My eyes pop open, it feels as though I had a long restful nights sleep. I can see the sunlight coming from the cave entrance. In front of me two of the lizards stand in their usual guard spots. Beginning to rise from my spot at the back of the cave I notice that the cave feels smaller. My head reaches easily half way to the top of the cave when I stand on my legs making me feel as though I'm roughly three times larger than I was before going through advancement.
*Well that explains the space warning before advancement. I wonder what would have happened if I had stayed in the bedroom.*
A shudder runs down my spine as I mentally picture imploding from the pressure, my innards being jettisoned into the main cave through the small tunnel. Moving to the small tunnel and peering in I notice my head and neck can fit inside but that's it. Even though only my head and neck can fit in I can still manage to reach the bedroom area. I see a sleeping lizard on one of the shelves that opens an eye to start at me and then falls back to sleep. Pulling my head back into the main cavern I try to see how far my wings can extend, they unfold roughly half way before they are touching the walls.
*Well there goes flying into this cave. I'm going to have to make this larger if I intend to stay here after another advancement.*
Pulling up my character sheet I see the mana bar and remember the conversation about affinities and magic. I can feel the pool of mana within myself, it feels like a roiling ball of energy just below my stomach. I turn my Aura sight on and look at the spot, it is a deep dense ball of Aura.
*Huh, so was that the third point of density in the giants then? They all seemed to have it, so do they all have mana if that's the case?*
I begin mentally poking and prodding the ball of energy, it reacts to my mental manipulations but it doesn't seem to do anything major until I try pinching it. As I mentally pinch it a small tendril begins to form, trying to mentally pull the tendril it forms into a thin thread.
*Huh, well how do I use this then. I chose Raw as one of my affinities, she said that was in regards to using Raw mana, maybe that's where I should start.*
Trying to pull the thread out and into my hand I can see it appear in my palm. Aura sight shows me the thread stretching from the ball of mana, extending through my arm and then out of my palm. Wondering what I can do with this my instincts tell me I can make it into a ball. The intent to make it into a ball is all that's required, the thread swirling around itself creating what looks like a ball of yarn. The ball continues growing until it covers roughly half of my palm, the threads begin quivering. The ball continuing to grow as the threads start flailing around inside the ball wildly. I try to focus on them and still them but there are too many, the chaos of the ball growing by the second. The ball detonates in my face. A loud pop echoing around the cave.
System Message: [-3] Health {Raw}
*Ow, how do I stop it? do I have to throw it or something?*
Looking around to assess the damage I see the two lizards on guard staring at me. Both of their heads tilted almost ninety degrees to the right. It doesn't look like anything was damaged so I continue experimenting. Pulling another thread of mana I begin forming the ball, before the threads start to quiver I try to imagine the flow of mana stopping, the flow slows down and eventually stops. The thread of mana cutting off at the source of my mana and then moving fully into the ball.
*Well now what do I do with it??*
I try to throw it at the nearby wall but the ball just stays in the exact same spot hovering over the palm of my hand. Realizing that physical movement seems to do nothing I turn to mental. Picturing the ball floating away from my hand it begins to slowly rise off of my palm. When I stop focusing on it the ball stops moving and continues floating where it is. Imagining the ball shooting away from me it zips off my palm and slaps into the ceiling of the cave. When the ball contacts the ceiling it explodes into a bright purple light.
*So it's not a large explosion then. When it does hit though it hurts, that's good to know.*
Pulling mana again I wait until the ball starts to destabilize, then ceasing the flow of mana. The ball continues to quiver in my hand, mentally trying stabilize it the threads of mana seem to slow slightly. Focusing on it and bending all my willpower I manage to stop most of the threads from quivering, when my control slips the threads quickly destabilize again. Mentally drained I focus on the ball shooting off into the wall. My palm still facing up the ball shoots to the side and smashes into the wall. The light explosion is even brighter than the second balls explosion.
*So more mana means more damage, I guess that makes sense.*
Once again tapping into my mana I try to make the mana flow faster into the ball, pulling harder the thread visibly thickens in my aura sight. The ball starts to destabilize much faster so I stop pulling mana into it and focus on seeing if I can compress the ball. As my willpower pushes down on it the threads start to flail wildly. Releasing the pressure on the ball it resumes it's dancing but at a much more sedate pace. Wondering what the ball looks like without Aura sight I flick it off. The ball looks solid instead of like a ball of yarn, the light of the ball flickering. It is also a light blue color not the purple color that I expected. Sending it at the wall the explosion is much less bright, the sound is the more obvious of the effects without Aura Sight.
Going to check how much damage I've done to the wall I notice three distinct craters in the wall, not very deep but knowing how much the one that exploded in my face did I have no doubt they will be effective. Moving back to my spot in the middle I begin focusing again, this time trying to pull two threads of mana, a head ache begins quickly forming. I am able to bring both threads into my palm and start the formation of a ball but the threads start vibrating much earlier. Not wanting to have another explosion in my palm I cut the mana flow and watch as the threads slowly stop vibrating. The ball begins to spin slowly, the threads arranging themselves into an overlapping pattern.
System Message: Skill Mana Manipulation 0->1
*Oh. I mean I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that but that makes me think there are probably more mana related skills. I wonder if I can push more mana into it with two threads and it will naturally stabilize. What happens if I add a third now as a shell?*
Seizing the idea I pull a third thread, the head ache slowly going away as I continue to work. I try to wrap the thread around the outside of the ball but it seems to just slip off. After multiple attempts at integrating the thread I try to stab it into the ball, the third thread of mana gets immediately grabbed by the spinning ball. It begins to be wrapped around the ball quickly, covering the original ball of two threads. As the ball becomes completely covered by the third thread of mana the vibration starts in the third thread. I can still see the center two threads spinning around but the shell formed by the third thread has stilled since I stopped the mana flow.
*From my attempts to manually wrap the mana around the ball I'm guessing that a fourth thread of mana will do nothing.*
Deciding to try anyways I pull a fourth thread of mana, no amount of attempts allows me to add it to the ball. Growing frustrated and feeling my head ache grow even worse I decide to stop and let the ball go. The light from the ball impacting the wall is easily four times brighter than the previous ball.
*Well then... I did not expect that to be the result. It felt like even with adding all three of those threads of mana that it was less over all mana than any of the previous balls.*
Going to check the wall the damage is significantly larger easily three times deeper than the previous craters.
*So don't let one of them explode in my face. Got it.*
Trying different shapes I find that right angles are impossible. I can bend the threads but when I try to bend it sharply like a corner the thread snaps, the mana of the thread outside of my body already either dissipates or explodes depending on how long it is. Fortunately on my few attempts at right angles I only had short threads and the explosions were more like small light shows. These small explosions don't seem to have enough energy to actually damage me. I find that I can make straight lines of mana that look like a stick of mana that hovers over my hand. I can then wrap other threads of mana around the stick. My first few experiments ended up looking like cylinders.
Expanding on this further I find I can make a cone shaped object by wrapping the mana at the base of the stick making a single circular thread at the base of the stick. I then take another thread of mana and connect it just above the first layer of thread and twist it down and then around the circular thread. Repeating this process over and over I eventually cover the core stick of mana so that it forms a cone. Looking at the base of the cone it looks like a mass of concentric circles, from the top it looks like a spiral of mana surrounding a central dot of mana. Feeling a slow throbbing head ache at the completion of this cone of mana I release it at the wall. The cylinders had much the same effect as the ball, exploding on contact and creating a large bright light under Aura sight. When the cones tip impacts the wall it implodes, the center stick of mana driving forwards into the wall and the layers collapsing inwards.
*What the fuck was that.*
Checking the wall I see that the other marks were mere divets compared to the damage this most recent construct did. The hole easily four times deeper than any of the previous attempts the sides of the hole being much steeper in angle than the craters created by the balls and cylinder. Moving back to my spot I try to pull a much thicker thread of mana, creating a rod that is double the thickness of my first attempt. The rod easily stabilizes as I expected from previous attempts, beginning to wrap the first thread I think to do multiple at once like with the ball. No head ache comes from drawing multiple strings.
*Interesting, is that the effect of Mana Manipulation? I'll need to continuously draw more threads at once if that is the case*
That thought running through my head I pull a third thread, a small pressure forming in the center of my forehead but not growing to the previous level of head ache. Taking this to mean I can pull more threads I pull a fourth. A headache immediately starts throbbing in my head, causing my focus to start slipping. Pushing with all my will I begin trying to wrap the threads as quickly as possible. The first and second threads I quickly wrap around the rod and cut the mana flow. As the flow stops I feel the head ache start to reduce in severity but the throbbing continues making focusing on the longer threads difficult. Finishing the third and then fourth wrappings the cone shines bright in my eyes, the outer threads slowly revolving around the center.
Pulling four more threads simultaneously the head ache intensifies greatly, pushing through the pain I begin to wrap the threads. The first and second threads I complete with great difficulty but as I begin wrapping the third my vision starts to blur. Wrapping the third thread as fast as I can a move to the fourth, my vision starts to tighten, blackness encroaching on the edges. Realizing I am about to pass out I send the projectile towards the wall, the fourth thread begins to stretch. I try to stop the flow of mana but it snaps before I can end it. The end attached to my mana snaps back, impacting the mana in my core causing ripples to spread each ripple making my stomach lurch as pain racks my body.
System Message: [-6] Health {Raw}
As I fall to the ground I watch the projectile wobble around the thread as it flies through the air. On impact the rod is driven into the wall at an angle and implodes and blackness takes me.
As I open my eyes my head throbs at the slightest movements. Deciding not to push my limits again I decide to check the suns position and go get some food. My stomach growling in rhythm with my throbbing head. Moving to the front of the cave I can see that the sun is very low in the sky, rapidly approaching the horizon. My gaze catches on the spear hole where the lizard was killed. Dipping my head as I move towards the pond I find myself walking in sadness, regret weighing heavily on my shoulders.
As I arrive at the pond I take stock of my surroundings the sun is still just above the horizon painting the sky in a dark red. The owls are nowhere in sight but the balls of bone from their feast yesterday sit a short distance away. Dipping my tail into the water in what is now a familiar action I get to work. My first breath sends five fish bobbing to the surface, extending my wing over the surface of the pond a pull them all close to me. I devour all of them quickly previously it would take me multiple bites to get a single fish down, with my increased size I can easily eat a whole fish with single bite. My stomach growls for more so I dip my tail back in. In a short time I've got another small crowd of fish and release my breath again, only catching four this time. I snatch them up quickly and my stomach seems to be approaching full. The third time I watch as six fish bob to the surface I get a prompt I wasn't expecting.
System Message: Skill Rank up: Fishing; Rank 0->1
*Huh, so there is a fishing skill! I wonder what changed and how it will affect my ability to catch them.*
I eat three of the fish, filling my stomach, and grab the other three to bring back to the lizards. Quickly arriving back at the cave I'm met by one of the lizards at the entrance. Seeing the fish they do what I can only assume is a 'happy' dance. They follow me into the cave and up to the main room. I drop the fish at the top and the lizards all dig in, happy to give them something in return for their companionship I return to my spot at the back of the cave.
I begin to experiment with my mana again, making more of the cone shaped projectiles. After easily an hour slips by I get another system message that surprises me.
System Message: Skill Rank up: Aura Sight Rank 2 -> 3 (Max)
I immediately start looking around and notice that there seems to be no difference, disappointed at the seeming lack of change I shut off my Aura sight. Instead of the Aura sight snapping off like I am used to it seems to rapidly dim. Instead of shutting off entirely as it allows me to see Auras as well as see in the visible spectrum. I try to turn my Aura sight up like a dimmable light and find that I can control the level of my Aura sight fully now.
*Does this mean I can use it during the day now? That would be a huge boon.*
Setting it to the lowest setting I begin experimenting again with my mana. Only seeing faint lines instead of the threads I was able to see before I turn it back up fully and try to expand on my cone construct. Releasing my current experiment I can feel my Aura sight automatically flick to the lowest setting as the missile impacts the wall. The flash I'm used to is almost entirely negated making it so I can watch exactly what happens as the rod is launched forwards by the implosion of the spiraled threads. Insight flashes across my mind and I begin making a new missile, this time building it two threads at a time, wrapping them in opposite directions around the central rod of mana. The missile seems to vibrate with anticipation as I complete the new construct. Sending it at the wall I watch in amazement at the destruction caused by the small missile.
Beginning to rapidly craft new missiles and send them at the wall I find my ability to craft them rapidly increasing, my speed being the major change. I get to the point where I can craft a missile in roughly three heart beats.
*I wonder if I can make multiple at once.*
The thought inspiring me I begin trying to construct two at once, the mental strain brings back the headaches but not enough to prevent me from pushing forwards. Making two at once causes my speed to be cut by far more than half. Unable to focus on my heart beats to time it I can't tell exactly how much longer it takes.
*It's much more difficult but I can create multiple, that might be worth exploring. I wonder if I can hold them and create more.*
Creating two missiles I move them to float next to my head, crafting two more I feel the strain grow, it is much more than the crafting of two by themselves and I find myself struggling to complete them. My head starts to pound as I complete the third and fourth missiles. Knowing that making more would be a terrible idea I move these missiles up next to the other two, having two missiles floating on either side of my head. Even trying to draw another thread of mana shoots pain through my head.
*Interesting so even though it's not connected to my mana anymore these both seem to put a strain on me.*
Checking on the reserve of mana within me I notice that the density of the mana leaves it almost entirely transparent. Releasing all four of the missiles in quick succession I watch as the mana rapidly regains it's density.
*So I can maintain for missiles currently, and that puts my mana at essentially zero. Trying to pull beyond that makes the headaches unbearable. It must be possible to increase that maximum amount. Mana manipulation was upgraded by trying to pull multiple threads so that doesn't seem to be the skill related to maximum capacity. It will probably be worth it to focus on increasing the amount of threads I can pull at once. If I could get to eight threads simultaneously I could create a new missile within a single heart beat.*
Howls in the distance bring me back to the present. Sounding close I move to the front of the cave, sweeping the horizon with my Aura sight. I can see a large group of wolves approaching the cave. Looking over my shoulder I see only five of the six lizards.
*Not again*
Searching the close bushes I can see the final lizard running towards the cave. I start making missiles, crafting one at a time to do it as quickly as possible I quickly have four floating around my head. The wolves rapidly close the distance in the woods much faster than the small lizard. I snap my wings out and glide down to where the lizard is.
*Stay still* I mentally project to the lizard. It looks at me and stops moving. Picking it up gingerly with my mouth I turn turn towards the cave. The wolves crash through the bushes as I launch towards the cave I can feel the breath of the nearest one as it snaps at the spot I was in. Sending one of the missiles at it I can see over my shoulder as the missile impacts the wolf at the base of its neck. The blood sprays out from the wound and the wolf cries out in pain. Sending two more of my missiles at it the cries intensify. I land at the caves entrance lizard still in my mouth and dash inside. Placing the lizard down slightly up the caves slope it shoots off to the main room, I turn to face the wolves.
The wolf I already hit three times is walking with a limp but still very much in the fight. I count the wolves now that the lizards are safe and find myself facing nine total wolves. None of these wolves are small like in my previous encounter all of them clearly fully grown. Not wasting anymore time I launch my last missile at the wolf I previously injured, it leaps to the side as the missile flies at it. My shot goes wide popping as it hits the bushes behind the wolf.
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Retreating into the cave I craft another four missiles before moving back to the mouth of the cave. I launch all four in rapid fire at the wolf two of them making contact as the other two fly wide. The wolf is limping heavily as I retreat back into the cave again.
*Are they really going to let me get away this?* I think as I craft four new missiles. Watching my mana density to make sure I don't knock myself out again, I find I can craft one missile at a time with the rate at which my mana density recovers. Stepping forwards I take aim and then I see movement to my right. The wolf having crept up on me as I was focusing on my mana density and crafting the missiles. My two of my missiles are already in the air towards the first wolf. I try to jump backwards but the wolf is to fast. It grabs my wing and I can feel the intense pain as it's fangs close on the wing.
My scales seem to be holding for a moment before the fang punctures the wing. My mind blanks as the pain becomes all I can focus on. I let the other two missiles fly at the wolf hoping it will release my wing, the blood splashes as the missiles impact the top of its head but the pressure doesn't release. Falling back on my best defense so far I release the entirety of my breath into it's face, since ranking it up I haven't seen the entire cloud at once. It blasts outwards the deep purple accented with dark reds and almost black greens. Where it touches the wolf the dark veins shoot through its aura. The pain is finally enough to get the wolf to release my wing. Pulling it back in and retreating into my cave I see another one of the wolves lunge from the left of the cave. It's body impacts the cave wall before retreating so that the dark cloud of my breath doesn't touch it.
My wing is pure agony, curling it back into my side I try to survey the damage. There are four puncture wounds along the length of the wing, all large enough to fit my fist through. Checking the system message to see how much damage that was, my jaw drops.
System Message: [-18] Health {Piercing}
*Wow. If they had caught me like that on day one I would've been dead twice over. Looks like those ranks in scales were not enough. I need to increase their strength!*
Watching from the safety of my cave I can see the wolf's aura is drained of its density. The dark veins rapidly drawing the density out. Just like with the smaller wolf it's howls of pain continue until density drops below a quarter, after that the sounds of whimpers take over before the silence comes. From my vantage point it looks like the wolf tried to retreat to the bushes but did not make it. Looking at the other eight wolves I can pick out the one that I hit with the missiles, it's Aura patchy where the missiles hit it. Watching intently I can see that the Aura from the surrounding area seems to pump into the holes. This dims the surrounding Aura but doesn't seem to fill the holes.
*Do wounds drain your Aura?*
Watching through my Aura sight I see the wolves waiting at the edge of the bushes, the wounded one hanging back slightly. I begin crafting another four missiles two at a time as I finish the second set I step forwards so I have line of sight of the wounded wolf. Sending one missile aiming for it's left shoulder the other three I send just behind the first, aiming towards the right of the wolf. The wolf sees the first missile and immediately dodges right, the next three missiles slamming into the side of its head. Impacting one right after the other, the wolf's head lifts to the right before the body drops limp. I watch as the dense Aura of it's brain shatters like a star, blasting out into the rest of its aura before it dissipates.
*Is that what the giant did to that wolf??*
The seven remaining wolves still show no sign of backing off. A head ache slowly growing I realize I can't keep this assault up.
*Fuck*
Crafting four more missiles I move back to the front of the cave, choosing one of the wolves to be the next victim I let them loose. Instead of just sending them in a straight line I attempt to control them along their flight. They curve slightly as the wolf dodges, all four impacting the thigh of its back leg. The wolf lets out a yelp as the missiles impact not expecting it's dodge to fail.
*Homing Missiles!*
Checking my breath organ I can feel that it's roughly a quarter full. Knowing that's not enough to kill I decide to not try to bait another attack. I pull back into the cave creating another four missiles and then step forwards and let them loose on the same wolf. Only two manage to hit, the wolf having learned to continue moving instead of dodging and then stopping. Repeating this process another four times I manage to landing a hand full of hits, the wolf clearly showing that the hits are taking a toll. Checking my breath organ, as my headache pounds inside my skull, I see that it's approaching three quarters full.
*Fuck I hope that's enough.*
I create another two missiles, not wanting to risk losing focus and having them explode due to my rapidly growing head ache. Instead of stopping at the cave mouth I take two steps forwards as I launch the missiles. The two wolves closest to the cave's mouth both launch forwards, expecting this result I am ready and launch myself backwards. Releasing the entire contents of my breath organ for the second time today I land on my back just inside the cave. The wolves being mid lunge are unable to stop as the cloud expands outwards, both flying into it. Watching in satisfaction as the dark veins shoot through their auras I roll over and start walking back up to the main room of the cave.
*Don't leave* I project to the lizards, trying to send the thought to all of them. They nod back at me, my telepathy clearly much more effective since choosing the mental mutation. Hoping that they fully understood me I lay down at the back of the cave. My brain feels like it is being repeatedly stabbed as I watch the two unfortunate wolves. Their Auras dissipating quickly as I watch.
Pulling up the system messages I have been ignoring I see that I have fifteen fish and four wolves worth of attributes to distribute.
STR +0.29 = 7.03
AGI+(0.31 +0.3 +0.28)= 7.21
DEX +(0.19+0.18+0.18+0.17+0.17+0.16) = 6.13
CON +(0.16+0.16+0.15+0.15) = 6.77
The fish out of the way I move onto the wolves.
PER (Primary) +2 =7.11
CON (+0.73+0.66) =8.16
STR +0.99 = 8.02
System Message: Level 6 - 6 Trait points gained, 11 total available trait points.
*I completely forgot about those trait points with the excitement over my magic. Now I have some real choices to make. I could bring wings and scales to rank four and then breath and mental to rank three. I rarely use my claws outside of digging at this point. If I keep tinkering with these mana constructs I have no doubt that they will be much more powerful than claws anyways.*
I put three traits points into scales. The same whirlpools of Aura appear above all of my scales. The density of the scales growing to the point that I can see each scale distinctly in aura sight. Turning my Aura sight down to the minimum I watch the patterns on my scales become much more three dimensional. The appearance of looking into something that is deeper than it should be grows as well. The small nebulas growing more distinct and small pin pricks of light begin to appear within them.
*I hope that doesn't make me more visible at night, that would be terrible.*
Looking back towards my tail I can see that the pin pricks of light are not visible beyond a short distance. No longer concerned with being a beacon at night I turn to my wings. Putting three trait points into wings the familiar feeling of stretching starts. The cave preventing me from being able to fully extend them they press against the walls. They grow in size but not nearly as much proportionately as before, the major change is the growth of three digits at the bend in each wing. Each of the digits is tipped with a claw, flexing the digits I find that I can articulate them fairly well. Folding my wings back into my body I notice that the pain is still there but the visible damage is gone from my right wing.
The wings wrap around my sides fully now, the three digits on each wing interlocking in front of my chest. It feels like I am wearing a scale mail cloak now, but I still don't feel as though I'm all that protected after watching what happened with the wolf. Moving to breath I allocate two of my remaining trait points, focusing on my breath organ I feel the breath currently inside of it condensing further. It now feels like it is approaching a liquid state within the organ.
*Huh, I expected the red and greens in the breath to grow and the density to increase again but I didn't expect it to start feeling like a liquid. I hope this doesn't make it function more like a liquid when I breath it out. The smoke like effect has been very effective.*
I put two of my remaining three points into mental, unsure of the effects of this because of the mutation, hoping it doesn't make my head ache worse. I can feel something changing but I can't put a finger on exactly what is changing. My head ache lessens as the change happens but that is the only change I can feel distinctly.
*Huh that was weird did it change my mana at all?*
Looking to the ball of mana in my core I can't see a noticeable change to it, with my lessened head ache I choose to risk making more missiles. I can still only make four before my mana is a wispy cloud instead of a dense ball.
*Well that is very strange.* I think as I move to the cave entrance, not wanting to waste this new set of missiles. Two lizards had posted back up on guard duty, which feels more like an alarm duty than guard duty at this point. As I pass close to them I can feel their fear, I could tell they were afraid before but that was just body language. Now I can actually sense it coming off them. Focusing on both of them I try to project *Don't worry, I'll keep you safe* they visibly relax as I message pops up in my vision.
Skill Telepathy, Rank 0 -> Rank 1
*So she wasn't lying when she said I could become telepathic based on my choices. I'm assuming if I had picked physical I wouldn't have gotten it to this degree, but I also probably wouldn't have been a chew toy either... I wonder if that was due to the rank up with Mental or if it was just successfully using telepathy that caused the rank up. I wish there was just an experience bar at this point.*
Turning my Aura sight up I locate the previously injured wolf noticing that it's moved off to the side of the cave. The wolves closer to the cave are pressed close to the cliff wall and much closer than the previous two were. Knowing if I show my self outside the cave that I will not make it back in, I line up on the wolf in the center position. Releasing all four missiles at once I notice that they fly much faster than previously. All four surprising the wolf and slamming into it's side as it tries to dodge away. The impacts visibly moving the wolf as it's mid air.
*Wow, so mental made it so I can move the missiles faster as well? It must have something to do with the manipulation of the constructs then as well.*
The wolf is clearly not impressed but the pack still isn't leaving. Peaking around as much as I can without presenting myself as a target I try to assess my current situation.
*They don't seem like they are going to just leave this time. I wonder if it has something to do with the giants hunting them or if this is just a grudge against me at this point. I don't seem myself making any progress on this tonight, I might be able to bait another two into my breath but if they catch me again I'm done. My scales and wings are definitely stronger but that wolf's fangs tore right through my wing the last time it got me. I might be able to take off and fly out of the cave but I would have to gain some serious altitude to get away from them and my starting point would be below them. Maybe I can make a side tunnel or dig up to the top of the cliff, but that would take days of digging to get that far.*
Unsure of my next move I decide to go back into the main room of the cave and focus on testing out my magic more before going to sleep. Hoping that the wolves decide to leave during the night. Knowing that they probably wont and if they don't we will either starve in the cave or die trying to break out.
*I still haven't tested my other affinity, but how do I even go about shaping a construct to use 'space'.*
I pull a thread of mana, my head ache still present but not overwhelming. Thinking about how I would go about using the affinity I notice that the thread feels strange. Looking down at my core I can see that the thread is very different, instead of a thread its more like a flat ribbon. The ribbon of mana having the appearance of being a black void. Pulling the ribbon up into my palm I being to bend it and try to shape it like I did with the initial ball. I find that it does not react at all like the Raw mana threads did. It has a weird sensation that comes along with it, like I can move it in and out instead of just in three dimensional space. Pushing in on the ribbon I notice that it bulges inwards, creating a small amount of space in the ribbon itself. Turning it over I can see that it is still completely flat from the side. When I manage to look at it straight on the edge it appears to have no thickness at all. Pulling my left hand up I poke the side of the ribbon I had pushed in with my index claw. The claw goes into the space I can feel I had created but doesn't come out the other side.
*Um, okay. So that must be how pocket dimensions are made. Now how do I actually form this in a useful way. Can I stretch it to be wider?*
As the thought crosses my mind I pull my claw out, not wanting to experiment with my body parts inside it. Trying to stretch the ribbon shows immediately results, the ribbon rapidly becoming as wide as my palm. As I continue to stretch it the throbbing head aches being to grow. I stop stretching the ribbon not wanting to find out what happens when a ribbon of Space mana catastrophically fails. I cut a rock from the wall and place it in the ribbon, it floats where I release it. Looking at the side of the ribbon I still see no edge, and the rock is completely out of sight.
*Can I use this as storage? I wonder if I can place living things inside as well.*
I try to fold the ribbon closed and it easily folds like a piece of paper would. Unfolding it I can still see the rock in the same position relative to the edges. I cut the flow of mana to the ribbon hoping it doesn't explode in my face, it just hangs there. I can still move it around with my mind and fold it but I can't seem to push it in anymore the feeling completely gone. I pluck the rock form the center and watch as the ribbon does nothing.
*So it's essentially a ribbon of dimensional storage? That's... amazing. I need to test this further, but I'm not going to test it on the lizards, I'll have to go get a fish to test the living creature part.*
Briefly checking on the wolves I note that they are still circled around the cave. Knowing I won't be able to leave I decide to start an excavation project. I dig into the left wall of the cave opposite the bedroom tunnel. I make the tunnel wide enough to easily fit my whole body as well as long. I continue digging until I can stretch my head out and touch the far wall with the tip of my tail barely inside the tunnel, using this as a basis for my measurement back to the main cave. The pile of debris growing rapidly as I dig.
I fill the small ribbon of space I have with as much rock as it can hold and then turn it so the hole is facing down, the rocks fall out of the space and clatter to the ground. The lizards come out of the bedroom to check on the sounds.
*Don't worry, it's okay!*
They seem to understand and they pile back into the bedroom. Filling the space ribbon back up I fold it and then turn it upside down, nothing happens. Unfolding the ribbon without changing it's orientation causes the ribbon to discharge its contents onto the ground. Pulling a ribbon of mana from my core I try to attach it back to the ribbon I have in front of me hoping it allows me to modify it further. The new ribbon snaps to the old ribbon I can feel the new dimension again in the stretched ribbon and try to push it as far in as I can. The depth easily three times more than previously before the strain of pushing becomes to much. I release the mana flowing into it again and fill it with rocks. Folding it into itself I move to the front of the cave, and upend it just outside of the cave.
The wolf on the left must have thought it was me coming out because it lunges, snapping up the ribbon of space mana and the remaining rocks. Unsure of what is about to happen I watch as the wolf looks around in confusion before it starts convulsing. It cries out in pain as I lose my connection to the space ribbon, turning my Aura sight up I can see a deep gouge through the wolf's aura it seems to stop around it's stomach area.
The wolf begins to vomit blood as it tries to run into the forest. Making it to the edge of the bushes before it collapses, a trail of blood follows its path from the cave entrance.
*What. The. Fuck.*
I notice that the normal attribute distribution window doesn't appear for that kill. Surprising me because that's the first time killing something hasn't lead to that window appearing.
*Can I not use the space ribbons to kill things, or did it not die to the spell itself and the rocks are what killed it?*
I move back up to the debris pile and begin forming another space ribbon, I expand it as far as I can before pushing it in as far as it will go. I fill this with more of the debris and then fold it into itself. Trying to move it with just my mind I find I can move it roughly two wings away from myself before it doesn't go any farther. I take a step back wondering what will happen, it moves roughly one step closer to me.
*Interesting so it's attached to me, that's really good to know.*
I have to walk only half way down the slope before the space ribbon is outside the cave, unfolding it and upending it I watch the four remaining wolves. They seem to have learned from their friend and none of them attack.
*I wonder if I can have multiple of these and if it impacts my Raw missile amount.*
I test the Raw missiles first and find that I can still form four before the head aches start. Sending them into the wall I being to pull a space ribbon, as I bring it up before me I try to stretch it like I did on the first one and immediately the headache starts pounding away in my skull. Releasing the entire construct I resign myself to having only one active at a time. It takes another five trips before I've cleared the debris from my excavation.
I walk back into the new tunnel and when I reach the end I turn to the right and begin digging. After a few minutes inspiration strikes and I walk back to the main cavern and put my head up into the bedroom.
*Can one of you stand guard?* I project to the lizards. They all snap awake and start moving towards me.
*You don't all need to come. How about you.* I project looking at the closest. It nods back at me and I retract my head from the tunnel. Moving back into my new excavation I turn my Aura sight up so I can see the lizard at the guard spot. Using it as a reference point I continue digging the new reference point allowing me to realize I was digging off at an angle away from the cave. I keep digging like this for a long time, periodically filling my space ribbon, Space Bag, up with debris and dumping it outside the cave. I use the wolves Auras as a marker for how close I am to the edge of the cliff. As I approach what I feel is the edge I slow my progression, digging a small hole in the middle to make sure I don't break through unexpectedly.
As my claw breaks through I watch to see for any reaction from the wolves. They don't seem to notice yet but I know they will in a moment. Sending my Space Bag through the hole I dump the debris I have stored inside. They all react to the clattering stone jumping away from the sound. This new tunnel comes out roughly a wolf and a half high.
*They can definitely still reach me up here but only if I'm not careful. They will have to jump and should be limited to just biting at me.*
With that thought in mind I begin excavating a larger area behind the small hole making a room that allows me to comfortably turn around in, periodically dumping the debris out of the small hole. After I finish excavating the room I go back to the lizard on guard duty.
*Go get some sleep we should be okay for now.*
It nods to me as I project that, scampering back up into the bedroom area.
*This telepathy is super helpful for communicating with them, I'm surprised they can't respond though. I wonder if it's part of the telepathies limitations or their limitations. Can get attributes from killing like I can? I'll have to try and catch a living fish and find away from them to kill it instead of me. I could make the Space Bag into a Space Aquarium to carry one from the pond. It would also allow me to test the living things portion.*
Moving back to my new fortification room I being making the hole larger so that I can shoot out of it. I begin crafting two missiles at once, trying to make them as complicated as possible to work on my ability to create them. I find that I can now hold four threads of mana at once with only a small head ache instead now, I keep layering more and more threads onto the central rod attempting to make them as large as possible. After a significant amount of time I see the threads begin to tremble slightly so I stop building them. They are easily three times larger than the previous ones I've created but they have lost the sleek cone design of the smaller ones. Focusing on one of the missiles I try to compress it down getting it to roughly half the size and making it much more aerodynamic looking. I pull a single thread of mana and wrap it around the missile hoping that it will keep it compressed. I am elated when it works, instead of just blowing up in my face.
I line up the bulky missile at the closest wolf and launch it, the wolf doesn't even see it until it is half way to the wolf. It dodges to the right as I shoot the second condensed missile at where I think it will be landing. The first missile grazes it's hind leg blood shooting from the wound. The second missile catches it in the shoulder as it lands, spraying a massive amount of blood into the air the wolf pitching forwards as the leg loses its ability to carry its weight momentarily. It's able to pick itself back up but is clearly favoring the leg.
*Well then, I doubt I'll be able to get away with that sneak attack again but at least I've improved my ability to make missiles as well as my ability to control threads.*
I feel exhausted, this siege on my home becoming very frustrating with its protracted nature. Knowing that it's a matter of time before I can clear them out I realize that it is inevitable but it will be time intensive. My body and mind are both feeling the effects of this protracted defense as well as the digging required to make my new attack tunnel. I move back to the main room of the cave and laydown at the back wall. As I lay there one of the lizards pokes its head out of bedroom. Seeing me laying down it walks over and lays down pressed against me. The weight of it's body giving me a massive sense of relief and comfort that I didn't realize I needed.
*I guess I'll have to dig the tunnel out into the bedroom at this point. I wish I could have left it the way it is to protect them more, but if they like sleeping next to me I'm not going to tell them not to. Their companionship is priceless in this world of wolves and giants.*
My mind finds peace for the first time since the siege began and I drift off to sleep.