80 Gateway (2/2)

”I wouldn't mind a few days living in such a lavish Inn,” Kara added her own thoughts.

”We have the money for it,” Rainer added, earning himself a dirty look from Sarah, though, she didn't argue, quite liking the idea of a few days in such a nice place. She remembered the innkeeper had mentioned their servants here also offered massages. The hint of what else that entailed was all but clear, though Sarah looked forward to the literal meaning of it.

”Then that's settled.”

A few minutes in the White Void, and Rainer sent away his party members onto auto-pilot. While last night's session seemed to have no effect, no one saw any reason to chance it, and the alternate-day schedule of aware and unaware was put forth.

Staring at the emptiness, Rainer waited a few moments to see if Talvara would appear, she never showed herself in front of anyone else, and soon sank into his thoughts.

His hand naturally drifted to his recently acquired scar, a slightly angled horizontal line under his right eye. An attack that permanently damaged his Soul. At least, permanently damaged by Amer's knowledge.

Yet one thing that bothered him even more about the fight was the sheer uselessness of any of his spells he could get off fast enough. His spear spells, while strong, required not only a longer cast time, but physical movement by his body as well. And [Absolute Frost] carried a far heavier cost when there was no Miasma to supplement him.

His armed [Arcane Lance]s seemed more a waste of mana than anything else.

Only his use of [Arcane-Spatial Domain] let him think otherwise. But even that would be far more of a benefit if it didn't use such a large portion of his consciousness. Holding someone down with gravity, someone stronger than a common thug, that is, and using something like [Void Call] or [Void Hold] simply wouldn't be possible. It ended up being a tool of assistance once more, all bolstering [Arcane Blade]. Something that required him to be put at risk of death to properly use.

But that was a problem he already had a solution to; Absolute Dominion. Even if combining Void and Arcane in such a manner proved impossible, at the very least he had a plan for a way forward.

Yet in terms of finding a powerful enough balance between his weaker [Arcane Bolt]s and [Arcane Lance]s and his Spears, there was none. It was partially what made him a bit excited at the prospect of [Arcane Repulsion].

But if he was to fight on the front lines, directly in the fight as he always had been, he needed something in between. Something that wouldn't require him to always risk close ranges where the border between life and death was a single wrong move.

Had the [Priest] been just a bit closer, perhaps a user of the sword rather than a spear, Rainer wouldn't have been able to recast his [Arcane Blade] in time. And all he would have accomplished was revealing his back to a warrior far stronger and far faster than him in close combat.

And if he truly died…what of those left behind? Kara…there was no happy ending for her at her current strength. Gunthar would likely remain an undead skeleton all his life. Luna, either used for dust or retreating back to the Fae Realm and perhaps dealing with all the problems having that flame could cause. Or worse, given her reliance on him that only seemed to increase.

Lilia, once more an orphan. Like it or not, he had essentially taken on the role of a parent in becoming her teacher. She would also be possibly killed for possession of Tiamat before the dragon could grow old enough to defend anything…assuming Tiamat wouldn't die from a lack of Draconic Essence without him there.

Rainer's thoughts drifted for a moment on his own skill he did have that was both faster than a Spear to cast, and incomparably stronger.

[Arcane Awakening: Final Arcanum]

A beam of pure Arcane destruction. Efficient to the point where Rainer doubted he'd ever create a spell that could produce so much death with so little relative cost of actual Arcane Power.

And incomparably expensive. Besides the cost of the entirety of his Arcane Power, the skill itself blocked off any usage of his Mana Pool and Arcane Power after use.

But what if it wasn't 'my' Arcane Power…

A mana packet in any form wouldn't work. Mana packets had purpose in their creation, they weren't pools of energy to be used as one pleased. He couldn't just suddenly decide mid-cast of [Absolute Frost] to instead make all the Mana he gathered and condensed into a fire spell.

At least, not without a huge loss of efficiency. The only time such a thing would be a net plus would be in stealing someone else's Mana packets.

He started thinking along another line.

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[Arcane Awakening] improved through the [Faraan Runic Language]. Its very power leveled by body enhancements based off the lines of magic. It's angular lines similar to the Runes that made up the language.

[Arcane Invigoration] followed the path of Blood. Blood as the representation of life and power, and in turn seen in Draconic Magic. Rainer ventured the path towards leveling this lay in [Draconic Runic Language], not that he had an example of a person enchanted with Draconic Magic to base it off of.

And in the end, what path of magic did [Arcane Weaving], and perhaps it's [Archon] Equivalent he had yet to unlock in the skill store, follow?

Rainer felt a path existed. The [Archon] was a class of the Origin of Magic, stated as such by the system itself. And perhaps he had found it in Ritual circles. Circles drawn with power to represent a certain task.

So he recreated a book from his memory, wanting the physical copy, as another series of thoughts went through his mind with every turn of the page.

Finding the page he needed, Rainer read over this ritual in particular. From his memories, this ritual seemed the closest to what he desired in creating a separate pool of energy. Something obtained from the hidden library of Nalmar.

The ritual itself was mired in blood sacrifices and specific instructions for how to tenderize victims prior to sacrificing them and guiding the power of the blood in the proper manner. The resulting ritual circle was designed more as a trap, lasting indefinitely, just like the echoes of what was done to its ingredients. Waiting to be activated and unleash an outward force of Death Magic to encompass an entire area.

Even more so, the ritual would persist. The Death magic taking on a semi-sentience of its own, fueled by a fake pool of Mana until it ran out. Of course, said creators found only failure when trying to apply this to anything other than Death Magic, but they didn't seem all that bothered. Compared to Self-Sacrifice, when it came to be using outside sources of blood or sacrifice, the factors involved were innumerable. Often the method of sacrifice would limit its purposes.

But beneath the cruelty was a framework for creating what he desired. Though, he wouldn't build it on blood…

To draw ritual circles with [Arcane Weaving] instead of blood. He hadn't considered it up until this point.

Rainer had other goals for [Arcane Weaving]. Creating the weave was one thing, but finding a way for it to be armed or a quick cast was something else. In the past, back in the Wyvern-filled dungeon, Rainer was unable to arm the weaves he created. If this spell couldn't be armed, Rainer would be back to his original problem.

But before anything else, he wished to find out what type of magic, if any, related to [Arcane Weaving].

So, Rainer began with the ritual he knew best, the one that sent him or his target to sleep. One written with blood on his forehead.

He first drew the one in blood on the ground and stared at it deeply with [Arcane Revelation]. He watched how the power within his blood seemed to change and contort with the shape and purposeful designs and pathways of the small ritual circle.

But he suddenly realized that without activating it, he wouldn't be able to truly observe how the power flows, and adapt that power to [Arcane Weaving].

”Rainer?” Kara asked a bit unsure, before becoming a bit excited. He had mentioned at night the interesting thought of seeing what it would be like to have the limitless energy of [Sleep Learning] for nighttime ventures.

”I need your help with a small experiment on my sleep ritual.”

”Oh…”

Seeing Kara oddly disappointed, Rainer understood.

”Oh? To think you see me as just a body to use for your pleasure,” Rainer said, 'aghast'.

”It's better than being seen as a body for experimentation.”

”So, you don't deny it?”

Kara tilted her head to the side and her ears twitched slightly, ”Why would I deny the truth?” She responded, expressionless.

”Strangely, I'm okay with that. Now let me cover your forehead with my bodily fluids.”

Kara rolled her eyes at that joke and sat in front him as he stabbed himself with a dagger.

”Doesn't it get…annoying,” She said, not finding any other word for it that wouldn't be completely obvious, ”to always stab yourself when you practice this?”

”You get used to it.”

”To the pain?”

”No…I mean I have [Pain Resistance], but it still hurts pretty bad. Rather, you just sort of accept that pain is a part of the cost.”

Kara nodded. She couldn't claim anything that extreme, but train enough and you just sort of accepted, if not even looked forward, to the burn that occurred when you pushed yourself past your limits. And then the soreness that followed the next day while extremely unpleasant could be enjoyed just the same.

Rainer drew the ritual circle on her forehead, taking care to use [Arcane Revelation] the entire time.

”Do you need me to let it affect me?”

”No, resist as you like.”

Activating the finished circle, Rainer watched the magic in his blood activating and forming the intended effect of bringing its target to sleep. He noted every movement of magic, every change in direction, every usage of the power that was once in his blood. A sight only fully visible with his Arcane covered eyes.

”A dozen or so more times should be enough, I just need a quick Auto-pilot to solidify the memory.”

”Then I'm off to train unaware again?”

”I know what you're thinking and I am too, but I'd rather not worry about Talvara coming in on us. Until I learn how to block her from coming in…”

”You said she avoids us? Would she actually…”

”She seems like the type, just to get a rise out of me.”

”That one better not have been on purpose.”

”I'm ashamed to say it wasn't.”

Rainer spent the next few hours trying to create that same flow of magic with an Arcane Weave ritual circle. But he was stuck on the first step, drawing it. And that was making the circle thin enough to at least come close to blood, and the second was having parts of the ritual circle that weren't directly connected such as some of the runes within and around it still be a part of the same weave.

Even worse, he struggled to get the proper details in when drawing such a small circle and then also the same distribution of power that magic affected blood would have. When drawing a ritual circle with blood, some of the smaller designs could be influenced with your Mana and intention, naturally guiding the magic in the blood to the proper form.

Rainer let out a laugh. Why did it have to be small? He was in [Sleep Learning].

With an outpour of Arcane Power far exceeding his capacity, Rainer started weaving a massive ritual circle beneath his feet. The details that were once small, came easy to him, and while still thicker than he would like, it took only a few minutes. He went around, strengthening certain parts and weakening others to match the blood version.

And now, he prepared to activate it. While the circle itself, lacking a target, wouldn't do anything. Something should still happen.

With an outburst of power, he instead powered his Mana directly into the circle, the same way he would activate a ritual circle.

The circle of [Arcane Weaving] lit up in response to the Mana within. Then that mana escaped and in a slight glossing of light, far too dim for the amount of power contained, the circle vanished.

”Success?” Rainer asked himself. He shrugged, deciding he needed a more visible ritual to test. And he doubted it had truly succeeded. The flow of magic seemed off when he activated it, and it still didn't have anywhere near the same thinness as written blood, changing said flow even further.

”Hard at work I see,” The voice came from behind Rainer, though far more used to her entering this space, he showed no surprise.

”Just about done actually...” Rainer stood outside a large ritual circle made of [Arcane Weaving]. It was bits and pieces he brought together to try and create a ritual circle that stored energy akin to a Mana Pool.

With a flare of power, the circle activated…and nothing happened, leaving the massive amount of Arcane energy to simply fade away.

”Is it impossible without the sacrifice…” Rainer mumbled. He had taken out what he figured to be the parts of the ritual that actually accomplished something. Instead, he left the part that created a storage of Mana. He still struggled to make the ritual circle itself thin enough, despite the recent level up.

[Arcane Weaving has reached level 7]

”Good, for I come bearing gifts.”

Rainer frowned for a moment as he felt the power of the White Void being used, but didn't stop her. Moments later a black stone archway appeared beside Talvara.

Feeling the enchantment, Rainer covered his eyes in [Arcane Revelation] only for them to bulge in shock. He did not have a clue what this was or what it did. But it was…

Magnificent.

Talvara couldn't hold back a light laugh as she watched the [Archon] caress and look at her gift as it were his greatest love.

”I had to carefully watch the process of Dwarven enchanters making it for over a year, you know,” Talvara finally added. It was only a tiny part of her that actually watched, but she saw no reason to share that little detail. She tried recreating it before but found herself unable. Whether because it was foreign to her, or because it was simply an item that required more, she couldn't say.

”What is it?”

”Guess.”

”Something related to the Void...some form of enhancement maybe…”

”What shape is it…”Talvara asked, a bit exasperated. If he could understand that much why not the final step?

”An Arch...Oh. Oh. A Gateway! It allows anyone to walk through the Void?”

”No, I'm afraid not. Rather it enhances, and empowers, making long-distance Void-Travels almost free. Though the negative to it being…”

”If you travel too far, you can't get back.”

”Which is exactly what happened to Aurora and her group,” Talvara added. ” And on that note, I should caution you to take care. The Oracles of Divines are quite good at finding those they seek.”

”Through their Divine Powers?” Rainer asked, now turning around.

”Exactly.”

”Then I should be safe, right?” Rainer questioned again and then shared his title.

Talvara gaped at the message in front of her before tamping down her excitement with her entire will.

Had he figured out what I wanted? To share the full information of it so easily…

”Y-yes, you should be safe.”

The Void-being sank into thought.

”You know it's an entertaining story how I got this title,” Rainer said, now sitting across from her. As usual, not at all paying attention to her lack of clothing.

Talvara looked at his face and saw the all-knowing smirk that went across it. He knew. He knew somehow how important this was to her.

What could she offer him? The service of all the Void Lords now in this world? Perhaps 5, no 10 times his current Void Will. it would leave her severely weakened to grant so much over a short period of time but it would be worth it.

Is all that even enough?

Seeing the look of interest of her face, Rainer happily told the story, all the way up to reaching the second tier. Of Undead and quests.

”I do not understand, you created this ring as your Trial reward?” Trial rewards were given, not created, Talvara thought.

”Based on your titles, you get a certain number of points to spend on a Trial Reward. Anything you can think of or imagine. And then the system erases your memory and so it's played off as an automatic reward.”

'The potential of such knowledge…” Talvara spoke more to herself than to him. The whole time she was waiting with rapt attention for when he'd reveal the knowledge of the title but leave out the details she truly needed. She still rapidly thought over rewards she could offer.

”Exactly,” Rainer didn't mind sharing this. He quite liked his discussions with Talvara and he didn't want to lose her as a resource, or perhaps a friend, after their deal was done and he gained all he needed on [Void-Traveling].

”What possessed you to make such a ring?”

”Paranoia. And you know how usually a familiar doesn't affect your Trial's difficulty? Well for mine, it did. So I don't actually remember why, but I imagine it was related to feeling like the Trial was deliberately made to be impossible.”

”And then with said ring?”

Rainer continued on, speaking about his quest and then at the very end how they tried to steal both his friend and the final reward.

”And with the aid of both my class and my ring, I obtained [Divine Resistance].”

”Impressive…” Talvara could have never guessed there was such a resistance. Now she waited for how this would all lead to gaining the title of [One who defies Divinity].

”Really, I have to thank you for showing me an example of this gateway…” He responded, seemingly done with his story to her disappointment.

”I can have my Void Lords bring a real example,” She offered, accepting his hint.

”No need. I'd appreciate it, but it wouldn't be worth the effort. I'd just study it in here, in any case.”

Being so close to what she wanted, Talvara having not spoken to someone in so long, lost her will and just asked directly. She also assumed he already knew what she wanted, just not how much.

”How did you get the title then, [One who defies Divinity]?” She chastised herself for not hiding her excitement well enough. When had her voice ever sounded so desperate? Who knows what she'd lose before gaining this knowledge now...

Before she could even make an offer, he answered, no longer even paying attention to her but the gateway.

”By gaining [Divine Resistance], though I'm not 100% sure it was just that. It could have been taking back my friend after they tried to force him to stay back there. If I had to guess, I'd say it's primarily the resistance,”

”I...see…” Talvara's eyes opened wide.

He tells me so easily…?

”That was the second-time, or rather, first time I Void-walked under the system. The first actual time was a complete accident…”

Talvara barely listened to what was clearly an embellished tale of magical lunacy that came after as she thought over this new knowledge. Knowledge so easily given…

She glanced at the large back of the still talking [Archon], who now paid most of his attention to the Gateway again, and found herself more and more glad her followers failed in their task.

The next morning, the party's plans for staying at the inn another few nights were overturned by the town itself. The harbor town acted as one of the many trade hubs for merchants and sailors from the Dragon Isles and the North, with the services and shops all geared around its most common visitors. There was little for the group to do here that would warrant staying any longer than needed.

”Rainer how come you couldn't come grab me back when you first entered the Fae Realm?” Sarah asked, even if she already knew the answer. She heard mentions of plays that with Illusion magic were basically movies, on top of the whole town geared towards entertaining a long-lived and currently peaceful society.

”I'm your older brother. How could I let you hang around in a place where absurdly attractive male Fae would be all over you for your mana?”

Sarah narrowed her eyes before turning away in a huff.

”Besides, I'm sure we'll find more things to do in the Wolf King's capital.” Based on their current location, with a few stops between cities, it shouldn't be longer than a 2-3-day flight. From their east most territories, the countries of the Dragon Isles went from the Serpent King, Tiger King, Wolf King, Flame King, Rat King, and the Bear King.

Though all their territories intermixed to a degree rather than being a straightforward ordering. The seventh king, the Sea King, held scattered islands and numerous settlements below water, making his territory more difficult to define.

They now headed to find a carpenter, or several, to build a more suitable small boat for their goals, or perhaps modify one. Something both comfortable and a bit larger, while light enough for Rainer's flight spell and still buoyant. It wasn't the type of thing they could likely outright buy.

”Let's hope we have enough for them to build what we want, and quick enough.”

”Don't even try to use the Fae Gold.”

”No promises,” Rainer grinned.

And so they went with the goal of commissioning something only someone with Rainer's flight abilities would ever find a real use for.