The first steps in the eternal journey of mastery of self and magic, regardless of attunement and circumstance, must be done with deliberation, exacting focus, and an open mind. Indeed, the first steps through the amateur ranks will lay the initial layers of a solid foundation, that if rushed, will lead to the permanent obstruction of one’s potential.

Glade sighed, looking up from Acumen’s book as the table started moving in time with a certain royal elf’s bouncing knee.

“You’re doing it again,” he said, trying to find the point in the book where he had left off.

“Sorry, sir,” Kedryn sighed, stilling his knee. “I still don’t understand how you can look so calm. It’s been more than three hours since Riya left for her judgement. Do you think she’s ok?”

“As Bragden explained earlier, these things normally take a while,” Glade replied, doing his best to keep his face neutral. “If anything, the judgements taking mere minutes before were abnormal.”

However, under his exterior of false calm, Glade fought to keep from growling out his frustration. Not only was he worried for his friend, but rumor was already circulating around the hall that the Adjudicators were displeased that a treeless, a derogatory name for banished elves, had the audacity to ask for a judgement. The sentiment was as ludicrous as it sounded.

At least, that’s what Glade kept telling himself. After all, what he didn’t know or understand about how things worked on Veil could likely fill the entire state of Texas.

“I know you’re right, but I can’t help but worry,” Kedryn said before standing up to pace. “The others came back within just a few minutes. I know I shouldn’t worry, but what if she wasn’t ready? Or, what if using the Adjudicator of Honor’s name to call for judgement was a good idea? I mean, she’s a banished elf, exiled for her ancestors breaking oaths of honor. Does that even matter?”

Now that he had started, Kedryn began expelling every worry and doubt he had over Riya’s delayed return. Which were nearly identical to the concerns Glade was trying not to think about. He was no stranger to doubt, having had to face the uncomfortable emotion many times throughout his career. After all, the tendency to second guess oneself was simply part of being human. The trick was to learn how to mitigate doubt ahead of time, but how was he going to explain that to Kedryn?

A mild argument broke out in Glade’s periphery, distracting him enough to look toward the designated cooking area.

Gent was standing in front of the fire like a hairy armed sentinel, refusing access to the many roasting ice drakes being turned on spits.

“What do ya mean, yer not gonna let me put on the final glaze?” Croon gasped, raising a bowl overflowing with a putrid white mush. “It be one o’ the sacred recipes handed down straight from me mum’s mum!”

“Yer not puttin pulped snow slugs on the ice drakes and that’s final!” Gent snarled.

“But it be all fresh like! I been savin these slugs fer a special occasion and everything. If we don’t use em now, the sauce’ll just go to waste!” Croon objected, his demeanor one of utter shock that he would be denied something that, to him, was the most sensible thing in the world.

The two continued to argue, Croon attempting to get past Gent without success.

“Slug glaze?” Glade muttered, the thought sending shivers of revulsion down his spine. He was liking Gent more and more of late. The less access Croon had to their food the better.

“Maybe we should call on Acu… I mean, the other Adjudicator to intervene,” Kedryn suggested, breaking through Glade’s distraction. “If we ask nicely enough, he might, you know, help move things along for Riya.”

“Patience, Kedryn,” Glade said, fighting to keep a straight face as he imagined how much that would bother Acumen. “It’s not time for extreme measures yet, and as much as I hate to admit it, calling on an Adjudicator like that is likely as nuclear as it gets around here.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“I know,” Kedryn sighed, falling into his chair. “I’m just… you know, worried. What if she doesn’t come back?”

It was honestly a good sign to see how much the Kid was worried for Riya. Even Ember was wearing down Glade’s emotional barriers with its incessant waves of concern for a friend it had never officially met.

“There is something you need to understand, Corporal,” Glade said, giving Kedryn his full attention. “There is a chance that someday you are likely going to lead others. While that is likely aways off, you need to start preparing now.”

Kedryn looked at Glade with mild surprise at the comment. It wasn’t that Glade thought the Kid was ready to be a leader. Hell, they had just gotten to the point that the Kid was an exemplary follower. But even he could see the writing on the wall.

Upon their arrival on Veil, Kedryn had been reborn a royal elf. Everyone, including Riya who had seen the Kid’s transformation, expected him to lead. That meant others would automatically follow him just because of what he was. Better to begin preparing him now.

“One of the heaviest burdens a leader will ever experience is trusting those they lead,” Glade explained. “Doubly so for those in our line of work. When you make the decision to send someone into the unknown, not only are you giving up the opportunity to directly influence their success, but you place yourself in a position of extreme vulnerability. Whatever happens, good or bad, it’s on you.”

Glade paused, watching to make sure his words sunk in. When he was certain they had, he continued.

“In those situations, you will experience the same thing you are now. Doubt. Only, it’ll be far worse. Did you give them all the information they needed? What will go wrong? Has it gone wrong already? What did you forget? What did they forget? Are they safe? Sound familiar?”

Kedryn nodded slowly.

“Doubts are normal, Corporal. But the worst thing any leader can do is undermine trust. How would Riya react if we intervened right now? Even if we could, how would it shape her belief in herself that others had to step in for her? Just as important, how does our acting nervous shape the belief of others around us? Conversely, how will Riya and our doubting dwarven brethren grow when she comes back and we simply acknowledge her success as if it was already a foregone conclusion? Let’s not cast doubt on her just yet because of a bit of impatience on our part.”

Kedryn gave him a slow, contemplative nod in response.

“Good, now chew on that for a bit until I catch up to where you left off,” Glade said with a smile, turning his attention back to the book.

After a moment, the Kid held out his hand to the closest fire and pulled two balls of flame from its depths. As the fire darted toward his outstretched hand, the balls changed their shape from spheres to triangles to squares and back again.

Glade grunted his approval before finding where he had left off. Over the last couple of hours, the two had read through the introduction and skimmed through the steps in building a proper foundation. Rather, he had skimmed while Kedryn read. Honestly, the Kid’s reading and comprehension speed was mind boggling. Faster than anyone he had ever met, to include one of his lost teammates, Quick.

As Glade returned to reading, he slowly worked through excruciating details on the necessities for building a solid foundation. That included increasing one’s mana shaping, multi-casting, mana processing, and primary magic attunement skills to the trainee ranks before even considering to increase one’s attunement level beyond sympathetic.

Then there was the section devoted to leveling mana channels, which could be boiled down to working on as often as possible.

All that for a basic foundation. Specialized tracks were even worse.

If the would-be specialist wielding the building blocks of the very universe itself fails to establish a proper foundation, their potential advancement will be hindered, if not outright shattered. While the inevitable barrier to one’s advancement within the mystic arts may not be felt for months, years, or even decades to come, rest assured, they will be realized. Consequences for failing to adhere to this instruction range from delayed advancement to utter obliteration of self, and quite possibly all you hold dear, from the very fabric of existence itself.

If that warning wasn’t enough, Acumen’s condescending remarks certainly were.

If this written warning does not encourage absolute focus and dedication, then you best stop reading now and forever reconcile yourself to mediocrity. Of course, even that level of sophistication is likely beyond your plebian and tactless tendencies.

Glade snorted. It was obvious Acumen was goading him. What bothered him was that it was working. There would be nothing more satisfying than showing the arrogant demi-god that he could handle whatever was thrown his way.

There were several charts on practical exercises for establishing the proper foundation, but Glade was curious about the specialization tracks.

Promising himself to discuss whatever he found with Bragden before making any decisions, Glade turned to the list of specializations.

Glade’s eyes widened.