Underworld - Book 4 - Chapter 10

I didn’t hurry as I waded through the Crystalis, keeping an eye on Aeris and Xaphan alike. I simply wanted to be in the best position possible to place myself between them if he did happen to wake up. As I passed an outcropping of crystals that had sprouted like a wild hedge of many colors, I stopped briefly to examine it.

With a shrug, Forced Learn drove my perceptions into it like a spark of electricity. I was suddenly inside it, traversing its natural structure that sprawled out like a massive network of a million highways all interconnected. It was chaos, but logical even its imperfections. The crystal I initially entered in was filled with water mana. Its density was like the aroma of cooking food filling a room. The crystal was surrounded at its base by half a dozen other crystals, each with different elements. The crystals formed their own wall to keep safe the power they held, but the source of their power came from the earth below. Their walls kept the mana from mixing, but it didn’t keep me from jumping from one crystal to the next. Just as I had been able to travel the paths of energy in the Wraith’s Tomb which led me to discover Arcane Engineering, I was able to traverse the great network of crystals in a single bush.

After a quick examination of those connected to the first crystal, I sped downward toward the source of their power. What I found left my head spinning. Where the crystals themselves had a very clear structure, their roots were like a blend of crystal and rock. The structure, or lack of one, was so convoluted, I pulled out after a few moments of trying to grasp it with one conclusion. It was way too complex. It would take far to long to observe them enough to find any patterns that might explain the crystal formations.

I did break off a few clusters of crystals that fit in my palm like a basketball and placed them in my inventory. Studying their form and the walls between them might be helpful for something later at least.

Like a half ethereal skeleton lord, I walked toward the far side of the Crystalis. I didn’t fear any of the creatures here. Not any longer. Although, I didn’t want to approach so hastily that it made an impression on our sleeping friend either. It was a few minutes before I reached the bulk of The Belly. There was a steep incline that headed about two stories up to the ground floor so that I could stand on the surface that Aeris’s twister was pulling at. I scaled it quickly and stopped at the top of the ledge.

The air tore at me from even hundreds of feet away. I stood in my human form with Skeleton Titan’s Defense covering me. Two skeletal appendages shot out of my back and clawed into the rock of the path I’d just climbed. They would act as my anchors.

I’d seen so many powerful forces since I’d entered the Underworld, but seeing a tornado so closely was as humbling as being under the gaze of Xaphan himself. It may not have been as dangerous to me any longer, but it was a good reminder that the surface world could be just as dangerous as it was down here, especially when you didn’t have magic.

Magic changed things. Aeris was the perfect example. She’d been among the first to stand up to the Head Mistress when we’d first been kidnapped. Against such a monster she would have been but a snack. But now, I wasn’t sure I could rightly call her human. She’d become one with the wind and it was a part of her. If we were to make it to the surface world, I couldn’t imagine her allowing a hurricane or cyclone to ever threaten mankind again.

It had to have been fifteen minutes when I felt the mana funneling out of her starting to dwindle.

There was a lull in the storm, but it didn’t stop spinning. Looking up, trying to get a glimpse of her, I was unable to make her out. I glanced at my character sheet. I’d received twelve levels. Quickly, I tried to do a rough calculation. I didn’t have enough information to know exactly, but she was approximately one hundred and fifty levels below me. She was also the one doing the killing, so she should be getting more experience than I was.

With Mana Sight at full power I tried to see through her twister to catch a glimpse but there was too much wind mana to see through it. If she hadn’t run out of mana, but had slowed because she had finally reached 1,000 Intelligence…

“Retreat back into the tunnel!” I commanded the others through the Richard powered group chat. “Find something to hold on to!”

As if in response to my warning, the very air around me began to cackle with power. One additional appendage after another shot out of my back to further anchor me to the ground. When ten of them found their hooks, I still wasn’t sure it would be enough.

A sudden howl cried out from the twister that Aeris commanded. It deafened me. The air pressure was so intense that any normal human would have been forced to their knees. 

What had been a funnel was quickly surrounded by a cloud of dirt that rose up nearly a third as high as the twister itself. It began to expand. The base of the tornado was impossible to see, but the cloud of debris was incredible. It came for me. It felt like a hand had grabbed ahold of my heart and began to shake it. The feeling wasn’t from the storm, but true fear. Even if I could survive, it was the largest tornado I’d ever seen. No wonder Aeris had told me to stay put. She knew it would come to this.

Fire Incubus Form overtook me. What had been sucking creatures out of The Belly’s floor, was now ripping up the floor itself and any of the stronger creatures were devoured along with the rest.. We’d left a few craters here last time we were here, but this time I wasn’t sure if there would be anything left.

No longer did Aeris need to move about the massive cavern to seek out monsters as they fled. As the cloud of debris swallowed me up, the best I could tell was that the base of her tornado was now half a mile wide and still growing.

Throwing out my wings, I caught the air and it pushed me back off the ledge. Like a living kite, I glided above the Crystalis while my anchors still had the grip to hold me. Unable to see above the cloud of dirt, I kept my eyes open in slits, putting all my focus in Xaphan’s direction. I had to do something. I wasn’t able to see the glow of his mana at all.

“Is everyone safe?” I said to the group.

“Oh man. Are we safe? You just got swallowed up!” Perry replied.

“I’m fine. Stay put.”

Finding it difficult to breathe, I cut my anchors all at once, beating my wings away from the growing storm. It took a second flap for me to lift above the mana dense cloud.

It was then that I saw him. Though his mana had remained unspent, something had changed. All of my fears were realized at that moment. He had lifted his head and was staring in Aeris's direction. I didn’t know how to react. It was possible that the noise had simply startled him awake, and he would return to his nap. But if I reacted hastily, I could provoke him. If I was wrong, and he did attack, I wasn’t convinced I could reach Aeris before him. I was closer by half, but I didn’t think he needed wings to beat me to her.

I dared to wait. If he moved, I’d move as well, but as long as he only watched, I’d stay put. I still believed out of every one among our group, I was the one most likely to incite him to attack.

I was careful to steer in his direction while outpacing the still growing storm. How could Xaphan not notice Aeris now? Her increase in power was terrifying. So much so, I wondered how Mistress Nava would handle it. If we put her at the base of the storm, even she’d have a difficult time wouldn’t she? It wouldn’t kill her, but perhaps with my added flames—or no—my Light Magic.

It was probably too much to hope for, and even if it would work, it took Aeris time for her twister to build. It’s not like we could ask Mistress Nava to just stand in place while we prepare. Unless we could set a trap of some kind. We’d need some kind of bait…

Tearing me from my thoughts, Xaphan stood from his resting place and turned to face Aeris. My mind and magic worked as one. I couldn’t hold back. There was only one chance to steal his attention and I wasn’t going to mess it up.

3x Advance Mind Buff and 3x Fire Incubus Form melted away my weakens as they possessed me. I burned. Such power was severe to possess as it was fierce. A single flap of my wings launched me upward. As if to protect the F5 tornado from the Primordial Cat, I appeared between them. My massive wings spread out to their full reach with a vicious snap. The air was flung against the ceiling as I stopped myself, punching into the rock and sending a shower of stalagmites falling only to be caught up by the monstrous wind. The green cloud of light that hung on the ceiling fled from the immediate area at the beating of my wings. Controlling flight was much easier with 5,300 Strength and 4,800 Dexterity.

I felt overwhelming power flowing through my hardened flesh, but it was a fraction of what I’d need to face the Primordial Beast before me if I wanted a chance to win. He stopped at the ledge of the highest plateau in The Belly that he had taken as his own.

Holding out my hand, I made a show of replacing my reddened flesh with Magma Fist. It wasn’t a threat, but a plead for him to stop. He had given me a gift—one I could hardly control, but it was only a matter of time. If only he could see that. As illogical as it was, I willed it to be so.

It was just another risk to add to the foolishness of the day. I wanted to be mad at Aeris. But I couldn’t deny that this had been a much more reasonable gamble than the one I had taken when going into The Belly on my own and sneaking up on the most powerful creature we’d ever faced.

I felt the flow of mana from Aeris stop, but the tornado had taken on a life of its own. It spun out of control. “Elorion, what are you doing?” She said, using group chat since it probably would have been impossible to hear her above the wind.

“Xaphan’s awake… I love you.”

My eyes never left the Primordial Cat. With Mana Sight strained to draw out every moment to its max, I waited for the inevitable moment he decided to end us. He stared back at me from at least half a mile away, but it was as if we stood face to face.

“You’ve returned.” Rumbled a voice. It didn’t come audibly from where Xaphan, but from deep down inside me.

“How?!” I said, frantically drawing back the skeletal armor and gripping my chest as if that would be able to grab it and cast it out.

“You think you’re the only one with the eyes to see, human?”

I didn’t respond. How was this possible? He was using something like Force Learn to cast his perception inside of me through the mana realm. It had to be. He would have no illusions of how much power I possessed. He’d see everything.

“You’ve grown. Did you steal this power as you tried to steal mine?” He ignored my squirming.

Remembering our first conversation, how could I forget, I was quick to reply. “I earned it. After facing you, I’ll never make that mistake again.”

“That is the wisest thing you’ve ever said. But if you’re not here to steal from me, why are you here? Is that your mate behind you?”

“I—”

“She is.”

“I’m sorry if we woke you. That wasn’t our intention. We will leave immediately.”

“Will you?”

My hand moved to increase my Wisdom with the 21 additional levels of stats I’d received.

“If you’d like.” Aeris said suddenly and was somehow drawn into the conversation that was happening inside me. “You could watch. I’m about to reach the Master Rank with my Wind Magic.” She had no fear.

Turning my head, I found Aeris just behind me. Her eyes met mine, and she was obviously confused as to how she’d become a part of the conversation, but she flew slowly toward me, ducking under my beating wings and placed herself at my side.

“You think that will interest me?” The cat said.

I didn’t bother to removed Invisibility even though I knew it couldn’t fool Xaphan. 

“I’m not sure.” Aeris replied with a curious tone. “I don’t know what will happen, so you’re welcome to watch and find out if you like.” 

Had something happened? Was she injured? How could she possibly be so untroubled with who she was speaking to?

The cat responded with a grumble of sorts, as if to say, ‘whatever’, but relaxed his posture and leaned back to sit on his hind legs.

“It shouldn’t be long.” She promised. Without further explanation, she dipped beneath me and flew straight for the twister.

Looking back to Xaphan, he looked content to wait. I didn’t believe for a moment that meant we were safe, but I dropped 3x Fire Incubus Form to its base cost so that I could extend my transformation. If I needed to, I could ramp back up much quicker than I could change forms.

The tornado had lost some steam while Aeris wasn’t funneling mana into it, but now that she’d returned, it once again started to build.

It then hit me that if she was right, she would rank up before me. I didn’t understand how that was possible. It had taken me six hours just to push my Light Magic from level 95 to 96, then a day and a half to get to 98. I’d only gotten to 99 during the battle against the minotaurs. Unless she’d been level 99 when we arrived, how was it possible for her to be progressing so quickly?

Was it because she was using it in battle? That made sense. Unless I was mistaken, I’d gone from level 98 to 99 much quicker during the fight with Waldemar than while power leveling. But that couldn’t be the only cause. She’d been at it fifteen to twenty minutes at most. Glancing from one side of the cavern to the other, I then suspected she’d been righter than it had first seemed. All she’d really needed was enough room and she had the perfect environment to level her magic.

Had something been missing when I was power leveling Light Magic before the minotaur’s attack? I used every ounce of mana I had nonstop for days while enhancing my body to the very pinnacle of what I was capable of. Was there a better way? What had I been lacking? It was then that I remembered my friends getting trampled during the battle. I’d had to run to them and heal them—even regrew limbs. That’s what I’d been missing. If I really considered it, in all my time as a Light Mage, healing had been one of the things I’d done the least of. Sure, I’d healed exhaustion, but that wasn’t nearly using the full extent of my power.

Aeris wasn’t the only one that was nearing Master Rank. Clarissa had almost been there before the minotaurs even arrived. The construction she was doing was perfect for improving her Earth Magic. If the pattern was accurate, that meant, despite all my sleepless nights, everyone would eventually surpass me in rank. Unless I found a bunch of injured people to heal.

A sudden hush came over The Belly. Aeris’s twister seemed to crumble from top to bottom in an instant. The great cloud of dust started to settle. Where Aeris had been was nothing but a bundle of air.

I cut the flow of mana to Invisibility, and her form became clearer. She was no longer flesh and blood, but condensed air in the shape of her former self. Holding her hand in front of her face, she moved her fingers back and forth in fascination.

My reaction was just the opposite. I had a gut feeling that I’d lost her forever. Not her, but her body. As selfish and fleshly as that seemed, without a waist to hold and lips to taste, what future could we have? Gritting my teeth, I remembered how distraught she’d been during her transformation to her true form. What I wanted didn’t matter. She needed me and I wouldn’t abandon her. Not now, and not ever.

With a flap of my wing, I shot toward her far faster than I anticipated. Flinging out my wings, I stopped before running into her—startling her.

She looked at me in wonder, as if I was the one who had changed. “Elorion?”

I nodded my head.

Then, without any time between forms, she was once again flesh and blood—the same Wind Sprite she’d been moments before.

I didn’t have words…

She gave me a knowing smile.

“You did it?” I said, as if it wasn’t already obvious.

“Yes. There’s a lot to share, but first, let’s wish our friend goodnight.” In the space of a breath, her form became wind and she swept passed me. Defying Mana Sight, she floated toward Xaphan in a wavy stream as fast as the swiftest gale. Stopping a meter from his nose, she craned her neck toward him, leaning over as if she was about to pet a house cat.

“Aeris!” I dove after her. It was far too late.

“Thank you for your patience, ancient friend.” She leaned down to touch the crown of his head. Instead of petting him, her entire being brushed against him with her airy from. Down his neck and over his shoulders, she moved like a living cloud.

Instead of attacking, Xaphan inclined his head and stood, stretching his hindquarters. She blew against his ribs before looping over to the other side to get at the ones she missed.

I stalled in the air only a few dozen meters away, stunned that he allowed her to pet him in the way only a Wind Sprite could. I went stiff when his magma began to glow.

Aeris didn’t stop. She actually moved faster as she brushed against him. Soon he was a molten coal of yellow and orange rock, but instead of a scream of pain, I heard her began to giggle.

From where I flew, I could feel the intense heat. Fire Incubus Form kept me safe, but how was she possibly still alive?

I heard perhaps the most frightening things I ever had as the rumble of Xaphan’s purr reverberated from his throat. 

She entertained him for another minute before appearing again a few feet from his face. “I’m sorry my friend. I’m afraid we must leave you now. Elorion used his Light Magic when he thought he was rescuing me from you, and he has likely drawn the attention of a mean succubus mistress that wants to kill us.”

Xaphan groaned.

Her tone remained playful. “When it’s safe to return, I will. I promise. Elorion and I have a long way to go before we can protect our friends.”

“Fine child, ” He snorted, “but be warned. You may no longer be a kitten, but you’re still no adult. If you’re not careful you’ll get stepped on and you’ll be lucky to survive.”

“Thank you.” Aeris replied, leaning forward in her airy form and kissing Xaphan on the nose.

He sniffled as if it tickled his nose, before turning around and heading back to his place of rest.

Aeris didn’t hesitate to turn her back on him and fly up to me. I looked her in the eyes, studying them. They looked like mist that had been chiseled into shape. Except, this wasn’t art. She moved.

“What do you think?” She said, narrowing her eyes. Instead of distress, this time she seemed pleased with her transformation.

“I’m blown away.” I replied.

With a puff of her lips, air pushed into my face and I had to blink at the force. “Blown away. Really?”

I winked. “You’ve blown my mind.”

We were soon over the Crystalis and I glanced back at the devastation caused. At the devastation Aeris caused. All that was left was rubble in the shape of a great sphere. The Crystalis was mostly left intact. 

Returning my attention to Xaphan, he’d already curled up and was likely asleep. “How did you know?” I said.

“Know what?” She replied, as she swirled around me, flying in no particular pattern but whatever tickled her fancy at the moment. Her new form made her faster, but also as malleable as the wind.

“That he wouldn’t attack. Before we even got here, you knew.”

“I did.”

“How?”

“It was a feeling. Ever since taking my true form, I’ve known. I don’t know how, but there was no doubt. Like an instinct.”

“I don’t mean to be harsh, but you have 1,000 Intelligence and Wisdom. How can you put so much faith in an instinct? If you were wrong, we were dead.”

Aeris appeared in her sprite form, her arms wrapped around my neck. “How does a kitten know to eat? I can’t explain it to you logically. At least, not yet. I feel a connection to Xaphan, but not only him. It’s like I’m being drawn. There are others out there.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Leaning back, she hung from my neck while looking me in the eye. “Because you wouldn’t have let me come.”

“You’re right—”

Her lips pressed into mine to shut me up. It worked. Pulling back, she finished her point. “I promise I will tell you from now on, but I knew you’d have to see for yourself before you’d believe me.”

I stared at the creature that hung from my neck, entreating me to trust her. “I believe you.” I said, finding that I did. “No more surprises?”

“Well.” She rolled her eyes playfully before holding my gaze. “It’s a deal.”