by Sergei Katz
As Alex and my Totem hadn’t returned from hunting yet, my Phasm decided to spend this time well. He curled up like a cat, and quietly went to sleep. So, I was left in peace to develop a new spell, and if it worked out, then I could create a second one as well. All the same, I was quite skilled in magic already, and also had some experience in creating it.
I decided to start with a simple basic attack spell. The ingredients had to be readily available. I looked around, but nothing caught my eye. The Black Forest consisted of strange trees about twenty meters apart, each one resembling cypress trees with soft scaly leaves that were as black as coal.
Because of the thick crowns on top of the trees, the area around was semi-dark. The sunrays could barely break through the canopy, and if they did, they were scattered and black-grey in color. There were some strange khaki-colored fruits on the trees. I was incredibly curious as to what kind of a fruit it was. I got to my feet and climbed the nearest tree. After a couple of minutes of torment, I finally managed to get myself some of the fruits that I was after.
“Smokey colored thistle”: a type of poisonous acorn. Can be used in crafting and alchemy for making poison.
The fruit was shaped as a helmet. Its surface was covered with sharp spikes. It seemed that I had found the answer: I had come across acorns all over the place, and there were a lot of them in my collection. I would ask Morph and my Copper Wing to get some of these acorns down for me. You never knew when something poisonous could come in handy.
Sitting next to the tree from which I just got down from, I leaned my back against it. Holding the torn fruit in my hand, I started enveloping it with a web of magic. At first, I was just trying to cover the whole area with magic, but then the idea came to me that it was possible to make it more elegant so, like a spider, I began to weave some kind of a delicate web. I didn’t know how, but I started understanding the principle of what had to be done. A little magic here, and quite a bit there, but it was a similar process to producing my previous spells, it just required more magic. I froze momentarily, as my analytical ability was dormant in this world. For a long time I was calmly analyzing the patterns of the spells that I already knew.
Better late than never: I mentally began to consider each of the spells I had already produced. When I finished, the basic principles became as clear to me as a multiplication table. Naturally, the subtleties and nuances weren’t available to me yet, but at least I could say that the “Shining Grass” spell created by me could be more effective. If I did it at this moment, it would become much better, and the spell’s effect would have been exactly the one that I had originally planned.
“Well, all right then,” — I mentally returned to the “Smokey Thistle”, which I was holding in my fist. Completely removing all the magic that I had imposed upon it before, I started creating something new. Having applied nine small points in key places, I connected each of them with a magic thread. Then I added a small cobweb, covering it with a bonnet. After this stage, my plan was to simply create a charge of energy in the palm of my hand and push the acorn out in front of me. Literally the second I let the energy loose, my intuition was awakened and required me to scoop up some of the energy from the fruit. Even before I had time to figure out what I was doing and why, I mixed my magical power with the energy of the fruit and, opening my palm, I fired off the projectile. The acorn, flying out of my palm, crashed into a tree and went through it, leaving a roughly 40-centimeter wide hole.
You have created a new spell: “Toxic Wedge” - costs 50 manna. Deals damage equal to the intellect * 10, 0.2% * intelligence has a chance to invoke a small case of poisoning. For the initial 5 seconds the target loses 1% of life per second. “Smoke Thistle” is the required ingredient.
You have reached the rank of Craftsman in the ability of “Wild Magic”. A practicing wild magician is able to replace ingredients with similar ones found nearby and of the same type, even in those spells where they are not originally required.
You have mastered the first basic principle of “Wild Magic” to draw energy from the components of the spell. Each ingredient has its own properties, and when using this energy, you will complement the effect on the standard spell.
Learn the remaining two basic principles, to reach the level of a “True Wild Magician”.
Alex came running into the clearing, ready to fire, and my Copper Wing immediately appeared in a combat dive right after him. My Phasm, who had been fast asleep, took the form of some incredibly repulsive monster and started slowly retreating to my side.
— Stay back, — I commanded, and my fighting team began to quietly calm down.
— What was that? — Asked Alex.
— This is my new spell. It’s just the first time I’ve used it.
— Wow! What a spell that is! It causes damage, and is poisonous at the same time! — The boy looked at the hole in the tree in admiration.
My Phasm and Totem decided that they could see all they needed to see from a distance, so they didn’t even come close to the damaged tree.
— You told me that you were a beginner as a Mage in Wild Magic, did you not? — Alex was surprised. — How did you come up with such a strong and effective spell?
— I'm sorry; this is one secret that it would be better if I didn’t share with you.
— I understand, — the boy didn’t take offense at all. — The archers also have such secrets. By the way, — the boy came to his senses, — we brought meat.
— Excellent, — I was delighted. — I still have more experiments to conduct, but I need to take my mind off them for a while, and then think about everything in the fresh light of day. What better way to distract me than cooking fresh meat over an open fire! Copper Wing, go and knock down some fruit for me from this tree, and from others, if you find any nearby. Just be careful, they are poisonous, — I warned my Totem.
Little Morph tried to sneakily steal a piece of fresh meat, for which he immediately got a slap on the nose and was sent to help the Totem.
After having lunch, I made a quick survey of the surrounding area and collected all the fruits that had been knocked down by my associates. Besides the already familiar “Smokey Thistle “, there were also “Rusty Thistles” and “Smoldering Thistles”. They were all the same shape, but differed in the texture of their caps and color. Naturally, they were all poisonous.
When I returned to our resting place, Alex had already managed to destroy all evidence that we had been there, except for the hole I had made in the tree, and he was waiting for my return. As I circled the area, the boy ran up to me with fear in his eyes.
— We must hurry! I don’t know why. It seems that the stone is not ready to jump just yet, but I sense that we need to find it as soon as possible!...
Raising my hand to stop his outburst, I gave the signal for him to lead us to our destination. While we were training in the oasis, Alex got used to quickly follow my commands without hesitation. And at this moment, instantly falling silent, the boy took off deep into the Black Forest.
We quickly moved forward, and started feeling some pressure around us, before the neutral smell of the trees became sharp and prevented us from breathing freely. The tree branches were gradually changing in shape and soon became like black whips covered with curved spikes. Little Morph climbed up on my shoulder, as he always did when he was afraid of something.
My Copper Wing didn’t risk flying on ahead, and flew directly above us.
We moved forward this way until we reached a hollow in the ground that was shaped as an almost perfect hexagonal shape. Here and there, half-fallen trees were scattered on the bottom of the hollow, and huge roots littered the surface of the earth, covered with black leaves and shimmering blue grass. Grass was also growing around the trees, and their colors were shining like the northern lights, but all the shades were exceptionally cold and dark. The very center of the hexagon was not clearly visible, as if a crazy painter had decided to bring his creation to the point of absurdity and
put his mark where it would continually attract the eye of the beholder back to the same place.
Alex silently nodded at the emptiness.
— Is that where you are supposed to go? — I asked him.
Unable to speak, Alex just nodded and took a step forward. As soon as he stepped onto the iridescent grass, his shape became almost invisible.
— We have come so far, that it's foolish to give up now, — I told my Totem and, without waiting for the bird's response, I made a step towards the boy. A moment later I was standing with Alex. He became visible again, and my Totem was circling in the air above us, looking out for danger.
Carefully bypassing the trees, we began to approach the emptiness in the middle of the hollow.
— I'm sorry to break this to you, but you don’t have long left. — Said a voice.
The voice sounded evil. The man who spoke wasn’t asking for forgiveness, he was just mocking those he spoke to. A half-meter tall shadow separated from the nearest tree.
— I’m not going to introduce myself. It would be pointless as you all will die in a couple of minutes. I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to be chosen by the Wandering Stone.
Emotions were replacing one another on Alex’s face, and the boy turned pale, but after a moment his face expressed confidence.
— I am the chosen one! — Alex exclaimed. — As long as I'm alive, no one else can be the chosen one.
— Oh, that at least is certain! — The Shadow sighed. — You must either die or not be able to come.
A poisonous green flare formed in the Shadow’s hands and a split second later it crashed into Alex’s chest. The rest of us had no time to react. Alex had been turned to stone. I glanced at the boy’s life status, keeping an eye on the enemy, while at the same time giving hand signals to my Totem and Phasm. Status: “Petrification, time remaining - 5 minutes”.
— Well, I’m off then, — the Shadow laughed, — while you meet your executioners.
— And we already know you, —I heard a barking laugh. — Well, you stinky monkey, it’s about time you died. You will pay Rapp for insulting the glorious Warriors of the Faith, and your flying feather pillow will die a violent death today alongside you.
Insulted to the depths of his soul, my Copper Wing lunged towards the huge werewolf that had appeared in the clearing.
— Fall back! — I ordered him, and my Totem, accustomed to obeying my commands by then, got his act together and returned to me and my Phasm.
— That won’t help you, you son of a bitch!
The werewolves’ eyes started pouring out blood, and six other jackals came out from behind the trees, and more and more followed them. We needed to take action urgently, as the Shadow was rapidly becoming a distant figure, and walking with a confident gait. My intuition told me that I couldn’t let it get there until Alex came out of the petrification. There was no time for reflection, so I continued to enrage the leader of the Werewolves, calling him all kinds of things.
— Morphy, you have to deal with the Shadow.
The Phasm looked at me terrified.
— Don’t try to kill it, just make it chase you.
A thoughtful expression appeared on Morph’s muzzle, after which my pet nodded and, jumping off my shoulder, he became invisible to everyone but me.
— Copper Wing, fly down to us. We need to do everything to stop them from getting to Alex! — My Totem nodded in agreement.
After instructing my bird, I struck the last blow to the leader's ego.
— Tell me, please, but where is your husband, well, the Grarg one. You looked so great together.
The Werewolves’ primitive brain, as I had hoped, was driven to distraction by the pack behind it. Forgetting to give his pack any instructions, Rapp dived at us, which I was counting on. On command, my Copper Wing dived on his target, but even before he hit him, my new spell flew into the body of the pack leader. Immediately, the grass started shining brightly under the feet of the stunned and poisoned monster, disorientating him completely. The sword in my hand was practically shaking in anticipation of drinking the werewolf’s blood. When I reached the monster and struck my first blow, I realized that his feet seemed to have drowned in the grass and energy was flowing from them like it was blood.
There was no time to think: a pack of eight surviving creatures was already running towards us.
CHAPTER 25:
TWISTS OF DESTINY
Several slashing strokes later, aided by my Copper Wing, and we were finally able to finish Rapp off. Seeing the death of their leader, the brutish animals went into a total frenzy of rage and rushed to the attack. My Copper Wing distracted two of them, leaving me alone against the other six. Fortunately enough for me, without their leader, their attacks only got in each other’s way. If it hadn’t been for this, then I would had very quickly found myself being resurrected at the Hill of the Lucky Ones at best.
Rejoicing in the stupidity of my opponents, I killed two of them. The rest realized the situation and took the most unpleasant decision for me, deciding to attack me from four sides at once. My life points started declining rapidly. Even the high chance of dodging and my “Sliding Movements” were not enough. I needed to do something urgently.
Surveying the battlefield once again, I realized that there was no one to expect any help from. Alex would remain petrified for another two and a half minutes. Copper Wing had halved the lives of his opponents, but he himself had lost almost half of his own life points. Things were even worse for Little Morph: the Shadow, who was chasing after my Phasm before, came to its senses, and at this point my pet had to literally cling to its legs to stop it from getting away. At the same time, Little Morph was still teasing the Shadow, with a bunch of tongues appearing here and there on the little pink body of my pet. Once, my pet's body even took on the form of a large pink pig’s ass with a small tail, which immediately changed to a grinning muzzle. In some strange way, this made the Shadow even angrier.
“Maybe the Shadow is a Muslim and doesn’t like pigs,” — I grinned to myself.
My pet, realizing how serious the situation had become, was risking his little body selflessly. However, this couldn’t continue for much longer. My Phasm’s life points were dangerously low already, but somehow, Little Morph even managed to knock a knife from the Shadow’s hand. I knew that when the Shadow retrieved the knife then my pet would be beyond saving.
Another cut on my neck reminded me that my situation was no better. It seemed that there was no other choice. I wasn’t sure if the plan that came into my head would work, or on the contrary, completely destroy me, but I had run out of ideas. Twisting around me, and holding the sword in my outstretched hand, I created a window of opportunity for myself. This was enough to pull out a leaf from the collection in my bag, and just at the moment when the four enemies approached me again, I launched the “Falling Leaves” spell with me in the middle of it.
Hooray! My spell caused me no harm, and the leaves literally bounced off my body and flew at the Werewolves that were around me. Trying to escape from the magical attack, one of the jackals slipped on the grass, leaving an easy access to its neck for my sword. A “Penetrating Blow” damaged some organ or other ... I didn’t have any time to check. But the result pleased me: one more opponent went down.
Using the fact that the remaining trio began to be more cautious, I quickly moved to one of the trees to protect my back. After some discussion, the trio attacked me with even greater frenzy. Two of them still had almost 70% of their life points left, but the life of the third one was in the yellow zone, so I concentrated on that one first.
It almost cost me my life: the other two, as if expecting this to happen, attacked me at the same time and inflicted two blows, the like of which I had never seen before. The claws of one of them became bright blue, and it went for my eyes. The paws of the second one were covered with thorns, and it tried to maim my legs. The only thing I could think of was to inflict a “Crippling Blow” an
d then roll on top of the nearly dead jackal. Luck was on my side. The glowing claws shaved off part of my hair, and the blow to my legs just grazed the surface, while I practically finished off the third attacker.
Jumping to my feet, I dealt a series of blows to the crippled warrior. At this point, there were only two opponents left. Without saying a word, they parted ways and attacked simultaneously. That was their fatal mistake. Having waited for the right moment, I jumped back, allowing their claws to collide, and then slashed their paws with several blows. It became relatively easy after that.
My Copper Wing finished off one of his opponents, and although his life was in the red sector, I wasn’t particularly worried about him. If need be he could just fly away, but where was my Phasm?
“Your pet is dead.”
“BLEEP HELL!”
There was a knife covered with blood in the Shadow’s hands, and my pet, with an expression of sadness on his face disappeared before my eyes. Alex’s status showed that his petrification would last another 41 seconds. I was shaking with anger: had all of this been for nothing? The Shadow had almost reached its goal: ten more steps and we would lose. I realized this without any intuition.
I threw the “Shining Grass” spell under the Shadow's feet. It lost its balance for a second, flung the knife down, and the grass disappeared. I charged towards the Shadow, but I had no chance to reach it before the Shadow disappeared into nothingness: even my Copper Wing couldn’t have got there in time. Then I noticed that a tree that the Shadow was moving past had very long branches. A possibility dawned on me! If only it could work! I concentrated extremely hard: there wasn’t much time, and I couldn’t afford to get this wrong. I covered the branches with magic one by one, until I lost count. One branch, then another...
