After Aisrin returned, he set about teaching how to make cement to the brick masons.
"This, is called Limestone. It must be crushed to a powder and heated in this... pot, then mixed with this clay, also crushed to a powder. Then add the secret ingredients, salt and sulfur. Sulfur comes from volcanic areas, but I had to extract it from magma flows deep in the earth using magic, not easy. Don't forget to constantly stir this powder.
You want it mixed up perfectly. Because, now, we add water, sand and some crushed rock or pebbles. Stir the mixture, add water as needed... now, we have a sturdy bonding agent. I've lowered the wall so that it can be moved out, to right here. About two kilometers from the narrow pass.
I want this wall made from this and these molds. I call these cement blocks. I had the wood workers make it so the concrete, could be pored in. Once they set for about a day and a half, it solidifies and becomes as strong as stone. What you'll do, is repeat the same process with the mixture, pour it unto the mold and then place them so they are even.
As for bonding, you'll do the same process minus the rocks. That way you can plaster the cement on the concrete and it should form a firm constuct that surpasses the stone, wood, and mortar walls of Graycastle." Aisrin showed the brick masons modern masonry. He then had half go and work on the wall while the other half was taught foundation work for the buildings.
Next, he taught the carpenters how to build more modern housing. This took significantly more time to do compared to the masons. After about a week of teaching, he had personal construction crews working on various projects, and the City had begun to look more like a city, under construction.
His next goal was to teach the Blacksmiths how to forge barrels for his most anticipated project. The gun. This ended up taking almost three weeks, but he finally created a cement and steel, fabricated steel, contraption that could handle the high heat it took to melt iron.
He even figured out how to create a mold that wouldn't remain stuck I the barrel by using a mixture of clay and sand. This also helped with the smaller parts of the weapon.
The first gun created, ended up being a simple flintlock musket. The new problem, was the need for gunpowder.
"If only I could teach magic. It'd be as easy as wind and fire to propel... or, perhaps I still could do that. Spiritual Energy might have some elemental control..." Aisrin muttered to himself the night after the gun was forged and put together.
(Or you could awaken magic in them.)
"That's not possible. Magic was erased, remember?" Aisrin sighed.
(No, I was kind of stuck to a corpse for ten thousand years.)
Aisrin was about to retort, but the realization that he wasn't talking to himself finally dawned.
'SYSTEM!'
(Ow, no need to yell. And no, I'm not your system. I'm one of the rings you grabbed? Or has ten thousand years made you dull?)
'Rings? I'm not wearing any rings. You were the system's voice weren't you?'
(Uh, no. I never was. I was the black ring you found in the trap room with Verenia. And I attached myself to your finger, you really never noticed?)
Aisrin looked at his hands, sure enough, a decorated black and purple ring was fixated to his left middle finger.
'At least I can give the finger in elegance.'
(At least you retained your witty commentary.)
'Some things aren't meant to change.'
(I see you're doing well.)
'I'm creating a nation. but I'm running into problems with war changing weaponry.'
(Why not just enchant the weapons yourself to do what you want.)
'That's more work than I'm willing to put in.'
(Then try teaching magic. There's no way that magic has been entirely removed from this world. If it had, I couldn't have survived outside that pocket Dimension.)
'Magic has only been removed from humans.'
(Impossible. I can still sense magic within the humans here. It's just been altered from what it used to be. Even you know this. This Spiritual Energy is just easier for them to understand because it's easier to sense than mana.)
'If that were true, wouldn't I have started out just like them? Rather than awakening to the supposedly more difficult mana?'
(Aisrin... don't compare yourself to normal humans. You're a freak of nature no matter when you reincarnate.)
'How do you know I'm a reincarnate?'
(I was stuck to your corpse for ten thousand years. Not to mention I've completely bonded to your soul once. I've always known.)
'That's unnerving.'
(So, my suggestion is to teach a few on mana, and then start progressing from there.)
'You are a very persistent singularity.'
(No, I'm just a female.)
Aisrin had no response, as laughing would probably earn him the cold treatment, so silence followed the statement.
'Very well. I'll attempt it tomorrow then. I'll be sleeping now.'
Aisrin stood up from his desk and went to his bed and laid down.
The next morning, Aisrin gathered Aren and the Grassland Wolves.
'I need a patch for that. Technically, they're the special forces of this nation.'
"Grassland Wolves reporting to Lord Aisrin." Aren stated as he stood at attention.
"Thank you. So, I've run into an issue that I feel can only be solved by addressing the issue revolving around the lack of mana or knowledge thereof." Aisrin began.
"Humans can't use mana." A soldier commented.
"So I've heard. You can get down and push a hundred out for me. As I was saying, this issue seems to have a solution. I'm going to cast a large spell at you all, and I want you to feel the sensation of the mana with your minds and bodies. After that, you'll find that felling, inside you." Aisrin told the group. They were at the river behind the Barracks.
"We are ready, Lord Aisrin." Aren reported.
"Hmm." Aisrin nodded. Aisrin gathered the air around him and made it swirl a bit until it reached a strong gust. Then he sent it towards the troop. The wind whipped around them, and they stood there, focusing. Save for the guy on the ground doing his push ups. He still went at it, but Aisrin could tell he was also doing as instructed and felt the mana swirling around him.
After a full minute, the magic dispelled. The soldiers looked around and at themselves.
"Have we any questions or comments before we move on?" Aisrin asked the soldiers. The soldier doing pushups jumped up in excitement.
"Lord Aisrin! I have a comment!" The soldier exclaimed while proper standing at attention.
"Uh, right. Okay." Aisrin responded, slightly taken aback.
"I've felt that before! While doing those night raids!" The soldier excited stated.
"Calm down kid. Take your time, speak clearly and with discipline. I am your Lord, not your commander. Explain." Aisrin commanded.
"Apologies my Lord. I was simply excited. You see, while I was outside the enemy's perimeter, I had gotten quite bored. The waiting was always the hardest for me. So I decided to do what I normally do to calm my nerves, and think.
Well, this time was different. As I was thinking, I ended up sensing something really weird swirling deep in my chest, like it was trying to break free. I wanted to touch it and hold it, but then the signal came and I forgot about it until just now!" The soldier explained. Aisrin felt a well of excitement rise with in him.
'But that viking said humans no longer had magic?'
"What's your name kid?" Aisrin asked the enthusiastic soldier.
"Ben, my Lord." Ben replied.
"Then, Ben, please do exactly as you did, but this time, drag that swirling energy out, but only a little. Then let it swirl in your hand. Imagine the feeling of water and make a shape in your mind." Aisrin explained the way he first learned.
Ben sat down on the ground and closed his eyes. After a few moments, a poor triangle shaped blob of water floated in his hand. There was much straining on Ben's face, but the feeling emanating from the water was without a doubt, mana.
"Well, I'll be... magic wasn't removed from humans, it was just changed." Aisrin muttered as it was the only explanation he could think of.