Danger Close

“You have fifteen seconds to release me” Her voice was deadly serious.

“Or what?” John’s reply was a low growl, his anger tainting his voice.

“Or your Firefox gets it.”

John’s eyes widened. The flames that surrounded him doubled in radius.

Rageflame level 3: range increased to 10-foot radius

John turned his head slightly, keeping his hand in place. The gorillas had their massive, tree trunk sized arms raised above Ignis. The cynocephali were using their shields to block off any attempt at escape. John made some quick calculations.

Ten feet… eight feet… twelve seconds… seven mana points…

John grinned. His fiery aura dissipated. He cast Dismiss Summon, and Ignis disappeared in a ball of flame.

“What do you think you’re do-aghck!” was all Julie could say before John smashed his fireball into her neck.

Surprise Crit! 30 dmg

2 dmg

2 dmg

2 dmg

2 dmg

2 dmg

1 dmg

1 dmg

1 dmg

John followed up his fireball with flaming hands wrapped around her neck, and when his mana was depleted, just his bare hands. He had her on her knees, almost passed out, when he felt a burst of pain on the back of his head.

John opened his eyes groggily, blinking rapidly at the light that stabbed at his eyes. He tried to move, only to find out that he was strapped to a table. He couldn’t raise his head. The little he could see of the room was disheartening. There were florescent lights on the roof, and he could see the top of a computer monitor to his right. He checked his vitals: hp and mp.

90/90

70/70

I’m ready to let all hell loose in this place. Where the fuck am I, anyways?

John was preparing to cast flames when he heard a door open and a feminine gasp.

“He’s awake!”

The sound of several pairs of footsteps approaching. John cast flames and began to burn his restraints.

“Hurry, he’s using magic!”

The leather bands that were holding him down began to burn, but only blackened and became brittle.

“He’s burning the leather!”

There was frantic typing at a computer, and even more footsteps stormed down a hallway towards the room John was in. The leather at his wrists finally snapped and John began to focus on the leather at his chest.

“He’s gotten through the wrist restraints!”

“Impossible! Leather doesn’t burn!” A different female voice made itself known.

More frantic typing and the footsteps slowed to a halt right outside the door. The chest leather snapped and John focused the flames to blowtorches at the tips of his fingers as he burned the strap on his forehead.

“Don’t just stand there, do something!” The first voice seemed to be in charge.

“What do we do?”

“Anything! Hold him down! Knock him back out! Just do something!”

The strap on his forehead snapped, and John sat bolt upright. He cast observe on the eight women in the room with him.

Level 2 Firesmith Student (x3)

A first-year student at the school for magic casters. Weak in mind, body, and mana.

Level 3 Firesmith Student (x2)

A first-year student at the school for magic casters. Weak in mind, body, and mana.

Level 4 Firesmith Student

A second-year student at the school for magic casters. Weak in mind and body, but strong in mana.

Albina Ankov

Level 6 Hacker

Why did it only give me a name for one of them? Doesn’t matter. Have to get out of here. Am I in Firesmith?

John didn’t know how weak these girls were, and he certainly didn’t want to kill them. Or permanently maim them. Or hurt them at, really. He hurried to burn the restraints on his ankles as they all rushed forward to try and stop him. What a pitiful try it was. They all stumbled over each other in their haste to follow Albina’s order. The final straps snapped, and John jumped over the sorry bunch to escape. Albina swiveled, her eyes wide in shock as she saw John run out the door.

He was at the end of a hallway. There was only one direction to run. He didn’t want to be followed. These thoughts played over and over in his head, overlapping and intertwining as he ran. A plan formed in his mind. He summoned Ignis and told it to light the hallway on fire as he ran, and to also stay hidden to put the fires out when John left. It yipped its understanding and began its work. John risked one look over his shoulder. Albina’s girls were tripping over each other, chasing John. Then the hallway erupted in flames. They all screamed in fear. None actually got burned, though.

“GOD DAMN IT, HE’S GETTING AWAY!”

Albina screeched, reminding John of the girl he had just fought.

……… Oh, they’re sisters, aren’t they?

John tackled open the door at the opposite end of the hallway, hoping it was a stairwell. It was. He bolted up the steps, three at a time. He went up one flight, burst through a door, and saw a hallway identical to the one he just escaped. He did this four more times before finally bursting out into a courtyard. John dove behind a bunch of bushes to catch his breath. From his new hiding spot, he took a good look at his surroundings. There weren’t any students. Well duh, school’s out for the day, John thought to himself. He walked out into the center of the courtyard, keeping a sharp eye out for anything that might attack him.

“We’re not going to hurt you, Mr. Newman.”

John nearly jumped out of his skin as an elegant woman appeared out of thin air a few feet in front of him. Her voice was sultry, smooth as melted chocolate. Her figure was perfect. Her hair was flawless. Her eyes were enchanting. She was beautiful. She- she’s put me under some spell. John’s Gamer’s Spirit activated. She raised an eyebrow.

“Impressive, Mr. Newman. Not many men can resist my… womanly charms.”

She smiled, and John was sent into another trance. Her hair was black as midnight. Her eyes were a deep blue. Her lips were luscious. She was wearing a conservative pantsuit, but only did so much to hide her voluptuous body. She- damn it she did it again!

Gamer’s Spirit Level 3: You are immune to mind altering spells up to twice your level.

John frowned at her and cast observe.

Natalya Ankov

Level 18 MILF

His frown wavered. He couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh? Is something amusing, Mr. Newman?”

“Please, call me John.”

She smiled as well.

“You seem a bit confused, John. Is anything the matter?”

“Oh nothing, it’s just the absurdity of the day catching up to me.”

“Please, elaborate.”

She began walking towards him, her hips swaying.

“Well I wake up to new powers, I fight a monster at school, I have a fierce battle with a fiercely gorgeous girl, I wake up tied to a table in a room full of equally gorgeous girls, escape, and start talking to the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen while I’m only a few feet from freedom.”

She giggles, a sound that reminded John of piano lessons as a kid for some reason.

“You gained your powers only this morning and you nearly defeated my daughter?”

“To be fair, ma’am. She did kick my ass.”

She laughed. She stopped walking towards him.

“You’re too modest Mr.- or rather, John.”

“Oh, she really did kick my ass. It was a fight for my life from start to finish.”

More laughter.

“She told me that you initiated the hostilities.”

“That may be true, ma’am, but I was no match for Julie.”

She froze. Her face was serious as she lifted her chin at John. She looked regal. And deadly.

“How do you know my daughter’s name?”

Shit. Shitshitshitshit.

He did the only thing a sane person would do in this situation.