She should have the spell mastered, but it was giving her trouble. [Illumination] was an advanced version of the [Light] spell Ryoka had learned, and technically, it was only Tier 2 magic. But in truth, its complexity was around Tier 3. Possibly even Tier 4 in scope. Normally, Ceria wouldn’t have bothered learning it, but the spell could illuminate over a hundred meters around the caster by shedding orbs of light. It was perfect for dungeons.
“There are some Silver-rank adventurers in the city. Some good ones that I know. It wouldn’t hurt to have them with us, and as Cervial said, we need time. A day or two of delay won’t lose us any time. Myself, I’m more concerned about our formations. Ceria has said she can learn the [Illumination] spell in time, but even if we get that cast, how will we approach the actual exploration phase? I’m not too keen on splitting up our vanguard—”
That came from Gerial. He stood at the barrier and stared out into the darkness. Ceria’s [Illumination] spell had cast light on the entire floor, but only as far as she’d walked. The branching corridor was still dark, and not a single undead could be seen from where he stood.
Movement. In the shadows, in the darkness of the long corridor at the edges of where Ceria’s [Illumination] spell had been cast, things moved. A huge shape appeared, and grinning teeth and long claws made of yellowed bones moved into view.
The darkness covered the ruins as the orbs of light cast by Ceria’s [Illumination] spell went out one at a time as Skinner passed by. Like lives, winking out one by one as the darkness moved upwards. The thing that stole flesh and hunted the living raised its head towards the surface, and the dead followed, clustering, hungering. They streamed out of the catacombs, through tunnels and secret passages, running, crawling towards the surface.
Zel stared wide-eyed at the lights. He looked back at Lyonette, but she was pale-faced too. She had never cast a spell like this before. This—was closer to [Illumination], a spell far beyond her. But all she had cast was [Light].
The eastern wall was practically glowing with light. The City Watch stood with their backs to bright [Light] spells—the advanced version known as [Illumination] which allowed the [Mages] who’d cast it to change the angle and intensity of the light. Thus, the light shone from the battlements at the Watch’s backs, blinding anyone who might be trying to scale up the walls while the Watch maintained their night-vision for the most part.
Gershal of Vaunt was screaming in the speaking stone. Ceria whirled, and she saw them storming across the ground. Thousands of Antinium, surrounded by lights like her [Illumination] spell. But such lights…they weren’t magical, nor were they mortal flames. They looked like someone had captured a bit of sunlight and turned it into a floating orb.
But the look hadn’t changed. Her eyes were bright violet, like distant stars, and when they looked at Valeterisa, they shone like the first time the [Mage] had cast [Illumination] in an empty field for her.
