Chương 80: Chapter 81: The Sea of Bitterness (II)

Before Ember could dart away from the path of the bitter winds, Dawn erected a barrier of kinetic force to shield them. It wasn't a flimsy tier-2 force shield like his, but a proper intermediate spell. Yet, the abyssal winds seemed to phase through defences to invade their mana veins. They both dashed away from its path, establishing any form of defence against the invasive force. Regrettably, there was nowhere to run. Through the small opening of the gate, the warped winds surged, wide and fast.

Enough of it had already infected him. Utilising the Shadowveil and an intermediate barrier simultaneously, Dawn led them to a corner. Although the bitter wind was affecting them there as well, the density of abyssal aura was far lower, granting them a moment of respite from the predicament.

"Strengthen your Will," she advised.

"It's the only way you can combat the abyssal aura." She didn't have to mention it, as Ember had already discovered that during his first brush with the abyssal currents.

"This doesn't look like an exit to me," he said after gaining control over his mana.

"No," she agreed.

"It's perhaps the main hub of these facilities. We'll venture after the wind clears." That was the good thing about wind; it was rarely ever stale. It did take a good few minutes, but the chilling, biting wind dispersed through the gap as the gate opened wide. Abyssal auras were more common than the currents or winds, according to Dawn. But after centuries of contact with the abyssal currents, and only the System knew what, the air there had been warped by the abyssal aura to gain its intimidating characteristics.

"Usually, they aren't as menacing," she explained.

"Abyssal aura is commonplace in rifts, though it rarely carries such a biting edge as it does here."

"Curious," Ember asked, "is this abyssal aura dangerous to anyone without a mana foundation?"

"That's even worse. If you don't have mana, or a quantifiable amount of will, you'll have nothing to defend against the abyssal aura. Most people will likely die if they remain in contact with that warped power for long. For a beast, however, the situation can be different. On many occasions, they end up warped by the aura instead, transforming into a more beastly, monstrous form. I'm sure you've noticed a few of those over the years." He nodded.

While a dimensional rift was fairly common these days, the Abyss still couldn't quite send their troops through the hole. Whenever a rift opens, it usually vomits out a deluge of warped aura that transforms the local flora or fauna into monstrous things. Ember had already learned about that, though he hadn't known that the monsterification in action was actually related to the abyssal aura. After those bitter winds abated, the two of them ventured forward, inching each step cautiously.

Dawn reminded him to stay alert and remain beside her at all times. Although the winds had cleared, something more dangerous might lie beyond the door. She even sent one of her spider constructs ahead to scout the surroundings, not that the little soldier was of much help.

"Oh, bummer," she clicked her tongue, immediately losing her connection with the construct.

"The density of abyssal aura in there is probably still too high for the scout to send a signal." She paused to cast a spell, which swiftly surrounded them in a bubble of life mana. Its form compressed, circling their figures to create a hallowed aura around them. It lingered over their skin, its presence welcoming.

The spell's primary purpose was likely to act as a deterrent against the abyssal aura in the chamber, but as a side effect of such rich life mana, his stamina and body began to rejuvenate simply by its presence.

"What do you call this spell?" Dawn looked over at him and smiled.

"Hallow of Life. It's one of the more niche utility spells, not very useful in most circumstances, but for this one, it'll do just fine."

"Doesn't it drain a lot of your life mana?"

"Only a moderate amount," she hummed.

"The trick is to recycle the same life mana continuously." Ember didn't believe her completely. He could discern her life mana being continuously devoured and sucked away as it battled the warping aura in the air. From the look of it, that didn't seem like only a moderate amount.

"Trust me," she said.

"My life attunement is higher than any of my other attunements. I can do this without feeling any strain." Ember accepted that. They ventured into the gate, which led them through a snaking archway still brimming with abyssal aura. Its density only rose as they made their way, until they found themselves in a wide expanse that was probably the most secret room within the dungeon. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Despite the life spell cast on him, Ember felt a swift twist in his stomach the very moment. If the density of abyssal aura was high before, it was pure chthonic there, the whole region drowning in the warping force. If his mental faculties were running any lower, he might have trouble breathing. Hell, he believed his breathing would become laboured if he were to breathe there for a few minutes. A sea of abyssal water stretched before them. It was dark but clear, almost reflecting their shadows on its surface.

Its flow wasn't as still as the stream they'd encountered before. It only seemed knee-deep, pitch-black water flowing out as if there were no shore on the other side. Moreover, the abyssal current wasn't so timid here either. Dozens of its branches blitzed across the surface of the water, circling in a spiral, caging the entire region in its menacing force.

"What is that?" Ember questioned, gazing towards the centre of the space about a hundred metres away. It appeared to be a waterfall; dark, tar-like water cascaded in a shadowy veil, chained by a cage of abyssal lightning. Arrays of purple, blue, red, and dark pink shimmers skittered through the surrounding wall in a menacing display of force. It towered over thirty metres high. Despite it being only a hundred metres away, his eyes failed to discern where the abyssal currents and waters were flowing down from.

A narrow staircase stretched down from there, winding its way towards where they stood. It appeared to be made of ever-extending pillars rising from the murky steam, with barely enough space for one person to walk across.

"Dawn?" he called, only to find her transfixed as well.

"I don't know," she replied, a fine line forming between her brows.

"I think I felt a strange pulse coming from there."

"Should we investigate?" he asked, peering at the staircase leading to what he now thought of as the Abyssal Veil, a far more fitting name than simply calling it a waterfall.

"I should go," Dawn corrected, "while you remain here. We don't know how dangerous it's out there." Ember was about to argue but faltered, his gaze darting to the abyssal water and currents flowing across the expanse. Although the staircase seemed fine, a masterful piece of craftsmanship even, a single wrong step could make him regret for the rest of his life. He doubted a mere dip into the gloomy water would be life-threatening, but it could disrupt his mana foundation into disarray, or worse, reduce its tier.

Advancing now would be as difficult as going against the stream. It's best he didn't add to the difficulty. So he let her make the journey alone. Even if something troublesome might be waiting there, Dawn had a greater chance of escape than he did. He didn't want to be a burden, simply to satisfy his curiosity.

"Be careful."

"Don't worry," Dawn assured, eyeing the curtain of abyssal forces.

"It will only take a few minutes. And I always am careful." She took her first step forward.

"Wait," he called out, "take a few more of these manathema with you." Ember quickly rummaged through his belongings and fished out all of the sapphires. Dawn was about to decline the offer but thought better of it, accepting only a single mirrorstone.

"With the one I have," she beamed, "two should be enough to defend against anything." With that, she rose into the air, thin silver threads of mana weaving around her form into a levitation spell. Instead of using the narrow stairs, she carried forward with her spell. It was likely the safer option.

"I'll return in a jiffy." As her figure grew smaller in his view, Ember waited with bated breath, steadying his mind. Hallow of Life was already eroding by the time she crossed over before the Abyssal Veil. He could still see her, though a gnawing unease gripped his heart the more she lingered there.

"I can make out some of the runework here," she shouted, eying all around the wall of cascading darkness.

"I have to say, this is beyond me. If you think the doors earlier are a master's work, then this is on a completely higher realm. It transcends and shatters everything I know about runes. As if they found a way to channel the abyssal currents through these formations and—" Engrossed in her observations, peering deeper into its intricacies, her voice grew fainter.

"The sensation is far stronger," she said, turning her head toward him. Ember failed to make out her expression, but her voice brimmed with excitement.

"It's a pulse of some kind. It's as if it's something related to my attunement, or my bloo—" Before the next words escaped her, a murky aura extended from the cascading shroud of darkness. Like a dozen pairs of gnarly hands jumped out of the darkness and clutched her form, pulling her into the veil, muffling anything she had left to say. She could not even muster a semblance of defence against the suddenness of it all.

"Dawn!" Ember shouted. Only the quiet sound of dark water and sizzling currents answered his call. He shouted again—once, twice, thrice—but there was no answer. He had no way of knowing if his voice even reached her. Ember clutched the rest of the sapphires and bolted forward across the steps. Blitz Steps allowed him to traverse the first few steps, covering ten metres in a swift dash. With a few more steps, he drew ever closer, but then something seemed to change in the cascading water.

It suddenly surged down in a terrible, horrifying flood. His footing no longer felt solid. It was as if the steps were made out of hollow objects, floating above the water instead of something concrete. They barely supported his weight, sinking into the gloom as splashes of dense, dark liquid smeared his boots. A chill coursed through his lower body, as an inconceivable dread gripped his heart. He tightened his control over his Will and Mindwall and pressed forward.

Blitz Steps carried him through the first dozen metres, but it took only a couple of seconds for the abyssal aura to infect his mana system. His speed diminished to a trot by the time he reached the halfway point. A couple more steps, and his sprint slowed to a crawl, his knee submerging into the bitter water. The tide overtook him quicker than he did. Clutching the sapphires, Ember tried to cast Kinetic Push, hoping to break free from its chilling grasp, only to find his Will barely had a hold over his mana.

His mana was flowing out of his control, surging through his veins and siphoning into the icy abyssal water. Despite Will being one of his primary attributes, Ember found himself unable to quell the chaos flooding through his channels. At least his mind mana still seemed to function, keeping his Mindwall intact and his threads of thought cool and sombre, for Ember knew precisely what he required to do to be of any help here.

"System," he shouted, without even opening his status, "I want to acquire Will Enforcement." His voice was commanding enough that the system answered his call. [Please confirm your choice: Acquire Will Enforcement (Silver). Required skill slots: 27.] [Accept / Decline.]"I Accept."