Astrid set off with blitzing speed, and the first Muncher snapped its jaws at her. She pirouetted past the death trap and dived below the second Muncher’s tongue as it lashed out at her. The third and fourth plant monsters lunged together, hoping to trap her between their jaws, but she punched one, knocking it back, so it reeled and then elbowed the other so hard that its vine-like stem snapped and the heavy head fell to the ground. The bulbous skulls of the Munchers she’d punched recoiled from her powerful strikes before they dropped to the ground like deadweight. Two of them dispersed into mana dust, leaving a gap where they’d been.

Flesh Muncher Physical Spell Resistance increased by 1%

With the first four plants left in her wake, Astrid laughed as she leaped into the air and landed on the head of the fifth Muncher. She jumped to the next monster, and then the next, using the remaining Munchers as stepping stones until she was past them all.

She landed on her feet with acrobatic flare and struck a pose, then straightened up and walked over to me. She seemed out of breath, an exhilarated flush darkening her pale cheeks.

“How did I do?” she asked.

“Really well,” I said. “My monsters could use some work.”

Astrid shrugged, then leaned over with her hands on her knees, looking up at me while she caught her breath. “That was a better workout than I normally get. Once I figured out how the Magma Apes work, training became a bore.”

“The Physical Spell Resistance of the Flesh Munchers increased by 1% when you hit them,” I said. “Does that mean your Cleave spell is physical-based?”

Astrid nodded and straightened up, pushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. “All my spells are physical-based. I’ve kind of focused on that pathway. It was one of the reasons I was keeping the Muncher core for myself; I want to try forging some new elemental pathways.”

“Well, I appreciate you giving it to me.”

“I can always find new cores,” she said. “It was worth giving the Muncher core to you; what you can do as a Keeper is incredible! Summoning monsters like that… if all the Keepers can do it, then you guys are going to be insanely powerful.”

“They’re not exactly real monsters,” I said. “More like mana in the form of monsters. Still, they’re definitely awesome.”