When I woke up I was surrounded by darkness. "Candlelight," I said. Nothing. My brows furrowed.
The sound of fabric moving made me turn. It was light outside. I knew because Alaric took the time to pin the front cover back. As he walked towards me I saw heads peaking inside. He kneeled next to me, "How are you feeling?" I groaned and pushed myself up. He went to push me back down, "You should rest more."
"I will be fine," I hissed. "Let me up." He moved back and watched me as I got up. I groaned and clenched at my head. I limped my way outside. The people outside turned to look at me. "Motherfucking bullshit. Shoulda known better. Dumbass bitch! Shoulda done better," I caught a few raised eyebrows. I pointed at the group. "Shut the hell up! I got it I was a stupid child I don't need your judgment!" They raised their hands in silent surrender. I switched over to English and started cursing myself out while I made my way to the tree line.
I let my back rest against the tree as my blood became part of the earth. I took a deep breath and ran my fingers over the cords. Then I sang.
I built a friend with three pieces of plastic and a pen
I made him on the table in the den
I gave him my old cell phone for a head, for a head
And we spent holidays at my house
And we left presents in a stocking
And we bought bolts and things and strings
And a new watch, that's what he got
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
Then I left for college in September
And we wept cause we can't be together
So I kept pictures to remember my old friend, my old friend
Then I met this girl at graduation
And forget my oldest creation
And I guess I'll see him next vacation
Send my best, I send my best
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
I came home to find him on the table
With a note, scribbled out in pencil
And he wrote, that he just wasn't stable all alone, all alone
Next to him, an empty glass of water
That he spilt, all over the body
That I built, it fizzled and it popped
And then it killed, and then it killed
When I opened my eyes I catch sight of the swirling lights. The Fairies. The folk to the tree grown by my blood. They danced as I continued to sing. They dance out in circles until they danced around me. Touching me.
I would sing for as long as I could. My eyes caught on the tree line. A pack of wolves watched me. They were not being aggressive. Not that I could really do much. Average for an adult was 100 in single stat. Low 90s or high 80s in the rest of the stats. I had only recently found that out. Umbriel had suffered an injury a few years before he started teaching. Apparently he had been quite the warrior before that event.
With that I stopped playing. The Fairies look disappoint. "I'm sorry but I must continue on my way now," I told them. They pouted a bit but nodded. A few of them worked together to place a flower wreath on my head. I giggled. "Thank you." They trilled at me and flew away.
The wolf moved closer as they fled. Amber eyes stared at me. "Umbriel?" The wolf bowed it's head. How had I known? "I've never seen you as a wolf." He stood taller and I had to cover a laugh. "What brings you?" He moved closer to me and displayed his neck clearly. "You hunted me down just to feed me?" Another head bow and return to position. I laughed as I moved in. I tried to move his fur out of the way but there was so much so I just bit down. Right into a mouthful of fur... yeah not my favorite way to feed.
Still it did its job. I let go all too soon. I licked at my teeth behind my lips. I was still hungry and not for solids. With a sigh I pushed myself up. I ran my fingers over Umbriel's head. I blushed and looked away when I realized what I'd done.
"How many Dungeons are in the area?" Alaric asked.
"There are three nearby," one of the men said. He looked between Alaric and I.
Alaric's eyes narrowed on me. "What are they?" I wanted to tense up for some reason.
That same man pulled something from the bag beside him. "There is a Goblin Encampment, Golem Field, and Beast Pack." Alaric tilted his head as he stared at me.
"What is your highest stat? Right now?"
>STR: 35 >STM: 48 (-12)
>INT: 34 >MAG: 32
>DEX: 40 >AGI: 42
>VIT: 35
I felt my eyes widen. When had my magic fallen so far behind? Then I remembered... the blood. The blood I had been drinking had added to every stat except intelligence and magic. How the hell do I make my magic catch up now?! I had years of learning to gain skill in everything else! I had no idea how to do it for magic! I cursed hard enough to make a sailor blush. Alaric waited patiently. Although one eye brow lifted in question.
"Agility. My agility is my highest stat." Now, I added silently. Umbriel looked at me before trotting off. Fuck! Dads would hear about this soon enough.
"Alright everyone let's get a move on! To the Beast Pack Dungeon!" Alaric yelled. He had me back in his arms before I could blink.
"My stats? What the hell are yours!" I questioned him.
"I've had a very long time to grow," he chuckled. I glared at him. "Come you should eat before we leave."
I shifted in his arms, "What's for breakfast? Since I'm useless for the next five hours."
He looked at me confused, "What do you mean?"
"Mana Exhaustion and Broken bones. I will not be able to do much until this stuff heals." I shrugged and the winced. Damn ribs!
"Minx!" Alaric yelled. "Come heal Aurora!" A tall, curvy woman came jogging over. My eyes immediately dropped to her tits. A blush spread over my cheeks as I forced my eyes up to her face. Even so I could think about was putting my face in them. Down girl! Maybe just a little hand brush over the top? Like an accident? No!
"Aurora?" I heard someone call out. I shook my head and tried for my best innocent child look. Clearly neither of them believed it. Oops.
Minx kneeled down next to us and I had to stop myself from tensing. "Where are you hurt, My Lady?" Her voice was smooth and gentle. Hard to imagine her as part of a fight squad with a voice like that.
"If you could heal my head some then I can focus on the rest when my mana recovers."
"How long until your Mana recovers?" Alaric asked.
"Four hours... almost five," I huffed.
"How fast do you recover your Mana?" Minx asked.
"What?" I blinked at her. "How would I know that?"
"Well how did you grow your magic?" She asked. "You should have a section beside you MP that gives the you the amount you generate."
I looked again and shook my head. "I'm blessed with my magic. God Blessed."
Minx sighed. "Okay then. Instead of just sitting here passively while I heal you. Try to pull the mana in the air around us to you."
I was far from convinced but figured it could not hurt. So, I did as she said I closed my eyes and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Patience had never been my strong suit. Why would it? I had been a teen when I had died and had lived as a child in this one. Neither life really allowed one to learn patience. It did however allow ample time for my mind to wonder. Which made my echo location go crazy. The heart beats all around me made my fangs snap back down. Still I kept my eyes closed.
I was many things but experienced in magic was not one of them. Far be it for me to question someone so far ahead of me in that regard.
Finally I saw it. A small green orb that seemed to be floating there.
We were in a forest. Naturally earth and nature magic were the most abundant. Now how to get them closer to me? They just remained floating there as if waiting patiently for me to do something instead. That was until something to my right changed. Someone was pulling the brown orbs towards them. How?
So I focused on the person instead.
A hole? They had somehow made a hole that seemed to be sucking the orb towards them like a straw. It was slow going but it was working. A few other people joined in. Each method was slightly different but all of them were fairly slow. Like a lazy... river!
Of course! If I needed to pull the orbs towards me then I just need to catch them up in my pull!
That must be how I have been regaining Mana. I was walking close enough to it that the natural pull of my own magic would do the trick. With my mana depleted I had nothing to attract more to me. That was why it was taking so long to recover!
With that thought in mind I tried to picture a whirlpool. Tornadoes and whirlpools had some devastating power. I placed one right over my heart and imagined the swirling mass. Just like that the orbs rushed to me.