Shadow of the Abyss

At his command, Riena barreled through the air, brimming with Mana as 'Ice' shrieked towards the beast, bearing down on the head of the goat. A thunderous ding tore through the air, cracking the earth below as Reina's blade met with the beast's scales.

"Infernal Bane!" Altair chanted, pointing Endyiam towards the Serpent, aiming its mouth towards Reina. Suddenly, a dark blade congealed out of all the great evils over the serpents just as it was about to sink its stained teeth into Reina. The blade sunk into its skull as a cry raced through the realm.

[Infernal Bane is in Effect]

[Chimera has been Frightened due to Inferal Bane]

[All Stats have dropped by 30%]

Lunar Chimera Lv 12

Race: Monstrosity

Strength: 24 → 16.816

Dexterity: 16 → 11.2

Constitution: 20 → 14

Wisdom: 15 → 10.8

Charisma: 10 → 7

Mana: 10 → 7

[Infernal Bane [F] proficiency has increased by 5%]

Using the force of her blade against the Chimera, Riana leaped away, feeling her heart tremble with fear. Had Altair's spell failed, she'd be dead.

BOOOM~ BOOM~ BOOOM~

[Infernal Bane [F] proficiency has increased by 5%]

Thrashing against the wall in a state of madness, the Chimera hammered its head against the wall of the hole it fell into, howling away as black ooze gushed from its forehead. Foamy blood gathered from its three mouths as that maddening glow in its eyes intensified.

"Phase One done," Altair said, short of breath. He glanced at her. " You Good?"

[Infernal Bane [F] proficiency has increased by 5%]

"Yeah. Thanks for the assist. I didn't even have time to react." Reina said, glaring at the mad beast, lost in whimpers of anguish and madness. She turned to Altair. "What do we do now?"

"We wait." Altair coldly said. "We let it weaken itself. Infernal bane will cause it to drain its mental acuity, while the poison the body." He was surprised by how Infernal Bane increased proficiency but said nothing of it, figuring it was due to how powerful the beast was.

"This hole isn't that deep. It's only a matter of time before the beast scales it." Reina said. "Where is the next trap? I want to—" She stopped turning to the Chimera as a large magic circle erupted from the Serpent's head. Dread caught hold of the young girl as her eyes went wide. "Run!

RUN!!!!"

Altair looked back, catching sight of the golden Circle blazing with light, and knew without hesitation what it was.

"It's a Photon Beam! Get on top of a tree!" He roared, scaling a nearby tree. The boy watched as a light began to congeal into the material plane when his eyes began to throb.

[Eye of Sacrilege has activated Insight!]

Understanding began to sink into his mind as he watched the way Mana worked. He'd always thought of it as existing in both the Ethereal Plane alongside the Material. But As he watched the dual shape Mana Circle around the Chimera devour the Mana of Heaven and Earth., he began to take note of his theory.

He had been right. Mana did indeed exist in both, but he found himself missing an important step as his thoughts began to expand on the singular idea of the Material and Metaphysical plane. He touched his heart, wearing a bright smile: "It's not enough I connect to the Etherial Plane or the Material Plane… I needed to build a mental connection with both.

My body shall connect to the material plane and my mind to the Etherial. How did I miss something so rudimentary? Mana isn't something only for the mind to comprehend. It's something my body needs to experience."

[Ding]

[Insight of Mana Gained]

[Mana Manipulation[F] aquired]

[Ding]

[Due to your massive level of knowledge regarding Mana Manipulation, users' proficiency has begun to change.]

[Mana Manipulation [F→ E]

Proficiency: 25%

Altair wildly grinned as Mana began to surge through his Mana Roots beneath his will. Directing his Mana in the way Luna had instructed. The Prince felt the Circle of Gluttony speed up as a small domain began to form around him. No more than five meters wide, all the Mana around the Prince began to be drained into his Circle, refilling his half-empty Circle.

Reina watched with fascination and then dread as she watched Altair point his sword yet again at the Chimera, chanting its spell.

[Infernal Bane]

[Infernal Bane [F] proficiency has increased by 20%]

Proficiency: 18% → 38%

Once again, the Sword of Torment began to form and fell above the Serpent's skull, already bonded by Infernal Bane. Golden shards of light washed the realm in a great array of light that lit the woods ablaze.

Sparks of a deadly light fueled by Mana exploded, blasting everyone away in a blinding flash of light as the spell failed to activate, exploding due to insufficient concentration and Mana. Altair and Riena shrieked over the ground like rag dolls, coughing up mouthfuls of blood as heat blisters scarred their flesh.

Popping his head up as his body embedded itself into the trunk of a large sentinel tree after a few minutes, Altair groaned, trying to find Reina. Everything had happened so fast. But as his vision began to refocus from its earlier darkness, the Prince could only suck in a large breath at the state of the forest.

As if an atomic bomb had been set off, all that remained was a charcoal abyss of ash and death.

Panic invaded the Prince's mind as he tumbled to the ground, falling to a knee. He looked around, still somewhat dazed. "Riena!' He called, his head spinning with a ringing noise. "Riena!"

Reina lay flat on her back about a meter behind him, blood leaking from her nose. She popped her head up with great effort, her ears filled with the same noise as the boy ahead of her. Unsure what was happening, she dizzily looked down at the wreckage of her burnt flesh. She tilted her head, staggering up as blood erupted from her lips.

"Six… Six broken ribs." She muttered, wiping away the blood. She staggered to Altair, pressing her arm onto his shoulder as if to support herself. "You… Ok?"

Relief came quickly over the Prince. He nodded. " Yeah. I didn't get hit that hard. You?"

"A few broken bones." She passively answered, betrayed by the blood leaking from her eyes, nose, and mouth. But Altair wouldn't point that out. It wasn't the time. "You see the Chimera?"

Altair shook his head when suddenly a notification popped up.

[Infernal Bane [F] proficiency has increased by 5%]

[Infernal Bane [F] proficiency has increased by 5%]

Proficiency: 38% → 48%

"No, but it's alive." He answered. " Infernal Bane is still active." He coughed into his palm, finding blood through the ash staining his vision. "I messed up. I did not think his spell would explode."

"It was a tier two spell." Reina weakly said. She shook her head, reaching into her tunic and pulling out a cracked vial. She cursed but swallowed the ruby-red liquid. Altair did the same.

[Balm of Healing Consumed]

Embellishing in the cool heat baring down on their withered bodies, the duo did not bother to look for the Chimera. Rather, they slowly retreated to the base to treat their wounds. Artemis had given them two days. And not even a day had passed since.