First birthday, and more magic

Just like that, Belnan's first year in the new world of Levander passed. His mother would come home a few times a day to take care of him. Raising a child alone is rough. In Belnan's old world, if you left your child alone you could be arrested. This world is remarkably more lenient. Belnan has not met any other people in his entire first year of life but his mother. When she was not around, he would pray to his trio of beautiful Goddesses for their blessing and practice magic.

By the way, Belnan's training has slowly paid dividends. He raised his Wind and Light magic to 4, Keen Hearing to 4 and Identify to 5.

<Bel>

[Ok. Let me look back over this past year because I have been busy. I can finally walk somewhat. I roll off the bed and try my best to land on my feet. This has landed me on my face a few times but then I just crawl over to the wall and use that to get up.]

[I practice magic everyday when my mom goes out to hunt or do chores. I got a bunch of new spells too but more importantly, I am discovering more about magic. The only bad things that have happened are that I am starting to talk to myself more and more. I am not sure if I am going insane or not. Now for magic.]

Belnan's understanding is as follows:

1) Each spell has a chant that gathers the motes (spirits) of the corresponding color to where he wants within the limits of the spell.

2) Apparently, there are levels as he gets new spells when he levels.

3) More importantly, If he practices enough with a spell, he can shorten the chant to a word or mental character. Saying the shorter word can cast the spell with some basic parameters. It requires some more thought to configure things like point of origin, range, and keeping spells going longer.

3) Keeping spells going longer cost more mana. Usually you just pay the cost again. This is easier than recasting it but you do not get to re-target the spell.

4) His mother has shown him some compound spells mixing different elements like the shield spell but he has not figured out how to do this yet.

5) Due to his blessing, the effects of magic are doubled for him.

He's not sure if this is how everyone does it but this has been working out this past year. He is most certainly missing some understanding but he is too young to ask for formal training.

As his understand of magic and rank have gone up he has has a few more spells which are most certainly well beyond his meager age and he dare not use them in the small cabin after the initial testing.

*New Wind Magic

Wind Slice – Adept Rank 2

Cost: 200

Creates a horizontal line of compressed air used to slice a target. Range 20 yards /per cost spent /per slice up to three.

Wind Armor – Professional Rank 3

Cost: 300

Creates flowing winds around the caster that can defect incoming projectiles.

Summon Air Elemental

Cost: 400

Summons an Air Elemental for 30 minutes

*New Light Magic

Heal – Adept Rank 2

Cost: 200

Heals a target's wounds. Can not restore life or limb.

Remove Poison

Cost: 300

Remove non-magical poisons from a target.

Cure Disease

Cost: 400

Removes non-magical disease from a target.

Belnan has tried all of them at some point but the Wind Slice he had only used once as he shot it out the door when it was open during a storm. He immediately worried that he might hit his mother by accident, so he has effectively sealed this spell. His mother has looked at him strangely a few times. The air elemental summon attempt caused all the furniture in the cabin to get blown around and it was essentially impossible for young Belnan to explain.

As Belnan's mother mentioned to him the other day, today is Belnan's birthday. His status officially updated to age one this morning so he knows it to be true. Also, there should be a surprise that Soliana prepared in which he is eagerly waiting for.

Soliana came back from her morning hunt with a big game bird. She held it by it's long neck. It reminded Belnan of a Goose from Earth but with purple and red feathers. It's beak also looked very sharp and he could imagine it hurting if he got bit by it. Soliana came into the house and lifted Belnan up in the arm not holding the weird goose bird.

<Soliana>

[Bel, lets go out to the campfire so you can watch me prepare this wonderful "Trokos" for your birthday dinner.]

Yes, Belnan could eat solid food somewhat as he has a few teeth. Also, his language comprehension informed him that the word his mother used was in a different language than what they normally speak in. He can not wait for the day when he can ask his mother all the crazy questions he has kept bottled up this past year.

Holding Belnan's hand in one of her own, Soliana walked him out the door to a campfire pit a few yards from the cabin. There was a metal spit and a well used cooking pot above a bed of burnt wood. Next to the campfire area, was a homemade table with two chairs. The one for Belnan was something similar to a high chair. Soliana let go of Bel near the fire pit and put the Trokos on the table. She began plucking the feathers in a methodical pattern, and tossing them into the cold fire pit.

<Soliana>

[Bel, these Trokos bird feathers are great for starting fires. They are one of the better tinder available in the forest here. Please remember this.]

Soliana would have talks with Belnan from time to time and would always remind him to remember the important parts. This of course goes without saying to Belnan who tries to memorize every word she tells him. She quickly removed all the feathers from the bird and pulled out her skinning knife. Belnan watched as she methodically gutted the bird with speed and finesse. Using earth magic, she quickly dug a hole and buried the entrails. Belnan observed the magic with gusto.

<Soliana>

[Spirits of Earth. Heed my call and gather. Cleave the soil children of Earthros. Earth Break!]

<Bel>

[I haven't seen that one yet...]

Earth magic has raised to rank 2

Learned Earth magic adept spell 'Earth Break'

Belnan picked up spells so far almost immediately. The only exception to this so far was 'GUST'. There was something different about that spell. He had seen it a few times and did not get a mental character from it so he could not cast it.

Belnan's was now at the point where he could have his mother understand one to two world per sentence of baby gibberish which was quite advanced for a one year old. To Soliana, she understood 'haven't seen'.

<Soliana>

[Oh? Bel, are you interested in mommy's magic? Of course mommy loves you and will teach you all I can, but right now I have to cook dinner, ok? Be a good boy and watch. It's good to learn how to cook. You are eating more solid food so eventually you can help mommy hunt. Would you like to help mommy hunt?]

Belnan shook his head in agreement. He didn't mind being talked to like a child because this woman was his world right now. He had the lightning sharp mind of a 40 year old software engineer, but this past year of monotony had calmed his nerves. He could compare it to having taken a year long vacation in a cabin in the woods. Not so bad, he thought other than the breast feeding he has slowly been trying to wipe from his memory.

His mother gathered some sticks and logs for the fire pit and using magic lit the fire.

<Soliana>

[Spirits of Fire. Heed my call and gather to my hand. Flame!]

You have unlocked Fire Magic rank 1

Learned Fire magic novice spell 'Flame'

This was the first time Belnan saw his mother use fire magic. He now had four kinds of magic. Fire, Earth, Wind, and Light. His mother was really a good magician. He wasn't sure if that was all elves or just his mother being exceptional. He would like to think the later was the case. As his mother was putting the bird into the pot for cooking, Belnan could not help but wonder how many kinds of magic there were. He tried to ask his mother.

<Sol>

[Mom. Magic. How Many?]

<Soliana>

[Bel, are you asking how many magic spells mommy can cast?]

He shook his head no.

<Soliana>

[You want to know how many types of magic there are?]

She shook his head yes multiple times to get his confirmation across.

<Soliana>

[Oh my. My lovely son is the smartest elf in the forest. Ok, I will tell you while I cook dinner. Well there are eight types of magic that your mother has heard of. Those are Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, Light, Darkness, Time and Space. Of these eight, I can use Fire, Earth, Wind, Light and Space. Your mommy is a very good mage. More powerful than some grand wizards that serve royalty. But you know Belnan, your mommy likes one of them best. Do you know which one?]

He shook his head no, but guessed it was probably wind since she is always using it to clean the house.

<Soliana>

[Your mommy like Wind the best.]

Bel nodded.

[When I was a little girl, the priests told me that the wind loves me and that the God of Wind, Windros has given me his blessing. So the wind is my favorite and is a little bit easier to use than my other kinds of magic. Hopefully you can use wind like me when you get older.]

Little did Soliana know that her son was blessed by not just one, but three Goddesses of even more power than the wind god. She put the lid on the pot to let the bird meat cook. Seeing this, Belnan wished she used some flavoring or something. She called it cooking but it was very basic by Belnan's Earth standards.

<Soliana>

[You can use magic by calling on the spirits of an element. You ask them to gather and then you direct them according to your will. There are a few different ways to direct them which I will teach you someday. Do you think you can use magic, Belnan?]

Belnan shook his head in agreement a few times.

<Soliana>

[Do you want to show mommy?]

He thought about which spell to show her and nodded one more time. Facing away from the house and the fire pit, Belnan imagined the character in his mind denoting 'Air Elemental'. He pictured it forming about thirty yards away, making sure to not make the same mistake he did when the furniture got tossed around the house. Instantly, a huge vortex of wind motes swirled down to the ground.

Without him saying a word, an eight foot tall air elemental sprang forth in the trees. Branches broke and a tree even cracked in half which was tossed away from the summoning point. Soliana was shocked at the tier 4 wind magic her one year old son just cast. What was just as shocking was that he didn't chant. He merely turned to the woods in place and an air elemental was summoned. In her first ever stern voice, she commanded.

<Soliana>

Belnan, cancel the spell!

Startled. He released the magic immediately and the elemental vanished in a whirl. She tilted her head and looked into his eyes.

<Soliana>

[Belnan. That was very dangerous. What you just called was an air elemental. It is known as the gateway to higher wind magic and can be very violent like a storm. Please promise me you will not do that again around our home unless you absolutely have to. Can you promise?]

He quickly agreed by shaking his head.

<Soliana>

[You are truly the smartest child I have ever seen. It is unheard of to cast master rank magic at your age. Most elves who study magic can not do this till they are at least over a hundred and never without chanting. That is a very rare gift you have. My son, you are truly loved by the winds.]

Belnan felt like crying. It was the first time his mother raised her voice at him. He wanted to show her his magic but he didn't mean to scare her. It was unwise to bring out his best right now.

<Soliana>

[You are just a baby, but I will have to train you as best I can for now. You have a dangerous gift for one so young. If we were back in the Tornan Imperium, where I was raised, you would be snatched up by some Army official as an elite candidate. That is a very hard life and it is a bloody life to live. I have seen many young prodigies disappear that way for decades of training. Thankfully, we are not in the Imperium right now and it is just you and me who loves you very much. You are probably blessed by the Wind God. I will need to get eventually take you to be tested but I dare not bring you into town. I have my reasons which you are too young yet to understand.]

She turned her attention back to the cooking pot and stirred the food with a wooden spoon that was laying on a rock near the fire pit.

<Soliana>

[Today is your birthday. You are one year old today. We will forget magic today so we can celebrate. We can begin tomorrow. I told you I had a present do you want it?]

He nodded. Soliana took something out of her pocket to show him. It was a necklace of exquisite craftsmanship. Belnan's tried to Identify it as she was putting it around his neck.

Star of Tornan Pendant (Mythical rank)

Description: This pendant was forged using the Mithril of a fallen star. The embedded Emerald is enchanted and inscribed. Increase wearer's status gain on level up.

<Soliana>

[This is a pendant my father gave to me when I was young. It will help you grow into the man your mommy will be proud of. It has been in our family for a very long time. It is your turn to wear it now. Happy Birthday, my wonderful son.]

She picked him up into her arms and hugged him tight. After a little while she put him back down to check the food. He looked at the pendant curiously. The chain was choked up in the back to accommodate his small neck and could be lengthened or shortened by adjusting the clasp position on the chain to a degree. He should be able to wear it into adulthood with ease. The description he got from Identify was surprising. Everything he had looked at so far was mostly plain with the exception of a few of his mother's items with some small bonuses. With his new gift, a soon to be had wonderful meal, and the prospect of future magic lessons, Belnan was in a very good mood. Other than his baby clothes, he did not have a single thing to call his own. Now that has changed finally and he has a wonderful family heirloom. He still did not understand about his mother and father's background. Belnan was trying to patient as there were communication problems with him being so young. The answers will come with time. He has a big head start, or at least he felt that way.

Soliana put some meat out of the pot into two wooden bowls. She used the large spoon to mush up the serving for Belnan and set it on the table to cool. She put him into his chair and pushed it up to the table. Placing the food bowl in front of him, she smiled and told him Happy Birthday again. This was once of his best birthdays on record. His mother may not realize it but this is his fortieth birthday. Even counting both lives, by elven standards, forty would still be a child. Belnan used his hands to shuttle the food into his mouth. As he still had baby hands, some was wasted on the ground, but he did his best and his mother didn't say a word about it.

After they finished eating and got cleaned up a bit, Soliana brought him to a nearby river. She sat on the emerald green grass and held her son while watching the gentle flow of the river. Belnan was quiet during this time trying to take in all that he saw. The area around his home was a forest but the trees were separated enough that you could see about two hundred yards before you lost sight of it all. Essentially, it wasn't a thick forest.

The river was not far from the cabin and was a small one. It might have been small due to being close to the river source and not due to lack of water. This might indicate that they were at a higher elevation if things in this world were similar to earth. The water had a good flow to it and if he fell in he could easily imagine being swept away. He still remembered how to swim from his days in the Navy back on Earth so this was an honest assessment. There was the occasional fish that caught his eye and they were similar in size to what he remembered for a river fish. The two of them sat like that for a few hours, taking in the sun and enjoying the sounds of nature while Soliana hugged him from behind and pat his head lovingly.

Belnan fell asleep at some point and woke up the next morning in bed back in the cabin. It was a wonderful birthday he would never forget.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

End of Chapter 3 Belnan's Status

Name: Belnan Whitmoor

Gender: M

Age: 1 (0 → 1)

Race: Half-Elven (High Elf)

Level: 1

Physical Energy: 45/45

Magical Energy: 0/4800

Health: 610/610

Strength 3 (1 → 3)

Dexterity 4 (2 → 4)

Constitution 3 (1 → 3)

Intelligence 16

Wisdom 16

Charisma 18

Occupation: None

Everyday Skills:

Housework 6

Cooking 5

Sailing 5

Survival 6

Swim 6

Combat Skills:

Martial Arts 2

Archery 7

Magic Skills:

Sense Magic 2

Fire Magic 1 *New

Earth Magic 1

Wind Magic 4 (1 → 4)

Light Magic 4 (1 → 4)

Chantless Casting

Spells Known:

Flame *New

Stone

Air

Wind Slice *New

Wind Armor *New

Summon Air Elemental *New

Light

Heal *New

Remove Poison *New

Cure Disease *New

Crafting Skills:

Forging 5

Carpentry 5

Architecture 5

Forging 5

Materials Processing 5

Hunting 6

Gathering 6

Construction 5

Masonry 5

Resistance Skills:

Sleep Resistance 8

Special Skills:

Status

Language Comprehension

Darkvision

Keen Hearing 4 (2 → 4)

Acute Smell 4

Identify 5 (4 → 5)

Titles:

Reincarnated

Apex of Magic

Spatial Awareness

Ultimate Door Stopper

Protections:

Protection of the Greater God of Life and Death, Cedona

Protection of the Greater God of Time and Space, Tearea

Protection of the Greater God of Magic, Iris

Notes:

3rd Child of Hubert Whitmoor (Father)

1st Child of Soliana Leovaris (Mother)

Equipment:

Baby Clothes (Common)

Star of Tornan Pendant (Mythical)