It is natural for predators to enjoy fighting, but they need to be in control of it. I am not as worried about Albion since he has a more peaceful nature. The kids seem to take what I tell them seriously, but I will still try to keep an eye on them.

If I remember, I will ask Chloell about how they act when they are in the shadow plane. Although, if they were acting reckless, I am pretty sure she would have told me already. Anyway, they are still young, so even if there is a problem, it shouldn't be hard to correct.

Since the kids are with me already, I decide to give them a magic lesson. The very north-eastern tip of the island is the closest point to the peninsula. Although, it is a bit further away than I was led to believe by the map that I saw.

The total distance is more than a mile, maybe as much as a mile and a half. Still, using magic to cheat, it should still be possible for me to build the bridge. It will just have to have more supports than I originally planned, just a bit more work.

However, the two points are at a slight diagonal from each other which is a small problem. I know that there are curved bridges in my world, but I am not an engineer. It will be much easier for me to build a straight bridge and just alter the ending points.

Now, the first problem I need to solve is to find a way to make sure I stay on target. Building the supports will be done underwater, so I need a way to make sure I keep them straight. In the end, I go with stretching a line of mana where the bridge will be, something I can sense from underwater.

Unfortunately, it is something that I have to maintain by spending a small amount of mana constantly. Luckily, even when I am actively using mana, the tattoo still works to absorb mana. Basically, the rate the tattoo is absorbing mana is higher than what I spend to maintain the line.

It would be fine if that was all there was to it, but I am going to spend even more mana. Now, with my recovery rate slowed, it is going to take a lot longer to build the bridge. Or at least until I am done with the supports, once they are done I won't need the line anymore.

Using my mana to create a bubble, I take the kids with me and head underwater. Then I explain to the kids how to fuse their mana into the stone in order to shape it to their will. Once I am done explaining it, I give them a demonstration by starting the first support.

"Remember, as the support is being built, you need to keep bringing up more stone from the bedrock. You also can't take it from the bedrock directly below the support or you will remove the foundation."

Mulan says "Why is this so complicated?"

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

"Because the supports have to handle the weight of the bridge above them. If the foundation fails, then everything will sink and the bridge will break. Anytime you are building anything, the foundation is the most important part."

Nala says "So then it is just like when you are fighting and your footing is the most important part?"

"Yes. Your footing is the foundation of your body. If you have bad footing you can't use all of your strength and you will be knocked down easier."

Mushu says "Okay, that makes sense!"

"Alright. Then if everyone understands, give it a try."

Mulan says "Wait, you want us to build the support?"

"No. I want each of you to try shaping the stone so that you can see how it feels. You never know when you may need to build a shelter or dig for something. Once you have practiced a bit, you can go back to the castle and do whatever you want. I will stay here and build the bridge."

Under my direction, each of the kids takes a turn and tries out stone shaping. I quickly realize that Lin's lessons need more practical aspects, the kids don't control their mana well. Well, I am asking them to work with stone when all but Albion are fire users.

It takes about a half of an hour for the kids to get the hang of working with stone. Once they have it down, I show them a few more tricks and tips before sending them home. After they leave, I get to work and fix the things that they messed up while learning.

After the first support has reached above the water level, I move on to the next one. I can't complete the support right now since I don't know the exact height that it needs to be. I plan to get all the supports to where they are above the water, then start on the bridge.

However, I come up with an idea and quickly move along the ocean floor starting all the supports. I realized that I only need the line to make sure the supports are straight. Meaning that once all the supports are started I won't need the line anymore.

That will remove the constant draw on my mana and allow me to work longer before I need a break. The main downside of this project is that I won't be able to work on my core. I will need all of my mana for shaping the stone, so my core will have to wait for now.

Once I have started all the supports, and made sure they are straight, I go back and work on the second support. Now that I have taken down the line, my next goal is to get all the supports above the water. I am shaping the supports so that they look like a pencil that is sharpened at both ends.

It is something that I remember from my world, I think it is meant to reduce the erosion caused by the water. I am planning to make the bridge as strong as I possibly can, then I will enchant it. If everything goes well, this bridge should be able to last for centuries.

This is something that I feel I need to do, after all I won't be around later to repair it. I plan to put a self repair enchantment on the bridge, so it should last as long as the enchantment holds. I have no idea how long it takes for an enchantment to fail, but nothing lasts forever.

As long as the bridge can last for a couple of hundred years I will be satisfied. By that point, technology or magic should have advanced enough for a new bridge to be built. Even if not, by then I am sure someone will figure something else out.

Either way, I will be long dead so it isn't something that I need to worry about. I manage to complete two more supports before I run out of mana for a total of three. Keeping the bubble of air up while working underwater is what is costing me the most mana.