Chapter 18:

"Is it ever gonna turn into something useful?"Nick rolled his eyes, trying to ignore his brother's bored questions while slowly guiding a baseball-sized sphere of water through an obstacle course he had built out of the ground as another exercise.

As a caster, he was used to utilizing the most efficient piece of magic for every task, especially since he came from a world where mana was extremely scarce. If he had been told to complete this exercise at maximum speed, he'd have used a kinetic spell to grab and push the water. Given his experience with that school, it would have been much easier on his reserves.

Instead, he was sweating like a pig, trying to train an entirely new skill he had never practiced before.

"I guess you could catch fish with it if they were very slow and almost dead," Devon muttered.

Nick doggedly kept twisting the water sphere through the obstacles as fast as he could, which, admittedly, wasn't very fast.

Things were different now, however, and Nick wasn't about to give up on the first scrap of knowledge he was being offered from his mother just because it was hard.

Now, if only his brother could stop trying to distract him…

"Oh, I thought of another use. Do you know when it's cold outside the covers, but you really need to pee? You might be able to direct the stream—"

"And that's enough, I think," their mother interrupted in a long-suffering tone. "Devon, no one needs to hear that. I understand you are bored, but your father will be back soon. Nick, you can't keep practicing obsessively. Magic is cool and you enjoy it, but it takes time to develop spells."

Nick sighed, letting the water sphere fall and dissipate into the stream. His head ached from the focus it had taken to maintain control, and he knew his mother was right. He had a bad habit of pushing himself to the limits because he wanted immediate results. But he couldn't help it. There was something addictive about learning new magic, even if it was just sparking a fire or summoning a gust of wind.

"I'll take a break," Nick conceded, though he fully intended to keep working on it whenever he got a spare moment. The thought of expanding his control over the elements, even on a small scale, excited him in a way few things did. He aimed to grow much more than the average mage and was quite sure he'd be able to use as a springboard into much greater pieces of magic.

Devon, meanwhile, groaned and started breaking down the camp. "Finally. I was about to fall asleep just watching you do that."

Nick shot him a look but didn't argue. It wasn't that his brother was mean—he just had never been able to appreciate the intricacies of magic. But he had a point. The training was repetitive and slow. Still, Nick wasn't about to let his brother's impatience ruin his quiet satisfaction at even the slightest improvement.

As they packed up, he couldn't shake a lingering curiosity. He glanced at his mother, who was calmly rolling up their sleeping gear with practiced hands. "Mom, what did your mage friends think about ?"

Elena paused, giving him a thoughtful look. "It was never anyone's favorite spell, but every self-respecting mage could use it," she admitted, smiling a little at the memory. "They always thought of it as more of a gimmick than anything. It gives access to all the basic elements and is darn useful in everyday life, but it can only create small effects. Nothing really applicable in combat unless we were in a fight easy enough that our weapons would have done the job faster."

Nick frowned, intrigued. "But they still used it?"

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"Well, not often," she said. "I think they learned it mostly because it was considered a rite of passage to achieve at least Proficient rank. I did have one teammate who was obsessed with it, though. He believed that if he could get good enough, it would let him manipulate the elements like a real force of nature. He got pretty far with it—he claimed to have reached Expert level—but even then, he could only create bursts of wind similar to the basic spell for twice the mana." She chuckled softly. "Not exactly something that would make a difference."

Nick processed that as he folded up the last of his pack. "So it never really gets better?"

Elena shrugged. "It's useful in small ways, and everyone says it helps you develop your elemental control for when you learn greater magic. But it's not meant to replace other spells that focus on a single element. It spreads itself too thin; as a result, you can't expect great effects, even with mastery."

Nick chewed on that thought. It was limited, sure, but it seemed like it could be more than just a gimmick if he figured out how to push it. "Do you think there's a higher version of it? Like a Major Elemental Manipulation?"

Elena raised an eyebrow. "There usually is," she mused. "It wouldn't surprise me. But higher-tier magic is difficult to learn for a reason. Even the most experienced mages stick to mastering one school because it's a much more efficient path to real power. Learning to Expert proficiency would have taken my friend a year or so. Learning to the same level took him five. Most people just don't think it's worth it."

Nick nodded, understanding her point. He'd heard the same advice from the vicar and even Roberta's diary—specialization was the key to power. But something about this spell felt different to him. He could see its versatility and potential to adapt to whatever situation he'd face. Even if it didn't offer powerful effects right away, Nick was sure it could become a useful tool in his arsenal. Chapters fırst released on novel•fire.net

"I think I'll keep working on it," he said, feeling a renewed determination. "Even if it's just to see how far I can take it."

Elena smiled, her eyes softening with pride. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Just remember to balance your training. I'm tentatively agreeing to let you practice magic on your own, but that doesn't mean you should allow your other skills to lay fallow."

Before Nick could respond, a shadow fell across the campsite. He looked up to see his father striding toward them, his usually relaxed face set in a hard expression. Eugene scanned the camp briefly before he spoke. "A troll's coming this way."

Devon's head snapped up, eyes wide. "A troll?" he repeated with excitement. "Are we going to fight it?"

Nick's stomach tightened. He'd read about trolls in the temple’s library—big, tough, and almost impossible to kill for beginners. While technically, a thunderhoof herd was more dangerous, the bovines didn't possess the vicious territoriality of a troll. They could also be relied upon to stay dead once they were hit hard enough. Trolls weren't so kind.

Eugene shook his head, fixing his sons with a serious look. "No, you're not fighting this one. Trolls are dangerous. They might not get above level forty often, but their regeneration and strength make them a real challenge. I'll take care of it."

Elena put a hand on Devon's shoulder before he could protest. "Trolls are tricky. They heal fast, and even when they're not high-leveled, their racial traits make them tough to deal with. They are not an opponent you can face yet, but you might be able to learn something from observing your father fight it. Let's get to higher ground where we can watch safely."

Devon frowned, clearly disappointed. "So we're not going to do anything?"

"Not this time," Eugene said firmly. "This isn't the kind of fight you two are ready for. A troll can fight for days if necessary, healing through most wounds. Engaging in a prolonged fight with one is a terrible idea, and neither of you can put it down for good."

Nick didn't argue. While he didn't mind fighting—if he was honest, he might even enjoy it somewhat— he didn't feel the need to face something he knew was beyond him. He grabbed his pack and followed his family up a nearby hill.

They had a clear view of the plains stretching out below from the top, and before long, Nick spotted movement on the horizon. A hulking figure, taller than a young tree, trudged across the plains with slow, lumbering steps. The troll was even more intimidating than Nick had imagined—twelve feet tall, with mottled green and gray skin covered in bumps. Its face was ugly, with a wide, flat nose and small, beady eyes. It carried a massive stone club, large enough to flatten a small house.

Devon let out a low whistle. "That thing's huge."

Nick couldn't help but agree. As the troll drew closer, he found himself wondering about its origins. Was it a product of natural evolution, some twisted offshoot of humanity? Or perhaps the creation of a long-forgotten sorcerer experimenting with forbidden blood magic? He had read about all sorts of monstrous beings, but something primal about the troll's presence made him think it belonged to an entirely different genus.

By the time it reached the camp, Eugene was waiting with his sword drawn. He didn't seem the least bit fazed by the towering creature looming over him, and Nick couldn't help but admire his father's calm confidence. The troll let out a deep, rumbling growl, raising its club high above its head before bringing it crashing down with enough force to shake the earth.

Eugene moved like lightning, darting to the side just as the club smashed into the ground, leaving a crater where he had stood. He struck with his sword in two quick slashes that cut deep into the thick hide. The troll bellowed in pain, but even as the wounds bled, the flesh began to knit itself back together.

"Regeneration," Eugene called out loudly over the troll's roars. "This is why they're so dangerous. You can cut them a hundred times, but they'll heal before you can wear them down, and you'll only have made them mad."

Nick watched in awe as his father danced around the troll, never staying still for more than an instant. Each time the troll swung its club, Eugene dodged effortlessly before he struck back.

The ground beneath his feet began to scorch, each step leaving burnt patches in the grass.

Then, with a sudden burst of speed, Eugene moved in close. His sword flared bright red, and he sliced clean through the troll's neck in a single fluid motion. The head toppled to the ground, its body collapsing with a heavy thud. The wound was cauterized instantly, the glowing blade leaving no room for the troll's regeneration to take effect.

Eugene straightened, breath even and unfazed as he sheathed his sword. "You need fire or acid for trolls," he said. "You can't rely on normal wounds to keep them down."

Nick exhaled, feeling the tension leave his body. Watching his father take down a massive creature with such skill and precision had given him an idea of what fighting a higher-level creature was like, and he was already preparing countermeasures in case he ended up facing a similar foe. But it also fueled his determination. One day, he wanted to fight like that—to face down the most dangerous monsters and emerge victorious.

Elena gently placed a hand on both brothers' shoulders and smiled. "You'll get there, kids. Just keep training."

Nick nodded, his eyes still fixed on the smoldering remains of the troll.