Liam sucked air. Laying flat on his back he struggled to breath. Nyota hovered above him, concern showing in her nibbling lips. Her hands pressed against his forehead as she began the incantation of healing.
Liam swatted her hand away, interrupting her chant.
“Let me heal you!” She snarled, barring her inhumanly sharp incisors at him.
He shook his head, raising one finger to the sky, a gesture he hoped meant ‘give me a minute’ in this world.
“Grrrrr, Fine!” Nyota stood, stomping away from him.
Why are you so cranky! All I did was go for a jog! Thought Liam.
Recently, Liam had taken to going on morning runs, short jogs aimed at rehabilitating his damaged body. In practice they were slightly hurried walks, more exercise than Baron Green had in a year; or two. Unfortunately for Liam the concept of exercise did not exist in this world, everything was philosophically considered ‘work’. Running laps was considered a punishment only, and while the knights understood it aided their stamina they could not understand why Liam was willingly punishing himself. Nyota’s reaction had been as expected, constantly nagging him to rest or heal via magic. Which in turn compelled him to stay within the bounds of the knight’s practice grounds.
Several minutes passed as he regained his breath, conditioning this body would take more than a few jogs. Baron Green had been an indulgent man, the incarnation of poor gluttony. Under the best of conditions it would take Liam several months to rehabilitate his body, but these were not the best of circumstances. There were no protein shakes, hot showers, or ice baths here. In Greenwood, bread was the dominant food item, served with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Fluffy carbs that made Liam weep for his unattainable macros.
Rhendal looked down from Greenwood Keep’s gatehouse, adjusting a large chunk of purple quartz. Equipment they had relocated from Rhendal’s tower to the keep so they could better track manifesting portals. He had hoped it would lead to a pattern, and was eager to command the keep’s staff in his scholastic pursuit.
The nutty professor is loose with a castle full of unpaid interns… Thought Liam, rising and brushing himself off.
Purple light burst from the quartz in a cone, swiftly narrowing into a thick line pointing over Liam’s head. Somewhere in the direction of the line a portal had opened.
“Oooohh!” Squealed Rhendal, “That one is close! Quickly Arlet! Four portals opened about, hmm, two miles away, go shove some sticks in it!”
At Arlet’s command a dozen riders departed, one of them holding a purple crystal in what appeared to be a baby carrier made out of leaves and squirrel tails. Liam shrugged the strange item off, trundling over to join Rhendal.
His quartz alarm system helped them manage the local population of portals, but they had an unpleasant side affect. For every portal they were able to intercept ten more appeared beyond their reach. Liam’s initial estimates were low, he had weeks to gather the harvest and get everyone inside the walls, not months.
Many lives had been saved by the alarms, but the death toll was mounting. Each morning there was a list of people to add to his casualty tally. Now the townsfolk did not dare to venture from the safety of Greenhaven’s walls unless they went in force with at least a dozen men to stand watch around them. These harvesting platoons were bringing in the harvest, albeit slowly.
They needed magic. Not the simple healing magic that Nyota and the green wizards could perform, but the cataclysmic bolts of lightning that Liam had summoned. To that end Rhendal had found him a meadow in the forest. It was a small distance out of town, close enough that it could be reached safely, but distant enough that no bolts of lightning would find their way into town.
—-
A few hours later, Liam, Rhendal, Nyota, Arlet, and an escort were standing in that very meadow.
“Alright! I’m up. Sound off.” Said Liam.
“Take cover!” Shouted Arlet.
The few knights he brought with them sprinted for the cover of nearby trees, knowing from illuminating experiences what was coming. Once they found a suitable tree they hid behind it, calling out their name for their captain and lord.
“Paul in cover.”
“Lyon in cover.”
“Michel in cover.”
–And on it went, until all had sounded off, finishing with Rhendal’s unusual call.
“I am in cover Lord Liam.” Said Rhendal, standing a dozen feet away.
His head was engulfed by an orb of dark purple mana, a protective spell from his unusual second affinity for darkness.
“Nyota, I am about to start practicing again, tell me you are somewhere safe please.”
“No!”
An annoyed smile flashed across Liam’s face, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. Nyota reminded him of a cat in more ways than one, affectionate one moment only to swat you the next. Often managing the rare feat of being simultaneously annoying and cute.
“I’ll worry about you. Won’t you put my mind at ease?”
“Worry then!” She shouted.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
“Is this how you feel when I go running in the mornings?”
Two gray cat ears flicked towards him, perking up as he spoke. One of her feline eyes peeked around a particularly gnarled tree trunk.
“If you know how I feel then stop making me worry.” She said.
Liam fought to swallow his smile. Despite her maternal nature he couldn’t help but want to see more of her when she pouted like this. All the knights and servants cared for Baron Green, as a dog cared for the hand that fed it. But Nyota was different, she was always at his side, serving him with an eager attentiveness that left others with little to do.
That song she sang earlier, I wonder if she thinks I am the lightning king’s son. Ha! Me, the son of a god, yeah right! What even is this world? A Greek tragedy? Hmm, actually why not… Zeus is the main God, we have monsters everywhere… Ha, naw. Not enough weirdness like Oedipus or Electra for that.
“That looks like a very sturdy tree.” Said Liam, meeting Nyota’s single eye with both of his. “Now that everyone is safe, cover your ears!” He shouted.
Nyota wrinkled her nose at him, mimicking the same odd wiggle Rhendal had used at his tower. Then she ducked behind the tree, tail and ears hidden.
Liam turned around, closing his eyes as attempted to cast his lightning. To tame a tempest was his goal, channel its bolts from the world erasing light into concentrated beams. Magic that can be used alongside knights, inside cities, and to defend his people. Once more he channeled mana within himself, the incorporeal power answering the call of his will.
Okay, fifth time’s the charm. Think small thoughts. Tiny itty bitty lightning bolt. A cute little bolt. Thought Liam, recalling the sensation of the lightning strike.
Aiming his finger at a distant tree he closed then covered his eyes —four days of practice had increased his mana manipulation to level 5— but done very little for his control. He could cast lightning bolts with ease, now he needed to find a way to see while doing it.
Lightning. Liam ordered.
A full strength lightning bolt bleached the world of color, instantaneously flashing through the meadow. To the rumble of thunder. Another failed attempt. Soft clapping echoed through the choked glade as three notifications appeared in his mind.
[Mana manipulation] increased to level 6
[Lightning] increased to level 12
[Quick cast] skill learned
“Ha ha! My boy, you are magnificent, absolutely marvelous. You dispense more power in an instant than I can gather in weeks! By all rights I should be jealous!” Cheered Rhendal. His tone hinting that he was beaming beneath his cloud.
“I know you mean well, but what good can I do when lightning blinds my own knights!” Growled Liam, fuming over his lack of improvement.
“Have no fear Lord Liam, your bolts shrink with every shot, sooner or later your bolts will obey.” Said Rhendal.
Liam rubbed his temples, unplacatable after his failure. People are dying each day. I can’t sit around with my thumb between my cheeks and practice! To his credit Rhendal noticed his angst and gave him a pat on the back.
“When I was nothing more than a college battlemage I met a young mage who could not control his powers. Each time he tried to practice he blew away half the targets in a firestorm.” Rhendal smiled and shook his head gently at the memory before continuing.
“He used no chants, and the sages tried many things to aid him. Had he used incantations they would have told him to say only a portion of the chant, since it would reduce the spell's power. Can you guess what the boy did?”
“Uhm… succeeded?” Guessed Liam.
“Obviously you ninnywit. It wouldn’t be a good lesson if he failed! But he learned something! He used the incantation, spoke it out loud for all to hear. Pausing after he finished each line to let his magic speak. On the last line his fire came at a quarter of the strength it had been before. From that moment onward he used the length of his chant to dictate his spell’s power. No words for the strongest spells, and the last line for more controllable spells.” Said Rhendal.
“Okay, what’s the chant for lightning?”
“Haven’t the foggiest. Only the holy grimoire of the church contains lightning spells. And that book is held by the Lord Bishop.” Answered Rhendal.
“Aaah! What good is your story then?” Glowered Liam.
“It’s how I met the current grandmaster of flames.” Shrugged Rhendal.
“Though you do not have a vocal incantation you surely feel the mana flowing within you. Try manipulating that flow directly, focus on what you feel the instant before the lightning leaves your body. The concept of Grandmaster Renosipe’s abbreviated cast should hold true for a silent cast.” Advised Rhendal.
Liam grunted in acknowledgement. “Going again!” He shouted, warning the escort once more.
Fat lot of help that is. Fine. Whatever. I didn’t earn my grades by complaining, all I have to go off of is a feeling. Deafening thunder and muscles locking and the feeling of pins and needles. Okay, work the problem Liam, break it down into components and solve each one before moving on. Concentrate on a single one of those feelings. Start with the last sensation, just like cutting a sentence from the chant. Lets cut out the thunder, and muscles locking, I don’t need that in my life. That leaves a small pinprick sensation at the tip of my finger.
A bolt of lightning shot from his finger, piercing the tree exactly where he had been pointing. Yet, this bolt lacked the flash of light or the roar of thunder he had come to expect.
No way! It can’t be that easy.
Forming both his hands into finger guns he held them straight up, shrugging his shoulders to warm up. Arms ready, he pointed at the tree, jerking one hand back while making his own sound effects.
“Pew pew, pew pew.”
Four lighting bolts shot from his fingers, zipping through the tree with the force of a relativistic spear. Splinters erupted in a geyser of woodust, hewing through the distant tree.
[Mana manipulation] increased to level 7
[Lightning] increased to level 13
[Abbreviated cast] skill learned
“Yeah baby! Lets goooooo!” Shouted Liam.
I was overthinking the problem this whole time, this is easy! Does this make me the hero? Ha, don’t get ahead of yourself. A hero would have been born a duke or a prince, not a fat old baron of a tree fort named ‘Greenwood’. If I tried to call Baron Green a redneck baron, that would be an insult to rednecks.
“Ahhh!” Screamed Nyota.
After his first bolt she had peeked out from the tree, failing to duck for his next five bolts. Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. Rhendal went to her, giving her a soft pat on the head, then resting his hand between her ears. An odd gesture that seemed to have a calming effect on the enslaved maid.
“Even amongst sages I am an old man, I’ve walked this earth for many years. But never have I seen someone advance as quickly as you Lord Liam. The old legends say lightning mages are gifted beyond comprehension, but those are legends! Seeing you grow first hand has been an enlightning experience.” Said Rhendal, pun fully intended.
Hmmm I should ask Rhendal about those levels I keep hearing about, but they seem so… gamey. What will I do if he doesn’t know about them? He knows i’m not from this world but I don’t think the others have caught on. If Arlet knew… he might call an exorcist. No, I can’t ask about them here. Ugh.
“Rhendal, can you take us to a portal? I want to test my new magic against a monster, hellhounds would be ideal.”