Chapter 3: The Magic Spike
"No, I have read every single book in that library over the 2 years since I have discovered it, Headmaster Solven, I have learnt about the origin of magic, the beginning of the magic splinter groups, the mystical magics of all common trees and a plethora of old magics."
"I see."
"Those texts are not dangerous on their own."
"When would they be dangerous?"
"If someone who wasn't reasonable got their hands on them while they were forbidden," Uri's statement confused the headmaster but before the headmaster could ask a question, Uri answered it, "No one knew about the magic that harmed me so much and killed many people in moments, imagine if I had turned it on the academy."
"I understand what you mean, Uri," Benjamin sighed, "I don't know if I totally believe in fate or prophecy, those are strange magics, but maybe you becoming a mage in our academy was necessary to push us forwards."
"Well, we aren't forwards or backwards," Uri stated as they turned off of the path and headed deeper into the forest, "But I suggest this be brought up in your discussions with the heads of schools."
"You suggest?" The headmaster scoffed, "Why are you suggesting things in such a way?"
"Because I am scared about the repercussions that a spread of certain powerful and ancient magic could have on this plane and the others, on the entire system of magic," Uri's words made a shiver go down his own back, "The words of those texts are not flowery, they are cold, harsh and gruesome at times."
"I have not read those texts, can I have an example?"
"The reality we know could be crushed in mere seconds by reality magic," Uri mentioned, "I could do something like that."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't completely comprehend it either, headmaster Solven," Uri pointed at the clearing that was coming up, "It is there, but the idea would be that I could simply make something stop existing or something change on a fundamental level, like making a chair into a table with a simple spell," The two mages headed into the clearing as the headmaster gasped as he looked at the large, shining crystal structure, "This is it."
"What is this?" The headmaster wondered, his expression and tone filled with surprise and curiosity, "Is this what could be causing the magical mutations?"
"I don't know, headmaster Solven, but it has a very strong magical presence, I can feel it all the way in your office," Uri stated as he touched it as he did the night before, "Maybe attempt to cast a spell, headmaster Solven?"
"Maybe you should as well, to test it," Uri nodded, "Ghoul Call," A quick spell summoned a rather regular looking ghoul creature, it was mostly the same as the ones Uri and Benjamin had seen before, "Endless Torment," A thick black line wrote out a large death spell and then it resolved and frozen hand began to attack the ghoul before shadowy hands joined in. The ghoul was pelted by ice balls and invisible blades, "These spells are changed, I do not remember my spell having ice in it," He looked at the spike, "The ice was even the first thing to appear in the spell," Benjamin observed as he dismissed his ghoul. Uri created a flame in his hand using a basic fire spell before looking at the headmaster then at the crystal.
"I have an idea."
"What is your idea?"
"In the text that refers to magic spikes quickly, it states that the spells that are meant to quell magic are reversed," The young man explained, "As if the spike's power was too immense to allow magic around it to be stopped, Sham'bo," He strained as he could feel his body throb with new found magic. The effect quickly ended and Uri looked at the headmaster then nodded, "This is a magic spike, at least it seems that way."
"What did you just cast?"
"An Oik spell, supposed to stop magic."
"And instead?"
"I felt my magic increase throughout my body for a few moments," Uri explained as he touched the crystal structure once more, "What are you going to do about this?"
"I would need to bring it back to the campus in a way that could be studied," Benjamin mentioned as he walked around the crystal that was twice as tall as a tall man and was nearly as wide as the tower that was above the headmaster's main office, "But how?"
"Automatons?"
"That could work, I will need to get this tested so that we can provide the students and teachers with a reasonable explanation about what is going on or find a way to reset it."
"Why reset it?"
"I don't know, Uri, all of this is very new to me," The headmaster admitted, "I will also look into the 7th floor of the library thing with Gilbert, it may aid us in understanding our current predicament," Uri nodded before the two began to head back to the main part of the campus, "How did you find this again?"
"I felt a magical pull towards it, and so I followed it here."
"You are a phenomenal case of magic mystery, Uri, I have never seen someone quite like you," The headmaster smiled, "Quite fascinating."
"Thank you, headmaster."
He walked onto the training grounds as Kelly began casting a spell. She would often begin practicing on her own before they would practice together. A colossal burst of flames formed into a large dragon that roared at the sky, "Impressive spell, Kelly," She turned to look at him and smiled, "Nothing wrong with it either."
"What are you, a fire expert now?" He shook his head and looked up at the beast of flames, "Why would it be wrong?"
"Magical mutations have occurred around the plane of mage haven apparently, and so it would almost seem normal if yours was affected as well," Uri explained, "But it hasn't affected your pure fire magic," He stopped in front of her, "What did you want to practice?"
"To be honest with you, Uri, not much," She used her hand to guide the beast she had created and it took to the air. A powerful body formed from the flames and soon only the wings were flames. The dragon could fly easily and painlessly, "I like these spells."
"I have a few spells that can do stuff like that but that I am not really supposed to use," The dragon landed and Kelly looked at her boyfriend confused, "Well, not supposed to but you would be the only one to see it."
"So that means?" An unknown looking spell formed in front of Uri and resolved, "What school is that?"
"Summoner," A shaking was felt in the ground before a bone hand found its way to the surface and dragged out a large skeletal beast that was quickly remade with sand, rock and roots, everything that was in the ground around it, "The magic we learn in this school is from the common era of magic, Kelly."
"I know that much, Uri, you aren't teaching me much," She said, looking amazed at the elemental beast, "But what is this magic?"
"Old magic."
"That type of thing still exist?"
"Indeed," He used his right hand to make the beast change its stone armor into just its simple form, "Can I show you something truly amazing? At least, I think it should work like this," She nodded, "Please give it a dragon breath," The red haired mage did as he said and a beam of flames hit the skeleton before they engulfed it entirely. The flames were quickly and suddenly quelled as a burning skeleton dragon emerged from the heart of the fire, "This is a mimic dragon."
"That is so cool," Kelly replied, her attention locked onto the skeletal dragon, " Can you teach me this?"
"Um, not really, no."
"Why not? You seem to know what you are doing?"
"I don't think playing with old magic if you aren't me is a good idea."
"I don't understand, Uri, why not?"
"In experiments that the heads of schools, the headmaster and I conducted last year, we discovered that I can use and adapt to any magic I use, something that regular mages could not do."
"Oooh, so that is what my dad meant."
"Yes, I think it is probably from using the magic I used in first year."
"First year life magic? Huh?" Uri facepalmed, "Oh, I get it, that magic," Uri nodded as the beast returned to the hole it had come out of and then the fissure sealed itself. Kelly dismissed her dragon and the two stood on opposite ends of the training circle from each other, "What does that mean for your exams?"
"I took the life ones."
"I mean in the future."
"The life ones will still be what I do," Kelly nodded, "Ready for the year to begin again?" He got a determined nod from Kelly and a big smile. Unlike him, she was at her best during the year, training with others of her year and learning more and more about magic. She was much more social than Uri who could simply be content with talking with her and no one else during his day aside from the occasional automaton or teacher. They trained and talked for most of the afternoon.
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