It was nothing special, just a wooden plank attached to four tight ropes hanging from an A-frame. Yet the result was awe-inspiring for his family.
Swings seemed to be unknown in the new world or at least they were in Lustria County.
Raaz looked at the result of their work in admiration.
It's amazing. Why the three wooden beams instead of just one?
Safety reasons. Lith explained while using earth magic to make the last 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) of the beams sink underground, making it impossible for the swing to be toppled by a wind storm or too vigorous movements.
That way, both ends are like a chair. Multiple legs mean that the weight is equally distributed among multiple beams, making the stress per beam significantly inferior.
Of course! Now that you explained it, it's so simple. By the way, what do we call this thing?
Lith was at a loss for words, he had no idea what the word for swinging movement was and he could not ask that now.
Err... It's a rocking chair.
"Dammit, why do I always screw up with the little details? That's no rocking chair, but it's the closest thing I could think of with my current vocabulary." -
Tista fell in love with his present and the rocking chair soon became a popular pastime in the family, to the point that Raaz had to build a couple more to avoid quarrels.
Furthermore, after his experiments with dark magic, Lith spent the following months trying to apply both Life Vision and Invigoration while treating Tista's symptoms.
"If I manage to obtain the same imaging for Tista's body that Invigoration grants me for my own, I should have a better understanding of her underlying condition. That would mean drastically improving the chances of finding a cure!" -
In the blink of an eye, it was almost winter again, Lith's fifth birthday was approaching.
Lith was determined to capitalize on every single day before the great cold arrived to catch as much game as he could to fill the house's storeroom to the brim.
He had no idea how cold the incoming winter would be and even if he was probably strong enough to survive a storm, he doubted his parents would allow him to test his theory.
During the last year, Lith had explored more and more of the Trawn woods, learning how to move without alarming the animals. He had also discovered new uses for dark magic.
His newest spell, Shroud, allowed him to cancel out his body smell and aura by enveloping Lith in a thin layer of dark energy, making it impossible for most animals to notice him by either smell or instinct.
It wasn't an easy task, even a small misstep would turn the Shroud into full-blown killing intent, alerting the whole woods to his presence.
That day Lith was raiding a new location, deep in the Trawn woods, investigating an odd feeling that had tormented him for days.
In a certain area of the woods, Lith could hear an annoying buzzing sound and until that day, he had always ignored it. Lith had always thought that it was the call of some weird, unknown animal, but in the last few days the noise had gotten stronger and persistent.
Damn, whatever this is, it reminds me of my desktop's Uninterruptible Power Supply unit whenever there was a black out. It's ear piercing.
Lith could not help but to imagine it as a desperate cry for help. He did not understand how he got that idea, but his gut was telling him that it was something important.
Ever since Lith had learned martial arts back on Earth, he had always followed his gut feeling when he had nothing to lose, and this was definitely the case.
The closer he got, the louder the noise. Lith knew he was on the right path.
He was running at full speed when he heard a bone chilling howl. Lith immediately used two of his life saving spells, Shroud to conceal himself, and the air spell Light-foot to float a few centimeters above the ground, making his movements noiseless.
Both required a lot of concentration, but it was better to spend some mana rather than stupidly endangering himself. Calm and focused, he searched for the source of all that noise.
Holy sh*t! That's a Ry! Lith exclaimed inwardly after quickly hiding behind a huge tree.
A Ry was a magical wolf beast, the apex predator of the Trawn woods. Magical beasts were more common and weaker than monsters, but they could still easily take apart a fully armed soldier.
Not many animals could turn into a magical beast, they needed a great talent for magic and enough time to feed off the world energy.
Once an animal became a magical beast, it could use its mana to boost its physical prowess and even develop spells that employed elements they were attuned with.
The Ry was almost as big as a horse with fire colored thick fur.
Lith could not understand why a Ry would come so close to a human settlement, Rys were intelligent beasts that avoided unnecessary trouble. If humans did not disturb them, they would return the favor.
Lith felt pity for its prey. After making sure he was upwind, he canceled both spells to save precious mana, getting a better understanding of the situation.
The Ry kept howling and growling, as if it was in pain. Lith noticed that every time the Ry's snout got close to the ground, the buzzing sound would become high pitched and the magical wolf would whine in pain.
Now more curious than afraid, Lith activated Life Vision to estimate the Ry's power.
What he saw made him gasp loudly.
The Ry was unbelievably strong, with a mana flow almost on par with Lith's. However, the real reason for his amazement was a second mana flow that belonged to the source of the buzzing sound.
It was a little stone, smaller than a thimble.
"What the f*ck? That pebble is alive? That explains everything! The noise it emitted must have lured the Ry here, just like it did for me. Taking into account its reactions, the noise is much more annoying for the Ry than for me. I never heard of rocks with mana flow, that thing must be a magical item. I cannot let that brute destroy it."-
Throwing caution to the wind, Lith decided to take action and save the magic stone.
"The Ry's life force is incomparable to mine, but if I manage to avoid it getting close, I know I can win. His mana flow is inferior to mine and from what Selia told me, magic beasts have no offensive spells." -
First Lith activated Shroud again, then he started weaving his strongest spell.
Plague Arrow! A bolt of dark energy flew from his joined hands, hitting the Ry from its blind spot while it was trying again to crack the noisy stone with its teeth.
The screeching sound and the spell both hit at the same time, making the magical beast almost lose its footing.
Plague Arrow was a spell that injected a dense mass of darkness magic into the victim, disrupting both the mana flow and the life force. Lith had charged it with as much darkness magic as he could to quickly gain the upper hand.
Before the Ry could turn around to search for its enemy, a stream of lightning erupted from Lith's palms, hitting the magical beast with enough strength to knock it down.
While increasing the distance between them, Lith canceled Shroud for Life Vision. Despite the sneak attacks, the Ry was still alive and strong.
Lith focused his spirit magic, using both his hands, trying to break its neck as he had already done countless times.
The Ry wasn't stupid, as soon as it felt the ominous sensation on his neck, it contracted its muscles, reinforcing it with mana and making it harder than steel.
"Damn! So much for my advantage. If only I could use fire magic you would be already roasted to death. Could you please go away? That thing is mine! Mine!" -
Lith conjured several ice javelins, throwing them at the magical beast from multiple angles simultaneously.
The Ry easily dodged them all, retaliating with a powerful magical roar.
Lith was only saved by the distance, having the time to realize that a massive wind blast was heading his way. He stepped back at the moment of the impact, using his own wind magic to dissipate the blast.
"F*ck me sideways! Thanks a lot, Selia. Magical beasts do not have offensive spells, sure. It seems this Ry never got the memo though." -
The Ry charged at Lith, using its wind blasts to disrupt his rhythm. Lith did his best to keep the beast at bay, but the difference in physical prowess was overwhelming, it was only a matter of time before he got caught.
"Okay, when you can't win, just run. Plan B, fight dirty!" -
Lith stopped running away, setting up his final ace in the hole before throwingin the towel.
He conjured many ice javelins, but did not throw them, he left them floating in mid-air all around him.
After a moment of hesitation, the Ry chose to ignore them, charging straight at the insolent pest.
That's a good boy! Eat this! Twin spell! Flash&Bang!
Lith's right hand produced a massive flash of light, for a moment it was like a second sun had appeared. His left hand used wind magic instead, to produce a noise comparable to an explosion.
The Ry tumbled from the pain, its eyes and ears bleeding while Lith was unscathed. He had learned long ago that, as long it was infused with his mana, his own spells would do him no harm. He could cover himself in fire, ice, or lightning without a scratch.
When the Ry crashed against a tree, Lith finally used the javelins, throwing them with all the force he had. All of them hit the target, but the thick magical fur prevented them from impaling it, piercing only through a few centimeters of flesh.
Lith immediately checked with Life Vision, the results were appalling.
The Ry was definitely wounded and weakened, but far from being dead.
Dammit! So much effort for so little damage. If it continues like this, I am the one who is most likely to run out of steam or luck. The Ry only needs one hit to kill me. It's not worth the risk.
Lith used spirit magic to recover the magic stone before running for his life. The stone was full of tooth marks, its sharp surface prickled Lith's skin.
So long, sucker! Lith screamed at the still stunned magical beast.
See you again in a few years, let's see if you dare attack me again! Small drops of blood touched the stone and the noise stopped.
The Ry was still trying to make heads or tails of what had just happened. It only wanted the damn noise to stop hurting his ears when that fierce man-pup showed up.
The Ry had tried to scare him away and to teach him a lesson, but in the end, the Ry was the one getting schooled instead.
"Bah, who cares." The Ry thought. "I wanted to get rid of that stupid rock and one way or another I got the job done. That was one feisty pup though. I pray that he shows more consideration towards his pack than he did for me. Otherwise, when he grows up, he will be a scourge to his kin. Stupid humans and their greed bring only troubles. They are incapable of even taking care of their own." -
The Ry, leader of all the packs in the Trawn woods, shrugged away the ice javelins before returning to its family.
Chapter 18: New Solutions, New Problems
Lith kept running until he was out of the woods, turning his head from time to time, to check with Life Vision is he was being followed.
There is no trace of the Ry, but better safe than sorry. I'm afraid I have pissed off that thing quite bad. It's better to give it some time to vent and search for easier prey.
He was near Selia's house, when he finally remembered about the magical stone. Lith activated Life Vision, getting a good look up close.
The first thing he noticed, was that the rough edges on the stone had smoothed out, it did not prick his skin anymore. The surface was still rough, but now looked like a stone marble.
The buzzing sound had stopped for a while and the magical stone's life force, despite being still at the same level, had changed significantly.
Back when he saw it for the first time, its life force was like a candle about to burn out, now it had become steady, with a regular pulse.
Warning Selia about the magical beast took priority, so he hid the stone in a leather pouch he always carried at his neck before knocking at her door.
Lith explained everything to her, describing in detail the size and power of the Ry, leaving Selia flabbergasted. He only omitted the part about the fight, to not blow his cover.
Lith told her that he had fled as soon as their eyes met and that he had managed to get away only thanks to his magic, showing his tattered sleeves as proof.
Good gods, kid. She still refused to call him by his name. "You have been really lucky the Ry took it easy on you. Had the Ry decided to give you chase, we would not be having this conversation. Nonetheless, thanks for warning me first, instead of going to your parents." Selia ruffled his hair.
How do you know I came here first?
Because if you didn't, your parents would have probably locked you up in your house and one of them would have come here to warn me in your place.
Lith froze up. He had just dodged a bullet much scarier than any Ry.
You are right. It's better not to tell them, otherwise my hunting days may be over forever.
Yeah. I suggest you taking the rest of the morning off. Make up an excuse for those sleeves and go home. Selia walked to the shed near her house where she kept her game maturating.
Take these as a thank you for the heads up. She handed him a rabbit and a blinker, ready to be cooked.
I was about to go into the woods. I think I will follow my advice, instead, and keep tanning the remaining pelts. I'll go hunting in the afternoon when it should be safer.
Lith thanked her with a deep bow, he knew how precious meat was in Lutia, even for a huntress as good as Selia. Not to mention she had just saved him from perpetual house arrests.
He spent the rest of the morning trying to understand how to use the magic stone. It appeared to be feeding off Lith's mana. Not leeching it like a parasite, more like nibbling at the mana that he naturally released.
The stone would simply breathe in what Lith's body breathed out, nothing more.
Lith tried injecting mana into it, but to no avail. Then he tried to cast elemental spells while holding the stone, to check if their strength, cast speed, and area of effect were affected in any way.
All of his experiments gave no results, the stone looked just like any other.
Stones do not have such a clear mana flow and certainly they do not have any life force. Maybe this thing needs time to heal, to recharge or something. The Ry messed it up quite badly, let's hope it's not broken. Unless it starts harming me, I'll keep it. Maybe it's some kind of treasure, or maybe I can find something about it in Nana's books. I just have to be patient.
The last days of autumn passed on uneventful until winter arrived.
Having reached five years of age, Lith revealed a little more of his magic talents, proving to be invaluable to his family.
He would wake up first and warm up the whole house with magic, even the floors. At that point, the fireplace was lit only because it was cozy, and because gathering around the fire, especially during the stormy winter evenings, was a family tradition.
Even the cooking was entrusted to Lith. Elina would prepare the meal, and Lith would cook it faster and better than a ventilated oven, keeping the soup warm for everyone during the whole meal.
He could not go hunting anymore because of the bad weather, his parents had been adamant on that. But Lith could still go to Selia's house to perform the chores for her.
During the last year, she had become so lazy to be dependent on Lith for keeping her house clean and her tools sterilized.
This meant killing two birds with one stone for Lith. Now he had an excuse to go fetch his private stock of meat whenever he got hungry, and Selia had to pay him for the chores.
Lith would do it for free, just to get out of the house, but his parents would not agree. So, Selia paid him a few copper coins to clean her house, and some more for Elina to do her laundry
.
Both Elina and Raaz would welcome any extra income and doing the laundry for eight instead of seven wasn't much an effort. Especially since Lith provided her an endless supply of hot water.
"Nice to meet you, I am Lith, boiler supreme." He would grumble inwardly every time. -
In the first weeks of winter, Lith made a very important breakthrough. He finally understood how to use Invigoration's body imaging on others.
He was now able to let his mana seep into another person's body, and slowly take control of their mana flow, allowing Lith to know everything about the subject's physical condition.
The only way to achieve such a result was to keep physical contact, for pathways the mana could use to invade the body without harming the patient.
Lith immediately used it on Tista, and his findings were appalling.
Her body was full of the tar-like substance, that for the lack of a better term, he had dubbed impurities. And the cause of that was her lungs.
Barely half of Tista's lungs were made up of healthy tissues. The rest appeared like a black-brown mass that actively produced impurities, that over time filled the healthy tissues of her lungs and windpipe, making her cough first and ill later.
After giving it some thought, Lith was sure he had found a fix better than everything he had done before, but it was very embarrassing.
Even though his real age was that of a thirty-year-old man, he was still in a five year old's body. He found extremely uncomfortable the idea of speaking of certain matters, especially with the family women.
After some deep breaths to calm down, he called Raaz and Elina to ask for their help and permission.
He had to dumb down the procedure quite a lot to get them to understand.
Basically, I cannot cure Tista, not yet. But I discovered a way that should make her feel much better. In the best-case scenario, she could even get rid of most of her symptoms.
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