“That man left Erivenyeth this morning your majesty. Was it wise to send him away, for he could of been an asset we could have used?”

“Wise or not it had to be done. I cannot engage my daughter too some random stranger, especially someone without status. If I had done what my little girl wanted the nobles would yell scandal. I would lose face before them. If what my daughter says is true then it will only be a matter of time until they meet again. When the time comes he should have some status if he’s not dead.”

“You’re right your majesty, at least two thirds of the nobles would not approve of you allowing her to marry some stranger with no status. They would definitely go against you since you have refused their engagement proposals for her.”

“Captian Len’til, have you sent the followers I asked for after him?”

“Yes your majesty I have. They have been instructed to watch and report and remain undetected if they can, if not then to actively follow him and support him.”

“Ylesviam? I can hardly believe it, yet my dear Elestia has never lied to me. This puts me in a tight spot. From what you told me he could be extremely powerful one day, yes?”

“Yes your majesty. Your court healer Halidashin Cis’Gorn claims the man’s power could eventually be unfathomable. Letting the man’s eccentricity’s pass yes, for he is often correct when he declares something, so yes the man has great potential. His potential explains how he just walked through the gardens wards like they were not there.”

“Hmm pity he isn’t full blooded elven. I could of given him a title and be done with this hassle. What of my daughter?”

“The maids say her room has frozen over and she trails ice where ever she walks. Princess Elestia is in a foul mood your majesty.”

“Post an extra watch I don’t want her wondering off after him. Oh and be sure a couple of them are mages, regular guards won’t hold her.”

“It will be done your majesty.”

“Good. I assume Halidashin Cis’Gorn will keep his mouth shut about our former guest.”

“Yes your majesty, for I stressed to Halidashin Cis’Gorn that this matter and information about our former guest’s power is to be held secret.”

“Yes I think you must have enjoyed that part. Oh before I forget did you give him the reward for the merskit kill.”

“Yes your majesty I handed it to my niece with her payment and travel expenses compensation.”

“Good good, I don’t want to be seen as ungrateful for his service. Very well carry out your orders and apprise me of any pertinent information about him.”

“Yes your majesty your will shall be carried out.”

A great room of glittering gold and marble resembling an amphitheater is disturbed by a great number of murmurs from beings large and small some human looking others grotesque beyond mortal comprehension. A loud bang is herd like the sound of a thunderclap.

“Silence!” A great being sits on a dais in the center of the benches across from an open circle. The room quiets down instantly. “Enter Observer.” Two large golden doors open and a woman in white robes walk’s into the center of the room. She has white feathered wings on her back. She is wearing a golden bracelet on each arm and a gold and silver adorned necklace. A single blue oval gem on her forehead glistens as she nervously looks about the room. “Report observer of what you saw.”

“Ye-yes.” She swallows and straitens her back flapping her wings once. “Order and Chaos’s Immortal weapon has returned.” Shouts and yells and some laughter erupt in the room drowning out the rest of the words the winged woman spoke.

“SILENCE!” The being on the dais slams his hands together creating another thunderclap of sound. The room calms down and the beings gathered again become silent. “Precede observer why do you say such.” The winged woman bows then looks about the room.

“Since the banishment I was tasked to observe the world of Earth beyond the dimensional rift. I was tasked to watch the Immortal weapon. The Weapon has regained its soul and rematerialized on Arvien.”

“Where is it? Where is that thing now?” A man in red armor stands up to the left of the dais. The being’s size is above average for the room and towers over most that sit about him. He has a handsome and powerful face minus the scars around the left eye. The eye itself was a metallic gold in contrast to his glowing yellow right eye. His arms were bare from his breast plate with a bracer only on his right arm. The skin of the man’s left arm has a silver metallic sheen up to the shoulder.

“I-I cannot tell you that.” The winged woman looks at the man in fear.

“You will tell me woman. You will tell me right now unless you wish to parish.” A red aura reaches out and covers the woman. She screams and falls to her hands and knees covering herself with her wings.

“Please. I cannot tell you.” A streak of light disperses the red aura as a woman clad in white and gold lined plate armor stands before the winged woman.

“HOW DARE YOU. How dare you assault one of mine.” The man in red armor clicks his tongue and sneers at the new woman.

“Figures you’d protect yours and your husband’s creations. Your little one hid it from me before, she shall not do it again.” A ripple in the air forms before the man in red armor and a being forms before him.

“Is that a threat?” A dark being of equal height to the red armored man speaks to him with malice. The dark being was shrouded in darkness so thick that while peering into him you could not see an end. All that could be made out is an outline of spiky armor and two red lights glowing were eyes should be. The red armored man sneers at the dark being and reaches for his sword on his belt.

“STOP!” everyone freezes what they are doing. “Draw that weapon here and face the consequences.” The being on the dais peers down at the two as they step away from each other. “Violence among us is not permitted in these halls. You have violated this pact and have been warned, once more and you will be punished.” He looked around the room and stood up. This man towered over all others, and shined bright in his glory as a being made of pure energy and light. “I declare neutrality in the inevitable event that will occur as it did once before. I declare this meeting over. Converse and disperse as you will.” In a loud rumble and crack the being of energy vanishes.

The room immediately roars in his passing as many voices speak to their fellows. Haired women in a green robe, and a crown of flowers walks up to the winged woman. Helping her up she pets her lightly on the head.

“Has he?” the green haired woman directs her question to the winged woman in a light tone.

“Yes he has met one piece and is getting closer to another.”

“That is good maybe the coming disaster won’t be as bad as before. Return to your vigil over him but be wary.”

“I will do so Great mother.” the green haired one nods to her. The winged woman looks to the white and golden armored woman.

“Go and be safe.” With those words spoken the white winged woman closes her eyes and hums. Within seconds she fades away with a pop. The being shrouded in darkness walks to the group in the center with several others trailing him.

“I have gathered our allies. Let us prepare for what is to come.”

“I agree, I will prepare my hosts.”

“Very well, I shall not let my daughter die again.” The green haired woman looks at them both with determination in her eyes. The others gather in-between the three. The being covered in darkness raises both hands up to his shoulders palms out. . Both the green haired woman and the white and gold armored women do the same. All gathered in the center of the chamber vanish.

“So where are we headed?” We have been on the road since early this morning, and we have hardly spoken to each other. It is now a bit over mid-day and the road and trees have not changed a bit. All I see are the giant trees I have seen since I found myself in this world. We are both riding horses with a third carrying most of our supplies.

“We are headed to Coritiam kingdom. Coritiam has probably the most lax rules and regulations against different races. In fact they have laws for equality that most kingdoms don’t have.” I have been riding a horse behind Shalinith Len’til all day. I probably should have asked her sooner, but oh well, for I’m still trying to figure out what happened for the last two days. “Coritiam is the best place if you want to attempt to make a living. Most kingdoms will take one look at you and discriminate against you just because you look like a cross between a moon elf and a Vedrin.”

“Why is Coritiam so different from its neighbors?”

“Probably because it borders 5 kingdoms three of which are not human. To its north is a desert where the Vedrin hail from. The elven kingdoms are to their west, which is where we are. Than you have the dwarves to their northeast and the two human kingdoms to their south and south east.”

“Is that all you didn’t mention some directions.”

“Well there are scatterings of nomads, tribes, and orcs and some unclaimed land. Coritiam is pretty big that is why it is a good place to make a living. I do odd jobs there all the time.

“Ok, sounds like a good idea. How would you suggest I make a living?”

“Easy if you are any good with controlling your mana and manipulating it you can make a killing putting your services for hire.”

“When will you start this so called training?”

“Tonight, the sooner the better. Let’s start with some knowledge first. What do you know of magic?”

“Almost nothing, my memory has not been so great since I suffered from that illness.”

“Take a guess what do you think magic is all about?” That’s a simple to answer, lets answer her with some vague generality’s from what I know from games and literature.

“Magic is the manipulation of the world around us through elements. Each person’s magic is determined by their affinities.” I hear Shalinith snort and look at me over her shoulder and shake her head.

“Yes for the first part but completely wrong in the second. First there are no such thing as affinities to elements no matter what those stuck up Wizards will tell ya.” She had a little bit of contempt in her voice when she mentioned wizards. “Magic is the manipulation of reality using mana as the catalyst. The so called affinities do not exist and no sorcerer will say otherwise. Every magic no matter what kind and element is determined by someone’s knowledge of the world and pure instinct.” That description is different then what I’m used to but not completely foreign.

“Ok but what do you mean by instinct? By what degree is determined by instinct?”

“Simple as it is sounds. Some magic can only be performed or learned from pure instinct. A lot of it has to do with the power or efficiency in the spell that’s cast. And the more familiar you are with a spell the easier it is to cast.”

“I heard princess Elestia cast a spell with words. What was that?”

“Oh that! It was the language of the universe.” What the hell? How is English the language of the universe? “Everyone who cast spells use the Language to a degree, some more than others. It is the primary focus for casting spells for wizards.”

“So… if you could understand that language you could possible cast anything?” Shalinith looks at me over her shoulder again.

“Possible, but no one understands it fully. If I were you I would not start with it as your foundations it could limit you. I guess I should explain some differences between spell casters. I’m going to list them from weakest to strongest. Practitioners, mages, witches and or warlocks, and it is still argued whether a wizard is stronger or weaker than a sorcerer.

Practitioners and mages are spell casters that generally do not have the stamina, imagination, magic capacity for anything else, or just one of the above. Both are very specialized in what they can do, for example you have healers, exorcist, and some minor enchanters, as well as spell swords.”

“Spell swords? I’m going to assume they enhance themselves and their weapons for combat.”

“Correct. Than we have witches and warlocks who specialize in ritualized magic, and curses. Wizards cast most of their spells using the magic language as well as cast some spells like sorcerers. Sorcerers cast most of their spells by way of manipulating magic with their minds. Well to narrow it down more Wizards use precision while sorcerers use brute force.”

“Where would necromancers, and summoners fall?”

“Necromancers fall between both sorcerers and wizards with ritualized magic mixed in. As for summoners they are specialized wizards. We should find a good place to rest soon and I will see how well you learn.”

“What will we work on?”

“For starters I will go over how to sense magic and its flow. If you grasp that quickly then we will go over manipulating it.” This is going to be a long trip. Shalinith made it clear to me yesterday while we shopped for supplies that I was only a job and would not appreciate any flirting on my part.

We traveled down the road for a couple of hours until we spotted a decent clearing in-between some trees. After tying off the horses I watched Shalinith lift both arms out in front of her as she used magic. She blew most of the sticks and twigs out of the clearing into a pile on the edge.

“That’s convenient.”

“Yes it is. Set up the tents and bed rolls will you and unpack the horses.”

“Ok.” I proceed to do just that. I take the saddles off the two horses I don’t even bother to take anything off of them. I just pulled them right off after unstrapping them. Being strong has its perks, for I didn’t even break a sweat taking the saddles off, nor the pack off the pack-horse.

“That was fast. Put up the tents while I make us a fire pit.” The tents, if you could call them that, were basically a single piece of canvas that you prop up with some round poles that came with them. The tents were for one person each and barely came up to my waist. With two open ends on either side they were pretty drafty, but I guess they could keep the rain off you.

I was able to get one tent up quickly when I felt a rumble under my feet. Looking up I saw Shalinith kneeled down with one palm on the ground in front of the tent I put up. I watch in fascination as the ground dimples down into a small divot in the ground, and stones sprouted to form a circle around it. She stands back up and brushes off her knee. I turn away and put up her tent. Looking up at the sky and locating the sun.

“Looks like we have about two hours of sun light left.”

“Plenty of time to get you started.” She points next to the fire pit. I feel another rumble and could have sworn I saw a swirl of something where she was pointing at. It looked like a heat mirage. A fairly sized stone came out of the ground, and it had a flat top. “Sit there and we shall begin with the basics.” I comply and take a seat on the rock. “Mana is in everything, and everyone, and your first goal is to sense it. first close your eyes and calm your mind.”

I close my eyes and take a deep breath and exhale. “Good now concentrate in my direction. Do you sense anything?” I sat still for a while trying to sense the energy that I felt her using earlier. At first nothing then I felt a flicker of something. Concentrating on the flicker further my closed eyes become flooded with light. This was easier then I thought, for I could now partially see her and my surroundings through my closed eyes. This is cool it is like I have some kind of sonar sense.

“Yes I can see you, I can see trees and the ground. Everything is pulsing or flowing as if it is alive. Even the ground looks that way and…” I see something deep underground, maybe a hundred feet or more below us. What I see looks like some kind of stream. “Some kind of stream or river below us.”

“What? Can you really see the lay line?”

“If that is what it is then yes I can see something deep below us.”

“Hmmm… what direction is it flowing.” I look down with my eyes still closed.

“Southwest back the way we came from.”

“Interesting, usually it takes people years before they are sensitive enough to see the lay lines. Let’s see just how sensitive you are. I want you to open your eyes and keep sensing mana while you do it. Do not lose the sense. Now slowly open your eyes.” concentrating on the feeling that allowed me to see with my eyes closed I open my eyes. I can still see everything like they were a bit transparent, yet everything is more detailed and more color coded.

Shalinith is still looking at me. Nodding at me she raises both arms out to either side of her. “Now you will tell me where my magic is in my body and what it is. This is a more advanced training but I think you are ready considering you nailed mage sight on the first try. (Must be your blood). Ready?”

“Yes.” The mana in her body flowed to her right hand and turned red. “Right hand red.”

“Correct.” Her mana flowed again this time to her feet.

“Both feet brown.” It flowed again to her left hand with a blue color. “Left hand blue.” This continued for a while as she got faster and even started to combine colors into deferent shades. The last one she did was cover her entire body with white mana. No not her entire body. “Covering all your skin is a layer of white mana.” She lowers her arms and looks at me with narrowed eyes.

“Are you sure you have never been trained before?”

“Yes I’m sure. How would I have suffered from that illness if I had casted magic before.” Hmm was I wrong in thinking the phenomena of slowing time down was magic. Shalinith took a deep breath and let it out slowly wile closing her eyes.

“You can cancel mage site now.” I close my eyes and take a breath and let it out as my vision of my surroundings disappears. I open my eyes back up.

“It’s getting dark.”

“Yes.” Shalinith turned towards the fire pit then looked around. Raising her left arm towards a fallen log at the edge of the clearing I felt her gather energy. The log lifted into the air and cracked as it broke into several small pieces. Dropping most of it she floated some into the fire pit. I felt another small buildup of energy and the wood in the pit ignited. She looked up into the sky.

I look up as well and see that the sun was setting with a beautiful orange red flare, almost pink in color. “Get some rest. I will set some wards and rethink the pace I will train you.” I nod

“A about that…” she looks at me. “I don’t sleep much. Only about every third night will I need sleep, for that’s when I feel tired.” She stared at me for an uncomfortable amount of time without saying anything. “Uh Ma’am?”

“In that case I will set the wards then head to bed. Watch the fire and wake me at first light.”

“Yes I will do that.” She walked to the spare horse took her bed roll off. After putting her bed roll in her tent she went to her horse and pulled a book out of a bag. She walked up to me and handed it to me.

“Read this it should help you understand magic more and accelerate your training further if you understand it.”

“Thank you.” I watched as she casts a few spells. A few of the spells she even spoke out loud.

“Program, ward away beasts, fifty feet, anchor, execute.” A thin invisible energy wave came out of her and sailed fifty feet in every direction even up. “Program, alarm, intruder, attach, execute.” Another energy wave came out of her that only went as far as the other wave and seemed to merge with the barrier that was formed. The words she spoke are English.

“Why did you say those words, I understand them but not the context you used them for?” Shalinith looked back to me startled.

“What! you understand what I said?”

“Yes. Why did you use those words in that order?” She stared at me with a thinking look on her face.

“I spoke the wizard’s tongue. It was once called the tongue of the gods. I casted a spell to keep wild beasts at bay and a spell to wake and alert us if something else comes close. It’s a bit early for me to talk about the order of the words. You can read about them in the book.” Shalinith walked to her tent and crawled in. “Good night and don’t forget to wake me at first light. I will answer your question in the morning after we get back on the road.”

“Good night then.” Still sitting on the rock I look around. It’s good that I’m no longer alone and I now have a goal and sort of know where I’m at on this world. Everything has been rushed sense I woke up in the Elven castle. I wonder how Elestia is doing? It was quite rude how her father kicked me to the curb like that. This world’s technology and apparently society resembles earth’s medieval age. If I want Elestia I’m going to need power, political power as well as martial.

I need to learn this world’s magic as fast as I can. If my guess is right I may have an advantage with their wizards tongue. Only one way to tell, let’s see what this book has to say. Looking at the book I read the title. Fundamentals of magic a sorcerers and wizards guide. Hmmm sounds like magic for dummies. I open the book to the first page, time to cram.

With my night vision and fire I was able to read the book all night feeding the fire when needed. I went over it at least three times. The main thing I got about the book was that casting magic was very reliant on intent imagination and perception. It even covered how to suppress mana leakage from one’s self. The book even talked about the elements fire, water, earth and wind. I guess this world barely understand that that those are only states of matter and not an element.

With intent and imagination I was able to conjure up a light orb after a bit of concentration. I was able to sense a slight trickle of mana from me feeding the orb. The mana within me was regenerating so fast that I could hardly tell it was draining, for I had to look for it. Cutting the supply of mana made the orb despair.

The book even covered some of what the wizard’s tongue was. Spells that did multiple things were more easily used when using the wizards tongue. The book explained that spells should begin with the word program to start forming the magic. Then words are spoken to give the spell detail and direction, than you say the word execute to cast the spell. That was very interesting it was like computer programing.

The book also said the more you understand the words and use your intent and imaginations you could shorten the spells and make them more complex. Thinking this over I decided to experiment with it. I imagined a woman made of fire standing in the fire pit. “Program, shape, woman made of fire, two feet, fifteen seconds, execute.” The mana that formed in me as I spoke flew to the fire pit.

The flames inside the pit formed into the shape of a woman for fifteen seconds then returned to normal flames. That was cool. Experimenting further I was able to have them move out of the pit. At one time I had five two foot tall girls dancing around the fire pit at once. I was even able to create one out of thin air without even saying a word just by using pure mana and intent. The book did not lie, using my imagination and intent did indeed control my mana. I didn’t even feel a drain on my mana. I must have a lot like they said for all my casting to not even phase the amount I felt with in me.

Looking at Shalinith Len’til I compared her mana to my own. Shalinith mana pool felt like a small lake wile mine felt like a giant river that was dammed. Using my new found knowledge of magic I was able to suppress and dam up my mana pool as the book called it. Nothing leaked out except where I imagined a door in the dam.

I spent the entire night reading the book and experimenting with the flow and density of the mana coming out of me using my flame girls. Birds started to chirp and I realized I should wake Shalinith up. Damn my night vision I almost didn’t realize it was first light. Walking to her tent I reached in and shook her shoulder. “Master wake up its first light”

“Wha? Oh. I’m awake.” She opened her eyes and crawled out as I backed up. Shalinith stood up and stretched with a yawn with her eyes closed. Opening her eyes she looked to the center of the camp at the fire pit. She started to blink then rubbed her eyes then blinked again. “WHAT THE HELL?” turning I looked at the fire pit. There are six two foot tall flame girls dancing around the fire pit in some kind of tribal dance.

“Oh damn sorry about that I forgot to cancel the spell” raising my hand towards the flams i spoke. “Dispel” all six girls disappeared. “There all done. I wanted to make more but I didn’t want to catch the forest on fire so I only made a few and kept them around the pit.”

“What?” Shalinith looked at me confused for a moment.

“Ah… I read your book a couple of times over the night and experimented to understand it fully. After a few experiments I found that the concepts in the book were easy to understand and implement.” She looked at me blankly for a moment just blinking, than an angry look came over her.

“EASY, are you telling me you read and understood the book and skipped acolyte rank in magic strait to journeyman. And you just spoke a word I never told you the meaning to or ever spoke in your presence. HOW?” shit this isn’t good. What do I tell her? Let’s see…

“Ah um princess Elestia spoke the word in front of me and explained a little. And for the book all I can say was yes, after some experiments it was easy for me to understand. As for me understanding the words well… The wizards tongue is natural to me. In fact I’m speaking it now it’s just automatically translated into what you understand best.”

“Now that you mention it, yes I do see that your mouth movement does not match the words that I hear.” She walked past me and sat on the stone that I sat on all night. “So you say you are speaking the wizards tongue right now and I’m hearing low elvish?”

“Yes.”

“Then this means you understand the wizards tongue better than the wizards and probably know more words then anyone alive other than the gods.”

“I guess so.” She looks at me.

“Intent and imagination with perception. A test then.” Shalinith looked at me with her eyes narrowed. “Dispel the wards I placed last night without using the wizards tongue.” I looked around the camp then closed my eyes concentrating on the flow of mana about me. Locating where Shalinith anchored her wards I cause the clump of magic at the center to dissipate like smoke. My perceptions feel the barrier around our camp dissipate and disappear.

“Done.” Shalinith looks about then sighs.

“Did you learn to suppress mana leakage?”

“Yes I believe I did.” Shalinith lifts her eye patch open exposing her slited eye. Her eye started to glow as she looked at me.

“Wow I can hardly see any of your mana except where you left a flow regulator. That is an advanced technique how did you learn to do that so fast?”

“When I was experimenting to suppress my mana I found that I couldn’t manipulate or control the mana in the environment, so I added a door to allow it.”

“Well you did a good job. With what you have done no one will be able to sense you. It will also be obvious to anyone who can sense magic that you’re a wizard or a sorcerer just by looking at you.” She looks down and sighs again. “In just one night you managed to control your internal mana and the mana in the environment. The speed that you learned it is amazing and unheard of. I have never seen anyone learn it so fast.”

Shalinith stood up and faced me. “I was expecting to teach you all this before we reached Coritiam. I never suspected you’d learn it all in one night.”

“This is a good thing right?”

“Yes, for it means we skip the boring stuff and go straight to application of magic.”

“A Miss Len’til now that I have control of my magic can you explain what this is?” I reach under my shirt and pull the small pouch I got from princess Elestia.

“Call me master like when you woke me. I’m teaching you magic and that is the standard term even if you learn so fast. Go ahead and take it out.” Opening the tiny pouch I take out an oval disk. The disk was bordered in gold with silver plate in the center. The disk had small gems embedded into the silver in the shape of a tree. I can sense some small energy in it.

“What is it?”

“That is the emblem for Wizards and sorcerers of the Elven kingdom. It basically means you are recognized and protected by the kingdom. It will allow excess to any city that knows of it and will exempt you from having to register to any guild. By treaty your earnings for services rendered cannot be taxed by the kingdom you’re residing in or any guild. But like usual people will still try to get you to do it any way. That’s when you have to show this and prove it’s real.”

Master, damn that feels weird thinking of her that way. Master Shalinith pulls an identical disk out of thin air. “Never lose it or hand it over to anyone, even if they ask you to hand it over for inspection. Do you understand me? Never give it up.”

“Yes, umm why?

“It will be bound to you. Because of that it can be used to track you, and remotely cast magic on you.”

“Ok that’s unpleasant. How do I prove it’s authentic?”

“First I want you to attach a tiny stream of mana from you to it.” I do just that. Shalinith nods at this. “Now you must claim it in your mind and believe it is yours forever.” That’s weird but ok. I think at the disk and say in my head this is mine forevermore. A light shined from the gems in the disk for a moment. “Good now it is bound, and only you can show it’s real. There are two ways to determine authenticity of the emblem.” She walked closer to me, about two feet away. “Hold it out and touch it to mine.”

I did as instructed and the gems shaped like a tree on both disks glowed white than green. Shalinith took hers away and the glow disappeared from the gems. “The second is this.” Master held up her disk with the tree facing me. “Emblem of the crown.” A green projection came out of the gems. The light formed into a 3d image of a tree with a crown rotating in the center of the trees trunk. Covering the disk with her other hand the glow and image disappeared. “Now you try.”

“Emblem of the crown.” I repeated her gesture of the disk facing her instead. An identical image of a tree and a crown projected out of my disk. “How do you turn it off?”

“Just cover the tree on the disk with something and it will turn off.” I do just that and the image disappears like hers. “By treaty with the Elvin kingdoms no one is allowed to take it from you.” I nod and put it back in its small pouch and place it in a pocket.

“So what now master?”

“I want you to put away the tent’s and bedrolls without touching them.” She looks at my tent. “I guess you did not need to take out and set yours. After your done we shall head out, and I will have you do various spells, and teach you ways to use them.” Lifting and folding and rolling the tents and bedding was tricky at first but I got the hang of it quickly. The only trouble I really had was securing it to the pack horse. We proceeded on our way and ate on our horses as we traveled.

Shalinith had me cast random spells some with words but most without. I changed the direction of the wind in our area lifted rocks and hurtled them at trees, created fire and water as well as stone in midair. This was easy as all I was doing was manipulating matter and its state. To create the stone I pulled the matter out of the ground. In a way I guess the law of conservation of mass in this world is malleable.This process or practice as I call it continued for a month as we stopped in a few towns along the way to get some supplies and sleep in actual beds.

Shalinith even had me enchant a rock to hover around us, and have it do loops around us. The enchantment was very exciting. I created a visible window above the object. In the window I was able to visibly see the conditions of what I was enchanting the object to do. Enchanting my way definitely resembled computer programming.

I was even able to learn why her eye was the way it was. Her mother was kidnapped by cultist in the past. The cultist had summoned a demon that possessed one of the cultists and had it rape her. They were trying to bring their master an arch demon into the world. They failed luckily, foiled by Captain Len’til her uncle. It was soon discovered that she was pregnant and some demands of her death came about. Fortunately the Elven king decided not to kill her mother but instead had her fetus blessed and purified in a temple.

There were still a few attempts to kill Shalinith before she was born but they did not succeed. After she was born it was shown that the taint was very minimal and only showed in one of her eyes. Most elves and nobility still shun her, yet they still use her services. She had long ago shown she had talent in magic that surpassed most people. She worked hard for the little respect that she had earned in the elven kingdom. She had traveled the continent for a while gaining a reputation as a great sorcerer, yet most kingdoms did not know she was demon tainted.

She warned me to never tell anyone I had demon blood. She advised me to say I had draconian and moon elf ancestors to explain my looks. Apparently draconian are well respected and feared. With this explanation she said most of the common people would try not to get on my bad side.

The people in the last town said we would reach the city of Farin today if we left in the morning. We of course left early in the morning and have been traveling for a couple of hours. I think it is about noon at this time. Shalinith has not had me cast a single spell today and I have been wondering why.

“Master are you going to have me cast anything today?”

“When we are in sight of the city I will have you cast one final spell and I will declare you adept rank. Even though you could probably cast master spells.”

“Ok.” We traveled for about another hour to half an hour until we rounded some trees. The path before us straightened out and we entered a clearing. I guess we are out of the forest. Before us are farms with crops in the fields. I could see people out harvesting what looked like wheat. Further I could see what looked like a decent sized walled city. From here it looks like there could be 8000 to 15000 people in it. Is that Farin?

“Yes it is. Farin is one of the trade cities of Coritiam. Four roads lead to it. One from the Vedrin in the north, one form the elves to its west and one to the human kingdom in the south, and of course the road that leads to Coritiam’s capital.” Master stops her horse and gets off and ties it to the wooden fence next to the road. Following suit I tie my horse off and the pack horse.

“So what are you going to have me cast?”

“To be considered an adapt wizard or sorcerer one must be able to conjure something permanent that will not dissipate when the mana in it runs out.” What isn’t that what I was doing when I conjured all the rocks she made me make? “I want you to make something that is solid throughout and is real and permanent even if we walk away.”

“Ok. What should I make?”

“Form a metal sphere about an inch thick.”

“Ok.” Hmm what metal should I use? Something common like iron or copper? No to common I want to impress her. Gold? Yes I shall pull the gold molecules out of the earth and form a sphere. Yes that should be impressive a golden ball. “Program, element gold, out of the ground, sphere before me, one inch, execute.” For a moment nothing happens as I hold out my hand before me. All at once gold dust starts to form in front of me as a sphere takes shape and grows into a one inch golden ball. “There, is this acceptable?” I pluck the golden ball out of the air.

Shalinith was looking at me with anger in her eyes. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Yes you did. Conjuring gold is illegal. I asked you to make something solid and permanent.” She points at the ball and speaks a word. “Dispel” nothing happens and she frowns. “You have bonded it well. Hand it to me.” I give it to her as she snatches it quickly from me and throws it onto the dirt road. And points to it again and the ball melts into a gold puddle. The gold cools and hardens again. I look back to Shalinith and she has a surprised look with wide eyes. “It… it was real.”

“Yes? You asked for something real. I decided on gold instead of iron or copper.”

“That’s impossible all conjured gold is fake and can be dispelled or melted away. That is why it’s illegal to make, for it will disappear after the magic keeping it together fades. How did you manage it?”

“Simple it’s not fake. I pulled the gold directly out of the ground.”

“What? How? there is no gold here.”

“Actually there is. The gold is spread out and in tiny particles so small that you will never be able to see it with the naked eye. The gold I conjured out of the ground came from the area around us and underneath us.” She looked at me wide eyed for a while then looked back at the now solid gold puddle. Lifting her hand the gold puddle came off the ground melted and formed into a small gold bar. Plucking it out of the air she handed it to me.

“Tell no one you can do this. I have herd of people pulling iron and other metals out of the ground but no one has been able to pull it out when there was no evidence it was there.”

“So do I pass?” she put her hands on her hips and shook her head with eyes closed.

“Yes with flying colors at that.” Turning around she untied her horse and got on. “Come lets head to farin.” Untying the horses we headed to the walled city.

“Are there any other rules I should know of?”

“Yes demon summoning is forbidding as well as manipulating and controlling souls. Necromancy is not illegal per say but it is widely frowned upon. Do not destroy, or curse people, or their objects. Simple stuff. I would advise you to go to a money changer and get cold coin for that lump of gold you have.”

“OK. Where are we headed after this town?”

“We are headed no ware. My job was to teach you and get you here. After tonight I will head home and you will stay and do what you will. I have nothing more to teach you.” We spoke no further as we approached the city. There was a small line of carts lined up before the open gate being inspected.

“Are we going to do anything about the two whom have been following us since Erivenyeth?”

“No they have done nothing to us for a month. They are probably not following us but only you.” Ok that’s confusing why me?

“Why do you say that?” I follow her as we pass the line as several of them give us dirty looks.

“Because they were not following me until you showed up and not once have they been hostile to us.”

“How do you know that? The hostile part I mean?”

“I used a spell the first week I noticed them to determine if they had hostile intentions toward us. There was none. I repeated the spell every other week to be sure.” We approached the entrance. “We will know for sure when I leave for home. If they are gone they are following me if they stay here with you.” she paused her words. “They are yours to deal with.”

“Halt!” a human in a chainmail shirt walked in front of us with a spear resting on his shoulder. “Do you have a pass to skip the line?”

“Yes I do.” Shalinith pulled out her emblem and held it up for the guard to see. “Emblem of the crown!” The image of the tree and crown appeared before the disk. “This is my pass I am a sorcerer of the Elven Kingdoms.” The guard’s eyes went wide as he stepped aside quickly.

“Yes Ma’am you may pass.” Putting the disk away we passed into the city.

“I shall show you around a little then we shall part ways.” Shalinith showed me where a good inn was in the merchant district. We passed a large building with that many armed and armored people were going in and out of.

“What building is that?”

“That is the mercenary guild. You can get work there and or hire people to work for you. Do odd jobs and such.”

“Oh like an adventure guild?” Shalinith looked at me funny.

“No such thing as an adventurer guild only the mercenary guild.”

“Oh ok do they have ranks? Ones that determine what jobs you can take?”

“What no. Well sort of. They have test that determine your skill and knowledge. Some people will only hire people who have passed those test but they do not determine if you get hired or not. It mostly has to do with reputation.” Ok note to self not a standard adventure guild like in all those books I read about, but close enough. We stop in front of a large stone building. “This is the money exchanger and where we separate. You can exchange that gold bar for currency and go rent a room in an inn. Good luck with your life.”

“Thank you for teaching me master, and showing me around.” with that Shalinith nods. As my tent and blanket come off the pack horse and flow to me. I catch them.

“You may keep the horse you sit upon. Good luck.” With that she turned and left. Watching her leave I went in and exchanged the gold bar for some gold coins. They had a mage inspect the gold and were amazed at its purity. I got an amount of gold coins matching its weight, which was almost 20 gold.

After getting the gold I went to a tailor shop. It is time I looked like a proper sorcerer or wizard. I selected a light green and dark green long shirt that was neatly tailored. I got myself a blackish cloak with a green hood that had a red interior. The tailor was a little irritated that he had to put holes in the hood for my horns. I got a pair of dark green fingerless gloves fitted to my hands, they had some nice buckles I could use to secure them on. To be a little flashy I asked for a multi colored pants in a camo pattern.

I got what I wanted and it only cost me 18 gold. At first the tailor complained that the pattern on the pants where ugly. When I had the full ensemble on he changed his mind saying that I looked intimidating. Thanking him for his work I left to go find an inn, for even though I hardly sleep I can’t just walk around town all night. Picking a good inn that looked to be popular I paid 50 silver for a week up front. I was told the price included meals, and baths. Now it’s time to plan.

There we go sorry for the late update. Atlest it didn't take a whole month between updates. Damn you royal road and your many storys, damn me for buying kindle unlimited subscription. i looked at my last update and realized i was taking to long. so i typed up 5500 words in 6 hours. damn I'm beat. this chapter is 7989 words.