Nothing changed on Lucien's ordinary day, no one noticed the change, for there was really nothing to notice.
His understanding of magic was too shallow, and he knows it.
there was no way for him to profit form selling his skills. There wasn't even a reasonable explanation to give in case anyone inquired about how he got the heal spell.
And the spell in itself was weird.
The only other spell he knew was the pearl of light, any and every villager of this little village named Kand knew this spell, as it was the basic spell of the temple of Vance of light wich is the leading deity of this lands.
The priest in charge of teaching the children and sending the talented ones to the capital uses this low level spell for class.
The way of action for it was the standard chant with the related imagery and devotion.
The procedure for this is as follows: Ask for blessing of Vance with fervor, at least once a month for the magic to be usable, then chant "I call upon the the sacred light to dispel the shadows on my path" while tapping into your mana and forming the shape of sphere of light with it.
The faster you could summon the light pearl and the longest it could last dictaminates how good your talent with magic was.
Some research has been made from adventurers claiming that different people might be suitted for different types of magic. The temples says those are baseless allegations born of jealousy to the talented.
It might be that both sides have a point.
Since you require the permit from a god to do magic maybe it was not that you just sucked at it. It could be that the God just didn't like you or your offering.
People can get jellous even if the boy next door has a new toy, even more if instead of a toy what they grasp in their hands is an easier way of life.
So to this day Lucien had assumed that all spells needed those three things: permission, a chant and the imagery for it to work.
Abridged Heal only needed the imagery to workout, there was no chant. As for permission, Zarte was no longer a god, so it figures those rules don't apply.
Autolife didn't even need the imagery, it just automatically brought him back to life even if he ever felt reluctant.
So maybe it was a problem with Zarte's magic? It won't hurt to ask a few questions to Adam, the village priest, sadly his words were weighed in coin, Lucian had to think carefully his question, his meagre savings were needed for his exam.
After mulling it over all workday he took the chance to visit Adam before going home, hopping a few coopers should suffice for the benevolent preacher.
"Lucien, what is it this time? Another doubt from reading too much into those letters Lasswell sends?" This wasn't the first time Lucien came to Adam for knowledge.
The priest was a little sad for the youth, so curious and with a nimble mind, he could had been a good magic sentry, but the grace of Vance never descended upon him, so it was not meant to be. A good blacksmith would not be bad for the village. God is wise, may the light shines forever.
"Sort of, Adam. I was wondering if there are spells that don't need chants"
A sigh escaped Adam's mouth "it's been ten years already boy, magic is not for you, you should move on."
"I'm just curious, really, you know the blacksmith exam is near, I just wanted to clear the air on my mind a little to concentrate on the important things. You know me." Lying without batting an eye has always being Lucian's forte.
"It's because I Know you boy!"
"Oh come on! I got even a few coppers for your time"
"Ha! Ok then. It Is really a simple answer, you always need the three basics: permission from God to use his divine power into our magic, the chant to establish the link and the imagery for the mind to give shape to the mana, we saw this in class, if any part of this is missing magic won't work.
A strong magician might be able to use a shot chant. There are records of heroes casting spells like meteo with only one word, but there's no such thing as chant less magic.
You can skip saying it out loud with a lot of practice, but the chant must be at least evoked on one's mind"
"Is really all the magic the same?"
"As far as I know it is"
Maybe there was more to it, but Lucien's way of getting information was limited to asking around in this village, wich he didn't like to do, and to Lasswell's letters.
"Thanks Adam. At least now I know"
"You have known for years boy, I taught you this on our first day of class!"
"I know, I just kind of hopped the answer would be different this time"
"Go home Lucien, is getting late, your parents might be waiting for supper" as usual Adam extended his hand, waiting for the usual "voluntary contribution" after providing guidance.
Lucien handed to him 3 coppers and went home.
The nights in Lucien's home were normally peaceful, his mother, Martha was a full time housewife, as most village women were, it was frown upon that the man couldn't earn enough money for them to live well, so the home made food was something to look forward as it was made by someone with years of practice.
His Dad, Laurent, was a farmer. The land he works wasn't his own, as all the land across the realm belonged to the Nobles. He just had the permit to work it for a lifetime but he could bequeath such permit to a child. He had wanted to give it to Lasswell, but his first born wasn't happy with a provincial life.
Giving it to Lucien would be a waste, since he was training to be a blacksmith, so it had become his daughter's dowry. With the premise that his son in law would have to care for them in old age. This was one of the reasons why his youngest was so easily betrothed, his lands were the best.
Lastly there was Lucy, his younger sister, a sweet maiden of only fourteen years, even when the age for adulthood was eighteen for both men and women, girls could be married at sixteen with their parents blessing, but the newlyweds were required to live at least two years it their in-laws for guidance. This, to prevent any possible bullying.
Lucy wasn't keen on marring young, so her wedding has been set for her eighteenth birthday. She spent her days learnings to be a good wife and dolling herself up from mom.
I think she's just a spoiled brat some times.
Luckily women don't pay taxes, unless they become an adventurer. The fair sex is usually keep and controlled at home under the guise of protection. But they don't seem to mind.
Some chit chat over supper, and as per usual after that, my dad went to sit at his sofa to smoke and I went to my room. Meanwhile my mom and Lucy took care of washing the dishes.
Normally this would be the moment when I clean myself and go to bed. But not today, I mean, I'll clean myself and eventually will go to bed, but there is still too much to do.
So I take a set of clean clothes and go to the bathroom, wich is nothing more than a rundown room next to the house with a well, some hangers and some tubs inside. Not to be mistaken with the latrine wich was farther fron the house. This room was specially built in order to wash ourselves.
One must be careful and not allow dirty water into the well since it was the same water we used for cooking and drinking.
After freshing up I came back into the house and took my dirty clothes with me to my room, just that wrapped inside then was a chicken from our shed.
Clucky would be my guinea pig for the night.
My first thought was to start small, lets do a trial run healing the chicken, it obviously won't heal anything not hurt so the first step is to hurt Clucky.
So I took my knife and made a little cut on its leg, she protested and trembled on my arms but I keep telling it that everything would be fine.
The night proved me wrong.
I do as I was told: tap into my mana and imagine Zarte's sexy visage shinning upon Clucky to activate the heal spell.
The wound closes faster than the time it took to make it. I try to lift Clucky to inspect it but I realize something is amiss, my mana keeps going, the spell doesn't stop.
Then it happens, Clucky starts to shine as well and feels hot to the touch, its little body spams on my hands and just when i feel i am about to run out of mana, clucky ... bursts like an overinflated bubble.
Me, my room, everything around me is now covered with chicken's blood, feathers and entrails. I'm just there looking at my hands that used to hold that little life thinking
"Oh fuck"