> [Magma Pool] - 4th circle spell.
>
> Element: Magma.
>
> Type: Conjuration.
>
> Classification: Barrier. Trap. Variable Output
>
> Target: Circular or oval area in range.
>
> Conjures a pit of magma in an area in range. The depth of the pit depends on the amount of mana invested.
> [Chasms' Vertigo] - 3th circle spell.
>
> Element: Cavern.
>
> Type: Mind.
>
> Classification: Debuff. Attack.
>
> Target: Group of thinking creatures in range.
> Causes the target to suffer severe loss of balance and a feeling of being about to fall down as if they were staring down a deep chasm. The caster can choose if targets might fall forward or backward trying to balance themselves.
> [Ring of Spikes] - 3th circle spell.
>
> Element: Earth.
>
> Type: Transmutation.
>
> Classification: Barrier. Trap.
>
> Target: Circular arc around the caster.
>
> Erupts a mass of sharp, barbed and reinforced earth spikes from the ground covering a circular arc around the caster. Spikes can have any height up to a meter. The caster can decide the coverage of the arc, from just a few minutes to a full circle. The caster can leave gaps in the spikes.
Modified by Aidan from the Ring of Conflagration spell.
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Vulcan is the god of fire, metal, and smiths. He rules over the Metal, Magma, and Fire elements. He reigns over smithies and all things made of metal. His taboo is marital infidelity and destroying knowledge of metallurgy. Blessings come to those that discover new metals, new alloys, or new metalsmith techniques in the form of a small increase in stamina, fire resistance or further inspiration.
Excerpt from The Twelve Gods.
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Elements and the concept surrounding them increase in complexity as they get combined. One good example is one of the paths for the formation of the Death element. These chains are better understood with the nursery rhymes passed throughout the millennia.
> Darkness alone is dark.
>
> Darkness (in the) deeper Earth is Cavern, eerie and stark.
>
> A Cavern on Fire is Underworld, the undead whack.
>
> Underworld under Water is Death, (at the) afterlife you disembark.
Excerpt from On the Formation of Elements, vol 1.
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The three mages walked through the academy to meet their friends on the other side of the campus. They drew the attention of every student they crossed. With the Princess and Academy Prima Donna in tow, it would be stupid to not expect it. Fortunately, Pearl had the exact countermeasure against nosy students.
"Walk like you own the place and need to be on the other side of the continent now. Nobody would dare stop a princess."
The princesses walled Aidan on both sides and they reached the weapon training camp after twenty or so minutes. As Pearl said, nobody stopped them.
It was really easy to find Sora in an open field. Just look around until you see a huge fluffy tail towering overhead. They were going to meet her when some big guys stopped them.
"Lumina. Glad to see you back in one piece."
Too intimate. Too brazen. They not only stopped Lumina but also forgot to add the proper treatment pronoun. This guy that spoke had to be a royal. He didn't recognize Pearl, though.
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Dawn asked like someone that wants to know why the red ants are different from the black ones.
"Damn, girl. That rhinorse really did a number on your skull, didn't it? I'm your brother-in-law Brian of Heath."
Aidan was glad the failed experiment with the Soul Jar spell weakened their soul. Because he was sure Lumina would be forcing him to gut that guy right now. Lumina didn't have inlaws, just a shitty fianceé.
Fortunately, Pearl had the ball.
"Brian, Brian, Brian. Oh, I remember now. The sixth prince of Heath. Too bad all the brain matter left for the family was used up by the first five and they were forced to use an anagram for you. No, that is so wrong! Wait for a second. There was none, to begin with." She let all her slander-based diplomacy shine.
Of course, prince Brian would have nothing of that. Neither Aidan. He started construction of a magic diagram with his female half.
"I'll gut you, peasant." He went for his blade.
Dawn finished her diagram and overcharged it.
"Wind Blast."
Brian and his groupies were blown twenty meters away.
They were getting back on their feet and Pearl continued.
"Your Highness Lumina of Yutis, do you see any peasants around us?"
"Why, your Royal Highness Pearl of House Juvela, I can only see a bunch of idiots that don't know their place."
Sora found Aidan and he waved at her.
"I think I heard something about gutting me, did I hear that right?"
They were already standing up with weapons in their hands but didn't attack, looking at the small girl with a confused look.
"What is wrong, prince Briar? Got stung?" Dawn asked him.
"Aidan, can you handle these guys?" Pearl whispered.
"Isn't it going to cause an incident?"
"They just did that. We got tons of witnesses. And it doesn't matter. It is a dispute between royals."
Brian was pissed at their whispering.
"Don't you dare to ignore me, bitch. There is no way the crown princess of that fucking quarry would be this up north."
He charged. Pearl's eyes would make a dwarf's furnace feel cold. Aidan held a hand to stop her.
"Ring of Spikes."
And Brian was too committed to his charge to avoid getting his legs stabbed by the stone spikes. He winced and only got his legs gouged further as he fell backward.
"Fucking fuckers, you are fucking dead." He cursed, too incensed to feel pain. Or maybe Pearl was right about the brain mass. "Get'em boys."
Aidan tried to do a tandem casting. He and Dawn began crafting spells at the same time.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Magma Pool."
"Chasm's Vertigo."
The loss of balance coupled with their forward momentum made them fall face first into a pool of barely liquid magma less than a finger's width deep.
"Create Water."
The sizzling sound of water boiling instantaneously was heard. Dawn released dozens of liters over Brian's minions, cooling down the magma.
And just when the situation was under control, a teacher appeared.
"Impeccable timing." Aidan noted.
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"I can't believe they are going to heal them. The magma in their faces was actually a beauty treatment. Nice combo, by the way."
Pearl was infuriated. The only two reasons she didn't order them killed was being expelled from the academy on her first day and second, letting them live would reap some minor dividends later if they came for revenge. Because she magnanimously let them live, nobody would reproach her for slaughtering the fools that came back for seconds.
"Unfortunately it won't be the last we'll hear from them." Aidan pondered. That kind of idiot would only stop when either side was gone.
"Please let them come." She answered, excited. "There is nothing better than stupid enemies. You know where they will come from and the other, smarter enemies will bide their time waiting to see if the stupid ones will be able to do their job. Nothing could make me happier than having them for enemies."
'Funny how Pearl doesn't even consider not having enemies'. Thought Aidan.
They ate their lunch at the academy cafeteria, changed into their academy-supplied adventuring armored uniforms and were now going to the mausoleum that was the entrance to the Crypt Dungeon underneath the town.
"Here it is. The Crypt Dungeon. Built to enclose the ancient catacombs beneath the capital before the founding of Yutis."
The building was the exact definition of what a creepy crypt should look like. Dreary, stained five-meter tall statues of dead knights were sculpted in the pillars supporting the structure. If you looked beneath the moss you could see the statues had features beneath the helmet and armor. Skeletal features.
Cythrel looked at the building and found it wanting. Architecture choices aside, she was completely frightened by the building. Elves cherished living and life itself so there were little things more abhorrent to them than undead.
"Tell me why you humans built a city on top of a set of ancient catacombs?"
"We didn't know of it before building the city. And ever since the dungeon was created the undead stopped being a major problem. They are very much like Pearl's dumb enemies."
Sora was as creeped out by the ominous-looking building as the elf.
"Enough chatter. If you want to know more about the dungeon there is a class on Yutis history that teaches all about that and a teacher to answer everything."
Cythrel was still not satified. "Why did you have to bring me here again? I can't fight a puppy's skeleton."
"Because if you stayed back some students from Heath could target you. Look, we are just going inside to get twenty cores. And I'll one-shot all the undead. The first twenty levels of the dungeon are well mapped and we aren't even going down to the third. I'd stay on the first floor if it were possible."
They went to the front of the building and were stopped by a group of four guards. Church Knights, Templars. Sworn warriors of the Church of the Twelve Gods, they are only members of Yutis' knight corps nominally.
"Halt, academy cadets. Show your student ID, permit and hunter license if you have any."
They showed them the required documents. Cythrel was the only one that didn't have a hunter license. Gurf hadn't used his in years but he was a hunter in his youth.
The church kept a close eye on who goes inside the dungeon and who leaves. Adventurers and hunters often go inside to search for treasure or just to train against the undead. And the screening prevents any necromancers from going down to use their dark powers to stir the undead.
Actually, there might be a little problem there.
The guard on duty looked at Aidan, frowned and found some recruit for an errand.
"Fetch the captain. He'll want to take a look at this."
They gave the kids a little space and Pearl relieved her tension the best way she knew. Talking.
"Your ability to get in trouble is astonishing. At every corner of our path something happens."
Aidan shrugged.
"Runs in the family, I think. One might even say that..." He looked at the cloudy sky. Spring rains were about to begin with a vengeance. "... the deck is stacked against me. Those fellows up there can hold a grudge for a really long time."
"But the holy scriptures say exactly the opposite," Cythrel commented. Elven childhood gets boring after a decade or two. They eventually diversify their hobbies and reading is one way to kill a lot of time.
Aidan just answered with a wry face. It was one of the main reasons he didn't flaunt his bloodline. They were not liked by the church.
"Yup. But after all these millennia of peace, they might think we are a liability. Would you keep a rabid dog in your backyard even after all the thieves were long gone?"
The 'rabid dog' crossed his arms and leaned against a pillar. Sora came and nested on his side. His hands automatically went to her head, to caress those fluffy ears. It took a while for the captain to show up.
"Cadet Aidan, is that you?" The Templar captain asked. The man should be in his forties and his armor was of a higher quality. It sported the symbols of all the twelve gods engraved in the chestpiece.
"Yes, that is me. Is something wrong?" He hesitated before letting go of Sora to answer.
"What is your element, son?" The captain asked, suspicious.
'Why ask if you already know.' Aidan sighed.
"What element do you want me to show you, Templar captain?" He answered after pondering.
"Surprise me, lad." A devious smirk.
Aidan focused. He knew what element he wanted to show the captain. If he were to show them his Underworld element, he could do it with but a thought. However, he needed time to prepare and some mages like to be theatrical with their displays. Cupping his hands like he was holding a small bird inside, he gathered mana. Fire, Water, Air, Light. Just a few motes of each. They reluctantly combined under his guidance and the people next to him felt a sudden warmth.
Golden light came from the creases between his fingers and he removed one hand after he was done. A warm, golden ball of light floated over his hand, slowly spinning. The warm light dispelled the gloom of the place and revealed just a bit of the former magnificent construction that fell to disrepair.
"Is this enough of a surprise, Templar captain?" He asked, forcing a deadpan expression in his face. He wanted to get one over these church knights. Nobody likes to be placed in the role of a rabid dog.
"Holy..." The veteran suppressed a curse.
"Yup. That is exactly what this is. Can we go now? Archmage Astromelicus is waiting for his cores and the princesses are tired of standing there doing nothing."
"That is impossible!" He mumbled.
Time to bring out the big guns.
"If you really think it is impossible for us to descend, I can get a permit from father. Do you know him, the King?"
"No. The Holy element! Why do you wield it?"
'You wouldn't like the answer.' Aidan thought before addressing the knight. "Do you know any mage that can fake their element? No? Neither do I. Now can we get our documents back and get on our way?"
While it is possible to downgrade and show a lesser element, it is impossible to display an element one has no affinity for. It is one of the taboos for the goddess of Magic, Hecate.
The Templar captain finally decided to let them go.
"Move along but don't go past the second floor. A Holy element user would stir the undead too much."
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"Please tell me this is not real."
A frightened princess baffled by reality held a dark red crystal in her hand. It was small, smaller than the tip of her delicate pinky fingernail. It gave a little light and resonated with power. A monster core that nobody would doubt if it was said to come from a tier-D or even a tier-C monster. But never from a tier-F skeleton. Even the Steam princess saw it with her own eyes and was having difficulty processing it.
"Fortunately for us impaired and wretched soul-broken people, it is. You know, this spell even made Lumina herself come to give me honest praise." He answered, proudful. "Smiling, can you believe it. It happened right after the finals and before the..."
He could see the smile. Her face, her kind voice. His dragon-slaying partner of yore. And then the thundering sound of heavy hooves crashing through the academy square. The pain. He actually felt no pain thanks to his spell, but the feeling of bones crushing. Of organs being impaled by the shards. The fear in her face, sheer terror.
He shuddered and found support on Sora's shoulder. His rational mind tried but he couldn't rein in his shaking. The flashbacks hit him hard.
"Let's go, Aidan. Only nineteen cores to go."
A few minutes later he was able to get out of his PTSD episode.
"Gurf, Sora. Gather a large group, the spell is more mana- effective against groups. Pearl and Cythrel keep watch in the middle. I'll keep the rear and Dawn will destroy the next ones."
The big hunter turned knight nodded and went ahead, his kite shield held up front. The squirrel-kin scout was right behind him and a bit to the side.
The first levels of the catacombs were built centuries ago to hold the dead of the kingdom that ruled over this land. Loculi with piles of greyish bones from reuse dotted the walls. A layer of fine dust covered the floor and they had to walk carefully or this dust would rise and irritate their lungs.
Pearl was controlling the floating balls of fire they were using for lighting, leaving Dawn free to hold onto the completed diagram of Aidan's original spell. Cythrel was keeping her senses sharp on any problem coming from side tunnels.
There were lots of them connecting several rooms littered with loculus, horizontal notches in the walls where the dead would be placed. Tens, hundreds of thousands were buried there. The mana from the dead bodies would seep down and circulate in the tunnels, becoming tainted and converting into Darkness, Cavern, Underworld, and even Death elements. From time to time the dark energies infused in this underground tomb would gather around one of these bone piles and animate a skeleton. A very rare spawn, zombies could arise from mummified corpses.
The only weapons in this place were the ones left behind by explorers that died. Without proper weapons, skeletons are not much of a threat. They can claw with their finger bones, but those are rounded. The lack of body mass makes them fast but weak and frail. Zombies, on the other hand, are slower but heavier and tougher, their mana-infused carcasses granting them better protection.
They moved for a few minutes when the rattling of bones broke the silence. A group of about a dozen skeletons was running up the main tunnel in their direction. A few of them had rusted spears. Dawn took the lead and released the spell, overcharging it to the limit. Over half of her gigantic mana pool went down on this spell.
"Destroy Undead"
The wave of Underworld mana poured from the girl's outstretched hand and traveled past the vanguard, finding purchase on the undead. The spell was shaped to resonate with mana of the same element, the energy animating the undead. This resonance would cause an interference pattern and cause a feedback loop sucking the loose energy toward the core of the undead. Even recently animated undead had a core, an organ necessary for a monster to wield mana. These weak skeletons' cores were the size of a grain of sand, latched somewhere in their inner ribcage, usually near the place the human heart would be. The core would suddenly go through a crystallization phase and the newly formed crystal would suck in even more mana of the aligned element, growing fast.
Finally, the resonance would shatter and convert the monster's physical body into more energy and this would also be drawn to the hungry growing core. The only drawback of the spell is that the newly formed bigger core was empty. All of the mana spent on crystallization. But charging cores was an easy job even apprentices could do. It was boring and tiresome, but safe.
Aidan was glad the mana in a living mage's body was untyped until filtered through a spell diagram. Otherwise, this spell could be used to murder Underworld mages.
More dark red crystals clattered on the dusty floor after the skeletons literally imploded.
"Lumina was right, the spell needs a new name. Maybe Implode Undead is a better one."