Chapter 14: Departure

A month has passed ever since Astora has arrived at this strange world known as Valhalla. Working as a waitress at the inn has truly paid off. Astora has quickly adjusted to the mild lifestyle of the countryside, something difficult to find in her original world. The townspeople was kind and the folk at the tavern was pleased to see a young face bringing them food rather than the muscular owner. During the day, she would serve at the inn and the tavern while at night, the girl tried to figure out more about the powers she possessed.

The period was mostly uneventful. Perhaps the most memorable moment for Astora was when she encountered a party of adventures a couple weeks back. Even if it has only been a month, the girl has seen all sorts of people passing by. From rich merchant to pompous adventurer, the girl assumed that she has seen them all. Until the moment she encountered a hairy man with the face of a wolf. Or maybe that lad with pointy ears and glassy eyes. Or perhaps the short old man with beard as long as his entire body. It was then that Astora learnt about the existence of other races. Beastmen, elves, dwarves, some races even looked much like a monster but behaved like human.

It appeared that, from the interactions they all had, all these races, including humans, coexisted in peace in this world. Astora has never seen any discriminatory behavior of one race towards another. The most racist thing was perhaps some stereotypes jokes like how the elf was often frail looking or how dwarves measured their pride by the length of their beard. In a general nutshell, only harmless stuff. Aside from these races, there were apparently others but the rest were pretty rare and Astora did not have the chance to inquire more about them.

The population of each kingdom in Valhalla reflected this harmony between the races. While humans occupied the largest portion thanks to their number, the hierarchy and class were equally divided between the races, making it so no race had a superior advantage upon another in term of right. In fact, aside from very few exceptions, most people in Valhalla didn’t even think about the race of others anymore. A beastman or a human, they were all the same. The Angelic Faith also played a major part in promoting this equality with messages of peace and imposing severe punishments for any act of discrimination found guilty. To summarize, intolerance was not tolerated.

As for our young protagonist, it was about time for her to move on. At least, that was what she kept telling herself for a while now. While she certainly learnt a lot during her time working at the inn, the girl has not advanced one bit in her quest. It was not like she expected to hear about the Dark Lord in a tavern in this small town. But still, that didn’t stop her to try. The adventurers, the merchants, the barbs, each had their tale to tell, giving her more information about the world but never what she truly wished for.

One would expect the girl to be so disheartened at this point. But right now, Astora was waiting in front of the tavern, grinning to herself with excitement. The sun has barely risen and the streets were still void of people. What could possibly drive her to be here at this time?

From afar, the sound of a horse carriage approaching could be heard. An old man with grey beard in a blue robe and pointy leather hat was driving his small wagon filled with accessories and items through the street and stopped in front of the inn. His flimsy eyes indicated his lack of sleep and his curved tired stature told how the man has been staying in the same position for a long time. He had a pipe in his mouth but somehow only bubbles came out instead of smoke.

“ *YAWN* oh dear, you are up already, Astora?” the old man asked in a tired voice.

“Mister Gandolf!” Astora stood up with big eyes.

Just from his outfit, one could tell that this old man was a sorcerer. But instead of doing research on magic like the mages in the Circle of Magi, Gandolf served as a merchant, selling magical artefacts to the towns he passed by, although most of them were toys or useless tools. His job required him to pass through Brehem quite frequently so every then and now, old Gandolf stayed at the inn for a few days before moving on. It was there that he got to know Astora, who worked at the tavern of the inn and took a liking to the girl.

However, this time, the old man wouldn’t stay long. His business was elsewhere and he only needed to resupply quickly in Brehem. But he was too early for any shop to open.

“Did you bring it?” Astore brimmed with enthusiasm. Ever since talking to Gandolf, she has been waiting for this moment.

“Yes, yes. No need to hurry! It ain’t going anywhere.” Gandolf turned back to his piles of merchandises and searched deep for something. “Aha, here it is.” He pulled out a glass orb.

So what was the deal with all of this, you might ask? There were various reasons for this but the most obvious one was Astora’s personal desire. The girl wished that she could perform magic herself. But without a teacher, that would be hard. That was why she was so excited when she learnt about how Gandolf was a sorcerer. But of course, the gift of magic was not for everyone and certainly not everyone was qualified for magic. Gandolf might have taught Astora about the basic theories of magic but that were all but conversations he told her on a whim, nothing close to any magic lesson or even practice. Furthermore, even though this was a fantasy world, magic was still out of reach for the majority of the population. That was why the talismans were created, as well as martial arts for the determined but talentless souls.

So how did one know if one could use magic? By performing a test of course! Such was the purpose of this glass orb. Magic was divided into different elements and only those with an affinity to certain elements could employ spells of that element. By all means, all sorcerers could cast a simply but the same could not be said about high level spells such as . Obviously, there were many types of magic aside from elemental magic but those were rare and incredibly difficult to master. Most of all, the teachings of those magic were often either unique to a bloodline, lost in history or simply outright forbidden as they were far too dangerous.

“Put your hand on the orb! It should show you the color of your affinity.” The old man reluctantly handed over the glass orb. His face showed a slight discomfort, not with the idea of lending his magical tool to a young girl like Astora but because in his experience, many have asked him to measure their talent, only to be disappointed by the result. After all, his job mostly dealt with kids who were fascinated with magic or commoners with an aspiration to become something greater. But reality was cruel and many eventually resigned to their fates, whether they accepted it or not. Astora was considered smart for a girl working at a tavern but from what Gandolf saw, she knew too little about the world around her, always asking him such obvious questions. At the time, he merely assumed that it was due to her upbringing, being one of the commoners and a simple waitress at the countryside. Little did he know that Astora was a special existence with powers far beyond his comprehension. What kind of absurd power would be shown through the orb? Gandolf watched as the glass orb glowed between the girl’s arms.

Nothing!

Not a single element!

The orb’s light was simply due to its activation. It just shut downed completely afterwards, as if no one was holding it. There could only one possible explanation for this phenomenon.

“I am afraid that you are just not gifted with magic. You just don’t possess any affinity with any of the elements.” Gandolf said with an hesitant voice. He checked the orb to see if it was working properly. Unfortunately, it was.

“But…but what about that magic? What was it called…ah yes soul magic! You said that if one is not blessed with any affinity, one could cast soul magic.” Astora retold what Gandolf once taught her.

“It is true. But the same cannot be said for your case. You see….you just don’t have any mana in you.” Gandolf inspected the girl through a magical lens that allowed one to see mana. Through the lens, Gandolf saw the surge of mana in the air, in the sky, in the ground but also in all living beings around him. He could see the innkeeper still sleeping in his bed inside a room in the inn or anyone else within a certain perimeter. However, the only thing that didn’t show up through his lens was the girl clearly in front of him. It was as if she was invisible. “Such thing….this…is this even possible?”

“What do you mean?”

“All living beings possess mana. That is the most basic lesson a sorcerer must learn. A sorcerer uses the mana produced within their own body in order to use magic. The reason is because mana produced within one’s body is easier to control and magic is all about controlling mana. A normal person is unable to cast spell because they lack the ability to reproduce mana within their body.  But even so, mana exists all around us and constantly being absorbed into our body at an unconscious level.

However, in your case, I cannot feel a single shred of mana from you, which is technically impossible considering the natural mana all around us.” Gandolf explained his enthusiasm. While he was no researcher, a singularity that exceeded the current understanding of magic would capture the interest of all sorcerers. His long-forgotten sense of curiosity has been rekindled at the odd case in front of him.

No words could describe the disappointment Astora felt when the news struck her. The girl thought as the daughter of such a powerful person, she should have received at least somewhat a portion of that power. But it turned out that she had no talent with magic.

“Do not abandon all hopes just yet! You can still use the talismans.” The old sorcerer tried to lighten up her spirit. “And magic is not everything in this world. You just need to keep looking until you find it.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“But still…To think I am the only one without any mana…” Astora pondered sadly.

“Well, you are not exactly the only one. I do know of another person who has the same conditions as you.” Gandolf fixed his pipe.

“Really? Who is this person? Can I meet them?”

“He is….hum….not exactly the best person to meet however. Not exactly the friendly sort and his circumstances are also..how do I say this…complicated. And he is a warrior, someone who went through countless battles and survive. Unless you want to learn how to fight, I wouldn’t recommend it.” Gandolf showed an uneasy expression. He just blurted it out by accident. The old man wouldn’t want Astora to go see the man he was talking about, not at all.

“But I want to learn how to fight.”

“What? Why on earth would you want that?” the old man shocked. So the girl didn’t want to learn magic out of curiosity but for combat? Surely her appearance didn’t show that.

“I…I have my reasons. I am going on an adventure soon and I need to be able to defend myself. I want to get stronger.” Said Astora. “Please, tell me who this person is.”

“Hum….” The sorcerer considered his options. “Are you sure of this?” the sage asked with a serious tone. He was surprised to see this side of the innocent girl he thought was so harmless she wouldn’t hurt a fly. What reasons could drive her to be this persistent?

The girl nodded in silence, her eyes full of determination.

“Alright, I yield. But I have to warn you: finding him won’t be easy. The man I spoke of is on the other side of the High Walls.”

“The High Walls?”

“You don’t know what the High Walls are? Lady, you must pay more attention to your surroundings. The High Walls are built over a thousand years ago to contain the spread of the Blight. It extends all the way from the southern borders of Scyentia to the Sunless Kingdom, dividing the continent into two.” Explained the sage.

“When you say the other side, you mean….”

“Yes. The Walls are not the definitive borders of the Blighted land so there are still a few areas beyond the Walls we can explore in safety. However, monsters touched by the Blight can often be seen roaming the area so it is incredibly dangerous. The man you seek can be found there. Follow the southern road until you reach the central wall, then ask for a man named Karuma! The guards should be able to direct you to him. Although don’t be discouraged if they refuse to help you.” said Gandolf.

“Why is that?”

“Let’s just say that Karuma is not exactly a well-liked fellow! There is a town by the Walls so you may have more luck asking the townspeople or resupply there if you need. Once you meet him, you can say that I send you there to learn from him. Although I am not sure if it would change anything. Like I said, Karuma can be quite obnoxious, not that it is entirely his fault though.” The sorcerer sighed and rekindled his pipe, blowing a bubble.

Unable to cast magic was certainly a disappointment but if there was another fighting style Astora could adopt for herself, it would benefit her tremendously. It was a pity but it was not like she could do something about it in her current state. And using talisman was not an option since battle talisman costed a lot of money, much more than a simple waitress could afford. Not to mention the limited number of uses it had.

Up until now, Astora has been quite lucky considering the opponents she has faced. But the girl knew that she had to eventually learn how to fight, or at the very least able to defend herself. Merely using Grimora’s powers might be useful against a weak opponent but against those with experience and talents, it would not work.

Now that she has gained a new goal, Astora prepared herself for the coming journey. Gandolf, with a few regrets, said goodbye to the girl. He did tell her to drop by his shop at the capital if she ever passed by before moving on. As for Astora, it was time that she left this peaceful town and went on a journey on her own. But first, she had to break the news to the innkeeper that she would be quitting. That was the least amount of courtesy she could do after all what he did for her. Surprisingly, the innkeeper was very understanding, even gave Astora a pack of supplies for her journey, even prepared a wondrous meal for her at dinner along with a few close townspeople who have gotten to know Astora for the last month. They have treated her so kindly for an outsider that Astora felt a bit guilty for leaving so suddenly. But all good things got to end one day and she had her own quest to follow.

The next morning, after a tearful goodbye, Astora departed from Brehem. Following Gandolf’s instructions, she took the southern road yet again but this time much deeper toward an unfriendly destination: the Blighted Woods. Although, the girl still remembered the white knight’s warning and would do her best to stay away from the Woods itself. Hopefully, this man Karuma lived close to the Walls.

From her time at the inn, Astora did hear one or two things about the Blighted land and its black forests. Apparently, the entire region was once the home of the elven race until a calamity hit, releasing a poisonous dark fog that swallowed the entire land. Following that event, the place was deemed forbidden and thus eventually led to the construction of the High Walls that split the land into two. On one side, we had the living and their wondrous kingdoms. On the other, only death prevailed. Rumors had it that from time to time, dark shades could be seen roaming the tainted ground along with mysterious whispers and monstrous growls. Not many dared stepping into the forbidden land and those brave enough never returned. As for others, people knew not what lied beyond the High Walls and many had their own speculations. However, they all agreed that something must be out there, stalking from the shadows.

And yet, with all these warnings that would make even the bravest man in the land to hesitate, someone out there was willing to spend his life beyond the Walls. For what reason beside seeking their own death could they have to live there?

Considering her current position just outside of Brehem, Astora was not actually that far from her destination. Brehem was a small town located in the southern borders of Angel’s Crown, the country that served as the seat of power of the Angelic Faith, as its name might have indicated. Although, the church’s influence extended far beyond their borders, making them perhaps the most dominant group in the entire continent. Still, that was only Astora’s deduction based on what she has seen and heard. She knew next to nothing about the other two kingdoms so she might need to hold back her assumptions for now.

Following the southern road toward the Walls, the girl and her strange friend in the form of a book headed to next destination, knowing nothing what awaited them. Normally, it would be quite dangerous for a girl like her to travel alone and it was. But hiring some adventurers to escort her would cost quite a lot and Astora could not afford to lose all her money based on something old Gandolf told her. She respected the old sage for his kindness but there was no sure way to confirm whether this Karuma person would actually be helpful.

In addition, Astora also wished to train herself a bit more. Her frail constitution due to all those years of confinement was a real hinder for her back when she travelled into the woods to follow Alan and his company. Working at the inn has somewhat improved it but nowhere enough. It just wasn’t the same thing, working at a bar and fighting a real foe. She did sneak out occasionally at night to accustom herself against what they called ‘monsters’ in this world. Strictly speaking, they were the equivalent of wild animals like the ones Astora saw in the zoo back in her world. However, in Valhalla, not only were these creatures entirely different in term of species and appearances, they were also incredibly stronger and more dangerous. Despite the efforts of adventurers and the knights of the Angelic Faith constantly patrolling the roads, it was impossible for them to cover everything and an incident happened every now and then.

When traveling in the wild, encountering a flesh-eating blob or a small green monster charging at you with a club was considered common in Valhalla. Although they were weak, they were still seen as a threat, especially in group. So fighting them by yourself was not really recommended. But Astora was no common person. She possessed something quite special: her companion Grimora. Using the magic held by the book, Astora could easily defeat the lesser monsters. At first, it was quite difficult for a girl such as her to take the life of a living being, even if it was a monster. However, with time, she got used to the fact that this was the natural order of this world. If she didn’t kill them, they might kill someone else. It was to eat or to be eaten. But despite that, the girl did not go on a mindless killing. She limited to only the monsters she heard of that were disturbing a part of town or something similar. It was during these encounters that she discovered a few things about her enigmatic source of power.

First of all, there was a limit on how many times Astora could invoke her power. At first, she assumed it was the mana inside her body. Like in a video game, if she ran out of it, she could no longer cast spells. But with Gandolf’s confirmation, her conclusion was rejected. So what was this limit? And more importantly, how to improve it? The girl tried different combinations to see what exactly influenced this supposed limit.

Wielding the , Astora could annihilate a group of dozen goblins with ease. However, they were taken by surprise and were all killed in a single attack. The problem was when they intentionally attacked her with an organized strategy. The rascals were smarter than they looked. She won in the end but it was so much more arduous, probably because she had no experience in fighting and made too many excess movements. So eventually, she deducted that using the blue flames five times before being unable to cast it anymore. Next she tried using the she stole from Zeus. This time, it was much harder. Controlling the bolt itself was not easy as a slip in the girl’s concentration and it resulted in a lightning blast that blew herself away. Furthermore, upon using it the third time, Astora could already feel her limit. The bolt no longer appeared. So only three times for the was her limit. And it would take until the next day before she could use them again. If this was her maximum potential, it was honestly disappointing. But what could she do to eliminate this limit?

But it was her next discovery that might actually bring some answers to her problem. This time, the girl used one . With a simple calculation, one would think she either had two more to cast or about two to three before reaching her limit. But the result was unexpected and shocking. Even with the initial bolt, Astora was able to use the flames all five times again before ending up debilitated.  But shockingly, she could still cast two more bolts following that. So what happened there? With the next test, Astora finally found out what limited her. She was able to use four and two alternatively without any problem. However, as soon as she reached the threshold of either one of the spells, Astora finally attained her true limit.

It was never about some random energy inside that was used up. No, it was all about numbers. Astora could use all the spells she wanted as long as the number of uses per spell didn’t reach their maximum value. For the , it was five times. For the , it was three. So actually, the result was much better than her initial assumption. For some reasons, it almost felt like a MMORPG she used to play. In that game, certain special powers could only be used for a number of times per day before being available again the next day. So the powers she acquired functioned in the same day. Great but strange!

And of course, the number of uses were limited but it all depended on how they were used. For example, each use of the flame could be cast to make the flame appear in one location for Astora to be used as a projectile or an area of effect. However, it was important to take in account the properties of the fire. Like normal fire, it spread and set everything it touched on fire. So with proper uses, Astora could potentially create a deadly inescapable trap. In the end, merely possessing a powerful spell was not enough. It all fell down to the fighting experience of the user.

Secondly, the girl learnt a bit more about her psychometry ability. On occasions when she got in a physical contact with certain objects, Astora could see the memories hidden within the object. The stronger the emotions, the more vivid the images were. Or she could discover some information about it if she used her eyes. That much, she knew. However, despite having it for so long, Astora didn’t know that she needed to know the target’s name in order to see the info on them. The eye worked normally against inanimate objects but for people, she needed to know their full name. That explained why she could see Tyr’s description and not the strange government official that helped her getting to Valhalla. Tyr probably did not have a family name as he was a god. But Steven never said his family name either. Or worse, the man’s real name was never Steven at all. In any case, this could serve as a somewhat useful lie detector against people who lied about their identity. If they lied, Astora would not be able to see their description, branding them a target of suspicion.

Finally, there was the chalice, . Such a dreadful thing with so much destructive potential! Not only did it take life in exchange for its kindling, the artefact also spread death wherever it went. Unlike the two previous inscriptions, this object manifested itself within Grimora’s pages. Astora wished to learn more about it and most importantly to learn how to control it. She would not want it to go on a killing spree like the last time it did. The question was how. Taking careful measures to ensure that she was in a deserted area in case something went wrong, Astora decided to take her chance. Standing in the middle of an isolated forest among the carcasses of a few monsters she just slew, the girl opened the grimoire and thought of the chalice. Immediately, the pages flipped and showed the one she wanted. Putting her hand forward, she reached out to the drawing of an ominous dark chalice and pulled it out of the book. Even though it has not apparently been activated, Astora could feel shivers in her spines from merely holding this thing. The girl threw a quick glance at Grimora, signaling him to be ready. If the chalice went out of control or something bad happened, Grimora was to seal it back in himself instantly. With all her preparations done, the girl took a deep breath and focused. In her mind, a voice answered the call of its master.

“Thou misfortunate soul who know the pain of losing a loved one, what is thy wish?”