Zatiel, Sophia, and Ezequiel were going through a large tunnel that connected the doors with the laboratory, and surrounding the three of them was a golden dome made of flames.
Sophia and Ezequiel were nervous at first but when they stood inside the flames, instead of harm they sensed the warmth and even felt how their bodies were filling with vitality.
This was the second and last innate spell that Zatiel awakened from the bloodline with his advancement to rank 1 and it was named Sun Domain.
'Interesting. To those I consider my allies, the flames release their restorative properties, and still, I can feel that it can generate considerable damage to anyone it enters,' As Zatiel was evaluating the domain, he saw how Ezequiel and Sophia were looking in all direction and were being careful with every step they took.
"What are you two doing?" Zatiel found it funny the way the two of them were walking.
"What do you mean? We are in the laboratory of an ancient magus, and we have to be careful from the traps," Sophia was serious and Ezequiel nodded, showing his approval of the woman's words.
But to their surprise, Zatiel started to laugh as if he heard a joke.
"Haha, you two have read too many stories. Tell me, who in his right mind will fill his workplace with traps, especially ones that could be activated by mistake if you touch the wrong place?"
"But there must be a safety protocol in this place," Sophia felt embarrassed so she tried to argue, but her logic crashed right away.
"Of course they are, but they are placed in important areas of the laboratory and not in a mere tunnel. Remember that there was an automaton that once had a rank 4 power, and to anyone who manages to pass that, traps on the ground and such things are useless."
Zatiel was smiling as he saw the embarrassed expression of the duo.
"But still you can't let your guard down. After all, this place is severely damaged and there are leakages of energy that may have created some type of magical life form, so stay inside my domain."
Even though the idea of hidden traps was laughable, Zatiel knew that there are dangers in here so he had his consciousness explore his surroundings and his third eye was active.
Ezequiel and Sophia nodded and they concentrated. They were no longer looking for hidden artifacts but focused on their surroundings and summoned their energies, ready to act in case of anything.
Zatiel nodded and got back to assess his flames and eyes. By what he can tell, when the flames consume something it can absorb the energy and potency the power in them. As for the eye, it can manipulate the flames and use the energy that the flames consume to heal or enhance the vitality of the target. At the moment the flames can absorb the energy of living organisms to enhance itself but Zatiel knows that as the sun in his heart grows stronger, it will be able to consume the energy of inorganic objects and make it his own.
After inspecting them for a long time, the chip was able to describe his changes and the innate spells.
[All-encompassing Sun-flame: Golden flame that has its origin in the sun occupying the heart of the host. The flames can consume all types of energy and contain 100% of what it devours inside them. As the flames consume something its power will be enhanced, increasing the damage and its restorative properties.
Eye of life and creation: Eye originated from the bloodline absorbed by the host. This eye allows the user to see the energy that moves through everything in his view. It's able to give the user the ability to use a basic form of the principles of life and creation and can work together with the golden flames and use the energy that is contained in them.
Sunlight Speed: Use the energy of the golden flames to enhance the speed of the user and allow the user to fly. The flight is soundless, it can negate things like inertia and the user is in total control of his body during movement. Cost: Sun Force-1 every minute
Sun Domain: It generates a domain of golden flames surrounding the host that can generate 30 degrees of damage by second to any target inside and to the individuals the user considers allies, the flames do not harm them and their regenerative properties are activated. Area of effect: 10 meters surrounding the user. Cost: Sun Force-2 every minute]
'Sun Force?, A.I Chip, showed me my statistics.'
[Bip... scanning host
Name: Zatiel
Race: Neo-Demon (Rank 1)
Strength: 29.2
Physique:44.7
Speed: 42.5
Abyss Aura: 45.6
Sun Force: 40.3]
'So the energy of my new heart is considered an entirely different source. From the previous experiment I learned that I can use my abyss aura to enhance the Sun Force but I can't do it the other way,' Zatiel was assessing his changes when his eyes focused on the road.
They were already reaching the end of the tunnel but what attracted his attention was the thing he felt in his consciousness that was crawling in his direction.
It didn't take long for him to see it. They were hundreds of huge vines with thorns that break the ground as they move.
Zatiel activated his Sun Force and his body was covered in golden flames but he didn't attack, he was going to use this mutated plant to see the power of his domain. Sophia and Ezequiel knew that they would not be of much help to Zatiel so they just maintained their energies ready to act in case of something and waited.
The vines reached the dome and threw themselves without hesitation. But the moment they entered, they were consumed almost immediately by the golden flames. Still, more and more vines attacked but not only were they not able to reach the people inside but the more the flames consumed them, the brighter the golden color became, and the more powerful the domain became.
The vines seem to act on pure instinct, so when it felt that it became dangerous, it started to leave. But how could Zatiel let it go after it attacked him?
Zatiel concentrated all the energy that the dome had gained by consuming those vines, and created a 3-meter long whip of golden flames and threw it.
The vines detected the danger and tried to flee but the whip was faster and managed to reach them, burning them entirely.
When it all ended, the whip's golden color was brighter. Zatiel used his third eye and called back the flames. The moment he had them in his hand, the flames entered his body and went straight for the sun in his heart. As soon as they reached it, Zatiel was able to feel that he had recovered all the energy he had used and although it was almost insignificant, the small sun in his heart grew a little.
'These flames are incredibly helpful fighting hordes of weaker enemies,' The vines could pose a threat to a Magus due to the great number, but against Zatiel that numeric advantage only became a nutrient for his flames.
After that setback was taken care of, the three of them advanced and reached the laboratory. The place didn't have beautiful gems nor statues, just two rows of small square houses put one next to the other with a bigger one at the end in the middle. Truly fitting of the pragmatic character of Magi.
"From now on we have to be careful. Those houses are the places the Magus did his experiment or kept the material he used. Although this place is barely functioning, there surely are safety protocols in the most important areas," Zatiel's consciousness could not trespass the material those small houses were made of but luckily his third eye could see the energy channel that surrounded them.
Ezequiel and Sophia knew that their experience was too shallow to be of any use here so they only followed Zatiel and didn't act unless they were told.
