Congratulations! You have learned the spell Air Gust! You can now create a concentrated gust of air. Synergistic with other spells, skills, and specializations. Spell Level: 1. Cost: 5 mana. Cool down: 1 minute. Damage done is determined by casters skill and attunement levels. Prerequisites: Must have an air attunement at the sympathetic level or greater.
Note: Due to the unique nature of your air attunement, the spell’s effects and mana costs may fluctuate.
The spell book closed of its own accord before crumbling to dust in Kedryn’s hands.
“Gah! Ye did that on purpose!” Bragden gagged, the winds sweeping the dust directly into the dwarf’s face. “By the Mother, that got into me mouth and everything!”
Kedryn and the others laughed as the dwarf frantically brushed the dust from his beard before spitting whatever was in his mouth over the railing.
It had been a full two days since Kedryn had successfully opened and attuned his air channels, the storm having long since passed. Though, his memories after breaking through the air mana block were still a bit hazy. He could remember a monumental rush of power, like a rampaging storm thundering throughout his body. There were also flashes of memory that felt more like waking dreams than anything else, where the voices of Glade and Bragden helped guide him between flashes of lightning and mouthfuls of rain and sea water. That was it. He didn’t remember how long he’d been tied to the mast or if he had eaten at all. Not even when Gent and Crixus had carried him to his cabin.
For lack of a better term, it had felt… surreal. The rest of the time had been spent recovering.
Now, they were enjoying near perfect weather and the expansive beauty of the ocean’s waves, as well as doing what Kedryn loved best – increasing his magical abilities!
“Well, don’t be keeping us in suspense lad,” Gent said with a smile as he elbowed Kedryn. “Did ye learn the spell or not?”
“Was there any doubt?” he replied with a huge grin, which faded momentarily as he shared the information from his latest notification. “The prompt says that my unique attunement might cause the spell to react differently than intended. Will that be a problem? I’d hate to think we just wasted the spell book.”
“Thought that might be the case given the circumstances,” Bragden said with a nod, one hand stroking his beard like some wise sage. Kedryn bet he was making it up as he went. “Only way to know for certain is to try. Though, it might be best to move to the front of the ship so’s not to cause any unintended harm.”
“From a level one spell?” Kedryn asked. Sure, they were on the back of the ship, but what harm could a little gust of wind do?
“Better safe than sunk!” Crixus called from his spot near the helm. “And if you’re playing with some new magic on my ship, then I must insist that you do it as out of the way as possible.”
They had tried to keep the fact that Kedryn had opened his air mana channels secret from the crew but had soon discovered it was more trouble than it was worth. Not only did the sailors think their entire party was crazy for purposefully tying themselves to the deck in the middle of a storm, but Crixus had already guessed what they had been doing. Kedryn was just glad they didn’t blame him for the storm. No matter how many times Bragden had explained that the potion couldn’t have caused it, Kedryn knew better.
Congratulations! With the aid of the Heaven’s Breath Elixir, you have opened your air mana channels!
Note: Due to the chaotic mixture of air and water mana as you opened and attuned your air channels, a mana induced hurricane was formed. As such, your attunement is classified as Tempest. You may now learn level 1 spells.
Warning! Your Tempest attunement may have unforeseen effects on spells, increasing attunement ranks, as well as other unknown consequences.
Congratulations! You have gained a Spark rank of attunement and have taken your first step to becoming an air mage with a focused attunement - Tempest. Destruction, wind, flight, tracking and storms are among some of the pathways to power within this sphere of magic. As a Tempest mage at the Spark rank, you are granted the following spell:
Spark (Tempest): You are now able to create the smallest form of magic - a spark - of pure tempest power. Spark may be synergistic with other skills and specializations. Spell Level: 0. Cost: 1 mana. Cool Down: NA.
Congratulations! You have gained a Sympathetic rank attunement (21%) in the Elemental Sphere of Air with a focused attunement – Tempest.
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Kedryn could have knocked both Bragden and Riya over with a flick of his finger after he had shared that information with them. Neither had heard of a tempest attunement before, but acknowledged they weren’t that knowledgeable on the subject. But that wasn’t the only surprise he had received.
Congratulations! By demonstrating your intellect, dogged determination, and arcane potential far above your skill level through enduring the effects of the Heaven’s Breath potion, the Adjudicator of Perseverance has found you worthy to progress from the rank of Amateur to that of Trainee in both Endure Pain and Arcane Knowledge.
Note: You have favorably demonstrated your ability to successfully reason through time sensitive problems far beyond your skill. By processing the Heavens Breath Elixir made by a Grandmaster alchemist, a potion five ranks above your ability to handle without direct intervention from a knowledgeable party, you have been awarded +2 Endurance, +2 Constitution, +1 Intelligence.
Congratulations! You have gained skill levels 8, 9,… and 12 in Endure Pain. +24% ability to ignore pain per skill level.
Note: No additional abilities gained with rank increase.
Congratulations! You have attained skill level 10 in Arcane Knowledge! At the Trainee level you may now sense mana. Current Radius: 5 feet per skill level.
That Kedryn had broken through to the Trainee ranks in not just one, but two skills, was absolutely insane! He had even gained five attribute points from the ordeal. Smarter and harder to kill? Yes please! He could even sense mana now!
Though, looking back at what he could only describe as soul warping agony, Kedryn honestly didn’t know if he would go through it again if he had the choice. Yes, it had gained him power, but if what the others had said was true, he had been on deaths door more than once.
Then there was the bad news.
Warning! Due to allowing unrestrained air mana to rampage through your fire channels, your attunement within the sphere of fire has become corrupted. Casting magic through corrupted channels may have unintended consequences such as harm to self and others, uncontrollable magic, a divergent attunement, further corruption, or other unknowable reactions.
Note: Level of Corruption – 39%.
Kedryn dismissed the notifications and focused on the here and now. He had done what he could in a precarious situation and had come out on top. He would figure out how to fix his corrupted channels later. Until then, he had new magic to play with!
“What should I aim for first?” Kedryn asked, rubbing his hands together in excitement.
“How bout just pointing away from us and letting her rip?” Gent snorted.
“Why is everyone so excited about a gust of air,” Kedryn heard Glade ask quietly. “It’s not like we’re going to see anything. Its just, you know, air.”
Kedryn smirked. This was going to be so much better than just a gust of air. It was going to be enhanced with his tempest attunement! Personally, he was hoping for some purple sparks or something. He knew a level one spell wasn’t going to electrocute anyone, but a stunning shot? Yeah, that would be awesome!
“Here it goes,” Kedryn said, his heart racing as he pushed mana into his newly awakened channels. He processed the energy in a very specific pattern, creating a surge of raw, unrestrained power. A power that felt equal parts destruction and chaos, wild energy that was harnessed into the palm of his hand.
“Ventus,” he whispered, thrusting his arm out toward the open sea.
A burst of wind erupted from his hand.
After several long seconds, Gent hissed a question aloud. “Did he slagging cast it yet?”
“Maybe?” Riya hissed back. “I’m not entirely sure.”
“Aye, the lad cast it,” Bragden said giving Kedryn a contemplative look. “Could feel it when he did. Though, exactly what he cast I have no idea.”
“That was bloody boring,” Gent sighed, turning to spit off the side of the ship.
“I’m not one to say I told you so, but...” Glade said leadingly.
“What did it feel like lad?” Bragden interrupted, laying an arm on Kedryn’s shoulder.
“I’m not... sure,” Kedryn said, looking at the palm of his hand in awe. “Like a bottled cyclone? Freedom personified? Like... like...”
Words failed him. How could you explain that fleeting feeling of wild chaos? Freedom on so grand a scael that nothing could tie you down?
“Again!” Ember cried out, his consciousness careening within Kedryn’s mind with wild abandon. “Again! Again!”
“Yeah,” Kedryn thought with a smile. “We’ll do that again for sure.”
“We’re going to need a target to test it out on,” Glade said matter of factly. “That way we can see what the spell can do.”
“Agreed,” Bragden said, eyeing Gent speculatively. “Preferably a target that can provide us some feedback.”
“Never again,” the hunter growled, glaring at the bald dwarf.
“Bah, it won’t hurt ye none! It barely be a level 1 spell.”
“I said...” Gent began, his brow furrowing, but was interrupted by a loud voice from above.
“LAND HO!” came a cry from the crows nest, interrupting whatever Gent was going to say. “Multiple Krillers on the horizan!”
“Krillers?” Riya asked.
“Single masted fishing boats,” one of the sailors explained with a smile as he shuffled by. “Means we’re heading to a smaller port.”
“Look alive lads!” Crixus called from his place at the helm. “That’ll be Aldorna port unless I’ve got us well and truly lost again! But even if its the Abyssal fields, first drink is on me if you scum sucking barnicles can get us into port before sunset!”
A loud cheer rose up around them.
“And I’ll buy the second!” Glade called out.
The cheers grew even louder. Kedryn hardly noticed as he cast his spell for a second time.
“That includes us as well, right lad?” Gent asked, his eyes gleaming.
“After we’ve inventoried our items and figured out how we’re getting to Asylum from here, then sure, I’ll buy you a drink,” Glade said, giving Kedryn an odd look before returning his attention to the others.
“Umm... could I make a recommendation first?” Riya asked, looking them over. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a bath and some food that I haven’t personally gutted or cooked.”
“Now that is a most excellent idea,” Glade smiled.
“After the drinks though, right?” Gent asked, his brow furrowing in concern. “Right?”