The Shadow Spirit - 26

BAM

The Prince fell hard onto the dark forest's floor, as the dark crow flew off into the horizon.

'Ugh.' The Prince groaned as he sat up holding his head. He blinked several times trying to regain his bearings. As he finally regained his sight he looked towards his feet. A pair of eyes stared back. For a moment, the Prince and the silhouette just stared at each other, they remained entirely still, observing each other.

...

After a prolonged moment of silence the silhouette spoke first, in a trembling and awe-filled voice:

"A-A human!? A real human!" it cried, as it began jumping around the Prince observing every inch of him.

The Price flinched back in surprise.

"What are you?" asked the Prince, staring at the silhouette, while also trying to see through the thin fog of shadows that surrounded the creature.

"Haha! Breaking free and meeting a living breathing human in person? I must be dreaming!" The creature smiled brightly, its teeth a bright contrast to its shadowy visage, like the moon in the inky black sky.

'He didn't respond... and breaking free? Was this little guy trapped somewhere?' the Prince thought. 'Maybe he knows a way for me to escape this plane?'

"Hey little guy, do you know how I can get back to my plane?"

The silhouette stopped rambling and looked into the Prince's eyes with a solemn expression. Then it began to laugh raucously, before exclaiming:

"Haha!! I'm not little, you're gigantic! Follow me! With your help I might be able to leave this place permanently! We spirits are normally restricted to our home plane, but with you at my side... Anything is possible!"

"Wait... you are a spirit??" exclaimed the Prince in surprise.

"Yes, of course! What else would I be? You aren't very smart are you? Well, I can't complain... better than nothing I guess. I'll explain as we walk." said the spirit.

The spirit began walking, and the Prince rushed to follow him. In his entire life, he had never heard of an intelligent spirit, let alone one of the shadow element. Anything he could learn from this spirit would become something that only he knew. The usefulness of this spirit only became greater as he dove deeper into thought. Abruptly, the spirit began to speak:

"So... you probably wondering how I am intelligent aren't you?"

"Exactly" replied the Prince.

"Alright, but first I will explain how I know of humans while humans don't know of me... In my former home, there is a object, a mirror, that allows us to view the plane you originate from. Many spirits spend their time observing humans, as there is little else to do here. It is safe to say that there are little to no humans who know of intelligent spirits, as they would have to travel here, as you did, to be able to meet one." explained the spirit.

That made sense to the Prince. He had never heard of someone visiting an elemental plane and coming back alive... but he knew that some have travelled here before. Well... maybe not here, but an elemental plane nonetheless.

"Have you ever seen other humans in person, ones that have travelled here?" asked the Prince.

"Not personally, but the last human that travelled here did so... maybe a century ago?" replied the spirit. It was obviously only an estimation, but it was still shocking nonetheless.

"What happened to him?" questioned the Prince.

"Killed." the spirit replied, his bright smile dimming.

"Killed... How?" asked the Prince, his hopes of meeting another human cut down.

The spirit grit its teeth and clenched its shadowy fists. Between his clenched teeth escaped three words:

"That False King..."

"False King?"

"It's how I refer to that treacherous bastard who claims that he is the king of shadow spirits." the spirit eased his swelling anger and faced the Prince. "All it took was a few hundred years for them to forget our true king."

"Who is your true king?" questioned the Prince.

"Hopefully, you'll soon find out. Let's keep moving."

The Prince began to ponder the words spoken by the spirit, it seemed that the plane of shadows, and his own plane were not so different after all... It seemed that political conflict was inevitable when it came to intelligent races. Now that he thought about it, the spirit never did explain the difference between the spirits he knew, and those in this plane. The spirits he knew were mindless, living only to serve their masters. And only those proficient in summon magic could summon even non-intelligent spirits as far as he knew.

"How are you different from the spirits I know? The ones summoners utilize?" The Prince was very curious, it seemed that this spirit before him defied everything he had known about them before in his study at the castle.

"Comparing us to the spirits you know is insulting. They are simply puppets, ambient mana strung together by summon mages to look and act like a spirit. I, on the other hand, am alive. I am a living personification of the elements, not some vessel to be used by a summon mage to wash their clothes."

The Prince was taken aback. The spirits he knew were simply imitations? Then how powerful would... this guy be? It suddenly struck the Prince that he never asked the spirit its name, if it even had a name? Should he ask now? It would be awkward, but he would have to deal with it.

"You never did tell me your name, do you have something I can call you?" asked the Prince, trying his best not to be rude. He was entirely unsure of this spirit's strength or influence, so it would be best to just follow him, and respectfully ask him questions for now.

"I could say the same to you..."

There was an awkward silence that followed. The Prince facepalmed in his mind. 'How could I forget to introduce myself.'

"I am Prince-"

"Alright alright can it with the titles and such, here is how you introduce yourself to someone: Hello! My name is Umbran, what's yours? Now tell me your name. Never lead with a title, it's just weird. Do you think of your role as a prince as greater than your own name? Those who live only on their status are destined to fall do you hear me?" said the spirit. It seemed that the spirit had a problem with royalty to some degree.

"A-Alright... Umbran, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Leonidas, you can call me Leon." said Leon.

Umbran smiled and looked Leon in the eyes. Then his face shifted into surprise.

"Oh! Before I forget, we should become bonded! It is kind of inevitable since we need to in order to get back to your plane."

"You're coming with me?"

Umbran looked at Leon with a sunken expression.

"Did you seriously think I was going to just lead you home? Hell no! You are my ticket out of here!" replied the spirit.

...

"What do you mean by becoming bonded?" asked Leon.

"Sigh... Alright so you know how the spirits of your plane are summoned by summoners? It's nothing like that. It will essentially link our souls in exchange for power. Plus, we kind of become inseparable." stated Umbran.

"Isn't that a little... extreme?" asked Leon.

"That's the point! You get me out of here, and for the rest of your life, we become partners! Plus darkness magic is my specialty if you couldn't tell, so if you weren't proficient in it before, you will be soon!"

...

After a moment of thought, Leon decided to agree. He didn't have many other options anyway, plus if he ended up encountering another shadow spirit, it would probably take him to the False King to be killed, at least, according to Umbran. If he didn't take the chance now, he might never make it home.

"Alright, let's do it." said Leon.

"Perfect! Alright lean forward so I can touch your head."

Leon obliged. As soon as he came close enough for the spirit to touch his forehead, Umbran jumped up and landed on his head.

"Hold still alright?"

The Prince began to get nervous as Umbran placed his small hands onto Leon's forehead. Leon couldn't see what the spirit was doing, but a soft light emanated from atop his head. Suddenly and abruptly, Leon's entire body was filled with an intense and sharp pain.

ARGH

Leon grit his teeth, and kept himself as still as possible until the pain began to slowly dissipate. He wasn't losing HP, so it should be fine. As soon as the wave of pain fell, a burning feeling came from his right arm. I was intense, nearly as painful as when he fell into the Underlands and met the Caretaker. Around his arm a black ring began to form, until it solidified its form in the shape of a ring of black smoke, tattooed onto his pale skin.

[Bond Formed]

[Title Awakened: Spirit-Kin]

[Spirit-Kin: Form a bond with a spirit.

Effect: Gain the affinities of your bond.]

[Name:] Leonidas

[Race:] Human

[Titles:] Card Wielder, Prince of Swords, Archer, Inhuman Will, Fanatic, Ruthless, Spirit-Kin

[Rank:] 11, 2167/12500 (17%)

[HP:] 1135/1135

[MP:] 721/919

[SP:] 859/859

[Affinities:] Lightning, Ranged Weapons, Body, Darkness

[Attributes:]

[STR:] 83

[DEX:] 85

[AGI:] 82

[INT:] 87

[WIS:] 81

[PER:] 80

[LUC:] 4

[CHA:] 79

[VIT:] 79

[Cards:] Knight of Swords, Golden Eagle, Sword Kingdom Bow

[Unique Skills:] Heir of Swords: As the owner of the face card, Knight of Swords the wielder is granted an extreme weapon talent for ranged weapons.

Inhuman Will: By repeatedly gaining attributes without ranking up you have shown the strength of your will. In order to reach your goal, pain has become a doorway to walk through, instead of a wall to climb over. Gain an affinity for your body.

Fanatical: You are either crazy, or ancient. You have ignored the exponential decrease of stat training and taken it to your very limits anyway. Someone as insanely driven such as yourself deserves to have it a little easier. +1 LUC

"Lightning and Darkness affinity... what a terrifying combo." said Leon.