Part Twenty-Two – Grudge Magic

“You still haven’t told me what happened to you. You’d think that you would tell your companions about your harrowing near-death experience.” Well she sure went back to being petulant quickly.

“I don’t want to have to retell the whole thing over and over. It was bad enough experiencing it once, I don’t want to think about it more than I have to.”

“And you wouldn’t have to if you hadn’t been so reckless. Why you thought it was a good idea to fight an unknown monster is beyond me.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t my brightest idea. I’m going to be sore for a couple days and my armor’s broken. I really liked that armor.”

“You’re not even the slightest bit remorseful for what you did, are you?”

“Nope. Because now I know that firebombing C-Rank monsters doesn’t work.”

“And that’s well worth nearly dying.”

“Everything’s an experience. And I did get something out of all that, I’m just not sure that I actually want it.”

“…?”

I’d somehow managed to dispel any potential misunderstandings that could’ve arisen and Alicia had gone back to her regular self, though it at least felt like we were closer. There were still things we were hiding, but I felt like that was normal. It was unusual for two people to completely disclose everything about themselves.

Still, Grudge Magic? I’m not sure I actually want to learn how to use it. If it’s connected to Malignant Aura, then there’s a chance it’ll drive me insane. Though it could be a massive boon. My memories aren’t exactly clear, but I remember my slashes causing the Orc’s skin to begin decomposing. If that was an effect of magic, then it could be highly useful.

“Hey, you okay? You look worried about something.”

“I’m just trying to guess whether or not I’ll be executed. I’m not exactly expecting anything good to come of all this.”

Considering that they’d summoned me almost as soon as I woke up, it wasn’t a stretch of the imagination to think I could be punished. The way that one idiot had been killed back when we first arrived was still fresh in my mind.

“I think it’ll be fine. The commander’s the one who gave the order for the Archmage to guide you back.”

“Wait, the magical weasel was his!? Well now I feel rather odd.”

“Magical weasel…? Do I want to know what that’s about?”

“It’s exactly what it sounds like. A weasel made of magic. Or was it a ferret? No wait, I already made that joke today.”

“Why did I even bother?”

“Probably because you feel an instinctive urge to play the straight man. It’s a terrible disease and you should get checked before it’s too late.”

“Haaaaa. Come on, we’ll be late at this rate.”

“Hey, don’t ignore me! Don’t you know there’s nothing more painful than to have a joke ignored!?”

***

Yeesh, they go to the trouble of summoning me, but don’t even show up on time? Why the hell was I so anxious? The Commander and Archmage were conspicuously absent when we entered the conference room. And aside from Cameron, there wasn’t anyone else either.

“Where is everyone?”

“What do you mean lad? You’re early.”

“…”

“Lad?”

“Aliciaaaaaaaaa!”

“Oops?”

“What do you mean, oops!? You deliberately told me the wrong time?”

“Well I knew you’d drag your feet, which could’ve made us late, so I told you it was a half-hour earlier than it actually was.”

“But, you, er, grrrrrrrrr.”

I was actually choking on my rage. And it was because I knew she was right, I’d have done the same thing in her shoes. But I didn’t have to like it.

“Harrumph!” I decided to make my displeasure known as I took my seat.

I’ll just ignore them for now. I’ve got a bigger fish to fry. What in the blazing hells am I supposed to do about this?

Grudge Magic – A school of Dark Magic. Uses Grudge to produce Miasma, which is used in spellcasting.

By this point, I’ve given up on the System ever actually giving me a helpful description. This one in particular is completely useless. I mean, what does that even mean? One of these days, I’m going to have to find a User's guide to the System.

Insight's got nothing on Magic, I already checked ages ago. And this is all Analyze turns up, so I’ve got no fucking clue what this actually is or how to use it. There are two options though. I could either ask Kalia if she knows anything or I could see if the Archmage has any info. Both come with their own issues though, so I’m not particularly eager to choose one or the other at the moment. Best case scenario would be for me to figure it out on my own.

But I don’t think that’ll happen. I know next to nothing about magic. I’ve only seen one monster actually using it and that was forever ago. Figuring it out from scratch is going to be difficult. I really can’t understand how Kalia did it, but there’s definitely a story there.

Try as I might, what I didn’t know wouldn’t just appear in my mind. My only hope of figuring this out was with some aid. And I think we all know how I feel about asking other people for help.

[Alicia’s POV]

He’s doing it again. Brooding about something all on his own. And he just got upset at me for doing it. At least he doesn’t seem upset, more like annoyed. Wait, he’s not that upset at me for tricking him, right? I wouldn’t usually think so, but he can be surprisingly petty at times.

“Lass, you okay? You were pretty hysterical earlier.”

“Yeah, I’m good. I just remembered something painful earlier, but I’m okay now. I’m more worried about Michael. He doesn’t show it, but getting hurt like that bothers him. Anytime it gets mentioned, he gets all tense, like he’s thinking of something that angers him.”

“He didn’t tell you what happened!?”

“Not even a little. He said something about not wanting to have to tell it multiple times, but come on. Is that really something he’d feel?”

“Good point. When we were clearing that D-Rank Dungeon, he kept us looking for monsters until we were sure there weren’t any left.”

“That was rough. He can be a little obsessive when it comes to dealing with monsters, so do you think he wants to fight whatever it was again? He can’t be that reckless, could he?”

[Protag’s POV]

Do they think I can’t hear them if they whisper?

They were spot-on for once. I wanted to kill that pig myself. I wasn’t really sure why, but a flame of vengeance had been lit within me and no matter what I’d tried, it wouldn’t go out.

***

“Thank you for the report. This will be valuable information for the scouts.”

Contrary to my expectations, it wasn’t the commander who questioned me, but the Archmage. He’d wanted to know everything from what kinds of monsters I’d seen to where they were to what directions they’d gone in at the end of the fight.

Most of the Orcs had died during the fighting and I’d unfortunately not seen what happened to the Orc General, so my report probably wasn’t the most helpful. But I was simply happy to not get executed. Apparently, even knowing what was leading one of the Brigades was of major importance.

Even odder was the Archmage's reaction to the effects Malignant Aura had on me. When I had spoken of the Orcs’ flesh rotting, he’d nodded, like I’d confirmed something for him. Well that’s not ominous at all!

“Now then, there’s one more thing that needs to be addressed before we continue. I believe we said that those who go on the special missions will be compensated for their efforts. Those who participated will find their recompense in their rooms. Also, I’d like for the two of you to stay behind.”

Huh? Why me and Kalia? Wait, is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Both Alicia and Cameron, along with the rest of Braddock’s group, elected to stay behind with us. I wasn’t sure whether I should appreciate the support or be upset at their snooping.

Once the room had cleared, the Archmage took two leather books out of his robe and set them on the table. Upon closer inspection, the books had clear gems set into their covers.

“The two of you have done great services for the fort. Young lady, your Healing Magic has saved multiple lives in only two days. Your skill is to be commended and I hope you can continue to grow. Anyone able to cast Magic of the Sixth-grade at such a low rank shows great potential.”

“Oh, um, thanks?”

That last comment seemed to flustered Kalia. What Rank is she? I’d assumed she was probably around D-Rank, but am I wrong?

“Young man, the Magic you’ve awakened to is both powerful and highly dangerous. In the hands of the untrained and foolish, it can lead to one’s own destruction.”

How does he….? What kind of genius can tell that just by looking at me?

“You don’t have to look so astonished. Anyone who has mastered their own Mana to a certain degree would be able to do the same. Even the young lady should be able to do it.”

I glanced at Kalia, but she looked away. I wasn’t sure if this was because he was right or if she was simply embarrassed about the all the praise. She struck me as the kind of person who got flustered when praised.

“These books are magical Grimoires, books of stored magical knowledge. Due to both of your contributions, I’d like for the both of you to use these and continue to grow.”

He pushed the books toward us, before bowing and leaving the room. I had to say, I liked his style. No unnecessary chatter. He said what he wanted to say and left. I wished more people were like that.

But this. I was just hoping for a chance to learn how to use my magic and one happens to all into my lap? Is the System listening to my thoughts or is it a coincidence? Huh? This book is registered to Analyze!?

Grimoire

Rank: Magic Tool

Description: A book that was created to store magical knowledge. Though their origins are shrouded in mystery, they have long been used to train and inform mages. Feeding mana into the gem will open the Grimoire.

Yeah, what was I expecting? A legitimate explanation from the System of all things. I must be crazy.

Since it specifically said to, I started to feed mana into the gem. A few seconds later and it was filled with a mysterious light from within. The light began to transition onto the cover, inscribing lines into it. In a few moments, they’d formed a complex shape. More geometric shapes? I’m starting to believe that the universe was created by a giant herd.

Even better was the fact that the Grimoire’s Analyze results had changed.

Dark Magic Grimoire

Rank: Magic Tool

Description: A Grimoire that’s been imbued with Dark Magic mana. Provides instruction on all types of Dark Magic. Cannot revert to its former form.

Well well, what do we have here? This is exactly what I needed, just when I needed it. Does the System get a thrill at doing this or something?

Either way, I had what I wanted. Kalia was making a ruckus after she’d opened hers, but I ignored that I favor of checking out mine. One the first page was a table of contents listing the types of Dark Magic.

Abyss, Chaos, Curse, Grudge, Necromancy, and Void. After that mess back in Cavisburgh, I already figured that there was Necromancy, but what are the others? I can kinda guess at Curse, but the others don’t give much away. Let’s just focus on what I’ve already got. Grudge Magic: General Content.

A warning before we begin. Grudge Magic is highly dangerous and while individuals with talent for it have an innate resistance, care must still be taken. Grudge and Miasma are extremely toxic to living things and very few have complete resistance. If you begin to experience headaches and nausea, the first signs of Miasma poisoning, you should take care to prevent any further exposure to Miasma and seek treatment.

Symptoms of severe Miasma poisoning include: dizziness, vomiting, auditory and visual hallucinations, temporary bouts of insanity, stomach pains caused by internal bleeding, organ failure, and high fevers.

Now on to the actual lesson. Is it just me, or does it almost seem like the Grimoire is talking to me? And why do I feel like I was reading the side effects of some experimental medication?

For how dangerous Grudge Magic is, it is also exceedingly simple. Grudge is one of two ethereal elements produced by the deaths of intelligent life. Grudge is usually harmless and will eventually be purified by the natural mana cycle. However, when the proper procedures are done, Grudge can be gathered and preserved.

In order for any aspiring mage to learn and use Grudge Magic, a catalyst is required. Catalysts can range from gems made of condensed Grudge, to weapons that have developed a cursed nature of their own, and even to materials taken from certain monsters. Any proper catalyst will have the ability to safely store Grudge and allow for easy access for spell casting.

Yeesh, this is long-winded. What exactly is Miasma?

When mana that has stagnated to a certain degree is exposed to Grudge, Miasma begins to form. This will set off a chain reaction where the Miasma will slowly cause the rest of the nearby mana to turn into Miasma. This is why older ruins and underground chambers are often filled with it.

Regular Miasma is similar in nature to toxic gases like sulfur and is only dangerous because it will not dissipate and it produces undead and spirit-type monsters. Grudge-produced Miasma is highly destructive, causing organic materials to begin decomposing. This is because of the higher Grudge-to-mana ratio.

Well that was informative.

Additionally, Grudge-produced Miasma has properties that allow it to eat away at ethereal sources of energy, including Magic produced spells, elementals, spirits, and divine energy, though the latter is highly resistant.

Mhhm, this is getting boring. I’ll just skip ahead a bit. More warnings, a few more descriptions on the differences of Miasma. Here we go, Grudge Magic: Beginner Spells.

0th Grudge Magic Spell [Miasmic Cloud] – While not technically a spell, it is usually the first thing a Grudge mage will learn. Produces small amounts of Miasma that can be freely controlled by their creator.

1st Grade Grudge Magic Spell [Rot] – a basic spell that fires a ball of condensed Miasma. Organic material struck by the ball will begin to decay.

2nd Grade Grudge Magic Spell [Seize] – A basic spell that injects traces of Miasma into the bloodstream, disrupting biological function. While incredibly deadly, it requires the mage to maintain contact to use the spell.

3rd Grade Grudge Magic Spell [Mind Rot] – a basic spell that uses Miasma to target the mind. Strips away at the target’s mental capacities, but requires constant contact to maintain.

4th Grade Grudge Magic Spell [Energy Drain] – a spell that utilizes the unique properties of Miasma to strip away at ethereal energies. This spell is particularly effective at destroying energy based beings and dealing with manifested spells, like barriers.

1st Grade Grudge Magic Ritual [Rotting Seal] – a Ritual designed for torture. Encases the target in a sealed space filled with Miasma. Slowly causes active decomposition within the target that is irreversible.

Holy fuck! What’s up with these sinister spells? Like, should I even try to learn any of these? Magic that actually decomposes the target sounds useful as hell, but also extremely dangerous. And what’s these Grade things it keeps mentioning? The Archmage mentioned it too and I think Kalia might have as well.

“Hm🎶 This is amazing! This will actually help me learn more advanced Magic! I thought it would only work for lower ranked spells, but this is more than I could’ve guessed.”

Well I guess it doesn’t matter. I need a catalyst to use Grudge Magic and I’m pretty certain I don’t-. Oh, I’m a fucking moron. My swords have a Skill that started this whole thing, maybe I can use them.

“Hey Kalia? Can anyone use Healing Magic?”

“That depends on your affinities. If you can use the Life branch, then any school of magic from it is available. But if not…”

So if my sword is a catalyst, then does that mean it holds onto grudge? That might be how it powers Malignant Aura. But how to access it? When I use Beast of the Nightmare, I feed mana into the swords' enchantment, which then feeds the magic back to me. But where would Grudge be at?

“Michael, do you think one of us could use Healing Magic? It would definitely help us out if one of us got hurt.”

There’s something here, something I’ve never seen before. Or rather, something I couldn’t notice before. Otherwise, how could I have missed this!? It’s like a swirling mass of hate, rage, and sorrow all wrapped up into one. Is, is this Grudge?

“Uh, Michael? What are you doing?”

The more I look at it, the more it reminds me of how I felt when I went berserk. This is definitely it, but what do I do with it? The book said to use a little along with mana to create Miasma. I should probably wait to do this until later. I don’t know what could happen. Just got to pull my mana away carefully or-.

“MICHAEL!”

“Wha!?”

Since Alicia’s scream had startled me, my control over my mana lapsed. Instead of the tendril carefully withdrawing, it instead latched onto a piece of Grudge and dragged it out behind it. And before I could do anything to stop it, glyphs appeared in front of the sword and turned into a formation, which fired off a sphere of black mist. The fist-sized sphere hit one of the nearby chairs and dissipated.

*Creak…creak….Crack!*

Everyone watched in muted horror as the chair slowly developed cracks throughout it, before breaking apart.

“Uhhhh, whoops?”