Eldritch Exorcist

The next three weeks were spent on preparations.

I told the cats about the house. They were able to confirm it was indeed a medium-sized mana vein. It would make a good hideout, but the price was a problem. The massive Victorian mansion would cost a few million dollars, not the kind of money they had just lying around.

So, last I checked, they were trying to get partial ownership with the Germain vampires, as the bloodsuckers usually had some money lying around.

Liam was another matter we needed to deal with. Arcane artists were rare and hard to come by. Training one would be beneficial, so hopefully, we would come across someone capable of teaching him. The mermaids were natural social casters, so maybe we could get a deal with them.

I spent the time preparing, clearing the mana of the residual sadness and anger that had been present. Thankfully, unlike the simple but stubborn emotions of a demon, this case was easier to deal with, as I knew the source of all the feelings lingering in the magic.

Today, Ophelia and I were going to get our seal scrolls made. Ophelia, although weirded out, didn't protest much about the scrolls fashioned from our skin. So with potions prepared, we went to see the fortune-teller. This time, the woman was accompanied by another man who would be getting the skin.

The entire process, although not pleasant, didn't feel like much. A few stronger potions later, we were both stretching our backs with a new layer of fresh pink flesh.

Now we would wait another week for the scrolls.

My apprentice was also doing fine. She was at the last tuning rune and almost ready to look inside herself. I also started to teach her some basic magic to be prepared when she creates her circle.

It was ten days later that the old hag finally called us to say that the scrolls were ready.

It turned out to be a piece of leather with dark ink. Aside from everything I had on my paper that I used to keep track of the attributes, the scroll also contained the number of standard spells for each tier I was capable of casting. It could even sense basic skills, which spared me a good chunk of fortune-telling.

The pieces of leather had a magic circle on the back, which, if in the presence of an altar of the god of records or a mana vein, I would assume, could update the information. All it needed was a drop of blood from the scroll's owner.

Ophelia also grew accustomed to using the scroll, although each time she did, she looked as if she were holding some dangerous animal rather than a piece of leather.

But most importantly, with the scroll, I had everything for my ascension.

All I needed now was to pick a place for it. The whole process of mixing the foreign mana into the circle would probably be long, complex, and dangerous. I was considering my storage, but the problem was that I had no idea how long it would take.

Typically, ascension lasted around one whole day, after which one would be exhausted, but here, it was not only a major circle but also an overloaded one.

Thankfully, it was Q'Shar who came up with a solution, as it turned out that they managed to get the Victorian mansion bought with the help of the vamps. I could use the attic, secure it properly using the magic from the mana vein, and most of all, not risk being interrupted.

So, once everything was finished, all the deals were signed, and other boring procedures were completed, I received a call from Q'Shar that the house was ready.

***

I went there on Sunday, as the seventh day of the week is considered lucky, and I might need some luck.

I was not sure what I should expect. Was it just some extra effort to stabilise the orbit, or was it going to be a fight for my soul?

It took me almost a whole day to secure the attic, installing seals and alarms to ensure I wouldn't be disturbed.

I finally sat down in the prepared spot and looked into myself. There was the nebula that was trying to solidify into a ring, and next to it floated a piece of third-circle mana that I got from Ester. It was clear of any residual emotion but still retained some of its previous attunement, allowing it to remain as one cohesive blob during the ascension.

It was time to start.

I gave the mana a little push, adding some more to the nebula as it started to collapse.

Now for the tricky part.

Usually, one would just need to make sure that the new orbit was without any impurities, changes in shape, or density, but here, I immediately felt the issue. The blob of mana could be controlled and moved all at once, but then getting it to spread around evenly was a pain.

I was trying to ensure the orbit was perfect as I began to feel the sensation of major ascension. Mana was entering my body. I could feel myself change. It was as if the magic was nourishing every part of me. My existence would now become dependent on it.

The sensation was ecstasy. My being was telling me to rejoice, to let go, and to allow myself to join magic in its dance.

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This was the closest I had been to mana, almost feeling the strange, complex, and unfathomable vibration of its being. It was alive, its will, its knowledge, as vast as the universe.

So beautiful.

It was so mesmerising that it was in the last second that I caught myself, the magic inside of me almost going haywire, collapsing into an uneven orbit. I flexed my will to get the slowly collapsing nebula under control, the added weight of Ester's mana not making it any easier.

I gritted my teeth and stretched the third-circle blob evenly over the nebula before slowing down the collapse.

The process soon became a nightmare. Each time I made progress, I needed to flex my will and stop the ascension to adjust the foreign mana, with the sensations of magic entering my body not helping in the least. I was also on edge, looking out for signs of bloodline awakening.

By the end of the first day, I was tired. Typically, ascension should have been completed by now.

By the second day, I felt like I was on my last legs. The battle was slowly eroding my strength and resolve.

However, it was the third day that proved to be my limit.

Three days of effort to keep the new ring in perfect shape.

Three days of ignoring the song magic sang into my ear.

Three days of constant focus with no break aside from small sips of water.

Three days of torture.

I was at my last stretch right now. My whole body was covered in sweat. The only thing that staved off sleep was the mana, which slowly altered my body.

I was tired. My mental muscle was used like it had never been. It wasn't the one-time massive flex of will like performing the Hellfire spell. No, it was worse. It was a long and arduous process that sapped away my strength.

"Nullus affectus in insaniam spiral. Nulla cupido in obsessionem crescat. Nullus metus in phobiam vertatur."

I recited the mantra to stave off any desire just to give up. I preferred to be empty rather than filled with doubt.

Incorporating the blob was also a nightmare. I stretched and moved around the energy, crashing it against my own to make them one, so that it would lose the remaining attunement. It was a process that was almost complete.

I was on the brink of ascension, but my strength was waning.

One more, final stretch.

But then I felt sleepiness assault me as it had many times over the past hours.

My control was slipping as I could sense a slight imbalance in the ring. I could not allow it to pass.

But what to do?

I felt the control over the whole nebula weaken. I had to do something.

Making a quick decision, I let go of most of my mana, letting it solidify.

The circle was falling into its place around the spark, except for one part, which I still controlled. A part of the foreign mana was still not fully incorporated here.

I pushed it.

The ring was almost solid now.

A hint of desperation revealed itself inside me, and although it lacked fear, I learned to recognize it as a sign of danger. I could live with an imbalance, a part of me tried to reason. The Ninth Circle would be out of the question, though.

But power wasn't every-

No. I would not lie to myself.

'A lie told to the enemy can bring you strength, a lie told to an ally can bring you weakness, but a lie told to oneself shall bring naught but pain.' This was one of the pieces of wisdom passed on to me by my father, but the author was actually my grandfather. A man about whom legends were only told in fearful whispers. A man whose power brought the strongest to their knees.

I had massive shoes to fill. I couldn't falter here.

I bit my tongue, making the sleepiness go away for a split second, enough to incorporate the last piece of mana.

And then it happened.

The circle clicked into place. With a familiar feeling of ecstasy, it solidified. I also immediately understood what the old woman meant by overcharged circle.

It was visibly denser, and it sat like an iron clamp over the two smaller ones. I could feel them start to draw in mana from the environment, as their capacity improved, stabilised by the third ring sitting over them.

I relaxed back with a content smile and breathed heavily.

Third ascension.

A level that put me above almost everyone else alive. I had a head start, a sizable one.

Excellent.

That was the way of my family. The Alhazred clan was never large, but each member was powerful.

I laughed slightly, content that I would follow in the footsteps of the powerhouses from my family.

The only disappointing thing was that no bloodline manifested. It was possible for it to awaken by the third circle. But sadly, nothing happened in my case. It could be for the better. Adding sensations of bloodline awakening could have taken me out during the struggle.

But I still sighed.

I was hoping I would receive something related to my mother. Something that would bring me closer to her. But not such luck.

I wanted to get up and drag myself to bed when I sensed it.

Something stirred inside me. Deep in my soul, but it wasn't mana.

I felt a similar sensation to when I activated my contract, but this time it was happening out of my control. I could feel eldritch energy bubble forward from deep within.

I opened my eyes wide. Thank the Abyss, I was incapable of panic, because that would be the moment to panic.

I tried to grab control over it, to keep it contained and force it down, but to no avail, it flowed along some predetermined path.

I had seconds before it would flow into my flesh, and I had no intention of joining the pipers or growing any additional eyeballs.

What to do?

The only solution would be to break the contract and sever the part of my soul containing it.

Should I?

That would injure me.

It was that or letting the energy into myself.

What could have caused it?

Why did it all of a sudden bubble up?

Should I injure my soul?

The questions flashed through my mind. But no answers followed.

I could feel the eldritch gather in my spirit and crawl into my own body.

Soul injury would sever my path to power, so it was either that or risk death. The choice was obvious.

I let go of any control.

'I hope I will survive it,' was my last thought as I felt the energy shatter my spine.