Marcus stopped before the giant Goliath man and waited for the lessons to begin, oblivious to the man’s thoughts. He was going to learn actual magic, a concept he thought to be left for stories of fantasy, it was that feeling of cobbled power and control most imagined that flared as Marcus wandered of all the possibilities.
As a person fascinated with computers in his old life, the concept that zeros and ones were capable of running heavy calculations and machines was awe inspiring and if that was the case then what of magic-- the thing Clara had told him held the most potential in this world, he would simply have to find out.
"Come," Ivor said, turning his back and heading to his cabin.
“Are you going to teach me magic? “
If he needed to find out what happened to him, then this was one of many steps to his answers—answers to why he was here and to why he couldn't remember something.
"No, I will teach you Warcraft," he said in his deep voice.
Marcus had a confused look on his face. ‘What the man meant, he didn’t know.’
"What is that? Is that some magic?."
"Seat boy," he gestured to a chair opposite his own. “I hope you are as smart as you look because I will not teach you like the nobles. I know very little about other ways of magic, but Warcraft is something that I can teach you.“
Ivor noticed his words passing over the boy’s head and continued.
“Yes. warcraft is a form of magic but first tell me. Do you know of the seven schools of magic?”
“I think so, I have seen them on the Katch paper but don’t know how they exactly work, " Marcus said. He wanted to ask about how the laws of physics work alongside them. Marcus started and was promptly stopped by the raised hand of his new teacher.
“Let’s start there.” He walked over to his plain black chest behind his chair next to his bed and pulled out ten interlocked coins on a piece of cloth string. In his other hand, he held a scroll encased in a wooden cylindrical case.
He walked over to the table and heavily sat himself down. “There are seven schools of magic, each unique in its workings. You are Aasimar, so you doubtlessly have an affinity for light magic. " He looked at Marcus, and the boy nodded. Regardless, I need you to read this scroll.” He pulled it out, and it rolled from his hand across the table and to the floor of the cabin.
"You want me to read? I thought you would teach me magic."
"I didn’t pick you as one for impatience," Ivor mocked. “You will Read the scroll after I have explained the basic magics then I will teach you."
"And what are the basics?”
"One for questions I see," Ivor assessed, much to Marcus's dismay, "The schools of magics, as I said before, are all different but work together to create spells. There is light magic, Dark magic, elemental magic, arcane magic, Psychic magic, Shadow magic, and Bloodline magic favoured by the Goliaths.
“Do they all have their own spells that can’t be found in other schools?”
“Yes and no,” Ivor sighed. " some spells can be cast using only light magic and others you will need to use one or more affinities to cast a working spell. Innate magic is counter to this fact.”
“How so?” Marcus looked up from the scroll.
"Innate magic is different because its often the most accurate of ways to cast magic and is a manifestation of aether in ones body.
“And what if you don't have innate magic?"
“Since Most spells depend on more than one school of magic. There are other ways to cast spells.” He grabbed the clay jug, pulled the stopper open, and sipped its contents.
“There are five basic castings: rituals, enchanting, spell forms, and innate magic, the strongest way to cast magic.”
“What’s the difference? “
“That’s why you need to read the scroll. But remember this, innate magic only comes to those blessed by an affinity. Sometimes, it's strong.” He looked at Marcus as he said the words, "Other times, it's weaker but never useless. It can be cast instinctively without complex rituals or focus.”
“And what is the most potent form of casting apart from innate magic?
“gods, You sound like the nobles in the high walls,” Ivor said with a half-hearted smile of disappointment. “The King of Taeralis, an Aasimar, uses the most powerful spell forms, but that is not where his strength lies.”
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“Then how can he use the strongest spells?”
"It’s the affinity presence in his soul-- my master called it magical weight." Ivor unstrung the wooden coins with square holes and placed all ten of them on the table. " Think of each coin as how much you can use for a spell." He placed five coins in two columns. “People with an affinity of five or more always emerge with an innate magic.”
"So, anyone with an innate magic is strong." 'So, is Clara that strong?'
"Again, yes and no. I hope you can see how revealing you have two innate magics tells me how much magical weight you have." He sighed. "I can tell you are at least as strong as a Lume magician, and you can cast spells of the advanced level."
"I see how that can be dangerous." Marcus nodded.
"It’s more so in the high courts of the great houses," he breathed and shook his head, banishing many such thoughts. "Now you will read this for this week, and then your training will begin."
The man stood and walked over to the door. He said nothing, and Marcus, based on his expression, didn’t ask more.
The first week was all about reading. Marcus asked Ivor why he was reading, and Ivor said that it was better for him to understand the basics before they got started with anything.
Marcus had come to a summary of all the schools of magic, starting with light magic that focused on restoration and mending. Dark magic focused on destruction and afflictions. These two magics from the scrolls he had read were described as relatively opposite to each other and countered each other.
The following two schools included elemental magic, which dealt with the elements of the world: fire, water, earth, and air, and included complex spells like lightning.
While arcane was the opposite on the other hand, it dealt with the void of elements, the space where elements did not exist. It dealt with pure energy and force.
The next magics were those of mind and body. Psychic magic was a magic school that dealt with the mind, moving objects and seeing truths.
Marcus was intrigued by bloodline magic, which dealt with improving physical attributes, having never heard of it before.
Lastly, there was the shadow school of magic, which was said to have come from the clouds that covered most of the world in shadowy darkness. Although this is how they speculated about the magic, he was skeptical and could understand how they could have come to this conclusion.
Yet this was magic—magic! And like any young boy with dreams, he dreamt of magic and all its possibilities.
The other thing was that the higher the number of spells a person could cast, the more powerful they were.
So it was on one faithful day that Marcus arrived with Clara, Gabe and the others to find the aged man seated on his chair with a sombre look on his face. As the group left, Marcus uncertainly made for his seat in the quiet cabin, and Ivor’s eyes carefully followed Marcus’s every action as the boy sat.
Ivor didn’t speak for a moment, but seeing Marcus comfortably waiting in silence, he said, “I may have agreed to teach you, but I have been hesitant."
"Hesitant. Why? you can just teach me a few things, and I will be out of your hair." Marcus said.
"If it was that easy, I would have taught you already and have been done with it."
“Then why not do that?” Marcus asked. If Ivor could teach him how to use ‘this magic,’ he could start finding how he got here or away to return.
"It’s not that simple. I have been thinking about it." Ivor looked Marcus straight in the eye." You have two innate magics, something very rare. If I teach you, what will you do then? With your strength, you can start a house and become as powerful as nobles, or you can become a danger to yourself and your friends, or even the Mountain cities and I personally don’t want more blood on my hands."
Marcus’s eyes brows narrowed in confusion, and Ivor noticed.
"Now, I am not saying you’re a bad person, but I have seen many men fall to the depravity of power."
"It’s good that you are cautious, and I agree with you. But I almost lost an eye." Marcus pressed his lips in anger.
"Yes, I am aware. And seeing your patience speaks well of your character."
“Thank you.” Marcus nodded, “but at some point even I get tired of worrying about those people who don’t understand what it means to be a person.”
Ivor looked at him with his Aasimar golden eyes and nodded once, “can you make an oath to me that you will never be unjust in your power and protect as many people as you can.”
If magic had landed him on this planet, learning about it would only help him understand it better. And if all he needed to do for knowledge was not to harm the innocent, he would as long as they did not threaten his life, then he would do it.
“I swear, Marcus,” started if it was a promise the man needed, he could not degrade him the piece of mind.
“No, no. Not like that, Marcus. Get on your feet and place your hand over your chest.” Ivor stood and performed the action, demonstrating to the boy.
Marcus got to his feet, stood back straight, and placed his hand over his heart.
“Do not resist boy. just say the words.” Ivor stood straight and began chanting his oath.
“True honor lies in service to others. I vow to teach thee this truth. I vow to guide thee in the ways of Knight and WarCrafts.”
A presence reached Marcus, and he felt a weight settle on his shoulders and the tightness in his arms. His mouth started to move. At first, he resisted, but then he remembered Ivor’s words, so he let it happen.
“I shall serve with a heart steadfast, that I may earn thy trust and the people’s.”
Marcus stumbled. A hand grabbed his shoulder, reminding him he was not alone. Take a seat. It’s the same bloodline oath I took with my master, a little more relaxed though it may be.
“What’s next,” he asked, trying to centre himself.
“Do you remember the rules of magic?”
“Of course,” Marcus breathed softly.
Of course, he remembered.
'Regular magic required frequent use; neglect could lead to forgetting specific spell forms or loss of proficiency.'
'Spells rely on precise focus, formations, or aether flow. Without practice the connections weaken.'
'Advanced spells degrade faster the longer one takes without using them.'
'Casters often forget the specifics of a spell, and often need to relearn formation.'
'Forgotten spells may result in incomplete casting or reduced potency.'
'Also, Forcing forgotten spells causes magical strain and higher aether consumption and recovering them requires significant time or study.'
'people use Katch paper or grimoires to recall forgotten spells.'
'Innate magic only emerges from an affinity level between five and nine. It functions instinctively and such spells can not be forgotten.'
“Next we will learn more about your Arcane sight, what it can do and its limits.”
“What about my shadow innate magic?” 'Was he not going to teach him.' he thought to himself, but he did not say it aloud. He hoped there was a reason for Ivor’s actions.
“Yes , Nova of Shadow Sun, another strong magic, forget it for now. once you can use your Arcane sight and I deem you capable enough with a dagger then we will see about your shadow magic.”
“You want to teach me how to use a dagger.”
“Of course, a man who knows well how to use a dagger, survives in Srok.”
“I thought you said you were a knight. knights use swords.”
“Yes, I was,” he said, deeming that an adequate answer. He grabbed the wooden round pallets on the cloth string and placed them on the table in front of Marcus. He placed two of the hollow coins first down.
“Choose,” the half-Goliath commanded.
Marcus looked down, then back at him. He pointed to the left coin.
“Fail,” Ivor said, his large hands swiping down and grabbing the wooden coins. “Again,” he placed two coins down again, and Marcus pointed to the Right wooden coin this time.
“The right one," he said, thinking to himself.
Ivor looked up at him; he looked him straight in the eye and squinted, “Are you using your Arcane sight?”
“Was I supposed to,” he wasn’t sure what the Goliath was animosity for unless there was something he was missing about the hollowed-out coins.
“Of course, that’s what the training is for—now at least,” Ivor said, not with anger but with patience in his voice.
Marcus cast the Arcane sight spell, and the colours spread into being.
As the boy cast the spell without any gestures or words of power and looked at him, Ivor felt uneasy. He felt his very soul retreat into his being. He felt the boy looking at him, past him. The spell sent a shiver down his spine, but this time, he knew it was the gaze, something else he would need the boy to control.
Ivor placed the two wooden coins down, and it was clear as daylight. Marcus saw the magic filled in one but no magic in the other.
“The right one is filled with magic, the left one isn't, the left is not.”
“Aether boy, the right one is filled with aether.” the half-goliath corrected. What colour is the aether?”
Marcus looked back down at the small wooden palate, “It’s blue aether.”
“So you really can see the affinity, that-- that’s very useful.” he said, nodding to himself.
—---
