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An Otherworldly Scholar - 153
🕑 Added 2024-08-25 01:00:08 +0000 UTCThe bloom opened, revealing a translucent red pod crossed by vein-like structures and filled with a cloudy liquid. My mana sense couldn’t penetrate its surface, and it looked like a patch of void against the background of rich colors. Two Undead Black Wolves and two Undead Harpies stood guard around the pod, all under level five.
I cast [Identify], but despite the [Consulting Detective] title I had gotten during the feast and its promised improved descriptions, the System prompt was lacking.
Corrupted Immature Scion Pod.
I ducked behind the root. Unless whatever eldritch abomination gestating inside the pod decided to pop out, the undead group would certainly give us another level. Wolf and his Wind Sling could ground the Harpies with a precise shot to their wings, and the Undead Black Wolves were only level two and three, respectively. It could be done even if I avoided picking up the kill. Around me, the kids already had their weapons in their hands. Despite the dopamine rush from leveling up, they were calm and focused.
“Let’s avoid the Scion Pod,” I said. “Wolf and Ilya will try to shoot down the Harpies. If they can’t fly out of our reach, we would have an easy time dealing with them on the ground. Once grounded, Wolf will join us in close-quarter combat. Firana and Zaon, you two will join me in the frontline. Zaon, let me know if you are low on mana. I don’t want to leech experience, but I will take the kill if things get out of control. Understood?”
The kids nodded.
Wolf and Zaon had a particularly bad matchup against the Harpies and their Paralyzing Screech. Still, I couldn’t waste an opportunity for the kids to gain experience if I wanted them to survive. Going onwards, the challenges would only get harder.
“If you feel you are in danger, make the call. Pride will not earn you anything if you are dead. Remember, our goal is to return home alive,” I said. “Let’s go.”
We silently climbed the car-sized root formation. Wolf and Ilya remained on top while we dropped as silently as we could. Adrenaline flowed through my body, and [Awareness] cleared my mind of any unwanted thoughts. My senses became sharper, and the passage of time seemed to slow down. At my left, Zaon’s blank expression told me he was in a similar state. Firana rolled her shoulders and grinned, savoring the feeling of anticipation. They were like day and night.
We slowly crept up on the undead monsters, [Awareness] telling me where to step to minimize the sound of our approach. Although the Undead were stronger versions of their living counterparts, their senses were dull, which was perfect for our ambush. Even without a Silence Dome around us, we stopped ten meters away without being discovered. The Scion Pod remained still without a sign of movement.
I looked over my shoulder and gave Wolf and Ilya the thumbs-up. None of them would miss from twenty or thirty meters. Just like during our previous fight, Ilya nocked her arrow and aimed. She charged the shot for only a second before letting go. The arrowhead shone bright, and with a thud, it embedded in the harpy’s shoulder.
The other harpy reacted by taking off, but before it could use Paralyzing Screech, I cast my Stun Gaze. The spell shot from my eye and hit the Harpy squarely in the chest, freezing it in place. Wolf’s shot whistled past my head and hit the stunned harpy in the elbow, shattering the bone. The other monsters noticed our presence, so I jumped over the thicket and summoned a wide mana shield to break the undead formation. I bent the shield in a concave shape to funnel them towards me.
The worst part was the smell. None of the reanimated corpses were fresh.
Mana crackled in my hands as I pushed back an Undead Wolf and a Harpy. They weren’t smart enough to go around the barrier. Meanwhile, Zaon attracted the aggro from the other Undead Black Wolf. The boy blocked with his [Steadfast Shield] and steadied his stance to endure the wolf’s thrashing. Firana encircled the beast, using her [Windrider], and stabbed its spine. The Aias Sword drained the beast’s energy and turned it into flames.
Black tendrils emerged from the wolf’s wounds.
“Disengage!” I yelled as soon [Awareness] told me Ilya’s bow was ready to shoot again.
Firana jumped over my head into the safety of my barrier, and Zaon released his [Steadfast Shield], letting the creature bite thin air, and with a nimble jump, he stepped away. Ilya’s [Piercing Arrow] blew a hole in the wolf’s ribcage, destroying the Corruption tendrils before they could attack. I wasn’t sure if the skill had an explosive feature integrated or if Ilya was overcharging the spell somehow, but the damage output was alarming.
Zaon and Firana surrounded the grounded harpy. The monster scratched the air, but without its wings, it was barely a hazard. Taking turns to attack, they killed the monster without much problem, and no more corrupted tendrils appeared.
“Good job, kids! I’m going to drop the barrier!” I yelled as the remaining Undead Black Wolf and Harpy huddled together in an unsuccessful attempt to break my barrier.
“I’m low on mana!” Ilya yelled back.
As I suspected, she was overcharging her spells.
Suddenly, roots emerged around the bodies of the undead and dragged them underground. None of them showed interest in us or the last monster and promptly disappeared after swallowing the putrid carcasses.
“Ignore them!” I said.
We exchanged a quick glance, and I let the barrier down. The monsters fell forward, and an instant later, an arrow struck the harpy’s shoulder, and a whistling stone blew a hole in its softened skull. Zaon moved by my side, his [Steadfast Shield] widening the area of his buckler so his arm was safe from the wolf’s maw. Firana didn’t make Zaon wait, and landing in the wolf’s blindspot, she slashed its hind legs. A moment later, the fight was over.
“Good job, everyone,” I said as the roots absorbed the remaining carcasses.
I gave the kids a quick look. Zaon’s leather bracers were scratched, as well as his gloves, but the integrity of the armor seemed to hold. Firana had a small scratch on her left cheek, but I couldn’t tell if it was due to the fight or a rogue bramble vine. I put a drop of the Minor Health Potion on a piece of cloth and applied it to the area.
“It’s just a scratch,” Firana complained, trying to move her head away.
“What did Miss Elincia tell us about leveling trips?” Ilya jumped the high root with Wolf’s help and joined us.
“They are usually cut short by minor injuries,” Firana grumbled, finally standing still.
The wound sizzled, Firana winced, and Ilya seemed pleased.
“Any level up?” I asked as I put the medicine back in the potion pouch.
The kids shook their heads. A single low-level undead monster per head wasn’t enough to make them level up anymore. Not that it was a problem. There had to be hundreds of monsters prowling around. Getting to level ten took normal people about a year, but it was faster near the Farlands and even faster if monsters decided to attack your town. During Ilya’s First Hunt, it took us three days to kill a single monster. Adding the difficulty of putting together a team with similar levels, it was no surprise people progressed so slowly.
Seeing everyone was healthy, I turned around and examined the Corrupted Scion Pod. It was bigger than I initially expected. The red and yellow petals prevented me from seeing anything but the tip of the pod, but after the fight, the process was complete. The pod was an elongated sphere as big as a gnome filled with cloudy orange liquid and strange vein-like formations.
“Do you know what this is?” I asked.
Ilya shook her head. “I can’t recall any mentions of this kind of thing during the Forest Warden Monster Surge.”
“We should smash it,” Firana said.
Wolf put a hand on her shoulder. “Have you seen what happens if you smash a Snare Jumper egg sac?”
“You get Snare-Jumped,” Zaon said, but no one found his joke funny.
[Identify] still didn’t give me a detailed explanation of the Corrupted Scion Pod, and I wondered if it was because the Forest Warden was too high-level.
“Let’s go,” I finally said. It was better to avoid trouble until the kids leveled up a little more. “Saplings don’t yield experience, so destroying the pod probably doesn’t.”
Firana begrudgingly obeyed. We grabbed our backpacks and resumed the march north. The weather worsened, and it started snowing. Our progress was painfully slow as the root system grew in size, and brambles, hard as steel, had seized the forest bed. My mana blades were useful to mow the brambles but the roots were too hard and thick. Ilya had a particularly hard time traversing the terrain due to her height and the size of her backpack. Sentinels didn’t have gnome-size backpacks either, so Ilya was trapped with a human-size one.
“Are we approaching the Forest Warden’s tree trunk?” Zaon asked after a while. Considering the size of the roots, I also believed we were approaching the origin of the root system.
“My Spirit Sparrow hasn’t detected any giant trees stretching into the clouds, but the Black Storm blocked the vision. Should I summon it again?” Ilya said.
I stopped her before she could use the spell. Ilya’s Spirit Fox had been running ahead of us for hours. Ilya’s mana reserves were too low already due to the constant usage of [Spirit Animal] and the Piercing Arrows. If we found more monsters, which we certainly were going to, I wanted her to have a means of defending herself. I wondered if I should feed her one of the Mana Potions, but I decided not to and save it for an emergency.
“Save mana for combat, Ilya. We have to go north nonetheless,” I said, looking at Wolf. “Unless there is another way to reach the tribes?”
Wolf’s expression softened into a thoughtful frown.
“We can go west, but it will be a two-day detour, and even then, I can’t say it will be devoid of roots.”
Two extra days on the road meant twice the chance of finding powerful monsters, and if the Lich was out there, the risk wasn’t worth it. Even with my current powers, I felt my chances of winning were slim. This time, playing around with Corruption was out of the question because I needed my mana pool to runeweave for the System Avatar’s mission.
“Let’s take a rest,” I said.
“I can continue, really,” Ilya replied.
“What do you mean? My feet are killing me,” I said, sitting down and taking off my boots.
The kids sat around me in a tight circle. To the north and west, a root system the size of a house blocked the path, and a huge pine sheltered us from the snow, so we were as covered as possible. The roots were nurturing the Corrupted Scions; there was no doubt about it, and I wanted to be far north in a cozy orc tent when they hatched. To achieve that, we needed speed, and so far, Firana had been the only one equipped to traverse the rough terrain.
“Firana, give me your boots,” I said.
Surprisingly enough, she obeyed without complaint. I grabbed the boots and examined the soles. They were a sturdy pair, perfect for long periods in the Farlands and perfect for enchanting. I summoned my [Rune Encyclopedia] and [Rune Debugger]. The kids looked at me like I was crazy at first, but after a quick explanation, they were amazed. Runeweaving, after all, was a thing of legend.
Having my eyes stuck into an invisible cube made me self-conscious, so I used [Minor Illusion] to create the equivalent of the [Rune Encyclopedia] and the [Rune Debugger] working area. The kids looked in awe, and even Ilya, who remained vigilant, peeked over every now and then. My theory was to engrave a similar enchantment as the one in Firana’s cape. If I changed the Absorption rune for the Recharge or Hourglass rune, I might muster enough mana to mimic Firana’s [Aerokinesis].
Creating a secondary enchantment to manage landings would require hours, if not days of development, so for the moment, I had to trust the kid’s sense of self-preservation while using the boots. After a few attempts on the [Rune Debugger], I prepared myself to enchant the boots. It was my first time runeweaving a seven-rune enchantment, and I knew it would take a huge chunk of my mana pool. Wolf’s Wind Sling had only five runes, and it had been a blow to my reserves.
Luckily, my mana pool was almost full.
“Alright, it’s all or nothing,” I said, tapping into the Fountain to slowly recharge my reserves as I poured my mana into the boots. I did it as slowly as I could. Instinctively, I knew there was a threshold I shouldn’t cross, or the enchantment would fail. I thanked the System for kneading the information directly into my brain. As a cheat as the process was, it was coming in handy.
I stood still for twenty minutes, slowly pouring mana into the circuit. I lost track of time as I put all my focus on the process. Then, the circuit was closed, and the enchantment glowed with a faint green and golden hue. I smiled as no prompt or symptoms of mana depletion appeared.
“Alright, Firana, put them on and try to jump on top of that root. It works just like your enchanted cape,” I said as I preemptively recharged the runes. “Just be sure to aim downwards.”
The girl gave me a confused expression. “I mean, I appreciate it, but I don’t need enchanted boots to jump that high.”
“Mister Clarke wants you to test if the enchantment is safe, you airhead,” Wolf rolled his eyes. “If something goes wrong, you can always use your aerokinesis to soften the landing.”
Firana put on the boots with a wide smile on her face.
“Let it be clear that Mister Clarke gave me an enchanted item crafted by him before all of you,” she said, jumping to her feet and firmly strapping the backpack to her waist.
Wolf opened his mouth to reply but decided it wasn’t worth it. He looked at his sling and smiled. His hunch was correct: the Wind Sling was also my work. We exchanged a knowing glance but our attention was quickly drawn by Firana.
“Start slowly! I don’t exactly know how much magic you need to use,” I said.
“Don’t worry, Mister Clarke. I have a perfect understanding of airdynamics,” Firana smiled.
Before I could tell her that the correct word was aerodynamics, Firana activated her boots and shot upwards. Using Firana as the guinea pig was a wise decision because the girl flew three meters over our heads before landing like a feather in the same spot. She seemed pleased with the experiment.
“I think these are more efficient than my aerokinesis,” Firana said.
With a running start, Firana jumped on the root I had pointed to. She used just the right amount of mana, and her landing was flawless. It seemed like the videos of people jumping from a high platform into an elastic jumping bed. Then, Firana dropped and activated the boots just as she touched the ground, nullifying the fall.
“It requires a bit of practice, but you can also soften the landing,” Firana said despite the fact she had done it on the first try.
I felt the System prompt before it popped.
New recipe achieved!
Updating Rune Encyclopedia.
Jumping Boots have been added to the recipe list.
I opened the Rune Encyclopedia and noticed a violet marker midway through the pages. With a mere thought, the pages moved to the Recipe List section. The Warm Stone, Light Stone, Flash Bomb, and Blanket of Warmth were already there despite the lack of prompt. Those were recipes I had performed before getting access to the Rune Encyclopedia, after all. Afterwards, there was Robert’s Wind Sling and, finally, the Jumping Boots.
I examined the Recipe List.
Recipe List: No more forgetting the right rune order. Familiar enchantments are also easier to enchant. [Identify] The Recipe List provides the Runeweaver with a record of all their past successful enchantments. Known recipes require 5% less mana to engrave. Depends on the Runeweaver’s rank.
“Nice,” I muttered, rubbing my hands like a filthy fly. “So, who’s ready for some Air Clarkes?”
Despite the kids not understanding, my pops would’ve been proud of that one.
I had enough mana for another set of boots, so I did Ilya’s. I could’ve done a third pair, but I needed to keep my mana pool at a healthy level in case we found a bigger foe. I enchanted in silence, letting the System guide me through the process. The [Identify] text in the Recipe List was interesting because it hinted that Runeweavers had ranks just like Scholars and Alchemists. I wondered what I should do to achieve the Bronze Rank and what benefits it would give me. [Silver Scholar] only gave me a boost in mana, but so did every one of my Scholar Titles.
I needed to unlock more runes and more recipes.
Firana and Wolf helped Ilya to get accustomed to her enchanted boots. At first, she used very little mana, just enough to raise a few centimeters above a regular jump. Then, she started to get the gist of it, and as long as there was someone on top to help with the landing—the backpack heavy was enough to throw her off balance sometimes—she managed herself.
“Let’s continue,” I said. “We still have a few hours of light before sunset.”
We continued in silence at a better pace. The snow barely piled up, but if the weather worsened, we would be in trouble. Firana teased Wolf, telling him to give up his orc roots and become a Geomancer. Wolf rejected her again and again until Firana got bored. I could tell that Wolf, despite his calm and composed demeanor, was actually nervous.
“Orcs are hardy people; a bunch of undead shouldn’t be a problem for them,” I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure Dassyra and her warriors are keeping the Monster Surge at bay.”
Wolf just nodded.
After a while, Ilya’s Spirit Fox found a huge root facing north.
“We can walk on top like it is a highway,” she smiled.
“That would be handy,” I replied.
The snowfall didn't seem to get any worse, but it had started to pile up, hiding crevices and cracks on the uneven terrain. The root was as tall as I was, so Firana jumped on top and helped us lift our equipment. Then, we helped each other climb over it. Last was Ilya, who activated her Jumping Boots with a little too much mana and almost jetted by if not for Wolf catching her mid-flight.
“I’m getting better, I swear,” she grumbled as the orc boy put her down.
“Mistakes are part of the process,” I reminded her for the thousandth time since my arrival at the orphanage.
“I know,” Ilya sighed, straightening her clothes. “It’s just embarrassing.”
The path over the root system dramatically improved our pace. The surface was so broad that two or three of us could walk side by side without falling to the ground. If the root continued straight to the north, we would leave the valley behind by the evening. We found another small group of undead guarding an immature scion pod, but we were able to ambush them from above and finish them quickly. This time, Zaon and Wolf were trapped by Harpy’s Paralyzing Screech, but Ilya and Firana finished the fight before they could be hurt.
The fight gave the kids one level each, leaving Ilya at level four and Firana and Zaon at level three. They swore they were starting to feel faster and stronger, but it probably was the pleasant feeling of leveling up. Despite not having a Class, Wolf’s Wind Sling let him be as effective as the others. Enchanted items were a giant advantage at low levels. No wonder it was so easy for the wealthy and the nobles to kick start their Classes.
After the fight, I noticed the kids running low on mana, so I ordered them to stop casting spells for a while—Ilya couldn’t help but summon her [Spirit Animal] to look ahead, and Firana used her [Aerokinesis] to clean the patches of snow from the root. We continued until the sun was about to set, and we started to look for a place to spend the night.
“Come on, Wolfie, become a Geomancer and build a nice refuge for us,” Firana teased him.
“Don’t listen to her,” Ilya interjected with a mocking grin. “She probably misses her weird Geomancer girl friend. Belya Nara was her name?”
Firana rolled her eyes. “Mister Clarke! Ilya is bothering me again—”
Suddenly, the root vibrated as if someone was hitting the surface with a jackhammer. It wasn’t the kind of movement a plant could make. [Awareness] honed my senses, but I couldn’t detect anything out of the ordinary. Against my orders, Ilya summoned her Spirit Sparrow and sent it flying forward. However, the answer came from Zaon.
“Bees!” The elven boy yelled.
Comments
ND_JackSparrow
>I cast my Stun Gaze. The spell shot from my eye and hit the Harpy squarely in the chest, freezing it in place. < Finally lol. It feels like it's been forever that he targeted an enemy at a low-enough level for that skill to have an effect. >The worst part was the smell. None of the reanimated corpses were fresh.< Huh. I wonder if they'll run into any that he or Elincia killed? Though I guess it would be hard to tell with how much they'd have decayed by now. >Suddenly, roots emerged around the bodies of the undead and dragged them underground. None of them showed interest in us or the last monster and promptly disappeared after swallowing the putrid carcasses.< Interesting. It's possible the "dead monster absorption" is a fully automated process, and that the Forest Warden is therefore unaware of their presence out here. Alternatively, it is not able to take any action against them at this moment but might be preparing to in the future. >“Let’s go,” I finally said. It was better to avoid trouble until the kids leveled up a little more. “Saplings don’t yield experience, so destroying the pod probably doesn’t.”< I can't help but disagree with this plan. I don't think letting a "Scion" hatch is good for anyone. If they were worried about it bursting, then shoot it from a distance. > “Bees!” The elven boy yelled.< RIP Rob. You had a good run.
David Ellis
What has Oprah Winfrey done!?
Matt Bradock
*does his best Nic Cage impression* NOT THE BEES!
