I began to think over my plans for the mission.
The first priority was securing how the Graves' felt about their impending deaths.
The second was a check on the well that contained the magic circle inscribed on the bottom.
The last was a thorough check of the village residents.
It was about 7, I had 2 maybe 3 hours to get in and out.
And the Graves' couldn't understand the being that visited them to be a normal human being.
I already had an air spell I had inscribed into a rag that I would bite into, like a rebreather, for the well.
After that I could dry myself with cleaning spells.
As for checking the village I could use my ambient spell.
As I got to the village, I found most people were actually still awake, either going from home to home.
Candles and torches lit the streets.
It was like a normal nighttime market.
Perfect cover.
I sneaked over to the Graves' house, they weren't particularly affluent in this village, in fact they were quite standard.
As I came up to the house, I scanned it, walking around the edges looking for a better way in than the chimney, or front door.
A high bedroom window. Perfect.
I began to morph part of my body into mana.
I continued until I really felt a like I was a part of the ambience of this quaint little town.
Then I started to rematerialize myself, but only partially inside the home.
Only the faint silhouette of a man could be seen as I had all black clothes on.
The Graves' were awake yet.
Sitting in their living room area.
I spoke to them in their minds.
'Hello, Henry, Aila.'
They turned around looking for the source of sound.
I hated doing this, it felt like torturing these old souls.
'Be not afraid, I am speaking to you in your mind.'
'I have come to speak to you of your child.'
With that Mr. Graves' stood up, he was a spry 80 year old man.
"Who are you, and why have you come here?"
'I bear you no ill will.'
'I have come only to speak about the future that your son holds.'
"Are you a demon? Spirit? Speak!"
'I am more a spirit, than a demon, but it may be more understandable if I manifest more closely.'
I moved to the living room.
"You are a demon."
'Wrong.'
'Many call me akin to a dragon.'
'So you may address me as spirit, dragon, or any terms that apply.'
"And how do I know you aren't fooling us, or subduing us somehow?"
'I already told you I bear no ill will. And I am certain you can feel how much of the surrounding mana I am in control of.'
"So what if you're influencing our minds?"
'Then I wouldn't need to talk.'
"Fair enough. Then spirit, why are you here?"
'Your son is about to deal with one of his greatest ordeals.'
"And what is that?"
'Your death.'
"What? Are you threatening us?"
'No. I am warning you of an imminent death. Those being your own.'
"Why us?"
'Your adopted son has the power to make the world whole.'
'I am the arbiter, who merely wants to know, if you would like to live, watch him grow, and save the world.'
"Is he doing okay?"
'More than okay. He is flourishing at the academy.'
"So our death would harm him then?"
Aila spoke.
'Yes, it would.'
"And how long could you prolong our lives?"
'As long as it takes, for Mark to become known as part of the saviors of this world.'
"I only wish for him to be happily be married, and give us some grandchildren."
'You won't be able to see that, before the world is saved.'
"Why is that?"
'The world will soon enter a chaotic period. The world will end if not intervened with, in less than 3 years.'
"How is that possible?"
'Dark forces are in play.'
"So what would our lives really be worth?"
'The worth of your lives is determined by the love of your son, although, I do not mind giving you the years to watch his marriage and children I need to see you dedication.'
'You will still age, but the fate assigned to you will change.'
"And that will help Mark save the world?"
'Perhaps.'
"Then all I ask is when he will have children."
'Within the decade.'
"Then a decade is all we need."
'Very well, you and your wife shall be protected.'
'Drink of this, and when the opportunity arises, leave your home, and follow those who offer you new life.'
I gave them both longevity potions. Expensive items I had brought for today.
I worked with Makarov in the city and used 6 of my waterskins from Fiadh to make them.
10 years. Something I bought them for 3 waterskins, and an assortment of lifesaving herbs and fruits. Money courtesy of the duchy, which I would certainly document.
'Then be well.'
"Thank you great spirit."
Then I became part of the atmosphere again.
Using
I don't think using mana as a medium to slip through solid objects like a phaser or ghost, was the best way to infiltrate, but the window opening would have made too much noise, and these old wood and stone houses were solid and airtight.
Now I needed to dive to the bottom of the well.
Obtain evidence of the magic circle inscribed, and document it.
Naturally I brought a capture stone, or a magic camera as it was called in game.
It was easier than drawing halves of the circle on two different papers, because it was underwater.
With my tools in hand, I bit down on the rag, cleansed myself as to not contaminate the water, shielded myself, and dove in.
I swam to the bottom, and I found it.
Two magic circles, one slaughter circle, one charm circle.
Now I get it, how this town became rubble in game.
The slaughter circle summons a demon to kill designated targets, in this case people around the well.
And the charm circle slowly encourages people to interact with the well more.
And that's how the demon earned enough sacrifices to free himself from the circle and roam free in human territory.
I took the picture, and swam out.
I dried myself off with a few wind spells and began to thoroughly examine the town.
I turned myself back into mana with
The buildings, the roads, the coins, the food, the people, and not in a creepy way.
I documented everything, but aside from the well, everything else seemed fine.
With that I rematerialized, and used the lantern to teleport back to the mansion.
"Welcome back, Captain Lucas."
"Get a few gate mages ready, I have a report headed straight for the duchy."
I had spent maybe 2 hours at most in the town, and I still had a course sheet to turn in.
"They're here."
"Perfect gate me into the mansion, the training hall directly."
"But, captain that could alarm some people."
"It's okay, they were notified in advance."
With that I gated right to the training hall and didn't waste any time using mana to fly straight to mom and dad.
"Barton, Lucas should be arriving any minute so be prepared to take the documents of his from this mission."
"I've arrived"
I said knocking at the door.
"Enter."
I handed the documents to Barton who swiftly looked it over.
I began my retelling of my actions.
"Lucas what are these expenditures for?"
"Longevity potions."
"What? There isn't a world where it's possible to buy longevity potions."
"I asked a gnome and I made it with him."
"What?"
Mother looked at me.
"How'd you manage that? HAHAHAHA."
Apparently dad found it humorous.
I showed them a water skin, and explained the effects.
"Tha-That's"
Barton took a seat next to me.
"You're telling us that you with a gnome, used a near [pseudo-elixir] along with herbs and fruits, you bought with this money to create two ten year longevity potions?"
"Yes, Uncle."
"Alright, Lucas, tell us where it really went."
"You can ask that very gnome himself with a truth orb."
"Come with me."
"Very well."
***
We travelled back to the academy city.
"Before we go there, I need to turn in my course assignment sheet, one moment."
"Make it quick, Luke."
Oh man, best not to get on their nerves.
9:40.
I'd made it.
I turned the sheet in and used wind magic to blow through the academy to the city gates.
"Alright, let's go to his workshop."
"Makarov."
"Yea, kid."
He put down his mallet, and turned around.
"Wow, that's a lot of people."
"Those longevity potions already get you in trouble?"
"Then it's true you made it with him?"
"I tol-"
"Shh. Go ahead."
Damn. She wasn't going to let me explain.
He sat down on a stool and began to speak.
"I mean, he paid for the materials, but he made them himself, I just stood by and made sure he didn't brake any equipment."
Mom looked shocked.
Uncle was surprised, but his face didn't show any hints, but his knuckles were pale from him gripping his hand around the cane.
"We need to let Stephen know."
"Agreed."
"Lucas, you're coming with us tonight."
Makarov stood up and began to walk towards us.
"Excuse me but who are you to take the little man away?"
"The Duchess"
And that's all that was needed to identify her.
Only one person could say the duchess, the rest were only 'a' duchess.
"Well madam, my young friend here is a friend to all spirits, I'd be remiss if I were to let him go so easily."
She looked at me again.
This time in a shocked and concerned way.
"Makarov, these are my sponsors, I serve her daughter as a knight."
"And forgive my outburst duchess, but I shall explain it to you at a later date."
"They originally wanted to take a truth orb to you to see if I was lying, but now they know it's the truth they need to reevaluate my workings as a knight."
"I see. Well I hope you rise in ranks, my friend be safe."
"Alospale Makarov."
"Alospale Lucas."
The three of us left the shop.
"What did you say to him at the end?"
"It means something along the lines of 'I will see you later' and 'Take care'. "
"I see. Then, let us depart to the duchy. I will inform the school of your dormitory absence."
"Yes mom."
With that we gated back into the office.
I will never, I mean never be able to understand how she does it so fast, and accurate.
"Will you teach me space magic when I reach the 5th circle?"
"If you haven't learned it already you troublemaker."
"Enough Alicia, he's just brought us valuable information on the demons' whereabouts and plans, completed a mission, made longevity potions, and revealed his ability to communicate with, and make friends with spirits. Don't be so hard on the boy, praise him for his work."
"I'm sorry sweetie."
She rubbed my hair.
"I'm just overwhelmed. Where did you learn that language? Or how to make longevity potions, and obtain those pseudo [pseudo-elixers]?"
"I'll explain, let's just get into the main office with dad."
I didn't know how to explain my reincarnation, so I offered a more realistic version, since they didn't need anymore scares.
I told them I met a spirit in the forest, a very strong one who helped me understand and speak a little of the language. It also helped me with my knight's quest along the way.
The now called 'False Elixer' since they wouldn't understand why I called them waterskins.
Were artifacts I had obtained from a ruin that the spirit resided in.
I also learned of some other languages, like a little elvish, gnomish, dwarven, and finally draconian.
"Never."
"What?"
"You are never allowed to speak Draconian words."
"Why?"
"Because your body cannot handle it."
"Besides you can't even use them. Your body doesn't have enough mana regardless."
"Draconian words are spoken in the language of mana, and the higher tier ones are spoken in the divine language, words that are too much for any mortal."
"I think I can, and already have mom."
"What?"
"Follow me to the training ground."
***
"Just supply me with a little mana."
"Are you absolutely sure you can do this Lucas?"
"Yes mom."
"Alicia, I've got you protected by my aura."
"Okay, go ahead."
"☼■▄ ▌▄▀═"
I knew this word from the game.
Translated as, "Sun, [words that I haven't a clue], and beam."
The game never fully showed off the power or translation of the draconic language.
Mana was sucked out of me and a massive blinding beam about three of me in diameter shot towards the sky, and immediately shut off the moment, I ran out of mana, which was in less than a second.
But in that second, throughout the duchy, at 10:30 at night. The darkness turned into light.
"Lucas."
I turned towards mother.
"Are you okay?"
"Ye-"
I tried to speak, I felt my body's draconic blood flowing, trying to repair my injuries.
My throat was on fire.
And I dematerialized.
***
*Duchess Svarmet's Pov*
"Quick, think where he might rematerialize."
"Alicia, he's gonna rematerialize in his bed here in the duchy, that's where his ambient anchor is."
"Ambient anchor?"
"Yes, it's where he rematerializes once he dematerializes back into mana to heal."
"Has this happened before?"
"Yes when I went to hunt him?"
"You hunted our child?"
"Sorry, Aura wasn't telling me anything about him except for his cool ability, so I tried to test it's limits."
He could have had Barton do it, he's a better evaluator anyways.
"When was this?"
"Like 6 years ago?"
"Nyx above, what did I do to deserve this."
I put my head in my hands.
"All the men with the exception of Theo are hardwired with stupid."
"Well if I wasn't would you have married me?"
I would be lying if I said yes, but I didn't want to see this man win right now.
"No"
"Good to know, you would have married me regardless."
Dammit. He had me.
"Come here."
He picked me up by my waist and began to spin me.
"Wait, Stephen, stop."
"No. I'm going to keep you up here until you stop being so stubborn."
"Fine I'll just make you drop me."
I tried to muster my mana, but failed.
"Did Luke's attack drain me too?"
"And me as well. So we're currently in mana exhaustion, but with our bodies, we aren't suffering the consequences."
"Glad to know that, now could you put me down?"
"Nope, I have more physical ability than you right now, and you can't fly away from me, so I'm going to get all the cuddles I can right now."
He spun me and put me into a princess carry.
I tried to wriggle out but he kept me holding on somehow.
"How are you doing this?"
"Mana battery."
"You mean you grabbing my stomach and legs with your arms is to prevent me from squirming and you are using me to charge a mana battery so that I can't leave with mana?"
"Exactly."
"But what about my arms?"
"And what about them? Would you really leave my carry right now?"
I didn't want to answer, so I shamefully acted like Aura. I put my head in his chest.
I guess I wasn't that angry Luke and Stephen were sometimes dumb.