Kedryn hid behind a tree, carefully breathing in the crisp mountain air as he flexed his mana. All he needed to do was add a spark to complete the spell.
“Careful now, lad,” Krazzik breathed next to him, the dwarf’s voice barely discernible from two feet away. “Do as Bragden done told ye. Ye don’t need to recreate the spell, just separate the mana stream in two.”
Kedryn focused on the invisible ball of mana hovering before him, doing his best to separate the flow as Bragden had instructed. It was far more complicated than he had been led to believe.
Taking another breath, Kedryn wrapped his mental focus around the mana flow and pulled.
“Yer forcin it again,” Krazzik hissed. “I can see it when ye go all cross eyed. What did we tell ye? Ye canna force the mana into submission. Ye guide it.”
Kedryn let the whispers wash over him, breathing in another lungful of air. They had been exploring the area around Storms’ Rest for the last several hours, taking the opportunity to assess the ruins and surrounding wildlife. What they had found was more than anyone had dreamed of.
The condition of the ruins was about as expected. Unlivable and treacherous to explore without proper planning and equipment. But what really took them by surprise was how extensive the complex was. It was far larger than a simple mountain outpost. Whatever Storms’ Rest had been, it was on the size and scale of a medium size town, bordering on a small city.
The group had taken over an hour of blazing trails through the snow and around unstable structures just to get outside of what remained of the walls. Every structure they came across was either in a severe state of disrepair or had outright collapsed. There were even groves of trees that were slowly reclaiming the area. It would take decades to rebuild if they didn’t have the settlement core. Even with the magic, it would likely be years before the place was even considered livable. That is, unless they could increase the mana flow to the core.
With that thought in mind, both Krazzik and Kedryn had led their expedition in the hopes they might stumble across the mana well. Unfortunately, the quest didn’t come with a map or instructions. They had no idea where it was, nor what the well even looked like.
Still, the surrounding forests were teeming with life, as evidenced by the herd of Forest Elk before them. The herd was easily 100 plus in size, all of which were grazing amongst the exposed plant life within a sprawling meadow. There were other creatures as well, including rabbits, a variety of birds, and others that Kedryn couldn’t identify.
Fortunately for him, the hunting party had long since agreed to let Kedryn try and use multi-cast to target the smaller game while the dwarven hunters took out one of the larger bull elk’s with their crossbows. Unfortunately, Kedryn was stuck. He couldn’t figure out how to split his mana.
“We have a clear shot,” a dwarf with jet black hair and beard whispered close by. “Don’t wanna rush the royal, but I’d like to eat somethin besides Croon’s gruel for supper tonight.”
“Shut yer hole, Gent!” Krazzik snapped. “He just needs a moment…”
“Too late!” Gent said, Krazzik’s raised voice having spooked the nearby animals into bolting. Both Gent and the other hunter fired their crossbows, but the damage was done.
The animals took off in a flash, the bolts missing their intended mark. There were even a few shouts of surprise as one or two thickets of thorns sprang from the ground where the larger Forest Elk had stamped their hooves before running, a clear magical defense technique that proved there were some local animals with evolved abilities.
Kedryn immediately abandoned his attempts at multi-casting, instead using his tried-and-true ball of flame. Like all the others, he really didn’t want to eat any more of Croon’s horrendous gruel. Even Captain Glade’s cooking was preferable to whatever the Verser called food. For that reason, Kedryn pumped the flame with as much mana as his channels would allow before willing his single ball of fire toward one of the larger Elk still within eyesight.
The entire effort happened faster than it took for him to blink.
The flame rocketed across the meadow, easily outpacing the retreating herd as it splashed against the back of massive bull elk’s head. If Kedryn had left it at that, their dinner would have escaped with little more than a mild singe. Instead, he fed additional mana into the active spell, doing exactly what he had done to the Gnolls. He wrapped the beast’s head within a blanket of fire.
Blinded by Kedryn’s magic, the elk went ballistic, bucking and screaming as it attempted to escape the fire and pain.
“Ye got him!” Krazzik whooped. “Don’t let the beast go, or we’ll be out our supper!”
The dwarves with spears charged through the snow, their blanket wrapped feet squelching in the slush and muck of early spring as they charged.
Kedryn stayed put, bending his will into maintaining the spell, which was far harder to do given the distance. Ignoring the ensuing pain as he pushed his channels to their maximum, Kedryn held on by repeating the same mantra his drill instructors had taught him - pain is temporary.
In moments, the dwarves swarmed the elk, putting the beast down in a matter of moments.
“Not what we were tryin for, but I canna complain with the results!” Krazzik laughed, giving Kedryn a celebratory slap on the back as he released his spell.
Gent, one of the two hunters that had helped them track the elk, rolled his eyes before moving forward to begin field dressing the carcass.
“Sorry about that,” Kedryn sighed as he watched the dwarves bustle about. “We almost lost our meal because of me.”
“Bah! Don’t ye worry ‘bout it none. We all agreed to give ye a chance to try yer multi-cast,” Krazzik boomed. “Besides, ye weren’t the one who done scared ‘em off. If’n anyone should be sorry, it’d be me.”
Kedryn smiled at his friend in thanks while watching the dwarves work. From the beginning, every dwarf seemed to know how best to help the group as a whole. Some went about felling small trees for a drag sled, or a travois if he remembered the proper term correctly, while the hunters expertly gutted the elk and removed most of its organs.
The bulk of their party had been a few hundred feet to their rear to minimize scaring potential prey but were coming forward in all haste to create a loose ring of defense. There was no telling what kinds of threats were in the area. The fact there were so many animals meant there were likely to be a variety of predators. And if the herbivores had abilities, the meat eaters likely did too.
As they finished up their preparations, Gent waived Krazzik and Kedryn over.
“Chief, we’re just ‘bout ready to head back,” Gent said, rubbing his hands clean in the snow. “But there be two things ye need to see. First, this here be an Elder Forrest Elk, an evolved form o’ the typical Forest Elk. Meanin…”
“Meanin it had a shard,” Krazzik finished with a knowing look.
“Aye, and the meat and bones will have some mana to it as well,” Gent said, handing over a thumbnail sized crystal. “It’ll be good to have a right and proper meal, I can tell ye that. If’n your amendable, I’d like to take the sinews so’s we can begin makin a proper crossbow. The durability on these slagging gnollish pieces o’ trash be gettin worse. I’d say we have ‘bout another two weeks till they break, if not sooner.”
Kedryn activated his natural lore skill before Krazzik could pocket the shard.
You have discovered a mixed mana shard from an Elder Forrest Elk. Comprised of Earth (?%) and Water (?%). Increase the skill Natural Lore to learn more.
Size: Unknown
Purity: Unknown
Charges: Unknown
Value: Unknown
While Kedryn’s natural lore skill had gotten better over the last week or so, it still wasn’t providing as much information as he would like. He could now see what attunements the shard was comprised of as well as what creature it came from. It was obvious he needed more exposure to enhance the skill’s performance.
“Aye, that makes sense,” Krazzik answered Gent. “Get with Gird as soon as we get back and see what the smith and his boys need to help ye. What be the other thing ye needed to talk to me ‘bout?”
Gent turned and pointed toward a cliff face not far away. Kedryn followed where Gent indicated, finding a stunningly beautiful waterfall tumbling out of a cave mouth just above the treeline.
“Fennick pointed it out when we was guttin the elk,” Gent said. “He canna hit the broadside o’ a mountain with any ranged weapon, but I swear, he has the sharpest eyes I’ve ever seen. Notice the waterfall? There be a trail that goes up to it that has no business being there. And if’n ye look closer, ye can see a whole flock o’ creatures flyin ‘round the entrance.”
Both Kedryn and Krazzik squinted, straining their eyes to make out what the two hunters had spotted. Sure enough, there was what appeared to be a carved trail in the side of the mountain leading up to the cave mouth and waterfall. He could even make out several small dots flitting around but couldn’t use his natural lore skill from this distance.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Aye, I see em. Did yer hunter’s eye identify what they be?” Krazzik asked, squinting at the sight.
Kedryn’s curiosity immediately peaked. Ever since he had received his second racial perk, he had been carefully taking note of the various skills within their camp. Hunter’s eye sounded like an identify skill or an ability to see far distances, either of which could come in very handy. Afterall, he had only one opportunity to copy someone else’s skill, which meant he wanted to make sure it was right one.
“Aye,” Gent said, spitting to the side. “Lesser Ice Drakes.”
“Blood and ashes,” Krazzik grumbled.
“What are Lesser Ice Drakes?” Kedryn asked.
“A slagging nuisance is what they are,” Gent growled. “And hard to get rid of. They mostly poach from a clan’s livestock, but are meaner than Bragden comin off a bender, that’s for damn sure. The only good thing ‘bout em is they almost always have mana shards. That and their skin be halfway decent for some light armor.”
“Will they attack us?” Kedryn asked.
“They typically shy away from people,” Krazzik answered. “But they’ll attack if’n yer alone and hungry enough, that they will.”
“Unless ye get close to their nests,” Gent added. “Then all bets are off. They have this breath attack that can drop yer body temperature faster than a Gnome going cliff diving.”
“Good thing we don’t have to get close to their nests,” Kedryn said, looking between the two dwarves. Both had a very unhappy look about them. “Right?”
“Another thing ‘bout Lesser Ice Drakes,” Gent sighed. “They be attracted to water aspected mana like flies to honey. Helps ‘em grow their abilities and evolve. And wherever ye find a nest o’ the damn things, yer sure to find some natural water treasures, or a large water mana stone, or…”
“Or a water aspected mana well,” Krazzik growled.
“Oh,” Kedryn said, looking back at the waterfall.
“Gent…” Krazzik began.
“I know,” Gent spat to the side. “I’ll go scout the area with Fennick later tomorrow. There’s no way I’m gonna miss out on roasted elk meat after the months o’ slag we been eatin.”
“Wouldn’t even dream o’ askin that o’ ye,” Krazzik snorted. “Course, Croon will be the one cookin the meat…”
“Over my dead body,” Gent growled, turning back to the elk carcass. “I been pickin some winter herbs along the way and I know just how I’m goin to roast this here beast. Croon can watch. Mayhap he’ll learn a thing or three.”
And with that declaration, the group turned back toward Storms’ Rest. They made good time and traveled through the forests and melting snow without incident, leaving Kedryn to ponder the day. It had been… fun. The dwarves were great to work with and had readily accepted him into their group. The fact that the mana well was likely guarded by a bunch of flying lizards that were supposed to be the size of a German shepherd, had a breath weapon, and were a distant cousin to dragons was a bit of a buzz kill. But he had confidence they would figure it out. Of that, he had no doubt.
The hunting party decided to take a break near a shallow creek just outside the settlement’s walls, which gave Kedryn more time to again focus on learning multi-cast.
Over the last week or so, Kedryn had become quite proficient in sensing his mana, which had helped him learn how to cast magic in rapid succession, shape his manipulate flame spell according to his intent, and how to increase or decrease his mana flow. Even Bragden had been impressed with what he had learned on his own.
However, the crochety old dwarf had emphasized the importance of learning how to split his mana stream as early as possible. And Kedryn had readily agreed. Sure, the divided spells would each be half as powerful as the original, but the long-term gains far outweighed the short term costs.
The problem was that he couldn’t figure out how do it. He had tried pulling the mana apart, which only seemed to thin out the stream until it was practically useless. Pushing the stream was about as effective as pushing a wet noodle. He had even tried slicing the mana flow in two, which had resulted in nothing but a pounding headache.
It didn’t help that the only advice the dwarves offered was the same useless information they had given him from the start. Exactly how one was supposed to guide mana into two different streams was beyond him.
After yet another failed attempt, Kedryn finally took a break under a tree by the creek. He couldn’t explain it, but sitting under the branches made him feel better.
Laughter, followed by a large splash, drew Kedryn’s attention. He was just in time to see Dabbin, Krazzik’s son, pick up a massive stone and throw it into the middle of the creek. Afterwards, Dabbin would jump and clap in excitement and then do it again. And again.
Kedryn couldn’t help but smile. The boy must have been soaking wet and cold, yet here he was tossing rocks into a pile in the middle of the creek. It didn’t take long until that pile was large enough to force the water to flow around it.
Kedryn’s eyes narrowed, taking in the flowing water as it moved gently past the pile of stone. Almost like it was being… guided.
A spark of an idea took hold. Kedryn had failed time and again because he was trying to stretch the flow apart. That would never work. Like water, the more you spread it out the thinner and less powerful it would become until it was just useless. But what would happen if he tried dividing the flow? Like Dabbin’s pile of rocks?
Without wasting a moment, Kedryn quickly pushed mana through his channels like he had done so many times before, with one very important difference. Kedryn inserted his will as a divide the moment before the mana left his channels.
The mana flowed around his mental divide without resistance, separating into two streams. Kedryn was stunned at how easily the mana separated. It took some additional mental gymnastics to keep the flows separate, but after a few moments of instinctual guesswork the magic solidified into two separate spell forms. All he needed now was to add a spark…
Two balls of flame, half the usual size, burst into existence before him.
“Whoa,” Kedryn breathed as a notification appeared.
Congratulations! You have learned the skill Multi-Cast. Now you can start twice as many forest fires than you could before! Caster may divide a spell in half (spell dependent) to cast at multiple targets. -15% effectiveness for both streams; will reduce with increased skill level.
“I did it!” Kedryn exclaimed, shooting off both balls of fire into the water.
“Ta-da!” Dabbin cried, running up to Kedryn to give him a high five, quickly followed by a hug.
“Thanks, big guy,” Kedryn laughed, ruffling the boy’s hair. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Dabbin beamed with pride before returning to throwing more rocks into the water.
Next, Kedryn tried using his patented flame thrower with multi-cast. Twin lines of fire shot from his hand as he tested the spell over the water. It was an absolute mana hog, taking upwards to 8 mana every 5 seconds, but the overlapping flames let him cover slightly more ground than the original. In short, it wasn't great, but he could see how it could be beneficial as he increased in skill levels.
As Kedryn cut off the flow, ready to test his head wrap burning technique, which was a terrible name that he fully acknowledged needed to be fixed at some point, when a notification flashed in the corner of his eye.
Attention! The Master of Storms has slotted the mana core of an Aged Stone Guardian into one of three slots for Storms’ Rest...
The notification continued, and as Kedryn read on his smile grew.
“Are you seein this!” Krazzik called out to him moments later, showing off a massive grin. “This be worth celebratin!”
“I know, right?” Kedryn called back, only to be interrupted by another announcement stating that Bragden had been found worthy of being appointed to the council.
“Everybody up!” Krazzik yelled. “We’ve got ourselves a surprise waitin for us back at the hall!”
Cheers erupted as everyone gathered their things to begin the final leg of their journey.
Another notification began blinking in the corner of Kedryn’s vision, the icon he had created for anything to do with the Captain.
Kedryn opened the notification without hesitation, wondering what new ability or quest his commanding officer had uncovered.
Attention! Your Abli-Sen, Glade, has been bitten by a level 5 Astral Spider…
Kedryn’s excitement evaporated, replaced with a cold dread as other notifications regarding Glade’s status appeared every other second.
“KRAZZIK!” Kedryn screamed, already sprinting toward the walls for all he was worth. “THE HALL IS BEING ATTACKED!”
“What are ye talkin ‘bout…” Krazzik began, a look of confusion on his face when a notification appeared before the dwarven chief.
Attention! The Master of Storms, Glade, has perished. As the First, Bei’ Kedryn Serevlir, of House Serevlir, has been appointed the temporary Master of Storms until Glade is rebirthed. The title will become permanent should Glade not return.
“No…” Krazzik whispered, his joy crashing down as another notification appeared.
You have been offered a Settlement Quest: A Sticky Situation. The Astral Spiders have proven to be relentless hunters and have dug through the recent tunnel collapse to pursue their prey. The Master of Storms, among other members of the population, have died. Will you answer the call to defend your home? To succeed in this quest, you must meet the following conditions:
Success Condition I: Drive out the spider infestation from the Council’s Hall.
Success Condition II: Prevent further attacks from happening by permanently stopping the spider’s advance.
Rewards: 2000 XP for all party members.
Note: Due to your position as the Second of Storms’ Rest, you cannot decline this quest.
“NO!” Krazzik roared, already turning to his men. “The hall is being attacked by the thrice damned spiders! They’ve already got some o’ our kin in their webs and are takin our home! Everybody who can fight, drop what yer doin and follow me!”
Only then did he turn and run through the collapsed walls after Kedryn.
By the time he and the other dwarves arrived, Kedryn was flinging two balls of fire at a time from a lit torch into the hall one moment, then blasting twin streams of fire the next as he covered the escape of several of his people. From his vantage point, Krazzik could see several spiders already alight with fire running in circles just within the hall.
As he neared the disaster that was unfolding before his eyes, Krazzik saw his logistician, Patch, as well as one of his assistants, in loose-fitting white pants and shirts – a clear indicator that at least two of his people had paid with their lives and had been rebirthed.
Another mountain of dread piled on Krazzik’s already laden soul as he realized the inadvertent disaster he had made. Everyone present was now tied to the Storms’ Rest bind point. Meaning, if anyone died they would simply be reborn into the middle of the slagging spiders nest until they ran out of rebirths.
Krazzik passed both Patch and his assistant, intent on doing whatever he could to push back the spiders, when he heard someone yelling from within the confines of the wrapped blanket his logistics officer was carrying.
“What in the name o’ the Mother are ye doin?” Krazzik bellowed after he skidded to a halt.
“Exactly what Captain Glade asked o’ us before he died,” Patch yelled back, carrying the blanket toward a small grove of pine trees out of everyone’s way. “Rescuin the slagging elf!”
“By the Mother,” Krazzik gasped, now recognizing the muffled yells. It was Riya, who was a slagging treeless. And Patch was about to set her down under some bloody trees!
Krazzik didn’t know if the stories about treeless and their weakness to trees were real, but at the moment he decided it didn’t matter.
“Stop, you fools!” Krazzik yelled. But he was too late.
Riya, who had finally worked her head and one arm free of the blanket, cursed the dwarves in their own language just before they walked under one of the tree’s branches.
The moment they crossed over that invisible line, dark wisps of shadow engulfed the elf. That was the moment the girl began screaming.