Suitable Sub-Elements: Fire, lightning
Unsuitable Sub-Elements: Earth, Wind, Water
[—]
"Threads of mana?" asked Scott. He rubbed his head for a moment, but his question was answered by the knowledge that had been unfolding within his mind. He decided to give it a try immediately.
Scott lifted his right hand and pointed with his index finger. He touched the center of his power, his mana, and focused on moving it up through his body to the tip of his finger. After that he willed the power forward to a point just beyond his finger tip. It caused a slight lightning-like energetic effect where mana skittered out from his finger and stopped in the air before him.
He drew his finger to the side and the mana hovered in place after he moved. Scott drew a thin horizontal line of mana roughly the width of his palm. He then moved his hand up and drew a similar vertical line that inexpertly bisected the horizontal line.
The glowing energy floated in the air and made a slight crackling sound. The hard part began when he tried to touch the celestial energy within the area. There was little to be found due to the enclosed space. However, he did have a little of it housed within his spirit due to his connection to the heavens. It was a struggle, but Scott managed to draw four more lines of energy each of which bisected the right angles formed by the mana cross.
This is where his attunement stat shined. He had more than twice the minimum required to attempt this process. It proved to be difficult to use, but that was primarily due to the low amount of celestial energy in the area. If he had been outdoors it would no doubt prove simple. His attunement stat made up for that lack nicely.
Scott drew the energy together in a sphere and watched it begin to glow. Every few seconds a pulse of light would occur that lit up the whole room.
He had created the pattern, but a pattern was not a spell. It was something that could be used to develop a spell. The next step was to combine this pattern with the one spell that he knew could fit well with it. He went through the process of casting the [Stable Orb of Brilliance] spell that he had cast so many times before.
Once the spell was cast he took a moment to try and merge it with the spell pattern that he had created. Unfortunately, it did not work out well for him. He ended up losing both the spell and the spell pattern.
Scott tried again with similar results. "Probably can't just merge a current spell with it. What if I..." he said.
He drew up the spell pattern once more then studied it for a moment. He could not combine an existent spell, but that did not mean that he could not recreate the effect while using the pattern. He could not use the system to cast the spell if he wanted this to work.
While the pattern of celestial power hovered in the air, Scott performed the steps to the [Stable Orb of Brilliance] perfectly. Sadly, they did not merge at that point either.
He rubbed his chin for a moment then blinked. "Could it really be so simple?"
Scott dismissed the [Radiant Starlight] pattern and took a deep breath. He began the process to cast his orb of brilliance spell but just before the point where he spoke the name of the spell, he envisioned the creation of the spell pattern in the air before him. The energy of his spell flowed into the imagined pattern and a sphere of light emerged. It was weak and wobbled in place like a drunk on holiday, but it was there.
"Something's missing... but that's close." said Scott.
After a moment it became obvious what the problem was. Scott waited for the weak and wobbly sphere to dissipate then tried again. This time he drew out the spell pattern in the air and concentrated on the mental image of the eight-point symbol but did not complete the action of causing it to become a sphere. He then performed his orb of brilliance spell and stopped just short of manifesting it by way of speaking its name aloud.
The power of his spell merged with the pattern. He then caused it to draw together at the central point. It became a sphere of energy roughly the size of a tennis ball. It was still wobbly and unstable, but it was also far more intense in its brilliance.
Scott fiddled with the spell creation mechanics of his new concept design until his mana ran out. After a lengthy rest period he went back to work. Developing his new spell into a workable power completely drained him several times, but he eventually stabilized the energy enough that the sphere of light did not wobble.
The system called his new spell [Scott's Orb of Radiant Starlight]. He changed the name to something simpler and easier to call out in a fight. The name he chose was [Starlight Flare] since he could not just name it Radiant Starlight due to the fact that he had a pattern by the same name. It would contaminate his memories according to the name selection screen.
[Spell]
Starlight Flare
A celestial spell that radiates a series of energetic pulses that both lights up the surrounding area and damages those not in the caster's party. It does extra damage versus dark aligned or demonic entities.
Spell Type: Twilight Sorcery
Nature: Continuous effect - Pulsating
Current Maximum Effective Range: 4 yards/meters
Area-of-Effect: 4.7 yards/meters [Spherical]
Force: I
Responsiveness: 38% [Below Average]
Efficiency: 14% [Low]
Stability: 26% [Weak]
Mana Drain: Exorbitantly High
[—]
He assigned the spell to the fourth slot in his spell slot arsenal then grinned. The effective range of the damage.
Now that he had satisfied his desire to work with his newfound celestial spell, Scott turned his attention back to his arcane mastery skill. He had to choose a specialization there as well.
[Specialization Options]
Improve Mana Regeneration I
Improve Attunement Efficiency I
Reduce Casting Time I
Increase Spell Pattern Creation Efficiency
Increase Mana Pool
Increase Magical Resistance
Increase Magical Power
[—]
He immediately noticed that only three of the options could be chosen multiple times. After reading the little blurbs for each option he nodded. It made sense. They were one-time increases, but he could find ways to increase them again through further training. He got the impression that he would need to find a trainer to increase them further.
Each of the specializations played an important role, but he could only choose one. Ultimately, he chose the specialization that would allow him to develop more powerful spells easier at the moment. He chose to improve his attunement efficiency.
[Specialization: Increased Attunement Efficiency I]
Your training and mastery of the arcane has allowed you to develop an improved capacity to safely draw on more of your mana. You can also more easily attune to all of the elemental energies in which your class and race is aligned.
Attunement efficiency has increased slightly.
Elemental attunement efficiency has increased slightly.
Celestial attunement efficiency has increased slightly
Maximum safe mana usage potential has increased slightly
[—]
Scott grinned at the mirror then immediately began to work on his newest spell once more. He wanted to see if there was any difference. After working with the spell for a moment he could already feel a slight difference. Certain aspects of creating it without the system help were slightly easier than before.
He spent several rotations of training and sleep working on his new spell and managed to tweak it to the best point that he could manage with his current stats and skills.
[Spell]
Starlight Flare
A celestial spell that radiates a series of energetic pulses that both lights up the surrounding area and damages those not in the caster's party. It does extra damage versus dark aligned or demonic entities.
Spell Type: Twilight Sorcery
Nature: Continuous effect - Pulsating
Current Maximum E
ffective Range: 4.5 yards/meters
Area-of-Effect: 5.2 yards/meters [Spherical]
Force: I
Responsiveness: 38% [Below Average]
Efficiency: 22% [Low]
Stability: 35% [Below Average]
Mana Drain: High
[—]
The changes to his spell were not incredible or particularly potent, but he was able to increase the area of effect by half a yard, and decreased the mana drain. Those two capacity upgrades alone would help a great deal he was certain.
Mana drain was a little confusing for him at first. It seemed to have dropped an entire grade, but when he cast the spell it felt like he used the same amount of mana. The only thing he could see as a likely answer was that the mana needed for the spell remained the same despite the slightly increased effectiveness. It probably linked back to efficiency.
"I doubt it is particularly powerful, but it's a start. Let's go see what the big red bastards think about it."
Scott left the safety of the safe room and slipped quickly down the hallway. It was unnerving to be in the corridor after so long. The safe room had been a place where he could exist with absolute safety. It did not take long before memories of the horrors that he had faced began to well up within him.
He did his best to calm himself by focusing on his breath control. Death was a likely outcome from what he did within the next few minutes. It was the most likely outcome. All he needed to do was be prepared for the pain that came with it and everything would be fine.
Through the first large room he silently stalked, and into the next corridor. Normally there would have been at least one hellion in that room, but there was none today. However, it was not long before he reached the double doors that separated this side-section of the authority building with the main area. He could sense two hellions beyond his current location.
Scott focused on his breath control for a moment then touched his mana. He concentrated on the spell that he intended to cast. Energies both celestial and elemental began to surge within him. He raised his hand above his head and called out. "Starlight Flare!"
Lightning, mana, and celestial energy swirled or skittered upward along his frame and combined together and a single point displayed by an eight-rayed star. Those energies converged and became a sphere of bright pulsating pure-white light.
"Hey! What that?" asked a boisterous voice. A hellion had heard Scott's cry.
Scott burst out of the double doors and lunged for the closest of the two monsters. The hellion barely had time to reach into the odd rain coat to grab its weapon before he screamed in pain. The light pulsed and the monster cried out again. His flesh began to blister slightly and whirls of smoke skirled off his body and rose up from within his rain coat.
The monster staggered back and hissed loudly. Scott did not get the chance to do more than launch a simple front kick before the second monster slammed into his back. He was sent flying forward, but caught himself in mid-air and performed a quick and dirty somersault.
"The light! It burns!" screamed the demonic ogre. They backed away from Scott for a moment while eyeing the hideous light that floated above him. The light itself easily carried throughout the area, but the damaging effects only worked within a fairly short range. What the beasts did not know was that the light could be moved by the will of the one who conjured it.
Scott nodded his head and the light rotated forward slowly and moved away from him. The hellions backed away while they hissed at the light.
"Light burns! Light meat make me angry!" snarled one of the hellions before he revealed that he was an axe hellion. His battle axe had a blade that was easily as wide as Scott's chest.
The hellion on the left hissed something to the axe hellion then ducked around the corner. The little hairs on the back of Scott's neck rose. Was he a gun-fighter? That made no sense. If he had a gun he could have attacked Scott at range.
Scott could see his corpse up ahead. It was at the end of the corridor where the hellion had turned the corner. If he played his cards right be could back them away long enough to snatch up his body and make a run for it. As long as he could get it closer to the safe room, he would have a better chance of returning to it in the future.
The axe hellion snarled at him then grinned and then performed a quick spin to make it around the corner. A little spherical object went flying out from the connecting corridor and bounced off the wall. Scott instinctively jumped back, but to his surprise nothing happened. He heard angry voices from the corner.
"What you mean, it dud!" exclaimed one of the hellions.
"It not go boom. It dud." explained the other one reasonably.
Scott quickly ran forward upon hearing that explanation, but the moment he got within five feet of the little sphere it shook violently. A smiley face appeared on its smooth surface and it began to click.
He immediately picked up speed and kept running past it. He barely managed to hurl himself around the corner before the smiley face's smile grew three sizes and the little sphere exploded with great force.
"It not dud!" exclaimed one of the hellions briefly just before the other hellion shrieked. "The light! It burns!"
Scott's ears rang from the power of the explosion. While the hellions screamed and flailed in their attempt to escape the horrible, horrible, light Scott tried to stop the ringing in his ears. By the time he collected himself the spell was close to running its course.
He picked up his corpse in a fireman's carry and ran back toward the safe room. If he was lucky he might even make it.
"Get the light meat! It running away!" screamed the axe hellion before running after Scott. The grenadier hellion pulled out another smiley-faced explosive and joined the chase.
They could not get too close, however, as the light gave Scott minor protection from them for the moment. They had absolutely no defense against it even if it did not do much damage to them.
"Meat! I wanna eat light meat!" screamed axe hellion as he chased Scott.
"Stop light meat! I wanna eat you!" screeched the grenadier.
The spell ran out just as Scott cleared the large room and he whirled around the corner to enter the next corridor. Just before he reached the corridor that led to his safe room, he dropped his corpse and made a mad dash for safety. Scott whipped open the door just as another grenade went flying his way.
He staggered forward and sighed. "Damn that was close. When the fuck did these things get grenades?"
Scott sat down on the table then smiled. At least he knew the spell did something good. It was weak, but it worked. Hopefully the grenade had not blown his corpse apart, either. If everything went well he wouldn't be naked much longer. Things were starting to look up a little.
Chapter 4
The sound of booted feet slapping down rapidly against the stone floor echoed through the corridor behind Scott. He skidded around the corner on his way back to his safe room, chest pounding and breath coming hard and fast. He had lost count of the number of times that he had fought and died in the three story building that the hellions had laid claim to in the tutorial dungeon.
Sometimes he won, many times he lost. However, as time passed he spent the effort to train both his skills and his will to survive. Against the hellions it only showed to a small degree, but even a small degree of improvement was better than none and the effectiveness of his training was easy to notice.
The rapid-fire staccato of sound echoed through the area. Scott turned the second corner just in time to avoid being cut down by magical machine gun fire. He reached his safe room at the same moment that the machine gun hellion turned the final corner. This time he had made it back safely. He had managed that feat more frequently of late.
Blood dripped steadily to the floor as it poured from his many wounds. The number of hellions had decreased recently, but there were still over two dozen of them in the building. He did his best to kill a gun-fighter every time he saw one, even if it meant he would die as a result. Close fight
ers were dangerous, but the gun wielding monsters could kill him without even getting close to him. They did not all have terrible aim like the first one that he had met. In fact, most were good at taking him down.
The old wisdom that a man should rush a gun and flee from a knife was in full-effect due to his situation. Most of his deaths had come from gun-wielding hellions who had managed to kill him while he ran or because they had been part of a small group. When he rushed them he also died, but it happened with less frequency.
He glanced at the salvation mirror briefly to save his status then went to sleep. It was a consistent practice for him. How long had he been in this place? It was impossible to know, but it felt like weeks if not a few months.
After he awoke, he spent some time analyzing all of the items that he had gathered recently. Most of his loot sat in a large pile in the corner of the room. Once he had discovered that they would remain there safely, he had cleaned out his bag. The only thing he made certain to keep inside was the coins that he had looted. There were hundreds of the little copper things inside his bag. They took up quite a bit of space. Scott checked his status to see if anything had changed.
[Status]
Scott Jacobs
Race: Lunarii | Class: Twilight Master
Age: 18 | Max Lifespan: Ageless
Level: 5 | Title: The Reborn
Attack:140[183-190] | Defense: 140[201-209]
Strength: 100 | Agility: 100 | Vitality: 100
Origin ARS 5 Page 10