Few days later.

 

Poke, poke.

"Mmh..."

Poke, poke.

"Mh!"

I stir in my sleep as something keeps poking my cheek.

Poke, poke.

Irritated, i slowly open my eyes, expecting to see my ceiling but instead i see something blue.

My vision adjusts and i'm greeted by Stella's face, which is very close to mine.

"Good, you're awake."

"!?"

She startles me and i quickly sit up.

"What are you doing in my room?!"

How long was she even standing there and how did i not wake up when she entered?

"Today is the day i teach you about magic."

"Well, you could've told me yesterday or at least wait till i wake up."

"Sorry, i was so excited i forgot to tell you."

Her tone sounds like sarcasm and her neutral expression doesn't show a hint of excitement.

I get out of bed and get dressed.

"I'll be waiting outside, once you've had your breakfast."

She leaves my room and closes the door behind her.

I head downstairs to the kitchen and quickly eat my breakfast.

Stella walks by the kitchen and i can hear her opening the backyard door.

I finish my breakfast and make my way to the backyard.

When i open the door, i see Stella has made herself comfortable by bringing a chair in the shade of the big tree.

I notice there isn't another chair.

"Good, you're here, take a seat."

She holds her hand towards an upturned bucket.

The lesson hasn't even started yet and i'm already irritated, but nevertheless i take a seat.

"Now then, first question, what is magic?"

Already starting with the most difficult question.

"Wha- How am i supposed to know that?"

"You're right, no one besides the goddess of magic, truly knows what magic is, but one thing is certain, is that magic is everywhere."

She looks rather proud of her explanation, like it was something she has rehearsed a lot.

"Understand?"

"Not really, but what do you mean by magic being everywhere?"

She picks up a flower off the ground.

"Despite being just an ordinary flower, it has tiny traces of magic inside it."

She points at a nearby rock.

"That rock too, has some magic within it."

She then looks at the big tree.

"Surprisingly, this tree possesses quite a bit of magic. Unfortunately i don't recognize the species."

"So... does the magic affect them someway then?"

"Most of the time, not really, but a skilled mage can."

She holds the flower in front of her and with her other hand next to it, she does a pulling motion.

Small amounts water leave the flower and form into a sphere above her palm.

"people who can control magic, can affect and manipulate the magic around them. 'Freeze'."

Her fingers twitch slightly and the sphere of water freezes solid.

"To be able to control magic requires years of studying."

"Hmm, is everyone capable of this level of magic?"

"No. Humans for example, are all born with magic in them, but how much magic? That can vary greatly, some are born with great magical potential while some are born with very little."

"Is it hereditary?"

"To some extent. Many nobles choose their heirs carefully, to ensure a strong and powerful lineage, but individuals with extraordinary potential can be born to ordinary people."

"Can you train to improve your potential?"

"Again, to some extent. Years of studying and practice won't make a person with very little magical potential much stronger but one with great potential can reach heights rarely seen in history."

"What about you then? How much potential do you have?"

She smiles slyly at me and puts a finger to her lips.

"That is a secret."

I frown slightly, is she hiding her power or something? Is she stronger than she looks?

"Do magical and physical capabilities connect to each other?"

"No, mana is required to use and utilize magic."

"Mana?"

"Mana is a magical energy that is used to fuel your spells. Unlike magical potential, you can train your mana capacity to a greater degree, by meditating and casting spells."

"How much mana are you born with? Is it connected to your magical potential?"

"It is very common to be born with a small mana capacity. People born with great magical potential are also born with large mana pools."

I think over what she has taught me so far.

"So, if you are born with great magical potential, and a massive mana pool, you can become a powerful mage?"

"That's right. Although potential can vary greatly, low potential and low mana pools are the most common."

"What about elves? My friend who lives nearby is an elf."

"Compared to humans, elves are more magical in nature and on average, have more potential in magic."

"My friend also told me they have long lifespans, so are elves superior to humans?"

"Not quite actually. Despite having and let me remind you, on average greater talent in magic combined with their long lifespans, their biggest weakness is their lack of physical prowess."

I raise my eyebrow in surprise.

"Oh? Are elves physically weaker than humans?"

"When comparing an average human with an average elf, the human will most often overpower the elf. Elves have a hard time building up muscle, lack stamina and heal slower."

"What happens if you run out of mana? i assume it's not unlimited."

"You're correct. If you keep casting spells, you will eventually deplete your mana pool. When that happens you cannot cast anymore spells until you have recovered."

"How do i know i'm out of mana? What does it feel like?"

"When your mana pool begins to deplete, you will feel mental exhaustion, as casting spells requires concentration. Channeling magic and controlling it will become harder, you might feel drowsy, nauseous, headaches and disorientation to name a few."

"What if i'm able to handle those? What if i keep casting spells?"

Stella's tone becomes serious.

"If you keep casting spells while you're out of mana, your magic will use your life force instead, causing physical damage and even shortening your lifespan."

"Hmm, interesting. Oh, i heard you say 'Freeze' when you turned that sphere of water into ice, Why?"

"In order to cast a spell, an incantation is required as it shapes your mana and turns it into a spell."

Stella stands up and stretches out her arms.

"I think that's enough for today. How about we continue tomorrow?"

"Yeah sure, i'm fine with that."

"Sniff, sniff. I think your mother is preparing dinner. Come, let's go see what she is making."

I look up and realize the lesson went by rather quickly, as the sun is already setting.

I follow Stella inside and after dinner i prepare for next day's lesson.

 

After eating breakfast and finishing my morning exercises, Stella told me to wait for her at the front gate.

The front door opens and Stella steps outside, but this time she is wearing her large mage's hat and has her damaged staff strapped on her back.

"So, what are we doing today?"

"We'll be continuing our lesson but this time i want you to walk with me."

We enter the road and i close the gate behind us.

I put my hands in my pockets.

"Lead the way then."

We begin walking down the road, towards Luton.

"Today we are learning about affinities and different types of magic."

"There's more than one type of magic?"

"Yes. Raw magic, or magic in its most basic form, is called arcane magic, and all other types of magic are derived from it."

Stella turns to the right and we step into a large grassfield.

The gentle wind feels cool on my face and it glides across the field, bending the grass like waves.

"After arcane magic, comes the five primordial elements which are: Fire, water, earth, wind and lightning. When arcane magic came into existence, the other five elements followed soon after."

I follow behind her.

"What about holy magic? Didn't you say it was different?"

"Yes, holy magic, despite being magic, is from a separate realm outside of arcane magic."

"Hmm, i'm not sure i get it."

"How about putting it this way. In front of you, imagine a small circle and label it arcane magic, then surround it with five other circles representing the five primordial elements. Now surround the group within one big circle. Outside the big circle, imagine a circle named holy magic at the top. The two magics reside within their own realms."

I go over what she said in my mind.

"Okay, i think i get it now."

Stella stops and looks around her.

"Let's rest here."

We sit on the grass, facing each other.

"Any questions?"

"I have one. One time Eric and i went to a blacksmith in Luton to have his sword repaired, i saw him cast a spell and said 'condition', the sword was surrounded by green magic and the blacksmith knew what was wrong with it. What kind of magic was it?"

"Oh you met a blacksmith who could use magic? Was he a dwarf?"'

"Yes."

"That explains it then. 'Condition' spell belongs to the sub-branch of arcane magic, called tool magic, it was discovered and invented by the dwarfs."

"Dwarfs can use magic too?"

"Yes, but they specialize mostly on tool magic. They are on par with humans when it comes to physical prowess but slightly below in magical capability."

Stella takes her staff of her back and lays it on the ground in front of her.

"Are you going to buy a new one? It looks pretty beat up."

"I guess i have to, i'm a bit short on money."

She clears her throat.

"As i said yesterday, mana fuels spells, an incantation shapes the mana into a spell. Incantation is the spells name."

"Right."

"Although rare and extremely difficult, spells can be cast without an incantation, this is called incantationless magic. Being able to cast magic without speaking can be very advantageous."

"Hmm, so when facing an opponent, they will have a hard time reacting to your spells and will make it difficult to anticipate your next move."

"Correct, i have studied magic for many years and i'm only able to cast a few incantationless spells, although most spells belonging to the school of arcane magic can be cast without incantations rather easily."

"How long have you studied magic?"

She gives me a faint smile.

"That is a secret too, but let's just say i have studied magic for a long time."

A long time?

Why is she so secretive about her magical capabilities?

Is she some kind of child prodigy or is she far older than she looks?

If so then her potential age doesn't match with her appearance at all.

I can't help but to feel a little suspicious, but i won't pry.

"Next topic, magical affinity. Most but not all, people who are born with enough magical potential to cast spells, are also born with an affinity to a specific type of magic. For example, a person with an affinity towards lightning magic, will find it easier to learn and cast lightning spells."

"So like talent?"

"Yes. At first a person's affinity towards their magic is weak, but becomes stronger as they become familiar with it by casting spells. As their affinity becomes stronger, their spells will also require less mana."

I'm honestly quite surprised.

This magic stuff is more potent than i thought.

At first i thought about just learning a few healing spells but if i'm able to learn magic and use properly, it would be a nice boost in firepower.

"Most people only have an affinity towards one type of magic. Having an affinity to two types of magic is uncommon but three is extremely rare."

"What is the most a person has ever had?"

Stella places her hand on her chin and thinks for a moment.

"If i recall correctly, there was an individual in ancient history who had an affinity towards all five primordial elements, although i'm not sure if they were a mortal or a demi-god. Personally i have only met one person who has an affinity to three types of magic."

"Oh, who?"

"My teacher, she taught me about magic when i began studying it."

I'm surprised she was willing to share that.

"What about you then? What types of magic do you have an affinity to, no, wait, that's a secret too, am i right?"

She does finger guns with both hands.

"Correct."

I roll my eyes.

I lean on my back on the grass and look at the clouds.

"Would you like to know if you have talent for magic Alex?"

I lift my head and look at her intrigued.

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay, come closer and give me your hands."

I do as she says and she holds my hands.

She closes her eyes and focus, then she is surrounded by blue magic.

Her magic begins flowing into me through her hands.

The sensation is weird but not unpleasant.

We stay still for a minute and the glow fades.

"That's odd."

I take my hands off hers and look at her confused.

"What?"

"As a mage, i can feel magic all around me, but for some reason i'm not sensing any magic in you."

"Is that bad?"

"I'm not sure, i've never encountered or read about something like this before. Interesting. You look healthy so you must be a unique case."

"Hmm, i was hoping to have some magical capabilities but no matter, i prefer to use my fists anyway."

"Heh, i figured you're more of an martial type."

Stella looks at the sky and realizes time has flown by again.

"Let's end today's lesson here and head back."

"You go ahead, i'm going for a run."

We walk back to the road and there go our separate ways.

 

In the evening i arrive back home, sweaty and exhausted.

"Sigh, time for a bath."

The bathroom is located under the stairs and i see Anna leave it.

I think nothing of it but then i see some steam coming from there.

Oh, did Anna heat up the bath?

It's been a while since we've had hot water for the bath.

The bath is usually warmed during the winter to save firewood so i'm using this opportunity to take a nice long bath.

Recovery is an important part of getting stronger.

I step inside the bathroom and into a laundry room, which is between the hallway and the actual bathroom.

With quick motions i undress and throw my dirty clothes in the laundry basket and get inside bathroom.

I stop in my tracks when i find out i'm not the only one there.

Stella is also here, using her magic to heat up the bathwater.

She is wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around her.

She notices me and kneels.

"Oh Alex? Did you come take a bath?"

I look away, unbothered but slightly annoyed.

"yeah, but i didn't know you were here."

I turn to leave when she speaks up.

"Do you want to join me?"

"Huh?"

"It's a spacious room, i'm sure two people can fit in here, and the bath's almost ready."

"I'll just wait until you're done."

I open the bathroom door, intending to leave but she uses magic to close the door in my face.

I'm stunned, she approaches me and places her hands on my shoulders.

"Close the door or the heat will escape, come i'll wash your back for you."

Before i can say anything she drags me to a stool and makes me sit on it.

She kneels behind me and drops a bucket of warm water on me.

She then rubs her hands together and mutters something.

A soapy substance covers her hands and with it she rubs my head.

"Ugh, i can clean myself just fine!"

I attempt to stand up but she pushes me back down.

"It's okay, you must be tired from your training."

"yeah, but i'm not that exhausted."

"Then consider this a reward for being a good student."

She let's go of my head and begins cleaning my back with a small tower covered in the soapy substance.

The towel slides up and down along my back.

"Mh, mh."

The sound of her labored and soft breathing coupled with the soapy towel fills the bathroom.

"Is this good? Am i putting too much pressure?"

"It's... fine."

I sit still, my hands on my knees and wait what feels like an eternity.

"There, all clean. Do you want me to wash your front as well?"

Hearing her suggestion gets me over the edge and i quickly stand up.

"No, that's enough!"

I quickly get to the bath and get in, submerging myself so that just my nose is above the water.

Stella also approaches the bath.

She takes off her towel, revealing her body and folds it neatly.

I look to the side as she gets in, the water overflowing over the edges.

The bathtub is big enough for two people, but i was hoping to relax by myself, Stella's presence is making me feel uneasy.

Why is she even fine with sharing a bath with me?

Does she view herself as a big sister or something?

Stella sighs and closes her eyes, leaning her head against the bathtub edge.

After a moment i turn my eyes to look at her.

Her figure is petite, slender and she looks quite delicate, like a doll or something.

I can't see clearly under the water but her breasts seem to be around B-cups.

Despite her appearance, her magic makes her very capable person.

I frown at her, there's something about her that bothers me, but i don't know what.

She's mysterious, doesn't reveal much about herself and she shows little emotion through that neutral face of hers.

Well, it's not like i don't have secrets too, so i won't pry.

Stella opens her eyes to the sound me leaving the bathtub.

"Oh, you're leaving?"

"Yeah."

"I'll stay a little while longer, Good night."

 

Back in my room, i decided not to do my usual training before bed.

I don't want to get sweaty again after a hot bath.

To be honest, i'm a little disappointed by the fact that i can't use magic.

What bothers me is what Stella told me about my magic.

Everyone is supposed to have some amount of magic but apparently i don't have any.

She said i look healthy so i don't have anything to worry about i can't help but to feel... uneasy.

I wonder if it means something, probably not.

I'll just have to ask her tomorrow if we're going to have another lesson.