180 Into the Crypt

Aldrich felt magical energy rising around Volantis, rising up in blood colored steam from all the red runes around his metal body.

As a being of innate mystical power, Aldrich could immediately tell through sheer instinct that the amount of magic emanating from Volantis was considerable. He briefly worried whether it could be sensed by even those that were not magically sensitive, but he pushed that concern away.

If nobody had been able to perceive Aldrich's mana up to this point, then nobody would sense this now.

Still, Aldrich prepared his own magic, green strands curling around his skeletal fingers. Just in case something happened that required him to defend himself.

But nothing more happened.

Instead, the steam-like magical energy around Volantis suddenly dissipated. The glowing red runes lost their light and faded away. Volantis reformed back to his full self, but instead of his eye dot being red, it was now a simple blank white.

"Volantis?" said Aldrich cautiously.