by Sean Oswald
* * *
Quest Updated: Meta-Mage Part 3- Where’s that light coming from
One of the best ways to understand a form of energy is to look for its source. Then maybe figure out how that source breaks down into different types of energy.
* * *
Succeed at this and your class will increase to Tier 3 or don’t and stay the same.
Mira was smiling, or she would have been if she was capable of it in her current form. Now she needed to figure out where this place was. No more getting sidetracked.
She checked her notifications. It once again drove in that she was glad she had failed to spend all of her character points. Now she had stuff to think through. Finally though, she found the message that mattered.
You have lost control of the spell you were trying to weave. You have taken psychic damage: 410. Intelligence is temporarily lowered by 20. Psychic damage cannot be healed like normal damage. Psychic damage can, however, produce death the same as any other if you ever receive more psychic damage than your health total. Psychic damage heals at the rate of your mana regeneration. Intelligence points are regained at 1% of your mana regeneration rate.
* * *
You have entered the Temple of the Mind. Whenever near catastrophic psychic damage is received yet you survive, you will find yourself here. Time passes at a slower rate here as this is the realm of thought.
She thought that was good. It meant that she wasn’t leaving everyone high and dry while she was looking through notifications. Now, she just had to figure out how to leave back to the waking world. Or maybe, she should use this time to apply her stats and character points. Being a half-elf, the unity achieved at the oath ceremony had given her more benefits than anyone else. She got full moon elf bonuses to Agility and Wisdom and lost her penalties to Strength and Constitution. She also got to keep both her extended lifespan and her XP bonus.
After glancing over her sheet, she decided to sink half of her points into Intelligence for the mana and spell damage. Then she put 1 point into Endurance to allow her to learn the skill Dodge as a defensive measure. After that, she put 3 into Constitution as a concession to the fact that she needed to be more durable and put the last 2 into Charisma since it went with the skill that she was thinking of acquiring.
Mira went ahead and spent the 1 character point on Dodge as it was the first real defensive spell that she had. She thought about Mana barrier but, unlike her father, ruled it out as if she was using her mana to shield herself. She would ultimately be helpless when she ran out of mana and wouldn’t have the mana to do other things. That might work for her dad since he had other fighting options, but she didn’t have that luxury.
Ultimately, she decided that the best defense she could muster would be to have a minion standing between her and whatever was attacking her, either something she charmed or something she conjured. She was leaning towards conjured as being more within her control but didn’t want to give up on charming creatures, too. Truthfully, she lacked powerful enough spells in either of those categories, but she was going to remedy that as soon as they rescued dad.
She added 10 points into Stealth to meet the final requirement for a hybrid skill called Cunning Initiative, which she put 40 points into.
Cunning Initiative: 40 Allows you to react 2.5%/level faster in the beginning of an encounter. Currently, you react 100% faster than previously. You have reached Apprentice Level in this skill which allows your Cunning Initiative to also apply to your recovery from being surprised.
She then chose to put 20 points into Magic Focus: Evocation to max it out and further increase her damage output. Finally, she put 40 points into Magic Focus: Conjuration and 40 points into another hybrid skill: Earth Minion, which she now met the requirements for.
Earth Minion: 40 Allows you to create an ongoing relationship, either through a charm or through other forms of persuasion, with a creature tied to the element of earth. Once the connection is established, you will be able to form a spell to conjure that creature at any time. Further restrictions will apply based upon creature and other factors. You have reached Apprentice Level in this skill which causes earth based creatures you conjure to gain 1 level/10 levels you possess in this skill.
She knew it wasn’t an immediate fix, but they would get an earth based creature, and she would learn how to control it. Mira felt this was the right choice after having seen how effective even her tiny Earth Elementaling could be in slowing the drake in the dungeon.
Now, all that remained was for her to figure out how to leave this Temple of the Mind. She glanced at her character sheet and was glad to see that the 6 points of Intelligence she applied had paid off doubly. With her bonus, it amounted to 9 points and not only had she gained that to her max, but it had also healed 9 points of Intelligence damage. She focused her mind and started to push, trying to reach out and go beyond this sterile space she was in. That seemed to be all that was required, either that or her condition had stabilized enough for her to regain consciousness. Either way, as she was regaining conscious control of her body, Mira finally realized where she had seen the gray robed mage before. He had been in Duke Holstein’s party when the pompous jerk first came to Eris’ Rise.
Everything was spinning out of control for Emily. Dave had been arrogant lately, but today went beyond the pale. She thought she had brought things under control at the meeting, but then this attack had brought out this burgeoning … well, whatever it was. It wasn’t the husband that she was familiar with. Now that he had been taken, her two friends Daichi and Jaselm were fighting for their lives against some nightmare creature and Mira had collapsed.
Emily’s first action had been to kneel down and check on Mira. She was able to quickly determine that Mira was simply unconscious with no visible sign of injury. Her breathing and heart rate were steady. Of course, that didn’t mean that there was no internal injury, but it did mean that the larger focus was the battle going on just a few feet from them.
Any warrior who got closer than ten feet to the creature was either clawed or shoved back by a quickly flying foot. Even Daichi’s normal grace was outdone by the creature who moved supernaturally quickly. It rolled and dodged around every thrown punch or sword strike. All the while, as it moved, it cackled the same hideous laughter. Finally, Eisuke had been forced to order everyone to stay back. The knights and paladins formed a circle around the fight to try and contain the creature while Emily and other healers cast spells to heal the two who were managing to fight it. Only Daichi and Eisuke seemed to have the ability to move quickly enough to avoid being skewered by its claws.
Super accurate arrows shot from elven bows were all evaded or cut out of the air. Even the druids with offensive spells couldn’t seem to land a clean shot on it as it moved out of the way each time. They all called out, asking if anyone had a spell that could hurt it without harming the defenders. It was only then that it occurred to Emily to try her Lesser Consecration spell. This creature didn’t look at all like the skeletons or even the death knight, but it gave off the same palpable aura of evil.
“I’m going to cast a consecration circle. It should get rid of this thing, but it takes a full minute to cast,” Emily cried out as she wanted to make sure they were all aware that she wouldn’t be able to cast any heals during that time, but what had not occurred to her was that the demon would be able to understand her as well.
“Oh no, none of that, my little pretty.” None of them had expected to hear the monster actually speak. Its laughter was freakish enough but to hear the words coming out of its distorted mouth was eerie.
Daichi called out, “Protect Lady Emiri!” The rest of her guards moved to form a human wall between her and the beast. Its leaps and rolls took it closer to her, but Eisuke’s glowing golden shield pushed it back.
“More, more please. Don’t you want a kiss?” The creature mewed as it spoke.
Within the next few seconds, the creature's movement speed increased, and it was becoming li
ttle more than a blur. It sliced indiscriminately, and neither flesh nor plate mail stood up to its attack. More terrifying, it seemed to have adapted the ability of the body from which it was summoned and held out its hand and projected jagged metal shards into the crowd of warriors striving to protect Emily.
Normally, Emily would have run and moved about to keep herself safe while casting the spell. It killed her that so many were being wounded simply to keep the creature from her, and the minute cast time was feeling like an eternity. The problem was that this spell simply required too much focus for her to do anything but stand there and cast it.
As her defenders were cut down en masse like grass before a lawn mower, which this flipping and rolling creature of destruction had become, Daichi paused for a second and gathered his energy before making a desperate attack. He summoned his flaming dragon fist skill and streaked forward faster than even this creature could dodge and slammed his fist into is black, bony side. Intense flames erupted from the blow which struck with the power of a dragon in terms of mass and the heat of the flames.
The creature was sent flying thirty feet away, but its path through the air knocked aside any of the defenders in its way, each suffering injuries ranging from broken bones to burns from dragon’s flame. All around the spot where the burning and writhing creature came to rest, the defenders drew back in a wide circle. Somehow, impossibly, it stood. Many of those here had seen the power of Daichi’s technique shatter trees, stone, and foes alike. Yet, here it stood laughing again while wreathed in the hungry light of dragon fire. If anything, it looked more like a hell spawn.
“Foolish mortals, I am a creature of the abyss. Flame is nothing to me. Now die, priestess of a lying goddess.”
As it screeched its words, the level of hate was palpable in the air. Even from where she stood, Emily could see that the creature had been harmed by Daichi’s attack. The flames hurt it despite its words, but it almost thrived on the pain. Leathery bat-like wings with bony tips burst forth from its back, and it leapt into the air. Battle instincts took over so that elven bows and human crossbows peppered it with arrows and bolts alike, but that did nothing to stop its arc and dive towards Emily.
Inside, Emily wanted to scream in frustration. Only a few seconds more, and the spell would be complete, yet she was forced to watch death descending upon her. It was at that moment that Mira stood, apparently awakened from whatever had incapacitated her before. Her eyes took in everything in an instant, and she triggered a Lesser Repulsion spell which she had stored in her ring. She followed this with a Frost Wave and then immediately quick cast Ice Daggers. The repulsion worked to hold the creature in the air, slowing its descent while the frost coated it, and the spinning clear blades of ice slammed into it and tore its taut hide.
Mira’s flurry of magical power slowed it even as the cold pushed some of the defenders back, but it wasn’t enough to stop it. As inexorable as death, it descended upon Emily. Its form was burnt, frozen, broken, slashed, pierced, and unrecognizable as the creature they had been fighting. Once it had gone airborne, the druids had been able to unleash their own torrents of magic at it, and it carried the marks of giant thorns, electrical burns, and other wounds. Now it was a race to see if it could complete a diving attack or if Emily’s spell would be finished first. She could feel that it would be a close thing, but she dared not lose focus.
“No, I will not be denied. You and your world are my toys. My kin shall dance upon your graves.”
Then in the last moment, Sir Mun Hagen stepped forward with a disc bearing the holy symbol of Mishpat upon it. He broke the deal he had made not to speak as he uttered a single word of Essence magic considered holy by his order. Everyone around him felt as if they suddenly went numb and died. No sound was heard but the reverberation of that one unknowable word. The creature responded to this dire magic by twisting in on itself and falling to the ground as a quivering mass, finally rendered helpless. In that second, Emily's spell finished, and a rush of translucent blue light flashed out. Just as a nightmare disappears before the morning sun, so too was the creature gone with no reminder beyond the many bleeding wounds it had left behind.
No cheers went up though. The healers didn’t move to tend the wounded, and even those cut open were not crying out in pain. The world was silent to all present, and each in their own way dealt with a nearly overwhelming sense of inadequacy, all looking inward and judging the merits of their own life.
Fortunately though, the effect only lasted a few seconds, and soon the world started to move again. The wounded called for help and each defender rendered whatever aid they could. Regardless of race or class, they all helped one another, drawn together as only a life and death struggle can.
For her part, Emily began casting healing spells on the many wounded, grateful that the creature had seemed more intent on playing with them than actually slaughtering them. She shuddered to think how much worse this could have gone.
Interlude 10
Across the continent of Talos, shrines and temples flared to life. For most, in the temples of Mishpat, Shanelle, and Karbanot, ancient alarms were triggered. In Mishpat’s temple the flames blared a brilliant white, too intense to look upon. At Shanelle’s temples, the flames burst forth in a warm golden glow, and at the smaller shrines of Karbanot, the flames were azure blue. Yet, in each case, the temple workers were sent into a frenzy of activity from the lowest of acolytes to the high priests. A warning more ancient than any of those alive, one which precious few knew its meaning, had just gone off.
In one other place, the altars flared with an ebony flame, cold and unwelcoming, and the priests raised their voices in praise to Bal Zar, the Reviled.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Ignorance and power and pride are a deadly mixture, you know.” — Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
Unknown Crypt - Dave Nelson
Dave felt that same gut-wrenching feeling like his insides were being twisted outside. He felt that up was down as he had with previous teleports. This time it was perhaps even worse, but he chalked that up to the fact that this was a forced teleport, either that or whatever Mira had tried to do.
Wherever they ended up was pitch black and still. It was the stillness of a tomb with no airflow, and Dave couldn’t help but shudder and hope that this wasn’t his tomb. He thought of casting a light spell, but before he could, a single word of command was spoken along with a snap of some fingers. To each side of him, torches on the walls burst into light, and he could see where he was.
The room most assuredly was a grave but the sort of vault which might have been built for a king. A heavy metal door hung to the left. On the right was a thick stone coffin with intricate carvings. Hanging from spots on the walls were faded and worn tapestries. One spot on the wall was empty of decorations and had a short wooden table which likewise showed the signs of age. On its top were three small wire holders. They looked like nothing so much as where one might hold an Easter egg. In the center was a powered crystal which looks like it had been burnt.
As he scanned the room, Dave looked for the most important aspect of the room, the placement of his kidnapper. Even before his eyes settled on the being in tattered gray robes he heard, “Thank you for accepting my invitation.”
Dave heard the sarcasm in the voice, but rather than pointlessly venting, he decided to go along with it. “It’s not like I had much choice, but I must say, I love what you have done with the place.”
“There it is. I had wondered, but there it is.” The creature, for Dave was pretty sure it was more monster than man, continued to speak in that same chittering manner.
“Okay, I’ll bite. There’s what?” Dave asked.
“That same out of place sense of humor and non-sensical turn of phrase.”
“Well pardon me for not brushing up on my stand up. Had I known the crowd would be so discerning tonight, I would have brought my A game.” Dave couldn’t help but laugh at his own words.
“It just goes to show you once again that he is always right. I didn’t see it, but I am beginning to.” The creature spoke in a slow deliberate manner, before pulling back what remained of its cowl. The head that was revealed first reminded Dave of what might have been the result of a teleporter mishap such as in the Fly, but closer inspection showed it to be more of a spider’s head atop the body of a man.
“Crap, you’re an ugly one, aren’t you? No wonder you wear that hood up all the time.”
A sound Dave took for laughter burst forth. “Again, you prove it.”
“You still haven’t told me what it is that I’m proving, so if you don’t mind, I think I will Gate back home now,” Dave said.
“Well you certainly could do that, but know that I can just follow you back there.”
“So what you are saying? If I stay here and fight you one-on-one, that you will leave the people I care about out of it?” Dave asked, staring incredulously at the spider-made man. “C’mon, does anyone actually fall for that?”
“That isn’t what I mean at all. Perhaps if you would quit hopping from question to question, then I might be able to answer at least one of them to your satisfaction. I was told to mention to you that it might help if you think of this as a job interview. I think I get the gist of what that means, but the phrasing is a bit odd.”
Dave just stood there staring back at him until finally he said, “What no more questions?”
“You just said I was asking too many questions, and now you want me to ask more questions. You really need to make up your mind,” Dave said flippantly. He felt giddy. The rush came from knowing that this creature could likely destroy him, and so he didn’t mind acting a bit silly. What he didn’t say is that there was no way he would have Gated back to Eris’ Rise. The creature was devastatingly powerful, and he wouldn’t give it any more reason to be there where it could hurt his family. Just maybe if he could keep it talking long enough, he might figure out what it wanted.
