20 019 Secrets of the Oasis
"Simple but effective?"
His teacher took a moment to think, "It will probably be best to start with a projectile. Many beginner mages start by learning [Fireball], [Waterball], or [Earth Shard]."
"They have fairly easy matrices. The bare minimum runes you need to pay attention to are the following: the 'target', the 'source', the 'transformation', the 'movement', and finally the 'direction' rune."
His teacher continued his lecture, "Like I said these are the most simple spell matrices to learn. As you can see there are many more runes in each matrix. Then if you want to increase the spell's performance you can add resulting effects such as explosions or different side effects like applying a burn to the target."
James felt discouraged. It took him several days to learn four runes let alone the several he needs to learn now. "Teacher, by my guess each of the five runes would need to have two 'linking' runes each. I would need at least 1,300 mana to draw all 13 runes."
"Yes, you currently do not have enough mana to complete the matrix. However, you can still practice creating the runes that you do not know yet. Once you get more mana you can complete the spell matrix. This is why I was happy you wanted to start with easier spells."
His teacher prepared to demonstrate how to make a spell matrix for the [Fireball] spell. "Follow along now, we have no time to spare."
His teacher began by casting the spell normally. He hurled a large fireball toward the pond, when it touched the surface of the water it caused a large explosion and steam rose into the air.
With his [Magical Eyes] active James tried to soak in as much knowledge as possible. His teacher fired the spell off two more times before he took a break.
"Well, how much did you get?"
"Truthfully? Not much... The spell moved as a fast pace so I could not track it very well. I managed to catch a single rune."
"That is good enough for now. I will manually draw the spell once. This is our last few minutes together before you must leave."
His teacher started to weave the spell's matrix in the air. This time it was much easier to pick out all the runes. He did not know how the spell was structure at all. He could only make out the 'target', 'linking' and what he guesses is the 'source' rune. The 'source' rune was at the end of the matrix across from the 'target' rune. As for what the other runes are and their position in the matrix he can only slowly find out in the future.
"Thank you for all your help Teacher. I will put in as much effort to learn as much as I can when I am away."
"It was a pleasure to teach you. I will give you a tip before you leave. Do not lose any opportunity to learn more about various spell matrices. If someone casts a spell do not miss the chance to look at its design."
"Now off you go, [Return!]"
A bright light washed over James and made him close his eyes. He could open his eyes he found himself on the fifth floor on the library. He threw on his mask and left through the portal and took the secret exit in the garden.
[Time to stock up on supplies. I must find a way to level up quickly. I need to expand my mana pool.]
He asked for directions to the auction house, he had a lot of gold to spend.
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After James left the cave there were major changes to the once peaceful oasis. What was once tranquil turned ominous.
It was time flowed faster within the cave; it seemed like the cave experienced seasonal change. From summer to fall and then winter. The leaves on the trees started to change color. It was as if they experienced the changing of seasons. They changed from the healthy green to various warm colors such as red, orange, or yellows.
They continued to change further. This time far more drastically; they changed from warm colors to brown then to black. Finally, they slowly disintegrated into dust and blew away.
The tree's bark lost its healthy look at decayed some. The ferns, berries, and bushes all followed suit. They quickly dried out and withered.
The grass died and changed to dark brown hay.
The fish and coral within the pond disappeared as if they never existed.The pond's crystal clear water turned into blood.
The light coming from the crystals changed from sunny rays to a dark red ominous light.
Finally a thick mist rolled out from the hut. The whole scene was as if it was an apoplectic event happened.
The man was not fazed in the slightest. He slowly made his way over to the hut and swung the door opened.
The space inside the hut was much larger than the outside due to spatial magic.
In the center of the hut was a man. He was kneeling on the ground in the center of a magical formation. There were chains of mana wrapped around him. He was pinned down.
On his face was a look of hatred.
The chained man was livid, "You bastard! How dare you impersonate my son!"
"Now, now. If you want I could change into this appearance."
The man transformed into a beautiful blond haired women.
The Being's voice changed from that of a man to a woman with a coy voice.
"Does this match your expectations?"
The chained man lost it. Tears started to fall from his eyes, "Don't you dare desecrate her memory any more. You already use her magic formations for your illusions to trick that young man but you dare show her face to me?!"
The young woman only gave a sinister laugh. Mid-laugh she changed back into the previous man.
The man felt defeated, "Your plan will not play out as you expect. Just like how they failed all those eras ago."
"I think otherwise. Blaise will be a great pawn. He learns fast."
The Being sat down on a sofa nearby, "Besides, aren't your happy that I found you a good successor? He has the talent that I never had."
"Teaching you was my greatest mistake. I should have never trusted that one of 'them' could change their ways."
The Being stood up and approached the chain man, "You know that my kind desires power more than anything. I believed if I learned a few things from humans I could overpower 'him'. Your runes and spells could have brought me new found power but in the end YOU were the one to betray me."
The trapped man scoffed, "Me betray you? You killed my wife and my son. Did you really think I would take that lying down? I could originally rival your power but you grew too strong too quick, so I had to bring the others into it."
"No matter." The Being walked back to the sofa.
"Do you know that not only did I give him your spell weaving legacy but he already had your rune master legacy?"
The Being broke out to a hysterical laughter, "I wonder what he would do when he learns that the man he is searching for was so close but also so far away."
Roland stared deeply into the eyes of the Being on the couch. "He will find out one day. It is only a matter of time."
"That may be. But it won't be in time. The only place that has any of your notes is in the city of Revelation. The only way to enter is to be a [Paragon]. The new waves of souls to enter this world will eventually get there."
A few minute of silence passed.
The Bring on the sofa looked at Roland with great contempt. Then with great sarcasm he insulted Roland once again, "Who is the real monster between the two of us? I only want power while you dared to do the immoral taboo. How does it feel? You should have suffered the same fate as everyone else but instead you discarded your mortal body and released your soul. To think the great Roland obliterated the soul of a new born to reincarnate into its body."
Roland showed great regret but then he became steadfast, "It was so that I can prevent the book from being unsealed. I knew you found a loophole to escape this prison."
"Yes, but in the end I captured you and trapped you here as well."
The Being sat up from his leisurely position on the sofa to get a better look at Roland, "Believe me Roland, once he becomes a [Paragon] he will return to the Oasis. At that time I will have him release the seal on the book and this prison. Not only will I get out but the world will return that of our time."
While looking up into the sky he continued, "The best thing is, the Watchers have no clue whats going on. They believe they are in charge of this world."
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James quickly made his way to the auction house. On the way he had to ask several times for directions. He only had 10 minutes left on the mask so he was in a hurry.
[I need to find a way to fight as I am now. The [Aura of Pure Fire] is locked behind a character levels. I might be able to find a spell that I can learn here and now. While spells I create are far more powerful I need something until I am powerful enough to make attack spells.]
James quickly searched the auction house for Skill Books for mages. There were several books posted but some of their prices were too high for the actual worth of the books. On top of that he was worried he might not be able to learn the better spells. He continued until he found something that he might be able to learn.
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Name: Skill Book for Beginner Fireball
Level: 1
Grade: Common
Skill Information:
[Active]: Fires a small fireball at a target.
Damage: 5
Cost: 20 mana
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James frowned at how pitiful the spell was. [It probably has a tier one spell matrix. But it will have to do. This is the only beginner spell book that is posted on the auction house. I guess I am lucky, seems like no one is willing to sell skill points yet.]
James proceeded to buy some armor that he could use later on. He bought some magic robes that have level requirements of 5, 10, and 15 to equip.
His teacher had him leave the rune supplies at the oasis so he needed to buy some of his own.
He used several gold coins to buy all the materials for rune crafting currently on the auction house.
He did look for jewelry but there was none posted. Accessories are most like very rare. If someone got one to drop they most likely used it for themselves.
After his spending spree he left the auction house. He ran to a nearby general supply store to stock up on field supplies. He bought some rope, beginner mana and health potions, and a few antidotes,
He learned the [Beginner Fireball] spell and used the remaining time on his mask to escape from the city and head fairly deep into the forest outside of town.
[I am glad that I can actually use the spell I bought. I will have to be careful out here. I am more worried about running into other players than monsters.]
He wanted to head as deep into the forest as he felt comfortable with. He breezed through several zones. It was not until he hit a zone with level 5 monsters that he had to put effort into his battles. Zones 1 through 3 he was able to kill the monsters in a few hits. He was able to cast from afar and kill them before they approached. He did not even need to use his utility spells to get an upper hand.
He leveled up twice on his way to zone 12, "Man leveling is really hard in this game. It is no wonder that the top players are only in the early 20's.
He took a break to view the leaderboards.
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Author (Guardian) - Level 23
Alexander (Swords Master) - Level 23
Talon - (Archer) - Level 23
Tempest - (Fire Mage) - Level 22
Hardy - (Earth Mage) - Level 22
Rend - (Assassin) - Level 22
Jack - (Archer) - Level 21
Violet - (Priestess) - Level 21
Scarlet - (Assassin) - Level 21
Brock - (Earth Mage) - Level 20
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[Reaper dropped off the leaderboards. She probably was reset to level one like I would have needed to. Talon is keeping up with the crowd; I will have to congratulate him later on.]
He was well into zone 12 when he heard a battle. It sounded intense. He carefully approached the area where the sound was coming from.
[With such a heated battle I might find a mage or two casting spell I can observe.]
He stood just outside of the battlefield and hid behind a large tree. When he looked at who was fighting he was little depressed. There were no mages. He almost left when he heard a cry of pain.
He quickly stopped in his tracks and looked back at the fight.
Two people were battling it out with a massive wolf. The two people looked like twins. They both wore rouge armor made of strong looking leather and wielded two daggers each.
[No bows, they must be assassins.], he thought
The cry of pain came from the girl. The wolf hit her with his massive paw and sent her flying backwards. It seemed to be a strong attack because he saw her health decrease by a while one-sixth of her heal bar.
He wondered just what kind of monster could cause that kind of damage so he used [Absolute Identification] on the wolf. What he saw scared him a bit.
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Giant Wolf
Grade: Elite
Level: 15
Hp: 3862 / 4000
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[An elite! No wonder why it is so strong! They are far stronger than normal monsters. The monsters I have been killing only have around 600 health. It is kinda scary. Should I help them?]
James wanted to think about it for a little while but he had to make a split second decision. The young man retreated to the girl to help her up. The wolf was about to pounce on them with its claws glowing a dark red color. He had a bad feeling.
[Leach Agility]
James used his spell without thinking. The wolf had a faint yellow glow around its body shortly after his spell was cast. The twins had the same glow as the wolf.
The wolf's movements became sluggish. The twins saw that and used the opportunity to retreat further. They saw someone had cast a spell on both the wolf and themselves.
* Ding, Player Blaise used [Leach Agility] on you. You have gained 5% of the Giant Wolf's agility stat. *
The young man looked around. He saw a man behind one of the trees. The man saw he was noticed and came out from behind the tree.
The young man looked to his sister and she gave him a nod.
James received a notification.
* Ding *
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Player Karma as sent you a party invitation.
Accept?
[Yes] [No]
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