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Ch 20 - The Price of Power
🕑 Added 2025-05-24 21:12:55 +0000 UTCAria’s expression turned bitter. She looked hesitant to say more, and for a moment, I felt a hint of regret through our connection.
“What do you mean by…” I started, wanting to push further, but she cut me off.
“Spells demand two things - mana flowing through the body, and emotion,” she said. “The more runes one learns, the stronger the emotion tied to that magic becomes… but in return, some other emotion begins to fade.”
Her gaze drifted toward the cave, lingering on the Velmoryns sleeping soundly. Even Teryo wasn’t watching us anymore.
“For example, fire mages tend toward impulsiveness. Restraint becomes difficult. Healers like Vaelari are prone to emotional fatigue. They are deeply compassionate, but their mental resilience is fragile.”
Her voice softened as she spoke about Vaelari, the corners of her mouth lifting faintly into something close to a smile.
Then she looked at me, locking onto my eyes.
“I know what you’re going to ask - what about me?” she said, chuckling. Her tone was proud and sad at the same time. Two emotions that rarely team up.
“Most Velmoryns are Dark Magicians - it dulls empathy and amplifies our composure. That is why we seem unnaturally calm in most situations. That is why we cling to rules, they guide what we no longer feel.”
So that’s why she stayed composed when the spider attacked and did not seem to care when Teryo returned…
Aria’s explanation put everything in place. But there was still one part that didn’t fit.
“Ninali doesn’t seem calm and composed to me at all,” I said, laughing. I wanted her to know I wasn’t bothered by any supposed lack of empathy.
“That is because she has not learned many runes,” Aria replied, snorting. “Probably the least among all our Dark Magicians. She thinks it is possible to avoid issues by balancing her studies with opposite fields of magic.”
“In theory, she is not wrong. If you learn fire and ice, they can cancel each other out emotionally. But she forgets something important - runes amplify those traits because the magic requires that emotional state to be strong.”
Her brows furrowed slightly. I hadn’t spoken to her much, but this was the first time I’d seen her so invested in a subject.
“As mages, our duty is to devote ourselves to magic. Our power is not just meant to protect or destroy. We should strive to reach beyond it - improve it, refine it. To the point where it can transcend the mortal realm.”
Her voice had risen. For a moment, her eyes lit with something sharp and genuine - determination, excitement.
But it passed quickly. Her usual neutral expression returned, and she stood.
“At least… that is what my master used to say,” she added with a small laugh. “I need to rest. It has been a long day, and tomorrow might be longer.”
She brushed my shoulder lightly with her fingers as she passed me, heading toward the cave.
But just before reaching the entrance, she stopped.
“Roy told me he gave you lesser magic essences,” she said, turning only her head. Her voice stayed neutral, but I could feel the desire behind it.
“I can offer you Strength and Fortitude for them. Both are lesser essences.”
My eyes widened. Not because of the offer, but because of how long she’d waited to make it.
Do I even want to consume magic essences?
I wasn’t sure I could learn runes quickly, and even if the effects didn’t reach me emotionally, I had to be careful. On the other hand, physical attributes were safer, immediate, and useful.
But there was another problem, the main reason I hadn’t consumed them yet.
I didn’t know how.
“Alright. I don’t need the magical ones,” I said, reaching into my pouch. Although in truth, I was pulling them from Veilspace. “But can you also teach me how to consume them?”
I held out my palm, revealing the two essences. One looked like a shard of sky-colored glass, the other shimmered like it had trapped the sea inside.
“I do not have my essences with me, I shall give you them in the morning,” Aria replied quickly, already reaching for the ones in my hand like she was afraid I’d change my mind. “I will teach you then. It is a little painful, but unlike the memory stone, you will stay conscious.”
She winked at me, smiling faintly, and slipped back into the cave.
…
I woke up to something wet and rough scraping against my face like a metal sponge.
When I opened my eyes, the Tharuun was already purring, still happily tormenting me.
“That hurts. Stop it,” I laughed, scratching behind its ears.
Based on the amount of dark fur around me, it had clearly spent the entire night guarding me.
“Maybe I should give you a name, since you’re clearly planning to stay.”
The Tharuun lifted its head and stared straight into my eyes. It wasn’t exactly a soft look. Those crimson pupils still looked like they belonged to a predator, but there was something behind them. Intelligence. Recognition. For a moment, I actually believed he understood me.
Too bad I don’t share the same connection with him that I do with my believers… Now that I think about it, I can’t feel anything from the Crimson Oak Tree either. The Velmoryns, the Tharuun, the Oak Guardian - they are all connected to me through divine power. But I can feel only one of them - Velmoryns.
I had no idea what was causing that, and there was nothing I could do about it. So, instead of going through theories, I turned back to the issue at hand.
First things first. Let’s check if you’re male or female.
I’m not proud of what I did next, but let’s just say the Tharuun was definitely male.
“What should I call you…” I murmured, squinting at him, trying to come up with something that felt right.
The first name that came to mind was Smeagol.
It made no sense. The Tharuun had absolutely nothing in common with Gollum, but I couldn’t stop my brain from offering it.
And for a second, I actually considered it.
But then the beast looked at me. It's trusting, calm, eyes full of loyalty I had not technically earned, and the wicked part of me that wanted to mess with him just… gave up.
“Your name shall be Huanir,” I declared, like bestowing a knighthood. “In honor of the Hound of Valinor.”
He should’ve been thankful. He had no idea how close he came to being called Smeagol.
He must’ve picked up on my playful mood, because he leaned in again, trying to coax another round of petting out of me. But the sun was already rising, and it was time to rejoin the others.
Before I could stand, I heard footsteps approaching.
It was Aria.
“You may be less reliable than the concealment spell I used,” she said, laughing as she handed me a fish on a stick.
“I’m not suited for guard duty,” I smiled, taking the fish. “But Huanir would've woken me up if anything dangerous came close.”
“I see you have chosen a name for him,” Aria said, her smile lingering. Then she pulled a small pouch from her sleeve and handed it over.
“What’s this?” I asked, accepting the pouch and taking a big bite of the fish, expecting something decent.
It wasn’t. It was possibly the blandest thing I’d ever eaten. No flavor. Just faint traces of fire-roasted seafood. Aside from a whisper of smokiness, it tasted like nothing.
“Want some?” I offered it to Huanir.
He turned his head without hesitation.
Bastard clearly had standards.
“This is my part of the deal we made yesterday,” Aria said, nodding at the pouch. “I will also explain how to absorb essences. There are two methods. You will only ever use one, but I promised to teach you everything you might need.”
She smiled faintly and rolled up her sleeve.
There was a fresh cut on her arm, a soft cyan glow leaking from it.
“The first and only method you will be using is this,” she said, gently parting the wound to show the essence placed just beneath the skin.
There was no visible reaction, just a dull crimson hue spreading through the essence, probably from her blood.
“But remember,” she added, her voice growing sharp, “never absorb more than two essences in a day. Does not matter what tier. And even if it is two of the same kind, you need to wait at least half a day between them.”
Her expression turned serious now, all traces of amusement gone.
“In the worst case, your body gets paralyzed. In the best case, you will be poisoned and need a healer to survive.”
Hearing her list the consequences so casually, I felt pretty damn smart for waiting instead of blindly experimenting.
“What about the second method?” I asked, lowering the fish as I’d lost my appetite for more than one reason.
“Swallowing it,” she said flatly. “That is what pregnant Velmoryns do. The essence goes to the child instead of the mother.”
She paused, then added, colder now.
“Even females can only survive that method during pregnancy. Otherwise, it kills them too.”
Aria looked like she wanted to say something, but the others stepped out of the cave before she could.
“I see you have woken up,” Teryo sneered, not even bothering to hide it.
I ignored him completely and turned to Vaelari. He looked tired - understandable, considering the emotional mess he’d been through last night. First, the spider attack, then me telling them the Goddess was gone, which meant that he’d not be reuniting with her wife.
Maybe I was too transparent with my thoughts, because he met my gaze and smiled.
“I am fine,” he said, handing me my shield, sword, and the leather bag Vivien had given me. “I packed it for you.”
He’s definitely the kindest Velmoryn.
“Thank you,” I said with a nod, returning the smile.
“So… we are changing course?” Ninali asked, her eyes fixed on Huanir.
“Yes. We need to check if these spiders have been attacking other tribes,” Teryo replied coldly. “Fortunately, the Blue Tribe isn’t too far from the dungeon. We will stop there first, then continue the journey.”
His tone’s changed with Ninali too.
“There are several other Velmoryn tribes scattered through this forest,” Aria added, stepping closer. “Most of the time, we are on peaceful terms, but do not expect a friendly welcome.”
She must’ve noticed I was preparing to absorb the Strength essence, because she pulled out a small blade and handed it to me. Then, without hesitation, she made a clean cut on my arm and pressed a deep crimson gelatinous mass beneath the skin.
I felt a sharp sting instantly, but it quickly became too mild to disturb me. A few more seconds, and I barely felt anything.
Then, I headed toward the river to wash up and get ready.
We’d be leaving soon.
…
This time, we didn’t have to walk across stone or jagged terrain, so the journey was much more bearable.
Aria and Ninali kept the pace light with stories about Velmoryn tribes and their past wars. Even Vaelari joined in now and then, offering details or correcting something with a faint smile.
Some of what they shared, I already knew. But most of it was new and useful.
There were six Velmoryn tribes in total. Mine was the smallest and the weakest. The only reason they hadn’t been swallowed by the others was because of a delicate balance of power.
The remaining five were more or less equal in strength, and none of them wanted to be the first to tilt the scale. If any one tribe weakened itself by attacking mine, the other four would take the opportunity to strike.
Even so, my tribe wasn’t weak enough to be taken easily. So instead of conquering them outright, the others had agreed on a compromise - every five years, they took infants as payment.
That explained the tribe’s unnatural silence. The absence of children. Why so many adults seemed reluctant to start families. No one wanted to raise a child just to watch it be taken away.
Aria also mentioned that besides Velmoryns, there were other intelligent, magical races living in the forest. However, despite searching thoroughly, I hadn’t seen any signs of them.
Still, one thing became clear: war with the other Velmoryn tribes was inevitable unless I found a way to convert them all.
I’ll see what they’re like. If they can’t be converted... I might just eliminate them myself.
I was already working through a few options for dealing with the Blue Tribe when a sharp scream and shouts cut through the trees. Not distant. Close. Very close.
We froze, not even breathing, and fully focusing on listening.
Then, a familiar shriek echoed through the forest - one, two, four….
“Spider mutants. Many of them,” I said, tensing instinctively. “And they seem to be already fighting...”
