Edited by: tommyjl7

New enemy means new information that needs to be studied in order to secure chances of victories. The current situation is tricky, for treants, that depending on game or story, were treated as creatures on different difficulty levels. In few games,s they were dying after some time if they wouldn’t root back in the earth, so the hit-and-run strategy was extremely effective, in other, treants could be nasty bastards that needed the support of the whole team to be put down.

Let’s start dancing, [Appraisal]!

Your skill [Appraisal] has leveled up; [Appraisal] is now level 9Additional data can be gathered during [Appraising]Stronger enemies can be now [Appraised]Much stronger enemies will now display partial data while being [Appraised]You are now more likely to hide more of your data as a [Appraisal]-kin skill would be used on you

NameMedium Treant of the BogLevel25Hp[1200/900]Sp[5549/5500]Mp[100/100]Status PointsSTR75 or higherVIT75 or higherEND75 or higherDEX, RFX, SPI, WIS, INT???Skills:Tree Bark [Passive] [Level 4]

Stomp [Active] [Level 4]

Nature Magic Manipulation [Passive/Active] [Level 5]

Earth Magic Manipulation [Passive/Active] [Level 5]ResistancesLesser Physical Damage Nullification

Medium Earth Magic Resistance

Higher Nature Magic Resistance

Higher Mind Magic Resistance

Medium Fire Magic VulnerabilityThese creatures usually are souls of people that died on the swamps, whose regrets didn't allow it to rest on the underworld's plains.

Instead, those lost spirits started clinging to another sources of life present around them - trees, which they possessed and corrupted.

Slow yet sturdy. These silent protectors of bogs and swamps brought an end to many careless adventurers, whose life they envy.

Nothing frightening, if it wasn’t for their number, it would be a walk in the park. On the other hand, their health pool exceeded limits. Maybe it was because we were fighting on their territory? Or maybe because they were lying dormant for god-only-knows how long charging up their eco-batteries?

This knowledge could be vital as I would have to fight with stronger creatures of their kin in the future, for now, the [Fire Magic Vulnerability] was the most crucial data that I managed to gather.

One last time I looked around the clearing, in order to locate my team members and the greatest group of enemies, so I could think about strategy.

Hunters will be useless in this very combat. Their blades made of silver were fragile and would shatter on the bark of the treants, causing almost no damage because of [Physical Damage Nullification]. The resistance’s description said:

[Lesser Physical Damage Nullification]Because of the bark covering [user]'s body, he became immune to the damage created by non-enchanted dagger and one-handed swords.

If you want to kill a treant, you better come with your axe!Damage Reductions:[Dagger]-type:- 99%[One-handed sword]-type:-95%[Bare-hand]-type-100% / +5% [damage reflection][Bow]-type-98%[Crossbow]-type-95%

Marie wasn’t a battle mage while Lanele was mostly focusing on nature magic. That made me the only real damage dealer on our side of the field.

Around twenty enemies with “faces” twisted in anger, hate and pain started reducing the distance between us at a pace of quickly walking human. Running away wouldn’t be a problem, if we weren’t surrounded.

- “Oh, mighty mother, who rejoice in the sun,

Ward off the evil, until my will is done,

Rise up a…”

I heard Lanele singing, rising a walls of earth and heavy plants to protect herself and rest of the team, though her spells had barely any effect. With a single, powerful swing of hand-branch as wide as barrel a treant could shatter the wall of clay into the dust. The vines that would start creeping from the ground trying to tie it down would swell and snap, as creatures mass and strength allow them to simply ignore it. Yet she did not stop singing.

- “I am calling your aid, oh spirits of rage…” I started casting my spell. I felt it, as always when I used the fire magic, this warmness that starts tingling in my belly, heating me up like a furnace trapped in my guts.

Something was different. I know - I did use more mana than usual, mostly because I wanted to attack more enemies at the same time, to incinerate as much ground as possible. I didn’t care about the altar, I didn’t care about the guardian spirit. This place was already corrupted, in the flames, I shall purge it from its contamination.

Yet something changed. Even my chant. The spell I started forming changed its structure in my mind.

I was the Oracle, my affinity to nature was boosted over one’s understanding. I saw the creation of life. I saw him – the personification of Fire. The one calling himself as Prometheus, as Zulvurion. The first Ember. I saw the essence of flame. Of spark. Of cinder. And at that moment I understood.

- “… I am the spark, that kindles the stars…” I started from the beginning, completely forgetting about my first spell

- “I face the infinite, and feast on the night,

Laughing at perfection I channel the Might,

Until the life shall sparkle as bright as a Sun… “

Because my eyes were closed, focused on the memories of the Evergreen realm, I couldn’t see that my skin started glowing with white, blinding light. It was traveling over my veins up to my eyes.

- “Fire and Flames,

My will is done.”

I have opened my eyes. My mind could be focused only on one thing, the name of the spell.

[Birth of the Sun]

[Birth of the Sun]Spell domain:Nature [Fire]

Light [Holy]Spell that uses dual nature of the caster.

The most powerful priests and paladins that reach the peak of understanding the Holy domain or Pyromancer that in their flames found purity can perform this devastating spell.

It's completely harmless for most of the living beings, instead, it targets every corrupted being - evil spirits and undeads as well as people with [Dark] affinityAll lesser-medium rank [undead] will be vaporized.Damage dealt to [evil spirits] varies on level of [Holy] affinity of user and [Dark] affinity of spirits - the higher the better; as well as personal stat-point of both parties. Non-[undead] and non-[spirit] beings would temporarily lose ability of casting dark magic, or its effect shall be limited - depending on power level of targetsSide effects:May vary on power level of the spell performed, but usually:-mana fever- faint- [holy fervor]

The temperature on the field raised violently, for a moment I thought I would be roasted alive, yet, the heat, despite being unpleasant, suffocating and overwhelming, was not actually hurting. It was more like entering a sauna regulated by the Finns.

I felt as my robe started flapping on the wind that the spell generated, I felt as presences of evil creatures were burned on the spot. As the only thing that remained after their existence was merely a shadow on the ground.

The wall of notification flooded my mind, for now, I ignored them, I had no time for that.

When I once again opened my eyes, the creatures were gone, except for the barghest. The wind that the spell created blew away the salt and herbs, breaking the barrier. But, that meant that the devil got a handful of holy radiation too. The spell wasn’t enough to cast it away, yet it was clear that the devil did not enjoy it. The beast, battered, started rising up

Ha. Magical version of Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch? Can be useful in some dungeons.

…

Yet…Holy? Which part of me is holy?! Not that I complain, but…

[Dormant] [Holy] source within the [user] detected

Dormant? You mean the angel core? Now, I think I can roll with that.

- “How? Mere mortal should not be able to perform… You! Scum of dirt! What kind of cheat was that!?”

It was the first time I heard panic instead of mockery in beast tone. One last time I looked around to see if my team didn’t suffer in any way. They looked shocked. Eyes opened in awe, yet more or less not damaged. The spell could push them away so I was afraid they could accidentally break their skulls on some stones, yet that was not the case. I once again faced the beast.

- “I am the Oracle of the Mother.

I am her herald, messenger,

Bringer of her words.

She also has one word just for you.

The word is: Perish.”

- “YOU SCUM! NO MORTAL WILL STAND MY WAY!”

It bared its spectral fangs, the miasma started falling like a droll from its mouth. He can’t hurt me physically, but he can inject my soul with miasma – pure corruption. Saying that being hit with that would hurt, is like saying nothing.

I quickly checked my status. The spell description said that everyone within the area of effect would have some problems with using dark magic, yet I saw no such debuff within my [Status effect] panel.

I pointed fingers of my right hand at the charging spirit, as if I was holding a pistol, there was no time for a chant.

- “[Dark Binding]!”

I yelled. Usually, I hate calling the name of the skill that I am using, the last thing I want is to inform my enemy what move I am about to perform, yet the distance between the two of us ensured that creature wouldn’t have enough time for reaction.

I used the miasma he was splashing everywhere. Black and violet drops of dark energy changed into shackles that tied beast’s body and for a split of second threw it on the ground.

Now is my chance!

Once again I looked within myself searching for angelic core, then, I activated it. Not to morph, but only to get access to my light magic.

I raised the palm of my second hand in the air and performed a canceled chant.

- “Tremble before the might of the Light! [Sun Javelins]!”

I felt like an idiot yelling name of the spells, but as you duel four meters tall and wide devil, you can’t be picky when it comes to strategy as long as it works.

From the surface of my palm, dozens of needles made of light flew in the sky with parabolic movement before they stopped, turned around and fell like a rain of tiny falling stars upon the body of smoke.

Once again, not nearly enough to seriously would it.

- “You… abomination!...” the devil roared “… the night and the day cannot coexists! How…”

He was referring to me using dark magic one hand, and light with another.

- “How foolish of you. The day, the night. The Sun, the Moons. All exist for She allows it. I have a different point of view than you – a flawed being. You think that there can be no light in the darkness, I know that darkness cannot exist without light. The stronger the light, the darker the shadows. That’s my principle. Something, that you will never understand.. .and will never be able to fight against.”

I was bluffing. The effects of spell started to leave its mark on my mind and body. I was feeling so… burned out. Like a vessel made of clay when it is no longer ignited from within. A single drop of blood fell from my nose. The beast saw it and smiled once again.

He saw through my charade.

Opening his maw, he roared breathing our a thick cloud of dark miasma. With effort, I raised my hands up creating a mirror of light that started absorbing part of corruption, and reflecting rest, though the spell that looked as if it was made of gold and silver was quickly darkening under the pressure of devil’s colossal mana pool. Being so close to its goal, it stopped saving its magical powers.

- “Hear my call, oh servants of the dark,

Step out of the shadows and…”

Words were being pushed back into my throat by the pressure of corruption, yet somehow I managed to perform a chant.

In the last moment, before the mirror shattered and vanished the smoke of my own creation covered me from Barghest vision. The monster let out a roar of triumph… until the smoke fell.

On the place where I was standing a huge, grey tree was standing protecting me with its branches and trunk, its purple leafs were feasting of miasma getting it rid from the air. Then the tree started getting up, the twisted hollows in its barks resembling the face twisted in anger.

- “Greeeg proootectsss the massstaaa.”

The familiar that rested behind the veil for months finally yelled.

With affection and gratitude, I patted his vessel.

I summoned only Gregory, for rest of my familiars wouldn’t be able to do anything against a semi-ethereal creature. Greg, thanks to being a spirit himself that just possessed a tree was able to nullify some of devils damages. I needed to count the mana.

As I was preparing to perform another attack, I noticed what the rest of my team was doing. Lanele and Marie ran bit deeper into the forest, I sensed them sitting on the sides of the clearing creating a magic resonation between them, like an air circulation, the magic was flowing in the circle. This easy trick was shaking the structure of miasma, shattering it to tiny pieces that could perish in the wind without much harm, up to now I didn’t even realize how much the two magic casters weakened the miasmatic attacks of the devil.

The hunters, on the other hand, were approaching the devil from the back. Their silver blades were raised readying for a swift attack.

In a flash, I understand their idea and began focusing the whole attention of the beast on myself. I let out the ray of purest light right at the monster's face, he responded with a similar ray of corruption that looked as if it was made of millions of bugs, buzzing, twisting, creeping.

He was stronger and had more magical powers, so the point where our forces collided creating a magical knot was slowly being pushed toward me. Once again, a savage grin bloomed on its maw.

Just like that, eyes locked on me, fucker.

Rupert gave the signal to Samuel, the two man jumped from their covers, ran across the opened field and buried their blades in the spiritual body of barghest. Normally, the physical weapon would just pass through it, yet the purity of silver made the monster’s body act like real tissue.

You could see the blades stuck in semi transparent body of the devil, swords that used to be almost completely white turned red, making the hunters release them with a grimace of pain.

- “Sam, now!” the hunter leader yelled.

- “Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus,

omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii,

omnis congregatio et secta diabolica.

Ergo, draco maledicte.

Ecclesiam tuam securi tibi facias libertate servire,

te rogamus, audi n…!”

- “Impudent fools!” The devil roared.

The silver has literally melted inside of his body dropping under it. Without it, there was nothing that could bind him in place.

The monster released the aura of corruption from its body, yet it started to visibly shrink in size.

The purple and black smoke completely covered two hunters.

- “Sam! Don’t breathe!”

Miasma was corrupting just with its very presence, yet in the moment you let it enter your body, the effect were much more severe.

Once again I focused the last bits of my mana and casted a ray of light that pushed beast and fog away.

The creature wanted to attack one more time, yet in distance, we could hear a howl of a werewolf, full of agony pain and despair.

Barghest froze for a moment, turned around and ran into the forest, toward the source of the sound.

- “Yeah! That’s right! Run away!” I mocked the creature that already vanished from my sight.

Rupert burst into a laugh.

- “You know what? I think that he is not the one that lost here.”

- “No, he ran away from the battlefield.” I decided to stick to my version

- “But…”

- “Shush.” I silenced him

- “But I…”

- “Shhh!”

- “I…”

- “Sh!”

He gave up and once again burst into a laugh. When he calmed down he covered his face with palms.

- “A devil. I thought that we would face some bitter soul that couldn’t find peace and turned evil. That it’s strength was caused by night of three moons, of equinox and the presence of altar… But, to meet the actual devil… Not only that. To survive a meeting with it… Ha! If I would see tomorrow I would become one of the most famous hunters of the brotherhood.”

- “Why do you even considering not seeing tom…”

He started coughing violently. His veins darkened, eyes became yellow, skin turned grey like parchment. He inhaled miasma.

- “Master Rupert!” Samuel jumped to his leader, kneeled by him and grabbed his hand “… please, stay with us!”

Should I tell them?

- “Sam, you idiot… , listen well. Jasper will be the one that would take the lead after me, but he is still young… watch over him. He is a good boy and…”

Yeah, I should definitely tell them.

- “No! Please! Don’t close your eyes! Stay awake!”

On the other hand, I want to watch it for a little bit more.

- “It’s too late… my ancestors… smile down upon me. I am ready to reunite with them… With my family…”

The old man smiled looking at the skies

Ok, enough.

I loudly cleared my throat

- “Are you done playing the scene? Then Sam, please, move aside so I can treat that old man.”

- “What do you mean? I can already see the face of my wife…”

- “No-oo, you don’t. Miasma has some hallucinogenic effects, so you may feel as if you are flying and such, but despite that first phase of intoxication comes swiftly… you would need a few more days before you would actually die. Not to mentioned the amount of miasma you inhaled. I can fix you in… ten minutes?”

- “You… you are joking, right?”

- “Wait, have you never been influenced by miasma before?”

- “No! How could I? This disgusting magic can be cast only by specific kind of monsters! But we have books! In books, it was described as a terrifying calamity! It causes everything to rot!”

- “Indeed, and effects last for years even after the source of miasma would be removed, but first it would need to be soaking in it for days.”

- “So… my wife?”

- “Sorry, not just yet.”

I rolled my eyes. Through this whole pompous moment, I could almost hear Celine Dion singing “My heart will go on” at the back of my head.

Sorry, not today, not on my watch. I still need you, you yellow bastard.

Advertisement A note from Anuel

Now, if I remember correctly, someone was "bitching" that by becoming the oracle he didn't get anything useful.

SHOW YOURSELF SCUM!

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Chapter RSS About the author 2 Fictions 0 Posts 0 Threads Anuel Follow Author Tuesday, August 14, 2018 2:35:12 PM

Bio: Some people want me to write with Style, some people want me to write with Passion, some people wish to see me using logic, yet I... I find madness to be much more alluring.

Srsl tho, I am kinda crazy, ya know?

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