PHENOMENAL: CHAPTER 2 ~GUILT~
Myra awoke to find herself laying on top of Tanner, as her eyes began to adjust in the darkness she could feel the warmth of his blood on her hands. She could see the damage, feel the wounds. Her father was dying and without a second thought Myra enforced her will upon the surrounding elements. Dim light that had been shining through a crevice in the ceiling began to brighten.
*ding*
A new Proficiency has been generated: Light Magic Proficiency
Proficiency NameProficiency RankProficiency LevelProficiency ExperienceLight Magic ProficiencyInitiate11%Increases spell power with light magic by 1%
Decreases mana cost of light magic by 10%
When casting near a light source increases spell power with light magic by 1%
When casting near a light source decreases mana cost of light magic by 10%
Requires a light source to cast spells.
Allows the use of beginner level light spells.
Intelligence has been permanently increased by 1
Wisdom has been permanently increased by 1
A new Spell has been generated through light magic proficiency: Regenerate
Spell NameSpell CategorySpell LevelSpell ExperienceRegenerateBeginner11%Conjure the power of light to heal a wounded being.
-Heals 2% of the targets health every five seconds.
-Range: Line of sight.
-Duration: 30 seconds.
-Costs 50 mp.
Wisdom has been permanently increased by 1
She looked down at him and recast the spell as soon as thirty seconds had passed, then again and again.
*uuuuuu-oooooooouuu* "What happened?"
Myra let out a cry of relief and wrapped her arms around Tanner's head. "We fell!"
Tanner immediately realized that he was lying in a pool of blood and judged that since he wasn't hurt badly it was his daughter's blood. "Where does it hurt Myra!"
She smiled down at him, "I'm fine dad, it's your blood... I healed you."
Tanner laughed a bit then realized they were in terrible danger, "The monsters will have sensed that, we need to move love."
Myra nodded in approval but before she could get off of him he shouted, "Look out!"
*Crash*
Tanner couldn't see very well yet and had thrown her into the wall, Myra looked up to see what had happened as dirt and rubble fell into the underground chamber. She'd hit the wall hard and was loosing consciousness fast.
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*Crunch* *Crunch* *Snap* *Riiiiip*
Myra awoke to sounds she'd only heard once before, sounds from the day she'd been born.
"noo..." She quickly muffled her voice as the six armed insectoid creature paused for a moment to look in her direction. It seemed to be blind. Tears fell from her eyes as Myra turned away and covered her ears. A normal child would have been broken...
After a long time Myra finally looked up to see that the creature and her father were gone. She looked down at her half covered body.
*sob* *sob* *hic* *sob*
Myra began to carefully and quietly remove herself from the earth, just as she was free the creature returned. Myra looked on in abject horror as it started to crawl towards her. She quickly turned and fled into the caverns as the insect gave chase. Her eyes could barely see and she tripped a few times until finally spotting a dim light shining through a narrow crevice. She chose to take her chances through the small passageway that anything larger than a human wouldn't fit through. Just as she entered it a pincer violently grabbed a hold of her arm from behind and tore it off as she desperately crawled away. As soon as Myra was safe her consciousness began to fade. No matter what her tolerance for pain is this body was still a child's body. When she finally gave in the last thing Myra heard was the familiar sound of an information window popping up.
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After some unknown amount of time had passed the pain awoke her. She immediately looked down at her missing limb to find that it had... grown back? Myra looked up at the new information window.
-A perk has been augmented.
Perk NamePerk RankPerk LevelPerk ExperienceSerpent NatureParagonN/AN/AYou are born with an innate connection to snakes. Being double-jointed means you have unusually flexible joints. This perk allows one to use venom and poison. This perk allows one to master abilities utilizing venom or poison. Allows one to regenerate lost limbs.
Silently thanking her serpent Nature Myra realized that she was hungry, hungrier than she had ever been. Regenerating a limb is serious business... she thought absently while pushing the events that led her here to the back of her mind. Looking around she had found herself in a small underground spring, it was salvation. There was water and plant life but most importantly no large openings. Taking stock of her surroundings Myra came to the conclusion that, barring any surprises, she could survive here for a very long time. She knew that to escape she'd have to go through the caverns... with those monsters. Myra once again made a silent determination, this time to survive.
After eating various seemingly edible plants and drinking a decent amount of water she dozed off... tears once again fell as Myra choked back her sorrow. Tanner, possibly the closest she had ever been with another, her father was dead. Being mortal was happy at times but in the end it had become unbearably painful for the goddess. She wouldn't give in because of her guilt towards those that had died, those that continue to suffer from the reckoning. Myra would survive at any cost and atone for what she had done, what she blamed herself for. Any thoughts like ~There was no other way~ or ~I had to do it~ and ~It was for their sake~ never even crossed her mind. As far as the once goddess was concerned she had not only failed to protect her children but caused them to suffer. Until this was over, until the towers and their masters were gone Myra would fight.
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Time had disappeared, within this place where the only light comes from faint glimmering fungi and insects Myra had no way to tell time. The events following her fall into this place hit her worse as the days went on. Distracting herself from the sorrow and beginnings of rage Myra quickly began to train. She was a child and no match for the creatures that lurked outside of her safe haven.
Knowing that magic was the only hope she'd ever have of escaping Myra diligently began to work with her spell. After conjuring enough water to fill the natural spring a good amount and resting Myra decided it would be best to experiment. She'd heard Adriel mention in passing a few times how she would grant mortals a spell when they came up with a standard or new and imaginative way to manipulate water. Myra was never quite clear on exactly how spells were categorized by rank so she decided to start simple. While moving her hands with unusual speed and grace for a child she continuously made spears shoot out from the water's surface.
Myra took a few moments to think of why it wasn't working. Maybe it's because the power isn't high enough to cause any damage? How would I make it stronger? After reflecting on some of Adriel's bantering she'd remembered that water magic uses ice at lower levels to supplement the lack of offensive power. Enforcing her will once again the next spire of water was frozen solid whilst extending.
*ding*
A new Spell has been generated through water magic proficiency: Frozen Spear
Spell NameSpell CategorySpell LevelSpell ExperienceFrozen SpearBeginner14%Use mana to conjure and freeze a line of water.
-Spellpower: 50
-Damage type: Piercing
-Range: Medium
-Costs 20 mp.
Intelligence has been permanently increased by 1
Myra quickly noticed that her water magic proficiency had taken a leap in experience when she created a new spell so she decided to make another one... After remembering the pain from having her arm torn off Myra began to create walls of water and freeze them. After a few rather impressive and decently solid ones had been formed she got the revelations.
*ding*
A new Spell has been generated through water magic proficiency: Ice Wall
Spell NameSpell CategorySpell LevelSpell ExperienceIce WallBeginner14%Use mana to conjure and freeze a rectangular box of water for the purpose of defense.
-Spellpower: N/A
-Damage type: N/A
-Range: Line of sight.
-Costs 20 mp.
Intelligence has been permanently increased by 1
Proficiency NameProficiency RankProficiency LevelProficiency ExperienceWater Magic ProficiencyInitiate214%Increases spell power with water magic by 2%
Decreases mana cost of water magic by 10%
When casting near a water source increases spell power with water magic by 2%
When casting near a water source decreases mana cost of water magic by 10%
Requires a water source to cast spells.
Allows the use of beginner level water spells.
Myra knew that magic users no longer required a source for their spells after they'd gained enough proficiency. She silently hoped that it was at the journeyman level and set that as her goal. Rising to artisan or paragon level would be nearly impossible for her without instruction. Once again Myra wished she had paid a great deal more attention to Adriel. Myra was satisfied to have attained an offensive spell and a defensive spell. After casting them a few more times she'd realized that something was limiting her ability to reinforce the spells with mana. Slightly perplexed she ignored the slight detail and continued to cast magic.
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After Myra had eaten for the first time she was careful to never eat more than she absolutely felt was necessary. These plants were her lifeline and when they ran out it would be do or die. After nearly an entire month of nothing but casting her spells and resting the young girl was left without a single speck of fat on her body and along her regenerated arm some beautiful white scales had formed. Just below the scarring from where it had been torn off.
*ding*
A new feat has been unlocked: Low Sustenance
Low SustenanceImproves your ability to function without proper nourishment. You require less food to curb your hunger and can go for long times without food while suffering very little detrimental effects.
Myra sighed absently and dozed off after an uncharacteristically hearty meal of greens.
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Adriel watched from her perch on the higher realm in anxious worry for Myra. None of the beings on their realm were aware that Lyria had been reborn. The reason she was worried for the talented child was obvious. Without the ability to directly interfere all Adriel could do was assist in the normal ways. For the first time she could imagine in some small sense the emotions that had driven her favorite sister to go so far as to sacrifice her immortality. Adriel's own heart now ached as she silently watched over the suffering child. The minor goddess often found herself wondering how a child had found herself alone in such a place. With her curiosity and worry Adriel continued to watch over Myra often and instantly generated anything she believed the girl had achieved, there was no lag time between her fulfilling the requirements for something and gaining it. Low sustenance was definitely one of them, Adriel had unwittingly begun to watch over her own sister. Life is never easy for the demigods... she thought absently
Demigods were usually born through some unholy pact for power or a blessing from one of the higher realms inhabitants and weren't quite so unusual to see once every so often. Their power obviously came with consequences or burdens.
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It seemed like she'd always been here, since the beginning. How long has it been? Myra pondered vacantly while freezing a drop of water as it fell from the ceiling.
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*ding*
A new Spell has been generated through water magic proficiency: Freeze
Spell NameSpell CategorySpell LevelSpell ExperienceFreezeBeginner14%Use mana to conjure cold, instantly freezing liquid and weakening armor.
-Spellpower: 10
-Damage type: N/A
-Range: Line of sight.
-Area of effect: 2 meters.
-Costs 10 mp.
Intelligence has been permanently increased by 1
Proficiency NameProficiency RankProficiency LevelProficiency ExperienceWater Magic ProficiencyJourneyman13%Increases spell power with water magic by 20%
Decreases mana cost of water magic by 20%
When casting near a water source increases spell power with water magic by 20%
When casting near a water source decreases mana cost of water magic by 20%
One no longer requires a water source to cast spells.
Allows the use of moderate level water spells.
Intelligence has been permanently increased by 10
Wisdom has been permanently increased by 10
Some of the light returned to Myra's eyes as she read the new information, her food was beginning to run out but now she could fight. Now she might have a chance.
After getting up and stretching she got into the natural spring and floated around for a little while in order to put off the inevitable if only for a few moments longer. Gathering her courage Myra left the safe haven through the crevice she had entered so long ago. The first thing she did was return to the nearby place she had fled from.
Immediately she noticed was her father's sword. When they had fallen it must have pierced the ground and remained undisturbed all this time. Without a moments hesitation she walked to the blade and withdrew it from the earth.
-You have received a Steel Longsword
Steel LongswordTypeLongswordQualityGoodDurabilityHighAttack12-17SizeMediumWeightLightA common steel blade forged using widely accepted techniques.
After washing the blade she touched it with her hand and almost as though it was second nature started to secrete poison across the blade. Myra silently ran her fingers along its edge once more and realized that it was too large for her to properly use, too heavy for her to swing. Only a few moments later she heard a shrill screech echo across the chamber and turned to find one of the creatures that had haunted her dreams for so long.
Without even giving the creature a chance to come any closer she began to cast frozen spears. Her expression visibly worsened as the spears were bounced off from the insect's shelled body. Quickly conjuring a wall of ice Myra took a few steps back and readied her father's blade. A single thrust was probably all she could manage with her current strength. As the blind creature crashed against the wall of ice and was slowed down she lunged forward and drove the blade into its head before being flung back violently.
Looking up at the creature Myra smiled contently as it writhed from her potent poison and soon after died.
Level up!
Level up!
Level up!
Level up!
Level up!
Myra ignored the messages and quickly moved to pick up her father's blade. This wasn't going to work, she needed a way to stun these creatures since she didn't have the piercing power necessary to take one down. As she pulled the blade from its carcass... *Clang!* Myra looked up in fear and dove backwards as another one of the creatures approached and knocked the poisoned blade aside with ease by swinging its claws.
As Myra used another ice wall and began to use frozen spears in an attempt to distract it she realized that the limit she had always felt until now that held her back from forcing more mana into the spells was different... Grinning and coming to a stop Myra turned towards the enemy and put as much mana into the spell as possible. *SCREEEEE!!* The creature cried out in agony as a massive frozen lance pierced it's abdomen.
*ding*
A new Spell has been generated through water magic proficiency: Frozen Lance
Spell NameSpell CategorySpell LevelSpell ExperienceFrozen LanceModerate12%Use mana to conjure and freeze a line of water.
-Spellpower: 150
-Damage type: Piercing
-Range: Medium
-Costs 30 mp.
Intelligence has been permanently increased by 2
Myra calmly walked over to her father's sword, gathered it then finished off the second creature.
Level up!
Level up!
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Myra had decided that it was still too soon to risk leaving and returned to her safe haven. She wanted to unlock the potential of her other spells... after some use it didn't seem like ice wall was generating a new spell so she began to pump as much mana into conjure water as she could... after nearly drowning herself and flooding the haven Myra had gained a new spell that she would never use in an enclosed space again.
A new Spell has been generated through water magic proficiency: Tidal Wave
Spell NameSpell CategorySpell LevelSpell ExperienceTidal WaveModerate10%Use mana to conjure a massive amount of water and push back foes.
-Spellpower: 40
-Damage type: Crushing
-Range: Line of sight.
-Area of effect: 10 meters.
-Costs 300 mp.
Intelligence has been permanently increased by 2
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In the decent sized village of Eumanl there had been a fair amount of turmoil recently. Ever since a collapse had been sighted on the Tal'lei mountain range more and more large six-armed insectoid creatures, reavers. had been coming to the village outskirts. It had taken a long time but in the end the men and women of the village had decided that it would be best to investigate. After another fair amount of time mercenaries arrived in the village to take the job.
A knight in steel armor spoke as their leader, "So you want us to wipe out a reaver nest situated under the Tal'lei mountain range?"
"Yes" *Hmph!* The village elder had spoken timidly as a lightly armored elven woman with one of the largest bows he'd ever seen grunted at him.
"Be nice Urda" he warned as they departed from the village
"They should take care of their own problems, not send out for mercenaries and hope for the best. Would you have waited almost two years if something like that popped up near your home?" she spoke acidly
A Centaur wielding a lance and tower shield strolled by them. "Not all of us are gifted with the strength to fight Urda."
She sighed glumly, "Maybe if they tried, you never know who can and who can't... being a common villager nowadays is a good way to die."
Another woman of their five person group spoke up pompously while brandishing her staff. "If only we could all use magic like me."
The last of their group, a small halfling, chimed in with a slight giggle, "Lance and Ricky should take some magic lessons from Tia, Tori is getting tired of Tori having to sort through the mess you men make." Tori glanced at Ricky, the knight in steel armor and continued to speak "Make one more mess and Tori will make Ricky gather loot, Tori will."
"All right, all right calm it down. Everybody knows how to deal with reavers right?" They all remained silent. "Good, I'd say this will be easy but were going into a nest, an underground nest at that. Don't let your guard down."
Tori hopped up on Lance's back and gazed towards the collapsed part of the Tal'lei mountain range. "Tori wonders why the reavers are going back to the nest... all the reavers."
Tia flicked her brown ponytail over one shoulder and huffs her bangs, "Great, someone messed with the nest early and now they're all gathering..."
Urda smiled as Lance spoke up, "Well at least we won't have them pour in on us from behind."
"Ever the optimist you silly horse." Urda gave him a coy glance as Tori happily dug her heels into him and shouted "Giddy up!" before being flung off.
"Caution is the key to survival, we're all going home alive." Ricky ended the current discussion, they wouldn't arrive at the nest for another few hours.
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Killing dozens of reapers along the way Ricky's group made it deep within the expansive underground reaver nest and believed they were nearing the main area... it was much larger than they had expected. During the final battle Tia had used a wind spell to knock back one of the reavers that was pressuring lance. The wall collapsed as it made contact and opened up into an even larger area. Nearly fifty reavers had been alerted and pushed onto the group. Lance and Ricky were barely holding the reavers off, as Tia supported them with wind magic the other two used their bow and crossbow to damage the reavers.
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Myra had begun to hear unnatural noises, echo within the caves and after some careful listening she realized that someone had entered the caverns. Someone was fighting the creatures and this was her chance to escape. Quickly gathering her father's sword and squirming out of the safe haven she made for the sounds.
Judging by what she was hearing Myra had deduced that it was a decent sized group and they were engaged with a large number of the creatures. She could hear the wind whistling through the caverns which was an oddly refreshing thing. That made it easy to locate the group.
To her dismay, upon reaching the mercenaries she'd found that they had been backed into a side of the room and their escape was cut off. Too many of the creatures were swarming them and their death was imminent.
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"This is bad, really bad." Urda called out as Lance toppled a reaver.
"What should we do, they cut off the way back out!" Tori exclaimed
"Calm down, there's gotta be a wa.." Ricky turned and quickly charged but was too late as a reaver bit into Tia's arm.
*Nooo!* Tia shouted out in pain while blasting it away from her with wind as Ricky dealt the finishing blow. Tia began to lose consciousness and things were looking bad.
"Lance! Can you break through, we need to get out now!"
Lance was fending off multiple reavers and shouted back, "I can't, I don't have the space for a running start." *Rumble!* The cavern shook and just then from the room's far end a massive tidal wave flanked approaching reavers forcing them back against the wall. As they hit the wall water began to freeze around reavers multiple at a time. The reavers struggled to free themselves as Urda called out that a halfling mage at the far end of the room was slinging ice spells.
Ricky tossed Tia over Lance's back and called out, "Follow us! We're leaving!"
The small figure followed behind all of them casting walls of ice as they fled from the nest. Urda silently admired the confidence it must have taken and level of strength one would need to venture into such a place alone.
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