Reborn With a Magic System

Chapter 481 – Obstacles

“Well, this complicates matters,” Mage Levine said after listening to Mage Parivar’s report with the other S Rank mages of the expedition and the Iblis’ own S Ranks. Only Mage Wells was absent from the briefing in an effort to keep his rising magic power hidden.Mage Parivar had returned after exploring the underground ruins and surprisingly had not just provided a report but was able to show a live auto-mapper feed from inside the ruins. The presence of the null zone blocking knowledge of the central area where the seal was presented them a problem. However, it was not just a problem for the expedition.

“A null zone of this size is difficult to maintain,” Visneer told them. “I have seen the Alfar make use of such fields before. On the battlefield a well-placed null zone can be used as an effective defense, blocking incoming spells and being shut off to allow their forces to attack.”

“I would think you quickly began using Metal and Stone affinity spells when they made use of such fields,” Mage Teft laughed.

“Indeed. Such were our tactics when similar fields were deployed in the past. The field may end a mage’s control over their spell, but the conjured matter still exists. Fire or Lightning magic tends to dissipate, but a falling spear or boulder can still kill whatever is in its path.”

“Unfortunately, that tactic does not help us in this situation,” Mage Levine said. “What I can’t figure is, doesn’t this null zone stop them from using their magic as well?”

“If they are blocking all mana, as I believe they are, then yes, they would be just as magic deprived. Fields tailored to a specific affinity are easier to maintain, but far less effective, except against your people.”

“Do you think they could be blocking all but a specific and unusual affinity? Something they are talented with and can make short work of us with? Like Void for instance,” Mage Levine nodded to Mage Veers.

“Doubtful,” Visault chimed in. “each individual affinity blocked requires additional enchantments. It is a multiplicative effect, the more you block the more complicated the enchantments and the higher the mana cost. There are many varieties of affinities. Take Water for instance, it has many forms aside from its liquid state, Ice, Mist, Snow, Steam. Blocking each one separately can be done, but at a much higher cost. Much simpler to block the family of affinities.”

“Then what does this null zone gain them?” Mage Teft asked. “If such a field, even one that blocks all mana usage, is costly to maintain, and they cannot use magic to ambush us, what advantage do they gain by using it?”

“For one, though I am unsure if this was intentional or hopeful on their part, they have blocked our ability to detect what they have in store for us,” Visneer answered. “Their plan could be as simple as laying in wait and dropping the field and attacking before we have a chance to react.”

“What about artifacts? Could they somehow still be able to use their artifacts to attack us?” Mage Strand asked.

“The Alfar have never shown special artifacts that can bypass the restrictions of a null zone,” Visneer said before going quiet for a moment. “It could be possible, but not something we will be able to create in the short term.”

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“Maybe Mage Wells could come up with something,” Mage Morelli, one of the newest S Rank mages suggested.

"While I will admit Damion has come up with a number of intriguing creations, they were not works he completed in just a few days,” Mage Teft said. “Besides, he is still training. Pulling him away from that to work on a maybe does not seem worth it.”

“Their plan might be simpler than that,” Mage Bishop suddenly said. “I’ve never been in a null zone before, but from the reports I have read, you can pass through easily enough, but once on the inside, it is difficult to escape.”

“That is correct,” Mage Levine told him and motioned for him to continue.

“Well, all they need to do is trap us inside. Without mana, we won’t be able to escape easily, but they could trigger some sort of preset nonmagical explosive and collapse the cavern on us. We may or may not die, but we will for certain be trapped for a good long while.”

“Not to mention, once we are trapped, that explosion is sure to anger all the Demonic Beasts we hadn’t taken care of. And we will be at a great disadvantage if we are separated or trapped in rubble,” Mage Levine agreed.

“But why set up the null zone now, why not wait until we are within its range and then trap us?” Mage Morelli questioned.

“Because you have to willingly be part of a null zone, or be forcefully trapped,” Visault said. “When a null zone activates, you will be pushed out, unless you choose to stay within. You can wander into one unknowingly, but that is still you wandering in. It is difficult to trap someone in one otherwise, especially for mages that have domain spells, all you need to do to resist is activate such a spell and you can move about freely in the zone as it passes over you. But if you wander into one without your domain active, you can’t summon it inside.”

“Will it be possible for a mage to activate a domain spell and enter the null zone safely?” Mage Teft asked, thinking about Damion and his ridiculous mana regeneration.

Visneer considered the possibility before answering, “It is possible. But it is difficult to maintain such a spell for a large amount of time. And once you are out of mana, you will be trapped as well.”

“Could the Alfar be sitting in an enchanted domain?” Mage Levine thought of the possibility. "Something powered by an artifact and mana batteries, so they are able to sit there and wait for us and once we are inside their safe area, ambush us?”

This time Visneer’s bald head furrowed as he thought on the possibility. “Yes, and because of the null zone blocking the auto-mapper, they could have an army sitting in the heart of the ruins and we would not know.”

“If both the null field and the artifact take large amounts of mana to power, we can just wait them out,” Mage Veers suggested.

“If they have found a method of tapping into the Mother World’s release of ambient mana, that may not be a viable solution,” Visault said.

“I thought the seal was down there, the thing you needed Damion to turn off.”

“It is. And the seal is on the source of the Mother World’s mana. Once the seal is released, the Mother World’s core will be able to self-regulate and restore our world to normal.”

“Why is the Mother World’s core in those ruins and not… I don’t know, in the center of the planet?” Mage Veers could not help but ask.

“Because your ancestors stole it from its normal location to control it and gain more power for themselves. That is what started the ancient war between your people and the other races,” Visault snapped.

“We are getting off track,” Mage Teft said, trying to calm everyone. “If we can’t rely on running them out of power, we simply need to give them a reason to lower the field. Even if for a few moments, that will let the auto-mapper tell us what waits for us.”

“How do you propose we get them to lower the null zone?” Mage Levine asked.

“Well, we have theorized they have an army down their waiting for us right?” Mage Teft waited for everyone to nod before she continued. “We just have to make them want to move their army out of there. They’ll have to lower the null zone to leave.”