Chapter 14: Lightning

  I’m 13 years old now. I've become somewhat well known in East Torvul for being a barefooted Expert adventurer who takes beginner and intermediate jobs.

  I've also gained the reputation of being a "fake" follower of Sol and some followers are starting to pin me as a symbol of false ideologies, but nothing has come of it yet.

  More importantly, my present issues are with the World Association of Magic and their finding out that I can cast lightning magic, an element previously unknown to human conjurers.

  It began with a letter which asked for my presence at Torvul’s palace a week after I had called on Hilvire.

  I figured it was a good sign that they hadn't sent anyone to get me. Traveling there was on somewhat of my own accord.

  The palace is constantly in view from almost anywhere in the city, but its size is what made it surprisingly far away.

  It took over half an hour on literal foot to reach its gates.

  After alerting the guards to my presence, I was escorted to a meeting room where I was joined by a tall elderly man with a long white beard who was essentially budget Dumbledore.

  His magic was like a thin bubble under water tension. Usually people leak small amounts of mana and regain it through regeneration, but his was dense and confined.

  “Good morning Ms. Vespera Sol.” His voice was deep and he spoke in a bored tone. “I am Pilfur Lestvake, the Head of Discovery at the World Association of Magic.”

  So he wasn’t just a representative at Torvul? He must have traveled from the actual headquarters of the Association.

  “I've learned about your conjuring of lightning so I'm here to make you an offer.

  The Association will pay you 100 gold coins for each day you spend in Torvul’s palace undergoing testing.

  There will be no harm to you. At worst you will be hooked up to painless machines for a few hours at a time.

  We are prepared to conduct testing twice a week for 10 weeks which makes a total of 2000 gold coins.”

  $10,000USD a day and a total of $200,000? It seems like a good deal to me.

  “You will also receive a key on your identification card which will provide lifetime access to all Association facilities in all major cities including the ones here at Torvul.

  The World Association of Magic only asks that you never turn your hand against it or the Kingdom of Tiria.

  Other than these requirements, you will be free to live your life.”

  Ah, politics.

  I’ve tried my best to ignore even the basics but I do know that Tiria is the Kingdom I’m currently in and it’s the one filled with the most humans.

  It actually seems that humans are pretty unified in this world. They had to put away their differences in order to fight monsters and become a strong force.

  Considering this, it’s not an unreasonable request to ask me not to destroy this Kingdom. It is essentially the land of humans.

  What was weird was him asking in the first place. Is the World Association of Magic sharing the same emotion I had seen on Hilvire’s face when I demonstrated this ability?

  Fear?

  It seems like I still don’t fully understand the magnitude of lightning conjuring.

  Either way, I was going to take advantage of it. “I can accept that.”

  I spoke on what was bothering me. “You should let your mana flow more freely.

  It must be difficult keeping it contained like that.”

  He laughed, deeply and slowly.

  It was a joke that nobody else could make in this world.

  “Well, it’s a means of passive training.” Pilfur replied.

  I was confused. “Why would an old man like you need training for?

  I would just reap the rewards of my training in previous years and live without that stress if I were you.”

  He pondered, chuckling again. “Perhaps you are right.”

  At that moment he popped the bubble. The room filled with his mana.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  I was curious what would happen if I took it from him. I could manipulate it and temporarily claim it for myself.

  In reality, I doubt I am even currently capable of manipulating that much mana at one time.

  And as Hilvire told me all those years ago, manipulating someone’s personal mana is a risky move. I’m sure a magician this strong has ways to counter me.

  “Testing will occur on the 2nd and 5th day each week.” Pilfur stood up, his decorative white and gold robes glistening. “Thank you for accepting our offer. We hope for your success.”

  *

  Alright, I think it’s about time. I’m going to get back into adventuring.

  I do think that Sol’s wish for me isn’t necessarily to become an adventurer, and I do want to live in order to spread Her word, but I also don’t want to play it safe.

  I’ve learned so much during my battles and I want to continue to.

  The first step is seeing if Mari still wants to party after these 3 years apart.

  “Hey Mari.” This was the first real conversation we were having after all that time besides small talk.

  She was even taller and more muscular now. Her face was mature and it only made her more attractive.

  “I’m thinking of getting back into more advanced quests.” Mari instantly lit up at my words.

  “What? Really? I thought it would never happen! I’d love to party up again.” Her thoughts kept chaining.

  “I haven’t been able to hold a single party member down, forget a group. I already know that we can work well together.”

  She took a breath, barely pausing to ponder her next words. “Let’s go get some dinner and catch up!” Her smile infected me and I could only agree with her.

  I told her about what following Sol meant to me, why I vowed to be barefoot, and how I was working towards restoring Her real ideals.

  Mari was glued to the conversation and was incredibly receptive of my thoughts. It was nice to have some support. She told me she would do whatever she could to help.

  “Through my studies of Sol, I also discovered a new conjuring element that’s a purer form of energy than fire so I will be making that my new primary magic.”

  Mari looked at me, finished her beer which was promptly refilled, then looked back at me as if she was positive she wasn’t hearing me right. “What?”

  I continued. “Yeah the World Association of Magic is paying me to do tests for them since nobody has been able to conjure it before. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing yet, but it doesn’t seem horrible.”

  “Vespera, that’s amazing! I knew you were talented but that’s on a whole other level. I mean how is that even possible? Wait, what element is it?”

  “Lightning.”

  “Ha! That suits you much better than fire I feel like. You aren’t like any other fire casters that I know.”

  I guess she was right. There was a bit of a stereotype and I wasn’t it.

  It was her turn now.

  “I’m going to sound way more lame now. I spent the last 3 years doing nothing in comparison.

  I know I’ve gotten stronger but I haven’t become a stronger person.” She grew serious and twiddled her thumb on her mug.

  “I can’t connect with people like I used to. I think that’s part of the reason why it’s been so difficult finding a group.

  All I’ve been able to do is train my enhancements but it’s like I forgot the whole reason I became an adventurer.”

  I poked. “Why did you become an adventurer?”

  It took another beer downed for her to answer.

  “I mean someone needs to kill monsters before they overrun cities.

  They also get us those sweet mana cores.

  And I think I’m more equipped to be the person to defeat them both physically and mentally.

  I’m lucky to have the little strength I have so I feel like I have to use it to protect people.”

  Yeah I’ve been living so selfishly I would have never considered this as one of my reasons to keep adventuring. Although hearing it now, I’ll add it to the list.

  “How about you?” She questioned me.

  “Honestly I just do it because magic interests me. It's more of something for myself than for anyone else.

  It's not for any reason as noble as yours.”

  I couldn't tell her that in my past life I was bored out of my mind. At least not yet.

  She comforted me. “I'm sure that if it were to come down to it, you would be one of the people on the front lines.

  You should give yourself more credit.”

  Our drinks were empty.

  “We should continue this conversation in the dorms. I still have questions about Sol.” Mari tugged at me.

  I didn't need much to give in to her. “Yeah, sure.”

  She scanned her ID and we walked into her room. It was the one right next to mine, room 1, although I never saw her enough for her to feel like my neighbor.

  The room was utilitarian.

  Her pack sat as close to the door as possible, her bed was messy, and her drawers were open revealing unfolded clothes.

  It was clear which side was hers as the other was plain.

  Mari sat on her bed. It could have been a plank of wood and it still would've looked like memory foam with the way she was built.

  “Where's your roommate?” I immediately regretted asking.

  “It was Jocelyn.” Mari looked to the floor. “Her mother already got her things.”

  "Oh. I didn't know you were roommates." I wonder how long they knew each other. How bad is Jocelyn's death bothering her? It doesn't seem like it ruined anything. I mean she didn't even take much of a break adventuring.

  I joined Mari and sat next to her on her bed.

  She broke the silence. “Anyway I wanted to ask about Sol.”

  “Yeah, of course what's up?”

  Her voice quivered a little. “So do you believe in like no sex before marriage and all those things like that?”

  I guess I had left that part out. “Uh no definitely not. Sol is nature itself.

  There is no natural part of marriage. It's a human concept. That's fine on its own but it's not from Sol.

  What is from Sol is things from nature. And sex is one of those few things.

  You can also add homosexuality as being a natural feeling in there as well.”

  Mari’s mana expanded, swallowing me.

  “That's good.” She leaned closer. “Because I've felt that way about you.” Her face was gentle, unlike the strong personality I was familiar with.

  Neither I nor my body could lie. I also leaned closer and placed my right hand on her warm, dark, muscular thigh.

  I looked up at her. She towered over me. “I feel the same way.”

  The feeling in my stomach felt like lightning.