It had been almost two weeks since he had arrived at the tree. Since it seemed to have a mind of its own and hadn’t given him a name he had taken to calling it Gaia.
Over the weeks he had focused solely on feeling mana in everything he could and studying how it moved. His memory had been greatly boosted so taking notes wasn’t necessary as he could simply remember what he had learned, besides magic was fun.
It wasn’t much but he had learned that there is mana in almost everything in this world, almost as if it’s a universal force similar to gravity. When he focused he could feel it, only a little at first but once he got the hang of it he started to notice it everywhere. The trees, the animals, the water and the rocks. Even the air had ambient mana in it.
On a few occasions he managed to reach a state of mind he called mana synchronization, in this form he could feel everything. His eyes were closed, but his mind was open, and he could see so much more than his eyes ever could. In this form he could see the animals moving in the trees across the water, he could feel the insects running across the dirt. And most importantly he could see the spirit of Gaia.
“I see you’ve made some big steps in your study of mana” Gaia said to him.
He had done this a handful of times now and was learning to talk while maintaining the synchronization, “Big steps?” He said with a chuckle, “I’ve barely even started, hell, I haven’t even learned a single proper spell.”
Gaia nodded at him, “and that is why you’ve made such large strides. The mages of this world once learned as you do, with feeling the mana around them and learning to manipulate the very fibers of existence. But now they’re so focused on proven spells and ideas that they’ve stopped learning.”
Taylor nodded along listening while he tried to focus on the mana Gaia was made of, there seemed to be two forces in them, one of mana and one that seemed different. He couldn’t tell if it was stronger or not, but it wasn’t mana.
“The magicians of old could weave the very land to suit their wants and needs” Gaia continued weaving their story as any old person would, telling stories of days long gone, “they held an understanding of the potential damage they could create, so they carefully selected who could learn it. But now they allow anyone with the capability to learn, so long as their family has power.”
“So basically they only allow nobles to learn magic?” He asked, he kind of expected it was like this but the kingdom really was corrupt.
“Yes,” Gaia confirmed sounding sad, “the good the common people could do if they were allowed to learn would be immense, but the damage they could do would be just as great.”
“Magic is definitely something that shouldn’t be wielded by just anyone” Taylor nodded, “I would be willing to teach those who could be trusted once I know more about it myself. But I can’t teach what I don’t know.”
“Looks like our times almost up,” Gaia noted, “thank you for humoring this old tree with your company.”
“No problem” Taylor responded, Gaia is able to see when he was about to leave synchronization better than he was so he would always tell him when the talks were over, “hopefully we’ll talk again soon.”
Suddenly the world was quiet again, he could no longer hear or see Gaia or most of the other creatures nearby. The only sound was the river flowing into the lake.
“Well,” Taylor said mostly to himself, “I suppose I should try to learn some actual magic.”
• • •
Taylor reached the edge of the lake holding a deers carcass on his shoulder. Well it seemed like a deer, it had four eyes and it’s horns curled like a goats, but its body was that of a deers.
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He stepped onto the water and a small wave of water overtook his feet and began to carry him across to the tree he had called home for the last three months.
As he approached he entered mana synchronization and Gaia appeared. They appeared to be standing rather than sitting this time and welcomed him back with open arms.
“Your hunt was a success I assume?” Came a more distinctly male voice from Gaia.
“Nope I just hit this with my car” Taylor rattled off sarcastically with a grin.
“What’s a car?” Gaia asked folding their head to the side.
“Uh like a carriage that can move without having to have anything pull it I suppose.” Taylor considered.
“Okay,” responded the decidedly older man, “what’s a carriage?”
“It’s- uh never mind,” Taylor laughed, “let me get this set up and I’ll explain it while we wait for the blood to drain.”
A few minutes later Taylor sat down next to Gaia and took the fruit they offered. “Quap, it’s such a fun word to say” Taylor said before he took a bite.
The fruit resembled an apple in almost every way, but the skin was blue, and according to Gaia it has all the nutrients he would need to stay alive. It also supposedly helped increase his mana and increase his lifespan.
“I really do appreciate you doing so much for me Gaia,” Taylor began.
“No need to keep thanking me,” Gaia waved a white wrinkled hand, “you seem like a nice person in a very tough spot, it only seemed natural to help. And you’ve been a good friend to me so far.”
Enjoying the ever changing taste of the quap he thought over the last three months. Training magic every day and listening to stories of the past from Gaia. It hasn’t honestly been that bad.
“I know this isn’t my first time eating an animal,” he started, “but are you sure you’re okay with me doing this? It isn’t really necessary but I just don’t feel right if all I’m eating is fruit you provide. I want to make my own provisions now and then. But are you really okay with me eating animals?”
It was Gaia’s turn to chuckle “it’s just the circle of life my boy. Animals kill and eat each other all the time. Humans, and I suppose in your case, elves, are nothing more than sufficiently advanced animals.”
Gaia pulled back their hood to reveal their face for the first time. He, yes he, had long white hair and pointed ears, a beard that seemed to appear from nowhere, as if the hood magically hid it. His eyes were two different colors, one blue and the other gold, just like his mana.
Taylor thought he sort of resembled Gandalf or Dumbledore if they were elves. “Why are you only now showing me your face?” He asked out of curiosity.
“You see, I don’t care if you kill and eat animals,” the old man Gaia answered, “the bones and sinew, all the parts you either couldn’t or didn’t want to eat that you have buried has become my nutrients. When we first met my form you perceive here was akin to that of death. A skeletal body beneath a cloak. But with the nutrients your hints proved me I’m feeling healthier and younger than I have in more than a century.” A smile played along the wizened lips.
“Well then” Taylor said with a grin, “I’m glad you like my cooking, as barbaric as it is.”
A few hours later and Taylor had finished his meal and had frozen what he hadn’t cooked for later. “So Gaia,” he called out causing Gaia to look his way from the water, “what stage of magic do you suppose I’m in? I feel like I have the basics down pat. I mean I’m trying to use them in every day situations, going across the lake, making simple stone golems to move around and some other stuff but how long do you think it will take before I can start actually working on bringing my family here?”
Gaia looked back at the waters surface and was quiet for about a minute. Taylor didn’t interrupt him, this was too important of an answer to rush.
“I’d say another fifty years or so before you’re capable of that” he answered solemnly, “spells that break reality is suck a way are incredibly powerful, requiring immense power or…” he trailed off.
“Immense sacrifice,” Taylor finished for him, “it’s what the kingdom did to summon me.”
Gaia turned to him with a stern look on his face, “killing for sustenance is one thing, but you must not do that for the spell. You would have to sacrifice the whole kingdom if not more to bring just the three people here.”
“I know that,” Taylor said kicking a rock into the lake, “fuck, I mean, fifty years?”
He sat down putting his hands on his head as his eyes began to water, “my daughters will both be married and have probably forgotten about me by then,” tears began to fall down his face and his breath began to shake, “they’ll have their own kids and possibly even grand kids. My wife…. My poor wife might not even be alive by then.”
Overcome with emotions he began to silently cry. His whole life was gone. He had hoped that soon he would be able to bring them here, maybe a year or so, up to ten maybe, but fifty? He may as well forget they ever existed.
“If it is of some consolation” came the old man’s voice along with a gentle hand on his shoulder, “we do not know what differences may be between our worlds.”
“W-what do you mean?” He sniffled trying not to look too pathetic.
“Time dilation,” he answered simply, “we do not know if time here and there move the same, it could be that we’re moving much faster than they are, and all the better that you are an elf and you have partaken of my quap.”
Taylor began to laugh a bit, “fucking quap. I just can’t take that word seriously.” He sniffled and rubbed the tears out of his eyes.
Gaia feigned offense “my quap is sought by all the kings of all the nations of this world, many a king would give their own children for but one of my quap.”
“Whatever you say old man,” Taylor grinned still sniffling a bit, “now how about you do me a favor and start giving me a few tips so it doesn’t take a whole fifty years before I can start working on getting them here? I can’t keep them waiting too long.”
Gaia grinned back at the otherworlder and replied, “I thought you’d never ask”