The First Archmage

Closing my eyes, I follow the instructions on the papers Matthew left me. Focus on my health itself – not a resource flowing throughout me, but on my health, on the state of my body. Visualize it within me, the state of my flesh, my blood, my bones.

A force that doesn’t just flow through me, but permeates every aspect within me. And as soon as I sense it – grasp it, grab it, and pull it. Opening my eyes, I watch as a violet glow forms between my hands.

Skill Gained!

Health Manipulation 1/10: The ability to manipulate the Health that permeates every aspect of your being.

I grab my knife and slice my forearm, then focus on the wound, manipulating my Health to seal it back up, and after a few moments, the wound glows violet as it regenerates.

Skill Gained!

Life Restore 1/10: The ability to manipulate your Health into healing power within yourself.

A Tier II spell…

I try the other two spells Matthew left me, gaining each of them quickly, both also at Tier II.

Skill Gained!

Strong Body 1/10: Manipulate the Health within into a greater defense.

Skill Gained!

Strong Grip 1/10: Manipulate your Health to enhance the STR of your grip.

The two Expansion techniques come to me quickly as well.

Skill Gained!

Vora Health Expansion Technique 1/10: Increases your Health Pool. Mastering this Skill renders it inert.

Skill Gained!

Tini Health Expansion Technique 1/10: Increases your Health Pool. Mastering this Skill renders it inert.

I send the six papers into my ring, then close my eyes and sigh.

Sorry, Michael. I didn’t mean to scare you like that, I just had to make sure your father wouldn’t try to manipulate me or Jozan. I hope you can forgive me for that.

The Skills gained, I make my way to the Guild Hall to train, flashing Strong Body and Strong Grip every now and then, when my Health is full, to boost them a little, getting each to Level 3 before I arrive. The boost from my Bloodline is massive, to boost them that fast. I only used each a couple of times.

At the Guild Hall, I make my way into the training room and get to work on mastering Lightning Bolt and Air Bolt. I master them before I’m even halfway done with my Mana, and I’ve gained the Manipulations for both of them – and raised them to Level 3, too.

Instead of learning the other two spells they gave me, I decide to work on my Resistances a little bit. Leveling Manipulation at the same time will only be a bonus.

I manipulate some of my Mana into Lightning, and run it up and down my forearm, ignoring the pain that fills me, gritting my teeth as I watch my flesh turn pink, then burn.

Skill Gained!

Lightning Resistance 1/10: The power to resist electrical power

I continue to shock myself, using Life Restore when it gets to be too much. By the time my Mana is down to a quarter of full – which takes an hour, when adding in my Regeneration – I have mastered Lightning Resistance and Pain Resistance, and even Heat Resistance. I guess Lightning does have a bit of heat, doesn’t it?

Each one gave me 20 Dekami Experience for Mastering, and I get to work on Air Resistance, allowing it to swirl around my body and flow across me, wearing at my skin, until I run out of Mana, but I Master the resistance anyway.

Life Restore only made it to Level 4, and the Manipulations for the two elements made it to Level 7. Health Manipulation reached Level 4.

My Mana Pool empty, I figure it’s a good time to work on expanding it, closing my eyes and ignoring the boundaries I set myself previous, watching as the notifications tick by until the final one appears.

Taihi Mana Expansion Technique has reached Level 10!

+10 Dekami Experience!

+10 Wizard Experience!

Taihi Mana Expansion Technique will no longer affect your Mana Pool.

I then do the same for my Health, feeling myself grow faint as I do, already foggy from the use of Mana, the pain I just suffered, and expanding my Mana Pool. But I manage to master both of those, gaining an additional 20 Health from each.

It might have been better to wait until I had a Class where mastering those would have boosted it, like I’m doing with Heated Steel. Especially since it’s not like I needed the extra 40 Health, and I would’ve gained the Dekami Experience from other stuff, anyway.

Once I finish that, I stretch, then decide to go to my usual restaurant for lunch, and return to training after, though in the Dungeon. I think this will be what I do, until I’m satisfied. Train in magic in the mornings, then in the Dungeon later, to bring Dekami up.

Settling into this rhythm, that’s what I do for around two weeks, gaining around 200 Dekami Experience a day until it gains a Level, then around 300 a Day, then 400 a day. I gain twice as much Archwizard Experience as I do Dekami Experience, in the Dungeon.

That’s ignoring the Experience gained from the spells I learn, both from the Guild and from the Grimoire.

The Tier I spells I’ve learned, in the last fifteen days, are: Air Slash, Static Shield, Waterbolt, Icebolt, Shadowbolt, Lightbolt, and Stonebolt. I’ve mastered each of them, and their respective Resistances and Manipulations. I also worked on Fire’s Manipulation and Resistance.

I’ve also learned a Tier II Ice spell: Ice Lance. It’s strong, it’s powerful, and it’s dangerous. I managed to bring it up to Level 6.

Looking at my stats, I determine that I have quite a lot of good things, now. I’m powerful, and I’ve even unlocked what are apparently ‘special’ things, one each time a stat went up to 150, and they’re all damn nice, too, even if some are only slight improvements to what I had before.

Right now, I’m trying to decide if I want to switch my Dekami Experience back to Human Experience, and change where my Class Experience is going. Archwizard is at Level 21, so I could let it gain three more Levels, then rest right before Level 25 so it won’t take me long to hit that, then grab Novice and bring it and the others up to the second Tier, or I could just stop now and work on other Classes.

I take a look at the Tier I Classes I can take on directly relating to magic. In addition to Novice, I have various Elemental Novices, probably from the Manipulations being mastered. Then there are two more that really stand out.

Mystic Novice (Level 1)(Rare): A magician who has learned a wide variety of magics and elements, he dabbles in all areas of magic itself. +2 INT, +1 MNA every third Level

Adept of Kar (Level 1)(Mythical): A magician who has pleased Kar, your powers are enhanced through affiliation with him. +1 INT, MNP, MNA each Level, +10% to learning and Leveling magics and Techniques of Kar. Invulnerability in any Territory of Kar.

Adept of Kar, and it’s a Mythical Class, just like Wizard. The bonus is kind of amusing, because it pales against all of my Dekami bonuses, but most people probably don’t have such an unfair Bloodline boosting them. I wonder what MNP is. Probably has to do with Mana, considering what I have it through.

I take on Adept of Kar, and after dismissing the acceptance message, read the next one.

Mana Power is now visible!

Current MNP: 208

So that is why my Mana is so much higher than my Mana Affinity should make it. I wonder why Mana Power was hidden instead of locked. From what I know, most people don’t even know it exists. I’ll ask Warren what he knows about it, the next time I see him.

Thinking of Warren, I sigh. Michael hasn’t returned from wherever his father took him. Probably back to their tribe. He’s still in my party, but his stats are stable, so I’ve no clue if he’s doing anything to gain Experience, or if he’s lost the bonus he had for working toward his goal. I feel really, really bad about doing that to him.

I should check in on my other party member, to see how he’s doing. He’s getting stronger, and I’m wondering if he’s gotten a buff of some kind. Pulling up his interface, I confirm it.

Buffs Active:

Spirit of Elikar (Experience): Grants +1000% Experience from killing

Elikar must be one of the spirits hanging around him. I wonder if Warren knows about his bonus. Deciding to talk to him, I slide off my bed. Do this now, instead of tomorrow, I guess.

Gavin.

I glance over at the Rift opening up, the head of a Rift Wolf coming through. It’s the same one that stripped away my Affinities before.

“The fuck do you want?” I ask.

I sensed the strength you gained.

“You’re not taking that away, either.”

I wasn’t planning on it. Have you come to understand why I stripped away your Affinities yet?

“No, and I’m still pissed.”

Think about what happens when you use too much Mana too fast, when you expand your Mana Pool and make it denser. That fogginess is only the start. Then, you feel that pain. Your Resistances only remove up to a certain amount, not negate it fully. Negating something is impossible through a Resistance.

Do you know why your body reacted that way?

“I expanded it and made it denser faster than it could adapt to,” I say. “It’s different from increasing it through stuff like use and Levels.”

And exerting yourself?

“The mental cost of using it.”

Indeed. And without resting yourself properly, it only grows worse, yes?

“Correct,” I say. “So what’s your point?”

You unlocked nine Affinities. That was a powerful influx of power for you. Yes, it was always there, not even locked, just not visible to you. You seek to grow stronger, so you can restore Jozan. You ignored the pain you were suffering to have a higher Mana Pool. You’ve calmed down from that now, but imagine what would have happened, had you done that with the others – had you not had the lessons you’ve faced.

“I-” I start to argue with him, but stop.

I would’ve put myself at risk. I lost 2 LIF from making my Mana denser, and have been far more careful after Collin got angry at me. Had the stuff that happened here not happened, I would’ve kept going and possibly crippled myself permanently.

“Why’d you send me back here?”

Several reasons, and I’m glad you understand why I bound your Affinities. Now that you’ve calmed down, I felt it possible to actually discuss it with you. There are two reasons I’ll tell you now. The first is that the Ancient Order encouraged people to grow stronger. They wouldn’t have stopped you, nor given you the lessons you gained here. You would be dead right now, had I not returned you.

The second reason… is that even we Rift Wolves – as well as many Divine Beings – believe it best if Jozan is restored. Jozan stood for more than just a place to learn magic freely, until Robert’s Council began to corrupt it a couple of centuries ago. Jozan is part of a trinity of forces, and so long as they live on, a certain force will remain sealed away. You have little more than five years now, before that seal breaks, unless Jozan is restored. That is why Nies gave you the time limit of five years for the Blood Quest – to ensure the seal would begin healing in time.

“Did Chief know about that?” I ask.

Chief always said that Jozan existed for a reason, and that we should always support it, no matter what happens. He said that Jozan was one of the best places in the world to live.

Yes. Chief knew of it, as did Natalie and King Wesley, then there was also Temperance, King Robert, Matthew, and a few others you probably haven’t heard about.

“Elijah Mountainstep?”

He is the one you call Chief, and he is very much alive. An Adventurer with the Class of High Priest of Kar isn’t killed so easily, and he was a Mountain Knight long before that. Kar, Jozan, and Kaz are the three aspects of the trinity. Kar is the guardian of borders, while Kaz is the guardian of peace. Jozan is the catalyst that binds the two together.

“Where is Chief at?”

Calm, pup. You will see Chief again, when you are ready to lead the resistance to victory in Jozan. I know you want to see the man you consider your father again, but all things in time. And Gavin, I am sorry that I did what I did to you, and I hope you can forgive me for it. I did what I felt was best for both you and Jozan.

“Thank you,” I walk forward, placing a hand on his forehead. “I really want to see Chief again. He taught me everything, and I want to show him how strong I’ve gotten, now.”

Chief taught me everything I know about Jozan, he taught me its history. But he never taught me about the seal. He has to know, though, if he’s got such a powerful Class from Kar. At least I know why the time limit was given to me as five years, when I said I’d take as long as needed.

I know you do, pup, and you will. For now, you need to train and grow stronger. You will be reuniting with acquaintances soon enough, and you need to be here when that happens.

Apart from the three things I’ve already done – letting you know why I did what I did, that Chief is very much alive, and the true reason Chief cemented a loyalty to your homeland into you and all those in the Village of Kar, I have one more thing, and you might not be happy with it.

“What’s that?” I ask.

I want to bind your Bloodline. You’ll still have its effects, but you won’t be able to gain Experience for it.

“Why?” I ask.

You’ve gained three Levels in fifteen days. Your stats are almost double what they were a month ago, and you’re already Leveling quickly. I’m sure you’ve felt a fogginess in your mind these last few days. You need to rest, and allow your body to adapt once more. It is best if you do not Level your Bloodline again until you are an adult.

“Four more years?”

Two to four, depending on which realm we’re considering adults from. Or negative years, for some. Kar considers it sixteen, others consider it eighteen. When you’re sixteen, I’ll look to see if there’s a threat to your life if you gain power that quickly again.

“What about from my Classes and stuff?” I ask. “I’ll gain stats quickly, and-”

Not like Dekami. Yes, you’ll gain stats quickly, but Dekami is a Bloodline that feeds its own growth. You’d gain power too fast and unlock too many things. Sure, you could master a Tier I Class in a few weeks at most, but for what? A dozen stats? A month or two for a Tier II Class for a couple dozen stats? Five days for hundreds of stats is entirely different. The bind is so that, if you don’t take on a subspecies when able to, it won’t automatically start sending Experience to Dekami. Experience has to go somewhere, and you can’t convert Species Experience to Class Experience. Going somewhere, exempting if there’s no other option, and you can’t tell it not to direct Experience to the only place available. Being a Rift Wolf, that rule doesn’t apply to me.

“What happens if I keep gaining Dekami Levels?” I ask.

The last person to unlock their Dekami Bloodline and Level it did so as an adult. He mastered it within a year. He’d lived for three hundred years before then, and lost so much LIF that he’d gained negative LIF from Dekami, and the only reason he was still alive was because he still had an extra eighty years left in his natural lifespan. He also had a variety of other issues, such as penalties to his Resources from expanding them too quickly, his mind was shattered from what happened, and more. You would never function again. I risked you damaging yourself just by allowing you to reach Level 5 so quickly.

He’s silent after saying that, and I digest what he says. Maybe it is better he bind my Bloodline. I’m not sure how well I can trust him, but I know he’s right, even if I can’t trust him. It is better if I don’t continue to gain so much power so fast.

“What about my Species?” I ask. “With my Bloodline’s bonus, I’ll Level it and my Classes quickly. Won’t that be a lot of a flux, too? Especially as it goes up in Tiers?”

Indeed, the wolf nods its massive head, the first movement its made since it showed up. However, it still won’t be enough of a boost to affect you adversely, and I’m sure you’ll rest when you need to, which will stem the flow. With Dekami, things are simply too risky.

“Alright,” I drop my hand down to my side. His fur is so soft and silky, I forgot I was even touching him. “I’ll let you bind my Bloodline.”

His eyes glow with an otherworldly light, then return to normal.

It is done. I will tell you this, pup – you can gain the Mana Mage Title, now. It’s the Tier II version of Thick Mana. You won’t cripple yourself with it the way you did previously, though you’ll still be out for a few days. You’ll probably lose around 5 LIF, which is far less than you would have before. If you push to an additional 3 MNA per session twice a day by making your Mana denser, without utilizing any other form of increasing your Pool size, you’ll probably achieve it in about a month of trying straight. At 500 Mana or so, you’d need to gain around 200 Mana through density to acquire it, I think. It might be 300 Mana. So if you want to hinder all progress for a month, month and a half, go for it. If you don’t do it now, you’ll have to wait until after you restore Jozan, despite possibly having the time to do it, though it’ll take far, far more to do it.

To note: you’re safe gaining around point-six percent of your total Mana through making it denser each day, as well as from other sources, such as expansion. This is combined, by the way. And I’d like to inform you that the Grimoire you possess contains ten ways to increase Mana. Each method of Expansion for a Resource grants twenty before it hits Level 10. So that’s an extra 200 Mana you can gain. I’m sure it’ll take you a few months to manage them all.

“Are you challenging me on that?”

Possibly. Thank you, for your understanding, Gavin. I’ll return when it’s safe for you to gain more Dekami Levels, though ask you allow me to bind them again, once you reach another couple.

“Depends on my mood when you come.”

I’m sure. Goodbye, pup. I will see you again.

The Rift Wolf leaves, and I sit down, closing my eyes as I think about what just happened, and wondering what acquaintances I’m going to be seeing soon. The only ones I can think of would be Collin, Natalie, Professor Temp, Chief, Kade, and Tyler. Maybe Bryant, if he’s still alive.

Shaking my head, I take let out a sigh. I can figure that out some other time.