5. Spellcasting (Pt. 1)

 Following the night of his first attempt at anything magic-oriented, Jake awoke with a body sorer than he had ever felt. The tent was dark, the sun outside blocked by its walls and a sheet his Auntie had placed over the sleeping area’s entrance. The boy’s muscles ached and his body felt heavy. It was hard to find the motivation to get up from how much everything hurt. He thought of just rolling back over and stuffing his face beneath a pillow. Except the loud growling of his stomach reminded him that he needed sustenance.

“Well this sucks…” he grumbled, forcing himself to roll over and sit up. He let out a large-mouthed yawn and stretched his arms over his head, forcing the tight muscles to breathe a little. He stepped into the sand and then slid his feet into his sandals, sliding his toes between the frayed cloth thongs to keep them in place.

“Finally awake, are we?” Chul’s voice echoed from above. He was hiding in the peak of the tent, the shadows concealing his small shape. Jake scratched at his head and shrugged.

“Barely.” The boy rubbed at his neck and did a few stretches in place. “I hurt all over. Kind of wish I stayed asleep.” Feeling a bit more limber, Jake stepped out of the sleeping area and into the main tent. His Auntie was gone, as usual. Breakfast was set out with a cup of tea to drink and instructions on chores for the day were written down on a note beside his plate.

But, there was one more thing. Elana was sitting there, sipping tea from a cup.

“Uh, morning.” Jake blinked away the lingering sleepiness from his eyes and stared at Elana for a few extra seconds. Just to make sure she wasn’t just a figment of his mind.

She wasn’t. Her cup clicked on the table as she met his eyes. “Good morning, Jake.” She looked him up and down, sighed, and stepped over into the kitchen area. “Get yourself cleaned up for the day. I’ll help with chores.”

Jake checked over himself to make sure he was safe for the company. He was wearing his clothes, so he was safe from that embarrassment at least. His hair was a mess, though, and he hadn’t brushed his teeth yet. He made his way over to the bucket of water set beside the tent flap and took a few handfuls to wash off his face. He then pooled some into his palms and splashed it through his black hair. Once it was wet enough, he utilized a brush to rake out any of the knots and straighten out the mess on his scalp. He needed a haircut.

“I can do them. Shouldn’t you be at the gate?” Jake used the mirror to peek over his shoulder. The angle gave him a nice view of Elana as she worked to clean the dirty dishes his Auntie had used to make breakfast. While she cleaned the bowls and pots, Jake grabbed the small brush from the wooden holder, applied a dab of paste to the fibers, and then began to scrub at his teeth.

“I wanted to check on you first.” Elana turned to face him, and Jake adjusted the mirror to change its image. “How did your second conversation with Auntie go?”

Jake spit into the sand behind the bucket. “It didn’t. She was asleep.” Jake stuffed the brush back into his mouth and scrubbed a little harder, finishing up. Elana sighed and continued to clean.

“You won’t get anywhere with her unless you talk to her, Jake.”

Jake rolled his eyes and rinsed out his mouth. He then poured a bit of water onto the bristles of his brush to rinse them before returning them to the wooden holster. He grabbed a small cloth hanging beside it to wipe off his face, then he grabbed the water bucket to toss its contents outside into the sands. He set the empty bucket in its original place. By the time Jake returned to the table, Elana was also finishing up. She wasn’t dressed for work. Instead, she looked more dressed for a day off.

“You know how she is. I need proof if I want her to believe me.” Looking at his plate, Jake had quite the meal to eat. Scrambled eggs with meat and cheese, a roll with butter melted into it, a small serving of strawberry jam, a fruit bowl, olives, a few slices of tomato, and three pancake balls. The eggs, tomato, and olives were all set atop a large pita bread which was ready to be folded and eaten. Jake bowed his head for a moment to pray, then he started with the fruit.

Elana organized the dishes, wiped off her hands, and then turned to stare at him. “What kind of proof are you thinking of then? You don’t have Sahar.”

And that was where Jake found himself uncertain. If he wanted his Auntie to believe him, he would need to give her undeniable proof that he could perform magic. On top of that, it needed to be strong magic. Magic that she couldn’t argue against. Magic that could sway her and earn her trust that he wouldn’t just run off and die. While he had little faith he would be able to accomplish that task in a day or two, Jake did believe he could set up the foundations for it. So long as he paced his training and put his time into properly learning the basics, Jake could set himself up in a few weeks. Maybe.

“I’ll figure it out.” He avoided the Sahar problem with a shrug. However, instead of getting Elana to also brush off the subject, she raised an eyebrow and her head tilted ever so slightly. Jake avoided her eyes. He didn’t like that look.

“Oh?” Her tone shifted. Suddenly, Jake felt that he was in danger. She said nothing as she approached him. Jake felt his heart rate spike as she grabbed his sleeve and tugged it up, exposing the black marking on his arm. “Does this have anything to do with your sudden confidence?”

Jake’s eyes shot open and he jerked away from her. “Quit it, Elana!” Jake snapped, scowling up at her. The woman was unphased.

“What happened in the Ravine, Jake?” She asked, her arms folding as she glared at him.

Jake’s jaw tensed up as he felt the weight of her stare. “What’s it matter?”

Elana scoffed and leaned down towards him. She put a finger in his face. “Something happened down there to you. I can see it in your face. Your Auntie might not think anything strange of it, but I do.” Before Jake could swat at the finger, Elana backed away and took her seat at the table.

“I’m not against you, Jake. You know that.” She threw him a glance before grabbing her cup of tea. Jake eyed her for a few moments, expecting her to add something. When she didn’t, he returned to his food.

She didn’t push further, nor did Jake say anything. He slowly nipped through his food, whittling away at it all as he used eating as an excuse to not respond. It gave him time to think, to organize his thoughts and sift through what he should tell her and what he shouldn’t. He trusted Elana. As she said, she wasn’t his enemy. But, that didn’t mean she was his ally either. She never outright said it but Elana certainly didn’t like the idea of him leaving the village. Every time he talked about it, he could see the sad look in her eyes.

“I can’t tell you yet.” He wanted to. He wanted to tell her everything and he knew she would both believe him. She wouldn’t tell his Auntie either. But… He still wasn’t entirely confident in himself. In his magic. He was just starting to crawl. He wasn’t comfortable with sharing his current position when he had little to nothing to show for it.

She seemed a bit dissatisfied with his answer but she didn’t pry. She only frowned and shrugged. “Just don’t be stupid, okay?”

Jake smirked. “Can’t make that kind of promise, but I’ll try.”

“Idiot.”

Jake continued to eat and Elana took the time to speak of her problems. Her parents were pushing her for marriage, her mother complaining of how she would miss her chance if she continued to wait. While her father continued to offer up numerous names of men she had never even met, all with boring occupations and little to nothing but a mat to their name. Work wasn’t too stressful but her Captain was hounding her for her lack of effort. There were even a few who spent more time trying to make passes at her than doing their actual work. It made her shifts long and exhausting. The good news was that with her being a Magi, she at least had some control over who she’d marry. She would be the final vote on that matter, and the Elders would make sure of that.

Up until her twentieth birthday, though. At that point, if she was still unmarried, she would be matched with one of the other male Magi. Doing so would hopefully continue the bloodline carrying Sahar and hopefully birth an even stronger child. With Magi being scarce in the village, the Elders wanted to do their best to at least maintain the numbers they had. Female Magi were given a bit of freedom in their youth to live and love but it would become a duty to birth strong children later on in life. And Elana’s youth timer was ticking.

“Or I just die alone. That would be nice.” Elana sighed and took a heavy sip from her tea cup. Jake gave her a weird look before letting a chuckle slip out. “What?” She scowled at him.

“You? Live alone? Nice joke.” Jake rolled his eyes and popped the last pancake ball into his mouth. Elana sucked her teeth.

“I could do quite fine on my own, thank you.” She huffed and grabbed Jake’s cup of tea as he reached for it. The boy’s eyes widened. The pancake roll in his mouth was dry as sand. He needed a drink. Elana watched him suffer for a bit as she stole a sip from his cup. When she returned it, his face was changing shades of color.

He coughed harshly when he could finally breathe again and slapped his cup down on the table. “Yea, maybe. If you could cook anything other than burnt rice.” After getting his tea stolen, Jake decided to stab her a bit as payback.

Elana gasped and she placed her hand to her mouth, exaggerating her disbelief that he’d say such a thing. “Oh, you speak almost as if you could do any better.”

Jake grumbled and stacked his plates. “I don’t need to. I just need to marry someone who can cook for me.”

“Or live with Auntie the rest of your life.” Elana took her turn to laugh and it was Jake’s turn to be the one upset. He rumbled his annoyance as he carried the stack of plates to the kitchen area. He wasted no time beginning to wash them, cleaning up after himself.

An awkward, heavy silence fell over them both. He was wiping down the last plate when she set down her cup beside him. She was a bit closer than usual.

“Two years, Jake. That’s all the freedom I have left, you know.” She said, nudging him. Jake remained quiet as he finished with a plate and set it to the side.

“You’ll be upset if you don’t take this absolute one-of-a-kind opportunity.” They had discussed this before- a potential for the two of them to marry. However, Jake was deadset on his dreams of becoming an Adventurer. If he married Elana he would have to give it all up. He wouldn’t be like his father and just run off, leaving her behind.

Jake’s jaw tensed and he looked at his reflection in the bucket of water. Elana noticed where he was staring and her eyes turned to meet his in the water. The boy’s lips pressed together, as he looked at her beautiful face, her flowery-smelling hair, and the woman’s smooth bronze skin. He let out a sigh and swished at the water, disturbing the clear image. His decision remained unswayed.

“I’m leaving this village, Elana. I won’t do the same thing my father did.” Jake switched from rag to towel and began to dry the dishes, making quick work of the droplets on them.

Though, even as Jake tried to show that he was busy and as he tried to avoid her conversation, Elana wasn’t so easy to get off the subject. Such a decision was important in the village, and she had made it clear she wouldn’t marry some random guy. “Which is why I told you I was fine with it. He left you. He abandoned us, and your mother. But you. I know you’ll come back.”

“Elana…” Jake’s tone shifted and he shot her a glare. She finally got the message as she pulled away and gave him some distance. Jake finished drying, set the plates back in an organized fashion, and then grabbed the water bucket. When he turned, Elana was standing in his way. She looked far more serious. Jake didn’t like that look in her eye and he knew exactly what she was going to say. It made his stomach tighten.

“What if I come with you?”

“No.” An instant answer. Jake stepped around her and carried the bucket to the flap.

“Jake-”

“I said no, Elana.” Jake stopped at the flap of the tent. “Just… No.”

He stepped outside and tossed the water into the sand. He waited there for a few moments, basking in the burning sun as he took in a long breath. He closed his eyes, taking in the warmth of the daylight and the scent of the crisp, morning desert air. He could feel a very faint, cooling breeze touch his cheeks. After just a few moments of being in the heat, small beads of sweat began to form on his skin.

The flap of the tent fluttered behind him and he heard the scattering of sand. Emotional steps of a very saddened woman. “You know, you’re just like your Auntie sometimes.” Jake flinched and turned to retort, but Elana put a finger to his face again. “But, I know you aren’t lying to me. You’re lying to yourself.”

She flicked at his nose and then stepped away from the tent. He held his tongue as he watched Elana walk away. Standing there, alone, he felt his heart sink. The bucket in his hands felt heavy all of a sudden, as did the invisible weight of his choices tugging on his shoulders. He kept his thoughts to himself and forced himself to look away from her shrinking figure as she distanced herself. He returned to the tent and, silently, got on with the list of chores his Auntie had asked him to complete.

It was near midday by the time Jake finished his Auntie’s tasks and he made sure to double-check the list before he left. He and Chul made their way towards the outskirts of the village, Jake fully intent on spending the rest of the day practicing his magic. The plan was to split his time in the Library and his time with Chul. Chul wasn’t perfect at magic, but he could at least provide some assistance with it. Of course, how much Chul could help would be highly dependent on Jake’s progress. The Arachkin’s magic was limited, and it seemed the spells he used weren’t exactly the usual type.

Jake slipped off to the edge of the village to the wall and found that the hole he’d dug had been filled in. Leaving the village required one of two things; passage blessed by the Elders, or a merchant/traveler's talisman. Without either, individuals were only allowed to leave under escort. While Jake could have stuck to the Marker for his training within the Library, his subsequent training with Chul would require a lot more space. And a lot fewer eyes.

Thus, he repeated the same tactic he usually did. The boy checked for guards and slipped into the gaps between the tents to where a small board with two straps on it was hidden just beneath the sand. Then, he waited. He sat between the tents and quietly kicked at the sand, toying with the grains as he waited for the eventual sound of feet and chatter. Two guards on the opposite side of the low wall passed by, signaling for Jake to begin his quick escape. A hole took days to dig, as it required a shovel and a lot of effort in the baking heat. Climbing was a lot less time-consuming, but riskier due to the visibility of it.

Jake did consider being patient with his training but he would rather maximize his time. Practical training was just as important as reading and studying… probably. It was more he wanted to be able to practice rather than just read books for days on end. Jake plucked the wooden board out of the sand and tossed it up onto one of the tents.

“Hold on,” Jake informed Chul to brace himself before he began his ascent. The tents themselves were held down by long, taut ropes. They were anchored deep into the sand and attached to heavy bricks. With the compact sand holding them in place, they could support a tent and a bit of extra weight. Jake tested the thick rope and then yanked himself up onto it. He hooked his feet and then climbed up onto the top of the tent. Once there, he snatched up his board and moved on.

He kept towards the edge and then hopped across to the next tent. He balanced on the thicker, sturdy edge, his feet moving one over the other as he balanced on the internal pipe in the wall of the tent. The piping helped the fabric maintain its shape. Said piping was generally sturdy and Jake had found that it could be balanced on, but only if there weren’t things tugging down on it. The tents on this side of the village were conveniently all storage tents. So not only were they larger but inside there were only boxes stacked up. Nothing causing additional stress on the tents themselves.

As he reached the edge of the third tent, he was at the closest point to the wall. He tossed the board first, throwing it lightly so it would land on the edge of the wall. With a kick and a powerful leap, the boy lunged to cross the gap and chased the board. It wasn’t a far jump but it was always sketchy, as the stone wasn’t always rough to grab. Especially if a lot of sand had blown onto it during the night. Thankfully luck continued to be on his side. The beating sun made the rocks gritty and Jake’s palms and fingers stuck to them as he caught the edge. Using his feet to kick upwards and his arms to pull, the boy yanked himself up onto the wall. He kept a low profile, skirting across the top of his belly. He checked to see that the patrol had kept walking and then rolled over the edge, dragging the board down with him.

The moment his sandals hit the sands, he started running. The boy opened his stride and sprinted across the golden sea, heading for freedom. There was a steep drop-off three hundred meters away from the village on the current side. Steep enough to slide on and a usual deterrent for the guards if they gave chase. Usually.

“HEY!”

“There it is,” Jake spat. The guards had seen him. He glanced to his right to see the guard in the tower shouting for the patrol. They turned to spot him, but only one gave chase. The other shoved his spear into the ground and watched. Jake smirked and ran even faster, sprinting towards the edge of the sand.

He reached before the guard could even get close and then turned left. He followed the edge, peering over it to check for any Dunebeasts. Seeing none skulking around at its base, he next checked the sand for any signs of buried threats- Golden Worms. They tended to lurk in dune walls or at the base of the dunes themselves, catching anything that slid down. He didn’t see any trace or typical signs of them being around so he took his chance. The boy stopped and then looked back at the guard was was still a good fifty meters off. Jake smiled at him and dropped his board to the sand. The guard began his final sprint to try and catch the boy, but Jake had done this far too many times to be caught by such a slow old man.

Jake hooked his left foot into the front strap and tugged it tight. Then, he stepped into the back strap. Just as he yanked it snug over his foot, he tipped right and plunged over the edge.

“SEE YA!” He shouted, plummeting down the edge of the dune. The guard stopped before he tumbled over the edge, peering down the steep and distant slope as the boy made his escape- well out of reach.

“You bastard child!” The guard shouted, his voice echoing through the open air. Jake didn’t hear him though, the sound of the whirling sands filling his ears as he surfed smoothly down the dune.

He held out his hands a bit to keep his balance initially and used his hips to direct his body. As he picked up speed, the boy brought in his elbows and bent his knees just a bit. He took the long route this time, following the curve of the dune as he swept across it. As he lost speed, the boy adjusted his descent, sweeping the nose of the board down and kicking the back to bring it around. He lowered slightly, keeping his profile close to the board to avoid falling, and closed his eyes slightly as he raced to the bottom of the dune. The air kicked at his body, his clothes dragging against his body. Sand flew outwards around him, a cloudy haze of it behind him.

“Isn’t this dangerous?!” Chul shouted, but Jake only laughed.

“Only if you suck at it!” He answered as he continued to laugh.

The steep slope eventually began to smooth out, but Jake had enough speed. He kept low and fired out of the dune’s basin like a dart. The dune across from it was far shorter, short enough that Jake was able to glide up and over its lip. He twirled, using the momentum of the upward angle to spin his body. As he turned around, he checked the top of the dune- both guards were standing there, watching as he performed his little trick. The Guard who was more experienced with Jake’s antics placed a hand on his co-worker's shoulder.

Satisfied that he wasn’t being chased anymore, the boy refocused himself on his little stunt. Now that he was in the air- he needed to land. Jake used the moment of both his spin and the upward jump to push himself forward through the air in a wide arc. He angled his board down using his feet and knees, then lowered slightly to brace for the impact. He had carried enough speed that he’d cleared the back edge of the dune but he had come down too fast. He would hit the slope in stride, so his angle needed to be perfect or he’d eat it.

As he dropped back to the golden sea, the boy clenched his teeth just in case and made one final adjustment. He leaned forward ever so slightly and-

Butter.

The board pressed onto the sand and Jake tore down the backside of the dune, carrying his momentum a long way. He moved fast and kept low, swaying his hips back and forth to keep his speed. There was no other dune to jump across, but there were two dunes back to back ahead of him. Jake used his speed down the back of the dune he was on to carry him a part of the way up the dune on the left. Then, he turned his board to speed down to the dune on the right. Back and forth, he transitioned between the two until the inevitable. With no more downward momentum, the friction of the sand gradually cut away at his speed until there was little to none left. When he was all burnt out, the boy cut to the right and kicked the back forward, braking and sliding to a comfortable stop.

“You certainly are eccentric in your style of living, boy.” Chul looked up to Jake as the boy knelt to loosen the straps. Jake stepped out of them and then tightened the grip on his sandals, ensuring they wouldn’t fall off.

“Blame my father,” Jake huffed. “Plus the village is boring. I’d rather be out here.” Jake picked up his board and looked around him. He was surrounded by sands.

“Not much to see.” While the Arachkin wasn’t exactly wrong, Jake didn’t quite agree. There was plenty to see- you just needed to know where to look.

“Not here, but close by there is.” Jake started his walk and followed the two dunes, talking along the edge of the one on the right to keep out of the sun and to avoid the Sand Worm he’d spotted. He adjusted the pack on his back and carried the board under his arm as he walked.

After a few minutes of walking, Jake cut to the right and climbed to the top of the dune. He peered over its ledge and checked around him. He spotted a few cacti jutting out of the sands, along with plenty of dead brush. He slid down the dune a bit and then continued to walk. Another few minutes passed and he checked again, this time spotting a tall pillar jutting from the sands. He marched over the edge of the dune and then flipped his board over his head, blocking out the sun as he walked towards the tall pillar.

There wasn’t anything special about it. It was a stone marker in place used to direct the caravans. It had a signpost attached to it, giving directions to the next villages which were at least two days away. It was also a watering point, and a few Magi were sitting inside of the hut beside the pillar.

“Jake?” A boy inside perked up as Jake stepped inside. The girl he was with rolled her eyes.

“Running away again?” She huffed. Jake shrugged and set down his board. He pulled his pack off his back and then several bottles from inside.

“Just a little excursion. Mind if I get some water?” Jake asked with a charismatic smile, hoping they’d play along. The girl crossed her arms, turning her head away. The boy, on the other hand, was happy to oblige.

“The guards stepped off to go piss. You might want to be quick.” The boy held out his hands and from the tips of his fingers, water began to collect. The small orbs of water then poured out into the bottles, filling them up slowly.

“Thanks. I figured that’s why they weren’t outside.” Scattered through the sands between villages, man-made stone pillars were placed to aid the Caravans in their travels. While the caravans didn’t necessarily need them, they helped minimize the distance the navigators needed to worry about when directing the drivers. They also, sometimes, were manned by Water Magi. The Magi could replenish any water for the caravan and provide water that could be used for cleaning and bathing.

Since Water Magi, in general, were scarce, they were only placed at key markers that saw frequent traffic. On top of that, they were sent out only when caravans were anticipated to be passing through. If a caravan found the marker a day early or a day late- they might miss the opportunity and be forced to continue along. A runner could be sent to the Magi’s village, of course, but that was only in emergencies. Caravans always moved with ample amounts of water. The Magi were just convenience and a sign of goodwill from the villages.

Of course, since Magi were highly valued, Guards were stationed with them along with a pair of horses that the Magi could use to escape should anything happen. The horses were kept in a separate stable beside the marker, so Jake didn’t have to deal with them if he was just getting water.

“Where you headed?” The man asked. Jake shrugged.

“Probably just to the cliffs. Need some space, you know?” Jake wasn’t exactly sure where he wanted to go still but the cliffs nearby sounded like the best option. There were a few caves he could hide from the sun in and the Dunebeasts tended to avoid them, as there was little food there. Sandworms loved them, though. Anything that fell from the top would no doubt become food for one lurking down below.

“You really should go back to the village. You caused a mess the last time you left.” The girl rolled her eyes, but Jake ignored her.

“Thanks, Wadir.” Jake smiled as he packed up the bottles when his friend was done. Wadir grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

“No problem. Good luck, but don’t stay out late. Guess someone is having a ceremony tonight. I hear the girls are going to be dancing!” Wadir let out a laugh as Jake shouldered his pack. Before he could answer, he heard feet outside. The boy turned and darted out, not giving an answer but he certainly gave it a thought. If the ladies were dancing and giving a show, he’d certainly enjoy watching it.

Jake slipped around the edge of the marker, following the stone off to its side and around the corner. The guards came into view from their side, turning and walking into the shade without as much of a glance in Jake’s direction. Pumping his fist quietly, Jake turned around and skulked off into the sand. He once more placed his board over his head and walked in the direction of the sun. Judging the time by its height in the sky, he adjusted his course a bit and walked until he crested another large dune. Not far off, he saw the rocks of the nearby cliffs. They were at least a kilometer away but with his board and a few dunes between him and the goal- he made quick work of those thousand meters.

As the golden sand gave way to soft pink sandstone, Chul crept out of the cover of Jake’s shirt and onto the boy's neck. “I have yet to decide if you are bold, or foolish. It is quite a difficult choice to make.”

“Thanks for the compliment.” Jake flashed his partner a smile as he approached the edge of the rocks. This was no Ravine. He could see the bottom. A flat, sandy death where several pits with hungry mouths in their centers awaited the unfortunate. Jake kept close to the edge, following the rocks as a path was cut into the cliff face. It was a short route, barely twenty feet down before a smooth landing awaited him. And the entrance of a small cave. It was empty, aside from some provisions he had left behind and a blanket he had taken from the storage tents a long while back.

The cave was just one hideaway Jake had found in the desert. It was one of the best places to get away from the boring air of his village. With the numerous dunes around, Jake could practice his sand surfing for hours and return to the cave whenever he needed a break from the sun. It was also close enough to the village that he could return rather quickly. Lastly- there were no Dunebeasts. With the threat of the Sand Worms down below, the Dunebeasts kept their distance. A fatal fall wasn’t worth the risk.

“But, I am quite impressed. I now see why you were confident enough to challenge the Ravine.” After they entered the cave, Chul quickly hopped off Jake’s shoulder and skittered onto the wall. Jake set his board down by the entrance and then grabbed a box of matches. He plucked one free and struck the end against the coarse side of the box. He leveled the flame against a wick that was soaked into an oil dish. The flame ignited, illuminating the small space just enough for Jake to be confident that nothing was lurking within it.

“It wasn’t that I was confident. I was just curious.” Jake sat down on a thin mat he’d placed beside the wall and then leaned into the rock. “I wanted to see it, so I planned out the trip and took my chance when I had it.”

Chul moved across the roof of the cave, adjusting his position to be directly over Jake and a bit towards the back of the small rocky inlet. “That was all? No sense of challenge or a dare? Just a desire to see what was within it?” When Jake nodded, Chul’s fangs chittered as he laughed. “You truly are interesting, boy. Very few would look into such a foul place and decide to enter it. You mentioned hearing stories before entering, and many who came before you said the same. Did those not cross your mind?”

“Of course they did.” Jake blinked as he looked up at his friend. “But the stories just weren’t enough.” Jake looked down and lifted a rock in his hand. He twirled it, observing its rough shape. “...They’re never enough.” His lips pressed together for a moment, then he chucked the rock out of the cave. It skipped at the edge of the cliffs before plummeting out of sight.

Chul stared down at Jake, silent as Jake’s expression remained soft. There was a distance in the boy’s eyes, as though he were looking well beyond the walls of the cave. Chul hummed softly and slowly made his way down to the boy’s side. “Is it your father?” He asked.

Jake’s jaw tensed. He reached for another rock. However, he only grabbed it. His fingers gripped the stone and his eyes stared down at it. The rock had the same shape as the Ulnoc Talisman. Well, similar.

“Something like that.” After another pause, Jake plucked the rock from the floor and also threw it out of the cave. This time, it cleared the cliff edge. “But not just him, all of them.” Jake rolled up onto his feet. He let out a heavy exhale as he stepped to the edge of the cave, his eyes peering up and towards the distant sky.

“There’s a whole world out there, Chul. A world more than just sand and sun.” Jake reached a hand up, his fingers stretching towards the cool blue. “It’s not that I hate where I am. I love this place, I love my home. My Auntie. The village and everyone in it. But those people… People from far-off places, places I only hear of from their mouths.”

Jake’s stretched-out fingers curled into a fist, his fingers wrapping around the tiniest speck of a cloud. He gripped that puff of air tightly. “I want to see them. All of them.”

“It will take time, child. Time. Patience. And a lot of strength.” Chul approached the edge of the cave, from the ceiling, and peered down at the boy. “The dreams you have, you cannot achieve with a light heart. Are you certain?”

Jake stared past his fist, his eyes lingering on the cloud as it emerged from his fingers. “My father once told me that nothing is certain. Not even the choices we make are set in stone. It’s only when we take action that certainty becomes reality.” Jake lowered his fist and his lips curled into a faint smile. “It’s easy to talk, but real men don’t talk with their mouths.” The boy leaned back a bit as he looked up. He grinned and stared up at Chul.

“Real men talk with their hands.” Jake turned his palms upwards and wiggled his fingers. Chul’s fangs chittered as he watched the boy return to the mat inside of the cave. “For years I’ve said that I would leave and see the world. What kind of man would I be if I turned on all of it now that I’ve got the chance to act on those words?”

Chul stared at the boy, watching as he sat down and crossed his legs. Jake made himself comfortable and his lips remained in a smile as he closed his eyes. The Arachkin continued to stare as Jake delved into his mind and left for the Library. Chul remembered when he was young like Jake- driven and curious, willing to take on the world. Oh, how foolish he had been… but at least this time, Chul could do something to keep Jake from making the same mistakes he did. Or he would at least try.

Day two of his time in the Library began with cultivation- a lot of it. Jake closed himself off from the Library and focused entirely on working on his Mana Flow. He needed to gain more control over his mana if he wanted to become a powerful mage. Control and efficiency would be key to proper casting, and Jake would make sure to lay the proper groundwork for it all. Dedicated to that cause- Jake spent hours sitting in place, toying with his mana and refining his flow. The Fairies checked in on him every so often, likely at the request of Yir, but they generally left him undisturbed if he was cultivating.

Alba returned after a few hours into his stay but the fairy remained distant. She loitered for a bit longer than the others, waiting around even as he took a break. She checked in on his advancements and viewed his flow to see how it looked now compared to when she had last seen it. His improvement was steady and expected. However, if he wanted to make larger leaps in progress, his technique would need even further refinement. Jake was focusing quite a bit on the steady and cumulative growth of his mana flow. Where if he had put more focus into his mana control- he likely would see more gains that way.

Yet, such a change would likely put an excess burden on his mana flow. The increased density of the resulting mana would strain his flow tubes and choke them out. Or, the mana would actually overpower the passageways and burst out of the tubes, which would still be made up of weaker and thinner mana. Jake needed to balance the two. Strengthen his mana, and then reinforce his mana tubes to keep it contained. He was even preparing to create another mana tail if he needed it. But while he had gained a bit more mana and his capacity had increased slightly- it wasn’t enough to destabilize the flow yet. For now one was enough.

In between the long stints of sitting in one spot, Jake found himself reading through his first spellbook. Novice Spellcasting Guidebook- Foundations Volume I. Living up to its name, the book was focused on introductory spells and building on the standard knowledge a Mage would be expected to have. From magical variables within spells to magic circles or sigils, to the importance of mana control. While Cultivation wasn’t mentioned specifically, Jake read several suggestions stating that Mages should first familiarize themselves with their mana and become comfortable with drawing it out before casting spells. Doing so would limit the potential for dangerous accidents to occur.

That little bit of missing information made Jake pause. He flipped to the cover and checked the name of the author- Julian Redwood. A simple name, basic. Not one from the sands. He then checked the name of the author of his cultivation book- Anlyth Lubetor. A more exotic-sounding one. Jake probably wasn’t saying it correctly so it certainly wasn’t the kind of name he would ever find outside of the Library.

“Alba?” Jake called out to the fairy, who was sitting on a higher shelf off to his right. She hummed at him, her eyes not moving from the book she was reading. “Is Magic taught the same everywhere in the world?”

This caught her attention. The fairy peeked over at him, watching as Jake began to look between the various books and author names. Each of them was written differently and sounded different. Many were similar to the basic ‘Redwood’ sort of thing, but a few were far more outlandish.

“No, it’s not. Magic knowledge isn’t universal, and countries each have different levels of magic available to them because of it.” Alba’s wings fluttered as she hopped off the shelf. “Why do you ask?”

Jake nipped at the inside of his cheek as he began to think, piecing together the little hints he had missed on his original readthrough of the books he’d touched. If the current level of magic were different throughout the world, and knowledge wasn’t the same- then it only made sense that there were so many different cultivation techniques. On top of that, it also made sense that Redwood might not quite know what “cultivation” was. They might have performed the technique, but maybe they only did it out of instinct or maybe their teacher had taught them to do it without quite knowing what it was. Was the place this ‘Redwood’ fellow from a less magic-oriented country?

Doubtful. Jake found three other volumes of the guidebook on the shelf, provided to him and other users of the study room by Yir and her team of fairies. Jake checked the names and found each of the Guidebooks not only increased in volume number but also in difficulty. Redwood must have either been a skilled magician or the book was a work done by multiple mages sharing their knowledge.

“Something the matter?” His lack of an answer piqued Alba’s curiosity. She fluttered into his view to get his attention. Jake shook his head.

“No. I just noticed that this book doesn’t mention cultivation.” Jake pointed at the Novice Spellbook and then flipped into its initial pages. “The author seems to dance around the subject without really going into detail. As if they don’t know what cultivation is.” Jake focused on the text again, reading through the words on the pages and shuffling through a few pages as he skimmed over the information.

“Cultivation isn’t a widespread thing. Most mages learn by just casting.” Alba shrugged and landed on a stack of books, keeping her at relative eye-level with Jake.

“Really?” Jake raised his eyebrows and looked at her. “Why? It seems almost like a necessity.”

“For you, it might be.” Alba let out a laugh and crossed her arms. “You’re a bit of an outlier with that river of power in you, but most mages only have a little bit of mana in them these days. Cultivating that tiny bit usually is more of a waste. So, most schools don’t even teach cultivation to those weaker types. Instead, they skip to casting. Casting magic can do the same thing cultivation does, just with more force.”

Jake stared at her, a bit annoyed by her wording. If what she was saying was true- he could have spent time casting spells rather than sitting on his ass.

“Using incantations will trigger your mana to react to the Words of Power. They’re like instructions.” Alba fluttered down to the table and then walked to the book in front of Jake. She flipped to the first spell, Wind Ball, and pointed at the Words of Power written. “Even without cultivating you can cast a spell by reading those words in the proper order.”

“Sylphrus sylus Tyr.” Alba held out her hand and her voice carried into the air as she called forth the spell. She’d cut out several words compared to what Jake saw on the page but even without them, a palm-sized ball of compressed whirling wind appeared at her fingertips.

“The words will cause your mana to react, and you can feel it when it happens. Cast enough of the same spell and your control over it will increase. Cast enough spells and your control over your mana as a whole will also increase.” Alba let the ball of wind swirl at her fingertips for a short while before she dispersed it with a flick. It shot upwards towards the ceiling, then the wind scattered as the sphere lost its shape. “Gain more control and you’ll be able to cast stronger spells. Build the strength and control for those more potent spells and your capacity will similarly increase to match the need of your casting.”

“It takes years for that kind of growth, though.” Alba shrugged and pointed toward the cultivation textbook. “But with cultivation, you accelerate that process.”

“Because you put more focus on your mana flow directly…” Jake mumbled. Alba nodded.

“Spell casting forces your mana to work to meet the needs of that specific spell. Cultivating prepares your mana to handle any spell.” Alba smirked and winked. “Cultivation encourages your mana to be malleable. It develops a stronger bond with your mana flow and helps create a more instinctive connection with it.”

Jake let out a soft hum as he peered down at the spellbook. He read over the Wind Ball incantation, his eyes glazing over the Words of Power. He didn’t speak them but he found his mana already reacting as he thought of them. His eyes narrowed a bit, then he closed the book.

The more Jake looked into the world of magic and the more he asked his questions, the more curious he was about how the rest of the world saw magic. For there to be so many books focused on it, he had originally assumed that magic was widespread and well integrated into the world’s functions. However, if magic wasn’t uniformly known throughout the world and something as basic as cultivation wasn’t known by everyone, or if it was something purposefully suppressed or protected, then maybe his initial assumption was incorrect. There was no real way to tell. Not now, at least. The guidebook was rather old, too, so the state of magic could have changed in the original country it came from.

The boy sighed and folded his arms over his chest. He looked up at the bookshelf again, his eyes scanning over the various book spines in his view. Magic was making him both curious to learn and it fed his desire to adventure. He didn’t quite care to meet the mages and authors but his curiosity about magic in the various places made him antsy to get on with things. The sooner he was competent, the sooner he could leave his village and start exploring the world.

“Thanks, Alba.” Jake turned from the table and returned to his spot where he could cultivate.

“Of course.” Alba stepped up to the edge of the table. “Cultivating again?” She asked.

“Yes. Another hour or so.” Jake turned over one of two hourglasses. One was his cultivation timer, the other was set to track the time he had so far spent within the Library. Each cultivation session was done for two flips. After two flips, Jake had learned his concentration dropped off and his mana flow would tire from the constant pressure on it. Thus, after two flips Jake made sure to take a brief break.

“Rushing progress will only lead to problems, boy.” Yir made her appearance finally, the fairy filling the doorway with her presence as she landed on the floor just within the threshold. Jake stiffened and Alba rose to her feet.

“Miss Yir,” Alba bowed slightly. Yir smiled at her but she didn’t quite look at Jake in similar kindness.

“Is there a problem with my pacing?” Jake didn’t quite have all the time in the world to be sitting on his hands. He needed to prepare his mana properly so that once he began casting, it would work exactly as desired. He didn’t have time for mistakes when it came to the practical use of magic. He certainly would need to give himself time to get accustomed to casting. However, he would need to pick up on the skill quickly. If not, his progress would become stagnant and he would lose even more time trying to make corrections.

“Your growth is steady and I can see change within your mana flow.” Yir’s eyes flickered to green as she stared at him. “But, your growth will slow in time.”

“Why?” Cultivation was a steady build-up of internal foundations. Why would his growth stop if he kept after it?

“You’re cultivating with the expectation that your mana will be far easier to use once you begin casting, is that right?”

Jake felt his stomach tighten. Her accuracy was… unsettling.

“Seems so.” Yir huffed as she saw the color drain from the boy’s face. “Cultivation will aid in making your mana easier to use, but without actually using it for its true purpose your body will still fail to utilize it properly. No matter how comfortable you become with controlling your mana- cultivation cannot prepare you for the eventual act of casting.”

“But isn’t that why we use incantations?” Words of Power performed much of the work, or that was what Jake thought. He figured that so long as his mana was ready to be utilized and could be efficiently called forth- the incantations would handle the rest.

An eyebrow on Yir’s face popped up as she stared at him. “Words of Power certainly will cause a spell to activate, but unless you can control your mana being drawn out by them, you’ll just become a bomb waiting to be set off.”

Jake didn’t quite like the sound of that.

“Words of Power cause our mana to react in three ways.” Yir held up her hand and three fingers jutted upwards. “First- they begin the conversion to the requested element. Second- they provide our mana with the spell’s variables. Direction, size, speed, shape, and density to name a few. Third- the actual trigger or ignition of the spell itself.” With each number, Yir lowered a finger.

“Cultivation makes it easier for the Words of Power to draw out your mana. It makes the conversion process from mana to element faster and it lowers the amount of mana required to fulfill each variable within the spell. But- a lack of practiced control has a chance to cause a fatal error in the last step.”

Jake gulped. Alba, just off to his right stuck a finger out. A ball of fire appeared at the very tip and then popped in a loud but controlled burst of heat.

“In other words, something we call a Mana Explosion.” Yir gave a name to the phenomenon. “Fail to control your mana and properly cast the spell, and the Words of Power will pull out far more mana and the spell will collapse. Most times, explosions are small and spells can be quickly tossed away before much damage is caused to the Mage. Other times…” Yir’s voice trailed off, but Alba was once again far more visual. She grinned and dragged her finger across her neck.

“Death,” Jake muttered. Yir nodded.

“Such cases are rare. The potential for an explosion to be dangerous falls entirely on the available mana within a mage. Since most have very little mana to begin, with the risk is low. You, on the other hand, could blow up this Library.” Yir planted her hands firmly on her hips. “Which is why we are making exceptions to some rules.”

“What?” Alba and Jake both answered in unison. Yir’s lips curled into a smile as she snapped her fingers. Three fairies entered, their green wings carrying them into the study room and to the back wall. Together, they started a little construction project.

“I spoke with Lady Ferynith and informed her of your recent advances. She wants to ensure your growth is protected from curious eyes, given proper oversight, and is done safely. Thus, I have been permitted to create a Practice Room for you.”

Jake turned to watch as the three fairies extended the wall outwards, pushing the material away from the current room to create another beyond a small threshold. Using mana, they stretched the white walls, forming a large open square space. Yir flew through the new doorway and provided them with instructions on what she wanted the room to be. It was rather simple- a large rectangular box with two raised platforms on both ends and a square pit in the middle between them.

On the close platform, she had the fairies erect a pedestal to its side which would act as a place for him to place his spellbooks. At the far end, along the sides of the room at various intervals, and in the ceiling, Yir had the fairies create several targets. The targets differed in size and shape, but each had various points that would need to be struck for the target to be considered “destroyed”. Once formed, Yir planted a regenerative rune within the targets so that they would retake their shape after being destroyed or damaged.

The walls were strengthened with an array of runes, magic barriers, and regenerative sigils to ensure they would be able to withstand the abuse of missed spells. While they weren’t impervious, the combination would certainly be enough to withstand much of what Jake expected to learn. Anything beyond the strength of the array and Jake would need to practice in the Overworld. Unless he found a way to strengthen it himself. Though, Yir likely placed such a limit on the array on purpose. Once Jake outgrew the practice room, he would be more than able to survive in the outside world with his spells.