After reading the book, Jenny learned that whoever created those infernal spells was a pyromaniac with delusions of grandeur. She glanced again at the list of twelve spell formulae the book contained, some of them with downright absurd names.
Phoenix Pyre Ascension was a fancy name for a spell designed to burn people alive. From what Jenny understood of the magic, as long as she focused on the spell, the target’s skin and muscles would blister and burn as if set aflame until either the target died or she released the magic.
On the other hand, Conflagration Vortex summoned a localized firestorm that ignored natural vegetation but burned everything else. The area, size, and the intensity of the flames depended on her mastery of the magic. The issue being that once cast the spell would burn for a long time. The magic didn’t give any control over its duration once the spell manifested.
Scorchfire Dart was another one; by absorbing nearby flames, she could throw fire darts at her enemies.
Jenny scanned the list again, stopping on the spell Flamebind Dominion. The more she read about this one, the more she was confident it was a variant of Biscuit’s Dominate Creature spell but focused on fire elementals, creatures made of fire, like the fire demon they fought in the forge. That was how the magic described them. But while she could make sense of each of the spell’s texts and know what they did, learning to cast them was a different matter. She would need days, maybe weeks of effort to learn even a single one of these.
How had Biscuit managed to learn ten spells in less than two months? Given how complex the ones in the book were, it didn’t seem possible.
Jenny closed the book and put it inside the bag. Next she took the dagger. She performed a few experimental swings and stabs; the dagger was heavier than Jenny had anticipated, and the handle was warm in her hand. The blade’s edge looked sharp, but she refused to place her finger against it to test, like so many others she’d seen doing in the manor.
Trapped inside the corridor with monsters at the door, Jenny contemplated what else she could do here. From the main forge hall, there were still three other passages to explore, but doubt crawled into her mind. What if they encountered yet more monsters? What if there wasn’t a way out? Everything here seemed too old to have gone undiscovered for so long. She never heard about a dungeon near the town. The king had declared all of them forbidden places where none should ever enter, a crime punishable by death.
Well, it wasn’t surprising. This island feared and condemned magic in equal measures. The ever-present pyre in every city square was just a reminder to anyone who dared to practice the craft. In some ways, Jenny agreed with their sentiment, if not their methods. Her own island had been consumed by the folly of magic uncontrolled. She didn’t know precisely what happened, having only heard part of Father’s diatribe about the disaster. Their sorcerers had attempted to summon a heroic titleholder to help in the war. Something went wrong with the ritual, and soon after, the Gloom consumed the capital.
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Jenny didn’t know what the Gloom was exactly; from afar, it looked like a dark fog that covered the whole land and blocked the sunlight. Few who ventured inside ever came out, and anyone who did was never again right in the head.
The blonde got up and walked to the iron door. After peeking outside, Jenny hooked her spear against the heavy door and pulled it close. She moved to the bag, taking the blankets from inside and placing them on the ground. Jenny created a small, cozy fabric cocoon and placed Biscuit inside with great care. She laid down by her pet side, fingers wandering instinctively toward Biscuit’s ears before she pulled her hand back. With how hurt Biscuit was, petting her wasn’t such a good idea right now. She placed the dagger by her side and closed her eyes. With luck, the monsters would leave while she slept.
…
When Jenny awoke, the first thing she did was check on her pet. “Biscuit?” She called in a soft voice, shaking the rabbit with gentle movements. The burnt paw had stopped oozing blood but still looked severely injured and painful.
Biscuit didn’t wake up.
Jenny suspected Biscuit wasn’t sleeping but trapped in the same magic dream she had gone through. She had no way of knowing whether or not that was the case, nor of doing anything about it if it was. Her only thought was to leave the corridor and hope whatever affected the rabbit didn’t work outside. Jenny walked to the door and, taking care not to touch it directly, pushed it open a tiny crack.
The temple room outside was, thankfully empty. Jenny still needed some illumination to leave this place. Perhaps the ember light spell? She took the book and started rereading the spell description and formulas.
Not ten minutes later, she put the book down. Even with prior knowledge about magic, she had no idea how to use the spell from what she read. It wasn’t something that she could do in a short period. The lantern had broken in the fight; and she had no more spare oil. Jenny looked around, thinking. She stopped, then face-palmed.
Ever burning, cursed, magical, unending torches hung from the walls, not only here; but in the forge hall, and in the arena. Why hadn’t she thought of using them?
Jenny got up and approached the nearest sconce; she hesitated for a moment but grabbed the iron wrought torch. It felt cool to the touch. She pulled it up and out of the metal loop in the wall. Confirming that the torch continued burning, she placed it back into the sconce and turned to her things.
Jenny took Biscuit from the blanket cocoon and placed her on the ground. The rabbit moved in response but didn’t wake up. Next, Jenny wrapped the book with her blanket and packed the bundle into the bag. Her dagger she slipped into a loop on the belt of the armor she still wore. Jenny removed her cloak and enveloped Biscuit with it. Having read the tome, Jenny now recognized the ember light on the door. The maniacs who created this place warded the area with Phoenix Pyre Ascension. Jenny hoped the cloak would be enough to protect Biscuit against the spell effects when they crossed back into the temple room.
Rabbit safely hidden within the thick fabric and nestled in the crook of her arm; Jenny slung the bag over her shoulder and took up the spear with her free hand. She utilized the butt of her spear to leverage the door back open before resting the spear against her shoulder. Then Jenny walked to the wall and retrieved the torch.
Jenny had to juggle things a bit, keeping Biscuit held with her left arm, the spear over her shoulder secured with the crook of her elbow, while her right hand held the torch in front. It wasn’t a comfortable position, but it would have to do for now. Jenny walked to the door. She looked around one last time, took a deep breath and ran outside.