Tales of a Ninja Magician: Of What Defines Us

Metamorphoses

Mana glanced over the shimmering at the bottom abyss. The treasury of malevolent vibes that attracted her to take a careless step, do something reckless and something that, without a doubt, she'd never do anywhere else in the world. A couple of times Mana examined the contents of her bag trying to determine a suitable course of action.

She had some explosive cards in her pouch, the blast would be strong enough to leave holes and crack the entire surface of the walls she'd be scaling down. Then again, the blast would quite likely shake this whole place and Mana didn't like the odds of starting a small explosion inside an old pyramid. It seemed like a good kick would dislodge some of the bricks in these walls. The thought of getting crushed by the whole roof of pyramid collapsing began strangely attracting Mana, her arm reached for the cards but then the magician fought the evil impulses that surrounded this place.

It was like the box itself wanted to see its finder kill themselves trying to reach it. The ex-kunoichi browsed her bag some more and noticed she still had some old bandages left, if she tied several layers together she'd possibly have something quite strong to descend down with. Then again, looking down it seemed unlikely that she'd have enough bandage to last the whole trip down. It was much closer to the reality that she'd run out of the makeshift rope and then panic, maybe the evil impulses making her wish to end her own life in this place would get the better of her... It was way too risky. Then there was still the risk of the bandages being too old and worn out and tearing halfway down. That would without a doubt excite that infernal box.

Mana crept up to the edge, courting death so closely that half of her feet lingered off the solid ground and her body wavered freely above certain doom. Just one weak breeze would've tipped her over the balance and sent the magician tumbling down. The girl's consciousness returned, making her jump back in fear so fast and without care that she tumbled over and opened some new bruises bumping into a wall behind her and tripped over a small crack in the floor. This place was evil, either this pyramid had some strange curse seals placed on its walls or that Box emitted some immensely powerful chakra, evil and vile chakra. As a civilian Mana was much more affected by it just like she was by the Intents of those Justicars.

"Wait... I'm not thinking clearly, there's a passageway halfway there, there has to be. I'm looking at the Box from the top but if it's the basis of this whole pyramid then I can approach it from the sides instead of from the top." Mana realized. This evil presence within these walls made the magician completely struggle to think a single rational thought. This was perhaps the clearest idea she had in a while, what with all those crazy attractions to the countless ways she could've died in this place.

"It's just another protection mechanism. There're no traps here, that's because the owner knew the Box could protect itself..." Mana kept convincing herself, "You can handle it. You want this, more than anything. It's the last hope to get your life together... You want this!" the girl tried to pick up all of her remnants of will and stick them together into a plaster castle that could hold back the water flooding at its walls. The difference was that it wasn't toy soldiers that were at risk – it was Mana's life, in a way also those of her friends as well.

The thought of the people fighting for her making this final stretch invited strength back to Mana's mind like nothing else. This newfound burst of will made the magician almost slide down the staircase edges until she thought she'd reached the necessary height. Mana tossed a couple of explosive cards after swiping them in the air, usually, ninja tools required a fantastically simple ninjutsu technique to set off but Mana's cards were supposed to activate upon coming in contact with something after they were activated by swiping them. This deck was, at least...

A deafening boom shook the bricks beneath Mana's feet making her flip over and tumble down the basis and onto the jungle floor. The magician slowly picked herself up and examined her re-opened wounds looking at the nasty marks of blood she left on the rocks as well as the grass she was standing on. She'd need some serious disinfectant treatments after this...