Chapter Five: Unknown Ground

Lillan

She was bleeding from one side, her wound thin but deep, cleaving through her side, staining her red. It felt like she was on fire blood leaking through her clothes to cover her side, yet it was felt through a gauze, numbing the pain, allowing her to keep fighting when she would have otherwise collapsed. The grass quivered as if in the breeze, but the air was still. A pair of sickly yellow eyes rose from the green tufts rising high as her waist. Lillan lowered herself spear in hand prepared to defend against the foe, they moved through the undergrowth like vipers ready to strike her down if she let even a single one slip through her guard.

She had flattened the grass about her beating it down with her spear if one of them approached it would die. In an instant one of the creatures leapt from the grass hollering as it collapsed to its side amid the dirt and mud. Lillan thrust out with her spear impaling the creature just above the waist. It screamed trying to escape, waving its fragile limbs through the air, she lifted her spear the creature attached to the end flinging it away. It was then a heavy weight made itself known on her back. She could feel claws digging through her flesh; clawing and raking like lines of molten iron carving down. Crying out she reached over grabbing the creature and throwing it in the direction of its comrades, the lanky form colliding with its fellows. In her panic she leapt away, it wasn’t a battle she could win. To fight on such uneven terms would be a death sentence. The meagre meal she had won would be forfeit for he life or so she hopped, it seemed fate was not so kind. Her pursuers gave chase.

Sol

I have noticed that many of these monsters hold abilities beyond humans; this Mahus is fascinating it takes many colours and forms. I have taken not while on my travels that though species will be constricted to a single a single type of Mahus dependent on there affinity for there’ type the colour of the mahus will become purer or more vibrant in shade depending on the intelligence of the beast in question. Also it may just be my imagination but I have come across two variants of different species that were able to wield two types of mahus. These individuals were incredibly powerful and I had to flee before true examination but I think that should a monster live long enough it will develop an extra mahus. This may just be in regular monsters though, seeing as how the most powerful monster; dragons hold only a single type of Mahol and live for many years. Though it could simply be the difference between Mahus and Mahol

Sol made amendments to his notes scrawling over the paper.

“You better pay me back. I know I said you could borrow a little money but I thought you were just going to buy a snack.” The old man grumbled. Sol ignored him. “I came back here and there you are quite as a mute with a bleeding library and owing me twenty coppers.” Sol still did not respond “least you got the order done.” Sol remained quite.

The old man continued to talk not caring that his audience was focused on other things. It had taken him hours pouring over the notes as the sunset, and even then he walked outside to work by moonlight. His research with that single set of notes had launched him forwards by months, he had done more in one night than he had managed to accomplish in three months.

Slamming down his quill he stood laughing like a maniac, his voice echoing through the empty air about them. A chime rang in his ear harbinger of good things to come.

Intelligence +20 Congratulations! Study Skill has levelled up! Congratulations! The stat Wisdom has been unlocked

He was close now, he knew it; he’d unlocked a hidden stat. Perhaps it was the brake through he needed, considering that monsters couldn’t chant or inscribe when casting their spells: Sol hypothesised it was possible to merely force Mahus from ones own body. Sol took a deep breath attempting to force the Mahus from his body. The instant he tried he felt something inside him well up and surge forwards, but before he knew it pain flooded through his body like a thousand needles digging into his skin.

The results were the same, always the same, no matter what method he tried, failure. It seemed he was missing a part of the puzzle of magic. Groaning in irritation he looked over his notes. These would be the key to his success.

It seemed that mahus was an energy contained within every living cell, even bacteria; that was his first conclusion and it seemed reliable on the surface but it lacked roots as flaws began to reveal themselves. Creatures were not born with an affinity for one type of Mahus or another. new born monsters couldn’t wield Mahus at all. It seemed members of the same species might possess different types of Mahus depending on where they lived. This meant that it was the environment that created Mahus and it was intelligent creatures that were able to absorb it. More over a person’s environment would increase their affinity as well as causing them to develop distinct traits. It appeared that the elves, dwarves, fae and goblins all experienced this. A world where the rate of evolution was increased through the use of magic.

The cart wobbled the wheel striking a rock below them and sending the merchandise sliding to the right. Sol cried out holding down his research notes, the sudden jolt shaking him from the reveries of his endeavour.

“Old Man what are you doing, that was a months work I nearly lost!” Sol yelled at the old man slamming his fist into the back of the old mans seat (despite the fact that he’d already made two copies of the notebook and loosing one wouldn’t matter). He reached over and grabbed his club tempted to strike the old man across the back of the head, not enough to kill, but enough to knock him out.

“Ha, just keeping you on your toes, just remember to keep look out.” The old man ordered with a grin, “We don’t want any Unpleasant, company.” Telmin’s tone turned morbid.

“What’s unpleasant supposed to mean?” Sol questioned laying down the club intrigued.

“You’ll know ‘em when ya see ‘em lad.” The old man responded with a shake of his head, beard fluttering in the wind. Sol shot him a look before sitting back down and rearranging to crates to shield him from the wind while he worked. Sol looked out of the back of the cart wondering what exactly he was meant to be keeping a look out for.

Still what mattered most to him at the moment was his plan, he decided that he needed to understand both human anatomy and that of monsters, neither were readily available though. If he were able to understand what made monsters able to use Mahus and humans not, it would reveal how he could himself obtain the power of magic.

Sighing he made a few quick notes and stowed away, his journal in the old leather bag the old man had given him. The day waned forth, light beginning to leave the east as the little company kept on trundling along the road throwing up a wake of dust.

“Hey old man, what do you know of monsters?” Sol questioned looking around to Vanda.

“Eh, not much, I know that the kingdom gives out rewards if you can slay a D class of greater monster alone and the king himself will praise you if you beat an A or B class one, I think there’s also some kind of trade in them. I heard a group of blessed ones had been buying up E, F and D class monsters; that’s if I remember correctly.” The old man replied with a sigh, as if he were imagining the riches involved in such a lucrative trade.

“Seriously, if the only thing you have on your mind money?” Sol huffed already knowing the answer to that question.

“Why would I need to think about anything else?” The old man snorted with a grin.

“What do you plan on doing with all that money anyway?”

“I don’t know, that isn’t the point. I’m old so I’m going to waste my time doing what I love till I kick the bucket.” The old man laughed slapping his knee. Sol sighed, there really was no use arguing with the old coot. Not that he was wrong exactly: it was a fare philosophy.

Turning around Sol faced the setting sun descending the western sky. He smiled as he watched it pass away, perhaps he didn’t have to rush in his journey to gain magical power, he could just wait, search where and when he could and in doing so see the world around him, he had a whole lifetime to search, why not stop to smell the roses? Laughing he leaned backwards enjoying the tranquillity of the scene. Of course that was when fate reared its ugly head and started to trample on whatever ever semblance of peace he had thus far managed to accumulate… She burst from the grass, bloody and ragged her clothes shredded, a hoarse voice screaming at the top of its lungs.

“What the bloody hell!” The old man cried turning around to share in the display.

The old man had yanked the reins his body jolting, sending the poor, old mule tumbling to its side, dragging the cart down with it. Everything contained within scattered about the road, only the sealed crates preventing the goods from being ruined. The bloody woman ground to a halt in front of them, out of breath, eyes dilated and unfocused fear stricken over her face. Planting the but of her spear in the ground, She knelt though her attention was quickly returned to the grass either side of the road. Sol rose to his feet knees and elbows grazed by the fall

Sol reached down and grabbed his cudgel in hand.

“Ugh help me up lad.” The old man sighed from the side of the road where he had tumbled with the goods. Sol turned around reaching out to grasp the old mans wrist hauling him to his feet.

“What’s going on?” Sol asked the woman, she had dull eyes that glared at him, ringed black and red speaking heavy trauma and long nights without sleep though a faint smile hung at the corners of her lips, as if her beaten and bloodied condition couldn’t be felt. He immediately knew she was a ‘Blessed One’.

“Monsters.” The girl muttered standing on her own two feet and placing her spear diagonally across her body.

“Ha, Unpleasant company indeed!” the old man laughed taking up a battle stance drawing a simple dirk from the sleeve of his shirt. Looking between the two, Sol grunted readying his club holding it before him like a sword. As if the old mans words were a signal for the attack to start five diminutive creatures rushed from the tall grass. They were all ugly, short little creatures standing at three-foot high with skin like aged parchment, with stained patches where coffee had fallen. They reeked of many days amid sun and dirt without the furthest thought of a shower, even from a distance and they possessed gigantic ears falling from the sides of their heads, bending downwards. Immense saucer like eyes, the colour of off milk, were set in matching bulbous heads covered in growths and knobs.

Three of the little creatures rushed forward dashing towards them screaming bloody murder. Sol swung out in panic swinging the truncheon through the air keeping the beast that had selected him as a target from drawing near.

As he gained distance he swung out with the bludgeon, the little creature rushed under his guard swinging clawed hands towards his stomach. Sol felt an odd pulse pass through the air as he side stepped the blow by inches the goblin passing beyond him to stumble tripping over its own legs. Sol welt the wooden mace landing a strike across the beasts cranium braining it and sending its form to collapse in pool of gore. Spinning around he looked to see how the others were faring: It seemed the woman didn’t have much experience with her only able to keep the creature away as it avoided each and every one of her thrusts, admittedly it wasn’t the type of weapon to use against the little creatures. The old man however had already slain one of the beasts with his knife and received a few scratches on his shoulder for his efforts. Of course this had drawn the attention of the remaining two. The first of them, stood at four foot high, taller and broader than its fellows, though no less ugly, its apparel leather armour covered in rivets a series of silver rings hanging from its neck. Its counter part was skinny and slight its eyes small and discoloured a faint green, it was wrapped in a mass of leaves and grasses woven and bent into long cloak and hat like structures a knife in each hand.

The larger of the two was moving in on the old man who was kneeling over the corpse of his already slain foe. Sol moved to cut of the advance interposing himself between the Old man and the monster. The creature chuckled as from behind it Sol could see a faint crackling of light disperse through the air, a muddy green haze spreading out arcing shapes forming. The armoured monster stepped aside as from behind it a spear of earth as wide as his finger and as long as a man shot forwards. Sol was stunned only able to attempt evading at the last second. It was not enough as the spear of earth stuck his shoulder digging deep. He screamed stepping away and falling to his knees. The Warrior lunged forward wielding what looked like a rusted machete in both hands it swung overhead to split Sol in two in a single stroke.

Sol threw himself to the side as the blade swung down to land in the dirt. But even as he rose from his side another earthen spear lunged towards him. He leapt back barely avoiding the incoming blow. The armoured monster was lumbering towards him intent on swinging out from his hip to catch Sol beneath the blade. Realising he couldn’t take care of the two opponents at once he made his move towards the caster. Before the monster could even think about launching another spell Sol struck him full force across the face knocking it back so its head struck the earth and breaking its neck. Sol felt something strike the back of his knee as he was hurled to the earth. Rolling onto his back Sol could see the armoured monster swinging down on him. Sol raised his club the blade came down the rusted iron digging into the wooden cudgel. Before the monster collapsed atop him, a knife protruding from its head.

“Hey lad… You alright under there?” The old man questioned tossing aside the corpse. Sol lay their glaring at the old merchant.

“What do you think?”

He stood looking about himself eyes turning towards the girl who was kneeling on the ground, red hair fallen about her faze purple eyes dull and weary, she must have been a blessed one: the strange appearance and the ability to fight despite her wounds, like she could barely feel them.

“You two seem strong.” She laughed before collapsing into the road.

It was about time he discovered the true nature of this world, and it seemed like the girl might know the answers

Rey Standon

“Alpha what’s the report on our would be mages?” Rey inquired taking a sip from his cup of coffee. He yawned, the tension seaming to leak from his body.

“Not great.” The computer replied “The Mons group gave up right before they discovered mana, though their leader seems to be continuing with his research, he may make a magically adept sub class but not a true mage.” The computer’s emoticon frowned. “We may have lost the front runners but the druid I told you about has been making great progress and I expect he’ll be able to cast level one spells within a month or two. The alchemist is drawing closer as well, he’s started using monster cores in his work but he has yet to find out how to utilise them as anything more than makeshift explosives.”

“The Warlock has been studying the laws of physics in Olympus, and running many tests, so he’ll be more powerful when he does manage to gain his power but that’ll be a while off. There are also a half dozen perspective wizards and many more would-be mages, I’ve started guiding a couple of the more promising ones.” Alpha sighed in exasperation, his emoticon displeased.

“Is mana really that important, what is the difference between Mana and Mahus Anyway?” Rey gripped not seeing the need for pointless complexities

“ It’s like the difference between fire and magma.” The Ai declared before moving off onto one of its rants “Imagine a metal cage as the human body. When fire is pulled into the body from the surrounding air it passes in and out without causing any problems right. Well if you did the same thing with magma the cage would melt. The human body couldn’t withstand such power being used within it, though it is a little less extreme that pouring magma out of the body.” The computer explained with a sick grin knowing his audience understood very little of the explanation.

“Then why can monsters use it?” Rey murmured in dissatisfaction

“First monsters are stupid so can produce only mana inside there bodies not mahus. This mana leaks out through the pours of their body causing an aura affect, which will strengthen the body, which is why monsters will always be stronger than players of the same level unless they use their mana to attack. After a long enough period of time the mana within the bodies condenses into a crystalline core that stores mana. Monsters are then able to fire out a wave of mana that will congregate as outside their bodies forming Mahus.” The Ai sighed. “Powerful monsters like dragons are intelligent and are able to produce mahus inside their bodies, but because of their size and durability, they are able to pass Mahus through their bodies without causing damage. And they can still use it like mana, except upon exciting their body its power is a level above mahus and is called mahol.”

Rey nodded at the AI’s response.

“So humans need mana before they can use magic, because mahus is to powerful.” he summarised in layman’s terms

“Yep, without it they’d explode.” Alpha confirmed

“So who do you think will be the first to discover magic?”

“It’s hard to say, I think the druid has the best chance, he’s ahead of every one else but the Alchemist is making rapid progress, as for the mages they’re beginning to branch off into the other classes, I think we’ll see a couple of enchanters and few incanters, Maybe we’ll get a few wizards soon.”

“We’ll things are going to start getting interesting aren’t they?” Rey laughed.

“Indeed they are.” Alpha agreed