Chapter 16

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After Finn was sure he understood enough about Invocation magic, Finn put away the tablet, and sat up, ready to guide Emily as best he could.

Emily was seven years old but treated Finn as if he were anyone else, without regard to his younger age. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, caramel skin, and the elvish ears of a half elf.

Overall, Finn found the girl very attractive, but contained the thoughts, understanding this was time for learning. Finn also didn’t think he could handle the complexities of dating, considering he was too young, lost in a strange world, and still hung up over a girl now worlds away.

Finn’s emotions caused his aura control to falter, and Finn’s sadness crept into his aura, and Emily noticed the change.

“Finn? Is everything okay?”

Finn quickly regained his control, forcing a smile.

“Yes, I think I have everything I need to help you overcome this hurdle now.” Finn said, ignoring her concern.

She hesitated, but seeing his resolve, she nodded.

Finn nodded, beginning his explanation. “Okay. So, to conjure my arcane magic, it’s more like I am willing the magic to shift into my needs. For Invocation magic, it’s more of a request.”

Emily nodded thoughtfully.

“Now, you have the ability to invoke the aid of beings from the astral, as well as summon celestial beings. It’s actually quite interesting. Instead of willing them to help you, you ask them to help you, and one may or may answer your call.” Finn said.

“What if no one answers my call?” Emily asked with worry.

“I don’t think you have any need to worry. There are an infinite amount of beings out there that you can summon. There will be beings that are drawn to you based off your natural inclinations, your soul, your strength, and your need.” Finn said, taking a sip of water from his canteen as she seemed to mull it over in her head.

“What’s important is that you be yourself, and do what feels best for you. How do you normally ask someone for help?” Finn asked.

“I don’t know, I try not to bother people, so I don’t ask often.” She said, sheepishly.

“Okay, and when you do ask for help, how do you do it? Do you demand their attention and for them to obey?” Finn prompted her.

“No, of course not. If I really need to ask for help, I just ask as nicely as possible, and hope someone is willing to help.” Emily said.

“Well, there you are.” Finn said. “It’s as simple as that."

Emily looked at Finn with confusion.

“Close your eyes, and meditate as I’ve shown you. Now, instead of focusing on the world around you, allow your mind's eye to roam the planet. The sky, the stars, whatever you can imagine, allow yourself to wander, until you find whatever you feel you’re looking for, and allow yourself to connect, seeking guidance”.

Emily said nothing, only listening to Finn’s words, until Finn watched as she entered a state of deep focus, and Finn smiled.

Finn understood that at normal rank, she would only have the ability to summon beings at Iron Rank. She could also, however, be granted an audience with a being of rank greater than her own, but in order to form a contract, he would be limited to her own relative magic strength and rank.

While Emily focused, Finn reviewed the tablet to ensure he got everything:

“Invocation magic is a form of sorcery that allows practitioners to summon external entities for assistance, ranging from familiars in temporary physical forms to celestial beings in their original essence. The magic requires a deep personal connection, respect, and willingness from both the summoner and the summoned. Key aspects include:

* Types of Beings Summoned: Celestial entities, spirits, ancient deities, astral creatures, and familiars.

* Requirements: The summoner must have a genuine intent, a clear request, and the ability to form a respectful connection with the entity. The strength and rank of the summoner often determine the power of the beings they can successfully summon.

Details:

Invocation Magic

* Type: Supportive/Summoning

* Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

* Description: Invocation magic enables the caster to call upon external entities for aid. This magic requires a harmonious blend of intent, respect, and connection with the entity. The effectiveness and power of the summoned being are influenced by the caster's magical rank and the strength of their bond.

* Abilities:

* Summon Familiar: Call forth a familiar to aid in various tasks. Familiars can possess temporary physical forms and offer assistance, protection, or companionship.

* Celestial Summoning: Invoke celestial or astral beings for guidance, wisdom, or power. The capacity to summon higher entities depends on the caster's skill and affinity.

* Limitations: The summoned entity's power is capped by the summoner's current rank. Higher-ranked beings may require negotiations or special conditions for their assistance.

* Note: Respect and understanding are paramount. The relationship with summoned entities is built on mutual consent and cooperation.”

As Finn was reading, Finn broke into a smile as we watched a small glowing sprite appear in front of Emily, Finn recognized it as a Luminous Sprite.

The Luminous Sprite possessed an ethereal, glowing form that radiated a warm, comforting light, enveloping its surroundings in a soft, gentle aura. It appeared as a small, delicate being, with its light patterns and colors subtly changing to communicate its emotions and intentions.

The sprite's body seemed to be made of light itself, with a core that shines brighter than its surroundings, suggesting a deep, inner magic that fuels its existence.

Finn watched the sprite, which waved at him. He waved back. The sprite seemed to get excited at this and bobbed around.

Emily, for her part, looked exhausted. Summoning at normal rank was incredibly draining, especially for someone with no experience.

Finn watched on as Emily and the Sprite seemed to have a conversation of sorts, before the Sprite subsumed itself into Emily’s body.

“I…formed a bond with her!” Emily said, seeming half surprised, and half excited.

“Hey, congrat-”

Finn didn’t get a chance to finish before Emily rushed in to hug Finn.

This gained the attention of all the kids behind them, who had been looking on as the Sprite had been summoned.

“Ooooo” The kids said in unison, reminding Finn that they were in fact all kids after all.

Several of the kids began chanting

"Finn and Emily, 'neath ancient boughs entwined,

K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

First comes bond, then comes pledge,

In a woven nest, where their fates allege.

Next comes the sprite, with light aglow,

Guiding their steps, where'er they go."

Finn was startled at the similarity and nostalgia the chant brought him, reminding him of his homeworld, but quickly pulled away in embarrassment at the teasing.

Finn noticed as Emily blushed, and he realized he likely was too.

With that, Finn continued to continue his lessons as best he could, until lunch time.

During lunch, Finn contemplated once again. He was happy, having friends, companions, who treated him with authentic care and respect.

It reminded him of his former life as Henry, when he was still friends with Melvin and Chloe, a memory that he had been trying to let go of after finally accepting this new world as his new normal.

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Cosmo, Oscar, and all of his new friends didn’t afford Finn the chance to silently brood for long however, and soon he was joined at the table by a gathering of people, all happy to be there.

The group chattered, showing off their progress. Finn realized everyone was eager to show off how much they had learned not to boast, but to thank him for the guidance to get to where they were at.

Finn realized something that had never occurred to him until now, and Finn got up to ask Alistair a question as he sat at another table loudly talking with his own group.

Upon seeing Finn, he smiled. “Hello, Finn, what brings you over to my merry band of misfits?”

At the table was a group Finn had often seen roaming together, but never paid them much mind.

The cook, Dorian, Alistair, the Woman in charge of the village, Elizabeth, the other woman, Petunia, and a man Finn had never spoken to, all sat around the table, now looking down on Finn.

They weren’t looking down at him to be rude, they were simply much taller sitting at the table than Finn’s small body.

Despite this, Finn continued on with his original question he had in mind. “Have you considered building a forge for the Haven?” Finn asked.

-Break-

Finn, Alistair, and his band of misfits, gathered around a building that had been damaged in the chaos that had destroyed the village before Finn had arrived.

“This is an old smithy, but no one has used it in a long time. To be frank, no one has learned that trade here in a long time. If you know how to forge, you likely won't be here, you’ll be living in a nice city with enough coins to live comfortably." Elizabeth said.

“Do you mean to tell us you know how to forge weapons?” Petunia asked.

“I don’t want to doubt you, after all you’ve done, and your ability to teach the children magic is amazing enough, but if you know how to forge weapons…”

“I’ve never forged any weapons myself," Finn said. “But, I have enough notes from my mentor that I think we could get this smithy started back up.”

- Break -

Finn spent the rest of the day to himself, save for Cosmo and Oscar, who was a constant comfort.

Cosmo’s impressive ability to learn allowed to quickly approach a level close to Finn when he was at Normal Rank. Finn continued his specialized training with Cosmo, which acted as Finn’s more relaxing time, saved from the social anxiety he felt around so many people.

Finn had created a game of catch using magic, that he and Cosmo now play.

“So, I’ll throw you a ball of arcane magic, and the goal is for you to add your own astromancy to it, and toss it back. Then repeat. Once it gets too strong, we’ll launch it into the sky, creating an awesome display.” Finn had explained, when pitching the idea.

Cosmo had been hesitant, worried about the dangers it brought if the ball exploded, but was ultimately won over by Finn’s enthusiasm.

As Finn and Cosmo tossed the ball of magic, each had to ensure they maintained focus of the magic, otherwise it would react adversely to the growing magic

What had once been an arcane sphere the size of a peanut, now vibrated with potent magical energy, the size of a watermelon, despite Finn having to tamp down the power of his magic as much as possible to match Cosmo’s lower rank.

When Finn felt the ball of magic become unstable, Finn launched the ball into the sky, creating a vibrant display of arcane magic and astromancy. Arcane lightning scattered air above them, as well as vibrant streams of white, blue, and green. Constellations hovered in the sky, creating something akin to a miniature universe, speckled with Finn’s vibrant arcane magic.

The two stood in awe at the beauty, smiles so wide it reached their ears.

Oscar and the mysterious dog had been playing together nearby, but both paused to observe the spectacle.

Cosmo looked at Finn with curiosity. “Do you know where that dog came from?”

Finn shook his head. “I have no idea. That reminds me, I really need to find some way to communicate with animals.”

“That tablet of yours has a lot of rituals, maybe there’s a ritual in there.” Cosmo said.

“You’re probably right,” Finn said. “There’s just so much in there and I haven't had enough time to find it. I suppose now is as good a time as any.”

With that, the two began searching through the extensive list of rituals. There were a lot of practical rituals mentioned, such as water purification rituals, heating rituals, cooling rituals, and more.

Eventually, they found the two rituals Finn would need. First, Finn would need to create a diagram, which he followed the book's example, drawing it out in the dirt.

Once he was confident that he had accurately drawn out the first circle, Finn allowed his arcane magic to flow into the circle he drew out, and watched as the ritual took effect.

Finn sensed as the magic around him shifted. Where it had once felt like wind, gently breezing indiscriminately now settled to a calming stillness.

What Finn had learned is that ritual magic relied on mana being supplied from the natural magic of the world. If the magic wasn’t balanced out, the effects of the ritual could be wild and unpredictable.

As the second magic circle glowed with arcane energy, Finn felt a rush of anticipation. This was it—the ritual was working. He looked eagerly at his companions. "Uh, hi Oscar!" he started, his voice tinged with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

Oscar's eyes sparkled, and he bobbed in the air, visibly thrilled. "Hi Finn! This is incredible! We can actually understand each other now!"

Finn's gaze shifted to the dog, who had been a constant, if mysterious, presence atop Oscar's head. "And you... I've seen you around, but where do you keep coming from?"

The dog tilted its head, its eyes meeting Finn's with an intelligent gaze. "Oh, I've been here and there," it said cryptically, then with a playful bark added, "but mostly from Oscar's magical space. It's cozy!"

Finn's brow furrowed in confusion. "Magical space, huh? Oscar, you've been holding out on me!?" He said with a mock hurt expression.

Oscar floated down, a sheepish look in his eyes. "Well, it's not exactly. I just have this little pocket dimension in my fur. It's handy for keeping things... and apparently, small friends too!"

Amazed, Finn turned his attention back to the dog. "So, you've been hitching a ride with Oscar this whole time? What should I call you?"

The dog wagged its tail, seemingly pleased with the question. "I don't have a name, but I'd like one! Something fun, maybe?"

Finn pondered for a moment before a name popped into his head. "How about 'Rift'? Since you're always popping in and out of Oscar's dimensional space."

"Rift!" The dog bounced around excitedly. "I love it! Rift and Oscar, friends of Finn!"

Grinning, Finn felt a sense of camaraderie and wonder wash over him. "Okay, Rift, Oscar, there's so much I want to know. About this space, the forest, everything. And I have a feeling we're going to discover it all together."

Oscar and Rift nodded, their faces alight with excitement. "There's a lot to tell, Finn. And even more to explore," Oscar said, his voice brimming with anticipation.

As the trio settled down, Cosmo stepped out of the background to greet Oscar formally.

“Hi Oscar, I never really got a chance to thank you for helping protect us from that Corrupted Treant” Cosmo said, gratefully.

“Oh yeah that guy was mean and nasty! I’m glad we were able to restore him to his former glory!” Oscar said, brightly.

Finn perked up. “That reminds me! I had no idea you had any magic abilities Oscar! How many do you have?”

“Hmm. I don’t really know. I just kinda did whatever felt right in the moment.” Oscar said.

Finn nodded. “That’s okay, maybe you can start training with us from time to time and we can learn together.”

“I would love that!’ Oscar said, and Rift yipped his agreement.

Finn felt as the magic of the ritual wore off, and Finn could no longer understand the pair. Finn considered redoing the ritual, but ultimately decided against it.

While it was nice to be able to talk to his familiars, and Rift, Finn didn’t think he would find it practical to constantly reapply the ritual, and he decided he would need to look for some kind of item that would allow translation.

For now, Finn was happy to have finally gotten the chance to meet his oldest friend, and companion, as well as the strange dog, Rift.

With that, the group walked back to the the center of the haven to partake in dinner with the rest of their friends.

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