Chapter 15: The Shadow and the World of Magic

Chapter 15. 

Jakobs heart leapt into his throat as he repeated the words Acantha just said "I could learn magic?" 

A smile, fueled by the prospect of following in his mother's footsteps, played on his lips. The air buzzed with Jakob's enthusiasm, an interesting blend of anticipation and joy.

Acantha nodded, and reached into her top pulling out a necklace. "This is the symbol of one of the academies in Aliraz. I have talked with the principal and managed to enrol you at the school."

Questions, like a hurricane, swarmed into Jakobs mind. 

"What about the tracking charm? Will I be safe?" 

"Yes, there are multiple ways to hide with a tracking charm. They are clever, not foolproof." Acantha started to count on her fingers. 

"The first, you know already, is to not learn magic. The second way is to live in an area with thousands of people to make it hard for the tracker to know exactly who or where you were. It can be tricky to track a criminal in a densely populated area. The charm might get confused with so many signals, making it challenging to pinpoint a specific individual. And the third and final way is to be in one of the buildings built for the government, or royalty." 

As Jakob started to ask a question, almost like she was reading his mind, Acantha answered it.

"Schools are built by both government and royalty to protect their children. It would be bad for their image if their children were kidnapped or worse. This also means that some schools, especially the one I have managed to get you into, have incredible security." 

Acantha's words resonated with both reassurance and caution. "The academy is a haven, Jakob. It's secure, but remember, you will find yourself a bit behind the others. Some of them have had their lives to learn about magic. It's okay; everyone starts somewhere. You'll catch up quicker than you think."

Acantha smiled, " So let's start now. I am going to teach you a couple of main ideas about magic and then it's time for bed." Her eyes softened, "You have been through a lot and need to rest"

Acantha rose from her chair turning to collect a small piece of chalk. 

"There are two ways to use magic, you can say the name of the spell, which we have already covered or you can write the spell down"

At this Acantha drew, on the table some weird symbols. The symbols looked like a water drop, with a triangle on the top. She then put three lines through the drawing before drawing a circle around the image. 

"This is runic magic," She said, looking up at Jakob. "This is the rune symbol for no water. Any water that comes into the circle will be pushed away. Like this…" At this she poured her cup into the circle. Jakob watched, stunned, as the water, defying gravity, danced away from the enchanted circle. Everywhere else on the table was wet. Everywhere apart from the circle. 

"This is the most common type of magic," Acantha said as she noticed Jakobs fascination. 

Curious, and wanting to understand more, Jakob asked why that was. 

"Convenience," said Acantha. "Most people in this world don't use magic to the level that needs you to call forth lightning, or shift the very foundations of the earth. Most people just need a simple charm that keeps their feet dry when they are heading to work." 

"So then this rune," Jakob said pointing to the drawing, "Will keep water out of shoes?"

Acantha nodded, "Exactly, and depending on how long you wanted the charm to work you could draw it or engrave it out of many different materials,"

"What do you mean?" Said Jakob trying to keep track of all this new information. 

"This rune, due to me drawing it with chalk, is one of the weaker ones." Acantha pointed to the edge of the circle and ran her finger across the line breaking the circle. The water seemed to react, spilling back into the empty space on the table. 

"Drawings are generally the weakest runes, and relatively easy to break" she said, using her fingers to reiterate the point. 

"If I cut into the surface, it would be a lot stronger. And if I made the table using pieces of wood that formed this rune, making the rune the centre of the building process, it would be even stronger still."

Jakob started to understand, and asked questions to clarify his understanding. 

"So if I was to weave a rug, and had that rune in the centre it would be the strongest water repelling rug?" 

"Commonly, yes," Said Acantha cryptically. "However there is one form of rune that is even stronger than the rest. This type of rune most people never come across, but you… with the prophecy, you might just." She paused, a smile vanishing from her face. "The strongest rune is one made out of blood." 

Jakob froze, "Blood?" 

Acantha nodded, her face telling decades of experience with this. "Some mages will use their blood to create runic circles. These mages are particularly challenging, as let's say a water mage created this circle around their house out of their blood, then they are the exception to the rune." 

"What do you mean?"

"They, or people related to them, people with their blood, are the only ones that can use water magic."

Worry with a hint of fear crossed Jakobs mind as he realised the implications of what Acantha had been saying. A criminal could use runes made out of their blood to ensure that they held the upper advantage in a conflict. 

What type of magician would fight in an environment that was so drastically not in their favour? 

With a hint of admiration, Jakob came up with the answer. 

Sorcerers… Magicians whose entire job was to track down and restrain criminals. Only they would fight the odds to ensure the safety of the cities. 

Admiration for Acantha and his mother flooded through his veins. The sheer amount of battles they must have had to fight. The odds that would have never been in their favour. The skill to capture and restrain criminals before they used their blood to make a trap. 

"That basically covers runes," said Acantha trying to think if she had missed out on anything. "The other main idea about magic is kind of hard to explain, but it's related to memories." She said,

"So, let's see if you were paying enough attention when I showed you those memories." Crossing her arms, acting very similar to Ingolf right before he came up with a test, she started to quiz Jakob. 

"What was the spell that the king in the first memory spoke and cast?" 

Racking his brain Jakob tried to remember key details of the fight between the King and the Soul mage. At the beginning of the fight the king had thrown fire and lightning towards the Soul mage. Did he use words for that? I don't think so. Then there was the soul mage. She threw the blood spears which injured the king. She didn't cast any spell, unless the spell was something about a King's soul. Then the king healed himself and oh… yes… that's right. 

"He said something like hrioth or horeet before he threw all those lighting bolts." Acantha nodded and smiled, pleased with Jakob.

"Next question, what was the spell I cast during my fight?"

Jakob paused, annoyed, he had been focusing on his mother for most of that memory. What had happened exactly? Acantha had begin the fight mocking the earth mage as her bracers shifted into a spear. Then there was when she shifted the spear into the shield to stop getting crushed. Did she cast any spells then? I don't think so. And then there was that counter attack when the shield shattered and turned into knives. Wait… could it be? 

"You said the same thing," Jakob said, his face the peak of confusion. "Wait? How could that be, when you said isflyt the ice moved? And when I said isflyt the ice also moved? How do the same words give the same outcome once and then a different outcome again?"

Acantha clapped and smiled pleased with how he was figuring out something so foreign. 

"Exactly, you are exactly right. The current theory is that Verbal magic often takes the path of least resistance, it goes through the magic that you are most comfortable with unless the wielder directs it to a different magic. So when the King and I cast Hríð it created different outcomes because of what the spell means." 

"Ok…" paused Jakob trying to understand. "So what does Hríð mean?"

"Hríð means storm. And for the King, due to being a lightning mage, a storm meant thousands of lightning bolts striking the ground. While for me, a metal mage, a storm means a storm of metal."

"So if I was to cast the spell Hríð it would be a storm of darkness due to me being a shadow mage?" Said Jakob, as the intricacies of magic became clear. 

"Exactly," Said Acantha. "And the reason that we had the same outcome for Isflyt was because of what the spell means." 

"Does it mean something more specific? Like push the ice? Questioned Jakob.

"Almost," Acantha gave him a thumbs up at his attempt. "You had the exact idea. It was exactly because the spell is more specific. It means Ice move. So by using the word 'Is' it makes the wielder redirect the magic to focus on using Ice."

Jakob thought for a while, committing this to memory. "So, then if I wanted to create a blizzard I would say the spell Ishríð?

"Yes and no," replied Acantha, "If a skilled mage said it, one who had been using magic for many years, Ishríð would cast a blizzard. But, if you were to cast it you would be lucky to be throwing a couple shards of snowflakes."

At Jakobs look of indignation she continued. "And this is the final part about magic that I am going to teach you tonight. Magic is based on energy. The more you use it the larger that reserve of energy and the larger the effect of that spell. If you try to cast a spell more than the energy you have you could collapse or worse die"

Annoyed at her earlier comment, Jakob still tried to connect the dots. Remembering a detail in the fight against the air mage his eyes widened. So that was why I collapsed after casting isflyt! 

"So is magic like a muscle then?"

"How so?" 

"Well if you use a muscle a lot, like when Ingolf made me do a thousand press ups after I fell asleep in one of his classes, then you get stronger and can do more with that muscle. But if you try to do too much, like lift a boulder for example, then your body could give out?" 

Acantha laughed, eyes glowing like a forge at how quick Jakob was picking up magic. "Exactly like that, well done. Yes, magic is like muscles. To grow stronger you need to improve your reserve of energy and your knowledge of spells. The more energy you have the more spells you can cast. The greater your knowledge of spells, the more uses you can use magic for."

"Now, despite your enthusiasm, you need to rest." Her eyes softened as she touched Jakobs cheek in affection. "You have been through a lot, more than most could dream of. Just know that I am not going anywhere. I will be by your side helping you grow into the man you want to be." 

Her touch on Jakob's cheek was a tender reassurance, a promise of guidance and support. Jakob's heart swelled with gratitude, knowing he wasn't alone in this journey of discovery and growth

Jakob started to dream.

At first there was just darkness. Nothing could be seen. Lights flickered on and a room started to appear, slowly coming into focus out of the dark. The room took shape with small details standing out. Jakob noticed a wooden shelf, stretching the length of the room. 

Not again, Jakob pleaded as the room took place. 

On the shelf stood the odd little wooden carving that he and Asta had made many years ago. Shifting his vision Jakob saw the dark, long pine table come into focus. A pot lay bubbling upon a metal grate that rested on top of the fire pit. 

What was happening? Jakobs throat tightened in fear as he remembered, Wasn't the house nothing but rubble? 

The only smell of smoke was due to wood from the hearth not the intense smoke he had smelt earlier. Voices started to come into focus.

"…ime for food Asta" his uncle said, "It doesn't look like Jakob will be coming for dinner"

What was happening? Jakob thought with panic, unable to move from the shadows. 

This has already occurred. Like clockwork, repeating the action Jakob had seen earlier, Bjari walked into the room and pulled the pot off the fire pit. Resting the pot on the table, his uncle took off the lid. 

I've already seen this, Jakob thought with dismay not wanting to watch his family die again. Asta walked into the room, as happy as Jakob was not. Laughing, she replied to Bjari as she grabbed two wooden bowls from under the sink. 

"Did you really expect less? He is with Ingolf"

What is going on? Pleaded Jakob struggling to wake, knowing that when Bjari replied, the door would knock. Just as Jakob predicted, the moment Bjari replied he was interrupted by loud banging on the door. 

Don't open it, Jakob tried to scream, but to no avail. Bjari limped to the door. He grasped the door handle and pulled, opening the door. Carried by an unseen wind, Snow floated into the house. Everything about this dream had been the same as before, everything… Apart from this.

Standing in the door was Jakob.

"Uncle!" The Jakob standing in the door greeted, holding his arms open wide. 

What was this? Thought Jakob from the shadows as he watched himself walk over to Bjari. This isn't what happened, he thought. Is this what I want to happen? 

He thought, confused. The other Jakob looked, talked and moved exactly like him. Watching himself from the shadows Jakob started to believe that everything earlier was just a horribly in-depth nightmare. 

I don't want to wake from this, He thought smiling as he watched himself hug his uncle in a hug that conveyed just how much he missed him. Emotions coursed through his veins as he relised how much he missed Bjari and Asta.

At the flip of a switch, this changed from a dream, one containing all of Jakob's hopes and desires, into a nightmare filled with all of Jakobs darkest fears. 

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Pronunciation of spells in this chapter:

Hríð is pronounced Hr - eth 

Isflyt is pronounced Is - Fleat

Ishríð is pronounced Is - hr - eth

Including this now, not earlier as a symbol that Jakob is starting to understand magic. 

I will include a pronunciation based on spells that are being cast during the chapter at the end of each chapter.