47 Druidic Magic (1/2)

They landed in the center of a wide-open cavern. The surrounding goblins stared at them with confusion. Many had spent their whole lives within these caverns and had only seen their own kind along with Monsters.

In the center was a large stone house bracing against a massive pillar. The pillar was covered in [Auer's Moss] and seemed to light the entire city. Various stone dwellings were across the massive cavern; some carved vertically from the walls.

They followed Furtak inside the mansion. Passing through the house and eventually to a library of scrolls, the party sat at a table. Furtak fumbled through several scrolls.

”What are you looking for?” Rainer asked.

”I don't have too much, but there is a map of the general border of the forbidden North, some information on theories and findings about it…and here is everything I have,” Furtak said. He took a bundle of scrolls over to the table. Theodore stood up and was first to look through it.

”What is your interest in any case?” Furtak asked.

Rainer thought for a moment but, with Furtak being someone who lived so near his target, he decided to reveal at least the creature they were after.

”We are looking for a Unicorn.”

”A Unicorn…” Furtak paused for a moment. Rainer thought that perhaps there was a translation error, or that Furtak had never heard the word.

”A white horned horse of immeasurable magic, correct? You did not strike me as the kind to chase after myths and legends…”

But his own words caused him to laugh.

”I suppose a man who hands out a tier 6 spells and other magics like he is giving a coin to a beggar is just as much of a myth. The Great Sage mentioned one such beast once but it was a random thought. He too had some interest in the Forbidden North, but he was alone. And while many of his experiments often involved some reckless behavior, he was not suicidal. I can ask the Ice Wolf Queen if she knows anything.”

”That would be helpful,” Rainer responded. However, he soon realized what Furtak had said. That he would be asking a monster.

Elru joined Theodore in looking through the scrolls, her interest piqued.

Seeing no one else heading to the scrolls, the [Fire Sage] sat down and spoke, ”Well then, Rainer, what can I help you with next?”

Before Rainer could respond Kara asked a question, ”Is there a room I could have to myself? The World Energy here is so thick, I think I can make progress on my meditation. I have been stuck at level 8 for [General Aura Meditation] for a few months.”

”Marta!” Furtak suddenly yelled and soon, coming into the small room, was a female Goblin. Rainer couldn't help but be surprised that she was quite beautiful despite the green skin and her race. She too stared at Rainer for quite a while before Furtak coughed.

[Goblin, Female, Fire Mage lvl 6]

Rainer [Appraised] her, thinking she might be half-human or otherwise. Now that he took a closer look at Furtak, while certainly was aged, he was not hideous like the goblins in the mines.

”My apprentice and second wife,” Furtak said, ”Take…” He paused waiting for the Wolfkin to speak.

”Kara,” She responded.

”Kara to a Meditation room,” Furtak answered any following questions, ”it's a room with a special kind of [Auer's Moss].”

Rainer glanced over at Theodore who understood his meaning.

”I'm interested in this room as well, can I bring…”

”Take anything you wish; you may even keep them. I have the original in another archive. My apprentices could use some work; they've been getting lazy as of late.” Furtak answered. Of course, he didn't expect full trust from Rainer.

He laughed before speaking again as his wife and Kara left the room, with Theodore and Elru following behind, ”No need to make such a surprised face. It is the moss that has this effect, make us less monster. Not any sort of cross breeding the other tribes practice, unsuccessfully.”

”Less monster?”

”You…perhaps your version of the Great Fire Sage's notes are incomplete as well. What exactly is on there?”

”Just various fire spells.”

Furtak thought for a moment, before heading back the shelves and throwing a journal down onto the table.

”The only thing I was missing was some of the spells. I had thought there was more, but perhaps it was just that.”

Rainer picked up the journal and skimmed through it. Without a need to pay close attention to any Magical Formulae, he only required a few minutes before it was then able to be recalled in [Sleep Learning].

”That is a copy, you may read it at your leisure. Put simply whereas Demons are a race that is partly magical, we are a race that is partly Aural or rather Monster. It is ironic then,” Furtak said while waving his hand toward the [Auer's Moss] in the room, ”That by embracing this half not only can we extend our feeble lifespans, we become less monstrous in appearance. And similar to monsters, we can gain experience from absorbing the World's Energy directly into our bodies.”

”How much?”

”A rather…illicit experiment by the Great Sage had shown the gain to only amount to reaching level 10 over the course of our lives, with proper techniques, but for doing little else it is quite significant.”

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”And you being…Flame-Touched, is that a part of it?” Rainer couldn't withhold his curiosity and just asked directly.

”Flame-Touched…The Great Sage called it his greatest regret.”

”And yet…”

”I became as such? Well, I am not the Great Sage!” Furtak said laughing, ”And the increase to my life and power is more than enough for me. I do not dream to the have the capabilities to unravel secrets of the world nor do I even understand why he regretted becoming as such. The method I practiced is related to the Monster part of a Goblin, but being Flame-Touched is not exclusive to it by any means.”

”I'll have to read over this journal soon,” Rainer said with unhidden excitement, ”And here,” Rainer added as he waved his hand and withdrew numerous tomes. They contained various tier 1 and tier 2 spells from Nalmar. He had already committed these to memory though he hadn't learned them yet.

Furtak sat there in silence after Rainer explained their purpose. During the rest periods over the flight, the party members with the translation skill had assisted in rewriting the important parts to Muknar. The tomes were quite small for such low tier spells.

”And in return?” Furtak questioned. He viewed sharing the journal as par for the course. The tier 6 [Inferno] spell had value far beyond just its actual power.

”I don't wish to trade. That has never been my sole goal. I'm sharing this with you in the spirit that you can take it and perhaps advance it further. If you choose to share more with me, then great. But I am more than okay in making an unequal exchange. That it can advance your people and your mages,” Rainer said and then took out two sets of notes from his ring, ”Look at this. These are notes from two guild-like places. They were trying to figure out how to reduce the tolerance to Magicite. They both were stuck on different aspects, some aspects that the other had figured out. Preventing this is exactly my goal.”

”And this is a part of your desire to gather like-minded Mages?”

”What kind of advancements could have occurred if they worked together? If your Great Sage worked with another talented Mage with an entirely different outlook and background?”

”The possibilities are endless…”

”Exactly. That is what I seek to accomplish. So, don't think of this as a trade, think of it as cooperation. Of two separate people working towards the improvement of Magic.”

”I'll have my apprentices make copies. Come, I'll call for a monster so I can demonstrate some Druidic Magic.” Furtak originally planned on just a small demonstration. And perhaps the giving of some hope, but now he sought a more amicable relationship. He wouldn't hide the difficulty a human might have in learning it.

”How about tomorrow? I flew quite some time to get here.”

Furtak agreed and took Rainer to the meditation room Kara was in. According to him, the increased and purified World Energy's improved one's sleep.

Theodore and Elru went over the various maps and scrolls Furtak had on the forbidden North right outside the door. Gunthar joined them as Rainer headed straight to sleep.

Speaking of his goals and magic had given him further motivation to draw out spatial magic from the Arcane. And to reach level 10 with [Voidwalker] as well. Given that it was a class that focused on Space-Time magic, with a 100% bonus, he imagined he could do both at once.

The meditation room had the same moss as before, but its light was a dim bluish-green. Kara sat in the center of the room. It only contained the moss and a single bed. By which was a sleeping mask, likely for dealing with the light.

With a bit of aid from Luna, Rainer fell asleep.

In the White Void of [Sleep Learning], Rainer sat with a sphere of Arcane Energy above his hand. He realized soon after that he had previously gone about it the wrong way. Arcane Energy's natural property to affect space, as well as being drawn from elsewhere was an aspect of the Arcane.

Furthering this, may not help him create Arcane-Spatial Energy.

Using [Spatial Manipulation], Rainer manipulated the gravity around him. That was what he needed to focus on. He needed to replicate this force with the Arcane Energy in front of him.

He floated the orb of energy in front of him and willed it to exert force upon the very fabric of the world. No longer seeking to combine Arcane with Space, Rainer found this far easier than expected. He noted this was likely a result of the loosened space he used [Sleep Learning] to create around him as well.

Slowly the energy changed. Despite it being easier than expected, the amount of Mana and Arcane Power used far exceeded anything Rainer could produce in reality. How long it would take without [Sleep Learning], he couldn't even guess.

The formally visible energy became an invisible locus of Gravity. The power of it, now influenced by Rainer's full bonuses, moved him toward itself.

[Skill Gained: Arcane-Spatial Manipulation lvl 1/10]

He noted the energy when applied over a wide area, looked similar to his [Arcane Presence]. It instantly added an all but invisible hue of violet to the world.

But, immediately he stopped himself. He wanted to save the easily obtainable level 2 of the skill for leveling [Voidwalker]. As [Voidwalker] did primarily include a 100% bonus to Space-Time Magic, Rainer ventured this skill would give experience for it.

Compared to playing around with a skill similar to [Void Manipulation] it was incredibly safe.

”Is it because I was in that strange Devil-filled world?” Rainer asked himself.

He knew too little of the Void. And given Theodore's lack of knowledge on the subject, Rainer imagined the information would not come easy. Whether the Devil came from the Void itself or tracked him as he weakened the Void, he couldn't be sure. It made him think of a common phrase in his world relating to the abyss.

Entering Auto-pilot, Rainer leveled the tier 2 [Arcane-Light Lance] and [Arcane-Light Lance Armament], before fully solidifying the rest of the books and notes he had skimmed over previously into his memory. He awoke before fully memorizing everything, the Great Sage's journal included.

[Arcane-Light Lance has reached level 10]

[Reached the maximum proficiency of a Tier 2 spell: Rewarding 2 skill points.]

[Arcane-Light Lance Armament has reached level 10]

[Reached the maximum proficiency of a Tier 2 spell: Rewarding 2 skill points.]

Waking up, Rainer now knew all he needed to do was have [Arcane-Spatial Manipulation] reach level 2, and [Voidwalker] would likely reach level 10, if not more.

Rainer saw Kara was still in meditation and, leaving Theodore and Elru to guard her room, decided to head out and explore. Both the undead and Fae quite happy with their stack of scrolls to read over.

Gunthar joined Rainer, who had Luna in his pocket, to take up Furtak's offer for learning Druidic Magic. Though, only Rainer would be truly attempting to learn it.

Furtak waited right outside the scroll room.

”It is down this way.”

They followed Furtak's lead as they headed deeper into the Mansion. Rainer manipulated the gravity around himself with [Arcane-Spatial Manipulation]. Other than the ease at which he could do it, as it was now affected by not only his large Arcane Bonus but also [Voidwalker]'s class bonus, he still didn't understand what had changed.

Furtak noticed the magic Rainer used but didn't feel the need to ask any questions. He just assumed it was some sort of defensive spell. True trust would take a far longer time to build, he thought.

They eventually reached a staircase leading downwards. Rainer soon realized they weren't heading to a basement but another cave system. A single wolf waited at the bottom.

[Lupin, Male, Ice Wolf Alpha lvl 9]

”Druidic Magic at its base is communication with Nature. With plants like the [Auer's Moss], with ordinary beasts, and with Monsters. With enough power, I can control certain monsters, but some are intelligent enough to where negotiation can be a better alternative. Otherwise controlling such a horde would not be possible.”

He wondered that different from Earth's scientific view if beings like Goblins and Humans weren't included in definition of Nature. Or, if then the Druidic language could provide a hint in how the Fae skill for translation worked.

”What were you trying to accomplish with those Yeti you sent out ahead of time?” Rainer asked. He hoped Furtak wouldn't ask if he had anything to do with them. Even with his confidence in lying, he'd rather it be left unsaid.

”A technique the Great Sage learned from a Demon-”

”Padding,” Rainer responded. Furtak was quite surprised by Rainer's knowledge of the tactic.

”My second class, a [Druid], is at level 9. And of course, I always desire for my [Fire Sage] class to level. Though, with the Tier 6 [Inferno], eventually I will not have to worry about leveling my main class any longer.”

Rainer just recalled why Tier 4 spells were important. Their experience was key for crossing the gap from level 20 to 25 for the First Tier of a Mage Class. He had never personally experienced this gap or truly any such barriers due to the nature of how he leveled. But he imagined for most the severely increasing experience required would be a major issue.

”I thought perhaps I would never level [Fire Sage] again before my death. You gave me such a hope. ”

A strange string of sounds and words came from Furtak's mouth as he spoke with the Wolf in front of him.

Rainer used [Arcane Sight] to see the magic and carefully listened. His true goal was to try and recreate the language to listen to in [Sleep Learning]. And then use that to learn it.

”Our closeness to Monsters helps us learn the language. In truth, other than listening to it and then practicing by making the [Auer's Moss] brighter or dimmer, I know not how to teach it. It is almost…instinctive. I shall ask this one to deliver a message to his Queen, about your Unicorn.”

Rainer watched and listened attentively to the flow of Mana in Furtak's body and the strange magical sounds of the language.

As the Wolf ran off, deeper into the caverns, Rainer spoke, ”Can he truly understand all that?”

”No. He can carry and relay the message, but among the Wolves, only their Queen truly has the intelligence to converse at our level. I asked her to come as well, thinking you'd be interested in meeting her. Perhaps she may offer some insight into Druid Magic.”

”She can?”

”Her mother taught the Great Sage before he spread it to us. We still have much to learn.”

”So, your cooperation with them is a willing one?”

”They do not wish to see humans go north, past the mountain range, any more than we do. We have only tolerated their border town as we do not yet see a reason to engage in open war.”

”Theodore, one of my companions, will be staying in the North as we travel. If the situation changes you can contact me, and we can deal with them ahead of time.”

”I do not mind letting the operations get started and ignore them for the time being as you've suggested. But there is a problem. If they do not understand how to properly gather Magicite.”

”What do you mean? And as far as I know the method is something the Arachne have kept secret from the Mage Guilds.”

Furtak sighed.

”We shall wait and see, but we might have to remove them sooner than you think. When Mana crystals grow in enough number, Magicite is formed in the center of such growth. It is a gas within some of the crystals. If they haphazardly mine the Mana Crystals….”

”They'll waste it. But if you act too aggressively now they'll gather the support of other Mage Guilds. I plan on heading south and getting the support of other Rogue Mages toward my goal as well as making myself stronger. Until then…”

They headed back up the stairs toward the mansion. It wasn't that Furtak trusted Rainer's support in the matter. He simply agreed, that if all the Mage Guilds became aware of the Mana Crystals and moved North, he wouldn't have a chance at winning.

”Would you like to see the city? Word has already spread of a Mage my equal in strength visiting. You should be fine to walk and explore the city freely. I'll send word for anyone to give you what you need, and I'll cover the trade.”

”That would be pleasant.”

After seeing if Kara wished to join him, Rainer headed out on Furtak's suggestion. Kara said she was close to leveling her skill and wished to remain in the room. So, with Gunthar and Luna using a Glamour to appear as a silver bird on his shoulder, Rainer went out of the Mansion.

Furtak stayed in the scroll room working with his apprentices to copy the tomes of magic. Waiting as well to greet the Wolf Queen if she came.

Rainer stepped out of the mansion and toward a new and strange city. For perhaps the first time, Rainer felt he was truly exploring a different world. Nalmar had been a ghost town, and Grimlar's Pass didn't feel too foreign.

But an underground city lit by glowing moss and inhabited by short green individuals was a different story.

He welcomed the short reprieve from his responsibilities.

”Where are we heading first?” Gunthar asked. He would be maintaining [Soul Detection] and [Magic Detection] the entire time. For an undead like him, it wasn't a tiring thing. Theodore was doing the same near Kara and Elru.

Rainer was mostly sure of Furtak's good intentions, but he wouldn't drop his guard.

Will I ever again, be able to drop my guard?

He thought to himself. Any Armament spell wouldn't be strong against any opponents he truly needed to be on guard against, at least at his current Mana capacity. He thought of [Arcane Awakening] and a possible way to keep it always active.

Right now, he kept it at its lowest, and while at such a price he could almost keep it indefinitely, it took a toll on his mind.

”Rainer?” Gunthar spoke again.

Leaving his thoughts, Rainer responded, ”Furtak talked about a racing track. They race various monsters and place bets, seems interesting enough,” Even though Furtak already spread the word for any establishments to charge him in place of the visiting Human; he still received some currency.

Rainer was quite surprised that it was the same as in Grimlar's pass. Copper and Silver coins with a small magical mark on them to note they were official. Furtak told Rainer this idea of trade, using a separate currency fascinated the Great Sage when he had visited other places. So, he implemented the idea for the tribes, creating their own, but still similar, type of mark.

The mark took just enough effort to make so that attempts at counterfeiting weren't worth it.

”I had some other plans, though I hadn't expected Kara to be so entranced in her practice. I'm surprised you were willing to come with me.”

”She was stuck on level 8 of [General Aura Meditation] for such a long time as she put it,” Gunthar grumbled.

”I'm guessing it was just long for her?”

”Yes, according to her it was the first time she met with any real obstacle. I would not take it personally.”

Rainer waved him off. He didn't in the slightest. He was no different when it came to his interests.

”So, what about you?”

”There is time for such matters when you are asleep. The nights can get boring. I would not mind seeing this racing track for myself. What a novel concept…” Gunthar said.

Rainer agreed. Though, of course, such a concept wasn't novel to his world in any case. He was a bit surprised too, Gunthar was willing to take time off from training. But, he understood that each group needed an undead guard, and his father was currently guarding Kara while going through the information on the Forbidden North.

He noted to make sure Gunthar enjoyed himself, at least a little.

As they walked through the city, many goblins looked and pointed with excitement. They lacked some of the reservation humans had when seeing Rainer as a Lord Magus. Several of the female Goblins that passed by Rainer would stare, jaws agape. Subconsciously they fixed their postures and stood in more alluring ways.

One had her slightly drooling mouth closed by a goblin who appeared to be her husband. However, looking at Rainer as well, he didn't blame in her in slightest. Later that night, he would find himself questioning his path in life.

Rainer laughed at the sight. He imagined were it not for his power those stares would be joined with propositions. He was only above average coming to this world, if you ignored his physical fitness. The increases in Charisma were an interesting factor.

But, he had little interest in using it in such a manner, Goblin or otherwise. He already struggled in thinking over what to do when Luna reached a more human size, let alone having any thoughts of other women.

But how his Charisma would affect negotiations, and whether Furtak had been so amicable to Rainer's ideas because of the attribute had him wondering.

Passing by the stone buildings the smell of food entered his nose. He saw the smoke that came from cooking it absorbed by the [Auer's Moss]. He knew that at the very least he'd take some with him before he left here, even if he couldn't learn the Druidic language to cultivate it properly.

He was surprised at how good it smelled and decided to buy some. While the larger places had received word that everything the visiting Human bought was to be put on Chief, a common stall wouldn't. They only knew of rumors of the strange Human the Chief respected as an equal.

”Thanks,” Rainer said as he threw a copper coin over. Before the stall owner could tell him it was too much, Rainer already walked away.

”Luna, can you appraise this, just in case?” He asked the small silver bird on his shoulder.

”It's safe.” Luna responded, ”Make sure to feed Luna later too.”

”Of course,” He said. He then appraised it himself.

[Fried Pork]

Similar to the guitar he guessed that the pork was not a completely accurate assessment. Sighing, he figured Luna could heal him if any issues arose, along with his own [Arcane Revival].

Surprised at the taste, Rainer continued eating as they soon reached the track. It was dug deep into the ground with a stadium of seats surrounding it.

He headed downwards, unstopped by the two guards at the entrance of the stairwell. He wondered if [Appraisal] could give him an advantage. He wouldn't have such entertainment.

”Honored Human, I shall lead you to a proper viewing place,” The guard suddenly spoke up. Rainer noted that apart from the slightly elongated and pointed ears and the green skin he was just like a small muscular human. If not, for the larger jaw and two small teeth poking upward from his mouth.

Rainer only nodded and followed him.

In a higher seat in the stadium, Rainer sat with a glass of wine. While he was relaxing, he also practiced and played around with [Arcane-Spatial Manipulation]. Moving his glass in reduced gravity he created around it. An action made far easier and cheaper with the addition of Arcane with space.

”Rainer, make Luna float too,” The little silver bird asked. Soon after, she performed flips in a small gravity reduced field.

”Gunthar should do flips too. And then he can breath-”

”Even as undead that does not look pleasant…” He remarked while seeing the spinning bird.

”Rainer…Luna doesn't feel to g-good…”

Rainer grabbed the spinning bird whose Glamour nearly fell. He wrongly assumed as a race capable of flight, she'd be more apt to spinning, but after seeing how fast she was going, thought it was the likely result.

Gunthar's laugh caused Luna to stick out her tongue at him, an action that didn't translate to the bird Glamour covering her.

In the background, the races were beginning. Various monsters filled the narrow stalls, each with a [Shaman] riding them. A large black boar, like the one Rainer fought in the past. An ostrich-like creature that instead had bright red feathers and a tiny flame on its head. And a Wolf like the ones Rainer saw earlier.

He thought it a strange match up for a race, but it proved to be a close one. Rainer's bet on the ostrich, despite its 5-level advantage, ended up incorrect.

”To think they'd be so closely matched. The boar's charging speed was impressive, were it not for its poor turning abilities I imagine him the victor. But to see the Wolf outpace that strange Avian Monster, quite impressive.”

Rainer was surprised by Gunthar's interest in monsters. But he thought back to both the father and son's interest in the Wyvern and imagined it spread farther than just the winged mounts. He was glad Gunthar headed here for more than just needing to guard Rainer.

He suddenly got an idea. While not understanding enough about the Druidic language to even know if he could learn it, he hoped to teach it to Gunthar. And Theodore as well.

Rainer, looking at the wine in his hand, thought about his own Arcane-Water. Luna was unaffected by Wine, as of course was the undead Gunthar unable even to drink it.

He wondered what effect Arcane-Water would have.

Forming a small ball of the violet water above his hand, he laughed at the thought of Gunthar drunk, but would not test it so simply. Nor did he believe Arcane-Water would have such a strange effect.

Luna, however, did it for him.

Out of surprise, Rainer didn't stop the Fairy who began drinking the floating water.

”Luna?!” He spoke in shock as he quickly cleared away the magic. Water made from magic was safe to drink, even if it wasn't the same as normal water. He imagined it the same here, but he certainly wouldn't test it so haphazardly.

However, Luna's giddy laugh interrupted his worry.

”Luna likes this. What is it?” She asked. Her Glamour fell away completely, but in their private booth, it was fine. She swayed side to side, exaggerating her condition slightly.

”Arcane-Water,” He said. Feeling her condition through the Familiar bond, he knew she wasn't in any danger.

Cautiously, Rainer took an empty cup and filled it with more Arcane-Water. Taking a small sip, he noted it only tasted like a better version of water. Just in case, he used [Arcane Revival], but the Arcane in the water only gradually dissipated.

He watched with [Arcane Sight] as he breathed it out.

Gunthar walked over, and Rainer handed him the glass. Now that Arcane had altered him, Rainer was sure that even if he tried attacking him like he did the [Arch-Lich]'s undead with Arcane-Death, it might only make him stronger.

He took off his glove and put his bony finger in. Jagged lines of Arcane and Death lit up on his hand and moved up his arm.

”Oh! Gunthar is glowey!” Luna exclaimed in amazement before reaching toward the Arcane-Water again.