Chapter 64: Flame-Touched

Having rolled off the bed after the recoil from reading Yalin’s journal, Rainer sat on the ground.

“So, you are okay then?” Kara asked, making sure once more.

“Mo-“

“Yes, Rainer, more than okay.” She interrupted him. Sharing a glance for a moment, she mumbled, “If you were more than okay, what did you wake me up for…” before returning her head to the pillow.

Giving a dry laugh, Rainer stood up. Far too awake to head directly to sleep, he decided to see if Gunthar had yet to pick a class. He walked to the bed and scratched Kara’s ears a few times before heading out. He heard a quiet “apology accepted” as he left the room.

Gunthar and Theodore stood across from one another in the hall.

“Rainer, did we wake you?” Theodore asked.

“No, just couldn’t sleep.”

“You came at a good time; Gunthar had just selected his class.”

Before Rainer could use [Appraisal], Gunthar walked over and shared the class information. Even without a facial expression, Gunthar’s excitement was palpable.

[Arcane Reaper: A being of Death and Arcane. The end of life and origin of magic. A beginning and an end merged into a single power. The Power of Arcane-Death wielded. Can reap and store souls of the slain as one’s own power. 100% General Improvement to Arcane and Death Skills, 25% General Improvement to all skills. +1 Arcane-Death Aura Attunement, +1 Arcane-Death Aura Control, +1 Intelligence, +2 Strength, +1 Dexterity per level after 1.]

“Well, Sorcerer?”

“Your Aura changed as well? And this soul thing…”

“I have never felt such power from my Aura,” Gunthar excitedly exclaimed. He had always had Death Aura as an undead. However, the power of death was not at his command. It was only a slightly empowered Aura.

“At first, I thought it no different,” Gunthar said cladding himself in a black and violet Aura, “but soon I realized, that if I wished, I could use the power of Death.”

The aura on Gunthar’s hand suddenly changed, and Rainer could feel a presence almost no different than his [Arcane-Death Manipulation]. Gunthar quickly reverted it.

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“All my Aura skills have changed to be of Arcane-Death. Such a large class bonus, and then the additional class bonus…” Gunthar looked over to his father to explain.

“I have heard of such a skill, though I am not sure it was a class bonus. A certain tribe of Demons could absorb the souls of those they killed and empower themselves. They could store them for use in the future. The strongest among them could even use them as Wraiths to attack. He was a fearsome one. It is possible…that the skill I created that allows me and Gunthar, to be as we are now, is part of the reason for the [Reaper] class. For our souls have grown much in strength. And then your magic creates the [Arcane Reaper].”

“I will go test my Aura Blade, and see the changes,” Gunthar went down the hall, lest his practice affect Rainer. The spring in his step was not hard to see.

“Gunthar was always passionate in his training…” Theodore said.

“So why do you want to leave so badly?” Rainer asked. It had been the first time it was only him and Theodore since Nalmar.

“It is hard…at times your acceptance despite our forms, your liveness it is infectious. At other times, it is…

“A reminder.”

“Exactly. How long has it been since I’ve felt the sun on my skin? The breath in my lungs. The beating of my heart and flow of my blood… The touch of woman…” Theodore coughed. A bit embarrassed at the last phrase.

“I need some time alone. And if that time alone can work towards a solution to my problem, is it not ideal? I have faith in you, Rainer, as does my son that one way or another you will help us. Until then…”

“And Gunthar?” Rainer asked a bit worried. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

“I don’t know if I have seen Gunthar happier. He has friends; he has all the time and energy as an undead to train. For him, I cannot imagine a better group of people to spend his time with. He has a purpose. He told me of your plans. Perhaps I might join you as well. It is a fantasy for ones such as us is it not? A place to study magic outside of the politics of Mage towers and guilds.”

“It is,” To Rainer who had at the time that was most exciting for most other teenagers, locked himself away from the world. Studying restlessly for a year creating what he now knows as [Void-walking]. Creating a proper place to study magic was important to him as well.

He knew he wasn’t perfect by a long shot. He did not believe he could pursue the depth of magic unassisted. He would create a place to gather for the eccentrics and the geniuses.

Those tired of politics. Those, whose ideas were bogged down by a lack of information or the necessity to keep them secret. Those foresworn by Mage Guilds due to a lack of Talent.

But power was not everything. Rainer created what he now considers the most advanced Magic he’s ever seen with but a pittance of Mana. Who’s to say that even his Chef-in-training can’t accomplish a similar feat?

The two stood in thought, as Gunthar a distance away from them, swung his Aura Blade. The powerful Arcane-Death Aura covered his sword. Even from afar, one could sense the dangerous potential of it, the eerie power permeating it.

“Theodore, without the threat of becoming undead so nearby, I’d like to learn that soul skill.”

“We shall make time before we are to separate.”

“Agreed. Good night Theodore,” Rainer said. His mind calmed enough to fall asleep on his own.

“And to you,” Theodore responded, still looking out toward Gunthar’s practice.

Rainer returned to his room. In part filled with happiness in part melancholy. He gave a final glance toward the wall, in truth, toward the north, before heading to sleep.

--

The white void of [Sleep Learning] opened before him. Many thoughts, tasks, goals swirled in his mind. But for now, he’d finish what he started in Nalmar. Out of everything else, he saw this as the only route that could increase his level.

He replicated the tome on the darkness spell, [Absorb Light]. His intelligence reached 400 as he used [Arcane Awakening]. His mind raced as he repeatedly looked over the formula, modifying it.

Sitting in place, he cast the spell, each time it failed, each failure consuming a decent amount of Mana. In here it mattered not.

[Spell Gained: Absorb Light lvl 1/10]

The spell formed, along with a new spellbook. Rainer could feel a thin film of magic around his body. Shaking away his disappointment at not gaining a title after learning a spell of every known school, at least by Nalmar’s standards, he focused on the Manipulation skill.

Infusing his Mana into the shadow spell it became thicker. Rainer focused and spread it to different parts of his body. Seeing no manipulation skill gain as of yet, he grew distracted and created a mirror. He played around causing several of his teeth to appear missing in the blackness of shadow magic.

This playful control unexpectedly pushed him toward the manipulation skill. And with a laugh a new skill emerged.

[Skill Gained: Darkness Manipulation lvl 1/10.]

So Ice and Time, maybe Life…? Perhaps Void…

Rainer thought to himself. Out of all the Manipulation skills, he missed these two or perhaps more. At least, of all the ones known and free of mixes. With Arcane alone, it doubled the manipulation skill count. If the other elements were capable of being mixed amongst themselves, something Rainer currently only knew as possible in spells themselves, the possibilities were endless.

In Yalin’s journal, he mentioned having both [Spatial Manipulation] and [Light Manipulation]. Each skill individually was rare, something only the greatest or most talented of mages had. But combined? Rainer found no such mentions.

Rainer formed an [Ice Spike] in his hand. By using [Mana Manipulation] he could increase its size, but that could hardly be called a manipulation of ice. Rainer instead shrunk the spike. Trying a different approached, as he remembered his previous failure.

He placed a finger underneath, feeling the icy touch. More mana left the [Ice Spike], leaving it no thicker than a finger. He now focusing on bending the ice, used his finger as a base. In a similar fashion to the start of Body Enchantment, he controlled Mana into his finger.

The ice bent ever so slightly before shattering in two. Rainer repeated the action, until the [Ice Spike] bend and reformed around his finger like a ring.

[Skill Gained: Ice Manipulation lvl 1/10]

Rainer immediately refreshed his body, getting rid of the discomfort on his previously chilled hand.

When first mastering [Arcane-Death Manipulation] Rainer tried to get back the life he lost manually, to no result. He guessed he needed a spell relating to life energy before he could truly do such a thing. The runes to give him understanding, the spell to give him a means of practice, he believed he needed such things.

But amongst all from Nalmar, he found no spell relating to life. And so temporarily, his search for Manipulation skills halted.

Having gained these two Manipulation skills and no title, Rainer instead went to gaining skill points rather than mixing these skills with Arcane.

Before entering Auto-pilot Rainer wanted to see if he could level his least complicated Tier 4 spell, [Arcane-Wind’s Ascent].

He Auto-piloted it in the past to Level 3 but guessed it wouldn’t be so easy the rest of the way.

A swirling vortex of Arcane-Wind formed around him. After a few seconds, the sphere was completed. He flew into the air. He thought over the usual difference between a level 1 and level 10 spell.

Control, Efficiency, Casting Time and Power.

Four simple factors that always improved. If he couldn’t improve them by just casting the spell repeatedly then, he’d do it with intention.

Perhaps for [Spatial Domain] and other tier 4 spells, he thought they had other factors beyond these four. But he believed [Arcane-Wind’s Ascent] was close enough to the threshold between tier 3 and 4, that this may be enough. Rainer canceled the spell.

He cast it again, this time using [Arcane Sight] and finishing the spell as slow as possible. He watched the intricacies of the spell, and next time he’d use his [Arcane-Wind Manipulation] to accelerate it.

He watched how it filtered the wind and accelerated his speed. He saw how the swirling Arcane-Wind formed into a sphere.

He took note of everything and repeated it ceaselessly into the night. Soaring amidst the White Void of [Sleep Learning].

--

Yulia’s glistening green eyes stared off at her empty throne room. A strand of her emerald hair twisted on her finger. The white stone and wooden throne made by the World Tree gave it a feeling of elegance and nature. An elegance interrupted by the swirling winds. Bursts of power erupted, occasionally cracking the stone, only for it to fuse back together.

Maya had stealthily followed Elru from quite a distance. Far out of the range of any detection abilities. And gave Yulia an unexpected report.

Level 14…

She saw only two possibilities how the Archon had this level. One, he was skilled enough in [Appraisal] to give false information. Something a vast majority of Fae were incapable of. The second was that he truly leveled 10 times.

Both seemed impossible to her, and made Yulia start seeing the [Archon] as more legend than man. She would need help, but it would cost her dearly.

Yulia knew her going herself may no longer be an option as well. Even if she managed to kill him, she might be too weak to fight her way back to the safety of her palace.

She would pay for a bounty, a bounty for the Dark Mage Circles.

Her contacts with them were how she managed to create Luna, and then finally the Sacred Faerie Fire. She had come across a gathering of Dark Mages trying to create an artificial Fairy they could then extract dust from.

Little did they know, they had been working with a Fairy for years. And their problem could likely only be solved with what they wanted to gain in the first place, Fairy Dust.

Dark Mages were labeled as such by the official Mage Guilds; they were no more evil than any other mage. Though, in desperation, they often practiced magic that rightfully gave some of them the label.

Yulia left the throne room after calming herself down. She would send her agent with a proper reward. And soon all Circles of Dark Mages would hunt the [Archon] and retrieve the Fairy she wanted. No mage would resist trading a single Fairy for numerous dust and a Fruit of the World, Yulia thought.

And none of them would know his true power beyond being a mage of the second tier.