I look at the ceiling of my room and think of a way to increase my mana reserve. After thinking for a few seconds, I got an idea. This idea can be very expensive but can give me a lot of mana in return.
I can buy a Rune and try to absorb the mana inside the rune to get more mana for me to use. Not only that, I can also visit the local graveyard. There is one in the southern part of Estrise. Rather than tap into the land, I can tap into the graveyard and get black mana from it. There are also plains to the east of Estrise for White Mana.
However, my main target is Lunas. It is the Holy Ground in this country, and I will get white mana from that place.
For now, I need to buy some runes and see if I can get an alternate source of mana. I look out the window and see the sun still up. I get off my bed and leave my room. Lucky for me, Estrise has a rune shop.
==||==
"Welcome! What can I do for you, dear customer?"
I give the man behind the counter a smile and say.
"I am here to buy a Fire Rune Orb. How much for one?"
"It will cost you six thousand and five hundred Potch, sir. We will charge another five hundred if you want us to attach it to your body."
"No. Just the orb will do. I am here for an errand and do not intend to attach a rune to my body."
"I see. Please take a seat. I shall bring the rune."
I sit in front of the counter and wait for the owner to return. After a few seconds, he returned with a small box. He put it on the counter and said.
"Here you go."
He opened the box, and I could see a red orb inside it. I can feel red mana from inside the rune and immediately know I can absorb the mana. This opens a lot of possibilities. I give him seven bills and say.
"Here is the payment. Also, why is Rune cheaper than gems? My boss bought a gem that cost him a lot—ten times the amount of this rune. Rune can give you power, no?"
"Ah, that is because runes are not as rare as gems. This type of rune is as common as iron and copper. The rarer rune will cost a lot, but the basic elemental rune will not cost much. Not only that, but gems can also be used as magical weapons, you know? It can store the spells the rune grants you and can be more than one spell. What kind of gem did he buy?"
"Diamond."
"Depending on the size, he can store up to twenty spells from five different runes. There is a reason why magicians wear a lot of jewelry."
"I see. No wonder. Anyway, thank you for the rune and the explanation."
"Don't mention. It is my pleasure doing business with you, and here is your change."
I nod my head, take my money, and leave the shop. I walk to the south of the city and absorb the mana of the rune. I smile a little when I feel I get two Red Mana from the single rune. I only need black mana to complete the set.
I increase my pace to arrive at the graveyard so I can test my theory. After a few minutes of walking, I arrive in front of the graveyard and release a disappointed sigh. It looks like the graveyard is not good enough to be considered a unique thing within the city. Not only that, the people in this graveyard died peacefully and did not give a lingering necrotic energy for me to absorb.
That is disappointing. Urgh. It looks like I need to return to the rune shop and buy three more runes. I will buy more when I have a better income. I can become a gem seller by creating more gems and selling them.
As a Pre-Mending Planeswalker, my body is very durable, and I can regenerate very fast without the help of mana. No mundane weapon can hurt me; only a mid to high-end magic weapon can truly hurt me. Even then, I can regenerate.
What does that mean? That means I do not need to worry about people attempting to rob me or create problems for me. I can leave this world or even fight my way through the problem. It sounds arrogant, but it is not. Pre-Mending Planeswalker is a beast.
I shake my head and decide to go with that plan. I will be a merchant who explores the world and taps into the land, increasing my power steadily.
My next goal is Lunas, which requires me to visit other places. That means more mana for me from all the land I will visit. Tomorrow, I will take the boat to visit the next village.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|3rd POV|
Lucas boards a merchant vessel heading upriver toward Yashuna Village. The boat is modest but well-maintained, carrying crates of spices, textiles, and pottery from Estrise. The Feitas River glistens under the morning sun, its waters calm as the boat glides forward.
The crew comprises seasoned traders, a mix of Falena locals, and traveling merchants looking to sell their wares.
As the boat nears a narrow section of the river, the serene journey is interrupted by shouts from the boat's lookout.
"Bandits! Starboard side!"
A group of river raiders on small boats emerges from the tree line, rowing quickly to intercept the vessel. Armed with crude weapons and crossbows, they attempt to board, demanding that the traders hand over their cargo.
The captain of the ship does not want to hand the cargo and tells his guards to attack. With that declaration, the bandits roar and start to try to board the ship.
As the raiders row in, their boats closing in on the merchant vessel, Lucas channels his Blue Mana, focusing on the water beneath them. The Feitas River, vast and powerful, responds to his will. He doesn't need spells yet—just raw mana and intent.
A strong current surges beneath the bandits' boats, causing the water to twist and churn unnaturally.
Two raider boats capsize instantly, sending their occupants plunging into the river. Another boat is thrown off-course, spinning wildly as the raiders struggle to regain control. The last two boats hesitate, and the leader of the bandit shouts.
"Damn! They have a mage! Fall back!"
The bandit turns their boats, and he can see them using a piece of water rune to let them control the water around the boat. With a grin on his face, he absorbs the mana of the pieces of water rune that give them the ability to propel their ships and give a chance for the guard to board into their ships.
Without giving them a chance to give up, the guards kill them and take over the boats.
The captain of the ship walks toward him and says.
"Thank you for your help, mage. Without your help, there will be a lot of casualties."
"Think nothing of it. I am happy they did not board the ship."
"Me too, my friend. Me too. Don't worry. Your help will be rewarded. We shall share the loot with you."
Lucas nods and decides to accept the loot.
"Thank you. However, I prefer runes. If they have them, give them to me, and we will even be."
"Hah! Of course. You are a mage, after all. Don't worry. We will give them to you when we find one."
"Thank you. Anyway, while we are waiting for them to be done, can you tell me about Yashuna Village?"
"Yashuna Village has always been a peaceful place," he begins. "It thrives on tourism because of its famous hot springs. Nobles, merchants, and even foreign visitors often travel there for relaxation."
He pauses before lowering his voice slightly.
"But things are… shifting. Tensions between the noble houses are growing. With the Queen's rule becoming unstable, certain factions—like House Barows—are looking to expand their influence. That includes small places like Yashuna Village."
Lucas doesn't need to hear that. He doesn't want to get involved in the main storyline. However, it gives him an idea of which timeline to arrive at. He arrived before the Civil War because House Barrows still expanded their influence.
"I wonder if Yashuna Village has a rune shop or something like that."
The captain hums and says.
"You'll find Rune shops in Yashuna, but they mostly sell basic Runes—Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth. More advanced or rare Runes are usually sold in bigger cities like Rainwall or Sol-Falena." He continues, "However, Yashuna does have a unique business. There's a healer there who specializes in Flowing Runes. If you're looking for anything related to healing magic, it's one of the best places to visit outside Lunas."
Lucas cheers because he gets a lead to let him learn his first magic. So far, he has only used brute force to get the desired effect.
"Thank you. I shall visit that."
"Bah! You should visit the hot spring instead of visiting that. They are famous for that, after all."
"Don't worry. I will visit them as well."