Chapter 15: Backfire

I almost know this mine by heart, I think as the familiar scenery starts appearing. We have been exploring this side of the mine for some time now; maybe we should go back to the intersection and go the other way? I spend just a second meditating on it and reach the obvious conclusion. We should completely clear this side first to eliminate any possible attacks from the back.

As soon as my friends enter the game, I make haste. “Okay, guys, same strategy as ever. I’ll go in Specter form this time, though. To maximize my experience.” I smirk as I think of all the lost opportunities so far.

We take the same route as always. Everything seems the same, the rocks, walls, timbers, everything. Yet, there is this nagging feeling I can’t explain. As we go through the mess hall, the feeling intensifies. Like an itch I can’t just scratch, I resort to voicing my doubts.

“Is it me, or there’s something off?”

“Yeah…” Rand seems to be on the same vibe as me. His head is tilted, trying to figure out what is amiss. What could i-

“Have you seen any corpse so far?” Mike’s voice sets the wheels in motion.

“Co-Corpses! Thanks, Mike!” How could I not see it before? Until now, we always found dead bodies all around; no one would pick them up. Still, I’m so used to seeing them disappear in other games that I didn’t even question it. “They know we are here! Be on high alert and ready to fight at any time!”

As we resume our exploration, a near rattling disturbs the peace of the cave. And we even brought the cart here. We were so greedy that we didn’t even care about announcing our position every single step. There’s no helping it, though, is it? We need the money.

If they know we are here, why don’t they attack from our back? Or gather a strong and big enough force to kill us? I’m sure they could easily wipe us if they gather as little as twelve units together. Actually, probabl-

“You are not one of them. Why are you with them?” Huh? A flat voice, unnatural and devoid of any emotion, suddenly enters my head. It has no hints of gender or age.

I frantically turn to all sides. I inspect every shadow, every rock, but there is nothing to be found. “Stop!” They are looking at me as if I had gone crazy. “I guess nobody has heard it, right?”

“Heard… it?” They don’t even know what I’m talking about. Their multiple whispers and squints confirm as much.

“Someone, or something, has just communicated with me as Dorian does.” Actually, as Isha does would be a better description, but I’m not sure she wants to disclose it. “They might have eyes on us.”

Isha, who had been going along with us all this time but chose to be silent, finally utters some words. “What did it sound like?”

“I’m… not sure. Neutral. The most characteristic thing about it was the absence of any particularity. If that makes sense.” I try to convey with my face that the message itself, its meaning, was also weird. I have to tell her whenever the opportunity arises.

“Keep alert. If it contacts you again, tell me immediately.”

Settling the matter, we retake our positions and exit the mess hall. As it has been until now, no Kobolds are to be found. Neither dead nor alive. Maybe once we go beyond the last point we explored? Some chambers are still unexplored, and there were corridors expanding way beyond our sight.

“Dorian here. 2 mages and 2 soldiers right ahead.” Almost like answering my questions, he warns me of the incoming enemies. “Ready guys, four at the front. Two of them are mages. Dorian can take one. Lillia, I need you to take care of the other.”

As soon as we reach a close enough position, Dorian darts for the backline and the left-most mage. Rand charges off while emitting a deep grunt, and Mike starts casting a fireball. Lillia also gets moving, taking a detour to the right with the hopes of reaching the other mage.

Perfect! “Rand, keep them focused on you!” His recent level-ups are certainly helping with his sustain and damage output. He should be able to hold both of them for a while. I can see Dorian at the back chasing the mage, enough to keep him from casting that nasty spell.

Lillia has almost re- Fuck! How? Her life has just breached under 50hp. How in the hell has she lost 110hp in a mere second? “Lillia! Fall back! What happened?” I shout at the top of my lungs. My Heal won’t reach from here!

“Levitate!” I should have tested my limits before, whatever! I command my mind to push the hardest I can think of towards Lillia’s position. Space starts distorting around me. Light blurs, and I feel like I’m passing out. If I were standing, I’m sure my legs would have given up by now. My head drops to my chest.

[You have lost 30hp]

[Levitate has gained a level]

Huh? So these are the consequences of not respecting my limits. I’ve only traveled this short distance, and I feel like dying ins- Lillia! My mind comes back to focus as she appears right in front of me. “Heal!”

“Mark? This mage feels different! Run!”

Run? If I stop levitating, I’ll fall to the ground. If I don’t… At most, I have two more heals “No! We fight here.” Mana drain! I must use it. I know it’s risky, I’m already at 70hp, and consuming my own health to drain his mana might not be worth it. But I have to try; maybe he won’t be able to cast more of that spell.

“I’ll keep this up for 10 seconds at most! Hurry and try to kill him!”

What else can I do? In 2 seconds, I will have Heal available again. I will prioritize Lillia above me. If I die, nothing happens; I wouldn’t be able to do anything else either way. Her job is much more critical.

[Mana Drain has gained a level]

One. I need her to deal as much damage as possible without worrying about dying. Two! “Heal!”

[Your party has slain a Shadow Mage]

Yes! Fuck yes! “Dorian! Assist Lillia with the other mage, fast! It is too powerful for us.” I take a look back; Rand could use some help. “Mike, melt Rand’s targets.”

With Lillia approaching it and me sucking it dry, the mage falls to the floor. Is it afraid? Why would it just fall? Barely one second later, the beast still immobilized on the rock bed, two daggers and Lillia’s sword pierce through him.

[Your party has slain an Arcane Mage]

“Isha! Arcane Mage!” Whatever that is, she must know. “The others, converge on Rand.” Heal! I make sure Rand won’t be in problems by casting my last Heal. And soon, the battle comes to an end.

[Your party has slain a Kobold Soldier]

[Your party has slain a Kobold Soldier]

[You have leveled up]

“An arcanist mouse. Whatever we are facing, it is not a simple and random get-together. All the facts point to a full-fledged alliance between rats and mice.” Isha breaks the rhythm our accelerated breaths have been setting.

“Do we report it?”

“No. This was already our supposition. Let’s keep going.”

“Actually, would you mind giving me a few minutes to recover? And… then a few minutes with those soldiers?” I point my finger to the corpses near Rand.

“Be fast. We don’t have time to lose. We need more information.”

In the flesh again, I lie down and let the natural resources replenish me. A few minutes, and as soon as I am ready, I head over to the corpses. Actually… “Rand? Would you mind standing next to me, just in case?”

“What? So you want to bring them back?”

“Well, it’s not like I have any resurrection spells. But, I don’t know what to expect, so better be ready.”

“Hoh? Let’s see, then!”

Should I touch it? I don’t have to do it in normal circumstances, so why should it be a requirement now? I genuinely don’t want to do it… I’ll start without and see from there.

“Heal!”

[Your spell misuse has backfired, you have lost 20hp]

Way to go! “Anything?” Rand’s voice, quite transparent with his feelings, shows his disappointment at nothing happening. I answer with my head, shaking in negation. It has backfired… I place my hand over it, with direct physical contact, and attempt it again.

“Heal!”

[Your spell misuse has backfired, you have lost 20hp]

So it was not that. Disgus- blr- hold it! Not again! Blr- Think! Focus! I take a few deep breaths and manage to calm my belly. Back then, I tried to heal myself, and although I was also dead, it said nothing about backfiring… maybe?

“Materialize! Heal!” So… no adverse effects this time. Being in Specter form is positive, then. The dam rat is still dead on the ground, though.

“Heal!”

Nothing? But my mana is being consumed! “Let me rest a bit. I think I’m onto something.” I need more mana. When will my pool grow? I should investigate if mana potions are a thing here. I let my mind free while waiting.

Okay, here we go. “Once more, Heal!”

“Raaaand! Block that!” A Kobold-like ghost starts walking off the body. And it’s fucking coming towards me. “Rand!?”

“I… I don’t know! It just goes through me like nothing! I can’t stop it!” Rand’s punches just go through the damn thing, almost like punching water. His charges are met with little resistance. And it is coming for me.

“Everyone take cover or run!”

The ghost is only a few centimeters far from me. It is indeed the very same dead Kobold on my feet. Will I die here?

“Do not come near me! Fuck!”

[You have learned Invoke Spirit]

Your attempts to resurrect a being whose soul is unclaimed have resulted in bringing back its soul. You can invoke the spirits of the enemies you kill and command them.

Only one spirit may be invoked at the same time. It costs 25% of your mana.

Spirits might keep some of the abilities of their original vessel. Time since death, state of the body, your own mental stability, and other factors will affect the spirit quality. Unlike your Specter form, spirits might partake in physical actions, like doing or taking attacks. They take 25% less physical damage but 25% more magic damage.

“Ha! Hahaha! Hahahaha!” A burst of laughter just involuntary exits me. “Oh fuck me. Well. I can’t revive full bodies.”

“Do you mean this… spirit? is-”

“Yeah, I seem to command it. Probably I can order it around with simple thoughts?” Touch Rand. And indeed, the spirit begins chasing after Rand, attempting to touch him.

“Hey man, don’t ever turn me into one of those!”

“Ah… I don’t think I can. It says only unclaimed souls, and yours should be bound to Jonas.”

His nervous chuckle is as good as a worded response. I am becoming a freak.