Chapter 84 - The Path That Leads To Victory (Patreon)

“Repeat it all back to me again, I want to make sure you’ve got it before we try the first test,” Jiran rubbed his hands together, unable to contain his anticipation after his long, meandering explanation.

“Lightning is the flow of charged energy across innumerable free things. This charge can travel across these free things after they break free from other small things?” Mayalyn cringed, showing her sharp canines.

“Free electrons and molecules,” Jiran supplied.

“Right, electrons break free from the molecules and the charged energy uses them as a pathway to travel?”

“Good. You’re getting it. Everything is made of those smaller things, or particles, but we’ll get into that more later. What’s important right now, is that lightning is nothing more than moving energy flowing across free electrons. After breaking free of their molecular constraints, they call to each other, form a bridge, and the charge moves across that bridge.

“There’s more to it, but I want to see how your skill changes with just this much information.”

Jiran held up his hand and created a Shaping that formed an arc of current that jumped between his fingers continuously. Mayalyn’s eyes were drawn to his display and when she stopped fidgeting, he continued.

“Okay, I’m going to start. Are you ready?” She nodded her assent after bending her knees and raising her arms.

Jiran shocked her with a single percent of his mana once more. The arc of energy flickered across her forearm like a plasma ball before it vanished. Despite having seen it once already, he was surprised to see her skin completely unmarred from the powerful shock.

“I’m at eleven percent! And I gained another level in circulating! I-I can feel it within me. My muscles are full and the excess energy is flowing through my blood. It is pooling in my core now too. I have only ever felt it in my muscles, this feels…”

Mayalyn flexed her arms and fists. She spun and jumped and then flipped while uncontainable little giggles burst from her lungs. Her arms moved with a blurring intensity as she punched the air, arcs of energy leapt from her knuckles at the furthest extension of her limbs. She bent her knees and blasted forward, leaving an afterimage with each new step she took. The impact of her fist into the tree discharged the stored electricity in a thunderous crack that left a blackened, gaping wound in the wood.

“That was… fantastic!” She bounded back to his side, vibrating with wide, dilated eyes. “Quickly, do it again,” Jiran smiled at her exuberance but held up a finger as he fell into thought.

If only one per—

“I told you to stop that! Use your words. I may be able to feel your emotions but I cannot read your mind.”

“Right, I was trying to think of a way to test exactly how much power we can get out of you with only one percent of my mana.”

“It is not necessary to know the exact amount. Use five percent of your mana on me, then another five percent yourself. We will see if I can do more damage than you with the same amount of mana,” Her challenge and the feral grin it was delivered with were impossible to resist.

Jiran expected her to take some damage as his bolt of lightning smashed into her. The air cooked with the smell of ozone and the smoke drifting lazily from the ruined tree several paces away. The only noticeable difference was her hair sticking up more chaotically than normal, until her eyes began to glow and crackle with energy.

When she punched, the crack of thunder was deafening and the tree she struck exploded into splinters that showered her skin with nicks and cuts. Oblivious to the damage, she cackled as she stared in wonder at her hand.

“There is still so much!” She proved her statement by dashing around the field leaving behind a crackling blue afterimage. Another three trees were decimated before she finally calmed down and returned to his side with a huge, sloppy grin.

“Okay, your turn,” She huffed with her hands on her knees.

Yeah, no way I can match that with just lightning. Maybe if I used forcing, molding, and shaping but that would be cheating.

“How high did your enhancing go? What did it feel like?”

“It was… wonderful. I was so full, I have never felt so much power. Every centimeter of my body was alive and screaming to be unleashed. Can you go again?"

“Ahhh…” Jiran trailed off as his mind wandered for a split second before he snapped it back. “What about the percentage?”

“Oh, uhh, I did not check, you will have to do it again for us to find out,” A cheeky smile spread across her lips as she winked.

“Fine, but I don’t want you to run around and let it out this time. We need to know if there are any adverse effects from holding all that lightning inside you for extended periods.”

“Okay!” She plopped her butt onto the ground and looked up at him sweetly. “I’m ready.”

Jiran fed her another five percent of his mana and her eyes once more began to glow as her breathing hitched.

“forty-nine percent and I gained another level in circulating. Only one more to go!”

“Try to stop using the energy.”

“I have not used any yet, why do you say to stop?”

“Your eyes are glowing,” Jiran commented.

Mayalyn hopped to her feet in a flash of movement and sprinted to the creek. She was back a few seconds later and resumed her seated position before piercing him with her luminous gaze.

“You were correct, I do look amazing,” She blinked at him repeatedly with her hands folded in her lap.

Jiran grunted a laugh while shaking his head.

“If we start talking about your eyes, we won’t get anything done! If you start to feel strange, err, stranger, let out the energy. We can always run more tests later, no need to push yourself. I’ll be back in a bit, I’m going to go fill up my aura.”

Mayalyn breathed deeply and closed her eyes to focus while Jiran flew away from camp to relieve himself. He then drew his aura inside his body. He had discovered during his time with the Aahmra that if his manabody was fully retracted, there was no backlash from the mana that failed to enter it. It left him feeling blind, but not puking his guts out was worth a few moments without his aura stretched out.

Oliviala Le’Cruex

“No way we are going out there,” Cameron whispered into her ear.

They were crouched atop a short hill, the dry, cracked ground of the Outlands spread before them. Far in the distance, a massive beast rolled across the landscape at a ridiculous speed that they couldn't possibly match.

“Right… Give me a minute,” Olive sat down and closed her eyes, breathing deeply before activating her acclamation.

The familiar touch of a technique activating flowed from her brain to her mana pool before the small bit of mana she had converted since yesterday vanished into nothingness.

“Show me the path that leads to victory for the empire.”

As she waited for her request to be fulfilled, she tried not to think about how vulnerable her current position left her. She breathed deeply, the expansion of her lungs and the stretching of her taut muscles bringing a sense of peace as she leaned into her faith.

I praise you, First Mother, for sending Cameron to watch over me as you watch over us both.

Within only a few seconds, she felt the familiar tug of her acclamation. Her held breath released through pursed lips when she realized the tug was pulling her away from the Outlands. She opened her eyes to see her cousin’s head swiveling in every direction while his hand rested on the head of his hammer.

“We went too far, it is behind us.” She nodded her head in the direction of the tugging sensation before it vanished a moment later.

Cameron breathed his own sigh of relief before helping her to her feet. She trudged forward one weary step after another as he led the way. They veered off fifteen degrees from their previous path, soon reaching a series of sweeping hills covered in short, green grass. A small creek gently snaked through the bumpy landscape, adding to the serene setting that felt wholly out of place so close to the Outlands.

They quickly spotted the cleared ground and firepit of a camp near the creek. Not seeing anyone, they approached with caution.

“Are you sure this is it? I don’t see anyone,” Cameron whispered.

When he reached to pull out his weapon, Olive placed her hand on his with a shake of her head.

“I don’t know if this is it. This is the right direction but it could just be a group here to grind exp. If this is the right place, we don’t want to come in with weapons drawn,” Her tone was firm and Cameron took the command for what it was as he removed his hand.

“Is anyone here?! We mean you no harm!” Olive said loudly enough for anyone nearby to hear, causing them both to cringe. After several seconds, when no beasts came charging, the tension left her shoulders.

“Do we wait?” Cameron stood a pace away, oozing coiled tension as he prepared to throw himself between her and any danger that appeared.

“I think that would be best, yes.”

They approached the firepit and Cameron sniffed what was left of the carcass pierced on the spit above dead coals. He tore off a tiny piece and popped it in his mouth. Olive blanched at the offensive-smelling morsel as he chewed happily.

How can anyone eat something without a single speck of seasoning? Vile.

“Tier four. Looks like only two or three people staying here. Only two or three bringing down this beast… Whoever they are, they aren't weak. I don’t like this. It feels like a trap.”

“You’re being paranoid again, which I appreciate, but it does not serve us to always be so on gua—

A beast unlike anything she had ever seen walked boldly into the camp. It stopped in its tracks the moment it saw them, sending bright blue hair tumbling around its face.

A beast that looks like a human?! It’s even wearing clothes!

A spike of terror shot up her spine at the thought of a thousand beasts that looked far too human infiltrating the empire and attacking it from within. An instinctive need to snuff out this threat to her home nearly overwhelmed her.

No, this isn’t right.

The creature's slightly too-large eyes dilated as it began to yip and growl threateningly. Suddenly, Cameron was between her and the beast, blocking her view. She saw him draw his hammer but without mana, she was too slow to stop him.

“Bedrock Aegis!”

“Hellfire’s Brand!”

He fired off his skills in rapid succession. The ground rose up to coat them both in a layer of rocky protection. His hammer blazed with flames as it absorbed the mana flowing through his channels.

This isn’t right, I need time to think.

“Stop!” She screamed as Cameron crouched to leap at the creature that was clearly not as simple as it appeared.

He did not heed her command. Dirt exploded as his powerful tier four body shot forward at incredible speed. His hammer descended and tore through the beast's body. A fiery inferno engulfed half the camp as metal struck ground, detonating with a powerful burst.

But the beast was fine, it stood a few paces to the side, idly watching flames devour the single large tree that cast shade upon the firepit.

An afterimage?!

Olive was about to yell at him again but the beast was too quick. Claws extended from her human-looking fingers. They flickered with arcs of electricity as its eyes began to glow. A feral scream escaped its throat as one of its hands connected with Cameron’s side. A shockwave exploded from the impact, instantly shattering his technique’s defenses and sending him flying across the creek, headfirst into a tree.

It really is a beast. It’s happening again. I’m too weak to even save myself. Just like back then. I didn’t ascend fast enough and now I’m going to die.

Olive always assumed she would be afraid when death came knocking at her door again. Instead, relief washed through her as she accepted her fate. Her chin raised in the air, the pride in her lineage holding her head high as she faced her end with dignity.

Then the beast laughed while pointing at Cameron whose butt was waving in the air as he desperately tried to free himself from the tree. Olive’s jaw fell open as it howled with mirth, unable to even stand properly, the beast rested one hand on its knee while the other continued to point and flicker with blue arcs of electricity.

What?

“Mayalyn!” A booming shout shook the ground as the air vibrated with the renewed promise of death.

The blood drained from Olive’s face as a young man dropped from the air. She had felt the touch of a thousand manabodies in her life, but none save her fathers had ever filled her with such dread. His mana was so thick in the air she could taste it. An impossibly powerful grip constricted every centimeter of her body. Her bones creaked and Ice crawled up her spine, freezing her tongue.

Blazing green eyes shone through a rage-contorted face as he landed behind the beast. It turned to face the boy with a bright smile. It yipped and growled at him in rapid succession with fists planted on hips. Olive had the distinct impression that the beast was incredibly proud of itself and preening for attention.

What is happening right now? None of this makes any sense!

A crackling crunch to her side drew her attention and out of the corner of her eye, Olive saw Cameron was now face-first in the ground, the tree a shattered wreck. His limbs flailed as he desperately attempted to pull his head free and stand. Yet no matter how much strength he brought to bear, his face remained buried in the dirt.

After several seconds of nonsensical yipping communication, the boy turned his piercing eyes on her, causing her stomach to leap into her throat as her heart skipped several beats. The grip on her body tightened, constricting her to the point of breathlessness.

“Who the fuck are you and why did you attack my mate?”