- 90 -

“How does it look professor?” Drew asked as he flew back over to where Damien was reviewing his notes.

“What? I’m not professing anything? Do I seem like some kind of poet?” Damien said clearly confused.

“Never mind. I wanted to see if you saw any significant difference in the mana cost of the other bullet spell forms?” Drew said. “It seemed like the Fire Bullet and Water Bullet were less effective than the stone bullet performed.”

“Your wind bullet form was even weaker. It’s likely due to your inexperience with the elemental forms.” Damien said.

Damien checked his notes.

“You may be on to something. I’m not familiar with elemental magic but it looks like the casting time for the bullet form of other element spells is slower in the early stages than the earth spell. Likely the conceptual shape and form phase of the spell gives you more trouble.”

Damien thought for a moment then snapped his fingers.

“I don’t have the book here with me, but I believe it’s in the tent. There is a reason that Fire bolt takes longer to cast, and the same with water bolt. It takes longer to form the element into a substantial projectile.” He said excitedly. “Stone is simply a better projectile than fire or air or water.”

“So it might not be that I’m less experienced with water and air, for example. Just that they are resisting the bullet form parameters?” Drew said.

“It’s possible. The simpler answer would be that you don’t understand water or fire as much as you understand earth. Try casting a standard fire bolt again. And then we can look at sustaining the spell as a Fire Blast.” Damien said.

Drew brought his Channel Fire wand out of the sling and checked the charges.

Still three charges left.

He focused on the parameters for Fire Bolt. The spell resolved slower than with the dedicated wand but it cast successfully and hurtled towards the stone target.

“Excellent. Seems like you are only losing 10% additional mana when you use the Fire Bolt wand.” Damien said.

“Now, try to create a stream of fire originating at the tip of your wand and flooding out in a cone about 5 meters. Thats going to be the general form of Fire Blast.” Damien said. “You should be able to channel it continuously with this wand rather than the dedicated wand which is set to sustain it for 5 seconds.”

Its basically a flame thrower?

Drew created the form in his mind and set the origin point well in front of himself to avoid the heat.

Fire needs oxygen, fuel, and heat to burn. Magic can supply the fuel and heat will need a jump start but then sustain itself… can I guide the mana and fire like liquid? That’s how flamethrowers work anyways.

The charge drained out of the wand and flame burst forwards from Drew’s wand. It barely reached the stone effigy but Drew was able to sustain it until his mana dropped to 10%, then he canceled it.

“Excelent for your first try!” Damien said. “Although you came up short of the target the spell form was very efficient and you had very little mana wasted.”

“Okay so the bullet form isn’t the best all around. What water spells seem natural?” Drew asked as he swapped his Channel Water wand in.

Two charges left on this one.

“There are a variety of water spells. You could create a fountain, a blast like the fire blast. You could flood the area, or create rain…”

Where does the water for the spell come from? There are not any puddles or rivers. It’s not very humid here but hydrogen and oxygen should be everywhere in the air. Would pulling them together and binding them be more cost effective then creating water with mana?

The charge drained from the wand and water formed and condensed around Drew. It got misty around him and he directed the water to a focused point like the flame thrower. Projecting it forwards to bowl over the stone effigy.

Haha! Like a burst fire hydrant!

Damien’s mouth was wide open in surprise. Drew blasted the effigy off its feet, it cracked in half when it hit the ground.

Debuff: Mana Backlash: (1:59)-18 HP

MP: 0%

HP: 90%

The spell failed and Drew was hit with a splitting headache.

“Ack! Shit!” Drew shouted as he crumpled to the ground.

“Drew! Are you alright?” Damien asked. “Did your mana run dry?”

Shit that mana backlash is really the worst. Hurts more than a broken bone.

Damien brought over his stool and sat so that his shadow cast shade on Drew while he recovered.

“Your casting of Water blast was for more effective than water bullet.” Damien said.

He excitedly scribbled the notes into his records.

Drew felt well enough after a minute to start meditating to regenerate his mana.

“When you are ready let’s try them all again.” Damien said.

MP +1

[Mana Regeneration] lvl 6

After an hour, the kids were tired out and Drew’s mana pool was empty twice over from recharging all the wands.

Drew used a charge of his Channel earth wand to create a simple shelter from the sun out of the training grounds.

Burying it halfway in the ground keeps it cool during the midday heat and also makes it a little more stable than a roof on top of some walls. It’s kinda like a dugout.

Drew focused on the training areas and built out a few raised mounds to complete the baseball diamond shape.

Damien can put his stone dummies on these spots and we can have some target practice with some infielders.

Marcus passed around water and some dried tack for everyone to share. Damien took out his own dried fruit and ate by himself in the corner of the dugout.

Marcus sat down near Drew and nodded towards the solitary enchanter.

“What’s bothering Damien?” Marcus asked.

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“I’m not sure. I thought he would be over the moon after the data we collected. But he’s been sour all day.” Drew said.

“I suspect it is the children. He seemed against training them.” Marcus said.

“That’s true. He did not help the kids in Rotterdale either. He had a reputation for not handing out beginner quests.” Drew said.

The children were finishing up their snack and Dyler was roughhousing with Calvin.

“Can you go speak with him?” Drew asked. “I’ll start the kids of some light sparring.”

Drew and the elf split up and Drew wrangled the children back out to the cleared patch of dirt. Marcus sat down next to Damien and they watched Drew pair up the kids by size.

“Today has been productive. Drew tells me you were able to run some good experiments in the new wands? What makes them so special?” Marcus asked.

“Don’t think I am fooled by your sudden interest. What has you worried about me?”

They watched first match. Dyler and Calvin squared up. Marcus was quiet for a while. Dyler knocked Calvin on the head with a downward strike after 30 seconds ending the match.

“How strong is your earth affinity?” He finally asked.

“What gave me away?” Damien asked.

“You are stubborn beyond your years, even for a wizened old human.” Marcus said. “There are few reasons a storied enchanter such as you would retire to the frontier.”

“Hmm, my earth affinity is rank 1 level 45.” Damien said, and his shoulders sagged. “You know I’ve worried about people finding out but telling you wasn’t so hard.”

“Do you hear the whispers?” Marcus asked.

“No! Not yet, and my waking dreams have subsided.” Damien said.

He lifted a silver braided chain from under his shirt. Each link was meticulously etched with mana script.

“This holds my affinity back.” He said gravely.

“You have time then. But that’s how those influenced by the earth mana affinity are. If you had an affinity for fire then it would be time to worry.” Marcus said.

Damien took another handful of his dried fruit. It was a mix of various chopped fruit all sun dried until they were rock hard. Damien had mixed in nuts for some extra crunch.

“You have the hunger already.” Marcus said but Damien waved him off.

“Bah, I’ve always enjoyed dried fruit and nuts since I was a boy.” Damien said.

“Hmm. Well, seems we are nearly done with our training camp today. The children have asked to go hunting. I hear there are rabbits around here. Will you join us?” Marcus asked.

“Ha! Unlikely. And Drew will look down his beak at you for inviting him. He refuses to hunt for experience.” Damien said. “Strange guy.”

“You two are a good match.” Marcus said with a chuckle.

Kiritus ran up and slid to a stop, kicking up dust.

“Soldiers! Kodna saw soldiers coming!” She said.

“What flag are they flying?” Damien asked.

“I’m not sure, umm” Kiritus said meekly.

Damien called out to Drew.

“Drew! Can you fly out and see who’s marching our way?”

“On it!” Drew said.

He opened up his wings and let the wind carry him up over the trees. A small dust cloud was approaching the city.

Is it goblins? That’s the direction of their destroyed camp. Could they have reinforcements?

He pumped his wings and flew towards the group.

It’s a small group. Even if it’s goblins they won’t be much of a threat. Marcus and Damien and I can take them.

A red and black flag came into view and Drew signed in relief. He circled around and dove back towards the training field. The wind whipped past his eyes causing them to water.

“It’s our mercenary friends!” He cawed happily, pulling up from his dive to jive and weave around the children.

“They are a while off still, let’s set up another practice duel. Victor and Kirtus you two are up!” Drew said landing on a goblin effigy.

“Bah, that’s what you get when your lookout is a kid. They have always been terrible soldiers.” Damien grouched.

Kiritus and Victor square off with their practice swords and daggers. The other children practice attacking stone targets.

“Did you have any children?” Marcus asked.

“No I most certainly do not have any children.” He replied.

“I do, nearly a hundred of them if I had to guess.”

“Bah! All that noise and chaos. I prefer my solitude. And a good book.”

“You know, in all my years, I’ve met many remarkable women during my travels. Each one left an imprint on my heart, and sometimes I see the halflings we created decades later. It’s… bittersweet.”

“So you aren’t the type to stick around either. Set in your own ways just like me.” Damien said.

The match between the two kids ended with a yelp as Kiritus prodded Victor in the ribs with her dagger after knocking his weapons off to the side.

The kids cheered.

“Alright, Kodna and Calvin you are up next.” Drew said as he healed Victor.

“It’s true, it’s not easy. I never stayed long enough to watch them grow, never settled down. Commitment has always felt… daunting. But those fleeting moments of passion, they brought a certain kind of joy, even if only for a short time.” Marcus said.

“Love was never meant to be for me. I had my job, then I enlisted and that became my life for a long time.” Damien said. “And now I’m back to working as an enchanter, right where I started.”

“There’s a certain peace in solitude, I can see that. But there’s also a certain loneliness. Don’t you ever wonder what it would be like to have someone to share your legacy with? To pass on your knowledge and see it grow in someone else’s hands?

“Legacy. Ha! What legacy? Thousands dead in a battle somewhere? The only legacy I need is written in these folios. People die, Marcus. Books last forever.”

Marcus smiled at the old enchanter.

“But people live, too. And in living, they carry pieces of us with them. Every lesson, every story, every bit of wisdom—they all continue through our children and their children. Even if I wasn’t there to guide them, a part of me still lives on in them.”

Damien sat and thought that over. Chewing his hard fruit and nuts.

The bout ended and Kodna was rapped across the back by Calvin’s horizontal swing. He had out maneuvered the young dwarf and stepped behind her to deliver the strike.

Marcus stood and dusted off his pants.

“Well done! Next up it’s Dyler and I. Kodna Drew will heal you up and then you can practice stepping sideways around that statue of a goblin over there.” Marcus said.

Kodna and Drew were off to the far side of the training area as Marcus and Dylar started their match.

“Calvin didn’t win because he was faster than you.” Drew said.

“Yeah he did! I’ve got slow dwarf legs. He’s faster and got behind me.” Kodna said gruffly.

“There’s a bigger picture.” Drew said. “Calvin knew he could move faster than you. He knew you couldn’t keep up.”

“That’s what I said idiot.” Kodna growled.

“No there’s a difference. He new it before your match and had a plan. So next time you fight him, now you know what he will do. You can beat him now that you know what he will do.” Drew said.

“I’ll still need to be faster than I am now.”

“Okay, sure. That’s true. But keep in mind that he won because he knew more about you and had a plan.”

“Whole lot of good a plan will do me if I ain’t faster!” Kodna said and threw their dagger at a tree.

It missed and there was a yip.

A single horned rabbit jumped out from the tall grass and growled at the young Dwarf.

Drew did not have time to take flight. He ran a couple steps and intercepted the beasts lunge. Its short horn skipped off his armor leaving a deep gash.

HP: 95%

Drew pecked at the horned rabbit but it hopped back and charged Kodna.

Kodna screamed and turned to run. Victor readied his sword and ran towards the beast.

He’s too far away!

The Horned rabbit jumped forwards and swiped at Kodna’s leg as they retreated.

“Get back!” Drew shouted.

He pulled up his only wand with a charge in it, his Channel Earth Wand, and obliterated the rabbit’s skull with a stone bullet.

It crashed to the ground mid leap. Its brains were scattered across the ground behind it. What was left of its face stared at Drew. The rabbit twitched and gore flew in a small arc.

Combat results: horned rabbit level 3 - 120 exp

Oh shit, I destroyed it in one hit.

“By the Gods Drew! You destroyed it in one hit!” Marcus said.

The kids cheered and rushed to Kodna’s side to help them limp over to the dugout. Dylar pulled out his knife and skinned the rabbit.

Drew sat there staring at the headless beast.

“Dyler. Do you know how to clean a rabbit?” Drew asked.

The boy nodded eagerly and got to work with his new knife. Drew focused on his meditation to refill his mana.

Can’t do anything if my wands are out of juice.

The mercenaries marched up then. They had recognized Damien and Marcus and changed course to see what Drew’s loud spell was all about.

“We saw the attack, does anyone need a bandage?” Maggie asked.

Kodna called out for one and whined at the pain in their leg.

Maggie walked over to apply a bandage to the injured child.

“Where are you all coming from?” Marcus asked.

“We went back to harvest what we could from the giant spider melon we killed yesterday.” Maggie said.

She dusted off her hands and looked around. She met eyes with Damien.

“Have you seen Drew? I’ve got some shell fragments he will be interested in.” She said.

“We were fortunate to gather more than we are able to store.” Jeff chimed in.

“He’s around here somewhere.” Damien said.

Marcus called nervously to the children.

“Alright children. It’s time to return to town. before a giant monster comes out of the woods to eat us up.” He said.

“We were going to see if we can kite a couple more.” Calvin said.

“Rabbits usually move in small groups.” Victor said.

“We can all corner one then we would out number it.” Dyler said.

“Could you stay with them and make sure they don’t get out numbered?” Drew asked.

“We really shouldn’t press our luck. There’s worse things than rabbits out here and I can feel their eyes on us.” Marcus said as he edged towards the town.

Poor guy already pushed past his fear once today. I’ll have to stay and watch them.

“I told you this would be an issue Marcus.” Damien said. “We will all have to go back-“

“Alright I’ll stay then.” Drew said.

Someone has to protect them.

Damien went to pack up his books and the stool he was sitting on.

Dyler finished harvesting the key parts of the horned rabbit.

“Make sure to cut off the front paws, right above its wrists.” Drew said.

“Why are we cutting off its paws?” Dyler asked.

“They are for good luck charms.” Drew replied.