"Sit down and make yourself comfortable. Unlike other Disciplines, Will requires meticulous study and and patience to accumulate knowledge." Weaver pointed to the boy sitting on a flat rock. He nevertheless remained standing.
"Well, let's start with some basic information, but it took centuries of study by the brightest minds among Will users to uncover it. So pay close attention and don't make ancient wizards turn over in anger in their tombs."
Archimedes nodded vigorously. He found it fun to use a sword and bow, but his interest was entirely in magic.
Seeing the boy's excitement and that he was paying attention, Weaver cleared his throat and spoke after organizing his thoughts.
"Will or Will Power, can be traced back to the Old Kingdom, from the birth of William Black. Not a lot is known of Black's childhood, but as an adult, he was able to protect his village from attack, as well as perform feats that would require the strength of ten grown men, with his powers of mind. These acts soon became celebrated as the Powers of Will."
"After Black annihilated The Court and crowned himself Archon, his Will power had become so great that the world seemed to re-shape itself following his wishes; cities were erected in mere weeks, and machines were built that ran on Will power alone."
'Old Kingdom? William Black? The Court? Archon?' Several question marks appeared above Archimedes' head. He remembered reading some books about it, but he treated it as a children's story. It seemed that he would need to revise a history book to brush up on this information.
"At the time, only Black seemed capable of such feats, but his descendants also inherited his powers, which we call the Disciplines today."
"To create these miraculous acts, we use an energy that comes from our souls, which we call mana. Many theorize that our souls are connected to a dimension called Ether, where only mana exists, but I'm getting off topic here." Weaver seemed to have lost his way, but clearing his throat, he returned to the topic.
"Now that you know about mana, close your eyes and focus inward. Mana is etheric to the human eye, but it can be seen when it's still inside us. Our brains interpret mana in different ways, so don't be alarmed by what you see."
Archimedes nodded before closing his eyes, regulating his breathing, and focusing inward. The sound of the waterfall and the wind hitting his face helped him enter a meditative state. He remained like that for several minutes, until his mind stopped wandering.
At first, his vision was completely dark, as expected, because his eyelids were closed. However, he began to notice small white dots in the darkness. The more he concentrated, the more he saw until his vision was full of white dots and spaces of darkness.
"Can you see it? What does your mana look like? Could you tell me?"
Archimedes frowned, his eyes still closed. Translating what he was seeing seemed difficult, but he tried.
"My vision is full of white dots, but they are not constant; They don't stay in one place, but move around everywhere. It's like old television static."
"Well... I have no idea what a television is, you young people seem to invent new terms that I can't keep up with. But I suppose you can see your internal Mana."
"Yeah, I can see."
"All right, we can continue with our training. You see, mana itself isn't that lethal, but it can be used in truly deadly applications." Weaver snapped his fingers, making a fireball appear in the palm of his hands.
Archimedes looked on in amazement and tried the same, but no matter how many times he snapped his fingers, nothing happened. Frustrated, he got up and moved his hand closer to the fire, and he could feel the heat emanating from it. It wasn't an illusion.
"Understand that, kid. Mana follows a wizard's Will, but for that, you need a strong and precise mental image. I've recited the chant of this spell so many times that just the click of my fingers makes my mind imagine a fireball."
Weaver clenched his hand, and when he opened it again, the fireball had disappeared. He smiled when he saw the boy's silly face, his eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head.
"Will is dangerous when you have no idea what it's doing, so we all start with chants to restrict our imagination. Now I'm going to teach you the Lightning Bolts chant."
"Ó Mana... fiat... fulgur... per manus meas, magno impetu percutiantur... hostes mei... ante me." Weaver paused so that Archimedes could memorize the chant, but also so that he wouldn't create a mental image and send the spell unintentionally.
Archimedes closed his eyes and repeated each word individually. He vaguely understood the meaning of each word, as it was like the language they spoke, but more archaic.
"Were you able to memorize it? If so, try to hit that mannequin." Weaver pointed to a straw dummy, which looked battered, and there were several scorched spots.
Archimedes nodded and raised both hands, and began to chant the spell.
"Ó Mana fiat fulgur per manus meas," Archimedes saw the white dots begin to shake and run towards their arms, but halfway there, they turned blue and erratic, like lightning.
"Magno impetu percutiantur hostes mei ante me!"
ZZzzzzzzz
A blue discharge exploded from his fingers, cutting through the air towards the straw doll. Archimedes saw the white dots continue to flow into his hands, but eventually they ended, and everything returned to darkness, the spell ceasing just as all the white dots disappeared.
Archimedes was paralyzed with his hands still raised in the position, his mouth was so open that it could fit an egg in it. The spell only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to leave a burn mark on the mannequin.
"OH Whoooa! I did it, I did magic!"
More impressed was Weaver, who looked at Archimedes as if he were a rough diamond. A hero with talent in all three disciplines!
The boy had the Archon Bloodline!
Weaver snapped out of his daze. He tried to pull himself together, but the excited voice betrayed him.
"Excellent use of Will, but it looks like all your mana has run out. Don't worry, your soul will slowly regenerate its mana. Just remember not to use spells inside the Guild when your mana is fully restored; when you want to cast spells, come to the training areas."
"It's already lunchtime, and I believe you skipped breakfast." Weaver began to walk away, his steps a little hurried. "Tomorrow, we will continue with your training. I'll also provide you with age-appropriate clothing. For now, feel free, the Guild is your home."
"Thank you for guiding me so far, Guild Master." Archimedes bowed slightly, his right hand on his heart.
Archimedes' stomach rumbled, but he ignored it and sat down again. Closing his eyes, he could see the mana again. There were a few white dots that could be counted, but more of them began to appear.
"Mana, magic, Will. So fantastic!" Archimedes murmured, watching his internal mana return to looking like television static. Various ideas and doubts filled his mind.
Was Mana omnipontent? Does Mana have limits and follow laws? Could he use the knowledge of the modern world in Will? How could he increase the mana capacity he possessed? Was Will separated into schools like in The Elder Scrolls?
Opening his eyes, Archimedes let out a deep sigh.
"It looks like I'll need to bother the Master Guild in advance for more answers. But first, I need to eat."
Archimedes stood up and brushed the dust off his clothes, his eyes turning to the mannequin.
"I'm just going to cast one more spell before I eat. It won't hurt anyone." Archimedes pointed his hands at the poor straw dummy, Weaver's voice echoing in his mind.
Mana follows a wizard's Will, but for that, you need a strong and precise mental image.
But also.
Will is dangerous when you have no idea what it's doing, so we all start with chants to restrict our imagination.
Archimedes remembered every word of the chant and thought about the purpose of each one.
"Those chants, it's brilliant," Archimedes murmured, his voice trembling with emotion. "It's like they're... a programming language. Each word is a step, an instruction. Input, process, output."
"'Ó mana' summons energy. 'Fiat (transform yourself)' orders mana to turn into something."
"'Fulgur (lightning)' defines the element. 'Per manus meas (through my hands)' determines the exit point."
"'Magno impetu percutiantur (hit with great force)' defines the intensity, 'hostes mei (my enemies)' determines the target. 'Ante me (in front of me)' tells the direction."
"This is so well structured... how many years and failures did it take for this chant to be created?"
"And yet..."
Archimedes closed his eyes, remembering the whole process and how the mana behaved.
This time, he wanted to control the whole process. The white dots, his internal mana, responded and began to flow into his outstretched hands, slow and measured. In the middle of the process, the mana vibrated, turning into lightning. A small bolt of lightning leapt from his fingers, but it was too small to reach the mannequin.
He could feel it, he could see it.
The consumption was minimal. The dots disappeared one by one, he felt he could stay like this for quite some time.
"Interesting..."
Archimedes narrowed his eyes and pushed the image further away. He imagined pressure, power, and heat coming out of the palms of his hands in a singular strike. He imagined a full thunderclap, not a spark.
The mana responded in the same way.
All white dots flowed faster, like a violent flood. The lightning thickened, arcing in a blinding flash.
ZZZZZZZZAP!
The lightning struck the dummy squarely in the chest, and this time the fire erupted. The straw began to smoke, darkening and curling as the flames rose.
"...So the stronger the output, the faster the drain." Archimedes muttered with his eyes closed, seeing that the white dots had all been used up in the spell.
Growl!
"I think I'd better go, or I'll be late." Archimedes felt his stomach ache. He ran to the refectory hall before it was too late.
The great hall of the Guild's refectory was dominated by muffled voices, scraping dishes, and the delicious smell of roast meat with herbs and spices that Archimedes couldn't identify. The windows were open, letting in the soft light of early afternoon.
Archimedes looked around, several faces were unknown to him. A hand reached out, and seeing that it was a familiar figure, Archimedes approached.
"You made it to the end, farmboy. There's hardly anything left for you!" said Whisper, waving her hand as she sat down next to a half-empty cup of wine and an almost-clean plate.
Archimedes ran over to the food table, grabbed a tray, and helped himself to what was still available: a large piece of roast beef, potatoes cooked with herbs, sautéed carrots, and some rustic bread. He filled his plate enthusiastically and sat down facing Whisper.
"So, how was your first official training with the Guild Master?" she asked as she took a sip of wine.
"I swung a sword, shot arrows, you know, the usual... But what I liked best was Will."
He stretched out his arm towards her, his hand open and his eyes closed for a second. He wished his mana would flow out of his hand.
Whisper watched him with a puzzled look. "Was something supposed to happen?"
Archimedes opened his eyes and looked confusedly at his hand. He could have sworn that the white dots were coming out of his hand as his mana was running out, but when they left his body, they were invisible.
"Eh? I'm releasing my mana through my hand. A few white dots should have appeared."
She laughed and took another sip of wine. "White dots? Is that how you see your mana?"
"Yes, like little sparkles in the dark."
Whisper smiled, resting her chin on her hand.
"Ambient mana is invisible, it has no smell or taste, we can only see its manifestations. And everyone sees mana differently inside. I, for example, see it like stars in a black sky."
"Yes, I remember the Guild Master talking about it." Archimedes thought for a moment. "Speaking of the Guild Master. Do you know where I can find him?"
"It's usually in the Guild Master's office. It's next to the fountain, up the stairs."
After wiping his mouth and thanking the Whisperer for the information, Archimedes climbed the stairs to the Guild. He stopped in front of a heavy, dark wooden door, which read a simple sign: Guild Master - Weaver.
Just as he was about to knock on the door, an old man dressed in a blue cloak over gold chain mail came out. The old man looked at Archimedes for a while, his aged face seeming to smile slightly. Archimedes, startled, stepped out of the old man's way.
Patting himself on the chest to calm down, Archimedes took one last look at the strange old man before taking a deep breath and knocking twice on the door.
"Come in," came Weaver's calm, deep, and unmistakable voice from the other side.
Archimedes pushed open the door and entered.
The air smelled of old parchments and melted wax; only the sound of the quill scratching the paper filled the office. A fireplace illuminated the place in an orange-red hue, while keeping the interior at a pleasant temperature.
The office was large and lit by a high window, with shelves crammed with books, parchment, and strange objects. In the center, a large, dark table held an orderly pile of documents. Sitting behind it, Weaver was relaxed in his high-backed chair.
What was most striking, however, was the quill floating in the air, writing on its own in a large open book. When the ink began to fail, the quill would gently dip into the inkwell and return to its work as if it had a mind of its own.
"You can sit down," said Weaver, gesturing to the chair in front of him. "Did you come here for something in particular? Any questions?"
"Yes," replied Archimedes as he closed the door softly and settled into the chair. His eyes, however, turned periodically to the magic quill pen.
"Then go ahead," said Weaver, raising an eyebrow and crossing his fingers over his chest. As if he understood his master's wishes, the quill pen rested in the inkwell.
Archimedes blinked a few times, coming back into focus. "Right... well, I have some doubts about Will. A lot of doubts, actually."
Weaver gestured with his hand, encouraging. "Start with what bothers your mind the most."
Archimedes nodded and recalled the topics he had been thinking about since lunch.
"First... how can I increase the amount of mana? My mana ran out completely within seconds of casting a single spell. Is there an orthodox way to expand this capacity?"
"Will users' mana reserves grow as they get older. There's also a potion called Will Master's Elixir. It's a very rare and expensive potion."
'Young people nowadays are always in such a hurry.' Weaver thought, and he internally rolled his eyes.
Archimedes seemed disappointed with the information, but continued.
"Secondly, you created a fireball with your hands, and yet your gloves didn't burn. Why? Shouldn't you have, you know, caused some damage?"
"Well, as I explained before, mana follows the Will of a wizard. But just in case, we always put a restriction in the chant to serve as a second layer of protection."
"What do you mean by a second layer of protection?"
"When we put 'hostes mei' in the middle of the chant, it means that the spell doesn't target allies AND ourselves. It serves as a second layer of protection because we already have a natural one."
"For example, a human has the strength to tear flesh with his teeth, but have you ever tried to bite your own finger until blood came out and realized that the force of the bite has unconsciously diminished, making the task almost impossible?"
"So, this also works for our spells. But we still prefer to create layers of security. You'll find that it's never enough when stupidity enters the equation."
"I understand, that makes a lot of sense now."
Archimedes held his chin, trying to think of all the implications.
"Is that it, or is there something else?"
"No!" Archimedes was forced to put these thoughts to the back of his mind and continue.
"Thirdly, I wanted to understand how spells and mages are categorized. Do they have types? Classes? Levels?" Archimedes took a deep breath. "And also, what are Will's schools? You said that this power comes from the Archon and his descendants... so are there different paths within Will?"
"Well, that's a lot of things, but I'd do my best to try and answer them. First of all, I have to say that there aren't many Will users, and combat between them is even rarer, so a wizard is a wizard, no matter how strong or weak he is."
"When it comes to spells, well, there are no levels, but we do have categories, or as you call them, schools. The spells are divided into Physical Spells, Surrounding Spells, and Attack Spells."
Archimedes almost slapped himself in the face. Not only was the technology in Albion medieval, but even the magic was.
"Last question, and I won't bother you any further." Archimedes turns his eyes to the quill pen. "Can I have one too? I want to make some notes on ideas, and I'm afraid I might forget if I don't write them down somewhere."
"Ohoho, you've got good eyes, kid." Weaver laughed good-humoredly, not expecting such a request from such a small child, but was so enthusiastic about Will.
"I'm sure you've noticed this tattoo on my forehead, and I'm telling you that it's not merely decorative. This tattoo was made using runes so that I can communicate with everyone who has a Guild Seal." Opening a cave, he takes out a leg pen and hands it to Archimedes, explaining how it works.
"This quill pen also has small runes written on it that allow it to store a mage's mana. You can then control the pen with your will."
"Whoooa! That means it can write at the speed of my thought!"
Archimedes took the quill pen and infused it with his own mana. He then wished for the pen to fly around, which it did.
"Thank you for answering my questions, Guild Master. I won't bother you anymore." Archimedes stood up, ready to leave.
"Wait a minute, kid," Weaver stopped him. He got up, looked through the papers, and took out a book. The cover was made of leather, and there were some symbols on the front.
"This is a grimoire, unlike an ordinary book; it only opens with your mana, if forced to open, it will destroy all written information. Use it to make your notes and discoveries."
"Take this, it hasn't been bound to anyone yet."
Archimedes blinked, picking up the book, he felt leather. Opening it, he discovered that it hadn't actually been used; all the pages were blank.
"What a fascinating instrument. Who made all these runes?"
"An old wizard from the Guild. Don't expect to learn runes from him; he's old and grumpy, and his teaching is like being taught by a monkey. You'll have better luck venturing into books."
"That's why I recommend that you read the books on the bookshelf in your room. A book will explain things better and satisfy all your doubts."
Archimedes nodded, keeping the information to himself. Without further interruption, he left the office and returned to his own room. He still had to revise the texts of the history of the continent of Albion.