Fear Not The Elf Who Knows 10,000 Spells - Chapter 26

The energy of the Erdruf rippled out and exponentially enveloped the mountain.

As the energy passed through the rock and stone, it shook the material, creating a resonance that send that material to vibrate.

Given that I used the full strength of the spell (something that Schroff warned against) I expected that I'd have a small window to dash through the Death Tunnel, or if not, try and break through the stone.

What I didn't expect was for the spell to abruptly and immediately end, with the earthquake ending, as if a hand grasped the mountain and forced it to stay still.

The spell was cancelled. I didn't do it.

There was only one explanation in my mind.

The Einsam roared in pure frustrated rage.

Okay, make that two explanation.

One, the Ancient Einsam somehow tricked me and revealed a whole new ability, which is to make me think I cast a spell when I didn't.

Except that's impossible because I'm aware of my own mana. Everyone who uses magic is aware of their own mana. The feeling of mana being depleted from a spell being cast, and from a mana exercise or technique are viscerally distinct.

Mana depleted from mana exercise, is like water being poured from a kettle. It's gradual and can surprise beginners who don't notice how long they've been practicing, thus how much mana they used.

Mana depleted from a spell cast, is like someone taking chunks out of cotton candy. Or something that you can take pieces out of. It's very obvious.

And since I didn't miscast, there's only one other explanation.

Number two, the mountain cancelled the spell. Or rather the sealing spell encompassing it.

Given how pissed off the Einsam was, I'm gonna go with that one. Honestly, I think that's the first time it emoted like that with authenticity. Guess it was hoping to hitch a ride out on me. Too bad for it.

And too bad for me, that the sealing spell doesn't distinguish. If the Einsam's mana is connected to me, it won't let me out.

But why didn't that happen before? Of is it because I crossed the threshold of the sealing spell, and outside of it the Einsam was limited in how much mana it could cling onto me?

All those questions were forced to be put aside as the three phantoms moved in sync and attacked.

The Phantom Knight dashed at me with a side slash. Ewiglast instantly was in my hands, diagonal block and his sword slammed and continued off to the side, sparks flaring out from the impact and grinding between the swords.

In that time the Phantom Warrior came from above, having jumped over the knight to get to me.

Time slowed. Right knight and warrior combo, so that the mage would target me where ever direction I escape to.

I noticed some more mental strings by the Einsam, and proceeded to cut them off.

Hmm? Is it making them too slow? I'm cutting them off faster than it can make them.

Is Jilwer improving to the point that my thoughts are too fast for the illusion monster?

I jumped to the side a Zoltraak ready ready for all three phantoms. Except I was also moving slowly. My mind was faster than my body.

My mana was also depleting a lot more than usual when I use Jilwer. Is that because I'm using it in two distinct ways at the same time, normal body speed and accelerated thoughts?

No time to philosophize. Or is it self-analyze?

Regardless, I fired the three Zoltraaks, one forward at the knight, one up at the warrior, one to the right that curved and headed to the mage, while I dashed left.

As I moved away from the warrior's attack path, I fired another Zoltraak at the mage, the warrior crashed where I once was, hitting nothing, and suddenly I sensed it.

All my danger sensing from spells (direwolf senses) and skill tingled up and gave me a vague picture of close danger. An attack coming close, I just didn't know where.

Arggefahr. I cast the danger sensing spell on instinct.

And immediately duck at the attack coming from... my right?

A concussive blast hit my barrier from behind, letting me know the Phantom Mage in front of me was an illusion and it was behind me.

But the bigger deal was realizing the knight was much faster than I thought, as it managed to rotate its body, swinging the great sword swiftly enough that I felt the wind slash slice through the air after the blade missed me, and hit the far wall.

No. Wind blade was made from the concentration of mana in the phantom sword and swing.

Regardless, I had to move!

The Phantom Knight moved jumped to the side, just so the Phantom Warrior would have an opening at me.

Except that was all a diversion for the Phantom Mage to attack me from behind. Turns out, the one in front was an illusion, from what I started to see.

I easily jumped over the warrior's side swing, and outright over him, twisted and fired Offensive Magic at both the mage and under me.

The mage gathered the wind, to make a wall of solid air. The warrior slammed into the ground from the force of my Zoltraak. Not dead though.

Well, no. They're all people that likely died to the Einsam, but rather the body didn't dissipate.

I dashed to the mage before they can switch from defense to offense.

The knight ran after me. The phantom was fast, able to cross the distance, but that's when I acted.

I grinned as I acted like I was going to cast mass Zoltraaks at the mage, only break my dash, dig my heels in the ground, as I invoked a barrier around me.

With a twist, I spun facing the knight, firing all the Offensive Magic I readied—

In the Phantom Knight's place was the Phantom Warrior. Axe raised, held by both hands.

My eyes widened. The Zoltraaks crashed into the warrior's body but he was an unrelenting wall. He didn't stop. The axe came down.

Ewiglast came up.

CLANK!

BOOM!

I was standing in a crater, my knees buckled and slammed into the ground.

Heavy. That was the first thought in my head.

The sheer force shattered the ground under me, yet I pushed against the axe with my sword, supposed it, one hand on the handle and another against the flat side of the blade.

He's strong but shouldn't I be able to push against this? It's just a mana construct at the end, not a real person with muscles, bones and mana.

The Phantom Warrior pushed down with his axe at me. I could see the knight dashing at me, fast even with my sped-up thinking, and the mage was preparing a spell.

So I did the first thing that came to mind. I cast Zoltraak and improvised it.

I made the spell move along the sword and a few casting points in front of me.

Then fired them all. From near my elbows magic circles appeared and fired. The edge of Ewiglast glowed white, then blasted forward, making it look like a white blade slashed, fired from a stationary position.

It superficially harmed the Phantom Warrior, but more importantly, it made it take a step back. That was all that I needed to dash to the side and place the warrior between myself and the knight.

The Phantom Mage fired multiple spears of ice and fire. It felt like the air of the cage was both freezing and making my throat dry. Magic that was overwhelming and awe-inspiring.

Wait, why did I think that? This shit is basic.

I slashed the warrior. The blade to the side not digging deep enough, but with my strength and the weight enchant of my sword, it was enough force to launched the warrior toward the knight.

While the knight evaded and maneuvered around the warrior, I spammed the magic barrier to appear in front of coming magic attacks, detonating them and then letting the barrier fall. It conserved some of my mana, but I was depleting it fast. Still over 80%, but that's not reassuring given everything.

The knight finally reached me, and I responded, dashing around and meeting his sword blows with my own.

The Phantom Knight was faster than me, more skilled than me. Ever blow exchanged drew me closer to defeat.

No, I'm matching him!

Then the warrior arrived and every blow I had to dodge or either I would be pancaked and slaughtered. Merely having that axe pass by me, injured me with the wind following the blade.

No. I withstood his strength and can overcome him!

The Phantom Mage was a better mage than me. More versatile.

I don't care.

The Phantom Warrior was vastly stronger than me. A direct blow would be death.

No it won't. I survived.

The Phantom Knight was faster than me. Even with Jilwer and accelerated thinking all I could see was a blur that took everything to react to—

THIS. IS. WRONG.

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AN: Hey guys. Sorry another short one. I'm having some trouble with motivation even though I have a clear vision of where to go with this story. I'm not sure if the next one will be short as well or not, I'm hoping that if I write these short chapters I can rapid fire them one after another that I can get back into the writing groove quickly.

I'm catching a bus to travel tomorrow, so next chapter should be the day after (July 20th). Sorry these past 2 months were slow updating wise. Thanks for sticking it out with me.