Chapter 17: Schools of Magic

The whole village is there to see us off that morning as we load up our newly gifted,’lightly used’ cart with supplies. They still have a ways to go to rebuild but they seem happy, refreshed. I see the armored knight from yesterday hauling away the bandits in a large, caged carriage. Good riddance. It might just be my imagination but, I think I see him staring at me a little too long. Either way, I don't have much time to think about it as I’m swarmed by the villagers. There’s lots of tears, lots of hugs, lots of little gifts. The innkeeper is the only one that keeps his distance from us for some reason. Kizzik tells me he’s probably just shy. The butcher bequeaths one of his ‘sharpest’ knives to Kizzik who is very thankful.

“Can never have too many good knives.” They say.

A very little girl gives Rina a little doll made of cloth and straw. It's a handmade, worn down thing with only one button eye left.

“This is Clemmy! She wants to see the world! Will you take her with you?” The little girl has stars in her eyes as she stares up at the elf.

Rina nods solemnly, tucking the doll into one of her pouches.

“I will take her with me wherever I go, little one. Thank you.” She pats her gently on the head.

I’m still getting used to seeing this side of her. She’s not all fire and brimstone. Sometimes she's just warm. Lappy and her siblings are the last to approach us. She gives me a big hug and a small wooden carving of a rabbit. She tells me it's their family’s guardian spirit and that it’ll keep me safe on my journey. I take it graciously, tucking it into one of my pouches. The Bellua woman also gives us each a packed lunch and sends us on our way. We say our final goodbyes, and head out of town, pulled by a grey draft horse (I think they said her name is Peggy). The people of Mud are able to live freely again, without fear of Kerberos. I hope that it stays that way as long as it can.

It’s a fairly easy journey the first day. I’ve never seen such a beautiful pristine countryside. Everything is so vivid! There’s colors here in these trees that I don't think I’ve ever seen back in my home world. And the smell! The air is so pure, and it actually tastes good! We take a break a little after noon for lunch. The food that Lappy packed for us is delicious, rabbit stew. I still think it's kind of weird for the record. Everyone finishes eating and takes to some leisurely tasks. Kizzik opts for a quick nap and Guille pulls out a journal and a pipe. Rina checks the cart and horse for any issues. I notice that my body feels much lighter now since I’ve healed. I feel stronger even without the suit. Is it possible that it's changing me?

[That is somewhat accurate. It is more so that the mana saturation levels in your body are getting higher from using the suit.]

I think about asking Minerva what she means by mana saturation but I see a better opportunity in front of me. Rina is still tending to our mare, giving her an apple to snack on, when I approach. I bet she can give me some answers, and it couldn't hurt to try and build a bridge with her . She shoots me a sideways glance but maintains her focus on Peggy, stroking her mane.

“Hey so, I have a question for you. You’re a mage right? So you know about this mana stuff?” God, I get so nervous trying to talk to her.

“Wizard.” She says.

“S-sorry? What-”

“There are different types of mages in this world. I am a wizard.”

“Ohh… Sorry. What are the other kinds?” I ask. I don't really expect an answer. She’ll probably just shoo me away or yell at me like always. Only, she doesn't. Instead, she looks at me with something other than disdain. I wouldn't call it a ‘kind’ expression, just not openly hostile.

Still petting the horse she begins to explain. It’s a pleasant surprise and I make sure to listen closely.

“I’ll try to simplify it for you. Mages are people that meet two conditions. First, they are able to store large amounts of mana in their bodies. Second, they have the ability to channel that mana into the creation of spells. There are three types of mages, divided based on how they interact with magic. Someone like me, a wizard, learns to wield magic through studying its mathematics and laws.”

She pulls away from the horse to demonstrate. A small spark ignites in the palm of her hand. The flame shifts colors several times, red, then blue, then green, then yellow. She twists her fingers and the flame begins to change shape. The fire morphs into a miniature version of our horse!

“This is the result of several detailed calculations. Most wizards will specialize in a specific aspect or element to improve their depth of skill. Fire comes naturally for me so that was my choice.” Rina sends the mini fire horse galloping off into the sky before it fizzles out.

“Then of course, there are priests like Father Gordon. They are able to harness divine mana through their devout, unwavering faith. Their god gifts them with magic as a reward for their worship and for spreading their teachings. A priest’s abilities will manifest differently depending on who they worship.

“Lastly is the wylder. They connect with the raw, unmitigated forces of nature. Through a deep connection with their surroundings, a wylder is able to draw on the powers of the wild. They are one with nature and protect all things within it. Their type of magic is extremely potent but often unpredictable.”

“But you can control fire. Isn't that part of nature as well?” I ask.

Rina tilts her head, contemplating my question for a second. “You aren’t far off. Wizards and wylders have similar roots. They diverge however at the point of manipulation. Wizards, by design, take what nature provides and change it to better suit their needs. We reshape mana and the world around us. Wylders on the other hand, do the opposite. They change themselves to connect better with how things are. They act as shepherds, guiding hands that carry out the will of nature, borrowing from its power.”

Even though she’s giving me the ‘simplified’ version, there’s so much to take in. This world is so vast and mysterious. I’m sure even if I was born here, I’d have barely scratched the surface of all the knowledge it has to offer. I remember my original question at this point and try to steer the conversation back to what’s happening to me.

“I think I’m starting to get it. In my case, I’m just storing the mana in the suit instead of my body.”

Rina’s face goes dark for a moment as she thinks of what to say next. Her tone is more somber now. “The body you inhabit isn't that of a mage, but a warrior.”

I wince. The body I inhabit, right. I almost forgot that it belonged to someone else first.

Rina continues. “The way warriors interact with mana is different. Mages keep their mana in a closed off space in our bodies called a mana pool. Warriors infuse mana directly into their bodies to enhance their physical ability.”

What Minerva said before starts to make more sense now that Rina’s explained it more. My body is being soaked in mana when I use the suit, making it stronger.

“Cool! So if the suit keeps feeding my body mana when I use it, I’ll just keep getting stronger!” I say cheerfully.

Rina shakes her head. “Vergil was still only a novice warrior. Your muscles are underdeveloped and likely unable to keep up with the amount of energy the suit is dumping into them. You’ll need to train extensively or you won't be able to keep up with the mana you're absorbing.” she says.

“What happens if my body can't keep up?” I ask.

“The surplus mana inside you will start eating away at your muscles and nerves until you become paralyzed.”

“Oh…”

“I’d suggest some push ups maybe?” She says.

Was that a joke? A genuine wisecrack?

“Thanks Rina… For talking to me.”

She nods. “It was smart of you to ask me.”

The elf turns her attention back to the horse. It’s a slow process just like Kizzik said but I think we are starting to get somewhere. She might just be starting to come around.

Everyone finishes their rest and we get back on the road shortly after that. As I sit in the back of the cart with Guille I feel a little hopeful. I also feel incredibly anxious about the whole mana paralysis thing. I silently commit to some rigorous exercise the next time we stop.