Chapter 14: Chapter 12: Spell Engraving.

Chapter 12: Spell Engraving.

Zeke woke up in the morning and swung his legs out of bed. It wasn't until he was fully awake that he realized he was no longer in his poorly furnished apartment in the beggar's quarters. He was in Maximilian's luxurious house. He realized that with his new, closer proximity to school, he didn't need to wake up as early anymore. However, he decided to maintain the habit of rising early and use the extra time today to explore the house. He descended the grand staircase, marveling at the opulence surrounding him. Zeke hesitantly made his way into the room, taking in the strange, magical devices scattered about. Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, the smell of coffee was a comforting presence, and Zeke's stomach rumbled as he followed it to its source. As he drew closer, he saw Maximilian sitting in a plush chair, engrossed in a book. When Maximilian noticed Zeke, he gestured for him to come closer. Zeke approached cautiously, still taking in the strange, magical gadgets that surrounded him.

"Good morning, my boy," Maximilian said, closing his book and setting it aside. "I hope you slept well."

Zeke stretched and said, "I slept well, thank you. It's just a bit strange waking up in a new place."

Maximilian nodded and said, "I understand. But you'll get used to it. You're a part of my family now, and this is your home. Speaking of which, I have good news for you."

Zeke's eyes lit up with excitement. "Good news? What is it?"

Maximilian grinned and said, "I've arranged for you to receive your specialized classes here with me, that means you can come back here for lunch and afterward we can continue where we left off yesterday."

"Thank you, Maximilian!" Zeke said, unable to contain his excitement.

Maximilian patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't thank me yet. You'll have a lot of work to do. But I have no doubt that you'll rise to the challenge. Now, how about you grab a cup of coffee and a book and relax a little before you have to leave."

Maximilian and Zeke sat in silence, each with a cup of coffee in hand and a book on their lap. The only sound that filled the room was the occasional turning of a page. After a while, Zeke stood and stretched, signaling the end of their peaceful reading session. He bade farewell to Maximilian and headed off to class. The classes flew by with nothing interesting happening and nobody bothering him. Zeke was certain that this was at least in part thanks to his newfound positive attitude, and before he knew it, he was returning to the house to grab lunch.

Upon returning to the house, Zeke was greeted by the presence of a butler in a formal suit and two maids in traditional maid attire. The maids were busy cleaning the house, and one of them winked at Zeke as he entered. He tried to hide his blush and rushed past her to hide his embarrassment.

The butler approached Zeke and, with a slight bow, informed him that Maximilian would be returning shortly for their afternoon lessons, and urged him to start his meal in order to be prepared for their studies on time. As Zeke sat down to partake of his lunch, he couldn't help but feel a sense of respect and gratitude towards Maximilian. The luxurious surroundings and attentive staff were a far cry from the cramped and dingy room he had once called home. And yet, despite the wealth and privilege that surrounded him, Maximilian did not seem to be the type of person who would flaunt it or look down on others.

Instead, Maximilian treated Zeke with the kind of warmth and respect that one might expect from a grandfather figure. Zeke savored each bite of his meal, his mind whirring with the weighty implications of his new situation. He knew that becoming the prime heir to a noble family came with a great deal of responsibility and expectation, but he was determined to make the most of this opportunity. Just as he was finishing his lunch, Maximilian returned from his errands, his long coat billowing behind him as he strode through the front door. Zeke greeted him in the study, where they had left off their magical lesson the day prior. Maximilian sank into his armchair, the leather creaking beneath him. "So, Zeke," he began, studying the boy's reaction closely after addressing him by his nickname for the first time, "what did we learn yesterday?"

Zeke smiled at Maximilian's behavior and took a moment to reflect on the information he had learned about attunement and imbuement, the purity of the core, and the limits of spell casting. He recited it all back to Maximilian, who nodded in approval.

"Not bad, not bad at all," Maximilian said. "But there is one more crucial element to consider when casting a spell. Do you know what it is?" Zeke shook his head, eager to learn more. Maximilian leaned forward, his eyes alight with excitement. "It's mana control, Zeke. Control is the key component for making our spells take form. I know that at your current level, it may not seem important, but soon enough you'll see that you can't use any effective spells without it. Without proper control of mana, our spells will fizzle and fail."

Zeke's eyes widened at the revelation. He had not clearly known the importance of mana control in spell casting before. Maximilian stood and began pacing the room, his hands waving animatedly as he explained the intricacies of mana control. "You see, Zeke, after the mana is attuned by our core, it must travel through channels in our body before it can appear in the outside world. It's like a river, flowing through us and out into the air. We must learn to direct that flow, to shape it into the spells we desire." Zeke listened intently, his mind racing with the possibilities. He could feel the excitement building within him, the thirst for knowledge and power. In his mind, he repeated all the steps needed to cast a spell: Attracting Mana into the core, Attunement, Imbuement, mana control. At this point, Zeke got confused. If those are all the parts necessary for a spell, then why do mages use incantations and gestures to cast spells? After Zeke couldn't come up with a decent answer after a while, he decided to ask Maximilian, who was patiently waiting for him to finish his train of thought.

Maximilian sat back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face as he considered Zeke's question. "Why do mages use gestures and incantations if they're not necessary for spell casting?" he repeated.

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"To put it simply, incantations and gestures are a way to bring the body and mind into alignment," he explained. "Think of it like this: if a mage trains themselves to cast a fireball spell a million times, each time carefully following the exact steps and saying the incantation 'fireball' while making an appropriate gesture, their mind and body will become so attuned to that spell that they can cast it just by making the gesture and saying the incantation." Zeke's eyes widened in understanding. "So, it's like a shortcut to help the mage focus and channel their magic?" he asked. "Exactly," Maximilian nodded. "Gestures and incantations can help a mage bring their full focus and concentration to the task at hand. It's a way to externally anchor their internal focus and make it easier for them to draw upon their magical energy."

"That makes sense," Zeke said, leaning back in his own chair. "I never really thought about it that way before."

"It's an important thing to consider when learning magic," Maximilian said, a hint of seriousness creeping into his voice. "The way we use our bodies and minds to cast spells can have a big impact on their effectiveness. Always remember to find a way to bring your full self to your magic, whether that's through gestures, incantations, or something else entirely."

Zeke nodded eagerly at Maximilian's words, he was certain that by now he had a decent grasp on the basics of spell casting. Now seemed like a good time to remind Maximilian about the subject he had tried to teach him before, eager to learn more about the mysterious process of spell engraving. He had been itching to learn more about it since Maximilian first mentioned it the previous day, and now that he had a better understanding of the basics of cores and spell casting, he felt ready to dive into the deeper mysteries of magic.

Maximilian smiled at Zeke's enthusiasm and began to explain the process of spell engraving in more detail. "You see, Zeke," he said, "when an apprentice mage first begins their training, their core is like a blank canvas, waiting to be filled with the knowledge and power of magic. But as you learn and grow as a mage, you will eventually reach a point where you are ready to become a full-fledged mage. And at this point, you will undergo the process of spell engraving."

Zeke leaned forward, hanging on Maximilian's every word. "So, how does this process work?" he asked.

"Well," Maximilian replied, "it's a bit complicated, but I'll do my best to explain it to you. You see, when you are ready to undergo spell engraving, you will be given a spell to learn and master. This spell will be carefully chosen by your mentor or teacher, and it will be one that is specifically tailored to your strengths and abilities as a mage. Once you have mastered this spell, you will be ready to have it engraved onto your core."

Zeke's brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm not sure that I understand. How exactly do you engrave a spell onto someone's core?" Maximilian smiled at Zeke's curiosity. "Ah, that is the truly magical part of the process. You see, Zeke, when you are ready to have a spell engraved onto your core, you will enter a special ritual chamber. This chamber is specifically designed to facilitate the spell engraving process, and it will be filled with all sorts of magical artifacts meant to aid in the procedure. Once you are inside the chamber, you will be guided through a series of incantations and gestures that are created to help prepare your mind and body for the spell you are trying to engrave onto your core. And as soon as you have completed these incantations and gestures, you will need to channel the spell until you reach the limit of your core and the first, very fine cracks start to appear. Then, with the help of the prepared artifacts and incantations, the spell will be engraved onto your core, giving you access to its power and knowledge for the rest of your life. Zeke remained skeptical about the process and asked: "But didn't you tell me that it is almost impossible to empty my perfect core with apprentice-level spells?"

Maximilian nodded in understanding at Zeke's doubts. "It is true that a perfect blood core is difficult to empty with an apprentice spell," he admitted. "But the process of spell engraving works differently than normal spell casting, the engraving process itself costs a lot of mana, and it is already underway while you are emptying the core. It is about imprinting a specific spell onto it, like carving a design into a piece of wood. While you are in that chamber, the mana cost for all spells will be several times higher than normal. The longer you are able to sustain the spell in the engraving chamber, the deeper and more intricate the engraving will be. This leads to a more powerful and refined spell. Of course, there is always the option to attempt to engrave a more advanced spell, but that comes with its own set of challenges and risks."

Zeke nodded, taking in the information. "So how do I know when I'm ready for my breakthrough?" he asked.

Maximilian smiled. "Typically, students become mages at the end of their first year. The more talented students might achieve it at the beginning of their second semester. But don't worry about it just yet, Zeke. You'll know when you're ready. The sign of a breakthrough is an intense pain in your core. It comes in waves, growing more intense and closer together the longer you wait for your breakthrough." Zeke's face turned pale as Maximilian spoke, the implications of his words sinking in. Maximilian noticed the change in Zeke's demeanor and asked him what was wrong. Zeke hesitantly told him about the intense pain he had been experiencing in his core for weeks, ever since Lily had told him she couldn't be seen with him anymore. He had thought the pain was a result of his loneliness and sadness, not his magic. Maximilian's eyes widened in shock as he listened to Zeke's confession. He placed a hand over Zeke's chest, where his core was located, and sent pulses of mana towards it to probe it.

After a moment, Maximilian's own face turned pale as he cursed under his breath. "Zeke, it's high time for you to learn the blood spell for your engraving," Maximilian said urgently. "If we don't do something soon, your core will collapse in a matter of weeks." Zeke's eyes widened in fear at the prospect of his core collapsing. He had always known that magic came with its own set of risks, but he had never imagined something like this happening to him.

"What can I do?" Zeke asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

"First and foremost, we need to get you started on your blood spell as soon as possible," Maximilian said, his tone serious. "It's the only way to stabilize your core and prevent it from collapsing. But it's not going to be easy, Zeke. The spell that I want you to engrave is not easy to learn. It requires a level of control and precision that most mages could only dream of achieving as apprentices."

Zeke swallowed hard, his mind racing. Only then did he realize how much trouble he was truly in. "I'll do whatever it takes," Zeke said determinedly. "I'll work day and night, I'll practice until my hands are raw. Just tell me what I need to do."

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