I shot up in bed still clutching the heavy book. I excitedly turned it around and looked at the cover running my fingers over the rough ridges of it. The scent of the powerful blue demoness was still in the air and I felt my body getting hot. I was still sore from that weird out of body experience and I felt myself get hard thinking about the nearly nude demoness.

“Stop it, or I’ll slug you again.” I threatened my body.

The sweet smell of her made my mind so muddled I was having a hard time coming to terms with my new magic book and I looked around for something to help me. I was in my new shoddy bedroom and beside me was a towel and the clay mug filled with cold water. Cupping my hand I rubbed the water on my face and wiped off a bit of oil. It seemed whatever she wore had rubbed off on me. Using the towel and water I scrubbed my face and hands removing all the oil and freeing my mind of its carnal desires. I took a moment to collect myself and my internal clock told me it was the next morning.

“That was…intense.” I breathed to calm myself. Then I shot up holding up my new book. “But now I have magic!”

Drone 1 ran into the room and called out to the hall. Following him was the rest of the gang and they circled around me cheering. The praise made me feel great and they excitedly took my hand and led me around the tiny dungeon. In my absence they somehow managed to make more of the light blobs illuminating the entire place and showed me the storage room.

A great quantity of wood scraps, old dirty cloth, bricks and rust metal chunks filled the space. When I looked carefully a pop up told me we had a solid amount of resources with the exception being the poor quality metal. They then took me to the mess hall where a pop up told me we had a good amount of food and water stored. The water was in a tight sealed barrel with an opening on the top for them to pour water into and a spout on the bottom for them to pour me a drink.

I grabbed a wood tankard from the kitchen and got myself a drink, testing our water supply. The cold water was refreshing but there was a metallic mineral taste to the water. It was different from the city water I had grown accustomed to and I had to admit this was better. As long as I didn’t think of any water borne diseases that I could be putting down the hatch.

The metal door to the food storage room was ice cold and inside they had the rabbit meat and some berries in clay pots. A thin layer of frost had gathered around the edge of the doorway and I turned it up a few degrees keeping it closer to fridge temperature. Closing the door I turned to my assembled crew and felt the time was to put on a speech.

“Guys I have to say you're all doing an amazing job here, sorry I was out for the day but I got a little something for the trouble.” I raised the book and the minions all excitedly cheered. I calmed them down and continued. “But while I was gone you were busy and now we have to decide, do we stay here or go-”

The minions all pointed to the ground in unison, their gaze told me this was the place they wanted to stay. I led them out into the main hall looking at the old and new stains of blood on the ground. We had fought for this place already and damn it we earned it. I was still so unaware of anything around me, what this world was about or what I needed to do. But building a safe place for me to learn and grow was now paramount, I needed to be stronger so when the next attack happened I could be ready.

“Then we stay here, build up, become stronger and when we are ready we explore the world!” I said putting my foot down.

The minions stood in front of me eagerly awaiting their next jobs and I looked at our options. With no more free rooms we would need to build everything, and that gave me an idea. I sent a few commands for the minions to extend the main room towards the big tunnel, to shape the entrance into stairs and put a door on the secret field entrance.

Next I listed them to make a room beside the storage with doors to it and the main room. It would be our workshop. I did a few years of shop class and I hoped I remembered enough to build some useful things. Finally I had them make the entrance tunnel tall enough I could stand, sure it would make it easier on others getting in, but it would give more space for me to fight up there.

I looked down to my minion clutching his stained walking stick. “Scout, I need you to see if any of the houses above can be fixed up. I’m thinking of you having your own space up there to keep a look out to warn us of danger.”

He seemed to agree with me and ran out to look for his new stakeout base and I wondered if I could add the buildings above to my dungeon. Whatever system let me give the minions orders seemed to think so because my thought was answered with a red warning.

Buildings under your control are heavily worn and damaged. Extensive repairs are needed. The cost to repair is currently 100 stone, 50 wood and 5 metal.

Water pipes have extensive damage and need repair, current builder level is too low to attempt repairs, requires builder III.

Checking our resource pile we had less than half of that, I mentally sent a command that whatever building the scout picked would be the only one to be repaired. The other idea I had was if any people showed up I could act like I had found the abandoned town and set it up as a quiet place to study magic. Which wasn’t necessarily a lie, just a bit of stretching the truth. I had a gut feeling people wouldn’t like the idea of me having a dungeon to call my home.

Getting a level of builder was pretty high up the list, I didn’t like the sound of our water supply being in jeopardy but I had one thing to take care of first. As the minions busied themselves to their tasks I had another pop up saying it would take them a while since we only had three drones. I could summon another but I liked having a bit of flex room in the meantime with our minion count.

I set down the heavy tome in the mess hall and flipped through the book. At first I was disappointed because there were only six spells with many blank pages making up the rest of the book. But remembering years of tabletop games this was how wizards started. A few spells to start and you had room to write down more. I checked each of my skills and talents again.

Spell casting I

This talent allows the caster to learn and cast spells. Currently this caster can only use up to tier 1 spells.

The caster can instantly learn two spells provided in the spell book gained from the purchase of this talent.

Spell casting pool 1

This talent gives the caster a pool of mana points to cast their spells. All mana points are regained after a night of full rest. Currently this talent provides points based on the caster’s rank of this talent and their intelligence bonus.

Total mana points - 5.

Knowledge : Arcane success!

Spell tiers are a way to track the power and cost of magical spells that casters utilise. When spell casters are weak even casting the most basic of spells can be draining to them, with time and practice this can change allowing spells to become more efficient.

Currently at your skill level both tier 0 and tier 1 spells cost 1 mana point to cast.

My current ability for magic seemed pitiful, five daily spells meant each spell I used would have to be carefully considered. I would have to pick the two spells I got for free extra carefully. My first issue was damage, downing a basic monster in one hit would be a necessity, and second was some kind of protection. Each spell entry had a portion to describe the spell and under it were sketches of hand positions or body movement.

Arcane Trick

Tier 0 spell (currently consumes 1 mana point)

This spell is a staple to many magical practitioners, with it you can accomplish small magical tasks within a short range.

For example you can clean and dry an object, such as clothing or ink on a page, activate a low tier magic item from a short range, or light and extinguish candles.

Produce Fire

Tier 0 spell (currently consumes 1 mana point)

In an open hand the caster can summon a small fire orb, this can be held for several hours or allowed to hover beside the caster for one hour. After casting this spell the caster can choose a target from a short distance away and the fire orb will hit the target for a low amount of fire damage.

Acid bolt

Tier 1 spell - costs 1 mana point

Summon a magical bolt from your hand that strikes a target at a moderate distance. The target suffers moderate acid damage. Non magical light armour, metal armour and carapances will melt and be destroyed. The acid then disappears a short time later.

Eyes of Magic detection

Tier 1 spell - costs 1 mana point

The caster's eyes glow and any items affected by magic within a short distance will visibility glow to the caster. It does not reveal the magical properties of the object.

Knowledge of Wise Spirits

Tier 1 spell - costs 1 mana point

Requires a clear gemstone worth 10 gold, a corvian feather and a blank parchment.

Channelling the spirits of dead wise men, place an object before the blank parchment. The spirits shall identify the object and any spells currently affecting it. Some curses are protected against detection and may not be revealed.

Rope of binding

Tier 1 spell - costs 1 mana point

Requires a length of rope or string as long as the casters arm.

Holding the rope in one hand the caster chooses a target from a moderate distance, the rope will change to accommodate the target and attempt to bind them. This spell can affect up to moderate sized targets with strength of 16.

It was a hard choice picking only two. Being able to clean up on the fly made life sound more convenient but it wouldn’t save me from getting stabbed. The fire spell looked pretty weak but I assumed as I became stronger it might even be free to use. A fire orb hanging out over my shoulder for a while could be a good way to carry around a light source when exploring somewhere dark.

As I looked at the acid bolt and I shuddered, telling myself if I did get it I would avoid using it on another living thing if I could avoid it. It sounded horrendously painful and I moved onto the other options.

Magical detection and the like were nice but not what I was looking for. The rope binding did sound good, as it was the only defensive option of the bunch. Taking a minute to weigh in my options I chose the Rope of Binding and the Produce Flames spells. They seemed to have the most utility while also filing a damage and defensive roll.

Spells chosen, your two free spells have been consumed.

My head hit the table as I was overwhelmed by an immediate rush. The nerves in my body lit up in my mind like a christmas tree as a deep understanding filled my mind. The way to move my body, how to clearly say the phrase as I did the motions to blend it together to create a spark of magic. The elaborate steps set in my brain like I had just crammed an entire semester into my head.

Something new was in me too, a space in my chest that wasn’t really physical. It felt like my spirit had connected with my body and now a new invisible pathway of blood vessels appeared attached to a new organ. Putting a hand to my chest I felt my heart beat and something between the beats stirred. The second spirit organ was like a second heart, my beating rhythm to dance to, my connection to magic.

I rushed outside past the working drones in the tunnel and ran into the neglected field. I spotted a dry weed jutting out a few feet in front of me and it became my new target. Planting my feet onto the earth I slid one foot back while raising a hand. Cupping my hand I looked at my palm and focused on it.

“Produce Fire!”

My magic heartbeat pumped energy through the spiritual veins into my arm and in the palm of my hand a roaring ball of fire appeared. It was warm, heating the air around me and I looked at the weed mentally commanding the fire to attack it.

The fire shot out of my hand at a blinding speed slamming into the weed and destroying it. Flaming plant matter flew around the field and almost hit me with the debris. Ecstatically I ran around to find more weeds or bushes to set ablaze. By the time my brief stint of pyromania was over I had two remaining mana points left, and felt like I had a fever.

Warning excessive use of magic in a short time can lead to mana blight, a condition that sickens the afflicted and limits their use of magic.

Cackling like a mad man I forced myself to slow down and flopped onto my back feeling the hard earth catch me. I breathed in the crisp clean air for several minutes before the warning went away and my body returned to normal. Getting up I found a trail of ash and destruction behind me and a very terrified scout minion attempting to get my attention.