The average man would've told me to turn back.
But I wasn't the average man.
I was a wizard, and I had something better than fear: curiosity.
But I was also a wizard who was mildly annoyed and slightly pissed off. I always enjoyed hiking back during my original life before I lost my legs. But something I was never fond of, was needing to repeat the exact same task all over again.
After a long tedious walk, careful examining of the map, and retracing the exact route I had previously walked. I had finally found the previous location I had been warped from.
There it was.Small lake to the left, complete with waterfall. Small open field, chirping birds.
Perfectly familiar.
I exhaled.
Now… this was not the moment to screw it up again.One misstep, and I'd be transported right back where I started.
If my memory served, the trigger point was just past that bush.
Which meant the edge of the barrier should be... right about here.
Lifting my staff, wrapping it in my mana to protect myself, I gently tapped it on the barrier, and I felt a sudden tingle of it trying to grab hold of me, only for me to gently repel it back. I pulled my staff back and smiled.
"There you are~"
Oh this pesky barrier, How many hours have you stolen from me with your first little trick? Fool me once, shame on you, but fool me twice, shame on me. And I refused to be fooled again.
"Oh, you sneaky little thing," I muttered. "How many hours did you waste with that first stunt? Tell me? What was it now?"
There were many types of barriers, but this one was special, it was not the kind that blocks things.
This was a advanced barrier that transported you to a new place all together.
Spatial magic, subtle, elegant, ANNOYING when you were the receiver.
Spatial barriers were invisible to the naked eye, and the only clue that you were in one was a sudden heaviness in the air. A normal person would never notice until they were already relocated. Sometimes they were even paired with a manipulation spell to trick the person into believing they had simply gone in a circle.
Typically they were cast over a domain to hide things . . so that made me wonder . . how large was this barrier, and exactly what was it hiding?
Still . .
I could already tell though this barrier was going to be fairly annoying, even for me. From first glance this was truly masterfully made, almost a work of art. It almost seemed rude to smash it.
But I wasn't here to be polite. And seeing how the sun was setting, I wasn't exactly pleased with losing so much time.
"Now lets see . . ."
I pressed my staff against the surface. It shimmered, flinching under my touch.
"Yup this is the spot~ "
It was only my second time encountering a barrier like this, since they were essentially an extension of their masters will, they behaved somewhat life like. When dealing with intruders they responded like a feral guard dog.
"Which means I just need to focus everything… right here."
The barrier wasn't pleased about me discovering its entry point. I didn't really care though. It was payback time for that little misdirection it caused me.
With my staff held in my right arm while I kept it firmly pushed against the barrier I closed my eyes and allowed myself to focus.
I took one single breath-
And then allowed myself to let loose a bit.
Mana surged through my staff In a violent brute force onto gate of the barrier to force it open.
Taking offense to that the barrier responded with it's own will. Trying to shove me out, I could feel it reaching for me. Most likely attempting to send me back to where I came.
And so our little duel began.
The invisible shockwave blasted right through me.
Nearly knocking me off balance. I dug in my heels, planting myself firmly against the ground as my cloak snapped backwards in the storm we created.
The forest definitely did not appreciate our scuffle.
Branches groaned, bending away under the pressure, leaves exploded into the air. Bark skin cracked, peeling away.
I chuckled this was amusing. The barrier was definitely doing it's best to keep me away.
"What secrets are you hiding so desperately barrier?~" I had to know. So I pressed my staff just SLIGHTLY harder onto it . .
The barrier writhed under the strain. Spiraling patterns spread across its surface like cracks, shimmering violently with light.
Odd . . this didn't happen last time.
The barrier was starting to violently ripple as if it was boiling. No it appeared as if something was about to rise from the depths within the barrier.
Oh? It looked like something was coming. Interesting.
From seemingly nowhere, ten spectral tendrils suddenly thrusted themselves through the barrier like snakes
Like daggers they lunged themselves instantly toward me, all aiming at different directions. It was forcing me to make a sacrifice . .
But . . than again, I wasn't really in any danger..
Suddenly, all at once, each tendril detonated mid-assault, bursting apart in violent, fiery shockwaves before they could touch me.
While my right arm was slightly raised, poising my staff on the barrier forcing my will onto it, my left arm was raised high revealing my wand that I always kept handy in my satchel.
I smirked, remembering an old lesson.
"Master always did say" I remarked while twirling the wand between my fingers, the burned tendrils retracting while they attempted to regrow.
"When dealing with magic if something doesn't look right, assume it's about to kill you."
My eyes narrowed as the tendrils were now almost fully healed, they began recoiling .. thrusting themselves forward yet again.
"Unfortunately for you" I said with a chuckle, pointing my wand forward, In one fluid quick motion.
"That's one of the few things he said that I actually agreed with"
A second volley of combustions detonated through the air, shattering the regrown limbs as they were inches away from me.
The tendrils burst alit yet again, hissing in agony, retreating away, attempting to heal to launch another attack.
Meanwhile the barrier was starting to weaken under my staff I was finally making progress.
Hissing though? Was the barrier actually feeling pain?
Before I could finish that thought the tendrils were getting ready to launch a third assault. They were trying to be sneaky this time but I noticed.
"Oh? Looks like I'll have to hurt you again before you learn~"
I slashed my wand downward.Another onslaught of explosions answered the threat, tendrils torn apart mid-air, vanishing in streams of fire.
That same master once scolded me, saying I enjoyed a good fight a little too much.
Maybe he was right.
But It had been a while since I'd had the chance to enjoy a proper duel. The castle wasn't exactly fond of court wizards nearly blowing walls down. So play time was heavily limited.
Forcing open a master class barrier though with one hand while casting combustions with the other?
Now this was a chance to actually enjoy myself!
But then I remembered this was the same force that literally sent me back nearly six miles in thick forest.
That's right . . I had a barrier to punish...
It was time to rap this up.
Breaking a barrier isn't complicated.
You typically have three options.
Method one: replicate the caster's mana signature, tricking the spell into thinking you belong.
Boring
Method two: convince the original creator very politely to drop the barrier.
Currently unavailable, and i'm pretty sure they would say no
Method three...
My persona favorite. Especially when I'm feeling a little lazy.
Force it open!
The ground cracked beneath my feet, a shallow crater forming as pressure coiled around me.
I leaned into the barrier, with just a bit more force behind the staff this time. It wasn't going to submit quietly. Our duel was evidence of that. So I dug in, this time just a little more roughly.
Even more tendrils erupted in response. Twenty-two by my count now, but I barely glanced at them.
Flick. Ignite. Ash.
Quick detonations lit the space around me as I snapped the wand across the air, burning them down in sudden explosions.
I sighed.
Even with the chaos swirling around me, it was starting to feel... repetitive.
Eyes closed. One deep breath.
And then
"Open."
The surface around me crumbled. The crater growing several times bigger.
The command was calm. Almost gentle.
But the power behind it?
Not so much.
I wasn't trying to destroy the whole thing,
I just wanted to open a door.
Give it a polite knock, nothing more.
But sometimes, doors can be disobedient, bratty, and sometimes brats needed a firm hand.
And maybe JUST maybe, I was being petty after the six-mile detour.
But most of all this point? I believed this brat needed a proper and just spanking.
And with one final tap
Everything stopped
The barrier finally cracked open, like a glass door falling to pieces.
Surprising I was expecting something louder . .
I felt a breeze . . wait . . shit..
My eyes widened as I dropped my wand on reflex and slammed my staff into the ground, gripping it with both hands as I channeled mana into a barrier of my own. It had to hold . . or else.
The backlash hit a second later.
Boom.
A thunderous shockwave blasted through the doorway I'd opened, ripping through the entire field.
Several trees snapped in half falling over. Some lifted completely torn from their roots. Leaves and plants scattered all over the place. Carried by the gust.
The crater beneath me split wider, cracks racing out in every direction. Even the stones around me began to spilt. I grit my teethe, focusing everything on holding my footing, anchoring myself. Whatever was inside . . was doing everything it could in one last effort to keep me out!
And then suddenly, just as it began... it was over
"See master . . I can be gentle . . sort of"
Just seconds after I said that
"Ow! Meanie! That huuurrrt~!"
I blinked .. I could hear a faint ..oddly cute feminine growl . . with a touch of divaness..
The voice echod
"Fine, you win this time, but just you wait, i'll get back at you for this you jerk!"
And than the presence vanished .. almost like a spoiled princess when she realized daddy wasn't going to let her have her way.
That was... not normal.
Barriers of this level were lifelike, yes.
But sentient? With feelings? No . . Absolutely not . .
I was also pretty sure they weren't supposed to talk back
Whatever it was . . it was gone now . .
"Sorry . . I guess . . ?" just saying it out loud was weird. Was I really apologizing to . . a barrier . . ?
I shook my head, if I really wanted to find out what that thing was, there was only one way to find out.
Stepping to the door I had opened, I could smell flora . . yes the same floral scent from before it transported me the first time . . it must of came from here . .
It was fascinating, I could feel a entirely different flow of air . . as if an entirely different eco system was waiting behind this opened . .
Curiosity screamed at me. .
And without hesitation or care for my own safety, I stepped through.