Rot Heart: A LitRPG of Rot Magic in an Ancient World (Book 1 completed)

Div stared into Dana's eyes. The explorer hadn't let go of her hood, leaving dusk shadows sharpening her features. Her spear and bow strapped to her back, she was dressed in a coat similar to the one he had taken off Cassandra's remains.

Her neck-length black hair was tied behind her back, but a few strands still flowed around her face.

"The Rotten Sun of the Leios clan," she said, nearly pausing between each word. "To think even Elder Basil's nephew would be exiled. The Leios clan really cares about its reputation."

Div scoffed. "Your Opheo clan isn't any better."

"I haven't heard of a clan member being banished."

"You'd be surprised," Div said, his expression closed.

"I wouldn't put it beyond them," Dana sighed. "Our elders can be callous at times. Some would say it comes with long lives."

He studied her again, noting how her hand never strayed far from the hilt of her knife. She hadn't threatened him, but trust was in short supply in these troubled times. Still, there was something in her eyes—curiosity, maybe, or the remnants of old Kheironite pride—that held him back from brushing her off.

Silence settled between them. Div wasn't sure of what to say. He felt defiant, but he couldn't bring himself to take it out on her. Dana had nothing to do with his exile.

"Are they still talking about me in Kheiron?" He asked. From Scornforged, he knew his memory lived on in the southern city, but he had hoped his name hadn't spread around the populace.

Not more than it did the day of his awakening, anyway.

"Here and there," Dana said. "I only came back from deployment once in the last five years. All I can say is that there was a big fuss two years ago."

It coincided with the return of the Kheironite delegation that had attended the gathering in Bavacium. It wasn't too surprising, he had long accepted that exile was a disguised death sentence. He shouldn't have survived. The Leios clan had to be bothered by the stain on their image living quietly in the river basin.

His continued existence here would only tarnish their reputation, especially now that they were trying to expand their influence in the region.

Theaphilia had warned him, and while he was grateful for her support, he knew she didn't have enough weight to change the Leios clan's stance toward him.

But future problems could wait. Now, he needed to complete his spell, and Dana wasn't helping him.

"Am I bothering you?" She asked. It seemed he wasn't good at hiding his feelings.

"I'm practicing my spells," he said, indirectly answering the question.

"You know, I've always been jealous of people who have access to magic," Dana said. "Don't you think it's unfair? Just because of some random bloodline, I don't get access to my clan's legacy.

"Yeah, really unfair," Div said, deadpanning. He wanted to argue that bloodlines weren't completely random, but influenced by ancestry and environment, but he restrained himself.

"Right? Just because I didn't have magic in my blood, I had to become an explorer. I'm not complaining, I did well for myself. But, when I see a mage, I can't help but wish I had this chance too."

"Evolved Rank is Evolved Rank, no matter the skill," Div said. Even he hadn't evolved with his Rot Magic.

Dana nodded and opened her mouth to say something but changed her mind at the last moment.

"I was going to gush about how young I was when I evolved, but I believe you have me beaten. How old are you? Sixteen?"

Div nodded.

"Ah, I evolved at seventeen. That's why I was given permission to return to Kheiron two years ago."

"That's very early," Div said. "I only managed to evolve due to circumstances. As you can imagine, being stranded in the Wildlands helps. If you survive."

Dana didn't answer. Instead, she took off her hood, revealing herself to him. Div cocked his head as if to ask why she had changed her mind.

"We're not enemies," Dana said. "I'm still keeping an eye on you though."

"Because of rot?"

"No, because if you don't leave this village in a few days, I have orders to make you. But do show me that infamous rot magic. I'm curious to see what's so terrible that it got you exiled."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

He hesitated. Even in Camboaci, Div wasn't that comfortable with flaunting his rot magic. The truth was, most people found it nauseating. The wyrmrat incident didn't help, but rot-attuned mana itself was uncomfortable when in high concentration.

It was the case for every mana type, but ask anyone if they preferred being doused in rot-attuned mana or in water-attuned mana. Everyone would pick water.

Even Div.

Not that he had a choice with his Rot Heart.

"It's fine if you don't want to show me," Dana said, seeing Div's reluctance. "I wouldn't understand it anyway."

She was a Kheironite explorer. She may not be his enemy now, but she could be in the future. Yet, for a reason he couldn't pinpoint, Div didn't want to turn her down.

"No, I can explain," he said. "But don't expect a masterclass on magic. I'm mostly figuring things out on my own. I'm sure you can imagine that rot mages don't grow on trees."

"Right. So what are you working on?"

"A preservation spell…"

Div went on to explain his goal and how far he'd come. Laying everything out so that someone else could understand helped him sort his thoughts. He was surprised to notice he was benefiting from this.

"I wasn't expecting something like that," Dana said. "When I think of rot magic, I'm imagining plagues, famine, that sort of unpleasantness."

"Well, I did too. And it can be used this way, I'm sure. But I like to think that's the same for every school of magic. The Leios clan's sun magic is known for its nourishing effect on the land, but it can also be used to scorch it."

"It's almost laughable how earnest you are," Dana laughed before sobering down. Her expression soured. "It really is all about optics. To think you got exiled for that."

Without him noticing, she had gotten closer and patted his shoulder.

"There's nothing I can do about it, but I'm on your side."

"Thank you. Thankfully, I'm doing fine in the Wildlands."

They were interrupted by footsteps approaching them at a fast pace.

"Div!" Gennorina called when she turned around the street corner. "And Dana…"

"Genno, what's going on?" Div asked.

"I was going to ask you to help me with dinner," she said. "But it's fine if you're busy."

"No, I was going to take a break," he said. Then, turning to Dana, he added. "Are you joining us?"

"Might as well," Dana said. "I'm stuck with you until you leave."

"Is that okay with you, Genno?" Div asked.

Gennorina's eyes flicked between them, brow faintly furrowed. "Sure," she said slowly. "We'll make enough for four."

They walked the short distance to the home they occupied in the village. Inside, the dim light of the ember revealed a temporary but tidy living space. Genno led them to a hearth in the corner and crouched to reignite the fire with a snap of dry leaves.

"Anything I can help with?" Dana asked, removing her coat and leaning her spear and bow against the wall.

Genno gave her a short look, then nodded. "Chop those," she said, pointing to a basket of roots. "And try not to take a finger off."

Dana grinned. "I know my way around a knife."

Div kept his hands busy trimming fat off a piece of cured meat of unknown origin they'd found in storage.

"You really evolved at seventeen?" Genno asked as she stirred a pot of lentils over the fire.

Dana nodded without looking up or mentioning that Gennorina hadn't been present when she revealed this piece of information to Div. " We'd been tracking a crested baloth. My squad got separated. I didn't think I'd make it, but something clicked." She looked at Div. "I guess that's how it is for most. Despair or resolve.

"It's usually both," Div muttered. His own evolution was still fresh on his mind.

"I didn't know you two knew each other," Genno said, glancing at Dana.

"We don't, really," Dana replied, offering a tight smile. "I knew of him, but I don't think the opposite is true."

Div grimaced. "I didn't."

Genno didn't answer.

A silence lingered. The only sound was the crackling fire and Dana's knife against the cutting board. Div chewed the inside of his cheek.

Before he could come up with something to say, Genno spoke. "Food's ready."

She ladled steaming lentil stew into four bowls and set them on the low table. She frowned. "Lug should be back already."

Div was about to volunteer to go look for him when a voice called from outside.

"Div! Genno!"

It was Lugsellos—out of breath and without his usual composure. Moments later, he burst in through the front door, eyes wide and clothes dust-streaked.

"You need to take a look at that. Now."

His gaze lingered on Dana, but with his emotion-sensing skill, he knew both where she stood and that some questions were better left unsaid.

Div rose to his feet. "What happened?"

Out of everyone he knew, Lugsellos was the last person he expected to react like this. It only made him more worried. His friend wasn't one to raise false alarms.

"I found something, out there in the woods. It was hidden under a tree, I could only find it because it collapsed." Lugsellos said.

"What kind of something?" Genno asked.

Lugsellos reached into his satchel and pulled out a shard of red crystal, veined with dark light and humming faintly with mana. The air around it warped subtly, like shimmering heat waves.

Dana's posture changed instantly. She took a step back, eyes narrowing. "That's..."

"Yeah," Lugsellos said, voice tight. "I think we all know what it is."

Div stepped closer, his rot-heart pulsing faintly in his chest. He could feel the pull of the artifact, like a thrum in his veins. A whisper he couldn't quite make out.

"One of the artifacts the mountaineers use to spread their curse," Div whispered.

He could see mana being sucked in from all around them, into the crystal.

"Don't touch it," he said. "What it's doing to mana…"

It was dangerous. If this thing was really acting as a lifeforce drain, they had to handle it with utmost precautions.

But that wasn't all. The mana being absorbed fascinated him. It was so close to the effect he wanted out of his spell.

What if?

He had an idea. One he was convinced would work. He knew how to complete his preservation spell.