HE LOOKED TO THE SKY and saw not a bird nor a dragon but the Slipstream.

  FINALLY!

  He raised his arms to the sky and chanted the simple prayer. Whiskey did the same. With the prayer completed, his body filled with magical energy.

  "Jiehong. The Slipstream is back," he mentioned to his brother.

  "Feck yeah, bro!" was the answered he received.

  His team then took the next while to freely use magic. They healed their own minor cuts and abrasions, and he took the time to mend a few tools. Every step of the way, he looked to the Slipstream and recharged his magic, though he knew well-enough that his current levels of magic would suffice. He wanted to always be at full magic. The Slipstream had been gone for so long, he had started to get worried. Now that it was back, he and his team needed to make up for lost time.

  "Our course of action, guys? I know we have to continue clearing out the bunker. But there is still a lot for us to do up here. We could do some mending and then head into the bunker once we recharge for the final time," he told his team.

  "Hmmm, that sounds like a good idea, but don't you worry we will be too tired to fight that huge Fatal Graze after a full day of Mending magic and physical labor?" Jiehong said.

  "Sure, but we have some energizing black tea, right? That can help us through. Even if we don't get to it tomorrow, most of our magic should retain within our bodies. So--" he began before Whiskey held up her hand, interrupting.

  "Oh, yeah?" he said, dumbly.

  "I agree with you Zan. There is a lot of stuff to do up here. Unfortunately, we don't have the time to do such things. The enemy just attacked us. We need to place all of our resources into getting this bunker's defenses up and running. Which means diving deeper into the complex and clearing out the fae-construct infestation. I know it seems squanderous, but we can always pay the locals to do this work. And remember, we have paid for tilling fields but yet to receive them. The laborers will be back, eventually. We have no reason not to purge the infestation as our first priority."

  As Whiskey spoke, he nodded along to what she said. "I see what you mean." He looked to Jiehong. He had the same look he figured he had on his own face. Stern. Contemplative. Otherwise, chill. "And so, we will do that, Whiskey. You make a great point. I got too carried away with just having magic again."

  "It's fine!" she said cheerily. "If the situation wasn't so dire, it would be a different story. If the automotrons hadn't just attacked us and hadn't just been caught spying on us and the village, then I would say your divide-and-conquer strategy would be fine -- great, even! It just isn't right for us right now."

  "Well spoken. It sounds like we are all in agreement, then. Shall we return to the second floor? After a bite to eat?"

  Back inside the bunker after so many days, he forgot how stilted everything smelled. And looked, for that matter. Strange, rust-like blotches ruined the walls while puddles of water from cracks in said walls polluted the otherwise clean interior. Seeing the bunker damaged so, he wondered how much energy it would take to restore this complex. 'Likely too much,' he thought as he considered the size difference between this bunker and the command center. It was, at any rate, something to only worry over later.

  "Here we are -- floor two, downward. Ahead, fae-construct," Whiskey told them as they reached the doorway leading into the long hallway.

  Zan waved open the door. When it slid open, he saw something he had not expected -- the Fatal Graze had regrown!

  "Uh, guys?" he said. "Does it look like the fae is bigger?"

  Whiskey took a keen evaluation. "Yeah. Not bigger, per se. Regrown, yes. Not by much, but by some. Good observation."

  "Whether it regrew or not does not matter," Jiehong announced. "We are going to destroy it here and now!"

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  Under his insistence, they reviewed what they knew about the Fatal graze fae-construct type. It was weak to fire-based attacks. And unfortunately for it, they had a whole crew stacked to the brink with magic ready to burn.

  "Jiehong. Stand in front. Whiskey and I will be at your back. Let's press our advantage hard with our magic. When we run out all we'll need to do is run outside to refill from the Slipstream. Let's make short work of this overgrown thing. Stay extra sharp, Jie. Remember what happened last time," he said.

  "I remember," Jiehong replied. "Boy, do I remember..."

  Turning to Whiskey, he asked, "Are you going to be fine with that replacement bow from the village?"

  "It's fine. It worked well enough against the automotrons when they attacked. Once we get this thing done with, I can reclaim my preferred bow," she informed him.

  "Good. Then let's get our move on. Whiskey. Set fire to your arrows. Jiehong, keep your eyes closed and advanced; I will channel magic for a fireball attack. Once we reclaim your bow, Whiskey, we will press our attack yet more and I will get going on a Sweeping Flame assault using my sword. Any questions?" he asked. Receiving no pushback, he tapped Jiehong's shoulder to indicate he should advance into the hallway.

  With careful precision, they advanced into the hallway. Step-by-step, their caution led the way to the 'danger zone,' where the Fatal Graze claimed its territory. Jiehong stopped suddenly and mumble-grunted, "Even though my eyes are closed, I can feel its impingement upon my mind. Now, guys!"

  Whiskey took her cue and let loose with several flame entombed arrows in quick succession. One missed, one hit true.

  While Whiskey was firing, he had channeled his magical energy into his palm. Heating it up as intensely as he could, he used the opportunity generated by Whiskey's successful hit to steal a glance toward the fae-construct and let fly his fireball. His powerful and fiery ball struck true, and flames soon spread wildly throughout the hall. Its impact was way more than he expected. "Walk backward several steps, Jie!"

  Although Jie followed his instructions, several steps was not enough to evade the spreading flames. Soon, the fire spread deeper into the hall and overspilled even into the secure hall portion not overfilled with the Fatal Graze. Thankfully, these secondary flames did not last for long before burning themselves out on the bunker's fire-resistant walls and ceiling. The group was back near the hall entryway before long, looking at the raging inferno trapped within which showed no sign of stopping.

  "Holy crap, Zan! How much energy did you imbue with that?" Whiskey asked as she watched the flames.

  "A lot but I didn't think that much..." he replied.

  MAC chimed into their ears with an update: "Ranger-Knights. The reason you see such destruction before you is because Zan's attack, by a stroke of luck, impacted a fae-construct's critical juncture. My sensors are picking up a greatly weakened construct. Press your advantage and continue the attack -- in its current state, I do not believe the fae-construct will be able to mount an effective defense, which includes its mental clotting abilities."

  That was all he needed. He tapped Jiehong's shoulder and said, "You heard the man!" And charged in, his fingers rapidly tapping against his brother.

  To prevent themselves from being choked out on the smoke, they took a deep breath in before they walked ahead. Once in the hall, they made a beeline for the parts of the Fatal Graze still alive, which necessitated them dodging their way through tendrils of flame. It was easy enough to avoid such falling refuge. Deeper into the hall as they were, he heard the screeches of air as it released from the fungal monstrosity in fiery jets burst from the fae's bio-matter.

  Finally, they came upon the part of the fae not yet wounded from his critical attack. "Whiskey -- now!"

  Like thunder following lightning, Whiskey's aim proved true, and several more nodal points were hurt by her smooth flying arrows. One, two, four...

  More screeches: to his brother, "Jie! Do you feel any imprints? If not, let it have your fury!" he spoke as he channeled his energy into both palms and let the fire build in his clutched hand.

  "I don't!" he replied as he channeled his own energy. "I am going to see what happens when I power-slam that big nodal point up ahead with a super-charged smash! Cover me!"

  Staying close to his brother while Whiskey remained just behind firing arrows willy nilly at any movement which looked sufficiently un-hurt, he let loose with his fire. Fist-sized globs of fire shot into the chaotic battle zone. Screeeech... screeeech! Went the fae-construct's body as his energy again hit true. 'Darn-and-barn -- I am making up for that crappy showing last time!' he told himself as he remembered how exhausted they had been and how depleted on magical energy they had been. Now? Totally different story.

  He and Whiskey provided cover for Jiehong's charge. Jie throttled his way to the largest fungal-like node. He saw his brother smash his way through web-after-web of fibrous entanglements. He cared not for their thick, goopy membranes which he smashed through as though they were brittle leaves.

  "Take this!" he shouted as a war cry and brought his hammer down.

  It impacted the largest node in the same way as a pumpkin falling from a great height -- splatter flew everywhere and, in every direction, magical refuse also spurting out like water from between leaves after a rainstorm. It coated everyone from head to toe in disgusting, but thankfully non-lethal, juices.

  Silence. Except for the dripping.

  [Skill Level Increased: Perception (2)]

  [Skill Level Increased: Constitution (4)]

  "That's it?" he asked, feeling no physic impressions assailing his mind.

  To answer him, a deluge of gunk stuck to the ceiling fell directly over and onto him, finishing his goo coating.