ROTLE- Chapter 194- Beyond Mortal Ken (Patreon)

“Try it,” Uncle Tradis said when their eyes met. “Be defiant. I will not punish you for it.”

Elaswit swallowed.

When had she come to fear her uncle?

“My father would not send his children out into the world without protection,” she said, defiant only because he had permitted her.

Uncle Tradis laughed a little. “Why? Because that would be risking his heirs and thus the throne?”

Elaswit nodded slowly. “Yes.”

“Nastild is born in a way that anyone can take the throne. Brandis could leave one of you in charge and you would be ruler in nothing but name while some knight fighting at the kingdom’s boarder to protect it would be system-sanctioned. Protecting your children for the sake of protecting the throne is the line of thinking of a tyrant.” He crossed his legs. “Try again.”

Elaswit sat up, meeting the challenge. “He would not, because he loves us.”

“That is also a stupid reason.” Her uncle sighed. “It is the duty of a parent to ensure, by any means necessary, that their children grow to be capable of taking care of themselves and those they deem one of their own without the help of their parent. If their children die in the process in a world such as ours, then perhaps you have failed and should try again.”

When had Uncle Tradis become so… jaded.

“Now,” he continued, as if he hadn’t delivered such a bleak sense of raising children, “let us return to the task at hand. How do you get yourself out of my current position. And,” he added, as if she had wanted to answer immediately, “I know that you can use your brain because you just used it to try and justify why you father can’t send you out into the world. So, let’s pretend that you are not the daughter of a king and you do not have immediate access to a [Scryer] or the money required to employ a proper [Scryer]. Go again.”

Elaswit paused, blinked. “What of a [Tracker]?”

“Can you afford one?”

“Not if I am not the daughter of a king.”

“Then what would you do?”

Elaswit did not know. But she would rather die than admit such a thing to her uncle. Not after he had just insinuated that her father had failed at raising her and her siblings properly. Uncle Tradis could insult her all he wanted, but she would not sit and take his insults to her father.

So, it brought her back to the question. What would she do if she needed to find someone without the help of a [Tracker] or a [Scryer]?

She still had no idea.

What would her father do? Unfortunately, she only knew her father as a king and a father. Not as a man or the adventurer he had once been.

What of mother?

She would probably pull an enchantment that did what she needed it to do out of her ass. That was definitely not going to work for Elaswit.

Her mind still failed her. It failed her until a memory came to place. A dark cave. Gargoyles crawling out from every corner. A natural enchantment that had closed in on her. A boy who had figured out how to kill something with nothing but his wit and a clash of swords.

Elaswit frowned as the question came to mind.

What would Aiden Lacheart do?

Aiden was not one for propriety. He had been challenged at the Narranoff manor. And when he’d realized what it was about and the proper etiquette on how to handle such a situation, he had dashed propriety aside and done what he wanted.

When they were trapped in the cave set upon by gargoyles, he had…

Investigated.

Elaswit felt like a fool for not figuring it out on her own. Then again, it was not as if she had not known. A [Tracker] would have investigated, too. Just not in the most literal of senses. She knew that she was supposed to investigate, but she’d only mastered how to investigate a scene that involved slain monsters. Something as non-violent as this was different… But not impossible.

Her head moved, eyes darting around, searching, seeking.

They were trapped in a guest room, Uncle Tradis’ room. Valdan’s beloved was no friend of Uncle Tradis, so there would be nothing here. If she wanted to find a way, she would have to start from somewhere else. Her eyes moved to the door for a moment before settling on her uncle.

“I would need to find a way into the room of the lady of the manor,” she answered, finally.

Her uncle’s expression remained stern, unimpressed. “Why?”

“Because there might be something there that could direct me to where she may be heading.”

“That’s one might and may too many.”

“Mights and mays are all I’ve got.”

Her uncle pursed his lips in thought. “You do understand that that is unethical.”

“I am looking for a way out of your current position,” she answered easily, “Not an ethical way.”

Her uncle finally graced her with a new expression.

He grinned. “Now you’re thinking.”

…

Oncot slammed into the ground from a massive leap. The way the mana wrapped around him when he was high, dissipating on impact like a shockwave, told Aiden that it was a skill.

He turned away from the large man, ducked a swinging axe from an assailant, then dived away from an exploding skill. When he came up, his hands were already moving, sword casting a blow to the side. He reached upwards, grabbing his attacker who was taller than him by the chest of his vest. His perception picked out a few things happening around him.

There, his mind pointed out.

Aiden turned, the attacker still in his hold, and put the woman between him and the skill that was activating. When the skill struck, it hit the person in his hand. The woman screamed and clawed at her face as a sizzling sound filled the air.

Releasing her quickly, Aiden leapt on the attacker. His sword slid into the man’s neck as if into its scabbard without disruption.

[You have slain Blackfrost Lvl 59]

A frown creased his lips.

Weak. The people fighting Nosrath were too weak.

But he could not say that he blamed them. Kingdoms usually left the weak to keep an eye on Nosrath while the powerful were sent out to defend the kingdom’s interests or left behind to protect the kingdom. They wouldn’t have had enough time to summon the necessary muscle to put Nosrath down.

So, the weak was all they had.

Off in the distance, Valdan was moving like a dancer who had not danced for so long and missed it dearly. His feet carried him easily, he moved around skills and people. He drew no blood, though, ever the honorable knight.

A certain robed woman had gotten a little too close and he had rewarded her with a headbutt that put her in the ground.

Oncot was nowhere as graceful and merciful as Valdan. Every swinging weapon that he took from one person or the other drew blood. Whether his victims lived or died was most likely none of the man’s concern. And judging from the fact that he had just drawn a diagonal line across a person’s face with a particularly blunt looking half sword, it was safe to say that there were a lot of deaths at his hand.

Someone blasted a ball of fire at him from somewhere along the outskirts. Oncot turned his back on the person, taking the blow on the back. It left nothing but a rising bout of smoke as he shrugged it off and went for his next target.

As for Ted, he looked like a man having his fun. Sword undrawn at his hip, his serpent weaved through the chaos, batting people aside with its tail. The entire time Ted kept his eyes around, surveying the battlefield.

Aiden was beginning to wonder if it was some level of déjà vu working, some instinct from the forgotten timeline, or if Ted had always had this instinct and he had simply not known. He was akin to a master strategist, studying the battlefield, making new plans and adjusting old ones.

It was as impressive as it was eerie.

Without wasting much of his time, Aiden used [Dash]. It carried him through the chaos, bringing him closer to Valdan.

He had a plan.

Weaving past a green blast from a skill he could not be bothered to figure out, he rolled along the grass and came up with a strike to the person’s neck with an open hand. While they choked on the blow, he delivered a vicious slap with the flat of his sword. It sent the man hitting the ground hard as Aiden moved forward.

He let his perception spread out, keeping track of Elami. The [Healer] had made his way unto the battlefield now. He moved like a man not new to the chaos of war. He attacked nobody, turning blows aside with a staff and ducking others. He was good at this. Very good.

Beneath Aiden, his legs continued to move, stepping and swaying, carrying him through the battlefields. It was nostalgic, reminding him of battles he’d fought for kings and queens in the name of the Order. But while he’d never fought battles on this side of Nastild, and while this was nothing in comparison to the ones he’d fought, this was still, in its own way, nostalgic.

Oof, he thought, narrowly avoiding the a ground based attack with a jump. The attacker had hit the ground and sent shock waves through it, destabilizing people’s footing and burying a few in the low quality landslide.

The man looked at Aiden, the only person still standing in a ten foot radius, and growled. Rising to his feet, he rushed Aiden. He was fast, clad in heavy armor it was simply unfair. Aiden did not shirk away from the man, though. A fight was a fight.

Only halfway through the distance, a massive clawed arm reached out and snatched the man from the ground. Aiden saw the horror in the man’s eyes as Nosrath crushed him in its hands.

Aiden paused only for a moment before looking at Nosrath. The monster was looking at him again, red beady eyes taking him in. It was a familiar look, a look that said he was next… No. It said that he was the only one.

[Dash] carried Aiden as far as it could, throwing him towards Valdan.

Nosrath turned and a ball of acid fell all over it. It roared in pain.

Aiden knew the strategy. Everyone was trying to land the final blow on Nosrath. The problem was that it was a powerful monster with high level regeneration. And these people were too weak.

They would not be enough to land a significant enough amount of blows to kill it before it regenerates.

“VALDAN!” Aiden barked as he got within reach of Valdan.

The knight’s sword flashed out, turning a blow aside. His feet carried him easily and he moved around the man with a staff. The pommel of his sword knocked the man out easily.

“Aiden,” he said as if they were greeting each other at a ball.

Aiden came to a stop next to him. Light crackled in his hands as he did, replacing his sword with a massive bow. Valdan looked at it as Aiden nocked a massive arrow that could destroy a man’s head in one blow and drew it.

Standing beside Valdan, Aiden focused the arrow on a man in the distance with his staff pointed at Valdan.

“Try me,” he said, even though he was sure the man would not be able to hear him.

Slowly, carefully, the man lowered his staff. He looked left, then right, then ran off in chase of another enemy.

“I know the technique,” Valdan said suddenly. “I think I’ve perfected it.”

Aiden paused, turning to look out for other assailants. He found none. “What technique?”

“The one you showed me for my fight against Derendoff,” Valdan answered.

“In the palace?”

Valdan nodded.

It felt like forever ago that he was in the palace teaching Valdan a technique to survive a test.

Also, he couldn’t remember ever seeing Valdan practice the technique, though. It was impressive to think the knight had learnt the technique all by himself.

Aiden shook his head, dismissing the thoughts. Now was not the time to be proud of Valdan.

“I have an idea,” he said to Valdan.

Valdan’s head moved to the side. Aiden’s body obeyed. He drew back the arrow, aimed and let the arrow fly.

A man lost his entire left leg in his charge towards Valdan. He crashed to the ground in pain and agony, crying out for help from the gods.

Valdan gave him a quizzical look. “I thought you would go for the head.”

“We’re surrounded by weaklings,” Aiden replied. “We have the luxury of letting them live.”

“Aiden Lacheart intentionally letting people live.” Valdan chuckled. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

Aiden refused to continue down this specific path of conversation. “Like I said,” he repeated, “I have an idea.”

“Does it handle that specific problem?” Valdan tilted his head at Nosrath whose approach was only being slowed by the idiots very determined to deal the killing blow. “Also, what did you do to it to make it want you so badly.”

“No idea,” Aiden answered. “I’m going to use my manifesting skill, then Elami is going to bind it.”

“Then what?” Valdan asked.

“Then you and the others kill it.” Aiden was already activating [Walking Canvas]. “And kill it good.”

[You have used Class skill Walking Canvas]

He felt the mana wash out of him just as he activated the next skill. Over level one hundred, he was currently one of the deadliest people on the battlefield.

[You have used Manifesting skill Enchanted Void]

…

[Enchanted Void (Mastery 15.10%)]

You are an anomaly, weaving your very being. A Hostile to space itself, you birth your own world and weave its very fabric.

It is your reach. It is your domain. It is your void.

[Effect: All weaves and enchantments are in void status]

[Effect: Increase in effects of weaves and Enchantments]

[Effect: Decrease in mana cost of weaves and Enchantments]

[Effect: Increase in Enchantment effect to all allies within void]

[Effect: Decrease in Enchantment effect to all enemies within void]

[Effect: Decrease in mana cost for Enchantments used by allies within void]

[Effect: Increase in mana cost for Enchantments used by enemies within void]

[Effect: Increase in dimensional affinity for allies with affinity within void]

[Active Duration: Until termination or mana exhaustion]

Fifteen percent was quite the growth. Aiden wondered, only for a moment, if it was because he was past level one hundred. Normally, mastery only grew with constant use. The growth for every fifty levels was more about the quality of the skill not the mastery.

Then again, unlike the manifesting skills he knew, he had grown past level one hundred without having to develop a better understanding of anything.

When the world darkened, it was a familiar feeling. Aiden let it wash over him, his authority over the entire space. It brought a certain level of hubris with it. This was his domain, its current inhabitants his to do with as he pleased.

Nosrath stopped its charge as if confused. It looked around, eyes panning forgetting about Aiden for a time.

“ATTACK THE BEAST!” someone called out.

The call changed everyone’s mind. Those who had initially been going after each other turned their attention to Nosrath and attacked.

Aiden’s eyes sought Ted out, feeling him within the reach of his manifesting skill. Ted was fully aware of his skill being active. That meant that he knew better than to activate his own, too. The last thing they needed was that creature coming after them from out of nowhere.

Oncot had no care for the skill. He continued to hack his way towards Nosrath. Aiden could not say that he was surprised.

As for Elami…

Aiden frowned, seeing the confused distraught on the [Healer]’s face. It was as if the man thought he was currently witnessing the impossible.

After a moment, his eyes fastened on Aiden. Those eyes looked at him with concern. Aiden would’ve taken the time to wonder why, if he was not currently executing his plan.

“ON MY MARK!” he bellowed.

Then his hands came together. He was about to weave a sign when realization dawned on him. His blackened arm was red now. But that was not the realization. It was something else, something stronger, more powerful.

Aiden could not help the smile that creased his lips.

With nothing but a shrug of will, he issued the command and his interface popped up.

[You have used Enchantment of Binding]

He watched the mana reach out from the ground. They were all a deep blue, each one springing forth in varying designs. Some were chains. Some were vines. Some were climbing plants. Some were strips of clothing.

Each one bound a living person, tying them to the ground.

As for Nosrath, there were too many. They continued to reach out from the ground, binding it. First its leg, then its arms. They reached high to throw themselves over its shoulder, trying to force it down to its knees.

Valdan drew his sword and swung it.

[Aura strike].

Aiden knew the skill. He had seen it many times. What he had not seen was the aura being a deep blue black.

Just how much did his manifesting skill affect his allies within it.

Nosrath roared as it watched the blast come at it.

Aiden felt the strain on his mana as it fought against his bindings, winning. In the distance somewhere, somebody escaped, ripping free of the bindings. A small creature crawled up his back and stung him in the neck. The man spasmed, staggered, then fell face first in the ground.

Ted gave Aiden a thumbs up.

Maybe this plan just might work.

Valdan’s attack slammed into Nosrath. Someone stepped into Aiden’s domain. He felt them, there were more than one. Telma had joined the fray, a massive arrow shattering against Nosrath’s back.

Estabel aimed her staff at Nosrath and a blast of electricity left it, crackling through the air to strike Nosrath.

Aiden used his skill.

[You have used Enchantment of Lightning]

…

[You have used Enchantment of Force]

…

[You have used Enchantment of Precision]

…

[You have used Enchantment of Amplification]

…

[You have used Enchantment of Piercing]

His mana took a nose dive, but Aiden ignored it.

Estabel’s lightning strike became a roar through his domain. Its size seemed to triple. Aiden could feel the electricity in the air from over the distance as it seemed to push the mana and air in front of it out of its way.

Valdan swung his sword once more.

The lightning slammed into Nosrath. It cried out in pain. The lightning did not simply electrocute the monster, it gouged an injury in it, then electrocuted it from within. Valdan’s [Aura strike] cut through the air covered in lightning and quadrupling in size. It tore through two men who tore free of their bindings, cleaving through them easily.

When it slammed into Nosrath, it gouged out a section of its chest, leaving a massive diagonal laceration.

Gasps went through the entire space as Nosrath’s roar shook the air.

Aiden’s eyes widened in shock. He didn’t think his enhancements were so strong that they made his attack so strong.

Then Nosrath raised its head to the sky and opened its mouth. A wail tore through its throat and filled the world.

[Nosrath has used skill Wail of the Immortal]

…

[Nosrath skill Wail of the Immortal has applied a debuff]

…

[You have received debuff: Pain of the Trespasser]

…

[Skill Resilience detected]

[You have high enough Resilience]

[You have resisted debuff Pain of the Trespasser]

Aiden ignored it all, willing another enchantment into being. Now that he had crossed level one hundred, the enchantments in his arsenal had grown.

[You have used Enchantment of Resilience]

Ted dropped to his feet and the serpentine creature he had been riding, made a straight path for Nosrath, ignoring the effects of its skill while someone’s head exploded to the side.

Tanor’s massive shield slammed into Nosrath with enough force to send it staggering. It boomed on impact, enhanced by electricity and force from Aiden’s enchantments.

Elami chose then to toss his hand skyward, now free from his confusion.

Something reached up from his hand.

Nosrath looked up at it, beady eyes widening in what looked like horror.

The item Elami tossed up exploded.

Nosrath doubled over, dropping on its hands.

It started choking.

[Artifact Wielder of Nosrath has been used]

…

[Nosrath cannot breathe.]

…

[Wielder of Nosrath takes effect]

Nosrath’s hands hit the ground, and the monster froze as if in ice.

The world fell silent suddenly. Everyone stared at the creature, even those still bound in Aiden’s [Enchantment of Binding].

This was the moment of truth.

Aiden looked at Elami.

Oncot leapt high in the air.

And Estabel called down fire from the sky.

It was now or never. It ended now.

Aiden addressed Valdan. “Prepare yours—”

Someone tore his way into Aiden’s domain. He dropped like a meteor from the sky, tearing through everything to hit the ground in a massive boom, raising a cloud of dust.

The world fell silent once more.

From the cloud rose a man in broken armor.

Aiden recognized him.

The world was playing a sick and twisted joke on him.

Aiden frowned, preparing himself for new combat.

For some reason beyond human ken, Sir Aido Baragon was here.

From the heart of the dying cloud of dust, the Immortal rose.