An Unborn Hero

Blessed of the Forest (Common)
Only a blessed few are permitted into the core of the Vale of Myllearn to view the forest's beating Heart. You may now count yourself amongst that number. The bridges between mana and vitality are made clearer to you.

"Again?" complained Mystery to herself. "If it's only the 'blessed few', why is it common?"

While she was moaning, the [Monarch of the Vale] walked into the room, the fabric of his dress immediately scorching and blackening. Thin wisps of smoke curled up from the edges while the leaves that made up the skirt and sleeves shrivelled.

"Huh?" thought Mystery, somewhat alarmed. "Hey! Careful!"

Brylyndril didn't respond, instead sticking an arm directly into the pulsating sphere of mana. He winced, but didn't flinch as he grabbed the radiant twig from within, retreating from the Heart the moment he had hold of it. The entire portion of his arm that he'd stuck into the sphere was hideously charred, the wooden bangle around his wrist vaporised completely.

"What did you do that for?!" exclaimed Mystery.

"Because I could," he grinned. "And to give you another lesson. Normally, stepping into that chamber requires extensive protective equipment, and no-one would ever stick their arm into the Heart. We have a long pair of mythril tongs for that. But here I am, in a dress that offers such powerful protection that I could do what I liked with only a few insignificant burns for my trouble."

"Insignificant?" replied Mystery, staring at the cremated arm, hanging limply at Brylyndril's side, but still clutching the twig, the radiance of which had faded to a mere dull glow once it was removed from the flood of mana.

"Insignificant," repeated the [Monarch of the Vale], releasing his transformation and recasting it, instantly healing both his wounds and his outfit. Even the missing bangle was restored, completely unblemished. "This is your power. Remember it."

Mystery felt like a bit of an idiot. She knew her spell healed on casting, but had never considered prematurely ending the transformation specifically to recast it. She hadn't even realised it was possible to prematurely end it. None of her girls had ever done so, even Rose in her nighttime predicament, so how to do so couldn't be obvious to them either. The stunt would be expensive in terms of mana, but in an emergency, such an option to heal could prove invaluable.

"So, what's that?" asked Mystery, staring at the twig Brylyndril was still clutching. It was visible to a wide spectrum of her sensory sub-skills, glowing with mana and vitality, even now it had been removed from the Heart, but to standard light, it had a strange, ethereal appearance. A textured light grey, with hints of translucency. Closer to a ghost of a branch than something physical, which was appropriate given that it was visible to [Sense Spirit] too, yet the presence of vitality clearly signified its life, even broken as it was. A gem was set at one end, the hue shifting with the angle.

"A cutting of a spirit tree, bathed in the life-giving mana of the forest and blessed by our best craftsmen. They enjoyed the challenge of inventing a piece of equipment that could be used by an astral projecting soul."

Mystery gave a metaphorical blink, remembering the earlier comment about conventional equipment. "For me?" she asked, taken aback. Given the appearance and description, along with where they were, it seemed... significant. And he was giving it to her?

... And then she remembered she was the [Hero]. She was significant.

"The elvish community is famously insular, but that doesn't mean we don't do our part. The demon lord is a threat to all, us included. Especially us; we simply can't afford to attract demonic attention. Should the Heart be tainted by miasma, the effects would be catastrophic. Besides, my daughter is travelling with you. To say I have a vested interest in your victory is putting it mildly."

He held out the ghostly stick.

For the next few seconds, nothing happened.

"I assume you want me to take it, but I have no idea how," pointed out Mystery when the silence dragged into awkwardness. "I have no hands..."

The [Monarch of the Vale] grinned. "Can't help you there, I'm afraid. I'd never learn a skill as dangerous as [Astral Projection]. You'll just have to work it out."

"How do you know I can use it then?!" exclaimed Mystery.

She floated over the stick, trying to engulf it in her soul, but it turned out to be oddly tangible. She was used to some resistance when passing through walls, but this was more like trying to pass through another soul.

She bounced around it some more, before coming into contact with the gem.

With a quiet pop, the stick vanished.

"Uhh..." said Mystery. "Was that supposed to happen?"

Brylyndril's grin widened. "I believe you know [Energy Resistance]?" he countered, ignoring the question. "Cast it."

Reassured that the elf was still smiling, and thus she probably hadn't accidentally destroyed a priceless treasure, Mystery invoked the spell. "May the elements seek not to harm me... Huh?!"

ding

The spell activated with an alacrity that Mystery had never experienced from her magic before, the mana practically leaping at the opportunity to serve her will. Nor did the spell drain her as much as expected.

"Woah. It boosts my magic? Well, obviously; it even looked like a wand," she beamed, checking her messages.

For casting the spell with the aid of a magical focus, [Energy Resistance] advances to level 2.
For drawing mana from a remote source, [Mana Absorption] is upgraded with [Conduit]. Level cap of [Mana Absorption] increased by 10.
For learning a new method of restoring your mana, [Mana Absorption] advances to level 5.

"Oh, we're not done yet," smirked Brylyndril, walking back towards the Heart. "Come."

"Uhh..." repeated Mystery. "Is that... safe?"

"Safer than marching into the demonic forest, for sure. Besides, I'm reasonably sure souls aren't flammable."

"Reasonably sure?"

"That's why I had you cast [Energy Resistance]."

Mystery gave a psychic sigh, then followed the elf into the chamber of the Heart. This time, travelling alongside him, she didn't miss his wince as he stepped into the room. Nor could she miss the blisters forming on his skin.

Thankfully, souls were indeed not flammable. That didn't mean Mystery felt nothing. The closest thing she'd ever felt was during the second she and Zarklaxxos had spent staring at each other. Here was a source. A white hole, from which mana was born. But while Zarklaxxos hoarded its mana—whatever it produced needing to be torn out of it by force—the Heart was, well, a heart. The mana was born of the Vale, and to the Vale it was returned, circulating endlessly, and becoming more on each pass.

"Touch the Heart," he commanded.

"Uhh..." replied Mystery for the third time. The thing had been impressive enough from a distance, but this close? Besides, she'd seen what it did to Brylyndril's arm.

"Just touch. Don't go flying inside it," he added, which did nothing to assuage Mystery's concerns.

Nevertheless, she touched it, hovering right at the edge of its expansion and waiting for it to reach her, and when it did, she felt something inside her shift. A click, as if something had slotted into place, a pressure she didn't know was there suddenly relieved.

ding

"Perfect. Now, let's get out of here."

Mystery didn't need telling twice, bolting out of the room. A heavily injured Brylyndril followed, burns covering his entire body, but he once again released and recast [Magical Girl Transformation], completely healing himself of every blemish.

"What was that all about?" she asked, before remembering the ding, and figuring she could just check for herself.

For viewing a mana ocean from the inside, [Soul's Eye] advances to level 40. Please don't get too used to the scenery, however spectacular; it's not good for your health.
Achievement unlocked: [Adept].
You have bonded with the Artefact [The Vale's Finger].
Achievement unlocked: [Artefact Wielder].
For resisting the raw energies of the Heart of the Vale, [Energy Resistance] advances to level 7 and [Robust] to level 27. You do realise that anything you feel compelled to compare to Zarklaxxos probably isn't great for your health, right?
For forging a permanent link between yourself and a bottomless ocean of mana, [Mana Absorption] advances to level 11.

"What the heck?!"

"That good, huh?" beamed the [Monarch of the Vale], before his expression switched back to serious. "Let me be honest. I do believe you can win, but that's nothing special. Any [Hero] can win. The gods would hardly set one loose that had no chance of victory. No, I'm placing my hopes somewhat higher than that. This cycle is already unique. Two arch-demons slain already, when there's still over a year before the demon lord will hatch? Monsters slaughtered by their hundreds of thousands? A new spell that overturns at least three laws of magic? But we can aim higher. Don't tell my daughter this, but the reason I permitted you entry to the Vale is nothing to do with her bribery. Rather, it's because of what her reports said about Grace. Or rather, Jasper White. I believe you have a chance of making this cycle unique not because of the speed or bloodlessness with which it is ended, but because you can make it the last. I believe you have the capability to purge the miasma of the forest for good, and ensure the demon lord never rises again. To that end, I'm entrusting you with the mana of the Vale. Do not misuse it. This antechamber is heavily shielded, so I suggest you take a few minutes to experiment with your new Artefact before you return to your parents."

And with that bombshell, the [Monarch of the Vale] turned and left without another word.

Most people would have felt such a dramatic speech would have been better given with a bit of gravitas, with him clothed in his actual appearance rather than transformed into a thirteen-year-old girl, but he knew his audience well.

The pumped-up Mystery hovered for a while longer, her complaints about being kept in the dark about the crisis threatening Flinel completely forgotten. But she couldn't remain in shock forever; she had new gains to explore.

Adept (Uncommon)
You have reached level 40 in a skill, reaching a point that many would be content with. Don't let their complacency stop you aiming higher. Boosts experience gain for all skills below level 40 by 10%, 20% for those below level 30, 30% for those below level 20, or 40% for those below level 10.

Artefact Wielder (Rare)
You have bonded with an Artefact, making it as much a part of you as any limb. Let's hope it wasn't cursed. Bonded Artefacts cannot be lost, stolen or destroyed.

"Cursed?" thought Mystery. "That was an option? Anyway, calling it as much a part of me as any limb isn't exactly saying much right now. Is there some way of telling what it does, exactly? I need an appraisal skill. And then I need some way of making it visible again so I can use the appraisal skill. Or, given that bonding message, perhaps it appears in my status?"

A quick checked proved that was indeed the case. And just like other elements of her status, it had its own description.

The Vale's Finger
This Artefact was formed from the combined efforts of half a dozen elves. Carved from a tiny branch of a millennia-old spirit tree, cut carefully under the silver light of a full moon in order to preserve its life force. An embedded soul gem, combined with the ethereal nature of the spirit tree, permits it to be wielded in an intangible form. A powerful wand in its own right, it was further enhanced by the mana of the Heart of the Vale, giving it the ability to link its wielder directly to the Heart. The will of the Vale empowers it, giving rise to a tool that can simultaneously be a beautiful flower, a healing nectar or a blood-soaked thorn. While wielded, the mana cost of all spells is halved and their effective level is increased by 5. Furthermore, the wielder always regenerates mana as if they were in direct contact with the Heart of the Vale.

"Wow..." beamed Mystery. "That might finally be enough for me to cast [Magical Girl Transformation] without having to rely on Mum. Although even then, I'd only be able to get a single cast."

Lacking any targets for [Magical Girl Transformation], she cast [Wall of Light] instead, before spraying miniature fireballs and lightning bolts around, getting used to the increased power and feeling out the speed of her mana regeneration with and without employing [Mana Absorption].

ding

"Yay, more levels!"

Achievement Unlocked: [Astral Explorer II]

"Or that. I guess that works too."

Spoiler

Mystery (Human)
Age: -9 months
Occupation: Hero (L)
Skills:
- Soul's Eye (U) (40/100)
>> Sense Vitality (U)
>> Sense Soul (R)
>> Sense Mana (U)
>> Sense Light (C)
>> Sense Sound (C)
>> Pierce Illusions (U)
>> Sense Miasma (R)
>> Multi-focal (R)
>> Sense Spirit (R)
- Astral Projection (U) (23/60)
>> Sure Navigation (U)
>> Uncontainable (U)
>> Tether of Will (L)
- Robust (C) (27/50)
>> Hardened Soul (R)
>> Secured Mana (U)
>> Pain Tolerance (C)
>> Strengthened Will (U)
- Stealth (C) (3/20)
>> Camouflage Vitality (R)
- Magical Girl Transformation (R) (22/30)
>> Age Correction (R)
>> Gender Bending (R)
- Light (C) (12/20)
>> Heterochrome (U)
- Increased Attributes (C) (11/20)
>> Mana Storage (U)
- Investigation (C) (5/10)
- Cosplay (U) (11/20)
>> Skit (U)
- Mana Absorption (U) (11/30)
>> Drain Mana (U)
>> Conduit (U)
- Translate (U) (10/20)
>> Two Way (U)
- Telepathy (U) (15/40)
>> Reciprocity (U)
>> Empathy (U)
>> Guarded Mind (U)
- Lightning Bolt (U) (3/10)
- Fireball (U) (4/20)
>> Multishot (U)
- Wall of Light (U) (1/10)
- Energy Resistance (U) (7/10)
Achievements:
- Early Bloomer II (R)
- First Skill (C)
- Adept (U)
- Survivor of Zarklaxxos, the Arcane Infernal (R)
- I Broke The System, And All I Got Was This Lousy Achievement (E)
- Astral Explorer II (E)
- First Spell (C)
- I Broke The System Again, And Now The Administrators Hate Me (E)
- Famous Spell Forger (E)
- Demon Slayer III (E)
- Monster Slayer V (E)
- Curiosity (U)
- War Veteran (U)
- Royal Audience (C)
- Diligent Hero (L)
- Studious (C)
- Pioneering Guider (E)
- Royal Pervert (R)
- I Couldn't Stop Breaking The System, And Now I've Been Smited (E)
- Royal Corrupter (E)
- Blessed of the Forest (C)
- Artefact Wielder (R)
Artefacts:
- The Vale's Finger

[collapse] Announcement

I should really do my monthly patreon plug, but patreon is in the middle of an extended cliffhanger right now. So... Well, whatever. If you're enjoying the story, remember you can read 7 chapters ahead on patreon. Just be prepared to want a few more. >.>

Also, Unbound Soul had it's last regular chapter today, so now's a reasonable time for a binge. (Still an epilogue and side story or two to go, but the main plot is over.) But now that it's finished, I really need to sort out replacing the first two volumes with the e-book versions, which had some major editing... Urk, I'm not doing this advertising thing very well here, am I?