Not So Gentle Introductions Part IV

I had to be careful not to incinerate this threat. At the same time I didn’t want to pull its attention onto me. To make matters worse, throw Kozak pinned beneath the feelpe. This left me with very few options left in my arsenal.

I began an incarnation to attempt to give Kozak a chance to get out from under the feelpes grasp. Each of my fingertips began to glow as fire arrows began to take form. I moved one of the fairy fires from the tree to the left of me to my target which was the inner hind leg which was pinning Kozak. I let the flames go banking on the splinters of flame wouldn’t injure Kozak to bad. Much to my dismay it had even a less effect as when my arrows hit the armor plated legs directing the flames away from the feelpe and Kozak.

Croff came behind Raddect and quickly began buffing up his reaction time and strength. He then quickly cast galevin armor on Raddect which had a regeneration aspect to it. Raddects wounds began to close up giving him a sigh of relief. With these spells in motion you could tell Raddect wasn’t fighting for his life anymore. He was keeping pace with the feelpes assault but not gaining any ground.  

It hit me right then to twin cast flame arrow and magma sword enchantment with a delay mixed in. It took a few seconds to formulate the words needed for this as it was no regular spell. The moment I had the words on the tip of my tongue I spoke them and Raddects blades where superimposed with magma as soon as the arrow stuck them.

Raddect took a defensive posture not knowing exactly why I was throwing spells at him. The split second he realized what I had done he press his assault. It was here when we started to get this fight under control. The next claw the feelpe swung was met with Raddects blade and it sliced through the tough plates of armor and the feelpe wailed.

As the Creature wailed its claws pinning Kozak down set deeper into Kozak’s armor. The Fairy fire I had placed on the feelpe showed Kozak’s eyes turn red. His bloodlust had set in, a trait unique to Blood Ogre Clan. He grew almost triple in size. Making it hard for the creature to keep him pinned with one claw. Kozak pushed with his axe which pulled the claws out of his chest, Kozak roared in agony. Attentively Raddect noticed the creature shifting its weight to regain its balance from Kozaks sudden push. Raddect swung both of his blades in the same direction Kozak was pushing from and struck the shoulder of the feelpe. Each blade melting deep cuts through the shoulder plates of the feelpe. The Feelpe having no choice but to jump back, or fall over, jumped back catching its balance. In doing so spread both of its wings while letting out a ear shattering scream.

Kozak being freed quickly rose to his feet. His eyes where glowing red and the blood in his viens where all protruding from his skin. He gripped his axe with both hands and took a lunging swing at the beast that had him in deaths grasps for what must have seemed like days. Kozak landed a blow against the feelpes head with the side of his axe, knocking the creature back towards me.

Shaking its head from the blow it just received the feelpe turned towards me and began to jaunt in my direction. Raddect started to cast grasping thorns and Croffs force chant could be herd. With out thought my defensive magma shield went up protecting me by at least two feet. But the feelpe had no intention of attacking me it was fleeing. As it took to the air the vines and the glow of the pillars where both just out of reach.

I turned to cast but the midnight air and trees gave perfect cover for the dark black and blue feelpe. Pist that it had escaped I released the cyclone of flames into the sky. Kozak crashed to the ground exhausted with Croff not to far from him running to take care of all his wounds.

Raddect quickly took the soil the creature had bleed upon and waffed its scent across his face. “Ill have no problem finding that insolent creature now!” Raddect said with a sting in his voice.

Skin Art

Late one evening the proctor of the Great Library came to the table I had something shy of fifty books stacked on. “Magus Coridan sir, would you mind if we closed early tonight as my daughter is getting married in the morning and I would love to give her moon tip lilies from the mountain.”

“Sure Proctor Castrum, may I borrow this book here for the night to keep me occupied?”

“Why yes Coridan, but a book on tribal inscriptions is a little out of the norm for you isn’t it?”

I laughed, “It’s a book in your library what is not normal about me with a book?”

As we walked out of the building Castrum rushed towards to western gate. I headed to a new acquaintance I had made in the shady part of town. His name was Lenar Stempel; he had a hand for body art. We had been discussing the different lizardmen tribes and their shaman tattoos that summoned their spirit companions just with a touch. If the ink used was magical or the person doing the inscription was binding the companion to the tattoo. We had covered most of every topic concerning magical runes and inscriptions. I even pulled in some draconic markings on scales we had in the library to explain how the elder dragons protected themselves from dragon hunters with similar inscriptions.

Lener finally agreed he would do the tattoo if I could aquire everything needed to do it. His list was extensive at first glance impossible. I mean where all of HADES was I to aquire fire mephit blood?

It took about two total years of research and bargining to finally acquire the ink and needles needed. The Arch Mage gave me a lot of help aquiring the items needed for project. I might even said his connections where invaluable to getting this project completed. But he was getting curious why I needed the items I had requested. I had held him off for the two years it took to aquire everything and get the patterns drawn for the tattoo.  I had told him in three days to visit me at Leners place.

I had the needles made in the dwarven lava mines, the hottest kilns of all of Keldar. The ink had a crushed red dragon scale, claw, salvia gland, elvish fire water, blood of a fire mephit, and the ink base from Galentula the giant octopus of the western sea.

We were to start the inscriptions on my hands that night. The process was going to last three days and nights. When it was over I would have sleeves cresting onto my breast and back. The knotted flames with inscriptions written in draconic where going to be a first of its kind. I had only tested it on a few mice most of which would die due to the heat of the ink.

Lener put the neddle into a cedar handle to protect him from how hot the needle would become. As he dipped the needle in the ink Lener said, "Lets begin shall we?" As the needle crossed over my skin for the first time the ink burned deep into my body at times it felt like my soul was being assulted. This is what the men I have burnt to dust must have felt in their last moments. As the needle started to glow from the heat of the ink I relized  I had to bare this pain for three days. I dont know if i was prepared for this, but its to late now lets just hope I can endure this smeldering pain.  

Lenar was amazed at the lack of blood, but it seems the ink was innately sealing the wounds with its heat. He was amazing during these three days his hand was as steady as it was on the first day. Although he has a very small grasp of what he is marking my body with. He grew  attach to the project as though it was his very own. And this simple attachment to his own work made my piece of art even better due to his heart and soul being poured into it.

When the third day dawned the Arch Magus visited me in Lenar’s shop to see how close the final result was. And the look of fear came across his face. “Coridan, do you realize the depths of what will constantly grow on you body now?” He said as he backed up estonished.  

Weakly I said “Yes I do, not only will this grow across my body as I grow. It has the power to amplify my power by the same increment.  Hence the reasoning of why I did it. This will be one of the only things in my life time that will ever be able to keep pace with my level if I can survive the rest of it."

This night was the night the Arch Magus knew how far ahead of him in the realm of magica I was. He took me into the council the next week and showed them my work. Explained it to those who where completely lost. Some where amazed, others frightened. To add to the ordeal he then he put my name into the the air to be promoted to Arch Magus. With all the responsibility and status that come with such a title.

One thing the Arch Magus Balthzeer always will have over me will be the foresight of wisdom.   This status upgrade would seal my alliance to the Kingdom and put me in my place as a protector. A wise move on his part.