The Reluctant Hero - Vol. 1 - Chapter 10

Axel grinned brightly as he looked over his new spells. He’d spent last night in the same inn and now he’d been tought a bunch of spells by the mages he hired through the guild. He couldn’t wait to try some of them out.

Firebolt - Rank 1 (0%)

The most basic of fire spells that shoots a small ball of flames that have a chance of setting the target on fire.

Cost: 15MP

Damage: Int+Weapon Damage as fire damage, 1% Chance to ignite the target dealing Int damage over 60 seconds.

Ice Lance - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell conjures a sharp lance of solid ice and sends it hurtling at the target.

Cost: 100MP

Damage: [Int*2]+Weapon Damage as ice damage

Fireball - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell conjures a small ball of fire similar to the Firebolt spell. However, when this spell strikes anything solid it detonates into a fiery inferno that deals damage to everything within range of the explosion.

Cost: 500MP

Damage: [Int*10]+Weapon Damage as fire damage, 1% Chance to ignite the target dealing [Int*5] damage over 60 seconds

AoE Radius: [Skill Rank*10] Feet

Light Globe - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell conjures a small ball of light that can either be attached to a nearby spot or follow the caster. The light lasts for [Skill Rank] hours.

Cost: 15MP

Acid Ball - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell conjures and lobs a thick viscous ball of acid at an area. When the blob hits, it splatters melting everything it touches and leaving behind a puddle that harms anything moving through it.

Cost: 750MP

Damage: [Int*100]+Weapon Damage as acid damage over 60 seconds.

AoE Radius: 10 Feet

Detect Monsters - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell allows the caster to sense monsters within [Skill Rank*10] feet.

Cost: 25MP/sec

Fly - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell allows the user to fly at a speed of [Skill Rank*10] feet per second.

Cost: 50MP/sec

Increase Attribute - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell allows the user to increase one attribute on the target for [Skill Rank] minutes.

Cost: 100MP per point

Protection from Arrows - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell protects the target from all non-magical projectiles for [Skill Rank] minutes.

Cost: 50MP

Rays of Dawn - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell conjures powerful beams of sunlight to smite up to five targets. This spell deals double damage against undead targets.

Cost: 250MP

Damage: [Int*5]+Weapon Damage as fire damage, x2 against undead

Un/Pack Camp - Rank MAX

This spell quickly and easily unpacks or repacks camping items and sets up or breaks down a camp near instantly.

Cost: 100MP

Explosion - Rank 1 (0%)

This spell causes a devastating explosion at the targeted area. The size and power of the explosion vary based on the amount of mana used during casting.

Cost: 1,000MP minimum

Damage: [Int+Weapon Damage]*[4+Cost/1,000] as fire and concussive damage

AoE Radius: Up to [Cost/1,000]*25 Feet

Dimensional Home - Rank MAX

The first time this spell is cast, the user can use as much mana as they desire during the casting. The more mana the caster uses, the bigger and better the dimensional space that is created will be. This can only be done ONCE so be sure that enough mana is used in the casting to make a satisfactory space. Every time the spell is cast after the first time will open a door to the Dimensional Home for five minutes. During that time anyone or anything can enter into the Dimensional Home. If the user is inside of the Dimensional Home when this spell is cast, the door will appear in the same spot it was when they entered.

Cost: First Casting - Varies, Additional Castings - 50MP

Axel really, really wanted to cast Dimesional Home with the mana he had stored up. It would give him a mobile base that he could do whatever he wanted with. He’d discussed the details with the man that taught him the spell. The description didn’t do it justice according to him. After casting it the space created was essentially a whole new world with very little inside of it. There was a clear sky that showed the same time as the real world, and a dirt floor. The walls were illusory and gave the space an appearance of infinite area but it was easy to find the walls that stopped further movement.

The dirt wasn’t fertile and there was no moving water within the space. However, it was possible to bring in fertilizer to change the soil and water to water crops. The other mage had said he was able to have a small garden to grow some small plants in. He even had a small cabin he built that was little more than a bedroom.

Knowing all this, Axel wondered just how much space he would have if he spent the equivalent of one million mana to make his space. What if he spent even more? Could he have his own small world? It was such an exciting idea! He planned to hold off on casting it until he can spend at least the one million he wanted. That meant ten million total thanks to his Trait.

With his new spells in hand, he decided which Metamagic he wanted first. He quickly selected ‘Elemental Substitution’ from the list.

Elemental Substitution - Increase the cost of a spell by 25% to change the damage type of the spell from one common element to another.

Axel's smile turned positively evil as he looked over the Metamagic he picked. This was why every damage spell he bought was an elemental spell. This increased his repertoire of spells by an order of magnitude. His simple Firebolt spell could now be an Acidbolt, Icebolt, Waterbolt, Lightningbolt and so on. His Fireball spell could now be an explosion of various elements. It was a wonderfully powerful trick to extend his abilities without needing hundreds of spells.

He quickly shook his head to get rid of his power fantasies and desire to have his own world in an alternate dimension. He had some quests to do and something to try. He still wanted to try making mana regeneration items with Greater Create Magic Item. He wanted to avoid doing it in the city though. He wasn’t sure how much of a lightshow it would be and didn’t want people asking questions. The last thing he wanted was someone kidnapping him and using him to make items just for them. His parents had given him tons of warnings over the years and he liked to think he wasn’t a fool.

It didn’t take long to get outside of the city and out into the wild. The plan was to head out at least a couple of miles to try and find areas that weren’t picked clean. Now that he wasn’t inside of the city limits, he decided it was the perfect time to try one of his new spells. His whole body practically vibrated with excitement as he cast the spell, “Fly.”

The feeling of his body becoming weightless and moving through the air with just his thoughts was euphoric. If nothing else, this made having to pick the Mage class something to not be regretted. He wasn’t very fast, the spell was restricting him to ten feet per second. It was faster than walking but slower than running. Though, it didn’t take long for the skill to level up and his speed to increase to twenty feet per second. The only downside, he was burning though over twenty-five thousand mana a minute. Ugh, his love-hate relationship with Mana Void was driving him up the wall.

Several hundred thousand mana later, he floated to the ground in front of a copse of trees. He hadn’t gotten super far but it was still early and the people stuck on the ground hadn’t made it this far outside of the city yet. He stepped into the shade of the trees while pulling out his staff and looking around cautiously. No need to get ambushed by something.

Seeing nothing nearby and not hearing anything but the expected sounds of nature, he relaxed a little. Stepping into the deeper shade of the copse was the hardest part since he couldn’t see too deep into it from the bright light outside of it. He shifted his staff into his left hand and held his right hand out palm up, “Create Greater Magic Item.”

As soon as he uttered the spell he knew what he had to do. First, he decided to make a simple ring made of steel. As soon as he had the thought, he immediately knew it would cost one thousand mana. That was one thousand before his trait increased it by ten times, so really ten thousand mana. Regardless, he could make the ring. Second, he wanted to enchant the ring with the ability to increase his mana regeneration by one hundred percent. Double mana regen? Yes please!

Of course, it couldn’t be that easy. He instantly knew that it was impossible. Plain steel simply couldn’t handle the enchantment at that level. So, he lowered it bit by bit until he finally got a positive result. A simple steel ring could handle a… ten percent mana regeneration enchantment. The enchantment increased the cost of the ring by twenty-five thousand mana, base cost.

So, for around a quarter of a million mana, he could increase his mana regeneration by ten whole percent. Or, for ten rings he could increase it by one hundred percent at a cost of two point five million mana. He was entirely aware of the fact that a normal person wouldn’t even be able to afford the base cost without being a ridiculously high level while focused on spellcasting classes to maximize their mana.

Axel decided to try something else. If he had to, he could make the ten rings, it would be totally worth it, but he could only wear one ring per finger. If he could get a higher regen per finger, it would total much higher and give him much more mana to work with in the future. So, step one, he changed the material from steel to a material he’d only ever heard of before, Mithril. There were dozens of different known variation of Mithril that all had different preferences, but for his case he wanted just the base version of Mithril. It was known for its ability to channel mana so it seemed like the perfect choice. Unfortunately, just to make the ring alone would cost fifty thousand mana. Fifty times the cost of the steel ring.

The next step, the enchantment, still wouldn’t let him jump right to a one hundred percent bonus. However, after some tedious checking, he could get a bonus of twenty-five percent on the ring. Of course, it had an exorbitant cost of sixty-two thousand five hundred mana, base. All told, a Mithril ring that would increase his mana regeneration by twenty-five percent would have a base price of one hundred and twelve thousand five hundred mana. So, over once point one million mana for a single ring. Not terrible. With that being the case, he finished the spell and felt his mana drop by just around twenty percent.

As soon as he paid the price in mana, bright golden light flooded the area making it appear as if there was a second sun rising within the small copse of trees he stood within. The light lasted for a full thirty seconds before it died down and left a shining ring made from a silver metal sitting in the palm of his hand.

Mithril ring of Mana Regeneration

Mana Regen: +25%

Created by: Axel Voht

Axel grinned broadly as he looked at the ring sitting in his hand. It didn’t look like much at all. Without anything special to differentiate it from any other metal, it could be mistaken for any silvery metal. That meant it wouldn’t draw undue attention. He quickly checked his status so he could see a before and after of his mana regeneration.

MP: 9,999/— (3,380) (+60.3/sec)

He slipped the ring on and checked again.

MP: 9,999/— (3,380) (+70.3/sec)

Ten mana per second! Just the one ring increased it by ten whole points! He even had enough mana to make four more rings right now! No… no he couldn’t make four more. If he did he wouldn’t have much, if any, mana left to cast spells and protect himself. So, three more rings. Yes, he could live with that. So, that was exactly what he did. He spent three quarters of his remaining mana to create three more exact duplicates of the ring.

MP: 9,999/— (3,380) (+100.5/sec)

Axel looked between his status and the four rings on his left hand fingers, “Gods. I only had to get to level fifty-five and boost my mana regeneration by one hundred and fifty percent, to be able to cast Arcane Bolt like a normal Mage could.”

Arcane Bolt - Rank 5 (33%)

The most basic mage spell that every mage knows and loathes. Fires a single bolt of pure arcane energy at a single target.

Cost: 10MP

Damage: Int+Weapon Damage

One hundred mana for the most basic Mage spell for him. Other mages could spam the spell as much as they wanted pretty early on. Axel? Not so much. But now, now he could do the same. Of course, that didn’t matter in the least since he planned to store as much mana as he could and use overwhelming force to crush everything in his path to level one hundred and his coveted Rogue class. Yes, power was his now and he would have more tomorrow when he made four more rings!

Axels grin could only be described as “manic” while he went to work looking for simple herbs to collect and turn in. Soon dungeon monsters would tremble before the sixteen-year-old that could generate and store over eight point five million mana every twenty-four hours.