The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage: Wandmaker Vol.2

WM [88] Team Leader

The new threats were all invisible; only the sound of their metal feet as they clattered against the ground and the faint shimmer in the air from their aether gave any indication of where the beings were. Tanisha pulled out her knives from the sheaths on her side and prepared to attack.

"Everyone, we need to retreat to the top of the stairs!" Aurelius said as he blocked an invisible strike. "Tanisha, once we are there make as much water as you can and spread it across the floor! Everyone else protects her while she channels."

Bjorn leaped, tackling one of the invisible golems, ripping it apart. Tanisha was surprised he could see them so well when she could barely make out their aether. It wasn't time to think though, she used Arcane Shift to appear beside him then after a few more shifts they were at the top of the stairwell at the main level. They could already hear the tapping of dozens of the invisible golems running after them.

Tanisha began her spell immediately using the knives as an imperfect medium for her alloy. The water flowed down the stairs in a tide carefully weaving around her own party since this was conjured water and not actual water she had full control over the arcane liquid. She even deafened the sound of the rushing tide as she continued to channel her magic.

She had never used her hydromancy this way before although she knew it was always possible. Instead of compressing the liquid down into orbs she could have always channeled torrents of water. It was another reminder at how under utilized her magic had gone. Her weapons, maya and hand to hand were all further along than her use of the mana aspects of her alloy.

Aurelius again took charge, "They're here! Bjorn and I will take the right side, Fuyumi on the left, Tanisha, are you okay?"

"Don't worry about me, I can do this all day." Tanisha said.

The golems were relentless though in the water they were completely visible against Tanisha's magic. Slowed by the rushing hydromancy and without the element of surprise they were quickly handled by the team. Aurelius continued to give out commands. He called out the constructs and instructed Tanisha when to lessen or increase the flow of water to throw the golems off balance. Once the last one fell and Tanisha felt no more disturbance in the magic she lessened the flow to just cover the floor so that if something stepped they would hear the wet slaps.

"That's the last of them," she announced, brushing sweat from her brow. "I've coated the stairs—if more come, we'll hear them."

"That had to be at least... what, twenty-four no, twenty five of those things." Aurelius said with a tired huff as he sheathed his sword. "If we were caught out in the open I think that could have been bad.

"That was brilliant thinking, Speedy," Tanisha said with a thumbs up. "You really took control of the battle."

"Thanks, it wasn't much," Aurelius said. "It was a good thing that you are a hydrokinetic mage... sage?"

Tanisha smiled and checked on Bjorn petting his side and nuzzling his closest head. He was still on alert with his other heads staring down to the lower level for any sign of further attackers. She decided to leave him to his guard duty.

"It was quick thinking," Fuyumi chimed in. "I would have just told you two to leave while I handled it. Or just had us retreat back to the next door and close it."

Aurelius seemed embarrassed by the praise so Tanisha changed the subject.

"I know that Higher Plane Energies are hard for people to detect when they don't have a connection to it like me." Tanisha said. "How did you react to that first one so quickly, Fuyumi? I didn't even sense it until after I started looking for it."