A short while later, the trio was back in the tunnel that Selene and her men had dug. The half dozen skeletons were staring at Abad as he stood there waiting for the book to do something.
"Book. What are we doing?" Abad asked with equal parts anger and confusion. The old book had grumbled the entire way to the tunnel, but now that they were there, it didn't seem to have a plan. It just looked around in his arms, murmuring to itself. Abad sighed. "Do we need to leave you for a while? I don't mind if you need some privacy."
"Hush, boy," the book grumbled, "let me think." A pause. "I can sense remnants of magic in the wall, as if someone had used earth magic here, but it feels odd somehow." It was silent for another minute, until its pages began fluttering. "That woman. The magic doesn't match her aura. Someone else helped her in breaching the depths."
"Well, you are my teacher now," Abad said with a nod, smiling gently, "So what does that mean, oh great book." He bowed, hamming it up.
"Insolent boy," the book hissed. "Why did Aughra pick someone like you to be her pupil. Imp. I'm starting to wonder if perhaps the wretch should be smothered to death. Perhaps I could teach you instead." The book wiggled its covers threateningly.
"Over my cold dead body," the Imp hissed back.
"Oh noble book, I disagree with your assessment," Abad affected a broad smile. "While I am quite the wretch. Orphan. Scoundrel. Former master of the black arts. I am also a prodigy after all. One of the spiritual children of the great Dark One, no less! How great then would the teacher of such a prodigy be."
He lifted his hands to his head and rolled his eyes back. "The visions, they come to me. I can see them so clearly. The great grimoire. Written down in the history books as the finest teacher to roam the ten kingdoms. The wisest of minds. The sage of sages. How else could someone like myself rise to meet my full potential without you to guide me and restore everything that I have lost?" He shuddered, pretending to come back to himself.
"Yes, you are wise indeed." The book seemed to miss his obvious sarcasm. "You will grow very strong under my tutelage. Now, lead me to the source of the magic." The book moved in his arms, pointing its spine at a spot in the backside of the tunnel. "Right there. Take me there."
They traveled over to the wall. The book murmured. "It is as I thought. This tunnel is sealed with both stone and magic. It seems as though the woman wanted to keep you sealed in. She used the imp's treachery against us." The book's brows furrowed. "Boy. Use this spell. Try to break the seal. I grant you a single use of it." The book's covers opened slightly, and a piece of paper fell out.
Snatching it out of the air, Abad felt a small bit of power pass into him through his hand, and his scroll appeared, and words blazing onto its ethereal page.
----------------------------------------
[Shape Earth] (3rd Circle, Granted): You gain control over natural earth and stone within a short range, allowing you to shift, mold, or carve it to create basic structures, barriers, or pathways with ease. This spell is limited to simple shapes and small amounts of material, suited for quick adjustments to your surroundings.
----------------------------------------
"Book, this spell is a certainly at the edge of my ability right now. Are you sure that you can't do it?"
"I am sure."
"Alright," Abad muttered, stepping toward the wall. He focused inward, dipping down into the waters of his soul and observing the essence he could feel there. While his life essence felt about the same as it did before, his mana felt stronger than it had earlier. It wasn't overwhelming by any means, but between him leveling up and the ring that Selene had left him, he felt a bit stronger than he had. He reached down into his soul and pulled upon the mana within.
Concentrating, he pushed the power through the atrophied pathways connecting his body and spirit. His mana refused to move through them at first, struggling against his will like water through a strainer, but after a few moments, it relented and moved from his spirit to his body and from his body to his left hand, collecting into his palm. He place it on the cold stone of the tunnel.
As he did his scrolled unfurled again, and a new entry burned itself onto the page.
----------------------------------------
[Make the Impossible Possible] (Warlock): Only the daring reject common sense and drill their way to a greater tomorrow. Cast a spell you are sure you won't survive casting. If you survive, grow strong.
----------------------------------------
He rolled his eyes at the ethereal thing. Pausing for a moment longer, he took a deep breath and cast the spell.
[Shape Earth]
He felt the spell leave his mind as magic poured through him, making every hair on his body stand on end. His essence tore from his hand into the stone under it. His mana Flower out of his core, following his thoughts as he commanded it outward into the stone. His power raced through him, until he could feel the world bending to his will
He felt a surge of energy rush through him as the spell began to take hold, giving him confidence as he pushed his will into the stone, feeling it warp and bend under his body's weight and the force of his self. His vision dimmed as the rocks and stones began to move and twist, coalescing, forming intricate patterns that danced and swirled beneath his touch.
Then, he could feel his mana reservoir empty, and the spell began to eat away at his limited life force. The urge to vomit hit him hard, and his chest felt like there were claws of fire ripping him open. He doubled over, his vision black and stomach retching, but he managed to keep his focus on the spell. The rocks began to flow under his palm.
"Master!" Angra cried out. The imp scrambled onto his back, jumped onto his shoulder, then placed her hands on the sides of his face as she called forth her power.
[Familiar's Martyrdom]
Like an ice bath compared to the heat pouring over him, he could feel her energy race into him through their bond. As her mana and life force filled him, he could feel the searing pain dull, if only slightly. Her hands grew weaker on his face as her energy flowed from her soul into his, but he didn't feel like he was going to die any longer.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
His lungs burned as he tried to hold the spell longer, his skin pricked as cold sweat covered him. He became aware of the pain wracking his body and how hard it was to breath. He quivered, trying to push the last bit of Angra's gifted energy into the stone, but it wasn't enough. Even with the borrowed essence, he was at his limit.
He released the spell.
His ears rang. Blackness filled the edge of his vision as his brain tried to remember how to hear, but, slowly, sounds began to make its way back in, and his vision returned in bits and pieces. He sat down.
Through blurry eyes, he saw that he had managed to shift the stones and rock, opening up the collapsed tunnel slightly. The rocks around him crackled and popped, shaking violently as the spell's magic faded. He could feel something buried underneath the rubble within with his [Fey Senses], some faint magic interacting with his spell, but he had no idea what it could be.
"I told you I wouldn't be able to do it. I'm not some apprentice who doesn't know his limitations."
The book laughed. "That is where you are wrong, apprentice. You did well and revealed that which I needed to see."
"Great. Thanks." Abad said weakly, wiping spit from the side of his mouth. Abad didn't have it in him to give a snarky reply, choosing to lay back instead. So much for his freshly washed body and clean clothes.
"Mhm, your pain has served as a wonderful example. Imp, let your master rest. Pick me up and put me into the hole he made."
He rolled his head towards Angra. She looked pale, and he could feel through their bond that she had been weakened, but she would be okay. Snatching up the book, she shoved its face into the small aperture he had opened in the tunnel, her scowl making her distaste apparent. He listened, exhausted, as the book's voice mumbled out of the small hole.
"It seems that this wall was collapsed intentionally, but one of the corpses underneath the large stones has something peculiar on it. It is a ward of some kind that is designed to prevent anything from coming or going from your vault. It has also enchanted the stone with a similar, but far more powerful, spell, causing it to reform a new stone wall if disturbed. That is why I couldn't open the way myself. I would have triggered the barrier, destroying myself, which I am loath to do. You were an acceptable sacrifice."
Abad wanted to say something, but he let it go. Angra, however, smacked the book.
"A crude form of sealing magic," it rumbled. "Even so, very effective. It will quickly reshape the wall until the hole is gone entirely." Even as the book spoke, the hole seemed to have closed slightly.
"So, my agony was completely unnecessary then?" Abad spat out sarcastically.
"Yes." The book answered. "Well. No. Sort of." It said, being unusually indecisive. "I wanted to teach you something, student. See, this task was impossible. I knew that from the start. Yet, you must always push yourself to your limits. Otherwise, you will not grow."
As if it heard the object, his scroll unfurled in the air.
----------------------------------------
[Make the Impossible Possible] Completed.
You have reached Warlock III.
You have gained the talent [Aura of Dread].
[Aura of Dread] (Warlock III, Talent): An unsettling aura surrounds you at will, subtly affecting nearby enemies and sapping their courage. Enemies within close range are slightly more likely to hesitate or misjudge their attacks, giving you an edge in combat as they falter under your dark presence.
You have gained the spell [Burn the Weak].
[Burn the Weak] (1st Circle): You conjure a small, searing flame that can be thrown at creatures within sight, igniting and inflicting fire damage. This spell is especially effective against vulnerable or injured enemies, dealing additional damage to those already weakened.
----------------------------------------
Abad laid his head back and sighed. It was like training with his old master all over again. He watched as the small hole in the wall slowly closed itself up until, after a few moments, it was like it never existed.
The imp jumped down from the ledge she had been standing on, threw the book to the ground, and spoke. "Okay, so we can't leave, which means master's going to starve to death. I'm not okay with that, not one bit. So you're going to figure something out, book, or I'm going to find a way to pull your pages out one by one until you're empty. You got it?"
"Are you threatening your better?" The book sounded amused.
"My better?" Angra growled. "Yeah right. You think I don't remember when you were chained to a shelf with the other dumb grimoires? The only reason we kept you was because we found you funny to read when we were drunk. All of you books act like you're so special, so smart and full of yourself, but you aren't. You're just paper and... and... all talk." She huffed. Abad knew her well enough to know she was frustrated she couldn't think of something better to end on.
"Yes, yes I am." The book said, its voice dripping with condescension. "However, I understand your concerns, small servant. Do not worry, we will not need to starve your precious master. I simply need you both to bring me to the great hall. I will grant you use of another one of my pages so that we might leave this place."
"You want me to rip a page out of you?" The little imp hissed. "Oh, I'll enjoy it." The words came out of her like the growl of a dog. Angra's usual sweet demeanor disappeared like mist when confronted with the Grimoire.
"No." It responded. "I shall remove it myself and infuse it with magic. And you won't be touching it."
"Sounds fine to me." Abad stood up. "Let's get going."
"Hold." The book "Let me survey the death wrought by the little one here." Abad picked the book up and brought it to the closest of the skeletons on the ground, allowing it to see the corpse. The grimoire mumbled to itself as it surveyed the scene. Seeing something, it began to flutter in Abad's arm, until it violently pulled away from him.
It flopped on the ground, and its chain unlinked, allowing it to crawl toward the body. After a few moments, it seemed to rethink itself and flopped toward another body. In this way, it went from body to body, murmuring to itself all the while, before stopping next to one that was relatively intact. Its pages fluttered softly as it thought.
"This one," it declared.
[False Body]
A pulse of force filled the dusty air. Then, nothing happened. At first.
Slowly, the skeleton began to twitch. An arm moved, then a foot. It moved methodically, each bone rattling as it slowly sat upright.
"What are you doing?" Abad watched as the creature slowly stood, its dry bones creaking. After standing, it reached down, its bones rattling, and picked up the book into its skeletal hands, which clasped around the object lovingly. Twin red pricks of light flared to life in the creature's eyes, and its mouth opened in a mockery of speech.
"Ah, much better. No longer am I bound to be carried like some sort of manual in the hands of a child," the skeleton said with the same grumbling voice as the book. The red dots seemed to narrow in delight. "No offense meant, student, I am sure your hands are quite strong, but surely you see the benefits of my new state. After all, now I have limbs with which to wield the weapon that is knowledge!" The skeleton raised its arms, flexing its nonexistent muscles.
Abad certainly couldn't deny that being free of the heavy thing helped him. Even after gaining two levels, he was still far too weak to carry much more than himself.
The skeleton shoved the book into its ribcage, causing the lower ribs to bend precariously. Then, it began walking around the other corpses.
[Mass Animate Dead]
Another pulse of force followed, and each of the other skeletons began twitching. Even the pile of gnawed on bones began to assemble itself, and the two arms sticking out of the rubble began clawing at the ground. Moments later, eight skeletons and two arms stood at attention, waiting for the book's orders. A wave of nostalgia hit Abad as he remembered being able to perform similar feats in the past.
"These minions will guard the tomb while we are away." The book-skeleton turned on its heel, brushing by Abad as he moved past him. The skeletons followed, their feet clacking on the cold stone.
"Keep up." The thing called out over its shoulder as it walked into the darkness ahead. "It's time we see the world."