"The Wetlands are home to many horrific creatures such as the scalemen. The scalemen are thought to be descendants of a long-forgotten race who worshiped dragons and were used by young dragons as an outlet for their lust. The scalemen are humanoid creatures with scales covering the entirety of their body, they poses a muscular tail which they use to move in the murky water where they live and for combat, often they lack any teeth rather they often have sharp jaws made from bone usually shaped like a beak which brutally rend their prey apart.
From the little, we know they form a clan based communities which aggressively defend their lands from anyone even other scalemen."
-Extract from "Monster and Creatures of Edor"
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"You can leave now." A scarred human in front of me said.
Iris patted my shoulder with the back of her bloody hand so to not dirty my clothes and walked toward the roofed edge of the sandy area. She walked over to a weird metal tube coming from the stone tiles and moved a metal shaft up and down making water squirt out. Mysteriously I did not feel any mana emitting from the metal.
"Come, wash your hands." Iris waved her hand for me to come closer. As I stretched my hands where she showed me I squinted my eyes and turned my head as I anticipated the coming of the strangely appearing water.
"You scared~?" The elf in front of me said.
"N-No... Eek!" The cold water suddenly splashed my hands as Iris pulled the metal handle down with a squeak.
"Adorable~" She ran her wet fingers on my cheek with a pleasant roughness.
Iris stood up and we headed to the door from where we came. As we were walking I saw a stream of magical energy from behind us flying towards Iris, a blue and golden sphere appeared before hitting the lovely elven back, causing the spell to bounce off harmlessly. The sight caused the tips of my lips to rise uncontrollably.
"Sorry," The weird green haired human lightly tapped Iris on her shoulder. "Sorry about Jack, he means well." Virini I think that's what she is called, said.
"It's fine." Iris, who was unaware of the spell tried to turn but the dumb spiky eared human grabbed her pale hand, my eyes narrowed as I felt robbed of her touch.
"Wait. Pure Blooded could you give this humble one small gift. How did you block my spell? " My frown changed into a grin as I saw the amethyst eyes narrow onto the bend-down human whose long green hair veiled her face.
"What are you talking about?" A deep frown appeared on the pale face.
"I just casted an inspect, I was just intrigued by you, and I just..."
"Maybe you casted it wrong," Iris's head looked down on me with an unknown expression to me. "I can't help you but don't cast a random spell at people." She looked back at the weird human and quickly walked away.
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I followed Iris as she ran up the stairs, she grabbed our stuff from the room. Her hand picked up my backpack and helped me put it on.
"Kia, what did you do?" She kneeled on one knee while smoothing out my cloak.
"What do you mean?" I looked at the top of her head.
"What was that about blocking a spell?" Her amethyst eyes meet mine.
"I created an anti-inspection spell around us." I grinned.
"All of the time?" Pair of worried eyes looked at me causing me an uncomfortable feeling.
"No, just when we meet someone otherwise it would be draining for me and inefficient mana use," I answer.
"You could have told me," She stood up bending her tall body to meet my eyes. "But you did well." Her hands gently held my head and she kissed me on the forehead, causing my heart to skip a beat as a warm fussy feeling permeated my body. She offers me her hand which I happily nuzzled into.
Before I noticed we were outside walking on the stone road among humans who gathered for their ritual of gathering delishiness in large quantities. I ensured my face was hidden from them as disliked how they glanced at me whenever I raised my head from watching the dull stone we walked on. Eventually, the path turned from stone to dirt and I raised my head to sight of the endless yellow sea which Iris calls wheat fields.
"Iris, where are we going?"
"South," She answered showing me a familiar paper sheet. "Forgotten about this." Iris gave me the paper with children's scribbles written on it, I did not understand why humans use such a weird system of writing but Iris used it often so maybe it wasn't that unpolished.
The weird magical light in the sky got lower and lower until its blue light changed into streaks of beautiful dark blue, orange and purple colour while my eyelids felt heavier. The risen stepped off the road heading towards a small hill where she took off her backpack. I did the same while watching her gather sticks.
"Kia," Iris said after dropping another bundle of sticks into the pile surrounded by small stones.
I lifted my arm, ready to use ignite. "Iris."
"Yes?"
"Why don't you try."
"Sure." Iris smiled a little and started to walk to her backpack.
"Noo Iris." I frown as her smile widened.
"You are adorable to tease," She walked closer to me. "Now, how do I lit a fire your way?"
"By casting a spell of course," I said but Iris rolled her amethyst eyes.
"And how do I cast a spell without knowing it, miss mage."
"Oh," I could feel my face warm up from embarrassment. "You imagine what you want to create with your mind while pouring mana into it."
"Alright, I am in your care." The tone of her voice worried me slightly and made me reach out toward her chest just in case before shaking my head. That could never happen.
Iris sat down beside me with her hands in front of her. She seem to concentrate on her palms which were quite amusing.
"Close your eyes."
"Did you say that learning a spell, not on your status is somewhat pointless?" Iris turned her head towards me.
"No, I said you have to have a teacher and not learn something way above your level," I said. "Now, close your eyes and imagine a flame or a spark."
"Done." She said while her hands remained flameless.
"What are you imagining?"
"A flame, like you asked."
I rested my head on my arm, trying to think of a new method.
"Maybe I am not made to cast new spells." The sitting risen beside me said with a grim voice.
"What precisely are you imagining?" I ignored her question.
"A flame burning in my hands."
"Just that?" I asked and she nodded. "Let's try this, turn my way and closed your eyes," I moved to be right beside her and held her hands. "Now imagine yourself in an empty field with a small ember in your hands," I spoke softly as Iris's face morphed into a concentrated expression. " The ember glows brighter as it pulses with power. The grass around you shrivels and burns from the heat. You feel the air around you heat up while it whips and flays around as the heat spreads. The green field turns into a landscape of flames and ash consuming all in its way." I said casting Flame on top of her outstretched hands "Open your eyes."
"Wow. D-did I do that?" The orange flame reflected off her amethyst eyes. "Or have you done it?" Her eyes narrowed in doubt. The small flame shrinking as she took her eyes off the flame.
"Focus on it or you will extinguish it." I let go of her hands and moved back. "Try again if you don't believe me."
I silently observed as the flame disappeared and Iris closed her eyes again with a face of complete concentration. She struggled for a long time to replicate the spell but eventually, a small orange flame appeared.
"I don't understand how?" Iris said after staring at the orange flame in her hands. "What changed?" She looked at me.
"You seem to have a problem with imagination so I say you should imagine a process instead of a singular i*Yawn*dea." I snuggled my head into her soft thighs as the bundle of sticks was set alight.
"Sleepy?" The owner of those pillows asked.
"Yesh."
Iris gently ran her fingers through my hair, I wanted the moment to never end but the relaxing feeling caused my eyes to become heavy like they never did before. *Purr*
"You adorable little kitten~" A gentle voice reverberated in my head before the comforting darkness took me.