Elemental magic part 3.
Mana affinity is the second half of the ability to cast spells. While elemental affinity without mana affinity means resistance to certain elemental forces and nothing else, mana affinity without elemental affinity means the person can only cast the most basic spells at a hideously high cost. The low chance of getting a combination of a high affinity with elements and mana at the same time is what limits the population of mages.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Spellcraft part 3
The ability to understand and correlate glyphs is called spellcraft. A spellcraft expert can design their own spells and have an easier time learning new spells. Glyphs related to one's elemental affinities are always easier to learn, as the mage's intuition grants a natural understanding. A mage well versed in spellcraft and with a deep understanding of the elements have a better chance at casting spontaneous effects. When veteran mages use magic to spontaneously create minor effects around themselves, these effects are called cantrips.
In a battle of talent against expertise, expertise usually wins unless the talent is overwhelming.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Wizardry part 2
High proficiency in wizardry allows a mage to cast spells faster, to change the spell's parameters further and to slightly reduce the mana cost of the spells. Aptitude, on the other hand, can also affect the casting speed but the greater effect of aptitude is in reducing the spell's mana cost.
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey wait! Princess Lumina, wait!"
The human girl in red armor donned over a white frilly dress called out.
Running away was a dumb idea but Aidan panicked when that strangely dressed girl called out his current body's real identity. Worse yet, she was yelling in front of the hunter's guild. There is no chance in hell that nobody there heard of the kidnapping or the bounty. In fact, several hunters gave chase.
Five hundred gold coins running away has that effect on mercenaries. They even ignored that the one they were chasing was
Aidan knew that he couldn't outrun those hunters on his frail princess body. He then made another stupid call. He decided to fight in the middle of the street. He stopped and turned around, hands already wreathed in flames.
"Backoff now or become barbecue!" The runaway girl threatened the hunters.
They stopped. Going against mages was always a bad idea, going against an angry fire mage? Still, five hundred gold coins could pay the healer. Two hunters raised their shields and charged. The girl in skimpy red armor was shouting something, but Aidan could not spare the time to try to understand. He was too busy finishing his spell.
"Ring of Conflagration!"
His world erupted in flame as the fire spread to Dawn's back and then downwards forming a ring along the ground. The two hunters crossed the ring as much as the ring ran past them and pillars of flame erupted from beneath them. The ring stopped growing several meters away from the girl and stood there, a circle of flames no higher than a man's stretched hand swirling around. The two hunters were on the ground, pants on fire literally. They collapsed and rolled, the flames died a few moments later, but the damage was already done.
"Step inside and burn." She hissed the warning with narrow eyes and clenched fists.
The other hunters gazed the lower half of the two that charged and instinctively took a step back, covering some important part of their anatomy. Aidan was probably too angry to empathize with his fellow men.
"EVERYONE STOP RIGHT NOW! I COMMAND YOU ON MY AUTHORITY AS THE CROWN PRINCESS."
The girl in red armor shouted. Everyone froze in place, even Aidan lowered his stance, but not the spell. She came close and stopped a right before reaching the ring of flames.
"Are you Princess Lumina of Yutis?" She asked with a calm, friendly voice.
"Depends on who is asking. One thing is certain, I won't surrender."
"Lumina, it is me, Pearl. Don't you recognize me?"
Pearl, pearl. Princess Pearl of House Juvela. Heir apparent of the kingdom of Gohar. Aidan remembered her name now. Lumina's senior by three years. Pearl should be nineteen years old now. He dismissed the spell noticing the drop in the available mana.
"Pearl? I'm so sorry! I didn't recognize you, I forgot a lot of things after the accident." He said in a pleading tone, trying to imitate Lumina. Rather easy when you are wearing the same body.
Pearl took a step past the disappearing ring of flames and ran to hug the other royal. "I heard of it, Lumina. You spent a year recovering. Not even the best healers could make you recover faster. I am so glad to see you alive and well, my friend."
A troop of guards conveniently arrived too late. Led by no other than senior guard Peter. He stopped and assessed the scene. Soon the guards were taking the burnt hunters to the healer, and Peter stood there watching the two girls still hugging.
"Oh, Pearl, it was terrible. Someone caused those Rhinorses to stampede in my direction, and if it were not for the acts of a certain brave lad I would be dead."
"You have to tell me all the details about that later. I indeed heard that a noble shielded you with his own body. But recently there are rumors that you were kidnapped from the hospital! What happened?"
"I escaped. I don't want to talk about this in the open. Could we go somewhere quieter?"
"Of course, darling. I am staying at the local lord's mansion, let's go there and have some tea."
From what he could know about the town, the mansion was on the other side of town. Aidan feared stretching the tether to his real body too much. If Lumina's body fainted without Sora nearby, they would do all sorts of things except bringing it closer to Aidan's own body.
"Pearl. I have a request. Could we just get a booth at the nearby inn? I'm waiting for my companion to return, and I don't want to miss her."
"Yes, of course. I am dying to taste the local cuisine." Pearl lied. She turned and addressed Peter. "Guard captain?"
"Yes, your Highness." Peter was not a captain but who was he to correct the princess? He saluted and stood at attention.
"Take these wounded men to the healer, and once they wake up tell them they are lucky they are not going to hang for attacking a royal. And make this crowd vanish. We have distressed my esteemed friend here too much."
"Did they attack you, your Highness?" Peter addressed Pearl but glanced at the girl hiding behind Pearl. He had a really bad feeling ever since he met these foreign girls.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
"By the gods, of course not! Their heads would be already displayed on pikes by the town gates if they did." She giggled. "I am talking about my friend here."
Aidan picked up the hem of the dress and curtsied. "Senior guard Peter, it is a pleasure to meet you again."
Pearl wiggled a pointed a finger between both of them. "You know each other?"
"Why, yes. Pearl, I was very lucky to find myself in the care of this valiant senior guard. Mister Peter was kind and helpful. He actually escorted us, unharmed I must add, into town after we were attacked by a pack of starving wolves. I have only praise for this cornerstone of the town's defenses."
"The princess' kind words are wasted on me." Peter saluted, making a mental note to forget about their agreement with Gurf. And burn that contract.
"Very well, very well, I am also very pleased with your work, Captain Peter. I will speak of you to the mayor." Pearl clapped her hands. "Now please escort us to the nearby inn. She turned and read the signboard. "The Stout Goblin, what a peculiar name! I wonder what they serve there." She rolled her eyes.
They went into the inn and sat at a table on a corner of the common hall. Pearl was loudly running her mouth all the way and Aidan was doing his best to follow up and talk. Peter went to talk to the innkeeper, probably to tell him to procure food worthy of two princesses.
"I am staying at this inn, Pearl. It serves peasant food, but it is delicious." Aidan attempted to soften the blow for the innkeeper. "The accident, getting near death changed my view on so many things, my friend. You wouldn't believe."
"I can see, I can tell. I'd never believed I would see you in such... simple clothes, Lumina. And your hair, what happened to your hair! It is ruined!"
"I am trying to lay low ever since I fled the hospital. This is part of my disguise."
Pearl forced herself to smile and ignore the smell of the place. Even Lumina smelled like peasants.
"What happened? The royal hospital in Yutis is right next to the palace, why wouldn't you be safe there?"
"I don't know what happened, but I fear for my life. I believe there is a conspiracy going on. Until I figure out what really happened, I need to stay away."
Pearl stopped and tried to figure out what to say, a refreshing pause in her verbal Gatling gun. Aidan decided to shift the subject.
"But enough about me, what brought you here? How are you doing, Pearl?"
"Oh, Lumina, you wouldn't believe! I did it! I DID IT!" She clapped her hands, giddy and agitated.
"I am so happy for your success at..." He tried to fish.
"I successfully summoned otherworld heroes! And two at once! I am so happy! I am actually traveling with them and we came here to do some missions and earn experience."
'How many otherworlders can you cram in a town', Aidan wondered. Couldn't they be...
"It is awesome! Pearl, if anyone could do it, it was you."
Aidan replied with fake enthusiasm. Unknowing it was what Lumina would've done anyway. His remark seemingly hit some sore spot in Pearl. Her smile vanished and she took a deep look in the eyes.
"You really changed Lumina. And since when can you wield fire magic? That spell you used was a fourth circle if I am not mistaken."
"Yes, I changed. The old Lumina is no more. Not even I know the depth of the changes. But I survived, that is what matters."
"Of course, Lumina. What is taking them so long? Don't this tavern serve wine?"
From out of nowhere came a barmaid with a wine bottle. She served both princesses and almost fumbled at the end. She ran away after serving.
"I think we need to understand what the common citizen of our countries lives through, Pearl. Mingle a little, see the world with their eyes. If nothing else, it carves your name into their hearts."
Pearl was about to ask who was this creature that possessed Lumina's body. As luck would have it, she didn't. Aidan would probably choke on the wine.
"Yes, you are right. That girl just now, she seemed afraid."
"Of course. She is afraid of displeasing us and ruining her life. Poor girl."
Pearl held the other girl's hand. "You've grown, Lumina. I never thought you of all people would stand out for the commoners."
The door was thrown open and one of the otherworlders came inside. Aidan shrunk almost a whole hand and slid a little under the table.
"
"
The otherworlder came and smiled at the girls.
"
And then the other one comes inside, carrying a certain unconscious beastkin on piggyback.
"Sora!" Aidan didn't even have the mind to use their aliases. Secrecy is damned, the princess' identity was exposed to everyone in town already. He leaped from the table and ran to the door.
He punched the guy in the stomach and retrieved Sora. Panicking, he patted the girl, checked the breathing, the pulse. He didn't fail to notice the blood and the cut marks in her clothes, even though the flesh underneath was healthy but with signs of recent healing.
"
"
"Pearl, are these two stupid troublemakers the heroes you summoned?" Aidan asked from the ground.
"
"
""
"
Aidan was listening to the conversation between the two otherworlders without being able to believe it. How far from common sense could these humans from another world be? Was he supposed now to be the girlfriend of these assholes just because they were all self-important summoned heroes? As far as he knew Pearl had summoned them on a whim. Worse yet, she had burned her country's trump card. It was still an order of magnitude better than Yutis that lost the trump card without ever using it, but still...
""
Kazuya jokingly tried to kiss Shinji, but the other guy was having none of that.
"
The last comment tug at Aidan's strings. He was a man too. Trapped in the princess' body, but a man at heart if not in body.
He lifted Sora from the ground.
"
Aidan slapped the hand and looked at the boy with cold eyes.
"
The sudden outburst in their home language startled the Japanese boy.
"
Pearl left the table. "
"Why did they have to attack my friend, Pearl? Look, her clothes are ruined, there is blood on them, and she was wounded!"
"I will talk to them, Lumina. You know it is hard to put some sense in these otherworlders. But Shinji here is a wielder of the Holy element. Your friend is in perfect health. I will pay for the clothes, of course."
"I will go to my room now to take care of her. I will meet you again, Pearl."
"Of course, my dear friend. And again, I apologize for them."
"Thanks. It means a lot to me." Aidan replied, half-lying half-wishing to believe.
Aidan, with much difficulty, carried Sora back to their room. Neither Pearl or the heroes followed them.
------------------------------
A few hours later, Sora opened her eyes and saw the ceiling of the inn room they were staying at. The scents of Skippy, Lumina, and Aidan reassured her of that. It was early morning. To her side were Lumina's body sitting on a chair and asleep next to the bed. She caressed the princess' hair and remembered something. Her eyes darted through the room but she found her bag and sword hanging on the bed's headboard. On the floor next to the wall her old clothes, ruined. Sora rose carefully and checked her body. No wounds but marks of recent healing in place of them. She was feeling fine. She checked her body, but there were no signs of any wrongdoing.
The only silver lining is that she was able to land a few hits on those otherworlders.
Their room was rather large. A double and single bed, a dresser, cabinet and a small table with three chairs. She moved the princess back to the bed with Aidan's body, removing the sleeping dragon from its spot. It protested but then dove under the blankets once again. If she was here in the room she was certain it was thanks to Aidan's efforts.
Sora took the brush and some plant oil from the bag and started to untangle the princess' hair out of gratitude. Half an hour later she had a ball of tangled hair and Lumina's locks were sparkling smooth.
A knock on the door stopped her from waking up her Majesty.
"Yes?" Sora opened the door. She already knew it was the inn servant by scent.
"Milady, the... Princess Pearl left these packs for you and her Highness Lumina." The fear the girl was feeling was visible.
"Is her Royal Highness around?" The bookworm Aidan was oblivious to the who's who game the aristocracy played, but not Sora.
"No. A porter brought the parcels and left. Do you want me to..."
Sora smiled and made a hand signal to make the girl stop talking.
"Don't worry, everything is fine. I will take the packages inside, you can leave now."
"Yes, milady, thank you, milady." She bowed and left downstairs in a hurry.
Sora opened the packs. Inside she fond fancy but practical clothes for both her and Lumina, their guild tags with the rank D engraved and a card with an invitation to a fancy dinner at a restaurant with Princess Pearl. The clothes even looked like they were the right size. How did she do that?
They say curiosity killed the cat-kin, but she wanted to know what Pearl was up to.
And the fact that Aidan would have to deal with these new pieces of female-only equipment left Sora curious.