too tired at the moment to act huffy but still managed to add a lit sarcasm in to her words. 

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