5 The Spirit Scroll and the Brewing War

Before returning to school, I studied my aptitudes and the best course to take them.

In magic, their is two circuition chains. The Elemental and the Law of Avani.

For the Elemental, it starts with Earth, Lightning, Wind, Fire then Water. An Element is weak to the next element and is strong to the element that comes first.

The same goes for the Law of Avani. From Light, Creation, Gravity, Space-Time then Darkness.

My highest aptitudes are Fire and Creation. For me to master all elements and laws, I will have to master this two first and then master the one it's strong against and work my way up to what it's weak against.

'Guess, this will take me a long time. But it's fine, as long as I stay resolute and vigilant, nothing should happen as long as I keep my abilities a secret. I just have to do my best not to attract attention until the time I've reached saint'

I put the scroll on the table and lay down on my bed.

Thoughts of the visions I've dreamt keeps appearing inside my head, I can both feel regret and pleasure as if their is two different person inside of me.

"Son!" father called out to me as he knocks.

"The court magician is here!" he added, that made me stand immediately.

"Please tell her to wait a moment, please send her to the waiting room"

"Okay!"

I opened the scroll and adjusted the information hidden. Furtive doesn't conceal my information, if your the one activating it, it would look like the paper is folding and the words just hides behind a longer word. I only hid my connection to Cináed and some of the blessing but other than that, I left as is.

I opened the door to the waiting room for nobles and she was there standing close to the window.

"Your here, so what's the result from the spirit scroll?" she looked at me and walked to sit on a three persons couch.

"Yes, here" I gave her my scroll.

"So you have furtive. That's lucky"

"I know, but I don't know how to use it yet"

"Well you'll have to research about it, they said that furtive works depending on the owner. Some said that they can hide their skills in different ways while others only one way"

"How?"

"I don't know, I don't have that blessing. Do you know how to advance in magic now?"

"Yes, master Pul lended me some books"

"Good, that just makes everything easier to explain" she tossed me a pile of papers sewed into a book and continued.

"All magic spells I know of are in there, even the spells I can't master, from easiest to the hardest spell to master" shishou is a talented magician but there are three laws she can't master Darkness, Light and Creation magic.

"Thanks, shishou"

"You're already thanking me. I take that you already know what I'm about to explain?"

"A bit, from easiest spell to master to the hardest spell to master. It's a guide to help me reach master in every element and law, right?" she only smiled.

"To be called a master magician, you will have to master at least 200 spells under an element or Avani law. While to be a saint, you have to master every element and Avani law" I already knew that but whatever, I just nodded and waited for her to continue.

"This has all the information you need to master the spells and the best way to achieve master in every element and Avani law"

"Shishou, I want to ask something?" she only gestured for me to continue.

"Do you have any idea why you can't master the other three Avani Law?"

"I really don't know, I follow the incantations and mindset, yet I can't seem to even cast one. Other magicians said that I had no deeper understanding about the other three even though I had an aptitude for Light magic"

(Does that mean that my knowledge from the other world would help me, like the animes and mangas I've watched and read. Hahah) 'lucky'

"What? did you say something"

"Ahh nothing, shishou. Has anyone reached saint before?"

"The first and the last magician who reached Saint was the magician who ousted the Spirit of Fire, Gahar Gözlegçi"

"How did he reach saint?"

"A lot of people said that he was talented, some said that he was a hard worker. But the said Dryads who only spoke to some said, it was far of the truth. A God gave him the power even though he didn't deserve it"

"A God? does that mean that the Gods are watching all of us?"

"I don't know really" that thought gave me a bad feeling.

"Shishou, can furtive be used on me?"

"What do you mean?"

"N-nothing" (for me to know if furtive can be used on me, I have to find or create a map that works like a GPS locator)

'But how' I was in deep thought.

"I guess you have an idea where to start now hahh"

"Ahh yes. Thank you very much shishou!"

"No problem, I'll have to leave now" she stood up then faced me again. "Your going back to your school tomorrow, right?"

"Yes"

"Then we will be seeing each other after 3years then"

"I guess so"

"Work hard. I'm looking forward to your development when I see you again"

"Yes, I will not betray your expectation"

She just smiled and looked at me as if we might not see each other again. (Why does she look like that, no that's impossible. She is the current most powerful magician not only in our kingdom but all the kingdoms. I'm just imagining things)

A war is currently brewing, between the Kingdom of Erkenntnis against all the kingdoms in this land, that could highly happen between the Dragon Valley and the Giants Forest. The Erkenntnis Kingdom, has the ability to keep the dragons from harming them but unable to control them, so it's highly possible that the war will occur at the Giants Forest. If that happens, the Zales Skala Kingdom will be either destroyed or seized by the enemy.

So they are currently evacuating the Zales Skala citizens and made sure to barricade the surrounding area so that the enemies can't advance from the South-West of this Lands.

(Well that's what I've heard from the other knights. Their is nothing to worry, shishou will be fine)

They can't enter Awakai kingdom a neutral kingdom, which is at the North-West of this lands and the closest to the Kingdom of Erkenntnis. It is said that the Kingdom itself is a Fortress. Erkenntnis have to approach by sea and if Awakai kingdom sees them on a battleship, they will be attacked by Awakai kingdom and be wiped out in a blink of an eye.

They also can't approach through the North-East, because that is where the Demi-humans resides. If they even plan to attack, they won't be wiped out but their ships will be easily destroyed. Even at the East and South-East of this lands, if they approach there, they will be attacked by humans who has weapons made by Dwarfs. The humans won't be able to do much but, they can easily buy enough time to request reinforcement and enough time for it to arrive.

They can also enter at the bottom South-East, from the Kingdom of Vrede Siek but if they do, they will be blocked by the hordes of the unnamed forest.

So the only ideal part of this lands for them to land is at the Zales Skala or the Dragons Valley.

The following day, I went back to the dorms. I was met by Al and the others.

"So how was the vacation?" Al asked

"Tssk, just because his a student of the Grand Court Magician, doesn't mean he can do as he please" well what do you expect, it was Asman who commented.

"I was not in a vacation, the-" nope, I can't tell them why or they might find something about me so I laughed, looked at Asman who was doubting me and continued.

"Heheh, was it that obvious?"

"Yappari!" Aý exclaimed, so I just smiled.

"Hahah, I just wanted to see shishou before she leave for the front lines"

"Then it is true" Aý sadly said.

"Sadly so" (Thanks to my parents and to master, I am now undoubtedly good in acting. I'm sorry, Aý)

"So what's the kingdom planning?" Asman asked.

"Not really sure, but I've heard from some of the knights that they are currently evacuating the Zales Skala" (Where Salkyn Seinsei came from)

"Then, are they planning to let the enemies land on the Dragon Valley and let the war take place between it and the Giants Forest" Al asked with a hint of excitement that isn't obvious if your not familiar with him. (Why is he excited?)

"What made you think that? If what you say is true, then is the Kingdom planning to use the Dragons on their advantage?" I said, as innocent as I can be. He smiled with disappointment.

"You didn't know that the Erkenntnis has the ability to sway the dragons from attacking them?" Al said

(Of course I know, I hate it when I need to look like an idiot)

"They can manipulate the dragons?" Aý asked.

"No, they can't. They can only prevent them from attacking" Al continued.

"That's still controlling, right? What if they develop a higher ability and they won't only avoid being attacked by the dragons but also able to manipulate them now. Maybe that's why they are planning to attack now, all this time"

That thought surprised us all, specially Al. (But is that even possible. No, it is possible. I better send a carrier to shishou as soon as possible. I know that she'll be surprised when suddenly, a bird approaches her but I already gave her the idea before she left the last time we met)

After classes, I immediately summoned one of my birds and attached the note to it's legs. I also gave shishou an idea of a barricade that can help the soldiers and knights. It was called Hesco walls in my old world but I'm sure this will help them with the dragons specially the archers and magicians. In this world it's use will not be just two but three uses.

A barricade, a fort and a trap. Hesco wall is made by digging a man height pathway, usually used by the Military in my old world. They can lay a few in front of the main fort, as traps and cover it with Earth magic, that way it won't be easily discovered by the enemy line.

They can undo the Earth magic and seal it again after the enemy falling in it, it's easy to manage and defend too. I let shishou decide how to call it in this world, I also told her the disadvantages of this idea but with magic and by just following my advise, they won't fall prey to it.

It will take time to plan specially with the topography of the lands of the Dragons Valley and the Giants Forest. I just hope that they are able to get ready before the enemies land.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

A bird was following Jady, the court magician as she rides a horse towards the settlement of the Elves in the Giants Forest. They were at the South-East part of the Forest which was not that far from the Kingdoms Capital. Jady was ordered to be the liaison to the Elves for the upcoming war. She was the only person who earned the respect of the Elves.

They were almost at the entrance of the settlement when she held out his elbow for the bird to land on his arm, that surprised the knights following her.

When the bird successfully landed on her arm, they already stopped at the entrance of the settlement. Even the elves was surprised by the spectacle.

"How do you know of bird carriers, Master Jady?" one of the guards asked her.

"Bird Carrier?" she asked as she stepped down from her horse.

"You do not know of it but you know how to receive it?" the guard was surprised even the other guards.

"Well, well, this is a sight to see. I wonder who thought you of our custom" an elf approached them, the elder who looked like a man on his prime. It was the current elder and leader of the settlement Görmek Yüregi, father of the the Yüregi twins.

"Custom?" Jady still puzzled.

"Bird Carrier is a way of communicating between Elves"

"You mean this?" then she touched her chin as if thinking something.

'Maybe someone thought him. But, his been asking me about this bird carrier since he was a child, when he hasn't even met an elf'

"Master Jady?" the elder called out to her.

"Ohh sorry, I have a student you see"

"A new apprentice?"

"Yes and you can say, his a genius yet not a genius"

"What do you mean?"

"He sometimes shows great knowledge then suddenly back to a naive child. His the one who thought me this way of communicating"

"Maybe someone thought him?"

"I thought so too. But, he is somewhat a distant kind of child. If you talk to him, he would speak but he isn't the kind to ask or give answers nor advise. So he doesn't have any other friends but one human who just found him interesting because he isn't someone easily swayed by a persons money or social standing"

"He does sound interesting"

"Yes, so for him to be thought by an elf is unlikely. So I thought he could have found out about it on his own, he is the kind of person who is loved by animals"

"A distant person that is loved by animals. I would love to meet him in the future"

"I'm sure you will" she only smiled and took the paper of the birds feet.

The bird then moved up to her shoulder.

"What the!? you can come off now" Jady gestured the bird to leave but it only flew for a while then landed again on her shoulder.

"This student of yours is an amazing animal tamer, the bird is waiting for you to write a reply and attach it to it's leg before it leaves"

"Then I have to put up with it?"

"No, i think you can let it rest on a stick or anything that looks like a branch that is near you"

"Really, then let us go" they walked inside the resettlement.

It was more like a tree house village instead of a resettlement. The houses was either built inside the trees trunk or was attached to its trunk. Beauty, Artistry yet simple can be obviously seen on every single house. If I'm gonna use the measuring of my old world, the trees was 120-160 meters in height and 20sqrm in width that made it possible to build a house inside it's trunk.

They approached the biggest and oldest looking tree in the resettlement and entered a door that is clearly between the bottom of the trunk and the root.

Jady, sat down on one of the chairs in the wide room that looks like the conference room. The bird then landed on the top rail of one of the chairs beside Jady.

"Good" she said to the bird.

She opened the paper and read through it. Until she reached a part of the letter, the possibilty that the enemy may now have the ability to control the Dragons. She felt weak on his knees, cause she can't brush away the possibility.

"Elder, can your people survey the landscape and the possibility of digging on the ground"

"Yes, of course" he gestured to one of the elves that was with them and the elf just bowed to both of them and left at once.

"May I ask what troubles you"

"Elder, you have vast knowledge of the Erkenntnis Kingdom. What do you think is the reason for them to attack us as soon as the Armistice ends?"

"That kingdom wants total domination of all humans, the agreement was made when the Saint Gahar was still alive. Because of his age, he was only able to lengthen the agreement to 3 Millennia, that means that they have been always waiting for the agreement to end"

"I understand that much, but even if they attack. If they flaunt this much movement means that they are confident on defeating us. If we Human, Elves, Dwarfs and Demi Humans work together, they will have low survival against us all, but why are they so confident?"

"What do you mean?"

"One of my students classmate, an Elf or I may say, your daughter said that the Erkenntnis may not only be able to avoid being attacked, but also can now control the dragons. That is why they are so confident on showing their movement"

"Are you claiming that they are looking down on us and telling that no matter what we do and how ready we are for war, against the dragons, we are powerless?"

"Yes, more or less"

"Then that is really a problem"

"We can't avoid the problem now, Elder. My student, gave me an advise for a defensive maneuver. That is why I requested a survey of the landscape"

"It will take a day or two. Will that be alright?"

"It's fine, as what my student said in this letter. Complete and detailed mapping of the area is one of the key on making this maneuver work"

"Can you elaborate" she explained what I wrote in the message.

"That is an amazing idea, so we just have to make sure that we aren't trapped and always ready for retreat so that the dragons won't be able to trap us?"

"Yes, that is one of the disadvantages of this tactic but my student said that depending on the landscape, the effectiveness of it can rise or lower"

"That is fine, as long as we are ready for anything. What my daughter speculated may be true or not, as long as we stay vigilant" he looked at Jady with ease.

"Yes. As soon as we get the mapping, I will send a copy to my student. He might be able to help on the planning" the elder only smiled and nodded.

"We are fortunate that the next generation is perceptive" he said.

"Yes, we are" she only agreed.

After two days, Jady sent the copy of the mapping to me. I was not a tactician, but I was good in catastrophising and made every adjustment from every scenario I could think of.

'That should be good enough' I attached the paper to my birds leg and sent it off after feeding it.

It was already sundown when the carrier arrived to shishou. The bird was pacing above the tree house where Jady was staying, she came out and held out her hand.

She immediately went to the conference room of the elves, opened the map and explained the details.

The next day, they went to the border of the Giants Forest and started the digging which went smoothly because of the Elves magic capabilities.

They also laid some over the border which was already at the Dragons Valleys side.

"Thank the Gods, you Elves are capable of long distance casting"

"I also think that your apprentice has given consideration of this possibility of casting, that's why he included that those holes can be disregarded if it's not possible" she was surprised and just nodded as the elder continues.

"Did you teach him war strategy?"

"No, at the end of the letter. He said that he was not a tactician, that's why he said to review everything before going forward to his plan"

"The more I here about him, the more I become intrigued"

"I understand why you feel so"

The holes has to be done around the Dragons Valley and lastly done on the Zales Skala after the evacuation. Then the fort will be done about a kilometer from the border. The whole plan was put into confidentiality prior to my request, only shishou and the Elves know of it until the day of the war.

Why? I have been feeling uneasy, I feel like someone is watching our kingdoms every move, so I made sure to also warn shishou about it.

I asked shishou to take the Zales Skala citizens under surveillance, specially those who leaves. And if even one person who are watching those people doesn't return, they have to consider the possibility of the war plan uncovered by the enemy. It was reported before that, there were known movement at the North-East of the Eekenntnis Kingdom that is the easiest way to get to Zales Skala, that can't be easily seen except when your from the Awakai kingdom. Shishou, put someone under cover to watch the Erkenntnis under the Awakai kingdom.

Which was very resourceful of her, and I admire that person who took the mission that has grate danger and would like to meet that person.

In this world, you should forget about common sense and always think of every possibilty that is under the consideration of every aspect in this world. In other words, being paranoid is the way to survive.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

It has been weeks since I sent the plans on digging those pathways. I was able to concentrate on mastering some spells.

The Dark magic, Alteration spell didn't quite gave me the outcome I was hoping for, good thing I also read the Book of light magic Master Pul lended to me.

I found a spell under Light magic that alters the light so that a person would seem invisible from someones vision. It was a simple magic, but it just makes a person blurry to someones vision, if another person looked at a different angle, the person using the spell will be found out.

Then I thought of adding some Scientific calculations from my world, and made it a perfect Invisibility magic which can be said an original spell.

It doesn't alters the light, but instead it let the light pass through my body mass. Instead of my body absorbing the light and lets me be seen by another person, I make the light pass through me like a translucent water. It is a very dangerous magic that cannot be used by just any magician, they have to have my knowledge from my old world. It's hard to explain but for those who love science, you might understand hahah.

Then next one was a spell to create a golem which is under creation magic, but I tinkered a bit on the spell to let the golem look like me.

I've also surveyed the dorms at night and found out that all the students are surely fast asleep only at midnight. That only gives me from midnight to sunrise to train at the unnamed forest.

I will have to go back to my room after class and sleep, then wake up at midnight, which was not really a problem cause that's what I've been doing from the first day of school. I think no one will question it, except for Al, I guess I will have to consider a time that I will spend with him to make sure he doesn't find out.

A few weeks more, I have perfected the two spells that will help me ensure that no one finds out about my secret training. I tried the invisibility around the dorms, I even tried it to Al and made sure that he wasn't faking it. While the Golem shrinks to look like a miniature me, when I want it to, so that I don't have to remake him everytime.

I was set to start my training in the forest, when suddenly.

"Adam" Al was the one knocking at my door.

"Yes?" as I opened the door.

"Do you want to go to the forest?"

"Forest?"

"The unnamed forest, I've been expecting you to take some secret training at that forest and been waiting for you to ask me. I even thought that you have been already going there cause, you always go back here in your room after class" (shoot I have to thread carefully)

"I want to if your going, but"

"Are you worried someone finding out?"

"Yes, you know that I was only accepted here under shishous recommendation. If ever-"

'Tssk' that made me look at him.

(did I just here him click his tongue with a disappointed tone) Al continued.

"Yeah, I guess so. But you want to, right?"

"Yes" making sure to sound uncertain.

"Okay, I won't force you. Lets just ask for permission, I'm sure their gonna let us go, given our skills" he smiled as he held my shoulders.

"T-thank you for understanding Al"

"No worries" then he left.

I just can't shake this feeling that Al is hiding something, that is why I haven't told him much about me. I do trust him, but not to the extent that I would tell him all my abilities, my past and secrets.

(I will have to postpone my training tonight, I'll start next week instead)

The next day, me and Al came to the Principals office to ask for permission to train at the unnamed forest and was given a paper of permission.

We are allowed to go to the forest only at free times and are only allowed for a limited time everyday. Which greatly favored me, I get to train openly in the morning which will support my reason to go back to my room after classes.

I'm really thankful to shishou for giving me the Spirit Scroll, it helps me decide which stance and spell I can only use openly and what is to train secretly.

I again adjusted the furtive on my scroll, which hides my skills Senior swordsman to Master swordsman and spells under Magician. The Stances and Spells only shows itself when I'm the one opening the scroll.

I started my night training and it's been a month now. I was able to master about more than a hundred fire spells, only more than 70 spells left and I will be a Fire Elemental Master. But I plan to master evey single spell written in this book given to me by shishou before moving to Wind Magic.

Thanks to this Forest and it's endless monsters, it has been faster for me to master spells. I'm also slowly getting the gist of the fastest way to master spells.

(Could this forest monsters respawn. That is possible cause it seems that everytime I come here, the number doesn't even dwindle)

More months had passed, the preparation for the war continues and is reported to the citizens every other day. Except for the information about the plan I gave to shishou.

But the report today was different.

"The war is expected to start 73 days from now or even earlier. Movements from the Erkenntnis are clearly seen from the Yerkusi Kesy Kingdom. Ships are piling at the South-West of the Erkenntnis Kingdom and are expected to sail 18-25 days from now. And depending on the weather, they will arrive 40-50 days from now"

The citizens fell into a commotion, but they immediately silence as the Grand Court Magician steps up on the stage.

"I know that a lot of you are uneasy about this war. The Erkenntnis are known to be arduous to kill, but so are we. Let us show them that we the Humans, Elves, Dwarfs and Lycanthropes are more fearsome that what they take us for. We will end this war with triumph on our side and this war will put every individuals name in history. Our history winning this World War"

Knights, Nobles, Soldiers even Commoners shouted in cheer to her proclamation. Commotion again fell over the people, but it wasn't like the first time, it was now excitement.

But naive of what was happening. Hordes of Undead and every kind of Monsters lines up on their individual territories without anyone's knowledge.

And a smile in the shadows continues to hide itself.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

"Sir, we are scheduled to finish stocking supplies on the ships in 19 days" a slim man with a bright orange colored long hair said to a tall and mascular man. They were the same people from the Nemir Valley.

"Can't you make them finish it faster?" the man tall mascular man said.

"The soldiers are already doing their best, sir"

"Tssk. Call Liebhaber"

"Yes, sir" he answered with discontent in his face.

He went to a post near the entrance of the kingdom and there he approached a woman, the woman who was with them at Nemir Valley.

"What do you need Misstrausch" she said annoyed.

"Captain Gefürchtet, called for you" she smiled and walked as fast as she can towards the Admiral.

They arrived at a tent, near the ships.

"You called, sir" her smile was ear to ear.

"What have you been doing?" she then became nervous that made Misstrauisch smile.

"I, I was at the post at the Kingdom gate" the Admiral only raised his hand to stop her.

"I told you to accompany Verdeckt in reconnaissance at Poznaniye"

"I don't want to go anywhere far from you"

'Tssk' Misstrauisch annoyed.

"Hahahah, I know you know I enjoy your blind loyalty to me. But" he suddenly became furious "Your loyalty is useless to me if you can't follow my orders!"

That made the woman shiver as she lowers her head. When suddenly the person they were talking about appeared in front of the Admiral.

"Sir" while kneeling down on one knee.

"What is the enemies status?"

"The only thing I have found out is that they are carrying supplies to the Giants Forest for the upcoming war. I've been trying to locate the Court magician but every time she uses teleportation magic, she doesn't even leave a trace for me to follow"

"So the rumors were true, she has mastered Space-Time magic"

"I'm afraid so"

"That is no problem, even if we can't learn her movements. That doesn't mean that they have a chance in winning this war" A short man entered the tent as he spoke those words.

"Grausam is right, sir!" Liebhaber shouted.

"Stop your nonsense, your just finding a way to divert the issue with you" Misstrauisch said.

"What did you say!"

"Enough. Verdeckt, you don't have to go back there for now. All of you, assist the soldiers with the supplies so we can leave as soon as possible. The element of surprise is already on our side, we have to arrive at the Dragons Valley before they realize what is happening."

"Yes, sir"

"We will sail in 15 days" they only stood in attention, saluted and left the tent.

"I will make sure to kill every single person who stands in our way. Until no moral and only despair is left in their hearts" he said as he stood and left his tent smiling.