... Back then after the incident...
(Garvin's Point of View)
Coming back home and noticing that our son is not home at noon is worrying, especially since it has been 4 years since our first one hasn't come back from her journey.
There has been some kind of activities surrounding our craftsmith's family after their daughter came back from her dungeon journey, and they're not the 'nice' kind.
Sky's tinted with orange out of the windows and we are still not seeing any signs of Arlan's getting back home, and i blame my dumbass for not assigning my contact into his tablet.
Here i am enclosed in my desk, reviewing my 4 materials in the form of self-written notes for tomorrow lesson while sipping my portion of coffee to cope with the stress.
At one point, came out a ringing sound.
*tablet's ringing* The charged tablet in the desk the furthest beside me is ringing.
I reach to it with my left hand to pick it up as i noticed the caller's contact number. (Agh, what's this then? An unknown contact?
Hope it's not another complaint about my teachings as a tutorer only to later use their noble's prestige and bribes for me to not teach them the proper way of being a knight)
*beep*
"Ahem, Yes, Sir Garvin here. State your business"
"Hello? Is Sir Garvin available?" Of all things to happen, it's a familliar voice none other than a student of my classroom, Ishka.
(Hmm? It's not often that she'd be the one to call me, and why's the contact number's unknown? If i remember, i always call her with Carmine's phone and today's Friday, so he and his wife won't accept the slightest sign of a disturbance so lightly until Sunday comes by.
Question is, whose phone is she using right now?)
I turn the volume up by 2 to make the sound clearer. "Yeah yeah, i'm here.
Why's your contact an unknown, how'd you got this number and what're you calling me with, Ishka?
Also, tell me how's our son doing in the city?"
Ishka grunt, sounding like she's concerned about something. "Uh... He's doing great! Actually, he's the one who-"
A voice only matching our son came out. "I rescued Sis Ishka and his friend Qaiz from some bad guys in an abandoned warehouse, pa!"
. . . I Calmly brought my cup i've been drinking to the farthest table, so as to not be spilled because my head itches a lot. (! Freaking kid gotta make our heart as his target practice every now and then, just for him to make some casual call about getting lost from Ishka's sight?! And in an abandoned warehouse no less!
Ugh, at least i get that it's his tablet the call is coming from and he's safe from the sound of it)
I quit with the scratching and raises my voice. " *sighs* Damn kid, the heck you've been doing all day?
We've been stressing our mind here and heard there are bad doings surrounding Carmine's family, and the fact you're not here doesn't help.
Where're you now?"
"Just walking back to a stop before heading into Rex's home. Why?" He talk as if it's a casual stroll like a walk in the park.
Hearing his relaxed voice for some reason annoyed me very much. "W-Wha- What do you mean why?! Don't you get it?! Everyone is buzzing our own self out for you, kid!!
*sighs* We're gonna have some talk when you're back at home for getting ourselves worried, young kid!
And don't be back late by 10 p.m. Got that?"
"Ugh... Yes, pa~... By the way father, can you gather another meeting like back when i found out my weird dream?"
I take his request off as another joke, while switching my materials notes from spearmanship handling techniques to knight's defensive stances. "Ahahah... What? Suddenly got yourself some kind of grace from above?"
"I did say i rescued Sis Ishka and his friend, didn't i?
And father, about tha-" His voice was interrupted.
Womanly voice is heard, possibly with Ishka speaking in low voices when i turn up the volume by another 2. "*mumbles* Ahem! It's true, Sir Garvin.
Me and my friend didn't do nothing aside from being the rescue target. He topped off all of the 'bad guys' with Rex.
Also, he's the one who remembered you contact"
I raises my voice even more, after turning the volume down again. "Ahem~. And exactly how is our son able to Top Off Trained Adult Kidnappers?"
I hear them talking in low voices seconds later, again, unable to make out what they're saying. " *mumbles*
Well, so here's the thing Sir Garvin.
(whisper) He has the aptitude for Lightning magic, one of the Rare-tier magic!
And the little boy know to combine it with Rex's Water magic?
He really is an inheritor of the frontline duo"
(. . . I'm worried about his future if he keep this act of surprising people every now and then)
I calm myself down before continuing the talk. " Exhale. *breathes in slowly* Inhale. *breathes out* Guess i should't be surprised if he's able to match Rex or you when he receives his 1st job.
Alright, tell him that i'll be considering his request for a meeting, then all 3 of you will be in that very meeting to describe all that has happened on the upcoming day. Is that clear, Ishka?"
"Crystal, Sir"
I noticed that minutes has passed and it is time for me to take a break from my reviews. "Alright, i'll be taking off the call, so can you take care of Arl until he gets back?"
"With all my might, i will"
I almost forgot to say a word to my son, one where i waited for long enough. "Good, and Arl?"
"Yes, what is it father?"
I make my voice deeper to make sure i sound sincere. "Take care, have fun in the City of Shaarik, and don't be a stranger. Later"
"Okay, bye"
*beep*
(... So the reason he screamed back this morning is because of the old tablet? Just what the heck is that relic and who's Sieg, really?
Agh, not like thinking these down on my own will help)
I sink these thoughts down the hole and left my room, heading to my wife and our housemaid Elena in the dining room to inform them of our kid's condition.
While dining in, i talk to them about their situation in the city of Shaarik.
My wife's overjoyed about our son's unusual awakening because having another genius by talent in our family is seldom, and Elena's being calm despite hearing this tells me that she knew of this sooner than us both.
But just when i thought i can have a relaxing dinner unfortunately, our heart are not prepared for him to call me again just so he can tell us he will be staying in their house for 3 days straight.
. . .
It has been 3 days after i called my father again, and while it took some time to persuade them it's for 'helping' Sir Carmine, i just want to check out his family's notes and records that may help me to search a clue about ruins within and near Ytris... None is found... Yet.
Ishka permitted me to have Nebulis activated so it can accompany me while Rex is gone to his academy and Ishka is in her other room.
Her academy has their own schedule and today is the day for break. Rex just got to hang on his own, i guess.
I first asked from the little things first within the house, starting from my hair.
Apparently, the reason why my hair looked like a hedgehog's skin that turned orange because it's striked down by lightning is because there are magical circles inscripted on the house to identify people's finest aptitude in their inner energy.
The effect will wear out seconds after leaving the house... Wish i've known this earlier before screaming my lungs out back at the bathroom.
Giant people are scary genius and they used their fine intellect damn well.
Drone's act as a floating index, basically.
When i asked if it knows of the network, Nebulis answered 'Negative' and instead asked for my permission to be kept up to date by injecting itself with wires conveniently strapped in one of it's well-hidden holes and it fits to one of the tablet's holes. I thus approved of this, curious on what's to happen.
While the drone's downloading the FREAKING internet, i continued with my reading in his room with Nebulis on his busy state.
The book titled 'Beginner's Guide to Earth Magic', authored by Kenman Gravenstone of Magic Academy. Is he of our city's or not, i appreciate on the work he's done.
I found the page where i last left it with a paper half-folded on the side, after of which i refolded it and continue again.
[ Step 1. Focus your inner magical energy and exert it while imaging the elements of clay, dirt, and any other soft element of earth.
Step 2. When the result came out exactly like imagined, continue to make pebbles, rock, and any other hard element of earth. If step 1 is a failure, rinse and repeat it is.
Step 3. When both step is done and with shown result, apply these to your everyday task to further fine your mastery of earth magic.
You can make many soft clay doll or a few hard rock golem with the total mana of 5000, leaving 15% so your mana can also grow more as each day this was put into practice.
Step 4. Start from the bottom of the Lowly Earth Magic skill, 'Rock Pebble' to the highest Intermediary Earth Magic skill, 'Rock Dome'.
Further levels such as Advanced, Rare, and Grand are only recommended after acquiring the 2nd grace. ]
In a world full of combat arts and techniques known for the majority yet nigh ungainable, ranks of course divide each difficulty.
The ranks for Common Magic starts from Lowly, Beginner, Rookie, Intermediate, Advanced, Highly and lastly, Grandly. The ranks for Swordsmandhip and Scoutsmanship is also similar to this, albeit with a different calling and description.
The inside of this book while is named after Beginner rank, they cover the fundamentals and theories behind the magic that is performed and tips surrounding them.
Of course there is things i don't understand yet from this note like how do i manually adjust the volume and thickness of the wall i'll be making?
As always, i'll just wait for my 1st time because i haven't actually received my proper 'grace from above'. A bestowal from us mortals to another isn't possible to make our mind understand the logic of magic, apparently.
As any kid would do in a world filled with magic and swords, i tried to replicate all that is written within. And so with that set, i activated the only Diver Skill fit for this occasion.
(Dynamind)
My vision begins to blur a little and the surrounding sound is a little distorted, indicating that time is slowed down, at least for me.
Dynamind is upfolding all senses and cranks 'em up to an 11 and not only is it good for combat, it can also make have more time to do whatever i do, like writing or thinking.
(Can't get enough of this sensation, whether back at the incident or just reading a book)
I closes my eyes as i try to remember the 1st step. (So here's to step 1...how do i exert my magical energy, again? Squinting could... No, it wouldn't help.
This, doesn't mention on what kind of state i should put myself into but if i have to guess... Maybe, if i were to try and image how dirt comes about? Yeah, let's go with that.
Think of where it mostfully comes from. Is it from outer space rock or Adam's descend- No, that's too out of reach. What is it that... Ah! By the eruption of an active mountain and where it'll spew out its inner content, magma.
Then, image the lava that is then frozen and is made into a lone boulder and how it sized itself after many rain and heat and other conditions, to later turn into dirt)
I feel a little bit of heat surging out, and focusing at the interface that still shows itself even with my eyes still closed, the numbers of Mana going down quite steadily.
Goes down by 20 when it stopped, and i open my eyes to see what i created. (It's... A handful of dirt, it's textures is soft yet mildly hard as if it's rice grains. Hehe, can't help but be proud of this.
Alright, step 2, what do i image next?...
Ah, sands being heated to be made into diamonds?
But, i'm making rocks now... Far as i know, ceramic was made from a different type of earth element but what is it?
Hmm... Oh yeah, clay fits this description. Let's go on with that instead)
I image how clay were hardened and the result came out like how it is in my head.
The textures are smooth, i tapped it to check it's sturdyness and it's not so hard like a rock. I plan to have it sturdy enough so i can cower in a dome from a very life-threatening situation.
(Well, i didn't have these pile heated up, but i saw many who made semi-flexible 'Rock Bullet' in some videos on the fly so what am i missing here?
I'll figure that out later)
Both results are of course to be improved upon in the near future, still hoping i'll get to have my own training session and spars with my parents for 'studying'.
*buzzing beep*
Upon hearing noises from the drone, my vision, hearing and other senses came back to how it originally is with the skill still active. (Ah, hope this world have some memes i can look at)
The reason for this is that Dynamind can go back to normal whether i feel it is more suitable to do so, like for having a conversation 'cause i'm not gonna make my mouth go snail pace just to match with the other responder. (Gotta love instinctive skills, maybe i should have the other to be like this by modification. These last 3 days i can only focus on the basic of feeling Mana after finding no clue around here)
"(N) I apologize for the wait, Esteemed Guest Arlan!" The drone floats back up as it boots up again.
I tilt my head to the left facing him. "You're finally back and that's the one thing you'll say first?
And i told you i don't want to be called that!"
"(N) It is as commanded by Master Ishka and so without her approval, i cannot change the desired setting"
"Yes yes, and i'm here nagging to an A.I that was restored by another A.I.
*sighs* So, i guess you're 'up-to-date' now with the process done?"
"(N) Affirmative, would you like me to relay any information you may suggest?"
(Ooh, when you hear the word 'relay' coming from a drone, i bet it's gonna be some 3D monitor laid out across the room.
Alright, now what do i want to know first?
The layout of Altaris? The languages? The other countries? The monsters? Dungeons? Loads i can think off, but let's start from the little things first)
"Hmm... Relay out on the latest 'incident' regarding some thugs from an abandoned warehouse in the City of Shaarik"
"(N) Affirmative, stand by for relay..." Drone's flickers blue and yellow lights.
Loads of rectangular messages came out of the drone after a solid of 5 seconds and laid out quite nicely in front of me.
So it say that the news picked up and the thugs are safely apprehended and handed over to the jail for some undescribed time. Honestly i'm pretty pessimistic about them staying and i'm sure they'll be out with some jailbreak scene, because chaos factor exists and fate just want to toy with us... and, revenge will be their main drive for us responsible for putting them there... All of this is my sixth sense saying that, i'll be having another hard time and after the first sixth sense test in the abandoned warehouse where i am conscious of all the thugs location and confirming it with my other other senses, i doubt i'll be getting it wrong again.
*Metallic clinks and clanks*
I hear noises downstairs from my room, and my Heightened Senses is partially active. (Is that what i think it is? Someone's in the house and that's definitely not Rex, with him not shouting my name after running upstairs.
Ishka is still in her room and my tablet's with her, so who or what is the one that's making all the rackets downstairs in the garage? While i do want to ask Ishka to come with me, it's not like she always have the time and i want to check out who's creeping by)
"Nebulis, wanna come down with me?"
"(N) As you wish, Esteeme-"
"Hush, don't wanna hear that. Come on, sit on either off my shoulders"
The drone came to a halt in my left shoulder and i feel a little bit of 'thud'. "Recording on?"
"(N) Yes, Esteemed Guest Arlan"
I give a big smile directly at the drone beside me. " I...! If you call me that, then don't complain if i call you Neb"
The drone silences after hearing this. "Heh, good boy"
I walk towards the door with a wide grin implanted on my face. (Aside from Nano, Mana is full and i have the blinding dagger that is usable even for my hands, so let's get this done with)
*door opens and closes* I head on outside Rex's room and with Nebulis beside me as a witness, i'm heading down not knowing what'll happen to me.
. . .