[Reflection]

Chapter 16 [Reflection]

Icarus had been training for a few days and managed to finally slip away for some free time on his own.

He sat in the shade of a tree next to a creek with his various projects and gadgets spread out around him. The training he had been going through was going well but he decided to take the time to reflect on his future path.

Should he be a warrior, mage, or something else?

It was obvious to him that his future path would partially rely on his creations as that was his foundation of strength.

He also didn't have any special demigod physique or anything, which made pursuing a more warrior-like path detrimental, especially in this era with countless dangerous Phantasmal Beasts roaming about.

That made a path suited towards magic more appealing to him as not only had he shown talent towards it already, but it would also dramatically help level the playing field between him and others.

His new reinforcement spell he copied from Asclepius already showed its might and that wasn't even a special kind of magic, just physical reinforcement.

Paired with his more modern world view which helped discard various taboos and character flaws in this era such as excessive pride or honor while admittedly bolstering his sense of paranoia, it was a match made in heaven.

'…Indeed, a TRUE caster should be able to do two things better than anyone else, cheap shots and running away!!' Icarus thought in his head while nodding with a slight, "Umu, Umu…" Before returning to a more serious prospect.

'…But how to do such things, while relying on only myself…?' Icarus pondered.

While Chiron or even Asclepius could teach him magic, he wanted something unique to himself which would not only bolster the mystery of anything he cast but also grew in power down the line.

'Something unique, specialize-able, and powerful, while also being able to hold its own against anything thrown at me…'

Icarus decided to review what he knew from TYPE-MOON for inspiration and finally thought about one of the most iconic mages in history, Merlin.

TYPE-MOON Merlin was a bit strange, appearing especially whimsical while also being inhuman with a mindset that reflected that. But, he had a clear 'love' for humanity and watched over it regardless.

More relevantly, he had something he incorporated within many of his different types of magic, flowers, which earned him one of his monikers, the Magus of Flowers.

Icarus wanted something similar, that could be incorporated in almost any magic he used while also assisting in the creation of many of his magical items.

Unable to think of anything he glanced at the creek while giving off a sigh.

He could see the sun's reflection in the water, blinding his eyes as he stared.

'The cause of my dumbass death, huh?' Icarus thought with a grimace as the reflection's rays bared onto his skin.

'Good thing it's just a reflection...…'

'...Eh?' As soon as the thought came he felt as if a rod of electricity went up to his spine, like something intrinsic to him finally clicked into place. A mass of inspiration burst into his mind like a blank canvas slammed with a bucket of paint at mach speed.

'Could I?!' Icarus thought as he shot to his feet, feeling the faint heat from the actual sun as he left the shade.

'Reflection...Reflection…Reflection, Reflection!!' He shouted in his mind, 'How could the sun ever burn me when the heat was reflected away?! How could anyone ever spot me when light was reflected around me?!'

So many possibilities swirled in his brain at the prospects the excitement on his face almost seemed to burst from the seems as his face gained a red tint along with his heavy breathing.

He didn't even need to think scientifically, this was a world of magic and wonder, especially TYPE-MOON which heavily exhibited concepts.

'Could I 'reflect' knowledge? Maybe even reflect a ward or enchantment from one thing to another? How powerful would the mystery be if it tied to the future 2nd Magic through Kaleidoscopes and reflections?' Icarus debated in his head.

'No, that's thinking too far. What could I achieve now?' His thoughts wandered to the past as his brain came to numerous conclusions, causing him to give a weary laugh.

"Is this destiny…?" He thought with a weary smile while looking up at the sun.

'Is my life not but a reflection? I'm from the future, a future of a different world perhaps, but the future nonetheless. Do I not 'reflect' a different time from the present? Is my very self but a strange warped reflection of Icarus, the same body without mind, or perhaps both, reflecting or imitating the mind of my previous life with the body of Icarus? Can I not reflect on myself, such as the original story of Icarus and its ending?' Icarus thought strangely and perhaps a bit exaggerated.

'No, perhaps I'm hyperbolizing...but, maybe I'm not. Isn't it strange the first real magic my father taught me was the purification of glass, like a mirror without polish? Along with the magic tools I created which use a stockpile of power 'reflected' onto it. Did I not learn Asclepius' spell instantly after seeing him do it? Isn't that just a reflection of magic? But, why did it take so long to learn the Purification Spell then? Maybe because it was used to make glass transparent and see-through which goes against making something reflect? Could 'Reflection' be my 'Element' or more?'

'No use thinking about it too hard, I can slowly test things as they go. For now, I should just focus on the present and what I could do with it now.'

Icarus shook his head while dispelling his thoughts before walking over towards where he left his things.

He grabbed one of his prototype kinetic arrows which he used to experiment enchanting with and walked over towards the tree and ripped off one of the branches before speaking, "Τροποποίηση."

Using the 'Alteration' spell which he noted that he had steadily gotten better in especially when using it to shape something he had done before, '…Perhaps another regard towards reflection?'

The stick in his hand quickly and methodically changed shape identical to the prototype in his other hand. The prototype was just a reference he used to test his enchantments and lacked any sort of feathers or stones attached to it, just a regular wooden arrow with a blunt edge.

"Αναλύστε τη δομή." He spoke as he walked towards the creek, using the 'Analyze Structure' spell on his arrow as the enchantment he used on it appeared in his head for which he wanted to use as a reference for what he was going to try next.

Walking up to the edge of the creek he stared down at his reflection, messy brown hair atop previously pale skin that was tinted tan from his time outdoors, attached to a cute face containing golden-colored eyes that stared back.

'Now that I think about it, it might be the first time I actually had a good look at myself.'

Icarus had spent a decent amount of time in the forest and as a formerly modern person, had a large concern for hygiene. When his hair would get too long he would cut it, when his body felt dirty he would clean it, and when his mouth felt icky he would wash it.

He would make sure to keep himself as clean as reasonably possible, he knew how important that was during this time period even going so far as to leave aside some bones from his hunts to crush alongside powdered charcoal for toothpaste.

'Hopefully, I can make sure Atalanta does the same…' He sighed thinking about the troublesome girl before returning to the task at hand.

Holding both sticks in his hand he leaned over the creek to see his reflection and concentrated.

Magic has no set way of working, it can be used in a broad amount of ways such as the Divine Words he uses now or the various methods from other cultures such as runes or voodoo for example.

Icarus wanted to try and change the medium for the magic he used so he stared into the reflection before holding the two wood arrows parallel.

Concentrating with an intense focus he began to will the mana in the air towards his prototype arrow while thinking of the Structure Analysis he performed earlier while having the mana pass through the arrow and into the water's reflection below.

He could feel as the mana reached the reflection and seemingly disappeared, but he knew that it didn't.

Changing focus, he stared at the reflection of the wooden arrow he just made prior from the tree and willed the seemingly absent mana into the one in the water's reflection.

He watched as the mana contacted the arrow's reflection before imprinting on it and truly disappearing.

Icarus then glanced suspiciously at the real arrow in his hand before speaking, "Αναλύστε τη δομή"

Mana in the air followed the will of his words and entrenched the arrow before providing the information into his brain.

'…huh.' He thought as the spell came up with the information of an enchantment being placed onto it, the exact same enchantment that was on the prototype arrow.

At that moment, he knew he had found his future path.

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Hopefully the chapter was interesting. Tell me if I miss anything as I am by no means an expert in Type-Moon or the Nasuverse.

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Checkout my other story, The Champion of Man, a DxD SI as Alexander the Great's descendent.