47 Druidic Magic (2/2)

”That's enough for you, drunk little Fairy,” Rainer said moving her away.

”But Rrrainer gets to drink all he wants. Luna says it's not fair.”

”It seems I can recover my Aura from this. It is too minor to be of use, however. It'd likely to take longer draining it from the water than I would just use meditation.”

”It's worth exploring.”

After tucking away the still excited Fairy back into his pocket, they got up to leave. Deciding the excitable Fairy wasn't in a state to be in public.

Luna, however, poked her head out.

”Hehe, Rainer put Luna into his pocket. Luna is like a mighty sword in sheath! Rainer, take Luna out of pocket and charge!” She yelled, pointing forward.

Gunthar laughed as he watched Rainer quickly cover the Fairy. Her yelling had attracted the surrounding Goblins, who just chuckled at the strange Human, before a few became lost as they gazed at him.

”Luna can't b-be contained,” She futilely struggled and spoke in a muffled voice.

They headed back soon after. Rainer went to Furtak to see how he used Druidic Magic on the Moss. But his messages led him to leave that for a later time. His [Archon] class had finally come through and assisted in leveling [Arcane-Spatial Manipulation].

[Arcane-Spatial Manipulation has reached level 2]

[Experience Gained: 21%, 512%]

[Voidwalker has leveled up to lvl 10/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed.1 Attribute and skill point have been rewarded]

[Voidwalker has leveled up to lvl 11/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed.1 Attribute and skill point have been rewarded]

[Voidwalker has leveled up to lvl 12/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed.1 Attribute and skill point have been rewarded]

[Voidwalker has leveled up to lvl 13/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed.1 Attribute and skill point have been rewarded]

[Having reached level 10 in your class related Skill Store and Hidden Attributes have been unlocked]

[Hidden Attribute Unlocked: Void Awareness: 40]

[Void Awareness: Increases one's affinity toward and awareness of the Void. Reduces the cost of Void-related skills and spells.]

[Voidwalker Class Description Changed, Previous Hidden Attribute increase Revealed]

[Voidwalker: A being who crosses the omnipresent void, surpassing the restrictions of Space and Time. One who can reach out their senses and grasp at the elusive yet all-encompassing void. Few can block the path of one of the Void. 100% General Improvement to Space and Time Magic and Skills. 50% General Improvement to Space and Time Manipulation skills. 40% Less Cost for all Void-related Magic and Skills. +1 Intelligence, +2 Affinity, +2 Void Awareness per level past 1]

He opened his status screen before excitedly looking at his new skill store.

[Primary Classes: Archon(2nd) Lvl 14/25, Voidwalker lvl 13/25]

[Titles: Immortal Slayer, Arcane Scholar, Fae Contractor, Arcane Elementalist, Manipulator of the Elements, Basic Elementalist, Dungeon Pioneer, Philanderer, Trollsbane, Wielder of Space and Time, Master of Space and Time, Wielder of Fire and Brimstone, Wielder of Light, Wielder of the Arcane, Energy Drainer, Voidwalker, One who defies Divinity]

[Exp: 37%, 43%]

[Sub-classes: Chronomancer lvl 11/25]

[Race: Human]

[Skill Points: 21]

[Talents: Excellent Arcane Affinity, Human Growth, Gift of the Fae(Luna)]

[Stamina: 30/30]

[Stamina Regen: .1% per second]

[Mana: 102/151(231)]

[Mana Regen: .0190 per second]

[Arcane Power: 77/85(120)]

[Conversion Ratio: 1-12]

[Arcane Aura: 9/9(19)]

[Constitution: 27(+2)]

[Affinity: 231]

[Vitality: 26(+2)]

[Endurance: 28(+2)]

[Strength: 28]

[Dexterity: 28]

[Intelligence: 204(+2)]

[Willpower: 95]

[Arcane Attunement: 120]

[Arcane Alacrity: 16]

[Gravity Control: 16]

[Aura Control: 19]

[Aura Attunement:19]

[Void Awareness: 40]

[Attribute Points: 47]

[Voidwalker Class Skills Currently Available]

[Void Grasp: Cost 10 skill points. The Void is omnipresent in its existence, always available to a Voidwalker in their purpose. Keeping them steady amidst any situation]

The descriptions in the skill store are at a mixed level of usefulness as always…

Rainer's guess as to why the skill store didn't display the skill's description was to prevent an easier time learning a more obscure skill.

[Void Call: Cost 10 skill points. The Void is omnipresent in its existence, always available to a Voidwalker in their purpose. Letting them reach out toward their desires.]

Let's…stay away from that one for now.

[Void Seer: Cost 10 skill points. The Void is omnipresent in its existence, always available to a Voidwalker in their purpose. Allowing them to peer past any obstruction.]

Rainer immediately purchased [Void Grasp] and [Void Seer]. His last encounter with a Devil left him not too curious as to the nature of a skill named [Void Call].

Having bought the skills he could now look at their actual description, rather than the one given by the skill store.

[Void Grasp: Wield one's power over the Void to resist Space and Time. Anchor oneself to the current reality by grasping the Void.]

[Void Seer: Peer through the Void at the intended destination. See as if you had truly traveled there by walking through the Void. ]

”Rainer, are you alright?” Gunthar asked. He saw Rainer suddenly pause in front of the stone mansion.

”I leveled the skill I had been playing with and reached level 13 in [Voidwalker].”

”Then let us hurry back, I know you likely cannot resist testing the skills you've purchased. At least have everyone there should you pull out another creature from your Void.”

”Completely agree,” Rainer responded as they headed inside.

”As always Sorcerer, a random outing turns into you gaining great strength,” Gunthar mumbled before laughing to himself as he followed Rainer.

They all entered Kara's room as Rainer explained the experiment he was going to be doing. After he finished speaking Luna flew out of his coat and fluttered in front of Elru.

”Eluish, you should try some of Rainer's liquid too,” Luna said before giggling and returning to Rainer's coat to sleep.

Everyone gave him strange glances. Even Gunthar who had been there misunderstood the Lady of the Fae.

”I gave her some water mixed with my magic,” Rainer said producing the Arcane-Water with his Manipulation skill again. He didn't specify with the magic, Arcane, but he was still curious as to Elru's opinion on the matter.

”And this made her…more Luna than usual?” Elru asked.

”It should be safe, she did drink quite a bit for her size.”

Elru immediately drinking the floating Arcane-Water surprised him. Rainer only now fully realized the meaning of him prolonging Elru's sister's life by 200 years. Momentarily thinking of his own little sister, he couldn't imagine how he could ever repay such a thing.

Not that he planned on taking advantage of Elru's trust.

”Ah,” Elru said after a small hiccup, ”This is fascinating. Might you make me some more into a cup?”

Rainer agreed he would do so later, as they then headed elsewhere to make sure they had room to fight whatever Rainer might bring through the Void.

As they left, Elru questioned Theodore as to why they needed to watch Rainer so carefully during teleportation. Her face slightly paled as Theodore mentioned what had happened.

[Voidwalker] was in truth far more dangerous and mysterious than any of her original thoughts of the unknown class had been.

Everyone surrounded Rainer as he sat in the middle of a large room. Seeing them gathering the [Fire Sage] had joined them.

”What exactly are we watching?” He whispered to Theodore.

Rainer glanced over at Furtak but didn't say anything. Seeing this, Theodore responded.

”Making sure he doesn't doom the whole world.”

Furtak laughed a bit taking it for a joke but seeing the serious looks on everyone's face, he suddenly grew nervous.

Must you do that here?!

But before he could retort, Rainer spoke.

”It works just fine.”

Rainer felt there was little danger in the first place. He believed [Void Manipulation] was the primary cause of the Devil reaching out toward him, but he didn't see a need to take any chances.

Using [Void Seer], he had looked through the various rooms in the house. [Void Seer] had a similar range as [Void Detection]. Though, he quickly averted his sight when he saw something he shouldn't have. With his new attribute, his [Void Detection] range had doubled, increasing his [Void-walking] range thus. As for his [Void-Walking] cost, Rainer vanished from the circle as he tested it.

He appeared in the scroll room, causing an apprentice of Furtak's to nearly spill his ink.

”Rainer!” He heard Kara's loud yell and quickly returned.

”Ah, maybe I-”

”Should have mentioned you were going to test out teleportation as well,” Kara responded a bit displeased.

Kara's mood returned right after, knowing such things were to be expected from Rainer.

”So how is it?”

”A huge difference.”

Furtak was amazed watching Rainer teleport. He saw it before, during their fight. But fully trying to detect his teleportation, he found he could not. The [Fire Sage] felt a slight shiver. With the strange magic blade that Rainer used combined with this, Furtak thought him a frightening foe to have.

The difference Void Awareness made proved significant in using [Void-walking]. Rainer, however, didn't wish to spend his attribute points as of yet. He thought the 2nd Tier of [Voidwalker] might have a worthier attribute.

But immediately, he abandoned that line of thinking. To reach the 2nd Tier, and face a Trial that added on the difficulty from his [Archon] class, he couldn't be stingy

All 47 Attribute points went into Void Awareness. His [Void Detection] extended roughly three times the original distance of 50 feet. But now, having the attribute unlocked, [Arcane Awakening] would improve that significantly.

Lifespan and Charisma were hidden attributes. Even if he couldn't see it, it still worked. He had questioned Gunthar on this some time ago, to fully understand the effect of the then [Arcane Rage].

That meant, as Rainer understood it, with Void Awareness as a formerly locked and hidden attribute even if it was 1,000, so long as it remained locked, there was no effect.

Rainer used [Void-walking] again and this time noted the Mana cost. It was only 6 Mana, almost three times as less than before.

”Are we alright for now, Sorcerer?” Gunthar asked. He knew with his recent class change that while he improved in some ways, the lack of attributes, especially in Strength, troubled him in the face of a Devil attack.

”We are good for now,” Rainer answered.

To see through Matheus' Glamour, Rainer had combined [Arcane Sight] and [Appraisal]. He wondered what sort of thing he could see peering into the Void with his new abilities. But for now, the fear of something far stronger than the [Devil King] tamed his curiosity.

”Furtak, can you demonstrate how you use Druidic Magic to communicate with the [Auer's Moss]?”

”I already called some [Shaman]s so that you may listen to it as long as you like. I'll have them rotate through as they run out of Mana. I can too…”

”Go ahead and study [Inferno],” Rainer interrupted.

Furtak grinned as he led the way for Rainer. He took him to one of the meditation rooms next to Kara's.

She returned to her own with the rest of the party right outside the rooms.

The [Shaman] entering gave a small bow toward Rainer before facing the moss. Rainer didn't need an explanation as to how they kept the moss growing here all the time without issue. That was included in the copy of the Great Sage's notes he received.

He opened [Arcane Sight] and paid the utmost attention to the [Shaman]. The magical Druidic Tongue left his mouth. He watched the flow of Mana and paid attention to every sound. In the past, he had replayed sounds in the [Sleep Learning] space.

The moss would sometimes move, or grow as it was infused with Druidic Magic. Other times the color of its light would change, or it would dim and brighten.

He kept [Arcane Awakening] at a low level, lest in the worst-case scenario he need react.

The day passed as a cycle of [Shaman]s came through. Some later talked of the foolishness of the human seeking to learn this skill, but none would say such things to his face. Furtak, when spreading information about Rainer, mentioned him as an equal.

Rainer headed back to his room; Kara still focused on meditation.

He entered [Sleep Learning], intent on learning the Druidic Language. While he was here, he wanted to focus on something that could only be learned here. Perhaps he would need further examples.

However, that was not his only interest. For, he had heard a far more powerful Magical Language only recently.

Entering the white void, Rainer excitedly got to work. First, he replicated the Magic Language itself. The strange words replayed throughout the space.

He made it repeat a single phrase, one that made the [Auer's Moss] glow a bit dimmer. Within his mind, he thought over the Mana that was used. That then mixed with the sound. He started repeating those same words, soon allowing the sound to fade out after nearly an hour of repetition.

Even with his Constitution, he needed to heal his sore throat.

Only his own voice was heard throughout the white void. Using [Arcane Sound Infusion] he began adding power to the words. Yet other than the original effect of the skill nothing else happened.

His mind honed in on how the Mana was used. Furtak had mentioned that their ability to use the Druidic Language related to their biology, but Rainer ignored such a thing for now. With his [Arcane Sight] he saw no such thing.

Whether Furtak was misinformed or lied to, Rainer considered that perhaps Aura was the key. That the Monstrous part of them naturally wielded the World's Energy to their aid. Rainer also assumed that it was simply different for him, who was human. He could only depend on his [Archon] class bonus to fill in these gaps.

He added his Arcane Aura to the mix, trying to infuse it into his voice. He had been so focused on the flow of Mana, he wasn't sure whether his conjecture was true.

[Skill Gained: Arcane Aura Sound Infusion lvl 1/10]

Suddenly Rainer found his control of the words corrected. His tone slightly shifted and filled with Magic as the words rang out over the white void.

He opened his eyes and realized with the [Archon] class he had gained the skill and subsequent knowledge he desired.

[Skill Gained: Druidic Magic Language lvl 1/10]

[Druidic Magic Language: Infuse Words of Power with one's own strength. The Druidic Tongue can bend the softness as well as the fearsome might of Nature to one's will.]

[Title Gained: Speaker of Power]

[Experience Gained: 0.1%, 33%]

[Title Gained: Shaman]

[Experience Gained: 0.1% 11%]

He thought back to the chilling words that the [Devil King] had used on him. Words that damaged his very soul.

He knew from Theodore and the attempts at gaining his Soul skill, that the soul naturally healed over time. The presence of an Aura or Mana pool improved this healing.

Using [Arcane Revival] and [Arcane Sight] he looked inwards. He moved the healing Arcane Energy and tried to affect his soul. While currently undamaged and not in need of healing, Rainer still felt a warm feeling overtake his very being.

The origin of [Sleep Learning] and whether his Soul could be refreshed with his body had troubled Rainer in the past. And now, he might be able to test it.

The fear of the moment solidified the Devil's Words in his mind. A repeat performance was not necessary. Soon they rang out across the white void. Even lacking power the strange language gave Rainer an instinctive fear. He replayed it a bit longer before following along and repeating with the Devil's voice he simulated.

He let slip the tiniest bit of Arcane, using a similar pattern to Druidic Magic Language, into his voice but just before adding in his Aura as well, the situation changed.

Rainer had spent far more time than he realized.

Waking up, Rainer saw Kara had finally gone to bed. She laid across him, her legs tightly around his own.

With Elru back, Rainer decided for today to reveal his progress on Body Enchanting. Now, he could also study Elru's own enchantments longer and create similar versions for Kara.

[Wolfkin, Female, Blade Dancer lvl 25]

He sighed, hoping his Runes on her had unlocked a far better class. And that she would accept the change.

Lightly, he moved his hands through her hair, occasionally scratching her ear, as the tired Kara slept. He thought of ways to make her stronger and safer.

With a soft tone, Rainer spoke the words he remembered to the [Auer's Moss]. Feeling a strange connection with them, he then noticed the moss dimed. He looked on in amazement as the room grew slightly darker. He understood so little about this new magic. How these words came about or why they had such meaning.

But he planned to find out.

Back in Grimlar's Pass, Yarik sat across from a hooded man. He was in a private room of the Baron's Mansion. Taking off his hood, the man revealed a decrepit appearance, long since surpassing what any human, Mage or not, should live.

The Blood Soul Guild Master…

Yarik was confused as to why this man was here. They already had a deal, and Raspard had long since built a full tolerance to Magicite.

The relationship between official Mage Guild and their more criminal, at least on the surface, counterparts was antagonistic. There were rare exceptions that were backed by a strong enough leader to make attacking an unprofitable idea. Often they would have skirmishes on the surface but, in truth, they were business partners.

”Have you been well Raspard?” Yarik asked. The whole time he maintained his [Mana Presence] across the room. The two mages standing behind Raspard struggled to breathe normally.

”A most disconcerting presence as always Yarik. As you can see I still have many years left in me,” Raspard spoke giving a grin displaying several missing teeth.

The difference in Mana Talent showed. Raspard was around the same age as Yarik, and yet he developed a tolerance to Magicite far quicker. Not able to compare, to the monster Yarik was when it came to Mana, evidenced by his skill, [Mana Presence].

”What are you doing here Raspard?” Yarik asked. He had little interest in speaking with the corpse-like man in front of him for longer than he needed to.

”I'm searching for someone,” Raspard answered before taking out a drawing and handing it over to Yarik. A flash of Mana passed by as Yarik affirmed the nature of the picture before taking it. One could never be too careful with a thing like Raspard.

”This…”

”You recognize him?” Raspard asked. His ancient voice quaked with excitement.

”Yes…” Yarik answered and then recounted many of the events over the past few days. Raspard already knew of the findings in the North and was responsible for making sure no one else did. It was one of the many dealings his Guild had with the Skyborne.

”Then will you aid me?” Raspard asked.

”In what?”

”Killing him.”

Yarik froze but then sank into thought. The Foreign Lord Magus had dissipated his [Mana Pressure] with a similar skill of his own. And Yarik didn't believe his goals in the North were purely altruistic. But, he wasn't willing to test and risk his life against this Foreign Lord Magus, until now.

”I'll help, but my involvement can't be known. And you'll need to tell me why you are after him.”

”Perfect. But first…bring me to that Prince of yours…Given their fight perhaps I can get a read on our mutual target's location.”

As they left the room, Raspard briefly glanced toward their contractor. His talents with Soul Magic told him she was a Fae, though he already knew about their true contractor from the token she carried. It was Yulia. If he wished he could overpower this Fae before she disappeared in her Glamour, but Raspard wasn't only interested in the Dust.

He rushed over here, using up Mana potions and an enchanted item aid to him and his followers in a quick flight. He wasn't willing to risk taking too long, lest the trail left by their target grow too cold.

To him, even another 100 years was a temporary solution. But unlocking the secrets of the Fruit of the World Tree he thought, meant eternal life. Like the Trial, the Fruit granted additional lifespan when advancing one's class for the first time.

In Raspard's thoughts, the Fruit itself contained an ability to increase one's life.

And in part, he feared the woman behind this one. Raspard had made the decision to hide the fact he knew Yulia was a Fae, back when they worked together. So long as she truly helped in their goal to create a Fae and therefore dust, he didn't care what she truly was. She even provided a Fae to experiment on.

If anything, he valued her race and would help keep it a secret if need be. And he never regretted that choice. But, they had dueled once.

And It was not even close.