“Today I want you to start with sword skills. You can pair up against Angus. Use your magical sword to start with. Later I will want you to train with a regular sword.”
Erameya nodded and pulled her magical sword from the scabbard. She had no idea how or where to start so she followed Angus’s actions. Angus, she noticed after a few lunges and parries, seemed to be pouting. It didn’t matter how proficient he was with a sword, he could not get a hit in. As he realized that even with her lack of skill, he couldn’t touch her, he settled in with a determined look. They went back and forth until finally Erameya hit Angus with the flat of her sword.
“How?”
“My sword is magical.”
“May I see it?” Erameya handed him the sword and he looked at her shocked. It is so heavy; how do you lift it?”
“With my arms.” Erameya sniped. “Honestly, it is lighter for me than it was before I sent the magic into it.”
“You infused something with magic? How”
“Angus this is not your concern. Now it is time to train her with a non-magical sword. I want you to teach her all of the techniques you know and after she gets one hit in, I want you to race her to the hill and back.”
“That is over two miles.”
“It is five miles.”
“One way?”
“No.”
After a morning of training with Angus on her sword skills Erameya was exhausted. She pushed herself as they raced to the hill and back. Even with all of her effort she was nearly unable to run the last few feet. Erameya was happy for the rest as she sat down to meditate.
Demographics (extended)
Name
Erameya
Title
Princess
Class
Royal
Race
Human
Gender
Female
Loyalty
The Northern Empire
Height
5' 6"
Weight
110 lbs.
Eye color
Green
Hair color
Dark Brown
Attributes
Strength
29
Agility
32
Dexterity
32
Wisdom
32
Intelligence
33
Perception
34
Available Points
12
Statistics
Health
120/120
Stamina
15/198
Mana
994/435
Skills
Languages
Automatically be able to translate and speak any language.
Identify
Identify any object or person.
Survival
Acclimatize in your new environment, retrieve memories, and integrate host body skills.
Crafting
Level 1
Create things.
Potion making
Level 1
Create and understand potion making.
Healing
Level 1
Heal both magically and mundane.
Sword craft
Level 5
You can now defend yourself.
Archery
Level 3
You can hit a target.
Spell casting
Level 2
Feed magic into an object.
Horticulture
Level 1
Know your plants.
Agriculture
Level 5
You care for two boned animals.
Fan skills
Level 1
Fans can be weapons.
Dancing
Level 1
Don't fall on your face.
Dressing
Level 1
Know how to dress for each occasion.
Hair Dressing
Level 1
Comb your hair properly for each occasion.
Leadership
Level 1
Example or fear, it’s your choice.
Charm
Level 1
Everybody loves you.
Diplomacy
Level 4
Don't offend ambassadors or their grandsons.
Stabbing
Level 2
You can throw your knife.
Martial Arts
Level 1
Acrobatic weaponless self-defense.
Meditation
Level 4
Achieve a state of clarity of mind.
Sewing
Level 1
Attach two pieces of fabric.
Cooking
Level 1
Don't burn water.
Magical Creation
Level 1
Create solid objects from mana.
Magical Push and pull
Level 1
Throw and retrieve objects using magic.
Magical explosion!
Level 1
Blow shit up with magic.
Self-Defense
Level 1
Don't let others pick on you.
“I’ll put five to strength, two each to agility, dexterity, and wisdom. The last one to intelligence. Ouch!” the screen flickered out as a stabbing pain hit Erameya in the stomach and in the head. She stayed in the lotus position as she tried to breathe through the pain. She realized that all the mana from her rivers was rushing to her mana pool, she let the rivers drain before she opened up the inflow of magic just enough to keep her rivers nearly full. She felt a spike form in her mana pool. It grew then broke itself apart, then grew again. Each time it grew, the formation was denser and more spherical. Finally, her pseudo-core was created and her mana pool and rivers were full so she stopped drawing in magic. She collapsed to the ground. Mentally and physically drained.
“She can cultivate?” Erameya heard as she started to wake.
“She can.”
“You said you’d never seen a human cultivator.”
“I hadn’t until yesterday.”
“Yesterday? and she just awakened crystallization?”
“My guess is she has been purifying her pseudo-core and that is why she fell asleep.”
“How long have I been asleep?”
“About three hours, here is some water and some soup. Eat.”
“Now that you know humans can cultivate, can I learn?”
“I don’t know. Master Gareth would be a better teacher than I will be. It has been thousands of years since I built my foundation.”
“Master Gareth can cultivate?”
“He is a special case; he knows how and he has the foundation.”
“What? I feel cheated.”
“Don’t. I could go into long expiations, but I won’t. Just know I would have taught you if I could have. Erameya, could you display your screen?”
“Character sheet or cultivation?”
“Start with your character sheet.”
Demographics (extended)
Name
Erameya
Title
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
Princess
Class
Royal
Race
Human
Gender
Female
Loyalty
The Northern Empire
Height
5' 6"
Weight
110 lbs.
Eye color
Green
Hair color
Dark Brown
Attributes
Strength
34
Agility
34
Dexterity
34
Wisdom
34
Intelligence
34
Perception
34
Available Points
0
Statistics
Health
120/120
Stamina
98/198
Mana
351/549
Core
2
Skills
Languages
Automatically be able to translate and speak any language.
Identify
Identify any object or person.
Survival
Acclimatize in your new environment, retrieve memories, and integrate host body skills.
Crafting
Level 1
Create things.
Potion making
Level 1
Create and understand potion making.
Healing
Level 1
Heal both magically and mundane.
Sword craft
Level 5
You can now defend yourself.
Archery
Level 3
You can hit a target.
Spell casting
Level 2
Feed magic into an object.
Horticulture
Level 1
Know your plants.
Agriculture
Level 5
You care for two boned animals.
Fan skills
Level 1
Fans can be weapons.
Dancing
Level 1
Don't fall on your face.
Dressing
Level 1
Know how to dress for each occasion.
Hair Dressing
Level 1
Comb your hair properly for each occasion.
Leadership
Level 1
Example or fear, it’s your choice.
Charm
Level 1
Everybody loves you.
Diplomacy
Level 4
Don't offend ambassadors or their grandsons (just knee their jewels).
Stabbing
Level 2
You can throw your knife.
Martial Arts
Level 1
Acrobatic weaponless self-defense.
Meditation
Level 4
Achieve a state of clarity of mind.
Sewing
Level 1
Attach two pieces of fabric.
Cooking
Level 1
Don't burn water.
Magical Creation
Level 1
Create solid objects from mana.
Magical Push and pull
Level 1
Throw and retrieve objects using magic.
Magical explosion!
Level 1
Blow shit up with magic.
Self-defense
Level 1
Don't let others pick on you.
Listening
Level 1
Listen and learn.
“Good. I like how you distributed your available points, and we’ll have to keep an eye on your core value to see what it means. I see your stamina and health went up after today’s training so we must be doing something right. Your stamina is low, but rest should fix that. I’m impressed.”
Foundation
Awakening
You have felt the essence in the world around you.
Gathering
You have learned to gather the essence into yourself.
Circulating
You have opened the rivers of power and can circulate essence.
Purifying
You have used the rivers to break open the nodes of power.
Directing
You have directed the essence inside and outside of yourself.
Conserving
Use the least amount of mana needed for any given situation.
Storing
You can reserve the mana you have purified.
Transforming
You can change your mana into physical objects.
Dispelling
You can disperse the spell or unused mana to prevent refraction.
Crystallization
Awakening
You can feel the mana you have compressed start to become solid.
Gathering
You have gathered the compressed mana shards and compressed them into a pseudo-core.
Circulating
You have shattered the crystalized mana and reformed it and shattered it again.
Purifying
You have reformed your pseudo-core.
Directing
You can send mana from the pseudo-core into the different parts of your body.
Conserving
Use the least amount of mana needed for any given situation.
Storing
You can store the mana you have purified in your pseudo-core.
“I see you have been directing and storing since you woke up.”
“I think, I just start at foundation awakening and keep going until I hit a wall; then restart again.”
“That’s exactly as it should be.”
“How did you start cultivating?” Angus asked.
“I was meditating and felt a weird current in me, so I started circulating it.”
Angus sat down in the lotus position. He closed his eyes and began to breathe regularly and deep. After about fifteen minutes he opened his eyes, “I feel it, I really feel it!”
“Slowly, boy, slowly. Remember cultivation is a journey not a destination.” Master Gareth cautioned.
“While he is meditating, let’s do some martial arts and close combat training. You then need to practice transforming.”
“Let me look in on my bonds first. I feel Tintreach needs to transform his mana. Ailish is compressing her mana; about to form her core.”
They walked over to where her bonds appeared to be sleeping. The tips of Tintreach’s wings had turned white. He took stood and flew up into the sky. He created an enormous lighting sword. He played with his magic for a while with Ailish and Laird Tokavaig joining him. Once they had landed Tintreach’s wings were outlined in dark blue.
They all went to an open part of the field. Laird Tokavaig guided them in martial arts and then instructed Erameya in close combat moves.
When Laird Tokavaig went to check on Angus, Master Gareth and Erameya started to play catch with mana balls. Each ball was a different size and density. When Laird Tokavaig and Angus got over to them, Laird Tokavaig watched them for a minute and then joined in. Angus watched for a little longer and then tried to form a mana ball. After a few tries he was able to form one. Master Gareth told him to start by tossing it between his hands. When he was able to toss it around, he joined into the magical ball game. Suddenly, Angus screamed and collapsed to the ground.
“I said slowly.”
“He started grinding his nodes and I believe his meridians are open also.” It must be all the magical training his parents did. His mother, as a druid, would have taught him how to balance and open his meridians. His father learned magic from me as well as his mother. Eilean is a witch.”
“Eilean Donan?”
“Yes, she is my wife.”
“There is a castle in my reality called Eilean Donan. I had just visited it before I was killed.”
“I visited it when I was in your world. Speaking of your world I need a hamburger.”
“I bet we could make some.”
“Let’s, after you have become less volatile.”
“On that note, I just learned dispelling what is the next thing I need to do?’
“The next step is Spiritual Tempering. This is one of the hardest steps. It is hard to explain and even harder achieve. Once you have tempered your spirit you become a true cultivator. Meditate and focus on your spirit instead of your body. When you awaken to your spirit, it will guide you in the remainder of the sub steps.”
“So, I need to start with foundation focusing on my spirit.”
“Yes, that is the best way to explain it. Remember, conservation. You do not want to deplete the mana in the world around you. Sip. Try exchanging that bug gulp straw you are using for a coffee straw. Let’s practice conservation by using different magical affinities. Start with fire, it is easiest for me.”
Erameya focus her mana in her hands and pictured a ball of fire. The mana in her hand was hot and looked like a spinning ball of fire. “Cool, is this wizard’s fire?”
“No, it is fire essence. It is a much purer form of fire than wizard’s fire. Wizard’s fire is greasy.”
“Throw it at the target but instruct it not to burn.”
Erameya threw the fire willing it not to burn.
“Very good, now dispel it.”
Erameya imagined the energy leaving the fire and returning to the atmosphere.
“Now try water.”
Erameya repeated the prosses but with water, wind, lightning, earth, plant, light, shadow, ice, and soul. She was able to control each one.
“Good, keep trying, think of anything and try it as a mana ball, throw it at the target, and dispel it. Try not to drink in any more mana until you are using the last of the mana from your pseudo-core.”
Erameya tried thread and it worked so she tried rubber, plastic, aluminum, lead, iron, steel, rock, hair, paper, glass and even spaghetti. She had fun making oddities from her old life to throw at the target. She kept at it throwing elements and anything else she could picture in a sphere at the target. She eventually stopped making it into balls and threw a pizza slice, a hamburger, an earbud case, a cellphone, a pencil, even a peach, at the target. Then she started mixing elements together. Fire and water, metal and ice, light and shadow, lighting and water, and anything else she didn’t think would just blend. Finally, she started throwing mud balls, snowballs, and paint balls.
Paint balls were the best they would splatter and then dissipate. She played with color and viscosity. Without the hard shell the paint balls splattered beautifully.
“That is an interesting waist of mana.” Angus pointed out haughtily, from behind her.
“Then, maybe you should remember that I am your grandfather’s student, not yours.”
“Maybe you should move, and let the expert show you how fire balls are made.” He waves her aside.
“Do you use wizard’s fire?”
“I do… I used to. My magic is different now. I can feel my fire, ice and nature magic all flowing through each of my meridians and nodes.” He focused and soon had a ball of fire on his hand. He threw it at the target and the target was engulphed in flames. He focused again and the fire dissipated. “Wow, cultivated essence is much more pure magic than I am used to working with. I cannot wait to show my father. He will be so jealous. His fire is sticky, and oily compared to the fluidity of mine. Now I am going to see what I can do with nature. Mother will be so amazed if I can grow a sturdy tree faster and denser than hers.” He focused on an apple seed left from Tintreach’s lunch. The tree grew quickly and looked sturdy, until it fell over. He tried again with another seed. This time making sure to plant it. The tree grew, blossomed, and grew fruit. Once the apples were ripe, he went and picked one. “This apple is good, but not as good as my mother’s.” He scowled and threw the apple to Tintreach. “I wonder if I can control ice like my grandma?”
“Stop trying to outdo everyone,” Erameya interrupted. “You do the best you can and it will not matter what other’s do.”
“It matters. I need to be the best.” He stomped.
“You’re such a little princeling,” Erameya rolled her eyes.
“You’re such a princess.” He huffed back.
Erameya shrugged. “Maybe, but I’m not an entitled brat. My parents taught me responsibility.”
“My parents tried to teach me responsibility, I just chose not to learn.” Erameya started to walk away, Angus grabbed her arm, “are you walking away from me?”
“You’re a selfish prick. I don’t have to listen to you.”
“You’re a proud princess.”
“Yes, and I am going over by Master Gareth and your grandfather.”
“Stay, I am used to being the most important young person in the room, I forget I am just human.”
“You are a child. You need to listen to those who try to teach you.”
“You are younger than I am.”
“I am more mature.” Erameya said throwing a snowball at his face.
After he wiped the snow off. He threw a snowball at her. She waved her hand and the snowball dissipated while she threw another one. Soon they were throwing snowballs and trying to dispel the other person’s as quickly as they could. Finally, Erameya erected a magical barrier of air in front of her that stopped his snowballs while letting hers through. Angus tried the same thing but failed.
“Lad!” Master Gareth smiled. “You have just started opening your nodes. Directing your mana internally is the next step. You also need to learn to conserve. You are putting way too much mana in each ball. How do expect to erect a shield? Feel inside of you and realize how depleted your mana is.”
“I wish I knew how to give him a screen like Erameya’s. The boy is hopeless.” Laird Tokavaig moaned.
“He’ll be fine. He just needs to grow up.” Master Gareth tried to console him.
“I’m right here!” Angus hollered before collapsing to the grass.
“I see. You are quite pathetic.” Laird Tokavaig pointed out.
“Grandfather!”
“Learn to pay attention to your mana pool. Over draining your mana can hurt you almost as much as overfilling. Conservation is equal parts maintenance and economy. You use the least amount of mana possible for every action, you also have to maintain your levels and your pathways. Do you think your mother just has open meridians with no effort?” Laird Tokavaig shook his head. “Erameya, excellent job. What is your mana now?”
Mana 156/670
“One fifty-six of six seventy”
“And now?”
Mana 156/670
“One fifty-six of six seventy”
“Good you have stopped, or at least slowed, your mana intake. Try to continue, to keep your pseudo-core empty. Go work on your archery and sword skills with Angus. After lunch, we will again check on your mana level. Angus get up and go practice archery.”
Erameya and Angus went over to the targets and started to practice. Shot after shot they each hit their target. When Angus realized he could not outshoot her, he got angry. In his rage, he lit her arrow on fire. Erameya calmly cast about five gallons of water over his head.
“Not fair. Did you open a portal to the water realm?’
“No. I made a ball of water over your head.”
“That much, that fast?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Hey, I know you are a selfish prick, but will you teach me how to grow things?”
“Why would I teach you?”
“I taught you how to cultivate.”
“The first thing my mother taught me was to open my meridians. Meridians are kind of like the rivers you push essence through. They are not deep they are just under the skin. Rub your palms together in a circle. Now close your eyes and focus on your palms. Now push them back together. That feeling is your meridians. Now feel the life flow throughout your body. Now coax that feeling into the grass. Remember you are inviting it to grow not forcing it.”
“So, this is Druidry?’
“No. This is life energy manipulation. You will have to study with my mother if you want to become a druid. My grandmother is a witch, she uses mana like grandfather she just cannot cultivate. My father is a wizard and he has some amazing spells that even grandmother cannot do. Grandmother said his power is because he is half dragon. All I know is I have life energy, mana, and now I can cultivate. I have been trying my whole life to be as indominable as my parents and grandparents. I still don’t think I’ll ever be as good. Did I tell you my mother is the most powerful druid of her clan? And her father? Well, he leads their grove.”
“So, you are an ass hole because you are insecure?”
“No, I just know how good looking I am.” He preened.
Erameya really looked at him for the first time. He was tall, over six feet, he had long blond hair, and silvery blue eyes. His build was muscular, but not like a gym rat. On the whole he was aesthetically pleasing but he ruined it with his arrogance.
Identify:
Demographics
Name
Angus Donan
Title
Wizard
9
Class
Upper
Race
Human, Beast
Gender
Male
Loyalty
The Northern Empire, Dragon Kingdom
Attributes
Strength
165
Agility
194
Dexterity
124
Wisdom
54
Intelligence
40
Perception
32
Available Points
0
Statistics
Health
351/351
Stamina
628/659
Mana
512/592
Skills
Sword Skills
Archery
Warrior
Hand to Hand Combat
Horticulture
Martial Arts
Stabbing
Arrogance
Potion making
Healing
Accuracy
Life Energy Manipulation
Spell Casting
Dancing
Diplomacy
Listening
Magical Push and Pull
Magical Explosions
Teaching
“I cannot believe how low your wisdom, perception, and inelegance are.”
“Did you just read me?”
“Yes. It is the first time I have really looked at you when I wasn’t doing something else. I chose to identify you.”
“Can you show me.”
She projected his character sheet so he could see it. “I am highest in agility? I cannot believe it. I should have more strength.”
“Then let’s get up and train. Grinding is a great way to increase your stats.”
“You are so strange. What does grinding have to do with training?”
“I don’t know how to explain it. On guard!”
“What?”
“Isn’t that what someone says before they practice with swords?’
“No. No they don’t. And why do you do the funny half bow?”
“I thought it was fencing etiquette.”
“What is fencing? And what is etiquette?”
“French words.”
“Just swing the damn sword.”