Chapter 301: Death-mana

"Where is all the local mana?" Eldrian asked, turning around and using Mana Examination again. He found that the colorful mists were still present. However, they only started forming again nearly 30 meters back. As such, for once he could see up to 50 meters while using Mana Examinations. 

It was the major disadvantage of Mana Examination and why most people discarded it. In normal locations, it would limit their vision to 20 meters at best. In really mana-rich areas, even seeing a few meters ahead would be difficult. 

"Seems you already figured it out," Pelaros replied jokingly, enjoying watching Eldrian trying to figure things out. It was especially fun to wonder if Eldrian would come up with similar ideas to what they commonly believed true. 

"How is that possible?" Eldrian asked again, "How can this cause an area to be devoid of mana?"

"Why don't you explain that to me?" Pelaros replied with a smile, causing Eldrian to become slightly frustrated.

However, he was quickly distracted as he suddenly realized that something strange was going on in him. Sitting back down he meditated again, finding that his mana seemed to not be recovering. 

This wasn't entirely correct, due to the way his mana flowed some of it was being revitalized. Some of it had been expended, however, unlike normal, a lot of it had been eaten by the gray smoke. 

While his mana was still recovering, even with no mists being insight. The regen was pitiful, after 10 seconds Eldrian would only regain 1MP. The numbers he found after calling up his stats, not having a good enough grasp on his own mana to be that accurate, yet.

This, how?  Eldrian was left without words, standing up he headed to where the mists were present. Finding that his mana quickly recovered once he was there. With him gaining around just over 3MP in 5 seconds.

How isn't this a hot topic discussed by everyone?  Eldrian wondered, and as he looked around with Mana Examination active, he saw a patch of gray smoke. Giving him some inspiration. 

Like all these patches before it was latching onto the Nature-mana. However, Eldrian recalled that when he was being chased, the miasma back then wasn't as picky about what type of mana it took in. 

"Does it feed upon mana? Wait how are our surroundings filled with mana?" Eldrian asked, suddenly wondering how mana could always be seemingly constant. At least when he considered what he saw with Mana Examination. 

"Don't be distracted by other questions. Focus on your task." Pelaros said, that question being one that very few people felt they knew the answer to. He also deliberately did not reply to Eldrian's first question.

Hearing this, Eldrian quickly let the latter go. However, he kept thinking of the first, staring at the patch of gray smoke within the colorful mists.  Yes, it seems like the Nature-mana is trying to move away. There are also no other mists near it, leaving a space without any mists.

"This is bizarre," Eldrian mumbled, Pelaros agreeing fully with that statement. The undeads' magic, and what it did to mana, was completely different from what they were used to. It was a completely different type of magic. 

They certainly earned having an entire magic aspect called after them; Death Magic and Death-mana.

Magic without color, devoid of life. The mana of this magic, created through unknown methods. Unlike other mana, it is out of place. It does not spread into the surroundings, instead, it gathers and forms pockets such as Eldrian had been spotting now and then. 

The mana itself drains the energy of anything with life and absorbs any other mana it comes into contact with. Preferring Nature-mana over all others. The only thing not affected was souls, they were somehow free of this feeding frenzy. 

This energy drain was also nothing compared to that of a revenants aura, but it was still a problem. This was why exploring The Encroaching was so dangerous. 

It wouldn't bother most people even after an entire day, but spending weeks in such an area was a massive problem.

"Well, what do you want me to say?" Eldrian asked, his mind unable to make any conclusions. He was simply astounded by what he discovered. 

"Why not a way to detect the undead?" Pelaros offered, slightly guiding Eldrian back on track. He knew that mind state, and if he didn't intervene here then Eldrian would most likely just think for hours. 

Possibly going into a meditative state which he wouldn't come out of for most of that time. 

"Alright, the first thing I would say is: You can use Tier 0 spells to detect a large group of undead. Mana Examination would be far clearer."

"However, even if you just keep a Tier 0 spell active, you will feel the strain to keep it active suddenly increasing as you enter this area without mana."

"This will be increased even more once you enter the area where their..." Eldrian paused, unsure what to call the gray smoke, "Where their mana has gathered into a miasma."

Pelaros had been relaxing and just trying to get Eldrian to think, however, this answer shocked him. "Is that what you were testing?"

"Well... Yes." Eldrian replied, "When I first modified the spell, I was curious what it looked like when I cast spells. It took some time for me to manage to dual cast even a Tier 0 spell with it, but it allowed me to see that our spells influence the ambient mana."

Pelaros listened curiously, this was a commonly discussed question. However, there was no clear answer to it since there was no proof of this. 

This was not because no mage had thought of attempting what Eldrian had just stated, but rather that the spells they cast were different. Eldrian's method was unique.

"I am afraid this isn't actually correct, observe." Pelaros cast Floga as Eldrian had, in the environment without any mana. 

He then moved to where mana was present, yet none of it moved towards the ball of fire. 

"But..." Eldrian faltered, then thought of something, "That doesn't mean the approach won't work. Your spell might not feed on ambient mana, however, it still needs to be supplied with mana after a certain amount of time."

Curious, Pelaros thought he'd humor Eldrian. Moving to where the gray smoke began, he waited for the initial mana to run out. Once it did, he was shocked to find the strain of the spell suddenly becoming difficult. Even for him. 

Generally, no one would keep a spell active that long. For them, controlling a spell was extremely difficult. Hence once it was formed, they would let it do its job. For Pelaros, Tier 3 was probably the limit at which he could comfortably control a spell. 

Granted magic was not his best area. He still prided himself on being knowledgeable and capable in the field. Enough so to keep up in a conversation with a pure mage of the same Tier; Tier 7.

"How on earth did you keep the spell active so easily?" Pelaros questioned as he left the gray smoke. 

"What do you mean, you just let your mana flow into it," Eldrian replied, causing Pelaros's face to twitch. 

"It seems this method of yours will work. The aura of a revenant is what caused the lethargic feeling, and it increases the strength of the local undead. However, it is this gray smoke that feeds upon the spell's mana." Pelaros mumbled, having used his special item to also observe what was going on. 

"While this can work, the feasibility is not all that good," Pelaros added after a few seconds.

"Of course, using Mana Examination will be far better." Eldrian quickly agreed, causing Pelaros to sigh. He had no idea how he was to explain to everyone that a spell they were taught of as useless, was now amazing. 

"Alright, have you found anything else?" Pelaros asked, already of a mind to let Eldrian join the research team. They weren't doing anything now, seeing as there was nothing they could really research. 

Most of them had had plenty of experience like Eldrian was having now. However, Eldrian already showed that he was capable of bringing in a new viewpoint. He did not even get close to the cave to boot.

"Well, I think there is something more. Something we are missing." Eldrian said, having this itching feeling that he was missing something simple. 

"What do you mean?" Pelaros asked. 

"Do you know how they affect us?" Eldrian questioned, "I know it's their aura, but what is an aura?"

"Why don't you try and figure that out?" Pelaros said, "I'll explain it if you can't."

Taking that as a challenge, Eldrian headed back into the mist. This time he cast his spell while inside, whilst using Mana Examination. Immediately his spell lost nearly 30% of its power. The gray smoke not having managed to steal the same percentage, but having stolen much more in total. 

At the same time, Eldrian constantly felt assaulted by tiredness. Taking a deep breath he canceled both spells and cast them again. He repeated this 10 times, after which he sat down and meditated. 

The effect of the revenant was far stronger on him due to his weakness. Pelaros was truly impressed that Eldrian could actually focus inside the aura. Most people below Tier 5 would falter in it. 

At best not being capable of focusing, at worst falling asleep and dying peacefully. 

Like always Eldrian focused in on himself and observed his mana flowing in him. Only following along with his mind and not seeing anything. This feels the same.  Eldrian thought, coming out of his meditation and casting Floga again.

This time while also surrounding it with mageia. 

Finding himself in the magic abyss, Eldrian was shocked to see the simple triangle of the Floga spell tainted.