Taka felt mana start to swell in his head, but filtered in a different way than psychic magic. It felt heavier, and more... dangerous.
"Conjure a wall in front of you using that," the voice said. "That's all you'll be getting from me. For now, at least."
Taka's mind raced as the beam of energy inched closer and closer to him. He could tell that if it were to hit him as he was now, he'd be instantly pulverized. Alright, whoever you are, Taka thought to himself, unsure if the voice was able to hear his thoughts, I accept your grace.
Taka conjured a thin wall of the strange, new energy in front of him, only about the size of a piece of paper, just big enough to block the incoming beam. The moment his conjuration materialized, time began flowing at a normal speed again and the beam of energy struck Taka's magical wall. The wall didn't block the beam, though, it ate it: the energy from the beam was directly absorbed into Taka's conjuration with a loud whoosh, and he could feel the mana within the wall reinforce itself, suddenly stronger.
Taka opened his status window.
NAME: Filo, Prince of Dirt RACE: High Worm** CLASS: Magic Scholar (Veil Observer) MAGIC: Earth*, Psychic*, ë̶͙͈́̋̽̃̽̆v̵̨̡̯̭̭̮̼́ͅi̸̟͓͈̲͋̒͆̐̎̅̇͆l̶̩͉͙͉͕̓̉̓̈́͌*, Raw SKILLS: Telepathy, Burrow, Charm, Fear, Mana Transfusion
Veil Observer is next to my class, unlike the abilities, and Life Steal is there too... and that mysterious type of magic that's been there since I got here has finally awakened by... the voice, so that must be what the wall was made out of...
Taka's mind drifted as he looked around the room. The fighting had come to a halt, Vanz'goran and the fae inches away from each other, both still frozen in place. Taka realized that both of them were staring at him. Deon shifted on the stairs, trying to sit up, and choked on a laugh.
"You should be dead," the fae spit toward Taka.
Vanz'goran took a momentary break to slash his blade of demon magic at the fae, but the fae jumped back, the blade only skimming the creature's purple cloak. The cloak began to disintegrate and the fae stripped it off, revealing his body. He was slim and looked middle-aged, but with sharp, cutting features. His eyes were darker than midnight, a jet black spill upon his face. His wings unfurled like a butterfly's, a deep green that looked like it had dulled with age.
"Daldrus," Vanz'goran said slowly.
The fae's mouth warped into the vicious smile of a hyena, "this is the first time we've formally be acquainted, no?" Daldrus asked with a mocking sense of formality.
The collar of his shirt began to crackle with mana and disintegrate particle by particle; the fae growled like a wild beast.
"Go. Now," Vanz'goran commanded.
"I'll be back," Daldrus hissed at the retired Demon Lord.
The fae's gaze darted to Taka's, their eyes locked. Daldrus bit his own tongue, then sunk into his own shadow, gone like he was never there. Vanz'goran let out a deep sigh and collapsed onto one knee as Bick and Maeve ran into the room. Bick ran straight toward Vanz'goran, but the Demon Lord put up a hand.
"Deon first,"Vanz'goran heaved. "And quickly."
Bick nodded and bolted toward Deon. The lizard man was panting on the ground, his body covered in strangely shaped wounds like something had removed chunks of his flesh directly from his body. Taka flew his plate over, the Lily Minion finally calm beside him. Taka broke his connections with Maeve and Bick and used his TELEPATHY skill on Deon.
Taka felt a burning pain ripple through his mind, causing him to almost lose control of his little flying saucer, but the Lily Minion sprang to action and used its tiny body as a counterweight to help Taka adjust faster. Bick's hands were on Deon's abdomen, a grimace contorting the orc's face. Deon lay on the ground panting like a sick dog, his aura growing weaker with the second. Taka lowered the plate to rest right beside the lizard man's head.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
Deon, Taka sent.
The lizard man turned his head toward Taka, grinning weakly.
You made it, Deon sent back.
What happened? What can I do?* Taka asked.
Deon groaned, was those spirit freaks, thought we got rid of 'em but... Deon's thought was cut off as he coughed up blood.
Taka could feel Deon's aura flickering, on the edge of being snuffed out for good.
Don't let 'em win, Deon sent. Please, Filo. Please.
Taka lifted the plate in the air and floated it next to Bick's hands. The orc continued to chant as he hands glowed, but it didn't seem like it was healing Deon at all. Taka used his TELEPATHY skill on Bick and felt a little light-headed.
No lose, Bick save, no lose no lose, Taka heard the orc thinking.
Bick, Taka sent. I need your help.
"Yes," Bick replied, his voice strained with worry.
It might be dangerous, I don't know--
"Bick help," the orc said firmly. "Bick do anything to help best friend."
Taka took a deep breath and re-opened his status window.
NAME: Filo, Prince of Dirt RACE: High Worm** CLASS: Magic Scholar (Veil Observer) MAGIC: Earth*, Psychic*, ë̶͙͈́̋̽̃̽̆v̵̨̡̯̭̭̮̼́ͅi̸̟͓͈̲͋̒͆̐̎̅̇͆l̶̩͉͙͉͕̓̉̓̈́͌*, Raw SKILLS: Telepathy, Burrow, Charm, Fear, Mana Transfusion
Okay, Taka thought. Okay.
Taka activated his MANA TRANSFUSION skill on Bick, but tried to instead pull mana from the orc rather than pour his own mana out.
WARNING: Skill: MANA TRANSFUSION only effective when TARGET is RECIPIENT.
Taka scowled. He closed his eyes and tried to focus the new strange 'ë̶͙͈́̋̽̃̽̆v̵̨̡̯̭̭̮̼́ͅi̸̟͓͈̲͋̒͆̐̎̅̇͆l̶̩͉͙͉͕̓̉̓̈́͌' magic, as it appeared in his menu, in his head as the voice had done for him, but his light-headedness only got worse. Taka began to tremble as he inched onto Bick's hands.
Bick, I'm sorry, Taka sent.
Taka opened his menu and activated his LIFE STEAL skill on Bick. Similarly to MANA TRANSFUSION, he was able to choose how much, so he tried to take as little as he could, aiming only to take a droplet's worth.
The orc bellowed in pain as his veins seemed to steam from under his skin. His hands became pale and clammy as Taka felt the mana flow into him like a rushing river. It was pure, intoxicating energy. It flowed into Taka and he could feel himself regaining his strength, the fatigue he felt a moment ago wash away. Taka had never done heroine, but this is what he imagined chasing the dragon felt like. It was --
Taka stopped using his LIFE STEAL skill. Bick lay sprawled out on top of Deon's chest, shaking. He was alive, but weak. Oh no, oh fuck I took too much, Taka used TELEPATHY on the orc.
Bick, Bick are you alright? Taka asked frantically.
Bick tired, the orc sent back. Bick be fine later. Help friend.
Taka crawled back onto the lizard man's chest and activated his MANA TRANSFUSION skill, pouring all of the mana he had just taken from Bick into Deon. He could feel Deon's presence grow, his aura strengthening, then began fading again.
It's not enough, Taka sent to Bick, his vision going blurry. He needs more.
Taka looked to Bick, the orc alive, but on the verge of a scarily weak fugue state. Taka could tell that if he took any more of Deon's life force, or life, whatever it was, he might not make it.
It ok, Bick sent. Bick help friend.
Taka's mind raced as he inched next to the orc's hands. I don't want to do this, Taka thought to himself. I don't want to kill him. He could call Maeve over, but his vision was already turning into dots; one more use of telepathy, and he might pass out. And both Deon and Bick were no longer in a state to speak. Stupid, stupid, I'm so goddamn stupid! If I just used my head I could've gotten Maeve over and then I wouldn't have to--
The Lily Minion appeared in front of Taka. It stood there, gesturing its head toward Deon's body, then lay down on his chest right in front of Taka. Please, please work, Taka thought as the idea formed in his mind.
Taka inched up to the Lily Minion, then pressed his head to its flower core. Thank you, he thought, and the Lily Minion wrapped itself around the worm.
Taka activated his LIFE STEAL and used it on the Lily Minion, then transferred all of the energy into Deon before he could feel it fully inside of himself.
Taka felt his strength leave his body as his vision began to fade, and saw the withering remains of the flower that was once the Lily Minion decay around him...