Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Kothar looked at the distorted air above his palm, Basic Spell: Spatial Distortion was aptly named. The air twisted and writhed, and a low buzz emanated from it.

[That looks… odd. Are you sure about learning this type of magic Kothar? Krieg gave us many reasons to be careful of it]

[To say the least, I feel uncomfortable just looking at it. But It's definitely a necessity if we're ever going to return to the Alliance. You want to go back right, Silane?]

Silane was quiet for a long moment, as if in thought.

[Silane?]

[Yes, of course I want to go back Kothar, I just wonder if there'll be anything to return to. From what we say, that massive creature would have levelled anything the Alliance could have sent against it.]

[You're right, but at the very least I want to return to see what has become of everything, if we can even return.]

[Okay, let's see what this ball of tangled up space does.]

Kothar sent the distortion ball flying at the practice dummy, the ball met the chest of the dummy, disappearing within it.

[That's it? That was disappointing.]

A low cracking noise resounded through the training room, and a thin line appeared along the middle of the solid wooden dummy. The two halves of the dummy fell to the ground with a thud, revealing a roughly circular, splintered mess at the center of the dummy.

[I guess it takes a moment to see it's effects.]

[It sure does Kothar, now how about learning Basic Spell: Portal, now that you've a little time to familiarize yourself with spatial mana it shouldn't be too difficult, and it seems to have the highest utility, from what I can gather.]

[True, it should help with compensating for the weaknesses that Lightning Mages have. Incorporating portals into my offense and defense should make my attacks a lot less predictable, and let me redirect dangerous enemy attacks.]

[What the ****? Are those equations?]

[I knew that they used algebra here on Eclat, but these equations are astoundingly complex, and they're specifically designed with spatial mana in mind.]

[No wonder Krieg said to take it slowly, it'd take at least a month to learn this spell if you didn't have me to help you, Kothar.]

[Yes of course, thank you o' benevolent AI.]

Kothar began to study the mana channeling processing, while Silane analyzed the equations, the pair were immersed in learning more about the spell.

A much quieter version of the odd distorted noise Krieg's portat had made rang out in the training room, after a few days of Silane running simulations as well as Kothar painstakingly practicing channeling his spatial mana, he had created his first portal. It hung oddly ion the air in front of Kothar, giving of the same sense of wrongness that the distortion ball did.

[Now do it again, and make sure the pair are linked.]

[I know Silane, I spent just as much time as you trying to figure this spell out.]

Kothar focused, channeling mana through both his arms, weaving the structure of the portal in the space between his palms.

The odd noise rang out again, and the portal hovered in place.

[Shall we test it?]

[Yeah, throw a few of those bits of wood from the dummy through and see what happens.]

[Alright.]

Kothar picked up some of the fragments from the training dummy, and threw them through the portal.

The splinters flew into the portal silence, instantly flying out from the linked portal and continuing on their journey.

"Yes!" Kothar gave a triumphant shout, Silane echoing it in his head.

Caught up in his success, Kothar immediately fired a lightning bolt through the portal, the bolt sped through, emerging from the other side just as quickly, hitting the wall of the training room, leaving a sooty scorch mark.

[That's going to be useful.]

[It sure is Silane, and if I can cast these portals faster, I can send spells back towards my enemies.]

[Yes. The tome wasn't very clear about what happens to things that go into unlinked portals. All it said was that they disappear.]

[I guess that's why they're only recommended to be used defensively, and avoided in battles where you want the enemy to survive or even recover their corpse.]

[No hunting with Spatial Magic for you then Kothar.] Silane chuckled at him.

[I'm sure I can find a way.]

"Master, I have determined that the otherworlder is not a threat." Avn' Dur knelt on one knee, head bowed toward the massive bulk of the thing that took up most of the cavern.

A soft orange glow filled the cavern, as a massive eye slowly opened, the oval pupil staring at Avn'Dur.

"And how did you determine that Avn' Dur?" The creature's voice rumbled through the cavern, shaking the very earth.

"Well, he was on the brink of death, and he gave me a reasonable explanation, he told me had an encounter with the Devourer." Avn' Dur's voice became quieter as he spoke, and he muttered out the last few words.

A sharp hiss rang through the cavern, and debris fell from the ceiling as the creature shifted in agitation.

"That old bat. No one's taken his head yet." More debris fell as the creature growled, sending reverberations through the surrounding rock.

"What did this otherworlder have to say about that freak?" Avn'Dur looked around nervously, as a large rock narrowly missed him as it fell.

"He wants to find him, and return to his world." Avn' Dur cowered in fear, not knowing if his master would find his answer satisfactory.

"Hmmm, Alright, keep me updated on his progress, and if you think he has a chance against that old coot, give him any help he needs." The large eye lazily shut and the creature shifted slightly, as it returned to its deep slumber.

"Of course master." Avn' Dur bowed deeply, and hurried towards the exit of the cavern. Once he had left, Avn' Dur shaped a clump of the mist that swirled about him into the familiar shape of a bird, whispering to it before it flew off, far into the distance.