Underworld - Book 4 - Chapter 15

I came to from my meditation standing in a pile of slush. I didn’t remember casting skeletal armor, but it covered me from my waist down. Looking at my bare chest, I briefly felt what Aeris must have during her first transformation. My body hadn’t grown like it had during my Ascension. There was a constant glow coming from my remade flesh. I could no longer be considered solely human.

Running my hand through my hair, I found it had grown many inches during my transformation. It was long enough that I could hold it out to the side to get a good look. There was still a sliver of brown in my now silvery white strands. They glowed with their own internal light, just as the rest of my body did.

I feared my transformation would make stealth much more difficult. There was an even greater worry—that I’d no longer be able to hide my Light Magic and my very presence would put Sanctuary in danger.

Pushing all worries aside, I turned my attention to the popups I’d received. 

The first thing I realized was that my new form wasn’t considered a new form at all. At least not how Aeris’s Wind Sprite form was. I was still human…

You have become one with the Light!

You are no longer required to eat, drink, breath, or sleep. 

Note: Light Mana is now your primary source of sustainability. If you are drained of mana, then your body will revert back to its original biological processes until your mana returns.

Through an increased understanding of Light Magic, your permanent buffs have been enhanced.

Improved In The Buff

+1,000 Strength

+1,000 Dexterity

+1,000 Constitution

+1,000 Intelligence

+1,000 Wisdom

No mana cost

Improved Regeneration

+800 HP Per Second

+300 Endurance Per Second

No mana cost

Note: This is in addition to the first permanent buffs.

Light Magic Potency

All Light Magic used is twice as powerful as before.

Master Level Light Channeling

Your body is now more in touch with Light Mana. Extreme channeling will be more effective, and you won’t be in danger of its sometimes explosive effects. 

That should have been enough, but it was only the beginning. There were two new forms at my disposal. I noticed right away that these were different than my Blue Magic Forms in one big way.

Unable to use magic unassociated with your True Form.

So while using Solar Mage, or Light Surgeon, I wouldn’t be able to use Blue Magic at all—not even Mage’s Toilet Pater. My initial thought was that they wouldn’t be all that useful. I quickly learned how wrong I was.

Solar Mage

True Form

Light Magic is, in essence, both a life force and physical magic. Its ability to heal or harm depending on a person’s natural affinity is the most common and well known characteristics of its nature. The physical is observed by all, but it’s rarely understood. The Solar Mage has begun to understand the physical aspects of Light Magic and can harness them. These physical aspects are not measured in mass but are no less a part of the physical world. The photon is your tool to illuminate your friends and enemies alike.

Vessel of Light

Persistent

Your body’s physical characteristics take on some of the aspects of electromagnetic radiation. Physical and elemental damage is reduced by 70%.

Movement Speed is increased by 100%

Inventory space reduced by 70%

Unable to carry excess weight

Physical Damage given is reduced by 70%

Heal and Light Magic buffs are only 30% effective if cast on yourself

Laser

Focus light onto a single spot. The area of effect can be manipulated as can the intensity of the light. This is the Solar Mage’s primary weapon.

Artificial Sun

Create a giant Light Orb and manipulate its direction and brightness. This can blind the enemy or work as a source of regeneration for the Solar Mage.

Note: Laser and Artificial Sun doesn’t require True Form Solar Mage to be used but are five times more powerful when it is.

Light Eater

You absorb light in the area to replenish your health and mana.

Light Vision

Your eyes become more sensitive, but also capable to staring into all but the brightest light. Comparable to Master Level Darkvision for seeing in the dark.

A dozen strategies of how I could use Artificial Sun in combination with Light Vision came to me at once. Then there was the ability to eat light… Would it actually be possible for me to absorb more mana from light than it would cost to cast Artificial Sun? It could become an infinitely sustainable source of energy…

The main draw back to the form was that becoming immune to 70% of physical and elemental damage meant my physical damage would be reduced to 30%. I’d have to rely on the Laser ability almost completely. Also, healing myself would only be 30% effective. Advanced Mind Buff, among other Light Magic Buffs, would also only be 30% effective in the form.

“I got experience that time. El…” Aeris called, from the hall’s entrance.

Turning, I saw her head tilted to the side as she held me with her eyes.

I swallowed, unable to completely control my nerves. I knew she would be supportive. She’d gone through the same thing, but my reaction was impossible to stifle.

We were now close to the same silver in color, except it came from the pigment of her skin from her Wind Mana, while I took on the color because of the white light shining through me.

“What do you think?” I finally said.

“You’re a human glow stick.” She smirked, before floating toward me.

“That bad huh?”

“Yeah. You’re terribly—handsome. Now all the girls will be attracted to you like mosquitoes to light.” She chuckled, finding her joke especially funny.

“I have a surprise.”

“Oh?”

As easy as blinking my eyes, I stepped into my True Form Solar Mage. The strangest sensation I’d ever felt came over my entire body as I changed. It was as if my skin lost all feeling to only be replace by energy itself. Ever moving energy that made me feel like human static. I didn’t have to activate Light Vision for it did as I changed. Mana Sight was flipped off like a switch, only to be replaced. It was as if I’d been in a dim room my entire life and I’d opened my eyes for the first time. Even Mana Sight didn’t compare. Not only was the room lighter, and contrasts sharper, but colors bloomed like a sea of flowers covering every inch of the room. Covering Aeris.

It was as if I saw every light particle all at once, and could trace individual ones, while understanding the whole at the same time. 

The light coming from Aeris was much dimmer than my own, but she also had her own glow. I could now see the layer of air clearly that clung to her. It was slow moving over the surface of her skin and thick enough to distort the light shining from her like waves of smoke. Her glow came from the Light Mana inside her. It was the Wind Mana and the pigment of her skin that masked it in silver. She sparkled in different hues.

Glancing back, I saw what was left of the Wraith, which was trace amounts of Dark Mana slowly mixing in with the mana in the air. It was clear through Light Vision just as it had been through Mana Sight. Instead of black and purple, only a subtle absence of light remained. So I was able to see Dark Mana in both spectrums.

“I was wrong. Now you really look like a human glow stick.” Aeris reached out to touch me, but her hand disappeared in the brightness and reappeared as she pulled back. It was as if I wasn’t there.

She leaned closer, before pushing her finger even further into the light of my chest before coming into contact with something solid. Or was it. I felt her touch me, but it seemed very distant.

“You feel like the wind,” she said with her mouth open in wonder. “But why aren’t you warm?” She morphed into her Wisp Form before throwing herself at me. Was she trying to embrace me?

She spun around me, and over me, distorting my light with her airy essence. I felt her all around me. Almost like we were joined together in the same space. I imagined in one sense we were.

Her high pitched giggle came from my behind and before me at the same time. “I’m swimming in light!”

“I’m faster too,” I replied. “But I still can’t fly so you still have me beat.”

“But you’re light enough now that I can easily pick you up.” And suddenly we were in the air. Gravity felt different and somewhat lesser than it had.

We danced in the air there for a number of minutes, though, to be honest, she was doing all the work. I was greatly tempted to throw up an Artificial Sun and start blasting things with Laser, but even after I’d gone all out with the Wraith, I feared any more excessive use of Light Magic was just pushing our luck. There were a few things I’d have to do to make the most of the situation, but other than that, I was going to play it safe.

As hopeless as it might have seemed, there was still hope. Master Khaba, the elder goblin, wasn’t able to tell me how to create a training facility that was capable to hiding my magic, but he would probably be able to tell me if my new forms were leaking so much Light Magic that I would draw our enemy anywhere I went. 

Before that, there was much to do.

“I have another surprise,” I whispered, not because I thought it would alert an enemy, but Aeris was right here.

We began to float toward the floor. Once we touched down, I activated Light Surgeon.

I was cast from my body much like when I used Forced Learn. Instead of appearing inside another creature, I could see the world from an outside perspective. Turning—I could actually turn—I saw myself standing there. I’d returned to my Enhanced Ascended Form, but my eyes were empty, replaced by milky orbs of mana. For my hands it was the same, as well as my ears. The thick energy, white and smooth as liquid, had strands coming from it that join together over my head into a thicker cord. I followed the long cord to see that it led right up to my tail. Wait, it was my tail and I was seeing through the end of the cord…

In this state I couldn’t move my body. “Change back to Sprite form. Pretty please.” I said, watching my own mouth utter the words and hearing them from a distance.

Aeris’s wispy form solidified at my side, and I saw her standing on her tippy toes, looking up into my eyes. 

My vision had changed once again in this new state, but it was closer to my natural eyesight. There was something different though coming from Aeris, and as I suspected, it was even more defined in her Sprite Form. With a thought, I darted toward her, stopping about a foot from her face.

She flinched, then looked at me, or more precisely the strand of mana that I was watching her from.

What was different about her became clear. “I can see through you.”

She slowly dropped from her tiptoes and lifted her arms to cover her chest.

“No, not like that,” I laughed. “I can see the Light Mana inside your body. All of it.”

“Oh.”

I tried to bring up the information for Light Surgeon and was surprised when it appeared. There was much I already suspected about what this form was capable of, but seeing it spelled out was jarring.

Light Surgeon

True Form

Light Magic is, in essence, both a life force and physical magic. Light Surgeon harnesses its life giving nature and gives you command over Light Mana itself. In otherwise impossible scenarios, you can give life to the dying. In others, you can give death.

Vessel of Life

Persistent

Your senses are extended from your body with perfect focus. You’re able to reach out to anyone within your radius and treat them. You gain the power to manipulate Light Mana—your own and your patients’.

Maximum Health x2

Health Regeneration x2

Maximum Mana x2

Mana Regeneration x2

Unable to use Light Magic Buffs while in this form

Unable to move your body

Life Vision

You are able to focus your vision to see the Light Magic’s Life Force just as you’d see real light.

Life Mana Manipulation

Through contact with your mana thread, you are able to command a person’s mana even if it’s leaving their body from severe injury. Example: This can be used to regather mana back into a body or use the person’s mana to force a foreign object from an open wound.

Mana Suture

Patch even large wounds to stop mana bleed by creating a barrier of Light Mana.

Mana Transfusion

If a person’s mana is almost depleted, you are able to replace their mana with some of your own. 

Note: Trace amounts of the person’s mana must remain. Also, if their remaining mana is low enough, it will take time for them to recover their abilities even if they survive.

“There’s something I need to see,” I said before plunging into Aeris’s back.

Her entire system was suddenly laid out before me. Her circulatory system and the movement of Light Mana being pumped through with her blood appeared in my vision like a life sized diagram. I could also see the Light Mana that had merged with every cell in her body to a lesser extent. Her Light Mana glowed white and was brighter depending on its concentration. Not only did I see all these things, but I had control. I could direct her blood in a way that would overwhelm her smaller blood vessels and cause them to burst. I could even command her blood to stop flowing and it would obey without question. The amount of power I had over her life and death was appalling, but I would never harm her.

As amazing as it all was, what my abilities were capable of wasn’t what I was there to see. I searched for the Light Orb I’d once placed inside of her to save her life. There was no sign of it to be found. My theory was that her body had absorbed it while she recovered, but that was a theory at best.

With a snap of my will, the layout of her system disappeared, and I reemerged back in my own body. “Sorry if that was weird for you,” I said, seeing her uncertainty. “I’ve never been a strand of mana before. I checked to see if the Light Orb I placed inside you was there, and it’s not.”

“Thanks doctor. Wait, you were the strand of mana?” She replied.

I gave her a quick explanation of what Solar Mage and Light Surgeon could do.

“So one form concentrates on the physical aspects of Light Magic and the other the spiritual?” She said, examining my popups with me.

“You could say that.”

“So what now? Are you going to test them out?” She nudged me as if expecting me to put on a show.

“I’m afraid not. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to go back.”

Her eyes narrowed.

I spoke before she could respond. “I’m going to ask Master Khaba to examine me before I dare take that chance. If I’m leaking Light Magic even worse than before…”

“Then I’m not going back either.”

I shook my head. “I think I’ll be able to return soon. I have some ideas of what I might be able to do, like stay in one of my Blue Magic Forms at all times.”

“So you want me to go back while you wander around out here alone?”

That was exactly what I was thinking, but seeing her now, there was no way she’d let me go alone.

“You may have forgotten,” she said, crossing her arms. I could tell she knew she had already won and was now just having a little fun at my expense. “That you just asked me to marry you. Are you seriously telling me—"

“That you’re coming with me?” I inched closer to her. “What made you think I’d have it any other way?”

“Oh… That’s how you’re going to play it, huh?”

“Besides. I’m about to strip the tomb clean. I’ll need some help carrying all that weight.”

“And if we aren’t going back to Sanctuary, how exactly are you going to get it there?”

“We’ll just have to find a meetup location to hand it over.”

“Is it really worth taking the chance?”

“You saw how the Wraith was able to supply himself with constant energy. Imagine what an even larger dungeon that could gather much more mana could do? We could create a mana irrigation system for our crops, or even create a massive mana weapon…”

“Fine, but how are we going to get what must be tons of rocks, and crystals, or whatever, to this meet up location?”

“You don’t really have to carry anything. I’m going to give the limits of the Inventory system a little test.” Giving her a wink, I spun and headed through the rubble toward the Tomb.

Pulling up my character sheet, I pumped the 19 levels worth of stats I’d received from defeating the Wraith into Wisdom, surpassing 5,000.

Elorion

Level: 802

Health Points: 335,216 (+3,059)

Mana Points: 366,049 (+3,660)

Mana Per Minute: 10,170 (169.5 Per Second)

Attributes

Strength: 3198 (+31)

Dexterity: 3,044 (+30)

Constitution: 3,059 (+30)

Intelligence: 2,228 (+22)

Wisdom: 5,085 (+50)

The +1,000 to every stat was simply unbelievable. As always, I couldn’t help but to think that the Head Mistress and every other high level mob out there had already gone through the same jump in power. Exactly how far behind them were we? It also meant that I had to recalculate all of my forms and buffs. That was easy enough.

Perhaps, even more powerful than the stats, were my two new additional passive buffs.

Light Magic Potency

All Light Magic used is twice as powerful as before.

Master Level Light Channeling

Your body is now more in touch with Light Mana. Extreme channeling will be more effective, and you won’t be in danger of its sometimes explosive effects. 

They only applied to my Light Magic, but if I wasn’t using one of my True Forms, then my Light Magic would still be used as a foundation for everything I did. As much as I didn’t want to use it, I’d already used excessive amounts of Light Magic only minutes ago, so giving away our position was no longer a concern. What I needed now was speed and muscle.

Light Magic flooded into my mind as I activated 6x Master Mind Buff and grabbed my scepter from my inventory, attaching it to my armor. It cost half the amount it used to and was now 4,800 mana per minute while giving me an additional 2,700 Intelligence and Wisdom. The Wisdom bonus actually worked out, so I had an additional 600 mana per minute. It wasn’t necessary for the next thing I cast—7x Master Muscle Buff. What this did allow was for me to have an additional 3,150 Strength and Dexterity, while also having a huge increase in my mana pool. There was a 405,000 MP boost to it, giving me 771,049 MP in total. This would give me plenty of mana while trying to carefully tear or melt things from the walls and ceiling. The kicker was that I’d able to do it all without ever running out of mana because I’d still have over 1,000 mana per minute left over.

I felt the healthy bulging of muscle as my Strength and Dexterity swelled to over 6,000. It wasn’t quite on par with Fire Incubus Form, for that Form scaled with me as I became more powerful. It now gave me +97% in Strength, Dexterity and Constitution, plus and addition 500 in each of those stats. As for the cost though, it was still just out of reach if I didn’t want a slow drain on my mana even if it would last for hours.

Climbing up the hill of rocks to where the tomb’s vault used to stand, I found the broken end of the crystalline mana channel that had ran through the ceiling to the vault doors. It was the same one I’d flooded with my own mana when escaping on my first visit. I’d only recovered about 90,000 MP since defeating the Wraith. 20,000 should be enough. Channeling the mana into Force Learn, my consciousness leaped into the mana channel, giving me full access to the Wraith’s mana machine network. It was then that I saw the full extent of the damage I’d done.

There was a constant leak of mana from where the vault and the four pillars had been connected. They had given the Wraith the ability to manipulate mana, but also acted as a cork to the tomb’s system. With them gone, there was nothing stopping the constant drain of mana. In other words, the tomb’s batteries were running out and even though they were being replenished, it wasn’t fast enough.

As I’d half expected, the Wraith wasn’t dead at all, only the projection he’d made of himself. His Spirit Projector at the center of the tomb was ever still in working order. The only problem was his lack of power. Knowing that there was no longer anything to fear from him, I took my first step into the tomb and made a solid plan of attack for the materials that I would need, and which parts could be transportable without taking apart. There wasn’t a lot of time, but nor would I need it. This is going to be fun.

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Sorry that I couldn't get this one out last night. I had to recalculate all of his buffs across the board. :D