Seeing Darius starting to inflame his own arm, Logan had several options available to him. He could dodge the slower casting of Flame, sprint in and interrupt his casting, absorb the spell and reveal his abilities further or even quick casting would do the same. Such an enclosed space was the worst battle arena for a caster, but without his weapons, Logan was also at a disadvantage.

“I immolate all before me!” Darius continued his chant, Logan had to make a choice but he wanted to keep his cards close. Charging forwards, Logan picked up the bloody knife from the floor, striking at the Wizard. Before he could close the gap enough, Logan was assaulted with magic.

“Flame Wall!” the Wizard called out as he waved his hand across the rocky floor. A line of flames appeared from the floor, shooting upwards in a torrent of fire, the sound of flickering tinder and the quick combustion of air radiated into the cavern. Stopping his charge, Logan slid just a few inches away from the wall of fire. Through the barrier, a flaming staff crashed forth with an overhead swing, slamming down on Logan's head, dealing him 3 damage and 4 fire damage.

“Crap, a new alteration. Those flames seem much hotter than mine, his Intelligence is probably leagues above my own, and his level is also 4 higher. I can't risk a magic hit like this”, Logan calculated, backstepping away from the fire wall. “He could cut off all exits with that kind of magic, I need to get outside”, he decided, turning his tail and running down the hallway he was dragged through earlier.

“You cannot escape me, oracle!” Darius yelled, jumping through his own flames, sprinting after his pet.

“I need Marcus's help, without my gear I have little options besides showing this guy more of my abilities. He may be crazy, but. Damn it, do I have to kill another person?” Logan disliked the idea of killing people becoming a casual thing to him, but this world was turning out to be more hostile than he thought.

Logan could start to hear the chattering of a casting incantation behind him, if his pursuer's speech was dulled due to the distance and running, maybe he could quick cast without issue. Throwing his hand back, Logan tried to imitate that he had just finished a spell “Force!” he shouted, a wave of energy welling up in his shoulder before being shot like a cannon to the Wizard behind him.

Even though his level was much higher, Darius was still a Wizard, so his Strength was relatively low, allowing Logan's mick to push the opponent to the floor, dealing 7 damage to his opposing mad Wizard. “Good, that'll buy me a few seconds”, Logan thanked his good luck.

Dashing out of the cavern entrance, Logan saw that the day had passed into evening, a tangerine hue cast over the grassy plains and distant trees. Scanning the field for his ally, Logan spotted Marcus worming his way to the mountain walls.

“Marcus!” the Spellthief shouted, running over to his Devout ally. All Marcus could respond with were muffled responses through a rope gag. Sliding with his left leg across the grassy plains, Logan slowed down into a kneeling position as he began to cut at the ropes around Marcus's hands.

“Hear the calming song of the master, drift off in his sand. Sleep Shot”, Darius chanted as he exited the cavern, hitting the Devout with a breeze of sleep spores. With a drooping head, Marcus fell asleep once more. “Shit”, Logan exclaimed in his head, standing up from his now sleeping ally.

“Let us not have an audience, that man has been affected by your abilities so I aim to keep a backup if you do not produce any results”, Darius informed, walking towards Logan. With a staff sparking with lightning energy, Logan was sure that Darius had infused his weapon.

“Why take this route? Why not approach me and ask if we could make the item together?” Logan demanded, trying to prolong the fight so that the Infuse would end early.

“Oracles have the ability to grow at rates much faster than anyone else, you were getting close to overcoming the gap between us. Who would take an offer from a weaker being? Don't try to make me believe you would work alongside me to make something that would make others as strong as yourself. Those with power, keep it!” Darius explained, charging to slam at Logan again.

Dodging to the right, Logan rolled across the grassy plains, darting his eyes all around he looked for any form of cover to use from magical attacks, though all he could see were rocks or fallen tree trunks.

“Stay still! Father earth, breach forward and”, Darius started to chant, Logan remembered this as the second level spell Root. Rushing to a tree trunk, Logan leapt over it with a horizontal body. “crush my foes! Root Shot!” Darius finished, the earth beneath him rupturing and shaking, several large vines as well as roots crushing upwards. Spiralling through the air, the earthly attack cascaded into the tree trunk, wrapping around the forest ally and splitting it in two with a mighty grasp.

“You can't hide like that!” Darius shouted, aiming his hand up high, a stormy cloud starting to form.

“Powers of Levin, crackle and burst down to my point. Lightning Skystrike!” with an incantation, the storm above Logan became fiercer, crackling with bolts of blue. Following a roaring thunderous boom, a strike of lightning shot down to the ground. Hidden behind the tree trunk, Logan threw up his hand. “Spell Absorb!” he thought.

The lightning hit Logan's arm, sparkling around his limb into his shoulder, the static power making his teeth chatter.

“Spell Absorption successful. Lightning charge stored.”

Pushing up with his other arm, Logan got to a kneeling position, with his arm raised towards Darius.

“Powers of Levin, crackle and burst down to my point. Lightning Shot!” he chanted mockingly back at Darius whose eyes lit up both in fear as well as the blue lightning that was coursing through the air towards the helpless Wizard. With the assistance of 20% due to being tier 3, the spell cast from Logan dealt a heavy 21 damage to Darius, his body letting off a wispy white smoke as his insides boiled up from the electricity.

“Ahhh”, Darius cried out in pain, his body twitching all over from the shock to his system. “You're as bad as those damn vampire spawn bastarns. But that spell was barely half of mine, you'll fall before I do.”

“Let's stop this Darius, I don't wan-” Logan started.

“Don't want to kill again? I heard what happened to my minion. Gone without a trace, all I got back was his detail watch”, Darius cut Logan off, answering him with anger in his voice.

“You're his master? What did you want with the gashriek?” Logan inquired, moving slowly to the right to find more cover.

“Their forest holds many curious items, not that you'll see them. Forces of arcane”, Darius responded, beginning to cast another spell.

“Damn it, run out of slots already”, Logan implored. Running to a sizable rock, Logan slid behind it as he awaited another spell.

“Empower my body with speed. Haste!” Darius ended, his body shimmering and creating afterimages around a foot from his centre. Bending down to a sprinting stance, he dashed forwards, easily over twice his normal speed. Circling the rock, he looked down on Logan, whose slower pace was unable to dodge the staff strike to his face, dealing 2 damage and 3 lightning damage.

“I have to end this, that speed is too much”, Logan panicked, jumping back but unable to make any distance. Flames started to form in his hand as he began to cast.

“Flame Grasp!” he yelled, an explosion of fire in his palm, thrusting it towards the Wizard. Where every other foe was obliterated with this same move, Darius instead spun his staff and hit Logan's wrist, the spell being discharged into the floor and wasted. “Fuck”, Logan cursed in his head.

“Quick casting? You are a prize, Logan”, Darius said in his sped up tone, following up with three more strikes into Logan's face and stomach, dealing a total of 7 damage and 9 lightning damage.

“Current HP: 15/60”, a window informed Logan, updating with each strike.

“Shit, I need to do something!” Logan's thoughts raced, though not fast enough for the Wizard, requiring him to use dirty tactics.

In retaliation, Logan started to throw a left hook at Darius whose overwhelming speed was easily able to duck under it. Logan only used his fist as a feint, however, bringing up the knife with his right hand into the kidney of Darius, dealing 6 damage to the Wizard.

“Sly fucker. You're no mere Wizard”, Darius retorted, narrowly missing the Spellthief with his staff. Recoiling backwards, he brought up his arm to his side.

“Necrotic energies fill me, take from others and bestow. Necromantic Grasp”, Darius chanted, his arm exploding into dark tendrils of energy, whipping around his limb. Throwing his arm forwards, he meant to grab Logan, who saw his chance. Meeting his foe, Logan caught Darius's hand in a tight grip, fingers interlocking as a test of strength which Logan was able to play off as breaking Darius's wrist back. “Spell Absorb!” he commanded mentally.

“Spell Absorption successful. Necromantic charge stored, Necromantic has progressed to tier 3”, a window confirmed a success, a glint in Logan's eyes as he saw his chance for victory.

Dealing a heavy knee strike into Darius's stomach, Logan pulled his still locked hand down, pulling Darius into a bent position to the floor. With his other hand, Logan dropped the knife as shadowy energies formed in his arm.

“Necromantic Grasp!” he called out, a dark visage of his arm appearing over his limb ending in a demonic claw. Driving it deep into the top of Darius's spine an affirmative “Backstab” appeared over the wound. With a gushing of blood, the claw absorbed the energies back into Logan, dealing the Wizard 20 damage and healing Logan for as much. Darius kicked Logan away, as the two now had some distance between them, a few seconds for Logan to access the situation.

Logan: 35/58 HP.

Darius: 3/60 HP.

Blood pouring from his mouth and wounds, Darius rose his hand quickly, a spark and explosion of magic erupting from his limb.

“Flame Shot!” Darius spoke, quick casting at Logan who was not prepared for the blast. A torrent of flames flew from Darius's arm, flowing over Logan as if it were a waterfall of fire. Burning him to his core, Logan was left with half singed clothing and a smoking body as the spell ended, dealing 28 damage to him.

“His spells are this strong?” Logan was on death's door from the last attack, his vision faded and blurry. The quick cast took a lot from his foe too however, Darius having spent possibly more slots on a single level one spell. With a final ditch attempt at victory, Logan ran forward with his right arm outstretched and his left close to his side.

“Force!” he called out, a wave of energy blasting towards Darius that easily blocked his face from damage with his staff. A chuckle could be heard from the Wizard as he was able to stop the blow, but it was yet another feint by the Spellthief.

Pushing his left hand into the chest of Darius, Logan commanded his ability forward, “Essence Absorb”, he thought.

Black and dark-green lines dashed and darted from Logan's hand as they travelled over the body of Darius, visible through cuts in his robe. Darius had a second to consider what was happening until the glass of reality shattered, and his mind was invaded. Digging into the Wizard, the lines crushed his being as the lines charged blue and purple energies through the Wizard into Logan.

As if sucked into a black hole, the body of Darius disappeared into Logan's palm, leaving behind only his possessions as they fell to the floor. A thud of the wooden staff against hard dirt marked the end of the fight, combined with the System's response to Logan's skill.

“Absorption of foe complete. Calculating reward…”

“798 absorbed experience, Aqua, Gaia, Infuse, Dimensional Jaunt, and Sleep have been learnt. Aqua has progressed to tier 2, Gaia has progressed to tier 2, Infuse has progressed to tier 2.”

Along with the skill, Logan also gained 1,080 XP for defeating Darius.

Falling to the floor in a sitting position, Logan steadied his fall with his hands, breath escaping his lungs just like he escaped the cave. “So that, that was the master. Closest call yet, if any of his other spells hit me, I would be dead and put into a bottle”, Logan's stomach churned again, though he was getting used to the situations that made him sick at this point.

“That's 3 men I've killed now. When will it stop? Is this world all going to be me or them? Identification said he was a reject, so hopefully, the Magi’s Tower isn't full of more people like him. But it seems that oracles are known to that association, so I better give them a wide berth”, Logan surmised.

Taking a few moments to compose himself, Logan stood up, taking the items of Darius and moving over to Marcus. It seemed like the Devout was still fast asleep due to the spell placed on him, so Logan just cut the ropes for now. Checking the Sleep spell, Logan wanted to see if there was a quicker way to wake his ally.

“So that is how he was able to take my blood without me waking, Darius's level was 9, so he had to deal 10 to wake me in one hit. I can't do that to Marcus though, I can just use our waterskin on him if I knew where it was”, Logan planned, looking around the immediate area for their backpacks or bags.

Standing back up, Logan finally realised the pain his body was in. A wave of exhaustion alongside a stinging sensation was felt across his frame, the burn wounds still hot to the touch. His legs were covered in cuts or puncture holes, and his cheek had a still-bleeding hole. “I need to wake Marcus, this feels terrible”, Logan determined.

Returning to the cave, Logan made a slow walk forward, summoning up his Light Ally to aid his traversal. Each step sent a shockwave of pain up his legs, but he had to push through it to find his party's belongings. Finding the fork in the path, the alchemy table had burnt to a pile of smouldering wood, falling apart when it lost structural integrity. The wall of fire had dissipated, allowing Logan to search without impediment.

Scanning over the local area, Darius was indeed trying to make something powerful, countless vials, components, and notes had gone up in flames, much more than what he would have gathered just from Logan. A few bags and containers were far enough away from the fire to be left unscathed, amongst them were the belongings of the two adventurers. Equipping his weapons just in case, Logan took the rest outside.

Stumbling to the side of Marcus, Logan picked out his waterskin and squeezed it onto the sleeping Devout's face. Splattering and wheezing awake, the Devout shot up to a seated position, darting his head around.

“Logan! Where is our abductor! Let me at him”, Marcus demanded, not being able to see the charging Wizard anymore.

“He's dealt with, was a close call though. Thankfully he kept his attention on me and not you. Speaking of which, mind patching me up?” Logan winced out an explanation, sitting down to try and relieve the pain coating his body.

Marcus looked over his ally, cuts, bruises, and burn wounds all over through half-destroyed clothing. Quickly getting to his knees, he began his healing ritual. First using Healer's Caress twice and then casting Heal three times to bring Logan back up to 54/58 HP from 7/58.

The casting incantation of “Orb of all I call to thee, Pondress heal your children. Heal Shot” started to get ingrained into Logan, he swore he could cast the spell at this point if not for his class restrictions. His cuts and punctures closed up, along with the gash in his cheek though it left a small scar behind, Logan's skin was almost completely healed as if he had never been burned.

A wave of ease came over Logan, no longer carrying the wounds of a fierce battle on him. Breathing a sigh of relief, Logan fell on his back, the grassy plains providing a comforting bed for a weary adventurer.

“Where is the body, Logan? We may need to bury it if that mage had allies who would prefer him still alive”, Marcus asked, standing up to survey the area, quickly realising it to be the bastarn cave mountain that contained silver veins.

“I already dealt with that, I got his gear and hid the body. Though from what I could gather, he was a reject mage, not many allies, hopefully.”

“We should probably burn the robe and staff, they are often easy to associate with their wearer, especially something as noticeable as those stars”, Marcus suggested, looking over the effects of Darius.

“I'll take your advice on this matter, do what you feel is best, Marcus”, Logan accepted, knowing that it would be better to leave the dealings of this world to a native.

Marcus scanned over the remaining items of Darius, pushing the robe and staff to the side as the main things to destroy, as well as some miscellaneous materials, like food containers and his signet. Marcus sieved through the items before making two piles, one to burn and one to keep or sell. With Logan still resting from his near-death experience, Marcus did a lot of the grunt work and cleanup of the murder, gathering the tinder and making a small area to burn the materials.

“Ok, it's done, Logan. He didn't have much on him though, possible he hid away his gear or wasn't well off”, Marcus informed, bringing a small bag over with the leftovers.

“He was testing alchemical creations in that cave, which burnt down, he might've wanted to see their effects without his trinkets equipped, so they most likely burnt along with the potions”, Logan replied, slightly regretting his choice but without an easy alternative at the time he didn't dwell on it.

“Oh, well, might be best anyways. Did you find out who he was? The robe seemed familiar, I swear I saw it at the Tinte hall before.”

“His name was Darius, he had been watching us for some time and wanted to cut me up into an item to recreate my abilities”, Logan replied, wanting to keep his ally in the loop about this particular event.

“That is not a pleasant thought. Maybe he went mad from mistreatment, was he under orders from someone else or was it just happenstance he found out?” Marcus asked, eyes filled with worry after a potential outcome from this event.

“It seemed like he was acting on his own or had underlings, no one commanding him. He probably wanted to submit the item to the Magi’s Tower to gain prestige, or use it for himself to overtake it.”

“He would have had a hard time of it, the MT is huge, easily a hundred magi all working together to progress magical studies and their own standing. Though I would see how an item like that would get him invited to join them.”

“He definitely seemed unhinged, though his magic was extremely powerful, easily double mine. We're lucky to still be alive and not inside of tubes”, Logan stated, still recovering mentally from the encounter. “Hundreds of mages? I should really stay away from the Magi’s Tower in that case, any one of them could find out my abilities and do the same thing Darius did”, Logan judged.

Using Identification on the final remaining effects of Darius, most were mundane items or components that could be sold off, he also had a ring of the magi though it was the same quality as Logan's, so he handed that off to Marcus. There was no sign of the golden pocket watches, however, possibly destroyed at the alchemist table. One item was of note, however, which caught the attention of Logan as the details only showed themselves with the item in his posession.

“It's similar to the clasp I got from the goblin cave, but this can be used on anything. No wonder it has a higher level and price, with a selling value of 3 gold it's three times that of the clasp. Since this trinket has a quality, it could give more MP at higher levels too. Though how would MP work if I use slots?” Logan pondered on the new item and depending on the System's answers to his question he would trade out his Strength necklace. “System, how does MP work for my spells?” he asked.

“If a spellcaster that uses spell slots gains access to MP they can utilize said MP on any spells they have prepared that day and not use the slot. If you have already cast all prepared slots, you may still use MP on the spells you had prepared”, a window answered him, giving faith back to the System's competence.

“Versatile, good. This is invaluable to me since I don't gain more slots as I level. I could also try to hide this item when going for my reassessments and fake that I gained more slots”, Logan planned, happy at his new item. Trading out his gobbo-ear necklace for the periapt, he realised it had already been used this day, so decided to wear it the next day instead.

The fire that Marcus started on Darius's items raged on between the rock circle he had formed. Crackles of flames combined with the smell of burning cloth radiated into the field of grass. Making sure that nothing was left, the two adventurers watched over the fire as they got equipped back in their gear. When it was complete, they would make the long trek home.

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