He Who Fights with Monsters, #1
He Who Fights with Monsters
by Shirtaloon
Contents
8. Dark Magic
Overview
Jason embraces dark magic, absorbing a Dark Essence to gain Midnight Eyes and awakening Cloak of Night with an Awakening Stone. He experiments, learns about mana and stamina, and consumes a ritual magic skill book, exhausting himself. Two armed intruders break in and swiftly knock Jason unconscious, escalating immediate danger.
Summary
Jason debates absorbing the Dark Essence, suspects manipulation, but proceeds. The essence sears him with dark smoke, then grants Midnight Eyes, letting him see in darkness and advancing his Speed to Iron 0. He assesses his grim appearance and inspects the ability’s simple effect.
He then uses the Awakening Stone of the Stars to awaken Cloak of Night. The chill-induced pain passes, revealing a living, star-flecked cloak he can control like a limb. He tests its features: light/dark blending, limited protection, weight reduction for slow falls and water walking, and extending effects at close range.
Jason experiments until his mana runs low and a HUD appears, showing mana, health, and stamina. He reads help about mana scaling with Spirit and Recovery attributes. Tired, he decides to use the Ritual Magic I skill book, which injects knowledge painfully and drains his stamina to zero.
Exhausted, Jason falls asleep in the armchair. He is jolted awake by hammering as two men force the doors. Attempting to defend himself with a dagger, Jason is overmatched; the shovel-wielding man strikes his face twice, and Jason blacks out, leaving him captured or at the mercy of hostile intruders.
Who Appears
- JasonProtagonist; absorbs Dark Essence, gains Midnight Eyes and Cloak of Night, learns mana/stamina, uses Ritual Magic book, then is knocked out.
- Shovel-wielding intruderHostile attacker who advances on Jason and knocks him unconscious with a shovel.
- Hammer-wielding intruderBreaks open the doors with a hammer and accompanies the assault on Jason.