Fire Ant: lesser Fire-based Magical Creature. They usually swarm in the Piton des Neiges’s defunct magma chambers. Their population notably augmented after the orc’s occupation of Le Port. Strengths: high number, hive mind, moderate resistance to Fire Spells, bodily temperature high enough to cause burns on contact.

Weaknesses: Hive mind dependent on the Queen. Presence of humidity decrease the swarm’s body heat. Most Queens don't live long enough to become capable of complex strategy.

Recommendation: If possible, flood the tunnels. If not, create kill-zones to grind the hive down. Alternative recommendation (only applies to Combat Magus): ideploy a covert kill-team to assassinate the Queen.

Danger Rating: Individual: DR 1/8, a minor nuisance. Capable of lesser Elemental Weapon-equivalent natural ability.(length; 8 cm, height; 3cm).

Swarm (50 or more individuals): DR 3 to 10 depending on the scale of the swarm.

Soldier: DR 3. partial resistance to Fire spells under tier 3. Capable of lesser Fire Breath and Elemental Weapon equivalent. (length; 15cm, height, 5 cm).

Queen: DR 6. Quasi-immunity to Fire spells under tier 4. Capable of Fire Breath, Elemental Weapon, Control Fire and Fireball equivalent. (length; 150 cm, height; 80 cm).

Elder Queen: DR 8. Quasi-immunity to Fire spells under tier 6. Capable of Control Fire, Maximized Fire Breath, Maximized Fireball and Investiture of Fire equivalent. (length; 300 cm, height; 160 cm).

Extract from "Bestiary of La Réunion and its waters", by Tanaka Inagi, First Librarian of La Réunion

Damien stood up. He put down his bestiary away and began to head for the library's exit, wondering how he was to contribute to the first part of the oncoming expedition. In their third week of school, he and his schoolmates had been notified that they would be sent in a round trip to Le Port ant Saint-Louis to escort their comrades whose family, like Jean’s, lived in either town.

The trip would be done in three phases, his teacher had explained. A subterranean jaunt that would take them near Le Port, followed by a two day trek, including an overnight bivouac.

In the first phase, which would begin the Thursday before the official beginning of the holidays, after their morning lessons, they would traverse through several connected magmatic chambers like the one containing the Vault that would take them from Saint-Denis to Le Port. The surface path was known to be impassable by anyone who wasn’t at the very least a Transmuter used to casting Jump and Feather Fall to pass difficult terrain. The other possible paths would then be to intrude upon the Harpy’s territory in violation of la Réunion’s covenant, which wasn’t an option, or to go by sea, which would be more dangerous than the underground, as the mermen had been massing their forces for some time now without attacking. They would then continue to Saint-Louis, take a rest there, and walk overland from Saint-Louis to the Garden. From there, their instructor had assured them with an amused smile on his lips, they would not have to worry about their return trip to Saint-Denis. When asked about their safety, he assured them that save for their jaunt in the underground, where they would be left to their own devices - and those made under the Manufactorium Overseer’s watch - they would be escorted by trustworthy adults all the way.

When further pushed by a few frustrated Saint-Denisois, who disliked the idea of a round trip trek “just to accompany their schoolmates to mommy and daddy’s house”, the teacher had to sternly remind them that solidarity between the three towns was one of the foundations upon which their survival hinged.

Damien saluted Tanaka Inagi, the old Japanese Librarian. He genuinely liked the lady, who’d regaled him with her faraway homeland’s legends when he was younger. In exchange, he’d learned the library’s sorting systems and had come to guide other visitors in her stead, when he still thought that his path would be to become a Librarian himself. He fancied that he was quite good at it too, and it had allowed Tanaka more time to write some books, such as the one he had been reading. She smiled at him and waved him away. “I know you’re busy, Damien. Go back to training. And don’t even think about persuading your friends to go up against a Queen, you scalawag! That’s for the Senior mages to take care of!”

Damien left towards the Manufactorium. Roland was all smiles when he entered, an ill omen that Damien didn’t need a Diviner’s input to perceive.

“I have good news and bad news, kid!” He began.

“The good one first,” Damien said, resigned.

Roland opened a drawer. “These are getting added to the official Enchantment Spellbooks. You officially beat the record for the quickest mage to invent a Signature Spell on the island. Congratulations!”

He fished out a piece of paper and gave it to Damien, who immediately read it.

Ember Circle

Enchantment (2)

Casting time: 6 Major, 5 Minor incantations

Range: Self

Components: Somatic, Ritual

Duration: Persistent

Create a circular zone of elemental mana. When beings not identified as allies by the caster enter this zone, motes of elemental ember attach themselves, causing burns and shedding the Embers motes' Negative charge, dulling the target’s reflexes and inflicting minor burns. The Fire motes left over are collected at the center of the circle.

Sun-Fire explosive Glyph

Enchantment (2)

Casting time: 6 Major, 7 Minor incantation

Range: Self

Components: Somatic, Ritual

Duration: Persistent

Create an elemental glyph-trap, exploding at the caster's command. In presence of additional motes of Fire mana, assimilate them into the explosive charge, amplifying the damage and augmenting the range of the explosion. This version of the spell is engineered for the maximization of damage by using the Sun-fire's tendency to explode once in contact with air.

“I’m happy we found a way to use Ember to help in battlefield control,” Damien rejoiced. “It bothered me to have to wait for mid-tier Conjurations spell to access real crowd control...”

“Yes, yes, this is very good.” Roland cut in, impatient. “Now, here’s the bad news. I have been ordered to personally create Questing gear for every one of your thirty-one schoolmates. The full panoply, with a personal Lesser Elemental Weapon, rings of Feather Fall, Shield, Magic Missile and Water Breathing. I won’t have any time to tutor you. I tried protesting, but someone in the Council decided that the only way to guarantee you children’s safety is to have them all made by me. Which is an insult to my subordinates, by the way, and I still haven’t found someone to help you with your Conjuration. How’s your progress there?”

“As expected,” Damien reported. “I don’t think I’ve finished forming the Sigil, but I have no problem with cantrips that use the principles of Conjuration.”

"How about the Sun-Fire Knife?" Roland asked.

“I have trouble Manifesting it correctly. I didn’t suffer mana burns, so my incantations are correct, but it feels as if my element simply dissipates and leaves behind a trail of overheated air. Not particularly effective. The Ember version works, but it feels like I lose half a liter of blood every time I cast it, and the recovery from the material it burns comes too slowly. I wouldn’t use it in combat unless I’m well protected, and against a swarm.”

Roland made a face. “You’ll have more options once you hit Tier 2. Did your father get you supplementary resources?”

Damien nodded. He secretly hoped that his father didn’t abuse his position to obtain more resources for his training.

Roland seemed to guess what he thought about and laughed. “Don’t worry kid! It’s been a decade since an Enchanter didn’t get supplementary resources from the Council. We just happen to need more than other Schools. As soon as you are solidly Tier 1 in Conjuration, begin training for Flaming Sphere. With your supplementary resources, you should be able to meditate quick enough to make it worthwhile, as long as you don’t mana burn yourself too often.”

Damien winced at the thought. His first few experiments with Conjuration, using unfamiliar incantations that he had tried to use as he normally did with Enchantment, had caused him painful mana burns, leaving him heaving at the shock. Jean had tried helping him, but Conjuration was as natural to him as Enchantment was to Damien, and he had to give up after dispensing a few tips about the necessity of conceiving Conjuration as a materialization of Elemental mana as opposed to the imbuing of mana into solid objects Damien was used to.

“One more thing,” Roland continued. “As I said, I’ll be busy making gear for you and your little friends. I’m told you’ll separate into groups of 5 or 6 in the tunnels, what with there being multiple routes and the tunnels between the chamber being too small for groups. Do me a favor and make the Lesser Elemental weapons for you and your teammates yourself, will you? Ask one of my Transmuters to shape them.”

“Yes, sir…” Damien sighed. Of course, the lazy codger had found a way to make him do some of his work and call it training. At least it wouldn’t take him too long, although he would need to know who his teammates would be soon. Unless... "Roland, would you happen to have the list of my teammates?" He asked suspiciously.

Roland snickered. "I worried you wouldn't ask! You're in a balanced team, too! Maybe one of the best! Julia and you for damage dealing, Jean as a scout, and Manon for defense. I pulled a few strings with your father and got you Louis and Cynthia, my grand-nephew and grand-niece in your team. You know Louis already, I think. He's an Earthen Abjurer, your age?"

Damien nodded. He hadn't known that Louis was Roland's grand nephew, but he knew him. He was modest in both size and temper and managed to be unremarkable even in an 11-person classroom.

"I've only heard about Cynthia, though," he said. "She's with her tutor and his Militia company reinforcing the Orcs in the south, right?I heard she passed her Flight test and received her permit, even at her age."

Roland seemed quite pleased. "Oh yes. She's quite the buffer, you know. All Enchanter-Transmuters tend to be good at mass buff, of course, but... Well, you don't need to worry about her gear anyways, she already made it for herself long ago. So, what materials do you want?"

Damien hesitated. "For five simple Lesser Elemental Weapons? Five kilograms of refined steel and ten Elementally neutral swarm Cores."

Roland whistled. "Going for the customizable route, are we? Ambitious! I'll have that ready for you tomorrow. Go now, I have to get to work on those rings"

Damien hurried to the barracks. As expected, Jean too was leaving his tutor's quarters. He stopped him and asked. "Can you find Louis and tell him to come with you to the Manufactorium Saturday afternoon? I know you're usually practicing, but I've been tasked by Old Roland to make something for you before the holiday trip."

Jean nodded. "Alright. I'll find Louis with Lucille and have her relay a Message to him. Anyone else?"

"Now that's useful! Tell Julia to come Sunday with Manon too... Maybe don't Message Manon directly though." Damien admired Lucille's newfound utility. At this rate, Jean would become Saint-Denis's new Postmaster!

"Alright. See you tonight!"