The Runic Alchemist

There it was—the lifeless body of the mighty third-ranker, looking just as dead as the thousands he'd slaughtered. Not much difference between them now, was there?

Damian canceled his invisible box spell, and Threadripper hit the snow-covered ground beneath. He sensed others approaching slowly, giving him little time. Instantly, he placed his hand on the dead Transcendent and stored the body inside his spatial storage, his only plan being to burn it if that didn't work. Fortunately, it did.

He had taken him out with both his golden rapiers, leaving no trace behind in the dark, enclosed space.

Damian walked out through the same entrance he had used earlier and headed toward the four figures approaching him. Tristan and Aramis were supporting their injured companions, now somewhat healed. Lysandrea still looked the worst off, barely able to walk on her own. The pugilist, however, with his stronger body, was doing relatively better after downing some potions.

Damian retrieved his third healing special runic roll and unfurled it on the ground as he waited for the four to reach him.

"What are you doing?"

"Where is Threadripper?"

Aramis and Tristan asked together as they came closer.

"Don't worry about him," Damian replied, not meeting their eyes, as he activated his runic roll, which contained five separate advanced healing spells.

"What is this?" the pugilist asked, looking down at the large roll, which was formed by nine parchments sewn together, inscribed with five distinct runic circles.

"Healing spells. I have five. Who needs it besides her?" Damian asked, bringing two of the formed runic circles near Lysandrea with his mana threads.

"Me…" the pugilist said, clutching his side where he'd been struck by Threadripper's aura blade at close range. Damian brought the third runic circle near him and directed the remaining two toward Tristan and Aramis.

"You two, point out where you need it most," Damian said, glancing at Tristan and Aramis while activating the runic circle near Lysandrea. Her condition visibly improved, and she could at least stand and walk. Once finished, he moved on to the pugilist, then the other two, who pointed to the injuries they most wanted healed.

"What did you do to him?" Lysandrea asked again.

"I sent him far away with one of my wormhole spells. Only a miracle will bring him back now," Damian said, meeting her gaze. The eye contact lasted for thirty seconds, as if she was evaluating the truth of his words. Not only her—Aramis, Tristan, and the pugilist were also staring at him with odd expressions.

"Let's help Lady Vidalia," Tristan said at last, breaking the awkward silence and redirecting their focus at the matter at hand.

"We need to finish the job," Damian said, his gaze fixed on the shimmering blue waygate still active in the distance. Fortunately, no one had come through, likely because they had seen how Vidalia and Moondancer were fighting nearby without regard for anyone's life—friend or foe.

"We cause a serious injury to her then?" the pugilist asked.

"No, she'll escape with her flying beast once cornered," Aramis reasoned.

"Unless we attack something she has no choice but to protect," Damian said, pointing toward the shimmering blue portal.

"Are you insane? Their entire army is waiting there," Lysandrea argued.

"Probably. But this is the best chance to level the playing field. Think about it—once that gate is destroyed, their forces will have nothing except being larger than your own. Sure, we might lose someone trying to destroy it, but isn't it worth the risk?" Damian explained. He hid his true intention of course, which was his curiosity to examine the waygate himself. How did it work?

Was it runic in nature? It defied all laws of physics and even surpassed standard wormhole and waygate spells. It could be dangerous, but he felt confident in his ability to protect himself if nothing else—especially now that he felt stronger with his improved stats. His mana pool had grown; there was much more of that liquid warmth flowing through him, he could feel it.

"Let's go... It's her decision," Aramis concluded, walking away toward the ongoing battle in the distance.

Seeing them approach so abruptly, Vidalia and Moondancer paused, putting some distance between themselves. Moondancer's hooded figure constantly turned, glancing back and forth between them and the distant, charred crater where a broken building stood. Damian understood her confusion. When she once again turned towards them, he smirked, though he wasn't sure if her shadow-covered face saw it.

It was amusing nonetheless.

"WHERE IS HE?!" Moondancer's voice echoed before Vidalia could even speak. The rest turned to Damian immediately, their gazes heavy on him. Feeling self-conscious under their stares, Damian looked toward the dark third-ranker and shouted back:

"I sent him somewhere far away. You should go look for him."

Tristan grabbed Damian's shoulder, stopping him. "Stop provoking them will you...? Have you no fear, boy?" he scolded, his annoyed expression only amusing Damian further.

"What's the plan, commander? The gate is wide open. I say we get there before they come for us. I can seal it behind us, and she'll be cautious to cross with my wormhole blocking it, giving us enough time to destroy their waygate tool," Damian urged them to act quickly, there was no point fighting Moondancer here, they couldn't kill her even if they somehow captured her for enough time to injure her.

Vidalia studied him, then looked at her team, likely weighing the best course of action. At last, she tightened her grip on her runic Sacrium sword and turned back to face Moondancer.

"Whatever you did, can you say for sure he won't be coming back?"

"Positive."

"Let's go then. That was our goal from the start."

She stepped forward, and the others followed behind. Damian took out two more wormhole rolls, keeping them ready and activating them as he trailed behind the group. Moondancer, sensing that something was seriously wrong, finally lost her composure. Her voice turned darker, more sinister, as she shouted at Damian again, much louder this time.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?! WHERE IS HE?!"