Chapter 21

Unwilling Teacher

Janus’ improvised bandages appeared to slow the bleeding. The [Rock Constrictor] had, thankfully, only bit him once. But he wasn’t sure if the monster had been venomous.

He had tried another climb up after the bleeding had slowed, but still couldn’t manage to grip well with his fingers. His arm was unnaturally stiff. He wasn’t certain if that was just from swelling or something more insidious.

The other side of the ravine was just as steep as the one he had climbed down from.

I can try to find a better way up. It’s not likely, but the alternative is just sitting here…

Janus started to slowly walk along the ravine floor. If he could stretch both arms out, he would almost be able to touch the walls to either side. It was like walking through the tunnels. Only this time, there was nothing but open air above him.

He spent almost thirty minutes creeping along the floor of the ravine. It was not long before he heard something scrabbling around above him. Not wanting to repeat the events of his last battle, Janus acted first.

In the air above, Janus compressed mana into several points and let it burst out. The flash illuminated his surrounding and revealed a series of ledges up above his head. Strange gray figures darted around in a panic. Janus made certain to identify one of them before doing anything else.

[Rock Goblin - Level 21]

At least they aren’t snakes.

Janus had barely finished a thought when something behind him entered his mana sense. The monster lunged forward, meeting a solid barrier of mana. Frustrated, it used a small dagger to smash through, but Janus had already created an arrow point arrow behind himself.

[You have defeated an enemy: Rock Goblin]

[Your Mana Reinforcement skill has gained 1 level]

[Your Mana Burn skill has gained 1 level]

Once the notifications appeared in Janus’ mind, he released the mana array. None of the other goblins had tried their luck and Janus soon realized why. The first arrow nearly took him in the shoulder. His mana sense barely even registered the projectiles as they pelted down at him. He created panes of reinforced mana, but they were only strong enough to deflect a single arrow before shattering. [Mana Reinforcement] had a significant mana cost and Janus knew he wouldn’t be able to keep it up for long.

He hastily constructed arrow point arrays above him, pointing at where the enemy’s projectiles came from. His own mana arrows began to fire out of his arrays moments later.

[You have defeated an enemy: Rock Goblin] x2

[Your Mana Reinforcement skill has gained 1 level]

[Your Spell Weaving skill has gained 1 level]

[Your Mana Burn skill has gained 2 levels]

Janus was not paying much attention as further notifications began pouring in. His focus was on the fight. He had killed at least another two of the goblins, but had heard pained screeches from the dark. Above him, a green light radiated outward from the ledge. Janus stared up and identified the shadowy figure that the light was emanating from.

[Rock Goblin Shaman - Level 26]

He was going to attack shaman with mana arrows before he realized what must be happening. He could see the mana react and form the skill. It flowed around another goblin, half hanging off the ledge, a bow dangling from its fingers. The shaman was healing the other goblin.

How could he be so stupid? He had so many opportunities back at Crow Station to watch healers work at the Delver’s Guild, but had never taken the time. Why bother to learn healing when he could focus on another trick to take out Devon or Pella? There were always healers nearby and there would always be time later…

Janus wished he could watch the skill for hours longer, but had to react before the shaman had finished healing its companion. Light from the healing spell acted as an easy point of reference for Janus as he constructed even more arrow point arrays. The resulting mana arrows rained down on the pair of goblins, but the shaman erected a green barrier above itself, deflecting the attack as it jumped to the side. His archer companion was not as lucky.

[You have defeated an enemy: Rock Goblin]

The barrier skill was not unlike Janus’ own reinforced mana panes. He could see how the mana formed an almost latticed structure. An arrow zipped past Janus’ head and returned him to the fight.

I’m going to get myself killed.

He turned back to see a wide eyes goblin halfway down the wall from the ledge, some strange device latched it to the wall and hooked to a strap on its thigh. Janus wasted no time and quickly constructed another arrow point array. The goblin tried to climb back up the wall, but it was still connected by its waist.

[You have defeated an enemy: Rock Goblin]

Janus was suddenly slammed forward onto his knees. It was like someone had lobbed a small boulder at his back. He turned to see the [Goblin Shaman] preparing another spell. Mana was slowly being pulled towards the monster, and a ball of green energy formed in its hands. With a cackle, the creature released the energy and it flew towards Janus. This time, he was prepared and jumped towards the ravine wall, narrowly dodging the projectile. Instead, it continued forward and slammed into the ground with a resounding thud!

I need to know how many are left.

Janus released another bright flash of light, but only saw the shaman preparing another ball of energy. While the goblin was focused on its spell, Janus created a shock wave of mana to its left, pushing it down the ravine. Whatever energy the shaman had been collecting violently dissipated as it landed in a tangle of limbs.

I could trap him. He will use his skills to escape and I can replicate them.

The thought was almost repulsive. Even though the goblin was a monster, and as far as Janus knew, monsters did not think or feel, it still appeared to be a living, breathing creature. Whatever emotional indication a monster gave was supposed to be a product of the System.

Janus formed rings of reinforced mana around the shaman’s legs and hands before it could stand. He connected each of the rings in front of the shaman.

It almost looks like a pig ready for a roast.

Could people even eat monsters? Janus wasn’t sure. Most of them just dissipated once they died. He had taken an ethics course not even six months prior. But his instructor had nothing to say about the treatment of monsters.

Such thoughts did not reassure Janus. The goblin in front of him didn’t look scared, just angry. He patiently waited for the monster to use its skills. The first thing it attempted was firing another green ball of energy. But the goblin was stuck on its back and could hardly aim. The spell whizzed into the nearby ravine wall.

Janus made certain to watch how the mana formed. Unlike the arrow point array, the goblin’s spell created the projectile directly. Janus attempted to recreate it, forming mana into the same structures. The spell was simple enough that it didn’t take long.

Janus wasn’t entirely certain how to actually fire the projectile, but he had created a mass of heavy reinforced mana. It was surprisingly stable. Most reinforced mana he created would not stay together for more than a few minutes, but this new spell was holding together nicely.

The shaman chirped in indignation, pulling at its restraints. Janus let the cuffs of mana dissipate. He used a combination of the mana structure from the shaman’s projectile and the shaman’s barrier spells to form new restraints. The goblin hadn’t been ready for the sudden freedom and was caught off guard when its arms and legs were trapped again.

Much better. These should last a while longer.

He looked at the shaman and knew that the next part was the most repulsive. No matter how much he told himself it was just a monster, it still appeared to be a living creature. He knelt close to the goblin and pulled his knife from a pocket in his robe, using it to slice the goblin’s arm. The monster screeched in pain and the sound nearly made Janus drop the knife.

Lenny’s face flashed through Janus’ mind, the [Hermit] choking on his own blood. Panting, Janus slid down into a sitting position. A few moments later, the shaman began using its healing spell.

This is necessary. I need this. It’s only a monster.

Janus felt sick at the justification. But he had killed so many monsters already. How was this really any different? He turned and intently watched as the mana suffused the goblin’s skin. He could really only see what the mana was doing on the surface, but the complexity astounded him. Even the arrow point array wasn’t nearly as complicated as this.

The goblin’s flesh began to knit together once again and Janus had a worrying though. Without being able to see what the mana was doing inside the goblin’s arm, how would he be able to replicate the skill? Curiosity overcame his disgust and he wounded the goblin once more. He needed the monster to use its healing spell as much as possible before it ran out of mana.

-

Janus had gotten lucky that no other [Rock Constrictors] or [Rock Goblins] found him while he tried his best to replicate the shaman’s healing spell. Once the shaman had run out of mana, Janus tried his hand at healing the creature. At first, Janus was excited. The spell appeared to work.

Unfortunately, it was only the flesh that had been knitted back together. Janus opted to finish off the shaman from a distance, instead of with the knife. It felt too personal when he was up close.

[You have defeated an enemy: Rock Goblin Shaman]

[You have gained a level]

[Your Mana Reinforcement skill has gained 1 level]

[Your Mana Burn skill has gained 1 levels]

Using what he had learned, he unwrapped the bandage on his wounded arm. He let mana flow over the punctures and they slowly sealed up. His arm was still stiff and still sent pulses of pain through his torso if he moved it the wrong way, but at least it wouldn’t be bleeding anymore.

He tried to pull himself up the ravine wall and to the ledge that the goblins had been shooting from. He struggled with only one arm, but after a minute of effort, Janus sat on the ledge with his legs dangling off. It was such a small amount of progress, but he was still happy with it.

He couldn’t remember seeing this ledge where he had initially climbed down into the ravine, so it likely didn’t go very far in the direction he had come from. Uncertain what to do, Janus tossed a [Torchstone] in the air, watching carefully to see if it illuminated any other ledges up above. Seeing nothing, he narrowly caught the light again as it came down.

Janus laughed nervously, picturing himself missing the catch and tumbling down the ledge ha had just climbed. Maybe he would stick to creating flashes of light with his mana, despite the cost.

A glance at his map told him that this ravine might intersect with another tunnel up ahead. The map indicated that this tunnel would be lower down than the one he had come from. He weighed his options, deciding between heading back and trying his best to climb up, but finally settled on pushing ahead. If the upcoming tunnel was lit, it would be easy to see in the darkness above.

As he traveled along the ledge, Janus could see small signs of the [Rock Goblins]. Small huts and remnants of campfires. He wondered where they got the strange straw-like material to make their homes out of. Thankfully, he hadn’t encountered any more enemies. Perhaps the huts belonged to the group that had already attacked him?

It was no pressing matter, and he put the thoughts to the back of his mind. His current focus was on making sure that he did not miss the tunnel exit. If it took too long to find, he would have to turn back and try his luck where he had initially climbed down. His arm was pulsing more painfully than ever, though, and he wasn’t confident in his ability to climb.