Chapter 14: Casting Magic

At the bottom of the stairs was a brief landing leading to a large wooden door.

At least, that’s what Jimbo-no said was there.

At the foot of the stairs I found Spinemess’s loose bones scattered about. But beyond that my vision got all fuzzy.

If I squinted real hard, I could maybe see a large brown shape, just slightly on the edge of the edge of my boundary. But the strain was exhausting and hurt my mind.

Breaking down the door was out of the question. We were actively trying to not destroy the house, after all. Besides, Jimbo-no already tried that. Whatever restriction that was placed upon my vision also affected my minion's movements. Stepping beyond that range required great strength and energy from them. It was like watching them try to push through thick jelly. Even after they got through, they seemed to bounce right back.

“That’s weird,” Jimbo-no mused. “The basement isn’t that deep. Your Core is closer to the stairs than the front door. Have ya tried turning your vision off and on again?” He asked in a straightforward tone. For once, maybe he was actually asking a genuine question to try to be helpful.

Unfortunately, I always despised hearing that question, because it was usually the solution. But somehow I doubted it this time. Turning my vision off sounded a lot like dying again.

“No, of course I haven't. I'm already half blind.” I tapped on my spectacles for emphasis.

“Then just expand the Dungeon.” Jimbo-no stated it simply.

I pouted. “You make it sound easy. But how? Nothing I’ve done as Core has been easy.”

Could I even do that? It would make sense. My Dungeon went all the way out to the tree I grew in the backyard. Which was much farther away from my Core than the front door was.

Speaking of which, as much as it was tacky and pained my soul, I knew that fallen log on the front porch would have to stay for now. It would be a decent barricade and would temporarily block anyone that wasn’t a freakishly strong lumberjack from entering. And I knew I could always Mana Dust it away later.

“Dunno. Try exerting your dominion over the world. Or maybe tap into the Mana flowing through it. Whatever Dungeons do. I ain’t one.”

I closed my eyes. Focusing on the edge of where my vision ended. Behind us, Spinemess slipped down a stair step.

You can do it, skeleton. I believe in you.

I breathed deep. I was the Dungeon. I could sense everything within my boundary. But where did my boundaries lie?

I thought back to when I first came to this world. Somewhere in these fancy, convoluted computer screens I had a backlog of what my main goal was in this world. Truth be told, I didn’t really enough to go looking for it. Why bother learning about how to beat the game if I didn’t understand the basic controls? However, I did recall a line from the flight attendant lady about using Mana to shape my environment.

I needed to focus more.

“Or maybe. Ooh, try-” Jellybee was saying. I left the conversation by ending my Soul Stroll. “No,” he muttered. “That wasn't exactly what I had in mind…But you do you.” He said to the spot where my avatar had previously stood.

I looked back at my main status screen. My Mana had renewed by one point during this conversation. Why? Mana Dusting refills my Mana by turning mass into smoke. Objects turn into smoke that flows into my Core.

I needed to top off anyways, so I Dusted some dead branches and leaves off at the edges of the garden. A few moments later I confirmed that yes, the smoke–not the act of tidying up–was what had caused my Mana to increase.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

I zoomed my vision out from my Core. And watched and waited.

Ah, I see. There!

It was very subtle. And not the right color. But yes, Mana was indeed drifting into my Core through the air currents without my active participation.The color wasn’t the usual vinyl kitchen flooring orange that my Mana was. Instead the smoke strands were faint green, blue, or occasionally purple threads of Mana that slowly winded their way through the cottage windows or doors, then into my Core.

I reached out with my mind, grabbing hold of a thin baby blue Mana string drifting by. I followed this thin string of thread to the front door, past the wooden log, and onto the front porch. Beyond that, I saw nothing, but I could see the threads of Mana drifting in, pooling together, and tangling up before finally unraveling into the air towards my Core. The thread was thicker here. No longer like strings of smoke. It felt familiar in my hands.

Mana Dust felt like a push. So what if…

I pulled on the thread.

The Mana fiber thickened.

There! I caught a glimpse. It was for only a moment, but my vision expanded.

The Mana in my grasp drifted about, spinning and twisting about itself. It seemed alive. Desperate to move or change.

I pulled again. And caught another glimpse.

The Mana continued to twist upon itself, like rope fibers.

Or maybe even like…

I reached out, grabbing another thread of Mana.

I Soul Strolled off the porch, holding a thread within each hand, then walked around to the backyard where I had sent Jellybee to work. The threads followed after me, drifting about and twisting into thicker threads.

I found him in the moonlight, hanging upside down in the branches of an old oak tree. Clearly, I had to keep half an eye on this one.

“Jellybee, dear!” I called. “I can see that you’re busy, but I had a quick question. You said you know a spell or two. Would you by chance happen to know what a Leyline is?”

“Oh, that’s easy! It’s…” He thought for a moment. “It’s Mana that flows around the world. But, like, the good stuff. All distilled like whiskey. Mages weave it together to cast spells.”

“Is it like thread? Or string?”

Jellybee thought for a moment with a hand upon his chin, still suspended upside down. “I think. Ooh, is that why they call it a Ley Line? That’s neat!”

He jostled about. Angry bees emerged from the tree.

“So what do mages use to weave spells?” I had a feeling I knew the answer. I had long suspected I was in some sort of medieval Europe setting, between all the magic talking skeletons, enchanted wood chopping axes, and cats with lightning powers.

“Their hands. But it's easier with Wands. Or staffs. Basically sticks. Those help you direct the energy better by distilling it down even further. Ow! Don't hurt me, I gave you a gift!”

Sticks, huh.

I turned around and headed back to the front porch, still clutching the lines in my grip. I called over my shoulder, “Thank you, dear. I appreciate it! I’ll let you get back to work.”

I heard him cry out, followed by a loud crash.

He would be fine. Probably.

Once on the front porch I pulled on the threads again. The pathway leading up to the steps was clearer to me. I could see it.The world beyond seemed so close.

Repeating the motions. I looped one thread of Mana around another, interlacing it. Yes, this motion felt familiar. I undid the loop, then pulled the threads taut between both hands. They twisted and merged together into one thicker line. Didn’t the size and texture of this thread feel exactly like…

Yarn.

That, I knew how to work with.

I didn’t have sticks or the basic tools I needed. But I had fingers. And those would do for now. Holding the combined Leylines together, I interlaced this yarn sized thread between each finger of my left hand, then repeated the motion on the other side of my hand, before wrapping it around the hand. It was the start of a basic pattern I knew. Over and over, I repeated the motions.

Magic was being worked in the palm of my hand. I was casting something. Or more specifically, I was casting on.

I slowly worked this flat two dimensional line into a three dimensional shape. One that could take on a life of its own. Given enough time and the right techniques, I could form a lot of things.

For now, I wanted to make a small pathway. Or a tiny blanket. As a test, that would be good enough for me.

I casted off and secured the Mana into shape.

I activated my Leyline Knitting Skill, forming a stitch in reality. And my Dungeon grew in size.

For the first time, I took a small step forward off the front porch and onto the wooded pathway.