I walked quickly, though cautiously, through the forest. Inside the outer walls of the Spire I had yet to be attacked, but outside was another matter. I adeptly avoided a root that quickly shot upwards several inches. Then I ducked to avoid a branch that dropped down at an angle aiming for my face.

Gods, how I hate nature. The other worlders are always in awe of it, the only compliment they give us is directed towards our forests. We smile and take what praise they offer us, while cursing them in silence. The woods do provide us with lumber and game, but our ancestors ingrained in us a deep distrust of the forest.

Before man invented tools, it was them versus nature. Nature was no loving provider, she was a cruel and merciless overlord who demanded sacrifice and blood. The weak did not last for long, be it stronger predators, poisonous plants, or lack of food. Our ancestors fought heartily, and eventually we reached a state where we were no longer reliant on her.

Cities and farming allowed us to leave the dark dangerous forests and create our own worlds. Sure, nature was beautiful, but that was just a veneer. Travel deep enough into any forest and it’s doubtful you’d ever come out.

Even after we escaped the horrors of nature, that bitch refused to leave us in peace. After the first cities were erected, immediately came the surges. The forests and seas spit out an almost endless horde of bloodthirsty creatures. Most settlements fell in the onslaught, none on the coasts survived. Only the best defended inland cities were able to eke out an existence. Then came the mages, who managed to reclaim most of Nostrum’s main continent. They were eventually surpassed by the utilization of lodestone, which allowed even non-mages to defend their homes.

There were stories of dark lords, saintly clerics, and valiant champions. Sometime after civilization had been restored came the heroes… Those otherworlders proceeded to throw our world back into the chaos we had escaped. The only things worse than their actions, were their accursed ideas…

I shook my head, dispelling my thoughts. I always enjoyed history the most of all my subjects, for what little good it did me here. The rise and fall of kingdoms and great men, few fictions could rival reality. I ducked to avoid a vine that happened to tie itself in the shape of a noose before me.

I stopped when I noticed the fig tree. Well, in truth it was growing directly on the well beaten path, even blind I would have run into it. I licked my lips as I stared at the fruit.

Why are you so cruel to me, Demerus?

I picked a dozen before continuing on my way, slowly consuming one. It was the sweetest, most ripe fruit I had ever eaten, until I swallowed. As it traveled towards my stomach the texture and feeling of satiety slowly changed to one of foreboding and doom. Once it landed in my stomach, there was a horrible reaction, and I bent over clutching my stomach.

“Ha, ha, ha! Keep it up Demerus, I can’t take you out now, but I will.”

I waited a minute before hurrying on while consuming another fig. The path became brighter as I reached the stream next to the Spire.

“Well, it took you long enough.”

Agrippina looked at me disapprovingly as I held my stomach. Gods, I preferred poison to dealing with her.

“It’s just before midday, I’m early.”

“Yes, but that’s today, what of the last six days? I hope you enjoyed your lollygagging.”

“YOU…PUT…ME…IN…A…COMA…”

“That’s debatable.”

I just stared back, my mouth hanging.

“Had you been a bit tougher, you would’ve been just fine. But, if you want to be a little girl, I’ll apologize. I’m sorry little girl, that you weren’t tough enough. And those screams, Gods, where did all the masculine men go?”

She smiled wistfully looking up into the sky.

“Men used to be so much more manly, they were at least a foot taller than you, handsome countenances, always willing to oblige a pretty young maiden, and such skilled…”

I let her daydream for a while. As annoying as her monologue was, it gave me some time to overcome the poison. Eventually she stiffened up, a grin covering her face.

I waited until she came to her senses.

“What were we talking about?”

“You said that since you etched my affinity you were going to teach me how to use it.”

While seeing her actually happy was interesting, daylight was burning, and I was surrounded by damnable plants.

“Hmm, well, I etched both of your affinities, so you should be ready to go.”

“Uh, I thought you only finished etching my water affinity?”

“Well, since you were probably a goner either way, I decided to practice my skills a bit more, waste not want not.”

Biting down hard, I nearly broke a tooth or two. She motioned for me to sit next to the water with her. Reminding myself not to strangle someone who could turn me into an icicle, I tussled with my dark blue robe before finding a comfortable position. Agrippina’s light blue robe contrasted starkly next to me.

“All worlds develop their own magic systems, in our world our ancestors began with etchings. Once your soul is etched with an affinity, you’ll be able to freely manipulate the corresponding arcanum and begin to comprehend the associated stipulations with a bit of practice.”

“Stipulations?”

“No affinity exists within a vacuum.”

She waved her hand over the stream, causing a hand sized ball of water to float upwards. The water within jiggled as gravity seemingly pushed on it from all angles.

“What is this?”

“Water?”

“Yes, and no. The bulk is water, true, but there are fine particulates dissolved within, as well as some materials that the water could not dissolve. While this may seem immaterial, it is essential to opening up the higher possibilities of your arcanum. You cannot manipulate what you do not understand, or even if you do, it typically will not end well. The extras in the water will work against your arcanum.”

“For now though, extend your hand, and try to call upon the water. There won’t be too much extraneous material in this stream.”

I took a deep breath before extending my hand. I closed my eyes and focused, trying to feel the water. I could somewhat feel the water’s presence, but my beckons went unanswered.

“See it, feel it, BE it. Don’t just expect water to come to you, make it flow to you.”

I tried again, imagining myself as water. Flowing, flowing water. And again, nothing happened.

“No. Do as I do.”

She stretched out her hand sideways and made a fluid scooping motion. An intricate stream of water flowed upwards and collected into an orb above her palm.

“Possessing an affinity allows you to sense certain things about that element, and perform certain small abilities. Etching will allow you to directly manipulate the element through arcanum, or for the lay person, magic. Use your senses combined with this hand motion to draw the water to you.”

I closed my eyes and took another breath before trying again. I lowered my hand to just above the water’s surface. I imagined the slowly moving current, then I imagined diverting a small portion into my hand. I carefully copied her scooping motion. There was a tingling as the water splashed into my hand.

I opened my eyes and observed the four small pinprick sized globules of water on my palm.

“From small acorns, do mighty oaks grow!”

Agrippina roared in laughter, pointing at my hand. My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. I squeezed my eyes shut and stretched my hand out farther. I imagined a roaring river, bucket sized rains, the endless seas! I imagined them flooding over my hand, drenching it. My hand scooped quickly and forcefully, that water would flow!

There was a tingling in my chest, followed by a sensation of a needle to my heart. Agrippina’s laughter kept me rooted, I endured the pain and kept pulling, feeling a larger sensation upon my upturned palm. I opened my eyes and saw ten small pinpricks of water upon my palm.

“Oh, if only you could see the expression on your face!”

She wiped a tear from her eye.

“Eventually you’ll be able to draw water to you in actual, significant, quantities. For the moment, you need to practice drawing and also the most basics of manipulation. Try drawing a small orb into the air.”

I sighed before repeating my earlier attempts, narrowing my expectations to one tiny droplet. I felt the familiar sensation, and opened my eyes to see an actual droplet in the middle of my palm. I smiled, losing focus for but a second, and the droplet became a pool.

“Now focus on the water in your palm. Try to shape it back into a droplet.”

I closed my eyes…

“No! When you go into battle do you truly plan to shut your eyes every time you use your arcanum? If you’re going to use it, learn to do it right.”

I grit my teeth while looking at the water. It took several attempts before the water formed a pitiable droplet, that almost immediately collapsed back into a puddle.

“Yes, that’s better. You need to keep practicing forming and drawing your affinity. Keep it small, but focus on speed and accuracy. Right now, it’s essential that you master the basics, this will strengthen your affinity, and actually spread its etching. Once you can easily form a droplet, try levitating it just above your palm, in the shape of a sphere. Once you’ve done that we’ll move on to other forming and drawing exercises, eventually you’ll be ready to learn spells.”

“Wasn’t the point of etching so that I could use spells?”

“Spells are too much for you right now, it’s better to first become acquainted with your affinity and capable of drawing and forming. Most rogue spells aren’t due to a deficiency in power or technique, but a lack of control. Better a spell you can rely on than one that might backfire.”

“I thought you were going to teach me how to kill things?”

“And I thought you’d have a bit more talent than a fool, but, oh, we can’t always get what we want out of life, now can we?”

Gods I swear, the first real sized water attack I master will be directed at your face…

Agrippina stood up, “Keep practicing, being untrained and unused to your arcanum will exhaust you rapidly, even with the pittances of water you’re dealing with. Once you can draw a fistful of water and can form that into one perfect sphere, come see me, we’ll continue from there.”

I remembered that previous feeling in my heart.

“Is this dangerous?”

“Dangerous?”

“Yes, using my arcanum isn’t doing any harm to me is it?”

Her eyes widened before swiftly narrowing.

“Why would you ask such a question?”

The fact that she didn’t answer spoke volumes.

“Just worried, you rarely hear of mages meeting happy ends. That, and why aren’t we using staves or wands?”

“Oh, you mean crutches? Well, if you want to be a fifth-rate mage, then by all means! Gah! Where did all the real men go? Fine, fine, if you’re that incompetent I can get you a staff, would you prefer pink, or one with little dainty flowers? Pansies perhaps? With how pathetic you’re being, why not a pink staff with pretty little pink pansies?!”

I glared at her, wishing my thoughts alone could burst her into flames. While she had succeeded in goading me, I knew there was more to this than she was telling me.

“Fine! I don’t need one, but why don’t you honestly tell me why every other mage in the Spire carries one?!”

Defiantly she pushed back her raven hair.

“We made a deal, the two of us. I will teach you how to use your arcanum, but you have something you must give me in return, no?”

Agrippina smiled coldly upon my look of realization.

“Don’t worry, using your arcane is perfectly safe, your divine affinity should take care of the bulk of the damage. Once you run out of SP, using your arcani will begin to hurt much more, just push past the pain. Or, if you can’t handle a bit of effort, you can always give up for the day, little girl.”

She smiled a challenge to me as she left. I waited until she was gone before placing my palm over my heart. The sensation I received was again one of pain. I waited as the sensation slowly dissipated, my divine affinity at work, I hoped.

I sighed, there was no use in exploding in rage or cursing. There was work to be done. I put away my intense thoughts of stabbing the vice dean over and over again away. Well, I tried to at least.

After five minutes of struggle and silent cursing, I finally calmed down enough to begin exercising my arcanum again. I stretched forth my hand, making a careful sweeping motion while partially pulling my fingers inward to my palm. I drew forth a small droplet that I fastidiously manipulated into a half sphere before letting it collapse into a puddle. The pain returned. I ignored it and kept reforming spheres over and over and drawing water for nearly two hours before I finally stopped, the pain in my heart searing.

Continuing would be foolhardy. I looked at the trees across the bank and thought of that cold sneer. I stretched forth my hand and managed to draw a thumb sized water droplet to me.

I grunted and continued to manipulate it into a sphere despite the pain. For nearly 30 seconds I managed to levitate it just above my palm, before the pain proved too much.

I performed another sweeping motion, I no longer cared about how I was injuring myself, my only thoughts were of sharing my misery and pain with both Agrippina and the forest.

Even if it was the last thing I did, it would be worth every iota of pain…

--------------------------------------------------

Arcanum is the most powerful of forces. Most worlds invent their own systems to utilize arcani. Some worlds are more fortunate and require no extraneous methods such as etching, tattoos, or even spells to exploit their affinities. In our world, the discovery of lodestone, along with certain political disputes and the infernal shortage, led to the decline of mages. Powerful mages still exist, but cheaper and more efficient than their cultivation is the production of lodestone equipment. Why spend years and vast amounts of gold on a future mage that may or may not betray you, when you could invest in magic resistant/enforced weapons and armor? Sadly, our methods are not 100% effective at drawing out the potential of the lodestone, but one day they will be. And on that day, we can bid farewell to the unpredictability and archaicness inherent in all mages, and hopefully even rid the Republic of those otherworlders in the process.

-Cyprea Monstrator, Lodestone Republic Chief Lodestone Specialist.