Robert and Snow labored to deepen the trench, but it was a massive task. Snow's turret glowed brightly, casting a stream of water alongside her, boosting her fresh water output by about fifteen percent. They had managed to dig it about four feet deep and several feet wide at the bottom. The scale of the job was overwhelming, but they kept going, their magic carving through the ground bit by bit.
Other mages with water-based abilities noticed the magic at work. Out of the 100 or so Dagdans who had come as part of the strike team, eight more ran to the edge of the canyon Robert had created. They joined in, mimicking the efforts of Robert and Snow. Together, they focused their powers, drawing water from the air and the ground to flood the canal.
Meanwhile, their allies protected them from stray Cu Sith that tried to cross the barrier. They cut down the beasts with well-honed skill. The canal filled much faster now, with ten people combining their efforts to flood it with water.
The canal filled to three-fourths full as the Nuck skidded to a halt at the water's edge, its massive hooves sliding against the loosening soils. It reared back, its glowing red eye glaring furiously at the flowing water. On its side of the canal, several Cu Sith darted forward, snarling and leaping into the water in desperation.
The moment they touched the enchanted surface, the magic within the canal began to pull at them, draining their mana like a sponge soaking up a spill. Their snarls turned to panicked yelps as their glowing green forms dimmed, their energy fading Stuart fell silent as one by one, they flailed helplessly, sinking to the bottom and dissolving beneath the surface. Shimmering relics bobbed to the surface, rewards from fallen Cu Sith.
The defenders on the far side of the canal watched with grim satisfaction as the enchanted water proved to be an unyielding barrier. Snow called out, "The water's holding! They can't get through!" Her voice carried a mix of relief and urgency as she continued weaving her magic to reinforce the canal's flow.
Robert stepped closer to the edge, his left eye glowing softly as he scanned the Nuck. The beast snarled, its massive form stalking back and forth along the bank. It lowered its skeletal head as if testing the air, but the clean, fresh water repelled it, causing it to recoil slightly.
Its thrashing scattered eerie fragments along the canal's edge. The Nuck let out a low, guttural growl that vibrated through the ground, its frustration obvious. Behind it, more Cu Sith hesitated at the edge of the canal, their glowing eyes darting to the water and back to their master.
A few brave ones tried to follow their fallen kin, but they met the same fate, their strength sapped before they dissolved below the surface. From the distance came the furious bellow of the Nuckelavee. Its monstrous cry echoed through the city, tearing through the air like a storm.
The creature thrashed in rage, unable to cross the clean, fresh water that now surrounded it. Quanta's chaotic energy, shaped by their will, held the Nuck at bay. The group had managed to trap the Nuck, at least for now, until they could figure out a way to destroy it, or it figured out how to cross the river.
Robert realized there was no time to celebrate. The portal still loomed, pulsing with malevolent heat, and it remained on this side of the Purified canal. His mind spun with questions. Would the canal's magic hold against whatever might come through? For now, they had managed to keep the Nuck at bay, but the portal stood as a dark promise of more danger, one they couldn't afford to ignore for long.
Robert wanted to erect a wall from the massive piles of earth and stone pulled from the canal. There were millions of tons of displaced material, enough to create a sturdy barrier. He imagined it stretching high, reinforcing their defenses, but his energy reserves were running on empty. His arms still felt heavy, and his core ached from the magic he'd already used. He sighed and decided the water would have to do the job for now.
They needed time to regroup, and he needed rest before attempting anything else so monumental. Robert signaled for everyone to pull back to the southern barricades. By the time he arrived, the area had been cleaned up and set up with a medical tent for anyone who needed help before continuing on. Robert sat down on a low cot, rubbing his temples as his arms hung at his sides, feeling weak and numb. The experience had left him drained, and he realized he needed more practice with this kind of magic so it wouldn't leave him feeling so useless next time.
Someone handed Robert a bottle of whiskey. It was Scotty. Scotty sat down next to him quietly and lit a cigarette with his fingertip, perhaps showing off his newfound fire magic. "If for no other reason," he said, blowing out a puff of smoke, "magic lights my cigarettes whenever I want. It's my best friend now." He chuckled, glancing at Robert. The joke made Robert smile.
Robert chatted with Scotty that he used to smoke, but no more. He occasionally liked a pipe, however. Robert chased these words down with a long pull from the whiskey, exhaling effectedly and shaking his head slightly from the burn of the alcohol. It almost immediately made him feel better though, the warmth in his belly now causing his blood to circulate easily throughout his body.
As Robert sat and rested, he began to reflect on his abilities. He had gained a massive amount of M-power during the battle, enough to increase all of his personal stats to an impressive level of 50. His strength, endurance, intelligence, wisdom, fortune, and agility had all reached their peak for now. Using this newfound energy, he had also wished to adopt a 2nd class to improve his fighting capabilities.
Moira's voice gently entered his thoughts. "You've earned this, Robert. Your growth is well-deserved," she told him proudly. However, there was a catch. Moira explained that reaching these physical milestones had unlocked a new requirement. Advancing beyond this point would demand more than just training or M-power. It would require a personal quest.
"A quest?" Robert thought, leaning back on the cot. The idea intrigued him, but it also filled him with unease. Moira continued, "This quest will not only test your abilities but will change you in ways you might not expect. Growth often is the twin of great change." Robert sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Change had already defined so much of his journey, but this felt different.
"This quest will come from you, Moira?" She replied softly, "No, this comes from a natural law of the Quanta." Confused, Robert asked her about the Quanta. "I have heard of this...Quanta..." "Quanta!" Moira quickly corrected. "Right. Quanta." Robert restated.
A Friendly warrior talked to me during my sleep after the corrupted portal, and spoke about it to me. He said it was a boundless reservoir of energy unbound by physical law, where pure magic is born. Moira reverently revealed to Robert, "Aye. I've seen it. It's the realm where all power is born, not just magic. It's a realm of pure chaos, that gives rise to all manner of ideas, created by imagination and will."
Robert pondered this for a while, and thought about what the old man called "Friend" told him about Magic, and about science, having neglected to tell him about Faith. "A place of Chaos. A power waiting for will to shape it." Robert thought aloud. "What natural law could it be except that it's going to require me to evolve in a way to better access it through you?" Moira's voice betrayed her smile, "Or to access it, without me. You may have the chance to become like me." This thought stunned Robert.
Moira continued, however, "Time is short, Robert. What did you have in mind?" Robert wasn't sure, however. "I feel as if my defenses are lacking, as well as my ability to recover from intense effort. Some sort of defensive means would be wonderful, as would some sort of cultivation of power. I already have the ability to gather ambient mana around me, however. I'm undecided. Do you have suggestions?" Moira was thoughtful, "Hmm. Let me investigate you for a moment."
Robert meditated quietly on the cot, the sounds of soldiers working, and helping small groups of refugees that still came through this checkpoint. Robert tuned it out, but he did hear words of people talking about a lawn gnome, marching around telling them where to go. The soldiers simply thought they were going through trauma and seeing things, and patiently directed them toward the safety of the base portal outside of the city and on to Doras Dagda.
Shortly after, Moira returned to Robert's thoughts, "Okay, after analyzing your soul once more, I have three choices for you. You have the choice of Mana Knight, The Rook, or The Bishop. Keep in mind, by choosing one of these chess pieces, you lock the other two options from you permanently. Each path excludes the others." Robert frowned thoughtfully, "Tell me about them please."
"The first option," Moira began, "is the Mana Knight. This path suits your knack for creation and your ability to balance offensive and defensive strategies. As a Mana Knight, you will gain the ability to summon and command constructs powered by your mana, such as mobile shields or barriers that can defend allies and intercept attacks. Protected Ground purifies your turf, healing allies, blocking corruption."
She paused before continuing. "Next is the Rook. This is a purely defensive path. The Rook allows you to establish a domain of influence, a zone that moves with you and extends about fifteen feet in every direction. Within this domain, you will create a Quanta Barrier, a protective dome that deflects attacks and absorbs portions of magic directed at it. The more you level up, the more magic it can absorb. Up to ninety percent at its peak. You'll also gain an ability called Aether Fortification, which reinforces structures, allies, or equipment with durable mana, enabling them to withstand severe damage. This path enhances your endurance and solidifies your role as a fortress on the battlefield."
Robert raised an eyebrow at that. "A Rook? Defensive of my friends and allies, while reinforcing structures and equipment. That's what I call tempting." He gestured for Moira to go on.
"Lastly," Moira said, "is the Bishop. This path focuses on cultivating and converting power. You will gain an enhanced version of your mana absorption skill called Harvest Surge. It allows you to absorb the energy of fallen enemies or chaotic mana at an increased rate, converting it into usable M-power. The second skill is called Nova. When your nine-point crystal mana core is fully charged, you can release all its energy in a devastating blast of elemental mana. It will drain your core to ten percent, but the destruction it causes could turn the tide of any battle."
Robert was stunned by all of these choices. Every single one of them had immense merit. A Mana Knight would be a bastion of magical prowess on the battlefield, its auras and defenses a versatile addition to any scenario. Adding on the ability to summon magical constructs as reinforcements was certainly one of the most tempting abilities to be a one-man army. Bishop had merits as well, but seemed to be more focused on becoming a living bomb and waiting for an emergency to be used. But gathering M-Power faster could eventually help him pay for future empowerments to his power base. The Rook, it was hard to find a negative attribute to that one, except for weakening his offensive abilities while in use, while at the same time offered powerful protection for his allies, and anyone fighting beside him.
"Which one should I choose?" Robert asked himself.