Under the Light of the World at War: Early Chapter 23 (Patreon)

“Oh wow!” I gasped as Mama smugly handed me the gifts. “Mama!”“Heehehe!” Mama laughed smugly, trying to hide her massive smile. 

“You got me a sword and shield!” 

“I did. You practiced so hard, that you deserve something. It’s real though, so don’t play with it.”“Of course not, you respect a sword.” I said firmly, as I gently pulled the blade free of the leather scabbard. It wasn’t fancy, but it didn’t need to be. Basically a shortsword, but it was well sized for the current me. 

The shield was just painted wood, and brass? Rim. Just enough to make something cheaply. It wasn’t very big, a bit smaller than I would prefer, but anything is better than nothing, and now I had them both.

A sword and shield!

“Well you know how to handle it at least. Falomin learned that.”“Yeah.” I whispered looking at the clear forged blade reflecting my face. 

The glow of my eyes, natural to all High Elves flashing back. This was what I needed, instantly a lot of the fear in my heart dissipated. A sword was the ultimate protection. I wanted to be a Paladin. As long as I had a sword and shield in my hand, I could fight.

“So you like it?”“I love it. I’ll use it to protect the innocent.” I said seriously, and Mama's grin shifted from smug to holding back.

‘My daughter is too cute look, number seven.’

I puffed up at her, I was having a serious awesome Paladin vow moment, it was not cute!

She just laughed, pulled me into a side hug, which was nice, but not what I wanted at that moment.

“I can help you enchant them if you want?” Papa said, already looking over the shield with an eye to enchanting it. 

Which was really just his normal look at anything to be fair.

“That would be nice. I think a Block enchantment, and maybe… Fire? Can we do that?” I asked, pointing at the sword, and he frowned a moment. 

“A fire enchantment? Easily doable… Hmm. Essence of Fire isn’t easy to collect.”“If it’s hard we can do something else. We’ll talk about it!” I said reassuring him, but he waved me off already in enchantment mode.

Heh.

Normally I would prefer something else, but… Trolls.

I looked at my little short sword. Trollbane? No, that was a human name. Trollslayer? Not quite accurate. Sting would be funny, but not quite right. 

I’ll need to workshop it.

For now though. I had a weapon and shield, all was right in the world.

—---

“Is this going to be a common occurrence?” El’Tela asked as she watched me. I looked at her, and obviously I knew what she meant, I considered just playing dumb, but no. That would be rude.

See! I did have some manners!

“Yes. A Sword and Shield are worthless laying at home gathering dust. I’ll carry them with me, so I can draw and use them when needed.”She gave me that one eyebrow raise that told me she wasn’t impressed, but she wasn’t going to be able to shame me out of carrying my weapons.

Instead she just waved me forward, and I nodded slipping into the Glyph.

A breath and I focused. 

I was working on Arcane Intellect today, and of course continuing my Arcane Meditation. I was nearly at level 10. 

[Arcane Intellect Lv 9 75/90]

It was time to grind out the last bit. So I went to work. I’d played with lots of refinements for Arcane Intellect, but the spell was… Well balanced. I could technically get the Intellect number higher, but in exchange I’d lose a lot on time, and a buff was only as good as long as it was active. If I had to keep burning Mana every five minutes for the Buff then I was using more Mana than I’d get from the spell active.

So mostly I tweaked the mana input reducing it to as low as I could to get multiple casts off. The more casts the faster it would level.

As I cast the spell, I felt my Mana balloon, and shrink as the spell ran and ended. It was an interesting experience, to feel your ability to pool Mana inside you shift so much.

In fact…

It was an interesting thing to focus on, the shifting of my ability to hold Mana so abruptly. 

I wonder if I could do something about that. El’Tela had shown me a spell could impact an ability without a spell already.

Arcane Meditation mimicked a spell naturally, why not mimic an added Mana pool?

I got distracted and stopped casting Arcane Intellect, as I focused on the feeling of my Mana pool shrinking. 

Why couldn’t I hold more?

Altering some Mana into Arcane, I considered it. It would be math, numbers, numerical alterations that would shoot me towards a goal, but I didn’t need to be perfect.

If everyone else had to have the exact math to get the result, I only needed to get it in the right ballpark thanks to my system.

I just needed the barest idea, Arcane was all about numbers, so I just needed to put in a few numbers, to get the magic to try.

I needed more Mana. That had been my issue from the start. More Mana. More ability to grind, more powerful spells, more Intellect, more Mana.

I cast Arcane Intellect. Not because I needed the Intelligence, but because I needed that feeling of my Mana pool expanding. I doubt I could craft a skill to improve intelligence, but I could trick my Mana pool into holding more. The feeling faded as the spell ended, so I cast it again. That expansion, I just needed to tell my Mana that it should always be this large.

With the Arcane Meditation it had been a swirl flowing through my Mana that would create the desired effect, but this time, it needed something slightly different. Arcane flowed through, and formed into a second pool.

Why not? Why couldn’t I simply mathematically create the space within me to gather Mana?

I copied what I knew. Arcane Intellect to form the Arcane, Glyphs to collect the energy, a symbol to store Mana. 

I didn’t need it to be perfect, just functional.

The Arcane power flowed around my head, the center of the Arcane in a person, the knowledge gathering and then I released it.

It popped like a soap bubble, too much Mana flowing through the Glyph but that was fine. I did it again, this time the idea deteriorated. The Arcane energy, fizzling around. It needed something to ground it.

I altered it again, this time gathering it all together and it flowed, circling and connecting the math just close enough that the idea didn’t pop, but instead slowly fizzlied out. It was never going to work long term, but for a few seconds, before the entire mana structure cascaded towards failure, I felt the smallest of blips in my Mana Pool.

[Skill Learned: Arcane Mind]

I gasped, as the knowledge flowed in. Heavy math, much more complex than what I was messing with, but I had been on the right path.

I simply needed more than just a bit of Arcane magic, but to sync myself towards the Arcane. Just like how Arcane Intellect boosted my stat, this would allow me to store Mana within my mind. Only Arcane, but Arcane energy could be converted to Mana just like it could be converted from Mana.

“What did you just-”I opened my eyes, having just tied a knot in my mind, my mana pool increasing naturally, as if I had gained more intelligence, and yet not.

“Do?”“I… I took your teaching and applied it.” I said after a moment of getting a feel for the quirk of my own inner energy. Not a spell, but applied internal Mana. Just like Arcane Meditation.“My teaching was it?” She asked, her voice calm, but it was obvious she was examining me.

“I realized I needed more Mana. And just improving Arcane Intellect wasn’t enough… So I stopped thinking of just that and took your advice. Mage Armor created the path to Arcane Meditation. Well… Arcane Intellect, created a path towards… Something else. I’ve increased my Mana Pool. Without a Spell.” I explained pointedly not naming Arcane Mind. 

Not sure what it would be called, if it already exists, so best not to name drop something like that.“I see that.” She rose up and for the first time she stepped into the glyph with me, walking as easily through the mana, as if it wasn’t there. She waved for me to stand as she approached and I did.

A moment later she tilted my chin up and looked into my eyes, no, she looked through my eyes.

“You did it. You have gained an Arcane Mind.”I almost breathed a sigh of relief, good now I had the name.

“Did anyone tell you about this? Be truthful.”“No?” I said honestly. Frankly… I never played a mage in WoW. I had no idea if this was a thing or not.

I just wanted more Mana.

She didn’t say anything as her hand dropped from my chin, and she took a step back, and then turned her back on me, walking out of the Glyph and to her chair, she took her time seemingly placing herself back into it. 

Then she breathed out as she relaxed and opened her eyes, glowing with Arcane like they always did.

“Continue.” She said simply, no emotion in her voice, but like… She had definitely just reacted to what I had done… Was it a good one, or a bad one?

I hesitated for a moment, but shook it off.

Whatever.

Crossing my legs I flopped back down to the cold floor and took a breathe. I now had another grind to get through.

[Arcane Mind 1/10]

There was only one thing I could do. Keep working.

—--

I made sure to spend more time with Kimi since the Hawk attack, so most afternoons instead of just grinding I would head to the school, and catch her as she was leaving.

We would play games or whatever came into her head. Sometimes we drew pictures with her art supplies, sometimes we even cooked. 

But we spent time together like kids, and it was nice, even if I wanted to grind.

At least I had a sword and shield if something happened, something she’d teased me about carrying around with me everywhere.

But we played all sorts of games together, which is why today was a bit weird.

“Fishing?”“Yep!” Kimi said, waving a fishing rod above her head.

“You want to go fishing?”“Yep!”

“Umm… Are we just going to let them go after?”“What? That’s weird Dorah, we’re gonna eat them! You can make fires right?”“Yeees.” I trailed off.

Kimi, cries at squashing bugs’ Thas wants to catch fish? I watched her, but she just looked excited so I shrugged and followed. We just went to a nearby pond, and to my surprise there were a few other of the kids here fishing.

Which was weird.

Did we all get infested by brain worms or something? Why were the teenagers all fishing?

I followed as Kimi rushed up and picked out a spot, near the others, but not quite on them, and she set down her rod, and then looked over… Cal’Nari was sitting  next to Sav’Kinara and a few others, but it was obvious he liked fishing as his line was in the water, but other than Sav’Kinara the others just had fishing poles nearby…

“Kimi?”“Yes? Oh, right, yes!” She chirped, thankfully whatever had her distracted wasn’t enough to completely disrupt her, as a moment later she went searching for worms, unconcerned about them being bugs or anything as she dug a bit with a knife and found some in the earth.

“I thought you didn’t like hurting bugs.”“Worms aren’t bugs, they’re bird food.”  She replied instantly without a moment's hesitation as she took her hook and speared one. “And fish food! Heehee!”

“Yeah… Fair enough.” I agreed, a bit shocked by her words. Kimi was growing up I guess.

Then she tossed her line in, and sat there smugly, sneaking glances over to the side…

“Kimi…”“Yes?”“Is… No nothing. I don’t want to know.” I decided, no way I wanted to know if Kimi had a crush on Cal. The boy was a total grumpy teen. Eww.

Instead I focused on the pond. No one was really getting any catches, and it seemed this was more just a hang out spot.

Kimi was growing up I guess. She wanted to hang out with the other teenagers, and not just play games too.

Well, if I was just going to sit here, might as well get some work done. I’d gotten distracted and hadn’t quite finished off Arcane Intellect. So I focused on that. The sound of the magic activating caught everyone's attention.

“What’s that?”“Arcane Intellect. It gives you a bigger Mana pool, and makes your spells a bit stronger for a short time… Want to try?” I offered Kimi, as she blinked.

“You can do that?”“Sure you can cast it on others. Here.” I threw my hand at her, and the symbol of magic appeared over her head, and she sat up a bit as it startled her.

“Oh wow! That feels weird! But… Kinda nice?” She said, tapping at her chin as she felt out the changes in herself.“Yeah, bigger Mana Pool is great. I’m trying to improve the spell right now.”“Hey I’ve seen that before.” Cal called out from across the pond. “Magister cast it once, in Silvermoon. That’s a strong spell right?”“Middling honestly. It’s very useful though. A necessary utility spell for any mage.” I called back, and then he rose up startling Sav’Kinara that was sitting next to him as he walked around, leaving the others looking a bit put out.

“Oh, Uh… Hi Cal!” Kimi offered nearly squirming and he just nodded at her. “How’d you learn it. The spell I mean?”“Oh! Dorah learns magic from El’Tela!”“The Magistrix? The old scary one that I was told to never look her in the eyes?”“It’s not her eyes you have to worry about, it's her tongue.” I replied instantly, and then realized what I had said.

Probably best I didn’t bad mouth her. She wasn’t that bad.

“She’s just very strict, but surprisingly nice.”“Huh… I always wanted to learn some spells. Think she’ll teach me?”“Probabyl not.” I said instantly. “I don’t even really know why she wants to teach me. My Papa asked her for it, and she agreed. Not sure what the deal was. But Papa is the best Enchanter in the world. So…”

“Right. I guess an apprentice Ranger wouldn’t have anything near as valuable to offer. Dang.”“Maybe Dorah could teach you!”“Nope.” I answered instantly despite Kimi’s offer. “I am just learning myself. I don’t even want to try and teach someone. I know Ma’Rika knows a bunch of spells.You might be able to ask her for tutoring.”“Hmm. She did have me come in to help teach Ranger stuff, so yeah, maybe I can ask for that in exchange.”“Huh. I guess Mama is free from that. Or I guess she didn’t want to do it now that I’m mostly out of class.”“Mostly?” He asked curiously and I shrugged.“Well tutoring with a Magistrix is kinda-”

“Oh. Yeah.” He grunted then with that his curiosity sated he turned and walked back to the others, leaving Kimi sort of squirming unhappily.

“Hey Kimi?”“Yeah?”“Catch a fish and maybe he’ll help you reel it in.” I offered, I might not like the idea of Kimi crushing on that loser, but it was what she wanted. 

Besides, Sav’Kinara and him were a thing so thankfully there was no real issue there. Kimi would just have her puppy love.

“Oh good idea!”

I laughed and leaned back laying back on the grass as Kimi took fishing more seriously, I cast Arcane Intellect again.

Feeling the flow of the spell. Then again.

And again.

Then I hit the level up. 

[Arcane Intellect Lv 10 1/100] [Apprentice Mastery] [Mastery Benefit +5 Intellect]

Oh yeah.That was what I was looking for. I cast the spell fully, gaining my first cast of an improved version to test it out.

Intellect 13 +71

It was eleven Intellect now. That was a lot, and it was only getting better. Synergizing with my Arcane Mind.

Small upgrades. But synergizing. Slowly growing stronger.

—--

A few days later, I woke up to the sound of wing beats I had a blurry moment where I wondered why Kimi let her birds out before realizing it was too loud.

Gasping awake, I leapt up and rushed the window. 

Dragonhawk!

And a lot of them, and Trolls trained them too!

I was half reaching for my sword and shield when I caught sight of them, and exhaled deeply. Stress oozing out of me.

High Elf Banners flew from them, and they were Elves on their backs.

A whole squad of Dragonhawks all flying into the village, which wasn’t just unusual, but something I’d never seen before. 

They landed around the stables, and I knew that Ma’Rika would be handing out Stable cleaning duties to some of the students tonight. 

Thankfully I didn’t have to worry about that anymore, and the Guild was currently closed, too busy with other things. Although I’ll admit, it had been a long time since I opened the Guild and took some quests. I should do that soon.

Either way I watched the Dragonhawks fly in and land, and there was definitely something going on…

“Oh well.” I turned and headed to get dressed. I had a meeting with El’Tela, and she didn’t deal with any shit. This was a Ma’Rika problem. So I would just ignore it. I was twelve.

No time to deal with shit. I got magic to learn!

Properly armed and equipped. I headed down.

“Good morning!”“Dorah, good you’re up. Stay inside today.”“Aww.” I groaned and then stilled.

That hadn’t been Mama saying that.

“Papa?”I realized instantly he looked a bit more anxious than normal so I walked over to him in his seat instead of taking my own and leaning into him.

“Everything okay?”“Yes. Just stay inside, everyone is going to be busy with our guests.” He said clearly. Like weird for Papa clearly.

“Okay.” I agreed instantly this time. If Papa says do this. Then Dorah, the goodest daughter would do it.

He sent me a smile and I lit up pleased that I’d calmed down some of whatever was bothering him and took my seat. Mama hadn’t spoken yet, but she nodded to me as she passed me the meal. “You’ll be okay inside?”“Sure… What about El’Tela?”“She’ll be busy, so don’t worry about-”There was a knock on the door and Mama instantly put her hand on my shoulder to stop me from running off towards it.

“Stay.”“Okay.” I said because that was Ranger serious voice.

She walked to the entrance way. She returned with a very unhappy look on her face.

“El’Tela… Is requesting Dorah’s presence.” Mama said flatly.

Ooh… Oh… Uuugh. This sounded like a massive pain in the ass huh?