Rise of Tyrus

Checking the Sorcerer Plane was one of the few things to look forward to. Apart from the visually captivating image of his mana as an intricate branch system, having a transparent view of one's progress proved to be intriguing and helpful. Additionally, it offered a glimpse into the pace of his training and highlighted areas that required change.

Aside from his mana reservoir, there were also the elements he had unlocked, the same being fire, lightning, and light. Everything in the Sorcerer Plane reflected a sorcerer’s cultivation of mana and elements, offering them a mental image in clear view of their accomplishments.

The last time Tyrus accessed the Sorcerer Plane was when he was meditating in the cave with Igneal. Light maintained its original form, resembling a small spherical shape suitable for a lantern. Fire was still at the level of a candle, yet lightning had noticeable improvements. Now, it had expanded to the size of a campfire, with lightning tendrils swirling and hissing, reminiscent of angry serpents.

It was no surprise that his progress was most noticeable in this particular area. Many times he mentioned he would train the others, specifically light because of its usefulness, but he would always go back to lightning, what he was best at. There was also little time to train as well with all the predicaments that fell upon his lap. Once this was all over, he’d have to return to what he did best.

When he last checked, his third branch of the mana reservoir was halfway full, but now it was only a quarter away from being filled. Just another push would he reach the fourth branch. What that entailed, he had little clue, yet it wouldn’t take long to find out. Using an element consistently while increasing his mana capacity and control were the most basic requirements, and he did both.

Maybe this time he’d unlock another element, but would it really be worth it? He already had his hands full with three elements, let alone lightning and augmentation. Never had training augmentation crossed his mind, yet using it had quite a lot of times. Understanding and using augmentation magic was effortless, as if finding a branch in a forest.

In brief, there was remarkable progress made within a short timeframe. Currently, his mana heart was at around 10%, lightning had increased to the size of a campfire, and it wouldn’t be long until he reached his fourth branch.

While that was all well and good, there was one glaring problem. The flow of mana inside his blood would not calm. Adding to the problem, his mana count was further diminished by scattered black blots.

By concentrating, one can visualize the mana pathways of a sorcerer. Mana thrumming with life course through their veins. The mana that was supposed to flow in a sorcerer’s body was smooth and consistent, like a steady current of water if they exercised control. Instead, Tyrus was rough and erratic, which was odd when he had calmed the pattern many times before. Was the damage he sustained the culprit?

Besides that, the black patches in his pathways were nothing short of dangerous; it was definitely corrupted mana. What bothered Tyrus was how it got there in the first place and how long it had been residing in his body.

Corrupted mana was toxic to a sorcerer’s body and mind, that much he knew. Elder Treant’s warnings came to mind about how it would be wise to avoid them at all costs. The amount inside was small, but if left alone, he would surely feel the more devastating effects, and he would not wait and find out just how painful it would be.

The question, though, was how he was going to expel it outward. Absorbing mana and emitting it was easy enough, but he wasn’t familiar with the latter, which was to expel mana out of his body. He could opt for a reckless approach and hope for a positive outcome, but there was a risk that he might unintentionally worsen the situation, much like pushing a needle further into the skin. Where would the corrupted mana wander off to as well? There were a few possibilities, that being the surrounding air or it seeking another host. Giving another person his troubles didn’t sound all that pleasing.

Tyrus opened one eye and fixed a steady gaze on the motionless Igneal. The idea of seeking help from the noble wasn't appealing to him, but desperate times required drastic measures. There was a high chance Igneal would decline or provide an untrustworthy answer, especially considering his reputation. Mitha and Wyford probably didn’t know either, since they were unblessed.

Why am I thinking about this? Best to get it over with and pray he doesn’t hold it against me.

Rising from where he was, Tyrus made his way to Igneal. The noble heard his footsteps and cracked one eye open, then fully opened both when he noticed Tyrus kneeling right in front of him.

“I have a question, if you’re willing to answer.”

Igneal snickered. “I don’t mind imparting my wisdom to you. Well, what is it?”

“How do I expel corrupted mana?”

Igneal’s smirk disappeared. A moment passed, and he sat up. “Hmph, I expected you to know the answer. Does my sister not teach you anything? Well, no matter. How bad is it?”

“There isn’t a lot, but it’s enough to bother me.”

“I see. If it's not a significant amount, the solution is straightforward as long as it's not a severe issue. Releasing corrupted mana from your body demands a touch that is akin to a surgeon’s touch. You must gently coax the corrupted mana out, not forcefully like what a madman would do. That will only make it worse.”

Tyrus frowned. “Coax the corrupted mana out? How am I supposed to do that?”

“Clear your mind and envision the flow of mana throughout your body, corrupted mana included. Picture it gently floating outside, like the mana wasn't meant to be in you. It’s a visualization technique Fledgling Sorcerers undergo.”

Tyrus waited a few seconds for Igneal to continue, but nothing. “...That’s it? I thought the process would be a bit more difficult.”

“The severity of corruption is what makes it challenging. If the situation is grave, then the method is a bit more complex. For instance, if half of your mana pathways are corrupted, you'll experience symptoms resembling mana deprivation, and more Your magic's effectiveness would be halved, and your skin would feel like it had been immersed in molten lava. From there on is when you experience hell.”

“What happens if a mana heart is fully corrupted?” Tyrus asked.

“Are you familiar with the story Draknir’s Folly?”

Tyrus tilted his head. “What’s a folly and who’s Draknir?”

Igneal’s expression soured. “Sometimes, I forget of your origins. Draknir was a Conjuration Sorcerer whose curiosity knew no bounds. A seeker of knowledge, a man who yearned to unlock the secrets of mana and ultimately achieve godhood. He thought that to achieve such an impossible dream, corrupted mana was the key to it all.”

“Far and wide he traveled the lands of Dharmere, searching for traces of corrupted mana and learning all he could. Many sprouts of corruption he found, storing them within common items and transforming them into magical items. Some say he created so many that his stash could fill an entire treasury.”

“However, his boundless curiosity proved to be his downfall. On a random day, his entire laboratory suddenly erupted into a gigantic explosion. Plumes of corrupted mana filled the skies, clouding a region of land with its virulent energy. Not only did villages and swaths of land get afflicted by corrupted mana, but animals transformed into mutated beings, and plants mutated into horrors.”

“The loss of many lives and the extensive destruction suffered have resulted in the area becoming forever uninhabitable for regular humans and animals. Only those whose bodies have adapted to corrupted mana can stay, otherwise, the same fate awaits them. Draknir’s body was nowhere to be found. That is Draknir’s folly; a man who foolishly believed he could reach the status of a god.”

“Not the best origin story.” Tyrus commented.

“No, it isn’t,” Igneal agreed. “Which is why corrupting your mana heart is taboo among sorcerers. Your heart's corruption is probably due to mindlessly absorbing mana. It's important for sorcerers to be mindful of the energy they absorb when around corrupted mana. When there is excessive corruption, your heart essentially stops functioning or bursts. Furthermore, there is the remote possibility of turning into a malevolent beast.”

Tyrus shivered. “So, you're saying I just have to let the corrupted mana out slowly? That’s it?”

“If you don’t believe me, then let the tainted mana simmer. I'd be happy to have front row seats to observe its effects.”

“There’s no need to get nasty,” said Tyrus as he rose and returned to his spot. He assumed a meditative pose and closed his eyes. Quickly, a visual image of his mana pathways connecting to his mana heart appeared. The usual, pristine glow of his mana pathways was not like the others; blots of inky black scattered around. A clump of them was floating near his left foot while another flowed from his elbow to his shoulder. There was even a large group hovering dangerously near his heart, where it beat erratically.

It wasn’t the most pleasant thing he saw, but at least he found it easily. The real task lay on getting rid of it. As long as Igneal was correct, then the process should be as simple as walking. It sounded easy, but if someone told him to pluck out an ant’s legs blindfolded before he could kill it, he would admit it sounded impossible.

One by one, he focused on the clump near his left foot and slowly prodded it. For a second it resisted, before it gradually floated out of his skin. Tyrus released a mental sigh of relief and continued on the next, and the one after that. The larger groups were slightly more difficult because of the clumps resisting at every point, but it eventually floated outward as the rest did.

Treating the clumps of corruption as if it were diseased skin was like performing an operation with a small slice to the infected area and removing the rotten part before it spread further. It was tricky, it was slow, but in the end, there were no mistakes. Until he reached the one near his heart.

Similar to punching a wall, the corrupted mana refused to budge. Tyrus tried again, this time exerting more of his will against it. Stubbornness ensued, and still it refused to move. Instead, the mana was actively resisting, as if it desired to spread further through his pathways, yet Tyrus pressed on. The thought of his skin becoming as hot as lava or an exploding heart was terrifying, yet the stubborn blot of corruption would not obey no matter what he did.

It edged closer to his heart, which began beating even faster. A jab of pain in his chest startled him, and his visualization of his mana pathways wavered briefly before reappearing in full force. Once again, he exerted his will onto the black mass, this time pouring most of his focus on it and mentally probing the corrupted mana for any weak points.

Fortunately, it stopped just a finger’s width away. Sweat dripped from Tyrus’s cheeks as he dragged the corrupted mana away. Like a boulder, it was heavy, harder to move than all the others. An ache inside his chest constantly tugged his willpower, almost breaking him away, but he persisted. The process was slow and annoying, but progress was being made. And finally, the last sliver of corruption slowly slid outward of his mana pathway, joining the rest, and all was silent.

Tyrus flung his eyes open and slouched. “Phew... It’s all out. That took way longer than I thought.”

Immediately, he felt the effects of removing the corrupted mana. The oppressive sensation in his chest vanished, and he felt slightly lighter. His mana ran smooth through the pathways and its flow steadied. The rate of mana absorption increased as well.

“You still have one last thing to accomplish,” Igneal said from across the room. He pointed above Tyrus. “What will you do about the corrupted mana out of your system? Leave it to float away? Send it toward those poor commoner souls?”

Wyford squirmed in his seat. “Unlike you two, we can’t detect or see mana. But I have heard about the effects of corrupted mana on us unblessed. Would prefer to steer clear of that, thank you very much.”

“Okay... So what do I do?” Tyrus asked.

“Usually corrupted mana would be purified by using the Milli Method, but we don’t have a light affinity specialist around. The Staraz Method will suffice.”

“Uh, what?”

“Overpower the corrupted mana with your own mana,” Igneal said with a sigh. “Pure mana tends to be more resilient and stable than corrupted mana. It is less prone to fluctuations and disruptions. If the amount of untainted mana present is significantly greater than the small amount of corrupted mana, neutralizing the corruption becomes easier. Then, it’ll convert into pure mana.”

Tyrus scratched his cheek and looked up at the corrupted mana drifting around like evil fireflies. To counteract the contamination, he had to use his own magical abilities. The idea of using his limited mana for the task did not sound enticing. Then again, passing on the opportunity to change mana itself was just as dumb. When else would an opportunity like this come by?

Shrugging, Tyrus raised his arm, palm facing the clump. A Lightning bolt or Dual Shot would be a waste of mana. Better to do something simple yet effective enough. A clump of corrupted mana shouldn’t be challenging.

In the corner of his eye, Mitha and Wyford were backing away slowly.

“Oh, don’t mind us unblessed,” Mitha said nervously, giving him a quick smile and turning away. “Continue with your sorcerer stuff.”

“Ain’t taking any chances!” Wyford scurried until he reached the opposite corner, bumping into it and flailing to find something. “Found a blanket! Ugh! Smells like crap washed in sewage water!”

Tyrus dismissed them from his mind and refocused on the corrupted mana. As he was about to unleash a spell from his fingertips, he froze. A sense of dread gnawed at him, which intensified when he turned for the door.

Igneal sensed Tyrus’s distress and stood up, unsheathing his sword. “What is it this time? Have those accursed lizardmen finally found us?”

Tyrus darted his eyes left and right, looking all over the room, and he soon realized his nervousness came from a foreign presence. It was faint, but in the distance he heard the air shift, the distant whoosh of something moving fast. But before he could process what it was exactly, something crashed through the ceiling. Rubble and debris rained down on everyone, and a fresh wave of stink slammed Tyrus’s sensitive nostrils. Coughing and sputtering from the dirt he inhaled, Tyrus squinted his eyes and tried to see through the dust.

The tall beast from before filled his vision. Its appearance resembled that of a large humanoid bird, and its plumage raven black, covering most of its body except for its limbs. Its beak, sharp and curved, was large enough to crack open his skull. Talons as long as his hand dug themselves on the wooden floor, the creature steadying itself after a devastating fall. Underneath the feathers on its neck, a brown, thick-skinned collar wrapped around the entire length. After it shook its body of splinters and shavings, it stretched its wings, nearly spanning a quarter of the building’s entrance.

Its feathers puffed at the sight of Wyford and Mitha, talons clacking and shadowy eyes glinting. Most of Tyrus’s breath vanished upon laying his eyes on it. Just like last time with the gorilla-like beast, a pang of sorrow stabbed through him, and his skin crawled.

The bird beast let out a shrill shriek before lunging at the shocked pair. Tyrus snapped out of his stupor and reached for the beast, though he was an entire second too late. With lightning-fast speed, the bird beast rammed into Wyford, slamming through the wall and back into the outside air.

“Wyford!” Mitha screeched as she stepped out from the hole, bow ready.

Tyrus brought out his sword and scrambled after them, his blood already pumping in anticipation.