Hey Diary, before going to the Dead’s Pit again, today I had three questions in my head, and I had to answer 'em:

What's magic?

How does it work?

And lastly, how can I use it?

Sounds pretty simple, and the books the dead magicians brought with them could answer all of that.

So I’ ve read one of the magic books.

The Voice said that he remembered a bit, of when he first came to this world, and the lives he had lived before:

He was human and had lived twice. Once in another world. The second time he lived in a world with magic. Of the last one he was sure.

So, we adventured in the various zones of the Den and we were about to test both the knowledge of the books and the Voice.

We went to the bat-riders gobbos, to try some low level illusion magic.

There were only bats there, because all gobbos were dead, and a bat recognised me:

He was the one I rode and he was still alive after the battle.

“You, huge skin giant kite. You damned flying rat. I missed you!” I said to him. He didn’t understand a word, sadly.

First of all, I wanted to tell him I missed him.

After that, I wanted him to be my slave.

Maybe not in this order.

And I had the perfect tool:

Goblin illusion magic allows them to control and communicate with lesser beings.

That's the definition of it at least.

It was time for the first test- communicate with a lesser being:

I started staring at him intensively: no results.

I started chanting something: no results.

I touched my hat intensively: no results.

I agitated my staff like a maniac: no results.

“Why don’t you try to dance? Maybe it works.” Said the Voice. “Why not?” said I, and started dancing like a fool: no results.

“AHAHAHAHAH! Keep doing like this and you’ll surely do something!” commented the Voice: no results.

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The bat was looking entertained at me.

“Remember what was written in the book you moron!” advised the Voice.

And so did I. Goblins and gobbos have good memory: They use it to recall where they put things like food and where a tunnel in a part of the cave leads to, so that they can search for more food. A book is no different from a cave. There are places in it where there are things you need:

The book I had read was my cave. Therefore I was searching for knowledge in it. I had it all in my mind. And while I was searching for knowledge, the bat was looking at me with a curious expression.

Page 1 of the “Book of the novice mage”:

“Mana is the first essence to which all things tend to and from which all things are generated:

Everything generates mana, and the higher one being is in the chain of being, the higher will be its output of mana.

A being can elevate itself by the spontaneous channeling of external mana… ”

Nope it wasn’t that one. Maybe Page 33:

“Mana is useful as it is able to change the three fundamental aspects of all things:

Their shape, their physical matter or their first essence.

The shape may vary physically or only in the appearance: hence there are bending and illusion magic.

The physical matter can or cannot be, never both: hence there are the various types of magic able to conjure the various types of physical matter and phenomena.

As for the first essence: forbidden is the magic that deals with it… “

Illusion magic...

Wasn’t it on page 69:

“If you really have to rely on such low level magic, why would you try to be a mage?..”

Woah, didn’t know that even books could be judgemental.

Anyway, let’s continue:

“...If you are still reading: to be able to cast illusion magic, you must stick to the basics. Use the mana from your core to circulate magic to the area you want to affect with the illusion spell, and then imagine as if the illusion spell was happening. The other way is to convey the message or image directly to the one you want to affect by using your mind. But you should already be capable of doing that if you are a mage. If not, return the book to the library if you stole it.”

Now I get it. I just have to find my mana core.

The Voice gave up and finally admitted:

“I’m your mana core. I’ll pass you the magic and you’ll try to do the illusion spell, but don’t waste too much magic, okay? ”

And I said “Why not?”, and before he provided me with the mana stated: “I can’t think without mana, and we don’t produce a lot of it, therefore use it wisely.”

Was it not wise to use it to have a cute slave giant bat?

Still, the bat was there, and I was channeling mana for the illusion spell.

And … Nothing. No results.

The bat was perplexed, I was perplexed, and the Voice was angry.

It said infuriated:”Have you at least thought of what you were going to transmit with the illusion spell?”

Ah. I thought. And I started channeling again.

This time, after the spell was done, the bat smacked me with one of his wings. Maybe I should have thought of something nicer.

Anyway it was time for phase two: How to make that bat a slave.

I just had to use another illusion spell, and this time it all went smoothly: I made myself look bigger for a moment and I ordered the bat to listen to my every order from then on. And he nodded.

I guess it was all he needed to address me as his boss.

After my little experiment, I had to go back to the tents of the shamans and wait for Gab to call me.

Now I am here with you, waiting to see what other extraordinary things magic can do.

Gob