Chapter 40 Magic Studies.
Learning is a key to growth.
Growth is a key to achievement.
Achievement is a key to success.
Success is a key to everything else.
Tukado, the Creator.
{27} Kilako (October) the 21st
It’s finally the day for my next seven questions. I had a long time to think about what I wanted to ask, and again over dinner, I finally get the chance to ask.
“You said that each level of existence feeds on the one or two below it right?” I start with the first question I’ve thought about. “Is there a level of existence above mages? One that feeds on mages too? Or are mages the top of this food chain?”
My question makes a proud smile appear on the hag’s wrinkly face. “Now you’re learning,” she says in a low voice. “Yes, there is. A simple example would be the elementals, they feed on us. However, most of them function as parasites, or at least symbiotic. We have a give and take relationship between us. There are the Fae but some of them will act like elementals, others will distance themselves from mortals or magus, while many of them are outright hostile. If you’re looking for a life form we magus fear, then demons would be the answer. A demon is a magus' worst enemy and our natural predator. Demons feed on souls and mana itself, and as such, they are very hard to kill. For your sake, I hope you never meet any, yes?”
“And demons feed on humans too? Or only mages?”
“Demons feed on everything. Magus, mortals, animals, plants, some even feed on the inanimate. But most demons would prefer magus due to our abundant mana reserves and large souls… There are demonology books in my library, I’ll answer more questions about the subject once you read some of them, yes?”
Right! I shouldn’t waste my questions… Wait didn’t she sell me books till now?! I thought I could only access her library for free for that week alone! “I can access the library for free?!”
“I’ve taken you as my apprentice and my daughter, these aren’t just words. I need to worry about your education yes? You may access the library for free, kikikiki…”
That’s good to know! I’m wasting my questions, let’s get to the important stuff!
“Your other apprentice, the one who wouldn’t feed on souls. How did he reach the mage rank?” This question bothered me the rest of the week, and I wonder why she taught him if he wouldn’t agree with her ideologies.
She cackles lightly. “You can’t use his method.”
“I’d still like to hear it.”
“Evolved humans become magus yes? Evolved animals can become magical beasts. Magical beasts have almost the same amount of ectoplasm in their souls as the average human does, the stronger ones have even more. That boy used to go hunting, a true battle maniac, yes? I had to patch him up and heal his missing limbs whenever he came back… kikiki… those were the days,” she seems nostalgic.
“Was he your first apprentice?”
“Hrm first? You could say that. My eldest son. And it is also why I shall respect your decision if you choose not to feed on mortal’s sourced ectoplasm. However, you’ll have to find your own way to get stronger, yes? A fine young lady like yourself won’t survive in an ancient forest filled with magical predators.”
It’s a relief to see I actually have a choice here, she obviously wants me to make the ‘right one’ but now I know for sure she’d respect my decision if I pick the other route. “I can’t hunt magical beasts, but I can meditate for very long hours without a break. That middle meditation you talked about, does that count?”
“That is indeed impressive young woman, but middle meditation with ectoplasm will get you further faster yes?” Yes, I know! Damn it! Just shut up about your ectoplasm you rotten hag! Stop dangling it in front of my face! I know it tastes good! Damn it! I know it tastes good… I hate myself…
I want to cry, will I end up like her one day?
“If I do want to hunt magical beasts? Will you grant me leave from work for that purpose?”
“Why of course! Only if you bring me the beasts’ carcasses yes? You need to eat some of their meat to absorb the souls without risk, and I have some good alchemical uses for dead magical animals.” Right, materials, you gain something. That’s why you let that guy leave on a hunt…The hag’s golden eyes look at me, unblinking. “If you insist on following his path I suggest you learn how to hunt. If you die over your morals… that will be a true waste of potential.”
She has a point, I am not very confident in my abilities. Lezere taught me how to hunt, a little. But I doubt hunting magical beasts is like hunting rabbits... I should learn some more combat spells now that I have access to her library…
Jumping over the rooftops was nice… it wasn’t exactly flying, but close enough… If I learn how to fly I will probably be able to hunt magical beasts who cannot fly… I can fly above their heads and use a crossbow or wind-blades to kill them or something… I can work with that… First course of action - learn how to fly with magic…
“And this was eight questions already my child, you’ll have six next week, yes? Run along now. Kikikikiki…”
*
{27} Kilako (October) the 22nd
The next day I don’t meditate in my free time. Instead, I exploit my free access to the hag’s library, and devote most of my time to study. I have to find an easy way to hunt magical beasts.
I’ve always wanted to fly. I’ve been experimenting with the ‘Minor Telekinesis’ and ‘Light Weight’ combination, but the drain on my mana is intense. For 6 gravity gems per 5 seconds, I can maintain the combination of these two cantrips. In other words: With my current mana, I can stay airborne for about half a minute. A little longer if I convert other mana into gravity mana.
This isn’t very cost-efficient, and I don’t think I could always kill an animal within half a minute. Dropping from the sky due to loss of mana would be a dumb way to die, and I don’t want to throw magical gems at the problem either.
After browsing around the library and going through various books, I find the ‘Lesser Flight’ spell.
Unlike the cantrips I’ve been using, this is a first-level spell. After reading a little, I realize I won’t be able to use it. ‘Lesser Flight' requires eleven mana patterns to cast. Not to mention the casting cost is fifty gems of gravity mana. My current gravity pool contains a little over forty gems. Spending ten magical gems for each cast would defeat the purpose, and then I’d also be out of gravity mana. If I convert sixty gems of mana from other elements, I'd be left powerless after a single cast.
As for using the first level spell: ‘Telekinesis’ to float around. Although the weight limit isn’t an issue, and I don’t have to cast the ‘Light Weight’ cantrip - the mana patterns and cost for ‘Telekinesis’ are a staggering 16 patterns, and sixty gravity gems for initial cast, plus four gems per second to maintain. This is way beyond my current power.
I shelf the idea for now and keep browsing through the first-level gravity spells in the spellbooks. I look for something that doesn’t require more than nine mana patterns, and something with a reasonable mana cost. As I browse the various spells, I get a bit lost in fantasies of what I’d be capable of when I reach the rank of a full mage. Until one spell catches my eye.
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Alino's weightless body
Names: Alino’s weightless body, weightless body, float, moon kick.
Element: gravity
Sub element: weight shift
Level: 1
Words: myrsha, nia tsaf lah. Lu myrsha ni/nik/zor kull lah. Nia/nik/zor wuan nalahi myrsha.
Translation: Gravity, I command you. Do not pull me/her/him onto you. I/she/him am free from your reign.
Quicken: Myrsha. Lu myrsha ni/nik/zor.
Patterns: 8
Gestures: right or left - thumb, index, and middle fingers touching each other, > thumb up > pointing at the target with the thumb.
Offering: 5 rose petals.
Requirement: sight of the target.
Range: 10 meters.
Target: object or creature weighing 200 kg or lower within range.
Duration: 1 minute.
Effect: A target loses all of its weight and acts as if it’s in space. For a creature, the slightest misstep or kick can knock it upward to float helplessly, for an object it’ll remain in place unless moved.
Cost: 25 gravity gems.
Bound cost: 15 gravity gems.
Altered cost: 5 gravity gems per added pattern.
This first-level spell only requires eight patterns to cast. The cost is twenty-five gems of gravity mana, and the book says the cost would be lowered to fifteen once I bind an elemental to the spell. Even if I have no idea what binding an elemental means.
The spell affects the mass of my target, turning it weightless. It can be used on any target within ten meters of me, including living creatures and inanimate objects. The weight limit for an object this spell can affect is two hundred kilograms.
Unlike ‘Telekinesis’, it would not let me manipulate my target. The spell only turns it weightless for the duration of a minute.
Seeing this spell, a perfect idea pops in my head. But first, I have to learn how to cast it.
Casting a first-level spell is a whole lot more complex than a cantrip. For a cantrip, I only have to create one to four mana patterns and say a word or three. Even altered cantrips means an added mana pattern or two.
This is not the case with a first-level spell.
A first-level spell needs a longer chant, and other than the highest amount of mana patterns there are two other requirements. I have to move my hands in the right gestures, and I have to make an offering to the elementals. For this particular spell, I need rose petals, five of them.
I check the enchanted belt I’ve acquired from the mage I’ve killed, and find a few rose petals in one of the pouch bags. Happy I won’t have to go out and purchase these, I spend the rest of the day on learning the chant and practicing the eight mana patterns this spell requires.
Holding the eight mana patterns in my head, nearly requires my full concentration, but getting it right at the end is quite satisfying.
{27} Kilako (October) the 23rd
I tie my waist to a table in the library, release some of the rope, take the petals in my hand, and chant.
“Myrsha, nia tsaf lah. Lu myrsh ni kull lah. Nia wuan nalahi myrsha.”
The eight patterns drain my mana, the rose petals disappear in a cloud of purplish smoke. Nothing happens, I forgot the hand signs. I convert some more mana to gravity, as I repeat the words with the hand signs and still, nothing happens. My mana is drained yet again, and I lose five more petals.
I could wait and recharge my mana… in two hours I’ll have twenty-five gems to cast this spell again…
No… I need my sleep, I have to wake up early tomorrow to clean that cursed cauldron… I’ll have to try again tomorrow, once I have more mana…
{27} Kilako (October) the 24th
I repeat the words making sure I’m spelling them right, and only on the second try that day something finally happens.
The rose petals form the familiar purplish smoke, and a small, bald, fairy-like creature appears from within the smoke. He has purple skin, buzzing dragonfly wings, and his three violet eyes are narrowed at me. “Kolt zarpyam!” he demands. The little creature is no bigger than my thumb, but his tone is that of a king.
It sounds like Myrsha, but I have no clue what these words mean. I swiftly pick the Myrsha dictionary and flip pages at a fast pace. I finally find the word ‘Kolt’, it means ‘more’. Before I can find what ‘zarpyam’ means the elemental loses his patience.
“Hmph!” He disappears in a cloud of purplish smoke. Venom!
This is not going to be easy, is it… I’ll have to wait for tomorrow again… I really don’t want to clean that cauldron… wait! Am I floating?! I float slowly in the air for five seconds. But before I manage to carry out my plan, the spell stops working and I fall back to the ground. It should last for a minute! At least I made some progress… and now I can look that other word up in the dictionary…
After a long while of searching the dictionary - I find out that ‘zarpy’ means ‘flower’, while ‘zarpy-am’ means flowers, plural.
{27} Kilako (October) the 25th
After a long day of walking around the city and selling glitter potions, I am finally back at my favorite place, the library.
“Myrsha, nia tsaf lah! Lu myrsh ni kull lah! Nia wuan nalahi myrsha!”
Another fairy-like elemental shows up, this time it’s a female. She has long flowing silvery hair. Aside from a third purple eye on her forehead, she also has two moon-like silver marks on her indigo cheeks.
“Zarpyam!”
I only manage to understand bits and pieces, but it’s enough for me to understand that she wants more flowers. I pass her a handful of my prepared rose petals, this is most of the rose petals in my belt. I’ll need to buy some more later.
The purple fairy-like creature lets out a joyful squeal, like a young girl who had just been given a piece of priceless jewelry. The petals all float away from my hand and disappear in a purplish smoke.
“Lah diar manus! Lah kent ni shil hafy shurara?” She asks as the petals get sucked into the purple fog behind her.
Ok… I really need to learn how to speak this language if I want to cast first-level spells. What is she asking? Probably if I want her to make me float… “Hen”
“Niam ti yas atifem!”
Wait what deal?!
She floats down half a centimeter from my eye. “Shitol ni kolt zarpyam bach ziri dabil!”
She turns into a speck of purple light and circles me swiftly.
“Venomous snakes!” I curse. I just made a deal with an elemental and I have no idea what it even was! I reach for my dictionary in order to discern what she said, but I can’t reach the book.
I am standing one meter up in the air slowly floating toward the ceiling. The rope tugs my waist when I reach the ceiling itself. It worked!
The excitement is distracting, but the eight mana patterns almost sustain themselves now. They still need my focus, I can’t form more than one pattern while maintaining this spell, maybe two. But I only need one more pattern to do what I want. I weave it out of the wind mana centered in the pool at my right shoulder blade. “Felul!”
Since I weigh as much as a leaf does, the wind carries me with it, pushing my hair to my face. I tie it up in irritation. I hoped it’d be faster since I am weightless, but this wind moves me around at the speed of jogging at best. It leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe I should add amplifying patterns to the wind... Nevertheless, this combination still substitutes for flying. Now I only have to find out if my unknown deal with the elemental had some unforeseen consequences…
*~*~*
Power level: 2nd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: formed: 1 gem replenished per five minutes.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 66
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 6 gems. Conversion ratio: 6:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 18 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 9 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 14 gems
Water: Affinity 6: formed: 27 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: opened: 3 gems
Wood: Affinity 2:
Gravity: Affinity 9: formed: 40/41 gems
Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath.
Light: Noxi’s Light, Lako’s blinding light.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet.
Earth:
Wood:
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burst. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s lesser shield. Imari’s Minor Telekinesis. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body.
Spells known:
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Body.
Focus capability: 10 patterns
Social status: apprentice to the maven of mysteries.
Wealth: 600 gems. 1869 gold coins, (5+g) 56 silvers, (2+S) 106 coppers.
Items:
Two simple healing potions.
Two potions with unknown effects.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keep the pouches’ content fresh.
Various spell materials.
Companions: Alone.
Injuries and scars: Back, lightning scar.