The Third Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  When he woke, he cleared his cauldron and started afresh. Erik’s body, having recovered, allowed him to complete the different stages of formation at a rapid pace.

  He formed pills and refined them once again. He didn’t let the changes and the sudden vapor released shock him. He found that he couldn’t find another bottleneck but there was a point that he just had to stop as he met a level where he could compress the pill more, but the medicinal efficacy didn’t increase.

  He was like a machine, grinding out pill after pill, not taking time to rest until Rugrat knocked on his door.

  Erik completed his last pill, stored away his cauldron and he went to the door. “What is it?”

  Rugrat indicated he wanted to come in side.

  Erik moved to the side, making sure that there was no one else as he closed the door behind him.

  “How is your Mana gate?” Rugrat asked once Erik closed the door.

  Erik took a moment to look at his Mana gate. It had been pierced and it was nearly completely open. The thread of Mana moving through it had turned into a flood, with only a small amount of the Mana gate detritus circling his Mana gate.

  “It’s nearly open,” Erik said.

  “Use one of these.” Rugrat tossed Erik a Mortal-grade Mana stone.

  Erik looked from it to Rugrat. “You do know how expensive these things are?” Erik asked.

  “You do know how much money Matt has made us off those monster cores?”

  Erik had forgotten about their wealth and nodded.

  “You can use the Mana stone to open another Mana gate and maybe pierce another,” Rugrat said.

  Erik hadn’t been focusing on his Mana Gathering system but he knew that it could be an incredible aid, even with his pills. He had been drained making them. With a higher Mana Regeneration, he could have the Mana to increase the quality of the pills and then recover faster to make more. It would also increase the speed that he could stack his Hallowed Ground, or the rate of fire of Mana bolts and bullets.

  Erik made to open his mouth.

  “Look, I know that it went bad for me but I was trying to do too much too fast. Up to that point, we have been able to cultivate without too many issues. I underestimated the backlash and just what I would need to do,” Rugrat said.

  Erik wasn’t sure what to say, knowing that his words wouldn’t help out. He simply nodded his head.

  “Okay.” He held the Mana stone and pulled out the Mana Gathering formation he’d cleared away and put it on the floor. “Watch out for me.”

  “I got your back,” Rugrat said.

  Erik looked at the Mana stone.

  ==========

  Mana Stone

  Rank: Mortal

  Weight: 0.5 kg

  Characteristics: Contains highly compressed Mana in a solid format

  ==========

  ==========

  Do you wish to use this Mana Stone?

  YES/NO

  ==========

  “Yes,” Erik said.

  ==========

  Do you wish to charge your items?

  No items found

  Do you wish to consume the Mana Stone?

  ==========

  “Consume it,” Erik said.

  The Mana stone glowed as the screens disappeared. The Mana stone started to turn into a stream of colored dust that circled Erik.

  With the Mana Gathering formation, it was unable to dissipate. Erik held the Mana stone and started to circulate his Mana, trying to draw the Mana in the air into his body.

  With the massive influx of Mana around Erik, the impurities in his Mana gate was like dirt being hit with a power hose.

  Erik sat there for nearly an hour and a half before he felt the Mana gate crack open fully, cleared of all impurities and detritus. His entire Mana system seemed to resonate with the power in the world around him.

  He opened his eyes as Mana was still circulating around him, unable to escape the formation plate.

  A notification floated in his eyes.

  ==========

  Quest Updated: Opening the Fourteen Gates

  ==========

  Congratulations! You have opened your eleventh Mana gate.

  ==========

  Requirements: Clear all of your fourteen gates (11/14)

  ==========

  Rewards: +1 to Mana Regeneration base stat

  Undergo Mana Body Rebirth

  1,400,000 EXP

  ==========

  ==========

  Title: Mana Duke

  ==========

  Your Mana control has increased greatly.

  ==========

  The strength of your spells has increased by 20%. Your Mana Regeneration increased by 20%.

  (Replaces Mana Lord)

  ==========

  Erik looked at the power that was still coming off the Mana stone. “Help me pierce another.” Erik craved another burst of power, to level up again.

  “All right,” Rugrat said. They were both experienced and they easily pierced another one of Erik’s blocked Mana gates.

  Erik stat there, circulating his Mana and drawing in the energy from the Mana stone and the Mana Gathering formation.

  With so much concentrated Mana in the air, Erik could see as the thread of Mana started to grow. It opened as much in one hour as it would take Erik four days normally.

  Erik lost track of time as he continued to circulate Mana. He didn’t feel tired but refreshed instead as his mind was clear and at peace, circulating his Mana.

  He fell into a sort of hypnosis from it.

  Suddenly, he felt the Mana in the air decreasing. The thread-like opening had turned into an opening as big as a pencil.

  Erik grabbed another Mana stone from his storage ring. Then, with a look of determination, he started to consume it as well.

  The speed of the opening’s growth decreased over time, but still it set an impressive pace, becoming the size of a marker. As Erik went to look for more Mana stones, he found that he had already pulled them out and consumed them.

  A feeling of loss came over him as he looked through his storage ring. His face went pale. How much gold did I just spend to only open my Mana gate partially?

  Erik wanted to cry over the loss as Rugrat cleared his throat.

  “I thought it might increase the speed that you can open up your Mana gates. I was able to find some information on it as I was looking around.”

  Erik knew that he was looking for information on how to try to repair his Mana channels.

  “Well, I didn’t exactly expect to lose that much money,” Erik complained.

  “The rich sure do have it nice,” Rugrat agreed.

  There was a knock at the door.

  Erik got up, finding his body was surprisingly energized, as if he had a great night of sleep.

  Rugrat opened the door to find Matt on the other side, out of breath.

  “The trade caravan is leaving right now!” He gasped.

  “What? Why didn’t they say anything?” Rugrat looked back at Erik, who frowned as well.

  “They sent someone over just now!” Matt said.

  “Fuck is their problem?” Erik muttered as he checked the room once over and followed the others out. They rushed toward the trade caravan. Everyone was mounted up and ready to go.

  “Can’t even get here on time—I’m taking it from your pay!” Boros yelled furiously as they appeared.

  Erik and Rugrat shared a look. They knew when people were really angry and when they were pulling one over on them.

  He could also see the guards and mercenaries smirking and looking down on them as they shook their heads.

  Looks like he doesn’t like us for some reason, Erik thought.

  “You—” Matt started, getting angry as he saw through Boros as well.

  Erik’s hand fell on Matt’s shoulder, silencing him. They needed a way to Khusai for the second trial and the caravan was the only one that they knew would get there in time.

 
“Would be a shame if something accidentally came in the middle of the night,” Rugrat said, as if he didn’t notice Boros’s words as he walked toward the caravan.

  Boros stood up, about to yell, when another voice could be heard.

  “Load up. We don’t have time for your bickering.” A woman’s voice cut through the caravan as Erik, Rugrat, and Matt mounted up, their carriages now split up in the caravan.

  Boros shot them looks but sat back down, listening to Lucy’s commands.

  The caravan set off and threaded out of the city and out onto the roads.

  ***

  Boros stepped up to the tent that had been turned into the trader’s headquarters and Lucy’s sleeping area.

  “Come in,” Lucy said.

  Boros walked in to find her sitting on a chair, putting down what she had been reading, a displeased look on her face.

  She pulled out a formation and turned it on, cutting off sound from leaving the tent. “What are you doing with the mercenaries? What was that shit this morning?”

  “I’m trying to pit them against one another, teach them a lesson, get them to follow the others. They’re just doing their own thing. I don’t know if I can rely on them in a fight. If I make their life a pain in the ass, then they start listening to what I say to make things easier,” Boros said.

  Lucy nodded. “It makes sense. But they’re level twenty-nine. If they get pissed off, what are you going to do?”

  “With our backers, do you think anyone would be that dumb?” Boros snorted. Lucy’s steely eyes made him snap upright and wipe the sneer off his face.

  “You even told me that they’re strong. Don’t piss them off,” she said.

  Boros had an awkward expression on his face.

  “Spit it out.”

  “It would be all good if they came under our command but, well, had some drinks with the others and it looks like they don’t like how they’re keeping to themselves and they’ll probably hound them if I don’t say anything,” Boros said apologetically.

  “So you got drunk, started pissing about with the mercenaries, and started some shit between them and the three level twenty-nines?” Lucy asked.

  There was a flash of light outside the tent before rain started to fall on the caravan.

  Boros turned quiet for a moment.

  “Do you know what they’re selling?” Lucy’s voice was low and dangerous as she poured herself a drink.

  “No,” Boros said, confused by the question.

  “Earth Variant Monster cores, all over the city. I wouldn’t have known about it if I didn’t see that Matt going into three different stores. None of the people in the city knew that it was the same person selling them, either. He also didn’t sell too many to change and alter the market so people would be suspicious. What does that tell you?” Lucy took a drink from her glass.

  “They have a lot of monster cores?” Boros asked.

  Lucy threw her glass, smashing it on his chest and sending wine over his face.

  “It tells you that they have a lot of fucking monster cores?” She yelled, barely able to hold herself back as she fought to regain control. “You might not do a lot of trading, but Earth Variant Monster cores only come from powerful creatures, the kind that are above level thirty-five. From what I can tell, they’ve got a fucking ton of them. They’re fighters, which means they’ve been fighting shit and pulling their cores out from the Third Realm. Beasts are stronger than people and hard to deal with. They’re keeping a low profile, which means that they don’t want to be fucked with, that they’re trying to go to Khusai to be mercenaries but don’t care about your little games. Who other than fucking mercenaries go to be guards for alchemists? Who actually get hired all the time? Is it mercenaries or is it sect-trained fighters?” Lucy yelled.

  Boros’s eyes went wide with each of her words.

  “As close as I can tell, you just pissed off three people who are from a fucking sect! You’re supposed to fucking protect my caravan, not get us into shit!”

  “W-what do I do?” Boros asked.

  “Tell the mercenaries to not piss them off and hope to hell that they listen,” Lucy said.

  The power of the sects wasn’t small. Even low-level people could get others from their sect to help them easily if they were slighted.

  Chapter: ASS-kicking

  Xiu Xuan listened to the sound transmission device.

  “Ten minutes, get the lads moving. Trevor, don’t fuck up the stone walls,” he said as he pulled out a spell scroll.

  “Yes, boss.” Trevor rushed off to go and talk with his fellow mages.

  “That Lucy has always been confident and proud about her White Orchid Trading Company. What do you think her expression will be when it’s torn down and her traders killed?” Lawrence, one of Xiu Xuan’s captains, laughed.

  Xiu Xuan revealed a pleased smile. It wasn’t easy finding someone in her ranks who would reveal their location and route. If we can make this score, then Older Brother will have to acknowledge my ability!

  ***

  Erik sat upright as he looked around. He started to circulate his Mana as he felt that something wasn’t right. He didn’t know whether it was just his hyperactive senses or just that sixth sense in the back of his mind.

  “Get ready,” Erik messaged Rugrat and Matt.

  Rugrat pulled out his crossbow, smiling at the driver beside him, who looked at him in confusion.

  Matt started to circulate his Mana but was perplexed by Erik’s words. He didn’t see anything that was alarming along the road.

  In fact, it was clear for as far as the eye could see.

  A wall of stone shot out of the ground and covered the road. The leading carriage couldn’t do anything as the beasts, seeing the wall, tried to slow down and divert, causing the carriage to be thrown. The people aboard it slammed into the wall. The beasts charged in afterward, causing both them and the carriage to slam into the wall, badly injured as they panicked, in pain and trapped in their harnesses.

  “Contact front!” Rugrat yelled out.

  A magical circle appeared in the sky as the carriages diverted to either side of the road, to miss each other and slow down, creating chaos as beasts ran into one another and slammed into carriages at speed.

  Erik was holding onto the carriage chair as he looked up at the magical circle in the air. From it a dome appeared, the edges containing the White Orchid Trading Company caravan.

  ==========

  You have entered an Enclosed Space spell

  ==========

  Erik grabbed his helmet and pulled it on.

  “Get into defensive formation!” Boros yelled over the noise, trying to bring back some order and get people organized. The first arrows and spells came from the marshes on either side as the bandits that had been hiding there tossed off their camouflage.

  Erik and his driver were hit with arrows. Erik crouched down and the arrows hit off his armor. The driver wasn’t as lucky; hit with several arrows, their movements became jerky as they looked at Erik, pleading with him to save them and afraid of death.

  Erik could tell that the arrows were poisoned. There was no saving him in the middle of the battlefield.

  The first volley of arrows ended as Erik raised himself up. He raised his hands. They were like twin repeater rifles. Blue Mana bullets followed nose to base as he lit up the afternoon. His Mana bullets caught the charging bandits, chewing them apart.

  “Matt—scarenn swarm. I can poison them to increase their effectiveness. Rugrat, get up into the air. I want to know what’s happening around us!”

  Erik jumped off the carriage as Matt started his summoning.

  George leaped off Rugrat’s shoulder, growing to his full size. His wings caused dust to be thrown to the sides. Rugrat jumped off the carriage, grabbing the back of George’s mane. He fired his crossbow, taking a bandit in the eye, his expression cold as another loaded crossbow appeared; he turned to the other side, hitting a bandit that jumped through t
he air to close with the caravan.

  A magical formation appeared in front of George’s mouth as he used fire breath on the bandits in front. Those caught in the flames screamed out in pain, unable to focus on George as he climbed into the sky with his powerful wings.

  Rugrat stood up in his stirrups on George’s back. Left, right, left, right—one could only hear the whistling noise of his bolts, see the glowing arrows explode as they met their targets.

  Erik moved low and fast, zigzagging across the ground as he fired at the bandits, forcing them to dive for cover.

  “Right side mage!” Rugrat yelled out.

  Erik jumped to the side as he saw the spell coming for him—a Mana spear. It struck the ground behind him causing an explosion. Erik returned several Mana bolts in the mage’s direction, causing the marsh to explode with muddy water and painful cries.

  Erik advanced. It was as if the bandits were moving in slow motion. With Erik’s increases to his Agility, through Body Cultivation and stat increases and the buffs of his Ass Kicker armor set, he had been able to fight the beasts of the Ten Realms, beasts that had naturally higher physical abilities than humans. It had transformed his fighting style: reactions were actions, thoughts movement, strength destruction. He had transformed into a beast among men.

  Arrows and spells flew toward him, slowing his progress as he avoided their trajectories, firing his Mana bolts and Mana bullets at the attackers.

  This is power. This is destruction. In the flashes of magical spells and flames that were spreading across the marsh, one could see the cold grin on Erik’s face as he danced through the incoming fire.

  ***

  Boros was pulling the mercenaries and the guards together, covering the traders and the caravans. He had abandoned trying to make a defensive formation with them. The beasts were all scared, smelling the blood from their fellows that were crying out from where they had slammed into the stone wall.

  The mercenaries were trying their best to find cover under the rain of arrows and spells. The guards were pulling the traders together.