An Introduction to Magic

"The concept of magic itself is divided into three parts…" Weiss taught to Flare, who is sitting in front of him below the ridge.

Boyd is cooking a soup behind them. It is unknown to them how is he reacting, but Weiss told Flare that Boyd might feel glad and relieved since the both of them are talking to each other, be it only in teaching.

"There are Elemental, Mental and Arcane magic. Elemental magic as you see is the ability to control and use the elements of nature. In elemental magic itself is divided to five categories, Fire, Lightning, Earth, Water and Air. These elements are the five most basic elements of nature," Weiss explained.

"So, those pyromancers and any other of those mancers, there are categorized in the elemental type?" Flare asked.

"Yes, you don't have to repeat what I just said," Weiss responds sarcastically.

Flare grunts in irritation.

"The Mental category of magic is divided into three subcategories, which are telekinesis, projection and harmonizing. As stated in the name, mental magic mostly focuses on the development and the usage of one's mind. Telekinesis is the ability to move objects with your mind, harmonizing is the ability to analyze and manipulate one's own condition and others, and projection…Well, basically you project whatever you want into being, create something from scratch using the visualization in your mind."

"What about your ability, Pathfinder Knight Weiss?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Weiss retorted.

"I noticed that you used the help of animals in most of your situations. For example, you used a crow and a rat to steal the cottage keys where we previously stayed before. Is that ability you have categorized under the harmonizing subcategory?" Flare explained.

Weiss was a bit shocked to see that Flare is paying attention, but he just chuckled.

"…In all honesty, I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Flare asked.

"Don't repeat what I was saying!" Weiss replied.

Boyd is still under his helmet, so his expression is unknown, but they did hear him laugh.

"Therionology is a rare form of mental magic, so the Scholars of the Magic Association in Whitefall are conflicted to put the ability under the harmonizing category or to create a new category itself, or maybe put in under the telekinesis subcategory," Weiss explained.

"Why under telekinesis?"

"Besides moving objects, mind-reading is also an ability which primarily is an ability available to those who are under the telekinesis subcategory. However, those who have the therionology ability can only read and command animals, but not humans, so for now it remains an anomaly," Weiss added.

"Why an anomaly?"

"Simply because the scholars do not know where to place it, and the ability is quite rare in the human lands-," Weiss continued.

"However, there are rumors that my magic ability will be categorized under the Telekinesis-based magic, since it shares a lot of abilities similar to that category," he adds, and stops.

For some reason, Flare stares at Weiss with concentration.

"…Wha-what are you doing, you, naïve captain?" Weiss asked awkwardly.

"So, a cynical person like you has a rare ability that even the scholars are unable to research on," Flare uttered.

"…What a waste," she sighed, which earned Weiss's irritation.

"Well, it's better than not knowing which category you belong to," Weiss sarcastically retorted.

"Hmph!"

"The last category is the Arcane magic. Mastery of the arcane arts requires the user to manipulate magic itself. So far, in this land anyway, only the scholars and its applicants are the ones that are able to use arcane magic, since it is a bit rare in this land. However, the arcane arts are almost everywhere in elven lands, so there are always joint operations between the scholars her and the mages there."

"There are five subcategories here, which are animating, summoning, binding, energy manipulation and necromancer…"

"Necromancery? You mean using dark magic is also an arcane magic?" Flare inquired.

"…Yes and no. Necromancery is actually the opposite of arcane magic since it uses the dark arts, like using the dead, taboos and sorts, but in all honesty, the application and what it could do is the same. In fact, a necromancer is able to do almost all of the arcane arts with dark magic."

"What do you mean?"

"Animating is the ability to replicate a living and non-living thing, similar to projection but using magical energy, whilst projection the mental state of the user. Summoning is the magic of, well, summoning something to you using magic, be it a person, creature, or non-living things from another location. The art is instinctively different from Projection in that you summon something to you, instead of creating it from scratch. Binding is the art of prisoning someone, so it primarily focuses to binding someone to do something. Mostly it's an ability which jailers and wardens are using in this current age. Energy manipulation is the ability to manipulate any sort of energy, be it light, dark, fire, lightning, water and so on, using magic."

"What's the difference between energy manipulation and the elemental-type magic. I mean, if a person who has the ability to manipulate energy and a pyro-mancer battled each other, doesn't the person with energy manipulation have the advantage?" Flare asked.

"That's…that's actually a good question, captain," Weiss was expecting another foolish repeat of his statement, but it backfired.

"…Then it all depends on the location of where you currently are," Boyd announced from afar, disturbing Weiss's teaching session.

"Yeah…yeah…I know that Uncle Boyd…" Weiss slowly replied.

"No, you don't, you suck at remembering this part," Boyd responds, which irritated Weiss.

Weiss just remained silent and looked away from Boyd, while Flare just giggled.

"Magical energy is what would they say is the energy lingering all around us, and it all depends on your location, whether or not the deposit of magical energy is available to you," Boyd continues.

"How did magic come to be then? Isn't that a bit unfair for those who are specialize in this arcane magic who are not at the right location by the time they use their ability?" Flare asked.

"Exactly, which is why energy manipulation is categorized under the arcane category instead of the elemental."

"From what I read, the history of sorcery and magic began somewhere around the north when someone managed to discover the Holy Grail, which implemented these 'magic circuits' into those who found it. People call the discoverers the Primes, since most magic originated from them, which then began to germinate into more diversities until it finally reached our current age," Flare explained, which stunned Weiss.

"…Amazing, I didn't know that…" Weiss murmured.

"Of course, you don't. I have access to the Magic Archives inside the Magic Association building, so, I read a lot about it…" Flare replied.

"Then, how come you don't know about the basics?" Weiss asked.

"Actually, I already know about it. I am aware, and I simply gave you the illusion of control and obedience. It seems like you really enjoy that sort of thing, having the high horse, that is," Flare spoke, which destroyed Weiss's egocentric behavior that he might be a teacher.

Broken, Weiss sat next to a tree and began scratching the ground with a stick.

"…Uh huh huh…" Weiss sighed under the tree, as if he was crying.

"Did I overdo it?" Flare asked.

"Anyway, he deserved it for all that mean comments he said to me. Hmph!" Flare puffed her chest.

"Hah hah hah hah!" Boyd laughed.

"So, you already know about the relationship between energy manipulation and its location?" Boyd asked.

"If I remember correctly, sometime after that, the Holy Grail went missing, but it's root remain up north, which is now home to the Elven race, which explains why they are always superior to us regarding the arcane arts. The further you are from it, the less effective your powers will be. So, there are five continents in our archipelago. Humans, Elves, Sylphs, Dragon-kins and Demons. The Elves are the closest to root of the Grail, so, their arcane usage is the most efficient. Next, is their neighbor in the west, the sylph, where most elemental magic is from. Heading east from the Elven lands, is a rumor about where the Dragon-kin Peak is, though no one has ever discovered it before, at least not officially. Down south is us, partially managing to harvest the magical energy, which is why we also resulted into weapons made of steel and iron since our mastery of the arcane isn't enough. Lastly, further south from us is the land of Demons. It's said that, formerly, it was the land of the orcs."

"The orcs?" Boyd asked.

"Yes. According to one of the books I read, the orcs were the ones who stole the Holy Grail from the elves, and tried to plant another root in their land, so that arcane magic would be accessible to them since they are unable to harness any magical energy in the air because of their location."

"…But, they failed, and created what we call today as Demons. It is unaware what is the true name of these creatures we call Demons since we do not understand their language. The orcs were annihilated, becoming an extinct race and replaced by these Demons, which waged war on us few years ago," Flare finished her explanation.

After that, she heard applause.

"Remarkable, you certainly are knowledgeable for what you lack in experience," Boyd praised Flare.

"…But, if you will do this explanation in the near future, please use continent names."

"Continents?' Flare inquired.

"You mean…Cantor for Humans, Atlis for Elves, Manator for Syphs, Dinrugh for Dwarves?" she continues.

"…And the other two…?" Boyd hummed.

"They're too long, and weird!" Flare puffed her cheeks.

Boyd kept staring at her.

"Alright, alright!"

"The Dragon-kins live in a continent they call…Xiablawux? And the Demons, Kaitubrul," she uttered.

Her tongue twisted trying to pronounce it, and Boyd just laughed.

"Ahahaha…Ahahaha…"

"Weiss, if you may, you can please do the Flask technique?" Boyd asked Weiss.

Weiss did as he was told, grabbing a bottle from Boyd's strap bag and walked to the nearby river.

"I assume you are aware of this classifying technique," Boyd asked Flare.

"I thought that it was called Water Specialization, not the Flask."

"I see, so you know how it works then?"

Flare nodded. Weiss came back with the bottle and placed it sideways on a piece of cloth which Boyd prepared.

"…I take it that you trained on how to let your pores to accept magical energies?" Boyd asked Flare another question.

"Uh…uhm…I did a few times before Ragnar became king, but, I don't know if I am ready," Flare replied, holding her hand together, afraid.

Boyd looked at Weiss, signaling him something before continuing to cook his soup.

"Before you did this, did you do it using the long-sure way, or the more, deadly way?" Weiss asked, opening his leather coat.

"Is there any difference?"

"The long method requires you to do these training methods to focus on the activation of your circuits, the one where most of you students learn in your studies. You said that you did train a few times before, so it means that you did it using this method. When was the last time you trained?" Weiss asked.

"Will it make a difference?" Flare asks.

"It will, because what I am about to do to you will most probably threaten your own life."

Flare remained silent, but she could clearly feel her hands shaking.

"These circuits, the one that you have, may have been lying dormant for a long time, but since you've trained it before, there's a high chance that you won't die if I activate your circuits back again."

"Activate my circuits?"

"Yup, the long method is where one trains themselves to activate their circuits, the safer way. There is a…second and more dangerous method, which requires another magic user to activate it."

"This magic and arcane is confusing me…" Flare murmured.

"Magic is the combination of all those three categories, elemental, mental and arcane. In a sense, everyone can use it, it's just a matter of their circuits, whether are they lying dormant or are they even there in the first place."

"Back to it, well…" Weiss stopped for some reason.

Flare turned to him, and for some reason, Weiss's face is red.

"What's wrong?" Flare asked.

"Well…"

Weiss turned his head to where Boyd is sitting.

"Hmm…mmm…"

"Ahahahaha…ahahahaha…" Boyd laughed from afar.

Weiss looked at Flare again.

"Well, princess…"

"Not a matter of…sexuality, but...do you have maybe a…sleeveless piece of clothing that…you can change to," Weiss asked with a red face.

"…"

An awkward silence falls beneath them.

"Whaat?!!" Flare screamed.

"No, no, it's not what I meant," Weiss denied, all flustered.

"Pervert!"

"No, no, this method requires the other magic user to forcefully activate the circuits of the other, so the one whose circuits that needs to be open have to be widely exposed to the other's magic," Weiss explained, flailing his arms around panicking.

Hearing that explanation, Flare calmed down a bit. Weiss hangs a piece of cloth by the tree, creating a square, private space inside so that Flare could change clothes. At first, she was quite embarrassed, but after bolstering her resolve, she enters and changed to a sleeveless clothing. She didn't have to remove her trousers, because Weiss said it wasn't necessary, just the top part of her attire. It was out of respect that Weiss asked Flare to wear a sleeveless shirt instead of a piece of cloth that only covers her chest. While Flare is putting on the sleeveless shirt, a sudden realization came to her.

"…But I thought it can also be used without activating the circuit," Flare said.

Weiss is guarding the outside space.

"They can, with using chants or 'incantations' and that. However, this method is too slow, and we simply do not have the time to teach you every single chant and how to use them correctly," Weiss replied.

"…Teach me?" Flare asked, puzzled.

"Yup. It's what me and Uncle Boyd usually do, especially if we want to escort someone who does not have any knowledge about this," Weiss explained.

"As you know, most magic spells, according to their own category, have their own chants to activate a certain spell. However, Uncle Boyd had figured out a simpler way to use these spells without using any chants. Of course, it won't be easy," he adds.

Flare immediately turns her head with interest.

"Magic studies usually require a lot of money, to enroll in the academies, schools, or colleges, which most villagers could not afford. However, in most academies, they teach their students chants, and only opening the magic circuits of a certain few they deem worthy. So, instead of teaching chants, Uncle Boyd offered to activate any noble, villager, even prisoner's magic circuits and let them learn on their own. Of course, he always judges whether it would be beneficial to everyone before doing so," Weiss continued and looked at Boyd.

"…The same way he judged me…" Weiss uttered, which caught Flare's attention.

However, he immediately turned back and changed the topic.

"In any case, he must've deemed you worthy and have the potential to use magic beneficially."

"Plus, he always does this, in case that we got ambushed and separated. He'll make sure that the ones we are escorting will be able to defend themselves if need be," Weiss finished his explanation.

"…And probably to give me more money!" Weiss laughed.

"Of course…" Flare sighed.

The preparations are complete. The sleeveless Flare is kneeling with her back facing Weiss. Boyd is just watching from afar, having complete trust to the young boy. Weiss slowly puts the palm of his hand on Flare's back. The sudden touch between the opposite gender made Flare squeak.

"Please refrain yourself from making weird noises, I need to focus," Weiss exclaimed.

With a red face, Flare just nodded.

"Remember, you have the potential, so endure it as best you can."

Flare began taking long breaths, trying to calm herself down, there's a sharp pain coming from the base of Weiss's palm, and it felt hot. It felt like two heated needles pricking on her skin.

"I'll begin in 3 seconds…" Weiss suggested.

"Okay…" Flare gasped.

"Okay…"

"One-…" Flare counted, before suddenly feeling a tremendous amount of pain throughout her body – a kin to being boiled from the inside.

Flare is screaming at the top of her life, at the same time trying her best to endure it.

"It hurts! It hurts! It hurts so much! I can't take this!" Flare tried to scream it out, but the words were stuck at her throat.

"Somebody makes it stop! I can't-I can't move, my body is too heavy. I can't move my arms! They're too heavy, someone please…MAKE IT STOP!"

"My legs, they won't move! Stop this, please! I don't want to die! I can't do this, stop, please! Weiss, PLEASE STOP! STOP, PLEASE!"

Weiss just continued channeling his magical energy into Flare with a straight face. Somehow, he was already accustomed to doing this, so he knows that it would be very painful.

"I'm…fading. Is it cold? Is it always this cold? I'm going to die. No, please, I don't want to die. Cellica, Mitchel, Uncle Talbot, they're all waiting for me!"

Flare was fading out of consciousness as he immense pain felt like it was crushing her entire body from the inside out. She did manage to glance at Weiss, with all her remaining strength, she managed to catch a glance at Weiss. His lips are moving, as if he is trying to talk to Flare, maybe even assuring her. She couldn't make out the words coming from his mouth, but there is one where she saw, and remembered that she had seen it before.

Yes, it was back when he is holding her and both of them jumped out of the tower.

"Trust me."

With that, she passed out.

____________________________________________

--Image--

https://ibb.co/9YmkLGy - Flare Having Her Circuits Forcefully Activate

____________________________________________

It was bright, too bright. Flare immediately tried to block the light with her arms, covering her eyes with the shadow it makes. Her eyes are slowly adjusting, until it finally recovers. She is lying down on a bedroll, and from the looks of it, with the sun still high on her head, it looks like they are in the afternoon. She may have skipped lunch when she passed out. She tried moving her hand, gripping his fingers together, making sure that she had full control of her body. She blinked a few times to make sure, and slowly, she raised her body and was greeted with a bowl of soup next to her. Behind the bowl of soup is Weiss, munching chicken meat that is stewed with the soup. For some reason, he keeps flipping his spoon around his bowl, searching for something. Slowly, after that, his spoon began to reach the bowl of soup next to Flare, the one that was meant from her. Immediately, Flare woke up, and her arm just moved by itself, punching Weiss at the face.

"What are you doing with my food?!" Flare yelled as she swung her fist directly at Weiss' face.

Weiss rolled backwards, spilling his bowl of soup, holding his nose with his right hand.

"Wait…what the hell are you doing, bitch!" Weiss cursed in pain.

"Who are you calling…" Flare was about to retort, until she realized something.

She moved her body around again to check. After a few seconds, she finally realized that her body felt a bit lighter than before, and not because her clothes are removed, they're still intact.

"How long was I out?" she asked.

"Couple of hours, which is good. Normally it would take half a day for someone to wake back up," Weiss replied, rubbing his nose.

"You better hurry up and eat, the soldiers will be here soon. If you don't want a part of it, you can stay inside the tent. Me and Boyd will go rescue him," he continues, standing up.

Flare remained silent, before accidentally asking.

"…Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Weiss asked, turning his back to Flare.

"The prisoner we will rescue tomorrow was accused of murdering the princess who was wandering around the halls of Whitefall and fell to her death. Isn't that enough for you to take responsibility and help?" Weiss told Flare.

She was shocked to hear about it.

"You mean…"

"Yes, criminal or not, that man is going to executed because of this reckless adventure. From what I hear, he's a thief, but still, he shouldn't die at this time," Weiss stated.

"I don't know if you're on board with this journey, but our duty is all, and that is to send you to Erythyl for your granted asylum."

"You can't set up a tent, you can't make fire, you're useless in battle, you are a naïve captain," Weiss insulted Flare.

Instead of anger, Flare remained silent, probably with a sense of guilt.

"…But you can take responsibility and save this petty thief. You can take responsibility and become better in the future," Weiss added, which opened Flare's eyes.

She turned her head and looked at Weiss who was walking away, wearing his full leather coat.

"So, stand, Princess Flare Edwen, Captain of the Pathfinder Knights."

"Stand…and fight!"

In an instant, a certain passion burned in her eyes and etched inside Weiss's mind. It bedazzled him for a while once he saw the eyes of his naïve captain, looking all serious and burning with passion and a sense of duty. Despite not having any armor, the princess walked and chased Weiss, forgetting her normal top attire, just wearing normal trousers and a sleeveless shirt.