Arthur had been traveling for two months, facing countless dangers and honing his skills. The journey had been grueling, but his determination never wavered. One night, as he meditated, he felt a sudden surge of energy within him. His mana core was evolving again.
The pain was excruciating, far worse than any injury he had sustained. He gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as the energy within him shifted and grew. His core burned with an intense yellow light, signaling his advancement to the next level.
"Focus, Arthur. Use your Harmony Breath," Baal's voice urged him.
Arthur obeyed, focusing on his breathing technique. Slowly, the pain subsided, and he felt a newfound strength coursing through his veins. He had reached the Yellow level.
As he recovered, Baal spoke again, his tone serious. "You've reached the minimum level required to learn about true power--the power over life and death."
Arthur's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean?"
Baal's voice held a hint of excitement. "The tower is evolving, and it's time for you to see its true potential. We need to find a mana geyser, a rare but powerful source of energy."
Arthur nodded, understanding the importance of the task. They spent days searching until they finally found a geyser, its energy pulsing with raw power.
Baal instructed Arthur to place the ring on the ground. "Only in places like this can we safely summon the tower without attracting unwanted attention, especially from the Celestials."
Arthur did as he was told. The ring glowed, and the tower began to form. Only the first floor appeared, the rest seemingly destroyed. Arthur stepped inside, marveling at the sight.
"Welcome to your new sanctuary," Baal said as the tower descended underground, hidden from prying eyes.
Inside, Arthur found a library filled with ancient tomes, a magical forge, and a dark, ominous area filled with chains and cages.
"This is my chamber of necromancy," Baal explained. "A place where I conducted my experiments. Here, you will learn the true power of black magic and necromancy. But first, we need specimens."
Arthur frowned. "What kind of specimens?"
"Preferably magical beasts, especially the humanoid ones. But since you seem to have a soft spot for them, we'll use the bestial ones and humans instead," Baal said, a wicked grin in his voice.
Arthur nodded, his resolve hardening. He had no qualms about using bandits. The roads were filled with them, and they would serve his purpose well.
The next few days were spent hunting down bandits. Arthur lured them into traps, capturing them one by one. As he dragged them back to the tower, Baal reminded him of the importance of secrecy.
"Anyone who enters the tower must never leave. If they do, they could reveal our existence, and you'd be in grave danger."
Arthur understood. The stakes were high, but he was willing to do whatever it took to gain power.
---
The tower's underground chamber, filled with shadows and a sense of foreboding, became Arthur's new base of operations. The room, known as the Abyssal Sanctum, was where Baal had conducted his darkest experiments.
Arthur stood in the center of the Sanctum, surrounded by cages containing the bandits he had captured. Their frightened eyes watched him, but he felt no remorse. They were necessary for his training.
"Let's begin," Baal said. "First, you need to understand the basics of necromancy. It's not just about raising the dead. It's about controlling life and death itself."
Arthur listened intently as Baal guided him through the rituals and incantations. The process was gruesome, but Arthur's determination never wavered. He practiced tirelessly, honing
his skills with each passing day.
One night, as Arthur was poring over a particularly ancient tome, he came across a ritual that promised to unlock even greater necromantic abilities. The ritual involved invoking and controlling souls by creating fissures in the user's life force, allowing them to send out tendrils that would bind to the souls of the dead. The list of materials needed was extensive and rare.
"Baal, what is this ritual?" Arthur asked, showing him the tome.
Baal's eyes gleamed with dark excitement. "Ah, that's the Soul Binding Ritual. It's one of the most powerful forms of necromancy, allowing you to control the very essence of the dead. But it requires rare materials that you don't have yet."
Arthur frowned. "Where can I find these materials?"
"Some can be found in ancient ruins, others in the possession of powerful beings. It will take time and effort to gather everything you need," Baal explained.
Arthur nodded, already forming a plan. "I'll do whatever it takes."
As they prepared for another session, Baal decided it was time to address Arthur's technique. "You're already adept at using Death Embrace to drain life force, but necromancy requires finesse, not just brute force."
Arthur looked puzzled. "How do I develop that finesse?"
Baal chuckled darkly. "Watch and learn, boy. Let's start with the bandits. Focus on their life force, but instead of draining it, try to manipulate it gently."
Arthur focused on the captured bandits, using his life vision to see their life force. It appeared as a faint, pulsing light within them. Following Baal's instructions, he reached out with his own mana, attempting to touch and manipulate this energy.
At first, Arthur struggled, his movements too forceful. The bandits writhed in pain, their screams echoing in the chamber. Frustrated, Arthur pulled back.
"You need a lighter touch, Arthur. Imagine you're trying to guide a feather in the wind, not crush a stone," Baal advised.
Arthur tried again, this time with more concentration and gentleness. Slowly, he began to feel the connection between his mana and the bandits' life force. He moved it subtly, causing the bandits to shiver but not scream.
Baal watched with approval. "Good, you're getting it. Now, try to pull a small amount of life force and shape it into a form you can control."
Arthur did as instructed, carefully drawing a tiny thread of life force from one of the bandits. He shaped it into a small, glowing orb, marveling at the sight.
"This is incredible," Arthur whispered.
Baal grinned. "And this is just the beginning. With practice, you'll be able to control larger amounts and use them for more complex spells."
Arthur continued to practice, growing more proficient with each attempt. The bandits, now too weak to resist, became silent witnesses to his growing power.
One evening, as Arthur was practicing, he paused and turned to Baal. "You once said you used rituals to control life force. How do you know so much about manipulating it directly?"
Baal's laughter filled the chamber. "You think a demon of my age and power wouldn't know? I'm over ten thousand years old, kid. I've learned a thing or two. I lied about the rituals because I thought I could manipulate your life force and take over your body. But I realized I'm truly bound to you. If I tried to separate, I'd die. But you, you would survive."
Arthur's eyes narrowed. "You bastard. So, you've been plotting this whole time?"
"Of course," Baal replied with a smirk. "But now, I see potential in you. If we work together, we can achieve greatness."
Arthur shook his head, a mixture of anger and amusement in his eyes. "You're a real piece of work, Baal. But fine, let's see where this takes us."
As the weeks went by, Arthur's proficiency in necromancy grew. He learned to raise and control the dead, using them as soldiers and servants. The Abyssal Sanctum became a hive of dark activity, with undead minions performing various tasks under Arthur's command.
Despite the dark nature of his studies, Arthur remained focused on his ultimate goal: gaining enough power to take down Lord Varic and anyone else who stood in his way.
One night, Arthur was deep in thought, contemplating his next move. "Baal, where do we go from here?"
Baal's voice was uncharacteristically serious. "You need to gather the materials for the Soul Binding Ritual. It will be dangerous, but it's the next step in your journey to true power."
Arthur nodded, determination etched on his face. "I'll do whatever it takes."
Baal grinned. "That's the spirit. Let's get to work."
Arthur's journey was just beginning, but he knew that with determination, skill, and the support of those around him, he could overcome any obstacle. The path to power and vengeance was fraught with danger, but Arthur was ready to face it head-on