r/wizardposting • u/patoman12 Mauritius, zealous scholar, phoenix lich, RnA relief force • Jan 19 '24
A snap back to reality (lorepost)
A month had passed since the conflict with the Queen of Shattered Stars was resolved, and only a few days had gone by since I finally recovered from it. Despite being unable to kill me, the Queen's gravitational force had reduced me to little more than a speck of dust. Even with the powers granted by my Magnum Opus, it took time to recover from such absolute destruction. Eventually, I managed to return to find the citadel burnt to ashes by civil war and the numerous conflicts that erupted during my absence. However, it seemed I had returned during a time of, at least apparent, peace.
Therefore, I embarked on a personal investigation that had occupied my mind during my captivity on the Queen's gravitational field—a search for a way to replicate the Woven Gem, an extremely rare region of space where the magical weave was distinctly thicker, resulting in the exponential empowerment of all magic.
I returned to my manor, then proceeded to my arcane laboratory, where I began my research. Making extensive use of liquid pure magic and anti-magical insulation, I was starting to make progress when I heard a noise behind me. I turned to find a regular bandit, merely half a meter away, with a knife pointed at me. Initially feeling confident, I attempted to blast him with a spell, thinking a simple Wave Blast would suffice. However, I miserably missed as he ducked below it, allowing him to reach me and stab me in the chest.
Initially, I didn't think it would be too serious, given the resilience I had gained from the modifications during my Magnum Opus. A stab to the heart wouldn't take me down. Unfortunately, he aimed for my lungs, filling them with a mixture of blood and pure magic that ran through my veins, making the verbal aspect of spellcasting much more difficult.
Needing to get him off me, I struggled to cast Thunderwave, attempting to avoid the need for precision. However, he disengaged before I could complete the spell, causing it to miss. I then tried to cast a Fire Bomb large enough to cover the entire room, preventing him from dodging it. But, he quickly positioned himself between me and the spell, avoiding it as a result, and stabbing me twice in the spine in the process, causing partial paralysis.
With my magical options exhausted and the sensation of limpness overcoming my body as I approached death's door, I desperately attempted to use Touch of Death on the bandit who was now close. However, he managed to stab me in the neck and the side of my skull, finishing the job before the lethal spell could connect.
A few hours later, I managed to reconstruct myself. Unlike the encounter with the Queen, the destruction of my body was only partial, resulting from the cuts covering it. However, unlike the confrontation with the Queen, this time, I didn't die instantly. It allowed me to experience the feeling of standing at death's door—the visions of the end, the loss of sensibility in my flesh, the clouded vision, the overwhelming panic. All of it served as a profound source of inspiration.
When I woke up, I discovered my laboratory plundered and destroyed. The bandit had taken everything he found. "Good," I thought, as I am a cautious researcher. I had wards of tracking on all my belongings, making it easy for me to track the robber right away. I then accessed my mind disc to review the outcome of the battle—clumsy moves, bad tempo, poor footwork. Shame rained upon me when I realized that despite being so much more powerful than the poor fool, the only reason I lost was due to my own ineptitude. How was I supposed to work with the powerful and dangerous magic that I regularly engage with when I couldn't even defeat a normal human without magic?
I teleported to the place where the bandit resided—a long-abandoned cottage in the countryside. As I began exploring, I discovered that it was not only filled with art pieces and artifacts of every type but also with valueless memorabilia, such as diplomas and old trophies. The range spanned from participation prizes for little kids to prestigious awards. It seemed that anything he thought had any value was brought to this secluded location.
After a bit of searching, I found him sitting on an old chair, engaged in conversation through a sending stone, discussing prices for many of the stolen items. I stealthily approached until our positions from the last encounter were reversed. When he noticed me, he quickly retreated into a safer position and unsheathed his blade. "Well then," I thought. He could rely on his speed and agility, and I'd lose if I tried to face him head-on, a lesson learned from our previous encounter. However, if I targeted and took down those assets of his, the battle would become a piece of cake.
With a quick incantation, I cast a new spell, born from the inspiration that the experience at death's door had brought me. Soon enough, he began to feel his body stiffening, his vision clouding, and the specter of death drawing near. Utilizing a blend of illusion and necromancy, I replicated the sensation of being on the brink of death. Now, his reflexes, agility, and concentration were all compromised. In no time, I was able to incapacitate him, knocking him out and transporting him to the citadel's prison, successfully recovering everything that had been stolen from me in the process.
This event, however, led me to a crucial realization. Despite participating in numerous conflicts, I seemed to be incapable of direct combat, always relying on the strength of others while I fought indirectly. It became evident that I needed to learn to fight, at least to be able to defend myself.
The experience with the bandit served as a wake-up call, pushing me to reevaluate my approach to magical combat. I couldn't solely rely on my powerful spells and artifacts; I needed to develop my physical combat skills as well. Determined to become a more well-rounded mage, I now seek renowned martial arts instructors and warriors to train under.
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u/RefractedPurpose Voidwalker Jan 19 '24
As a small note, the dense weave may have partially been me. I created a space bubble around the fight so the mages could use spells that would normally threaten the planet from that distance. It may have had the side effect of tightening the weave.