Controlling a class 8 formation feels very different from controlling a class 9 formation. I like to compare the entire thing to a puppet. The class 9 formations are like the limbs and face of the puppet. The process of controlling them is like moving a toy. It is simple, and a child could do it, but there is not much you can do with it. You will be more likely to break the puppet than use it.
From class 8 onwards, the inscribed spells function like the strings of a puppet. It is hard and annoying to control the puppet in this way. To control it effectively can take years of practice. With time and practice, though, I should be able to make the puppet dance like an elegant swan.
I am far from that state, though. I have never used formations beyond class nine much. Let's just say that I should have practiced a bit more. Controlling a Class Eight formation is a task. I am barely able to keep the entire thing from exploding on my face. Activating these formations have always been hard, but to do so in an actual battefield is proving harder than expected.
It is at this moment that I wish that activating a class eight formation looked more impressive. If it had managed to intimidate the musclebound wrecker, things would have been easier. Compared to most class 9 spells, a class 8 spell activating can barely be noticed. (It is just significantly better at using mana.) Even now, the damn brute is staring at me, looking for an opening to attack me. I have to guard against that as well.
I can feel the spells in the formation core working at their full capacity, casting each of the ten spells inscribed in a set rhythm. These ten spells combined together are creating the barrier that is going to be the core of this place. The only sign of this is my quickly burning out mana reserves. It is going to be a long time after this that this formation will be able to return to these levels of mana. I would give it an year at the very least to recover.
I do not have the time to worry about that now. I have the giant in front of me, who has finally decided to attack. I quickly unsheathe my sword and enter into a defensive form. (Oh yeah, I had kept one with me just in case)
Blocking a single punch, I can feel the ground under me give way as I crash against the wall. Maybe attacking the man while activating the formation was not a wise idea. (All my fellows do it like this, though.) My arm feels like somebody has been hammering it like a piece of iron. I have to focus on the formation and keep it running as smoothly as possible while all this is happening.
Even given a couple of minutes, though, the ice mana in the air should be thinned enough for this to be a proper fight. Already the ice mana in the air is thinning. I am already able to block his strikes (even though I get blown away). The barrier will eventually form, and that will be the time the other party will die.
The man seems to be confused about the fact that I am not dead at the moment. It will take him a while to realise that the ice mana is thinning. (his mana sense is not as sensitive as mine.) Until then his attacks are going to get weaker and weaker. There is a reason that people do not like to be dependent on external mana. It tends to be very unreliable at key moments like this. If we were outside in the ice mana that hit would have liquified my insides. (Or solidified it I guess.)
Anyway, I do not get to think much on this as the man charges at me again. I do not even get a moment as he suddenly appears in front of me. (Just what kind of brute strength is that?) I charge to the left, barely dodging the man, creating a hole in the wall behind me.
The man is not even phased as he turns and charges back. This is not going to be easy, but he is getting slower. I can see the brightness of his tattoos becoming dimmer as well. (though, all of this could be in my head.)
That is enough distraction, I guess. I return my focus to the formation core. It is time to make use of the nasty surprise. Among the ten formations I inscribed only the ballista is really meant to be offensive in nature. The ballista is not the scariest thing it is capable of, though. The title for that would go to the ring of dew. It is a spell that is used to conjure a simple ring large enough to contain me if I were to scrunch up in it a bit. The ring has a simple task. That is to expel water mana at a steady rate. (This is meant to feed the trees that are usually grown by the druids.)
As I activate the spell, I can feel the Ironskin map out in my head. I can place these rings only on the ironskin, you see. As I wave my arms, ten different rings spread around me. I have covered every possible area the damn bull can come from. (Yes, even if he charges through a wall.) Now I just need the man to step on one of these.
I can feel the ground shake as he charges at me head on. (Maybe, I didn't need to be so paranoid after all. He is a brute.) I have a ring placed there. As the man steps on it, the water mana is expelled so violently that the ring looks like it has exploded for a moment. (It is still there, it just needs to be recharged again.)
As the water mana disappears, there is a deep cut on the man's leg, which is enough to trip him up. As he begins to get up, I have already disappeared from the tunnel, through a shattered part of the wall, while setting up a few rings behind me. That should stop the man for a bit.
Anyway, returning to the ring of dew. The reason that I have even put it in the formation is this is one of my master's spells. The man has modified this simple spell to work as a weapon. He didn't even do much to it. He just reduced the time that the spell will work for. The ring of dew was meant to last for days, steadily supplying their trees with water.
My master converted this into a few moments. So the entire water mana stored in the ring is released in a matter of moments. When water mana is released with such force, It is like a blade. (I have seen concentrated jets of water mana used to cut through even steel.)
At least the creation of the rings is happening at a good pace. It is very weird to feel the ring of dew, which can be activated by my will. It is like a ghost limb in the formation. A formation within a formation, if you will.
Honestly, I feel a bit annoyed. Where is the giant? He was supposed to be fighting me right now. Well, it is his loss. The more time that he gives me, the more rings I get to place. (The rings don't even cost that much mana. It is a tenth of the mana needed for a water spear. That is good as we are a bit tight with our reserves at the moment.) With enough rings, I can destroy the man.
I am embarrassed to admit that I almost got run over as I lose myself in my worries. It is the ring of dew activating behind me, which tips me off to his presence. The result of this is a decently sized gash on his other leg.
I was hoping to see his leg cut off, but this is still a pretty good result. Moments ago, I could not even damage him without using dangerous methods.
I will not get to enjoy my handiwork as I begin to create rings throughout the surrounding regions while retreating. With my capabilities, I should be able to create ten such rings in an instant, every minute or so.
"Bastard of the legion, what magic are you casting?" The man speaks for the first time in this fight.
"I was beginning to think that you were dumb, you damn brute," I can't help but curse the man. He has been wrecking the fort, and frankly, I am getting quite attached to this place. This formation of mine might just be my best work in years.
"We hunt your kind every year, Legioner. You are quite a confident man to think you will come into our home and taunt us like this," The man speaks, taking a cautious step forward. There is no ring there, but a step to the left and the man will be in for another strike. "I wonder what the Snowwinders gave to your people that they sent one of the Legion here. Is it due to the Dead god's temple? A blood sacrifice to satisfy our bloodlust, eh."
"I wouldn't know, I go where I am commanded to. Speaking about bringing down buildings. I could hire you to bring down buildings. A dwarf would have quite a use for you. They always need to bring down tunnels," I speak in what I hope is a taunting tone.
"Can the same be said about the Legion's bastards, then? You would destroy the dwarf's entire mine than just the tunnel you are meant to, won't you? You might defeat me today, but my people know about you now. You are going to die eventually," the man spreads his arm to the left like a man groping in the dark. "None of your plans are going to succeed, Legioner."
I activate the ring prematurely as his arms enter the ring. It is quite pleasant to see the man grunt in pain as he pulls away his hand. The man has been shrugging off everything else too easily. Not that things are going well yet. I can feel the mana the man is emitting. Even all of the mana in the core won't be able to hold a candle against this. The mana he is emitting is enough to slow down the formation of the barrier. Just because I can hurt him does not mean that victory is at hand.
More importantly, I can see the man's skin. It is growing paler. The man is absorbing more mana than he can handle and facing something similar to the chill. He won't be taking such a risk unless he has planned something explosive. I jump to the side even as he punches me. I can actively feel the temperature dropping around his fists. He ignores the injuries he has and just keeps attacking me.
As he does so, the ice mana keeps increasing. (It has already reached pre-barrier levels) The man is preparing his attack, whatever it is.
"Are you sure that your death would be worth it?" I speak. "Even you can't handle that much ice mana."
"I won't die, little mage," he answers. "I am more durable than that. As for this abomination you have built. Destroying it is worth the cost. We won't allow another Frozen Peak in this land."
"You can try, Snowlord," I reply, trying to project all of my confidence. "This place is stronger than it looks like."
"Before you die, how did your people work things out with the Snowwinders?" he asks again. "Those ancient ruins are pretty important to them. They have lost more important allies for lesser crimes than that."
"The Snowwinders are Important allies. They understand that studying ancient magic is risky even for Scholars. That accidents happen," I reply, giving the standard reply for this question. (Even I want the answer to that question.)
"I will have to thank you for chatting with me all this while then. The others would not have allowed so much time for me to prepare," he says.
I do not get to reply to the man as all of his tattoos begin to grow brighter. Soon, they are bright enough to completely dominate my vision. I don't know what exactly happen after this. I just remember fragments of it.
I remember pulling on every bit of my mana to protect my body. I do not feel its effects as I am blown away by a massive amount of ice mana that passes through me like water in a waterfall. A waterfall that has somehow frozen into an iceberg.