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Arc V Chapter 8

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23rd Ignis Solar 753 AAC

Iris resumed her discourse, unabated and unimpeded in her chosen course, driven forward by her unstoppable impetus and patent resolve now. One thing was clear, her lesson would continue for better or for worse, even if it was the last thing she did ...

“...” Aurora merely mustered a wry smile in response, unable to tell whether it was a good thing or not, but oh well ... There was not much she could do ... She was only fortunate that much to her delight and much to her considerable relief, the laws and mechanics of magic were apparently cross dimensional in nature. Based on her memories and judging by Iris' cursory explanations, it seemed that magic was an immutable constant beyond time and space. Minor terminological differences aside, the magic of this world resembled hers to an uncanny degree that defied any chance of mere coincidence, which was only logical the more she thought about it. Just as the laws of nature retained their firm on reality, so too the laws of magic remained unaltered despite her reincarnation.

A fact that she clearly approved of, besides the scientific and rational approach to the art of magic. This world possessed a firm of magic, both in theory and its application. They had a model ... They had a system ... They had a set of rules and principles ... They had a foundation ... Magic was not just some vague, ill defined force devoid of thought or analysis. The magic of this world was not the product of backward superstitions and wilful ignorance, of chance and luck. Instead, this world displayed a proper understanding of magic instead. This was a world so very much like her own from a few centuries ago, a world only separated by the level of technological progress ... It would make many things much easier for her and make it easier for her to assimilate.

Iris raised her index finger. “Now, listen well, Edelgart.”

Aurora and her doll nodded, clenching their tiny fists. “I am listening.” They both genuinely were. Partially, at least.

Iris smiled at her. “As I have already said, the spell is a mage's friend, Edelgart, and there are three possible ways, three basic methods to perform a spell. There is the incantatio, the incantation, or more commonly known as chant. There are the so called signa, the signs or glyphs. And there are the auxilia, the auxiliaries. These three methods provide the structure for every spell, and you can combine them between each other. You can use an incantation and signs. You can use signs and auxiliaries. You can use auxiliaries and incantations. You can use incantations, signs, and auxiliaries all together. In fact, you are strongly encouraged to do so for various reasons. Granted, most of the time, one or two methods are enough to perform the spell in question ... Heck, strictly and theoretically speaking, you require no method or spell at all for a functioning invocation, but ... the reality is different. You will need them. Otherwise, however, you are free to choose the method of your liking. Some mages prefer incantations as their main means of their spellcraft. Other mages favour the use of signa for their spells. And others place a stronger emphasis on their auxiliaries, so it is not a clear cut matter of what way you should use and which not. In the end, it comes down mostly to personal preference. You use the methods you are most comfortable with. Do you understand?”

“...” Aurora and her doll nodded. Her explanations made sense. Her expositions aligned with her personal knowledge and the knowledge of her predecessor, which lent her words credence. Some practitioners relied more on their voice, others more on the structure of their glyphs. All in all, it was an overall sound introduction to the world of spellcrafting.

Iris continued, gesticulating in the process. Her raised index finger was her trademark. “Now, time for a quick rundown, although we won't go too much into detail as incantations, signa, and auxilia. They are essentially all delicate sciences on their own, well beyond the practical scope of this lesson. However, let's start with the incantation or chant. It is not much of a secret that there lies power, ancient power, in the use of words. Whether it is the use of words themselves that grant us their power or rather the other way around, as the majority of scholars suggest, doesn't really matter ... The point remains, the use of chants has accompanied mankind since the earliest dawn of magic, and they are probably the oldest method of spellcrafting, and yet they have retained their prominent role ever since. In any case, a chant is a versatile and effective tool due to their evocative nature, ranging from a single word, to a simple phrase, to lengthy incantation, to complex formulas. Through the use of words, we gather and mobilise our mana.”

“Hmm ...” Aurora and her doll processed their new information. Her suspicions were confirmed, their incantations were not merely decorations for the sake of aesthetics. They served a sensible purpose beyond their silly nature.

“Signa, by contrast, are a younger invention, dating back at least to the time of the age of light and the first golden age of magic, thus preceding the events of the Weltenbrand. As far as we know, signa were first conceived and used by the ancient mages of old. It is true that the names of their creators might be now long lost to the sands of history, but the spirit of their creations live on to this day, as does the language of the Ancients. They both survived the centuries and remain the foundation of magic, accompanying ever since.” Iris' hand reached for the cover of the so far neglected tome.

Aurora's gaze followed her motion. De origine et principiis artium magicarum. De aethere, elementis et mana ... The title appeared suddenly in a much different light. It was certainly not written in Arcadian ... That much was plainly obvious ...

“Compared to chants, signs are a less flexible and more technical instrument. Their rigidity makes them harder to master and less forgiving when it comes to their execution, but what signa lack in flexibility and ease of use, they easily compensate for with their potency. Whether incorporeal, based on mana, or corporeal, using a physical medium, signs remain the most effective way to contain and control vast quantities of mana. Their geometric patterns and lines allow us to perform magic we once thought impossible.” Iris opened her palm. A small magic circle manifested, her mana creating a vibrant carmine red. “This is a signum. This is what we commonly call a magical circle.” Her palm closed, and her circle faded again.

“Auxilia meanwhile fulfil mostly a complementary role. They improve your channelling. To the point that some scholars consider them a part of spellcrafting. And some do not. Personally, I do, but that is a completely different discussion between dualistic and trinitary schools of magic. Traditionally, auxilia consists of classical accessories, such as staffs and grimoires, charms and amulets, magical bracelets and chokers, rings and earrings. They are made from classical mana conductive materials with enhancing properties, such as pure silver, gold, platinum, mythril, or orichalcum, which makes them generally rather expensive acquisitions for the common non noble mage.” Iris mustered an uneasy, self deprecating smile, a testament to her existing financial constraints.

“...” Aurora merely smiled in response, radiating an aura of innocence. As it turned out, accessories and jewellery were more than just mere trinkets. They were useful trinkets!

Iris resorted to her usual smile. “Anyway, I think we can call it a day for today. I hope you found my short introduction into the world of magic useful.”

Aurora nodded, clutching onto her loyal doll. “I did~. Your explanations were very helpful, Sister Iris~.”

“Wonderful~. Then it's time to ... No! No! Wait! Wait a moment! Wait! We forgot something. Silly me, we forgot something very important.” Iris raised her index finger.

Aurora meanwhile tilted her head in confusion. “Did we?”

“Yes, we did!” Her hand rested on the weighty tome that she had procured. “There is a reason that I was searching for this manual. Now watch and learn.”

The tome opened to reveal its secrets. Her fingers were running through the decrepit pages before suddenly stopping. “Here it is. Take a look, Edelgart.”

Aurora turned her gaze at the tome. It was an illustration that greeted her. “What is this, Sister Iris?”

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