"The once-great elven kingdom spanning all of Edor was destroyed during an unknown disaster, coupled with a civil war dividing the kingdom into two, the causes of the disaster or even what it was were taken to the grave with the high elves leaving only the current two elven sub-races as the heirs to their crumbling empire."

 

-Extract from History of Niuran by Professor Potr of Grand University of Oriripol

 

---

 

Two undead followed the small creek downstream, Iris noticed the humming girl skipping happily ahead of her left behind her almost unnoticeable footprints on the muddy soil. The forest swayed gently as the wind came over it, rocking the green leaves and creating a whisper filling the silence. The elf pondered how relieving the breeze would have been under the scorching sun currently beaming down on them. She sort off missed the uncomfortable feeling of a scorching southern summer leaving her sticky from the heat and relief felt after the sun had set, leaving a nice cool temperature to unwind in. Iris knew how hypocritical the thought was knowing how she used to hated summer preferring the cold of winter but the elf also knew she would most likely not experience it ever again.

She did "feel" the temperature around her but it felt distant somehow. Like trying to imagine the taste of food eaten a long time ago or touching something through a thick blanket. Her mind anticipated feeling the sun baking her under its gaze and feeling of relief of the wind cooling her down so her mind seemed to simulate the feelings her mind expected but it was an imperfect illusion which couldn't match the real thing leaving her with a sense of mute emptiness for most of the time. Iris imagined she would be thinking differently if she felt each tiny scratch she had gotten yesterday.

 

"Kia?"

 

"Yes?" With a smooth motion, Kia spun around on one leg with a puzzled look painted on her face.

 

"Could you teach me a bit of magic as we walk back? To fill some time."

 

" I might not be the best at teaching but I will try my best." The girl said with a mix of hesitation and anticipation in her voice. "But basics first and not too much of it since we are walking." She shook her finger with stern authority like a teacher lecturing a student.

 

"Would not imagine it differently." The elf bowed slightly as a sign of thanks but Kia's eyes opened in terror and she forbid Iris from doing so.

 

"Alright, so we going, to begin with, basics about magic." Kia slowed her pace and flanked the elf. "Your skill is pure mana manipulation but do you know what that means?" The girl asked.

 

"This?" In the long elven arms, a small ball of light appeared.

 

"No, that's a spell. The three types of magic are pure, tainted and elemental. Pure mana is what the name implies its just mana which is not tainted by any elements and it's everywhere you look." Kia spun around with outstretched hands after which she continued. "Magic in its pure form is invisible and only becomes visible after gaining an element. It fuels all spells by extension as pure elemental energy can't create any sort of traditional spells but is used to maintain them in one way or the other. Using pure mana as the primary fuel of the spell causes it to become more potent but it is very taxing on mana links themselves. Also, it can't interact with the physical world in the same way as elemental mana does but that's complicated, depending on the will of the caster and other things so we going to skip this for way later."

 

"But then why is my magic visible?"

 

"That's because your mind has to visualize the spell to be able to cast it. Using a bit of light element to cast the imaged spell," Kia said waving her hands in front of her. "You would need to a very high level to cast a spell using only pure mana."

 

"From what I hear my talent is useless to me until I'm very high level?"

 

"I almost forgot about that. Thanks, but answering the question, no. Normally people can only use their mana produced inside the soul. But your talent allows the use of magic around you and being easier for you to cast more powerful magic and being to learn magic quicker in addition to you being a monster-type creature." Kia tried to explain to the elf, whose face becomes a little glum after being called a monster by Kia.

 

"You said that I use a bit of light magic, how? I don't have the ability in my status to cast light magic."

 

"That's a partial lie caused by how the System works. The system only notes abilities after a certain point of prowess so everyone can use almost all elements because they are a natural part of people's souls. Yes, such ability is not listed in your status but it is there."

 

"If so how can holy magic exist in us? As an undead."

 

"I said almost all. We are undead and the system does partially protect its users from themselves so we can't use holy elements in the usual ways and the living can't use death magic without its own consequences I would imagine." Kia made a pained expression while explaining making Iris not persist on the topic but that made the elf think. Had an undead tried casting a holy spell? How would she not know the outcome of that?

 

"Kia, if I understand correctly you can imagine a new spell, yes?" The elf tried to change the topic.

 

"Correct." She answered with a bit of reluctance in her voice.

 

"So why are there spells in the status window which are identical for all, if anyone can create new spells, how does that work?"

 

"Spells listed in status are short-cuts created by the System for anyone's use after gaining their initial requirements like a particular level in a class. Spell-like Fireball which is an easy-to-cast spell but without system help, you would have to image the fireball forming in your hand with the correct size, speed of forming and power to avoid it exploding too early making everything tedious and slow. You could also learn a spell manually but you would have to find someone or something to teach you and it would be useless anyway if the spell is way out of level. There are also the mana veins inside you which I call mana links, they are the orange-blue colour veins going through your body from here to here to here..." Kia stopped and pointed at her head and showed a straight line going to the end of each limb. "I think." She resumed with an uncertain note entering her voice.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Because cyclops have different anatomy then you. Your old race had them too but... I was too exited and threw them out."

 

"So you are unsure if they exist in the way you know now, correct?" The elf asked deciding to not pry deeper at the girl's answer seeing her on the verge of tears.

 

"Y-yes!" The girl answered eagerly, wanting to change the subject.

 

"What do they then?"

 

"They channel your magic around. your body into points where it can be used safely, but don't use spell constantly if you can help it. The veins will burst if either too much mana enters them or they are used too much..."

 

Kia suddenly stoped.

 

The elf's ears twitch a little and also stops trying to listen to whatever caused Kia to stop. Her ears pick up a low snarl coming from ahead of them. The road was flanked by thick vegetation which obscured their sight at the cause of the noise. Iris steadied her spear in her hands and moved in front of Kia.

From the vegetation, two four-legged creatures emerged.

 

[Inspect]

 

[Ghoul Level 9]

{Ghouls are a member of the Corpse-eaters but they will be more than happy to gorge themselves on fresh meat}

 

The ghouls approached with their backs arched up coming up Iris's belly button in heigh, their bodies appeared to be flayed lacking any skin only possessing overstretched pinkish-white blanket partially covering the powerful muscles. Their heads looked like grossly muted human heads with slightly elongated lower jaws and their spines connecting behind their skulls but still possessing eerily human features like eyes which glared at Iris with greedy intentions. The monstrosities forearms were long and possessing knife size claws. Their muscular back legs were half the length of the front limbs and posed two joints.

The front ghoul lunged at Iris extending his long arms, the beast unable to dodge the brandished spear tip topples the elf causing a red and yellow fluid to spill on the elf from the ghoul's impaled guts. The monster's unnerving mouth hinged open exposing the sharp teeth inside desperately trying to take a chunk of the elven face.

 

"Fuck off!" Iris shouted as she punched the ugly face in the jaw casting [Mana Shockwave].

 

*Crack* A terrible sound came from the monster's neck as its head flung violently backward and its body contracted only to lifelessly drop onto the ground pinning the elf under his bulk.

 

She tried to lift the corpse and to her surprise, the dead ghoul rose.

 

"Bleh!" Iris uncomfortably stood up. The putrid smell of the liquid staining her clothes assaulted her nose relentlessly. "Wha..." Escaped her mouth before a deluge of water fell from above her. "Thanks."

 

"You're welcome" Kia answered, a dead ghoul lying beside her.