My father steals breath and gravity from me as he lifts me effortlessly in the air, a huge grin on his face.
"You certainly have grown, haven't you? It's only been a year, huh?" my father, Leongard says, turning to Y'Silda in slight surprise. "I knew you told me to expect it, but I didn't think she'd change this much."
"Twas not for certain – there have been children who take after the other parent," Y'Silda says, "And tis a blessing as couplings do not often take, if at all."
Leongard grows red in the face at a certain word and he lets out a guffaw. I can tell the one, which makes me slightly nauseated thinking about it although it shouldn't – I already knew about reproduction, though obviously they think me clueless.
Leongard looks back at me. "You feeling alright, Raely? You look a little sick."
"Can you let me down now, daddy? I'm a little dizzy," I lie about the cause of my nausea.
"Oh, right," Leongard laughs a little before setting me down. "Now how about dinner? Have the maids prepared it already?"
The evening goes along pretty well. For the first time in a year, all of us are gathered up at the table for dinner. The memories I have from before grow fainter with each passing day, my mind becoming more incorporated into life as Raelle. However, I can still feel the loneliness of not having father home.
I half eat and half watch him as he talks about his tour in the Northern Nassin territories. Most of his tour was spent negotiating/reinforcing trade and territorial agreements with the many Nassin Tribes. Other times, when negotiations went south, he had to fight in several skirmishes over the past few months. He tells these tales with a hand on a full belly and a wine goblet in his other. It's nice to listen to these tales – he tells them without great embellishment, but with a certain level of pride. As expected of a Knight Commander representing the Kingdom of Strovos. I quietly wonder what his level would equate to in the game. Being an NPC with that title, it would have to be close to at least Level 40, if not higher. Human players could rise up the ranks of Knighthood as well, with the final title of "Knight General of the Round" being achieved at Level 90 or higher when the final quest line was reached.
I want to stay up longer to listen to him regale the rest of his time in Nassin but having finished dinner, Adela and May whisk me off to bed. I can only imagine it's to give my parents time to rekindle their love in privacy. I'm flustered but understand. There will be plenty of time to have more quality time as a family.
As I lay in bed that night, the moon illuminating the room in a cobalt glow, I think about everything that has happened to me so far in this new world. New family. And now, new friends apparently. There are still so many differences between this world and the one that I "leveled up" in. The fundamentals and lore are the same, but everything feels alive. I feel alive. I smile as I drift off to sleep, excited about what tomorrow will bring.
. . .
The morning lesson begins with an introduction to Runic Vasque. It's a language derived from the Divines Tongue (or Gods' Word as human mages call it). It is said to have been passed down from the Vasque Patron Diety, Pelanore, Goddess of Order among the chief deities. Apparently it is the foundation of all Thaumaturgy focusing on the elements. Spoken Vasque could be called a "Vulgar Tongue" in such that Vulgar or "Common" Latin eventually evolved into the other romance languages.
"Without these elements, the world would be chaotic. Without rules," Y'Silda explains. "The air must know where to breathe, fire how much to burn, water how much to flow."
Her explanation is very zen and I'd probably know more about it if I had read more flavor text. My one true regret, I cry internally.
"Our blood is able to form and use Runic Knowledge without the need of a focus such as a talisman, wand, stave to cast spells. It is also the cornerstone of mortalkin's enchantment magic. For example, your father's sword has been imprinted with a Pulse Rune which allows for its blade to electrify his enemies on contact as long as he channels his fighting spirit into it."
She must mean his AP, or Action Points. In a sense, it's akin to Chi, Ki, or Chakra.
"The first rune that we will master today is for the spell Wind Sphere," Y'Silda says.
We practice writing the rune with a stylus-like brush, much like brushes used in Chinese calligraphy. In fact, the writing system reminds me of a mix between Old Norse and Chinese. Most basic spells are made of a three line runic verse. They are similar to how different radicals in Hanzi/Kanji form into various words, expressing different ideas. More complex spells are made of higher odd-numbered verses such as five, seven, nine, etc. Jump verse spells, consisting of even numbered verses, are quicker to cast but much more volatile and not for beginners.
"And I trust you to not experiment until I deem you ready," Y'Silda says with stern eyes. She can see right through me and my curiosity.
For three-verse spells, the first verse calls on the element in the surrounding Ether, the second verse provides instructions much like computer command code, and the third verse releases/fires the spell off. Higher verse spells may require additional elements and instructions, which are written as more complex and condensed characters packed into a single rune like a super compressed zip file. Normally I'd find having to learn something this complex as bothersome; it's too much like school. However, it's fascinating how key, controller, and menu inputs are translated into actually performing a REAL spell.
After my hand had grown tired from transcribing the same three elements over and over, Y'Silda brings me out to the usual spot where we practice etheric channeling.
"Watch carefully with your Eyes," Y'Silda says with emphasis.
I nod and take in a deep breath, allowing my Vasque eyes to fill with energy acting like glasses to see the etheric flow resonating from the surrounding air. Y'Silda nods with satisfaction and begins.
My mother brings her hands up, cupped in front of her. I can clearly see her Eth swirling in her palms, dancing with the Ether. I have to concentrate to distinguish between the two, both being similar shades of green to me.
[Vital wind of heaven divide]
She speaks in Old Vasque, a melodic tongue with varying pitches and tones. I see a sudden change in her hands, the Eth and Ether having coalesced into a single flow, a new distinct color.
[Fill my hand's void with delight]
The energy condenses into a spinning sphere which, even without my special eyes, can be seen as a distortion in her palms, much like a shimmering mirage.
[Wind Sphere]
She thrusts her palms forward, the ball of pressurized wind cutting across the ground, sending a concoction of flower petals, grass, and earth up in the air. The ball curves upward before collapsing, sending a wind gust outward from its center. I cover my eyes for a moment and take a half step back from the wave of wind. That. Was. Awesome.
I beam with excitement, my mother bringing her hands back down to her side like a martial artist finishing a kata.
"Can I try now?" I ask, trying to contain the glee invading my lips.
"Yes," Y'Silda smiles, walking around to stand behind me.
"The first step is to carefully feel the rune we have practiced," she says.
"Feel the rune?" I ask in bewilderment.
"Runes are not simply drawn lines and letters. They are imbued with the knowledge of the Gods.
"Knowledge of the Gods," I repeat. What did that mean exactly?
"It will make more sense as you practice," Y'Silda reassures me. "But start with releasing your Eth and then the first verse."
I nod. At this time releasing my own energy has started to become second nature to me. It reassures me when my heart beats, circulating my Eth throughout my body. It reassures me that I am alive.
Y'SIlda walks around me, her arms crossed, examining me with her activated eyes that shimmered with light.
"Yes, good. Now imagine the rune. The flow of each stroke. Its order. Then gather it within your hands."
I channel my Eth through my finger tips and speak the old tongue.
[Vital wind of heaven divide]
An odd sensation pulsates from my palms as my Eth and the Ether combine into a single concoction.
[Fill my hand's void with delight]
A lopsided distortion forms within my hands, wobbling like an off-balanced child's top. I try hard to visualize the last few strokes in my mind. It's a struggle understanding how writing a language has anything to do with wielding magic.
[Wind Sphere!]
I am knocked into the air and off my feet as the sphere implodes only feet from having been launched from my hands. All I can feel is the grass beneath me, and the frustration of failure.
"Again," Y'Silda says tonelessly. It's hard to tell if she's as disappointed in myself as I am in me.
I repeat the process, working hard to keep an image of the runic symbol in my mind. Did it go from up to down? Is the second stroke from left to right or right to left?
[Wind Sphere!]
Again I am thrown to the ground, but I get up determined.
Again.
And again.
Once more from the top.
My last attempt, as I sink down to my knees, my breath heavy from exhaustion, at least left me on my feet, but dispersed only after a few seconds into a formless gust.
I feel my mother's hand on my shoulder and turn to look at her. It's hard to read her expression, if there is hidden meaning behind her smile or not.
"That should do it for today," she says.
"But."
"You can't expect to master a spell in a day. It can take weeks, months even. You did well"
Liar. I spit dejectedly in my mind. Why couldn't this be as easy as selecting a command from a list? I don't expect to be a prodigy or have certain cheats, but it's still so frustrating.
"You can use the rest of the afternoon to rest or play, my blood," Y'Silda pats me before standing up and heading back to the manor.
It frustrates me; I can't wait weeks or months. I want to learn now. I'm not some fragile little thing, you know! I roll my eyes at the irony of that thought. I knew there's inherent danger to learning any kind of magic, but an accelerated education is what I wanted. I truly think I'm more than capable of it. Everything my avatar can do, so can't I.
After resting for a bit, I lick the mental wounds of my confidence and decide to head out to the woods to meet Fvenn.