--------------------------------------------------------Chapter3----------------------------------------------------
“Where shall we go next?” my grandfather asked to himself. He looked back to me then said “Guess we should head to the tailor next you need some new clothes your hair is a mess and you need to learn how to make armor.”
This raised my curiosity “Armor from a tailor. That is silly.Cloth armor is basically no armor.”
“Think of how light your sword is in your hand. You almost can’t feel its weight correct. Almost like a part of your body. The armor of knights and of fighters is unrefined as well as constricting. Imagine if a part of you was constantly stopping other parts of you from moving. How could you fight to your best potential in that situation?”
I thought about what he said and responded “Well you couldn’t. That still doesn’t explain how cloth armor helps.”
He chuckled then said “You think we have fought for thousands and thousands of years without coming up with a way to counter the weakness of cloth? Open the book to the tailor.”
I moved to the book and opened to the page of the tailor. As with all the other buildings it rose from the ground slowly forming a town of crafting buildings with a huge arena off to the side.
As I walked into the tailors area I heard a shriek
“You have been walking around like that this whole time? Sit in the chair now. Did I stutter I told you to sit in the chair now.” said the lady who shrieked
Suddenly being bombarded with fast paced talking I stood thinking then was promptly shoved into a chair by a lady who did not introduce herself who promptly started to brush my hair. I use brush very loosely here as I can see in the mirror that there is no brush in her hand, and she is just using a thin layer of blood to manipulate my hair to its normal form instead of the tangled mess that was left from my fall.
She finally introduced herself with “Now that at least your hair and face are semi presentable minus the fangs and vampire eyes of course why don’t you get up and give your grandmother a hug?”
Grandmother huh to this I responded “How are either of you here vampire souls are destroyed upon death they stop existing.A destroyed soul means no ghost form after death no matter how many grudges you have at death”
Grandmother said “Guess Robert didn’t explain this to you but as a royal vampire your soul is not destroyed upon death as a normal vampires would be. It is instead sucked into the Vampiric Grimoire which you have been referring to in your head as the book.Now that that is out of the way give your grandmother a hug.”
I got up and awkwardly hugged my grandmother “Then why isn’t my mother and father here?”
My grandmother sighed then said “It takes about 100-200 years for a vampire's soul to recover from death. When we die we remember every last agonizing moment as our bodies burn up and turn to ash not to mention the cutting and the stabbing.If you were to see them now they would probably be just a screaming mass.Not even a solid form. Anyways let us move away from the sad and onto the useful. Now as you saw with your hair, blood can be used for many more things than for weapons and spikes. It can be used as an extension of both your senses and your reach. Today I will be teaching you how to change cloth into bloodcloth. Infuse your blood into the cloth mix it with every single fibre leave not a single one uncoated.
I used the needle she handed me to prick my finger to release some blood to touch the cloth. As I let my blood soak into the fabric slowly in my mind an image of the fabric began to form.
Skill Creation: Blood scanning
“Skill info” I said.
blood scanningAllows the scanning of an object to determine the shape and inner workings of the object
“Blood scanning is the skill for learning how things work. Bloody Creation on the other hand is what you use to make things from what you already know. The reason you have to learn blacksmithing to make a proper sword is because you can't tell what is inside a sword just by looking at it or feeling it.” My grandmother said snapping my mind back to reality from my thoughts on the uses for this new skill. She continued “ All royal vampiric clothing for adults is made of their own blood. You may remember that your parents clothing was not completely red. You can change the color of the blood used to make stuff by mixing it with other things. However we can not teach you any colors here. Anything physically done here will be undone upon you leaving. Well now that you're done here you should go see your uncle his teachings will be most necessary for fighting.”
As she finished talking she hurried me out the door then said “Come back and visit when you have time there is always more to talk about.”
As we headed back to the Vampiric Grimoire I opened the book then asked “Which page should I open to.”
My grandfather said “You should open the page to the temple that is where your uncle prefers to stay.”
As I flipped to the page with the temple on it I wondered what use is a temple to vampires which are forsaken by the gods.
As the temple rose the never ending stone fool of the city began to change some changed out for dirt where plants started to rapidly grow causing the stone brick floor to look more like a path then a floor. Other parts fell in completely only to be replaced by trenches of dirt. Where the trenches of dirt met the many paths to the buildings bridges formed. As the plants grew to adulthood a mountain rose far off in the background. As I stood there in amazement I heard running water. As I looked for the water I saw it surging from the base of the mountain.
“That is temple and our next destination. Time to get moving. It will be a long walk.” My grandfather said.
To which I replied “Why don't we run?”
“You may be able to run like a human does but you are not ready to run like a vampire” as he said this he disappeared with a crack. Only to appear hundreds of feet away sitting on a tree branch in the now fully grown forest surrounding the mountain. I decided to try as well. I tensed all my muscles and shot off with a crack.
You have died
I respawned next to my grandfather who chuckled then said “Told you that you weren't ready. Now if you don't mind lets take a leisurely walk through the forest”
As we took our time walking through the forest I noticed a clearing within the forest. As we reached the temple I felt like I was being watched but every time I looked to where the feeling was coming from it would disappear only to reappear somewhere else.
Throwing dagger created
-50 health
Without looking I threw the dagger to where I felt the presence. I looked to where the dagger landed and saw a young man standing there with the dagger caught between his fingers.
“Very good nice sharp instincts. Almost perfect senses. Were you actually able to tell where I was? Hmm seems so. Haven't had such a perfect student since…ever” The strange man in the monks outfit said. He then continued “Since you are here it must mean you are ready for what I am about to teach you. Close your eyes and focus on your sense of feel the air across the hairs along your skin and the ground under your feet.”
As I did so I felt the air move as something shot towards my face. I moved backwards quickly.
“Good, Helen did a great job with your body's growth. It only took three punches for you to notice what was happening I think thats a record. Well since that sense seems to be working fine guess its time to work on the ones that don't come so naturally to us. Follow me.”
As he said so he faded away only to leave a faint presence for me to follow.
As I followed his slow moving presence around the mountain I reached the source of the river that flows through town. It was a giant statue of a hooded man pouring water out of a urn. He appeared behind me and said “See this dagger you threw at me? We will be using this as the object of your first lesson in echolocation. Focus only on the dagger. Now close your eyes. Can you still see the dagger?” I replied “No but I can see a rough outline.”
He then said “Focus on the dagger until you get a proper outline then tell me”
I sat there for hours focusing on the dagger then finally
Skill Creation: Echolocation
EcholocationAllows the ears to be used as a secondary seeing source only provides outlines of objects. No constricted by line of sight.
“I got it.” I stated
“Hmm this is much too soon for actually getting it. Lets test it. Close your eyes.” He said as soon as my as were closed he created three jars.
“What are the jars for?” I asked
“They were for testing whether you actually got the skill or not but apparently that is not necessary. You have already proven that you can use echo location” he said from behind me. He then continued “Now that you have learned the skill you must learn to enhance it work to expand the distance you can see and the detail with which you can see. The better you can see and the farther you can see the easier the next part will be.” my uncle said
As I sat there focusing on each and every detail counting the blades of grass and watching the water droplets fall from the water spout and crash into the lake that feeds the river the area that I could see expands.
Echolocation: level up
As my view expands in all directions I slowly take in the details. For what seems like such a short time I continued to look around for more details to take in I searched through the ground for more details to see ants burrowing in the ground.
“Kid get up its been four days of you sitting like that. What level is your Echolocation at?” my uncle asked me.
I said aloud “Skill info Echolocation.”
Echolocationlevelintermediate 5effects
* 10 meters of advanced vision
* 1000 meters of normal vision
* 30000 meters of blurry vision
As I thought about how far I can see I checked if I could see the town. I could see the town but most of it appeared as a very rough outline.
“Since you are well beyond the minimum requirements to learn to run lets move towards the testing ground for running.” as he said this he moved up the mountain path as I followed him. I wondered how high up the mountain we were going to go. When we passed through the cloud layer the mountain suddenly became very flat almost like someone cut the tip off.
“Give me a second while I create the beginner training ground for running.” As he said this blood suddenly spewed from his fingers and flew towards the outer reaches of the mountain top creating a net.
“The main problem with vampiric running and leaping is not doing so in itself. The problem is stopping.The nets are there to stop you from flying off the mountain and having a very unpleasant flight before having a more unpleasant landing. As you have no doubt experienced before.” my uncle said. He then continued “Right now you will practice your run until you are able to start and stop ten meters apart”
After he was finished talking I decided to start immediately so as to get this out of the way so that I can finally undo the humiliation of being defeated twice without being able to land a single blow.
Crack.
I took of flying across the top of the mountain. As I thought about stopping I looked to the ground to try to position my feet only to trip myself and go flying into the net.
“Use your Echolocation to see if you look down to see you will trip every time.” my uncle said.
I ripped off the sleeve of my tattered clothes and wrapped it around my head so that I could not see with my eyes. As I tried again I launched with a crack and started to focus on stopping only to skid for meters till I bumped into the net. I stared at the skid mark across the ground.
“When you launch yourself do you just use your muscles to do so? No you dont. Why would you try to stop yourself with just your muscles.”my uncle said.
After that I focused on the start of my run. Right before I took off I stopped trying and focused on what was going on in my legs. I could see my muscles flexing but I could feel something more happening. As I restarted my run I took off with a crack. As soon as I started I kept the unknown flow going as I started to stop. The stop was so sudden That I lost balance.
“Good you have finally learned how to stop. With how well you went with everything else I thought you would be done already.” With that said my uncle stood up and walked to the middle of the mountain top created a sword and cut two lines. He then said “Start at one and end on the other once you have accomplished that I will tell you the next step”
I walked over to the line and started my run to the other one. Crack. I made the run and stop in one go.
“Good thats more like how you accomplished the first few tasks. Just like a true prodigy.” As my uncle said this he turned the lines into two boxes and then made two more boxes then he put a number in each box one, two , three and five respectively. He then walked some distance away and made another square which he wrote four in. Then he said “You will use running and stopping to go from one to two to three to four to five then back to two. You will keep going until you can do it without stopping for more than half a second at each stop.”
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As I stood there I got ready to start my run and headed for number two stopped and started again only to spin out. I waited for my uncles comment but it never came. Guess I have to figure this one out on my own. I started to think about how my grandfather did his run. He didn't lean into it like you do with a normal run. It was more of a step then vanish movement. Grandfather did say that ungraceful and ugly things are things that vampires hate the most. This time upon starting I didn't lean into the run I only stepped forward and applied the same things once more.
As I finished the test run of my new way of running it seemed less difficult and more smooth. I decided to try to do the test once more as I stood on the one I started my run to the to stopped then attempted to do a run to the side with the same motion as I did for the forward run. Instead I ended up going forward once more.
“The direction you step dictates the direction you go. The flow only changes the speed at which you get there.” My uncle chimed in.
I decided to try a side step with the run and I moved properly the distance I wanted to.
I went to the challenge once again this time I stepped forward to spot two sideways to spot three forwards and left to spot four and backwards and right to spot five then ended with a right forward step to spot two.
*clap* *clap* *clap* “Well done have you figured out the weakness to the vampiric run yet?” my uncle asked with a smile on his face.
“Yes I have the weakness are you must know the land upon which you are doing it you must be able to know where you want to stop and you must also know all your plans ahead of time.” I said.
“Mostly correct” He responded then said “You forgot that there must be nothing between point A and point B”
“Well our time here is done. It is time for you to learn your last two things that are needed to be taught.” said my grandfather.
From there we descended down from the mountains towards the forest. After we entered the forest I noticed a giant animal prowling the edge of my normal echolocation sight range. It seemed to always stay a foot or two away from the distance I could see it. As we were about to pass the clearing my grandfather said “Take off the blindfold it looks silly. Also we are here where you will get your next skill. Come out Fluffy stop your hiding.”
Suddenly the animal disappeared from my vision only to appear right in front of me soundlessly.
You have been granted the skill : Animal speech
“Do not call me that Steven.” Fluffy roared
“I will stop calling you Fluffy when you stop being a show off.” My grandfather replied. He then turned to me and said “You got what you need here head to the Vampiric Grimoire and open the mages tower. Me and Fluffy here have some stuff we need to talk about.”
As I walked off to the town I could hear them talking in some unknown language apparently being able to speak to animals does not allow you to understand everything they say.
Once I got to the Vampiric Grimoire I looked through it for the mages tower. Upon finding it I let go of the book and the familiar ground cracking begun. As I waited I began to think what is below this ground. As I focused on the ground I noticed nothing. Not like nothing being there but more of the inability to see. It was like the darkness of a dark room versus the darkness of your closed eyes.
Finally the mages tower was finished raising from the eerie nothingness. Once I started to proceed to the doors they vanished. Then a loud series of cracks as something moved rapidly using vampiric run.
As I entered the building I was greeted by a elf who said “As a vampire king candidate you are capable of using two types of magic of your choosing. You also get darkness magic which is not a magic we normally use it just alters the magic you cast in some way. The offensive types you can chose are ice fire lightning wind and force. The defensive ones you can chose are earth and shadow. Then there is the utility one which is rarely ever chosen sound also known as thunder. Would you like me to suggest magic types based on how you fight and what I have seen of you?”
As I stood there listening to him I decided getting his opinion wouldn't hurt. I responded after some time “ Your opinion would be very helpful also if you do not mind could you also tell me why you think they would be good for me.”
“I suggest lightning and thunder. Lightning because it will allow you to choose who and what you harm with your magic. I also chose it because it is a very stand alone magic there is almost nothing immune to lightning. I chose thunder because you seem to be able to use things much more effectively than anyone I have ever seen before. I think thunder will really benefit it can be used to reduce or increase any sound as well as change the sound completely.” the elf said.
“I think those will suit me quite well. How do I start to use magic?” I asked.
“You are already half way there. Remember how you use vampiric run? Remember that flow just below the skin? That is mana. It is not used unless it exits the body. You have been using it to enhance your movement by sending it into your muscles. After being used by your muscles it breaks back down and returns to your flow. If you were not a vampire this would be deadly and painful.Until you generate the magic mastery we will be using dark bolt. Focus your mana into your palm “
I started to swirl the mana within my palm focusing more and more of my mana into my palm. Once I had enough I brought it to the surface.
-2000 mana
“Thats a bit too much power put into that shrink it down.” the magic instructor said.
As I focused on the ball I tried to compress it with my will. It slowly conformed to my will. Slowly going from a boulder size to a cannon ball. “Where should I throw this?” I asked.
He said “It is much too large to just toss it at a wall and watch it disperse. Lets head outside and you can launch it towards the forest.” as we headed outside he said “Launching something with magic is almost like running except instead of applying the mana to your muscles you apply the mana to the thing you want to launch and give it direction.
I took aim towards the forest and used my mana to move the ball forward.
-500 mana
You are out of mana any further spell casting will damage your health.
The ball hurtled from my outstretched palm towards the forest. The first tree it hit was still standing but from the back of the tree exploded a dark cone eviscerating all the trees in its path.
-50 health
“You did not shrink the power in it you just compressed it you idiot. If you had accidently set that off in the mages tower half the tower would have been gone.” He said after smacking me in the head.
Skill Creation: Mana mastery
Skill Creation: Magic mastery
Both of them gained three levels.
“I have gained magic mastery and mana mastery now at least.” I said
The elf replied “That makes things easier but you do need to work on your control of your magic. If you do that in the real world you will be considered the monster. Now to gain the lightning element take two SMALL bits of your mana and rub them against each other till you create sparks.”
I summoned what energy I could in each of my palms to form dark energy orbs. I started rubbing them against each other to attempt to create sparks.
the magic instructor then said “Now that you have started you need to locate the sparks within the dark mana and focus on them and enlarge them.”
As I focused on the mana that was outside my body I noticed a darkness brighter than the other darkness. As I focused on tracking down the strange darkness I noticed that it looked more like a lightning bolt then it did darkness the only thing different was that it was black. As I focused on the lightning like mana I dispelled the rest of the mana out into the air. Then asked “Now what should I do with the lightning mana?”
“Bring the lightning mana back into your flow so that your body can memorize it and use it later.” He said.
As I did so I felt the entirety of my mana within me change. Instead of being a liquid it felt more like a static force pulsating throughout my body. When I felt my energy begin to calm down one of the clear things popped up.
Mana Type gained: Dark lightning
“I gained Dark Lightning mana type” I said aloud
The magic instructor responded “Good now see how it affects your run and your body in general. There is always an effect when you gain a mana type.”
After he finished I started my run as usual with my new energy. Instead of moving from place to place like I normally did I became lightning and went to my new location. I looked around where I landed for the normal scorch marks that accompany lightning striking but found none. As I headed back via my run my grandfather threw a ball of solid blood in front of me. I couldn’t stop but instead of crashing into it and dying I instead passed around it. “This could be very useful” I said to no one in particular.
My grandfather then said “Why don’t you try running to where nothing is”
I started my run and aimed for about ten meters up to be my stopping point. I immediately took off and appeared ten meters above the ground. As I was falling I tried to start my run again to land on the ground without falling. It just fizzled out.
-200 health
I got off the ground then my grandfather said “Now you know the weakness of lightning run. It can not start where there is nothing to push off of.”
As I listened to him I headed back inside to learn my other mana type.
“Good your back learning sound magic is a lot more difficult it seems. I just finished reading on how to get it as none who have learned magic from me have ever wanted it. The first step you must take is to separate your manas from each other and only pull out the dark mana type.”
As I started bringing my mana to my hand I noticed there being two type of mana the static like mana and the fluid like mana. As I made the mana rise to my hand I only let the fluid mana pass.
“Good now that you have done that split the ball into two one for each hand.” as he said this I did it he then continued. “Since the mana is the from the same ball the two are now linked. Focus on the right ball as I strike the left one with this tuning fork. You will be looking for small vibrations in the mana single those out then disperse the mana that is not those vibrations.”
As I started focusing on the mana I felt something strike the other mana. Then I noticed the mana become fuzzy in my hand I focused on the fuzziness and noticed it was a wave like thing. I started to separate the fuzzy layer surrounding the dark mana I dispersed what was left of the dark mana. As I did this I brought the fuzzy mana into my flow and checked for any changes in my mana. There was no change in my flow.
Mana Type gained: Thunder
“I gained the mana type but there does not seem to be any changes in my mana flow.” I said
The magic instructor responded “Yes that is normal with sound type mana it says here that the sound type mana is so subtle that it is hidden even by any other type of mana. It also says that sound type mana is a mana that unlike other manas works on instinct and passively.” He paused then continued “Try running again. See if it has an effect on that.”
I started my run and aimed for right next to the Vampiric Grimoire. It didn't seem any different.
“That is one amazing effect it had on your run. We couldn't hear the crack of your run or the lightning as it normally crackles in the air.” The magic instructor said then he continued “Try wrapping your hand in your lightning mana.”
As I did so the black lightning slowly wrapped around my hand. I listened for a sound from it there wasn’t any sound. As I started walking I noticed I couldn't hear my footsteps. I closed my eyes and focused on seeing myself using my echo location. It was creepy only being able to see everything but myself. As I was looking around I noticed the magic instructor and my grandfather coming towards me.
“It is time for you to leave here. Normally you would still have cooking sculpting drawing and many other things to learn still but you must be off soon. Helen will instruct you on what you need to do over there to reclaim the throne.” My grandfather said then continued “Oh yes before I forget tell the High priest of Freya this when you meet him. War and Bone Breaker may wake up if something like this happens again.”
-Has not been through editing will be replaced later just felt I need to post it sense I have been lazy and not writing.
-Not editors fault