Chapter 34 

The worldwide network of digital information is the most complex spell to ever be crafted and is regularly maintained. The network is known as the Living Sigil Network, or LSN for short, is made up of hundreds of millions of nodes communicating with each other via data encoded in Light Myst that is outside the wavelength of common sight. The communicating nodes are any devices that use the network to interact with each other, such as therra-nodes, laptops, holo displays, interface tablets, and even the Full Dive Network. The network is a massive ever-changing sigil that encompasses the globe connected to smaller sigils in each device, hence why it’s considered living.

Day 332 Honarday

A bolt of ice shot toward me at a rate almost too fast to follow. Sidestepping the shot, I dodged it by mere inches without batting an eye. I drew the thumb of my gauntleted hand across the palm of my left hand, drawing a thin line of blood with my newly installed razer set parallel with my thumbnail. I clenched my fist, forcing the wound to draw blood to the surface. The thick fluid filled every crevice of my hand, welling up between my fingers. 

I had recently been taught the phases of spell casting, making a concept that I had been performing semi-instinctively all the more effective and allowing me to cast more than simple single-element spells. But I didn’t need anything complex for this sparring match.

Phase one: collection. I drew myst from my Mystwell and saturated my fresh blood with it. Phase two: formation. I shaped the raw power with intent and visualization. If I were to make anything more complex, it would require me to visualize a sigil and runic formula. Phase three: activation. I threw out my hand as it came alight with a crimson flame. The spray of blood evolved into a burning serpent that rushed from my hand across the black-walled room to strike. A well-trained caster can perform all three phases in a single moment for standard spells. But the more powerful the spells will take longer, either because of a more complex sigil formula or the need to draw large amounts of myst or a combination of both.

Rose backflipped away from my striking spell. The move was needlessly flamboyant, but she loved showing off. As she landed, she flashed me a mischievous smile, but I noticed she wasn’t smiling at me. Her eyes were looking past me. I turned to look over my shoulder to see a blur of black movement before an erupting burst of pain in my face in time with a flair of light that took over my vision. My feet left the ground, and the world turned on its head. I was quite literally flying blind. A hard collision with what could only have been the ground cut my flight short. The ground came up to meet me hard as I struck my left shoulder and slid before rolling to a stop, my vision blinded by a wave of stars and static. I lay on my back and didn’t move until I could see the ceiling. I slowed my breathing and only did so through my mouth as I felt warm fluid running from my nose, which burned and throbbed in time to my racing heart. When I could finally see again, I turned my head from whence I came to find Thallos standing there with his arms folded and an amused smirk on his face. I flipped over onto my hands and knees and brought two fingers to just under my nose. They came away bloody, as I expected. I pulled myself to my feet, glaring at my uncle the whole way up. 

“What the hell was that?!” I snapped, completely overlooking that he was my mentor at that moment.

Thallos let out a derisive snort. “Come now, boy. You can’t get tunnel vision. Focus completely on one opponent, and you’ll be blind to someone else striking from behind.”

I stormed toward him. “I-I didn’t have tunnel vision. I just wasn’t expecting you to sneak attack me.” I stammered in defense.

In answer, Thallos simply pointed a finger to his right, not even bothering to uncross his arms as he did so. I followed where he was pointing to find Rose rushing at me with a whip of flowing water. As soon as we met eyes, she lashed the whip at me even as she closed the distance. I lept back to avoid the serpentine strike. The moment my feet touched the ground, she pushed the offensive, shifting from dashing into a massive stomp that sent the floor rippling toward me. Behind the fluid wave, the stone floor cracked and snapped in jagged chunks of rock around warped bars of metal. The wave rushed at me, expanding out to the cover, even where I could quickly dodge. To prevent getting mixed into the rubble, I needed to think quick.

I shot out my grappling hook from my tactical gauntlet and pulled myself from the floor just as the ripple was about to collide with me. The squid-shaped hook mounted to the ceiling behind Rose. Lifted off the floor, I closed the distance between Rose and me as I swung in. I aimed myself, feet first, to stick her in the chest. She seemed to see this coming and wrapped her liquid whip around my ankle and literally threw me off trajectory, forcing me to arc to the right. With my free hand, I drew two fingers across my upper lip to collect a bit of blood. 

I quickly formed a small barrage of crimson ice bullets in the air. I flicked them at high speed with a bit of Air Myst propelling them as I swung past her. The volley pelted her body, shredding her jacket and shirt and drawing a few thin lines of blood across her shoulder, chest, and back. The shots were far from lethal, but they were intended as more of a distraction and taunt. I reeled myself in and pressed my feet against the ceiling, a counterpressure allowing me to crouch completely upside down. My uniform jacket hung down, obscuring my vision, but it also hid what I was about to do from her sight as well, which was exactly what I needed. With the thumb of my free hand, I closed one nostril. Angling the rest of my left hand to catch, I blew out my nose as hard as my lungs could manage. A jet of bloody mucus sprayed from my remaining open nostril. My hand was a mess of crimson-veined slime, and it was truly gross. In fact, that very viscous substance gave me an idea. A sticky inspiration that very well might end the fight in my favor. My water affinity couldn’t hold a candle to Rose’s, but I didn’t need to overpower her, just outmaneuver her. I drew upon my Mystwell and tapped into some Mind Myst using only a small bit of the blood in my slick palm. I was going to need to kick my brain into high gear for this next bit.

I released my anchor in the ceiling. As I fell, I adjusted myself, pointing my feet down. While I flipped my body, I slipped from my coat, catching it in my teeth. The jacket blocked my vision as it fluttered about, but it was fine. I mentally measured out my fall and trajectory. Nothing I hadn’t done dozens of times before, only this time I had to do it mid-fall, while blind, and prepping a spell. Piece of cake… I hoped as I used the Mind Myst.

Room height: 30 ft = 9 meters and change. Mass = just under 85 lbs.

Draw 8 Vells of Water Myst.

Speed of descent = 5 m/s. Time till impact = Under 1 second and counting.

Apply 3 Vells of Earth Myst to the Water Myst to produce a slime-like substance.

The angle I’m looking for will be 43° right… about… NOW!

After aligning my gauntlet, I released my grappling hook. I thought I had everything in hand, but I was wrong. I didn’t equate the time for the hook to cross the distance and latch on. As I struck the floor feet first, I felt a bone snap in my left ankle. My mind hazed with a static of pain. Even with my developed pain tolerance, I would have lost my spell if not for that single Vell worth of Mind Myst. It was also thanks to the myst that I was aware of my hook taking anchor on the floor just past Rose. Without skipping a beat, I dropped to my ass and activated the retraction of my gauntlet again. I pulled myself, sliding across the floor feet first, as if riding an invisible sled, snatching the shirt from my mouth with my right hand, even if the reach was only just barely with the force of the pull from the tactical gauntlet on that hand. Now that I could see Rose, I could tell that she was both confused by my tactics and ready for anything. She held a long sword in her right hand, and that water whip extended from her left. 

I shaped the spell even as I zipped along the smooth stone floor. As I drew near, I saw Rose winding up for a chop, and I dearly hoped that she was not aiming for my neck. I doubted Tess could remount my head to my neck, and necromancy wasn’t exactly legal or ethical, for that matter.

As I drew in close to Rose at top speed, I saw her throw her swing at the same instant I flung my jacket at her. As I had hoped‌, it obscured her vision, her swing going high even as I dropped backward to avoid the strike. As the jacket draped over her head, I flew past. I waited till I was ten feet past Rose before I released my hook and spun myself to face her. I threw out my left hand, triggering my spell. 

Rose dropped her spell whip to throw off the obfuscating fabric. As she threw it aside, I released a swarm of viscous fluid tentacles. Eight slimy limbs lashed out and ensnared her arms and legs, binding her immobile. There was one Vell remaining in my Mystwell, and even as I watched Rose struggle to break free, I drew that last dreg of power. I had saved just enough blood held in reserve, still in my hand for this moment. I converted this last Vell into Dark Myst and infused it into my tendrils. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for a tier-one weakening hex. That should be enough to keep her from breaking free. As I infused this last bit of power into my already active spell, the grey-green translucent fluid grew veins of black that pulsed and throbbed. The veins spread up each slimy limb and even to just around where they touched Rose’s limbs, her veins seeming to bleed shadow. I lifted her from the floor, only a few inches, but enough to ensure she had no traction.

“Submit to my mighty power!” I said in a melodramatic villain tone, holding up my free hand in a fiendish, claw-like manner. 

I caught a twinge of an itch in my senses and snapped my gauntleted hand from claw to fist, aiming at my five o’clock without looking. “Don’t even think about it, Uncle. Bite the drake’s tail, and the drake snaps back.”

I risked a glance over my shoulder to find Thallos, dagger in hand, frozen mid-stalk. He straightened and held his hands out to either side, palms up in a sign of submission. I made note that he did not drop the dagger, instead only holding it pressed against the side of his hand by his thumb.

“Eww. Iver, I know you feel all big and badass right now, but did the tentacles have to be slimy?” Rose bemoaned in clear disgust even as she writhed against the spell.

“So, do you yield?” I asked with a broad smirk painting my lips. 

I had kept my head just slightly off-center from facing Rose to keep my peripheral on Thallos, and it paid off. I saw the motion of a step being taken and, without hesitation, released a wave of secorus gas in quick succession with my shock bites. A heartbeat before I could release an electric current, a dagger lanced through the cloud of dense gas to pierce through my gauntlet and the arm within. Not a moment later, I caught a glimpse of a flash of light from Rose. I turned back, only for a second to find her wielding a pair of long blades made up of pure light and dancing flame. The white light spread from her palms down her arms to meet and counter my curse. With an arcing whirl of a swing, she severed the four bonds on her left side, allowing her to hack away the remaining four with ease.

I whirled back toward Thallos in utter panic just in time to find a boot stomping down on my damaged gauntlet, pinning it to the floor. I let out a snarl of pain as I glared up at the Wild Elf. “Well, boy, I bit the drake’s tail, and when the drake turned to bite back, he found his teeth shattered on the plates of a dragon.”

Rose stepped up beside Thallos and pointed a light blade at my chest. “Dude, the next time you want to pull something gross and creepy, don’t, just don’t. Especially when it’s aimed at the girl you want to partner with.”

“You aren’t going to stop holding that over me, are you?” I half-heartedly accused. She had played the card so many times it was more annoying than embarrassing. 

She gave me a grin that showed no mercy for me anytime soon. “Not even a little.” Only a half-second after she gave me her answer, her light weapons flickered and sputtered before going out, vanishing and leaving nothing behind but a pocket of hot air. Rose staggered back with a shocked expression coming to her face. This set of events confused me, but before I could comment, Thallos spoke up.

“I’m glad to see you taking these lessons to heart so quick, boy. So here’s my next nugget of wisdom.” He stepped off my arm and knelt down to pull free his dagger. I winced and gasped at the pain of the blade pulling free, but I kept my focus on Thallos. “When you are outnumbered, and you know one opponent is your better, don’t toy with the others and keep your focus on the primary threat.”

“Keep my focus on the primary threat? What about don’t have tunnel vision? If I focused on you, then Rose would have come up from behind and made me eat dirt and leather.” I prodded, exposing a glaring flaw in his teachings.

Thallos gave me an annoyed look before pointing at me with the bloody tip of his freshly reacquired dagger. “Stop being stubborn and contrary, boy. You know full well you can do both. Keep your primary focus on the biggest threat while remaining aware of your surroundings. If you have a high-priority threat, then make sure your top priority is dealing with them, but keep total awareness of everything nearby. That way, Rose wouldn’t be able to get behind you.”

I sat up as I noticed Tess closing in at a jog. “Alright, I’ll admit that your point has merit.”

Tessa knelt down beside me and quickly set to mending my ankle. Thallos retracted his pointing dagger and tossed it into the air to dramatically catch it point first between two fingers as he stepped back. “And gem of wisdom, part two, don’t toy with your prey unless you’re completely sure you have them outmatched, and they have no backup.”

As soon as Tessa wrapped up on healing my busted ankle, I gave her an honest ‘thank you’ while I climbed to my feet. Thallos sheathed his sharp toy, and he asked, “You two ready for round three?”

I waited for Tessa to mend my forearms before I rolled my neck, forcing it to emit a series of pops. Then, I flexed and tested each limb, especially my fresh ankle. “Give me six minutes, and I’ll be good.”

“That fast?” Thallos asked in mild astonishment.

“Didn’t I tell you before? My myst recovery rate is two Vells a minute. Six minutes will have me just short of topped off with my below-average Mystwell capacity. Hopefully, after enough of this training, soon my Mystwell will increase. I’m getting really tired of a thirteen Vell max capacity.” I turned to Rose. “What about you, Rose? If you need, we can take a longer break for your Well to refill.”

Rose looked completely exhausted, her sagging posture only a single note that held the story of how weary she felt. She clutched her left arm in her right hand, clearly making an effort of will to remain on her feet. She shook her head, regaining a bit of the light in her eyes. “No, no, six minutes will be enough. Just give me some time to get my head together.” Without waiting for a response, she turned and made her way back to where her bag lay. She swayed slightly with each step.

I kept my eyes on Rose even as I addressed Thallos with a question. “What is the average myst recovery rate? I know mine is above average thanks to my therra’s regular body scan, but I don’t know how above average I am.”

Thallos shifted his stance and pinched his chin between his thumb and forefinger in thought. “Well, I’m no expert, but from what I’ve seen, I’d say the average recovery rate is about 1 Vell a minute or slightly less.”

It was my turn to be astonished. My recovery rate was twice that of a normal caster. “Then how common is it for someone to have a rate as quick as my own?” As I asked, I watched Rose rummaging through her bag and pulling free a water bottle before making a beeline for her nearest corner.

“Again, I’m not an expert, but from what I’ve noticed, it’s exceedingly uncommon to see anything above a Vell and a quarter every minute.”

Rose stood with her head bowed in the corner. Best I could tell, she was mustering her strength and trying to get back into a fighting mindset.

“So the likelihood of Rose having a rate as quick as mine is…”

“Slim.” Thallos finished.

“And you saw how worn out she was. I never thought I’d have more stamina than that beast of a woman.” I felt Thallos’s disapproving gaze on me for my choice of words. “Sorry, slip of the tongue.” I backpedaled.

My uncle cleared his throat as he moved past my accidental slur. “To answer your comment about stamina, you need to keep in mind how much more of this high-stress training you have had. Couple that with her lack of a spell focus means that casting spells will have a heavier toll on her body than you.”

I turned to focus my gaze on Thallos. “What’s this about a focus?”

He turned to fix me with an annoyed glare. “You can’t really be that dense boy. I know we’ve covered this before. Each caster classification has its own different affinity ratios. Each classification has a specific type of focus they need to cast spells safely. A Mage’s affinity ratios not only determine what class they are but also how they tap into their magic, meaning each has a different type of needed focus.”

“So what class is Rose, and what focus would she need?”

“I haven’t seen her ratios, but given the elements that she’s been using during training these past few weeks, I’d estimate either a Wizard with a reasonable Fire affinity or an Elementalist with a heavy Light affinity.”

“Which equates to what focus-wise?”

My uncle folded his arms over his chest and gave me a very heavy eye roll. “Now I know you should know this, you twit. Wizards use a gem-topped staff as a focus. Tricksters use Arcane Spider Silk Gloves.”

I snapped my fingers in recognition. “That’s right! And Sorcerers use a Catalyst Gryo Prysm, Bards have their instruments, and Elementalists use Evvetane Convergence Gauntlets.” I counted each off on my fingers with eager enthusiasm to show that I wasn’t a total fool. Before I could list off the rest, Thallos cut in.

“Yes, yes, you know basic classification facts. How very impressive.” My uncle’s words were dripping with sarcasm.

“Alright, oh, wise master and mentor,” This time, my words were the ones to carry the sarcastic notes. “Would you please enlighten me as to the dangers of using magic without a focus?”

“What?” He asked in evident confusion.

“You have yet to tell me what the threats of casting without a focus are.”

For the briefest heartbeat, I saw a look in his eyes that I did not like. A look that was cold, hungry, and pondering something deeper. But I blinked, and the look was gone.

“It’s a topic that I’d rather leave unexplored by students for a bit longer, but I think you’ve proven yourself wise enough to withhold this knowledge from…” He flicked his gaze to Rose, “Other parties that aren’t ready.”

I raised a speculative brow toward my strange master. “I’m listening.”

“Mages that use magic without a focus put their body under enormous strain. More complex spells have an escalating likelihood of spell failure. Spell failure can result in anything ranging from an earthquake to scale with the spell, an explosion or implosion, an elemental discharge wave, or the worst result being MCFS.”

“MCFS?” I asked.

“Myst Channel Feedback Spike. It can cause permanent brain damage, Mystwell damage, or at worst the feedback could cascade, the reaction continuing from the spell through the channel and into the Mystwell. At which point, the myst reaction uses up the myst of the Mystwell. This normally causes the caster to explode in a pretty gorey manner, letting out waves of densely concentrated myst of the elements the caster had an affinity for.” The tone of his voice was so factual and level as if he weren’t talking about the potential death of the girl that stole my heart.

As his explanation continued, I felt my face grow paler and paler by shades. “You’re telling me that at any given moment if Rose casts a spell, she could just explode in a shower of gore and possibly lethal myst?!” I hissed in exclamation.

“Keep your whiny voice down, nimrod.” He hissed back. “Besides, it’s only likely for complex spells. The only spell that she has cast all day that was even possibly a threat was that light and flame swords she just used on you. You need to keep in mind that she isn’t taking the same myst classes as you. You are being taught myst laws, mechanics, and methodology. She, on the other hand, I am only teaching her the basics until we can get her classification verified and have her trained on how to craft a focus.”

I gave the Wild Elf a disdainful glare. “Then why not verify her class and jump straight to the focus? And on the Matter of focuses… foci?” I was unsure as to the correct term for the plural, “Why am I being trained without a focus?” I knew the answer, but I felt like ruffling my uncle’s feathers a bit more. I was well aware that he knew I understood why I didn’t have a focus. 

He gave me a derisive sneer. “You know full well that your blood is your focus, and I swear by Raffendus’s mask. If you make me explain why you’re exempt from the physical elemental draw price, I’ll turn you into a dagger pincushion and make Tessa wait a whole three hours to heal you while I add them one by one.”

My joking ignorance suddenly got a lot less amusing. I gave an audible gulp before turning to check on Rose. She was still huddled in the corner with her water bottle. Quick to change the subject, I asked another question. “So if she most likely has a slower myst recovery rate, and her working without a focus is a tax on her body, then do you think she’s pushing herself to keep up an image?”

Thallos gave an amused snort as he turned to look at Rose just as I was. “I’ve been waiting for you to catch onto that farce. She’s been playing this game since she joined the training. She’s trying to prove that she can keep up with you and that’s why I haven’t verified her class or trained her on crafting a focus.”

“What?” That answer only raised more questions for me.

He gave me an amused huff before answering. “I’m pushing her. She needs to understand her limits without a focus to really understand what she can do with one. And the classification matters even more so.”

“Why?”

He turned back to me with a wide smirk. “Think of it this way. Wizards are well known for their talents in crafting and support spells. They often stick to noncombatant roles or support roles in adventuring parties. Now, say you didn’t know that you were a Wizard, and you are in rigorous combat training. What happens to you when you do learn that you are a Wizard?”

My tail flicked in agitation as I pondered the question. It didn’t take long for me to come to a conclusion. “You would think of your talents in a combat orientation as well as utilitarian uses. You would be a Wizard that knew how to be a threat with elements that wouldn’t normally be used that way.”

Thallos tapped the side of his nose with a finger in conformation.

“Speaking of support spells used for combat.” I brought up as the thought arose in my mind, “She made blades of pure Light. Light Myst is normally used to bless others and improve their natural attributes. I’ve heard that you could craft a weapon of solid Light or Dark Myst, but to my knowledge, it takes a lot of myst and a really high affinity. Wouldn’t that mean that when she did that, she put herself in serious danger with that spell?”

He gave a single deep nod of confirmation. “Five points, red fighter.”

I gave him an annoyed glare with my head cocked. “This is a sparring match. Why would you let her put herself in danger? Even at the most heartless, I’m pretty sure that she’s a valuable asset.” I pointed out.

“And you are right on that note. I never taught her how to condense raw Light Myst into a hard light form. She must’ve figured it out on her own. Before this next match, I’ll be sure to tell her the spell is barred.”

I gave a slow nod of agreement even as I thought to myself that I would need to ask Rose how she pulled it off. I had been trying the shadow blade trick for over a month and had no luck.

It was at this moment that Rose turned away from her corner, flexing her left arm in a test of the limb, before putting her water bottle away in her bag. She jogged back over to meet me and Thallos, clearly with some more pep in her step.

“Are you ready to get back to work?” I asked as she closed the distance.

“Damn straight snake tail. It took you guys a good fifteen minutes to stop bickering like children at the playground. So I took my time getting back into the zone.”

“Excuse me.” Came Thallos in warning.

Rose came skidding to a stop with a look of panic. “S-sorry, Mystagogue!” she stammered out in panic.

Thallos propped his hands on his hips. “I won’t lie, kid. You’ve got some chops and definitely some serious potential. But that doesn’t give you permission to talk to me like a fellow student.” He scolded.

“But Iver-” She started with an accusing finger aimed at me, but Thallos cut her off.

“But nothing, girl. It may look like I’m playing favorites with the boy because he’s family, but think about it. This boy closes up to authority out of fear, and he has all the social grace of a mule with a second ass instead of a head. I let him talk to me like he does because he’s more receptive to conversing with someone he thinks of as an equal. But don’t think that because this boy is a retard that means you can throw respect in the mulcher.” Thallos pointed his own accusing finger at me with the retard comment, and that verbal blade dug deep.

I knew I had problems. I had trouble communicating with strangers and making friends. I knew that most thought of me as eccentric and weird. But retard? Was I really mentally stunted or damaged? Was I really broken? My thoughts raced around this theme even as Thallos continued, unaware of the harm he caused.

“Girl, you need to understand that I tailor my training to each individual. This is why I normally only take on one pupil because, eventually, someone thinks it unfair. But I push you harder only if I know you can go farther. If things get hard, keep in mind what I think you can become if you can withstand the trials. Now, girl, before we start, I expect you to mend the floor you tore up. I’ll walk you through the steps to get it done. But both of you,” He turned to ensure that I was included in the talk, “Need to mend any damage you cause if you are at all able to even try.”

I was only dimly aware of his words. I heard them, but they had no meaning. I numbly looked on as I watched Thallos walk Rose through mending the floor. Before I knew it, he was ordering Rose to stand across from me. It wouldn’t be over-exaggerating to say that Rose completely decimated me in every match for the rest of that day and many days to come. But I wouldn’t let this mental block slip to anyone. I hide my weakness, shame, fear, and guilt from everyone. I would rather be physically weak than show emotional weakness. I would keep this bottled up for many days.