Chapter 132: Magic Appraisal
The Academy
Magister Thorn hummed a tune from one of the hooman songs he heard over the 'rad-eo' as he drew out a magic circle on the glossy black obsidian table top. He carefully consulted the flayed yellowed tome as he etched arcane runes carefully on the edges of the magic circle. Once he was satisfied, he carefully wrapped the tome up with a piece of soft leather and kept it back into the bookshelf.
"Now, I have completed the magical formation for appraisal of magical items," He declared to the group of students and observers. "Appraisal of magical items usually involves using magic greater than the item its self, but most of us do not have that much magic power in the first place."
"So what we can do is to 'borrow' the power of our surroundings," Thorn gestured towards the magic formation he drew out earlier, "By using the natural energy that is everywhere, we draw three Magic Gathering Formations linking together to power the Magical Appraisal Formation that on the center."
"It is not advisable to use four or more Magic Gathering Formation to link to the Magical Appraisal Formation," Thorn explained, "It becomes redundant as there is only so much magic in our surroundings for the Formations to draw on."
"Sir?" A 13 year old girl raised her hand up in question.
"Yes, child?" Thorn paused with his lecture as he pointed to the student.
"If the magic item level is higher than the power gathered, how will we be able to appraisal it then?" the female student asked.
Thorn smiled, "Well, that's what I will be touching on now. Just by using Magic Gathering Formations is sometimes not enough, so we have to inject our own magic powers into the array to boost the spell. Another method is to use Mana stones to power the magic arrays or even use a Great Magic Gathering Formation."
"There are also areas where the natural concentration of magic is very high, these areas are of course highly coveted by anyone, and kingdoms and nations have designated them as strategic resources," Thorn explained, "That is why most Appraisal Mages charge an arm and a leg for appraisals of high leveled items and also why most of them are high leveled Mages."
The class broke out in Oooos and Ahhhs as they heard it and the students started to excitedly chattered among themselves, talking about becoming rich by being an outstanding Appraisal Mage.
Thorn smiled at the students and clapped his handed together loudly, "Alright, now we should test this Appraisal Array of mine and let's see if it works!" He rubbed his hands together and retrieved a matte black case from behind his desk.
The students quieten down as they saw the matte black case. The smooth sleek lines and mystical materials of the case were clearly made by the hoomans. The students craned their heads as they watched Magister Thorn slowly and carefully pressed several glowing hooman runes on the side of the case before the case popped out.
What appeared in the foam lined case was an ancient looking sword to the elves in a rough scabbard. Thorn carefully drew the sword out and an old fashioned leaf-shaped blade was drawn. The blade of the sword was wide and fat for most of its length but the final third narrowed into a thin tip intended for thrusting. Spiral patterns were etched onto the surface of the blade while the grip was molded together with the blade from a single piece of iron. Spiral patterns and swirls designs could be seen along the grip.
"This was found in the second floor of the Dungeon by the Marines," Thorn explained as he showed off the sword to the class. "I have done a simple Detect Curse spell on the sword and have found nothing, but anyone with a sliver of magic ability will be able to feel the magic power in this sword."
He then re-scabbard the sword into the rough hide leather scabbard and passed the sword to the students for them to feel the presence of magic power in it. The students excitedly observe and examined the sword, passing it to the next person once they have felt the magic inside.
"To roughly gauge the power needed to appraisal a magic item, you first examine the item, and feel its magic," Thorn continued his lecture as the students look at the sword. "Most of you should feel an overwhelming source of shock from the sword as you magical powers are weaker than the weapon."
The students who had examined the sword earlier nodded and massaged their tingling hands and arms, while the student who was pouring his magical sense into the weapon gasped in surprise and nearly dropped the sword. "As of your magical strength now is not strong enough to handle a magical item of its level, that is why you will feel something like lightning traveling through your bodies. This is a way your body is telling you that your powers are not strong enough to handle the sword's magic."
Dr. Sharon sitting at the rear, pursed her lips as she thought of what Thorn had just said. Does this mean that the elves nervous system has a natural defense against magic their body couldn't handle like the pain is telling the body of injuries? She quickly noted down her theory in her tablet.
"Now who can tell me how magic is classed?" Thorn asked the class and pointed to a boy who raised his hand.
"Magic is classed from Level Zero to Ten," The boy responded.
"Good," Thorn nodded, "How about Mages?"
"Eh, from the number of Magic Circles they can form?" The boy replied.
Thorn nodded, "Yes, how we class magic and the level of Mages is similar. From the number of magic circles. A Mage is classed by the number of Magic Circles, he or she is able to manifest. As each magic circle increases the power of the spell by one fold, but overuse of magic will lead to mana exhaustion, which can be fatal in the battlefield or even have long-term health effects! So remember do not overexert your magic power!"
"So for you all to graduate at the end of three years, you have to be capable to cast at least a Level 2 spell, which you will be needed to be able to manifest two magic circles," Thorn demonstrated by having woven a magic circle in form of him. The blue-white circle glows brightly in the classroom, followed by a second circle and ending at a flickering seven magic circles.
"I am barely at the strength of a 7th Circle Mage," Thorn grinned sheepishly. "Maybe someday one of you will overtake me and go beyond the 7th Circle.
The sword had made its way to Dr. Sharon who drew the blade out halfway and she looked at the dull spiral covered surface of the sword. She frowned and remembered the lecture from Thorn's classes, and closed her eyes. She slowed her breath and calmed her heartbeat, trying to visualize and feel the natural flow of the world, but try as she might, she couldn't feel anything.
She opened her eyes and sighed, maybe it is something to do with the biology of the elves and humans, that's is why humans couldn't sense the mana of this world. She had racked her brains many times in the past, following the scrolls and techniques taught by Thorn but there was still no results.
As she was able to return the sword, she thought of something, maybe she should try yoga or tai chi since both of them do have breathing mantras and techniques. No harm trying, she thought as she does some simple yoga exercises and she slowly took a breath and it moved the diaphragm down and up as she inhaled and exhaled, pushing the abdominal organs forward, and then back inward. But after a while, there was still no response and just as she exhaled out in frustration, a tingle of electricity coursed up her fingertips, making her drop the sword in surprise.
The loud clanking of the weapon made the whole class turned their attention on to her, and she half stood in her seat looking at the sword with wide eyes. "Dr. Sharon, are you well?" Thorn asked in concern, looking at the petrified Sharon.
"I.. I.." Dr. Sharon looked down at the sword and up at Thorn and back at the sword, "I-I think I am alright," She suddenly gave a huge grin, "Oh yes, I am alright," Her eyes shone as she bent down to pick up the fallen sword, "Please continue with the class, sorry for disrupting it."
Thorn looked at Sharon for a while, before nodding and taking the sword back and returning to the front of the classroom. "Now we will test if my Appraisal Array works!" He placed the sword onto the center of the magical formation on the obsidian table and placed both his palms on the top of the Magic Gathering Formations.
"Heed my call, the power of this world, and gather upon me," He chanted and injected his magic into the array, "Magic of the world, lend me your strength!"
The magic formations glowed as multi-colored light motes appeared in the class, the colorful light motes float gently towards the magic formations and as they landed the glow of the formation grew brighter. The light started to travel on the lines drawn on the table and traveled all the way to the center of the array and connected with the Appraisal Formation and lighting it up.
The whole class's attention was all focused on the glowing formation on the table and just as suddenly as the formation glowed, the light faded away and Thorn exhaled out a puff of smoke from his mouth and grinned, "It's done!"
He reached out and touched the sword, injecting a wisp of mental energy into the sword and information flowed into his mind. He smiled and said, "Alright, I have appraised this weapon. It is a Wind Elemental Sword, imbued with arcane energies of the air element. This essentially allows its wielder to engage in ranged combat by casting Air-based magic from a distance."
Dr. Sharon's eyes gleamed as she heard that, what did I felt just now? Was it just an illusion? Did I just successfully touch magic? I need to quickly do more experiments!
The school bell rang and Thorn started to keep his things, "Now, the class is over, for homework, read up Chapter 4 on Effects of Magic on Items. Tomorrow we will be talk about it."
The class rose and thanked Thorn before leaving gathering their belongings and leaving the room, leaving behind Dr. Sharon and Thorn. "Did something happened just now?" Thorn asked as he cleared away the marks on the obsidian table.
"I think I felt magic!" Dr. Sharon grinned widely. "But just a tiny weeny bit!"
Thorn stopped his work and looked up in surprise, "That is amazing!" He started pacing as he thought of all possibilities. "I did not expect you hoomans to able to interact with magic since your race is not from this world."
"Yes, I did too," Dr. Sharon picked up the sword on the table. "We humans should not be able to cast magic in this world. But I managed it somehow." She sat down on the front desk and went through her yoga breathing exercises, putting all her focus on the sword. Several minutes later, she opened her eyes and smiled happily, "I felt it again! Just a slight tingle, but its there!"
Thorn smiled excitedly, "Could it be limited to certain persons? Like not every people have the magic aptitude."
"I need to experiment more on this first," Dr. Sharon said. "In the meantime," She waved the sword, "I am gonna borrow this for a while!"
"Sure sure," Thorn nodded, "You will inform me of your research?"
"Of course," as Dr. Sharon left the classroom, "You will be the first to know!"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Neobear
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Chapter 133: The Appearance of a Hero!?
First Fleet Master Kose stood on the wooden balcony as he looked out to the mass of tiny islands and sails spread out before him. He rapped his fingers against the wooden railings as he waited for the messenger wyvern's handler to finish securing the message tube on to the small wing blue-green reptile which looked like a tiny version of a fighting dragon. The Blue Spotted Wyrven patiently withstood the minstrels of its handler, who hand fed it with strips of raw fish. The handler whispered into the ears of the Blue Spotted Wyrven who cocked its ears as it listened to the instructions.
Bobbing its head in acknowledgment, the messenger wyvern with an intelligence of a 10 year old child gave out a squawk before spreading its two meter long wings out and catching the warm sea breeze. Its forearms hugged the message tube secured in a harness over its half meter long serpentine body and with its wing filled with wind, it kicked off from the wyvern roost and allowed the warm air currents to boost it into the air like a kite, and it slowly disappeared into the redding sky.
"Fleet Master, it is done," The wyvern handler gave a salute, left hand with open palms against the chest, touching the right shoulder. "It should arrive within six days."
Kose nodded and continued watching the scenery in the roostery. Tiny islands cleared of all vegetation were used to grow a sugar crop called Cococane. The thick segmented stalks ended in palm like leaves with large hard shell meaty and juice filled nuts. The stalks were crushed to produce a sweet greenish nectar which could be drank directly or processed into sugar.
The sweet nectar was fermented into a strong alcohol which was in great demand in as a trade good, making it the Isles primary cash cow, earning the island nation millions in gold royals annually.
Kose took a deep breath of the salty air, enjoying a moment of peace, watching youngsters playing and running along floating bridges that linked the tiny islands together. The Isles buildings were built out on the seas on tall stilts and wooden floats to compensate for the ocean tides.
Land was at a premium, as it was to be used to grow both cash crops and food crops for the nation. Terraces were dug out by hand and magic on the mountainous slopes, where the rich fertile volcanic soil provided nutrients for the grown crops.
Several large floating harbors housed the mighty naval fleet of the Isles. If the Isles' Navy claimed to be second best, no nation in the New World will dare to claim first place.
Kose gave out a deep breath and waved his hand. His attendant waiting on him approached from behind and waited for his command. "Instruct the Third Master to prep his fleet for sail. Inform him to be ready to sail with the tide in three-five days."
The attendant saluted and retreated out, leaving the First Fleet Master alone in his thoughts as he viewed the scenery in the tower.
-----
Somewhere near the town of Falledge
"Come on, Dante, are we seriously going to fight the rebels?" A slim, roguishly looking elf stepped out of the foliage while grumbling, "Damn insects and trees, nothing but trees, bushes, trees, oh look! More trees!" He brushed off a fallen leaf from his shoulder and stood with his hands on his hips, a rapier dangling on his belt while a knapsack was carried on his back.
A young looking male wearing full plated ornate armor stepped out behind the rogue, sweeping his golden hair off to the side, his youthful good looks and bright blue eyes took in their surroundings in one glance and he smiled radiantly at his companion, "Come on, Stab, look around you, can't you feel the surrounding beauty of nature?"
"Hell no!" Stab slapped an insect away and wiped his sweaty brow and paused halfway, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Wait a minute, why are you not even sweating in that armor of yours?"
"That is because, unlike you, my hero can't sweat!" A female voice came from behind Stab, "Move out of the way, you sleaze bag!" A staff rammed against the Stab's bag, pushing him out of the path of a dark purple robed mage.
"Wait- what?" Stab hopped nimbly out of the way, "That's cheating! You waste your magic on making Dante not to sweat?"
"Of course, unlike you," The female mage turned and smiled sweetly at the sheepishly looking Dante who gave a helpless shrug, "My hero must always present the best of himself!"
"Hahaha, for who to see in this endless parade of trees?" Stab rolled his eyes, "Ohh, maybe that wyvern there? Or those little ants at your feet?"
"Come on guys, stop fighting," Another female elf dressed in a hunter attire with a longbow and quiver hang over her hip appeared before them, "Liz and Stab, please?"
"Hmph," Liz turned her head away from Stab and marched over to fawn over Dante who was helpless in his efforts to fend her off.
"I found a game trail leading towards Falledge," The Huntress reported, "It should take us a day the most if we follow it, instead of going by the main road."
"Good work, Evelyn," Dante gave a charming smile, which dazed Liz, and making Evelyn blush.
"Tsk," Stab shook his head, "Come on, let's hurry, I can't stand trees and more trees, I wanna have a drink and a proper bed!"
Dante nodded and gestured for Evelyn to lead the party while Liz waved her staff and their luggage floated along with them as they followed Evelyn.
After walking for a distance, Dante suddenly stopped the party, "Wait!" His handsome features narrowed in concentration, "We got company! Make ready!" He pointed towards the left of their party towards the thick trees surrounding them.
"Oh, I was getting bored," Stab jerked his neck sideways, making popping sounds and he loosens up his muscles. "What do we have?"
Evelyn leaped up effortlessly onto a tree branch and readied her bow, deftly stringing the bow and drew a couple of arrows pinched between her knuckles of her index, middle, and ring finger. "Smells like goblins?"
"I hate goblins," Liz dropped her magic over their luggage and stood with her back against the tree where Evelyn was in. She raised the head of her staff up and a four greenish magic circle formed, "Nature Protection All!"
Dante and the rest of the party bodies glowed green and a warm, fuzzy sensation covered their bodies before fading away. "Thanks, Liz!" He unhitched the massive kite shield from his back before drawing his great sword out from his back. "I sense over a hundred of those evil beings... They have not sense us yet!"
"Attack or ambush?" Stab asked as he held a long stilleto in his left and gave his rapier in his right hand in few quick flicks.
"Wait, I see them, about 150- 200 feet away," Evelyn peered through the forest in her vantage point, seeing dozens of shadowy figures moving between the trees. "It looks like a raiding force."
"There must be a village or farm nearby if they are moving in such numbers," Dante guessed, "We will attack."
"I thought you say that," Stab gave a sigh, "Usual formation?"
Dante nodded, "I will be the vanguard, Liz, and Evelyn on the rear while Stab, do what you need to do."
"Got it."
"Yes, my hero!"
"Uh-huh..."
Dante went down on a knee and closed his eyes, his greatsword, normally a two-handed weapon for others, but used single-handedly by him rested against the dry forest soil. "Sun God, hear my prayers," He heaved his kite shield on his left arm, "Grant me the strength to wipe evil off the land."
Standing up, "For I am the Hero of the Sun!" and a radiant glow burst out from him, gaining him a great increase in strength, agility, and resistance. "AND I SHALL KNOW NO FEAR!"
He took over in a sprint, faster than a horned rabbit, leaping over massive tree roots like a walk in the park before his glowing figure slammed into the flanks of the goblin raiding party.
"Damn, it must be that damn Sun God's blessing that makes him so ... bright and popular with the ladies," Stab rolled his eyes and sprint after Dante, his body was feeling lighter as Dante's Sun Bless Aura affected him too, granting him increases in his stats.
"Ahhh, wait for me!" Liz cried as she chased after Dante's after image, her pink eyes glowing with passion. Her short stature having a problem keeping up with both Dante and Stab's speed despite the Aura effects. Her oversized wizard hat flopped madly as she navigated her way around the trees, seemingly glued to her head. "My herooooo~!!!"
Evelyn shook her head and leaped from one tree branch to another, making sure to stay within sight of Liz as they approach the one-sided slaughter happening ahead.
A wooosh of wind generated by the greatsword's after swing, sent a couple of weaker goblins tumbling down on their backs while those unfortunate enough to be in the way of the sword parted into halves. "Haaa..." Dante breathed out deeply, releasing his pent-up breath as he swung his greatsword. A trail of broken and sliced body parts followed behind him, yet despite all the blood and gore, none touched his body nor armor.
The goblins were stunned by his sudden glowing appearance and even more so by the sudden carnage wrought among them within seconds. They stood there dumbly for a while before some goblin let out a cry of fear and the rest was jolted awake.
Some ran while others charged towards the glowing figure, swinging their crude weapons wildly. Dante ignored the flimsy attacks and just focused on swinging his greatsword, cutting down dozens of goblins with each sweep.
Stab flicked his rapier and a goblin grasped its torn throat, trying to staunch the green blood. Stab sighed as he watched Dante swinging his sword around energetically, while he sidestepped and riposte a clumsy swing from another goblin and ending its life with an elegant stab into the right eye with his rapier.
A blood-curdling roar suddenly broke out and a huge figure charged out from the depths of the forest. A forest troll armed with a broken off tree branch swung it mightly at Dante who stabbed his greatsword into the ground and bracing with his shield, taking the attack head on.
"Other than his godly looks and strength, that kid is just all muscles and no brains," Stab shook his head, and stepped into the shadow of the tree next to him and disappeared from sight. He suddenly reappeared behind the troll, emerging from the shadow of the troll and stabbing deeply with his stillelo at the left thigh of the troll, effectively hamstringing it, bringing the troll down on one knee. "Now, that is a good boy."
"Thanks!" Dante yelled, flashing a perfect row of pearly white teeth, and beheading the troll half-kneeling before him. "Just the right height!"
"Fight with your brains! Not with your muscles!" Stab yelled as he neatly skewered two goblins in the heart with his rapier. "Like this!"
Suddenly several bolts of white magical energies smashed into the far ranks of the goblins. "Hmph, you dare lay your filthy stinky hands on my hero!" Liz appeared, panting angrily as she stood on top of a tree root, "DIE YOU FILTHY ANIMALS!" Her staff glowed and six massive bluish glowing magic circle appeared before her, one over each other, "MAGIC MISSILE TIMES ONE HUNDRED!!!"
Dozens and dozens of energy bolts rained out and slammed into the shattered goblin raiders, causing heavy casualties and blowing away trees and creating holes to the forest ground. "WAAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!" Liz stood there with her hands on her hips and threw her head back laughing madly in triumph.
"Are you trying to kill us too!" Stab cursed, as he stepped into the shadows to evade the magic missiles and reappearing next to the tree where Liz stood, while Dante heroically stood there unflinchingly with his sword and shield, painting a heroic scene with the background in explosions and death.
Evelyn gave a sigh at the antics of Liz and Stab and turned to look at Dante, secretly admiring Dante's pose which painted a heroic scene with the background in explosions and death.
*** Author's rumblings ***
N-NANI!!!! A hero!?
Cococane is basically sugarcane + coconut ... btw its a drink too ~ Tastes pretty good, when mixed together with some squeezed fresh lemon.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Neobear
Neobear
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OMGWTFBBQ?! Why is there a hero!?
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
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