The Arcane Emperor

Chapter 84 Threads of Aura

Rainer rubbed his eyes as he awoke, feeling what lay under his head was not a pillow. Looking up, he saw the cause.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," his wolven pillow spoke.

He groaned a bit, wondering what else Sarah would teach Kara about him. Even before he learned [Sleep Learning], he had earned himself that nickname after one of his friends messed with a sleeping Rainer with lipstick. And afterwards, when he fell asleep in most of his classes, it stuck for a bit.

He never did find out where the lipstick came from in the first place…

"Sorry, did I keep you guys?"

"No, everyone else went ahead. We tested it during one of the runs if I needed to be there, or alternatively if they needed to be there. The answer was no on both fronts. I planned on trying to run the dungeon myself and see if there was any bonus for that. Though, they do need to rest occasionally as Gunthar burns through Aura quite quickly and Sarah can't fight certain waves alone."

"Blade shopping?" Rainer asked. After receiving those swords from the elven blacksmith, he planned on eventually using [Metal Manipulation] to form them into the same shape as whatever blade Kara buys. WIth his new discoveries about magic pathways, and mimicking objects with [Arcane Weaving], he wondered if he could use that same principle for manipulating metal into certain forms.

Kara's bright smile in response made him a little wary, but he'd do his best to enjoy the day.

Leaving the Inn, the pair walked arm in arm. Under Sarah's suggestion, Luna had magically created contact lenses to change Kara's eye color. With enough experimentation while Rainer slept, she was able to adjust them to be more comfortable. Kara had chosen green for today.

"Do you know where we're heading?" She asked.

"Well there are two choices. We can head to the craftsman's sector if we're looking for something custom made, but with war looming we'd be at the bottom of the list unless we can over-pay to a far higher degree than we have the money for."

"And the other?"

"Plenty of stores sell weapons, among other spoils of war and Dungeons." Rainer likened them to pawn shops. Though that likeness didn't mean the quality of their goods were any worse than the ones ready made, just that they were used. And while an influx of money from hunting monsters or Dungeons made new items more common, people still often bought used. At least, as far as he could tell. So most of their customers were either looking for a cheaper deal, or were transient and didn't have time to wait for something made.

"How far is it?"

"We're starting from the pricier places, so it's not too far from our Inn." Opposite of the craftsman's sector was the merchant district. Not only were there native stores but plenty of merchants who couldn't sell their leftover goods after traveling here would set up temporary shops as well. As usual, the old pattern of the closer to the Wolf King, the more expensive it was, stayed true.

"Have you thought about when you're going to take the Trial?" After their days of incredibly fast delving in the Dungeon with a small party, and Kara ranking up with the Void-step enchantment skill, she reached level 24 in [Mystic Dancer]. Something far too quick for anyone normally at that level.

"With the Dungeon here, I see no reason not to wait until I fill up my subclasses. Perhaps I might find something to replace [Blade Dancer]," Kara enjoyed Rainer smiling at that. Him being both worried to such a degree and yet not trying to stop her was quite endearing.

"Then I know something you can look forward to, Void Will."

Kara looked at him askance.

"I talked about it with Talvara, it's one of my rewards for saving Aurora, and it was originally supposed to go to me, but I figured there was a better alternative."

"And?" Kara asked with bated breath.

"We just have to figure out a way to deal with your Mana pool. She insists I'm a special case being able to have both. Probably relating to my Arcane Power," he mumbled the last part to himself, "Talvara said she knew a likely solution, but I haven't talked to her since we showed off Void-step. In fact, she hasn't mentioned the subject in quite a bit, so we'll have to wait and see."

There was also the premise of making sure nothing extra happened, but Rainer planned to watch the process. And if anything untoward happened...Jor could always use another meal.

Kara let out a long breath as she leaned into his shoulder, "Thank you."

"Of course."

Walking in a comfortable silence, they arrived at the desired store soon after. Rainer swore he saw a twinkle in her eyes as she glanced across the room, tail moving from side to side to match. He stood off to the side, angling himself away from other patrons and employees and moving towards a barrel filled with old weapons. He used [Arcane Revelation] and released a bit of Mana as he took in the various items.

He observed each different pathway the Mana naturally followed as it entered the air before shutting it off and heading over to Kara.

"See anything you like?"

"That," Kara pointed immediately. Inside a display case were two blades, lacking any apparent sheaths. They were slightly longer and thicker than Kara's current blades, with a simple black hilt of no real design. Given Kara's technique, which she still improved upon, and her increases in power with leveling, her choice made sense. The blades certainly looked heavier than her current ones.

The storekeeper walked over and offered up the price, hoping the mage covered in enchantments would finally let them get rid of these older and far-too-heavy blades. Lugging them into the vault every night was never fun for him or the guards that helped. The store owner refused to lower the price.

Alas, seeing the mage frown afterwards, it was not meant to be.

Kara still stared wistfully over the blades as the clerk walked away. 13 Dragon Isle gold coins, each, without an option to buy them separately, or in other words more than 10 times the value of what they currently had, Sarah's stash included. The thought of stealing them crossed Rainer's mind when he saw how disappointed Kara was, but he wouldn't cross that line.

Stealing from and killing those who Rainer viewed as not having right to their life or possessions through their actions was one thing, but from a rightful owner was another. He wouldn't travel down that path. Having the death of the Winter's Guardians as his single act of true evil was enough for him to last the rest of his life.

Rainer looked down with [Arcane Revelation] once no one was around and took note of the blades. With enough added metal perhaps he could expand and alter two of three swords he was given to match these. It would be a bit of a downgrade depending on the metal and his skill in [Metal Manipulation] used, but it was a possibility.

Maybe adding [Fire Manipulation] in concert with Metal would help. Or I could just ask the blacksmith to make something like this...I guess I need to impress him enough with the 'result' of my experiments I bring him.

At the end, he appraised one of them.

[Heavy Blade: One of a pair of twin blades designed for a stronger wielder.]

There was nothing there that would warrant its price, but seeing as the metal was unlisted, perhaps there was something special about it? He should bring by Luna with her higher level [Appraisal] before they purchased it.

"I doubt anyone else will buy them, I'll hurry up with my enchanting so we can afford them," he whispered to Kara.

"Is my taste in weapons so poor that no one else would purchase such a thing?"

"The poorest. I didn't want to say it before, but frankly whenever you take out your blades in combat, I want to die from embarrassment. It affects morale you know."

"Truly?"

"I was also embarrassed for you when you sparred with Laneth. He was too nice to say anything, though."

"To think all this time I've been doing such a thing," she said with an exaggerated sigh as Rainer put his arm around the 'depressed' Kara.

"It's good you understand. Now, you can just be a nice decoration to my arm, without any tacky blades."

"I've wanted nothing more in my entire life."

As they left the display cases, the storekeeper looked utterly stunned by the two, believing their words. His sudden idea of getting his wife to quit her life as a monster hunter later that night most certainly did not result in a similar outcome.

With Kara's smile returned, they looked around the rest of the store before deciding to head to another. On the way out, Rainer bought any cheap metal-made items he could. He wondered why he hadn't thought to come here first, though he supposed it was good he hadn't.

A few hours later, they hadn't found anything else Kara wanted. Or rather, her mind was likely stuck on the first blades that caught her eye.

"Let's get something to eat?" She asked.

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They headed back up to the upper-class quarter their inn was in, not bothered by the guards as usual due to them clearly looking like they belonged. Not that Kara's Aura size or his Mana hurt the matter.

Luna had gotten better and better with her magical constructs and Kara's current attire certainly spoke of wealth. In the style of the Dragon Isles, her midriff was exposed as she wore a silky black dress that wrapped around her along with elegant sandals with leather straps that went up her calves and with a slight heel. The fabric looked quite expensive despite being the opposite.

Rainer wore his usual, 'I have more enchanted items than you,' attire. Not that he viewed it as such. They received a few glances as they entered the high-class place and ended up with a table next to three others out on a balcony. They ordered soon after, though while eating their soup, they overheard the conversation of the people next to them.

"Did you hear, the Bard of the Moonlight is playing another set tonight."

"You get seats?"

The noble across from him scoffed. "Of course I didn't get seats. Not after the rumor that the Bard of Violets played his very first time right after her. Everyone there is hoping to catch both of them. I heard even the Second and Fourth Daughter of the Wolf King are going to attend."

Kara raised an eyebrow at Rainer, as he suddenly found the most interesting spoon in the world in his hand.

"Bard of Violets?" She whispered with a bit of a chuckle.

"It's not like I picked the name…" He grumbled, not knowing that Kara didn't actually figure it out. But he confirmed it nonetheless.

Kara's uproarious laughter disturbed the other patrons, but the sight of the two powerful experts kept anyone from speaking up about it.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kara waved her hand and tried to quiet down, "I have wondered what you were doing during your days alone."

"Wondered? Did you worry I'd find someone else to occupy my time?"

"Of course not. How could you find anyone better than me?"

"Excellent point."

"But now you know you'll have to play a private concert."

"You'll have to earn it."

Kara grinned and then suddenly jumped off the balcony. "Only if you can catch me."

Rainer smiled, ignoring the stares around them. He dropped off a bunch of silver, a momentary thought passing through his head that Sarah was probably better to hold the money, before he leaped off the railing after her.

He chased her through the streets before using [Void-walking] when there was no one around. Just before he grabbed her, she vanished in turn. Moment's later he was met with a faux complaining Kara.

"That's cheating," She spoke, stopped from Void-stepping with a [Void Grasp].

"I know," He said grinning and grabbed her with a final Void-walk. The two kissed for a moment before disappearing through the Void once more.

Kara and Rainer lay beside eachother in bed, her head resting on his chest. Kara sat up, knowing she should probably head to the dungeon soon.

"I suppose it's time to go?"

"Yep," Rainer reluctantly agreed.

"Have you made any progress on the search?" She spoke as she dressed, smiling to herself when Rainer seemed to be distracted quite a bit before answering.

He shook his head. "But I do have a plan. With my reputation as a bard, and with royalty now trying to see me as well, I'm thinking I could get invited to the Palace. From there we can hopefully find some gossip about a missing Spatial Ring, or just meet them in general and feel them out."

"Ah, sorry."

"What for?" Rainer asked.

"For assuming you were just playing around as a bard."

He paused for a moment. "I forgive you."

"Nice try. But how come we don't use the blood tracking spell?"

Rainer shook his head, having already thought of that. "It only works when you have a clear image, at least according to where I learned it from. We don't know anything about your father except he has the bloodline of the Wolf King, or generations earlier of Wolf Kings, in him."

"I've been thinking, I can say we at least know he has golden eyes," Kara said and then held up a hand when Rainer was about to explain genetics to her again, "I mostly understand what you were saying about him not having it even if I'm not sure I believe you, but you aren't considering my mother. She would never sleep with someone weaker than her. Let alone being a Demon and our natural respect for power, that was her personality. And for him to be stronger than my mother even in her Demon form…"

"He needs to have the Aura talents that come in concert with that eye color?"

"Yes."

"We may as well give it a try. Do you know anything else about him?"

Kara shook her head. Rainer, however, noticed again the slight white coloring in her ears.

"Does your mom have a slight white coloring to her ears?"

"No…Ah. So he should have white hair?"

"It's worth a shot," Rainer said. Not that he could say he understood how the genetics of a Half-Wolfkin and Half-Demon worked at all in the first place.

With the image in mind, Rainer took a drop of Kara's blood. With a fluctuation of Mana later, Rainer felt numerous connections form, and not just here but all across the city and soon elsewhere. He gripped his head as he tried to find the one most closely related. More and more Mana left him as he narrowed it down, eventually reaching the three closest.

All three were women with golden eyes.

Rainer looked at them one by one, when he noticed one with [Void Seer] that actually seemed to resemble Kara a bit in the nose. He canceled the spell and skill when the white long-haired Wolfkin sniffed the air and seemed to become alert.

"Any luck?"

"The three closest to you were all women...Either there's something blocking me from your father, he doesn't have white hair or golden eyes, I screwed up the spell...or…"

"He's dead," Kara finished his sentence.

"Well...there's nothing stopping us from talking to any of them right?"

"Nothing at all."

The party currently in the Dungeon were resting just before the final boss of the dungeon. Gunthar sat in a meditative form while Lilia off to his side practiced her Soul Strengthening skill with Tiamat in her lap.

"She really grew huh," Sarah said to the little Fairy on her head. Tiamat had finally leveled up once, and the dragon grew a decent amount in size, now about four feet from nose to tail. Though, as always, she stayed in her smaller form and enjoyed nestling in the lap of whoever held her at the time.

"Growing faster than Luna...It's not fair," The fairy complained as she played with a long strand of Sarah's hair.

"Hey Luna? You ever think about what you're going to do?" Sarah struggled with the question herself. Other than following along with Rainer and becoming stronger, she didn't know what she wanted to do. Finding her mother and her grandfather was a priority, but it was a priority she couldn't really help with.

A part of her was interested in returning to Earth. A deeper thought within wanted to round up the Council and tear the mana from each and every one of them. And then find every organization that had even a record of her or her brother and do the same.

But another just wanted to enjoy this new world and leave behind the grudges of the past.

"Do?"

"Yeah, like with your free time?"

"Be with Rainer?" Luna responded, confused. Wasn't that much obvious?

"No I mean like do. Like how Rainer has his idea of the school and works on various magics. Or Gunthar does the same but with Aura?"

"I will do Rainer. And Kara. hmm, no...I think it's more like Kara does Luna," The Fairy patiently ignored Sarah beneath her sighing.

"I meant something besides them."

"I'll burn things."

Sarah had to agree Luna was getting better and better at that. Before her flame had limited effectiveness against non-magical beings, or low magic ones, but it seemed to be changing with practice. Really, it was a versatile enough flame that Sarah could even accept that answer.

"I'm not really sure what I'm going to do…" Sarah added her own thoughts.

"Aren't you already doing something?" Luna asked.

"I suppose I am." Sarah smiled. She'd take a page from Luna and just not worry about it.

Luna herself went into her own thoughts. From conversations with Rainer, Kara, and now Sarah, she got the distinct message there was something wrong with only wanting to be by Rainer's side. She sighed as the thought swirled in her head before she returned to her ruminations on her flame.

Late at night, the blonde-haired Liandra walked through the night streets of Fenrar, Capital of the Wolf King, with bated breath. Rumors of the Bard of Violets had spiraled and even several members of royalty ventured to taverns and places with musical performances at night to hear his music. Or perhaps offer him a more permanent position.

Whether high or low town, the Bard of Violets made no distinction. He always wore the same cloak of black with his body covered in too many enchanted items to count. A single song was all he'd play before vanishing in the same way he came. His music was talked about to the point that almost no one seemed to mention him being able to freely and easily teleport in the Dragon Isles, Liandra thought.

After hearing his song, ladies ventured their skin had improved and wrinkles softened. That their luck with romance improved tenfold and all their desires would come true. For soldiers, they heard sounds of battle or of long lost loves and opportunities missed, and a success of a 2nd Tier Trial was reported soon after hearing him play. Rumors they were, but Liandra floated her own thoughts of running into said Bard.

Some called him a Messenger of the Divine of Love, others whispered plots to capture him and unravel his secrets, but even more filled the seats of any place hosting musicians, hoping that their luck would turn out to witness just a single performance.

As she moved forward through the streets, on the way to her date, she thought over the past few months that led her into the service of the Wolf King as a sensor.

As Liandra fled from the north, her trip to the largest port town was largely uneventful. It was only when she reached the port that her plans fell through. With the Dragon Isles preparing for war, and two of it's members already engaged, opportunities for a hunter like her to accompany the safe and luxurious ship she desired were few.

They hired people far above her for such a thing. And having no interest in revealing her other abilities besides her [Enchanted Swordswoman] class, she was left to meander around. All the while, a part of her wondering if the dragon in human form would follow her.

"I heard ya lookin' for passage to the Isles?"

Liandra turned around on her stool in the Hunter's Guild and was met with a blinding white smile contrasting dark skin.

"I am," She responded a bit cautiously.

"Good. Far too many are afraid to brave the waters right now. We could use a fighter on the deck in case any monsters board us."

Liandra thought it over and decided to meet the crew. She always needed to be careful even with the Tideborne's stringent policy against slavers and slavery; she was an elf after all.

As they headed to the ship, her thoughts were occupied by other matters as the first mate spoke about the recent troubles in getting enough people to man the ship apart from the sailing crew. Heading down a pier, she saw the ship itself and let out a sigh of relief when she noticed the captain of the vessel: a merfolk.

"Are you ready to leave right now? You can have the standard fee for Hunters above level 10."

"I'm ready."

Liandra's sword glowed a deep blue as she slashed a scaled jumper in two and sent a blade of magic towards another. The grotesque looking frog monsters became a common problem without the Merfolk to regularly suppress them. Especially since the strongest of the race followed the Sea King to war.

Close to an hour later, she wiped the sweat off her brow and she headed down the deck. A loud crashing noise and subsequent jutting of the ship caused her to stumble on the steps and hit her head on the way down.

Liandra blinked her eyes as she came back to her senses an unknown time later. A taste of metal in her mouth and a feel of it around her wrists greeted her. That, and an arguing pair right in front of her.

"Who cares what the damn mage says, it's an Elf, captain. Let's have some of 'er before sendin' 'er off to them nobles."

"You cost us a virgin elf and I'll take the gold out of your hide. Go grab Marcus and switch duties with him."

What part of me is a virgin? Liandra wanted to retort but wisely kept the words down. Moments later the two left, and the likely so-called Marcus came as well. Sitting up, she glanced around seeing the rest of the crew in chains, though most not restricting Mana like hers. The first mate flashed a white grin towards her for a brief moment.

She had him to thank, it seemed.

As hours passed, Liandra lost the earlier moment of happiness at not having to entertain whoever captured them as she realised the fate that awaited her. There were more than enough rumors about the cruelty that nobles inflicted on their slaves. She brought her knees to her chest as the darkness reminded her of the training she endured to become a sensor. The hopelessness proved a stronger reminder.

Unable to think about it any longer, she instead sank into herself as she extended her senses. 17, she counted. The number of the crew that had died, and 43 seemed to be the number of slavers. The ship itself was clearly different, far larger.

She extended her senses out miles and miles further, looking for any monsters, hoping something that would kill them all found her before they reached their destination. Even better if she could subtly nudge a monster to come for them that would otherwise ignore them. Centuries of slavery was far less appealing than death.

She was granted her wish some time later. A presence of Aura, a mix of Aural and Magic, crossed the ocean at an outstanding speed. She had no idea what sort of beast this was, only feeling it something like a wolf, but she welcomed it.

Screams rang out on the deck as Liandra counted how many slavers remained.

37, 26, 17, 11, 7, 2, 1...

Distortions of magic rang out on the deck, Liandra keenly felt the presence of a powerful invisibility spell, perhaps how the slavers had snuck up on them in the first place. But following a huge shockwave that shook the boat, the last of them died.

Steps shook the stairs as they headed down to her position, and Liandra's eyes opened wide at the figure that greeted them.

She, was most certainly not a monster of any sort.

Brought out of her ruminations, Liandra headed towards the Star-struck Lounge as planned. The daughter of the head of the Blood Moon Elves, not that anyone knew her real identity apart from the Royals and a few others, would be playing again, and it was mentioned that after her playing was the first time the Bard of Violets ever appeared. If it wasn't for Alaya, she wouldn't have ever been able to get such a reservation.

The Blood Moon Elves were one of three clans which ran the Neutral City of the Southern Continent; the only place on the coast that wasn't directly under Tarainien Empire control. It stood at the edge of a cliff at the end of a peninsula, a mountain range behind it leading deep into the South. A mountain pass was maintained by the dwarves and inadvertently protected by the monsters inhabiting the mountain range from outside influence.

It was how she and many others left from the Southern Countries to the north. The city was technically claimed as territory by the Tarainien Empire, but the power of the three clans kept them from fully realizing that claim. Not only that, but no southern country would wish to see the easiest trade route and gateway to the northern lands lost.

She cut her way through an alley and was met with a sight she had since forgotten as she neared the lounge. Behind a mask, Violet-covered eyes glanced at her as she instinctively reached out her senses.

It was him.

He calmly looked at her, but Liandra could only stare back in shock at the blinding power that was his existence.

She froze and then ran as fast she could in the other direction. She grasped at the communication stone in her pocket that all sensors serving under the royals received. Cursing herself for ditching her guard, she stuck to darkness despite her distaste for it, and ran into an alleyway, hoping to lose line of sight with the man behind her. Moments later she felt pain in her legs and looked up to see a Ratkin figure cloaked in black looking over her, only for darkness to take her.

Rainer watched as the elf he recognized from Grimlar's Pass ran from him, before he paused. When she looked at him, he had felt a touch on his Soul. Did the elf follow him here, he darkly wondered. If she could sense his Soul, then did she know about Luna? Maybe even Kara...had she told someone...

Why else would she run?

He started walking towards her thinking over his plans, knowing he could easily catch the level 15 [Enchanted Swordswoman] with but a thought. She thankfully had Mana, so if by some chance he misunderstood her intentions he could at least check with [Mana Reading]. But he found that unlikely.

A line of magic pulsed from her and Rainer realized she somehow contacted someone else. Just like the Fae he fought after his Second Tier Trial so long ago. Right as he Void-walked to her, a figure from the darkness leaped out and kicked her legs out from under her, and slammed another foot into her head before making to pick up her body.

Rainer acted, appearing behind the figure, his fingers crackling with Arcane-Lightning. A palm into his back and the figure collapsed into a seizing heap. He'd leave him for later. Glancing down at the now unconscious elf with blood trickling down her forehead, Rainer realized he couldn't just leave her here without confirming her guilt.

Picking up and throwing the level 25 [Assassin] into a nearby Alley, and weaving a chain with [Arcane Weaving: Permanence], Rainer left him tied up for later. For now, he might as well bring the Elf back to the Inn to question her.

As he reached down to grab her a tinge of pressure entered his mind.

[Crisis Perception]

He Void-walked instantly, and spun around to see just what threatened his death.

A claw of golden aura swiped at where he just was, creating a deep scar in the ground. A cloaked figure landed just in front of the gouged dirt. Before Rainer could get out a word edgewise, the figure went forth.

An Aura so massive that it nearly blinded his [Arcane Revelation] covered eyes erupted as the fist headed in his direction. Rainer opted to Void-walk again as he found a force pulling him down. Two strings of Aura now connected him to the assailant. Having no time to do anything else Rainer covered himself in [Arcane Awakening: Shield] as his skill rose to 100%.

The fist collided with his two forearms crossing in front of his head. Rainer heard the cracking of his magic and then his bones as he was sent flying away. Crashing into the wall of a stone building across the street. Citizens screamed and ran away, but he paid them no mind.

A flash of violet and Rainer was free of the strings that bound him. He vanished just as a clawed hand struck his position again. Up in the sky, he armed numerous lances as a [Spear of Arcane Judgement] formed in his hand. An [Arcane-Spatial Domain] spread out in preparation. The spell charged with magic as it's target on the ground turned his view skyward.

The figure leaped outwards, just as Rainer desired. Lances flew one by one as the figure somehow twisted to dodge it. Gravity pressured down, slowing his foe. The [Archon] unleashed his spear and it soared upwards. He reached into his Void Will as he put a twisting [Void Call] in the attacker's path.

In an unnatural movement as if he was less man and more ghost, the figure suddenly jolted to the right. The guided spear followed, but several more unnatural movements caused it to stab into the ground causing a blinding explosion.

A figure came from the light and rushed at Rainer, as the [Archon] in turn moved towards his target. Though not by choice. Rainer grimaced as he tried to use his [Arcane Blade] to free himself, but he saw the charging Aura user move his hand and his own jerked back. Just before the two met, Rainer poured out his Void Will into another call to the Void.

At the last moment, his enemy jerked to the side, and Rainer used that time to cut apart the new strings tying him.

A quick glance saw the [Appraisal].

[Wolfkin, Male, Aura Puppeteer(2nd) lvl 24, Auraweaver(2nd) lvl 24]

[Title: Aural Existence]

Golden eyes glowed beneath a hood as the figure moved in the air towards Rainer again.

[Arcanum]

A flash of a ritual circle and a beam of violet light canceled that move. With a pained yell, the Wolfkin zoomed towards the ground, rolling to the side as several more beams of Arcane shot at him. Two directly hit his back as he stumbled forward.

Rainer cut through the strings with one of the [Arcanum]s and soared forth, [Arcane Blade] in hand. [Arcanum] after [Arcanum] fired, battering through the Aura defenses of the Wolfkin.

Aura erupted as the partially burnt figure spun around and unleashed a claw of Aura. Rainer vanished in a Void-walk a distance away. He prepared two Mana packets as a golden Aura covered his target. Fresh wounds disappeared from the Wolfkin as stitches of gold replaced the wounds followed by fresh skin.

The Wolfkin opened his mouth just before Rainer finished the spell. A fearsome roar tinged with Aura rang out, windows shattered and Rainer feeling his eardrums surge with pain and his very bones shake as the spell failed. Both of the Wolfkin's hands opened up as countless Aura strings covered the street in which they fought, numerous ones heading towards Rainer. Before he could react, he felt countless ones wrap across his neck and cut off his air. And another stripped his hilt from his hand. Rainer hid his grin from that. It never hurt when his opponents believed his [Arcane Blade] required said hilt.

The Wolfkin stared at him in confusion. He had made to cut off his head and instead was met with non-magical resistance.

What sort of Mage is made of steel?

[Arcane Awakening: Might] enlarged Rainer as he fought against the pulling of the strings that prevented his Void-walk. The Wolfkin's hands took on clawed shapes as he tugged on the Aura strings harder and harder. Rainer took this time to plan and fill up his Arcane Power reserves as much as he could, letting his opponent think he had him.

Rainer hid his shock as he saw a figure running straight towards the Wolfkin. Somehow Rainer found himself blinking once or twice as she seemed to be almost unnoticeable. A small [Arcane Blade] covered his hand as he prepared to cut through the Aura Strings holding him.

Just before reaching her target, a dark crimson Aura lashed out of Kara, covering her weapon to form an Aura Blade as she Void-stepped right behind her targets back.

The Wolfkin's golden eyes widened in surprise at the green-eyed face with a glowing backdrop of red in one eye and gold in the other, the aura unmistakably of a Demon. And yet something else mixed in.

But he had not the time to question it. The momentary pause proved almost fatal. His necklace simmered in heat as he tried to flee from the Aura formed blade in front of him. Whatever twisting darkness awaited in his escape route was not to be trifled with. His necklace had not heated up since the war with the north and him facing Yazir in combat.

So he embraced the blade of Aura, grimacing as it cut through part of his waist and spine and he soared past the demon. He stood askance, letting the Aura pour out of him and heal the new wound as he looked at the woman who appeared in front of him once more.

A voice echoing in the background brought the fight to a momentary pause. At least to those who could still properly hear.

"Wait, It's not what you think!" Liandra yelled.

But she was too late. The demon in front of him proved a feint as she vanished just before reaching him. His body constricted as he felt a force beyond any he'd encountered wrap around his body alongside two magic chains.

He glanced down at the chains attached into the ground when his eyes met with a glow of violet and a thundering of power. Eight hovering ritual circles arched over the mage he just fought with. Blood seeped from the man's eyes as his fist clutched in the same way Ymir felt his body held.

"Arcanum."

Words charged with magic rang out.

And his world became violet.

Without even checking if his foe was slain, the masked Rainer grabbed Kara with a Void-walk and vanished.

"Rainer what happened?" Kara asked, after several Void-walks.

"I have no idea. I met with the elf from Grimlar's pass by chance, and after sensing my Soul she bolted. Someone else knocked her out and it seems I got blamed for it.

"But she said it was a misunderstanding?" Kara questioned.

Rainer stared blankly at her, wondering when this happened. He wiped a bit of blood from his nose and then his ears as he used [Arcane Invigoration], recalling the Wolf howl that canceled his magic likely damaged his hearing.

"So what now?" Kara asked, adrenaline still flowing from battle and a bit exhausted from combat testing her new skill.

"I don't know. Let's grab everyone and leave the city for now. At least your identity as a Demon should have been hidden."

He also needed to prepare more [Arcanum] rituals as he ran through all 16 he made this morning.

"We'll talk about it with everyone," Kara spoke, but before they could leave, a presence rapidly came upon them.

"Wait!" A tattered Wolfkin appeared before them, strands of gold already healing even the hair on his now visible head, his skin showing no signs of having been damaged apart from a healing missing arm and eye, "Vera, please wait!" He held the elf from earlier under his arm, having used her as a tracker.

Both Kara and Rainer looked at him in shock but for different reasons. This was one of the 'women' Rainer saw with [Void Seer] and the Blood-tracking spell. Kara, however, heard her mother's name.

"Ver...ra?" The Wolfkin asked now deeply confused as he looked at the one golden, one crimson-eyed Demon. She was far more beautiful than Vera, looking more akin to a Fairy. Her nose was a bit different, jaw as well. And that was when it clicked for him. An image of a pregnant Vera leaving him despite his pleas.

"Daughter?"