[Vermachtnis]

“I am Random Nexus for we are many,” Aquilla said.

Chapter 09
The Mother Lode

Everyone rushed down to the open area of the stadium. Granvase was staggering back to his feet.

“What the hell? I thought they were just green horns! A move like that should have him flat on his back!” Granvase was yelling.

“More than, it’s impossible,” a blond woman in a white garb said. “I since no lode stones in his weapon,” she said and looked over at Cocytus; however she was blindfolded.

“Umm, yes. I didn’t teach any magic,” Cocytus said looking at her feet.

“What are lode stones?” Ally asked.

“Ooh! Ooh! I know! Lode stones are what power up our elemental weapon and allow us humans to create glyphs,” Fuka explained. “Look it! This is my Bolt Lodestone,” she said and pointed to a yellow orb in the hilt of her blade.

“Correct, but more than that, Lode is a mana source for us humans. Without mana Glyph creation will cause us great fatigue,” Judith explained. “Ophani, can you see anything?”

The woman in white bent over and was staring at Tyler intently.

“I see nothing wrong with the boy,” she sighed. “We may need Saya and Umbra though. My sixth sense isn’t as strong as theirs.” Then Tyler fainted.

“What happened?” Fuka and Ally shouted.

“Like I explained earlier, without a source of Mana glyph creation is very strenuous on our bodies. I imagine his mana reserves are very low,” Judith said. “I’ll take him to the infirmary. You stay here and train.” She went of to Tyler and tried to pick him up.

“Don’t give yourself a hernia, I’ll get him,” Noelle laughed and picked up Tyler. Carrying him on her back the two of them left.

A couple of hours later, Tyler woke up in an unfamiliar place. The walls were painted a light blue color and the aroma of rubbing alcohol was all around him. The breeze outside picked up and the curtains rose.

“Awake yet?” a voice asked from outside. The door opened and Judith walked in. “Oh good, we had to give you a mana pill. It’s lucky you have two mana. Your ice mana reservoir was almost depleted. Even with the dark mana working twice as hard we had to give you a quick dose of mana,” She was trying to explain to him. “I know this is all probably way over your head and hate to do this to you, but time is factor and I need you to reenter The Hub as soon as possible.”

“I think I’m good to go,” Tyler said getting out of the bed.

“Yea, you have twice as much mana as a normal person so your fatigue should where out quickly. It was mostly the shock of losing so much that caused you to faint like you did,” she said and smiled gently.

The two of them walked back to the gym and went back down the elevator. In side The Hub everyone was waiting on them.

“I can make Tornadoes now!” Ally yelled at him.

“I will teach you two magic attacks. If you are up to it, that is?” Cocytus said.

“Yea I’m fine!” he reassured her.

“Okay, let’s go back to my domain,” she said and grabbed Tyler’s hand and ran off down a path.

Judith laughed at the sight, “Hey. By the way, have any of you seen Kenny or Undine around?” she asked.

“Now that you mention it, I don’t think I have,” Judith said. Everyone else shook their heads.

“Did they go with Kari and Saya?” Noelle asked.

“No,” Ophani said.

“Hmm, I wonder what those two are up to,” Noelle shrugged. “Oh well, when Tyler’s done training we’ve got to do all the introductions again. And this time you better get it right!” she yelled and pointed at Judith.

“I still don’t get why?” Judith sighed.

“The hair over your eye is like an eye patch, duh,” Noelle laughed.

Meanwhile, Tyler and Cocytus were back in the barren field.

“Umm, I’m not sure how much of Lode stuff you got. But it’s a way to make glyphs like you did with out getting fatigued. Also, after putting in a lode stone you can summon the weapon to your side in your world,” she explained. “Summon your weapon and we’ll put the Ice Lode Stone and the Dark Lode Stone in. Wait! I forgot to teach you how to call your weapon. Okay, to call your weapon take your battle stance and picture the weapon in your hand,” she explained farther.

“Picture my sword in my hand,” Tyler repeated and took his stance. He felt his arms get heavier and shadow crept out from his palms and formed the shape of his sword.

“Great! Here take these,” Cocytus said and held out a light blue stone and a dark violet stone. They started to float and they automatically inserted themselves into the hilt of the sword. The light blue stone was on the outside of the sword and the dark violet stone was in the inside.

“Wow, so I can use Ice Grave and not get tired?” he asked.

“Sorry, it doesn’t quite work like that. The Lode Stones have a limiter installed on them. At the moment you can only use Icicle and Dark Bolt. By killing alchemic and necromantic monster and absorbing their Lode into the blade you raise the limit and can learn more power spells and abilities. But, you have to kill them. If you hit them and weaken this and Ally, for example, delivers the final blow she will get the entire Lode,” she explained.

“Alchemic, necromantic?” he repeated.

“Even before 2012, those two artes have existed on your planet. Humans recreating objects for something more desirable, raising the dead, summoning demons,” Cocytus’ voice dropped and was more serious.

“Oh,” Tyler was taken aback.

“Sorry, you’re not to blame. But you humans are a selfish bunch,” she said. “But I guess you want to know what it has to do with Lode. By toying with Alchemy and Necromancy they take from the Planet’s Lode and when killed the lode will be drawn into the nearing source of hard lode and become one with it. It happens so fast, you want even notice,” she told him. “Let’s get back to the magic,” Tyler could tell she wanted to change the subject.

“Okay, so Icicle and Dark Bolt?” he asked.

“They’re both low level skills but fundamentally different. Icicle is a physical skill and Dark Bolt is a magical ability,” she explained. “Let’s learn Icicle first,” she said and called her weapon. A glyph appeared under her and the sword started to produce steam, “You remember the first step of the combo, swing down? Do that and call the name of the attack, ICICLE!” she yelled and swung down and three came flying out of the blade. “You may be curious to know why it’s a physical skill,” he nodded. “It all comes down to the force behind the swing. The harder you swing, the stronger the icicles will be. Now you try.”

He took his stance and formed a Glyph under his feet. His sword started producing steam, “ICICLE!” he yelled and swung down hard and three icicles flew out of his blade.

“Excellent!” Cocytus clapped. “Umm, now for Dark Bolt. This is a magical ability and it’s strength is dependent on your mental stamina. For this attack you form the glyph in your palm,” she said and held out her right palm. “Umm, I found for the best result it is best to form it in the palm you do not write with. Now, DARK BOLT!” she yelled and a black sphere appeared in front of her palm and fired outwards. “Okay, now you try.”

I’m right handed so I need to use my left hand for this, he was thinking to himself. He held out his left palm and formed the Dark Glyph, “DARK BOLT!” he yelled and fired the dark sphere from his palm.

“That’s very good. Let’s head back. Oh yea, when any of your Lode Stones start to glow that mean they’ve reached their limit. Come back and I will expand the limit and teach a new spell or ability,” she explained. They walked down the path and came to a dead end. “If I’m not in The Hub and you want to see me use this Gate Lode Stone at the end of the path we came from,” she said and handed Tyler a clear stone. It started to float and inserted itself into the bottom of the hilt. She formed a large glyph floating in the middle of the path and walked through it and Tyler followed. They were back at The Hub where everyone was waiting.

“Alright, they’re back! Let’s introduce everybody again!” Noelle shouted.

“Glad your back, she was getting rowdy,” Judith sighed. “Both of them were,” she nodded at Noelle and Ally.

“Hey Aquilla, get your feathery butt down here!” Noelle shouted at the sky. A huge shadow descended on the group, “this is Aquilla! I like her name because it rhymes with Tequila!”

“Nice to meet you,” a firm voice spoke from above them. Looking up he saw she had a hawk’s head. She had the body of a human, except for the talons and wings. She was wearing plate mail.

“She’s a birdman!” Noelle shouted and glanced over at Judith.

“Huh? Oh, all right,” Judith sighed. “Ha ha ha, shout out,” she said in bored voice.

“I can’t believe you did it!” Noelle burst out laughing.

“I can’t believe I’m your partner,” Aquilla smirked. At least as well as a hawk face can smirk.

“Next, this is Kyubbi,” Judith and wave her hand behind her revealing a white fox with multiple tails, at least six. It was a pale yellowish color.

“I don’t know how familiar you are with my origin, but if you comment on my lack of tails like that red one did your suffering will be dealt swiftly,” Kyubbi said and glared at Ally.

“What? I was just saying that in all the stories I know you guys have nine tails and are white or gold,” she said safely behind Noelle.

“I will visit you in your nightmare,” Kyubbi growled at her. Ally stuck her tongue out.

“Okay, me next! This is Sylph!” Ally said pointing a small green haired girl. She was wearing a green sundress and boots. And had a face that somewhere between the most innocent and most mischievous face Tyler has ever seen. She didn’t say anything, but giggled and hid behind Ally.

“That is Quetzcotl,” Fuka said pointing upward at a large flying snake. He descended down upon the group and Tyler could see he was covered in feathers instead of scales.

“Good evening. I hope we learn much from this,” He said in radiant voice.

“Yo, this is Altair,” Slash said nodding backwards and behind him stood a large metallic golem about seven feet tall.

“Nice to make you acquaintance,” he said in a calm voice that was unexpected from his size.

“And this is Surt,” Sai said and behind him was a large stern looking orange man. He had his arms folded. He had a long beard and his hair was curly all the way to his shoulders. He didn’t say anything and just grunted.

“I’m Ophani,” the blind folded woman told him. “My partner is out with Saya and Umbra scouting.”

“I guess it’s my turn, huh?” he said looking at all the pleading eyes. “This is Cocytus.”

“Umm, nice to meet everyone,” she said.

“Wait; is that Cocytus like the river?” Noelle asked.

“Yea,” Cocytus nodded.

“Huh, I always pronounced it ‘cock a tuse’ and all this time it was pronounced ‘co see tuss,’” Noelle shrugged.

“Okay then,” Judith laughed at her friend. “It’s been a long day. Let’s get out of here, I have to get the Gym ready for the school event tonight,” Judith said.

They all said good bye to their elementals and left through the portal.

TO BE CONTINUED

“Hey Acheron?” a girl in a white robed asked a big muscular guy.

“What, Lethe?” he answered.

“Is that all we get, a quick mention in that last chapter? I’m her little sister, I need screen time too,” she pouted.

“What does being her little sister have to do with anything? I’m her big brother and I don’t deserve screen time,” he tried to comfort her.

“Isn’t Altair Aquilla’s son or something?” she asked.

“Constellations don’t work like that,” he sighed.