After traveling for a few miles, Neia determined that they had traveled far enough. So, they all began to set up camp. Lee sat down on some of his furs and waited patiently for Neia to explain her plan. After she started the fire, she began to lay out her plans. “We have several options. Our first option is to leave Lee here and have Ruven and I deal with the goblins. Our second option is to alert them, having them chase us out of their camp and then we can try to pick them off, that way we won't be facing all of them at once.” She paused for a moment, letting everyone soak in the information before she turned to smile at Lee. “Our last option is to get you some magic.”
Ruven immediately started to frown, knowing exactly what the plan was. “He doesn’t know what you are offering him.”
Neia glanced toward Ruven and her smile faded. She then turned her eyes back toward Lee as she started her explination. “Normally, when you have your affinities tested, it is done at the Consortium of Magical Scholars. They will test your affinities and then send you on your way.” She paused to glare toward Ruven. “But what they don’t do is introduce mana into you as they do it. Doing so with a skill called Mana Infusion. If done this way, the mage using Mana Infusion can bestow an elemental affinity.”
Lee understood where this was going. He was currently nowhere near this so-called Consortium of Magical Scholars. He was stuck in the middle of a forest. He didn’t quite understand, was why anybody would go to them if they could gain a free affinity. “What’s the downside to this Mana Infusion method? It sounds too good to be true.”
Ruven jumped in to explain before Neia could honey her words. “It hurts like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. Less than three percent of people willingly go through with the Mana Infusion method. In the end, one extra basic affinity is not worth the pain.”
Lee still didn’t quite understand why Mana Infusion was necessary. “Why can’t you just test my affinities normally?”
“At the Consortium of Magical Scholars, they have multiple mage scholars present, each testing for an affinity, having a single person test for them all at the same time is normally impossible.” Neia says. She then continues saying. “The reason the Mana Infusion method works is because they will be penetrating you with their own mana. Which is where the pain comes from. Giving them enough total mana present and replenishing to test all affinities. As well as basically forcing your mana to accept the mana being infused.” Said Neia.
Understanding this part, Lee moved on to his next question, directed toward Ruven. “And is this pain worth an affinity?”
Ruven shot Neia a dirty look but answered. “Normally, no, it would not be worth it to gain an extra basic affinity, but I believe Neia is not offering you a basic affinity.”
Neia nodded with a smile. “Ruvan is correct, I am not offering you a basic affinity, affinities are listed from basic, advanced, expert, and master. I am offering you my expert affinity.”
Lee slowly started to understand what was being proposed. “How rare is this affinity? And why would you offer it to me?”
“It is a combination of two advanced elements, and those are made up of three basic elements. It’s called Glacial. The pairings of Air and Water to make Cold, as well as Water and Dark to make Ice, take Ice and Cold to get Glacial. This means you will automatically have those elements as well.” Said Neia.
She lost her smile and spoke seriously. “I will offer this to you, but only in return for you doing something for me.”
She better not be asking me to slay some dragon… I should also probably figure out if those exist.
“What is it that you need me to do?” Lee questioned.
Neia relaxed a bit, and her smile returned. However, it was a bit mischievous. “All I would require of you, is that for the rest of your life, you will tell anybody who asks that you were mana infused by Dark Elf Neia Sindris of Neldam in the Shadowgrove Forest.”
Well, at least I know her full name and where we are, but that’s it? Some super rare elemental affinity for some pain and telling people where I got it from?
“What are the effects of this affinity?” Lee asked, trying to get some more information about the Glacial affinity.
“It depends on which spells you learn or create, but typically, it is the feeling of stillness, a feeling so cold that nothing can move. More advanced ice magic.” Neia said.
“Is there a way to get advanced and expert affinities by moving up from basic?” Lee asked, feeling more and more questions come to mind as others were answered.
Neia laughed and answered. “There are only two ways of getting affinities past basic, the first is Mana Infusion, and the second is experimentation and practice. It took me over three-hundred years to make Glacial. So, by accepting my terms you will be obtaining Air, Water, Dark, Cold, Ice, and Glacial. Do you accept?” Neia extends her hands out, palms up.
Lee looked over toward Ruven. He wore a blank expression and was looking into the forests, the way the goblin camp was. He figured that if he went through cancer, he could handle some pain. “I accept.”
He stood up from his furs and grabbed her outstretched hand.
He was not warned.
It felt like he had died once again, instantaneously flash-frozen. He couldn’t even call this cold. It had a whole other word behind it that Lee couldn’t comprehend. He could feel the invasiveness of the biting cold, seeping slowly into his stiffening muscles and reaching deep within his bones. He couldn’t even scream as his throat was frozen. Everything was so still that he couldn’t even feel time pass. For all he knew, It could have been one millisecond or one year. Suddenly, one word popped into his head. Eternity.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Then he crumpled.
He collapsed to the ground like a puppet with his strings cut. Only capable of staring wide-eyed at what was currently in front of him. Which just so happened to be a pair of feet.
Ruven, feeling pity for the boy, picked him up and wrapped the warmed furs from the fire around him. He picked Lee up in his arms and took him to the actual fire as he began to speak. “I am sorry. It was better for you to be unprepared. Nothing prepares you for that. Most people get an extra basic, but you went straight to an expert.”
Ruven sat down on the ground next to Lee. “Go to sleep. If the goblins come at night, they will die before they reach you. By my word.” Ruven placed his thumbs and pinkies together and then pressed his thumbs to his forehead for around three seconds. Lee passed out.
It was morning when Lee awoke; nobody had shaken him awake for once. Slowly, he sat up and looked at all the furs around him---not remembering how he fell asleep. Glancing around, he saw Ruven bringing over some more logs for the fire and Neia fast asleep on the ground by the fire.
“Give her a few more minutes. She had it pretty rough as well.” Ruvan whispered.
Had it rough?
“What do you mean? Did something happen?” Lee asked, feeling some concern for her.
Ruven casually asked. “You don’t remember?”
Lee, now slightly concerned for himself, replied. “No, the last thing I remember is…”
Eternity.
It all came rushing back to him. Being frozen in a timeless loop of suffering.
While collapsing back into his furs, he stared at Ruven in shock.
Ruven shook his head in pity. “It will pass, just lay there for a moment and watch me. Distract yourself.”
Ruven brought over another fur and placed it next to Lee, then grabbed some meat and began cooking it over the fire.
He must have gone hunting this morning.
Lee, who was already feeling the shock dissipate, nervously chuckled. “Will she be okay? If it was anything like I went through, she will need some therapy.”
“I’m fine,” Neia responded while rolling over to face the fire. “Was just a bit tired. Do you want me to tell you the good news or the bad news?”
Well, there's nothing like bad news first thing in the morning.
“Bad news first then the good news.”
Neia yawned and then said. “Bad news, You don't have Fire affinity, so say goodbye to starting any with magic.”
Lee was starting to frown but noticed the slowly growing smile appearing on Neia's face. “Good news, you got Earth and Light. Five out of the six basics is great. An average mage has three or four.”
Happy with the news, Lee immediately jumped onto the first thing that came to mind. “So, how do I actually make a spell?”
Neia, still smiling, began to sit up and said, “You have Mana Sense so you must try to sense the type of mana you want and then try to make it move. The more complex the mana, the more the spell will cost. I would start with a basic element for now. Go ahead and give it a try.”
After taking a moment to think about what element he wanted to use, he decided on water. He tried to think back on spells he knew from Earth, but the best he could come up with was Fireball and Magic Missile. Realizing that those were not options, as he didn’t have Fire affinity, and he didn’t even know what Magic Missile was, he chose to make a very simple spell. He focused on that feeling of naturalness he remembered feeling from the mana-infused jackalope pelt and began to sense other feelings emanating from his mana. He began searching for a feeling that spoke to him as being water. Soon, he found it. It felt... wet? He zeroed in on that feeling of wetness as he tried to make it simply appear, pushing that mana out of his hand.
Skill Gained!
Skill Name: Mana Manipulation
Skill Description: This skill allows the user to manipulate the flow of mana, the magical energy that permeates the world. With this skill, the user can gather, shape, and direct mana to create spells or produce a variety of effects.
Spell Created!
Spell Name: Conjure Water
Spell Description: Create pure water from Water elemental mana, This water is drinkable and will last indefinitely.
Cost: 10 MP per 1 Liter.
Above Lee’s palm, a small water spout appeared. He was shocked, stunned, and extremely happy.
I just did magic. Real magic.
Giddy, like a child on Christmas, Lee looked over and saw Neia laughing and congratulating him. He willed the magic to stop.
“How long does it take for mana to regenerate?”
Neia spoke while grabbing herself some breakfast. ”You get your wisdom and intelligence added together every half hour.”
Lee did some quick math; with his eleven wisdom and thirteen intelligence, he should gain forty-eight mana an hour—almost one every minute.
"Do you have any tips for a combat spell?” Lee couldn't think of anything small. The only thing popping in his head were meteors, blizzards, fireballs, and magic missiles.
“Try throwing a rock.” Ruven shrugs.
At first, Lee was going to retort, thinking he was getting bad-mouthed, but he realized that throwing a rock probably wouldn't be too bad of an idea. He was focusing back on his mana pool as he began to search for Earth mana and found it quickly--- the feeling of dirt and stones. He focused his mana outwards, which was much easier thanks to his new skill, Mana Manipulation. He felt feel the earth around him with his mana and tried to scoop a chunk out of the ground to throw it.
Spell Created!
Spell Name: Earthen Strike
Spell Description: Rip a chunk of earth from around you and launch it forward. Does not work if no earth is near.
Cost: 50 MP + Variable.
A small baseball-sized chunk of earth ripped itself from the ground, rocketed off at the speed of what had to be a hundred miles per hour, and then smacked into a nearby tree. A loud thump was heard as the ball of rocky earth exploded on contact.
Neia clapped while congratulating him. “You’re a natural. It took me a few tries to create my first spell. Don’t rely on your magic to always save you though, I've seen what happens to those who run out of mana when they can't afford to.”
Neia stood up and killed the fire with some water magic. “Now eat so we can leave to go kill some goblins.”