Well another short one. These days I don't really have time for a long one.

I was nicely surprised as I got a donation, since the button appeared a bit late. I would have liked to thank that person but not knowing his nickname I hit the wall. So I came up with an idea. If you donate me send a pm with your name and amount so I would know that is you. And below every chapter I will create A Hall of Fame where your nickname will be written. It will be my way of saying thank you for your support.

Chapter 23. Skills. Part 2.

"It's been some time from my last visit to this place." I say looking at the once more frozen waterfall.

Since there have been no need to come here and waste my rat cores. I haven’t been to this place since the last spring.

"Day is too short to be wasted." With a small smile on my face, I pick up quite a big rock.

“Ahhh. This bring backs some memories…” I say throwing it.

Few moments later I’m already standing in a bit of a damp room, which is illuminated by a calm blue lights intricately weaved into the walls and ceiling.

“Well, I’m back…” Without waiting any longer. I move directly to the table with neatly stacked notes.

I pick up the first bundle of papers tied together with a red cord. Strangely even in this environment they still look almost new.

“That’s magic for you...” I express my astonishment before starting to read them.

“Dear guest, these notes are made to help a Northmen understand what magic truly is. But since unlike me, a witch with ice attribute, you might have a different one. I will be only teaching the basics in here. Anything else I’m afraid you will have to find out yourself.

Let’s begin with a few facts. To everyone it’s a common knowledge that we are a race oriented toward strength rather than intelligence. And it’s a fact to everyone in the world that we like dwarves under the mountains will never use magic. Of course not counting witches, who by some are even considered to be a completely different race.

So let’s try to prove them all to be wrong.

First off all. How does one uses magic? In reality it’s a quite simple thing. You only need to pull out your inner energy and concentrate it. But to do this one needs to have a high number of intelligence. Otherwise you will run out of inner energy before making anything and faint.

But do not worry after years of studying I found another way in some old books. Instead of concentrating energy outside your body, you do it inside. This way your attacks might be a bit less powerful, but you will need only about tenth of the energy required normally.

Most likely right about now you are asking: why nobody started using this long ago?

Well because there is a catch…”

“Of course, there is always a catch.” I’m starting to get annoyed since things are never simple.

I move my eyes back on the paper and continue reading.

“Collecting energy inside the body gives quite a burden on it. I tried it myself and I only succeeded in collecting a small amount before enormous pain flooded my senses. So only strong and tough people can do it without hurting themselves. In other words I think it should be perfect for Northmen warriors.”

“Wait a moment! So I might still be too weak to learn anything decent?”

“Haah, why do I feel like going in circle?” I let out a sight.

“I train my agility and learn magic, so I wouldn’t be a simple muscle head dependant on strength. But now it appears that to escape one’s destiny is impossible…”

“Haah…” I sight one more time before collecting my thought and moving my eyes back on the paper.

“I do not know how old you are so just to be safe I will write this: If you have less than 500 points in strength and defense in my opinion you shouldn’t even try this.”

“So I hardly pass minimum requirements …” I thought this might be the case.

“I assume you have already learned to release magic and passed the second stage. So lesson number 1: Instead of simply moving the energy and realizing, hold it inside your arm. Remember if you start feeling even a smallest pain release it immediately. NOW GO OUTSIDE! DON’T EVEN DARE TO TRY IT IN THE CAVE!”

“Wow, so bossy.” I say putting notes back on the table.

With a frowning face I start walking outside while thinking: ‘I know it sounds easy, but I bet it will take quite a lot of time until I get the hang of it…’

The moment I put my feet on the shattered ice at the entrance to the cave and feel cold winds of north tickling through my clothes. With worlds: “Hell no!!!” I turn back.

Just in case of something unforeseen I decide to stay far away in the cave so the winds wouldn’t touch me, but not so deep as to be too close to the room.

With a suitable place found I decide to start my training.

But no matter how much I tried not even once have I succeeded. And with sun getting closer to the horizon I decided that it's time to head home.

Next day was also a failure, as were the days that followed after it.

Until finally on the seventh day.

“Day like this is a pure blessing. No wind and sun is shining brightly on cloudless sky.” I’m in a good mood. Since last few days I trained my control over inner energy with a harsh winds blowing from all sides.

‘Maybe there is some kind of trick which I’m just not getting… No matter what I do energy just gushes out with a few static charges showing between my fingers.’ This is starting to get on my nerves. Because last six days I wasted sitting on the bench at home without any improvement.

“Haahh… I know whining won’t help…” My mental fatigue is at its peak. ‘I will try it a bit more and if nothing happens, I’m going back to training my body.’

I look at my right arm. ‘Ok, move the energy and hold it in my arm. Ball… Ball… Concentrate it into a ball…’

I intensely glare at my hand. Trying to see if there is any static, since to make matter easier you can’t feel this fucking energy.

‘Ball… Make a ball…’

‘Ball… Ba… Huh?’ Suddenly I am bombarded with a strange sensation. It’s hard to explain it but I can feel that something is forming in my hand.

“Aghhh… Dammit pain! Pain! Pain!... Ahhh… Release! Release!” Sorry for losing my coolness, but I’m in a bit of hurry trying to protect my hand.

Before I manage to grasp, where I’m aiming, a small, small ball of bright light flies out of my hand and straight to my dad.

In a mere second it closed the distance of about 10 meters and hit him in the neck.

‘What have I done?’ A huge number of emotions surge in me. Fear and despair of losing member of my family starts to claw their way through my mind. Until I find myself shaking and without any strength to move forward.

At that moment my dad rubs his neck while saying: “Strange… Mosquitoes this time of the year? What is this world coming to…”

And like it was nothing he goes back to chopping down the wood.

As I am regaining my senses, I say: “Fucking mosquitoes…”.

Right about now I finally notice a familiar blue screen.

NotificationYou have gained a new Title

“What?”

‘’ Without wasting time I decide to check what fresh hell is this.

*Titles*Blessed; The last one standing; Son of Thunder; Magical knight; Shadow killer; The Grand Archmage of Northmen

“WTF??? Grand…” I’m somewhat dumbfounded.

‘’

The Grand Archmage of NorthmenStand with dignity for you are the strongest magician of your race.

Vitality +10; Defense +20; Intelligence +60; Presence +5

Attention: if position is lost title is nullified.

‘Yeah right The Grand Archmage of Mosquitoes. At least stats are good. But…’ I start thinking while looking at what’s written on the screen.

‘But if I show this title to others together my awesome skills, I’m definitely going to become the laughing stock of the whole world.’

‘...I see, so there is only one solution for this. To use my supreme skill: ‘Complete denial’.’

== End of chapter 23 ==