“What does being a mage mean to you?” I was suddenly asked this question by my guardian. At that time I was only three years old, yet I had manged to cast a basic ice spell known as frozen lance. All the orphan’s here were taught to read at an early age, although I may have been the only one that grasped the concepts contained in those books. When I read the basics of magic I thought, why not give it a try.

The book described the sensation of mana in the first chapter. [Imagine a light circling around your body. Try to feel that light in the same way in which you would feel the wind passing by. A warm sensation should be felt where the image of light is located. Now think about how you inhale, try to copy that but with your body instead. Imagine the light sinking into your skin. If you have trouble with this idea, think of it like water being poured onto soil. This is the technique known as mana sensation.]

I thought of the light as purple. The feeling was warm, but it also felt like walking on a carpet with wool socks, and then touching a metal door knob. The sensation of a static discharge, and a warm breeze covered my body. When I thought of it sinking into my skin, it was like being embraced by our guardian in a warm hug. Suddenly my awareness became much sharper.

I gave it a shot. I imagined the purple light circling my body once more, but this time I thought of my body throwing up the light. In a way it was painful, however not to the extant of vomiting. It was more like stretching out a limb, only a little farther than it could reach. The sensation is also a bit pain full because of how mana feels. The corner of the room I sent it towards is relayed back to my thoughts. Adam is siting just out of sight of my view, but with the mana I am able to make out his actions. He is rolling a ball around a toy based on the strange contraptions of the mythic Continent. (What was that called again? A fire truck?)

It was surprisingly easy to imagine the mana in the form of a lance. I felt like the temperature was rapidly declining. It was only half a minute and the ice lance took physical form. I was lucky our guardian was a mage, if not she would be dead right now. The lance stopped in front of her forehead, a white light bouncing it away. I could hear the sound of ice shattering, just under her feet the ground was now frozen.

She motioned for me to sit right where the ice had been formed. I sat down in an instant. (What type of discipline will she carry out?) I thought to my self, but beyond my expectations, she simply ask a question. “What does being a mage mean to you?” Being only three I had no idea, so I simply stared at her blankly. “To me it means doing everything in my power to help those in need.”

That feels so long ago now, after all I am now twenty three years old. Currently I am the worlds best spatial mage. I can use a spell known as gate. In fact last week I was payed a fortune to escort a princess around all three of the continents in the frozen lava region.

The fall leaves were twirling about in the air. It was hard for me to stop the princess from jumping into the pile of leaves that were gathering up. “Your clothing will get dirty!” I shouted to her. “Who cares?” “The layers of people you must give a speech to tonight!” She looked at me anger welling up on her face. That is when she did the worst thing I could imagine. Splash, the sound of something hitting the water of the cliff below us met my ears. ( She didn’t?) “Did you forget there are swarms of sharks below us?” “And? You’re a mage you can deal with them easily!” Although she was not wrong, it would not be good for someone of her status to take such risks. “Hurry up and slay them!” (Dammit they actually came!) “Sorry what was that?” I teased. As they slowly got even closer she screamed. “I mean, kind mage could you please save me?” “There was that so hard?”

I cast a dimensional spell known as relocate. It covers the enemy in a yellow vortex, and then moves them closer to my location. At a point about mid range to be exact. Nine sharks are now gathered in front of me on dry land. Most spells to not require chanting, some do, but can still be used without the chant but it requires steady concentration. “Illuminate the land beneath me. Great lightning!” This was a spell known as lightning rod. A strong current of electricity would fall down from above the targets. If I had used it without the chant I would have had to think about each target individually, but the chant reads your subconscious mind, aromatically designating the targets. Using it chant-less would be better for a single target.

One by one the sharks are covered in a purple discharge of energy. One has its mouth wide open and looks like it is breathing out lightning. That made me think of dragons. Chills ran down my spine. Even with dimensional magic, there is noway I could take down a dragon, but unlike most people I could escape one. Dragons are the worst way to die. They bite off your head in a single motion. To make matters worse, their breathing techniques lure you closer to them. Those cleaver bastards.

The princess finally got out of the water after about another hour. I had to look away from her. Her clothing could new be seen through, which was not just her dress, but her undergarments as well. When I looked away she ran into town. (Fuck!)

You would think it would be easier to find a girl who almost seemed naked in a crowd, especially one with such eccentric hair and eye colors. Long glimmering green hair with swirls of red lancing around each strand. Pink eyes with a violet rims. Not to mention one wearing the bracelet of royalty. No I lost her, and her speech was in two hours.

Princess Morthima

(Dam that mage is pushy!) I wonder why he did not allow me to have any fun. My clothing was now dripping wet. Currently I am ringing them out. I have noticed a perverted you woman’s gaze locked on to my body the entire time. (Paint a portrait, it last longer!) If only I was not a princess, then she could paint my portrait to her hearts content, and even maybe touch me in special places. My checks became rosy with the thought. Click, I heard a sudden sound, and a blinding blue light was released. My thoughts were in a daze for a few minutes, but then it occurred to me what that was. (What was it called again? A camera?) If my thinking was correct, then thought would mean the young lady is from the mythic continent. After all they are the only ones both permitted to carry, and understand how to use one.

Holding my dripping clothing I ran from the ally into a crowd. (What am I going to do about this?) I have heard rumors that there were people known as witches on the mythic continent. Witches could use object with like images to do things to those that were similar to them. For example me. At least they did not obtain a strain of my hair. If something is apart of something else it can have a stronger influence.

“Huh? A naked girl just ran by!” “I just seen a blur of red and green” I could hear words like these from behind me as I ran faster and faster. (I need to get that camera and destroy it.) “Finally found you!” Ah it was the mage. What was his nickname again? With tears flowing from my eyes I pleaded. “Please find the woman with the camera and destroy it Back Gate sir!”

Back Gate

“I understand, but before that let me dry your clothing with magic, and then you properlywear them.” With my eyes turned away I felt her gaze on me. I could hear the clicking of the buttons on her dress as they fitted together. Finally she was dressed. “Can you be clear on what happened?” The princess filled me in on what had transpired. “What did she look like?” I asked the princess. After getting the description we soon found her.

I looked at the camera hanging around her neck. “What do you plan to do with the image in the film I asked?” “Personal satisfaction.” She answered. I blushed a little by her answer. “Sorry I cannot allow that.” I used relocate on the camera, and then melt it with burning rain. “Wasn’t that a bit much?” The princess ask me. Rather than answer I ask the girl. “Could you hand over the rest of the film. The princess looks back at the girl. “Wait more film?” I sigh at the princesses words, but after all not many people visit the mythic continent, so they would not know basic concepts and tools. The girl leers at me before putting her head down in sham. Reaching into her pockets she pulls out nine more rolls of film. “Any negatives?” I question her.

We are now at the warehouse where she has created a darkroom. Pictures hand from a line on the ceiling. Because I do not wish to see a nude image of the princess, I have her search for it. “Found them!” the princess calls out. I hear her tearing up the photos. “If there are no more pictures of our lovely princess here, and none of the other photos are of any other nude individuals you may keep them.”

The girl took all the leftover pictures and left our sight. Unknown to me at the time she did have one photo of a nude individual. Not that I would ever get a chance to know this.

The speech the princess made went well in all three continents we visited. Before parting she gave me a gift. It was a box and a key. “Inside that box is something very precious, and it can only be opened by someone who has been entrusted with its care. If you or someone you trust has this item, then they will have the royal knights and my full support in a time of need.” I was also handed the fortune I was promised. Finally I could by myself a home.

I hired a maid, and using magic created a green cube. This cube was the key to getting into my home. I made one for the maid as well. I could get in and out of the house without it, but if I was low on mana it would be better to have. My house had no doors in or out, the windows were made from mana, so no one could possibly break in. I could not let the precious gift fall into a mad mans hand.

It had only been about two days since I bought the house. Right now I was in the process of creating a stronger gate spell, one that could transport a full army.

I cast the gate normally, and then coated it with a layer of defensive magic. I poured more and more mana into it, finally I pushed the center mana outwards. A loud bang echo’s in my ear, but seems to be getting farther and farther away.

Back Gate’s maid

“I felt the whole house shake just now!” I stare out the window to where my master was training. “Huh?” Where there had once been a mountain peek there is only a swirling black mist.

Subject 33

I was strapped to a chair, my captors were getting closer to me. “Today we are going to see if that thing can be regenerated. So lets take off your pants and underwear.” That was not something I wanted to experience. My pants got pulled down then the underwear. I tried to struggle, but that is when one of them hit the button. I screamed in pain, and then lost all hope. Could you believe they wished to do something like this once it had finally hit a month. I was prepared. The knife was inching closer and closer to my special region. They suddenly stop in their tracks. “what the hell is that?” I slowly look up to see a swirling black mist, but just beyond it is a figure.

Back Gate

I suddenly felt sick to my stomach, my head was spinning. I look forward and see a man tied to a chair with a glazed look over him. (Mind control huh? Then these guys must be the controllers!) A question from so long ago suddenly pops into my head. “What does being a mage mean to you?” I recall her answer. “For me it means doing everything in my power to help those in need.” With those words it was clear I would help this man.

(First lets get rid of that weapon!) I cast relocate on the blade one of the men were holding near their victim. Then turn it into a pile of liquid metal with burning rain. Next I cast lightning rod. Their bodies vibrate from the strike, it seems weird to me never have I seen a human have that kind of reaction to lightning rod.

All the men are unconscious. I help their victim place their clothing back on. Thinking about it these clothing seem kind of strange, in a way they are similar to that of the mythic continent, but somehow feel fresher. It is like the difference between a new born calf and its dying grandmother. Never mind that is not important now. I unbind the ropes. There follow me.

Subject 33

“What the hell is going on? Nanobots are one thing, but how did the knife disappear? No wait, why are we walking towards that black mist? Could it be poisonous? If it is will the nanobots protect me from their compound? Even though we were walking into the mist I clearly heard the sound of the door opening, I hear a click, and then a loud bang. A trail of violet liquid passes my cheek, the bit that lands on it is warm. The men takes my hand and tugs me forwards.

I suddenly feel fresh air for the first time in nearly a month. I look behind me and that black mist is slowly disappearing. I look at the man. The purple liquid is gushing out from him. It is blood? I finally click in. This man is bleeding out after rescuing me. “How can I help I ask?”

“If you can use a healing spell. For some reason the mana is not flowing towards me.” I stare blankly at him. “What is a healing spell?” I ask a few seconds later. A flow of blood suddenly pours out of his mouth. He reaches into his pocket, and hands me a green cube and a key. “I entrust my house to you, it can be found north of here, look for the one without a door. As for that key, I also entrust you with what it opens.” The man’s eyes suddenly become still. It is only now that I realize they are red like a ruby. I turn pale, a few minutes after I collect my thoughts, an insane pain washes over my body.