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Chapter 3: The Principle of a Magician (II)
“Thank you, Master.” Salin is happy and carried all the bags to his room. He intended to put the money in the box which contained some overdue receipts, documents, and family crests. It doesn’t felt right to do so; he can’t figure out where to place those golds. After some while, Salin felt silly, with Jason staying in the house, who would dare to trespass? In view that Jason can cast a spell with a just snap of his finger, look at how he did at the warden! Whenever Salin thought of that scene, he felt excited, if he has the strength like Jason, no one will bully him! Magic is the only truth, if one has the strength of magic, one will surpass all laws. Salin can’t hold the thoughts anymore, he placed the money on the bed and proceeded to the study room. Look at the rows of the bookshelf; Salin loses his patient to read one by one. He makes his way to a bookshelf where there’s level zero book of spells.
Level zero spells are not the ones with many magic spells compare to the higher level one. Even so, the “Collection of Level Zero Spells” contained four editions, each of them is very thick. Salin took one of the editions, sat on the shelf and start reading.
Decipher spells, illumination spells, flaming spells, detection spells, toxic-detection spells, invisible shields, etc. One after another spell got him dizzy. Salin realizes that without theories, he has no ideas where to start. He wandered off a little while by the shelf starting to realize he is losing control. He is too eager to increase his strength, instead of study accordingly, he skipped it. Jason must have a valid reason for Salin to build his foundation first. Salin then placed the book to where it belongs and back to where he left.
Magic divided into six categories according to the elements, in fact, during foundation, the classification of spells is divided according to the ability. Alchemy, Magic Potions, Defense and Protection, Healing, and battle skills, other than the six skills, there is Summoning skills, an uncommon skill which its origin started 1 Million years ago, however, declined five millennia ago.
To activate a magic spell, have three stages, the preparation stage, the completion stage, and the activation stage. In the stage of preparation, means starting by chanting spells, assisted with hand gestures, gathering elements and magic resonance. Above all, magician’s strong mind is inevitable to control the spells. With constant practice, the magician will be able to shorten the preparation time, also able to recite spells without using gestures.
The completion stage means the spells are formed which can be activated anytime; this stage can be prolonged; magician may retain the completed spells in another hand to prepare another spell, this is especially useful if one needs to activate spells continuously. For example, a magician completed a fireball spell but retain while completing the second spells, when both fireballs spell completed, it can be activated at the same time. This method is called double cast, one of the common magic to increase battle skills. Likewise, Magician must be strong minded to be able to control the method. Otherwise, the magician will harm themselves because of the disorder of one’s element.
The activation stage is not simple as well; the stage includes aiming and lock on the target, final discharge of elements and timing controlling. These parts require strong mental strength to control, the basic start from aiming targets, if one does not have the tracking skill, there will be no difference in between magician and Archer. The discharge of element is the part that consumes most of the magic element, without this skill, the magician will expand maximum elements, if uncontrollable, a 1st-grade magician activated two spells at a time will consume all the magic knots instead of twelve knots. Timing control means the period of spells activation after activated, allowing spells to activate in its full potential at the right time. This method is also called a double cast. Senior magician familiarizes the method to control the battle skill. Likewise, to construct a spell scroll and alchemy, the method of the double cast is needed. A qualified magician must master all the above.
Salin also understands that a magic spells’ basic element has variable values. The time, distance and energy to cast a spell are variable. The time to activate a spell uses different measurement instead of measured by seconds. The term of such measurement unit is frame rate; one frame rate equals to six-tenth of a second. Instantaneous spell activation requires two frame rate equivalent to six-tenth of two seconds, which started in sequence from preparation, completion, and activation stage. No magician even the great ones able to compress such time. Whereas, the method of double casting often given the wrong impression that its process requires zero frame rate is because the first spell activated at the same time with completed second spell. Hence, it is a high-order control skill that requires strong mental strength, and that is risky.
As Salin study along the way realizes his ignorant because he thought magic spells is only a weapon. If he did not build such foundation, the complexity of a basic knowledge will lead him to the hard way to make progress. Without such foundation, a magician’s capability will be limited and not able to identify others ability. For example, a senior magician can calculate and identify instantaneously the effect of spell activation, maximize or minimize the time of activation, the distance, and the strength, not by simply depends on luck. Control! The power of magic is to take control! He then patiently studies, learning calculation of the formula.
Three months has the pass, besides dining and washroom, Salin hardly steps out from the room. Salin became depressed, his intelligence and mental strength are perfect, just because he lacks affinity with elements, the magic knot is hard to form, if only he has a normal person level of elements, is enough to make him an outstanding magician. Without magic knot, all his thoughts are empty. A total one year of studies, Salin remain a junior apprentice level and senior apprentice ability. He mastered five level zero spells, decipher spells, toxic-detection spell, Acid spells, flaming, and merging elements. He mastered the art of meditation which allowing him to recover instantly after exhausted magic elements. The reason why there is such effect because the magic elements in him are very little. What can you do with three level zero spells? Nothing! If the magic spell were to use it in battle, Salin rather uses a knife to fight. At least, after a year of nurture, Salin is healthier and stronger than ever, although he looks thin and weak.
The kitchen stocks have finished which provided by the red-haired before; Salin must go to the city restock. Now, Salin is not as naïve as he was a half year ago, he does not think of fancy hairstyle, cutting-edge fashion nor decent carriage. Only knowledge is important for a magician.
He put on the silly robe and black boots bought by Jason, notify Jason that he is going to the city then there he goes. Jason gave him two bags of gold worth a hundred, and a list of grocery for his experiment. Due to Jason’s lab never stop operating, the basic ingredients are almost finished.
The Ceylon is a port city; one can order goods from another city that only takes a week time to receive. Which is one of the reasons why Jason lives here, outskirt yet he can buy the needs from another city.
Once again, Salin steps into the city. Salin’s impression on the city has changed entirely. The guards saw him from far quickly straightened their body. No one ever forgets the incidents, the Lord of Ceylon kept silence like nothing had happened, the Magician killings, the young master of the Metatrine is the magician’s apprentice, worst of all, the magician home is not far from the city.
The two guards look at Salin with a mixed of fear, envy, and jealousy, try to fawn him with a smile, “Good morning, young master!”
Salin nodded, without knowing what to answer. The soldiers from Royal guards are far politer than the soldier from the warden; they never let him felt difficult. Previously, he is like a thin air, no one will call him young master of Metatrine, maybe he was a proud half year ago but not after the incident, Salin has grown mature, he understands everyone is afraid of Jason.
Facing the sun, Salin walks along the street to the port. The port has a long street that includes all kinds of shops. He reached the one and only equipment store, about to enter the store, he almost collides with a youngster. The youngster is about Salin’s age. The youngster seems surprised and accidently bump into Salin. Though Salin is just an apprentice, he is sensitive; he detected the youngster’s hand is reaching his bag of golds. Salin thought, maybe he has an unlucky year, he bumped in a pickpocket thief.
He slightly pushes his hand away, cast a flaming spell on the youngster’s hand. The youngster felt pain on the back of his hand like he was ironed. He stunned and raised, yelled: “ Salin, is it you?”
Great write up.. Keep writing