8 years, Village Outskirts. Spectators

It is Autumn, turning Winter. Movement manipulation was a tough nut to crack, yet over the course of the last months, I managed to comprehend how it works. On the first day, I lost myself in a kind of craze and ultimately fell asleep in a field. When I returned to my parents the next morning, they were worried sick. Luckily nothing preyed on me while I slept, but I caught a slight cold, which had me bed-ridden for two weeks nonetheless.

This time I used to think about movement, develop approaches to change it with magic, and test these approaches. Since my parents never asked me what I was doing, I never told them. They asked me not to tell them about my research a long time ago, and therefore I kept quiet. In retro-perspective it is a small miracle that my feverish mind was even able to think of something, but after ten days of only laying in bed, occasionally drinking, eating and sleeping, and thinking about my problem every time I was doing none of the former, I finally had a breakthrough.

Whether it was a short glimpse of genius, or I had simply tried every other approach so I forcefully discovered the one that would work, that I do not know, and do not really care about. As always I had a stone in my hand, and while concentrating, the stone felt lighter. After only one hour of training, I was even able to make it float of my hand. It levitated, and flew upwards with slowly rising velocity.

After having a glance at how it works, everything following was easy, in comparison. Having it levitate on a spot, steering it into directions, and even the very technique that started everything: The acceleration of a thrown stone. This is where I stand today: after my cold was cured, I returned to the field. For over months, I threw stones to my hearts content, and had them reach murderous velocities.

Incomparable to the distances I reached under Arstibals guidance, my stones flew over a distance of a hundred meters. The cause for this is obvious: While the accelerating force is the same or even a bit lower than back when I had to use the Adapter, the acceleration lasted only about half a second. Now that I do not have this limitation anymore, I can use the whole 25 meter reach to accelerate, and this becomes apparent as a tremendous difference.

From some distance, two people are watching me. Over the past week, they would occasionally stand at the villages entrance, and watch me from afar. Even though I only could see their silhouettes I recognized them: The mayors children, Ione and her little brother. This time however, unlike before, they approach me.

Just as they enter the range where they could hear me clearly, I throw the stone I had readied, and mumble to myself, but loud enough for them to understand: “152 Meters... Not my best shot.” In reality, It was a good and impressive throw, and I completely made the numbers up, but stating it like this should make it sound even more impressive.

“What are you doing here? How are you doing this?” The brother began to speak, Ione remained quiet.

“I am simply throwing stones. Like this.” As I say this, I throw another stone, and it leaves a dust cloud far into the field. Without a further word, I go and recover the stones. They all landed in close vicinity to each other, therefore they are easy to find, but the way to the landing spot is no short one, so the walk takes a good while.

As I return, the siblings are still standing there. They seem to have had a discussion while I was gone, judging at how Iones brother looks upset. This time, Ione speaks up: “Now for real, Reiland. That was your name, right?” I simply nod. She continues without heeding it. “How are you throwing those stones like that? They seem to get faster as they fly, but that would normally not be possible, no?”

She seems to have a keen eye. “Precisely that. It is simple, however. All I do is accelerating the stones mid-air with acceleration magic. It is no Witchcraft.”

“Oh shut up! Stop telling us such Bullshit! Everybody knows that you need a special bracelet to use magic!”, The boy bursts out. I think I remember now why I did not like him.

“Oh, you uncovered my secret. It is no magic at all, I throw the stones purely with the strength of my own muscles! Congratulations for looking behind my cover, kid.” The boys face turns red after hearing that. To top it off, I use another one of my Techniques: I put a stone on my hand, let it levitate, accelerate it so it flies in a straight line for 25 meters, and another 30-40 meters like it normally would, given such speeds would normally be possible.

“Don't call me “Kid” when you are smaller than me! How did you do this, tell me now!”

This is starting to get annoying. “I used magic.” This will be the only answer he gets from me, should he continue like this.

“But-” Ione interferes, and stops the Boys oncoming words. “Stop it, Brian. You see that something unnatural is going on here, be it magic or something else. Ask him for it, in a civil manner. You are to old to behave yourself so childishly.”

“Fine...”, the boy grumbles, and turns to me. “How are you able to throw the stone so far? Please, tell me.”

He is capable of not annoying me with a sentence, how surprising. I will answer him, then. In detail, this time.

“As I said, it is quite simple. I pick up a rock, like this. Then I add upwards acceleration to it until it starts floating, like this.” While explaining every step, so that even this Idiot can grasp it, I exercise everything I say as an example. “Once it floats, I simply decrease the upwards acceleration until it perfectly negates the innate downwards acceleration, like this. Now the stone floats in one position. Once this is done, change direction sideways and increase the acceleration at the same pace, resulting in the stone flying sideways on a constant height. Like this.” Everything was explained in an extra slow and understandable tone. Yet, the boy does not seem to be satisfied.

“Acceleration? Velocity? What the hell are you even talking about? How do you make the stone fly?”

I sigh, annoyed. “I told you that! I simply use magic to execute I every step I just now explained in detail. Are you really too dumb to-”

“You damned liar! You-” The boy interrupts me. If he does not want to reason, fine. I can leave now and return another day. I turn around on the spot, not even listening to the rest of his tirade. While walking away, I hear Ione saying something in a harsh tone, after which the Brat quickly stops. She shouts: “Please wait a second, Reiland!”

I stop and turn my head around, listening, but ready to go for good should something rude follow.

“Brian did not mean it like this.” “I-” He starts, but Ione glares him down. Defeated, he looks on the ground. “I, and even more so my Brother, are very interested in all magic-related. What you did was undeniably magic or something similar. Therefore, we would be grateful if you could explain to us how can do all this without chant and adapter. If you refused after how Brian behaved, it would be understandable.”

That is how you ask someone for something. Fine. I turn around, and position myself in front of them. “It is obvious that I have no magic adapter, neither did I chant anything. Over the course of over one and a half year, I developed a new form of magic. I call it “The Reilandian Way”.” I made this word up the second before I spoke it, after realizing that I had no name for what I do yet. “This new form requires no adapter, and with it the chant also becomes unnecessary. It is using magic on a deeper, more direct level.” That should have answered that question.

“Reiland, how old are you?” Ione asks me, with a puzzled look on her face.

“Nine.” That was almost not a lie, since my birthday lies only a few weeks into the future.

“Are you telling us that a nine-year old reinvented magic by himself? I can't come around saying that this sounds ridiculous.”

“Believe what you want, it does not change the facts. “Reinvented magic” is a bit of an overstatement, though. There are Arch-Wizards who can do it as well after all, according to Arstibal.”

“Come, Brian. We leave him alone for now. I doubt that we will hear much more useful things from him today. “There are Arch-Wizards who can do it, so it is not that special!” You should hear yourself talk!”

The last part was directed at me, apparently. “I hear myself very well. I am not deaf, after all!”

Ione however was already leaving, her Brother was slowly walking behind her. He stayed quiet after Ione scolded him the last time. Maybe he is learning. Probably not. At least I am back to my favored solitude now. Maybe Ione was partially right, though... Having discovered this mostly by myself, it is an accomplishment.

I am glad that I did not tell my parents the details, they would have gone crazy, told me how amazing I am, and so on, especially my mother. I like praise in modesty, but that is simply too much.

As for today, I am going to train further, and think of new Techniques while doing so. Even though this is of course not my main focus, something that will impress the mayors children, should they return. Having someone to show off to is nice, after all.

8 Years, Village Outskirts. Disciples

Whoosh! I let go of the String in my hand, and the stone attached to it shoots down the field with terrific speed. It flies a lot further opposed to throwing it. If I were to guess I would say it landed between the 300 and 400 meter mark. Finally, I came to test Arstibals Idea: Tying a string to a stone, and use this for a prolonged acceleration path. It works well, but I have to be cautious. Would I accidentally hit my arm it could break, and a head hit could easily be lethal.

It is cold, not frosting yet, but likely close to it. I am not wearing any warm garment, just the same almost ragged attire I always do. To avoid cooling out I have to stop throwing stones every now and then, and heat up my own skin with a quick spell. I discovered this Technique long ago, yet only now I found an application for it. I lower my output for such actions, as an thoughtless use could harm me. With it I am able to cope with the cold. It uses my magic muscle however, therefore I can not do it while throwing stones. I usually do it while recovering them.

Accelerating stones is nice, but I feel like I have to try something new soon. While throwing stones and freely manipulating their movement is useful, I feel like I almost discovered all that is to it. If I want to advance, I have to experiment on new techniques. Wind? Cooling things instead of heating them? The movement of my own body?

I will think about that later. Right now, It seems like I have Visitors again. The mayors children watched me from time to time after out last conversation, but now they are approaching me again. I am getting a bit cold anyway, so I decide to take a break and listen to them. They are both clad in fur-lined coats, and towering me by a good head each. The brother seems to have gotten rid of his high-and-mighty attitude. “Aren't you a bit cold?” is the first thing Ione asks me.

“Not particularly. I have my means of staying warm.” I have a vague intuition that they did not only come here to ask this question.

“Is that related to the “Reilandian Way”, or however you called it?”

I nod. I wish they would finally come to the point.

“Now, listen...” She starts, but I interrupt her. I want her to hurry up.

“I am. Even though it is hard, considering you just keep asking questions with obvious answers.”

Iones brother seems to have taken that as rude, however. “Show more respect to my sister! Who do you-”

“Quit it, Brian! I can talk for myself. Please, leave it to me.” The reason why her Brother was comparably docile today was probably because she told him to, not because he had a change of heart. “Anyway, This Reilandian Way... If a 9-year old can invent it on his own, don't you think a 12-year old boy and a 14-year old girl could learn to use it if taught?”

Oh. It is going in this direction. I figured that they may would come to ask me this one day, considering how they stated their interest in the magic arts. Therefore, I thought of what to say beforehand. “You want me to teach you? Is it that what you want? If so, then say it directly. Do not bother putting it in a nice wrapping.”

“You got me there. Brian and I are both eager to learn magic, yet our father won't allow us attending magic academy, no matter how often we ask him. For this reason, we come asking you. Please, teach us how magic works!” Her Brother does not seem to like it, but he nods to underline Iones words. He must be quite desperate if he does that, considering how he seems to hate me. That feeling is kind of mutual, though. Lets give them my answer, then.

“Fine. If you are begging me like that, I guess I could spend my time teaching two kids the principles of my magic!” I wanted to this sentence for a long time. “Do not expect any rapid successes, however. It took me two years to get where I am, two years of training from dawn till dusk. This is not a magic adapter where you mumble a few words in and a miracle comes flying out.”

“Oh, that was unexpectedly easy.” Ione seems to be surprised by my answer. “It was expected that it would be harder than with an adapter, though.” “Sounds like a pain...” Her brother did not expect it, apparently.

“You do not have to do this, boy. I will teach Ione without you, if you do not want to listen.”

“Yeah, that's a no. Either me and Brian, or none of us. Please, Brian, don't ruin this for you and me. He is more willing to teach us than I thought, so don't ruin this for us, okay?” “Ugh, fine...” The first part was directed at me, and the second she whispered to her Brother.

I pretend that I did not hear their little talk, and proceed. “We can start right now, but for the other days: Meet me here, 2 hours after the sun rose, and I will teach you until afternoon. Then...”

“Are you crazy? Cut us some slack, already!”, the brother spurted out. Before I was able to answer that, Ione added: “What Brian wanted to say is: That is way too much. We have other things to do as well, you see?”

I sigh. “What do you suggest?”

“2-3 Hours every day except each seventh, starting in the afternoon?”

“Fine.” It will take eternities for them to make progress at this pace. However, it also leaves me more time to focus on actually improving my own magic.

I sit down at the edge of the tree trunk. “Let us get started, then. Sit down on the ground or stand.” Ione sits down, her brother seems unsure what to do. He nervously stands on the spot for a few seconds, before finally sitting down next to her as well. “Tell me: What is magic?”

“Aren't you supposed to tell us, not the other way around? You don't even know that?” The brother seems to have misinterpreted my questions. I sigh deeply.

“Let me rephrase the question on his stead then: What do we think is magic?” Ione seems to have understood what I wanted to say. I nod in response. She continues. “Magic as we know it allows us to achieve superhuman feats with the usage of an adapter. Right?”

“Very simplified, but yes. However, is it really that superhuman if I can do it on my own?” I am convinced that magic is innate to all humans, and the Adapter does nothing more than help to bring it out. My results without it are the best proof for it.

“Onis wear human skin as well, are they human?” Her brother mumbled quietly. He probably did not intend to let me hear it, but he underestimated my ears. “I can assure you that there is no difference between me and my skin. I am human, and you both are as well. At least in theory, we all should be able to use magic. Until we can come to magic itself, let me talk a bit about some principles. Without them, it would be hard to understand my reasoning.”

They need at least to know everything about energy I do, or they are going to fail.

“Every change of state has a connection to energy. This and the following, just take it at face value. It will simplify things for you.” In unison, Ione and her brother nod. “Whenever I accelerate or heat up things, I add energy to them. This energy cannot come from nothing, however. Magicians use another form of energy, unnoticeable to the senses, and transform it into energy forms that they can use. I dubbed it “Magic Energy”, for the lack of a better word. The rate that one can convert Magic Energy into other energy forms is nothing else but the coefficient, the very same Arstibal tested for.

Understood everything so far?”

While Ione nods, even though not too enthusiastically, her brother only displays a look of confusion.

“What do you even mean, energy? You spurt out such things one after another and expect us to simply understand! Elaborate, please, if you want me to understand!”

I sigh. This is going to take a while. I did not expect her brothers common knowledge to be that low. I will take the time it takes, however. It is what I promised them.

“Fine, let us start from the very, very basics, then.”