Bring the Thunder!
Michael spent the rest of his time in Anti-Mage's world meditating atop a nearby mountain peak, wondering if his progress would improve with the new setting. That's how it worked in Anime, right? Still, he didn't feel any drastic improvements, so after the hour was up, he left the world and went to train under his other Spirits.
Rhasta was his usual annoying and condescending self, so another long session of meditating later, he fought with Slark. Again, he was cut to ribbons, cutting his time in that world to around ten minutes. Better than he usually did, but still not anywhere near close to beating that fish-douche.
Lastly, he goes to train with Riki. It's here that he finally learns something new... Well, not new perse, just improving what he already knew. Like the time he was trapped against his will by Hircine to fight that giant bear, he felt a distinct difference while using his dagger... His movements were smoother, cleaner, with more force and more accuracy.
Michael presumed the reason for this was because of his recent scuffle with Mercer, their knife fight finally pushing him over the edge to raise his dagger mastery up a tier. This would drastically improve his fighting, especially with his runes... Unfortunately, Riki only had him training with a wooden dagger for this reason.
Riki noticed his sudden improvements however, and upped his own game accordingly, still beating Michael's ass with sheer technique alone. It always surprised him to learn that there was a higher ceiling with things he initially thought be simple.
Daggers were like the most basic weapons, they were short, easy to use, and had limited ways in which you could use them, most of which just included stabbing the vitals. Riki's mastery was just incomprehensible to him though, Michael didn't know if it was magic or some technique, but the assassin's daggers just seem to disappear at the most inopportune times, leaving after images, and sometimes even hitting Michael without him even knowing how.
When asked about how he was doing it, Riki just smirks and says, "Tahlin family secrets."
Yeah, Michael wasn't good enough to even start learning how to use such techniques yet, so Riki just continued to drill him. He wasn't upset by the brutality of it however, as the results said everything.
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Name : Michael Tahlin
Rank : Hero
Stats :
Strength : 24 > 26
Agility : 43.4 > 45
Intelligence : 27 > 29
Abilities :
[Gandalfr] : Enables user to utilise any weapon at two ranks above their current proficiency while granting them the knowledge necessary to use them. While wielding a weapon, temporarily gain +100% in all stats.
[Language Comprehension] : Enables user to understand all spoken tongues, and increase the rate of which they learn reading and writing.
[Basic Mana Manipulation] : Allows user more control over his magic, spells, and some abilities. Mana efficiency and control of power is increased.
[Pain Tolerence] : Allows user to endure great amounts of pain with little to no negative effects as a result.
[Apprentice basic Swordsmanship(Two handed swords/One handed swords)] : Determines how skilful the user is when handling swords.
[Novice basic Dagger techniques(Single edge, curved, straight, double edge.)] > [Apprentice basic Dagger techniques(Single edge, curved, straight, double edge.)] : Determines how skilful the user is when handling daggers.
Affinities :
[Lesser Water Affinity], [Lesser Fire Affinity] > [Fire Affinity], [Lesser Lightning Afffinity], [Lesser Darkness Affinity]
Spirits :
Commoner Tier :
Shadow Shaman : MAX
Slark : Lvl MAX
Riki : Lvl MAX
Hero Tier :
Anti-Mage : MAX
Lina : Lvl 2 > 6
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Spirit : Lina
Level : 2 > 6
Abilities :
Convection (Rank 1) : Allows user to float half a meter in the air by channelling a small continuous amount of mana. The height the user can levitate can be increased by using a substantially higher amount of mana. The highest speed the user can reach while using this is half of their regular movement speed.
Dragon Slave (Rank 2) : User fires a wave of scorching flames that mimic the shape of a dragon.
Light Strike Array (Rank 1) : User channels the sun's energies into a focal point that blasts an area with solar fire. Stuns, damages, and blinds enemies caught in it, vampires also take double damage. Cannot be used without sunlight or another energy source.
Fiery Soul (Rank 1) : Flames enhance user after every spell cast, granting them extra movement speed and attack speed. This bonus stacks with every spell cast, once enough stacks have been gathered, enemies in an area around user will take continuous fire damage. Can be turned off.
Laguna Blade (Rank 1) : User fires a powerful bolt of lightning at a single enemy. No cooldown but expends a large amount of mana.
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His time in Riften had also allowed him to finally grab all of Lina's abilities. He'd test them out in the morning, especially Laguna Blade, as he was looking forward to see how powerful it would be at its first rank.
With all that said and done, he snuggles closer and allows sleep to take him. He hadn't slept for two days, so he went out like a light. His mind, despite his exhausting day, dreams of magic, elves, and more elves...
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The next morning Michael group was greeted by the sound of destruction, followed by the sound of Tiffania cheering.
Charlotte, Illucocoo, and Medresi all come out to see Michael hovering awkwardly half a meter off of the ground, his arms spread out as if to keep his balance. Tiffania was stood nearby with an awed expression, while to most it might just look like levitation, to her Michael had essentially achieved flight, something she previously could have only dreamed of.
Michael greets the others with a smug look, which is replaced by one of concentration when his body loses balance slightly, causing him to wiggle himself in the air to regain control.
"I didn't know Big Bro could fly? That's so cool! Maybe we can fly somewhere together!?" Illococoo exclaims in her native Halkeginian tongue, preventing Medresi from understanding her words.
Michael nods, "Maybe, but I'll need to practise a lot more to be a match for you, Illu." he says, causing the dragon-girl to puff out her chest with pride.
Medresi ignores the unintelligible conversation and instead draws attention to something else, "Was it you causing those sounds from earlier?" she asks with crossed arms. She'd wanted to sleep a bit longer, but she supposed she'd slept enough for now.
Michael grins, "Oh? You mean, this? UNLIMITED POWWWAAAHHH!" he screams in English and points a finger to a nearby stone formation, out of nowhere a huge crack of thunder rings out as a bolt of lightning springs from the tip of his finger. The blue bolt of electricity reaches the stone before anyone blinks and blows a good portion of it into stone fragments, leaving what remains of his target as a glowing red molten mess.
It must be said that stone and rock are usually resistant to this kind of attack, but the sheer damage dealt made it obvious to all just how powerful his spell had just been.
Medresi was left gaping, she'd seen mages cast a Lightning Bolt spell before, it wasn't that uncommon due to it being an Apprentice level spell, but what Michael had just shown now was far, far above what the Lightning Bolt spell was capable of... To shatter stone and melt it? She shuddered to think what would happen if such a spell hit a living target.
Fortunately for Medresi's sanity, Michael landed with a stumble after casting the second Laguna Blade, his mana drained substantially from but two casts of it. He could probably fire three, but he'd absolutely pass out afterwards. The Book of Heroes wasn't lying when it said it was mana intensive.