"Ugh! I can feel the water inside my armor!" Franny complained as they trudged through the swampy waters. "It will ruin my Velerian silks! Qalo, could you be a dear and..."
"No!" Talax interjected. "We don't have time for that." They had been on Vesperine's trail for hours, picking up the small clues she had left behind. But they had been constantly pursued by the seemingly endless horde of toads. Three more waves of attackers had already crossed their path, leaving them all exhausted and irritable.
Ferdinand let out an exasperated huff, but he didn't press the matter any further. Talax scanned his surroundings, searching for any sign that they were on the right track. His tracking skill revealed the tracks of the tiny, bloodthirsty creatures on the nearby islands and tracks of other unknown beasts on the neighboring trees and vines. What he didn’t find were any signs of the rest of the group.
"I can't find anything," he murmured, more to himself than to the others.
"Did we lose them?" Franny asked anxiously, casting furtive glances as if expecting his uncle to materialize from behind some rock.
"Give me a moment," Talax insisted and crouched down next to a pile of broken branches and twigs that floated harmlessly beside him.
As soon as he crouched, a sharp whiz in the air made him look up. A groan escaped his lips as he saw small, round faces popping up all around them. The green bastards seemed to be everywhere!
"Not again!" Qalo wailed as he grabbed his rusty hammer. "I'm beat! I need some rest. And FOOD!"
Franny, on the other hand, appeared eager to fight. He clutched his sword tightly and regarded the toads as if they were dinner. In their previous battle, he had managed to level up and had finally decided to spend his hard-earned tokens on some new abilities.
The most impressive of these was the Sword of Light, which made his sword radiate light, blinding his opponents and boosting his accuracy for a short time. Next was the Arcane Vortex, capable of summoning a swirling vortex of mana around his sword, increasing his speed and making his attacks harder to predict. Lastly, he had unlocked an ability in his Medium Armor skill that improved his defense.
Talax couldn't help feeling a tinge of jealousy, he had to admit. He was also on the cusp of leveling up, but he didn't have any abilities to unlock that were as awesome as the ones Franny had obtained. Most of his abilities were passive, and the rest were somewhat unimpressive. Franny had explained that after their trials and his boosted affinity in light magic, new abilities had appeared, opening a new path for the young noble with branches on his swordsmanship skill tree associated with light magic.
Talax stood up, pushing aside his thoughts to focus on the battle. He swiftly grabbed his bow and nocked an arrow, activating his Explosive Arrow ability. He targeted a small cluster of toads high in a tree, that were relentlessly pelting them with darts. Approaching him was a wave of tiny warriors, but he didn't hesitate. He allowed his arrow to absorb as much mana as possible and released it the moment he felt the ability click.
The arrow soared through the air, and Talax tossed his bow aside, lacking the time to sling it back onto his back. Just in time, he unsheathed his sword to deflect an attack. He heard the small toad croak in protest as its wooden sword shattered upon impact.
Talax showed no mercy, swiftly dispatching one toad after another. He was too exhausted to care about the small creatures, that were determined to see them all dead. By his side, he glimpsed bright flashes as Franny unleashed his new abilities, rapidly thinning the numbers of their attackers.
As he neared the end of the toads to skewer, a loud croak signaled the arrival of the toad leader. He spared a last glance at the two toads that jumped at him in an effort to surprise him and with a careless flick of his sword he sliced the creatures in half. He then turned all his attention at the toad leader, who was acting strangely.
The toad leader stood within a cluster of rocks, twigs, and vines arranged in such a way that it resembled a makeshift nest. The leader briefly ducked out of sight, only to reappear clutching a small piece of wood etched with crude lines depicting a face. The toad let out another croak and began to dance, hopping from one foot to the other and emitting small sounds.
Talax watched in astonishment, trying to make sense of what he was witnessing. With a loud croak that caused the toad's sack on its neck to inflate, the small totem's eyes flashed with an otherworldly blue light.
Talax's eyes widened as he heard the soft pattering of rain. The water all around him churned from the impact of this inexplicable cloudless rain. Small droplets fell with such force that they stung his skin. Could that toad have really cast a spell? How was this possible? It was just an animal!
The toad leader emitted a smug croak and resumed its dance. Talax looked around, realizing with surprise that the darts were falling with renewed speed, and the small warriors moved with the agility of experienced dancers. His friends, however, were struggling, they were acting as if they were encased by honey, their every movement a struggle. In contrast, the toads defied gravity with their graceful pirouettes, their thin limbs executing impossible maneuvers.
A fresh wave of toads appeared, attacking without warning. They swarmed him, and it was a challenge just to keep track of their movements. Like persistent mosquitoes, they jabbed at him with their tiny swords, more annoying than truly dangerous. Talax activated his Mighty Blow ability, feeling mana concentrate in his sword hand, boosting his strength for a few moments.
His sword fell like a comet, obliterating three of the creatures. The remaining toads croaked in agitation, leaping back only to return and attack anew. Talax parried, slashed, and jabbed, but then he felt a stinging pain in his midsection. He looked down in surprise to find his shirt sporting a new gaping slash, and underneath it, angry red skin.
Talax looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the attack, only to spot the toad leader conjuring thin blades of water with the help of its totem. The soft drizzle hadn't stopped, its gentle murmur drowning out all other sounds in the swamp.
While Talax remained unaffected by the magical rain, he couldn't say the same for his friends. They struggled to keep up with the magically boosted toads. He felt small stabs from all over his body as the creatures attempted to harm him, but he paid them little attention. His focus shifted, trying to locate his bow. Thankfully, it wasn’t lost. He spotted it floating near the cluster of twigs he had examined earlier.
Wading through the water, he swatted at the toads swarming around him. When he reached his bow, he quickly aimed at the toad leader just as it unleashed a blade of water at Qalo.
Talax activated the Explosive Arrow ability, and with the added benefit of the First Blood passive ability, which provided 20% additional damage if the target was unharmed, he hoped to kill the small creature with a single arrow. He endured the bites and stabs from the bloodthirsty toads while imbuing his arrow. His body teetered on the brink of exhaustion from the relentless fight, but he knew he had to end the battle as soon as possible if they wanted to rest sometime.
His arrow gleamed with the ethereal blue mana, and with a weary exhale, he released it. The simple arrow soared over the muddy water and collided with the toad leader in a resounding explosion that sent small rocks flying from the outcropping.
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Mana flooded into his core, signaling the demise of the toad leader. With a relieved breath, he watched the light drizzle dissipate immediately, and the toads, which had been assaulting him with impunity, returned to their normal speed.
"Now you're done," Talax declared, but the small creatures, drunk on their success, appeared oblivious to his words. Talax, without a sword, used his small, crude knives, fists, and even an arrow to finish off the remaining toads.
Finally, he sighed and wiped his eyes, attempting to clear away some of the foul liquid splattered across his face. Franny had already dealt with the nearby small warriors and was currently taking on a few ranged toads whose tiny darts were useless against Franny's metal armor.
Qalo had a couple of toads left, but they looked more inclined to flee than to face the wrath of the angry orc.
Seeking relief, Talax cast the Rejuvenating Waters spell, which granted him some much-needed energy, although his body still felt weighed down by fatigue. Nevertheless, he couldn't shake his curiosity about the object the toad leader had been using. Realizing he wouldn't enjoy a moment's peace until he investigated it, Talax reluctantly set out to search for the magical item.
He waded through water up to his thighs, surrounded by floating remnants of defeated toads, until he reached the small cluster of rocks. He grimaced as he touched the slippery, snot-like surface of the rocks but managed to haul himself up.
Climbing for a few moments, with twigs and sharp rocks digging into his clothing, he didn't halt his ascent until he reached the top. His eyebrows shot up as he peered inside. The space was fairly deep, with layers of dried branches and twigs forming a small nest. At the center, there was a small hole, just big enough for the toad leader to squeeze through, and beside the hole, there was an opened chest.
Talax's eyes glittered with greed as he spotted the coins within the nest. He quickly crawled on all fours inside and was surprised by the sturdiness of the structure. His attention was quickly drawn to the wooden totem lying on the other side of the nest. One side of it was blackened from his earlier mana blast, and the wood had chips in several places. Nonetheless, when he gripped the object, he felt a connection attempting to form.
Without much hesitation, he established a link with the wooden totem. He sensed the connection reaching his core, anchoring itself to his water magic. His eyes widened in surprise; the peculiar sensation was like nothing he had ever experienced before. It was as if his water magic had found a new, direct path. Instead of the usual network of interwoven pathways throughout his body, this was like a clear, unobstructed flow.
With a delighted giggle, he began using his newfound tool. His fingers contorted, and arcane incantations tumbled from his mouth. In a matter of seconds, a thin, watery film encased his body. However, this spell drew from the mana stored inside the totem rather than his own. The totem's mana felt somewhat different, as if distilled by the pure essence of water magic, enhancing the spell's effects beyond anything he had ever experienced.
His tired muscles were soothed by the amplified magic, and even his reddened skin seemed to calm and heal. Talax's greedy heart thrilled at the small totem's potential. With this object, his spells would cost less and possess greater power.
Unable to contain himself, he began casting again, eager to see what would happen with his Fog of Mystica spell. However, as he started the incantation, he sensed something peculiar. The once firm and natural extension that felt like a part of himself now was flimsy and unstable, as though it might snap at any moment.
Before he could complete his spell, the connection abruptly snapped. An explosion of pain rattled his senses, and he felt his mana pool shrinking at an alarming rate. It took him a moment to regain his composure, the first thing he did was check his core. He realized that it had lost more than twice as much mana as the spell usually required, and the connection with the totem had vanished without a trace.
He opened his eyes and examined the small object, turning it around and inspecting every small chip and imperfection. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't sense even a drop of mana within it. For all intents and purposes, it appeared to be nothing more than a simple wooden decoration. Had he somehow broken the thing?
With a sigh, he placed the totem beside him and turned his attention to the rest of the loot. He found a few silver coins, which he quickly pocketed before Qalo could see them. The half-orc had amassed a substantial amount of coins during their journey through the catacombs and had given Talax only a small fraction. Although Talax had been allowed to keep the equipment they had found, as per his agreement with Qalo, but still...
In the corner of the small chest, he discovered three small rectangular beads with delight. When he held them in his hand, he sensed the unmistakable presence of dark magic. He placed the beads inside his pack, replenishing his stock since he had used some of them in the first battle with the toads.
Finally, his eyes landed on three small potions haphazardly lying inside the chest. One had a greenish color, and its vial was no bigger than his pinky. The other two, however, had more conventional casings, resembling most of Franny's potions. They had a deep blue hue, with a black cloud swirling inside the liquid, reminiscent of the dark clouds in the night sky before a devastating storm. He wanted to know what the potions could do, but he had no way of finding out.
Then a thought struck him. He peered out of the nest and saw his two friends sitting on a small island. Qalo was eating something green, leading Talax to suspect that the half-orc had finally found a new source of food...
Franny, as usual, was meticulously grooming himself. Talax watched as he fixed his hair with intense concentration, parting it to the side with his comb. The young noble was so absorbed in his task that when Talax called his name, he jumped so high that the mirror slipped from his grasp and shattered into tiny pieces.
"Oh, no! That's bad luck!" Qalo wailed, clutching a small green thigh to his heart.
"For the love of Avass! What other calamity will befall me?! First, I lost my favorite hat, and now my beloved mirror? What's next? My expensive skin revitalizing salves?" Franny looked utterly bereft as he lamented his misfortune. Talax remained partially concealed within the nest, with only his head exposed, attempting to avoid his friend's outburst.
Franny whirled around and turned accusing eyes on Talax. He tried to duck and hide from Franny's impending wrath, but he wasn't quick enough. "I see you!" the enraged noble yelled. "It's all your fault! That mirror was a family heirloom, dating back centuries!" Qalo stood up and attempted to soothe the red-faced Franny. "I'm sure we can find a mage to fix your mirror. There are spells for that!"
Talax deliberated between facing Franny's anger and hiding in the nest until his friend had calmed down. After weighing his options, he chose to entice Franny with the new potions. He raised his hand just enough to be visible to his friends and waved at them with the blue potion glistening in the dim light.
"What is that?" Qalo inquired as soon as he spotted the bottle. "I don't care! My precious mirror is shattered, just like my heart. How will I ever get over such a twist of fate?" Talax rolled his eyes at his friend's dramatics and shouted from the safety of the nest.
"Now that you have the alchemy skill, can you identify potions?" Franny's cries of despair stopped abruptly, and the noble exclaimed in surprise, "Indeed, I can! I had completely forgotten about that!"
So... Could you identify this potion I found?" Franny remained silent for a moment before replying tersely, "Fine! But don't think for a moment that I have forgiven you for your slight." Talax stood up, finally revealing himself, with a bright smile. "I will strive every day for your forgiveness!"
Franny nodded, seemingly oblivious to Talax's sarcasm, and waved his hand to see the potion. Talax climbed down from the nest with the three potions and found himself wading through the swamp once more. When he reached his friends, he gave Franny a reluctant smile and offered him the potions.
Franny took the blue potion first and inspected it with a frown. After a pause, he said absently, "It's called Potion of Murky Clarity. When you throw the potion, it establishes a domain where figures constructed by dark vapor appear, confusing and disorienting enemies." Talax shook his head, somewhat disappointed, but he heard Franny whistle in admiration. "It has a great area of effect! The domain of effect is 6x6! That's huge for a potion!"
Seeing his friend's enthusiasm, Talax was mollified and checked the potion still in his hands. "Cool, you can keep it. I'll keep this one," he announced, putting the small bottle inside his pack. However, he heard Qalo protest, "Hey! What about me?"
Talax shrugged and offered him the small vial with the greenish liquid. "You can have this one." Qalo looked at the offered potion in distaste and protested, "It's tiny!"
"It may have amazing effects, though!" Talax turned to look at Franny, who was inspecting the potion with a strange gleam in his eyes. "Well?" Talax prompted, and Franny's lips puckered, as if he was struggling not to laugh.
"Well?" Qalo repeated, placing his hand on his waist. "Well..." the noble began, attempting to keep a straight face, "that potion... ahem... is used... ahem... for enhancing one's skin color to attract... mates." Talax blinked several times, trying to make sense of what he heard. Qalo seemed to be in the same predicament, looking around and asking with clear confusion in his eyes, "What?"
Franny sighed and, with a resigned tone, explained, "The toads drink that potion so that their skin becomes greener to attract females for mating." Talax blinked again, and Qalo remained just as confused as before.
"What?"
The noble merely nodded.