Chapter 9: Woodland Forest
"But you told us you had no magic before". Ava protested. "Father even paid for you to be tested by master Gunto and they discovered no mana".
"That was before". I said. "I think I have mana now".
"Hmm". She replied. "Okay, I\'ll bring her today".
"What\'s her name?" I asked as an afterthought.
"Emily". She replied.
She left to go complete her chores, leaving me to eat in silence.
In the afternoon Iaid on my bed, alternating between dozing and waking up when Ava suddenly entered the room. Behind was a girl with short hair that was kept in a bob, she was slightly shorter than Ava and wore a purple gown that couldn\'t hide the size of her huge boobs. They were massive, even bigger than those of Ava.
I looked away quickly before any of them could catch me staring.
"Hi Levi, this is Emily, my friend". Ava said and introduced us.
I stretched my hand out to shake Emily, her grip was very firm.
"Thank you for helping me when I was sick". I said and gave her a slight bow.
"It\'s nothing". She said in a rapid voice. "It was a little tasking but it was kinda fun if I\'m being honest, plus it helped me improve my concentration which I\'ve struggled with for while now but knowing a person\'s life depended on my control made me so much careful and now I\'ve mastered the art of moving energy very precisely".
I struggled to keep up with what she was saying and looked at Ava who gave a smile that said \'I know right\'
"Okay". I replied. "Well thanks anyway".
"You\'re welcome". Emily replied. "Ava told me you wanted to discuss magic and being a mage with me".
"Yes". I replied. "I want to know all about the mage system".
Emily sat down at the edge of my bed. "Where do I start from?" She asked. "To be a mage you need to have mana. Now there are nine levels of mages based on the amount of mana points you have".
"There\'s one star mage, two star mage, three star mage, four star mage and so on till it reaches nine stars. Nine star is the highest we\'ve ever seen although some masters claim there is a tenth star and it requires you to forfeit your mortal existence and become a god".
"You can cultivate your mana by training on your own but it is advisable to train in the academy with masters so you can properly learn control".
She stopped talking and thought for a while. "Hmmm, what am I missing?"
"Oh yeah, you also have elements. There are four elements which are fire, water, air and earth. Every mage has one element which they manifest and can use during combat".
I nodded, listened intently. "So you have an element?" I asked.
"Yes, mine is fire". She said with a smile, she flexed her fingers and the tips became coated with tiny flames.
"Wow!" I exclaimed.
"Don\'t light fire in the house". Ava snapped and Emily turned off the fire with a chuckle.
"I could show you how to use it in combat if you like". She said to me.
"I\'d like to". I replied. "But there\'s one more question I have".
"What is it?" She asked me.
"You\'ve not mentioned how you healed me, what magic gives you healing powers?" I replied.
"Oh that". Emily said with a chuckle. "That\'s my special property. Every mage has one, it could be different things, like speed or strength or precision or hearing or even enhancing".
I filed all the information neatly at the back of my head, I\'d process it properly when I had free time.
I got off the bed. "Come and show me your element properly outside". I said and led them outside.
Outside, Emily raised her hands and they were soon coated in flames.
"I can\'t throw it around here, will you follow me to the forest?" She asked. "I\'d be able to unleash properly there, in fact we might one or two animals so you can watch me fight".
I agreed and Emily and I were soon on our way to the forest.
Woodland forest was a large forest located at the center of the town. Because of its central position, it was accessible to almost all parts of the town. However, the forest contained lots of beasts, some of them were even magical beasts that possessed mana. As a result, people steered clear of the forest, avoiding it like a plague.
Only the brave and mages who needed to train dared to venture into the forest.
It was into this forest that I now walked, with Emily by my side, my only protector.
When we had trekked a sufficient distance into the forest, Emily raised her hands and they were suddenly coated in flames. She pointed them at a tree and twin fireballs flew from her hands and headed straight for the tree, burning it\'s bark.
"Wow". I muttered in awe.
"That\'s not all". She said and suddenly a long rope of flames appeared, she snapped it around like a whip.
"That was just a basic display of what fire can do". Emily said when she was done. "If we were fortunate enough to find a beast now, I will show you how to fight with your element".
"Okay". I said and nodded.
"Why are you curious about magic so much?" Emily asked me. "I thought you didn\'t have magic".
I couldn\'t tell her about the lust systems and I also couldn\'t tell her I believed I had magic like I told Ava because she would ask me how I did and I couldn\'t lie to her.
So I sucked in a deep breath and said. "I\'m just interested in learning more about magic broadly, I have no particular reason for being curious".
Just then a loud roar filled the forest.