Chapter 140

The Missing Patrol

“What should I do next?” Jhonny asked, clearly excited to know what the next step of the process would be for learning magic. Especially now that he had a concept of what the basics were for simply moving magic within his body.

“Next? You haven’t even mastered the basics. Why would you want to even try to understand what comes next.” I state, again feeling that I am a bit too hard on Jhonny, but he needs to have his expectations reset.

“Oh, come on. I will get this down in no time, and then I will need to know what this leads to.” Jhonny said.

I stared at him, not wanting to give him more than he can handle and trying to find the nicest way possible to say this.

“Please?” He asks, a not of annoyance and joy in his words.

Sigh.

I am a push over, I know, but I can’t help but feel for him. Here he is clearly showing a deep love for magic, even though he is clearly terrible at it, but I can’t help but feel for him.

“Fine, I will show you the next step. But if I catch you or see you doing this before I give you permission to move on, we are done. Do you understand me?” I state.

“Yes, please, show me.” Jhonny asks.

Huff.

“All right, the next step, after you can successfully cycle your mana through your body. After that, we are going to go onto the next stage of control. Cassidy 1.1 or what I call the dallop.”

“The dallop?” Jhonny asks.

Hearing him, I nod, and then holding out my hands I attempt to begin the next step of this training. But before I can do that, I realize I need to do a few things. First, I need to add ambiance to my mana, to make it glow. Then I need to use a bit of Illusion magic that will follow my glowing mana in real time.

“Yes the dallop, or roughly a nickel’s worth of mana. That is what you want to eventually be able to manifest on the outside of your hand.” I state. Then I proceed to show said dallop, making sure that it glows with a bit of bluish Illusionary light. The reason for the bluish light will be evident in a second.

“With the mana in your hand, you need to be able to generate it, and control it. While it is being manifested in your hand, you need to retain full control over the mana. Then we will do circuit training.” I state, and here is where the rest of my Illusion magic comes into play, as I “reabsorb the mana, pull it down your arm, through your core, then follow the parallel pathway to your other hand and have it appear on your right hand.” I state.

As I speak, I of course continue casting the image of the glowing dallop of mana, and show how it runs through my body and then manifests above the glove on my right hand at the same time the image shows. Again, what you do as a teacher is so much tougher than just doing the magic as you have to make a whole production out of it, and that is just what I do to show this point.

“That’s it?” Jhonny asks.

“What do you mean that’s it?” I nearly hiss.

“I don’t know, it just seems a bit anticlimactic.” Jhonny states.

Shaking my head. “That is why you are not allowed to progress to that point yet. As clearly you have no idea how tough the action I just showed was.”

“Oh I understand, that was a level of control beyond what I’ve ever seen. The fact that you were somehow able to make the mana glow from within your body, even though you are wearing clothes is especially impressive, but I don’t know that whole process seemed a bit…” He trailed off not quite knowing how to state his thought.

Hearing him, I felt myself getting perturbed by his statement. He had barely gotten to the point where he could control the mana flowing within his own body, a pressurized container for containing his mana. Then for him to say that it seemed, well I don’t know as he trailed off, but it was clearly underwhelming if his tone had anything to say about how he felt.

“Easy.” Jhonny finally stated.

“Easy, you thought that was easy?” I state, realizing that even the level five hundred mages we have can’t do what I just demonstrated, at least not to my standards.

“No, the action is very difficult, and clearly shows your mastery over the craft. No, what I meant by easy was that it is something everyone could do to improve.” Jhonny states.

By the time he is done, I let out the steam that I was building up. “Good, as long as you can understand the fact that it is meant to be an improvement to your abilities.”

With that Jhonny nods his head, then goes back to slowly cycling mana within his body. I know he is just learning, but it takes all my self-control not to cringe every time I see him sloppily spray the mana away from his core, then give one pull in with his core, then back out. He is getting better, but it is a slow and painful process. I guess the best way to describe it would be when my youngest son took up the violin and I swear he was part necromancer, as I could hear the dead cats used to make his strings calling out from beyond the grave. Yes, I know metal cords can’t come from cats, but still, it was painful to hear and suffer through. This is almost the same, but I have to let Jhonny fail on his own, as it is his body, meaning he needs to figure out how to do this on his own.

Silence.

Well silence except for the imaginary cats calling out in pain as I imagine Martin’s first few violin lessons being reimagined by Jhonny’s cycling of mana.

“Thank you for this, by the way.” Jhonny states after a few moments and clearly needing to take a break from throwing the mana about wildly within his body.

“Not a problem.” I state.

“I know I’m not the most talented of students.”

“No, no you are not.” I answer truthfully, apparently a bit too truthfully as Jhonny’s face falls with that. Seeing his face, I can’t help but try to console him.

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“Calm down. You are doing fine, and at your rate you will be a magic user in no time.” I reply.

“Can I ask why?” Jhonny asked.

“Why what?”

“Why you would work with me, as I clearly have no talent, at least not compared to the others.”

Hearing his answer, I can’t help but pause for a moment. Then I decided to tell him the truth, “because you try hard. That and you clearly have a genuine love for both magic and Qi, something I can’t help but be drawn to myself. So, if I have to sit through a few hard days to make it so I finally have someone that I can share my true insights into magic with, then I’ll do it.”

“That’s your answer, your love for magic?” Jhonny asks.

I pause, trying to see if there was something deeper to it, but then realize no. That is why I do enjoy this, then I pause as I realize I do actually enjoy this. Every screaming tortured cat second of it, I do realize that I enjoy sharing the gift of magic with others.

“Yeah, I guess so. I wish there was something deeper to it, like I felt with a few dozen minions under me I could rule the world. But no, that would be boring.” I state.

“Ruling the world would be boring?”

“Yeah, have you seen how much paperwork Mallory has to fill out, and she is just a Guild leader. I could only imagine how many piles of papers I would need to work and fill out ruling the world. That is not something I wish on my worst enemy.” I state.

“To think, we are saved from your tyrannical rule of magic, based solely on the fact that you hate paperwork.”

“And people, don’t forget I dislike people.” I add.

Chuckle.

At that Jhonny clearly begins to laugh. “I don’t believe that for a second.”

“Oh trust me, I dislike people.”

“Yeah, but I think your level of dislike and most other people’s levels are two different standards. Take for instance the guy who tried to kill you the other day.”

“Which one?” I ask, trying to make sure I am getting the reference correct.

“Exactly, you have people actively trying to kill you, and all you do is either send them away or make it so they cannot talk about you. Honestly, I wish I had your ability just so I too could make it so annoying people would stay away from me.” Jhonny answered.

“Is that what you want magic for, to get annoying people to leave you alone? Because if so, I have another thing for you. So long as you talk to people, you will invariably find someone who is annoying, I should know, as I am clearly one of those people to others.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Thanks for preserving my honor there and stating I am not annoying.”

“Oh, you are, but you are at least self-aware enough to realize that you are. But what makes you unique is that despite that, despite knowing that you will grate on people’s nerves, you are unabashedly yourself, and that is pretty cool.” Jhonny said.

With that, a bit of wind caught my eye, as I felt a slight swelling of moisture. I am about to say something when I notice the guard captain in charge of my security running forward.

“Well, it looks like we are done with this little training session.” I state as I stand up, put on my hood and quickly hide the fact that I was caught off guard by the fact that one of my students called me pretty cool, despite constantly telling him how he was failing.

Jhonny for his part seems at a loss, until the guard captain rounds the corner at a full sprint and then runs right towards us.

“Doctor, there has been a development.” The guard captain said, his words coming in at a crisp pace.

“What sort of development?” I asked.

“It seems that one of the patrols has found the entrance to the old elven king’s tomb.” The guard captain stated.

“The elven king’s tomb?” I ask, trying to get caught up.

“Yes, you know how there rumblings have been and complaints about us looking for the threatening voice of the ancient elven king, only for no one to find anything. Well now it seems that there is a lead.”

“A lead?”

“Well not the best of leads, but it is a start. In the newly established western city district, two different groups of patrols have gone missing.” The guard captain said.

I was about to ask for more, but apparently that was enough.

Hidden Guild Quest Initiated: The Ancient Elven King’s Rest: Members of your guild have managed to find the entrance to the Ancient Elven King’s tomb. Your goal is rid the lands of the ancient elven king and finally claim full ownership of the lands. Rewards: Completion bonus to other guild territorial conquests. Experience, New Skill, variable.

Seeing the quest pop up before me I knew three things instantly. First, I finally knew the reason Mallory kept having us only clear up swaths and patches of lands, never quite going to the full twenty acres in any one spot, but having multiple spots that when added together would be close to if not exactly at the guild maximum of a hundred total acres. The second thing I knew was that I was clearly being called due to my being a Spiritlight, and thus automatically neutral to all ghosts.

I even had a plan for how I could get rid of this ancient king.

The third thing I knew was that, I was going to do this quest regardless of whether I was asked to go or not. New skills? Are you kidding me? The only thing that could be better would be a collection of new books to start carving up in my free time. But books were likely one of the last things I had so many projects to get off my plate, everything from my two unique potions, one of which I could mass produce. Then there was my whole magical-mechanical-mech projects, there was probably something else that I needed to do too.

“Oh yeah, and Mallory said that this takes priority over your classes, so you are given the next two days off to take care of this.” The guard captain said.

With that, I almost did a little happy dance, as I thought I was going to get a break from teaching. Of course, it was Jhonny who broke the illusion of me getting what would effectively be a three-day vacation. What with me apparently almost breaking the world last night and all.

“Isn’t tomorrow Saturday?” Jhonny said.

I paused at that, then realized. “I don’t teach classes anyways on the weekend, do I?” I asked for clarity.

“No, ma’am you do not. That is why Mallory waited until now to tell you about this new development.” The guard captain said.

With that I blink, or at least I attempt to, maybe I do, but it doesn’t change the fact that I can still see everything around me for ten kilometers in all directions.

“Why didn’t she tell me earlier today?” I asked.

“Well she wanted to, but then saw that you were busy teaching Jhonny and she decided to give you what she called, the morning off.” The guard captain said, trying to add comedy to his words but missing impressively.

“You know, this is likely why I don’t know your name.” I state.

“What? You know my name.” The guard captain says, a painful note filling his voice as he clearly seeks validation and I realize I am a horrible person and might have gone too far. I try to call for his name, but for the life of me, I can’t remember if I’ve heard it.

“Oh look at that.” I say, pointing off to the right.

The moment everyone’s eyes turn to follow the direction of my finger I Teleport away as if I was never there.

There is a sudden pause as Jhonny and the guard captain both look back confused. Jhonny even reaches out to see if I just turned myself invisible to no avail. Then they begin to look around. Of course I am no where near them, as I am almost two kilometers away at this point.

Then realizing I have some distance to cover I go ahead and Teleport the rest of the way until the start of the new western fields.

I can see a few clusters of guards, and a few different buildings that are being unearthed. I am about to ask for directions, when I notice the unmistakable sensation of the Spirit world reaching out and saturating a portion of the land with its unmistakable musk.

When I first got my class, I would have felt a sudden weight and fear at the dense smell and sensation of Spirit Mana, but after spending so many months in the Arcanarus Spirit Tower, I now associate the feeling of leaking Spirit Mana as a form of comfort.

In no time I find myself drawn to the entrance.

Poof.

“Halt who goes there!” A guard shouts out, fear and confusion clearly in their voice.

I turn my head at him, trying to understand if this is some type of test. Then I realize this is one of the newer guards, or at least one that didn’t spend too much time with me during our initial subjugation of this area.

Before I can say who I am, a senior member of the guards comes forward and berates the man.

“Can’t you see that is the Doctor?”

“What? The Doctor?”

“Yes, the very Doctor who will teach us all Qi, eventually.” The guard leader said. As he spoke I can remember his aura, he was clearly one of the initial two hundred students that I had for Qi training, of course he didn’t make the cut of unlocking a unique class. This might be why I think I hear a bit of disdain in his voice. That or maybe it is just me projecting my own insecurities on the man. But before I can say anything the first guard continues speaking.

“What, sorry about that. With that costume and on account of where we are, I guess I got a little jumpy. I thought you might be one of those malevolent ghost kids running around attacking people from the shadows.” The guard states.

“Ghost kids? Have you even seen a ghost kid?” I ask, wondering what this person is going on about.

“Well no, but I reckon Jake and Holly didn’t either, which is likely why they are now missing.” The first guard states, a note of certainty to his voice as if he somehow solved the complete mystery by himself.

I just shake my head at the notion. Then turning to the leader of this group of guards. “I was told I had permission to enter. Do I need to do anything or sign anything?” I asked.

The guard leader just looked at me, then said. “No, honestly, we were told to wait for you and take orders from you. When it comes to the spirit world and anything remotely magical, we are to defer to you at all times. So, you tell us what you want us to do, and we will do it.”

At that I paused, realizing that I was clearly being taken seriously. I couldn’t help but stand up a little straighter. Also, I was glad for the mask, as I felt a sudden smile cross my lips as I realized they were right, of everyone here, only Gwen and I would be seen as neutral to the ghostly residents of the spirit realm that had been uncovered.

“Good. So keep a perimeter here. Seal off the area, and don’t let anyone else enter.” I state.

Then pausing for a moment I make a note, “also if you see a pair of level 950 dire phase wolves come by, don’t get in their way. If they stick around tell them I went in and that I will be back in a day or two.”

Silence.

Judging by the look on the lead guard’s face, he has at least heard stories about Kujo, but everyone is told to give him a wide berth when he comes onto the territories, as he generally only wants to interact with me and then leaves just as quickly.

“Haha, oh that is a good one.” The first guard said, “you nearly got me there.”

With that everyone stares at the first guard until he looks even more awkward.

“You especially should just try to avoid him.” I state, pointing to the first guard.

Then before anyone can say or do anything, I quickly move past everyone and enter the Spirit Realm.

Now Entering: Ancient Elven Tomb.

Seeing the message, I take a step through the portal to an entirely new realm, that’s when I smile to myself as I feel like I am home again.

“This is going to be fun.”