As Tara started her walk back to Eli, she was deep in thought. He was having more of an influence on their group than she thought. She was aware of the pull on herself from something that the system was doing but it didn't feel like magic, there was something else at play and she wasn't even sure it was the system doing it. It felt more like it recognized it, more than it was actively doing it. She got the sense that Eli was aware of it, but it was in the back of his mind. So it would have to be her looking out for him and how this was affecting other people, he would never forgive himself if he somehow ended up convincing someone to do something that got them killed.
When she arrived back at Eli, he was swinging his cudgel in different ways, moving his feet to feel for balance. He looked calm and collected, and his defense avatar was there also practicing and getting ready for the eighth wave to start. Eli would be alone out here after this one and he knew he was going to need to be in top form and focused to keep himself alive. He pushed down his feelings and focused on being as effective as possible, which was hard watching the woman he loved move so gracefully and elegantly through some axe motions. He would do this for her and his new friends, this would give them a good start to this new world.
The next wave came and with deadly focus, Tara and Eli tore apart every monster that came toward them. They were showing the beginnings of a rhythm all their own, she would throw an axe towards what he was fighting at a critical moment and he would use an air detonation to keep her from being overwhelmed. The wave was almost over and they had made it with minimal injury so far so Tara started to experiment, she knew she was done after this one so she was using everything she had to find new tricks that could give her an edge.
When it was over, she had drastically overextended herself and collapsed on the ground covered in sweat and breathing so heavily that Eli thought she was injured. She gave him a thumbs up, too tired to speak so he sat down and focused on himself, regenerating magic and keeping himself calm and focused. It was ten minutes later that she finally was able to get to her feet and kiss him goodbye before she walked back to the others. She was sick with worry leaving him all alone out there, but she knew this is what had to happen. Eli needed to be in a group, Tara knew, he needed friends and people who held him to account or else he would lose his way. Him fighting like this served two purposes, he proved to himself that he could help others, and it showed the group that they could count on him.
Tara arrived at where the others were gathered, they all seemed like they had had a couple fights themselves and were resting. Audrey still had the deep-in-thought look on her face and wasn't talking to anyone, while Cory and Stevens seemed to be discussing tactics from a monster they had fought. She walked up to Bethany who had a serious look on her face.
"Everything ok?"
"What?" she asked, as if surprised to see Tara there. "Yes, we are good, had a nasty fight that got rough but we are all ok."
"Then what's on your mind?" Tara asked sincerely.
"I don't want to talk about it, at least not right now."
"It's about Ash, isn't it?" Tara asked
"Well yes, but I don't want to upset you." Bethany said, and had a confused look on her face as if she was surprised that what she said was true.
"It's alright, when it's just us, I prefer that we be honest with each other when it comes to him."
"If you are sure," Bethany said looking at Tara as she nodded. "I was thinking about how this new world is a struggle for survival and how my best chances are to stay with Lord Ash."
"And," Tara prompted.
"Well, I feel like the only way to stay with him properly is to be all in, he seems like the type that would die for his friends," Bethany paused as Tara nodded again. "So I need to settle myself to be able to die for him, otherwise my heart won't fully be in it, I'll always have one foot out the door."
"Do you feel like you won't be able to do that?"
"I feel like with more time I can get my heart there, but, being honest here, I don't think I could get there for you. I covet the place in his heart that you occupy. I feel that I would hesitate if you were in trouble." Bethany said with tears in her eyes. "I might be a bad person."
"I've seen the way you look at him and I know you want him, but I don't think it's for the same reason that I have him. While he would easily protect me with his life, I want to live my life for him. To give him what he needs and help him in any way he needs, not letting him ask, just knowing him enough to know what he needs and be there to give it." Tara explained. "You seem like you want him for what he can give you, and what you can give him."
"I don't think that is an accurate way to…" Bethany said before getting cut off by Tara.
"Either way, I understand being drawn to him, and I think some competition will keep me focused. While he may be having trouble with emotions right now, that won't always be the case. If you want a place in his heart, it will need to be because that is what is best for him and you. Not just something you want, or he will not let you hold that place very long. He and I worked for special operations command in the military together on psyops missions. He will know if you are genuine or not, maybe not right away, but he will figure it out." Tara paused to let all this sink in.
"So, are you telling me not to try?" Bethany asked.
"Not at all," Tara replied, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I am saying that be sure you are serious before attempting, or you will lose his trust forever."
"And you are ok with that, me and him, being together?" Bethany asked skeptically.
"Oh god no, a piece of me would die if that happened, but it wouldn't stop me from loving him and being by his side for eternity. Also, I wouldn't let it happen unless it was in his best interest. However, in the interest of fairness, you should work on upgrading your body if you want the looks to catch his eye." Tara explained patiently.
"I think I see what you mean, but I need to sort myself out before I try anything. While I'm doing that, can you tell me how to upgrade my body?" Bethany asked with some excitement.
They talked about body upgrades, and seduction techniques until the next monster wave came. The whole time, though, Bethany was contemplating actually letting herself fall in love. She wondered if her need for status was worth that price. She may never get over him, if he failed to love her as she loved him, it would crush her. This was going to be hard for two reasons, one was that she had to love with her whole heart first, risking it, and second she had to compete with Tara the war goddess for his attention. She was younger, more attractive, and more capable than she could ever see herself being, this decision was going to take some thought.
They could hear the next wave starting and they all tensed up as sounds of combat coming from Eli's location rang out. Thunderous booms and earth shaking thuds were heard over and over as he fought, alone, for them, and for all of the safe zone. Audrey looked worried and was about to speak when from the west, a large spider monster with a monkey's face and tail came running towards them. They all prepared themselves as Tara took the lead and Audrey called out some quick adjustments and tactics suggestions. It was time for them to pull their weight and they all knew it.
Eli was going all out, and the freeing sense of adventure filled him again, with a big smile he was fighting three at a time and winning, but he had to trade blows with some since they were just too strong and fast for him to not take some glancing blows. It was a struggle to keep up, but he was pushing himself and forcing his body to move and fight regardless of any injuries. Backing up as the monsters came he was able to mostly keep them in front of himself and stay in control of the pace of the fighting.
As time passed and more came, he started to fall behind a bit and had to use more magic than he wanted to. Three times he had to blink out of danger so he didn't get cut in half or his head bitten off. Twice he had to throw his cudgel to get out of a sticky situation, but he was able to keep going. When the wave ended he had backed up so far that the others could see him and when they saw the state he was in they all rushed to him to make sure he was ok.
They saw him covered in blood from head to toe, his mask was complete, but his cloak was torn to ribbons and they all got a good look at just how injured he was. Eli had rib bones showing and chunks of flesh missing from his arms and legs. They thought he was certainly going to die, but Audrey assured them that she could feel his magic moving strongly and he would be fine in about 30 to 40 minutes.
She decided to help the situation by kneeling by his side, placing a hand on his chest, and pushing the leftover life magic he had given her back into him. While doing so, her eyes snapped open and she stared daggers at Tara.
"Did you know?" she asked her.
"Know what?"
"About what he is missing, about what makes him special?" She asked again, getting very angry at Tara.
"What are you talking about?" Tara asked, starting to panic a little. "Is he going to be ok?"
"He will be fine now, but what he did to save me, could have cost him his life!" she was good and angry now. Not just at Tara for not telling her he didn't have a heart node and his soul was unprotected, but at herself for almost killing the man who saved her multiple times.
"I don't understand, what did he do? Why was it so bad?" Stevens said.
"It's his secret to share or not, I'm not even sure he wanted me to know it, but he taught me how to sense magic and after sensing his… To say he is special is an understatement." Audrey said before standing and walking away with that deep-in-thought expression on her face again.
The rest of them walked back to the safe zone area, except Tara, she put a hand on his chest and closed her eyes. Tears began to spill down her cheeks mixing with his blood on the ground. She had not known about this secret and it seemed from Adurey's reaction that it was a weakness, a very dangerous weakness. Did he not trust her with this weakness or did he not even fully understand it himself. Maybe it was such a weakness that even knowing about it caused him harm, she thought. No matter the reason or what the secret was, she would protect him, even if that meant killing Audrey for finding out what it was. It was like he had said to her, it was them against the world.
A few minutes later he woke up, his bones weren't showing anymore but his wounds were not healed. They had 30 minutes or so until the 10th wave started so she told him to stay laying down and put his head into her lap. They didn't speak, she just stroked his hair and hummed a song to him, she could feel him through their connection and he was a mess. Fear and doubt were seeping into his emotions and causing a bit of panic, but her humming and stroking his hair was calming all of it. It was another ten minutes or so before she let him get up. He hugged her tight for a few moments, then started back to where he had started to prepare for the next wave.