Path of Stars, Ch 21: Deep Hunting (Patreon)

Before they left the bandit hideout, Sam went to inspect the transfer point. It was a large metal portal about thirty feet across that was heavily inscribed with spatial runes, most of which dealt with directional transfer, mana stability, and location.

He studied it for a little while and then altered the receiving point on it. When the bandits returned, they’d be sent to an area inside a trap enchantment he’d prepared. If things went well, they’d be held there until he had time to deal with them. If they escaped, he wasn’t too concerned. Even for a spatial mage, it would take a long time to get out of the Blue Star system without a teleport artifact like this, so they weren’t likely to cause him any trouble.

As for the transfer point itself, he couldn’t move it too far from this system without having to reset the enchantment on it for a new location, but moving it around inside the system was fine. So, he simply picked it up and placed it on his ship. He intended to put it near his hall where it would be more useful.

It would make for a convenient teleportation gate if he wanted to visit the Emerald Sea quickly. He could also open up the portal to visitors or let the nagas visit the Borderlands without him. Either way, it was an additional way to travel that he hadn’t had before. He could even set it to only allow travel out and it would work as a way to send off unwanted guests.

When that was complete, he boarded the Ice Drake with his new army of nagas and headed back to his hall. Sleset was busy explaining things to them, so he left him to it as he began to sort the materials he needed to rebuild his lunar bracer. A short while later, a silver streak reached across the Void.

When they arrived back at the hall, he briefly explained the presence of the nagas to Alora and then he set the transfer point on a barren stretch of stone beside his hall, where it was within easy reach. Around it, he inscribed several protective rune circles and then he linked the trap enchantment into them before connecting the system to the wards.

Alora was waiting for him when he went back inside. She was in a different dress this time, but it kept the same theme of silvery white and green, which seemed to be her colors.

“How is your uncle?” he asked as he sent her a smile. “And did you have any trouble with the wards?”

“No trouble at all,” she replied as she shook her head. “Laimar is still sleeping most of the time. It is the fastest way for him to heal. Knight Guardians are very resilient, so do not worry. He will be alright. The only reason he was injured like this was due to that wraith’s blood affinity. It was like a poison in his wounds.”

“Hopefully it’s a smooth recovery,” Sam said seriously. “Blood affinities are dangerous things. If I’m going to be able to help you, I need to work at my forge for a bit now. So, please make yourself at home and let Sleset know if you need anything.”

At the moment, Sleset and the 28 new nagas were outside the hall, working on constructing dwellings for themselves. There was a combination of both male and female nagas in the group, although there were slightly more males. In terms of their fierceness, it didn’t make any difference. The females had more elegant facial features and more svelte curves, as well as slightly different patterns on their scales, but those were the only outward signs.

It looked like they were building one dwelling for each family nest, with their eldest sibling in charge. He’d have to spend some more time with them in the future to really understand their culture, but for now it was working out just fine.

They were testing out their new elemental affinities as they worked, using them to erect the buildings and to temper the stone under Sleset’s supervision. He had access to all of their status sheets, and was surprised to see how well rounded they were. There were affinities to Earth, Metal, Wood, Wind, Water, Fire, Ice, and even one Lightning.

The elemental abilities came from him, and it made him thoughtful as he considered the full scope of Elemental Mastery. He had his preferences right now for Fire and Ice, and sometimes Wind, but perhaps he should look more into the others. He didn’t use the others very often. Lightning, in particular, could be helpful in battle.

He also needed to explore the meaning of that elemental bloodline in more depth. He’d thought originally that it had come from the Demon of Shattered Skies, and perhaps it had, but once he’d changed into a Titan, it had become his own and progressed on the current path to mastery. Perhaps that meant it was something entirely his own.

He shook his head as he went back to studying the nagas. Whether it was something new or if it was as old as the stars, it didn’t make a lot of difference as long as it worked.

All of the nagas had at least one combat class too, primarily with Warrior and Hunter variants, which was why they had taken up banditry. Once they had a chance to practice, they would be a force to be reckoned with. It made him look forward to the future, but first he needed to continue his own preparations. He gave Alora a nod as he headed inside to his forge.

As the silver flame filled the forge pillars in front of him, he began to refine the materials for his bracer. Ores of a dozen different colors and auras floated around him on a crystalline field of flames as he purified each of them, rotating them around from side to side until they shone like flickering gems.

The next two days passed by in a storm of work. Ever since he’d removed his bracers, he’d felt like part of his personality was missing, not to mention a good part of his attack spells. He’d grown used to them and he was looking forward to having them back.

The actual refinement of the Lunar Bracer was complex, but he was upgrading it rather than building a completely new bracer, so with the assistance of his forge and his Aura Forging ability, it didn’t take him too long to redesign it and infuse the new materials. Vast quantities of astral energy flowed through the forge as a pillar of silver light stretched into the heavens, making the entire hall rumble with power like a star was being born.

Modify Aura, Intensify Aura, and Aura Regeneration all played a part in the process as he tore apart the auras of the three moons from Aster Fall, intensified them, and rebuilt them to be dozens of times stronger than they had been before. As he worked, he did his best to imbue his improved understanding of Astral Ice and the three moons into the bracer.

At the urge of some instinct, he also merged three Heroic-tier Auras of Astral Water into the bracer, letting them fuse into the aura of each moon. As he did, the moonlight flowed like liquid through the new ores and became a dozen times stronger.

Originally, the bracer had resembled three interlocking bands of gemstones that formed a solid piece. By the time he was finished, the bracer no longer looked like gemstones at all. Instead, it gleamed like polished silver as ripples of color from all the different ores shimmered across the surface, giving rise to a constant flow of rainbow light. The auras of the three moons were far more intense now as they gave rise to an illusion that Caelus, Silvas, and Amaris were rising on the surface.

The moons rippled through their phases as they passed from one side of the bracer to the other, starting as a thi, curving line at the edge that then became a waxing crescent, which grew in size until it was a full moon at the center, and then it descended toward the far side, changing again into a waning crescent until the last sliver disappeared at the edge.

Each of the three moons moved on their timeline like they were orbiting the bracer itself, just like they orbited Aster Fall at home, so when any casual glance fell on the bracer, their forms were in a constant state of flux. Only at certain points of the night and on a rare day would they all be full at the same time.

When the bracer was complete, he drew it out of the forge and held its still cooling form in his hands, turning it from side to side as he inspected it.

Lunar Bracer: “Endless Night of the Full Moons.”

Astral Aura Artifact. Heroic. Unique. Attuned Lunar Array.

Charge: 200,000 / 200,000 (*Regains 2,500/day).

Enchantments: Nine Phases of the Full Moons, Moonlight Blade Domain, Lunar Runic Array.

The materials from the Chaos Wild had finally brought out the real strength of the artifact. Before, it had only been made of infused gemstones from Aster Fall and the true strength had been in the auras they held. Now, it was a true astral artifact.

He’d kept the basic nature of the bracer as an array, which was a type of enchantment linked together from smaller pieces, but the effect was massively better than it had been in the past.

The first enchantment, Nine Phases of the Full Moon, was able to unleash blades of cutting force at various levels, from small and thin to massive ones that were almost as strong as that green spear from Silvas that had eradicated the Blood Elemental back at the relic. It could also create full moons imbued with frozen astral energy, which would freeze and crush everything around them.

As for the Moonlight Blade Domain, it was a version of the cutting strands of moonlight from back when he’d encountered an ancient trap for Outsiders in the relic. He still remembered the enormous cutting strands of moonlight that had swept past him. Now, this would let him do something similar within a lunar field, and as long as he was in the Void, it would be particularly strong.

The last enchantment, Lunar Runic Array, was the most complex of the enchantments. Not only was it the foundation for the first two enchantments, but it also kept the bracer connected to the auras of the Void. Its job was to gather astral energy and convert it into the unique signatures of the three moons, which were highly potent against Outsiders. On top of that, it could project lunar-focused enchantments in the area around him, creating nets and seals from strands of moonlight.

He settled the bracer onto his arm with a click and its structure rippled slightly as it adjusted for a perfect fit. When it was done, there was no sign of a clasp or line to open it.

After that, he forged some of the remaining chunks of ore into extremely durable plates that were nearly as thin as scroll parchment. Into each of these, he infused a handful of Heroic auras as he inscribed intricate defensive rune patterns. By the time he was done, he had half a dozen single-use artifacts.

The plates were similar to scrolls in the way they functioned, but there was a particular advantage to making them from metal, mainly in that the activation of them would be nearly instantaneous. The age and quality of the ore had been refined by the Chaos Wild for countless years, which meant the material was able to hold more energy than usual scrolls and each of them had some affinity for the Void. It made them ideal for his purposes.

He tossed the metallic scrolls into his cloak and then made a few more normal scrolls before it was time to go.

“I’ll be back in a week or so,” he said as he gave Alora a smile on the way out. “Then we can head to your homeworld. I hope your uncle will be recovered by then. I’m sure he’ll be helpful on the way.”

Alora was looking at him with a thoughtful expression that was a mix of curiosity and nervousness. “I hope you find what you’re looking for,” she said eventually. “I’m sure we’ll be fine here, but I have to confess that it’s more reassuring when you’re around.”

“It’s just a few simple things I need to do,” he said. He had no intention of revealing to her the danger he was about to seek out, since it would only worry her. He knew how much she was counting him. “Sleset and the new Silver Nagas will be here, so there’s very little that will be able to threaten you short of a Fourth Evolution. Even if that soul wraith showed up, with so many people, it would be killed in short order. I’m more concerned with the Outsiders behind it, which is why I need to leave for now, but I’ll be back soon.”

With that, he pulled himself away before he could say anything else and went to meet up with Sleset outside. The naga was working hard to understand the capabilities of his people and to adjust to his new position as their commander. So far, it looked like he was settling into the role. His attitude was already shifting, becoming more stable and confident like a commander’s should be.

“Make sure everyone practices with their elemental abilities,” Sam said, “as well as with the bloodline strength you’ve all received. Try to find some beasts in this system to hunt, if it helps, but don’t go too far from the hall. We should have some time on the way to Alora’s world to test ourselves if needed, but we’ll be heading there as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, my lord,” Sleset said as he bowed with all four arms crossed over his chest. “We will be ready for your return.”
Sam nodded. Then he turned and stepped out into the Void, flashing away in a streak of silver light.

*****

The path to the Firesail Void Lizards was clear in his mind and with the levels and essence he’d gained since their first encounter, he was confident in facing the one that had sent him running before. The Void flickered by as a stream of light as he stepped out of one astral thread and leapt onto another that was heading in the right direction.

The problem with the lizards was their number, but that was also the reason he was seeking them out. As long as he hunted the edges of their territory and attacked quickly, he should be able to collect essence from a number of them. If things went well, he could slowly work his way inward. The danger was that he was sure there was at least one Fourth Evolution void lizard, and there might be more. He would have to avoid those for now.

If he’d had more time, he might have chosen a different target, but the Void lizards were the closest essence-rich beasts in the Void, which made them a natural target. There were also so many that he didn’t have to worry about depopulating them.

His first target was that chunk of fire ore, as well as any lizards that might be next to it. He had a good feeling about the material, so hopefully it was still there. When he’d been escaping, he’d been injured and had only traveled for half a day. Now that he was heading back in a straight line, it didn’t take him that long to arrive, just a few hours.

He stepped off the astral thread at a familiar area and looked around. He could feel the Fire-laden chaos winds blowing strongly here, swirling around the large red stars that filled this system. In the distance, he could see where the swarm of lizards had come from, and he kept a close eye on it as he scanned the area in front of him. It had been about a year since he was last here.

The Fire pool where the ore had been was still there, but it was a little smaller than before. The lizards must have consumed some of it. Floating at the center were several crystalline chunks of the ore he was interested in, the largest nearly fifty feet long. It stretched out of the pool like a crystal spire, its form jagged and partially melted.

On the far side of the pool, there were two Firesail Void Lizards resting. Each of them was two hundred feet long and their wide-splayed legs stretched out for about a hundred feet on either side, although the tips were curled under their bodies. The dual row of spikes along their spines flickered as a current of flame flowed along it. One of them had a large dark scar across its side.

Sam’s eyes narrowed as he saw that. It seemed like his old enemy was still here. He still remembered the smug look in its eyes as it tried to eat him. Since then, however, things had changed. He glanced down at his cloak and his reforged bracer and a steady certainty washed through him.

The lizards were Level 320 and 318. Even with the increased durability that essence granted them, they were no longer his match. They might be nearly as durable as those Level 360 Outsider Giants, but that was all.

The last time he’d faced them, he’d wanted to test out new spells. There were still a number of those he’d created along the way to the Path that he hadn’t brought out yet, but those weren’t the ability he reached for now. Instead, a shimmering golden blade stretched out from his hand.

This was the Path and he was an Astral Titan. It was time to hunt like one. A sharp salute of the blade sent an arc of astral fire cutting through the Void, where it sliced past the sleeping lizards. Two loud roars followed as they shook themselves awake and lunged to their feet, their eyes glowing like furnaces as they spun toward Sam. Each eyeball was the size of a wagon and their heads were equal with his own as they glared at him. The weaker one raised its head, its scream echoing out in all directions as it called to its kin in the Void.

A dark smile flickered across Sam’s lips and then he was gone in a wash of crystal flame. He reappeared next to the weaker lizard, his blade lashing out. A blast of fire flared out to crash against him as the lizard snapped down, trying to bite him. It raised its claws, swiping downward as its dark scales glistened in the light, but it was too slow to evade.

His blade sliced through its leg, severing one of its feet, and then he was gone again, teleporting away.

The lizard let out a piercing shriek as it brought its other claw around to smash toward where he had been, but there was nothing there to hit. The other lizard whipped around to the side, scanning for where he had gone, and a web of fire began to form along its back.

It was planning to lock down the area against spatial abilities again, like it had done before, but Sam wasn’t the same unbalanced Titan who was new to the Void that he’d been before. His increased familiarity with the Astral Void gave him the ability to stretch out his teleports and to control exactly where he was going, and he used it. He floated in the other dimension of the Void for a moment, waiting for the lizard to move where he wanted it.

Then he reappeared on the far side, next to his old enemy. His blade flared longer, stretching out to nearly thirty feet of golden light as he brought it across in a sizzling arc. Before it could dodge, a line of fire appeared across the lizard’s neck. Its head flew away, tumbling free in the Void.

Sam spun, his blade lashing out as he sliced away a descending claw, and then he teleported away again. When he reappeared, he was above the second lizard’s neck and a moment later, a second head flew away into the Void.

All around him, the lizard’s warning scream was still echoing in the Void, calling to its brethren in the distance, but a moment later, Sam and the ores in the Fire pool were both gone.