8 A Collectors Goals

Meld!

The rocks next to my bed rumbled a bit but soon fell down as the two mages continued chanting as their spell slowly healed me. Chanting seemed to be a way more to focus the caster on a singular purpose rather than any meaning as both of them chanted something different for their spell. Like a montra though they both seemed to have the same highs and lows.

What truly confused me is where the energy is coming from, there couldn't be just free floating healing in the air could there? Or was it like a dark art that siphoned the life from something into another thing?

Time went on, and the pain lessened, my concentration becoming a little bit better as I tried to condense the rocks time and time again. I knew I wasn't ready for the next step which was the hardest, to make the spell finalize and give the little guy autonomy, but I wanted each step to be perfect.

Even after my healing I expected that I'd need to sleep anyway, this was an eventful day even if I hadn't done much. I personally wanted to ask my father for more spending money but I knew that would be impossible for the next month. Unlike some armchair generals, my father felt the only way one can give timely commands was if you were on the battlefield.

It was a blessing as it was that every month he was given a month of rest for him, and his men. Most of that month Nikolai was either sick, or dying so my interaction with his father was a minimal which suited my needs as I didn't want him to be suspicious.

There were quite a few ways for an alchemist to gain money though, even before they became full fledged alchemists, medication was still medication. That would be my next step honestly, forging healing salves would gain me money, and further my bodily training.

"Haha.." Creation magic, after thinking about it was such a cheat for an alchemist that focused on creating medicines. A smile broke on my face making the other two mages shiver again.

With more gusto, "Condense!" I growled at the rocks only to see a flash and a lump of wood and stone hit the ground in a strange stumpy centaurian shape. With an upper body of stone and wooden spider like legs the little guy landed on its feet still just a statue.

"I did it?" Confusion covered my face, followed by a look of wonder. I hadn't expected the spell to go off, nor had I imagined that the statue would take this form. I was trying to make something humanoid, and this was only vaguely.

"It's all about intent, if you have a strong intent to do something the magic will come through clearer and stronger." The mage that was trying to stabilize his mana again into the healing spell explained. "That's why slave mages were outlawed a hundred years ago, their magic was weak, and sometimes created things that even they could not control out of anger."

Nodding my head I looked at the statue, what was my intent behind it. 'A helper' was what I wanted and the magic chose this form for it. Did magic have a will of its own, or was it my subconscious that chose this?

A shiver passed through me as I thought of my odd collections, if his golems started taking those forms then I would be too embarrassed to use them around people. Though a new desire started to grow as I thought of my prized guilty possession. Morgiana, you will be my training goal, I will bring you into this world as the first!

I mean even as someone training to be an engineer, I needed hobbies right? Maybe it was the wrong hobby to partake in but painting them always calmed me down after a long study session.

My hand quickly reached the bell, ringing it forgetting the two mages as I already felt good enough to sleep at this time. Within a minute two servants came in, one being the woman from last time. "I need paint, and rocks! Get me enough rocks to fill a bathtub, and enough paint to paint a mural on each one!"

Taking a look at the woman who hesitated, the other two servants running off I studied her for a moment. She was humble in appearance, long dark hair to match her dark brown eyes, with her green dress she had a girl next door vibe. "Speak your mind." I could tell she was hesitating to ask something.

"Well the paint, what colors do you want?" She said softly, the look of hesitation still there.

I was stunned that the other two didn't even consider this as they ran off to complete my orders and I frowned. "I want bright colors, reds, greens, yellows, blues and flesh colored pink like your own skin. This is for painting on the stones, so make sure it can safely be transferred onto it. Also a gloss if you can find some."

She bowed politely and started to leave, "Oh yes, delegate your actions to other servants. You are to be by my side at all times if I have the power to request that."

"Yes sir," she spoke softly still, but there was a hint of fear under it. I knew what she was thinking I was implying, but telling her otherwise wouldn't help so I let her go without explaining anything.

'I wish I could sleep now.' I knew their tasks would only take a few hours at most, but they could wait till I was awake. The only thing stopping me from sleeping now was the two middle aged men looming over me, making literal magic fingers above my body.

It took them another thirty minutes before they decided my body good enough to heal itself. Packing up their things I motioned for the one that had given me the tip on intent over. Sitting up I drank tea that they prepared, "What is your name?"

"Joshua Redgale." He bowed slightly out of respect, he was a mage they only fully bowed to kings or more powerful mages so getting even this surprised me.

"You aren't a fire mage?"

Joshua shook his head, "Wasn't suited for it, I get easily distracted by pain." He made a half smile as he spoke, ashamed of his weakness.

"Ah, then by a patient's bedside is probably optimal. Any time there's healing please be one of the ones sent here, I'd like to see a familiar face every time."

Someone from my world might not see the significance in this, but Joshua did as that meant he could get closer to the Nightingale house through Nikolai. It was obvious that Nikolai was doing this for his own benefit as well, as he ignored the other mage in the room. This wasn't for healing him but teaching him a little bit more about magic.

Even though his actions may have caused the world many headaches in the near future by progressing my skill just a small amount. "I do have a question for you before you go, does the chanting help at all? They seem to have no meaning."

"It's to help with intent, the chanting helps focus your mind like a spear to fully pierce through a specific ideal. It's the reason you'll see a lot of people shout out their spells. It's a rookie mistake in the battlefield, but when it's safe it can really make a spell go smoother." Joshua smiled as he explained things, he seemed rather skilled in teaching as another half hour passed.

I rather enjoyed the talks, but I needed to sleep, my mind was worn out after everything that happened today. I needed to digest what the mage said about control, and the flow of mana, this would progress my spell as well as make the circuit in my body better. Every step that I took in this world showed me that I had even higher to climb is this man was considered a mediocre talent and I couldn't compare to him.

Train, train, train!

Body, magic, mind!

Right now as things were, hopefully in that order as I needed a quick increase in my survivability if I wanted to be alive in the next few years.

So many things I need to do tomorrow!

My danger sense gave me a heavy press forward as if to emphasize that I needed to get more powerful soon.