"Alright, is everyone ready?" yelled the coachman, "then let's head out!"

And off we were on our 1 week long journey to Oppidumpeladus... But are you wondering what happened during the past 2 weeks...?

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During the past 2 weeks, Krog, Shem and I decided to go shopping in the market for supplies we may require on our trip, as well as personal items.

"Alright, mother has given each of us 1000 silver coins (= 10 gold coins), for our own stuff as a gift, and has given me 5000 more silver for our food, and living expenses along the way. So, for today, we will only explore the market for anything that interests you and you can buy it with your own money. Remember to count all the change correctly, many shop keepers will try and swindle you of your money, and if that happens, mom will get Angry and she may even $@#!$%^&* us! So remember to buy whatever you want, count the correct change, and we'll meet up back at the market's entrance at in five bell's time."

Yes time is counted in bells, where each town has a person stationed who will ring the bell every hourglass.

"Ha, counting money is my speciality! Leave it up to me!" exclaimed Shem confidentially

"Hmph, if they try to cheat me I'll just beat them up!" Harrumphed Krog.

If they were normal people, I would have believed them, but they are merely 7 year olds! What are they supposed to do if someone forcefully takes their money? But no need to fear, I had been developing an artefact since I began learning about magic. I have even kept it a secret from mom! It is called, well I haven't decided its name yet. But its functions are simple:

1. Monitor threats to the user, using status magic, and alert me about them

2. Use a compressed wind elemental barrier to protect the user from immediate threats

And it is all powered by the soul gem of a troll! Soul gems are containers mined, and cut into spheres, from Mana-crystals. The purer the crystal, better the cut, smoother the shape, the higher the grade of souls they can store. But, in order to make a soul gem, you need to kill an animal and extract its soul using soul extraction and trap it in the soul gem. This can then be used for all kinds of things, from necromancy to alchemy. What is alchemy you ask? It isn't as simple as you might speculate it to be, it is not just simple potion making. Hell no, Alchemy is the art of utilising soul gems for a process of creating an item. This item could range from simple potions, to legendary artefacts! Legends say that the ancient Dwargon race were able to create life itself using alchemy. They were the true descendants of Dragons, having all the knowledge from the Dragons, and being able to use it for alchemy was beyond the mortal comprehension. However, as time went along, traditions faded and skills were lost, and the once proud Dwargon race, who stood second to only the Dragon race, now has devolved to the dwarf race, losing even their true ancestry to time.

Back to the artefact I created, I made two of them, especially for Krog and Shem before we head out on the journey...

"Here," handing them each a ring, I said "This is an artefact I've been creating since we were small. It is very important and can save you when the need arises. It can also notify of threats to you and your location. You don't need to do anything, just make sure you never remove it. Got it?

"What about you? where is your ring?" Shem foolishly questioned

"You think I need a ring to protect me? I'm a level 1 mage certified, which means I can use the basic of at least one category of magic!" However, in reality, I could be considered a level 2 mage, because I can not only use all basic elements of Elementary magic to a certain ectent, I also know about summoning, not that any creature has made a contract with me, and I could say the same for spirit magic, and I haven't tried necromancy on humans, but I've tried it on all kinds of other animals, from rats, to deer. I even tried it on a cockroach, but sadly it didn't work. Must be because they don't have bones on the inside? I can also use simple status magic like recovery, search, lesser speed, lesser strength, enhanced senses I and II, as well as poison. However, for poison to work, not only do I need the target to have an open wound, but I also need to understand how its body works, and then come up with a poison type suitable for the target. That is why it takes too long and isn't very useful in battle. And you have seen my almighty skills in alchemy! Muhahahaha, call me the king of this world and bow down to my awesomeness...

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"n... Jon... Jon!"

"Huh, what, what happened?"

"Oh thank god you came back to Nezreal! You were making such disgusting faces in you daydream that Shem was about to punch you out of disgust!" Krog exclaimed.

"Ah, yes sorry..." It happens sometimes. Anyway, the reason I keep my strength a secret from everyone, is that one should always keep their hidden trump cards a secret for as long as possible. And right now, my only trump card is my strength and my incredibly large mana. For some reason, my mana can rival that of level 3 mages! Which is an incredible feet, because the level of the mage is defined by a number of factors including mana. Which means, all I need to do to become a level 3 mage is to master a level 3 spell. However, that is where things get difficult. You see, I am not following a single category in magic, I am walking my own path, despite mom's repeated warning of the limitations of not specialising in an already proven category. However, I have already chosen my path, the path of mana; the path of understanding and manipulating mana. Most of the level one spells were easy, Instead of following the complicated structures of spells, I just tried to control my mana, and moulding it to what I wanted. For example, if it was a fireball spell, then all I did was to first find my mana-pool. I then extracted a small drop from it, and sent the drop to my palm. just before it exited from my skin, I changed its properties to that of fire, by removing all other properties and sending them back to the environment. This left me with pure fire mana exiting my skin. Then I pulled and pushed at the mana using my fingers, to form a revolving vortex of fire mana, before using my other hand to close off the top, and compress the shape into that of a sphere. And there you have it, a mana ball all ready! I use the same principle for Krog and Shem's artefacts to create the wind wall and search spells.

Anyway, back to reality we go, "Okay then, lets go!" I said, before realising that both Shem and Krog were gone! Those a**holes left me here! Hmph, I'll let them have it once we reach home! Just as I finished sorting out my thoughts, I spotted Krog, running towards me with great speed, and carrying a huge bag in the distance.

"Jon! I wanted to show you something. My hard work, and determination finally bore its fruits! I finished creating them. Hahahahahahahaha... hahahahahaha"

"Uhm, are you done?"

"Yes, yes, here" Krog said as he handed me the sword. A rather well-crafted sword I should add. The length was about 1.5 times the length of my arm, and it was light. By light I mean about as light as wood!

"H- How did they make it so light?!" I stuttered, as I was getting a feel of the balance of the sword, and giving it a couple of swings.

"Haha, not they, ME! I made the sword. Haha! You like it? I asked Uncle Bjord to teach me how to make a light and strong weapon. So he told me to make the iron hotter, focus, and make the iron stronger. Then I'd have to use less iron for the sword. Haha, easy ain't it?"

Hmm, making the iron hotter? Wait focus? did he focus on where to hit? No, he just focussed on making the iron stronger! Wait, did he infuse the iron with his mana!? Is that even possible? I haven't heard of anyone in game being able to do that!

"So, Krog, did you feel tired, or drained of energy while of after you were 'focussing'?"

"Oh yes yes, I fainted in fact! Haha, when I woke up, the sword was already made! Haha, I made the sword while I was unconscious, I'm a genius am I not? Haha"

Now this makes more sense. He made the iron hotter so that it could withstand some mana. And since Korg was a child, his mana was pathetically low, and so he could keep a steady stream of his low quantity mana into the hot iron making it infused, but he used up all his mana to do this and so he fainted. Then uncle Bjord must have completed it for him. If an adult tried to do this, he wouldn't be able to control his mana to the extent that he could release 1/100ths of it in a steady stream, he would be forced to send it in bursts, which would create fractures in the metal! That is why no one has done this before, but maybe if a skilled magician were to try, they might be able to pull it off.

"Hmm, but what else is in the bag?" I questioned as my thoughts became more clear.

"Oh that, that just my shield. Remember you told me I would make a great, what was it again...?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Hmm" saying this, Krog sat down in his place, with one hand on his chin and the other on his thigh, as though he was...

I can't believe this! The great Krog is using his brains! Wait does he have brains? Oh of course he does, what am I thinking. I need to keep quiet, I want him so succeed in his first thought since birth, he may actually use more of it in the future!

...

...

...

20 minutes later...

"Nope, can't remember. Hey Jon, just use some of your magic to make me remember!"

Yep, he's back. Anyway, I said 'you would make a great...' what? Blacksmith? No, he is already one. Now what would he need a shield for? Hmmm... was it "tanker?"

"Yes, Yes, Tanker. That’s why I asked Bjorn how to make wood stronger, and he told me to use his special saw, and while cutting, I should focus on strength. And so I did that. By the time I finished cutting the wood, I fainted again. And when I woke up, I had once again proven my mettle. Haha"

"Do you even know what that word means?"

"Not a clue"

"Pftt, hahahahaha, and that's why I like you brother."

"Aww, I like you t-"

"Wait" I exclaimed!

"Hey! what’s the matter, why do you always cut me off, you could have said it a second later? We were having a moment there!"

Simple, because it looks cooler! Anyway, "Shem's in danger, we need to get to her fast!"