The Forsaken Hero

Enormous quantities of mana gathered within the magic circles hovering over the camp. As runes fell into their places, tremendous pressure descended, crushing the souls of everyone in the entire company. The soldiers were strong and hardy, but only a few were stronger than the fourth level. My soul shuddered beneath the spell’s weight, but I hardly reacted. This new pain was insignificant compared to the constant agony inflicted by the amulet.

"Get clear!" Captain Bethiv shouted, "Regroup after leaving its area!"

Soldiers scattered, the weak leaning on the strong, rapidly trying to escape the looming spell. The mages cast their shields, filling the sky with layers of fourth-circle umbrella-like wards. Although the defenses contained lots of mana, their power was diffused amongst too wide an area to be more than paper before high-level magic. Jackal grabbed my wrist, pulling me behind him as we ran.

I glanced at the fleeing soldiers, running calculations through my mind. The mage casting the spell was experienced and powerful, demonstrating control naturally to seventh-level spellcasters. I took a deep breath and slipped out of Jackal’s grasp. He turned, raising an eyebrow, and I pointed at the soldiers.

"They’re not going to make it!"

Sixth-level spells were terrifying, forming a threshold of both strength and magnitude. While the ones I learned seemed relatively harmless, their power came not in destruction but utility. Explosive Cascade, on the other hand, was as straightforward as Mana Storm. Upon release, it would devastate everything unable to withstand its flames. Those at the peak of fourth level might survive, but far too many would die.

With the smiles and camaraderie of the night before echoing in my mind, I steeled myself and summoned my staff. Had my soul not been weakened to the peak of the fourth level, I could have dispersed the danger with a wave of my hands. But now...?

It should be impossible. Every mage in the world would tell you resisting a sixth circle spell with my current strength was as good as suicide. But my magical experience wasn’t just limited to this world, anymore. The demons we fought were significantly weaker than us, yet they still managed to push us to the edge over and over again. If they could do it, then surely there was a way I could as well.

But what could I do? Without proper time for preparation, I shifted through every memory and experience I could recall, searching desperately for a hint. As I thought of Slivera’s lecture on the unique nature of magic, an idea came to me. Spells above sixth circle were highly customizable, with additional magic circles holding no integral functions to the nature of the spell, only in adapting its power or versatility. Mana storm could be cast as an eight-circle spell, or even a ninth, exponentially increasing its effects. What if that didn’t only apply to high-level magic?