MaeveMcCarthy
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Chapter XLVI
🕑 Added 2023-12-03 21:00:46 +0000 UTCThree Years Later
In the dappled shade of the ancient forest, Lily stood straight but relaxed. The trees around her, towering and venerable, bore silent witness to her transformation over the past three years. Here, in this secluded grove, she had grown taller, and her stature had become more commanding, albeit her body had yet to fully fill out, still scrawny. Her presence, however, exuded an air of absolute confidence.
Her eyes were concealed beneath a blindfold, yet her demeanor suggested no vulnerability.
“Are you ready, girl?” Hadrian smiled.
“Go on, old man,” she replied.
With a subtle movement, he released the first [Light Orb] before she had even finished speaking. It shot towards Lily like a streak of morning light, fast and silent.
Lily’s response was almost imperceptible—a mere head tilt allowed the orb to pass her by harmlessly. Her long blonde hair, which had grown to cascade down her back in a river of gold, swayed gently with the movement.
Then, as if signaled by that first effortless dodge, the true test began.
Hadrian sent a barrage of orbs her way. Lily moved through the uneven forest floor with a dancer’s grace, her steps sure and unhesitating. The terrain, riddled with roots and bumpy ground, was no obstacle to her.
In this world of Mana, Hadrian’s figure was a distinct presence, a silhouette outlined by the unique signature of his magical energy. She could sense his movements, the subtle shifts as he launched each [Light Orb], and their paths illuminated by trails of light that cut through the air like comets.
[*Ding!* Skill – {Master} Mana Sense level 35!]
The orbs themselves were like stars in this sensory universe, but even Hadrian’s presence was no stranger to Lily. The Perk she had chosen when she had brought [Mana Sense] to the Master Stage had been one not even Hadrian had foreseen.
Sphere of Perception
Everything was made of Mana, not just spells. Mana was short for energy, and this allowed Lily to have an integrated view of her surroundings in her head, letting her see several meters in the distance in all directions. And each time the skill leveled, her omni-sight extended even further.
She stepped lightly, a mere shift in weight that allowed her to glide out of the path of one orb, while a twist of her body drifted her away from the trajectory of another.
Yet, when she saw that Handrian, standing behind her, had launched far too many at once, she drew upon another skill.
[Mana Shaping]
[Death Touch]
Lily swiped with her left hand, destroying three orbs as she dodged the rest.
Hadrian ramped up the difficulty, adding twists and turns to the orbs, their paths becoming more unpredictable. But Lily kept dodging out of their way, swiping away at the occasional impossible barrage. As she weaved between the trees, her hair flowed behind her like a golden banner, a vivid contrast against the dark greens and browns of the forest. It was as if she had become a part of the woodland itself, at times, hanging upon the trees like a monkey or hiding behind them.
This went on for twenty minutes before she started breathing raggedly, and Hadrian finally stopped.
“You tire too fast, girl,” Hadrian said, but Lily caught his lingering smile as she removed her blindfold.
“Or maybe you’re almost out of Mana,” she mocked him without hesitation in her words.
…
Deeper in the forest, away from any prying [Monks], Lily stood alone. After the initial training with Hadrian in the morning, the second part of her routine was something she used to replenish her stamina reserves.
Now, this had been an effect from the skill that hadn’t been fully explained in the scrolls, but she suspected it was from the Blood Form, the second of the Four Forms of Death. Once she had mastered that part and had finally understood its arcane complexity, [Necrotic Restoration] had given her the ability to replenish her Stamina.
The Form of Organs, the first one she had mastered, had apparently been enough to learn [Necrotic Restoration], but it only allowed her to cure her own wounds. Instead, The Bone Form guaranteed a sort of overheal, a buff to her health, as Hadrian had put it. She still had to master the Soul Form, though. Deep down, she hoped it would give her back her Light Magic, which, if it ever came back, would make her an absolute menace to any other class.
Still, the only reason Lily had been able to master the first three black scrolls and their white ink was due to what had happened with [Alchemic Constitution]. She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but it had felt as if she had been underwater up to that moment. At that time, nine years had passed since the day she arrived in this new world, but she felt like she had effectively only been brought here afterlearning that skill.
It had… balanced her. For some reason, it had made training so much easier and her body so much harder, more resistant.
Was she still angry? Oh, yeah.
She dreamedabout choking the [Pope] to death and had been working with Hadrian on a few ideas to further those dreams into reality.
But… she had felt different ever since.
She had started to feel more like… herself.
Lily took a big breath, turning away from those thoughts.
This is training, not journaling, she thought to herself.
She brought her hand to her side, drawing a blade. She was wearing only the base layer of the special clothes that Lumius had gifted her three years ago. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the pain she was about to inflict on herself. With swift, deliberate motions, she drew the blade across both her arms, creating deep gashes that immediately started oozing blood. The crimson liquid dribbled down her arms, in stark contrast against her pale skin.
As the blood flowed, Lily focused inward, summoning the dark energy that pulsed within her veins. Her mastery of Death Magic had grown exponentially, and now, she called upon it to ravage her surroundings.
She couldn’t help but smile as she summoned the strongest mandala she had created so far.
[Adjunct Skill – Inferior Mandala of the Black Rain]
Complex symbols coalesced together, becoming a conduit for the corrosive power she had witnessed in her inner world three years ago. In front of her eyes, the Mandala took shape, an intricate pattern of black, waterfall-like drops, each one a glyph of power filling the canvas of a much larger circle. She felt the Mandala materialize in the air around her, its presence a cold, ominous force.
The mandala’s size changed with how much power she decided to output at once. It was attached to [Death Touch] in the same way the [Lesser Mandala of Eradication] was, but this was still just ‘Inferior.’ Hadrian had told her that it was one grade above ‘Lesser.’ Linguistically, it didn’t make sense; however, Lily couldn’t deny its power that she had witnessed multiple times already.
With a surge of her will, Lily directed the Mandala’s energy toward her arms. The air around her grew chilly, the forest itself seemingly holding its breath. The Mandala pulsed once, twice, thrice—a rhythm like the beating heart of some great, unseen beast.
[Death Touch]
[Necrotic Restoration]
She gently touched the ground below her feet, and, answering an unspoken command, the very life force of the forest began to drain away. Leaves wilted, branches drooped, and the vibrant green of the undergrowth faded to a dull, lifeless gray. The skill, powered by the Mandala, drew vitality out of everything around her, a voracious entity feeding on the essence of life.
Black ichor was the only thing left behind when the trees started melting as if engulfed by a tsunami of acid.
In exchange for this stolen life, the Mandala worked its dark magic upon Lily. The gashes on her arms began to knit together, the flesh mending with unnatural speed. Within moments, what had been deep, bleeding wounds were nothing more than thin, pale lines. The pain had receded, replaced by a peculiar numbness.
[*Ding!* Skill – Necrotic Restoration level 42!]
Lily sighed as she cut off her abilities, shaking her head.
She’d gained only one level in [Necrotic Restoration], even after destroying several square feet worth of vegetation. She had actually destroyed a good chunk of the far forest already, all because of her training.
I need some monsters.
She had killed a few Steeltusk Boars before Marcus had found out how few of the creatures had remained after her attacks. Since then, she had been ordered not to touch any of the fauna around the monastery—they loved killing boars, but not as much as they loved eating them.
As the Mandala faded, leaving behind a circle of death in the once-lush forest, Lily felt a twinge of guilt. She looked at her arms, the fading gashes a reminder of the delicate balance she wielded.
I wish I could do this to [Bishops] and [Cardinals] instead of trees.
…
Lily stood on the training grounds for a second session of training that closely resembled the first one but that was much more dangerous and involved.
A group of [Monks], clad in their simple brown robes, stood at a distance, each holding a bunch of smooth, round stones—they looked small in their palms, but that was mostly because they were giants.
Hadrian’s voice cut through the crisp air, “Remember, idiots, hard throws. Try to avoid the head, though. If we break her bones again, we can just mend them. I’ve already had a demonstration of the ideal speed. Do not take pity on the girl. She’ll be able to kill most of you as soon as she gets a damn class.”
Without even asking if she was ready, Hadrian cast the first stone with a smile a bit too wide for what was essentially the stoning of a minor. It had been like that since she had mistakenly broken the spine of one of his books.
She could use her eyesight and [Mana Sense] this time, dodging the throw. She looked at the posture of the [Monks] on her left, trying to anticipate where they’d throw while relying on [Mana Sense] for the [Monks] to the right.
The [Monks], upon Hadrian’s first throw, began hurling the stones at her, their attempts precise and coordinated. The stones whistled through the air, but Lily’s body responded with grace, her movements much more fluid than they had any right to be thanks to her training and [Alchemic Constitution].
I can’t wait to get my class and see what the ability actually does.
For a few minutes, almost no stone landed on her, save for a few grazing ones. But then, Hadrian reminded the [Monks] that all those who couldn’t land even a single hit would forego the next day’s breakfast. So, their throws gradually became stronger and more unpredictable. A stone, faster than the others, caught her off guard, heading straight for her chest. But in that split second, Lily’s instincts kicked in.
[Wraithform]
Her body flickered, the contours blurring as if she was dissipating into the air. The stone passed right through her as if she were made of mist. It was a startling sight for the [Monk] opposite to the throw, who suddenly found himself pelted.
“Shadows!” The [Monk] grumbled. Soon after, they were all making fun of the one who got hit when she had suddenly activated the skill.
As quickly as it was activated, [Wraithform] disengaged, and her form became solid once more, her feet barely touching the ground as she resumed her evasive maneuvers. The [Monks] continued their assault but with a hint of hesitation now.
Finally, Hadrian raised his hand, signaling the [Monks] to stop.
“Maybe we should get you a helmet and a chest piece. If we can guarantee that the stones won’t kill you but just take an arm or a leg, I’m sure we could make this more interesting.”
“Sure,” Lily came to a halt, her chest heaving with deep breaths, a thin sheen of sweat covering her brow.
“You’re improving rapidly,” Hadrian remarked, a rare note of admiration lingering in his voice. “Let’s go back to the library; there’s more we have to discuss.”
…
“These are all the Dungeons that are currently unmanned, in order of levels and those that I think would best suit you. The Steeltusk Boars are barely level 40 in the deepest parts of the dungeon. The boss is level 60, but you could probably kill everything down there with barely two dozen levels.”
“What’s that?” Lily looked interested.
“An island. No one goes there because the golems are extremely tough to destroy, and each of their hits feels like a sledgehammer swung by a level 150 [Warrior].”
“Boars and golems?” Lily frowned.
“[Wraithform] doesn’t shield you against magical attacks. That’s the best course one can map out for you for now. You can sell parts of the golems for a lot of money, girl. Then, I would take you through the whole empire. I know some locations that no one else knows.”
“How many years would all of this take?” Lily asked with a frown, looking down at the map and all the pins the man had placed on it. There were, at the very least, three dozen Dungeons that Hadrian had pinpointed.
“Less than a decade,” Hadrian nodded with a satisfied grin.
“A decade?!”
“A decade and you might be able to go toe-to-toe with the best of the best in the Church. Then, you can just come back here, and we can rally people to our cause. [Librarians] have suffered for long enough.”
Lily opened and closed her mouth, looking at the map and then at Hadrian.
It was fighting for a good cause, but…
“We’ll discuss this again after I get a class.”
…
Back in the training grounds, Marcus, towering over her, smirked. “Show me what you’ve got.”
Lily nodded with a fierce glint in her eye. She knew Marcus always held back, aware of her yet-to-manifest class, but she also knew he wouldn’t treat her with kid gloves. She needed this – a test of her skills against a real opponent, not just dodging projectiles or manipulating Mana.
They were surprised when she had asked the [Monks] to spar with her, given they were mostly three to four times her size. Still, no one had expected to fight with someone as reckless as her.
“Ugh,” Marcus raised an arm, still not fully used to her vicious skill, and was hit by a kick that was accompanied by a blooming black mandala. Lily felt the Death Magic encounter a massive wall of resistance – all the skills that the massive [Monk] used to protect himself – but she could still feel her stamina replenishing.
The man swung his massive fist at her, which always made Lily’s heart jump into her throat. Still, she grabbed onto it and swung herself above it, somersaulting and going for another kick, this time, to his face.
Marcus, clearly not willing to get kicked again, used more of his powers, and the girl’s shin found nothing but air. She could also feel the huge man’s other fist coming at her side—she activated [Wraithform], but Marcus had coated the punch with the energy from [Ethereal Fist], breaking her skill.
“Argh,” Lily heaved but immediately let go and used the force to push herself off the massive hand.
“Shadows take me,” the man swore, feeling the nasty magic attempting to break his defenses and getting a shiver down his spine. “After you get a class, you’ll have to find someone else to spar with. Your magic is scary, Aurora.”
…
Lily’s gaze, once fixed intently on the last black scroll before her, drifted away, lost in thought. The weight of her recent training and experiences seemed to converge in her mind, coalescing into an idea that had been simmering in the back of her consciousness. She looked up, her eyes finding Hadrian, who was engrossed in a manuscript.
“Hey, Hadrian,” she began, her voice cutting through the stillness. Her tone was tentative, yet there was an undercurrent of excitement.
Hadrian, startled from his reading, adjusted his glasses and looked up. “What?” he responded with a raised eyebrow.
Lily took a deep breath, her fingers drumming lightly on the table. “I’ve been thinking... about classes. About what I could be, what I want to be.” Her words came out in a rush, a floodgate of thoughts opening. “I know we’ve talked about this before, but I’ve had an idea. A class that... well, it feels right.”
Hadrian leaned forward, his interest piqued. “Go on.”
“It’s something that encompasses everything I’ve learned, everything I am… that I’ve lost,” Lily continued, her voice growing firmer. “I want a class that can heal and harm, that can bring life and death. I’ve thought of a name for it too. Maybe I can manifest it,” she smirked. She had explained the meaning of ‘manifesting’ to the man, who had actually taken it very seriously.
“So?”
Lily smiled.
“Before I came to this world, I wanted to be a doctor, and once I came here, I wanted to be a healer. Now, I’ve got Death Magic. So, I’d love a class with a related name.”
…
In the bustling refectory of the monastery, the air was filled with a symphony of sounds and scents. The warm aroma of freshly baked bread mingled with the fragrance of stewed vegetables and roasted meat. Laughter and conversation from the [Monks] echoed off the stone walls, creating a lively atmosphere.
As Lily was about to take a seat close to Hadrian, she noticed someone wearing colorful clothes and being a few hundred kilograms off the average weight of a [Monk].
Is that a… [Merchant]?
As she stared at the man, he actually turned and looked at her, looking surprised, before saying something to Marcus. The head [Monk] waved for her to come closer.
“And what does a little lady like yourself do in a place like this?” he asked with a curious head tilt.
Lily had responded with a nonchalant shrug, “Oh, just chores and stuff. You know, helping around.” She had been careful to keep her answers vague, keen on staying under the radar and completely aware that too much attention could unravel the life she had carefully built here.
“I didn’t know women were allowed here,” the [Merchant] said curiously to Marcus.
“Aurora is the daughter of a dear friend. She’s… crippled. That’s why she’s here. We just let her enjoy a simple life.”
Yet more lies to protect her.
She shrugged her way out of the conversation and went to sit back across from Hadrian, who had his nose buried deep in a book.
“Why is there a [Merchant] here?” She asked him before kicking him under the table since he always ignored her.
“Hey! Careful! I’m eating soup!” The man said, outraged that a drop could spill on the book.
She pointed at the [Merchant], and Hadrian squinted at the man.
“[Merchants] come by sometime. Marcus might buy some common items from them—paper, quills… or place a few orders. He usually goes to the capital to buy the most common wares, but it’s not a unique event.”
“I’ve not seen a [Merchant] in three years,” Lily frowned.
“Three years is not a long time.”
“Whatever,” she mumbled, sneaking a glance in the direction of the man and finding him smiling at her. She felt her skin crawl.
…
As the meal neared its end, the [Merchant] raised his cup for a toast, his voice booming with enthusiasm. “To new friendships and prosperous journeys!” he exclaimed, his smile wide and warm.
The [Monks] around him raised their cups in response, a chorus of agreement filling the air. However, before the [Merchant] could take his sip, a sudden coughing fit overtook him. His face contorted in distress, his body convulsing.
Concerned murmurs rippled through the refectory as Marcus leaned in, trying to assist but unsure what to do.
“Are you well?”
As it turned out, he wasn’t.
The [Merchant] passed out.
A hush fell over the room. Marcus exchanged a knowing glance with Lily and gave a subtle nod.
…
They moved the [Merchant] to a quieter chamber, away from the prying eyes of the refectory. Lily knelt beside him, her hands glowing faintly. The man’s face was now reddened, and his breath ragged. His eyelids were shut, and he shivered in his sleep.
[Death Touch]
[Lesser Mandala of Eradication]
She pressed her palm against his forehead, feeling the rush of energy as she probed for the cause of his sudden collapse.
“A disease, quite strong,” she murmured, more to herself than to Marcus and Hadrian, who stood watch. “It’s quite a bit of Mana that just went into healing him.”
The [Merchant]’s breathing steadied, and color returned to his cheeks as Lily’s healing worked its magic.
However, as she withdrew her hands, a frown creased her brow. She hesitated for a moment before placing her hand on her own chest, activating the skills again. The mandala materialized in the air, its dark lines pulsing with power.
Lily’s eyes widened. “I’ve been infected as well, even though it’s just... minor,” she stated, her voice tinged with frustration. With a swift motion, she channeled her skills, eradicating the disease from her body.
Marcus and Hadrian watched in silence, their expressions full of concern. She found the beginnings of the disease in both of them. Lily then repeated the process on both of them, ensuring that they were free from infection.
“Did you touch him or...?” She asked.
“He brought food,” Marcus muttered. “Food that we all consumed already.”
“We’ll need to check the other [Monks],” she said, her tone serious. “We can’t take any chances.”
Marcus nodded slowly, “I agree.”
As she was about to leave the chamber, she paused, turning to the still unconscious [Merchant]. “Where did he come from?” she asked, her gaze thoughtful.
Marcus and Hadrian exchanged a glance.
“He came from the capital,” Marcus replied, his voice low.
Comments
ReadingObsessed
Hmmm. I imagine the entirety of the zealots of Light find disease distasteful since they can't heal it away. I'm more inclined to believe this was the Princess's assassination attempt on the rulers of the capital.
PyritePlunder
For me this seems like a good move from the pope. Send a plague ridden merchant to the monastery, if he survives and returns, there is dark magic in the monastery and thus, they're heretics, if he and everyone else dies from the plague, powerful people who aren't directly under his thumb get removed from the picture, win win
