Veric and the rest of the boys assigned to his room were lying on their beds exhausted after their first day at the military school, their muscles didn’t ache due to the effects of the meat they were fed, but all of them felt that their minds and bodies required rest.

“Did you guys also have to open that stupid [Goblin Cube]?” Kadyn asked with his eyes closed while massaging his fingers.

Frode raised his head from the pillow in confusion. ”Just to be clear, was it a cube made by goblins or out of goblins?” The question resulted in a chuckle from the boys.

“Neither. They are made for the goblins to become more dexterous and better thieves.” Veric explained while not understanding why Kadyn felt the need to rub his fingers. The cube was clearly not that bad considering he managed to open it under 30 seconds.

“That makes even less sense. But no, we were just doing weapons training. They said that if we want to reach higher ranks we have to start challenging people in the higher ranks to duels.” Frode frowned not happy about the idea that he will have to fight in order to get better resources.

“So what weapon did you choose?” Kadyn asked while cracking his knuckles.

“A battle axe of course, the most powerful weapon of all!” Frode proclaimed with pride.

“Be quieter we are trying to sleep.” The twins said in unison which the boys found a bit creepy. Nash didn’t complain because he was already sleeping as the only member of the brown ranks.

“Sorry.” Frode whispered.

“And which class are you going to choose?” Kadyn asked in a quiet tone.

“I am thinking about choosing either [Novice Axe wielder] because it is a basic class that boosts proficiency with axes and it can have a lot of evolutions. My other option would be [Recruit Soldier] because it would boost my stats while fighting in a group so that would be good.” Frode explained.

“Oh yeah, I completely forgot about the soldier one. it sounds too basic for me. I would go with the first one if I was you. What if you decide that you don’t want to be a soldier later on? But it is up to you really. I was going to choose [Earthbound Seed].” Kadyn said with wonder in his voice.

“You know that you can’t wear shoes with that one right?” Veric asked.

“But in return I will get a boost to Strength and stamina-regeneration while my feet touch the ground.”

“Hmmm, if I remember correctly and my memory is infallible, you said that you want to use a mace and this class is not compatible with any weapon. You will have to fight with your fists. Do you really think that it is a good idea?” Veric asked in confusion.

“Call me small minded but If I can’t make weapons myself I don’t want to use any.” Kadyn replied while reminiscing about his time in his father’s forge.

“Well, I won’t try to discourage you but how can your fists compete with weapons or pierce armour.” Veric asked with curiosity.

“I don’t know, but I believe that it is the right path for me.” Kadyn replied in a determined tone.

Veric rubbed his temples at the idea that someone could waste their opportunity at a useful class based on their belief. ’I think that is how my sister feels. But maybe he has his reasons like I do… I will just wait and see what he is able to achieve with that class.’ Veric looked towards the single candle that stood in the middle of the large wooden table at the other end of the room.

“Are you guys ready to sleep? I bet the training tomorrow will be even more challenging.” Veric said while watching the dimming smooth flame desperately trying to hold onto the black wick of an almost wax less candle.

Neither of the boys replied they were clearly already fast asleep tired after a full day of drills. Ahead of them there were at least four more years of equally harsh training after which they will graduate from being cadets, into being the soldiers of the house Martel.

Veric pointed his index finger at the flame of the candle and released a thin stream of mana from the fingertip. Once the mana was barely a few centimetres away from the wick, he twirled the mana creating a tiny air vortex which snuffed the struggling flame out if it misery.

The room became saturated in darkness. The only source of light in the room were the pale rays of moonlight unevenly refracted by the irregular glass in the single window above the large wooden table.

Veric laid down on his back and opened his stat sheet. He was tired just like the rest of the boys but he had decades of experience when it came to staying up till late in order to work, so he easily overcame the unrelenting force that was always trying to keep his eyes shut for at least eight hours every night.

Name

Veric Martel

Vitality

9(19)

Class

[Nessari Arcanist]

Constitution

9(19)

Race

Nessari

Strength

3(7)

Level

23

Agility

5(11)

Experience

185/465

Dexterity

4(9)

Health

146/149

Intelligence

430

Stamina

149/149

Wisdom

427

Mana

26146/26146

Willpower

36

Aether

55/180

Titles(5)

Special traits(1)

Attribute points

60

Skills(8)

Spells(5)

{Titles}(5)

[Kin slayer]

[Savant of Energy]

[Savant of Matter]

[Savant of Space]

[Savant of Time]

{Special Traits}(3)

[Nessari Bloodline]

[Accelerated Mind II]

[Eidetic Memory II]

{Skills}(8)

Classed:

[Minor Mana Sense] (level 6) (Tier 0) (Classed) (Active)

[Minor Mana Manipulation] (level 5) (Tier 0) (Classed) (Active)

[Mana Attunement] (Branch)

[Minor Mana sight] (level 1) (Tier 0) (Classed) (Active)

[Minor Aether Sense] (level 1) (Tier 0) (Classed) (Active)

[Minor Aether Manipulation] (level 1) (Tier 0) (Classed) (Active)

[Nessari Meditation] (level 1) (Tier 0) (Classed) (Active)

[Nessari Unification] (level 1) (Tier 0) (Classed) (Active)

Unclassed:

[Goblin Lockpicking] (Level 1) (Tier 0) (Unclassed) (Passive)

{Spells}

[ Veric’s Freezing Touch ] (Tier 3)

[Mana Domain] (Tier 1)

[Lesser Telekinesis] (Tier 0)

[Mild Mana Vortex] (Tier 0)

[Mild Mana Push] (Tier 0)

[Gentle Mana Push] (Tier 0)

‘For now, my strength, dexterity and agility are the only stats that are lagging behind. But I am sure that as long as I persevere with the training I will be able to increase my stats in no time. The only question I have is whether my growth will stop at 12 or 25 stat points. Knowing my luck it will only be 12 but then I will just dump all of the stats I have received from the level-ups into the physical stats.

…But my physical stats are not what I truly care about. What I need is more knowledge about magic and spells. Sometimes I wish I had a teacher or at least some guidance. Someone who could explain things to me. But at the same time achieving something on my own is so much more satisfying than being taught by someone…

My power is currently limited by my comprehension of mana and the fact that I had only one spell diagram to learn from… If only I had access to my mother’s notes. I am sure she had plenty of spell diagrams in there…But that is impossible till I finish learning swordsmanship from Elora… ’

‘I can only study the behaviour of mana under limited circumstances, additionally, my mana is different from ambient mana. Based on how Prometheus can see information contained in mana I could assume that mana is different based on the individual, like a fingerprint. I would describe my mana as being a sticky pushing-pulling force.’

‘In order to cast freezing spells, I need to attune it. What if there are people or creatures which naturally freeze objects, however, they need to attune their mana in order to push things or use [telekinesis]?’

‘Is that the reason why I can’t seem to attune mana that can heat things up instead of freezing? Because my mana or maybe my mana core is not suited for heating? Additionally why is [Veric’s freezing touch] a short-range spell that can reach only a few millimetres away from my body?’

‘Am I limited by the innate properties of my mana or simply by the understanding of mana?’

‘If it is the former, have I made the mistake by choosing to become the [Nessari Arcanist] and instead I should have become a [Neophyte Cryomancer]? Or was the nature of my mana core influenced by the type of spells I was casting before I condensed it?

Prometheus is my mana core limited to attune mana that can freeze?’

Kinslayer

Negative.

‘Why didn’t you say so sooner? I have spent days worrying about this?’

Kinslayer

You didn’t ask.

Veric groaned and if rolling one’s eyes could be heard he would have woken up everyone in the castle. ’Anyway, have you completed analysing the data collected from the mana and Aether inside of the mysterious meat and the boys?’

Kinslayer

Negative.

‘Do you have an estimate of when you will be able to fully analyse it?’

Kinslayer

I am completely limited by the Aether. I am able to detect it however, I am unable to determine its behaviour or interaction with mana. The mana on the other hand seems to be somehow dependent on the aether. Additionally, the meat contains the strange energy that No. 2 used on you. I am unable to tell whether that energy is relevant to the healing process

‘So, I would have to become more proficient with the use of mana and aether before you can analyse it further?

Kinslayer

Affirmative. My understanding of Aether is limited by your understanding.

What about my [Veric’s freezing touch]? Why is it a short-range spell?’

Kinslayer

Because you have designed it to be a short-range spell.

‘What do you mean?’

Kinslayer

Think back to the original spell diagram for the freezing ice sphere on which you have based your spell.

‘Based on the fact that you emphasised the word sphere. I am guessing that it is the main defining difference between the two spells.’ Veric thought and raised his hand. His palm became covered in the white freezing aura. He did his best to shape it or manipulate it away from his body but it felt like there was nothing to shape. Forming a sphere was completely out of the question.

The freezing mana was moving freely within his body because it wasn’t interacting with it thus not having any conductivity issues. But once it moved outside of his body it started to counteract the kinetic energy of the air particles around his palm. Once the freezing process began Veric lost his control over the white mana thus shaping or moving it was impossible. It was like trying to stop a flame from igniting rubbing alcohol.

A dense stream of unattuned mana was released from his palm. He shaped it to form a sphere around his hand. ’This should work as an insulator.’ Veric then released the white stream of freezing mana which slowly moved away from the surface of the skin. The motion of the white mana was so slow it would have been faster to move his hand instead.

The unattuned mana wasn’t impeding the freezing mana, The freezing mana was simply not designed to be manipulated freely. ’I think that by maximising the freezing efficiency I might have made it impossible for the mana to move. It is quite literally designed to do the opposite. I know that there is a limit to how cold things can get. Does that mean Cryomancy has a limit to how far it can advance? If my mana manipulation skill was better I could try pushing the limits of [Veric’s Freezing Touch] to the fourth tier. At that point, I feel like I would be extremely close to reaching absolute Zero. Would that then be the limit of [Cryomancy], a fourth tier?... Maybe the fifth in which I could potentially reach absolute zero. But then what? Does that mean not all paths can lead you to the top? Is reaching the tenth tier impossible for a Cryomancer?’ Veric ignored those thoughts for now and continued to expand the white mana.

After a few long minutes, the initial sphere of mana became filled with freezing mana. The moisture trapped within that sphere turned into fine ice particles suspended within the telekinetic sphere around his hand. The carbon dioxide has also started to freeze and turn into powder of dry ice.

‘Well, you could call that progress. The insulation definitely helps but it renders [Veric’s Freezing Touch] a lot less efficient and controlling two types of mana is a lot more tiresome and difficult than controlling one type at a time. I don’t think this is the appropriate way forward. But what if I combine these properties during the Attunement process? What if I make my mana layered? A sphere has the smallest surface area out of all surfaces that enclose a volume. It means that it needs the least insulation. I think that it is what Prometheus was implying.’

He closed his eyes and started the process of attuning once again. He included the properties included in the original spell formation and properties of his own unattuned mana in order to make sure that the freezing mana can be manipulated and moved easily. Each new property of mana added a new layer of complexity regardless of how insignificant they were to the freezing process.

Once he was satisfied with the final product he opened his eyes. The golden light of the system blinded his eyes, which became used to the darkness.

Congratulations! You have Invented a new Tier 1 spell: [ Veric’s Freezing Cloud]

25% XP bonus for inventing the spell.

+ 69 XP

Spell Description:

It’s a powerful medium-range cryomancy spell containing all knowledge about matter and energy of its creator. Capable of freezing any fluid more efficiently than any spell of the same tier.

Mana cost: 50 MP/kg .

Casting time: 10 sec.

Can be only cast after proper mana Attunement

Congratulations! [Minor Mana Manipulation] Has Reached Level 5

+ 20XP

Congratulations! [Minor Mana Manipulation] Has Reached Level 6

+ 26 XP

Congratulations! [Minor Mana Manipulation] Has Reached Level 7

+ 33 XP

‘Tier 1? I have managed to create a tier 3 spell before. Well my mana manipulation is only a tier 0 skill so it might be a miracle that I am able to create spells that are so far outside of my range. I probably overcame the limitations of my skills with my knowledge and comprehension of physics and by adding new components to the spell I have limited the freezing capabilities of the spell which is why it dropped two tiers.

This puts in to the question how the spells are categorised considering the tier 1 spell could be more useful and how effective it is compared to the tier 3 spell… I think that if my mana manipulation reaches the first tier I will be able to improve this more complex spell without sacrificing its potency as much.’

Even though the new spell could be considered weaker than the one before Veric still felt satisfied with it. He felt like he has finally learned everything he could from the original spell diagram Dara stole for him. He felt thankful towards her and hoped that now she no longer had to take care of him, her work at the castle was a lot easier.

He dismissed the system notification and noticed that he was no longer in his bed or even his room. He looked to be outside. The area he was in looked to be some sort of training ground. They were a little bit further away from the wing with the sleeping quarters. It was the area attended by the knights.

The training grounds were illuminated by orange flames coming from torches. ‘Was I kidnapped?’ His heart nearly leapt out of his chest but he realised that this couldn’t be the case because he was not bound. ‘Unless they think I am no threat even when I am not bound.’ He quickly got up off the ground and noticed the sound of wood striking wood.