Martin sat hunched over a cluttered table, surrounded by half-finished magic scrolls, each a testament to his relentless experimentation. Suddenly, the parchment beneath his hands erupted in flames, singeing his eyebrows and forcing him to recoil, landing unceremoniously on the floor. As he scrambled to his feet, confusion washed over his face.
"Why isn't this working?" he muttered, scratching his head in frustration. "The spell should have absorbed the elemental matrix without issue. Why does it keep exploding?" He glanced at the remnants of the scrolls that littered the floor, evidence of his failed attempts.
For the past few days, Martin had been trying to create a custom spell, one that doubled the effects of a flame magic scroll. He wasn't just inscribing the standard matrix; he was attempting to innovate, to build something entirely new. The ambitious endeavor of a second-order mage crafting his own spell was almost unheard of. Most would scoff at the notion, believing such feats to be reserved for high-level mages. But Martin had always been one to challenge the odds.
"Hey! Are you done wasting my scrolls?" Quinn's voice shot through the door, laced with irritation. "You've ruined a dozen sheets in just two days! Do you think this stuff grows on trees?"
Martin rolled his eyes, barely able to suppress a grin. "Then come write thirty scrolls a day if it's so easy! I'm not playing here, Quinn. If you want results, you have to invest in the process—just ask Busca!"
Quinn fell silent, perhaps contemplating the futility of arguing with someone who was obviously too absorbed in his work. Martin returned to his parchment, determined to figure out what was wrong with his spell matrix.
It had been three days since he'd been confined to this dim little room, a makeshift workspace that felt more like a prison. Busca had tasked him with producing thirty magic scrolls each day, a seemingly impossible quota. Initially, Martin had managed to complete a scroll in twenty minutes, but as frustration mounted, he found himself reducing that time to fifteen. Yet, despite the increased speed, he faced an alarming number of failures.
After yet another scroll met its fiery end, Martin sighed and stepped over to a small basin of water. He splashed some cool water on his face, hoping to clear his mind. As he gazed into the water, something clicked. The droplets created ripples, distorting his reflection.
A flash of insight struck him. "I'm doubling the elemental absorption matrix, but I'm missing a catalyst to harmonize the two elements! It's like trying to merge two images; no matter how I align them, they won't blend without something to unify them."
Martin's excitement grew as he realized he might have been overlooking a key component. He recalled a magic character from his intermediate studies, one that facilitated elemental coordination. If he could successfully incorporate this character into his matrix, perhaps the scroll wouldn't fail.
With renewed determination, he reached for a fresh piece of parchment and began inscribing the complex symbols, carefully adding the catalyst into the mix. As he worked, he could feel the potential of the spell building within him; each stroke of his quill felt more assured than the last.
Time slipped away as he lost himself in the process. Eventually, the scroll's depiction exceeded his earlier efforts. "This has to work," he whispered to himself, heart racing.
But just as he felt confident in his creation, a sudden explosion erupted from beneath his hands, sending him sprawling backward. Flames danced wildly, searing the air, and once again, he felt the sting of heat on his skin. But instead of despair, a laugh escaped his lips. The singed parchment and the soot on his face only added to the absurdity of the situation, making him look comically disheveled.
"Okay, back to the drawing board," he chuckled, wiping away soot and staring at the remnants of his latest attempt. "There's still something wrong, but I'm on the right path."
Determined, Martin resolved to incorporate additional magic characters into his spell matrix, continuing to learn through trial and error. Each failure brought him closer to understanding the intricate world of magic.
Grinning, he called out to Quinn, "Hey! Tell Busca that I need more parchment and two more bottles of magic ink! I'm onto something big!"
Quinn's silence was palpable. "You're insane," was all he could muster in response.
But for Martin, the thrill of creation overshadowed any frustration. He was on the brink of discovery, and nothing could quell his excitement.