As soon as Rahkim finished the word the very air surrounding the skeletons on the staircase below seemed to turn white with shadow like snowflakes drifting in the air listlessly. In an instant the white space seems to ripple and then everything within begins to freeze over as ice crystals spread along the floor, and even begin to form on the skeletons themselves. By the time Rahkim had begun to run down the stairs the black light in his hand had faded and the six skeletons below had frozen in place with their bodies covered in a pale blue ice.
With every step Rahkim took in his dash down the steps he could begin to feel a sense of mental fatigue starting to take over and his connection to the Life Well within growing hazy.
'Shit, I used too much Life Energy in that spell. If my luck is good I can maybe cast that twice more, but I'm not sure if I can stay awake afterwards … Not to mention with the difference in my Life Well, I'm not even sure it functions like a normal one, however it is they work in the first place that is.'
Giving out a sigh Rahkim arrived at the bottom of the staircase and jumped past the frozen skeletons at the bottom as he looked for a way out of the hall. Off to the right side Rahkim could see another set of doors set into the wall similar to the one he had came in through. Looking back up the stairwell the other eight skeletons seemed to have disappeared on the far side of the pillar, but the grinning knight still sat silently at the top just staring down at Rahkim.
Seeming to notice Rahkim's gaze the knight's grin seemed to grow wider as he spoke again, his voice strangely clear even all the way down at the hall below.
“Run little mage, run. Go as fast as your feet can take you, but know that no matter where you hide in your little act of defiance that we'll find you. This city belongs to the Master, and undead within bend to his will. The Master is in no rush, so run, let me enjoy a hunt once again.”
With that the grinning knight turned and walked into the doorway behind him leaving his minions to chase after Rahkim. Confused by his words Rahkim turned, and started to run towards the set of doors in front of him with only one skeleton standing guard his chances of escaping seemed solid enough. When he drew close to the door the skeletal guard finally took action as it grabbed its spear, and stabbed towards Rahkim.
Throwing caution to the wind Rahkim didn't even try to dodge the incoming spear and simply let the weapon slash through his robe. He could vaguely feel the spearhead stab into his ribs, but paid it no attention as he brought his sword down on the shaft smashing it apart and leaving the guard weaponless. Seemingly enraged the skeleton through the useless remains of the spear shaft at Rahkim before lunging out to try and punch him.
It's bones creaked and the molding leather strips it called armor tore slightly as it leaned into the attack, but before it could connect the skeleton saw the blade of a sword appear in front of it, and Rahkim simply jammed his sword through it's skull. The flames in it's eyes died out almost instantly as Rahkim jerked the blade and caused the skull to break off from the rest of the skeleton.
Rahkim ran around the collapsing guard and slammed into the door in front of him causing parts of it to break off as it slowly opened to reveal an empty courtyard leading out to a small gate. Barely paying the decrepit surroundings Rahkim started running towards the open gate as he reached inside, and began to draw from his Life Well once more. When black light began to flicker around his hand once more he stopped, and turned back towards the door to find several skeletons starting to make their way out of it. Raising his hand up the magic circle formed in the air much faster than before, and Rahkim spoke the trigger word for a second time,
“Ice.”
Like before the air around the skeletons turned white, but this time the snowflakes created in the white space seemed more real. A deep feeling of exhaustion crashed over him, but he continued fueling the spell as the white space rippled once more. In seconds the door way he had escaped through was covered in ice, and the skeletons who had made their way through served to slow down their companions as their statue like remains blocked the way.
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With that done Rahkim turned back to the gate, and began to run once more though this time he noticed his pace was slowed and he couldn't help but to stumble in a few spots. Even stranger he could feel something gnawing at his mind, an urge that he thought he would never have to experience, hunger. However, he knew he couldn't stop to ponder why he felt this, he had to get away from here before more of this 'Master's' minions showed up.
Past the gates he could see a sight similar to the tower behind him, the street ahead was littered with chunks of stone, and the buildings that lined either side seemed ready to collapse at the slightest disturbance. Unsurprisingly the street seemed completely devoid of anything, but rubble as Rahkim began to stroll down it, weaving from one pile of rubble to the next.
Unsure of where to go Rahkim began to look at the buildings around him for a suitable place to get a look at whatever surrounded this street. A fitting place came into sight soon after, it was built of the same stone as the rest of the buildings around it, but carved into the stone next to the door was a large circle with several runes carved into its center. Though most of them seemed foreign to Rahkim he did notice one, and his hand instinctively reached out to trace it.
“Ice. This place must have been related to magic back when this city was thriving, there might be something in here that can be of some use. Might as well look around before going up to find somewhere to go, it only looked like a few of those skeletons were even after me once I froze that door.”
Rahkim mumbled as he stepped through the empty doorway into a small dusty room. All around him the walls were lined with shelves and countless items were lined up on the ones that weren't bashed, or shattered. Pots containing withered plants, decaying books, strange crystals, and much more though time seemed to have destroyed what use much of this had previously had. Looking through the shelves for a way to carry stuff Rahkim quickly found a stack of robes very similar to his own, grey colored with black runic design along the edges.
'This will have to do for now.'
Rahkim thought as he sifted through them to find the least eroded of them before tying the sleeves together, and then tying the hood and the bottom of it to either sleeve. It was rather crude, but would work well enough so he put it over his neck and turned back to the shelves. Deciding it was best not to waste too much time he looked only for things that seemed to stick out to him, and the most prominent of which was a book that seemed mostly unaffected compared to the rest.
Once Rahkim picked it up he found out why as the title was 'No Dust, and Other Utilities: A Book on Low Grade, Disciple Rank Enchantments'. While the title seemed to verify its questionable use the fact that it could survive intact till now might be connected to some of the enchantments inside being placed on it, no to mention that it was his only real lead on magic at the moment. Rahkim placed it in makeshift bag, and started to look through the last of the shelves which primarily contained seemingly useless grey stones and withered plants.
Most of them seemed completely useless except for a single stone that unlike the others seemed to have retained its color. Crammed into the back of a box full of these stones there was a black gem-like one that seemed to give of a very faint feeling of power which is what had drawn Rahkim's gaze. The power wasn't like that of the grinning knight's, or the power Rahkim's teacher had spoken of, but rather felt similar to his Life Well. Without hesitation Rahkim quickly picked it up, and was almost overwhelmed as a sense of comfort washed over him causing the hunger, and exhaustion to lessen a bit.
Looking at the stone in his hand curiously Rahkim quickly noticed a faint trail of black light shifting from the orb into his hand. It was almost like the orb was helping restore his Life Energy!