I sat within a stone room in the heart of Sturm Hill Hall. While my family described the place as a “hunting lodge”, even though it was clearly a manor, it had been designed with wizards in mind. Like cultivators from Spirit Earth, wizards were always looking for ways to improve their power. For most, this meant creating more threads, which they would eventually form into new Circles.
As such, Sturm Hill Hall had a meditation chamber, a room designed to gather and concentrate mana. Higher quantities of mana made it easier to form new threads. The same rule applied to cultivation. More mana was better. Higher quality mana was also better. Having both was ideal.
The meditation chamber was located underground. Reaching it required going down a staircase that was accessible only to me. No one else could even open the door to the staircase, not even Leroy. The defensive enchantments woven into the entrance prevented them from trying.
The chamber wasn’t big, just large enough for one person. A single magelamp was enough to light up the room. It was cool inside the chamber. The walls, ceiling, and floor of the meditation chamber were all made of gray stone. The stone itself was mundane, but the magic circles carved into it were anything but.
Magic circles were the equivalent of formations back on Spirit Earth, but were far more powerful. The magic circles in the meditation were designed to draw in mana from the environment and keep it in the chamber.
When I first entered the meditation chamber, there was so much mana that I felt like I was swimming in it. It was perfect for my purposes.
It was the day after I visited the Adventurers Guild. After Bill gave me the mana cores and bones he took from the Inferno Wolves, I went out to find medicinal herbs and fulfill the gig I picked up.
It wasn’t that difficult. I didn’t even have to go far outside of Icefall City. The medicinal herbs required weren’t that rare, though they were useful for creating healing potions and mana potions.
After that, I decided to focus on forming my dantian so I could get started with my spiritual cultivation. I even decided to forgo my morning training to spend more time on cultivation.
Ideally, since my elemental affinities were Air, Water, and Lightning, I would cultivate on the roof of Sturm Hill Hall. A number of factors could “flavor” mana, or give it certain qualities, including the environment. Cultivating with mana that aligned with my elemental affinities would speed the process up.
The mist that pervaded Gloom Mist Forest already gave me plenty of water mana, but for air and lightning mana, the closer to the sky I was the better. However, the roof of Sturm Hill Hall didn’t give me access to enough mana, and I couldn’t carve a mana gathering magic circle to change that. The areas where I could comfortably sit weren’t large enough to permit this.
If I had formation flags, that wouldn’t be a problem since I could make a temporary mana gathering formation, but I needed to make some first. They didn’t exist here on Lumina. Until then, I would settle for using the meditation chamber.
It was a case of quantity versus quality.
I set down the cushion I brought in and sat on it. Afterwards, I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing. It didn’t take me long to fall into a meditative trance.
Unlike the primers I gave to Leroy, my cultivation technique wasn’t one someone else had created. It was a technique I had created myself to perfectly suit me. While others might be able to cultivate with this technique, should I ever decide to share it with anyone, it wouldn’t be as beneficial for them.
I mean, it was still an amazing cultivation technique since a former Immortal created it, aka me. If I wanted to use the standard terminology, I would rank it as a Indigo-tier technique for other people, and a Violet-tier technique for me. On Spirit Earth, cultivation techniques were ranked based on the quality of the dantian they formed, which was determined by its color. These colors also coincided with the colors of the rainbow, with red being the lowest quality and violet being the highest.
While it was possible to switch to a higher tier technique later on, it was best to start with the best technique possible to create a strong cultivation base. When I first started cultivating, back on Spirit Earth, I first practiced a Green-tier technique before switching to an Indigo-tier one. That created some flaws in my cultivation base that I had needed to fix.
This time I didn’t have to worry about that. Since my technique was a Violet-tier one, my cultivation base would be perfect right from the beginning.
Following the mnemonics I created, I began to take in mana, gathering it in my dantian region. The mana felt cool and solid, like the stone that surrounded me. At first it was a small speck of power within my body and soul, but as I took in more and more mana, it grew larger and larger. It was a puddle of mana that would soon become an ocean.
Since I was using my First Circle, instead of regular mana veins, the process went faster than it would for a cultivator back on Spirit Earth. Even unparalleled geniuses would find it difficult to keep up with my progress.
However, I made sure to take it slow and steady. Impatience led to mistakes, and mistakes led to a flawed cultivation base. As much as I wanted to form my dantian and become a cultivator as soon as possible, I would not rush.
Even so, at this speed, I estimated it would only take me two weeks to form my dantian and reach the first small realm of the Energy Condensation stage. Back on Spirit Earth, it had taken me three months.
To be fair to my past self, this time around I had better mana veins, access to more mana, and I had a lot more experience.
Hours passed as I cultivated within the meditation chamber. Lunchtime came and went, but I didn’t stop. Sweat ran down my body in rivulets as it strained with the effort. Thankfully, my enhanced physique was more than capable of handling it.
I emanated heat, and the meditation chamber became warmer. At some point, the storm dragon blood in my veins stirred, and the smell of ozone filled the air.
The puddle of mana inside me grew larger and larger, until it became more like a pond. Still small, but it was progress.
After a certain point, I stopped. Not because I couldn’t handle it. In fact, I felt like I could cultivate until dinnertime without issue. I wanted to. However, I had an appointment with House Icefall that I needed to keep.
I supposed I could skip it, but I didn’t want to deal with the consequences of that. It was better to just get the dinner over with so I didn’t have to worry about it again.
I sighed, picked up the cushion, and headed up the stairs.
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I exited the House Sturm carriage and looked at the place House Icefall called home. Like Sturm Hill Hall, it was a two-story manor, however it was much bigger. Not only was it longer and wider, but it had two wings jutting out from the ends, giving the entire place a blocky-U shape. According to my research, the place was simply called Icefall Manor.
Icefall Manor was located within the walls of Icefall City, sitting atop a large hill that was surrounded by a wrought iron fence. A single gate provided access to the hill. A paved stone pathway led from the gate to the front entrance of Icefall Manor.
While this didn’t seem that defensible, the place was a mystical fortress. I noticed with my divine sense layers of powerful defensive magic circles woven into the wrought iron fence. Icefall Manor looked easy to take, but any foe who tried would find it difficult to breach the outer layers. There were even more powerful magic circles protecting the manor itself.
Seeing all this reminded me that I needed to create some magical defenses for Sturm Hill Hall. We had the stone wall topped by a wrought iron fence, but that wasn’t enough for my tastes. I knew some magic circles that would suit my needs, and I knew of countless formations that would work as well.
The latter were less powerful, at least compared to magic circles of the same level, but they weren’t weak. It was just that wizards were much better than cultivators when it came to the mystic arts: spells and magic circles.
That was fine. Cultivators were much better when it came to everything else. Martial techniques, mana enhancement and reinforcement, etc.
After I finished cultivating for the day, I got ready for my dinner with House Icefall and headed to Icefall Manor in the House Sturm carriage. Thankfully, my driver, the same one from yesterday, knew where it was. He had an easy time of it, since it was still light out despite the late hour. Gotta love summer days.
Of course, Leroy joined me on this trip.
As we rode towards the city, I reviewed what I knew about House Icefall. I hadn’t planned on meeting with them when I first arrived in the region, and wanted to avoid it, but I had prepared for the possibility.
House Icefall was a newer House, only two generations old. The current Patriarch, Theobald Icefall, was the son of the House’s founder, Luther Icefall.
Luther Icefall was one of the rare people who was a wizard born to mundane parents. He started out as an adventurer and grew to prominence in the Icefall Region when he saved Icefall City from a tide of magic beasts that threatened to rampage through the entire region.
For his meritorious deeds, the Sun Emperor awarded Luther the right to found his own House. Luther named his House after the region he was born in. That was one of two ways new Houses were formed: either the founder performed a great deed that benefited the Solarian Empire, or the founder was a member of an established House who decided to branch off on their own.
House Icefall ruled Icefall City, with Lord Icefall acting as Lord-Mayor. However, they didn’t have enough power to claim the rest of the region. With the increased bandit activity in the area, that might not happen for a while. That, or it would give them the push they needed. After all, defeating a danger that threatened the entire region would give them legitimacy. It was also how their House was founded.
Still, owning an entire city was nothing to sneeze at. Icefall City was defensible and the Icefall River connected it to the richer regions down south. It had potential, and in time, I imagine that it would become a prosperous place.
In terms of magic, they were on the lower end of the spectrum, if Lord Icefall was any indication. He was a Third Circle wizard, which was the bare minimum needed to maintain his House’s status. From my personal observations, he had an affinity for Water, and had a gift for Ice magic as well.
House Icefall had four members. There was Lord Icefall and his wife, Nyla Icefall, plus their two children. This was standard for the Houses, which tended to be small in number. At most, each Patriarch or Matriarch would have two children: an heir and a spare.
Too many children muddied the waters and resulted in messy successions. More than one House fell because its members were too busy fighting each other to determine who was in charge.
When we arrived, I stepped out of the House Sturm carriage carrying a bottle of wine in my hands. Leroy joined me a moment later. A well-dressed servant waited for me by the front entrance. He bowed when I neared.
“Lord Gabriel,” the servant said. “Welcome to Icefall Manor. Lord and Lady Icefall are waiting for you inside.”
I nodded to the servant, who opened the door and led me into the front hall, where Lord Icefall and his family waited for me.
“Welcome to my home, Lord Gabriel,” Lord Icefall said, giving me a bow, which I returned. He then introduced me to his family. “This is my wife, Lady Icefall.”
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Lady Nyla Icefall looked similar to her husband in that she was thin and pale-skinned with sharp features. However, she had long brown hair and warm brown eyes.
She wore a beautiful green dress that many noble ladies in the Imperial capital would love to own, even if it was outdated fashion-wise.
Like her husband, she was a Third Circle wizard, though her affinity was Wood, not Water.
“Greetings, Lord Gabriel,” she said as she curtsied.
While her tone was polite, and she wore a smile on her face, I could see the displeasure in her eyes. She did little to disguise it. I guessed she didn’t like my attempt to skirt my social obligations.
“My daughter, Lady Calla.”
Calla Icefall looked the same age as my younger sister, Kaylee, putting her at fifteen or so. Like her parents, she was thin and pale with sharp features, though she took more after her father than her mother. She had long black hair and ice blue eyes.
Instead of a dress, however, she wore a set of robes with a hood. They were blue trimmed with green. The robes made her look like what Brandon Norwood considered a typical wizard. All she needed was the conical wide-brimmed hat.
The style of her robes told me a lot about her future aspirations.
She was a First Circle wizard, though she had only formed three threads. However, she had an affinity for Water and Wood magic, which meant she had the potential to be more powerful than either of her parents. Those with more elemental affinities tended to have higher aptitudes.
“Lord Gabriel,” Lady Calla said as she bowed, her voice cold.
Her expression matched her tone. She didn’t even pretend to like me. Not that I cared. I was only here out of obligation. Still, it spoke volumes that neither of her parents corrected her attitude. Were it any other House scion, they would be greatly offended by this cold greeting. Then again, any other House scion wouldn’t have been as rude as me.
“And last of all, my son, Lord Brody.”
Brody Icefall turned out to be a chubby four year old boy who stared at me with wide eyes, while trying to hide behind his mother. He reminded me a little of my little brother, Roland, and I gave him a gentle smile. He took more after his mother, with brown hair and brown eyes.
From what I could tell, he also had an affinity for Water and Wood.
“Go on, Brody,” Lady Icefall said. “Say hello to Lord Gabriel.”
Lord Brody peeked out more from behind his mother.
“Hello,” he said, before ducking behind his mother again.
I chuckled at this. Cute little bugger.
“You have a lovely family,” I said to Lord Icefall, and meant it. “I brought you a gift. Consider it part of my apology for my behavior. I hope it is sufficient.”
For a moment, I thought Lord Icefall wouldn’t take the bottle., but in the end he did. When he looked at it, his eyes widened. Lady Icefall reacted the same way when she looked at the bottle as well.
It turned out that my Great Grand Uncle Coleman loved wine almost as much as he loved hunting. When I went searching for a suitable gift for Lord Icefall, one of the servants directed me to the wine cellar. To my surprise, it was stocked with dozens of rare vintages, the kind that grew more expensive the older they were. Not only that, but they were in good condition as well.
All in all, the contents of the wine cellar were worth a small fortune. Since no member of House Sturm had lived in Sturm Hill Hall since Great Grand Uncle Coleman, and he hadn’t told anyone about the wine cellar, no one in my family had realized it was there.
After I recovered from my shock, I picked one of the rarer and more expensive bottles to give as a gift for Lord Icefall. For me, it was a small price to pay to smooth things over and ensure my time in the Icefall Region went well.
It was also a way for me to flex on House Icefall, by showing them that my House could afford to give away a gift like this. A reminder that House Sturm wasn’t to be taken lightly, and neither should I. Even in a world of magic and monsters, money was a superpower.
It was a bluff, since my House was in decline, but they didn’t need to know that.
Lord Icefall cleared his throat.
“Thank you, Lord Gabriel,” he said. “Yes, it is more than sufficient.”
A silence fell over us then, one that threatened to become awkward. However, before it could, Lady Icefall clapped her hands together.
“Where are our manners,” she said. “You must be famished, and we’ve been talking your ear off. Come. Let us eat.”
A rough segue, but fuck it, at this point I would take anything. The sooner we concluded this visit, the better for everyone. I didn’t want to be here, and House Icefall clearly didn’t want me to be here. Yet, social custom dictated otherwise.
This was why I hated socializing with the Houses.
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Dinner started out as a quiet, and somewhat tense, affair. Lord Icefall, Lady Icefall, Lady Calla, and I went to the dining room, while a servant brought Lord Brody away. In House society, children didn’t eat meals with their parents until they reached a certain age. Usually this was when they were old enough to start magical cultivation.
Another servant brought Leroy to the servant’s quarters, where he would have his own meal. He was unhappy about it, since it let me out of his sight, but he didn’t say anything. Otherwise, he risked offending House Icefall.
The dinner itself was delicious, though simple by House standards. That wasn’t a complaint on my part. Not every meal needed to be fancy and exotic. Sometimes, even a high-ranking noble just wanted a simple and delicious meal. The wine they served was excellent.
Conversation during the first half of dinner was lacking, and somewhat forced. We made small talk that went nowhere, and that was it. I could have left things at that. All I needed to do was get through this dinner, let Lord Icefall know about my intentions in House Icefall’s territory, and then leave.
However, this was beyond painful. Even if social custom forced me to be here, that didn’t mean I needed to have a bad time of it. If nothing else, some entertaining conversation would make the time fly by faster.
“Lady Calla,” I said. “I’m curious. Do you intend to study at the Tower of Magic?”
Lady Calla started at this, and glanced at her father. After a moment, he nodded.
“Yes,” she said. Her voice was still frosty, but warmer than before. “I’ve always wanted to learn more about magic itself. I’ve always wanted to study it, to understand it, rather than just use it. The Tower of Magic is the best place for me to do that.”
I thought as much. The robes she wore reminded me of the robes worn by the wizards at the Tower of Magic. When I thought of wizards, proper wizards, they were the first people that came to mind.
The Tower of Magic was a combination of university and research institute. It was the single greatest institution of magical learning and research in the entire Solarian Empire, and maybe even the entire world. If the Solarian Imperial Academy could be compared to high school, albeit a high end one, then the Tower of Magic could be compared to college. It was basically the MIT of magic, and it also housed the greatest collection of magical knowledge in the known world.
The name was a bit of a misnomer. There were actually eight towers. There was the main tower, which was what most people thought of when they heard the name Tower of Magic. Then there were seven smaller towers, one for each the elements of magic, excluding Dark magic.
Politically, the Tower of Magic was a neutral institution. All it cared about was magical study and experimentation. It stayed out of politics and House affairs, and the Houses all left it alone. This included the Great Houses. The only exception to this was the Sun Emperor. No one dared disobey him.
That wasn’t to say that the Houses couldn’t influence the Tower of Magic, but their influence was limited. Part of this was because the Sun Emperor himself sponsored the Tower of Magic, shielding it from financial and political pressure. Part of it was the mystical might the Tower of Magic wielded. In terms of strength, it rivaled many of Great Houses, and even exceeded some of them.
“Calla here is a genius when it comes to magical theory,” Lady Icefall said, looking at her daughter with obvious pride.
“She’s definitely smarter than me,” Lord Icefall said with a chuckle.
Lady Calla blushed at this. She then remembered that I was there, and her frosty mask snapped back into place.
“Do you intend to join the Tower of Magic?” I asked. “Or just study there?”
Lady Calla let out a sigh.
“Just study,” she said. “While I would love to join the Tower of Magic, as my father’s heir, I can’t.”
She didn’t seem to resent this, but I saw a wistful gleam in her eyes. Lord Icefall nodded, as if he expected this. Lady Icefall looked sad and resigned. Being born the heir of a House came with many privileges, and just as many responsibilities. That was something I learned too late as Lord Gabriel.
Anyone with enough skill and power could study at the Tower of Magic, as long as they paid the tuition fees, but to actually join it took commitment. To maintain its neutrality, the Tower of Magic required that anyone who joined to drop their surname and leave their House. They could still maintain contact with their families, but they were no longer a member of their former House.
For wizards who didn’t belong to a House, this wasn’t as big of a deal. For House wizards, however, this wasn’t a step to be taken lightly. Family was everything, and few were willing to take that leap.
“Have you ever been to the Tower of Magic, Lord Gabriel?” Lady Calla asked.
I nodded.
“Once, while I attended the Solarian Imperial Academy,” I said. “Our entire year visited the Tower of Magic for a day. We were required to attend at least one lecture, and write an essay about it to show our understanding of the subject matter.”
That had been a fun day. I had attended a lecture on magical combat, and the various means wizards used to fight each other.
“Ah, yes,” Lord Icefall said, a gleam in his eye. I didn’t like that gleam. “The Solarian Imperial Academy. It’s a shame about what happened Lord Gabriel, though I supposed it was deserved.”
This little bitch. Was he looking to pick a fight?
Lady Icefall gave her husband a sharp look, which he ignored, while Lady Calla glanced between us in confusion.
“What do you mean, Father?” she asked.
“He’s referring to my expulsion from the Solarian Imperial Academy,” I said, giving Lord Icefall a sharp smile.
Lady Calla gave me a stricken look. For someone like her, an academic sort, getting kicked out of the Solarian Imperial Academy would be the end of the world. It was not an easy place to get into, and just about impossible for a member of a minor House like her. Even for someone like me, it had been difficult. My family sacrificed a lot for me to attend, and I ruined it all with my stupidity.
That was one more thing I needed to make up for.
“I’m so sorry,” Lady Calla said. She gave me a sympathetic look, the cold expression from before now gone.
“It was my own fault,” I said, shaking my head and grimacing. “I had a feud with an Otherworlder adopted by House Thorne. I took it too far and challenged her to a duel. A duel which I lost. In the end, I had no one to blame but myself for what happened.”
Well, I could blame House Thorne. I might have been able to keep attending the Solarian Imperial Academy if it weren’t for their interference, but with my Circles shattered that was doubtful. Even if they hadn’t gotten me expelled, I would have left on my own.
Attending a school filled with spoiled, status obsessed brats while crippled did not sound like my idea of fun. Having been one of those spoiled, status obsessed brats, I knew that they would have eaten me alive. Well, they would have tried.
“Still, things could have been worse,” I continued. “While I suffered as a result of my actions, in the end, I came out of it stronger in mind and soul. In fact, I’d even go as far as to call it a blessing in disguise.”
“That is a commendable attitude to have, Lord Gabriel,” Lady Icefall said, giving her husband one last look.
He ignored this one as well, and continued eating.
“Yes,” I said. “I lived to learn from my mistakes. Others aren’t as lucky. The world is full of dangers. Magic beasts, malevolent spirits,…” I looked Lord Icefall in the eyes as I said this last part. “…bandit attacks. A lack of luck or preparation or strength can result in one losing one’s life.”
I sipped my wine when I finished speaking.
Lord Icefall’s face iced over, and the temperature in the room dropped. Lady Icefall’s expression turned unsightly, and Lady Calla looked at me aghast.
While I didn’t want any trouble with Lord Icefall, that didn’t mean I would take his bullshit lying down. If he wanted to fire shots, I was more than willing to fire them right back. Perhaps it was petty of me, but he started it.
Lord Icefall laid his utensils down.
“I’ve lost my appetite and it’s getting late,” he said. “It’s about time we retired for the evening.”
Everyone murmured in agreement. Soon, I found myself leaving Icefall Manor less than two hours after I arrived. That had to be some kind of record. Leroy joined me in the front hall, while I waited for my carriage to be readied. Lord Icefall saw me off, since it was his duty as host, though I suspected he wished he could throw me out on my ass. Leroy noticed the tension, but said nothing.
Neither one of us said a word until my carriage pulled up to the front entrance.
“Lord Gabriel,” Lord Icefall said with a glacial expression on his face. “I think it’s best if we stayed away from each other during your stay here.”
I gave him a tight smile.
“I couldn’t agree more, Lord Icefall. Have a good evening.”
“You as well, Lord Gabriel.”
With that, I exited Icefall Manor and stepped into my carriage. As we drove off, I remained tense until we left the grounds of Icefall Manor.
The sun had set by this point, so my driver used magelights to see his way through the dark.
“Well,” I breathed out. “That could have gone better.”
Leroy raised an eyebrow at me.
“Was it that bad, young master?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. While I didn’t regret snapping back at Lord Icefall, I had a feeling he would make my life difficult because of it. Oh well. Nothing to do about it now.
Ugh, this was why I hated socializing with House society. It was filled with dragons and tigers, where even the slightest misstep can cause offense and result in a feud. The only reason Lord Icefall let me walk out of his home uninjured was because of my family name.
“Let’s just say that the less time I spend in Icefall City, the better.”
A beat of silence passed.
“You have a remarkable gift for causing trouble, young master.”
I gave Leroy a brief glare, before I leaned back and looked out the carriage’s window. We spent the rest of the ride home in silence.