Chapter 78: Not Even a Footnote (2)

As Rainer’s spell shook the very ground beneath it, Furtak had been eating with his wives. Feeling the vibrations, he got a bad feeling. But given the recent revelations about his new ally being an [Archon], he acted as if nothing had happened.

His thoughts related to the earlier, world-threatening experiment, faded as quickly as they came. He only paid attention to the meal before him.

“Husband, what was that shaking?” His second wife asked.

“What shaking,” He only responded and looked back down at his meal.

--

“It’s done,” Rainer said while wiping the sweat from his brow.

He had after three days and nights finished the enchantment on Kara. With the Mana-Well and his nightly training in [Sleep Learning], it was a speed rivaling the best Fae. He recalled the progress he made over these three days.

[Arcane Revival has reached level 5]

[Demon Body Enchanting has reached level 6]

At this level, Rainer felt improving his [Arcane Awakening] would become easier in the future. Even if the medium differed, it was still a manipulation and creation of Runic lines.

[Druidic Magic Language has reached level 3]

He was a bit disappointed in this. Even after constant listening and recalling the flow of Aura or Mana in Deliah and Furtak he only made a single level.

Kara redressed as a magical lightning surged through her body. Enhancing herself in Aura as well, she rushed forward to the door. The resistance in the air told her just how fast she had gotten.

Her laughter rang out as she returned in the same haste before jumping in Rainer’s arms.

“Thank you, Rainer,” She spoke as she hugged him. She had seen how exhausted he was after every session of enchanting. How little rest he took apart from when he needed to recover his Mana.

They laid there for quite a while. She had already said a different kind of thanks most nights, but holding her in his arms in such a manner, Rainer felt more at peace.

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Every time he could help her grow stronger, his fear lessened. The Demons that lurked in the distance seemed ever so smaller.

As they both left the room to find Elru, She, the rest of the party, and Furtak were already waiting.

“We have company,” Furtak simply said, before gesturing everyone to follow him.

“A member of Deliah’s pack noticed the group earlier today. They’ve made camp near the Crag entrance to the city.”

The city itself was still an hour’s walk away after entering the crag, assuming one could find the entrance.

“How many?” Rainer asked.

“2 Strong Mages. Four weaker but still likely in the second tier. 1 Aura user. And then a single Fae, not particularly strong.”

“Fae?”

“How do you think I noticed you when we first met?” Furtak boasted, but the nearby [Ice Wolf Queen] nipped at his side.

“Alright, alright, she noticed you,” Furtak then said. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

“Do you think it’s her?” Rainer whispered to Elru. He was worried about Yulia.

“Not possible. I don’t understand how she could have escaped. It’s likely an agent of hers. And even if it is her, we need only wait half a day before Fae reinforcements come after her.”

“Furtak, you willing to help us greet our guests?” Rainer asked. He hadn’t known how they tracked him, but he had no intention of risking the city being found. Especially given the risk in a fight of Magic.

Furtak only grinned in response. Rainer recalled how excited the [Fire Sage] had been to fight him in their first meeting.

“Let’s wait until dawn, then we’ll let them know of their mistake,” Rainer said. Committing to a final session of [Sleep Learning] before he saw just who that Fae had brought to help her.

--

Raspard suddenly told Yarik, who had been carrying the group with a flight spell, to stop. They had been traveling slowly and not directly toward their target as Raspard struggled to track him properly.

Maya had noticed traces of magic but had no interest in assisting in the tracking unless needed. She would have to drop her Glamour to use the magic properly.

“We are close, but I’ll need to lay down a Soul seeking formation,” Raspard said, “It should take roughly a day to have it fully prepared.”

Yarik looked annoyed toward the corpse-like Magus but said no complaints.

“He’s lying,” Elijah spoke as Raspard left.

“So what?” Yarik asked. He was confident in escape in even the worse of situations. And he knew Raspard understood such capabilities as well. Whatever reason he was delaying, Yarik had no issue with. His confidence in his abilities disallowed such a possibility of betrayal.

“You trust that walking dead man?”

“No. But he is not your concern. Do your job, and you can take Charles’ armor and weapon as you please. It won’t be hard to make it look like he died for the great cause of defeating a foreign enemy,” Yarik said laughing.

Elijah looked down at his own enchanted sword as Yarik headed off. A weapon was often the limiting factor for any Aura user. Even his own sword, one of the strongest in their kingdom, limited him by its strength. He needed it repaired after nearly every encounter.

Cladding it too much in Aura would dull the edge whereas not doing enough would cause his massive Aura enhanced strength to damage it.

But one look at Charles’ Sword, both its material and enchanted strength, told Elijah it was a weapon of true power. Even the often good mannered Elijah was willing to kill Charles for it. But, stealing such a gift was equivalent to making an enemy of the Foreign Lord Magus.

And so, his reservations about chasing this Foreign Lord Magus had all but faded. To kill him was to obtain a sword of his dreams.

In the distance, Maya approached Raspard as the rest went to make camp and prepare defensive magic against any possible monsters or other enemies.

“You can send a message to your mistress now. It will only take me a few hours to pinpoint his location and surroundings, “ Raspard whispered with a chuckle as he started drawing a formation in the snow. A vial of blood drawn from his bag aided him.

“Are you positive?”

Raspard shoved down his annoyance at this question before responding.

“I am sure. The interference around him was irritating but not infallible. Once I lock down on his soul, it is assured.”

“For your sake, I hope you are correct,” pulses of Mana left Maya’s ring as she sent a simple message to her Queen, “For now either he dies…or you do,” Maya smiled as she saw the ancient mage shudder in fear.

--

Standing guard at the closest Fairy Ring to the Queen’ Palace were two Fae [Grand Runic Knight]s. However, they existed solely as a front. Three Fae Court Assassins hid with an unparalleled Glamour. Each Fae Court supplied these assassins for a constant rotation. As well as a Mage who cast tracking magic.

With all four Fae Courts working together, they kept a constant watch on if Yulia ever left the palace. And since most of Yulia’s agents were unknown, they couldn’t do much about them. Many Fae entering and exiting the palace were, but servants pledged to the World Tree.

An eerie wind drifted in front of the two [Grand Runic Knight]s. They instantly stood on guard as the Fae Court Assassins prepared as well. They received an urgent message that Yulia left her palace. Others were soon coming to reinforce them.

A sudden surge of power and roots erupted from the ground and gripped the two knights, and three assassins. They did not have even an opportunity to scream before bursts of wind blew out of their chests. The moment the roots of the World Tree restricted them, they lost the bonuses and attributes of their classes.

The alarm was raised across all the courts the moment Yulia fled from the palace. But it was too late. The guards blocking the Fairy Ring did not delay her for even a moment as she flew past them. As no more than a green magic hued wind passing by.

The emerald haired Fairy Queen suddenly returned to material form and collapsed on the other side of the Fairy Ring.

She coughed up blood several times before staring at the ring on her finger. She had found a way to use the Tree’s Protection outside of the Palace, at a cost. To channel Divine power with her body, though it expended her life in the process along with painful consequences.

Yet with her goal so close, she cared not for the years of her life she lost and flew forward. To lose Sacred Faerie Fire meant death in any case. No matter how she concealed herself, she couldn’t fight the whole court. Eventually, even with a weaker, but mobile protection from the World Tree, she would perish.

An all but invisible wind speeded off to the horizon. With her speed and concealing abilities. It would take some time before any Fae caught up to her.

--

In the white void of [Sleep Learning], Rainer focused on the coming battle.

[Arcane Revival] flowed across his skin as the chanting of a Devil filled his ears. His own mouth followed, and soon only his voice echoed out the dangerous words.

Mana flowed from Rainer’s body as he used his knowledge of the [Druidic Magic Language] to try and bring power to these vile words. Hours passed as he attempted various means of empowering these words. Every so often he refreshed his body as [Arcane Revival] brought him to a halt.

[Arcane Revival has reached level 6]

A message passed by and he paid it little attention. His entire focus remained on the Devil’s words.

Finally, his Mana surged, and Rainer felt his soul weaken before he immediately stopped. His last word erupted in power across the white void, using his own soul as fuel alongside his Mana.

[Skill Gained: Devil’s Soul Language lvl 1/10]

[Devil’s Soul Language: Infuse Words of Power with one’s own strength. The Devil’s Soul Language channels the power of one’s soul to assult another’s.]

[Title Gained: Corruptor]

[Experience Gained: 34%, 255%]

[Managing excess experience]

[Voidwalker has leveled up to lvl 17/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed. 1 Attribute and skill point have been rewarded]

[Voidwalker has leveled up to lvl 18/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed. 1 Attribute and skill point have been rewarded]

[Archon has leveled up to lvl 15/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed. 2 Attribute and skill points have been rewarded]

Ignoring the knowledge that entered his mind, Rainer immediately refreshed his body.

Yet he quickly discovered that his soul had not been healed. Activating [Arcane Revival] once more he flowed the Arcane Energy toward his soul. The part consumed in using the Magic Language was healed in almost an instant.

Rainer let out a sigh of relief as he thought over what this meant. While he considered the possibility that the [Sleep Learning] simply couldn’t heal an imaginary soul, he brushed the thought away.

If it’s a skill related to my soul than everything makes sense.

He thought. Why he couldn’t create Life in here, why the effects of overextending himself during the study of [Faraan Runic Language] caused pain that carried over to reality, why his magic and skills could level here. This was a space related to his soul.

Yet before he could truly explore the idea, he awoke.

It was time to greet their visitors.

--

Covered in Elru’s Glamour Rainer’s party moved with haste, Furtak and the [Ice Wolf Queen] joining them. Elru could only hide their group as one for a short time, but it was enough.

“Stop!” Rainer soon called out. His [Arcane Sight] saw a strange magic surrounding the camp of the enemy group.

[Arcane Presence] erupted forward. The violet hue encapsulated the area and mixed with the dawn light.

The Arcane tore apart the defensive magic as if it had never been placed at all. The group at the camp abruptly rose.

Walking into the wide-open clearing, Rainer stood in the lead. His [Arcane Awakening] rose to 100% as he faced off with the group of intruders.

All wore masks except a decrepit old man in the center. Along with his black robe, a gnarled staff supported his aged body. Were it not for [Appraisal] and [Mana Detection] he would look no different than a walking recently deceased corpse.

[Soul Devourer(2nd) lvl 21, Blood Devourer(2nd) lvl 6]

The [Appraisal] of several of the masked men told Rainer that both Yarik and Elijah were all but certain to be a part of the group. Seeking not to alarm them, he made no notice of this fact. He’d rather they not run to the safety of their Mage Guild, nor gain further motivation to fight to the death.

“So,” Rainer said as his [Arcane Presence] enveloped the opposing group, “You were looking for me?”

Yarik, unable to return with his own [Mana Presence], only watched in silence.

Rainer walked slowly forward, the rest of the party behind him. He had already told Kara to shift if need be. They only needed to ensure no survivors. Any issues with Elru or the rest of the group, Rainer viewed as far beneath Kara’s life.

With his Shield Mode and [Void-walking], Rainer approached first.

“Greetings little Magus,” The corpse-like man spoke, “You may know me as Raspard,” He said grinning and with a bow. Suddenly the mood shifted. Elijah, wearing a mask and black leather armor, almost disappeared from where he was standing.

The battle had commenced.

The [Sword Saint] reappeared inches before Rainer. He had been accelerated by his own Aura movement skill and Yarik’s magic. He inwardly mocked the arrogance of the Foreign Magus leading the group.

His Aura cladded blade swung at Rainer’s neck.

Had he noticed Rainer using his hand to tell his guard not to interfere, perhaps his Fate could have been changed.

Suddenly, a strange violet shield appeared across the Magus’ body. Elijah only laughed inwardly at his hastily prepared defense.

Nothing personal, Lord Magus

He thought, but suddenly those thoughts turned to unbridled fear. His blade shattered across the Magus’ neck. A feeling of gravity surged on his body as the shield vanished from the Magus.

And he made his final mistake.

Hastily cladding himself in Aura, he resisted the gravity. And failed. His organs lurched, his bones cracked, and pain erupted across his body.

He was only powerless to watch as a Magic Blade cleaved his body in two.

Rainer moved forward, unperturbed.

Falling to the ground Elijah’s last thoughts were filled with indignation. He watched as the Magus did not even grant him a second look, merely stepping past him.

What had his centuries of training amounted to? What had all his hard work given him? Darkness took him as a final thought entered his mind. He flashed back to the conversation between Yarik and the Prince.

Now he…was not even a footnote in history.