The trio walked through the wooded area to one part of the wall. There was a metal gate in front of them. A few strange human-like and yet animalistic growls and snarls could be heard from the other side of the wall.
Kail lifted his head, confused but having a guess as to what it was. "Is that the undead?" he asked, feeling chills of fear going through his body. He now had goosebumps.
"Yes. I had hoped they wouldn't be here," Nova replied with a frown.
"How are we getting past them? We're not trained in fighting them," Spider said with worry.
Kail thought of his shadow ability. He had named it Blending Shadows. Spider could easily pass them with his spirit body. He looked at Nova, wondering if he would be able to spread his power to him.
"Nova, give me your hand," Kail said as he reached out towards the Night elf.
Nova was confused but gave him his hand. He then felt Kail's mana reaching for his hand. It brushed against his own mana as it somehow penetrated his skin. Their mana became linked and he watched as his hand turned into the strange shifting shadow that Kail had been earlier.
His eyes widened in utter disbelief. He had heard of being able to spread power to another like this but had never seen it with his own eyes. It was also a very rare trait. Mana Link was a unique trait in all branches of the elements but you had to be extremely lucky to have it.
Mana Link was used for better healing, attacks, and work so everyone was tested for it regardless of background. If a person was found to have it, they were taken to the ruling power of wherever they lived and given a new status in life as well as several other benefits like a better job, money, and even access to new technologies not yet out to the public.
To mark someone as a Mana Link user, a tattoo of a shimmering chain link in a purple color was placed on the user's right shoulder. Often times, Mana Link users kept their right arm completely uncovered to show off the mark as proof of their ability. This could be used to gain access to military bases and other important places around the world.
Mana Link users were also trained in different forms of combat that specialized in using their ability and were kept as a final line of defense against the undead.
Some were currently wandering the world, offering their healing abilities to everyone.
Kail was glad to see that he could spread his Blending Shadows ability to Nova. He proceeded to spread it till Nova's entire body was a shadow. He then activated it for his own body. The draining of his mana was increased.
He had recovered only a small amount of mana but it would hopefully be enough to get them past the undead.
Spider set Kail down before turning into his spirit form. Without a word, Nova led the way, using the shadows with Kail's help to climb up and over the wall. There were about twenty undead shuffling about, some moving towards the gate. They reached a meter from the gate and a barrier flashed into existence, throwing them back with a visible electric shock.
This angered the undead and gained their focus. The trio hurried away from them, going deeper into the massive forest that sat on the northern side of the city. Kail soon couldn't keep the ability going and they were forced out of the shadows as their bodies became solid again.
Kail passed out, his mana too far gone for him to stay awake. This made Nova and Spider panic. The two elves rushed through the forest, Nova carrying Kail in his arms.
"Where is the nearest town or village?" Spider asked.
"There is one about two hundred kilometers north."
Spider bit his lip at Nova's reply. He looked at Kail. Kail was pale now. It wouldn't be long before he would struggle to breathe. "Damn undead. This wouldn't have happened if there was a God of Death to keep them from being around!"
"Don't blame the God of Death. According to Kail, he's currently trapped. Once we free him, the Undead Pandemic will be over. We just have to hold out till then and make sure Kail stays alive," Nova said with a grim expression. "The one who should be blamed is his father for wanting to put the damnable Bloodstone Amulet on him."
"That's true," Spider said with a frustrated sigh. He passed through several trees, his body still in its spirit form.
Nova was sprinting, jumping off of whatever he could to give him a boost over obstacles and to cover a bigger distance.
"The village we're going to has an alchemist. She has high-grade potions that we can use on Kail when we arrive," Nova explained after Spider asked about the options in their destination.
"Have you met her?" Spider asked, hoping that she would be trustworthy.
"Yes. She's one of our contacts. She is plenty trustworthy. She helped me while I was on my way to you two."
Glad to hear that, Spider looked down at Kail again, assessing his health. Kail was still breathing normally. "Hang on, kid. We'll get you help soon."
When they finally reached the village, Kail was barely hanging on. He had a high fever now. The alchemist rushed the trio into her hut, the group finding her just before entering the village. The strong scent of different herbs hit them like a tidal wave.
Incense burned in a blue and white marble dragon statuette on a table by the door. It brought a sense of peace to Nova a few seconds after inhaling the scent. Spider was unaffected due to being a spirit.
The alchemist was a short and plump woman with head of short wild brown hair and green eyes. She had vitiligo in large patches all over her dark skin. As soon as Kail was set on a bed in a room where she kept patients, she got to work.
She rushed over to a large shelf against one wall filled with many colored glass bottles containing a multitude of colored liquids and herbs. She used a step stool to reach the top shelf, grabbing a bottle of neon yellow liquid. Had Kail been awake, he would have sworn it was radioactive from the way it glowed.
She returned to Kail's side and pulled the cork from the glass bottle with a strong tug and twist. A hollow pop sounded when she pulled it free. She then proceeded to pour it on Kail's body starting from his forehead and ending with his feet.
The liquid began to absorb into Kail's skin. Kail gasped as he took in huge breaths of air while still unconscious. His fever went away immediately. Nova and Spider watched closely, relieved to see his complexion had also returned to normal.
The alchemist then set the bottle aside and returned to the shelf. She grabbed another potion off of the top shelf. This time it was a bottle of pure black liquid. The bottle was designed like a spider lily.
She returned to Kail's side and repeated the same motions with the new potion. A few seconds after the liquid absorbed into Kail's skin, Kail opened his eyes. He was groggy as he looked around, confused. "What happened? Who are you?" His voice was hoarse, his throat dry.
"Hello, little one," the alchemist greeted with a smile as Nova and Spider joined her side with huge relieved smiles on their own faces. "Your friends here brought you to my village to save your life. Your mana is refilled and now all you need to do is rest."
"I see. Thank you." He gave a tired smile to them before closing his eyes, too tired to keep them open any longer. He was quickly asleep.
The alchemist covered Kail up before leading the elves out of the room. She quietly shut the wooden door behind them and walked over to a large fire pit in towards the back of her large hut.
A cauldron was sitting on the fire. Among the scents of herbs and incense, there could be found the scent of stew. "I'm sure you're starving, Nova. You should eat before getting some rest as well. That distance you ran was no small feat. Spirit, how do you feel?"
Spider followed Nova over to the fire pit as the alchemist grabbed a ladle hanging on a hook on the wall by the pit. He watched as she put it into the stew and began to stir. "I am fine," he replied. "Being a spirit gives me almost endless energy. I still have plenty to burn."
He sat beside Nova once they reached the pit. She nodded in response to Spider's answer. "I am glad that you became visible when you arrived. I am curious about how you became his spirit contractor. He's so young. A contract between the two of you shouldn't be possible at his age."
Spider glanced at Nova as he spoke. "Well, it may be because he already had powers when he was born."
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