Two Years of Magic

Haldir seems like a great guy, seeing as no soldiers knocked on our doors demanding an audience with the king and queen, or perhaps being dragged somewhere underground to inspect just how in the world I managed to cast a spell at three years of age. Now to me it seems obvious that what I just managed to do was not just out of the ordinary, but something out of a fantasy story altogether. Children my age just physically do not have properly developed mana channels to cast spells. Then again, they did exercise their mana channels as I did. Perhaps my daily training in the breathing techniques I learned from dad's book played some kind of role in this. 

My days fell into a rhythm after my meeting with Haldir. Recognizing my "talent" to magic after a brief discussion, mom and dad allowed me to continue practicing casting spells, but away from prying eyes just in case. Considering our family lived on the outskirts of the city, it was not hard to find myself some secluded place in the forest and practice my magic there. Everyday for the past two years now, I make my way to the training area I grew fond of. It was a nice, somewhat circular space about fifteen meters in diameter where no trees grew. The ground on it was mostly leaves and grass, so it was somewhat smooth as well, great for practicing spells and not tripping over some tree root. The canopy of the great trees surrounding my training grounds offered me shade when I grew hot and sweaty after training, and there was a small stream trickling just a minute's walk away. 

Casting spells grew easier the more I practiced. Now as a five year old, my body grew bigger and more adept at absorbing and circulating mana. Though I still did not yet manage to break through to the gray stage of my mana channels, still stuck at dark gray, that did not scare me away from my daily training sessions. I found that spells now take less time to form, and it was less physically straining to concentrate mana into my hands. No longer did it take so much focus as compared to when I cast my first spell. Drawing mana into my hands and releasing it as a spell starts to feel more and more instinctive, kind of like a muscle memory of sorts, like riding a bike. The first few times you focus on pedaling, maintaining balance, and steadying the steering. After a while it becomes so easy you can do it without hands, and balancing becomes something you can do without even thinking about it. Your body does it for you, and the same thing happens the more you train magic. Just a simple thought is enough to concentrate mana into the designated limb, a simple chant is enough to gather that mana into a spell, and again a simple thought is enough to fling your spell. 

Once I mastered stone fling, the very first spell I cast, I moved on to other spells of the earth element. I tried a few advanced ones such as splitting the ground open or creating massive boulders and flinging them, but all I managed to do was create a small crack in the ground, and in regards to flinging a boulder, I couldn't even create it in the first place. It seems that I was way too hasty in trying out spells that I physically am incapable of doing due to the amount of mana input it takes to cast them.

However, one advanced spell I was able to more or less complete. Given my elven nature, and a strong affinity to earth magic, I was able to create simple vines. The nature of this spell is something like a living rope. You make vines appear out of anywhere you want, the ground, the walls, even midair, and control them any way you want, the limit is your imagination. I of course was not yet able to properly control them, and the vines I created were thin, and just…sad, but this is still a higher level of magic than your basic stone fling so I was definitely satisfied with myself.

Throughout my two years of training, I not only was able to complete basic earth element spells, but I also got the hang of water, and made a small "poof" of air magic. Tri elemental mage, that was considered as a pretty rare occurrence, though to me it did not seem all that difficult in my honest opinion. I suppose that the ability of one to possess control over multiple elements comes from the sponginess of a kid's brain. Just the way that little kids are able to absorb and learn much more information than adults in a short period of time, my little body was capable of picking up new elements. Having the mental capacity of an adult, allowed me to utilize my young brain to its full potential. I still have yet to tell my parents about me being able to cast spells of those three elements, but perhaps when I get better at them, so it can wait. 

Water to me was just as simple as earth. I got the hang of water magic fairly easily, and was able to cast basic spells after just a day of training. Air however was surprisingly much more difficult. Every time I tried to condense mana into an air spell in my hand, it just dispersed, and I had to repeat it over and over again. It took me two whole weeks of rigorous training and effort to not just say "screw it" and give up, to finally be able to let out a small gust of find. I suppose I have never been so excited at being able to cast a spell ever since the day I did it for the first time. Even though this wasn't even a proper spell, but a failed outcome of "Wind Arrow", the fact that the mana did not disperse in my hand was already an accomplishment. 

Just for the sake of it, I attempted to cast fire magic. Not only did this elven magic book barely contain any fire spells, given the fact that elves by nature had no affinity for it, but the only thing I was able to do was concentrate mana into my hand. I wasn't even able to propel the mana outside to begin shaping it into a fire spell, it concentrated in my hands and just stayed there.

However, the three things that pushed me forward were one; I promised myself to live this life to the fullest, two; I was to become a known magic prodigy whatever it takes, and three; there were actually a few instances of elves casting fire magic in the past. My dull, lifeless, and powerless existence as an office worker in my past life, sparked within me the determination to never let myself become weak ever again. I had enough of it, I was done, and I will become a quadra-elemental mage. I had what those elves in the past did not, my adult brain cheat skill. So if I was not able to master all four elements even with this head start, I would just feel worthless. Call me greedy or power hungry, sure, I accept that, but I nevertheless continue to work on myself.

***

After another day of just letting out small puffs of air magic, and unsuccessfully attempting to wield fire, I strolled back home. I always take a packed lunch with me, so I am usually home for only breakfast and dinner. The setting sun cast golden rays throughout the thick sky-high canopies of the great trees. By the way, they are called Celestials, due to them being so massive it's almost as if they are touching the starry sky at night. Leaves crunching at my feet, and bird calls echoing from above, I made my way back home. I climbed the staircase that spiraled around the trunk of the Celestial before making it up onto the walkway platform of my tree-top neighborhood. Each tree had a couple platforms of houses, each platform on their own level. My home was on the top level, right near the canopy of the Celestial, situated around its thick branches. As I stepped onto the premises of my house, I looked down at the beautiful sight of the city. Celestial trees grew far apart from each other, but their canopies were so gigantic, they offered a continuous ceiling of green above the entire capital. Way below were regular trees, oaks, birches, and pink sakuras, but they grew not as tightly compacted together as in the forest, and the sakuras were definitely not from around here, so it only made sense that parts of the forest were cut down to build this city, and new ones were planted along the streets to create a peaceful aesthetic of a "green" city.

Taking in one last breath of the clean forest air, not at all spoiled by the large capital situated within it, I stepped inside my house.

"Mom, I'm home!"

"Welcome back, Ardiel. Dinner will be ready in a short while so go change and wash yourself."

"Ok."

I took off my dirty and soaked in sweat after another tiring day's clothes, and folded them neatly into a pile to be washed, then stepped into the shower. Well, a shower is somewhat of a stretch, I could say that it's more like this world's equivalent of a shower. Using water magic to fill the bucket instead of scooping it out of the cauldron standing nearby, I splashed myself multiple times over, rubbed myself in soap which had a fragrance of pine trees, and then splashed myself again. Stepping out, I dried myself with a nearby towel, and dressed myself in a white silk shirt and linen beige pants. Pulled on cotton socks of the same beige color, and finally, woven slip-on shoes. Set my hair to the side with a comb, and made my way to the dinner table.

On the table, my mother set cups of birch water. In her pot, I could smell the fragrance of vegetable stir fry. 

"Dinner's almost ready, can you help with the plates?"

"Yes, of course."

I grabbed three plates out of the cabinet, as well as three forks and three knives, and neatly spread them to opposite sides of the dinner table, just then…

"I'm ho-o-ome my dear family!"

"Hey dad."

"Welcome home Leotriul. Dinner is ready so go change quickly."

Dad left just as suddenly as he appeared, and a few minutes later came back similarly dressed as me. I didn't care much for fashion, so any time we went clothes shopping to our local market I just asked my mom to pick out whatever she believes is best, and since she is the one who dresses my dad as well, we end up with clothing that is almost identical, besides the size difference. 

"So…", dad started as he helped carry over the pot to the dinner table, "how was another day of magic training champ?"

I still can't get over his mannerisms. Did he by any chance grow up in a human town? Even though it didn't bother me, given that I would actually prefer speaking that way, it seems out of place given the usual "elven" way of speaking.

"Just the usual. I practiced earth and water elemental magic. It appears to be getting easier by the day."

I couldn't tell that I was practicing air and fire magic, not until I was actually able to cast proper spells. And I was certain I would get questioned why I would even attempt to cast fire magic, and then rebuked for doing it in a forest. 

"Mhm. Have you practiced any new spells? More advanced perhaps? What about pure mana manipulation?"

"Leotriul! He is only five! Do not expect him to cast magic that you only got a hold of when you were four times his age."

Pure mana manipulation. It is casting non elemental spells by only shaping pure mana. Techniques like these were often used by soldiers, for example strengthening your body with concentrated mana to allow for higher body durability, strength, and heightened speed and senses. Pure mana manipulation also allowed for other kinds of techniques such as generating barriers and shields, and fusing mana into your weapon to make it much more powerful. I have yet to try it out, but only after I master the elements.

"No dad not yet, but I am making progress in vine magic. They have become much sturdier, and my control over them is getting better."

"That's my boy. See Eleanor? That is advanced magic right there. Our boy can effectively cast more advanced spells!"

"No dad, not effectively…", that was his habit of always over exaggerating things, "I have yet to properly get it to work."

"Ah. I see." His face was visibly sulking. Sorry dad, but sometimes I gotta bring you down to reality. Take your head out of the clouds so to speak. But knowing my dad he never looked solemn for more than a few moments, and before I knew it he began grinning again. 

Oh no, I know that grin. There are a couple grins that my dad made for various reasons. There was his regular foolish grin, his "exaggerating the story" grin, and then there was his "I have an idea" grin, which by far was the scariest. Seeing that I braced myself for whatever absurdity my dad was about to throw at us.

"So, Ardy? How about I start training you in swordsmanship? What do ya say?"