The next day had come, and I once again woke up to do my exercises. This time, it felt easier to do than the other two times. I may have to up the intensity earlier than planned. Right now, I'll just stick to the original plan though, meaning I should up the intensity by the end of the month. I'll make changes as I see fit. Since my exercise was easier, I was able to finish it relatively quickly. I went out into the kitchen, expecting no one to be there. However, to my surprise, both Ana and Astra were there. Ana was in the kitchen cooking, while Astra seemed to be helping her by cutting up the meat and vegetables. I guess I had slept in later than yesterday, or they woke up earlier.
"How are you doing sylvi?" Ana asks me while I'm still wondering which of the two it is.
"Huh, oh. I'm doing fine. Thanks for asking." Since I was still thinking about something else, my response was delayed, and I stuttered. I quickly thought of something to keep the conversation going, which I immediately said after I had thought of it. "Why is Astra cutting the meat and vegetables?"
I could have just asked about chantless spells, but I didn't want to go straight in, and ask about them. I was planning on asking them about that after we had eaten, so this topic would mainly be a time waster.
"I'm just practicing my dismantling techniques without bodies," Astra says in answer to my question. "I would rather get bodies though." She said the last part in a sorrowful and low tone. I'm guessing she really wants to dismantle properly. However, I've never thought of using my skills in other, unconventional areas. Like, maybe I could use magic to make our lives easier. I could probably create a spell that would be of significant help to us.
I began to think of this idea as time flew by. Soon enough, breakfast was ready, and I was still thinking of this idea. I had a basic idea on how to start this spell, but there wasn't enough time to go any further. I'm changing my plans now. Instead of asking about chantless spells, I'll just create practical magic that can help us in our daily life. Not only would it be helpful, I'm pretty sure it'll help me win the competition. Even though I'm not all that interested in winning, I don't want to lose.
With this idea in my head, I quickly ate the food, and went into my room. I first looked over magic circles. I wasn't expecting much, and was just hoping for a chance to be enlightened. However, nothing seemed to click, so I immediately gave up, and began thinking of practical magic.
In the kitchen, my idea was to find a problem in our daily lives, and solve it through magic. I had already thought of the problem to solve, fire. We use fire for a lot of things, like cooking and heating up our bath water. However, we always have to use firewood in order to do this. We have tried to use magic before, but attack magic is not good at controlling temperature, and because of that, it was never very useful.
So, I want to replace fire with magic. To do this, I need to make a non-combat spell. I actually think the process will be similar to creating my dismantling dagger. After all, that was making a combat spell less deadly, which is exactly what I want to do here. As such, I will use similar thinking to when I created my dismantling dagger.
To make this easy on me, the spell will only be of the fire element. I'm glad we have figured out how to use one element through the mana links. Otherwise, if I created this spell, we would have had to call upon Astra for everything. Even though I can't use it very well now, I will be able to use one element through our links with practice. I'm the meantime, I will have to ask Ana or Astra for help. This is of course on the premise that I actually get this spell working. I feel like the combat spell should be based on, or should be the fireball spell. It is a classic spell that just attacks others using high temperature, which should be perfect for what I want.
So the chant for the fire ball is, "o spell of fire come forth as a ball to burn my opponents."
The fireball that is created from this spell is pretty large, so I should use "small ball" instead of "ball." This way the spell can be used with little repercussions. Now the next part to change would be the "burn" part, which is too destructive. I feel like "warm" would be perfect for what I am trying to do, as I am only planning on using it for cooking food or heating water.
"O spell of fire come forth as a small ball to warm my opponents."
I chanted the spell, and a small ball, barely the size of my hand came forth. However, I could already tell that this spell wouldn't work. The heat that was emanating from it, wasn't nearly enough to be used to cook food, nor warm up water. I need to use a different word for this spell. It took many tries before I finally settled on "heat up." With "heat up" the spell was able to emanate enough heat to quickly boil water.
Now it would just be great if this was turned into a magic circle. That would make it easier to use, and could be placed all throughout the cave. Right when this thought came to mind, a magic circle appeared in my head. I quickly got a large leaf and ashes, and began to draw the magic circle. It didn't take long for me to finish the drawing, and I had my drawing training to thank for that. I was able to finish in half an hour, and once I had finished, the magic circle disappeared from my head, along with any other knowledge that might have come with it. However, since it was gone, I don't really know what knowledge has left. This has been the fourth time this has happened, which is very infrequent given that I have been alive for over 25 years. I just hope that one day, I understand why this is happening, but for now, they are helpful, so I won't complain.
I immediately headed out of my room, and headed to the storage room to get some wood. I wished to carve the magic circle. This way, it could be more permanent than some ash markings on a leaf. Only after I had finished carving, would I then analyze the magic circle. I soon got a nice piece of firewood, which is the only wood we store. However, this firewood has plenty of mana stored within it, due to it being in the Forest of Calamity, and would not be needed anymore if this magic circle actually works as intended. So I felt no qualms in taking it.
"O spell of wind, form from my hands a sharp dagger that follows my movements to dismember my enemies."
I chanted my dismantling dagger, and used it to carve out the wood. After I chanted the spell, I began to transfer my ash drawing to the wood. It took significantly longer for me to carve the spell onto the wood. After all, I didn't really practice carving fast, and also, didn't find the need to actually practice this. After all, if I was carving a magic circle, I would most likely not be in a fight. However, it was only now, after I had drawn a magic circle, did I realize how inefficient my drawing was. While I could draw the shapes in under 5 minutes, there would be multiple shapes, which would increase the time spent. I would need to get the drawing part into the seconds, before I even considered using it in battles.
Well, before that, I need to find out if my magic circle actually works. Although usually, when I get these ideas, they would work, this one might not. After all, I only have 3 other examples to go off of, which isn't really that much. As such, I sent mana through the magic circle. At first, I thought that I had failed, since nothing happened. However, after a little bit of time my hand began to heat up. A little bit later, the wood actually caught on fire, and began to burn. I immediately threw it out of my hands, before observing it on the ground. When the fire burned through the carving, the magic circle was broken, causing the fire and heat to disappear, almost instantly.
Well, at least I know that the magic circle does indeed work. It heated up the wood too much, causing it to light up, and burn. If it continued to do this, then it would be no different from burning firewood. However, I could probably carve this magic circle onto some stone. Of course I'll have to find a large piece of stone, and flatten it down, but I feel like this could work. A magic circle really only needs a medium for mana to flow through. This time, the medium will be stone, so as to not deform the magic circle. I decided to act on this thought.
"O spell of wind flow through my body to reinforce myself. O spell of wind, form from my hands a mighty blade that follows my movements to destroy my enemies."
I chanted my spell sword and reinforcement spell, before stabbing it into the wall of my room, opposite of the hallway that leads to the kitchen. I then began to slowly move the sword through the wall. If I didn't have my reinforcement spell, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to carve out the wall. Once I had created a circular shape out of the wall, I began to pull it out from the wall.
Surprisingly, it came out pretty easy. I looked through the other side, and found a cave. I had accidentally found a cave adjacent to my room. From my initial inspections, it looks big. The light in my room, that comes from luminense charged by supplying magic circles, didn't even reach a wall in the cave. It seems interesting to explore this place, but I'll leave that for later. I'll explore it with Astra and Ana, and we'll see what treasures it holds. Right now, I want to create my heating magic circle. With that interruption out of the way, I continued what I was doing.
"O spell of wind, form from my hands a sharp dagger that follows my movements to dismember my enemies."
I canceled my spell sword, while keeping my reinforcement spell, and chanting my dismantling dagger. I then began to carve the circular piece of stone that I had just taken out. I first shave off the sides, making it as flat and circular as I can. Once that is done, I have a flat cylinder that is a little two thick.
"O spell of wind, form from my hands a mighty blade that follows my movements to destroy my enemies."
I cancel my dismantling dagger, and chant my spell sword. With my spell sword, I proceed to cut up the cylinder. I cut it into fourths, giving me four smaller cylinders. These cylinders aren't as thick, and seem perfect for creating magic circles. With that done, I cancel my spell sword, and chant my dismantling dagger.
"O spell of wind, form from my hands a sharp dagger that follows my movements to dismember my enemies."
With the dismantling dagger back, I proceed to carve the magic circle into one of the cylindrical stones. As the stone is already in a cylinder, I don't need to carve in a circle, and can just work off of the cylinder. It took me some time, but I was able to successfully carve out the magic circle. I was planning on making the other three, but I wanted to test this one out first. After all, this one might fail, and then I would have just wasted time on failed products.
"Sylvain, Ana is almost done with lunch." Astra says to me after coming into my room. She momentarily looks at my magic circle, and the hole in the wall, before walking out after telling me about lunch
"I'll explain after lunch," I yell out to her as she walks out of my room. I'm not sure if she heard, but I really will explain all of this after lunch. Well either way, it is time for lunch, so I head out of my room. Once I am outside, I realize that I should bring my completed magic circle. It could be used as a trial test, and Ana could use it to make dinner. Of course, that second part is only if it works. With this decided, I lift up the magic circle, and begin to roll it into the kitchen. Right when I came out, Ana was setting the table, food piping hot on the plates. Astra is already at the table, waiting for her food.
She gives me a momentary glance before asking, "what's that sylvi?"
"I'll explain after lunch," I reply to her as my stomach rumbles once it smelled the aroma of the food.
"Okay, it'll be a bit hot. Other than that it should be fine."
"Your food is always good." I genuinely say to Astra, which causes her tail to wag. I don't really notice though as all my attention is captured by the food before me. My attention is captured so much, that I immediately begin to dig in. As she has said, it is hot, but it isn't something I can't handle, especially when the food is so good. Soon enough, all my food is gone, eaten by me. I look over, and see that Ana and Astra have also finished their food.
"Now that we are done, are you going to tell us about the cylinder?" Astra asks with a satisfied smile. The good food must have putten her in a good mood.
"Oh, well, while thinking of a spell idea for the competition, I created this magic circle," I say to the both of them. This isn't a lie, but it also isn't the whole truth. I don't really want to tell them about how things just pop into my head. I'm not really sure how they will take it. "I wanted to see if you could try it out when you cook dinner Ana."
"Okay, what does it do?" Ana asks, obviously excited that she has more cooking equipment.
"I feel like showing you is easier," I say as I begin to add mana to the magic circle. Soon a gentle heat begins to emanate from the magic circle, that only grows greater as I input in more mana. I only stop adding mana, once the stone begins to glow with an orange hue. I don't want to break this already, especially after all the trouble I went through to create it. Once I stop adding mana, the heat begins to slowly cool down, and the stone no longer has an orange hue. It's weird how this time it slowly cools down, while the other time, it instantly cooled down. Ignoring this for the moment, I say, "so as you can see, this magic circle creates heat, and can be used to replace our firewood. I'm not sure how useful it is though, which is why I want you to test it out."
The both of them are momentarily stunned, before Astra begins to talk. "If this works, then we won't have to go get firewood anymore. We won't have to stock it for winter, and can focus more on food. This will definitely be a great help if it works as you say it does."
"This will definitely help me out in my cooking," Ana says after Astra. It seems like she was emboldened by Astra's words, as she speaks her own. "I may be able to have better heat control with this. I won't have to worry about adding more firewood, or more air, and keeping it at the perfect temperature. I'll just need to have good mana control, which is something I already have. In fact, this can even help me polish up my mana control."
"You have really created something amazing," the both of them say after they have each said their individual piece.
"That's only if this thing actually works," I say in response. "It may not work."
"If it doesn't, you'll just work on it, and improve on it," Ana says, with full confidence in me. "All we need to do is test it out. However, is this okay?"
"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.
"Isn't this your spell for the competition?" Astra then asks in confusion.
"Ohh," it takes me a couple of seconds to realize what the both of them were worried about. If I'm understanding it correctly, then they believe this to be the spell I am going to be using in the competition, and as such are worried if giving it out is okay. "You don't have to worry. I'm not going to use this for the competition. Besides, it's a magic circle and not a spell, so it wouldn't qualify for our competition."
I say this to misdirect them, as I already have the spell version of this done. I'm hoping they don't realize that, and underestimate me because of it. I'm pretty sure this will work, as they would never guess that I created a spell chant, and magic circle of this. Again, even though I don't care about winning, I don't wish to lose. After all, I don't know what they will ask of me.
"That's a relief," Ana says. "Otherwise, you would have won. Their would have been no competition."
"Okay, now that that is done, can you tell me about the hole in your wall?" Astra asks, with a tone that says she won't be taking no for an answer.
"Hole in the wall?!" Ana exclaims in confusion. "What hole, and in which wall?"
"I created a hole so I could get the stone needed to craft this magic circle." I say calmly, promoting Ana to also calm down. "I then stumbled into a cave. I think it was originally part of this cave, but was sealed off by a cave in or something. Either way, there is another part of the cave that I unearthed in my room."
"Well what are we waiting for?" Ana asks, "let's go explore it."
"Are you sure you want to do that?" I ask. "From what I could tell, the cave is pretty deep. It's not going to be quick, and will definitely take a long time. I think you guys should focus on the competition first. Then, once the competition is over, and once we have restocked our food, will we go exploring. We should be fully prepared, since we don't know what is in the cave."
"Okay, I can agree to that," Astra says, "but what are we going to be doing with the hole in the wall?"
"We can just seal it up with some firewood," I reply. "It may not be the best, but we don't really have anything better to use. I'll also keep watch of it while I'm in my room. I think that is the best we can do."
"I feel like we should have two people watch over it," Astra says. "After all, you can get distracted pretty easily when you work. Having multiple people protecting it seems like the safer option."
"Okay, the both of you will then protect it," I say after some thought. "You guys can even sleep in my room, while I take the storage area."
"Why, aren't you going to protect it as well?" Ana asks.
"I'm still working on my own things," I say, "and I don't want you two to see them yet. Besides, I'm sure you don't want me to see your spells either. This is the best option, if you don't trust me to keep watch on my own."
"Okay, we'll stay in your room then," Astra says. "Of course, you are allowed to stay in our rooms while we are in yours. It'll be like we are swapping rooms."
"Okay, sure, if that's what you want," I reply to them gratefully. Even though I proposed it, I really didn't want to sleep in the storage area. The only things that I could feasibly sleep on there would be the dismantling desk, or the floor, both of which aren't really that comfortable.
"Oh, just give me a second to move my things." Astra says.
"Me too, I'll need time as well," Ana also says.
"Well, I'll also move what I need for my work, and also clean up my room."
The conversation ended there, and we all went into our selective rooms. I didn't take much. I only took some leaves, ashes, and the mana drain magic circle. These were really all the things I needed. I then needed to clean up the place. Their were some lose leaves in the corner, that all had ash drawings on them. I gathered them together, and burnt them with a fireball.
"O spell of fire come forth as a ball to burn my opponents."
The fireball then burned all the leaves that were gathered into a corner, turning them into ashes. However, since I wasn't able to use only one element though my mana links, my wind man mixed into the fire spell. This caused a breeze to flow throughout my room, mixing the ash with the stone and wood dust that had come from carving magic circles. I really wanted to collect the ashes too, rather than waste them away. However, I couldn't separated the ash from the dust, so I just decided to blow it all away with wind magic
"O spell of wind come forth as a breeze to blow away my enemies."
With that, I had finished cleaning up my room. I then took my stuff, and headed towards Astra's room. She had also finished her packing and cleaning, and allowed me into her room. After allowing me in, she then left herself. Even though we have been living together for, I think, 18 years, I haven't actually entered either of their rooms. Well I may have entered in the past, but I've never actually had the chance to stay for an extended period of time. There really wasn't anything special with her room, and it looks similar to mine. That is normal though, considering that we don't really have much decorations in the Forest of Calamity.
The rest of the day passed by in blur to me. I remember looking around Astra's room, getting myself accustomed to it. I also remember trying to research magic circles once again. However, their was no progress on that, even though I had two samples to work off of. Then I was called to eat dinner, which I promptly did. Their might have been some talking after dinner, but I don't really remember much of it. After dinner, I then trained on only using one element through my links. I might have felt something, but I also might not have. It was so faint that it could have just been nothing. I decided to just call it quits after that, and just went to bed. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll have better luck in my magic circles study.