BlaiseCorvin
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Past Life Hero 2, ch 12
🕑 Added 2023-11-07 11:24:46 +0000 UTCapologies for any typos and such. I am very tired.
***
It took Max several days to verify that there was no way to push more mana from his surroundings into a bead for a higher level inscription or imprint. He tried not to think about how many mana units he had to waste during his experiments.
The day he finally gave up on it, Max took a walk around the empty caverns that he'd cleansed of all feral fauns. He moved with confidence, feeling relatively safe since Lavinia's spirits were ranging both ahead and behind him as scouts, a habit that his contracted spirit had developed over time.
When Max rounded a bend and saw a place where he had hidden, hunkering down during his epic last battle with the monsters, he spontaneously stopped. Inspiration had just struck. He dropped into a seated position and began breaking mana units to shove into his mana vault. Then he drew some of the mana in towards his three star mana body. He kept this process up for half a day, just letting his mind wander, not thinking about anything in particular, when he was finally able to finish pondering the inspiration he’d had.
Now he had a solid idea but wasn't entirely sure how to go about testing it. The mana vault sat on his palm, delivering a constant stream of power. He was currently directing all of the mana to the portion of his heart that would help him develop a stronger mana body before spreading it to his mind and extremities. But… What if I adjust the device, alter the flow of power, tryi to direct it at a different point in my heart? It felt like it might work, but Max wasn’t even sure where to start.
He began to tinker.
The process was not intuitive and took him some time to actually succeed at. But when he finally did, the mana vault shuddered as what had been a gentle trickle became a torrent.
Mana practically gushed out of the artifact, filling Max with an incredible amount of mana, making his teeth start to vibrate. In an astonishingly short amount of time, Max was so saturated with mana, if he were to take any more in, it might be dangerous. He could actually explode!
With a yelp, he cut off the connection to the mana vault and then mentally explored his own body with a sense of wonder. He had at least a three-star mana body worth of potential mana in his system now. Maybe even as high as a four star mana body, but barely. For Max's current level, it was an astonishing amount of power.
Of course, it wasn't very deep. He'd only be able to accomplish roughly one action with it. It would work almost like a capacitor for a camera's flash, allowing him to accomplish something that otherwise would be out of his capabilities. The price was a brief charge up period and a level of heightened concentration. I can use this.
Suddenly, he heard a ding in his head and a window popped up. It read:
You have completed the Mana Vault of WD Arand.
He quickly opened his third eye and examined the mana vault. Now it read:
[Mana Vault of WD Arand]
Once charged, the mana vault can be triggered to release its stored mana. Release can be adjusted for flow.
Capable of functioning while magically hidden or even in most storage arrays. Once its owner is chosen, it will find its way back to its owner as long as they are alive.
Current owner: Max Cunningham, Champion of The Morrigan
Extra effect 1: Faster mana charging speed with owner effort
Extra effect 2: Focused mana retrieval
Extra effect 3: Mana stacking in-body
Max dismissed the window, stood, and grinned. The supercharge he'd gotten from the mana vault was amazing but he could tell that only one usage had expended a lot of the mana that had been left in the artifact. If he ever wanted to reach a three-star mana body, he could definitely not abuse this power. Still, it was an incredible advantage. Now he had more options available for Bead Sorcery and even limited applications of his Blade Sorcerer abilities. Max smiled and mentally called Lavinia. He was going to tell her the good news before moving to another part of the caves.
He’d accomplished half of his goals surprisingly quickly. Now it was time to see if there were any spirits in this place that might be willing to have a chat.
***
“Ouch. Two star mana body and my ass still hurts.” He winced as he complained.
Max got up from the stony ground. He had just finished his third repetition of Lavinia's special spirit communication spell. Spell lines and arcane equations were spread on the ground, radiating from his position. Almost everything was already set up and he just needed to switch out a few of the ingredients and components between tries. But now that he'd just finished his third attempt, he only had two more.
"Are you sure you want to do this here?" asked Lavinia. The former Summoner sat on a rock. Slick was on her knee, mimicking her, sitting in exactly the same pose.
"I think so, yeah," said Max. "I know you still think I should try this at where I entered the dungeon, but it’s too dangerous there right now. Besides, I…just want to do it here. Part of it is what I know from what I've read. Part of it is experiences I've had in my past life. And part of it is just a hunch."
He was standing near the edge of the abyss that he'd thrown all the bodies of the slain feral fauns into. Not long ago, he’d been living in the darkness on the other side, near the ancient temple. He had magical ways to dispose of garbage, but the bodies of the monsters had been too large and too numerous to bother trying to get rid of with magic. Throwing them away had been more practical.
The chasm was so deep that even now, days later, he couldn't smell any corruption from the long-dead corpses.
"Are you going to try it right away again?" asked Lavinia.
"No," said Max. "I'm going to take a break first." He left the circle and took a walk to clear his head. Letting any feelings of disappointment fester wouldn’t help his next attempt. He wanted a clear mind.
Max's routine as he worked to get stronger included studying Bead Sorcery, practicing Bead Sorcery, repeating martial arts forms, and trying to encounter a new spirit that he might be able to form a contract with. On his second try, he actually had met a spirit, but it hadn’t gone anywhere. The spirit had been very strange, really weak, and neither of them had wanted to form a contract with the other. Even though the meeting had been a failure, Max was still glad for the experience because now he knew what it was like as a Summoner to reject and be rejected in turn.
After his training activities for the day were done, Max briefly checked his internal clock before settling down to sleep. He vowed that after waking up, he would try the spirit contact circle Lavina had invented one more time near the chasm, then if it didn’t work, he’d move it. Maybe he’d even try the spell where she’d suggested he do it in the first place.
Back at his arcane circle, he lit the candles around the edge, sat in the center, and prepared to give it another try. However, this time on impulse, he also used the mana vault to supercharge his internal mana. He wasn't really expecting to succeed. But suddenly, he felt like he’d just grabbed an electric fence.
Contact!
He was sure of it, this was brushing against the presence of a spirit, but the sensation was completely and totally different from what he'd experienced when he'd first met Slick. It felt even more different from when he’d felt the weak spirit on his second try.
This spirit felt cold, alien, ancient, and immensely powerful.
Then Max found himself in a fight unlike any he’d ever had before. An intense contest of wills that pushed him. If he’d been a lesser man, he likely would have immediately broken.
Something inside Max, his old stubbornness, a dark corner of his soul that found excitement in danger flared to life. I was Chasa de Milo! he mentally snarled. Bring it!
The spiritual tug of war lasted a while, but the longer it went, the stronger Max became. It felt like he was stretching muscles that had been atrophied. But the danger, the contest, it all awakened and revitalized primal parts of his soul.
He was a warrior! He’d been called a hero, but what was he actually good at? What was his greatest talent?
I break things! I will break the world if I have to! His mental voice shouted the truth in his mind space, and he felt the spirit send back approval in response. Max took the slight slack as an opening, spiritually going for the throat. The spirit’s surprise registered as Max metaphysically tightened his hands and his jaws, attempting to destroy his attacker. He’d won. The spirit was retreating.
There was a flash.
Suddenly, all the pressure ceased as quickly as it had started and Max found himself in an endless gray space. Now he could see himself, although he could sense it was not his real body. This was a construct in his mind. He could feel Lavinia and Slick again. Slick was trying to be as small as possible, attempting to hide behind Max’s soul. Lavina was shaking, but Max sensed it was less from fear than surprise.
She mentally whispered, Max, this spirit is stronger than me, and I’m an officer level spirit. Or Captain-level.
“Indeed, it is as that uninspired but no doubt well-meaning contracted spirit of yours has said.” A figure appeared in front of Max, a tall shadow of inky blackness that made him suddenly imagine acres of carrion, torn and ribs exposed. Blazing red eyes regarded Max, at least two feet higher than his own. “As Summoners measure these things, I believe I am a Warlord-level spirit.”
Max was still heated from the battle of wills. Through their bond he felt Lavinia’s terror as he took a step forward, his voice raised. “So first you try to kill me, then you listen in on conversations!? Who the fuck do you think you are? This is our first meeting, and I’m half tempted to devote as much time as necessary learning how to completely destroy you! And you’d deserve it! What bullshit kind of way of meeting someone is this?”
“Yesssss!” The dark spirit’s voice was deep, grating, and pleased with itself. “That is the fire I saw, the reason we are having this conversation in the first place! Too few would-be Summoners are even worth the time to notice, much less talk to.”
Max glared. “I can give zero fucks about your weird ass compliments right now. The fact is, you must be interested in me if we are having this conversation, but I am not convinced I shouldn’t just kick the fuck out of my mindspace and then track your spectral ass down after figuring out how to hurt you.”
“YESSSSS! Wonderful!” The spirit chuckled and the sound was awful, like a demented villain gloating at the end of a tunnel.
“I’m serious, tall, dark, and insane. Start talking now, or I’m kicking you the fuck out. What do you want?”
“Oh, this is delicious! Truly sublime! My name is Saliron. Now I have introduced myself, Max, once known as Chasa de Milo! Oh yes, I heard your challenge. A lion’s roar! I still do not understand your words, but they carried such weight, heavy as a millstone. And the smell of blood…so dense and delicious! Truly an auspicious meeting! As you have surmised, I wish to explore forming a contract!” The spirit laughed, a full throated, deranged cackle.
“What are your terms?” asked Max, words clipped.
You are considering this? Asked Lavinia. This is a dark spirit, one of the darkest I have ever seen without being overtly evil!
Max was still angry, but in the test of wills he’d just had with this spirit, Saliron, the information had flowed both ways. The same way Saliron knew more about Max now, even hidden pieces of himself, he had some understanding of Saliron, too. He’d felt a hunger, a burning need. It wasn’t evil, per se, just…coarse, and selfish.
Underneath it was was a…strange desire to serve. But also a resistance against it.
He thought to Lavinia, Those who hate swords, or any other weapons think they are dark, or even evil. A tool may be sinister, but is not evil on its own. Although simplistic and offensive, a contract spirit can be thought of as a type of tool. A properly wielded tool conforms to the wielder.
“Well said!” crowed Saliron. The spirit’s manifestation, almost like a pillar with burning eyes, shifted closer. “Now I am even more curious what you will do! It has been many lifetimes since anyone has thought of me as a tool! How invigorating!”
“That is one hell of a funny sales pitch. Last chance before I evict you from my head.”
“Yes, yes, so hasty mortals are. Hasty. But tasty. I digress! My area of expertise, my realm of authority, is bones. I do so love bones! In fact, that is why I happened to be nearby, and why I initially came to inspect you in the first place. You dumped all the lovely corpses in the chasm here, which further smashed the pretty bones. My children and I have been nibble-nibbling, just tasting the lovely bones. Playing in them, around them. Making lovely memories.
“If I am contracted, my children will live in my contractor’s bones, making them stronger, cuter, fresher. They can make the bones move, can protect the bones. Whereas I can be send to feel the bones of another, to…how shall I say it delicately? Rearrange them. But the stronger your enemy or the more resistance I have, the less I can do!” The spirit’s dark form shook as his gravely voice aped crying. “It is a travesty!”
When Max began tapping his foot, Saliron got the point and began talking again. “All I ask in return during the period of my contract is bones. At least one skeleton a year, procured through violence. And if you contract with me, you will promise to never contract any spirit weaker than me again.”
“So only Warlord and above?” Max asked.
“Indeed. After all, I am an artist, my work written in bone. It would be insulting to share a space with those who are baser, less…sophisticated.”
Max grunted. “If you’re talking about my spirits now, you can take it back or get lost. They are not inferior to any other spirits in any way and I value them immensely.”
“So you say! Commendable. But as I have relayed, a price for my service is a certain level of, shall we say…pride of existence.”
Without the strange understanding of Saliron that Max had gained, he wouldn’t even consider a contract. But now he was. Something about the nature of what he’d seen, what he’d felt, made him sure that he was not being tricked. It was similar to when he’d used his third eye.
Cautiously, he cracked his third eye a bit, just enough to view Saliron, then shut it again immediately.
What he’d just seen had been a bit disturbing, but also matched up with what he thought he already knew about the dark entity.
I can feel how sure about this you are, said Lavinia. Even though I can’t see what you see, since you’re that sure, you should take it. Besides, I felt your fight. Saliron can’t overpower you in a contest of wills, especially now that me and Slick are free to help you.
He won’t challenge me again, Max sent back. I don’t know how I know, but I know. “Okay, Saliron,” Max said out loud. “I’ll give you bones to play with at least once a year, procured with violence. I will not make a contract with another spirit unless it’s at least at the Warlord level. And you will serve me faithfully. Do we have a contract?”
“We do! How fantastic! I feel like I will get to see so many new bones now!”
A new screen appeared, popping up in Max’s vision.
You have contracted with Soliron, Connoisseur of the Lovely Bones
He dismissed the screen. Then a rush of information materialized in his head. He realized that Saliron’s subordinate spirits must have just entered his body, strengthening his bones. He felt…stronger, more sturdy. And with the power, came knowledge.
The spirit had actually undersold his abilities. A lot. Max blinked as he reviewed what he knew now. What Saliron would allow him to do now was just…brutal.
“Saliron, welcome to the team,” said Max, tone flat. “I’m going to rest, but then we’re all going to plan how to kill giants after I wake up.”
“Five of them? I am aware of the rules of this…dungeon.” The spirit said the last word with distaste.
“No, I’m planning to kill all of them.”
“Wonderful! How elegant!” Saliron’s laughter rang from the ceiling of the cavern, the sound following Max as he left the chasm.
Part of Max worried that he might have made the wrong choice, but he couldn’t deny how powerful of a weapon he’d just acquired. Now he was even more convinced that ancient Summoners actually were anything but weak.
What Saliron could do…it flew in the face of everything Max knew about magic. It broke rules. Even when Max had been Chasa de Milo, he would have been extremely cautious of anyone with the power he had through Saliron now. He began to actually feel a little sorry for what the giants were about to experience, but he got over the feeling quickly.
No mercy. The weak could not afford it. Max had a long way to go before he could start indulging in pity.
Comments
Story Seeker
Typo 1 I think this should be two stars based off of the rest of the chapter. “Then he drew some of the mana in towards his three star mana body.” Typo 2 Tryi to try But… What if I adjust the device, alter the flow of power, tryi to direct it at a different point in my heart?
Stephen Pearson
Thanks for the chapter! :-)
Ryan N
Oh man, cannot wait until he gets back to the quartet and absolutely demolishes his enemies awaiting him! I was just hoping he would get the chance to further explore his summoner abilities! Excellent story!
