The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage: Wandmaker Vol.2

Untitled Part 84

Tanisha placed her hand back on the device, releasing a small tether of aether into the mechanism. As she guided the stream of energy, she focused on tracing its flow, following the path Signe had described. Almost immediately, she encountered a disruption in the flow. The best analogy she could muster was that it felt like a hole in the middle of a maze. Any energy poured into it was swallowed up, vanishing into nothingness.

She adjusted her focus, carefully nudging the tether of aether around the disruption. It was a delicate process, requiring precision and control. Most of all it required her to maintain focus on that spot while she continued to push the aether forward at the same time. For a moment, she thought she was making progress. Then the energy snapped back violently when her focus on the void wavered. Her efforts unraveled instantly, and the tether was once again consumed by the void.

Undeterred, she tried again, this time using even less aether. Smaller amounts were easier to manipulate, and she hoped it would allow her to maintain control for longer. It didn't work, no matter how carefully she tried, the tether fell short of reaching its destination. She could feel the aether breaking down before she could complete the circuit.

A deep frustration began to settle over her. Sweat beaded on her brow as the intense concentration took its toll. Tanisha cursed under her breath, rubbing at her temples to ease the growing headache. She had no idea how much time had passed, but she was mentally drained. Her magic refused to respond the way she needed, as though even her own power was conspiring against her. She had not even used ten percent of her total magic yet it felt like she had been pushing herself through magic drills for hours.

"Okay, I am done for right now." Tanisha screamed as she punched the small device. "Why is this so True above hard!"

She spun around and found Bjorn sprawled out on the floor, fast asleep. Aurelius, ever the vigilant companion, had also dozed off, though unlike Bjorn, he stirred awake at the sound of her ranting. He cracked one eye open, regarding her with an expression that seemed to ask, Are you done?

Tanisha huffed and trudged over to the pair, plopping herself down beside them. Aurelius gave her a knowing look, and the two exchanged a few quiet words about the door before he yawned and drifted back to sleep. She leaned back against the wall, arms crossed and lips pressed into a pout. She sat in silence for a few minutes then decided it was a better time than any to experiment with her magic.

Status Menu

Name: Tanisha Valkyrja Scalebound
Species: Cernunnos
Level: 44
+ Vitality: 100 + 10 = 110
+ Restoration: 100 + 10 = 110
+ Constitution: 100 + 10 = 110
+ Willpower: 130 + 10 = 140
+ Strength: 74 + 2 = 76
+ Dexterity: 83 + 2 = 85
+ Stamina: 48 + 2 = 50
+ Seiðr: = 470 + 50 = 520
+ Seiðr Regeneration: 235 + 50 = 520 (+200 from bond)
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She was disappointed to find that she hadn't gained any new skills but that was going to change soon. The changes made to her status was good enough for now. She gained the equivalent of fourteen and half levels just from opening her Blood Gate. If opening the others gave her a similar boost she should work to refine her magic as much as possible and open the other Gates. Especially since they didn't know what waited for them on the other side of the door. She also needed to remind Bjorn to start evolving her, in the excitement she had forgotten.

Straightening her posture, she shifted into a lotus position, closing her eyes as she steadied her breathing. Slowly, she began circulating her seiðr throughout her body. The process felt remarkably smoother now, like water flowing through well-worn channels. Compared to before, when her magic had been forced through restrictive, stubborn meridians, it was like night and day.