To my annoyance, the shield didn't break from the force of my supersonic strike, even with everything else.
There was crack, so I at least managed that.
"...You're just a child—"
I stepped back and swung upward. The sword struck the knight's shield again, his arm leaning away from all the punishment it forced to endure. I slashed from his open side.
Annoyingly Jilwer is off, as I was in range of the stupid crystal shield.
The knight finally got his sword out and met my blow.
Only I never paused or slowed, I'm working on a time limit here. 7 minutes and 3 seconds till my enchanted sword is unusable.
We clashed, again and again, the knight is overwhelming me with experience and skill, but the sheer strength of my attacks are staggering him whenever our blades strike, and my speed is keeping up with him.
All the while I also kept an eye on the assassin with mana detection. She wasn't dead. She was injured but not out of the fight. I waited for her to make her move, so I can get both of them.
Yes, I can't form or cast spells within three meters of either of their—the Warrior's or the Assassin's—magic-nullifying crystals.
But my mana detection is spherical, and I can cast a spell in any spatial point in it.
I can cast a spell originating from deep within the earth, and let its physical effect take them both out.
People tend to lower their guard the moment victory seems in their grasp. So I'm going to let these two elite fighters think they're going to win, because even the strongest or most skilled would let their guard down when they are most assured of their safety.
And one is most safe in victory.
"Where did you get that sword from? Why do you have Ewiglast?" The knight shouted, and I ignored him.
So my enchanted sword turned out to have a name? Neat. Ewiglast, huh. Cool name.
Anyways, as me and the knight exchanged blows, due to not actively using spells but just mana control, I realized something.
"The Shields have trained children to do their dirty work now? All for those filthy elves!? Stop child! You don't have to continue being a monster!" The knight kept yapping.
My own mana had refilled up back to a third of my reserves. Huh? How? Since when and why?
The knight after clashing blades and locking then swung his other arm to shield bash me.
I jump-dashed back. He instantly was on me with another sword slash that I met.
Oh, quick one, wasn't he? Not wanting me outside the three meter range of his crystal shield.
Okay then. I kept parrying and weaving out of the way of the knight's strikes.
Actually some of his strikes were missing by a wide margin. Like swinging a dozen inches away from me. I first thought he was planning something, but no, he just kept missing at times.
Ah! Got it. I forgot how small I was. Flink did mention I was too small of a target for a close-quarter combat, but then immediately adjusted. I didn't think much about it because I just assumed that would be normal for skilled warriors that I'd face.
The knight is adjusting to fighting someone as nimble as me at my size.
Time to throw him off.
It took a few moments—in which I met, parried or dodge the knights sword slashes—using full mana sight to find swords lying around.
"Verfehlt! That child is of the Froststaub mountain tribe!" The assassin lying on the ground shouted in desperation.
I took control of three nearby telekinetically, they weren't in anyone's hand, or entangled in something. I floated them a bit off ground and aimed them. Negative charge mana point behind the knight. I overcharged and mana line between the positive and negative points as much as I could.
The knight, Ver-something, look at me with wide-eyes.
"The Shields got to them? And this is what a child can do?" He said in horror.
"Schnellwurf." I said back.
BOOM!
CLANK!
I'm impressed, the first shot, the knight managed to block with his shield.
BOOM!
CLANK!
Second shot also blocked but his lost his sword, or dropped it as he used both hands to hold the shield.
BOOM!
CLUNGK!
"ARGH!" The knight cried out.
Okay, that is just bullshit. That sword shot was to his back. Yes, it hit the armor but that armor must be fucking enchanted or something.
Okay, then, finding more swords. Those further away took a while to angle right.
The assassin jumping from where she was lying when my back was to her. She moved fast. Like a quarter of my speed in Jilwer.
How the fuck is she still moving with a stab to the heart—She diverted it? She diverted the spear at the last moment to avoid her heart. And she's just moving fine with a hole in her stomach.
Sure, why not? Of fucking course she's still in fighting shape. I'm dealing with shounen characters.
Oh well, contingency plan then.
I used all my mana strengthening, sending a burst of mana to my legs in the instant I jump back. The burst of extra speed pushes me past the three meter range.
The knight disk throws his shield at me.
Huh. Wow.
Okay, I'm impressed.
I swung my enchanted sword—Ewiglast, I should try to remember that name, it sounds cool—at the shield, the two items smashing together in the middle between me and the knight.
The assassin has a spear, one of the ones I shot her with aimed at my back. I'm not in range of her crystal vambraces yet.
And I'm in contact with the ground. I remembered the spell I used to destroy the Coalition encampment outside of Schwanz. I memorized that compound spell and now know it as it's own distinct magic.
"Flammenbruch." I cast upon the earth while making a barrier around me.
The ground for a mile in diameter with me as a center point turned orange with heat.
"LAU—" The knight tried to shout.
His voice was lost as the world turned to light and heat.
The explosion engulfed us, the whole area. From within my barrier I saw the world turn to fire as I flew up into the sky.
There was smoke and heat left by the spell. I had gotten better at using wind in a Non-Formed Spell way. So with an effort of will and thought, imaging telekinesis and air on a large scale, I swung my arm and pushed the smoke away.
I saw the knight at his assassin's side. Her body was more or less a burned husk. He cradled her, holding some green glowing amulet above her.
Huh, she was alive. Barely. Her flesh was melted with bones showing in a lot of places. Her body was... huh, okay. Her body was fixing itself.
Guess, that amulet is a healing item. Is that why he survived?
Still her body's healing was... too slow. I could feel the mana in her dwindling faster than it she could make. Her life force was leaving her.
"Ver..." She tried to say.
"No, no, no." The knight said. His armor was smoking. He took off his gauntlet and gloves. His skin was also melted in places, but mostly red like a lobster. He handled the blast better than she did. "Lauer, no, you... you can, you're going to be okay." He said desperately. Sorrow and pain already in his voice.
I grabbed Ewiglast with my telekinesis and launched it quickly back at myself to catch it.
"Verfehlt," Lauer spoke. "Sorry for... failing, my... lo..."
"No! Never. You have never failed. You've been the one true constant at my side. Don't leave me." Verfehlt cried out.
"Ver...fehlt... I've always..." Her face did the approximate of a smile as with her last strength, she raised an arm and caressed his face. "Live."
She said her last word and her arm fell. Her eyes stayed open, staring at nothing.
The amulet dimmed and shut its glow as there was nothing to heal. Or it ran out of power, as the knight should still need more healing.
Silence filled the battlefield, only the cracking of fires nearby served as ambience.
The knight growled through gritted teeth. His head tilted to the side like he wanted to turn to face me, but stopped halfway through the motion.
"Why?" He said through his teeth. "Why are you fighting us? We are trying to free this land from the invisible gripping hands of the elves. Has the Froststaub mountain tribe fell to their witchery as well? To their rhetoric and dogma disguised as 'wise' advice?" He hissed.
I recalled something Flink said to me. That if I'm fighting a warrior and he was on his last leg, that I must finish him quickly.
"A Warrior's last stand is a dangerous thing." Flink had said.
That even if they can't consciously use mana, they have subconsciously and through condition trained their mana and body to work together. And thus by tapping into their last reserve of strength in the face of death they can remove the limiters on their body. And also on how much their mana can empower them without damaging themselves.
Basically magical hysterical strength.
The knight laid his friend or lover down, and stood up. He had a second sword I noticed now. Shorter but still undrawn.
I held my sword in front of me, preparing for battle. Yet my enemy at least deserved an answer.
"There is no tribe." I said. "There's just me."
He blinked. Looking at me incomprehensively.
"'Just you'," he repeated in disbelief. "Then why—"
I've had enough.
"Don't try to find a reason." I just said, shutting him up. "Don't try to rationalize this. Don't make a story, or a narrative for these events. They won't satisfy you or be enough. I will fight you to defend my home and loved ones. You will fight me for opposing your ambitions and defending or avenging your loved ones.
"There is no need for any other fancy reasons. You will try to kill me and I will try to kill you. That is all."
I gave my final statement, and that shut him up. The knight's eyes hardened once more. He gave a small nod of acknowledgement and drew his sword.
I thought about how to slay him now. I mentally observed my environment with mana detection full sight to catalogue where other weapons were, where his crystal shield was—
The knight moved dashing at me with renewed fervor, but he didn't have his shield this time. Which means I can use Jilwer.
I slashed at his head faster than he could blink.
CLASH!
I blinked as he met my blow in equal speed and strength.
He pushed back, and swung his blade, again and again our sword clashing fast and hard enough to make sparks, to ring loudly as to deafen everything else.
Then in a surprise move as we locked swords, the knight threw an upper cut at me. I easily tanked the blow with my forearm, only to get a kick in the stomach.
I was launched back from him. Quickly orienting myself, for the next attack, the knight launched himself at his crystal shield that he was pushing us towards.
I moved toward him to stop him, only for him to throw his sword at my head like a bullet. I moved my head in time, getting a scar on my cheek.
I fired Zoltraak at the knight. His armor tanked the hits, cracking with every Offensive Magic hitting him.
The next Zoltraak dispersed as the knight reached his crystal shield, and he picked up a sword nearby that was a more full length one. Close to the knight's original sword in height.
I telekinetically grabbed swords, spears aimed them and fired them at him with Schnellwurf.
Sonic booms echoed with the knight tanking every fired blade from the front with his shield, and every hit from the back or side kept causing his armor to crack, or some did manage to pierce him, but he just kept going.
This is gonna be more difficult than I thought. And I still had the Ancient Einsam—
Why am I engaging this knight in a sword fight? When did this become a duel?
With Jilwer one I could think faster. I could focus it to speed up my thoughts even more, even if it doesn't increase my movement speed.
Why am I bothering with this? I don't owe this knight a clean death or an honorable fight.
Also I noticed that my own mana reserves have filled up to half now, even while using only Minus' mana.
I got a theory on how this might be possible. Her Curse might be a blessing I didn't expect. I don't think even she expected this, but the idea needs to be shelved till after the knight, Verfehlt, is dead.
As if sensing my thoughts, or plans, the knight began to disk threw his shield once more.
Before his arm could complete the motion, I cast Schnellwurf on myself targeting to launch straight up.
Two sonic booms echoed, and from my place in the sky a kilometer up I was surprised to see that Verfehlt threw his shield with the speed of a bullet. I had to use Flight Magic to abruptly stop my launch and kill the momentum. It felt like my body was hit with undersea pressure all over.
Not doing that again till I'm stronger, or have a spell to cancel inertia.
"COME BACK DOWN! FACE ME!" Verfehlt shouted.
I could fire Zoltraak over and over again, or Schnellwurf other weapons at him, but I feel like he won't fall down until it's something definitive.
I have more experience with air and oxygen now, given my stint trying to make oxygen for that first magnet slingshot test flight.
My entire mana detection range as a sphere, is five point seven kilometer radius. But I don't need to what I plan for that whole area. One kilometer was enough.
I spread my arms to each side of me. I formed a mental shell around a kilometer under me with Verfehlt as a center point. From that shell I imagined and willed air to be drained out.
The knight may have felt that I was doing a large scale spell, but not what it was.
He ran, reached and grabbed his shield holding it in front of him, facing me.
Yes, the spell didn't affect the three meters he was in.
But nature abhors a vacuum. And so eventually the air around him started to thin as it dispersed into a airless area.
"STOP... Coward... no..."
The knight grew weaker and weaker. He dashed, trying to outrun the range of the spell. I kept the vacuum shell around him, moving along side him.
He couldn't run fast enough to escape my spell. And all that movement just used up his breath and strength faster and faster.
Eventually the knight collapsed, falling to the ground.
He crawled until he couldn't anymore.
I kept the spell up for ten minutes. Minus' mana was dropping rapidly till it was a quarter the size of my full reserves.
This might be too much but I wasn't taking chances. In fact!
I grabbed Ewiglast as I floated directly above the knight. I covered the sword with Zoltraak and held it like a guillotine over Verfehlt's body.
The sword was growing heavier and heavier. I dropped it with Wurfspeer cast on it as well, and telekinetically sped up and guided the fall of the sword.
Ewiglast slammed into the ground kicked up dirt as it sliced through Verfehlt's head sending it flying away from his body.
"Alright, good. He's dead for sure." I sighed as I released the spell and floated down.
I landed next to Verfehlt's decapitated body, threw Ewiglast back into my hand with a telekinetic pull, then set the body and head on fire.
Might as well be thorough.
I did the same for the body of his assassin lover-slash-friend-slash-subordinate person.
The world was quiet with death. Even the fire ran out of energy and died. Only smoke and the spell of dead bodies was left.
"Brutal." Minus said to me.
"War isn't suppose to be pretty." I said back as I flew up to the sky again.
Minus' approving laugh through the magic link didn't fill me pride.
I readied myself to fly toward the Froststaub mountains, toward the Death Tunnel.
One last enemy to deal with.
===
AN: So back on Patreon I finally wrote the final chapter to this arc, thus I'm taking a break from Fear Not the Elf to work on other stories ideas I've put to the side.
Next update is gonna be a while, but I will get back to this story and start the next chapter next week or something, hopefully.Last edited: Sep 30, 2025 Like Quote ReplyReport Reactions:28th00, Pyrususer, Lucidum and 757 othersSilver W. KingSep 30, 2025Reader modeNewAdd bookmark Threadmarks Jason WuConnoisseur.Sep 30, 2025NewAdd bookmark#2,025Silver W. King said:Ewiglast slammed into the ground kicked up dirt as it sliced through Verfehlt's head sending it flying away from his body.
"Alright, good. He's dead for sure." I sighed as I released the spell and floated down.That guy really lost his head there.
Would be funny if he came back as a Dullahan
Floating atop the battlefield I gave the whole area one last surveying look, using full sight mana detection, before shutting it off to normal mana detection. I was starting to get a headache.
Everyone's mana levels were gone as they didn't have the life force to generate any. Meaning, thankfully, hopefully, everyone was dead, Dave.
I flew away from the battlefield to the direction of Ackerheim, as I was lost in thought. How do I get the Shineglow Moss from the Death Tunnel?
Yeah, I saw them scattered throughout the tunnel lighting it up, but they were too deep.
Hmm... there were some closer to the exit from the other side. Maybe if I flew over the mountain, find the other hole of the Death Tunnel I could get in, get the moss and get out without having to fight the Ancient Einsam. Should be possible, right?
I should have enough time to do that. Exterminating the army took less than an hour, for the whole thing. The part the took the most time was fighting that knight and assassin.
Alright, it's not even dawn yet. Time for that experiment.
I went down to the ground, landing on some grass away from anything, not even animals were around me. Good. I can concentrate and see if my suspicion was true, without something interrupting me.
"I thought you were in a hurry?" Minus questioning tone came through the link.
"Something I just have to check." I said as I closed my eyes, passively letting my mana detection stay on, but not focusing on it, only on myself, on my own body and magic.
Jilwer.
I used only Minus' mana while casting the spell. I let my body speed up while observing it.
!!!
I couldn't help the grin forming on my face.
Just like I thought, my mana reserves were refilling before my eyes, in real time at a much accelerated rate.
This is just my theory, but based on what I'm seeing Jilwer normally speeds up everything about my body, physically and spiritual, which can probably account for why I can do things faster even if they don't have to do with physics. This includes not only my metabolism (gonna have to check how this deals with poison, and if I can get poison resistance out of it), but also my magic biology.
Like how fast I refill my mana reserve.
Of course I never noticed before because, well, very obviously the cost of casting Jilwer and up keeping it, was greater than the sped up mana renewel. That's not counting all the spells I use in conjunction with Jilwer.
But here, using Jilwer only and with someone else's mana? Welp, I got outright fast mana regeneration.
"T-This..."
I blinked as I forgot about Minus. Huh, noticing it now, she was also giving me mana, bit by bit so I'd keep refilling my own reserves without overwhelming me. Didn't even notice her doing that till now.
What I did notice and very obviously was the emotions I could feel from the link.
"Young Trenn, this... do you know what this is? What you're done? Discovered!?"
I elation I felt from her, the sheer giddiness was like that of a little girl.
There was just a feeling of pure euphoria sprouting from Minus. I mean, I'm glad she's happy but why's she acting like this is that much of a big deal? Isn't she centuries or millennia years old? I can't be the only person to discover a quick mana refuel method.
"Mana Regeneration?" I asked.
Minus giggled and laughed. For quiet a while too.
I waited a few minutes till she calmed down. Once she regained her breath, she spoke again.
"Thank you." The sheer sincerity in her words freaked me out a bit. Was me helping her, in whatever I did, a good thing or a bad thing?
It sounded like I helped her unlock the last piece of a puzzle to something or other.
"You're welcome?" I said questioning once again.
Minus laughed once more.
"You do not know how revolutionary what your actions just were, young Trenn. But do know that they are most definitely worthy of praise." Minus said, gratitude pouring from the link.
Oh. Cool.
"I can not wait till I have you studying under me."
Aaaaand we're back to stranger danger territory once again.
"...Cool." I said back lamely.
It took a whole hour for my reserves to fully refill from the half fill they were at.
Good to know. Now it was finally time to head to Froststaub mountains.
Four Schnellwurf and about half an hour later, I was floating in the sky looking at the exit of the Death Tunnel overlooking the South-Eastern Sea.
Schnellwurf was one hell of an overpowered travel method. An almost two months trip (of normal walking) shrunk down to half an hour. Fuck yeah.
Only an eighth of my mana was used. Schnellwurf was economical as hell. And even that amount of mana was regenerated quickly thanks to Minus feeling pretty damn generous for whatever I helped her discover.
I looked at the exit, entrance—Whatever, opening of the Death Tunnel in front of me with none too little worry and trepidation.
There is no rope anchored to a wood post on this side. I'd have to get in and out quickly without the Einsam noticing me.
Just get the Shineglow Moss and get out.
...Having mana detection on will have the Ancient Einsam detect me instantly. In order to avoid it sensing me, I need to have my own mana suppressed to the absolute.
I can do it. Zero mana emission.
But I'd have to stay still. Move like a fucking snail.
But it is possible. I can do it.
If it doesn't sense me. If it doesn't know I'm there, I can get in and out without it even knowing. It can only exist in one location. It can't be everywhere in the tunnel.
I took a deep breath and let it out. I'm freaking myself out. I need to calm down.
Review the list of spells that can help in this situation. I knew quite a bit so far, even if I didn't have the chance to use them, or didn't see the need or preference for them.
If there is one thing I can say about old Schroff's mountain folk spells that they are were designed to ensure survival for many situations. That was the point of them, beyond hunting and growing crops.
No, well, one could argue that's also for the sake of survival.
I slowly floated down from the side of the tunnel's entrance, just in case the damn monster was looking out.
I lowered my mana as possible, then I was on the cliff of the Death Tunnel, back to the wall next to the entrance.
I killed my mana emission. I took a breath.
Okay, so far so good. I need to get the timing for spellcasting absolutely right.
First things first.
Schattenschritt.
I summoned just the necessary amount of mana for the spell and instantly cast it.
My presence seemed to dim. My shadow seemed darker, like it was climbing up at me, lengthening in any place there wasn't direct light. With the cloudy sky, I was starting to look like a living shadow.
The spell for temporarily concealing myself in darkness worked as intended.
Adlerblick. The spell for hawk eyesight.
Totemseele. Layered over it, I cast a spell that temporarily grants the qualities of an animal. According to Schroff, usually it's just speed and strength. You'd have to study an animal, or beat it down, and sit next to it, synchronizing with it's life, mana and body to learn how to call on the quality you want for when you use this spell.
I invoked the direwolves I fought while living and travelling upon this mountain.
They may not be the stealthiest—and that might be a preference rather than an ability issue—but they were the best at tracking their prey. Even if they weren't that strong, their senses are top notch, so it should help in noticing anything amiss. Hopefully.
That way, I can catch anything off before the illusions begin.
Finally, Geisterjagd.
This was a spell that reveals traces of recent movement, footprints, scents, any type of trail. It is a spell cast on myself and my senses, rather than the environment. Which means, the Einsam wouldn't detect mana on the surroundings.
I thought about trying Erdgeistflüstern for extra measures. A spell to communicate with the spirit of mountains, rivers, the land, etc.
However, the spell was a crapshoot for me. All I got was a map of the surroundings, which I could already do with full mana sight.
Yeah, I could feel vague emotions from the surroundings, making me able to tell if animals or people passed through and area recently, or get a feelings of death if some predators hunted a prey, but overall, the spell didn't work as advertised for me. Or maybe I'm just not compatible with it.
I tried it on the mountain here near the Death Tunnel once. There was the feeling of death and decay as expected. Lots of forgotten fears. But there was this feeling of, how to describe it, like an old woman watching over things. Like a sense of amusement, fascination with the world and deadly focus.
It was most definitely the Ancient Einsam fucking with me somehow. I didn't bother using Erdgeistflüstern after that.
I took another deep breath, and released it. Mana complete suppression go.
Alright. Let's do this.
I turned my head and lean in to look into the Death Tunnel. It was dark with points of bright light that was the Shineglow Moss.
There was a patch twenty feet the tunnel's mouth.
I could hear the Einsam in there. It was... breathing? A steady breath. It was a sleep?
My eyes widened, a small smile coming to my face. Lucky me.
Slowly, every so slowly I took a step inside.
Spoiler: Calming Music :p
My pupils dilated as I fully entered the tunnel. I could hear the Einsam loudly with my enhanced senses, as it's breath reverberated off the walls.
There. Far into the depth of the tunnel, about half way in the length of the tunnel was the monster. I could see the Ancient Einsam with its back to me. It was sitting on a large rock. The shape of its shoulder rising and falling the smallest bit.
19 feet to the moss.
I took a step further, crouched, quiet. Even my breathing was shallow, trying not to let even a decibel of sound.
17 feet to the moss.
The Einsam didn't move. It's position didn't change.
15 feet to the moss.
The ground was thankfully mostly even, and more importantly solid. No fragile or crumbling stone to crack under my weight, when stepping on them.
13 feet to the moss.
I kept the Einsam in my sight. Yes, with my enhanced senses I should be able to sense the instant it wakes up, or moves.
I couldn't afford to put my hopes on "shoulds".
11 feet to the moss.
The wind came from behind me. The sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shore, or calmly hitting the beach's sand, echoed behind me. And with it, the ocean wind came, making a whistling noise as it passed through the cave.
9 feet to the moss.
I froze. For one heart stopping moment, I worried that the "noise" of the ocean would be too loud and wake up the Einsam. I'd have to rocket myself out of the tunnel instantly if that's the cave.
But what if this is normal? It lives here. It had lived here for millennia—allegedly—so doesn't it makes sense that the natural sounds are just background noise to it. Stuff it heard so many times, and go used to so much it doesn't notice or focus on anymore?
5 feet to the moss.
Well. Shit.
There are sharp uneven rocks as part of the ground.
I could walk over them but would they break? Make a cracking sound?
Wait no. I'm overthinking this. There's a very easy solution.
I cast Luftstieg, and rose up in the air, just a few inches above the ground, enough to not be touched by the uneven terrain.
Leichtstein.
Then I cast the spell to make things weigh less on myself and waited.
The ocean wind came whistling, and like a feather I was blown inward into the tunnel.
-1 feet away from the moss!
I stopped!
I canceled Leichtstein and forced myself to stay suspended in mid-air.
Was the mana I emitted in my sudden actions felt?
I snapped my head to the Einsam and it was still just as it was in place. Still moving it's shoulders lightly up and down, still consistently breathing. Still asleep.
My hands were on my mouth and nose, focusing on not letting out a peep while my heart thundered in my ears.
God, fighting the damn thing was better than this.
For one single moment, the traitorous thought of just casting some quick and overpowered Zoltraak came to mind. Just kill the damn thing right here and now quickly, and never have to worry about it again.
Except how many times did I think I killed it, only to turn out that it tricked me and survived.
That thing's senses for mana and attacks on it were insane. Hell, I tried sniping it from outside the tunnel a few times, and still it didn't work. Worse, I might have entered without the rope tied to me, if it hadn't been for Flink shooting an arrow to where I was warning me.
And right now I was inside the tunnel. Without the rope.
Okay.
Okay, okay, okay.
Focus on the task.
I looked at the moss from my peripheral vision, still keeping all my focus on the damn monster.
I reached out and grabbed some.
You know that feeling when you shaking someone's hand and get shocked from static electricity.
I just felt that, but the magical version. There was a spasm from my mana interacting with something.
My eyes widened. I gathered my mana for a Schnellwurf, pointing myself out of the cave, all while watching and waiting for the Ancient Einsam's reaction.
What did I touch? Did I touch some magical item? Maybe another of those mana tendrils the Einsam acts with?
Yet... the Einsam didn't move. Nothing changed about it's posture or behavior.
I glanced at the Shineglow Moss for a second. Yep, it's the damn stuff I need, and nothing seems off about it.
I looked back and the Einsam was still the same.
I fucking hate this horror movie shit.
Jilwer.
I grabbed a handle. Four times, stuffing them in my travel bag, and cast Schnellwurf out of the cave.
A sonic boom echoed and I rocketed out of the damn Death Tunnel, out running the fucking Einsam!
"WOOOHOOO!" I cried out at the open skies, and I flew up to head back to Ackehiem—
CRASH!
The sky was gone. The lights were dimmed.
I was still in the Death Tunnel having smacked face first into the ceiling.
I looked around in panic.
Blood drained from my face. Heart thundered ever louder, and as the ringing in my ears drowned out any sound.
The Ancient Einsam was there, standing on the ground a dozen or so meters away from me. It's laugh a scratching horrifying sound, like a cat trying to mimic human laughter.
Floating above its hand were Shineglow Moss. I looked at my back to see some missing. Except what I had in my back was just some dirt.
I looked back to see the Shineglow Moss held by the Einsam get stripped of it's illusion to show dirt in the shape of the moss.
"Oh you motherfucker!"
"Ḩ̶͂a̶̺̅h̶̺͑ḁ̵̈́h̶̲̿ả̸̠h̸͈͠a̶̦͒h̶̜̎ã̴̝!̴̬͐"
===
Minus: One day. I've literally known this child for literally one day and he already unlocked the path to unlimited mana for me. I fuckin love this kid. This kid is mine!
Also obligatory boss fight. Trenn wasn't escaping it.
"I'm not here to fight you." I said. Futilely. Stupidly. Yet hoping still. "Not this time. I want the plant." This thing was intelligent. Enough to scheme, to understand threats or sarcasm. "Just that and I'll go. You'll never even see me in your territory every again."
I said, on the complete absolute and ridiculous chance that this can work. That the monster would accept having one less enemy in the world. It can understand sincerity right?
"I'm trying to save someone. I can't afford to waste time." I said, summoning my mana openly.
Making mental barriers that are cutting it's mana links to me, only to have the barrier penetrated, or miss some of the link, or some turn out not real. So I'm in the constant familiar battle of reinforcing and rebuilding my mental barrier.
It laughed. Roared in merriment.
Amusement that sounded like dying men.
...Yeah. It understood sincerity alright, and it just made it bellow out in laughter at such acts. At asking for clemency when at it's mercy.
I drew my sword. Yeah, I shouldn't have expected anything else.
The Ancient Einsam stepped to the side, and gestured like a performer for me to leave. I smiled and said "thank you, kindly."
Neither of us bought it.
Spoiler: Theme Music: Dreadful Battle Commences
I walked toward the Einsam and the exit, charging up a Schnellwurf. Thank god the last one I used wasn't at full power, or that body first smash to the ceiling would have been way worst. Good thing I'm durable I guess.
This time though, I readied a Defensive Magic barrier to appear at any moment. Given the location I'm in and how far the exits look (either one), I think I'm deep enough that I might be close to the middle of the tunnel.
Shit, this is far deeper that I ever went in this place. The security rope only went 30 meters.
No time to slow down. No time to pause and plan.
I act.
Schnellwurf.
I rocket immediately leaving from where I was standing.
Away from the Einsam, moving backwards, letting the magnetic mana rope pull me back. My sword was drawn and held in front of me as I twist to face away from the monster, barrier up—
CRASH!
My barrier slammed into the ground.
...What?
I wasn't surprised at being tricked into hitting the wrong direction. The Einsam would make me think I'm moving toward the exit, when I was actually moving deeper into the tunnel.
That was normal. That was expected.
The Einsam could mess with what I see. It constantly had to remake, or refine the illusion in real time as I fought with my mental barrier, its mana tendrils trying to touch my mind.
Up was up. Down was down. Right was right and left was left.
Point is, my internal balance was always right, it's just information about the external world that could be wrong.
I was aiming directly at a path. Even if I was wrong, I'd have slammed into a wall or something.
But I slammed into the ground. Not even at an angle, so I'm still moving forward, but straight down, digging into the floor a little.
How?
I jump up, flying straight up to get some distance. The tunnel is wide, so it's a few dozen meters to the ceiling. Need space from the monster, as it can't fly—
I bring my arms up, as I feel the Einsam coming right at me.
No, I was moving to parallel to the ground, going right at it. It was swiping it's claws at me.
Senses and instincts of a direwolf shout at me, and I ducked while jumping forward.
I felt the the sharp claws of the Einsam pass over where my head was.
I rolled on the ground and righted myself instantly, turning to face the monster. Although it likely wasn't actually where I was looking but elsewhere.
Jilwer.
That wasn't my main problem right now though. My thought sped up as I contemplated the horrifying realization that this thing can mess with my spatial senses.
How? Since when?
Was it the repeated exposes from fighting it? Is it something else?
...The rope and wooden posts didn't just serve as a way to get out of the tunnels despite the Einsam's illusion. They were an actual anchor somehow, to not get lost.
The Einsam could trick what I see, hear, taste or smell, and sometimes touch.
But my own internal balance and how my body is positioned in space, that it couldn't touch before.
Meaning I can't fly. Can't leave the ground, or I won't know up from down, or where I'm going.
Due to my faster thinking, I was starting to cut off and hut down the Einsam's mental tendrils faster and faster. Slowly my senses were showing more and more of the reality around me.
It was like some bits of the ground, air or light from the tunnel's holes were breaking into mist. The exit extended further away showing I was deeper than I thought.
The Einsam won't stop its relentless mental intrusions, but it now focused on just casting illusions externally. It's mana covered the tunnel like a sea, and so it used the "water" to paint the world as it wished.
It was walking closer. It's position whether it was a little to the right, or to the left, further away or closer, I can't tell. Just that it was heading towards me.
I stood up and walked toward the wall of the tunnel. Eye on the monster, while my eyes was on the monster. However I was ignoring my sight. All my focus was on my mana detection.
The Ancient Einsam could trick all my senses, even my magical ones, but fuck it, I'll just keep trying and tire this fucker out if I have to.
I still can't tell how it can trick my full sight mana detection. I can tell when it's using mana to paint the world, so how can still slip things past my notice.
Only option is to over power whatever spell I can to be sure I used it. But that would just tire me out faster.
Wait, I've been walking for a while now. The wall wasn't that far away.
I glanced to the side to check the distance.
That was a mistake.
Because I soon as I focused in front of me, the Einsam was right there. Two feet from me.
"PHAITAGURD!"
The magic barrier shined into existence with a powerful hum and heavy energy.
And not a moment too soon, as the Einsam's claws slammed into him. From the side. By an arm swinging from right in front of him.
The Einsam didn't use a trick for this attack.
It laughed.
Fucker thinks it's so funny for throwing in an attack that's completely straight forward without an illusion every once in a while.
I crashed into the wall and the barrier cracked. Objective complete I suppose.
"You look like you're having trouble there, Train." 'Rein' said from next to me. She was crouching on the ground into a ball, arms hugging her knees, head resting on said knees, as she looked at me with a cutesy smile. "Although, not as much trouble as me and the other kids burned in the orphanage."
Then 'Rein' started to burn, as fire appear and climb upon her, as her skin began to char and melt.
I had to push down the instinct to feel horror or sorrow. My mind knows this is fake. I know this isn't real, and that Rein is long dead. Yet somehow the fucking Einsam's illusions make it so that I perceive its magic as real, even when I know it isn't.
I pushed those emotions away and stood up, burying my arm into the wall.
"You know this is all your fault, right?" 'Lässig' spoke to me this time from behind. I glanced back, before I could stop. His body was covered in third degree burns, and a lot of bones were showing. "You just had to leave, didn't you? Schwanz was just too small for the great Trenn. You couldn't wait, could you?"
I prepared a Schnellwurf. It didn't matter what direction, as long as the mana line was parallel to the ground. A mana pulse exploded out of me, and I got the feedback of being in the middle of the Death Tunnel.
The wood post and rope were very visible to my full mana sight. I guess that's due to my familiarity with them.
The ground, walls, ceiling, wooden post and rope were clear to me. Everything else, even distance seem to twist and change within the painted sea of that was the Einsam's mana that covered everything.
Doesn't matter. I can see the exit you sunnvabitch. Everything else isn't a distraction. I'm gonna have to find another way to get the Shineglow Moss once I'm outta here.
"Hmm, quite the predicament you found yourself in, young Trenn." Minus' spoke to me, and for a moment I wasn't sure if it was really her or another illusion. "I wonder, how will you get out of it?"
Of course, I could feel her mana link sending me her voice. It was like a lighthouse in a storm. Might be useful for this situation, but I no longer need it.
Because I already had my answer.
I cast a skin-tight Phaitagurd on myself, as well as body strengthening to the highest level.
"Like this!" I shouted back and fired the magnet slingshot spell launching myself toward the exit.
I was dragging my arm through rock like it was heavy mud. The barrier over my arm was cracking and reforming from how much energy I was putting in it.
In a few seconds I would cross the distance, and fly out of the tunnel. Be safe. Figure out a new plan.
The barrier cracked faster and faster then broke.
I gritted my teeth as my arm was now digging through the rock and stone. My body was hardened and strengthen by my mana that I could withstand it, this pressure and pain.
A few more seconds. Just a few more seconds.
I was starting to leave a trail of red on the tunnel wall, as the skin started to get shredded.
Hold. Hold. I need to be in constant contact to not lose my spatial senses and internal balance.
Almost. Almost. There—
CRASH!
I slammed into something.
I was disoriented, my nose was broken. Bleeding. Arm hurt.
Not sure if red arm is from cuts and blood or muscles showing from peeled skin.
My full mana sight was telling me I was tether—No. A tentacle had latched onto me. It was a limb that was physical. Not just mana, but actual flesh, as much as a monster would have.
The instant I noticed it, it detached from me.
The next instant something moved through the tentacle. Like a bulge or ball inside of a hose.
I didn't have time to react, only notice. The ball move through the tentacle as fast as I did with my Schnellwurf spell.
All in one instant, the ball, no, core arrived. Then the moment it transferred through the tentacle, the Einsam was there next to me.
I didn't have time to process. Just the tentacle letting go then movement, a blink of an eye later and the monster was next to me.
I jumped back, pain rippled across my body. I focused on healing magic, hoping to quickly be able to fight, while conjuring another barrier.
Yet miraculously it wasn't needed. The Ancient Einsam wasn't focused on me.
It was focused on what I crashed into.
A barrier.
A magic barrier that somehow I never noticed till now. In all the months I came here and fought this thing I didn't notice it. I wasn't embarrassed so much as angry that I missed something like that.
Except now that I notice it, I noticed... that it felt like the mountain. Like those times I gave Erdgeistflüstern—the spell to communicate with the spirit of mountains, rivers, the land, etc—a shot, the feeling of that amused old woman came from this barrier.
The whole thing was so interwoven with the mountain that I couldn't have sensed it, because it was part, no, it was the whole mountain.
Someone cast a magic spell making it part of the whole mountain. How in the fuck?
And right away, my mind jump to something.
To the memory of the first time I entered the Death Tunnel. To something "Schroff" said.
"...My father used to tell me about this tunnel when I was young and curious." Schroff began. "He told me that this Einsam existed since the time of his grandfather, and his grandfather before him. It simply settled here in this tunnel, feasting on travelers, before being sealed to only this tunnel by a traveling mage."
It wasn't Scroff of course, just the Einsam using an illusion of my mentor.
But that means...!
I looked to the Einsam, as it slammed a hand on the barrier only for it's limb to be repelled and burned.
The Einsam r̶o̴a̴r̷e̸d̴. Mainly in anger with small bits of pain. The "sea" of monster mana covered the Einsam's arm and the damaged was washed away.
I wasn't sure if it was covering the damaged to its arm with an illusion, if the damaged was an illusion all along, or it just healed itself with its abundance of mana.
All I knew was that it was angry. I guess it saw my spell and thought it could use me to escape?
But then when it moved and teleported... no, reformed it's body around its core... was that something it could already do.
Cold fear spread into my body from my guts.
Or did it learn to do that form me? No, right? If it can break down and reform its body around its core, that must be a skill it knew all along... but transferring its body from place to place, maybe it could do that before, but what if it wasn't as fast before?
I didn't have time to contemplate this for long as the Einsam with bared teeth turned to me.
I dashed back deeper into the tunnel, eyes still on the monster.
"Oh no, you're not taking your anger out on me, bitch!" I dozens of Zoltraaks were fired, filling up every place in the direction in front of me.
Even if it can move it's core surely destroying it's body hard enough still affects it, right?
Explosion and dust filled the area were the Einsam was. I felt the spell hit something. I am sure of it.
Only one of the monster's mental tendrils was left (which means there are probably three more I can't sense), so it can't trick me with too many things.
As I was firing the mana "sea" was pulled back to in front of the monster, proving my guess that I was actually hitting something now. Maybe something vital.
Enough to threaten the monster.
I couldn't help the grin at finally getting a lucky break.
Then when the dust cleared...
"Oh, this is some bull shit." I shouted.
In front of the Einsam were three figures. They looked shadowy, ethereal like they weren't real.
Spoiler: Phantom Mage
The first looked like a mage. It held a staff making a purple magic barrier, it looked unrefined. Like just a solid wall of mana, rather than something with the concept of dispelling magical attack. It looked like something before Phaitagurd was created.
The mage ghost was wearing black robes covering it from head to toe. It vaguely looked female. There was no face, just a shining point of mana.
Spoiler: Phantom Warrior
The second was a giant with an axe. The pinnacle of a warrior. Armored arms and legs, chest bare like a barbarian, and head covered with a hood and a red scarf.
The giant's face seem to be made of shadows, and what flesh was visible was deathly pale, like a zombie. Or again, a ghost.
Spoiler: Phantom Knight
The third seem to have the most mana poured into it, as it was rolling off of it in waves.
It was a knight, a swordsman. It looked less like a person and more like armor held together with mana and malice.
"L̶̠̄e̴̹͠t̴̯́'̴̦̿s̵̛̱ ̷̟͆p̶̙̔l̶̥̿a̷̰͝ỷ̶̭?̴̟̎"The Einsam was laughing.
"Minus." I finally said. "Can you please help me out of this?" I called on my last line of aid.
If this thing can do what I think it can do. If the Ancient Einsam can recreate copies of its victims then I'm screwed. No wonder no one could kill it, even if they could overcome its illusions.
I have no idea how accurate it can recreate the skill of its devoured victims, but knowing my luck thus far? Probably with complete accuracy.
"How fascinating." Minus said. An air of curiosity about her, and not at all concern about my impending doom. "To think a mere Einsam could evolve to such level. I've never even considered that gain abilities comparable to those of a Spiegel. Hmm, it likely can't recreate those facsimile to be a prefect recreation of the originals, since even if it could read memories, storing that information could be a challenging task for it, since it has to do so quickly before devouring its victims, and before being killed by them."
"Okay, that is all fascinating, but could you please like, I dunno, use our link to teleport me out of here?" I asked desperately as the three ghosts began walking toward me.
"No." Minus said plainly. I could feel the smirk in her voice.
"...No because you can't?" I asked. Even though it won't change anything about this situation, I kinda hoped it wasn't because—
"No because I won't." She said.
I stopped in my tracks, letting out a sigh of annoyance and disappointment.
"Young Trenn, I am not a friend, an ally or a mentor, I am simply an acquaintance with whom you share an interest in magic. I found your actions intriguing so I facilitated them. But this? This a result of your own prerogative. I wouldn't dare be the one to undo it. This is your life and I only wish to spectate."
Right. Minus isn't a friend. Just an old elf who finds me interesting.
"And if I said I accept being your student?" I asked.
"Then my first lesson is for you to survive." Minus said back, her tone almost cheeky.
I gritted my teeth, almost wanting to curse, but that would accomplish nothing.
"Can you give me any help? Any hint, please?" I begged.
"Very well," Minus chuckled. "Your mana is you. Why are you letting that leech gain entrance?"
That didn't help. It didn't give ma an "ah ha!" moment, or for that information to click something in my head, and give me new insight to work with.
What did I expect?
Minus is someone I literally just met today. Hell, her presence might have been the cause for the Elves Shield to attack Schwanz, how could I have forgotten that!?
Why am I looking for sympathy and companionship from a stranger? Fuck!
...You know what?
"Fuck this." I said as I unleashed the hold I have on my mana, and for a moment I felt all the monster's mental tendrils span from the pressure of my full mana surging forward.
"What...?" Minus' voice sounded surprised, as I felt amazement, intrigue and joy from her.
I pushed all that aside and focused on my next spell.
Among all the mountain folk spells Schroff taught me, this one was something of an ace. The secret spell of those who live and rule the mountains.
It was a spell to connect to the mountain, to call upon its heart and cause it to shake. It would throw off enemies, unbalance trespassers, intimidate invaders, and at the extreme?
It could cause an earthquake that would send an avalanche of rock and snow upon coming armies.
"Alright, here's how we going to do this!" I called out, and the three specters and the phantom monster paused in curiosity at my tone. "Roses are red, illusions against me won't prosper." I began my mana swirling at me as I began to cast this high level spell for the first time. "With this spell I call down," I held my arms in front of me, my mana gathered upon my frame then into a giant shining ball in my hands. "This very Frost Mountain, ERDRUF!"
The slammed the ball of mana into the ground, and it sent a ripple wave in every direction; the walls, floors, soon into the very mountain itself.
And in response, the mountain began to shake.
===