A Basic Understanding of Magic

"Woah! A book about magic? This means that I can learn it, right," Ollis exclaimed out loud. This book contained everything one could know about water magic. Although it is a VERY lengthy read, it will prove useful in the end.

'I recommend that you find somewhere secure to sleep for the night. We don't want to end up like that man you stole from earlier,' the system said to Ollis. Ollis tried to find an inn, but gave up on the thought because he has no money. He decided to fall asleep on the cold, hard floor. As he was falling asleep, he thought, 'Maybe if I kill that beastman I will be able to get some money.'

***

Ollis finds himself standing in a pitch-black void. Under his feet is a very reflective plane of water. Every time he steps, ripples of water rebound away. In an instant, a large number of humanoid figures appear around him. Ollis cannot make out any details, aside from a colorful glow that emanates off of each and every one of the figures. Some figures have red auras, while others have blue. Every color on the rainbow could be seen by just glancing at the crowd. Ollis looks at his hand and doesn't notice any color. Again, he looks down at his reflection in the water and sees no color in his mirror-self. While Ollis is looking in the water, he notices a colorful blob moving swiftly under the water. The brightly-colored blob gets larger and larger as it starts to reach the surface of the water. The suddenly appears to break the surface tension of the water and…

Cock-a-doodle-doo

It is the next morning and Ollis wakes up with a jump. He didn't get a good look at the brightly colored figure under the water. When he looks up, he sees a large palace with a crowd at the gates. Ollis is confused to see a large crowd and a palace; he doesn't remember seeing them there when he went to sleep. He gets up from his resting place for the night and walks over to the crowd. He can make out a loud and noble voice.

"My subjects, there is a beast that deserves a slaying. We, Orson Forrest, shall slay it!"

People in the crowd started yelling out, "I love you Prince Orson," and, "Give 'em hell Prince Orson." Obviously, these people loved their prince.

Ollis pushed through the crowd, stone-faced. He could finally make out the source of the noble voice. He saw a young man sitting in a carriage. He was outfitted in brown, bright orange and green clothes. Gold and silver jewelry covered his neck and fingers.

'That's the prince?! He looks more like a jester than royalty,' Ollis thought to himself. 'What is this beast he speaks of? Perhaps it is the same beast I wish to rid of this world.' Ollis decided to take his chances and follow this clown. After all, he doesn't know the specific Location of the beast, only that it's located somewhere in a forest.

"Well, my subjects, we shall be taking our leave, " Orson said with one last wave. He flicked his wrist, signaling to the carriage driver to start leaving. Ollis was surprised to find out that they were going at a brisk walking pace, slow enough for him to read his book about magic.

***

The sun was starting to set and the carriage stopped for the night to set up camp. Ollis has read enough to know the absolute minimal, bare-bone basics of magic.

For one to cast magical attacks, thay have to understand where it comes from. Magic exploits the pure energy in the air, known as mana, to be used by the user. In most beings, there is an exigency reserve of mana located inside their body(in case the mana located in the environment isn't enough). In most magic users, the mana that resides in their body is heavily attributed to one or two elements. It is very rare to see more that two elements in a creature's mana reserve. Only in an extreme environment will mana be attributed to any element. The only way to have mana attributed to an element, and subsequently weaponized, is to translate it via magicka.

Magicka is located in everybody and is attuned to certain elements. Some creatures are naturally talented with magicka, and can even make use of it as newborns, while others have to devote their lives to learning it. Without magicka, the manipulation mana is impossible.

In the book, Qi is very lightly touched upon. It only says that Qi is used by creatures with insufficient magicka to manipulate mana and that when a creature uses Qi, the usage of mana is completely bypassed and magicka is used in its stead.

"Huh, I've been reading but I don't understand what this book is talking about. I can't seem to sense this mysterious magicka in my body and I don't feel any mana inside, or out, of my body," Ollis said, confused. "Oh, well. Rome wasn't built in a day, after all." He decided to fall asleep near the carriage in a bush.

***

Ollis woke with a start. He was deeply bothered. He remembered his dream surprisingly well. It was exactly the same as the other night. The figures and the colorful auras, everything. Only one small detail was off, though. The location that the brightly colored blob surfaced was closer this time.

As Ollis was starting to wake up from his drowsy state, he heard the creaking of wheels. He should get up and start read-walking again.