บท 255: Anti-Mages

All in all, it was a very good haul, though, he was slightly sceptical on whether or not the potions would be edible or effective considering just how long they'd been buried here. Did potions last thousands of years? He doubted it, but he'd get an Alchemist to check nonetheless. Tiffania said it should be fine, but, he'd rather trust the word of an expert than someone who'd just started dabbling in the art... No offence meant of course.

As for how they'd split the treasure? Well, Medresi only wanted the gold and gems, so they gave just over half of the immediate wealth to her while Michael and the others took the weapons, potions, spell scrolls and tomes, and the rolls of fabric.

Michael stored all of it in his inventory and went to check on Illococoo, finding her having almost finished transcribing the Word Wall on many parchments of paper. She was making extra effort to get each word right, as one mistake could ruin a great amount of progress with the language. If only he'd remembered to store the coal that Vampire was using, she wouldn't need to go through all this effort...

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The group convenes outside the entrance of the dungeon, everyone looking no worse for wear aside from Medresi. Michael had offered to carry her loot for her, but she refused, leaving her to lug around the rather huge sack of gold and jewellery.

Illococoo goes to tell the tale of their 'adventure' to Charlotte while Michael and Tiffanai start preparing tents for the night. If all went well, they'd reach Riften by tomorrow.

"E-excuse me... Would it be too much of a bother to ask that you take me with you? I-... Didn't think there would be so much treasure, I don't think I'd make it back while carrying all of this."

Michael shrugs, "Sure, as long as you show us around Riften when we get there. I'm sure a treasure hunter like yourself knows the 'less-than-public' establishments." he says, wanting to see if the black market would have anything interesting to buy...

She agrees, and goes back to her own tent that'd been set up while the miners were here. Leaving Michael's group to converse among themselves. He brings out the Spell Tomes they'd found and passes them around for them to look at, leaving himself with Grand Healing. He wasn't sure how they actually worked, in the game you'd just 'consume' it and learn the spell, but he doubted that was the case here.

He opens it and is immediately greeted by the spells name, explanation, theory, and potential uses. Along with the history of it and the person who'd initially developed it. Was this really needed? He didn't think so, but maybe this information helped the reader understand the process of casting it?

Unfortunately, most of what was in the book went right over his head. The diagrams, mana movement, and incantations was just gibberish to him. He compared it to the Candlelight Spell Tome and quickly understood that it was the difference between a Novice spell and an Expert spell.

Regardless, it was a good find, and he hoped to be able to actually learn it once they started their studies in the college... The others were also interested in them as well, though, Illococoo slightly less so as she buried her nose in the parchments of transcribed dragon speech.

Soon enough though it was time for sleep, for the others at least. He laid next to a clinging Tiffania and retrieved the Book of Heroes, beginning his nightly training sessions with his teachers.

Two hours and five minutes later, he'd finished. Meditating with Rhasta, Knife work with Riki, and getting the shit kicked out of him by Slark... But there was one last Spirit that he hadn't addressed yet. Anti-Mage. Well, Anti-Mages.

He wasn't sure how they'd receive him, the situation concerning the Book of Heroes was definitely magical, and since they were technically imprisoned, he doubted the magic-hating duo would have kind words for him.

He thinks about it for a couple minutes before deciding to just come clean with them, explain the situation and see what they wanted to do from there... There wasn't really anything he could do for them, aside from gift them items, then again, warrior monks were known for their materialistic greed...

Shaking his head, he opens the book and focuses on the picture of the female Anti-Mage meditating while the older, original male one watched from the side. As if sensing his intentions, the book slowly started to actualize it, turning the ink into reality.

After a few moments, the duo was alive. The female hadn't seemed to notice anything, but the man with crossed arms frowns suddenly, glancing around as if he'd sensed something amiss. They were inside their temple currently, so they hadn't noticed Michael giant face replacing the sun yet...

Regardless, he takes a deep breath then pushes his consciousness into the book, his form manifesting next to the female Anti-Mage. She doesn't notice, too enthralled in her training, but the male does...

"Wei!" he exclaims, his feet moving in the familiar, yet extremely efficient pattern to use Blink. His hands already gripping his glowing blue moon-like blades. He's so quick that Michael wouldn't be able to respond as his head gets cut. Lucky for him, he'd already prepared for such a reaction.

He Blinks onto the other side of the room, his hands quickly reaching for the sky in the universal sign for surrender, "Wait! I mean you no harm!" he shouts, causing both Anti-Mage's to look at him in confusion.

...

"Master, did you take another Disciple before me?" the girl, apparently called 'Wei', asks with a frown, "Because that looked distinctly like a Turstarkuri technique..."

Anti-Mage shakes his head, "I am sure that none of the monastery escaped the Dead Gods clutches. Even so, it was I that modified their teachings for battle... You, are you one of that damnable Grand Magus' students?" he asks, no, demands while pointing his strange weapon at Michael.

Was he talking about Rubick? "Er, not exactly... I think I've got a lot to explain... If you'd let me?"