First function of the stone talisman [chapter 14]

Chapter 14

Amidst the raging storm, Cain found himself in a perilous encounter. "Am I that unlucky? I only have 1 charge left" he muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the towering figure before him. The creature resembled a polar bear but was the size of an elephant, with four eerie tree roots protruding from its decaying body.

When a sudden lightning illuminated the dark sky, the creature lunged at Cain, its massive arm extended with deadly intent. Swiftly dodging to the side, Cain cast an arcane blade and sliced through one of the incoming roots. He then jumped before twisting his body midair, narrowly avoiding another root, but the third root grazed his back, causing him to wince in pain as he landed on his feet before mentally commanding the arcane blade to swiftly cut off the creature's head as it left his hand and swiftly separating the creature's head from its shoulder.

Ignoring the ache, Cain focused on his surroundings. Bodies of infected creatures lay scattered around him, and the terrain bore the scars of the intense battle. He took a moment to catch his breath, sitting on the colossal polar bear's corpse.

Looking at the floating screen before him, Cain assessed his current situation:

[Name: Cain O'Brien]

[Level: 9 (830/900)]

[Spell-Points: 2 ]

[Mana-Charge: 0/9 (each spell requires a single charge unless specified; charges can be regained with meditation)]

[Spells:

Magic-Field: With a wave of your hand, you create a barrier of arcane energy to deflect ranged attacks, but it can only deflect 2 attacks, rank 2 (2 spell points) Cost: 1 charge

Arcane-Blade: An ethereal blade is summoned and launched at high speeds against the target, rank 1 (1 spell point) Cost: 1 charge

Short-Warp: You jaunt through space for a short distance (150 meters), rank 3 (4 spell points) Cost: 1 charge

Almighty Strike: You clap your hands and create an almighty aura that sends a blast wave out in a 30-foot sphere centered on you, knocking away enemies and rendering them disoriented. rank 1 (one spell point) Cost: 1 charge

Contemplating his choices, Cain decided to upgrade his Arcane Blade and learn a new spell before he started to meditate, after making sure that the surroundings were safe.

-scene change-

[Name: Cain O'Brien]

[Level: 9 (830/900)]

[Spell-Points: 0 ]

[Mana-Charge: 9/9 (each spell requires a single charge unless specified; charges can be regained with meditation)]

[Spells:

Magic-Field: With a wave of your hand, you create a barrier of arcane energy to deflect ranged attacks, but it can only deflect 2 attacks, rank 2 (2 spell points) Cost: 1 charge

Arcane-Blade: Two ethereal blades are summoned and launched at high speeds against the target, rank 2 (2 spell points) Cost: 1 charge

Short-Warp: You jaunt through space for a short distance (150 meters), rank 3 (4 spell points) Cost: 1 charge

Almighty Strike: You clap your hands and create an almighty aura that sends a blast wave out in a 30-foot sphere centered on you, knocking away enemies and rendering them disoriented. rank 1 (one spell point) Cost: 1 charge

Arc: A ball of lightning attack that can jump between foes. Rank 1 (1 spell point) Cost: 1 charge]

With full mana charge, Cain found himself lost in an unfamiliar forest, his frustration evident as he continued to walk through the forest. "So I am stuck in God knows where with no idea how to get back or if I can even get back, and there are zombies that are infected by plants," he muttered, uncertainty weighing heavily on him.

Unexpectedly, he stumbled upon a towering structure—the remains of a majestic castle on the edge of a mountain. The ancient edifice exuded an eerie aura, piquing Cain's curiosity despite the ominous atmosphere.

Approaching the deserted castle gate, Cain noticed signs of a past battle. "Hmm, looks like a big fight took place here," he pondered, walking deeper into the abandoned fortress.

As Cain ventured further into the castle, he ran his hands along the ancient walls, feeling the rough texture beneath his fingertips. The scent of musty air filled his nostrils, carrying the weight of centuries within its walls. He estimated the building's age, guessing it to be around 530 to 600 years old, placing it somewhere in the 15th or 16th century but this was all an assumption.

Suddenly, a distinct crack echoed through the hall, drawing Cain's attention. He turned around swiftly, only to spot a peculiar sight—a humanoid creature stuck inside a semi-transparent sphere. The creature's elongated mouth, filled with sharp teeth, sent shivers down Cain's spine. "Hello there," he greeted calmly, summoning an ethereal blade, which unexpectedly materialized as two blades. "Nice," he commented, unfazed by the unique occurrence, before thrusting one of the blades into the creature's mouth.

Examining the creature closely, Cain noticed similar roots protruding from its body. He used his arcane blade to carefully remove the roots from the creature's mouth, contemplating its infection. "Another infected," he deduced, straightening his back as he continued his exploration.

Walking through the castle's halls, Cain entered room after room, discovering strange artifacts along the way, such as golden cubs. The metallic scent of aged metal and the faint smell of dust filled the air as he handled the artifacts with curiosity. "Hmm," he smiled, placing one of the cubs back down gently.

Among the artifacts, Cain found a particularly alluring gem. He hesitated to touch it fully, using only his fingers to trace the metal edge that held it in place. An instinctive caution emerged as he suspected it might be a trap. A bright purple light suddenly radiated from his palm, causing the symbol of the stone talisman to glow. "The stone talisman," he thought, watching the gem shine brilliantly for a moment before turning to dust and being absorbed into the symbol.

As the dust settled and the light dimmed, a new symbol appeared on Cain's palm. "So something did indeed happen?" he mused, tracing the symbol with his fingernail. "But what was that gem? I'm guessing it's mana, as the letter guy said to feed the stone talisman with mana."

Reality seemed to fracture and dissolve into darkness, leaving Cain bewildered. He found himself standing on a large platform, surrounded by an abyss. The glow of the new symbol on his palm was the only source of light. "Huh, so this is the function of the stone talisman?" he smiled, intrigued by the mysterious experience.

The darkness receded, and Cain found himself back in reality, now facing a door that had now swung open. Behind it, he observed tubes containing the same creature he had just slain. "Are they man-made?" he wondered aloud, contemplating the origin of the infected creatures. He couldn't help but inspect further, pondering whether they were subjects of scientific study.

He noticed an old paper lying on the floor beneath his feet, covered in a language he couldn't understand. The enigmatic script added another layer of intrigue to the mysterious castle, leaving Cain eager to uncover its secrets.

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I can already imagine the large wizard tower filled with artifacts, books, and all sorts of things.

A/N the next volume would focus more on the DC side of things, like a certain task run by a very intimidating and ruthless woman