37 A Familiar Sensation (1/2)

The words about to leave Rainer's mouth were caught in his throat as they exited the tunnel. Even through the years, the enchanted stone construction of the city hall shown no wear beyond its dust covered walls. The ceiling extended far beyond reach, the stained glass of its windows depicting battles of yore. Of men wielding swords and spears of light as they smite beasts and monsters of all manner.

Kara too lost herself in the sight. She had not truly seen a structure like this before. The one they witnessed in the dungeon lacked the quality of being a work of art and instead marked a place of battle.

Seeing no caution in Gunthar, the rest continued unabated toward the double doors. They left and walked down the steps. Pillars marked on their left and right. Rainer looked out toward the city. Its roads paved with stone, its shops and manors untouched by time. Lacking even the slightest presence of life, the city existed as no more than a memory of a forgotten time.

Among the skyline, Rainer witnessed various towers jutting into the sky, each resplendent and varied in their construction, each representing a treasure trove of magic he desired.

”The patrols in our way don't amount to many. Follow my lead and keep quiet and our issues should be few,” Gunthar spoke.

They followed him as he weaved between alleyways. Occasionally he'd pause around a corner as the steps of bone and metal to stone sounded only to fade in the distance. For a city filled with such a horde of undead, Rainer felt quite lonely in this seemingly empty place. He could only imagine what this scene elicited in Gunthar and Theodore.

Moving forward once more, they traveled through the back streets of various establishments. Rainer watched Kara with [Arcane Sight] and found himself entranced. She did not do any specific action to walk silently. Her entire body moved in sync. She did not suppress her breath or steps directly but instead meld it all together in a flow of movement. Her breath even and undisturbed by not a single inconsistency. Her Aura calm like a morning lake, not a ripple in sight. Her tail relaxed in a slight swaying motion.

Rainer watched each part slowly gaining but a fraction of her talent.

[Skill Gained: General Stealth lvl 1/10]

He started first trying to walk steadier and quieter. He gradually gained the first skill, allowing him better control over all facets of his movements. Watching Kara's movements even closer, he obtained more precise skills for controlling his stealth.

[Skill Gained: Quiet Steps lvl 1/10]

[Quiet Steps: To step in a steady and calm way, distributing one's weight seamlessly.]

[Skill Gained: Quiet Breath lvl 1/10]

[Quiet Breath: To breath in a steady and calm way, reducing noise.]

[Skill Gained: Calm Aura lvl 1/10]

[Calm Aura: The ability to keep one's Aura in a calm state. Improving efficiency and control at the cost of power.]

Unlike Kara, Rainer needed to agonize over operating each skill separately, beside the [Calm Aura]. He assumed she did that without meaning to, as it did not seem to benefit her, who did not use any Aura to keep silent like Gunthar and Theodore did.

After nearly an hour of travel, they reached the foot of the tower. It looked similar in size to the towers within the Forts they had only recently visited. Large banners hung on the white stone. A symbol of the sun frozen in ice. Rainer thought the symbol screamed arrogance, given that same shining sun represented Nalmar itself. This only excited him.

They walked forward. Gunthar slowly opened the tower's enchanted door. The portions of the tower blocked by enchantments existed higher up.

Entering inside, they closed the door silently behind them, and a breath of tension flew from Rainer's mouth who had been focusing everything he had on maintaining his silence. He knew now that the pale blue flame of an undead's skull acted as its sensory center. Even touch, to a degree, could be felt, though most of the senses beyond sight and sound meant little to the mindless undead only following orders.

”So, where's the good stuff?” Rainer inquired.

”On the higher floors. The enchantments blocking the doors are quite strong and require a key, but I imagine that is a small obstacle to you, Sorcerer.”

Rainer without pause headed up the stairs. The bottom floor looked like a reception area, though such details escaped his notice.

”Father, could you accompany him? The Sorcerer often gets lost in thought when it comes to magic. I do not wish to see any accidents,” Gunthar asked.

Theodore followed Rainer up the stairs. Rainer himself passed by living areas and various places of experimentation. His goal was to find something that barred his path forward. He finally reached it in a place where the stairs ended. Entering the floor, he faced two shut doors of stone.

He opened his [Arcane Sight] and witnessed the glowing presence of enchantment. It vibrated in his sight, far stronger than any enchantment he had ever looked upon. The stone surrounding the door itself depended more on its own strength and thickness rather than the power of enchantment, which it still contained.

”Can you get through?” Theodore asked, easily catching up to Rainer.

”Yeah. But the question is if destroying it is a bad idea.”

”It should not be of issue. The greatest protection of a tower were its mages that occupied it. They wouldn't trap their own vaults, lest a wayward apprentice errors and activates it.”

Rainer nodded and placed his hand against the door. He pulled on Arcane Energy and channeled it through the enchanted stone. The stone almost resisted his attempts yet with an extra pulse of Arcane energy, the hum of the enchantment faded. It did not shatter like rings; it merely dissipated to a door of normalcy.

With bated breath Rainer pushed through the stone door, his attributes making ease of the heavy doors. His eyes met a sight most unexpected.

”This…it's a bit plain…”

”What did you expect? If these Mages of Frozen Sun had a massive library of secrets, how could anyone in Nalmar compare? To call spells surpassing the fourth tier as plain.”

At Theodore's words, Rainer immediately realized his fault. His most valued notes of [Inferno] and Yalin's journal of [Deliverence] were too, plain.

In front of him were a few bookcases. Apart from several tomes, they were filled with inert enchanted items. Picking one of them up, Rainer posed a question to Theodore.

”How come some of these enchantments fell to time and others didn't? Is it because they were better done or…”

”They were better done, as you put it, but in some cases, it is not so simple. These rings,” Theodore said holding up his [Ring of the Nalmar Knighthood], ”and the gift…item we created,” He said correcting himself as he drew his sword, ”they have enchantments which alter the object itself, whereas most items are of little change and are instead vessels for the enchantment. The former are far more lasting, though, in the end, the length of time is based on the skill of the enchanter. With enough difference in skill, the latter can surpass the former.”

Rainer nodded his head as he hastily grabbed all the tomes on the shelf and placed them on a table. As he walked over, he noticed several vials that interested him.

[Vial of Draconic Essence(Spoiled): A potion made from concentrated Wyvern blood.]

He imagined the number of Wyverns it took to gather such a thing, likely exceeded dozens or hundreds. He remembered his own containers of [Scaled-Wyvern] blood, though Gunthar determined their purpose as for whenever the [Incubation Ring] produced its occupant.

”Why'd you come up alone?” Rainer asked as he opened the first tome titled, [Frozen Sun].

”Gunthar asked me to make sure you didn't get carried away,” Theodore answered.

”Ah...he has a good point. But I won't be doing anything outside of my sleep. You can head back downstairs; they are probably training. Though…”

”Yes?”

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”I've been thinking, wouldn't it make more sense for either you or Gunthar to be my undead?”

”It is best neither Gunthar nor I, are present before the [Arch-Lich]. And taking your already limited mana would be ill advised. ”

”I agree, about going in there alone entirely…other then Luna who I can keep close, I won't be able to protect anyone from the [Arch-Lich].”

”You still have more than enough time to train. With that ability of yours, I have full confidence in your success. I shall support you in the battle with my all.”

”To your death…” Rainer quietly added.

An audible sigh escaped Theodore.

”If I can give my undeath to ensure his true death, I have no hesitation,” He spoke.

”And what if it's not needed. Will you simply run into the aimless and soon to fail undead? I understand enough to know without the connection to the Mana-Well and the [Arch-Lich] himself there is no way most of those undead can last for long. The 2nd Class ones may collapse on the spot as they do not have the same strength of soul as you do.”

”And what is Gunthar's plan?” Theodore asked. It wasn't hard for him to notice Gunthar's often good mood. He did not believe his son could fake such a thing.

Rainer took a moment to explain his idea of his academy and the general situation in his world.

”And you believe, such a thing will work? That the Mages of your world will allow such a power? That even the support of nobles and kings you seek will not later turn on you?”

”Tell me, Theodore, how does one reach the 3rd Tier Class?”

”I do not know Rainer. I only know that reaching level 25 of a 2nd Tier Class does not grant the quest,” Theodore answered a bit confused on the change of subject.

Several thoughts flew through Rainer's head as he contemplated if it did exist how one would reach such a stage. He returned, however, to his point.

”Then if a 3rd Tier Individual appeared in front of a King. If he pissed on him in the middle of court what could the King do? Would the 2nd Tier experts under him be willing to die for his pride? The King, might, those truly loyal to him, might, but most? I don't doubt the 3rd Tier individual might fall to enough of those of the 2nd Tier, but where would you find enough of them willing to make such a sacrifice?”

”They would not head to certain death,” Theodore responded laughing a bit.

”And if even with the benefit of Nalmar's enchantments you did not acquire the route to the 3rd Tier, I don't think such a person exists in my world, and even if they do, they will not lower themselves before some King. So then what would that make a full leveled [Archon]?”

”An existence that can piss on a king,” Theodore answered in amusement.

”It might work, it might not. Perhaps, my idea will anger far too many people, without enough support to stop them. But, In the end, is there anyone willing to give their lives to stop us? Such a 2nd Tier group, do they exist? I…” He paused looking to the sleeping fairy in his pocket, ” I want to find a place where she doesn't need to hide all hours of the day. Where Gunthar can walk around as an undead in his jovial mood with no groups of townspeople joining together with their torches and pitchforks. Where even if people hate Kara as a Half-Demon they won't dare voice it. Where I can study magic without worrying about all the rules and politics of Guilds. And If it doesn't exist, I'll create it,” Rainer said as he returned to his book before speaking out a single phrase.

”And you've seen Yalin's spell, with the place I enter at night it is only a matter of time,” He paused for a moment staring at the wall in front of him. He whispered and slowly intoned, ”I need only once…show them what I am capable of…”

Theodore thought over his words. In the end, he headed downstairs to join Kara and Gunthar.

Rainer spent just enough time so that he could recall all the tomes he needed in his [Sleep Learning]. He read over the assorted Tier 1 spells Gunthar had brought him as well. He put the tomes of some of the higher tier spells from this Mage Tower into his spatial ring. They would take a bit more time before he could recall their information in [Sleep Learning].

”Luna, you awake?” He asked. The longer he spent with her, the more he could sense through the familiar bond. He already knew the answer.

”Luna is awake,” She responded flying out of his coat.

He looked at the fairy in front of him who then returned to her full 11-inch size. Even at a small height, she looked like a beautiful girl with long silver hair and violet eyes. In appearance, Rainer thought her only a few years younger than him, though of course, with a large size difference.

Given her lack of talking over the past couple days, he imagined her quite bored in their monotonous travel through tunnels and caverns. Much of the enjoyment of the town too, likely left her wanting more than to simply be a carry-on.

”Luna,” He asked a bit hesitantly, ”If the Fae Queen no longer existed, would you want to return to your home?”

”Is Rainer trying to abandon Luna…”

”No,” He said with a smile, ”I want to find a teacher for you so that you can learn how to cast a Glamour and other Fae spells and skills. We can have more fun that way, at least when you're larger,” Again his thoughts stuttered on the thought of what would happen when Luna became a full-sized Fae. Due to Luna's size, his current situation of being with Kara wasn't affected. He was in a sort of limbo. He pushed the difficult thought out of his head. With such a quest in front of him, he'd leave it for later, once more.

”Hehe, Rainer should be careful when Luna is full-size. Luna will get plenty of revenge on Rainer.” She said while covering her mouth in a mocking laugh.

”Oh? Then I better take full advantage now,” He managed to grab Luna before she flew away.

”Lun-a w-as on-ly jo-king. Lu-na would never do any-thing to Rai-ner,” But the defenseless Fairy could only giggle as he tickled her.

He watched her breath out one more laugh as he stopped. He took this moment to feed her Mana. Luna flinched back thinking he had returned to his previous actions but, understanding, moved to sit her back against his hand. Her cheeks reddened once more, after having just recovered from her laughter, and her breath turned unsteady as he started out with a small amount of mana.

Looking at the Fairy before him he realized something. Something he noticed when he had instead used such an action to torture the female [Rune Knight]. In his rush to heal Luna, when he had held her for the very first time, he sought the best method of feeding her mana, rather than anything else. But, now, he could tell. There was a simpler way to feed her. But he put away that thought. Luna and Kara, for that matter, didn't seem to mind this way, so he would do as he pleased. Though, didn't seem to mind, couldn't describe Luna in her current state.

The timing between her breaths became shorter as they turned to moans. She held her knees tightly to herself as her voice reached a louder point. He noticed too with his increased mana pool and her increased size at the greater effect his mana had on her. Her hair lightly shined silver and her eyes a deeper violet as she let out louder moans and pushed back fiercely into his hand.

Her eyes radiated a violet light as she let out a final moan and relaxed her body, her previously curled toes returned to normal. Taking a long and deep breath, she closed her eyes and savored the previous feeling.

After a few minutes, Rainer now recovered enough from his earlier coma-like state, had Luna cast a sleeping spell on him. The spell itself wasn't strong enough to force someone to sleep, but so long as he leaned into it or the subject was drained of stamina, it proved quite effective.

Back, many floors below, Kara held her blade in front of her as she performed the Aura Blade made by Gunthar. He watched half in awe, half in annoyance, as Kara's Aura Blade surpassed his own. She had already leveled the skill one above him. He had been stuck at the first level, and she had just achieved the second. An astounding rate, he thought.

”Hers is better than yours, is it not?” Theodore asked. Were his face capable of it, he'd hold a mocking smile.

”Such is the unreasonable ability of those around me,” Gunthar responded. His only pride was that Kara likely couldn't create such a skill on her own.

”That Fairy's healing too…perhaps…is that the Sacred Faerie Flame she wields?”

Kara stopped her practice at this. Luna herself did not know what was so special about her flame other than the abilities that it displays. Meaning Kara and Rainer too had little clue.

”What do you mean?” Kara had asked before Gunthar managed.

”You do not know? Her flame mixed with Rainer's mana is likely a bit, changed, but the healing properties. The way it fought the far stronger magic of the [Arch-Lich]. The way it burnt my hand,” He said the last part with a bit of shock in his own voice. He had just recalled that scene. The flame was not hot enough to do such a thing. Instead, it was as if it burnt the very magic of his skeletal form, ”The flame can heal, yes. And has limited burning properties, but its primary power, a power I believe heavily amplified by mixing with Rainer's mana, is to consume magic. Assuming, of course, it is the Sacred Faerie Flame I read about.”

”Consume Magic? But then shouldn't it have…” Kara asked confused while remembering Rainer's state.

”Removed Death from Rainer on its own? Perhaps, yet the Lady of the Fae does not know her own ability if it is the case then. She likely only focused on healing Rainer rather than consuming the Death magic within him. I had only just thought of this. It was in an old text I read long, long ago. In truth, I know little about it, and the account was largely incomplete. There may be many more factors to the flame. It's best we speak with them.”

Kara went upstairs but seeing the two of them sleeping peacefully, decided to leave the subject for another time. Luna rested on Rainer's chest who slept comfortably on a pillow of Luna's making. Kara headed back downstairs to continue her training.

Elru moved unblocked through the Baron's mansion. She followed information to the [Archon]'s last known location. Her Glamour blocked her from all but the most sensitive of individuals. As she barged into Charles' room, he spun around and drew his sword. Years on the battlefield honing his instincts allowed him to detect her general direction, yet before he could even understand the presence before him, a power forced him to kneel.

Her hand gripped his head as her eyes glowed blue, and his too followed. A unique skill of the [Justicar], to reveal the truth.

”The Lord Magus who visited your town. What is his name?”

”Which?” Charles responded mechanically. Different from mind magic, which would require a massive gap in strength to perform anything similar, the [Justicar]'s skill required a far smaller gap. In truth, it only required her to be able to restrain her target.

”The Black haired one,” She said.

”Which?” Charles asked again much to her annoyance.

”Blue Eyes.”

”Rainer.”

Again, irritated, she yelled out, ”And his last?”

”I do not know,” Charles answered.

”Did he have a fairy with him?”

”No.”

Her skill could not determine absolute truth in any manner, only the held truth of the individual.

”And where is he now?”

”Heading home.”

”Which is where!”

”I do not know.”

Elru sighed and collected herself. She had asked numerous townspeople questions, leading her to the Baron. The guest mansion the [Archon] supposedly stayed at; she found empty. And now, her final lead knew nothing. She found all those she questioned largely unhelpful. They knew little of the Lord Magus, and most knew nothing of him being an [Archon].

She found it all strange.