It was hard to imagine standing face-to-face with the Ghoule and battling it. It was a monster that could take away all my senses and completely separate me from reality, wreaking havoc without alerting anyone it was there.
I placed a hand on Lu’s shoulder, looking at her more closely. ‘She doesn't look like she’s waking up anytime soon.’
“Are there any blankets around… I don't want her to catch a cold.”
He raised his eyebrows, letting out a snort. “She’s used to the open air. Not everyone is as weak as you Siya.”
I grimaced, standing up and walking over to a nearby closet. I actually knew where a few were simply because Mara had used them to help me warm up a few times after running in the snow.
“I don’t get sick that easily anymore. Besides, there's no point in not giving her one.” I grumbled as quietly as I could, trying to make it clear he was annoying me, without waking her up.
He smiled reaching over me to grab several from the top shelf. “Mara puts them on the top shelf so you can’t reach them.”
I let out a low growl. “Of course she does…”
After we wrapped up in the warm blankets Airsidh returned to his wood carving, while I excitedly opened up the book.
‘If I do end up fighting that demon, It would be nice to be able to use at least one light spell. Will I really be able to cast it if it takes away all my senses though? Then again, it couldn’t actually do that last time we fought.’
I flipped through the pages of the book until finally passing over to the section on light magic.
On the other side of the first page of light magic, was the only page of dark magic. I re-read the short excerpt that served as a warning and talked about the Riftwalker knights that succumbed to it focusing on one quote in particular. [No one else has ever been as successful at fighting creatures of darkness.]
My heart started to beat faster and I glanced at Airsidh, feeling like it wasn’t even something I should be reading. ‘A magic that will help me win… But what would it cost… Even if it was an arm, wouldn’t it be better than dying?’
My heart started to beat faster still until I frantically flipped the page, taking a moment to calm down. ‘No… I can’t be so reckless, or arrogant to think my heart is strong enough to even use that power.’
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After calming myself I slowly read the next page.
[Light Magic]
[Only usable by those who have achieved divinity of at least level 10, divinities are the mark of a true monk, priest, cleric, or other religious figure. This light is considered the bane of demons, but cannot be cast in a place where there is divinity. In other words, it can only be cast in the mortal realm, and in heaven, but not in the demonic plains.]
‘Demonic plains… Is that what’s inside the void? Honestly light magic is kind of a bust if I can only use it defensively. I need something to finish it off. Even Mara would probably have a hard time charging into the void on her own.’
I closed my eyes, imagining the manna circling around my hand. ‘Fire.’ A small flame flickered in my palm, quickly fizzling out. ‘That was disappointing. What else produces light? Plasma?’
I tried my best, but nothing happened at all. ‘Should have expected that if I can’t even produce a flame yet.’ I gave up, for the time being, continuing to read until I came upon a part that stopped me dead in my tracks.
[magic is cast using the accumulation of the five senses, all heightened with manna flow, with these working together you are able to sense the 6th sense of manna.]
I let out a groan. ‘I guess, not even magic can solve all my problems. If it takes away even one of my senses wouldn’t that mean my magic would be even weaker? Although, it didn’t actually take any of them away last time.’ I thought about the small flame I conjured.
‘I keep casting with my eyes closed… What if I?’ I focused energy into my hand again, dispersing it into a small flame, staring intently and imagining a fire bursting forth into the sky. Suddenly a massive spurt of flame pillared out from my hand, reaching at least a foot into the air.
‘See, that would actually do something… But there's no way it would give me the chance. Maybe I could catch it off guard once. I clenched my fist. ‘It’s not like I’m incompetent with a sword either. I’ll just make due. If I play my cards right I only need it once.’
“I see you learned some magic,” Airsidh said calmly. “Please don't burn the house down. I have quite a few things I like in my room.” He pointed to the ceiling at a singe, where the makings of a small fire were starting to flicker.
‘Frick.’ I started to panic. “We need water!” I jumped up, ‘Wait but can’t I just use magic to make some?’ I envisioned it just like I did with the fire and shot a pillar of water at it, instantly destroying the embers.
My eyes widened and the water quickly started to fall back down toward me. It was my own fault, I froze time, but it was too late. All I could do was groan. ‘I think… I really hate water…’
I covered the book with my body, trying to minimize the damage. Luckily I didn’t make that much, and from what I did make I took most of it, and the book's cover protected it from the rest as I quickly flipped it closed.
the dust from being so close to the book made me sneeze, sounding like a mouse with a rough cough. “I’m never using water magic again…” I grumbled. ‘Well, at least it’s not cold water…’
“The book isn’t damaged is it?” He asked, leaning forward with a curious look in his eye.
I sneezed again. “Thanks for your– Tchu!– Concern…” I groaned loudly.
“Well, I figured that was what you were more worried about. Besides, a little water can't hurt you.”
I groaned again. Luckily my clothes had an outer and an inner layer, so I could just take off the outer layer, leaving me mostly dry, but my hair was wet, and that alone was annoying.
I looked down at the book as the small bit of water that landed on it rolled off like mercury, completely incompatible with the pages and instead finding its way to the floor.
“It's waterproof…” I groaned, even more annoyed than before.
He started laughing. It didn’t help…