Elemental Magic part 4.
Triple-element and quad elemental affinities are very rare and seldom studied. The most famous tri and quad elements are the Sky (air, water, light), Underworld (fire, earth, darkness), Life (air, earth, fire, water) and Holy (fire, air, water, light). Some theorists believe the elements of the all-consuming Void (air, fire, darkness), Time (air, fire, light, darkness) and Space (water, earth, light, darkness) might also exist but no documented cases are known.
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Spellcraft part 4.
There are spells that belong to no element. They usually are called "general" spells and can be of any circle. The learning difficulty for them is high but it is mostly because mages usually rely too much on their affinities when it is time to learn and craft spells. Some spells can also be changed from one element to another. One example is the third circle air spell "Air Blast" that can knock a target backward and even deal damage. It can be cast using the elements of Sand, Steam, or Mist. The mage usually changes the runes when learning the spell to suit their own element.
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Wizardry part 3
There are tools to aid with the casting of spells, but they are only used in times where a few seconds of delay in getting a spell ready means life or death. These tools can become crutches if abused. Some mages that learn to cast only using tools can find their powers unavailable should they get disarmed.
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Night.
Two girls in fancy dresses were in a coach going through the streets of a frontier town. In the coach, there were also a boy and a small dragon, both apparently asleep. One of the girls was wheezing.
"I can't breathe."
"Of course you can, your Highness. I hadn't even pulled the strings all the way."
Aidan was discovering the wonders of another piece of weaponry in a noble lady's arsenal. The corselet. The thing was magical if you weren't inside one. Lumina's waist was reduced by several inches while all the mass seemed to be shifted into her breasts. It seems that one person's dream is another's nightmare.
"Your Highness, we have arrived." The coachmen spoke through a slitted window.
A page opened the door and helped the ladies down. Aidan was focused on summoning Lumina to the front to see if she could help him balance on those high heels. Nothing. Whatever vestige of the princess surfaced at the most inconvenient times was completely dormant right now. He had to settle to put the weight on the page's arm and hold onto the dear princess' dignity. And he had to remember to smile. Not grimace, smile. With grace. Without breathing. Balancing on twigs. Dining with the insane otherworlders was the cherry on the cake.
They were led to a private room with a long table. The otherworlders were there, with their strange garbs made of some fabric that looked like made from a single piece of cloth. There were also other people that should hold some importance in town but Aidan had no idea who was. Since her station should be the second-most at the dinner party, they would introduce themselves to him. Or to the princess he was currently impersonating. Using her own body. Aidan had a knot in his head. At least the one at the head of the table should be the town lord. Or the mayor.
They were taking a big gamble here, but it was a veiled threat by Pearl. She knew of the bounties. She could even turn them in for a huge reputation boost. She 'rescued' the kidnapped princess. The princess wasn't even available to say if she wanted to be rescued or not. and the distance was enough to force them to bring Aidan's body. He was currently lying in a private lounge in the restaurant reserved only for them. With the excuse of having the Holy quad-element user Shinji look at the malady that is afflicting the young noble boy they brought them. It also meant their belongings in the Stout Goblin inn were without anyone to watch over them, but Aidan dropped by the west gate garrison and drafted 'captain' Peter into the job. There are two city guards at the inn right now.
Introductions past and a flurry of people came to greet Lumina. Aidan had to dismiss the kidnapping as some rumor started by the crown to root out whoever attempted to assassinate Lumina one year ago while the princess was free to run some secret mission. It was so farfetched but the people there accepted it with the handwave know as 'court politics'. It made Aidan worry for Claire's safety. Where would she be, and more important, how?
If someone asked Aidan the next day who was at the dinner, he would not remember any of the people there. He wasn't even sure he got the mayor name right. He also doesn't know what food was served. He could only take a bite of each thing thanks to the corselet. He felt a deep respect for all the ladies doomed to wear those chest torture pieces. It was after dinner that things got interesting.
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"Is it your familiar?" Pearl asked Aidan. He was about to say 'yes' when he figured out she was asking Lumina.
"No. It is Aidan's familiar."
"And Aidan is the sleeping brave boy on the couch, I presume."
"That's correct. My savior."
"How did you bring him here?" She asked about how they managed to bring him to this town all the way from Yutis.
"In the carriage." Aidan just answered how they brought him to the restaurant. Pearl assumed wrong and didn't press further.
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The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
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Before Aidan could grind his mental gears to fathom what the princess said, Shinji began casting spells.
"Mega Restore!"
"MP transfer!"
"MP transfer!"
"MP transfer!"
Even their spells were weird. But the effects were visible. Aidan's body recovered some healthy tone and his skin even filled up a bit. When Shinji used the MP transfer spell, he blinked at Aidan's body, cast it again. He made a disbelieving face and used it a third time.
""
Aidan knew what was happening but would not reveal. Every time Shinji used this MP transfer spell, the magic reserves in Lumina's body soared. She was around a C before fighting the wolves, but now she was on the verge of reaching a B rank.
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"MP transfer!"
"MP transfer!"
"MP transfer!"
Lumina broke into the B-rank MP pool. Shinji was sweating from the effort. Shinji felt the princess body hot. He would be with ragged breath if he could breathe.
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"" He shook his head. Whatever OOM meant, he couldn't cast it again.
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More crazy otherworlder terms.
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Aidan hit himself internally and steeled himself for what was to come.
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"MP transfer!"
"MP transfer!"
"MP transfer!"
Aidan felt Lumina reaching the higher tier of the B-rank. It would take two weeks completely naked to reach this far.
"Princess Lumina, you are blushing."
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Like sheep, they obediently left. After they are gone, Pearl did a hundred-eighty.
"Lumina, if you want a hero for yourself, please summon your own." Pearl scolded her junior princess.
"Okay? I'm sorry if it looked like that." Aidan looked at Sora but she nodded. It indeed looked like that.
"Oh, don't come playing the innocent now, Lumina. Everyone knows how you ruined princess Melissa and Sir Anders romance three years ago at her coming-of-age ceremony.
Aidan opened his mouth to say 'but I don't remember doing that' and figured out that Pearl would just dismiss it as Lumina being dissimulated. He took a page from his father's survival guide and pretended to be furniture.
"Yes, that is better. Because you are guilty, Lumina. Very guilty. Do not. Come closer. To MY heroes. Ever. And you are already betrothed, for crying out loud."
At the word 'betrothed', Aidan felt like throwing up. Even Pearl showed some compassion.
"Yes, I know the scumbag you are engaged to. But he is your problem to deal with, Lumina. If it were me, I'd summon some heroes and raze that wretched nation to the ground."
Aidan once again looked at Sora, and she made the word 'later' with her mouth only. And Sora decided to take the lead.
"Your Royal Highness, could we speak for a moment?"
"Of course Lady Sora of the Squirrel-Kin, aide to the Godslayer Hero's scion."
"I understand you have a mission to accomplish at the outskirts of this town and you would like to get our assistance.
"Yes. I won't lie to you, it is a matter of great importance to my kingdom. And we are lacking qualified, trustworthy people."
"We are more than willing to help our friends, princess. But as you can see we are on the run and pressed for resources."
"Cut to the point, Sora. Name your price."
"Four things. Declare the bounty on Lumina and us void in your territory. Give us some equipment. Recharge Aidan's mana until he wakes up. And ask Shinji to heal a man."
"What equipment are you talking of?"
"A sword for me and one for Lumina, A staff for Aidan and another for Lumina, and armor for us three."
"And what if the boy doesn't wake up?"
"You will get me and the dragon, but Lumina will remain behind to watch over him."
Pearl stopped to think. A few minutes in silence until she made a scared face, looked at Lumina. It made Aidan avert Pearl's gaze and she clicked her tongue.
"I know everything now! You weren't kidnapped or ran away. You ELOPED! What a scandal! I could destroy you, Lumina." And she began to cackle like a villain. Aidan made Lumina shrink an entire hand out of fear, that only made Pearl believe even more in her misconception.
"Pearl, please..." Aidan used a pleading tone, and it only made Pearl puff her modest chest.
"Don't worry, Lumina. Your secret is safe with me. But the scion of the godslayer, what a catch. Tomorrow we will take Shinji to visit this man you want to be healed and go to a master weaponsmith near the guild to buy your weapons. Is that okay, Sora?"
Sora noticed Pearl dropped the title. A tactic to make the other party in a negotiation feel comfortable.
"Yes, if you don't object to the other terms."
"Of course, dear. The carriage will take you back to that... Stout Goblin place you are staying at." Pearl said with disgust.
"Good enough, Pearl. Thank you."
"Tell me, do you sleep with your beloved Aidan? In the same bed? Do you touch him at night?"
"O-of course not! What shameful life do you think I lead?" Aidan fumbled his lies. He stuttered. Sora pretended to play with Skippy to hide her facepalm behind her tail.
"How delightful. And I have nobody to tell about this. Princess Melissa would never believe me."
'What happened to 'your secret is safe with me'????' thought Aidan.
Pearl left them and the servants came to carry Aidan's body to the carriage.
Once on their way to the inn and after making sure the driver couldn't hear them, Aidan whispered to Sora.
"This is terrible, Sora. Really terrible."
"Yes. Pearl got almost all our secrets out. And she made up a whole scandal about Lumina eloping. We can only shudder at how it will play out."
"No! Not that!"
"What then?"
"I am starving!"