I wasn't about to ask Cortifex about the Aegis Shield's further potential, I had enough.
As kind as he was in his directions, he was strict in his demands.
"I want to practice my other spells, too Sir.
Please guide me."
"Go ahead, slow and careful."
I started with the Light Aura.
I figured I should get it and the Water Aura going first.
I really wanted a good Heal.
But the books didn't help me much the first time around.
The Aura was forming quickly as if I had done nothing else for years.
Had to be the shield practice.
Not at all as difficult to control as the Wind.
The light felt good, nurturing and lightening me.
Cortifex seemed stricken.
I also noticed Jess peering at me incredulously, quickly approaching.
I continued to examine what happened.
I did feel better, very much so.
Very soon I came to realize the amazing properties of this Aura.
My HP, MP and stamina recovery ratio went through the roof.
The Status display of the game helped quantify the effects.
What before took minutes now took seconds.
I felt light, brimming with energy.
"Stop. Now."
Cortifex's serious tone led me to release the incredibly relaxing effect.
"Boy, you need far more help than I can offer you at this moment.
How many other Auras and spells do you still have to test?"
"One Aura and spell for each element, as I understood it." Interjected Jess.
"I see. Miss Mitara, I trust you will guide your young prodigy.
I will get him more help as soon as I can.
Until then I expect you to perform at your best.
I will see to it that Madam Renuras will unburden you from your more menial tasks."
"Please Sir, don't! We're shorthanded with so many comatose still.
I cannot leave the others to it all alone!"
"I think I can do something about that.
Don't burden yourself overly young Lady.
You can focus on guiding him in our absence.
I believe you are well capable of telling him just what he did just now."
With that he went and picked up his class.
Giving them an earful about their performance, proving to all of them he had not ignored any of them.
Some seemed quite regretful of that fact.
"You have to slow down."
Jess was serious.
"Huh, what's that?
I haven't even learned to use one spell properly!"
"Not that. You can learn as many spells as you want.
And you probably will!
But you just cannot start casting the most powerful spells at the start!
I do not know how you do it.
We were quite thorough in cleansing even remotely related works to the two spells you cast."
"Well, I kinda like the White Aura, really. Mind me trying again?"
"For god's sake, listen! You buffoon!"
"Uh, it was powerful alright.
I felt how amazing its recovery effects were.
Why would I not want to master even a tiny bit of it?"
She looked around.
With it being time for lunch, only very few were left in the huge cavern complex.
Then just plopped down on the floor.
Looking up at me she motioned me to sit beside her.
It was kinda grassy.
Got to remember we're in a Cave.
She looked up at the fake Sky.
"Once there was a pure person.
It was concerned about the people and wanted to Heal even the most terrible injuries.
This was long long ago.
Do you know this story?"
"Never heard of it.
Should I?"
"Haha, of course not. It is just one of the most repeated Fairy Tales we know.
And the Dogma of the White Paragons.
And History."
"Sounds kinda ominous. What's so bad about healing everyone?"
"Nothing!
It is just, that story tells us how this quest can turn out.
I won't bore you with it, but in the end, that person went on and did amazing things.
So amazing that thousands of years have passed and we still talk about it.
The ending was bittersweet.
...
Please, for me, just relax and let us try that spell some other time, ok?
I will tell you a few pointers what you need to know controlling it now.
But you have to sleep on it and be very very clear before I can allow you to try again."
We just sat there for a while.
I had no problems appeasing this delightful NPC.
So what if I had to follow her guidance and not rush my growth?
The way she made it sound, me playing with deadly forces, gave me pause.
Considering a normal Light Aura of my level was mere illumination and minor ward at best I understood how dangerous it could be if my wildly unpredictable talent were given free reign.
Not that I had known that at the time, they had purged ALL Light Aura books from my study.
The distinct difference between the formalized spells and my own made me wonder.
Would other Auras incinerate my surroundings? Or myself?
Could I turn to stone by messing up?
No Player I knew had gotten here, truly learning Magic sans System assist.
Reading textbooks hadn't made me an expert.
l knew I wasn't.
I brought out a few snacks, even some of the Herbs I found on my travels.
I had found some of them quite tasty and made a habit of eating them when I felt peckish.
"Here, try them, they're really good."
She just shook her head, laughed and swallowed it gingerly, seemingly savoring every second of it.
"I have plenty of those, Here take another."
"I can't, they are far too valuable to use as a sweet."
"What? Are you telling me I've munched away a fortune?"
"Most definitely.
It doesn't surprise me though, nothing does.
I wonder which gods blessed you, probably all of them."
"A bit thick don't you think?"
"Hah!" She looked up and stared at someone.
"Hey, little Brother, come over here!"
The *Boy* in question wasn't tiny, quite the opposite.
Around 20, muscular but sinewy.
Tormented, not an ounce of fat on his body.
He looked far older in a way that only some people can.
His eyes and the gaunt face prominent.
"Yes Dear Sister, I can never quite escape you.
Anything of import you wish to share?"
"Get down and relax. If my pupil has any sweets with him not worth a small fortune he has to shove them down your skinny frame or I'll not speak with him again."
"Sorry, only got herbs and potions, and those aren't sweet at all."
"Haah. doesn't matter, give him anything, he needs food before we continue."
"Sister I..."
Hush little twerp, I can still break you in any time you want. Eat!"
I proffered some rations and the brother started eating, his eyes downcast.
It seemed he had a purpose, but what exactly eluded me.
I introduced myself and he followed suit, continuing to demolish my rations as we went.
Jess was quite insistent.
"Now, do you feel rested and well dear Brother?"
"Go ahead and do your worst.
Is your Student to face me?
Isn't that a bit early, even for him?"
"Quite alright he is.
He has a bunch of spells he needs to test.
And since his Auras are all a real handful we will go with the simple evocations."
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"Can't I first cast them once to get a feel for them?"
"Once, but afterwards you try to hit that beanpole while he is trying to hit you.
Focus on not getting hit, not on casting.
When you feel you can get one in, go for it!
He is tougher than he looks.
I want to get your head out of this dangerous state it is in.
Otherwise you'll cause a cave-in with whatever spell you cast.
Understood?"
"Sorta liked my epiphanies. You can be mean, but I'll still love you."
She flushed.
Her brother whistled.
"She's gonna make you pay for that!"
"I think she already did, or will you go easy on me Roenward?"
『Roenward Lv45』
HP: 39,840 | +25,440 /m | +5,340 /m | +732 /m
MP: 7,200 | +6,780 /m | +2,120 /m | +686 /m
Stamina: 7,950 | +5,900 /m
Strength: 80 | Vitality: 60 | Endurance: 72
Agility: 62 | Dexterity: 62
Intelligence: 14 | Wisdom: 20
Luck: 17 | (Growth: 5)
Attack: Physical: 2,722 | Magic: 1,822
Defense: Physical: 2,589 | Magic: 1,889
Hit: 136.9 | Evasion: 120.7
Critical %: 64 | Critical ×: 6.45
I didn't see his full status, but what I saw was clearly abnormal for someone his age.
He did not just look like a hardened warrior, he was one.
No chance whatsoever even grazing him, unless he wants me to.
And the stats suggested as much as the glimmer did.
He wasn't even decked out with level appropriate Gear besides his weapon and armor.
『 Lv6』
Exp: 56.75% | 4,888 / 8,613
HP: 10,658 | +4,150 /m | +1,770 /m | +200 /m
MP: 2,960 | +2,220 /m | +1,190 /m | +242 /m
Stamina: 2,510 | +1,700 /m
Strength: 26 | Vitality: 25 | Endurance: 27
Agility: 29 | Dexterity: 32
Intelligence: 32 | Wisdom: 22
Luck: 27 | (Growth: 12)
Attack: Physical: 845 | Magic: 831
Defense: Physical: 435 | Magic: 653
Hit: 75.9 | Evasion: 52.7
Critical %: 48.4 | Critical ×: 5.84
I knew Jess was a monster far beyond this Guy.
He had still more than twice my stats.
"Go go, I need a break, just bash your heads in, I'll heal whoever is needing it.
Just make sure there is something left to heal, or I'll never marry you, got it?"
"I do not quite think that you worry about the right person here dear Jess.
Please, I'll do anything you ask, but he is a Level 45 monster!
I'll never even hit him!"
"Yeah yeah, ah, before I forget, you are forbidden from casting light magic.
I don't want you to cast force either."
I shrugged, I'd do my best regardless.
"Aren't you a little hard on the fella?"
"Nah, we will see, I want you to chase him good.
He needs to have his epiphanies beaten out of him today.
Go!"
So we went.
I instantly cast Wind Push and Vitality Buff on myself to get out of his way.
Which worked.
But he was nowhere near his real speed.
I took the chance to cast Super Soaker at him.
It missed, and he almost started laughing, the bastard.
Well, it was a puny spell, no matter how hard I tried.
I knew it was designed to be just that, a control exercise.
Ah well, he started chasing again.
I flip-flopped around, using Wind Push to the best of my ability.
Did help but only just so.
I tried the simple Flame.
Which easily enough, incinerated an area of 5 meters ahead of me.
About as bad as a Flamethrower.
The flames were still burning as I put some distance on the flabbergasted Roenward.
"What the fuck was that Sister?
That twerp is Level 6, he cannot cast this shit!"
"I told you to take him seriously.
Something is seriously wrong with his magic.
Give him a few good ones."
"Whose side are you on Jess?
I really don't know why I have to do this!"
I was whiny, but I really felt his pressure now.
I doubt my impromptu Napalm Thrower would have hurt him, but the damned flames did not stop burning.
I cast a speeding Rock at him, pushing it forward with Wind Push and me away from him,
casting the Wind spell a few times in quick succession.
He wasn't deterred, although the rock did pierce a nearby wall and shattered big splinters out of it.
I must have used Force I realized, just pushing Earth and a bit of Wind behind can't result in this carnage.
Very carefully cornering me, never being in the same spot twice it became hard to use Wind push.
As he was almost at me I cast Shade.
I meant to, but I instead created a Darkness which blinded him thoroughly.
He crashed into the cave wall I had been pressed against moments before.
Were it not for my armor, I'd have scratches on me.
I fired a Spark at him and followed up with a combination of Flamethrower and Rock.
the combination was very effective.
It started with a Lightningbolt zapping and shocking him for a few seconds, then the
Flames reached him, and as soon as he started burning all over the rocks got to him and quickly melted into Lava, some others just exploded into shrapnel before.
His HP bar seemed well enough, so I followed up with my trusty Tornado as he was still paralyzed.
His body started spinning and quickly lifted towards the ceiling.
The flames were still on and the Pyre of Lava ate more and more of the cave around it.
He did appear miserable, but unharmed.
I figured I should go all out and hammered him with all my spells.
The Lightning kept him uncoordinated and paralyzed when I was lucky.
The combination of Fire, Wind and Earth continued to wreak havoc on the cave and him.
I stacked on the Darkness, covering the Man in such a deep Black that I feared a Hole might form.
So I stopped it.
"Stop, Stop!
Brother, you miserably failed.
He got you, and you didn't even try hitting him!"
She was berating the still paralyzed darkened husk that he had become.
At least the spasming had stopped.
But his armor looked terrible.
Its stats and durability had to be unimpaired, but it truly needed cleaning.
As did he, but he took no damage throughout.
Except for the Status effects and the humiliation, I suppose.
The cave started to fix itself while Jess healed his ailments.
Just in case you wonder, Lightning is an intermediate Element l commanded directly.
Like the others I had read about it and figured it'd be useful to try.
Possible to form directing basic Elements but cumbersome.
Second years get taught properly, but I was capable accessing my powers without much need for guidance,
The stains on him weren't quite gone, but he looked remarkably hale for what he just went through.
"He really is something Sister.
I approve.
But don't let Father know, he'll never agree to anyone."
"What are you thinking, you were supposed to make him stop his stupid stunts, not improve them!
Useless.
At least you got something to eat.
Come let me treat the both of you."
He didn't protest. Nor did I.