Ezren gasped as he dragged himself free from the grave, collapsing onto the damp earth. He lay there, chest rising and falling, savoring the cold night air. Dirt clung to his skin, his fingers trembling as they dug into the ground. He was alive.
Memories surged through him—flashes of a life that was not his own. Orin’s past. The lessons of a warlock. The voice of his master, teaching him the art of dark magic. Ezren clenched his fist, focusing on the foreign energy inside him. It wasn’t just a feeling—it was a substance, shifting between liquid and solid with his will.
Mana was in the air, flowing freely for mages to harness. But dark mana… it was different.
“You must feel it,” his master’s voice echoed in his mind. “It isn’t light. It isn’t free. It’s heavy, thick—it clings to you. It lives in you. Now release it.”
Ezren inhaled slowly, reaching deep within himself. A shiver ran through his spine as he felt it—dense and viscous, like tar coursing through his veins. He focused, pushing it outward. Dark mana bled from his pores, twisting toward his hand as he guided it
“Shape it. Mold it. Control it.”
He willed the dark mana to gather in his palm, condensing it. Now, for the next step.
He drew his knife, its edge glinting under the pale moonlight. Holding it steady, he pressed his will into the dark mana. The mana trembled, resisting shape—wild, unrefined. He clenched his fingers, pressing his will deeper into it. The chaotic darkness coalesced, forming the rough outline of a circle, uneven at first, but gradually stabilizing.
Symbols began etching themselves into existence within the ring, lines forming in perfect synchronicity as if the magic itself remembered. Then—snap.
A pulse of energy surged outward, the Branding complete. The mark seared itself onto the blade’s surface, dark lines sinking into the metal like ink soaking into cloth. The moment the spell took hold, Ezren felt it—a tether linking him to the knife, a piece of his mana now bound to it.
He exhaled sharply. The knife wasn’t just an object anymore. It was his to command.
Ezren focused, pushing his will into the Branding. The knife twitched, then lifted from his palm, hovering in the air. He didn't need to move his hand—the blade responded to his thoughts alone. With a flicker of intent, he sent it gliding forward, smooth and weightless, like a predator circling its prey.
A smirk tugged at his lips. He twisted the thought in his mind, and the knife obeyed, twirling effortlessly, carving arcs through the night air. Then, with a single, decisive command, he launched it.
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The blade cut through the darkness, whistling like a silent predator before slamming into a nearby tree with a dull thunk. The force embedded it deep into the wood, the handle quivering from the impact.
Ezren’s pulse quickened. The possibilities were endless.
Ezren smirked. “Not bad.”
With a thought, the knife loosened from the tree and flew straight back to him. He caught it easily and slid it back into his belt.
Now, for something harder.
Blackblood – A Technique Created by Orin’s Master
Ezren closed his eyes, concentrating. He let dark mana flow from his mana core, spreading through his muscles, bones, and organs. It moved like thick ink, saturating his flesh, altering it. He felt himself grow denser, more durable, yet strangely flexible. He clenched his fist, marveling at the sensation.
A sudden pain seared across his back.
Ezren grunted, staggering forward as heat flared beneath his skin. His tattoo—**the mark of Orias—**glowed with unnatural light.
Then, without warning, a portal split open before him.
Ezren froze, his breath hitching. The swirling void pulsed with raw energy, stable yet unnatural. This wasn’t a dungeon gate. He had never seen anything like it.
Did someone open this for me?
The thought lodged itself in his mind, unshakable. It felt deliberate—like an invitation. Or a command.
His fingers curled into a fist. He could turn away. Ignore it.
But something about the portal felt… inevitable.
He exhaled and stepped forward.
Into the Forge of Flesh and Bone.
Skills
Branding
Spell Type: Dark Magic (Control)
Mana Cost: 10% of mana per activation + Variable (Locked Percentage) + Active Drain for Objects manipulation .
Summary:
Branding binds reanimated undead or objects to the caster’s will by marking them with a tattoo-like magic circle. This mark does not glow and remains indefinitely unless destroyed or removed. The caster’s mana is "locked" while Branding is active, reducing their available mana.
- Objects: Can be controlled like telekinesis but drain mana per minute based on size.
- Undead: Follow commands indefinitely without draining additional mana.
Key Mechanics:
- Branding can be placed on corpses before reanimation, activating upon revival.
- No range limit—Branded undead obey from any distance.
- If the Branding is damaged, the undead goes berserk.
- If the target is destroyed, only half of the locked mana is restored.
Weaknesses:
- Stronger undead require more mana to Brand.
- Too many Branded targets limit the caster’s available mana
Blackblood – A Technique Created by Orin’s Master
Blackblood transforms dark mana within the body into a symbiotic force, spreading like an aura to enhance strength and agility.
Effects:
- Regeneration: Rapidly heals wounds, reattaching muscle and even severed limbs if Blackblood is active.
- Blunt Force Resistance: Absorbs impacts from punches, heavy blows, or falls, reducing damage.
- Slash Resistance: Instantly reconnects torn muscle and flesh, making slashes nearly ineffective.
Weakness:
- Drains dark mana rapidly, especially when healing injuries.
- Ezren can only sustain it for a few minutes before exhaustion sets in.
A double-edged power, Blackblood grants incredible resilience—but at a cost.