Fighting the pull on his conciousness, Eldrian felt despair worm its way into his heart as the system continued to stay silent. Uncertain if this was because something was wrong with the system, perhaps even GAIA, or because he had to figure it out himself, Eldrian paused and a second to consider things.
He knew he did not have long. Thanks to his experience with death and sheer willpower, he could force himself to stay in this realm, but the pull was only going to grow stronger and stronger. Eventually, it would overwhelm his will and pull him to the realm of souls.
Eldrian knew he couldn't continue to hide in his avatar for long. He was going to be pulled into the realm of souls, and he did not know how to sever the connection to that realm. He understood the theory, and had some plausible ideas, but he could not risk such a rash action.
Not when there was a better option before him.
'Perhaps?' Realizing what he needed most was more time, Eldrian analyzed his condition.
The damage to his body was extensive. The lighting had fried him from head to toe. However, the healing spells he knew could repair this without any issues. It was not like he had lost his heart or been decapitated. His heart had simply seized working, along with most other organs he had.
Sure, there was some burn damage to them all and through his entire body, but a Tier 5 spell could readily repair this. This was precisely where the spells Two had morphed into their soul came in handy.
Feeding mana into the spell module of Theragennisi, the Tier 5 nature healing spell, Eldrian guided it through his entire body. Keeping the flow of mana as large as he could. He first repaired his body, and once it was back to normal, he focused the healing on his organs.
Rapidly, the spell drained the mana from his mana soul. The cost, however, was most certainly worth it. In just a couple of seconds, Eldrian found all the pain he had been feeling in the background disappearing.
Lastly, he turned to the resurrection potion he had gotten from Erik when going to deal with the forts. It had not come in handy then, but it came in handy now. Pulling it out of his inventory and forcing the potion through his own lips through ether manipulation.
And after a few seconds, Eldrian breathed again. The resurrection potion somehow reconnected his soul with his body. Along with restarting his organs and repairing any damage that had remained.
'That's just crazy.' Eldrian felt like laughing, but he knew now was not the time. The concept of resurrecting oneself in death was insane, and somehow he had done just that.
Sadly, Eldrian did not know how long the blizzard of ice and fire would keep Zaphreal at bay. With the pain removed, Eldrian knew he also did not have as much fuel for his auras.
He considered for a second to let the aura of wrath consume him. To fill him with anger and rage, to rampage until death.
However, he doubted it would be enough to overcome his opponent. And in a rampage, his attacks, while stronger, would be simpler to analyze and counter. Sadly, while he maintained a calm mind with the power of tranquility, the flames were limited in strength.
With the pull gone, and now without pain, Eldrian found himself entering an even calmer state than before as he considered all this.
A state where the chaos surrounding him completely disappeared and time seemed to slow. And before him he saw Tranquility.
Still a smaller him. Tranquility seemed more mature, radiating a chilling aura as he smiled at Eldrian.
"Where have you been?" Eldrian asked.
"You wish to use these elements, do you not?" Tranquility asked instead of answering.
Eldrian nodded, accepting that he did not have time to satisfy his curiosity. Curiously, he had no desire either. Moving onto the topic at hand without hesitation.
"To use the elements, you need to connect them with your mind."
That sounded simple enough. Eldrian had plenty of experience with this. Though normally the connection was with magical items. However, he understood what Tranquility meant.
Locking onto the four items on his chest. The death crystal from Pyknos forest. The remainder of the voidstone from when Eldrian had bonded with Ceph. And the lightstone and Magic Crystal Ashliel had given them.
Eldrian poured his mageia over these items and tried his best to penetrate their magical barriers. He even called upon his mana and imagined forming drills to penetrate through the item's natural defenses. Though these barriers were simply magical thresholds required to be connected with.
Eldrian, sadly, was far removed from being strong enough to connect with them naturally. The first he penetrated was the death crystal. The element of chaos sprang forth from it and consumed his mind. Tempting to overwhelm him.
However, just as he was about to lose himself in it. He felt a pulse emanating from deeper inside himself. Clearing his mind and containing the element of chaos to an orb.
Next to give was the lightstone. The feeling it gave Eldrian as it filled him was the opposite of the death crystal. Eldrian wished to bathe in the golden glow that filled his mind, but like before, a pulse came from deep within and contained the divinity to an orb.
Penetrating the voidstone seemed impossible, and the same held with the magic crystal. However, Eldrian recalled his experiences with magic crystals. So, instead of trying to penetrate it, he loosened his grip on his own mana.
Immediately, the crystal absorbed the mana, and Eldrian used that to sneak past its defenses. Though it took him seven tried before success.
And upon succeeding, Eldrian was stunned silent. The sheer volume of mana he felt from within the magic crystal was mind-boggling. He had thought he would feel some type of aspect, like with the death crystal or lightstone, but instead, he was simply awed and left speechless.
Feeling the sheer quantity and quality of the mana, Eldrian even considered himself invincible for a second. However, only for a second. He quickly realized he could do nothing but sense this magnificent power.
Turning his attention to the voidstone, Eldrian frowned. Still incapable of penetrating it. However, as he had now felt the magnificence that was a magic crystal, Eldrian sensed something from the voidstone. Something telling him to not force his way inside.
'It is a void. Devoid of everything. Perhaps it is similar to a black hole, or perhaps even the crystallization of a black hole? A magic crystal is clearly the crystallization of magic. With its power, anything is possible. Then, with the power of a voidstone, does everything become void?'
Eldrian pondered this for a second. Then recalled two things: he needed them to gain access to his bloodline, and he needed to get a draw, now.
'I do not know when I will get access to such dangerous elements, but setting them off will certainly kill anyone and anything in the vicinity.'
Eldrian did not even think he needed to use them all, but he was not given the opportunity to think the matter over carefully. As he reached this idea, he felt his auras being dispelled. How, he had no idea.
He simply found himself defenceless as thunder roared and Zaphreal stared at him with a deadly gaze. His hand slowly lifting and the lighting surrounding the man gathering.
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