Chapter 74: Let’s kill water

I gently set the book down on a counter. I need to make a crafting alter, the spell crafting variant for Ars magica. Collecting netherack and sunstone I begin crafting the final ingredients for the crafting altar.

The primary ingredients I am missing are magical walls, a lectern, and a crafting altar block; the core of the whole structure. They are all relatively easy to make, magical walls requiring vinteum the lectern just wood, and the core vinteum again.

The whole thing is a 5x5x5 multi-block structure. It's easy for me to build given I have made It one hundred times but a large blueprint within the book helps too. The stairs on the top ridge can be finicky.

It didn’t take me long to prepare the crafting altar. I know when it's complete because the core block shifts to the color of the base building material; in this case nether rack. I found it mesmerizing watching the block change is a startling similarity to cameleons.

Shaking my head, I am procrastinating again. Okay, let’s make my first spell; touch dig. Placing my spellbook on top of the lectern I throw a blank rune within the crafter. It disintegrates with arcing magical energy.

A phantom image appears floating in the air above a rolling vortex of energy – it's begun. I slowly start throwing the ingredients within; they disintegrate just like the rune. As recipes become more complex the ingredients become more extensive but the beauty of ars magica 2 is the fact it needs random assorted objects rather than expensive ones. For example a stone pickaxe for the dig spell or dirt and other random crap. A great way to dispose of your chest trash.

Quickly throwing in this particular brand of random trash and the only important ingredient, vinteum I quickly reach the final item – a spell scroll. It’s a simple item costing 2 sticks and paper; items which I find readily available with my sugar cane farm.

As I throw it in I watch as instead of disintegrating the vortex twists and writhes into a long golden thread that hastily starts knitting itself into the parchment. I watch in a scientific interest as symbols and words are written in a foreign tongue upon the paper. Once it's finished it starts to crumble into a small glowing orb of light, a deep rich brown color.

Grasping the brown slightly opaque ball I feel a thread of information enters my mind. I focus my intent on what I want the spell to look like, shifting slightly into a rocky form before fading into near-invisibility as it sits within my grasp. I inherently know how to use it, I run mana through my body into the spell which then ejects the spell in a controlled form.

Exiting the large room that is not exclusively an ars magica room within my castle I quickly find myself upon the island. I fire the spell at the ground watching as my pitiful mana reserves dwindle. I internally focus on my mana core watching as it slowly regenerates. Once it's full I note a slight almost imperceptible increase in volume. “How can I notice that?” It must be something that you are inherently aware of.

Firing off the spell a few more times, my mana continues to grow before I hear a crack. Looking at my core I see a blue speck float out of the mana core and into my heart. I must have leveled up; intriguing. So, as I fire spells my mana core will slowly grow and once it reaches certain sizes it will have a breakthrough resulting in a point to spend.

Heading inside I quickly craft a leather spellbook. A simple recipe producing a black leather book with a sleek design. I use some purple dye on the book to change its color.

Focusing on my spell, I gently push it into the book. One of the pages becomes inscribed with an animated picture of my visualized spell. To remove it I simply reach into the photo and pull it out.

Holding the book in my hand I channel mana through my arm into it. I feel a choice, an array of empty choices and 1 filled, the dig spell. I notice that I can easily switch its casting type between touch and projectile with but a thought.

I need some experience so let me find an area to dig. Jumping off my island I fall to the ground gracefully before going for a walk. I slowly cast the spell at different intervals to see which produces the maximum amount of mana increase; 10 seconds seems to be the best choice for me.

Walking along the grassy plains I slowly cast the spell every 10 seconds against the earth, enjoying the relaxing walk. Taking the time to appreciate the world really does wonders for your mind. I start walking towards the forest, continuing my mana training as I suppose I should call it.

On the walk alone towards the forest, I found myself leveling up at regular intervals, quickly slowing but levels all the same. Casting at such a staggering rate allows for my mana to regenerate sufficiently for virtually indefinite spell casting.

As I level I note how many skill points I gain. Finding a skill point every 2 levels the same rules as to when I played the game. A blue skill point every second skill level-up until 20 where it switches to green and then red at 40. I don’t know how I am going to get red infinite orbs as I am sure as hell not massacring dryads to summon the nature guardian. I am slightly attached to the nature energy I utilize after all.

I suppose for once I will have to do ars magica properly and fight the winter guardian or something. Normally my main method of getting infinite orbs was not through ars magica, but by cheating through utilizing other mods.

Actually, the guardians likely no longer have capped damage through none spell damage now that reality is a thing. So… theoretically, I might be able to find other means to kill them but it will require testing. Just like every mod in this damned world. Although my general method is to just wing a mod and hope it works.

It likely a foolish way of going about mods but I digress, it's what works. Having continued my level grinding I find myself deep within the woods. The intermingling of magical and natural energies is fascinating. They don’t seem to fight or combine, just float past each other as if oil and water had the exact same density. Sometimes I see empty pockets where neither energy enters; I can only assume that’s another energy I cannot see or sense yet.

I really should play with abyssalcraft if only for the novelty of it. Yet the idea of using the power of eldritch based gods and forgotten deities sends shivers down my spine. A future project that’s for sure. I wonder how a lot of mods interact with this world? Certain mods like better portals are just naturally in existence but other mods like morph mod, how is that included here? Is it a genetic or magical mutation allowing for people to steal the shape of those they kill? So many questions, thankfully I have a lifetime to answer them. My mind burning with never-ending questions; some of which likely only Felix could answer. As if the inconsistent deity would sit around long enough for me to ask them.

‘Bang’ “Ow, my nose.” Finding myself face first in a tree I quickly extricate myself from the thorny winding branches. Stepping back and reorientating my walking direction. It's not hard to figure out where I came from given the trail of 1x1 holes in the ground. Through all this wandering and level grinding I am already level 7, phenomenal progress only possible for someone who knows how the experience system functions. I am sure most people utilizing this type of magic just spam spells uselessly. Truly patience is key, in more ways than one.

Taking a deep breath of the enriching air of the forest I begin to return. Taking the same root while still training, I manage to reach level 10 before I get to my island. Still, a long way to go before I reach 99, although I don’t even know if that’s still the level cap.

Flying up towards the island I ponder on spell choices. Lots of options, so few points. Actually, let us get some blue infinite orbs; not like I'm doing anything with my time at the moment.

Heading towards my occulus I quickly buy fire damage from my occulus requiring 2 points to get to it. I create the spell, projectile fire damage x3, it would be better if I had a damage modifier; I can dream. Grasping the book, it hums with firey energy. I bring it towards my crafting alter and wince as my supply of blaze powder dwindles quickly. I need to craft some more. Finding myself far too lazy to make any progress, having blaze seeds in my farm makes it a nonissue yet I still complain.

Grasping my new fire spell I experimentally fire it. Noting it doesn’t increase my mana, must need a target; damn I had hoped it would just… increase. Quickly losing the edge of annoyance as I start throwing lots of fireballs. It takes a lot of mana sadly, I can't just toss them too much.

Next, I head towards the ocean, building a large cobblestone platform. Ontop, I leave a 3x3 space open before encasing it in walls with the middle cut out. A tall roof at the top and a door to enter the room at a whim.

Crafting some Redstone inlays with Redstone and vinteum, using 9 I create a ring within the room. Next, I start a rainstorm using the rite or storm from witchery. Walking towards the Redstone inlay, calming myself I begin the ritual. Throwing a bucket of water and a boat within the circle I watch as they sink through the center of the ring.

Quickly I see a blue squid-like figure rise from the circle – the water guardian. Bracing myself I immediately throw a fire spell at the creature. ‘Bang’ hearing a high-pitched squeal as it writhes in pain I cover my ears. “Must have hurt, hu?” Sorry but I need the infinite orb. I continue to bombard the trapped creature with fire.

Being already aware of its move set, I don’t find any issue with how damage to most effectively. It quickly perishes into sizzling water before it dissipates into blue particles. Those particles quickly rush to a singular location, producing a blue infinite orb.

Grasping the smooth blue orb in my hand, “How do I absorb you?” Placing it against the skin closest to my mana core on a hunch I watch as it sinks into my body. The shell dissipates releasing a single blue wisp that travels to my heart, similar to when I level up.

“Sorry water guardians, you're going to supply me with a lot of water orbs,” I say before massacring over 40 of the things. It took over 5 hours but I gained 8 levels in my magic, something new to have nightmares about, and a few rare drops. Quickly storing the unique item drop they produce; a circular piece of water armor. With the orbs absorbed, having saved a couple for trade in the future I head to my occulus.

Heading into the void like space, I have a spending spree. Quickly buying all the blue point spell parts I could. A couple are annoying, locked behind green skill points but they will be unlocked with time, it doesn't matter.

At first, I enjoyed the steady flow of information from the spell parts up until I started getting a massive migraine. It seems the flow of information has other aspects as well, good to know.