Otherworldly - A Shadowed Awakening

Break of Autumn, Week 1, Day 4

[Congratulations! Mana Sense is now Level 2!]

[Congratulations! Mana Sense is now Level 3!]

[Congratulations! Mana Sense is now Level 4!]

[Congratulations! Mana Sense is now Level 5!]

“Yes!” I grinned as I snapped my eyes open and pulled off my sleep mask, “Finally.”

[Mana Sense] had been overwhelming the first time I’d used it, with every bit of yarn within the compartment lighting up and wisps floating through the air. I could even see the knights outside the carriage surrounding us. It only went out a dozen or so yards, though, so I couldn’t see past the forest line. It would be great once it did. I thought back to that first night we had camped with the mimic. Next time, I’d be ready and able to sense it before I’d even entered the tent. Learning to use the Skill was more akin to meditating than anything else.

It had been seven straight days of practicing [Mana Sense]. Well, not entirely. I often read or slept when I needed a break. But I could effectively use the Skill indefinitely as it didn’t seem to pull on my mana reserves in the slightest. At first, it had been just something to do, but once I read ahead in the spellbook, I found out the other pages were blank until you met the milestone on your Status. Even as I was sitting there, I could see the ink revealing itself. It was slowly writing the next chapter out –this one on obtaining the Skill [Mana Manipulation], but I hadn’t practiced with [Weave of Darkness] or [Shadow Manipulation] since the beginning of the journey to Wig.

Now, however, I wanted nothing more than to try and make a much larger piece of cloth than my sleep mask. One day, I wanted to be clad entirely in my own darkness, able to be controlled at a flick of my will. But for now, I wanted to make a flat sheet for some other, more interesting projects, like perhaps giving Noir a makeover. Klein wasn’t wrong, exactly, when he’d said the toy shop had a nicer bunny, after all. So, I began.

[Weave of Darkness]

[Weave of Darkness]

[Weave of Darkness]

[Weave of Darkness]

...

[Weave of Darkness]

I created twelve massive skeins of as fine a thread as I could manage –barely a hair's width. Now came the finesse practice.

[Shadow Manipulation]

I could feel every shadow around me as I used [Weaving] to guide me through the process of creating the cloth. It was much like [Mana Sense] but for darkness. Line by line, I wove the threads tightly together. The thread glided at my command –not quite even, but that’s okay. It didn’t need to be perfect. This was practice.

I fell into an excited trance as I worked meticulously to keep control of two threads at once –one on the x-axis and the other on the y-axis of the fabric. It was almost like making a magical loom, and [Weaving] told me that I’d be able to work a loom with the Skill. So long as I had a loom.

I came to when the carriage stopped suddenly, evident only by a light jolt that meant we’d practically slammed on the brakes. Surprised, I released my hold on the thread and put down the fabric –already a yard in length.

I scuttled to the edge of the bench and pulled open the curtain, only to see Sir Limrick gesturing for me to close it and shout, “STAY IN THE CARRIAGE.”

Shocked, I looked behind him –where he’d already turned back and was slicing into a mossy twig-like creature –another blight. This one was different than the oversized blight that Sir Neil had fought all that time ago. It was then horror filled me.

It wasn’t just one or two. Not three or four. [Quick Calculation] told me there were at least 15 on this side of the carriage alone. I turned and tore open the curtain on the other side –this time, there were 20. That’s at least 35, not counting any that were approaching head-on or on the flanks. The range of view wasn’t 360 from inside the carriage.

Not all of them were small, though, and I watched as Sir Neil cut through three in as many moves. Despite their numbers, he moved mercilessly through them. As I peered back, I felt something break inside of me. I watched as Arlen fell backward right as a small blight reached out and grabbed his leg. I heard his scream –and then Klein was there and had taken off the small monster’s head. They had several small and medium-sized blights surrounding them. Meanwhile, Sir Limrick and Dame Arella were facing off a monstrously oversized blight that looked as if it was made up of a hundred-year-old weeping willow. It towered at the edge of the forest road, and as Dame Arella brandished her sword, it glowed blue, and water was sucked out of the air around her and circled her body in floating streams.

Then she moved, and the water rushed with her sharpening into additional blades –all aimed at the blight with a now severed arm falling to the ground.

I shot off an [Inspect].

[Weeping Blight, Tier 2, Level 12]

It snapped its blank eyes to me, and I watched as the weeping blight roared and charged toward me. I felt anxiety well within me as I watched it tear through Sir Limrick and Dame Arella–Oh.

Sir Limrick flashed like lightning and disappeared from where the monster had attacked. He reappeared behind its head and slashed his sword clean through the monster’s trunk-like neck, leaving it singed black where his blade touched wood. And then he was by Klein and Arlen –neither of whom were looking too thrilled being surrounded by five blights. But Sir Limrick made quick work of them, too fast for my eyes to follow. And then the boys were rushing back to their horses, guiding them to the carriage.

That was seven on this side down just by those three –and as I looked around, the rest were felled by other knights. Shifted back to the other side, I watched as the final blight there was decapitated as well.

Overall, the interaction took two minutes. A shiver ran up my spine, and I clutched Noir to my chest. Two minutes to destroy dozens of monsters. Dozens of monsters that were attacking us. And one had wanted me—the strongest one. Was it solely because of the [Inspect]? I chose to shut down that line of thought and instead wrap myself up in my oversized, plush, black blanket I’d made on the way to Juvel.

I’d wait until someone came to talk to me. They would. They had last time. Then, and only then, would I freak out.

I had been doing so well. Just trading light barbs with [Eternal Communion] and kicking little Eunora’s anxiety into a bucket in the back of my brain. Now this.

I almost wanted to activate [Mental Fortitude], but I was worried about the aftereffects. Would I be forced to relive both blight attacks? Or would it simply numb me? I wasn’t thrilled about either option and chose to feel my pain. It had just been such a good week. I didn't want to wither.

Be the God of Nora.

It was several minutes later that someone shouted, “Clear!” from behind the forest line.

And then Sir Limrick was knocking on my window, a tired smile on his face, “It’s clear, my Lady. Would you like to come out and see what’s next?”

I nodded mutely and gingerly unwrapped myself from my emotional support blanket before disembarking from the carriage.

Around me was carnage. There was no other word for it. The knights themselves all looked fine, with a few scratches on their otherwise pristine armor, but overall, fine. Even Arlen, who had found himself on the ground, just looked dirty –not injured any more than his bruised pride. And oh, did his expression look like a wounded puppy.

I watched as the knights gathered around Sir Rellar.

“Report,” he bit out, his voice grave, “Limrick, you go.”

“Dame Arella called out the bramble as soon as they emerged –her Skill alerted us to a total of 42 blights. The final count is one weeping variant, five thistles, eleven vine blights, sixteen twig blights, and nine saplings.”

Sir Rellar looked stony-faced over the squad of knights before nodding, “Total time taken to clear the bramble and ensure the safety of our ward?”

“Three minutes and fourteen seconds, Captain,” Sir Limrick stated carefully and Sir Rellar’s face darkened.

“Status of the unit?”

“No fatal injuries. One squire twisted his ankle,” Sir Limrick noticeably did not say which squire or look at either one, “One scout was caught unaware and hit with the Weeping Blight’s Skill that incapacitated her but did not injure her.”

“Purpose of the attack?” This time, Sir Rellar was not looking at the knights but was looking directly at where I stood, pushed up against the outside of the carriage and gripping Noir.

Sir LImrick hesitated before also glancing back to me, “Presumed reason is sensing the prolonged mana leakage from Lady Nora.”

He winced as he said my name, and I blinked. Then, my face contorted in shock and horror.

“Me?” I said, before thinking about it, “It was my fault?”

Sir Rellar spoke directly to me, “Careless use of mana-based Skills attracts monsters.”

Careless, I repeated to myself, irritation taking over the horror and guilt –because I remembered what Dame Arella had told me.

“But you knew,” I said tightly, “You all knew I was using my Skills. Why didn’t anyone say anything?”

Suddenly, the knights all seemed uncomfortable. Sir Limrick and Dame Arella more than most. It was Sir Rellar who spoke.

“You are not only our ward, Lady Nora.” It did not escape me that he still used my nickname, even when he was rebuking me. “You are a noble and a child of the Dawn. What you do may have consequences, but it is not our place to tell you to stop.”

He looked pointedly across the circle of knights. “Especially when most of this contingent is made up of commoner knights.”

I swallowed. I hadn’t known. I didn’t know I was causing problems. They never said.

“Is–is that why that blight attacked us on the way to Juvel?”

Sir Rellar worked his jaw, “Most likely.”

I nodded, tears pricking at the back of my eyes. I blinked to clear them.

Be the God of Nora. Be your own strength. I repeated to myself.

“I’m not going to apologize,” I decided out loud, “I didn’t know, but even if I did –I needed to reach the milestones of my Skills.”

The tense atmosphere didn’t immediately relieve itself, not until I continued.

“Surely, there must be ways for mages to function in the wilderness. I would like to know how much is the limit. When it’s safest and when it’s dangerous. I can promise I will stick to a schedule so I don’t cause another attack.”

I nervously crossed and uncrossed my arms as I stood, waiting for a response. It took Sir Rellar several beats to respond.

“When we break for the night, we’ll draw up a plan.” He said before turning back to the knights.

I nodded to myself, but Dame Arella and Sir Limrick were both still looking at me, their faces contorted into something akin to worry. I decided the rest of the day could be spent reading the books the Dawns had shoved in the carriage, and I’d dig the metal crochet hook out of one of the compartments –I knew it had to be in there. If the Count thought I had [Young Lady of Weaving] or something equally incorrect, he wouldn’t leave it out. I’d just have to find it. It’s probably with all the yarn I’d created before leaving the estate.