Eventually we left the training area and had a hot shower. We spent the remaining day studying. I was trying to memorise the runes, so I would not need to have a piece of paper with me, next time.

In the evening we met with Cassie and Skadi for dinner.

“How was your practice? What spell are you using for your joint casting?” I asked them.

“Hehe, that is a secret!” Cassie said.

“Really?” I tried pouting.

“We will show you, if we manage it.” Skadi said.

“But we have great plans!” Cassie added.

We could grab them and tickle the truth out of them!” Helena suggested.

Cassie tried changing the topic: “Anyway, how are the cats doing?”

“They can’t talk, only meow.” I told them.

“Really?” Cassie asked.

“Yeah, but Nyx might be learning something to improve her breath attack from the draugr.” I said.

“How? They are only tier two, right?” Skadi asked.

I nodded. “The draugr can’t learn spells but Nyx might be able to replicate their abilities with a spell. Or maybe she can change her own breath attack. Actually, maybe we should ask a teacher more about magical abilities.”

Besides the new undead, we talked about our own joint casting efforts. Neither Helena, nor myself, considered our spell a secret. We had a relaxing evening.

The next day I decided to find out more about abilities. It was during our basic magic class, where I asked our teacher, Victoria.

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“How do magical abilities work, compared to spells?”

“Ah, that is a great question! The topic is still being studied and has led to the discovery of spellblades. Essentially, an ability is like a spell, it does use mana but you do not have to form a rune, or even change your mana’s affinity. It is widely believed that the body of a magical monster serves as the spell rune, somehow.” Valeria explained.

“Would that not mean we could find the runes on the body of a monster?” Shin asked.

Valeria nodded. “That is the problem, in a way. Such runes have not been found.”

“Then how do we know they are not using normal spells?” Shin asked.

“An excellent question! There are sentient creatures who have abilities. A tier three undead, for example.” She looked at Nyx, who was likely not the best example, since she did not talk. “Some vampires have studied magic and their own abilities. But there are also dragons, elementals and some animal shifters. Even some humans have abilities from birth. They can produce a certain effect using their instincts, and their mana.”

“So they do not form runes in their head?” I asked.

Victoria nodded. “Indeed, they do not need runes. But how they trigger their abilities varies. There have been some who described it as simply thinking about breathing fire, and it happens. Others have said it is more like a muscle. Something they are aware of and can control. But no one knows the exact process of what is happening inside their body.”

“Then how were spellblades discovered? And do spellblades even have abilities?” Jack asked.

“They were born from the desire to replicate magical monsters. Inborn abilities have one thing in common, they are incredibly efficient. No mage has ever been able to form their runes perfectly enough to copy that. Which brings us to augmentations. Inborn abilities are not always active, they can be passive. Every magical monster has their body reinforced, like with a spell. But active spells consume a lot of mana.” Victoria explained.

Eva raised her hand.

“Yes, Eva.”

“I thought monsters simply had mana infused in their body.”

“In a way, that is true. But simply pulling mana into your body will not do anything, mana needs to be given a purpose. Mages can cast spells that harden their skin. But the spell consumes mana. Once that runs out their skin becomes normal. A magical monster has mana flowing to their skin. But it does not temporarily enhance it, it changes it. Mutates it. A spellblade is not just a mage who has a spell running. Their runes will change their body. That is why becoming a spellblade is a decision for life.”

“It mutates your body?” Jack asked, sounding surprised.

Valeria nodded. “You are now close to the second year, so I might as well tell you more. Becoming a spellblade starts with runes being added to your body. Those runes control the spell that empowers you. You lose access to part of your mana, that mana reinforces you. But it is not just an active spell. It changes you. It changes your skin, it changes your body. Once the transformation is complete, you will not be able to reverse it.”

“But spellblades can change how their body is enhanced, right?” I asked. I remembered Captain Sarah saying something about that.

“Yes. The mana that a spellblades loses access to, is not really powering a spell, it is more like feeding your body. As I said, the runes change you. Your skin might be harder, but your skin needs to be fed magic. The spellblade runes can determine how much mana is fed to which body part. You can not go below a certain minimum, but you have some flexibility between speed, strength and durability.” She explained.

“Can’t you use your spell mana to further enhance yourself?” Shin asked.

Victoria shook her head. “No. The spellblade part is separate. Once you become a spellblade, you dedicate a certain percentage of your core to it. That amount is final and cannot be changed. The percentage is final, mind you. If your core grows larger, the spellblade part profits from that too.”

“Does it change how you look?” Eva asked.

“It can, actually.” Valeria replied. “But mostly in cases of very strong mages. Usually it is just the hair or eye color, though.