Chapter 13: Through the Eyes of the Lost
1. The Ruined Outpost
The outpost was little more than a skeleton of its former self—walls collapsed, weeds overtaking cobblestones, and an eerie stillness in the air. Alex and Lila wandered through the remains, both scanning for anything valuable.
Alex stepped into what appeared to be a study, its shelves mostly collapsed. Amid the debris, a few intact books glowed faintly on a desk, their covers marked with runes.
"Over here," Alex called, brushing away dust.
Lila approached, raising an eyebrow. "Anything useful?"
Alex picked up one of the books, the runes on the cover glowing brighter as he touched it. Opening it, he felt a strange pulse of energy, as though the book itself was alive.
2. Individual spell books
Alex read the covers, each marked with a title in an ancient, angular script.
Book 1: Bone Spear
Type: Necromancy (Class-Specific)
Description: Launches a sharp spear of bone at a target, dealing moderate damage.
Learning Time: 6 hours (moderate difficulty).
Effect: A reliable, ranged offensive spell.
Book 2: Ember Flare
Type: Fire Magic
Description: Releases a burst of flame around the caster, burning nearby enemies.
Learning Time: 4 hours (basic difficulty).
Effect: A close-range spell for emergencies or crowd control.
Book 3: Ice Shard
Type: Ice Magic
Description: Conjures a shard of ice to hurl at an enemy, dealing minor damage and briefly slowing their movement.
Learning Time: 3 hours (easy difficulty).
Effect: A simple, low-cost ranged spell.
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Alex closed the last book, his mind buzzing with possibilities. "These... these are incredible. They'll take time to learn, but once I do, they're mine for good."
Lila nodded. "So, what are you waiting for?"
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3. A Costly Guardian
Before Alex could reply, a low rumble shook the ground. The air grew colder, and the faint glow of runes in the room intensified.
"Alex," Lila said, her voice tight.
Emerging from the shadows was a construct—a humanoid figure of stone and decayed wood, its eyes glowing faintly blue.
"Looks like it doesn't want us taking these books," Alex muttered, stepping forward.
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4. A Tactical Encounter
Without time to study the new spells, Alex relied on his existing magic and strategy.
Summon Lesser Undead
He raised his hand, summoning a skeletal wolf from the nearby rubble. The wolf darted forward, snapping at the guardian's legs, but it barely slowed the creature's advance.
"Alex!" Lila shouted, throwing a rock at the guardian to distract it.
"Working on it!" Alex replied, scanning the room for an opening.
Bone Spear (Partial Activation)
Desperate, Alex opened the Bone Spear book, focusing on its instructions. Though he hadn't fully mastered it, he could feel the spell forming in his mind.
Channeling his mana, he launched a crude spear of bone at the guardian. The spell lacked power, only cracking the creature's shoulder, but it was enough to stagger it.
"Not bad for a first try," Alex muttered, clutching the book tightly.
Together, he and Lila worked to bring the guardian down, using makeshift weapons and magic until the construct finally collapsed.
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5. Aftermath and Reflection
The room fell silent once more, the faint glow of the spell books pulsing gently. Alex sat on the floor, catching his breath as he opened the Bone Spear book again.
"These aren't just spells," he said. "They're investments. If I can master them, they'll make a huge difference."
"How long will it take?" Lila asked.
Alex scanned the book's dense script. "For this one? Probably six hours. I'll need quiet and a lot of focus."
"Well," Lila said, smirking faintly, "better get started when we find a safe place. We're going to need it."
As Alex packed the books into his bag, he glanced back at the ruins. In the distance, a faint figure stood motionless on a hill—a Watcher, its glowing eyes fixed on him.
"Still watching us," Alex murmured.
"Good," Lila said. "They'll see what we can really do."
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How Skill Books Work:
Learning Time: Each book has a specific difficulty level and required learning time, varying from a few hours for simple spells to days for advanced ones.
Class-Specific Books: Some spells, like Bone Spear, can only be learned by specific classes (e.g., Necromancers).
Permanent Knowledge: Once learned, the spell becomes a permanent addition to the caster's repertoire.
Interruptions: The caster must have a safe, quiet space to study. Being interrupted resets progress.
Caster can cast a weakened form immediately but with a higher mana costs and a much weaker spell