Talax came to his senses to a disorienting reality. The weight pressing upon him was suffocating, an unrelenting force that seemed to defy the laws of nature. It was as though a colossal mountain had descended upon his prone body, pinning him to the ground. A disconcerting numbness enveloped his right side, while sharp, searing pain shot through his body, threatening to shatter his sanity.
He blinked several times, feeling a thick layer of dust and gritty particles, clinging to his sweat-soaked skin like a paste. However, no matter how much he blinked he couldn’t see anything. He felt panic starting to bubble inside him, his inability to see and move made him feel like a trapped animal. His breaths started becoming shorter and his mind started conjuring horrifying scenarios of what was happening.
With pure animal instinct, he began to thrash and howl, his limbs flailing wildly in the oppressive void. Each frenzied kick, each desperate punch, each agonized scream was met with a fresh onslaught of pain, as if some vengeful deity had decreed his punishment. He continued his frenetic struggle, ignorant of the passing of time, until his own body betrayed him.
Exhausted and battered, he finally accepted the inevitable. With a heavy sigh, his free hand and leg fell limply to his side. His overstimulated mind, once a chaos of fear and pain, began to calm down, and he felt some semblance of peace.
Drawing slow, deliberate breaths, Talax willed his racing thoughts to settle. Fleeting and harrowing scenarios continued to torment his consciousness, in an attempt to plunge him back into blind panic. But with steely determination, he fought off the mental onslaught.
Finally, with great effort, he managed to think rationally. He recollected the events before he woke up. He had just returned to the main chamber with Vesperine and saw Callum returning alone. He went in search of Franny and found him locked in battle with a massive spider. They had fought together, and Talax had the brilliant idea of activating his light bead inside the spider's dark domain, causing chaos. The blind spider had crashed from column to column until it had landed on top of him. Right!
Still unable to see anything, Talax reached out blindly, searching for the source of the crushing weight pinning him down. His hand touched coarse hair, and its rough texture provided some reassurance. But then a thought struck him, why was he surrounded by darkness? Could a spell be responsible for his blindness? And where was Franny? Perhaps he could use his spell, Luminous Spark, to illuminate his surroundings!
Desperation compelled him to call out for his friend, but the echo of his own voice, strangely muffled and contained, unnerved him even further. It was as if he found himself enclosed within a tight, suffocating space, his voice echoing back at him without the usual distortion of distance. The memory of the expansive chamber with its ominous dark columns seemed worlds apart from this claustrophobic place. What had happened? He vividly remembered being in the vast chamber filled with dark columns, and now... now he was trapped!
A fresh surge of panic threatened to consume him, and he couldn't suppress the overwhelming sensation of being entombed. For agonizing minutes, he wailed in frustration, hurling curses at Edward, Vesperine, Franny, the very Gods themselves, and anyone else who came to mind. Finally, the frenzy of panic subsided, and he drew in ragged breaths.
He had to find a way to escape the dead spider and regain his sight. First things first, he needed light. He wracked his brain for a source of illumination. His first thought was his beads, which emitted light when he infused them with mana, followed by the flint he had looted from bandits long ago. Both items were stashed in his bag, which was unfortunately squished beneath him.
He attempted repeatedly to reach his bag with his free hand, but to no avail. A defeated breath escaped him, and he screamed his frustration. He had to find an alternative, a spell! A spell could provide the solution. He delved into his core, checking his available spells.
Void magic, level 1
Weak Void Ball: Summons a small singularity that erases whatever comes across its path.
Summon time: 2 seconds, spell duration: n/a, cooldown: 5 minutes
Water Magic, level 6
6% resistance to water magic
Clear Water: Summons a small stream of clear blue water that is suitable for consumption.
Summon time: 1 second, spell duration: n/a, cooldown: n/a
Bubble of Confusion: Summons a small bubble of water that causes the target confusion.
Summon time: 2 seconds, spell duration: 4 seconds, cooldown: 5 minutes
Fog of Mystica: Summons a fog that disorients the targets in an area 3mx3m
Summon time: 5 seconds, spell duration: 7 seconds, cooldown: 10 minutes
Slick: Your body is encased with a fine layer of water making it more difficult for your opponents to grab you.
Summon time: 2 seconds, spell duration: 10 minutes, cooldown: 5 minutes
Rejuvenating Water: You are bathed with calming water that rejuvenates your body and makes physical exertion easier.
Summon time: 2 seconds, spell duration: 5 minutes, cooldown: 20 minutes
Earth magic, level 3
3% resistance to earth magic
Stone Spike: Summons a spike made from stone that deals +5 base damage. It is extremely brittle but exceptionally sharp
Summon time: 1 second, spell duration: n/a, cooldown: 2 seconds
Dark magic, level 1
1% resistance to dark magic
Tar of Restrain: Summons a thick substance that covers an area 2x2 that impedes the movements of the targets.
Summon time: 2 seconds, spell duration: 1 minute, cooldown: 3 minutes
Death magic, level 1
1% resistance to death magic
Touch of Death: The caster's touch becomes imbued with the power of death, causing a target to wither and age temporarily, reducing their strength and agility.
Summon time: 1 second, spell duration: n/a, cooldown: 10 seconds
Spectral Guardian: summons the spirit of a fallen warrior for a short duration. The spectral guardian's primary role is to defend the caster and engage in combat. It is able to inflict damage for a maximum of 200 health points or receive damage of equal amount.
Summon time: 8 seconds, spell duration: 8 minutes, cooldown: 20 minutes
Minor Hex: By a mere touch of your hand upon an opponent, you cast a hex that hungrily devours its own mana. When the hex is triggered, it unleashes an implosion that inflicts severe damage upon the target and, to a lesser extent, those in proximity.
Summon time: 3 seconds, spell duration: n/a, cooldown: 3 minutes
To his surprise, he realized he had amassed a vast repertoire of spells. Some he had frequently used, becoming cornerstones of his fighting technique, such as Fog of Mystica and Stone Spike. Others, like Slick and Clear Water, were seldom used, but each spell had found its purpose and helped Talax in various ways. However, upon examining his available spells, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment, none of them seemed capable of helping him in his current predicament.
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Only one spell gave him pause, Spectral Guardian. The summon projected a luminous presence, emitting a soft light that would act as a beacon in the pitch-black darkness. Talax grunted in frustration, as he remembered that the spell required the use of both hands, and his right side remained trapped.
Then, another thought crossed his mind. When he cast a spell, his hands emitted a feeble light due to the concentration of mana that charged the spell. What if...
Raising his left hand, he cast his simplest spell, Stone Spike. Earth mana, tinged with brown, briefly shone on his hand. However, the light was so faint and fleeting that it didn't provide him with any meaningful visibility. Talax gritted his teeth and fired a couple more spikes, with similarly disappointing results.
In a fit of frustration, he banged his head on the ground, and suddenly, an idea seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Why couldn't he generate his own mana, just as he had during the dark trial or when he had been bitten by the serpent, redirecting his ambient mana to combat the poison? If successful, he could control both the intensity of the light and its duration!
With renewed determination and excitement, Talax began testing his new theory. The absolute darkness worked in his favor for his current project, allowing him to concentrate on his mana pathways and the streams of mana coursing through them.
It had been a long while since he'd taken the time to study his gates and pathways. Since entering the dungeon, he had hardly had a moment to spare, let alone sit and focus on his mana pathways. Now, he meticulously examined every part of his body, marveling at the transformation he had undergone. The once narrow and fragile pathways, which had resembled delicate threads, had matured into robust conduits with the capacity to hold a vast reservoir of mana. They now resembled broad, shimmering rivers of mystical energy, winding their way through his being.
His attention was drawn to the areas where he had previously unlocked his gates, and here, a radiant, ethereal blue glow radiated from the channels, exuding an aura of power and unwavering resilience. It was as if the very essence of mana had woven itself into the very fabric of his being, imbuing him with newfound strength and potential.
Turning his gaze to his tokens, he hoped that some locked ability would help him get out of his current predicament. However, after scrutinizing his current selection, he found himself less than impressed. He didn’t have high hopes, as he remembered most of them, but the disappointment still stung.
With no other apparent solution in sight, Talax turned his focus to using his ambient mana. He concentrated, attempting to grasp and guide this magical essence, but the effort felt like trying to mold water with his bare hands. At each attempt, it slipped through his metaphoric fingers, elusive and disobedient. Without the help of an element of magic, to use as catalyst, the ambient mana appeared reluctant to follow his command. But he had done it once and he would do it again.
Determined, he made another attempt. This time, he managed to take control of a small portion of mana coursing through his mystical pathways, but his grasp slipped as they merged with other currents. An exasperated sigh escaped him, and he pressed on, repeatedly trying to master the unruly forces.
Once again, his efforts ended in frustration as the same pattern emerged. He could guide mana only up to a point, but once these tendrils connected with the greater currents within his body, they lost cohesion and were swept away by the relentless flow of magic.
Talax's brow furrowed as he contemplated the problem. It became evident that the key to success lay in controlling a significant quantity of ambient mana, enough to allow it to flow through his channels unimpeded by the other, stronger currents. The solution was obvious, he had to accumulate a critical mass of ambient mana that would navigate his intricate pathways without being subsumed by the torrential streams already in motion.
Talax's eyes immediately focused on his gates, knowing that they held the highest concentration of mana within his body. These channels were larger, more robust, and well-suited to accommodate a significant quantity of magical energy. He honed his attention on one particular gate, where a steady stream of the brilliant blue fuel flowed. With unyielding determination, he exerted his will upon the magical substance.
At first, it appeared as though the mana was determined to resist his efforts, pushing back against his intentions. But Talax's resolve was unbreakable, and he persevered. He directed the ambient mana to move towards his left hand, and with the sluggish unwillingness of a teenager they started crawling towards their destination. He kept a close eye, afraid that if his attention faltered, the connection would break, and he would have to start all over again. Thankfully, his control held firm, and the mana continued their slow journey without interruption.
Gradually but persistently, the mana navigated the intricate pathways leading directly to his hand. The main channel branched off into smaller ones, affording Talax the opportunity to ensnare an ever-growing amount of the magical essence with his will.
When the mana finally reached his hand, he issued the command for them to manifest. Here, he encountered significant resistance. The ambient mana was so against the notion that he almost lost control and he had to grunt in frustration as he imposed his will that felt like it had a physical impact.
As a strange sensation coursed through his hand, Talax's eyes shot open. The sight before him nearly brought tears to his eyes, light! He had light! The surprise and delight momentarily overwhelmed him, causing him to lose control over the mana. He let out a menacing growl of frustration, quickly refocusing on trying again.
This time, the process proved significantly easier. In an instant, he was able to command the mana, feeling a burst of power in his core. Though tempted to check the source of this newfound energy, he kept his grip on the mana. When his hand shone again with the aethereal light he let out a whoop of delight. The light was feint and he could barely see his own fingers, so he poured some more mana into his hands.
The light grew brighter and his smug smile, died on his lips. He was trapped in a small space, surrounded on all sides by rocks and debris. It was not a cave; it felt more like a tomb, buried beneath a mountain of stones. He extended his hand, moving it around trying to understand what had happened, and the grim truth became apparent. A piece of the dark columns lay nearby, suggesting that the ceiling had collapsed when the massive spider had destroyed the surrounding structures. He had been plummeted into the earth as the floor gave way.
Panic began to claw its way back into his consciousness, and he poured even more mana into his hand, desperately seeking a glimmer of hope for salvation. His eyes darted frantically around, and it was then that he spied a small opening. Nestled beneath two toppled columns, a triangle of deep darkness beckoned to him, offering a slender ray of hope, a way out!
Clinging to the small hope of escape he began working on his next problem, how to get out of the dead arachnid. In an unexpected twist of fate, the very creature he had slain with his own hands had turned into an unwitting savior. It had acted as a cushion, shielding him from the crushing weight of the falling ceiling, minimizing the damage that would have otherwise killed him.
It was time for his spell Slick to shine. Thanfully the spell needed only one hand to be cast, and his fingers contorted in a peculiar configuration, and he suddenly felt a wetness all over his body. It was as if he had put on his clothes after showering without having dried off. His skin became slick and gleamed with moisture, glistening dimly in the light emanating from his hand.
Talax started squirming, moving like he was on fire. He felt his body scrape painfully against the rough ground beneath him, but the spider was his savior once again. With every wiggle, his body moved just a little to the side. His slick skin slid smoothly against the arachnid's coarse hair, providing him with the momentum he needed to escape his rocky prison.
As Talax continued to squirm and slide against the spider's coarse hairs, the sensation of friction against the rocky ground gradually lessened. The slickness of his skin, induced by the spell, served as a lubricant of sorts, allowing him to inch away from the pile of debris. His movements remained agonizingly slow, but there was progress.
Each deliberate squirm carried him a bit further, his slick skin preventing him from getting snagged on the jagged edges of the fallen stones. He grimaced as he encountered occasional discomfort, but the determination to escape this constricting space fueled his efforts.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Talax's relentless struggle paid off. He emerged from his rocky prison, his body damp with perspiration and slickness, but free. He gasped for breath, his heart pounding in his chest, as he took a moment to gather his thoughts and appreciate the sensation of open space.
The small opening beneath the toppled columns beckoned, and with a renewed sense of determination, Talax crawled towards it. His body was wrecked by agonizing pain, his right side was left all but useless, both his right leg and arm felt numb and unresponsive.
Still, he didn’t stop to think about the implications, and his every breath a painful heave he crawled closer and closer to the small opening. His body barely fit into the small triangle of darkness, and he felt rocks digging into his flesh. He gritted his teeth and with what little light he managed to maintain on his hand he shone inside the dark crevasse.
A sigh of relief when he saw that it was not a simple hollow, but a small tunnel that led into the unknown. He crept inside the tunnel and after a few meters he stopped to take a breather. His mana light was all but gone, with all his attention focused on simply moving along, he couldn't concentrate on his mana and keep a steady flow to his hand.
He leaned against the rocky wall and infused more mana into his hand. The process was instantaneous, and he felt another surge of mana, prompting him to finally look into his core.
Mana Manipulation skill, level 2
2% to mana control, 2% to mana sensitivity
A new skill... At this point it was hard to keep track of all his skills and abilities. Since the skill was still level 2, there were no abilities available, and he opened his eyes with a sigh. His hand looked almost alien with the ethereal light shining through. Reluctantly, he decided to check his wounds and he moved his good hand towards his ruined body.
His right side was in ruin, his clothes had been torn and tattered exposing the meat beneath, that looked tender and bruised, like it had gone through a meat grinder. He tried to move his fingers on his right hand, but all he accomplished was to feel empty numbness.
Despair tried to overwhelm him but the promise of escape still gave him hope. If he could find Franny and the rest, then he would be saved. The young noble still had some potions remaining, and Vesperine he was sure had a vast collection of health potions and elixirs.
With that thought he began crawling again, navigating through the confining space. The passage seemed more like a product of nature than the hand of man, and at times Talax had to squeeze through so tight spots that he thought he would get stuck there forever.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the tunnel came to an end. Talax cautiously poked his head out of the small hole, scanning his surroundings with a sense of trepidation. He extended his hand into the new space, casting a soft light to illuminate the area below.
He found himself perched high on a stone wall, overlooking a long, man-made corridor. This new passage, in stark contrast to the rocky tunnel he had just traversed, was clearly of human construction. Precision-fitted stones created a smooth, defined path, while cobweb-covered torches lined the walls.
He had finally found a way out! With newfound resolve, Talax gingerly lowered himself from the wall and landed on the stony floor. He crashed awkwardly; his right leg unable to support his weight.
Talax moaned in pain for long moments. Finally, he crawled and leaned against the wall, he couldn’t go on this way, he would become food for the first monster he came across. He needed help... He needed the Spectral Guardian!