Chương 19

Mama was off ranging. More often than she had before. It was a bit of a bummer honestly, I had liked training with her even if it was archery. She still did it when she got back, but we just had less time. But then something changed that I wasn't expecting. I was making lunch. Papa had gone out for something earlier which was rare, but sometimes he needed to put in some enchantment order or something. I heard the door open, and Papa's steps as he entered inside, along with another much lighter footsteps.

"Dorah?"

"I'm in the kitchen making lunch!" I called back but pushed the pan away a bit and poked my head into the hall, only to back up a bit as Papa and then El'Tela walked into the dining room.

"Oh, hello E'Tela."

"Alah'Dorah, you are doing well?"

"Umm. Yeah."

"Here?" Papa asked, pulling out a chair and she nodded slipping into the seat. I looked between them, something was definitely up.

"Come sit Dorah."

"Sure. What's going on?" My question was answered as El'Tela pulled out a piece of paper, and spread it out on the table, a familiar piece of paper in fact I'd written it myself.

"You made this?"

"Mage Hand? I mean, no, Papa did."

"The spell construction, this is your work?"

"Oh, yeah. Umm Yes." I said, trying to sound more confident.

"Hmm. Where did you learn to do this?" She asked, curiously, and I just shrugged.

"I've learned a bunch of spells from people, and I usually get them written down. People give me just the spell instructions and so I learned from that. I just took Papa's Arcane… Grip? And figured out how to shift it into a structured spell." It wasn't even that good. It hogged more Mana than it should, but I managed to make it a little better as I improved it through levels. That page had the Level 3 version. So it was at least functional.

"How many spells do you know?" I blinked, no idea off the top of my head, but I did have my sheet.

"Nineteen?" I said counting quickly, and pretending to do it in my head.

"Show me."

"What?"

"All of them. Show me." She demanded and I felt my eyebrows rise, looking at Papa he nodded, urging me on. Ooookay.

"Holy Light. I'll cast a weak version cause it's a mana hog." I told her, and brought my hands together, before casting the spell. She didn't say anything so I continued.

"Conjure refreshment." I offered, casting it twice, once for Water, and another for a muffin. I very much did not test the muffin, even as she reached over and took both looking them over before setting them aside.

"Continue." Weird, but you know what? Fuck it. I placed my hand on the table and with a quiet hum etched in a Glyph into the table. The gently glowing circle was looked over, and she looked at me.

"And where did you learn that?"

"I just… I was trying to make more Enchanting ingredients, and I needed a way to trap mana into a smaller space. I just worked it out."

"She did. Surprised her mother and I when we first saw it etched into her room one morning."

"Continue." She demanded. I shrugged, and started, Sunwell Compass, Timer, Float Object, lifting a quill, and setting it floating around. And then I just ran through them all. Showing off Mage Hand, as one of the final ones, along with Spell Steal, then revealing Strength surge half lifting a table as I flexed my arm.

"That is nineteen."

"Yep…That's all of them."

"I see. Why did you learn so many spells?"

"What do you mean?"

"It takes time and work to refine a spell for yourself. You learn every spell you can, but you could have focused on the sword like I know you are interested in. Why?"

"I like magic. I like spells, and I want to know them all… I wouldn't be half as good with Spell Steal, or have been able to adjust Mage Hand, if I hadn't seen so many spell structures already."

"Know them all." She muttered, then shifted to Papa.

"I remember a boy that once told me that he wished to know all the ways of Enchanting."

"Hm? Yes that was me, I said that to you." Papa said simply not understanding what she was getting at.

"Indeed. What about your swordsmanship? It won't be easy to balance learning so much."

"What about it? I haven't really improved any since Zo'Talana left, but that's just because I don't have a sparring partner. I'm going to get a big shield, a sword, and I'll do magic."

"A lot of things to split your attention."

"Well, I'm going to be an Explorer, all of that is just tools for that."

"You'll never become a magistrix if you don't dedicate yourself to it."

"Oh, that's good. I don't want to be a magistrix. I want to go see the world." My words had El'Tela looking at me for a long while before she smirked.

"We'll see, either way. I agree with your father… You have talent." She reached out and tapped on the paper for the Mage Hand.

"I'm still working on it, but I need to practice it more, I just don't have the mana to properly improve it."

"I see. Well, that will come with time, and training…" She looked at Papa and nodded.

"You will send her to my home in the mornings, and I will see how far she can go."

"Thank you." He said, earnestly, and she waved him away.

"She has had my interest for some time but I didn't consider training her. This I will do for a time, until she can't keep up any longer."

"Heh. That's gonna be longer than you think." I admitted, and she sent me a superior look. A promise this wouldn't be easy. But hell, I wanted new magic and this seemed like a good way to do it.

"I will see you tomorrow morning." She offered then and rose up, Papa rose to help her but she waved him off, and then walked slowly out of the house. I waited until she was definitely gone, walking off towards her home down the road before I spoke.

"I thought you told me to avoid her?"

"Yes, that would be wiser." He admitted, but looked at me, and then reached out and fluffed my hair.

"But I can't stop you from searching for your dreams. Just like my own father couldn't stop me. This is what you needed."

"Thank you Papa."

"Don't thank me. I doubt it'll be fun learning from her."

"We'll see." —-- Mama was not pleased when she got home and learned about El'Tela, but after Papa explained she seemed to just sigh and accept what had happened. Although she did leave me with a warning.

"Be careful interacting with the Magistrix, and never forget you can always just come home and be done with it." I nodded, but I had no plans on that. This sounded fun! I raced off from the home after breakfast, the same path I had walked while training Zo'Talana, it was familiar and that made me want to run all the faster. The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I headed up to the front door and hesitated before knocking politely.

"Enter." The voice didn't come from her, but from a knocker on the door and I did as ordered, entering the home, and heading inside. I found her quickly, in her breakfast nook beside a large window, the table was empty beside just her own, which was a bit weird. I was used to Zo'Talana being right there.

"Magistrix, good morning."

"Hmm. Take this, and learn it. You have until I am finished." She pressed a paper across the table and I took it. Hand written instructions on how to cast a spell, but no real information on what the spell was. All I knew from looking was it was an Arcane construct. I sat down and read through it familiarizing myself with the spell. It wasn't a buff, but you cast it on yourself, and it was Arcane. Wow it was complicated, it did something here… It repelled some magic in a way as well, so defense? Hmm. What was that…

That was the problem… It… Pushed mana through a repelling function? What could… Oh. Right, when you cast a spell, you stop intaking Mana naturally, only when the spell is finished does the flow of mana resume after a few moments, as you use your own mana, it sort of buffets out repelling ambient mana so you can't regain mana while casting. With this you sort of can? Interesting! I can see how this would be useful after all! A clink of a metal on ceramic and I looked up, she was finishing her tea…

Oh right, I needed to learn this before she was done. Yikes. Okay focus, the spell's concept was there, the mana flows were like that, and I just needed… Oof it was mana hungry I would only get a few chances to get this right. I brought my hands together, followed the flows of mana, shifting and working and then when the spell structure was complete I continued feeding it mana, and… It sort of fizzled during the absorption phase. Yes, too much flow there, need to alter that flow. I tried again.

Another chunk of my mana vanished as I formed and worked the structure, until I cast it again. It was a failure, I knew that right away. The spell activated, a ghostly flame appearing around me for a few moments, but it vanished popping like a soap bubble a second later. But that was enough. I had figured out enough. [Spell Learned: Mage Armor] So that's what it was. Whew I felt tired.

"Hmm. So you did not succeed?"

"Huh?" I looked up and she was readying her plate, as a floating tray had come over and she was stacking her dishes on it.

"It seems we will have to-""Oh no I got it." I responded, oof I was nearly out of Mana though. I took a breath. I had enough. Barely. I cast the spell this time, properly, and a moment later, the ghostly image of armor hovered over my clothes, before mostly fading from vision, but it was definitely still there, easily noticed by anyone really focusing. And I slumped. Not out of mana, but close. Far too close. She stilled slowly looking me over, and then her face shifted into a smirk.

"I see." Then she brought her hands together and a moment later, a beautiful bottle appeared in her hands, the crystal decanter shone in the morning light.

"Drink, refresh yourself, we have work to do."

"Ah, yes… Magistrix." I said, and she huffed.

"Dispose of the pleasantries, we have more important things for you to focus on than correct titles. We will see about Etiquette another time. Drink."

"Okay." I sat up and took the crystal decanter and looked inside, water. Practically sparkling in the morning light. It was… Almost a shame to drink it. It was so beautiful. I tipped it back and it splashed with cool clear taste. I drank the whole thing and felt infinitely better. My Mana wasn't just slowly returned, but full.

"Wow."

"Come along." She demanded and I followed as we were led deeper into the large home than I had ever been, up a flight of stairs that she didn't climb, but hovered up through a central carpet that took her upwards, while I realized I would have to race up the stairs. Mean! I wanted a magic carpet ride! But it was fine, because on the next floor she led me into a large open room, nearly the entire second floor and it was a mage study.

Books and magical items lined the walls, and in the center was a glyph glowing with power… Ooh! That was way stronger than my Glyph! It wasn't just taking in the ambient mana keeping it from flowing out but sucking it in! I needed to learn that I could vastly improve my enchantment resources like that!

"Stop." I stilled, realizing I was already a few steps over to examine it.

"Ah sorry."

"Hmm. You are interested in Glyphs?"

"Yeah! This one is sucking in the ambient mana super fast! Mine only trap mana that is passing through this is waaay better. It's also much bigger."

"It took quite some work to create this Glyph. Perhaps you will understand why I went to so much effort some day. Learning to craft them is a rare skill, but useful. Step inside. There is a skill that you must learn if you are ever to truly cast spells as you should."

"Okay." I did so and nearly rocked back. Inside the Glyph the mana was thick in the air, but the fact nothing was being… Infected? Irradiated like you would think inside meant the Glyph was specifically keeping the mana from absorbing into things. It was even more complicated than I thought.

"Good. You sense it. Now, there are two things you must learn, if you are incapable, this will be the end of our training. The spell you learned is called Mage Armor, it is not the flashiest spell we have created, it is not the most advanced, or the one that will win you a spell duel against another mage… But, it is one of the most useful. Do you know why?" She spoke as she walked around the glyph slowly, each step careful, showing just how old she was, but she spoke with the passion of a teacher.

She'd done this before.

"It lets me absorb magic while casting?"

"Yes." She nearly hissed her smile widening as she shifted, looking at me instead of walking.

"Yes, exactly. Maintaining the flow of Mana, while casting is vital! If you fail to retain your equilibrium while casting, you are useless. A child with a bow will be more useful on the battlefield than you… Although in your case, I suppose that is reversed."

"Heh, You usually give this speech to older people huh?"

"I do… I used to. Long before you were alive. Now, you were able to learn Mage Armor, which will give you a step up. You can feel the flow of Mana flowing into you when you cast, or should very quickly focus on that, as that will be the lesson today. And there will be no further lessons if you fail. Learn to absorb mana while casting naturally. It is a skill that will be your test. Succeed, and we will continue. Fail, and you have earned yourself a fine spell, but you can learn from someone else."

"I'll do it."

"We shall see. You have until you pass out."

"Umm… What?"

"The mana inside the barrier is already thick, this will push back on your spell castings' natural repulsion slightly making it easier to learn, but it also is suffocating. You have perhaps an hour before the mana inside grows heady enough you will lose consciousness. Oh and dear, Please cast whatever spell you wish at the dummy, do not damage anything in my workshop of you will be punished severely."

A floating training dummy sort of waddled in hopping back and forth on its metal base as it entered the bubble of where the Glyph barrier. Right… Learn something in an hour or pass out and fail. Geeze. El'Tela really had a sink or swim mentality didn't she? I shifted, Holy Light was the best choice, keep to the lowest tier of the spell.

I got to work, the moment I formed the spell structure, feeling the light fill my hand, the thick mana pushed away from me, it nearly took the breath from me, as I realized the air was thick, in a way that was almost suffocating… Crap. I cast the spell on the dummy, and a few moments later the mana flowed back, pressuring against me, and it already felt thicker. Luckily she was right. Mage armor let a trickle of the mana flow into me, even as it was pushed away.

I started casting again, but tried to focus on that feeling, balancing the two was hard, but I had to. The flow of mana, slowly trickling in was artificial, but I should be able to learn it myself. I cast the spell, and then felt the mana push into me. I started casting again. How… How do I do this? Obviously the mage armor was doing it, obviously the answer was there. Focus. But it was hard.

I had to cast the spell to work on the idea, and that distracted me, and then it was like being crushed every time I finished as the mana flowed back in. I repeated it, over and over. I tried a few things, pulling at the mana, but that was as useless as reaching a hand out and hoping the Force would be there to move a cup. Mage Armor was the answer… The process, I'd seen it when I cast the spell but… I looked up, of course.

I shifted looking at El'Tela who was now sitting on a comfy looking chair that had somehow moved to her just outside the glyph.

"Can I get some more water?"

"Of course." And a tray floated in already hovering next to her, and I smiled. Despite how do or die she was. She was a good teacher. So I started casting something different this time. Mage armor. [Mage Armor 3/10] The structure, the answer was right there. I couldn't do it with my current understanding of the spell, but if I wanted to gain understanding? All I had to do was level, and I was currently in a place suffocating with Mana, with amazing mana rich water, and a teacher. This was the perfect time to grind!

I cast the spell, over and over. Drinking after every third cast. [Mage Armor Lv 2 1/20] I stopped, and the better understanding flowed into me. I knew how to make the inflow of mana while casting better. It was only a percentage, but that was just it, wasn't it? It only needed to be. The trick, the function of the spell, was something I could do naturally, and now, I had a basic understanding!

"You are running low on time." I was reminded, and I looked up and nearly fell over. I was a bit dizzy. She was right. I focused, breath in. Breath out. I cast Holy Light once more, the mana was repelled, focusing me, and I felt it, that trickle of mana flowing in, how it was increased with the new spell, and… All I had to do was create a variance in the flow, the atmosphere. Mana wasn't a gas, it was more like… Electricity? Negative and positive? Shit I wasn't an electrician, but it was accurate enough.

I just needed to reverse the charge, make the positive negative, and it should flow backwards, at least a little. It wasn't a spell, but… The Mana inside me, I spun it around differently, flowed the opposite, way with a snarl, a circle that should… I felt it. Even as I cast Holy Light, I felt the increase of Mana. [Skill Learned: Arcane Meditation] I fell to my knees. The mana was really a bit too much.

"I got it." I whispered, and suddenly the mana flowed away from me, and I could breathe again.

"Step out girl, before you pass out. I do not wish to carry you." El'Tela ordered, and I stood up on wobbly legs and walked out of the Glyph, instantly the air felt clear and clean and soft instead of heavy.

"Oh wow, that is nice." I gushed out as I fell and just rolled over onto my back breathing. El'Tela watched me for a while as I just breathed staring up at the ceiling, and then I shifted to look at her.

"You have the grace and manners of a Troll…" She said a bit hotly, staring at me laying on her floor.

"But…" She smiled.

"Get up girl, and go home. Come again tomorrow."

"Yes. Magistrix." I huffed, as I rolled up and onto my feet groaning a bit. Wow. I was tired. Well at least I had a spell, and a new skill to grind out a bit tonight.