Boris channeled Aether from his Silver-Core into his eyes to activate his [Aether Perception]. The ocular ability lit up the incoming flying monstrosity in the customary kaleidoscope of yellows, blues, and purples. He frowned as he read the coloration. There was something off in the way the Aether flowed through the creature, but more than that, there was a “quality” to the creature’s Aether that hinted at something more. While not as exact as [Analyze] was at receiving information directly from the System, [Aether Perception] was the bread and butter of any self-respecting mage due to its broader applications.
Strange was too nice a word for the amalgamation bearing down on them. It was large compared to the normal creatures they had encountered so far, with a wingspan a little over two feet and a body to match. It had a stocky neck that would have looked mammalian in nature, perhaps bat-like, if there weren’t scales intermingled with the fur he could see. There were also what looked like spiny ridges descending from the head down its spine, and its feet were large and reptilian. Its jaws were full of razor-sharp teeth, and its eyes gleamed with animalistic cunning.
“It’s Bronze Rank!” He yelled for the benefit of the group, strung out as they were climbing the long chains of moss that connected the ledges that jutted out from the mansion’s walls. Without waiting for a response, he called out again. “I think it might be a Guardian too!” This time, he did hear exclamations, though the wind muffled them. Boris kept his eyes locked on the beast even as it dove for their group. The battlemage made sure his footing was secure before igniting his hands in flames.
His Trait, [Aether Manipulation], would have allowed him to manifest any spell he wished, provided he knew the Working of it, but it was so much easier to manifest his [Fire Affinity - Greater] instead. As a Boon granted when he had synchronized with his Crystal Core, his Fire Affinity was something artificial. It was an enhancement to his calling as a practitioner of the Aetheric Arts, but as he channeled more Aether through his core and into his flames, he recalled his father's teachings.
“Cores aren’t the only route to power, and you will find that they blind people to the true power and majesty of Aether given form and substance. True Workings are rare nowadays in this age of Crystal Cores. Never forget to look beyond the veneer of easy power. Grasp what lies beyond.”
Boris smiled at the memory and let the flames go in a gout that at least diverted the beast from its course. He couldn’t fail to notice how the creature’s Aether flared and diverted part of the flames away from it, exerting an amazing amount of control for a Bronze Rank creature.
“Keep climbing,” he called out to the others, refusing to meet their confused gaze. They are wondering why I didn’t kill it immediately with my flames, he thought with a wry smile. “Go,” he said, with a shooing motion. “It’s my turn to have some fun!” Seeing understanding and smirks steal over their faces, he just repeated his motion before turning back to face the creature. It was time to stop using his crutch.
For the first time in a long time, Boris channeled Aether in his [Aether Manipulation] Trait. He did so by drawing in the ambient Aether rather than utilizing his Core. He was feeling old-fashioned today. Not that he was terribly old, but the technique reminded him of his youth. Back when he was eight years old and being coached in the old ways by his father. With an inhaled breath, he brought in the Aether and fed it to his Trait, and with an exhale, brought it back out under his control. His fingers flashed as he grabbed the exiting tendrils and wove a Working.
Something explosive, perhaps? He mused even as his mind bent to the work of threading the Aether. His hands were stiff, unused to the movements after so long, but his Silver-Core ranked Agility kept them moving deftly enough for what he had planned. The golden hue of raw Aether quickly gave way to a pulsating current as the affinity shifted from pure to another. The creature roared as it dove once more, and Boris smiled even as his Working began to take shape.
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Like a stained-glass mural woven in fractal chords of white-gold, the Working flashed into existence. Boris felt a flash of joy for a frozen moment as he beheld the wonder of magic without a core’s Boon shaping it. Then he locked eyes with the creature and spoke the keyed word, slamming his hands together to shatter the masterpiece.
“Flickerburst.”
POV Valterra Unok’Davaas
Valterra watched as the shimmering construct shattered, releasing its magical payload. He had arrived to watch his Guardian fight, safe in the knowledge that even if his Wyvre died, the creature would come back by utilizing his Boon. The Core was present; therefore, to fully experience a mage casting a spell. It wasn’t like the powers the others utilized, and it wasn’t anything like the innate powers expressed by his creatures. Even his rats didn’t have anything nearly as structured as what he had just witnessed.
As the construct broke, the Aether held within vibrated at a frequency that shook the metaphysical fabric of reality, then shattered into a staccato of explosions that rippled outward in a cone. His Wyvre Guardian, caught by surprise, was unable to get out of the way in time, though his innate power over Aether gave it some subconscious protection. It didn’t help. The explosions completely tore off his left wing and destroyed a portion of his jaw. Valterra winced at the sight, even as his Wyvre began to flail in the air, trying desperately to grab at the air with his remaining wing.
Valterra forced himself to watch as his brave Guardian continued to fight. The power from the explosions wasn’t enough to cancel out the momentum of his Wyvre’s dive altogether, and the Guardian tried to use it to bring its wounded jaws to bear on the mage. It wasn’t enough. Even as a Guardian, his Wyvre was only Bronze Rank and lacked the power necessary to deal with an opponent of such caliber. Valterra felt a momentary surge of guilt in asking this of his Guardian, but in the end, it was necessary to test the delvers to see what they were capable of.
Valterra watched as his Wyvre received a roundhouse kick to the head that snapped it around and forced a keening note of pain to escape from its throat. A searing blast of fire followed the kick, the impact of which caved in the Wyvres' chest and sent it catapulting into the ground. It was immediately clear that the culmination of wounds in such quick succession was fatal. The blast of fire, combined with the impact on the ground, slew the Guardian almost instantly. Valterra braced himself for the pain of losing his creature, only to find it strangely muted.
It was like an ache that drew him inward, to the place in his Spark that housed his Boons. There, his Guardian’s Blessing boon pulsed in time with the lessening pain. Within, he could sense the spark of his Wyvre, with all of his pain, doubt, and fear. Acting immediately, Valterra began to shower the beast in peace and care. He let him know he was proud of him for fighting even when he knew he couldn’t win. After the beast’s spark began calming down, Valterra went to work, utilizing his boon to spawn his Wyvre anew within his cave near the roof.
With a pulse of power, Aether flooded the small cavern. Bones formed from it, followed by blood, sinew, and muscle, before skin, scales, and fur completed the resurrection. Nodding to himself, Valterra soothed his startled creature, who had so suddenly experienced death and resurrection in quick succession, before leaving to check on the adventurers. He found them looking down at the corpse of his Guardian, discussing something amongst themselves, while Natalia looked around nervously. She tensed as his presence fell over them, but relaxed as she felt the lack of anger.
The rest of her party weren’t so quick on the uptake. While the mage wanted to climb back down and examine the corpse of his Wyvre, the others quickly convinced him that they would be better off climbing further and leaving the dungeon Guardian’s body alone. After the discussion went back and forth amongst themselves for some time, Natalia ended it with a few firm words.
“We need to keep moving, and it would be better to avoid antagonizing a dungeon we barely know just to appease your sense of curiosity.”
The rest of her party nodded, and while the mage seemed disappointed, the rest of them didn’t seem to care all that much. Turning, they continued to climb, and Valterra turned back to his growing list of notifications. He still had Frameworks to look at, but the pressure in his spark told him that once again, he had missed some things in his close examination of his niece’s progress. Sighing, Valterra dove into his core, determined to make sure he missed nothing else or, failing that, come up with some other way of taking care of things.
