Portal Grinding Volume 2 Part 1

John stood in the living room, preparing for his second grinding session. This time, he would focus on his lightning abilities.

Flames and Fireball are already max level. If I can get Sparks and Bolt to max level, I'll be able to easily hold my own against anyone I've met so far. Except probably the professors. The professors have both levels and real life experience. Real life experience is probably what the gang members were missing. Coddled by the school and only fighting amongst other inexperienced fighters. Hopefully I gain the advantage of actual experience fighting in these barriers. I have no idea how real their behaviors are.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

Worrying about that now will get me nowhere. I just need to survive tomorrow, get stronger and survive the next day. One day at a time until I hit level 50. Level 50 and I can start thinking farther ahead.

His worries put aside for future consideration, he squared his shoulders and reached within himself. With a deep breath he replicated the process that formed an Abyssal gate last time. He sculpted a cube out of the earthen mana inside him and threw it at the fabric of the Abyss. A block of mud bricks materialized in front of him and landed with a thump on his floor. From that block arose a door frame leading into a small room with swirling galaxies of energy dancing on the walls.

He stepped in and kept his eyes fixed on the one piece on the walls that wasn't moving, so he wouldn't get dizzy. It was a menu of barrier biomes, though only three of the eight options weren't greyed out.

Flame Dungeon level 1

Lava Dungeon level 1

Earth Dungeon level 1

Plant Dungeon level 1

Water Dungeon level 1

Snow Dungeon level 1

Air Dungeon level 1

Combustion Dungeon level 1

Confident in his performance the last time he chose the flame dungeon, he chose it again.

Flame Dungeon level 1 activated.

8 hours until Gate closes. Objectives:

Eliminate all hostile creatures. (206/206)

Defeat two enemy Generals. (0/2)

Maintain a health point level of at least 1. (140/140)

Optional Objectives:

Maintain a minimum of 50% non-hostile creatures. (100%)

Defeat all enemy Generals. (0/5)

Rewards:

+2000 Bonus Exp.

+$1000

Optional Objective Rewards:

+1000 Bonus Exp.

+Passive Skill level up

John raised a quizzical eyebrow at the large number of hostiles.

Two hundred and six hostiles and five Generals total. That means there's a boss the quest isn't telling me about.

John summoned Ignis and she appeared in an explosion of flames and heat, spraying beads and ropes of red hot glass. She yipped enthusiastically as she realized that they were back in the desert barrier. John smiled at her enthusiasm, but his good mood deflated quickly.

Last time was too close. Ignis got hurt. I can't keep letting that happen. We need to get stronger together, but this encounter might be too much for just the two of us. It's a fire barrier, so Calista could really use her water magic to our advantage. She's also a healer, which could be extremely helpful.

John nodded to himself as he summoned Calista. His gut wrenched painfully as he felt more than just his mana being consumed. A river of his aura gushed forward out of his chest and splashed onto the sand, turning into glowing water as it hit the ground. Calista emerged from the puddle, a pained expression on her face.

“I'm sorry, Master Newman, I did not mean to take so much of your power. This is the farthest I've ever been from an ocean, so I needed a portion of your ocean elemental essence to manifest at my full strength.”

There was deep regret in her voice, and John knew that he needed Calista at her full strength for this.

“It's okay, Calista. I understand. I'll just need to take a minute to recover my strength.”

She nodded, a small relieved smile on her lips.

“Ignis, I need you to find some more Lizardmen. Can you tell the difference between hostile and friendly creatures?”

Ignis nodded her head, then cocked it to the side. She seemed to be asking which John wanted to find.

“We need to join up with the friendlies; I have a feeling we're going to war.”

Ignis yipped in affirmative then got to sniffing the air. Calista eyed the surroundings warily.

“War? What creatures could live a sophisticated enough life to wage war in this desolate land?”

“Lizardmen. They don't have very advanced weaponry, and I haven't seen how advanced their dwellings are, but they have language, society and magic.”

“I see. What purpose do you have in participating in their affairs, Master Newman?”

“I'm completing a quest. Its completion grants me a large boost in power.”

She nodded her understanding as she and John started to follow Ignis, who had found a scent trail.

Layla cycled between grumbling irritably and sighing with arousal as she pushed her shopping cart down the aisle in the supermarket. She couldn't stop thinking about all the things she could have been doing with John if she didn't have to go shopping.

I could have invited him into my dorm. I could have invited him into my room. I could have invited him into me.

She squealed, then grumbled to herself about not getting too worked up.

I could have invited him into my dorm. I could have invited him into the living room. I could have knelt in front of him as he sat on the couch and-

She squealed, then grumbled to herself about not getting too worked up.

I could have invited him into my dorm. I could have invited him into the kitchen for snacks. I could have lifted up my skirt and bent over the counter and-

She moaned softly, then grumbled to herself about not getting too worked up.

I could have followed him upstairs to his dorm. I could have followed him into his living room. I could have sat in his lap and-

She moaned softly, then grumbled to herself about not getting too worked up.

I could have followed him upstairs to his dorm. I could have followed him into his bedroom. I could have sat on his bed. I could have spread my legs for him to show him how wet he makes me. I-

She had started panting with need, her face flushed as she paid for her groceries. She grumbled an incoherent response to the store clerk and left, a spring in her step as she headed towards her future lover.

John's eyes widened in surprise as they crested a particularly tall sand dune and laid eyes upon a Lizardman settlement. There was an enormous bonfire blazing in the center of the city, surrounded by a large circular sand pit. Bordering the pit began the sandstone that served as pavement for the city. Narrow alleys snaked between ten and twelve story tall buildings also made of sandstone, all of it blending perfectly with the surrounding dunes.

Opposite the dune John stood on was a cliff face over twice the height of the buildings, pockmarked with wide doorways. Lizardmen bustled in and out of them, carting ore and buckets of water back and forth. They all had ruby red scales. After a few moments, a procession of Lizardmen exited the city towards John, or more accurately, Ignis.

Slytha led two columns of Lizardmen in brown robes towards John's party and bowed as they reached the summit of the sand dune. Slytha stood to speak, though the others remained prostrate on the sand.

“Mighty Flame and mighty companion of the Flame, welcome back to our sands. It has been many moon cycles since your last visit, and as Shihai wills it, you have returned in our hour of need. We wage war with the Trekkankakarra tribe over possession of our wells. They wish to destroy us, but the will of Shihai is greater than the will of Dhokun. She has sent us a savior, a champion to battle among us, a mighty flame to burn our enemies and light our night.”

The other Lizardmen chittered as Slytha spoke, only recognizing the names of the deities and the other tribe. She turned to regard Calista, her face neutral.

“Does this foreigner accompany you, companion of the flame?”

“She does,” was John's response.

Calista bowed slightly before introducing herself.

“I am Calista, servant of John Newman the Elementalist, also known as the Gamer, known to you as companion of the Flame. I am a healer and a fighter, and I answer only to my master.”

Slytha smiled warmly at Calista.

“You have chosen an interesting master, healer and fighter Calista. It will be an honor to do battle alongside you.” She turned to John again, “Please, follow me.”

She turned and walked the edge of the sand dune, travelling around the city rather than through it. It made sense, considering Ignis' paws would have ruined their pavement. The other Lizardmen stood and walked back into the city chittering amicably, their jobs apparently done. Slytha led them up a steep incline, not quite up and over the cliff but far enough to the side to be traversable and close enough to be unable to see behind it.

They reached the pinnacle of their path and gained the ability to see behind the cliff. John's first thought escaped his lips unbidden.