Tales of Revenants

Chapter 76 – Training Magic

The wind is calm and tranquility overlaying through the surface of the cold, running river.

The demonstration of magic Alisa is talking about was something that Luciella is looking forward to seeing.

In the world of magic and spell, there are bound to be a set of rules that one uses to spend their mana power.

Some of them achieved what they desired by training their focus of mind or exactly copying spells from a thick magical tome, and some magics are passed by their mentor to cultivate different versions of one's potential if it's used by other mages.

There are few who knew the secret of magic. But even if they tried to explain it to others, one cannot simply just unlocked self-potential. The magic that is followed through constant repetition of chanting words won't be effective either.

Because the idea of the secret of magic is not something you can just grasp in one's hand, but it's something a mage has to accept as part of oneself.

It's the reason why Alisa first teaches Luciella the value of magic, so she can also discover the secret of spellcraft inside her heart, mind, and body.

"Listen Luciella, I shall chant a spell called Summon Undead; it's a spell necromancer like myself can utilize, and I shall cast it two times so pay close attention to the summons," Alisa readied her hand as the dark magic flowed within.

"I will engrave it in my mind and soul!" Luciella's still fired up as her emerald eyes are full of determination.

The mana is energy or fuel that a person is blessed with. Mana can be used in different instances, be it magic or applied through magical artifacts.

The volume of mana a person had from the moment they are born cannot be changed, but the flow of mana can accentuate from when a spell is chanted.

Meaning even a person doesn't have enough mana, the spell can still garner adequate power upon surroundings to cast the magic.

When the accumulated mana on her right hand has reached the first level of threshold to chant her spell, she converted the mana to dark element so she can cast her necromantic spells.

Each spell has a corresponding element that a mage should visualize before casting it. The greatest example could be a pyromancer, a mage who masters the art of fire magic.

But if a fire mage has enough focus and talent to convert the image of fire magic into ice magic, the pyromancer could become an ice wizard instead. The better manipulation of magic and mana simultaneously would bend the rules of nature itself.

Alisa finished gathering enough dark magic, she circled the tip of the tree branch through the air and chanted her spell, "Death won't hinder the living, from bone to existence, arise my loyal servant! Summon Undead: Skeletal Knight!"

The ground in front of them began to have a slight tremor, and then a skeletal knight has arisen from the soil.

"Look here Luciella, this is an undead knight I summoned. As you can see this undead is ironclad and even had a sword." Alisa said to her as part of the lesson.

The undead knight indeed had a full-worn set of iron armor. Luciella taps its armor and knew it's strong enough to block a magic fireball.

"Now I shall cast another version, this time with my imagination," Alisa mentioned before she accumulates another set of dark magic to garner enough for different Summon Undead.

"Oh, I see..." Luciella learns the first spell Alisa used must have the concept of appreciation. Meanwhile, as Alisa chants her magic, she noticed Luciella had a small leather notebook where she's writing all the information she's saying using a feathered ink pen.

The drive to learn and improve is flowing in her veins. Alisa thought to herself that Luciella must have got Laken's stubborn resolution along the way from the time they are together. She knew it because she also unknowingly got his obstinacy.

"Arise, my loyal servant, Summon Undead: Skeletal Knight!" After Alisa chanted her spell, a skeletal knight without armor or any kind of weapon has arisen from the soil. It's literally buck n***d skeleton and doesn't seem to have a bit attribute of a knight.

"These undead skeletons are amazing!" Luciella was astonished by how Alisa can manipulate the dead. Necromancers are truly the mages of the night who dabbles into the art of life and death.

This time Alisa asked Luciella, "Nothing amazing happened yet, and this is where the fun begins. Now if you look at them carefully, if they were to battle each other, who do you think will win?"

She gave her a question if the skeletal knight who had armor and weapon and the skeleton without anything at hand entered into a duel, one can certainly achieve victory.

It's rather hard predicting who can win over the other. Of course, Luciella's first choice could be the armored undead since it has a weapon. But it's magic they are talking about and the concept of who's much more powerful based on appearance is an irrefutable mistake.

"I think.. the skeleton without a weapon," Luciella answered with certainty. There isn't even light of doubt from her tone.

"Oh...? How can you say so?" Alisa never expected her to be so refined in choosing.

"I just had a hunch, it's not like I'm a hundred percent sure," Luciella stated. It's as if her unbending will is what constitutes her answer, Alisa may saw her serious choice and did not foreseen she still hold doubts.

As Luciella's eagerness to find the result, Alisa with her necrotic magic, manipulated the undead knights to oppose each other. Even if they are undead, Luciella still somewhat feel concerned that they are fighting for the sake of her improvement.

Nevertheless, when Alisa commenced the duel with her gesture, the undead knights slowly move towards each other.

The armored skeleton held his sword like the knight he is. On the other hand, the skeleton without anything casually approaches his opposing foe.

In a blink of an eye, the armored skeleton strikes fast, but to Luciella's surprise, it didn't even scratch the bones of the armorless skeleton.

When the perfect chance for the skeleton without a weapon to engage, he quickly dodges the second attack of his foe, and with his fist; he swiftly pierced the armored skeleton's head leading to its defeat.

"And you're right! The armorless won the battle, but what do you think the reason behind?" Alisa asked her what she learned.

The armorless undead knight bowed to Alisa before it gradually returns to dust, presenting his respect towards the necromancer after being summoned.

"Their battle is astounding! I think the armorless won because of the high amount of calcium acting as his vanguard," Luciella shared her opinion as an answer to Alisa's question.

"You almost got it, but the real reason behind it was because of my imagination. When I chant the magic, I visualized the bones of the armorless skeleton to be as hard as a diamond." Alisa explained as Luciella's eyes sparkle with astonishment.

"And what about the armored skeleton?" Luciella's too impatient to know.

"I chanted my first magic without the idea in my head and simply followed the words, and that's why the skeleton I summoned was simply a normal undead knight," Alisa replied.

"So that's why!" Luciella meticulously writes down any kind of knowledge Alisa is telling to her.

The curiosity was poking her interest, Alisa took a peek of what Luciella was writing down on her tiny notebook, and instead, she discovered she had really bad penmanship. It's as if Luciella was scribbling ancient curses.

It was a mistake to take a glimpse on other's work, Alisa just whistled over and pretended she's looking at the crowns of the trees.

She proceeded to her next lesson so that the self-conscious atmosphere would dissipate, "You just learned the value of imagination over appreciation, let us proceed to the last lesson and then we'll go to nearby ruins to test your abilities."

"Yes, master Alisa!" Luciella's committed desire to grow is really boundless.

While she was teaching her, Alisa can see Luciella the way Laken mastered the art of swordsmanship when they were still young.

No matter the hurdle, be it rainfall, storm, or dangerous beasts, Laken trains himself under such harsh conditions just so he could become stronger each day.

During the past, Alisa and Laken were driven out of the kingdom they called home. Even if that was the case, Laken forged a new path so he can be accepted by the people that condemn their very existence.

It's just Laken and Luciella both had the spark to become stronger not for themselves, but for the one they cherished for. Alisa understands it better than anyone else.

"Because you learned the value of visualization and appreciation, our next lesson will be magic chants. I mean, why not use both of it right?" Alisa winked at her and Luciella agreed with a couple of nods.

The perception of the mind can formulate or fabricate various magic that can surpass and deny the laws of nature. It's also a good way to obtain different kinds of magic as elemental spells can be utilized in a different situation.

While the appreciation of heart can have a strong effect on the magic upon chanting. It strengthens the foundation of a spell before it's chanted making it good-way to surpass another caster by sheer force.

Alisa's idea is to simultaneously apply both existing principles and create a spell that only the caster can chant.

With a notebook and feathered pen, Luciella attentively listens to Alisa's lessons so she can become stronger than ever.