Chương 13

"Nothing?"

"Sorry kid, no one was even close to interested. I even had a fireball thrown at me for asking at one smith." Mel'tenar explained and I winced.

"You okay?"

"Oh it-I'm… It didn't hit me, I'm fine kid." He explained rambling a little as I must have sounded a bit horrified.

"Okay so… How am I going to learn smithing?" I asked, more to myself than Mel'tenar, but to my surprise he had an answer.

"Well, none were interested in doing some sort of write up, but if you want to learn a bit? You know Windhome?" I stared at him blankly, and he just laughed.

"Yeah that's about how people react to it, it's what they look like when I mention the village as well. It's the closest village to us, it's got a fancy name and everything."

"I guess Windhome is better than just… The Village?"

"Really need to bother Ma'Rika and get a name settled on, no one can come to a satisfying choice." He said half sighing, and I just nodded, it was a fairly common issue in the village. Ma'Rika didn't want to make a decision, and El'Tela didn't choose either, so basically it was up to the villagers, and no one could convince the others of their silly name.

"So smithing?"

"Right, Windhome has a tinkerer, not a fancy smith or anything. He makes little toys and things. But he knows how to smith. Ended up talking to him, and well, the guy is interested in doing more with his toys, and your father is an enchanter."

"He wants to learn enchanting?"

"Oh I'm sure he might be interested at some point, but what he wants is someone to do the enchanting for him. Your father might be able to trade a bit of work for an apprenticeship. Windhome is close enough you might be able to get something going. Best I could figure out for you kid."

"Thanks Mel'tenar, this tinkerer, does he have a name, and where I could find him?"

"Alerrio, and you can find his home in Windhome, he's got all these little things outside on his fence, can't miss it."

"Okay, thanks." I waved goodbye and headed out of his home, my thoughts awhirl. Asking Papa to do enchanting work for this guy would be… I'd just finished a pseudo apprenticeship, and it felt wrong to ask for more, but I was also an enchanter, at least an apprentice level. I could offer my services in exchange! And then there was the other problem, Windhome wasn't just a skip down the street. That was a trip. I headed home, my schedule free for the first time in a while, I still wasn't entirely sure what to do.

Seriously, what a situation. —--"Windhome? That's out of the question, it would take hours to get there."

"Right… But?" I said, sounding hopeful and Mama gave me a look.

"Dorah, you are still far too young to be running to another village! It would be a day trip, and then you'd end up staying in the other village, where would you even stay? And alone? Out of the question."

"Right… But I really want to learn how to smith. I'll need it."

"You, Dorah, my genius daughter, you don't have to learn everything, you shouldn't. You can use your other skills when you're older to buy good weapons and armor."

"But if I go on a journey there won't be shops to buy things from, I need to know how to do it myself."

"I think learning how to forge a sword out in the field is a bit much Dorah. Instead why don't you focus on magic, or enchanting? WIth Magic you could probably learn how to teleport. Magisters can do that."

"I mean, that is cool, but I want to learn how to make a sword too." I said pouting, and Mama sent me her, Mama look number four.

'I think you're cute, but still no.'

"When you are older, if you still want to, we can consider it… Is this because you want a sword? I know you only have the old wooden one we got you before."

"Huh? Well… Sorta? Yes? I do want to make a sword, but-""So yes. Maybe if you are very good, we can see about getting you something… At least I know you can use it." I wiggled a bit. A sword sounded cool, but… It would just be a generic sword, maybe I could enchant it, but my parents weren't like wealthy or anything. I wanted to make a cool awesome super sword, but I could only do that if I knew how to smith. I guess…

If I can't use the basic bitch starter weapon, I don't deserve the Soulkiller the Impaler endgame weapon… Which was irritating. Mama must have noticed my face as she reached out and poked me in the forehead.

"You'll get creases if you keep your face like that."

"Will not!" She smirked at me, flawless skin, and shining eyes. Elves rarely got wrinkles like that!

"Focus on something else for now my Light. You have plenty of things to keep yourself occupied with, but traveling to another village isn't going to be one of them."

"Okay… Fine. I guess I could do more hunting to work on my tailoring, armor has leather and stuff inside, so I should get to work on leatherworking?"

"Not in this house you won't. I know the capital has spells for tanning, but you aren't doing it the normal way."

"Okay." I agreed, cause yeah, wasn't tanning leather supposed to use urine, and stuff? Gross. I got a pat on the head as Mama headed out of the kitchen and I sat there for a while… I guess… One of my other skills? Which one though? …

"Eeny Meenie-" —-- I hadn't liked the random choice that had been selected, so instead I decided to work on my newest skill.

"Spell Steal!" I called out, throwing a greenish arcane beam across the backyard to hit the timer rock I'd made and sucked the spell out.

"Whew!" I bent over and put my hands on my knees. Spell Steal was a chunky spell, and it was very draining, but at least it was something. Plus, if I could level it enough I could try and start actually stealing spells. Figuring out foreign spells and learning them! I walked over and reset the timer rock and gave myself a few moments to allow my mana to slowly refill, before turning and casting again.

"Spell Steal!" I yanked the spell out, and grinned as I got another tick up. [Spell Steal 5/10] Just had to keep the grind going! At least it had been a while since I'd trained any spells, so I hadn't gotten in trouble for drinking all the lemon water in the house for months! I could totally get away with grinding!

"What are you calling out, Dorah?" I looked up as Papa came out onto the back porch, and I grinned.

"My new Spell! Zo'Talana taught it to me… Well, showed it to me, and I figured it out before he left."

"Oh?"

"It's called Spell Steal! It lets me take someone's spells! I can even use them myself."

"That's the Spellbreaker spell." Papa said slowly, and I blinked as I realized he was actually looking at me fairly closely.

"Yeah… I think he wanted me to be his apprentice in the capital, but I told him no. That's why he left."

"And he taught you this… Did he make, no, did you agree to anything? Or did, I should-""Papa?" I asked, as he had started sort of looking around frantically but my call stopped him.

"He didn't make me promise anything. I don't think he expected me to figure it out. Well, I didn't entirely. I'm only kinda getting it, that's why I'm practicing."

"Dorah… The Spellbreakers are a very secret organization. They don't just tell people how they counter spellwork. It's why they are so important." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Well Zo'Talana, slipped up, and now I have the spell… You want to learn?"

"No." Mama said, startling both of us as she walked out.

"I doubt either of us would be able to get it, it looks complicated. And Dorah… I didn't know you learned this, but try not to yell out the name of the spell okay? Let's not share with anyone you know the spell."

"Oookay. Only El'Tela knows, she was there. And Zo'Talana, so, is that okay?"

"Yes, she won't say anything." Papa said, but Mama looked less sure, as she walked out onto the yard.

"You really learned the spell?"

"He showed it to me, once. It was a deal we made if I beat him in the yard."

"You beat him?" Papa asked, and I grinned, as I stood proudly.

"Yep! I cheated!" I said, and Papa blinked in surprise.

"Cheated?"

"Yep! Well he did first! He kept using this spell to make himself move faster, so I used some spells. I tripped him, and blinded him."

"Blinded him?" Papa asked, sounding worried.

"Yeah with my Flashbang!"

"Oh! You used that on him?" Mama asked, and I nodded.

"Well, not as strong as I used on the boar, but it worked, and I tripped him over and had my sword at his throat. So he said since I cheated, which I totally didn't, but that's okay. He would only show me the spell once… And I watched him do it, and then learned it myself. I figured it out, and he was…" I trailed off. He was pretty freaked out.

"Dorah?"

"When I did it, he told me… It doesn't matter." I said firmly, shaking my head.

"I'm not going to the capital, I'm going the opposite way. Anyways, he got upset and he went inside, and that was the last time I saw him."

"That explains a lot actually." Mama whispered, and I looked at her.

"Really?"

"Yes, I was wondering why he left so quickly. He let that spell out, and that's… Let's just keep that quiet so he doesn't get in trouble." Mama said, and I nodded. I might still want to punch Zo'Talana, but I didn't want him to get in trouble.

"Is it really that big of a deal?"

"Yes." Mama said firmly, and she even squatted down so we were eye to eye.

"Never tell anyone that you know that spell, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good." Mama said, pleased at how serious I had taken her order. Oh. I hadn't honestly expected it to be that big a deal… But then again it was like the super cops special secret that let them stomp on normal mages, so I guess it was important. I looked at the now empty stone, I needed to hide the spell, huh? How could I do that? It should be obvious if people's spells started disappearing… Disappearing?

"Hang on. I have an idea." I said walking over and casting the timer on the rock and heading back to Mama and Papa again. I started casting and then "Dispel!" I called out as the greenish beam slammed into the rock. Then I looked at my parents.

"Can you tell I stole the spell, or is it just gone?"

"Heh." Mama instantly chuffed out a laugh as she reached over and messed up my hair.

"It does indeed just look like you dispelled. Good thinking." Mama said, sounding proud, and I nodded.

"Can you do that with anything?"

"Well any spell? I think?" I said, and Papa was looking at it, while scratching his chin.

"Does it work on enchantments? I always wondered, and the Zo'Talana never answered my questions about it." He said, sounding quite grumpy about knowledge kept from him.

"I don't think so?"

"Have you tried?"

"Noooo?"

"I'll be right back!" Papa said, sounding chipper as he hurried back inside. I looked at Mama and we both smiled. Papa was such an enchanting brain. Some Enchanting thing and suddenly he was utterly distracted. He ended up bringing out a small enchanted light, and placed it where I put the rock.

"Try now?"

"Okay." I said and started casting feeling nearly woozy at how low my Mana was when I sent it off, and…

"Nothing?... Ish?"

"Ish?"

"I don't know… It felt weird." Technically enchanting was layering a spell through the physical material, the essence, or dust, acting as spell paths, and absorbing ambient mana to keep itself running. I just shook my head.

"I'll need to practice more… But uh… I'm totally out of mana."

"Oh, well you should drink something then." Papa said simply, and I grinned at his reaction. Mama nodded.

"I'll get some lemonade, go rest." She demanded, and I went and sat. Papa sitting next to me, and I shifted over and curled into him.

"Hmm?"

"Just want to touch you." I said, and he nodded slowly as his arm fell over and pulled me into a side hug. I snuggled up, and just enjoyed the contact until Mama came out with a cool glass. I spent a moment to make it even more chilled by throwing in some icecubes, earning me a look from Mama.

"If you are out of Mana, don't use up more."

"I'm not that low!"

"Running out of Mana isn't something to play with. It's dangerous." Mama told me firmly, and I obviously couldn't look her in the eyes, as I sipped at my drink.

"Dorah."

"Hmm?"

"What is that?"

"Lemonade?" I said raising the cup. But Mama wasn't going to let that go.

"That look, Dorah, not the drink I just gave you."

"What look?"

"The look you just gave me when I told you to be careful about running out of mana? That look. The important look."

"I… Have done it before. It sucks, I'll try not to do it again."

"Dorah."

"It's my healing spell. If I push everything into it, it'll drain me."

"That's… Fine, be more careful." Mama demanded, and I nodded hurriedly, as I then felt Papa nudge me a little.

"Is that why you asked me about getting a Mana enchantment?" Papa said, and I froze.

"Yes."

"That's dangerous." He said with finality that I wasn't expecting.

"Mana enchantments might add to your reserves, but you can still drain yourself while casting… Don't do that."

"Right… I won't Papa. I promise."

"Good." He said, and then had his proud Papa face. Even Mama sent him a happy smile. Man getting ganged up on wasn't fair. I was good! Mostly. —-- Considering I was being watched closely for overdoing it, I decided to end my spell training for the day and instead headed up stairs into my room and flopping on the bed. It was weird to have free time again. I liked it, but also, I liked having a focused thing I was doing. I missed sword training already. Stupid Zo'Talana. Could have at least warned me.

But as I lay there, I looked across my room. My enchantment stuff had been sort of just laying there, untouched for a while. I had done some gathering here and there, when I wasn't too tired after sword training, but even that had been super limited. But… There was a big book sitting there on the table that I hadn't even cracked open in the months since my birthday.

"Man, I really fell behind on stuff… There's gonna be a strength enchantment or a stamina upgrade in there, huh?" I whispered to myself, and then with immense willpower worthy of the gods, I rolled out of my comfy bed to go grab it. The tome had been Papa's and I really had been excited to get it. New Enchantments! It meant I could finally level my Enchantment skill higher, but… Well, swords. But I guess now was a good time for it, and as Papa had just got on my case, I'd avoid any Mana enhancement enchantments…

For now. I opened it up, and grinned at Papa's scrawl in the margins, correcting even the introduction of the book. Oooh, Papa hadn't thought very much of the writer, Magistrix Dax'Rellian. I flipped to the next page, and the next. The first few pages weren't enchantments themselves exactly, but talking about enchanting as an art, and Papa's brusque dismissal of some of the points was funny, even though they were entirely serious. I read on, finally getting to something interesting.

The first enchantment was one that I knew, the spirit enchantment that Papa had taught me. It had been a very simple enchantment I guess. I read through, noticing that Papa had taught me how to do it, alongside the arguments that he had written into the book about how to enchant it 'properly.' Papa was such a little genius. I grinned as I went on, and to the next, and the next. The first enchantment I didn't know I stopped at.

"Minor Health." I whispered as I looked it over. It needed… Something that covered my chest. Ugh! That was too much to just- I looked up at my wardrobe… I looked at the book.

"If they don't want me enchanting all of my normal clothes, then they definitely shouldn't have given me a book on enchanting, so it's not my fault… It's their fault." Was that argument convincing? No, I was definitely going to get a scolding, even if Papa usually had enchanted clothes on, on the other hand, this enchantment should help me level up.

"Minor Health, Just needs dust. Doable." I whispered looking at my boxes of the stuff. I had some shirts, might as well get enchanting. —-- I'd gained ten points into enchanting, which was nice, as I wasn't even 'missing' level ups from succeeding, but… I was out of shirts. Back to the book. I went through the next few chapters, which were more about teaching enchantments and adjusting them due to the size or shape of the item. Which made sense!

Armored metal bracers were very different from cloth wrist bands that a mage might use. It wasn't exactly what I needed or anything but it was kinda fascinating? Like it was stuff I kinda knew, or at least knew instinctively, but hadn't properly considered. It was neat. Then I hit the next enchantment…

"I only have one pair of boots… But a boot is a boot." I whispered looking up. My boots were downstairs, and I mean. Why shouldn't I enchant my boots for agility? Why should I have it? Just had to sneak past Mama. —-"What are you doing?" Mama asked, and I flinched, holding my boots in my arms. Stealth Broken. Fission Mailed.

"Crap."