Frost and Blood

Jace's POV

Through hell he had traveled, but one by one, he cut them down. The blood centipedes lunged at Jace, their slimy bodies slithering through the crimson-soaked floor, their acrid scent filling the air as they closed in.

Jace swung his blade with precision, the sharp metallic scent of their ichor mingling with the earthy smell of the castle's aged stone. Each strike was a symphony of clashing steel and writhing insectoid creatures, their exoskeletons cracking under the force of his blows. First in silence, then in open combat. The extinct ancient beings of blood, it mattered little to his blade.

From both sides, barbed tails flew towards him, the whoosh of the air accompanied by a faint hiss. Jace spun, his conjured blade shifting in his hand, twisting with the blue glow of ice mana. The blade met the first tail with a frosty collision, releasing a frigid mist that stung his nostrils. He countered the attack, following through with a horizontal slash that ran a second opponent through, the sickening squelch of flesh and chitin punctuating the battle.

''Crrrr'' voices screeched, echoing through the hollow halls, their high-pitched cacophony assaulting his ears.

Jace ignored those screeches as he moved through the bloodied floor, continued to cut down another centipede. The sickly warmth of their blood splattered across his face, and the two halves of the body crashed to the ground, one part still screeching in a violent notion amidst the swirls of chaotic blood mana in the air.

His eyes were empty, hopeless, yet it was still there, a glint of fury. The adrenaline surged, and he tasted the metallic tang of fear mixed with the grit of determination in the back of his throat.

More came at him, and more fell. Barbed tails, poisoned mandibles, hard slams, his blade cleaved them through. He felt the rush, flowing through his skull, engulfing his body, through his veins, deep within his chest.

[One With My Blade]

His sword moved, quicker, faster, stronger with every blow exchanged, until the massacre was over.

''CRRRRRRRRRRRR!'' The creaks were intensifying every second, even though Jace did not understand the words, he knew the sound of terror all too well.

"CRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" The last of the centipedes retreated, stepping back into the blood that puddled the castle floor. Blood-coated, filthy tails moved in a serpentine motion, leaving slimy, mucous-like trails on the stone floor.

As he charged, swinging his blade, Jace found his attack deflected. A dark barbed tail lashed out at his side, the sharp pain cutting shallow as Jace let his own follow-through. He moved his sword in a vertical motion, leaving blue afterglows down his blade. The azure blade swung clean, resonating with a deep exhale from his lungs as his side burned. The blood trailed down both his blade and clothes, mixing with the blood of his foes.

It was done. Some of them escaped, some just lay there, torn in half, waiting for their inevitable demise, while step by step, Jace moved forward, freezing the blood-soaked floor. His entire body was covered in shallow cuts, the pain in his side throbbing worse with every push and pull of muscles and tendons, but his blade, his arms, they were still ready.

[Spirit Blade: The Eternal Frost]

Jace swung with a skill that surpassed all the rest he'd ever achieved, the highest tier he had achieved in swordsmanship. The greatest achievement of his lifetime, the Blade that was more than a Blade, an extension of himself. He felt it, his mana channels, circuiting their way through the blue blade. He gave no pause before the blade passed through the crimson air in a horizontal sweep. The azure aura, released along the sweep, made its way through the blood hellscape, cleaving everything in its path. Escaping the true monstrosity, before the centipedes even made it to the hallway, the azure aura cleaved them through, bisecting their metameric structures, revealing the gore inside before puddling the floor further.

"Don't think I'll let you escape that easily!" Jace heard his own words as they echoed down the empty hall. His knees gave way as he found himself leaning heavily on his blue blade while the chaotic blood mana shifted through the air. Magic structures swam in the air around him, twisting and turning with the loud roar in the distant frontal hallway.

''GRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!''

Jace shifted his gaze towards the source of the roar. The darkened hallway echoed with the loud thumping footsteps.

Upon the massive carved archway in the front of the wide hall, the creature stood. Its body, a mosaic of deep crimson and icy azure, shimmered with a captivating allure, reminiscent of the stained glass windows of a forgotten cathedral. Each facet of its crystalline form refracted the dim light, creating an entrancing, ever-shifting kaleidoscope of colors.

The creature's eyes, twin orbs resembling polished amethyst, radiated an uncanny intelligence. They bore into Jace with an otherworldly curiosity, as if appraising the insignificant insect who dared to challenge its reign.

[Sanguis Drake Lv53]

The wings of the Crystal Sanguis Drake, crafted from serrated, translucent crimson crystals, rustled with a haunting melody. Each ethereal movement sent reverberations through the turbulent blood mana in the air, weaving an eerie symphony that harmonized with the mournful screeches of the fallen centipedes.

The Crystal Drake's amethyst gaze shifted, and as it did, the very atmosphere in the grand hallway transformed. Magic structures woven into the air surged to life, intertwining with the tempestuous energies that encircled the entire space. The chaotic blood mana, like a wild storm, raged down the hall, its crimson tendrils reaching out to seize the room in a vice-like grip.

The blood storm howled and thrashed, a malevolent dance of arcane forces. The mana in the air responded with a frenetic ballet, swirling and twirling in a chaotic symphony. The blood that had pooled on the floor was no exception; it too, joined this macabre waltz.

"Shame," Jace muttered, his voice nearly lost in the howling tempest, as he leaned into the relentless advance of the crimson deluge. His gaze remained unwavering, locked onto the enigmatic bloody sheen at the storm's heart. "I could have done more to avenge them."

He closed his eyes, surrendering to the relentless embrace of the blood storm. Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the surrounding crimson chaos.

"At least," he whispered softly, "I will be able to meet them now."

***

Alec's POV

Beneath the desk, sprawled on the obsidian floor, Alec groaned, his emerald eyes fluttering open. His body throbbed with lingering tension, and his legs trembled as he attempted to rise. What happened to me? As if in response, a resounding chime echoed in his mind, drawing his attention to the pending notifications displayed on the verdant screen.

[[

Warning: You have expended an excessive amount of mana, surpassing the limit allowed by your current level.

Mana Depletion: Your physical attributes have been temporarily diminished due to mana depletion.

Mental Fatigue: Your cognitive functions have been temporarily impaired due to mana depletion.

Mana Exhaustion: You have entirely depleted your mana reserves.

Instance Activated: [Mana Starvation] has been triggered! Your consciousness will be involuntarily relinquished to prevent further harm.

]]

Alec groaned as he raised his head to examine the notifications. How long have I been out? he wondered. He scanned his surroundings for any potential threats, but nothing crossed his gaze. Heaving a sigh of relief, he shifted his attention toward the broken chandelier.

What the hell?

The crushed chandelier was still there, yet, the victim was gone. Where the hell is that bloody thing? He pushed himself up, calming his shaking legs, with his guard still up, emerald eyes scanning the entire library.

As he reached the position of his first murder, he noticed a red gleam. A red crystal-like stone radiated in place of the centipede. A thin layer of ash surrounded it.

Did that dude just... disintegrate? Alec pondered. There was no other explanation. The chandelier's position remained the same as before, right above the spot where the centipede had been. Unless someone had come, removed the chandelier, retrieved the dead centipede, sprinkled some fine ash, placed the broken chandelier back in the same position, and left Alec undisturbed, this seemed like the most reasonable explanation.

Keeping his guard up, Alec approached the shining crystal beneath the chandelier. He stepped in, then out, with a glimmering crimson crystal held gently in his jaws. I don't mind being so small. Quietly, he observed the green window that appeared as he touched the crystal with his paws.

[Blood Mana Essence(C)]

Hoh! Was this the thing the quest was talking about? Will those insects just disintegrate if I leave them be? Perhaps, only the dead ones.

His head was calm now as he jumped onto the smooth wooden desk and opened his status.

[[ 

Alec Jones

Species: Puerulus Antitheus Feles

Race: Ancesant

Constellation: Inanis Praenuntius

Potential: [Perfect]

Status:

Level: 6

HP: 220/220

MP: 32/95

SP: 216/216

Attributes:

STRENGTH: 32

ENDURANCE: 11

VITALITY: 22

MIND: 50

WISDOM: 9

CLARITY: 10

AGILITY: 29

Available Points:

Stat Points: 20

Skill Points: 1

Abilities:

Species Abilities:

Blood Claws lv1

Mana Bite lv1

Blood Bullet lv1

Space Step lv1

Racial Attributes:

Dimensional Space Access lv1

Mystic lv1

Language Comprehension lv Max

Stellar Abilities:

System Interference

Path of Stars [Exclusive]

Stigma Generation:

S1: [Unavailable][Stellar Essence Detected] Evoke? Y/N

S2: [Unavailable][Unlock S1 First]

S3: [Unavailable][Unlock S2 First]

S4: [Unavailable][Unlock S3 First]

S5: [Unavailable][Unlock S4 First]

S6: [Unavailable][Unlock S5 First]

]]

It mentioned I had used up all my mana earlier. By the time I regained consciousness, I had regenerated 32 mana points. Alec was uncertain about his mana regeneration speed; otherwise, he could have calculated the duration of his unconsciousness, which also accounted for the time it took for the creature to turn into a speck of dust and a nice crimson stone.

Dropping the blood essence from his jaws, he activated the dimensional space and stored his first loot. Neat.

Now, onto the main topic. So, apparently, my experiment worked. His theory about space mana sharing similar properties with electromagnetic waves was validated by his unexpected teleportation from the smooth wooden surface to the rough floor.

But can't these things come with a warning label? Like: Highly dangerous, Not For Infant Demon cats or something? or perhaps a skull and crossbones icon with "Mana Teleportation: Proceed at your own risk." How was someone like Alec, a man who had spent his entire previous life blissfully unaware of mana's existence, supposed to comprehend the consequences of overusing mana? It was a precarious situation he found himself in, almost as if the universe were chuckling at his newfound powers, saying, "Here you go, kid. Have a taste of reality. Welcome to the world of magic!"

Oh! My wisdom also increased by one. It ain't much but it's honest work. He still had no idea how this stat worked.

The memory of his whole body agonizing in pain, as if thousands of searing spears were ruthlessly thrust into him, was not something he wanted to experience again. In the past, such an excruciating ordeal would have left him traumatized for years. It was as if every nerve in his body had been set ablaze, his very soul seared by an unrelenting fire. Yet, here he was, as composed as the unrippled surface of a serene lake. The level of sangfroid was so high that it was almost unnerving.

He quickly dismissed his thoughts and pulled up the skill information for Space Step.

[[ 

[Space Step][Lv1(24.5/200)]:

Type: Status

Range: 2 meter(s)

MP cost: High

Cooldown: 10 minutes

Description: The user manipulates the space around themselves, sending space mana waves within a range of 2 meters. This allows the user to teleport anywhere within this designated sphere.

[Skill Upgrades]:

[Maximum range increases with skill levels]

[Minimum cooldown time decreases with skill levels]

]]

The description was still vague, as it mentioned a high mana cost without specifying the exact amount. In his previous attempt, he had nearly 49 mana points, and the skill had been active for roughly 6-8 seconds.

If he had to speculate, the skill's mechanism allowed it to channel a limited amount of mana per second. Based on the context of the previous attempt, the channeling speed seemed to be around 7 MP per second. 

If he had activated the skill immediately after the sphere expanded, he might have been able to avoid the previous mana meltdown. Not that it was my fault, I never knew how the skill worked in the first place.

He wanted to try again but decided to wait until his mana replenished. He wasn't going to let the incomplete descriptions get the better of him.

Man, I really wanted to check how the blood bullet works against those armoured insects. Blood claw was rather disappointing, but the blood bullet showed promise. Furthermore it could help him speculate if the magical defense was a thing.

A sudden ding interrupted his inner thoughts. He looked up to the screen and his eyes widened.

[[

Sub Quest

Due to abundance of blood mana on the ground floor of fortress, blood beasts are spawning at an increased rate. Eliminate the spawned beasts.

Difficulty: SS

Reward: skill(Blood chains)

Objective: Eliminate the blood spawns 1/1

Clear condition: Collect every blood mana essence(s).

[Collected 1/1]

Quest cleared!

Claim the rewards? Y/N

]]