Antelligent Design

52. Bring Down the Commander

We gain on our quarry with every passing second. They aren’t aware of us in the slightest. Twenty to thirty croca-beasts at various stages of evolution are surrounded by a similar number of other first strata Dungeon monsters. In the centre of the pack is a large hulking form.

From one hundred metres away, there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s another Garralosh Commander. One of momma Garralosh’s eldest children. That loathsome over-and-under jaw, those massive, bulked shoulders and the writhing triple tails. Seeing one again brings back nightmares. Tiny, Crinis and I all suffered at the hands of the first one of these we brought down. I’d rather not get my back zone chomped off this time if I can help it.

[Let me lead off,] I tell Morrelia. [I can clear off a lot of the chaff with one surprise attack.]

Focused on the enemy ahead, she only glances at me once, raising a single eyebrow to express her doubt before nodding.

What a ridiculous lack of faith. She won’t question me again after she beholds the sheer destructive potential of Gravity. It’s time to unleash, The Bomb!

I take a moment to congratulate myself for not drawing on the raw Mana of my core, but instead remembering to utilise the Gravitational Mana within my Gravity Mana Gland. The gland will increase the drain on my core as it seeks to replenish the Mana it’s lost, sure, but it’s still a lot more manageable than pulling Mana straight out of my core and blasting it everywhere.

I reserve some attention to ensure I don’t run into a fence before I task my sub-brains with drawing out the Mana, whilst I devote my main mind to compressing it down. Working in tandem, the two sub-brains take hold of the deep well of Gravitational Mana within me and pour it out for my main mind to grasp and compress.

Then compress it again. Then compress it some more.

Although my stats haven’t changed since my last evolution, my ability to work with and handle Mana certainly has. My ability to focus and endure the mental strain has increased thanks to the oh so handy Cerebral Endurance Skill, and my control has jumped by leaps and bounds thanks to utilising the Meditation Skill. And honestly, getting Forceful Mana up to Level 9 has really helped my ability to compress Mana.

Compared to when I first started, grasping and moulding my Mana are tasks I can now complete with relative ease! I mean, it’s still hard as hell. Once compressed, the Mana roils and fights against my control as much as it ever has, but my will is as solid as an iron vice. The Mana is pressed and held, unable to escape and with no choice but to submit to me.

At least, sort of.

The denser the Mana becomes, the more unruly it becomes. As if repelled by an unseen force, it struggles to be released from my grasp. Compressed, squashed and compacted, the Mana changes, becomes deeper, darker and more potent. If I slipped at this stage, the results would be catastrophic. The Mana would expand rapidly in a similar fashion to, you know, an explosion.

There is high reward for this type of spell corresponding to its high risk.

As I wrestle internally with my spell, we continue to pursue our enemies, running behind them at breakneck speed. Advanced Stamina has Levelled twice since we left the nest. When I consider all the freaking running I’ve done, that doesn’t seem like enough!

The croca-beasts aren’t built for extended runs, their bodies a bit larger than their limbs seem to fit, and their impressive bulk must make it tough to run this far. The same goes for Tiny. He’s approaching the end of his rope, so they must be also. These big monsters are built for power in bursts.

Thankfully, it means we’ve caught up to them.

Fifty metres behind them, and they still haven’t noticed our approach, so intent are they on running toward the capital. At least, Morrelia assures me they’re headed to the capital. What’s left of it.

[How much longer?] Morrelia demands tersely.

[Oi! I’m manipulating the controlling forces of the universe over here. If I slip in my control, we’ll all die a horrible death!]

[Then why are you talking?]

Argh!

Embrace the Meditation. Emotions are a distraction I can ill afford.

Calm. Calm.

Not so calm.

Within me, the energy of my spell undergoes a transformation, and turns into the now familiar, near-black gravitation energy of the Gravity Bomb. In my mind, the spell appears as a rotating sphere, its edge smooth as if cut by a laser. A terrifying pull emanates from within.

Happy to oblige, I feed more and more Mana into the spell, allowing it to drag and yank at my Gravitational Mana, as all of my minds struggle to direct and contain it. Without the razor-sharp clarity afforded by my Meditation Skill, I wouldn’t dare push this far. In all previous attempts at casting this spell, I would have released it at this point, or just held onto it until I was ready to release. But this time, I feel I can go further.

More Mana. Still, more.

Onward and downward, it spirals into the core of the spell, which only grows denser and heavier.

I haven’t had much opportunity to test the limits of the Gravity Mana Gland since I’d last upgraded it to +15, consolidating my capacity upgrades to grant yet more capacity. I’ve pulled a torrent of Mana out of the gland at this point, but I can feel there is a ton more to give.

In the back of my mind, I shiver thinking about what kind of devastation a Gravity Bomb would cause were I to dump all of my Mana into a single one. I doubt I’d even be able to control it.

[Advanced Forceful Mana (II) has reached Level 10. Upgrade available.]

[Advanced Forceful Mana (II) Condensed Mana (III): Cost 1 SP. This Skill further schools the user in the ways of Mana compression, instructing in the more elegant method of Mana condensing.]

Not a great time, but sure! Go for it!

The more Mana I pour into the bomb, the darker it becomes and the faster it rotated. The spell screams for release as I force and force more energy into it. And it changes, growing heavier within me. The sheer density of the Mana exudes a menacing pull that I began to feel within my very carapace.

It’s at that precise moment that the Garralosh Commander freezes in place, then whips its hideous double jawed head around and looks directly at us.

Oh, nads!

Fire!

HOOOOOOOOOOOOWL!

As if all the screaming banshees of hell had been unleashed on the world, my spell tears into existence before me and howls toward my foes.