Casual Heroing

Ok, what I’m trying to do is not exactly ‘easy-peasy’.

But we have assessed that anchoring a spell matrix is doable, and that’s big.

If one point of the matrix is fixed, I could probably make it rotate on itself. Make it spin. But that’s not what I want, is it?

“Book, can I use the anchor to determine a fixed length in real space from the fixed point to where I want my spell? I mean, can I have the spell not move past a certain length from the anchor?”

Once again, the book does not give me an immediate answer, but it takes almost ten seconds before the ink starts materializing on the page.

‘Yes. You need to create overlapping Mana paths that are supplied with enough energy to contrast the first spell matrix polarity.’

Ok, wow, that’s weird.

So, I can draw multiple times over the squiggly lines? Wow.

My brain is getting a bit dizzy at the image, and I activate the [Deep Focus].

Breathing slowly, I look again at the spell matrix in the energy-world generated by my other skill.

I start by anchoring the matrix with quite a bit of Mana and then I draw thin lines starting from opposite starting points. The anti-matrix – that’s how I call the opposite version of it – is only half-charged compared to the main one.

I’ll spare you the description of the first attempts that didn’t generate any [Light] and simply made my Mana disappear into the void.

After half an hour, a small [Light] appears, slowly travels to a few inches from where I imagined the anchor, and stops.

I’m a bit sweaty by now and my brain is hurting. It took much more concentration than I had imagined. It was hard to coordinate the Mana in the anchor, in the matrix, and in the anti-matrix, to create the desired effect.

Man, you would imagine that executing the first goddamn Cantrip would be easier.

But now, I just need a second overlapping matrix to kick in the movement.

I start casting once again.

This time, I use the same principles I used for the anti-matrix, and I trace the squiggly lines perpendicularly to it. I try to moderate the amount of Mana I’m putting there to avoid creating a super-fast seizure-inducing spinning [Light].

So, to recapitulate:

I have an anchor to avoid having a [Light] whose orbit expands infinitely and to avoid having an infinite number of vectors to generate a true and proper physics-based circular motion. Instead, being the smooth-brain that I am, I basically anchored a ping-pong ball to a pole with a string and now I’m about to hit it.

In front of my eyes, a ball of [Light] starts going off. It’s slow and moderate, unlike the deathly projectile I created the first time I tried moving a spell through its matrix. From the center, it slowly reaches the outer limit of the spell, already creating an expanding orbit.

As soon as it hits the limit I set, it starts circling around, making a beautiful, perfectly circular orbit. It will only go as far as the perpendicular anti-matrix I created will allow it. As soon as its strength ends, it will stop orbiting.

However, having no idea how friction works in the magical world, I stare at it going for at least ten minutes before it silently poofs out of existence.

Well, that was something.

I deactivate both skills and let myself slowly fall on the bed, exhausted. It’s not even two in the afternoon, but I’m already wiped. I’m not tapped out in terms of Mana, but my brain has been drained. Now, sitting on an empty tank, I enjoy the weird softness of my bed. I say ‘weird’ because I have still not figured out what this mattress is made of. It’s also quite a bit longer than a normal mattress. Probably because those stinky Elves are as tall as lampposts.

What’s the next order of business?

I can’t go on with my magic training for now because I need rest. But I’m also awake enough to—

…

I wake up after a nice nap that lasted an hour.

Well, that was nice.

After some stretching, I stand up and look at the still hovering spellbook.

Is it broken or something? What if someone enters and finds it like that?

“Yo, book, isn’t it time for you to sleep too? Too much magic can do things to—”

And I get zapped.

How does this even work? Isn’t the curse supposed to work only when I don’t do things? Can’t I give some attitude to this conceited pile of papers?

I get zapped again while staring maliciously at the book.

‘A great [Mage] has a magnanimous heart.’

The inked sentence makes me wish I had some magical matches to pair it with. But it is what it is, isn’t it?

You know what? I’d like to practice hitting some things with that [Light] thing that I did before.

Huh, what’s that?

[Mage – Level 4!]

I see the notification in my head.

Huh.

Well, let’s go hit some things.

Shoot, I should also prepare a plan for the bakeries. I still have to tell both Camilla and Clodia about my intentions, don’t I?

Oh, man, they are not going to like it.