23 Domain (2/2)
”Oh, and the candlelit dinner in the middle of an undead wasteland didn't tip you off?”
”I can't read such small hidden signs.”
The couple smiled as they moved forward Gunthar taking the lead instead seeing the lack of tension.
Strange high-pitched cries could be heard amongst the flapping of wings. The sounds grew closer and closer as the party prepared for battle.
”Must everything in this place be so damn loud...I even have a [Sound Resistance] skill and this is too much.” Rainer spoke as he cast an [Arcane-Fire Bolt].
He appraised one of the 3-foot flying creatures before unleashing the bolt.
[Mammalia, Female, Adult Monstrous Bat]
The bolt combusted on the bat and lit aflame several of the nearby ones before dying out along with its targets. Seeing how many were indeed flying towards them, Rainer called out.
”Step Back!”
Having an idea of the magic he was about to use both Kara and Gunthar rushed back just as the spell went off.
A [Cone of Arcane-Fire] erupted burning the swarming group of bats. Immediately panicked cries rang out as the flock flew in the other direction leaving behind dozens of charred corpses.
They stepped over the bodies as they headed forward. Rainer noticed that not only is the tunnel gradually sloping up but also to the right. He figured they would eventually reach an exit rather than heading all the way to the top of the mountain through this cave. After several more uneventful hours, apart from a few scattered bats, they passed by a massive cavern. It contained a high tunnel that was likely where the bats retreated.
Rainer looked up at the tunnel for a moment before he felt an incoming attack.
[Skill Gained: Crisis Perception lvl 1/10]
Without pause, he activated [Arcane Rage] and hit the floor just as a clawed hand seemed to reach out from the shadows and swipe where his head had been. He fired 4 of his armed bolts immediately at the figure, yet it simply seemed to vanish.
”Teleportation!” Rainer yelled out as he felt the all too familiar spatial fluctuations from his [Magic Detection] skill.
Kara began shifting; Luna started casting [Gift of Lightning], and Gunthar's blade became clad in Aura as he stood in front of Kara, Rainer on the other side.
Under the light of his [Arcane Bolt]s the party could see a figure form at the high tunnel in this vast Cavern.
[Demon, Male, Lesser Vampyr lvl 19]
His skin was a smooth pale gray. His ears were long and pointed with two fangs jutting from his mouth. His eyes were blood red as he stared down at the party before disappearing once more.
Using [Spatial Manipulation] in concert with [Magic Detection] Rainer extended his senses to the utmost trying to feel for the slightest fluctuation of magic. He felt it, and immediately an [Arcane Blade] formed in his hand as he slashed down the mighty blade where the fluctuation was appearing.
A gray arm went flying before once more the figure disappeared. The party watched on as the arm turned wrinkled and began to disintegrate in steam.
Several seconds passed as Rainer's mana further depleted; he kept his [Arcane Rage] at 3 points of Arcane Power for a bonus of 19%. The feeling was uncomfortable, but it was a far cry from the pain he felt when facing the [Lich].
Kara finished shifting before jumping out towards the darkness. With her heightened senses, she lashed out towards the darkness uncovering a hiding and healing [Lesser Vampyr]. There was a clash of Aura as her claws met his. Though in the end even with the slight total level difference the Vampyr couldn't compare to her strength and was sent flying back before vanishing once more.
Under the effects of [Gift of Lightning], Kara continuously pursued the [Lesser Vampyr] clashing multiple times as his aura depleted far faster than hers. Gunthar stayed on alert while guarding Rainer who only used [Magic Detection] given his lessening mana and a distracted [Lesser Vampyr].
An angry howl blasted through the cave stunning friend and foe alike. The [Lesser Vampyr] was left completely defenseless for a brief moment. And with a vicious stab an aura clad claw went straight into him before throwing him against a wall. Kara rushed forward slashing viciously at the figure before nothing but scattered pieces remained.
[Mini-Boss: Victor the [Lesser Vampyr] has been defeated. 5% Static Experience Gained for the first time defeated him.]
[First to defeat Mini-Boss: Victor the [Lesser Vampyr]. 10% Static Experience Gained]
[Arcanist has leveled up to lvl 16/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed. 1 Attribute and skill point have been rewarded]
A silent Kara shifted back before the group silently left behind their fallen foe.
They pressed forward and saw the setting sun on the other side of the cavern while discovering another outside path. Deciding it'd be best not to travel the road at night, they tucked away early and set up camp.
Gunthar already sat in a meditative pose ready to take watch for the whole night while Luna made a magically constructed bedroll for Rainer and Kara.
Rainer sat down with Kara though she was still silent after the fight.
”I should have noticed…”Kara whispered to Rainer.
”You shouldn't have been able to dodge that...you should have died, and I could do nothing about that.”
She was right. He lacked far too much when it came to defensive spells. And [Crisis Perception] seemed to be a skill relating to luck. And while he technically increased that attribute by 1 it isn't as if it was a major increase.
[Crisis Perception lvl 1/10: The ability to be able to perceive a fatal attack. Perception based primarily on the Luck Attribute.]
”It wasn't your fault, but I'm depending on you and Gunthar to protect me. I lack spells for such a thing. It was pure luck I survived. In the end, it was my fault for letting down my guard and taking this place too easy.” He ended knowing that once again he let down his guard with how easy it had been up until now. He should have been using his detection skills that only took up his attention rather than mana. Gunthar nodded his head in agreeance. Gunthar himself had been on guard but the Vampyr had been too fast for his lowered senses as an Undead.
”Then I will surely protect you.” She declared right after.
The two sat silently holding hands before they laid down and tried to sleep. Rainer took a moment to feed a sleeping Luna. Gunthar looked away from the strange lady of the Fae while mumbling.
As Luna grew and leveled up, she could absorb more Mana and Arcane Power as well. She moaned out as she hugged one of his fingers before giving a relaxed sigh and heading into his pocket.
”Next time we're alone you need to do that.” Kara whispered with seriousness to Rainer. He poured a bit of mana into Kara before turning over on his side away from her.
”That's unfair how am I going to sleep now thinking about that?” She said with slightly rough breathing between her words.
”One last thing...I may wake up with a massive pain in my head. So don't be concerned, it's magic related.” He said teasingly ignoring Kara who was hugging him from behind.
He set up [Sleep Learning] before closing his eyes.
It was in the middle of the night as all but Gunthar slept, all not including a screeching Wyvern right outside the cave.
Fidgeting in his sleep next to a still Kara, Rainer in a half awake state shot up. Eyes slightly bloodshot [Arcane Rage] and [Arcane Sound Infusion] activated subconsciously as he yelled out.
”Enough!”
The Wyvern gave a weak screech before flying off. The low powered [Arcane Rage] faded immediately as well causing no damage through his [Arcane Resistance] skill only serving to help him fall back to sleep.
”Stupid fucking birds. Always fucking making noise in the morning.” He mumbled groggily and half awake as he laid back down. Whether it be sunlight or birds he was not a fan of early mornings.
Kara who had been awake from the noise hugged Rainer tightly quite appreciative of his outburst. Even with training so that loud noises didn't bother her sensitive ears it wasn't as if she couldn't hear. Though the excitement of feeling his power kept her up a bit longer and was it not for Gunthar in the cave, she would make sure that Rainer wouldn't be able to sleep.
Rainer awoke to the most pain he had ever felt in his entire life. As if his head was splitting he ended up nearly ripping out several hairs as he groaned in pain.
Luna rushed over to use her flame on him before anyone could even speak but it did little to ease the pain.
Kara held onto to him tightly worried at what was happening despite his warnings.
He had already told them this would be a consequence of what magic he was using, but neither side expected it to be this bad.
A massive migraine went on for a few more minutes before Rainer collapsed onto his back. Contrary to all expectations instead of a look of pain he had a sincere smile with a few tears in his eyes from the pain. He finally found and figured out the runes needed for a basic gravity spell by reading the journal in his sleep. It was close enough to the Wall-Walking spell he devised that he could know which runes were the spatial portion of the spell. But even then finding the gravity one took time, a time he didn't have except when sleeping.
Most important of all, he had been under the full effects of [Arcane Rage] increasing his intelligence and Rainer guessed other hidden attributes related to his mind.
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[Arcane Rage has reached level 3]
Without pause Rainer pulled out a piece of Fae made paper and began to use mana to write on it. Kara watched as he wrote though odd to her Gunthar looked away. Having no experience in magic and not even understanding the simplest of runes there was no backlash in trying to comprehend what Rainer was writing, just an honest confusion at how it worked.
Rainer titled the spell before putting it into his Spatial ring having already memorized it before he even began writing.
[Gravity Domain]
It was designed to replicate the effects of increasing or decreasing the gravity around him. From there he would use spatial manipulation to remove the gravity portion and create a spell that only sensed.
Activating the spell he mildly increased the gravity around him before a welcome and surprising message appeared.
[Spellbook Gained: Space-Time Magic]
[Tier 2 Spell Gained: Gravity Domain lvl 1/10]
[Title Gained: Wielder of Space and Time]
[Experience Gained: 74%]
[Wielder of Space and Time: One who has learned magic which affects the very fabric of the universe around them. 5% Experience Bonus]
Immediately he began to alter the spell with [Spatial Manipulation] removing the gravity portion and focusing on sensing the area around him. Soon information of a new rune and spell formula entered his mind.
[Tier 4 Spell Gained: Spatial Domain lvl 1/10]
The result had truly been unexpected. Though soon he realized he hadn't sensed anything when he used his spell version of the [Gravity Domain].
He could not help but become filled with anticipation at all the skill points he would gain for mastering [Spatial Domain]. He could finally advance [Faaran Runic Language] that hadn't even advanced with all the new runes he's learned thus far.
Though as he thought about it, he realized that [Spatial Domain] deserved such recognition. It was an ultimate sensing ability even if the range was a bit limited.
He closed his eyes and activated the spell. The mana drain was smaller than when just using [Spatial Manipulation]. He could feel Luna sitting on his shoulder. From the tips of her wings to the base of her hair. He could feel the magical weaving that created her clothes.
He extended the domain slightly further at an increased mana cost. He felt the fur on Kara's ears and moving down he could even sense beneath…
He felt a shove on his shoulder before he could continue.
”I don't know what you were doing, but it was quite strange.” Kara said. She had felt a presence with her trained senses entering her clothing and while not understanding it she was sure it came from him.
”He did the same to Luna.”
”Oh, he did?” Kara asked raising an eyebrow.
”I did no such thing. At least not with the same goal.” he said unabashedly
Kara just shook her head at the shameless mage before she started to tidy up the camp. Apart from a few food items the blankets themselves were constructions of Luna and disappeared soon after.
A clear sound of Gunthar praying could be heard once more. This time he's not even sure what happened, but he felt it was necessary nonetheless.
”Those who hold out their hands in prayer cannot choose the miracle that comes to them…” He spoke as he headed out onto a new path amidst the rising sun.