I spring to my feet, launching myself upwards into the air. The lid of the crate flies outwards, clattering to the floor.
My heart pounds wildly in my chest as I search frantically for danger with my claws outstretched and ready for action. Even my mana surges frantically in response to my anxiety. But as I look around, I realize that it's still empty and quiet here in my little intersection.
My body eases up slightly and my claws recede a little, but I'm still unable to relax. Though it looks like I'm safe here, I don't know if I'll ever feel relaxed again. I nearly died, after all.
...At the very least, it seems that the rats haven't followed me, or the alligators. It might be because of the insect thing that I fought. But now that it's dead, it's probably just a matter of time before they investigate the tunnel...
I have to move. This place won't be safe for long. But before that... I look down at my shadow, expecting to see something, anything. But no. My shadow is just that: a shadow.
I feel nervous about it, but there's nothing I can do. Besides, it did save me. It should be under my control... but I don't feel like I can trust anything anymore.
No, I know I can't. And for now on... For now on, I'll kill anything that I encounter. It's the only way to be safe.
I glance down at my shadow once again before jumping out of the crate.
I want to investigate the ladder and the plate above me, but before that I have to check both of the tunnels. I don't hear anything other than the flowing water, but that doesn't mean there isn't something silently waiting to eat my face.
I cautiously step outwards, peering first at the tunnel to the left, which is empty, and then at the tunnel to the right. There's nothing living within my sight in either direction, but... the tunnel to the right has large swathes of spider webs further in. A deep sense of disgust fills me at the thought of eight skittering legs and eight roaming eyes. I'll have to be careful that none sneak up on me.
Somehow, I feel like I can see a lot better than when I first woke up in the sewers. My vision is still in black and white, but distant objects aren't as blurry as they were before. It feels like my eyesight is a step closer to a human's now. My mana core feels bigger now, and like it's more powerful... is its growth affecting my body? It's something to be aware of, but I'm glad for any advantage I can get. I want to get the hell out of this sewer.
I look down at the water that flows out from the right tunnel and into the left one. I noticed it when I woke up, but my fur stinks of vomit. I peer down at the water cautiously.
I drank it earlier, didn't I? It must be safe then, since I feel fine right now. In fact, I feel better than ever. I roll around in it, trying to wash the scent out of my fur. My entire body tingles a little after, but at least I don't smell anymore. That was just gross.
While I wait for the tingling sensation to disappear, I turn my senses inwards towards my core, trying to compare its size to when I first woke up. I'm surprised at how much it's grown, especially since it's only been one day; it's larger by about a third of what it was. The rat meat didn't increase it that much... the water then?
I can't help but feel thirsty after my bath. I hesitate for a moment before lapping up a bit of the glowing water. A tingling sensation immediately spreads throughout my body, like pins and needles. My body shudders under the strong sensation that pierces straight to my core, nourishing it a little.
I stand in place, trembling slightly and waiting for the tingling to pass. As it does, I let out a sigh. Yeah, I'm never doing that again. I didn't feel that sensation last night though... maybe it has something to do with the fact that I exhausted all my mana before drinking the water. I'll have to try it again later then, though I kind of dread it. But at least now I've confirmed it: the water in this sewer has mana inside of it. I wonder if it's just this sewer, or is it all water, everywhere...?
I'm not sure. For now though, it's time to get back to business. First up is climbing the ladder and seeing if I can lift that plate.
I put my two front paws onto the first rung of the ladder, then launch my body up. I grab another rung with my front legs and stand on a rung below me with my back legs.
Though it feels scary at first, I notice that my balance has improved significantly, so this isn't actually that bad. Before I know it, my front paws are already resting on the topmost rung of the ladder.
I hold myself in place with one paw and use the other to try and push the grate. Nope, it doesn't budge even a little. Sometimes sewer plates have little gaps that can be seen through, but the metal is covered in dirt and is actually fused together in places.
I can try to lift it using mana... I'm scared to waste it though. What if I get jumped after using it? Maybe if I only use a little... what would I need to create to lift the plate though?
...No, I already know what I can use to lift it. My heart starts pounding again at the thought of it. I want to shy away from it, to never see it again, but... a nightmare is only that: a nightmare.
I concentrate on my nightmare and use about half of my mana to summon three of the tendrils of darkness that saved me before. They well up from my shadow, which is cast partially on the rungs below me. Controlling them is difficult. It's like controlling three tails at once, except they can pierce or slice through me as if I were bread.
I cautiously, and clumsily, use them to stab into the glowing metal plate. They pierce through slightly before they come to a stop. It kind of surprises me that they can even penetrate metal. I didn't expect them to be so powerful. Is it because of the vividness of my nightmare? Perhaps the amount of mana I use to create them has something to do with it as well.
Regardless, they use very little mana once summoned. I don't know if it's the same for others that use mana, like the rats or that insect, but it appears that for me, magic that can be maintained for periods of time comes easily. It'll probably be the main focus of my magic in the future, or at least for now until I learn more about how to use it.
Anyway, I don't need to pierce through the metal all the way. I just need to lift the plate now to see what's beyond. I use the tendrils to lift the plate upwards. Or, at least, I try to. But to my dismay, nothing happens. The plate won't budge even a little.
Actually, it feels like something is holding it tightly in place... no matter how much I try to force the plate upwards, it resists all my attempts. I even try piercing further through the metal by re-launching my tendrils at it. But that doesn't work either; they don't go any deeper than they already have.
The plate is glowing slightly, is it mana? Can an inanimate object use mana as well? No way, right? That sounds impossible.
The only other conclusion is that someone intentionally used mana to reinforce the plate and prevent it from moving. If humans can also use mana, then it would make sense for them to do that. After all, the sewer is a den of monsters now. They wouldn't want them reaching the surface. Of course, that's problematic for me though... they'll probably have sealed every entrance and exit to the sewers.
It's not certain yet, but that means I won't be able to escape the sewer unless if I become strong enough to break through the sealing magic. That would mean improving my mana core, I guess. And the way to do that... would be to eat things. And drink more of that mana-water, probably.
Okay, well, that leaves only one way for me to go then. I jump without thinking from the top rung. I land lightly on my toes, sinking my joints in a little with the fall.
I prowl over to the spiderweb-filled tunnel, a grim expression on my face. Actually, even as a human I hated spiders. Well, I hated all insects. But spiders left a mark on me ever since I found one in my hair as a kid. I guess now is my chance for some payback.
While maintaining the tendrils, I summon my black flames. This time, I don't focus as much on how hot they are. Instead, I concentrate on gathering a larger amount of them. I use another third of mana, leaving me with only one third remaining. That's more than enough to maintain my tendrils.
In front of the tunnel is a wave of my black flames, waiting for my command. I'll admit it. This is something that I've always imagined doing. How does that meme go? When there's a spider in your house, what do you do?
You kill it with fire.
My flames surge forward into the tunnel, covering the webs in flame and burning them to ash. Smoke starts to build up in the tunnel, it's starting to obscure my vision. My flames continue on into the distance, so far into the tunnel that I lose sight of them. Eventually though, I sense my flames crashing into something gigantic.
A high pitched squeal rings out from the tunnel. Heavy footfalls cause the ground to shake as something huge quickly makes its way to me. As it does, a sense of weight fills the atmosphere, as if its crushing me. Is that... mana? A few seconds later and I can see it clearly, and it can see me.
It's an enormous dark-brown spider, with an appearance similar to a tarantula. Except its legs, body, and head are covered in a thick stone plating, dyed black from the smoke which rises off its plates and gently into the air. Its eyes appear to be undamaged by my flames, but I can see the remains of dead baby spiders on its back, some of which are still smoldering.
Its plates are burnt, but my fire is nowhere to be seen. They should have continued burning for at least a little longer... did it somehow manage to sever my connection with my flames? Venom drips from its teeth, and it bears its enormous mandibles at me threateningly. I can see rage in its eyes, but it's holding itself back because it's cautious of my mana.
I bear my teeth and hiss at it while my tendrils whip through the air menacingly. It's time for another death match.