A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands

Chapter 36: The Benefits of Dairy

With casualties mounting on both sides, the Republic began to lose its appetite for war. Even with necromancy filling the holes in the army ranks, the constant attrition was beginning to wear away at the will of the people, with some even demanding that they at least consider the elves’ earlier offers of amnesty.

The Steward of the Republic, hearing the people's cries and feeling the heavy weight of their expectations, searched for a solution that would expel the invaders from their land and bring an end to the war.

- On the Cataclysm by an unknown Quassian Scholar circa 103 AC

We rested in one of the cabins, eating and recovering a little of our Stamina, but not quite able to sleep. Before long, taking measures to conceal any sign of our presence, we resumed our journey. We spotted a trail leading towards the west which we followed for several hours. As we progressed, the colossal trees of Sainba gradually gave way to smaller deciduous trees, adorned with a rich blend of deep green and golden hues.

As the sun began to sink and twilight fell across the forest, the daytime calls of the birds were replaced by the howls of prowling night creatures. Kidu advised that we push on through the dark, to place as much distance between ourselves and any potential pursuers, but one look at Elwin’s haggard face put an end to that notion. Much to the Rogue’s relief, we moved off of the trail to shelter under the trees and made camp for the night. We would have to hope that our blue-glowing Zajasite chunks, would provide a large enough deterrent against attack from the local fauna.

We ate a humble repast of trail bread and jerky, now lightly salted thanks to our pillage of the charcoal burners’ stores. Conversation was scant, if not absent altogether. The physical and emotional strain of taking human lives had taken its toll on our spirits, leaving us without the inclination for idle chatter. I volunteered to take the most unwanted duty, the middle watch. Normally, I would have been against this, but I viewed it now as the opportunity to practice casting my spells.

Before making camp for the night, and with some Mana to spare, I cast Heal silently on Kidu. I felt the warm energies leave my body as the divine magic healed him of the many small wounds that he had acquired in the last engagement. It made me feel rather content.

Feeling pleased with myself, I went just outside of the camp’s Zajasite glow to continue exploring my powers. I needed to learn quickly as there was no way of knowing when the game would be throwing its next difficulty spike in my direction. To that end, I brought with me several pieces of loose metal, the few remains from our manacles, which I had kept for my next experiment.

Throwing a small chunk of metal to the ground, I began to channel the full raging force of the Rust spell. Even using the Silent Casting skill, the spell still came to me easily, if not a little delayed. The alien whispers, once so unfamiliar to me, now tantalized me with their hidden meaning, just out of reach. The dark power, which previously had been so inimical, began to feel warm and welcome as it coursed through my body. Like a river before bursting its bank, like the buildup to almost manic completion, the spell reached a crescendo of power. Releasing the energies, a stream of black lightning blasted into the piece of metal which audibly sizzled and heated in response.

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Humming a soft tune, I patiently bided my time, allowing the Rust spell to dissipate and the metal to cool. Crouching down, I examined the metal closely, discovering it had become heavily corroded and remarkably brittle to the touch, as I brought it closer to the faint blue light emanating from my Zajasite stone. Manipulating it between my fingers, I noticed the surface was now riddled with rust the color of desiccated blood. Despite waiting several protracted minutes for the heat to subside, I still discerned a lingering warmth through the old leather of my gloves.

Wanting to test the effective distance of the spell, I threw another small chunk of metal on the ground and walked further away from it, counting the steps in my mind. At seventy paces, I tried casting the spell, but the magic failed to latch onto the metal. I took another step toward the iron chunk, but still, the magic failed to catch. I took another step, then another, until at perhaps fifty or so paces, a torrent of energy flew from my hand into the metal. This piece of iron, just like the last, visibly hissed as the power of the spell, losing none of its potency at this range, forced it to undergo a rapid exothermic reaction.

I repeated this experiment three more times, eager to level up the spell and to boost either my Intelligence or Wisdom attributes. But that evening luck was not on my side, and I made gains in none of them. However, at the very least, I knew now for certain the range of my Rust spell and that increases in the spell level did nothing for its maximum range, only its strength.

With disappointment curdling in my stomach, and Mana Sickness making me feel a little more tired than I was, I returned to camp to get what rest I could. This drew neither a word nor a simple grunt of acknowledgment from Kidu, who was already awake to take the last watch. Wishing for a better tomorrow, I quickly spread out a looted bedroll with arms heavy from the night's trials and slipped into a blessedly dreamless and exhausted sleep.

*

The next morning we continued on the wooded trail after a simple breakfast, with, again, only a few words shared between us. I surmised that Kidu and Elwin were likely thinking about our return to civilization. My thoughts, on the other hand, danced between how to test my new spells safely and the violent actions of the night before last.

With no sign of pursuit, we stopped for our midday meal, which comprised of hard cheese and harder tack rations, mercifully softened and washed down with stale-tasting water. Despite traveling for most of the morning, I felt much better than when I had traversed through the woods in my simple leather sandals. The difference that simple good footwear could have on one’s outlook on life was startling.

When our meal was finished, I turned to my companions and spoke frankly, "I need your help once again with some new spells."

"How is this even possible? Did you discover a spell after the battle? Has the powers that be granted you new magic already? It is said that it takes a mage years of learning and dedicated effort, or a pious cleric many seasons of devotion and prayer to gain new spells! And you say that you have acquired more already?" Elwin exclaimed, clearly taken rather aback by this news.

"He is god-touched," the Hunter interjected, as if this was all the explanation that was necessary. "We will assist in whatever way we can..."

Elwin almost interrupted, but a single glance from the Hunter silenced the Rogue. "We owe you, after all, a great debt that can never be repaid," Kidu declared with finality.

"Thank you, thank you both," I replied, my voice slightly thick with repressed emotion. "I will require you both to remain at a safe distance, but close enough to observe."

They both nodded, Elwin a little more hesitantly than Kidu, before following me a little way from our place of rest. The sun shone bright and high, and not a cloud marred the sky as we walked to a small field of grass filled with white flowers poking up from between some of the blades. Checking that my companions were at a safe but observable distance away, I began to cast one of my new spells.

A darkness and a fierce joy surged deep within me, coalescing into a force that demanded release. With a shudder, I gave in, letting the power course through my body and erupt outward. The void between heartbeats and atoms filled with a frigid emptiness, and my being radiated with a dark and terrible energy. Like ripples on a stagnant pool, the gray pulses of power expanded out from me, spreading wider and wider in a circle before abruptly ceasing its expansion at a distance of fifteen meters.

As I took in the reactions of my companions, it became clear that the effect had gone unnoticed by them. The energy, it seemed, was invisible to all but myself.

This was my Entropic Aura spell, and despite the impressive visual effects that only I could perceive, I felt no difference in myself. Like Holy Aura, this spell consumed two Mana to cast and decreased my maximum Mana by two points while channeling. Summoning my comrades, I verified that they had neither felt nor witnessed any alterations.

Elwin looked at me with a quizzical expression as I took out a piece of cheese to observe the possible effects of my aura spell upon it and waited for perhaps a minute or two.

The Rogue's voice rang out nervously from a distance. "Are you alright, Gil? Thinking about getting into the dairy business by any chance?"

Kidu shot a sharp glance in Elwin's direction. "Hold your tongue, little man," he chided, his annoyance visible. "Gilgamesh is in the midst of some great magic."

"Fear not," I replied, my attention fixed on the scene unfolding before me. "I am merely confirming something," half-shouting back.

Expecting to see some sort of entropic effect on the small piece of hard cheese, I was disappointed to note that there was no change to its visible condition. Just as I was plucking up the courage to give the cheese a taste test, I caught sight of the grass around my feet. Here, I noticed that some of the leaves had begun to wilt slightly in places, their once lustrous greens a little dull and faded and browning at the edges. Wishing to test further the conditions of the spell, I tore a small piece of cheese off. In my mind, I voiced that I wished to throw it away and that it was no longer my property. Perhaps the magic only affected things that were not mine? After all, if I was dealing with the entropic forces of the universe it would hardly do if my own weapons and equipment suffered. With all of this in mind, I dropped the small morsel at my feet.

Observing the torn-off piece of cheese, I saw that it was slowly beginning to decay, discoloring and breaking up into smaller and smaller pieces as what I assumed was mold and bacteria assaulted it. It looked like the effects of time were being accelerated, like a time-lapse video, with what should have been days worth of rot hastening over the course of just a few minutes. The piece of cheese that I still held in my hand was showing no change, and I bit down on it to make sure it was still edible.

The cheese was, as I remembered, similar in taste to a low-quality cheddar. Nothing special and no change. I quickly took a swig from my water flask to clean out the taste.

As I pondered over the curious results, inspiration struck me and I decided to test another one of my newly acquired spells-Decay. As I cast the dark magic, a surge of oily darkness flowed through me, pulsating with a frenzied madness that almost made me recoil. Yet, I grappled with the dark energy, and with a swift gesture, I released it onto the piece of cheese in my hand.

To my amazement, black liquid tentacles that seemed to absorb light, erupted from my hand and ensnared the small piece of food. The tentacles writhed and pulsed in tune with the waves from my Entropic Aura, causing the small morsel to decompose rapidly and released briefly a smell of ammonia. Soon, it was reduced to no more than crumbling dust, blown away by an errant breeze. In conclusion, unless actively targeted, my spells would not adversely affect me or my possessions.

The spell had only cost me one point of Mana, but I was yet unsure about its place in my arsenal. In conclusion, both of the spells seemed to be ‘smart’ and did not negatively affect my own items, possessions, or self. The question was, would the same blanket rule apply to my companions? I needed to find out.

I shouted out to them, telling them that it was probably safe. Kidu came first, with Elwin trailing a few meters behind. Almost instinctively, Kidu stopped just before the rolling waves of entropy, like an animal that had just sniffed danger in the wind. I beckoned him to come closer and he did so, a fraction of hesitation in his stride. He was followed shortly by Elwin, who seemed totally oblivious to the energies. The pulses of entropy broke against them, like slow inexorable gentle waves on the shore and caused no harm.

“Something tells me of an emptiness here,” the big man said with an air of mysticism, as he looked around at me.

The statement worried me, did NPCs have a way to detect magic? Was it some skill linked to Kidu’s class? Or was it simply the wild man’s animalistic instincts?

“Don’t feel anything different. Am I supposed to feel something, right?” chortled the Rogue, playing with the handle of his dagger.

I invited them to sit next to me, and we spent perhaps twenty minutes under the sun in companionable silence. Deciding that it was better to apologize than to seek permission, I tried to cast Decay silently on Kidu in this little interlude. However, the spell seemed to resist entering the large man, almost as if it was beyond its scope. Also, luckily for me, Kidu seemed to be none the wiser.

The spell still needed a release, and though it was a waste I threw the rest of my cheese onto the ground. Willing the spell into that instead, the magic soon broke it down into a rotting mess causing my companions to leap up in worry as the smell assaulted their senses. Luckily, I was able to assure them that all was well by telling them that I was just testing out the same spell. They both looked at me, a little miffed that I had not given them any forewarning

The grass closest to me was visibly wilting now, and Kidu gazed at the vegetation before looking me in the eye.

“Do you know what it is that you do?” he asked, genuine concern edging his voice.

“In truth, Kidu, this is why I requested your help. I am sure that this is a spell that will help weaken my enemies,” I said as I tore up some browning grass and showed it to him, hopefully dodging the question, “But I needed to know if it would affect my allies. Forgive me my small deception.”

Elwin, visibly shaken, hurriedly got up and started to make away from me before Kidu stopped him, grasping him firmly by the arm.

“If we were being harmed, I would know it,” explained Kidu, “And I have felt no ill effects from Gilgamesh’s spell. Have you, Elwin Tucker? Remember, we are here to help him understand his magic. Our debt is huge, we must give what small assistance we can. Many times now, thanks to his magic have you not been saved?” he firmly told Elwin, looking at him steadily.

With a shrug, the Rogue sat down, “Well, if you put it that way. But all this magic is making me nervous. Can’t see it after all. This esoteric arcane nonsense gives me a little of the shakes. How about it? Are we finished now, Gil?” the wiry man asked nervously.

I nodded at Elwin, “Yes, we are. I think this curse or spell, or whatever it is, does not affect my allies and only my enemies,” I answered, giving them both another look over to make sure they had not suffered from the spell.

Not wishing to push my companions' largesse by insisting on more tests, I suggested that we resume our travels. We continued our journey through the rest of the day, the trail growing wider, before reaching a simple earthen road that cut through the woods. Eventually, the trees of the forest gave way to endless grassland, stained golden and red in the dying light.

A flicker of movement caught my eye in the middle distance, but as quickly as it appeared, it vanished without a trace. Kidu stopped in his tracks, his muscles tensed, and he paused for a moment as if assessing the situation. Faraway, we could see the sprawling city of Ansan, our destination, just as the sun dipped beneath the horizon and twilight claimed the land.

I felt on my cheek the smallest impression of displaced air. Then a small group emerged as if from a thick mist, like phantoms, their presence jarring, yet barely registering, in my mind. Something about them made me want to avert my gaze, to ignore their existence, but I fought against the compulsion and focused on their appearance. They were a party of seven, cloaked and mysterious, the bulge of hidden weapons about their lithe forms served as an unspoken threat. Was it my imagination, or did I catch a glimpse of pointed ears poking out from beneath one of their hoods? With trepidation, I shook my head out of a fugue and made sure to avoid eye contact or pay them further attention and we gave them a wide berth.

They passed us and for a few moments, I could hear them cursing at each other in an unknown musical tongue. Were they hunting for us? Paranoia began to nibble away at me, and faraway-sounding whispers encouraged me to turn around and make an end of that group. That would be foolish, I thought to myself, as I shook my head and waved aside the temptation. Perhaps another time.

Looking at my Status, I noticed that my maximum Mana was still at eleven… which meant that I was still subconsciously channeling my Entropic Aura! The magic had a mind of its own, not wishing to recede from whence it came. The dark slow waves were still there, pulsing, and almost invisible, even to me in the twilight. Fighting the temptation to turn around, and horrified at my lack of control, I focused on trying to reign in both my panic and the entropic magic. Bringing the dark force to heel felt like trying to grasp at a slippery eel; the rogue magic wanted to stay on this plane of existence.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I began to bind it inexorably to my will and I was finally able to stop the spell. I was not the same man that entered this world, and my will and determination had grown with me. Sighing deeply in relief, I began to walk before I suddenly felt a sharp pricking pressure at my throat, the pressure of a needle-pointed blade, and a soft whisper in my ear.

“What are you, little day spawn?” hissed a surprisingly sultry feminine voice, causing me to involuntarily shudder in cold fear.