Mana Disaster

"Wake up, Rudeus!"

I looked around disoriented after being violently jolted awake.

"We're going out so you can show off your magic with your new staff, remember? We're leaving after breakfast. You promised!"

Eris seems really excited this morning. I must have overslept a little.

"You're right. I'd better hurry up and get dressed."

"Alright. I'm going downstairs to eat breakfast, I'll see you there", Eris yelled as she was running back out of my room.

"Ugh..." I rubbed my eyes as I got up from bed. I quickly got dressed for our outing and then proceeded to start packing supplies to prepare for the mana disaster. I reached under my bed and took my carrying sack filled with teleportation scrolls I had prepared. I also grabbed the rest of the money I had saved up over the years. I had twelve Asura gold coins left, and some change in smaller coins as well. Of course, I couldn't forget my holy relic. I folded it up and stashed it safely in my inner shirt pocket.

Once I had everything prepared, I went downstairs to meet Eris. I ate a quick breakfast and then we all departed for our outing. Once we reached the city limits, I covertly activated a magic scroll to remotely activate a teleportation circle. I had prepared a teleportation circle in Philip's bedroom, being quite careful to have not been seen.

If everything goes to plan, Philip and Hilda will be sent to the Inn in Sharia, in the second room I had rented the night before. Of course, while it is early in the day, there is no guarantee that Philip and Hilda were in their room, but at least now there is a chance they may survive.

After another two hours of travel past the city limits, we arrived at our destination.

"We've come a long way", Ghislaine commented.

"We can see your strongest spell now that we're way out here, right Rudeus?!", Eris shouted.

"Let me get used to my new staff first, then sure."

I decided to show off a little bit and conjured a massive Water Ball the size of the Boreas manor and fired it off at high speeds up into the distance.

"Was that... just a Water Ball spell?", Ghislaine asked, mouth agape.

"Wow, this staff is amazing!", I said, intending to attribute the incredible size to the gift Eris gave me.

Eris was staring wide eyed with a big smile spread across her face as she folded her arms in front of her and stuck her chest out. "Of course you would make such a big spell when you use that incredible staff!"

"Now for what you came out here to see!", I shouted.

I raised my staff up into the air and started forming the clouds for the Cumulonimbus spell when all of a sudden the sky darkened and incredible mana started to coalesce in the sky.

"What is that? Is that your spell, Rudeus?", Eris asked.

"No, that isn't me."

Ghislaine lifted up her eyepatch and looked up to the sky with her demon eye. "What incredible mana... Let us return to Roa. We need to get away from... GET DOWN!", she shouted as she pushed me out of the way and deflected an attack.

Ghislaine and the attacker exchanged a flurry of blows, nearly too fast for the eye to see. I'm glad Ghislaine is here with me. Even with my power and abilities, a surprise attack from someone as insanely fast as Almanfi would be trouble when I don't have my demon eye of foresight yet.

For a moment, I had thought about firing an electric spell at Almanfi while he was distracted fighting Ghislaine, but I decided to let things be. Certainly, if I helped out, Ghislaine and I could defeat him, but that would only cause trouble in the future. It would be more beneficial to be on friendly terms with Perugius.

Almanfi stopped his attack to talk with Ghislaine.

"I am Almanfi the Radiant. By order of Lord Perugius, I have come to slay the source of this disturbance."

"Rudeus! Take Lady Eris and fall back!", Ghislaine commanded.

"Step aside woman. If I slay that boy, the disturbance may cease."

I'm the Sword King Ghislaine Dedoldia. We have nothing to do with that. Now Leave!"

Ghislaine held up her sword for Almanfi to see. "I swear it by my master, the Sword God Gal Farion, and the honor of Doldia!"

"Very well", Almanfi put away his sword. "If what you say is false, Lord Perugius will judge you later."

Meanwhile, I held Eris tight in my right arm while I prepared myself for the disaster. I stood there, shaking slightly, as I knew what was coming.

Almanfi vanished just before a bright light appeared in the sky. A bright, bluish-white light shot down from the sky, enveloping everything in sight. Ghislaine turned and ran towards us, but was overtaken by the light beam. Eris collapsed onto the ground and I hugged her tight, until the light enveloped us as well.

I was sent soaring through the air at unbelievable speeds. I held Eris in my arms as the world blurred around me in constantly changing shapes and colors.

I used every bit of strength I had to concentrate. I concentrated on the world around me as I began to slow. I gathered magical energy into my eyes as I focused to find a safe place to land. I forced us downwards towards a reddish-brown patch of earth and our velocity began to slow further. Before we made contact with the ground, I used wind magic to slow our descent to a safe speed. Once we made contact with the ground, I checked to make sure Eris was ok as I felt my consciousness slowly fading.

My eyes slowly opened. I was expecting to be back in my old body, preparing myself mentally for my confrontation with Hitogami. As I opened my eyes, however, I saw a brilliant starry sky and heard the crackling of a campfire.

I sat up, shocked as I looked around and found myself sitting beside Eris next to a campfire. 'What's going on!? Why didn't the Man god visit me in a dream? Is he on to me? He must have known there was something strange about me. I've been using magic I'd have no way of knowing.'

As these panicked thoughts ran through my head, I noticed a familiar green haired demon staring at me from across the campfire.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Once I managed to calm myself, I stood up and walked towards Ruijerd. His eyes widened as he stared at me, surprised by my bravery.

I bowed to him and said in demon god tongue, "Thank you for saving us. My name is Rudeus, and this is Eris. May I ask your name?"

Ruijerd was shocked and asked, "Doesn't the sight of me frighten you?"

"You saved us, did you not? Why should I be afraid of you?"

"You're a strange child", he answered. "My name is Ruijerd Superdia."

Eris began to stir, so I sat down beside Ruijerd. "Umm, do you know where we are?"

"Biegoya, in the northeast of the Demon Continent", he answered. "What are you doing in a place like this?"

"We are from the Asura Kingdom in the Central Continent. I think we got caught up in a large mana disaster", I answered honestly.

"Don't worry. I will escort you back to your homeland. Abandoning you here would damage the Superd tribe's reputation... not that our reputation could get much worse anyway."

Eris suddenly began screaming as she finally woke up. "Superd! It's a Superd! No! Ghislaine! Ghislaine! Where are you!? Save me! I'm sorry Rudeus! I'm sorry!"

"That's how most people react to me", Ruijerd said calmly as Eris continued crying.

"I don't know why, you seem very kind to me", I said with a smile.

Ruijerd smiled warmly back at me. I could tell that small compliment meant a lot to him.