"Good, Tom. Let the weaves of mana streams flow through your own in harmonious confluence." Phanthu instructed, sitting beside me as I struggled to finally lift no more than an ounce of water from his serene, clear watered sanctuary. I'd spent however long focusing all of my intent on extending what Phanthu coined as 'mana streams' from my fingertips, in an attempt to bind with the water itself. While demonstrating Mana Manipulation's potential earlier, Phanthu effortlessly contorted the entire pool water with a wave of his hand.
"You see, while skills are very much a necessity in order to achieve true strength, they're confined by the very descriptions that give them power." Phanthu explained. Raising his second hand, the hovering pool of crystal clear water separated into two formations. One of the swirling groups of water reshaped into letters, forming the word 'skill' with an Uncommon rarity beside it.
"To a successfully harness them outside of their described constraints often results in something like a skill evolution, or unlocking a new skill entirely. Each time, the cost you must pay is calculable, and therefore limited." Phanthu continued, reshaping the 'Uncommon' rarity written out with water into the word 'Rare' that grew larger and larger, until it rapidly morphed into the words 'Epic' and 'Legendary' before it engulfed the rest of the water shaped into the word 'Skill'. All at once, the hovering words collapse back into the empty pool, leaving half of its volume still hovering on the other side.
"Mana Manipulation on the other hand, is only bound by knowledge, and your familiarity with the nature of the affinity you wish to affect." Phanthu said, while the remaining floating water separated, creating a small floating sea with rain clouds made of water pouring down onto the small oceanic construct.
"Water so happens to be the affinity my father and I shared an intrinsic connection to, something that proved to be among the only things we had in common…" Phanthu said, as the rain cloud he created began to pour down onto his hovering wave with more intensity.
"Anyhow, while he demonstrated the mana streams to me, actually extending and forming a connection to them with my own energies proved to be a deeply personal process." Phanthu explained.
"But why? From what I've gathered, the system itself doesn't miss a whole lot. How could something as simple as manipulating mana not be a skill by now?" I asked, recalling the consecutive dings of acquiring new skills during the Placement Tournament. All the while practicing forms and meditating on concepts I had already learned before being blipped away from my comfort. Shit, meditation itself became a fucking skill.
"I cannot speak for the system, both because I don't have your answers and I doubt it would allow me to share, even if I did. The question is not why hasn't it placed limitations on such an ability yet, but rather why you'd want it too?" Phanthu questioned, raising a single brow.
"I…don't know? It's the only way I've really learned how to use mana." I answered, realizing how little I truly understood about the nature of this magic bullshit all over again.
"If a method is one you don't understand, does that make it inferior?" Phanthu asked, as seemingly rhetorically. I shook my head 'no' anyhow, hoping to skip what was quickly sounding like another Korbin training monologue. From there, he let me train in peace up until now, when I've finally made a little progress.
While Phanthu described his Mana Streams coming from the ends of his fingertips, I'd only managed to create a single thin string of mana from the center of my palm. The process of creating the strings themselves wasn't terribly challenging, as it simply required focusing your mana into your hands. The problem lay in making the construct stabilize in harmony with the manas surrounding it. Constantly, water mana hovering in the air fought to connect to the string, often ripping through its fragile shape sending a small needling pain shooting up my spine.
Over and over again, the mana string would fizzle or break under the weight of the copious amounts of water mana as I'd extend it from my hand toward the pool no more than a foot away from me. After every 20 or so failures, I'd have to enter Flow Meditation in order to alleviate the strange stomach cramps that randomly manifested. It wasn't mana exhaustion, as my resources were all but full at the moment.
Health: 180/180
Mana: 217/240
Stamina: 724/724
Not once had my mana dipped under 200, and the insanely potent water mana saturating the air seemed to hasten the rate my mana regenerated during Flow Meditation. Yet, I'd occasionally feel as if some incredibly tucked away muscles were folding in on themselves. The pain reminded me vaguely of my final growth spurt in my late teens, where I'd awaken with an excruciating tightness in my legs in the middle of the night. Only it never lasted too long, unless I tried to push through the pain that is.
Yet, the first inkling at any progress came after I decided to ignore the excruciating internal twisting after seeing my light blue mana string touch down on the surface of the crystal clear water. All at once, a rush of energy flooded my body, jetting through the end of my mana string and into my palm. The sudden burst broke my concentration, causing the string to collapse leaving a small cloud of water mana wafting away from the space between the pool and my hand. Just as I began internally celebrating the familiar cramp manifested, quickly evolving into the feeling of a million knives shredding through my insides. I folded over, nearly tipping forward into the pool when two streams of water emerged from below, pulling me back up from the edge.
"Pain is good. It means you haven't trained that muscle yet." Phanthu sharply snapped, bending down and lifting me back to a seated position from under my arms. His voice carried a hint of anger, though it was a particular kind I could recognize from a mile away; projecting.
"Trust me, I'm all too familiar with the concept." I replied, shrugging him off and returning to my training. Phanthu chuckled, sitting back down himself and meditating. After numerous attempts at grasping onto the water itself with my mana string, that slowly grew easier and easier to keep stable, a particular failed attempt felt different than the others.
While I'd spent the entirety of my attempting to affect the water focusing on bringing it to me, a moment in which I felt like giving up entirely came over me seeing my mana string beginning to fade. Just before it did however, a droplet rose up from the water before falling straight back down.
…wait.
Shrugging off the exceedingly more manageable stomach cramps, I immediately extended out my mana string arching into the surface of the water. Once it made contact, I let mine and the pool's energies clash for a second before exerting my will onto it. The mana began working its way up the end of my mana string, where I immediately sent a pulse of will to grasp hold of the energy trying to stream into my body. As if I'd somehow grown a third hand, a naturally gripping sensation triggered at the end of my mana string. It felt borderline microscopic amounts of physical water, but it was something.
Slowly, I released my hold on the end of my string, hoping not to let go of what I finally had in 'hand'. Once more, the water seemingly elected to rush through my mana string, holding the little water I had control over in place in the process. As quickly as I released, my will locked around the rush of mana, creating a slightly larger drop in my mana strings hold. Over and over, I repeated this process, all the while fighting through the aching muscles deep in my gut. Finally, I lifted a perceivable drop of water from the surface with my mana string, holding it over my palm when Phanthu took notice.
"…let the weaves of mana streams flow through your own in harmonious confluence." He said, leaning directly over my shoulder.
What the actual fuck is 'confluence'?
Without warning, an internal storm of utterly excruciating pain raged through my stomach as the drop fell to the water from having broken my concentration. I struggled catching my breath, feeling an immense pressure constantly crashing into my lungs and organs from the inside. For 10 whole seconds, I laid writhing in pain in front of the pool before the pain abruptly subsided.
*ding*
*Congratulations!* You've upgraded your Intelligence!
(Intelligence: 14 -> 15)
*Bonus experience awarded for naturally leveling a base stat!*
For fucks sake, I don't even want to BEGIN training my toughness now.
Before I could properly regroup from the surge of rather unforgiving internal agony, a dark blue robed soldier sprinted into the water sanctuary, standing at attention in front of Phanthu.
"Sir! You requested I alert you when it was nightfall." He said, averting his eyes from Phanthu's.
"Ah, and right when you were starting to make some progress. Come on." Phanthu said, patting my shoulder as he rose to his feet and headed for the exit. I clamored up, jogging over to catch up with him.
"Wait what's going on?" I asked, confused at the sudden exiting from this beautiful place of peace. He smiled, furrowing his brow as he quickened his pace back out into the settlement where dozens of soldiers stood in formation waiting.
"It's time, my new friend. The age of Andolis and his abominations to the natural world he calls 'Khotunn' ends tonight. We will have our retribution."
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Peaking my Fluidic Spectral Eye around the corner of a stone wall, I watched as the last of the Khotunn minors exited from the tunnels at the edge of the settlement. Once they passed through the threshold into the residential section, I returned my spirit to my body, where Lonni and Korbin stood around me in the same building I'd sent my Spectral Eye around.
"Okay, we're all clear. You sure Derrick will keep Andolis busy enough for us to poke around the tunnels? The guy spent 7 minutes straight bragging about his late night studies down there." I asked Korbin, feeling rather unconfident in the less than properly thought out plan to steal ores from Andolis's people.
"That fanatic is obsessed with Derrick after finding out he's void affinity. They'll both be at it until sunrise, at least." Korbin coolly replied, already heading for the exit. One by one Lonni, Korbin and I filed out of the abandoned building I could only assume belonged to one of the countless fallen Khotunn soldiers. Each of us swiftly headed for the mine entrances, where mine carts sat full of mere stone.
"Alright, we'll hit tungsten and copper mines are first. Lonni, you take the copper mine and loot their storage units. Andolis mentioned the vanadium is stored with the copper, so keep an eye out. Store only as much as you can bring in your internal storage, and take out anyone who sees you." Korbin instructed Lonni.
"You…want me to kill them? Won't they find their bodies tomorrow anyhow?" Lonni asked.
"With the way this guy's running things, I don't see why we stay past the time it takes Derrick to jot down his Suspended Divination Formula. Worst case scenario, we just kidnap Andolis until Derrick gets what he needs." Korbin replied casually. Lonni's eyes dropped to the floor as he stepped away, apparently ruminating on Korbin's cold perspective.
"Cass, keep an eye out for anyone coming around here for any reason. And, if you see Derrick high tailing it across the settlement, give us a yell." Korbin said, turning his attention towards me. I nodded, assuming my position behind a mine cart and casting my Fluidic Spectral Eye to get a top-down view of the area. As I watched Korbin and Lonni push down the carts into the two mines, I caught a glimpse of myself sitting with my eyes rolled into the back of my head.
Wow, no one told me I looked so damn creepy when I did this.
Minutes passed as I hovered around the settlement surrounding the mines, occasionally peeking over at Andolis's quarters curious if he or Derrick had left. Of course, there was no sign of anyone coming or going from their undoubtedly frantic studies. Lonni and Korbin both were still in their respective dedicated mines, though their paths weaved too much for me to spot them from outside. I can't risk sending my Spectral Eye through a tunnel either, not while my body sat defenseless just outside of the mines.
Feeling boredom slowly settling in, I lifted my Spectral Eye high enough to peer over the shorter wall separating the caverns leading to the mines from the residential area. A little further in the distance, I could barely make out the market that sat near the hidden entrance we were escorted through upon our arrival. Surprisingly, there were multiple groups of towering Khotunn soldier patrolled the marketplace and residential section alike. None of them made any rounds toward the mines though, no doubt due there being no entrances at this end of the settlement.
It's truly a tragedy in my mind, how this race of humanoids history must have panned out here. Knowing this was a system-created replication of some sort, our actions here truly bear no weight on anyone other than ourselves. Meaning, Andolis ascended to Godhood, while evidently leading the very race he created with his own hands to their own demise. While there's no denying his knowledge of Divination magic surpasses anything I could've possibly imagined, every decision he made on behalf of his people have evidently been purely self-serving.
Yet, he carried such conviction when speaking about his efforts being for the sake of his 'children'. It was like he'd fully delusioned himself into believing sacrificing his people without a thought in a war he hardly participates in was some act of martyrdom. As a result, his Khotunn have seemed to adopt his views on their deaths, many of whom I spoke to having absolutely zero criticisms for their 'general'.
God or not, how could he possibly live with himself?
A low rumble shook the settlement, rattling small clumps of stone shards loose off from the cavern roof, shattering against the settlement floor. I quickly darted my Spectral Eye around the settlement, trying to find the source of the shake.
*BOOM*
A heavy pound onto the stone wall entrance shook the settlement yet again, this time loosening much larger stones from the cavern roof that smashed through a few residential homes and shops in the marketplace. Khotunn soldiers' thundering yells filled the settlement caverns as they filed out of their homes heading for the entrance.
Shit, Phanthu's here already?!
My eyes fluttered as I regained my bearings snapping my spirit back into my body, the rumbling now sounding far heavier reverberating through my chest. Leaning around the mine cart, there didn't appear to be any sign of Andolis or Derrick sprinting from his quarters. For now, that may very well be the safest place to be, meaning notifying Korbin and Lonni were the priority.
"GUYS!" I yelled into Lonni's mine, jogging over to Korbin's and cupping my hands in front of my mouth.
"GET OUT! THEY'RE H-" Korbin's figure bursted out of the mine, bumping into my shoulder nearly knocking me off my feet. His hands grasped around my shoulders, twisting me around and buying enough time to get my legs under me. I went to slow down, only to be thrusted forward from Korbin's palm slamming into my back.
"Run!" He yelled, darting towards Andolis's chambers. Looking back, Lonni's heavy figure ran as fast as he could to keep up. Behind him, countless dark blue robed figures sprinted out of the mines, launching waves of dark water at him. Dozens of others peeled off towards the settlement, one of them shimmering a familiar light blue energy in their hands.
After sprinting through the caverns separating the mines from Andolis's hidden chambers, Korbin's shoulder bounced off the stone wall. His body bounced back, though he was able to stay balanced to begin pounding on the wall.
"DERRICK! OPEN THE D-" a hole slip open 4 feet from where Korbin was slamming his fists, Derrick's head leaning out at us.
"So clo-..oh shit." Derrick said, his smart ass remark being cut short seeing the waves of sickly dark water crashing at Lonni's heels as he struggled to catch up.
"Get in, he'll make it!" Korbin yelled, sprinting through the hidden chamber's entrance. I jogged in behind, stopping at the doorway to watch Lonni. His feet slammed off the ground at a speed I'd never seen him reach, one still far too slow to escape the crashing opaque water quickly gaining on him.
Fuck, he won't make it.
My mind scrambled to find a solution, looking for any way to get him to move faster. Staring at his heavily armored figure, the end of his flail swung at his side in half circles. The spiked ball spun each time like it was catapulted from the force of his massive arms pumping with his sprint.
…that's it!
"Korbin, get behind me, NOW!" I yelled behind me, leaning my head out of the doorway before even caring to hear his answer.
"LONNI! THROW THE FLAIL!" I screamed out to him, his panicked eyes shooting wide open before a half grin emerged out of the corner of his cheek. His arm quickly began spinning the flail, the spiked metal ball suddenly flying towards my face. Leaning to the side, lift my leg up behind me, pushing Korbin to the side out of the spiked ball's path. My hands grasped onto Lonni's chain as I glared at Korbin expectantly. He quickly snagged the chains as we both sprinted toward the other side of the chambers, slinging the chain over our shoulders.
The initial tug nearly ripped off the skin on my hands wrapped around Lonni's chain, gritting my teeth and channeling my water mana into my hands to further tighten my grip. With my head down, I pumped my legs with all of my strength as the weight quickly began to lessen. Before we could reach the end of the room, all of the resistance on the chain suddenly gave way as Lonni's flail handle flew overhead, bouncing off the stone wall. The sound of the chamber door slamming shut reverberated off the tan, curved stone walls.
No, oh sh-
"Jeez, were you guys trying to save me or slam me into the wall?"
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