Time of Change (Emerilia Book 7)

by Michael Chatfield

  “Insights into spells we can mutate?” Josen asked in a confused tone, as if not understanding what the words were trying to allude to.

  “Oh, I do so love dealing with new students!” Induca clapped her hands with a big smile on her face. “So, where do spells come from?” She looked at her group.

  “From other mages,” Edlai said.

  “Where do mages get their spells from?” Induca asked.

  “Old texts, awakening to their Mana, and watching natural processes of the world?” Krenua sounded unsure.

  “These are all ways to learn spells, but these spells will not be as strong as a spell that you come up with yourself,” Induca said.

  “Ourselves?” Josen asked.

  “Okay, so take your healing magic for example. When you heal someone, what do you do?” Induca asked.

  “I cast the spell, supplying as much Mana as it needs to heal the wound.” Josen shrugged.

  “Jules would have a fit if she heard you say that.” Induca shook her head. “Yes, you can use a general spell that speeds up recovery, though if you focus on the broken parts of a person you can heal them faster.” Induca looked at the five DCA officers who stood in a circle with her, all their attention on her.

  “If I have a broken bone through the skin, if I was to have the bone set, then used a spell that promotes just bone growth, it would be much more effective and cost less Mana. Then, another spell can heal the muscles, another for blood vessels, another for tendons, and another for skin. All of these spells are derivatives of that original healing spell. It is their precision that has changed. You use less Mana and instead of trying to focus on a large spell to do everything, you’re using a series of limited spells. Much easier to have confidence in putting small things together instead of everything in one go!”

  “How can we refine our spells and change them?” Josen asked.

  “You need to practice. Go check out people who are wounded, look over books on medical information, and study spells that heal people and compare it with your own spells. Take what you know, adapt it to what you need and test it out,” Induca said.

  “What about other spells that don’t deal with healing?” Edlai asked.

  Induca frowned before she held up her hand. A ball of flame appeared.

  “This is a simple Fire spell, but if I adjust it,” Induca’s flame extended out into a spear, “then you can make it change forms at will. Mana is a fuel source for anything and everything you can create with magic. Spells are the way to direct that fuel. Many are scared to modify their spells because of backlash. This is why practice is important! The more you practice, the better you will come to understand the spell you are using. If you do not understand it, then how can you expect to go onto higher and stronger spells? When you are training with weapons, do you not train your body first so that when you pick up a sword, you already have the basics of movement and fighting to draw from?”

  Krenua rubbed his chin in thought. His most basic and familiar spells were a basic flame spell that he could create on his forefinger and a shadow spell that he could use to cover his hands.

  The Fire spell was good for lighting fires and the shadow spell was one of a series that he had bought in order to become a better stealth fighter. He had gathered a number of these shadow spells, spending a small fortune on them. Now, with Induca’s words, he understood how to adapt the spells outside of their normal uses. He looked at his hand. Shadows seemed to creep out from between his fingers. He closed his eyes and focused on the spell’s formation.

  As he did, he tried to understand and test out the spell some more. He realized that it didn’t feel familiar. He knew how to cast it, but it was as if he had a third limb that was working on its own. He had little understanding of how the spell worked.

  He opened his eyes and looked to Induca.

  “Having a conference?” Lox asked as Steve and Gurren followed.

  “Just a little bit of magical intervention. We need to make one more stop.” Induca led them down the street.

  “While we walk, I’ve got presents!” Steve said.

  “You’ve got presents? You couldn’t fit in the damn doorway!” Gurren complained good-naturedly as he pulled out Health potions.

  Krenua’s eyes went wide as he looked at the Health and Mana potions. They were high-grade potions, capable of bringing someone back from life-threatening injuries. Each person got two of the high-grade healing potions and a half-dozen larger potion bottles that carried a medium-grade healing potion, and then four of the medium-grade Mana potions.

  They all thanked the trio, storing the items away in their pouches of holding. The Aleph had used their manufacturing expertise to reduce the cost and increase the speed of manufacture of simple items of holding and the DCA had taken advantage of this fact.

  Things had certainly changed in Unity.

  They quickly arrived at the mage’s college building that was attached to the mage’s guild.

  Induca went in, quickly coming out with five spell books. “Read these.” Induca passed the books out.

  They took them gingerly. Spell books were a rare commodity still for the DCA.

  “Induca, this is too much,” Krenua said.

  “Ah, just give it a read. We’ve got plenty of gold and not much to really spend it on. You all listened to the ramblings of an old lady and this is your reward. Also, it will help develop your magical ability faster.” Induca crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “Now, you going to keep me waiting?” she demanded, trying to look cross but it was clear she was joking.

  Krenua opened the spell book.

  Spell Book: Arcane Sight

  Do you wish to learn the spell: Arcane Sight?

  Y/N

  “Yes,” Krenua and the others said as the prompt came up. The pages started to turn, slow and then faster. Ideas and thoughts raced through their minds. The back of the book closed with a crash and turned to dust, the magical resources of the book now spent.

  “Good. Arcane sight is the basis of a good understanding of magic. It will also help to keep your soldiers who know magic in line.” Lox moved forward. Gurren, Steve, and Induca followed while watching the DCA officers blinking and rubbing their heads at the sudden influx of information.

  “Try out the arcane sight. We’re pretty safe in here to try it out; just don’t look at Steve too much!” Induca said.

  “My handsome face really is too much for some to handle.” Steve looked back and gave them an exaggerated wink.

  “Seriously, why do we keep on bringing this lump of scrap metal around?” Induca joked.

  People moved out of their way, staring at the members of Party Zero and the DCA officers. Krenua hadn’t noticed the looks that Party Zero gathered before.

  They were some of the most powerful fighters in the Stone Raiders, if not the strongest. They were a bunch of goofs who lived to train and fight, but they were also just people. To those they passed, they were idols or famous figures.

  Yet, the four of them didn’t care for the looks or mutterings as they passed. Krenua felt their excitement as they joked and played around. What was fame if they couldn’t play? They were excited to clear the dungeons!

  “Arcane sight,” Krenua said. He had not yet come to call on spells without an incantation or a pre-made spell formation. His world seemed to change as he slowed his pace, lest he run into something.

  The light of the world dimmed as clouds of blue Mana energy moved through the air. It was focused in people and in magical objects, showing Mana moving through people’s veins and stored within their bodies. As he looked closer at magical items, he could see the runes that made the items work.

  He and his fellow officers looked around in wonder at the world of magic. It was as if a whole new realm had been opened up to them. It was a beautiful display, leaving them all stunned.

  “Now that you’ve got that sight working, test out your spells. If you don’t have a spell, let me know and I can give you a simple o
ne.” Induca looked to them.

  All knew some simple spell, whether through a magical awakening or through a spell book. Everyone thought of being some great magician or powerhouse, so it was natural to dabble in magic, even if it was just for a few tricks.

  Krenua followed, not paying attention to the outside world, following their four guides blindly as he called up his Fire spell. Krenua let out a sharp breath. Not only was there flame, but there was a small spell formation that revolved around the tip of his forefinger.

  He studied the different symbols. He didn’t truly understand what they did, so he started increasing his Mana input and decreasing; he watched as the symbols changed. He increased and decreased the size, applying multiple different effects on the flame.

  It was incredible! Now he understood how people could spend centuries studying the mysteries of magic, trying to figure out its secrets and propagate their own ideas. It was amazing to see.

  Krenua looked up from his flame, feeling a headache come on from using the arcane sight and flame spell for so long. He looked to the Party Zero members. Lox and Gurren’s armor practically glowed with runic lines of power.

  His eyes moved to Induca. Her skin seemed to radiate power, the Mana in her so dense that it made Krenua wonder what manner of spells she could call on. Then his eyes moved to Steve. At first, there were just a few tracings of runes, concentrated on the joints of his body. Then the arcane sight pierced through those layers.

  Krenua nearly fell over with the brightness of the runes that made up Steve. It was as beautiful as it was powerful.

  Krenua looked away, his eyes burning as he deactivated his arcane sight.

  “When your Mana pools fill back up, you can start checking out your spells again. Unless we’re eating or sleeping, work on your magical perception. With you Demons, you have great Strength and Agility, but where other races gain ten points to their Mana pool for every increase in Intelligence, you only get five. Work on that precision! Also, these will passively work on your Mana pool and get you used to Mana drain.” Induca tossed them necklaces.

  “Induca, you have given us many gifts. How can we repay you?” Krenua held the simple amulet with runes on it.

  “Get stronger. We’re going to be facing a lot of enemies in the future side-by-side. It’s been awhile since we’ve trained people and you look like a good bunch of candidates. The stronger you are and the more you learn, the more you can pass onto the rest of the DCA and strengthen it. You’re our allies. Would it not be natural that we wished our allies were as strong as possible, especially in these dark times?” Induca asked.

  Gurren and Lox looked backward.

  “And don’t worry, we’ll show you how to really fight with those swords and shields,” Lox said with a wide smile.

  “Thank you,” Krenua said.

  “No worries. It’s always good to be able to pass on our secrets and training others is good fun. Think of your debt already paid if you are able to learn something on this trip.” Lox smiled and the others nodded.

  “Very well. Then I guess we should get a move on for this dungeon!” Krenua smiled, excited by the possibility to increase his own strength.

  “That’s the spirit!” Steve yelled.

  “Follow me!” Lox picked up into a jog. Even though he was nearly half the height of the Demons, Lox’s speed was high even with all his gear on.

  The rest of Party Zero and the DCA officers took off at a run, quickly exiting Unity and heading out of the cleared area around it and into the largely untouched forest that lay in the northwestern section of Devil’s Crater.

  The sounds of the city were left behind as the sounds of nature—animals running between cover, hunting, or becoming still as they passed—surrounded them. The air was colder, with a touch of dampness in the slightly swampy area.

  Krenua and the other officers thought that they had good Stamina, but they were breathing heavy within five minutes under Party Zero’s speed.

  Suddenly, they slowed to a crawl. They all stopped, gathering around and getting low.

  “I’ve got this one.” Steve’s arm turned into a bolt thrower as he moved off. Even with his size, he was able to move almost silently through the forest.

  Krenua watched in bewilderment.

  Moments later, there was the sound of the bolt thrower firing. A creature’s roar tore through the forest before stopping midway.

  “Got it.” Steve stood up from behind some cover. He swept forward, and the others moved with him.

  “Check to make sure that nothing sneaks up on us,” Lox ordered.

  Krenua pointed to two officers, pointing in directions for them to watch. They nodded and disappeared into the underbrush, looking for any other animals that might be attracted by the spilled blood and noises.

  Krenua shifted to the other side, moving around the beast that had been slain. His eyes went wide at seeing the Level 93 asamp.

  They clung to trees, looking like branches. When prey passed, they swung down and would shoot out a razor-sharp projection from one end, stabbing into its victim. Barbs would keep them attached as the asamp injected venom and pulled its sucker up, drinking the life blood of its victim.

  They were hard to spot and harder to kill, with their bodies being as hard as rock.

  Steve’s bolt had come in along the side of the tree, hitting the asamp where it connected with the tree and its brain was located.

  A Level 10 asamp was a great source of materials for alchemists and crafters. A Level 93? Krenua whistled, thinking of how much the creature could reach at auction.

  Lox and Gurren talked with each other as Steve bagged the asamp.

  “Okay, let’s move out. We’ve been given a quest to clear out a path through this region as well as a number of bounties for different creatures around here. Hope you brought your A-game. If we can get this done, then there’s some good gold in it before we even get to the dungeons,” Lox said.

  Krenua and the other DCA officers smiled.

  They had decent pay from the DCA as well as room and board, but the government didn’t have all that much gold to spare. If they were able to gain some gold and resources from these bounties and such, it would help them get their own custom weapons and work on their fighting skills or get better meals.

  “We’re going to rotate people through positions. Induca and Steve will be scouts. Gurren and I will take down the creatures. All of you DCA types will rotate through.” Lox’s voice was loud enough so that the scouts who were out around the area where the asamp had died could hear. “Good! Krenua, sort out who you want where. We’ll move out in ten minutes!”

  Induca and Steve moved in the dungeon’s direction, taking over the scout’s positions while Krenua raced back to give his people their new positions.

  ***

  Lox and Gurren walked through the forest, joking and laughing. The DCA officers had been on edge since the first asamp; they’d encountered a number of them since the first. Lox and Gurren took a DCA officer up each time, studying the creature and then letting them have the first attack on it.

  The Dwarves both carried heavy crossbows in their bags of holding that could break through even the normal skin of the asamps, not just their weak points.

  It had restored confidence in the DCA officers and they had learned a lot from the veteran warriors.

  Induca showed the scouts different ways to detect the enemy but mainly focused on magic. Steve joked around and talked about magical coding.

  The four of them had a great background of information; being able to share it was exciting to them.

  “Damn, I’m going to be a weapons trainer in my old age,” Lox snorted with a smile as they walked past the three-quarter marker between where they had entered the forest and the dungeon they were aiming for.

  “What did you say?” Gurren blinked. The map rapidly updated with different landmarks. Gurren had used his surveyor skill to update their maps.

  “It’s actually kind of fun teachi
ng others about fighting. Satisfying, you know,” Lox said.

  They had been warclan leaders and shield bearers what felt like a lifetime ago. There was nearly ten years between their ages, but with the long lives of Dwarves, it was normal to have much older and younger friends and that was what they had become. Through their training of Stone Raiders in Cliff-Hill, to their battles side-by-side and adventures across Emerilia, they had become as close as brothers.

  “Making me feel old for you.” Gurren harrumphed.

  “We’re all getting old,” Lox complained.

  “Not me!” Gurren said proudly.

  Lox snorted. “Remind me of that brash Max.”

  “If only I was so lucky,” Gurren said with a sad smile, remembering Max, who’d died at Boran-al’s Citadel.

  For a bit, they walked in silence as their newest students joined them.

  “Okay, now let’s see how you fight!” Lox pushed the sad thoughts away.

  ***

  “Dungeon, I’m home!” Steve singsonged as they exited the woods to the clearing around the dungeon. This one wasn’t in the cliffs around Devil’s Crater like many, but was simply a sloping path that rose up into a clearing in the forest.

  They had killed a number of rare creatures and gathered some herbs that they had seen on the guild’s quest boards.

  The Stone Raiders’ Guild needed gold with their expansion and with the DCA officers getting some good spending money, it would make more units think about going out into the wilds to increase their skills and their fortunes.

  Lox might look like a simple gruff Dwarf, but he was a thinking Dwarf!

  “I swear, if you start singing that damned seven Dwarves crap, I’ll break your actuators so you can only walk on your tiptoes!” Lox hated Steve’s tone-deaf singing that would make a baby rabbit want to cry.