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Fear Not The Elf Who Knows 10,000 Spells by Silver W. King
Anime » Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Rated: T, English, Adventure & Fantasy, OC, Words: 106k+, Favs: 362, Follows: 446, Published: Apr 17, 2025 Updated: Oct 10, 2025
105Chapter 3
I woke up, and just like before going to bed, I did visualization practice.
I imagined myself running through the whole of Schwanz with the world frozen in time.
I imagine myself swinging my arm, and everything in my sight is sliced like a picture cut by a sword.
I may not have Jilwer and Reelseiden yet, but that doesn't mean I won't prepare my ass off.
It's been my routine for basically this whole new life of mine.
After that I had to bath before anyone else, because I didn't want fight with anyone or wait a turn with others pushing for you to hurry up. Lots of morning stuff to get through.
At least that was my plan, but as I finished my visualization training, and moved to get up I heard a groan besides me.
I saw black, blue-tinted hair lying next to me. It was the long hair of Rein.
She was one of the younger kids in the orphanage. A little girl of five or six that tended to stick to me more than others, so I tended to be grouped together with her by the matron when I'm around.
Although, that's basically after I finish training for the day, so like from evening or sunset till bed time.
I usually use that time to help out around the orphanage if anyone asked for help, or just do my mana detection training. I reached the point where I'm focusing on ants now. Rein usually just sits quietly next to me, or asks me to read her bedtime stories from the matron's books.
Rein usually was a deep sleeper, unlike all the other kids in the orphanage that tended to be light sleepers.
Yet this time as I moved, she let out a groan as she opened her little eyes, with a sleepy pout. She wasn't really sleeping on the bed, but resting her arms and head on it, while sitting on the floor. This silly brat, that's bad for your knees. Honestly, anime tropes like that are stupid.
"Train," she called out in a small whine and opened her little eyes. And of course like a wittle baby she has to butcher my name. "I'm notta baby!" Rein said with a mighty pout.
Okay, my face can't possibly be showing my emotions that much.
"I didn't say anything." I pointed out trying not to smile.
"Ms. Gu-Ten says that's what you're thinking when you're making that face." Rein pointed out accusingly, her little finger pointed at me.
Dammit old lady, I can't believe you ratted me out like that.
Rein's eyes, started to drop after that little excitement.
I sighed, removed my blanket and got up.
"Alright, okay, up you go." I said as I pulled her off the floor and onto the bed, as I moved to get down. "I'll tell Ms. Gütig to let you sleep in a little longer today."
Rein weighed as much as a feather. Plump-ish kid, but everyone could easily pick her up. She hated it. It was hilarious.
Pretty sure she secretly liked it when I or the matron picked her up though. Not sure why me too. I'm not motherly am I? Do I give off that vibe?
"Nooo, I still..." Rein yawned. "Didn't give you...breakfast..." She was dozing off. I placed her where I was and covered her with the blanket. She seemed to instinctively snuggle into the warmth I left behind.
I looked to the table next to my bed. There was four beds in the room, I was on the one furthest away from the door in the room's corner. The desk was between my bed and opposite bed for Rot, one of my roommates.
The desk was really meant to make the room more lively, or for one of us kids to use it for reading or studying, but it just ended up mostly used for decorations and personal keepsakes. I didn't have anything of mine on it, maybe some old drawings I don't plan to take with me.
On the desk was a plate with... a ball... cookie? A half-burnt cookie in the shape of a sea mine?
"I made you a star cookie." Rein said from behind me with a soft sleepy tone.
"Aren't stars flat?" I found myself saying before I could stop. I should have just said thank you, waited for her to sleep and threw it out.
"Ms. Gu-Ten said the sun is a star. The sun is a ball. And stars have horns, so horn ball." Rein said, some annoyance fighting to show itself from her sleepiness.
Impeccable logic.
"Did the matron help you with it?" I really hope it wasn't one of the other kids that let her play around in the kitchen.
"Aren't you...gonna try it?" Rein scowled at me like a squirrel.
I help back a sigh and prepared for whatever this thing of a cookie will turn out to be.
I didn't bother thinking about it, or examining it. Might as well get it over with.
I took the cookie ball—A-hem, star, about as big as a tennis ball, filling my hand, as in three bites devoured the whole thing quickly.
"You didn't taste it!" Rein whined. sitting up a little.
And thank god I didn't! How the hell was the outside burned and crunchy and the inside still raw dough.
I mean, there's still sugar in it, so that's good.
"Rein, how long did you put this in the oven?" I asked.
"Oven? We're not suppose to use that." Rein crunched her cute eyebrows in confusion. "I used fire under a pan like a proper cook. Lässig showed me."
Of fucking course it was Lässig. That guy should not be given any responsibility for anything, regardless of him being seventeen and one of the oldest kids still around.
"So?" Rein said as began to pulled back to under the blanket, her eyes dropping closed. "Is it good?" She asked with a quieting voice.
"Yeah, it just," I pulled back any criticism. This was a kid after all. "Yeah, it was good, Rein."
"Good enough..." She yawned once more. "You'll... stay..."
Where the hell did that come from?!
I frowned unsure how to explain to a six year old child that I still have to leave today.
I tried to start a few times, sighing each time, as I didn't know how to say this in a way that didn't hurt.
Thankfully while I was brainstorming an answer, Rein's breathing changed to something low and steady. She had fallen asleep before she could wait for my answer.
"Sorry, Rein." I whispered, and moved the blanket to cover her, so she doesn't get cold.
I frowned as I turned to leave the room. She's a kid. She'll be sad for a while, but she had seen other kids leave to lives before. She'll be fine after a while, right?
I ignored that small pang of guilt, as I went about my day.
Schroff, an Archer POV:
"Hey, old man!"
Schroff blinked at a voice he didn't expect to call out to him, set down his hot buttered rum, and turned his head to see the boy that came up to him two years ago asking to be his apprentice.
Schroff doesn't have a lot of pleasures in life. He's old, all his family left the Anfang Region long ago that he doesn't know if they are alive or dead, he's alone and what peace he can expect in his latter years is likely to vanish with this civil war going on.
His life is work. Crossing the Froststaub mountains to reach the sea. Fishing. Use a preserve fish meat spell, and curing it when he doesn't have enough mana. Cross the mountain again back to his cabin. Hunt animals. Preserve or cure whatever game he got. Put everything in frost storage. Built up stock, then travel down the mountain to sell his game to three different town, picking up supplies, money and firewood, before landing at Schwanz for the big pay day of selling everything left.
Then it's back home. Rinse and repeat.
The only pleasure he allowed himself in his lonely old age, is the conversation he finds in taverns, and a quiet cup of hot buttered rum. He doesn't like to mix the two.
It doesn't seem like he will get to enjoy drink in peace.
Trenn seemed like a normal rambunctious kid with a loud mouth and attitude, even if he doesn't raise his voice, or act noisy. Yet, he had this way about him like someone headed towards a goal, with an unstoppable focus.
He reminded Schroff of when he was young and foolish, wanting to be an adventurer and fight monster, rather than do something actually productive. He wasn't a bad kid really.
It's just that Trenn wanted to learn folk magic from Schroff and the old man wanted to not be bothered into doing something that required that much effort.
So he gave the boy an impossible challenge. An old dwarven warrior tradition. One that was left in the past.
For a dwarf to be considered a warrior, he needed to find the tree with the strongest roots, and be able to rip it out of the ground.
Schroff felt like that requirement was unnecessary, so he only made it, so that as long as Trenn completed said challenge, he'll take him on as an apprentice.
Given the boy's grit and dedicated, Schroff reckoned Trenn will take until his mid-adolescence till he succeeded.
By then Schroff hoped he'd have died off. He had turned seventy two recently after all.
Besides, it was a mercy for the boy. It's not like his wishes for strength went unnoticed by the Elves Shield. They wanted Schroff to train the kid, so they'd have a Warrior with mountain folk spells on their side. Schroff was promised a lot of gold should he agree. They even promised to pay him for any student he'd take. A way to "sponsor" those kids development. A way for Schroff's people and their traditions to not be forgotten.
Oh no. Just turn the ways of the Weißer Berg tribe to those of indoctrinated killers.
The old archer's challenge to the boy was suppose to show his high standards. And also a subtle way of telling the Elves Shield leaders of this city to fuck off. Thankfully they let things be. They don't want to seem like the crazed cultists, like those of the Coalition.
Schroff was old, and he really hated living long enough to see the peace the world enjoyed by the efforts of Himmel the Hero, get torn to shreds by self-entitled fools. See his tribe be forced to abandon their ancestral homes lest they get caught up in men's violent stupidity.
He stayed. Because someone had to stay. Someone had to remember.
"I'm coming with you today." Trenn said, his assured tone bringing Schroff's wandering mind back to the kid.
"...I believe my words were clear, kid. " Schroff said with a disappointed tone.
He supposed he shouldn't have expected a child to continue to act so mature, and to not throw a temper tantrum at a difficult challenge. Although he kinda hoped Trenn's pride in his maturity wouldn't let him lower his determination, and complain about the harshness of the task.
"Yeah. Which is why I'm saying I'm ready. I can do it now." Trenn said with a wide grin, of a kid who knew something the adults didn't.
Schroff blinked and looked again at Trenn, really focused on the boy. There wasn't an nervousness in his posture. No false confidence, or the wariness those who prepare trickery tend to hold.
Huh...
Schroff won't say he's surprised. He doesn't fully believe the kid, since they can be pretty self-assured without bases... but his curiosity is piqued.
"That right?" Schroff raised an eyebrow.
"You pick the tree. That way you can't say I was cheating." Trenn said back.
Schroff couldn't help the snort at the boy's gumption. With a little motivation in wanting to see how this plays out, Schroff downs his drink, letting the warm rum mix, fill up his belly, and stood up.
"Alright," the old man gestured for the black haired boy to lead the way. "This should be funny."
The boy, Trenn looked comical hugging one of the trees in the forest around Schwanz.
Schroff and Trenn were accompanied by the old lady who ran the Calm Orphanage, along with some kids.
They all watched as Trenn's arms cracked the tree bark, as they sank into the wood. The body growled, groaned and trembled.
Schroff's eyes widened as he watched the boy's mana surge and nearly explode out of him. The instability was obvious now that the body was engaging in strenuous activity.
Why was he trying to suppress his mana even while using it? Schroff thought.
The tree shook, and the ground cracked and broke under the kid.
Then with a shout, Trenn started pull the tree up.
The roots sprang out of the ground, ripping apart and breaking as the old archer watched the impossible happen.
An eight year old pulled up the fourty foot tall tree out of the ground.
"YES!" Trenn shouted out in joy. Then began to lose his balance.
Schroff moved with the speed spell before he could think, and pulled the boy away from under the tree and back next to him and the audience, the moment tree leaned toward Trenn.
The tree fell with a loud thud, as it hit the ground.
Schroff looked at the grinning kid, who's hair shined dark blue under the sun's rays, ignoring the cheering orphans and orphanage matron behind him.
Well shit. Schroff scoffed with a scowl. I got an apprentice.
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Fear Not The Elf Who Knows 10,000 Spells by Silver W. King
Anime » Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Rated: T, English, Adventure & Fantasy, OC, Words: 106k+, Favs: 362, Follows: 446, Published: Apr 17, 2025 Updated: Oct 10, 2025
105Chapter 4
"So, you're really leaving, huh kid?" Lässig said in a casual tone from behind me as I finished packing what clothes and notebooks I had for training and ideas, things I tried, what worked and what didn't and what I learned, etc.
The blond young man, wore a loose orange scarf around his neck, standing with a casual demeanor that seemed like the signature image of the 'cool kid'.
"Yep." I said definitely as I closed the bag, and lifted over my shoulder, as I turned to leave.
"You know, the other kids usually left much later. Like fourteen or fifteen when they found someone to apprentice under." Lässig pointed out, but made no move to stop me.
"That is way too long to wait." Fourteen? Fifteen? That's already a twenthith of my life!
"Not that long, kid. Why are you rushing off so much?" Lässig said as I walked passed him. He easily kept up with his longer stride.
"Because I don't wanna waste any time. And I know I could do more if I knew more. I wanna learn the thing I want or need to learn, so I could be able to travel around and do what I want." I stopped to turn and give Lässig a smile. "Basically work hard now, so I can enjoy my life without worry later on." I said before continuing on my way.
"That's not really how it works, little guy. You're living whether you're rushing or not. You won't be able to enjoy anything if you put a condition on it, and keep thinking you're suppose to finish something first." Lässig said.
I paused for a moment. That... sounded like some unexpected wisdom. It was good advice, and I'm surprised it came from Lässig of all people.
I looked back and he raised an eyebrow at me, as he leaned back his hands now behind his head.
Or maybe it's laziness disguised as wisdom. That seemed more fitting for the oldest orphan still around.
Honestly, it almost sounds like some lesson the Frieren anime would give.
"Nah, I know what I'm doing." I shook my head and walked forward. I ignored Lässig snort behind me.
My farewell was... surprising.
As I stood in front of the orphanage, it looked like almost everyone came to say goodbye.
Why? I don't even remember everyone's name beyond the matron, Rein, Lässig, Rot, Nervös and Ungeduld. And I only remember the last three because they're my roommates.
"I really hoped this day would come much later, but I suppose you were always too mature to stay put." Matron Gütig with a sad smile. "Take care of yourself, listen to Mr. Schroff and come visit often."
"I'll visit whenever I can," I said automatically. It's what I said to my relatives in my past life whenever they said similar things.
Matron Gütig let out a short laugh. She was still smiling but the sadness seemed deeper to my eyes. Weird.
Everyone said their version of goodbyes, with me replying, smiling or nodding.
"Make damn sure to be amazing, you hear, Trenn. Don't let your smarts make you lazy." Lässig said with a laugh as he ruffled my hair.
"I'm not you, Lässig." I said batting his arm away. He just laughed as he stood back.
My sight fell to Rein, who stood looking down, sad and hugging a pink teddy bear.
I sighed, as I was already feeling bad about telling her that I was still leaving.
"I'm never gonna see you again." Rein said.
...Where did that come from?
"I'm gonna visit," I leaned down, balancing with one hand on my knees, and the other placed on her shoulder to reassure her. "We may not see each other as much, but I'll be sure to come back when I can. At least you can be sure we'll see each other when Mr. Schroff comes back with his stuff."
Rein shook her head like a stubborn child, tears at the edge of her eyes.
I thought she'd run back inside in a tantrum. Instead she jumped up and hugged me. I let her pull me down as I kneeled and hugged her back.
Why was she this emotional...? I'm the only one who actively spent time with her, aren't I? I mean, I babysat her when I could because there's no out else, but...
Kids, emotions and attachments. Can't say I understand any of that. Still, she'll get over it, she might even forget or feel distant about me when I meet her months, or a year from now. I'll just be someone whom she used to spend time with, but then she'd grow up and make new friends.
Or she might die from this civil war if the fighting comes here.
An insidious thought wormed itself into my head, before I forcibly shut it down.
"I'm gonna miss you." Rein said, now crying.
"I'm gonna miss you too, kid." I said back easily, finally glad this goodbye was coming to an end, while feeling bad for her.
Rein shook her head, as if I wasn't understanding something.
Honestly, you'd think I'm going away to war with how she's reacting. The awkward goodbye continued for a moment longer, before I finally left the orphanage and everyone behind, waving at them as they waved at me.
Rein was waving the hardest. Cute kid.
"Hey, Löwenjunges. I came to say good bye."
"Hey, kid. Wait a moment, I got just the thing for you."
Mr. Schroff didn't seem to mind the detour, as we passed by Löwenjunges' home on the way out.
Löwenjunges was gone for a moment, and came back with a sword and sheath.
"Woah." I blinked at the sword he brought out. That, uuuh, looks kinda expensive.
"I know what you're thinking, and trust me, it's junk." Löwenjunges said with a chuckle.
"What?" I looked at him in confusion.
"Well, not to a beginner, but to any practicing swordsman, it might as well be." He sheathed the sword and handed it to me. I almost dropped it as I was handed the strap. "Yep. It's stupidly heavy. It was some blacksmith's experiment with different alloys. He made a sword," Löwenjunges thought for a moment, shaking his head back and forth before settling on how to describe it. "As durable and sharp as a normal sword. But it was much, much heavier than a normal one. That wouldn't have been a problem, although sharpening it would have been annoying due to that durability. Had it been just that, I could have still ended up in the hands of an aspiring swordsman, or the like."
"So, what's the problem?" I asked as I wore it over my shoulder, and took a moment to adjust to the weight.
"See how heavy that sword is?" He said with a sigh.
"Yeah?"
"That's how it's always gonna be." Löwenjunges said definitively.
"...Huh?" That sounds... awesome. Like the ultimate training sword.
"Yep. No Warrior wants to use a sword that's too difficult to wield in a real fight." Löwenjunges sighed with regret.
"Say what?" I'm not getting the issue here. In fact, isn't this thing too valuable to be giving off to some random kid. Löwenjunges, are you... actually a good merchant? Am I robbing you right now?
"Said blacksmith asked a mage to enchant it, and said mage misunderstood and made it so that the initial weight and heaviness of the sword would say constant for the user." Löwenjunges explained, but I still don't see the issue.
"Huh. Junk." Schroff said with a nod from behind me.
"Huh!? How?" I said looking back at him.
"Useless in a real fight. No point." Schroff summarized.
"That's basically the issue. It might be good for training, but in a real battle, where seconds matter, using a sword that's too unwieldy would cause the user's death." Löwenjunges added.
"Why not sell it to a noble?" I pointed out. "Seriously I feel like I'm taking advantage of you by taking this for free." I couldn't help but say. I know I should just be happy for my good fortune, but it feels sleazy.
"That's because you're a good kid." Löwenjunges patted my head with a smile. I let him since I'm robbing him of a magic sword. "But no noble in the Southern Land would bother to buy this as it would just be a luxury item. It would be too expensive and useless."
"Kid is right though. What about nobles outside of the Southern Lands." Schroff pointed out.
Löwenjunges sighed as he ran a hand through his blond hair.
"Sadly travelling had become kind of hard near the border due to the increase fighting between the Shields and the Coalition. I don't know for how long I'll be stuck here with my wares." He said, hiding his dejection.
Why don't you just leave your wares and run away? Is what I wanted to ask but felt it might sound stupid or insensitive.
"I'm... not sure how to pay you back for this." I said awkwardly.
"How about you become a legendary adventurer and we'll call it even." Löwenjunges said with a grin and a laugh. "I get to say, 'I gave the Great Trenn his legendary sword'."
"Didn't you say it was useless, other than for training?" I chuckled.
"Call it a hunch, but I have a feeling you'll figure something out." Löwenjunges said back.
Schroff grunted behind me impatiently. With a more hasty goodbye, I left Löwenjunges behind, as the old man and I finally went to the city gate.
A short inspection where I saw that mage Trottel trying to act tough, which fell flat against Schroff's stoic face, and then we were off.
We left Schwanz. On foot.
"Mr. Schroff?"
"Hmm?" He grunted.
"Don't you have a wagon with a horse?" I asked, confused.
"No. If you can't endure this, you might as well go back." He said. Is he trying to get rid of me?
Ah, no. This is the whole tough mentorship thing starting.
"Alright, cool." I nodded and stepped next to him to keep up. "Although is this really how you usually travel, every time from the mountains to the city?"
Schroff looked at me surprised for a moment, before just hardening his eyes, focusing forward on the road ahead, the stoic look back in his eyes.
"No. I use a spell for high-speed movement, along with a spell to make things I carry be light in weight." He explained. "However if I don't have the stamina and strength to do those actions normally then it's useless. Unless you can complete this journey without the aid of magic, then there's no point in teaching you." Schroff said in a definitive tone, before glancing at me for my reaction.
"Alright! Seems reasonable." I nodded at the logic. His magic is about improving physical capabilities, then obviously the base abilities need to be good.
I did my best not to show my hype and excitement at the confirmation that the old man did know Jilwer. I think I succeeded.
Soon. Soon Speed will be mine!
Schroff looked surprised at my casual reply, but tried to shrug it off. He grunted while grumbling under his breath, then we continued walking in silence.
For a while.
"Sooo, what kind of magic and trade skills will I be learning?" I asked.
"Save your breath while you walk, it's going to be a long journey. We'll talk while we make camp and rest along the way." Schroff said. "Talk only to point out something important, or if you sense danger. I'm more likely to sense danger before you, but if you notice something tell me anyways. Don't worry, if I sense anything on the road I'll let you know, since you're my charge now."
...That sounded like some old man bullshit, because he doesn't want to talk but I'll let it go.
"Got it."
AN: ...Wow. Trenn is kinda an unempathic selfish dick. Weird to realize that after I've written the scene with him and Rein. Also yes, Rein isn't being dramatic for dramatic's sake. (Hint: HoTS. Acronym for a character in Frieren)
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Fear Not The Elf Who Knows 10,000 Spells by Silver W. King
Anime » Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Rated: T, English, Adventure & Fantasy, OC, Words: 106k+, Favs: 362, Follows: 446, Published: Apr 17, 2025 Updated: Oct 10, 2025
105Chapter 5
"What do you know of magic?" Schroff asked once we made camp and settled down for the night. A small fire was made between our sleeping bags. I had one bought with allowance I saved up from a long while.
I asked why not make a tent, he said just using the sleeping bags was faster for picking up, when we wake up and get moving.
Seems legit.
Although circulating mana around my body to push away bugs and the like, while sleeping is something I've done before, I never had to do it for multiple days. This should be good exercise.
"Other than sensing mana, and moving it around a bit? Practically nothing. I know you need mana to make a spell, and that's magic." I answered honestly.
"And what constitutes as a spell?" Schroff continued.
"Causing some kind of effect in the world that uses up mana?" I shrugged. "I'm not sure."
"Hmm," he grunted, and went quiet for a moment. "Is that all you can think of?" Schroff asked curiously.
Is there anything else? Hmm, what else? What else?
Oh!
"You need good imagination to be a good mage." I said with some excitement as I remembered the most essential thing about the Frieren magic system.
Unlike what I expected, Schroff scowled, then sighed.
...Is this like the Old Master trope where everything that I know is wrong, but later turns out to be right, but I didn't have the mindset for it?
"You need a strong imagination to be a great mage," Schroff replied, yet from his tone, it sounded like he was reciting a quote. "It is not what you need as an aspiring mage. You need something else to learn to be a mage."
Huh, I was right.
"And what's that?" I asked, really engaged with the the lesson. I found myself smiling as I was finally learning about magic, rather than stumbling in the dark.
"Certainty." Schroff said, and the first time in my mind was how, you could be certain with imagination.
A clear image in one's head can make them certain about how something could be.
I held back the enthusiasm a bit, and so I can listen to Old Schroff's words, and not force my assumptions on what he said. Learn then assume as the saying goes. Probably.
"Could you elaborate, Mr. Schroff?" I asked, my smile nearly splitting my face. I swear I was so excited, my eyes probably are doing that pupil star shining thing.
Schroff snorted at my reaction.
"What happened to 'old man'?" He scoffed with a chuckle.
"I'm sorry for not being more polite earlier, teacher!"
He snorted and chuckled some more despite his want to appear stoic.
"'Schroff' is fine. You sound weird when you're trying to be a goodie-two-shoe." He said, waving me off.
"I can act like a good kid." I scoffed this time, playfully offended.
"Not saying you're not." Schroff shook his head. "Bah, never mind." He said, as his tone returned to being lecture-y. "Back to the point, 'you need certainty first to cast a spell, then you need an imagination to cast it well'." He said in a rhythm-y way.
"Is that a quote from somewhere?" I asked.
"A rhyme we used to get told as kids." Schroff said. "I don't know about fancy magic schools or academies but here's how I learned it." The old man had a small nostalgic smile the more he spoke. I don't think he realized he was doing that. So I didn't mention it. "Magic, as my grandmother used to tell me, is a conversation with the world, and spells are the agreement both parties come to." He said. "It's fine if you don't get everything I say. Stop me and ask questions, if you're lost somewhere."
Yet my thoughts were elsewhere.
'Magic is a conversation'?
A conversation needs two parties minimum. How would the World talk?
Wind? Air?
No. Obviously mana.
The world has mana!
Goddess's Magic is a three party conversation, that's why it's stronger than normal magic. Wait, is it stronger than normal magic—? The thought immediately came to mind, and I pushed it aside for later.
"The world has its own mana!" I cried out, trying to hold back a laugh.
"..." Schroff's eyes widened, as he blinked at me in muted shock for a while.
"So Spells are a combination of our mana, or internal mana, and World Mana which is external mana?" I asked as connections came to mind from anime, manga and other fantasy stories, with even bits of sci-fi.
"Who told... Huh, I guess that's what they call a genius?" Schroff muttered to himself.
"Huh?" I blinked at that. 'Genius'? That seem like just normal logic. I don't think I could stand with any of the real geniuses out there.
"Nothing," he waved me off, before a wistful look came to his face. "You really should be learning in one of those fancy magic schools." He muttered, and I pretended I didn't hear him. Before ignoring politeness and addressed him anyways.
"Well, you're here and I wanna learn from you anyways." I said almost petulantly.
Schroff snorted, which turned into a laugh.
"Right, right, of course." The old man said with his gravelly voice.
"It usually takes a while for kids learning magic a while to realize that. You're only realized as a true mage when you can sense the mana of the world." He explained.
"So you need to first sense the mana of the environment around you in order cast spells?"
"No," Schroff shook his head. "If you know the structure and rules of a spell, you can cast it, even if you don't know everything about it, or about magic." He said. "Casting a spell is like trying to look through a fog to see a picture. The more concise and focused a spell is, the easier it is to cast. Both in terms in mana cost and spell structure holding up."
"Concise and focused how?"
"Hmm," Schroff grunted in thought, before a small amused smile came to him. "Did you know there are twelve spells for making tea?"
"Excuse me?" What the fuck? I like tea as much as the next guy, but it's not that complicated to make! Why would you need to know that many spells for making frickin' tea!?
"Well, that's what I heard. Although I do know two of them." Schroff said with a chuckle. "The first the spell that brews hot tea, Teekessel. However that one requires all the tea's ingredients in place first. So you have to put tea leaves, and sugar or whatever if you want, along with water, then the spell will boil it to a perfect temperature. The other is Heißtee, a spell that makes hot tea by transforming water into hot tea." Schroff said, and I was trying not to let my amusement show up too much, as how silly that was. "I knew someone that could summon tea directly from their wand, just straight up mana to tea. But I didn't bother to learn that one."
I laughed. I really should take this seriously, but it was just too silly.
"Sorry, sorry!" I didn't want to seem like I didn't care for the lesson.
Schroff grunted, yet I could see the smile hidden behind his white and silvery mustache and bread.
"Back to the point." He said once I finally calmed down. "The reason why you have many spells for the same thing, is because different people have different ways to solve a need that magic provides. Such as getting tea." I snorted, but was now calm enough so I could listen. "That's why the more a spell is specific, the easier it is to learn, and the less magic you use."
"So something generic like a fire spell would be like looking through a dense fog for that picture, because not only is the spell too generic, I'd need to learn a lot about fire, how it works, etc. and all that raises the mana cost of the spell?" I asked.
"Hmm," Schroff smiled and nodded. I think I heard him mutter 'quick' under his breath.
"So, how do you cast a spell? Do you shape your mana in a specific way? Do you just combine your mana with the world's mana while focusing on your intention? How does it happen?" I asked.
Schroff seemed tired all of a sudden as he sighed and looked away. He looked down at the fire in thought, before turning to me.
"You can detect mana, correct?" He asked and I nodded. "Learn to detect mana of the environment around you, then you'll be ready to learn spells. The better you are at the basics, the better you'll be later on." Schroff then got up, got some of the game meat from our supplies, deer meat, and a small cup of nuts. "I'm gonna make dinner, you work on that, and keep working on it throughout our trip till we reach the mountains."
With that Schroff just got to cooking on the open fire.
I sat back in a meditative pose, and closed my eyes.
Mana detection was second hand to me now. Yet there was still stuff I can learn, like how to pin point things too small, like dust mites. Ants are still a struggle, as I can't focus on them if I'm moving. Even while sitting down, I can only feel them by focusing on a location. Feeling all insects in my range is out of my league for now.
Also, my range, that's something I need to improve. But more than that, Löwenjunges proved that mana detection could be spoofed by someone pretending to have mana levels lower than that of a human, making others mistake them as an animal. I need to be able to get a visual feed of someone when I use mana detection.
Not just feel their presence, but feel what they look like through their mana.
But even with how skill I got so far, how can I detect the World's mana when I never even got a hint of it before?
I can feel other living beings just fine, but why not anything else? How did this escape my notice?
I stopped focusing on the living beings around me, and tried to focus on the 'empty space' space in my radius. The parts that aren't the animals, insects or plants. The air, ground, rocks or dirt.
I feel... well, I feel the air around me, but not much else.
I kept going for a while. There is the heat and of the campfire and crackling of the firewood. The smell of the venison Schroff is roasting on a stick is starting to get distracting.
But again, why can't I sense this external mana, if it should be so abundant? It mana of the World, right? It should be everywhere. It should be easy to figure out.
Fern learned it as a nine year old or something. That's why when she finally learned how to correctly use Zoltraak she was considered a mage, since she likely figured out this first part, and what was left was just casting a spell correctly, with good mana control and mental image.
So why can't I sense it if it's already all around me?
Water. Ocean.
My mind went to thinking about fish swimming in water, and some old philosophical or scientific quote came to mind.
A fish doesn't know it is swimming in water.
With my eyes still closed I raised a hand and slowly tried to wave it, like waving water in a swimming pool.
If I'm already in the water, I should be able to feel the effect of ripples I'm making.
I tried to feel if something was rubbing against my mana. Something that should have always been there.
Isn't my mana pushing against something as I'm moving? Or is it too big to be felt?
How does a fish know it's swimming in water?
It needs to swim.
I raised a hand up, gathering my mana into hand, doing nothing but focusing on mana detection.
I focused my mana... then shot it upward.
It was nothing. There was no spell after all.
Just a pure stream of mana flying upward. It wasn't Zoltraak of course or anything like that, there was no intent in my mana. Just a desire to be.
Just a rod or a sonar shooting out, while I focused on detecting what my mana interacts with.
Nothing. No, something... maybe?
Am I imaging things, or trying to see something that isn't there, but I expect to be there.
I frowned, but didn't stop my mana detection. I ignored all living beings again.
I brought my hands down, gathered mana between them and let it ripple and expand like a bubble.
Again!
There's... something at the edge of my awareness. Like a picture, colors bleeding in.
I kept focusing on the negative space in my mana detection, spending waves of mana like a soap bubble expanding outwards. Not trying to do anything, just feel.
I felt as my mana hit the air. As it moved over and under the ground.
Okay, maybe focus on something smaller?
I made my mana coat my hands and tried to move them as if I was grasping air.
It was like a bad attempt at clapping. Yet the more I did so, the more it felt like I was grasping 'something' between my hands. Like a pressure between my palms. As if I a ball of air that's trying to resist and push back.
I grinned and focused on that feeling. Doing it again and again, focusing on the separation. On what's not "me".
Feeling it by feeling what it is not.
Until finally...!
The World opened to me.
I've discovered the water.
It was like finally seeing, when at first I only had a blackened world with points of light.
I could feel everything in my range. The totality of the world that I could sense in my mana detection range. I instinctively held back from fully sensing it. Like, only having an awareness of it, but not fully taking in everything, lest I be overwhelmed.
I felt energy. My mana in me, but also how the World's mana was... you know how energy and matter are the same thing?
Of course it's difficult to sense the World's mana, when solid matter, ground, dirt, or air, oxygen, nitrogen and other gases are just energy in different states, different vibrations.
It's all so basic in their presence that you couldn't distingish them. Like hearing the sound of your own heartbeat, or seeing the edge of your nose.
It too active focus to realize them.
I opened my eyes, staring at the flames of the campfire, ignoring Schroff's frozen posture and stare towards me.
I only looked at the fire.
Fire is combustion. Despite how it looks, it's a chemical reaction even without the connotation of 'chemical' being liquids. It's a rapid oxidation that releases energy in the form of heat and light.
I moved my mana over to the fire, as the external mana moved around it. I swirled my mana around the fire, the World's mana moving where my mana wasn't.
My intention swept through my mana. The World's mana and my own dissolved into each other, as an 'effect' was centered on the campfire.
I waved my hand, wanting the chemical reaction of the fire to halt, to pause. For no more heat and light to be released for now. For the energy to stay in the wood.
The fire went out.
Then I thought about reigniting the flames. Nothing fancy, just bring them back just as they were.
Of letting the gases in the wood escape once more, or letting it heat up and mix with the oxygen once more. For light and heat to escape and be freed as they once were.
The fire returned with a bit of a spur before settling down as I let go, let my mana let go of it. The World mana disconnecting as I let things be.
I released a breath. Took one in and let out a laughed.
"Holy shit." I said laughing. "I did it."
"Holy shit," Schroff said. "You did it."
His tone, much more stunted and quietly shocked, threw me out of my celebration as I turned to my mentor.
"That's good, right?" I said, struggling to quiet down the excitement running through me, but easily letting the energy settle down, as I smiled and relaxed my shoulder. "That's the first thing magic students are suppose to learn and all."
"...It's suppose to take you years to sense the World's mana." Schroff said, making nervousness and amusement take hold of me. "I know because I've seen others train, and I distinctively remember it took me six years to learn how to do that."
"Oh..." Uuuh, what do I say now? "Cool." I nodded.
Nailed it.
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Fear Not The Elf Who Knows 10,000 Spells by Silver W. King
Anime » Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Rated: T, English, Adventure & Fantasy, OC, Words: 106k+, Favs: 362, Follows: 446, Published: Apr 17, 2025 Updated: Oct 10, 2025
105Chapter 6
Schroff, an Archer POV:
"...It's suppose to take you years to sense the World's mana." Schroff said, feeling a sense of vertigo and disbelief at what he was seeing. "I know because I've seen others train, and I distinctively remember it took me six years to learn how to do that."
"Oh... Cool." Trenn nodded, trying to act casual. Just like that, Schroff snapped back to the present.
'Cool' he says. Schroff resisted rolling his eyes, or laughing.
Not for the first time, Schroff felt it pitiful that this boy couldn't learn at a magic academy. He felt like Trenn and his potential were wasted, being born in the Southern Lands.
Then again, no one can control the whims of fate sans the Goddess. Maybe she has a role for Trenn in all of this. Not that Schroff was really all the pious to think on the Goddess's machination, but just, every once in a while, he couldn't help but wonder why things happen the way the did.
He really should have gotten a better teacher. Schroff thought, his lips twisting into a frown.
"Rest." Schroff finally said, as he held a venison skewer toward Trenn. "Eat. You trained enough. Eat, sleep. We leave at first light." He said, giving a plan of action, so as not to think on the implication of everything, or how he would deal with the boy.
Schroff wanted to wait on teaching Trenn anything practical, so as not to hand the Elves Shield a weapon on a silver platter. It would have been years before he taught Trenn anything truly dangerous, and if the Shield asked about his progress, the old man would have had the ready made excuse of the child needing time to learn and progress.
Now, Schroff wasn't sure anymore. Going with his old plan felt discomforting. To actively limit the boy's potential was too disquieting.
He'll have to think more on it.
Schroff watched as Trenn eagerly bite into his skewer with the enthusiasm born out of success.
Basics. Hammer basic mana control and detection, over and over again, along with practical and survive spells and skills. ...Then worry about the combat ones.
Schroff had always been a simple man. He had a clear course, even if he wasn't sure on its destination.
But it was there, so he'll walk it and worry about the rest later.
It took two months to reach the trail up the mountain that leads to Schroff's cabin. Weather was starting to get colder the higher up we went.
In that time we passed, the only spells I got to learn were Zoltraak and Phaitagurd. I.E. Ordinary Offensive Magic and Ordinary Defensive Magic, respectively.
"Those magics are the basics of the basics nowadays. You can even find them in the bargain bin of a magic shop."
Well those would have been really fucking nice to find, if the fucking Elves Shield didn't take everything in the magic shops in Schwanz and shut them down.
The other spell Old Schroff told me about, but I didn't have a chance to learn or practice, was Luftstieg, otherwise known as Flight Magic.
The thing about Zoltraak and Phaitagurd they were the quintessential example of a skill that's easy to learn, hard to master.
Sure, I can shoot a Zoltraak beam every second, but controlling the beam after firing it needs focus, and I can't do that machinegun firing Fern does where she shoots multiple beams at once.
Or was it that she shot one at a time, but too fast to be reacted to? Damn, it's been too long since I've seen the anime.
As for Phaitagurd, it's as expected. A simple spherical shell made up of hexagon magic barriers, where each different number of said individual hexagons can be imploded alone or together, in either a wall formation, a semi-sphere to cover everything in one side, or the full sphere magic shell to cover all sides.
Annoyingly Qual, the demon sage guy, was right. Defensive magic takes up a lot of mana since technically each hexagon is it's own little barrier spell. After that, practicing Phaitagurd is all about speed. I have to cast it as fast, or even faster than Zoltraak, since it's important to stay alive more than killing your enemy, according to Schroff.
Honestly the mana cost isn't what worries me. The more I practice while observing the spell, the more I can find any energy leaks, and tweak it to optimize energy use, thus make it a sturdier structure. The issue I think is learning to deploy it fast enough.
No point in having a shield spell that you don't put up in time when attacked.
The most valuable thing I learned in these two months was how spells actually worked.
Yes, you expend your own mana, giving it intention, combine it with the World mana into a shape. That's a spell. Once the spell takes shape World mana ceases to be added to the spell structure, but it has to keep going and be maintained by your own mana. Even if you aren't fueling the spell anymore, just controlling and directing it still costs mana.
For example, let's say I made a simple half-spherical barrier take a cost of ten units World mana and ten units my personal mana (yes the mana of both sides, the external and internal, me and the World must be equal for the spell structure to be build and become stable), but then I'd have to maintain it by ten units of only my personal mana every minute. World mana can not to added to an already cast spell.
The same would be the case for a Zoltraak beam. But if, for example, I were to want to give the laser some extra oophm, I'd try and make the personal cost of the spell creation twenty units of mana, which the world mana needs to match, then I'd have to maintain it by twenty units of mana for however long I keep it firing, even if the normal shape of this spell needs ten mana units to keep functioning.
Also on top of all of this, I'm not mentioning the mana cost for mainpulating the World mana to direct it into shaping my spell.
Meaning the real mana cost for a standard Phaitagurd, would be something like ten mana units for directing the World mana, ten for shaping the spell and ten for firing, maintaining or controlling it.
This, as Old Schroff explained was known as Formed Spells, because it's take a solid structure of magic to form a spell. Or just 'Spells' as they are colloquially known.
However something like mana detection, my body strengthening, body healing, or even amateur telekinesis I managed up a few times, those are called Non-Formed Spells, or... mana control exercises, or mana techniques. They aren't recognized as spells, just a magic effect.
The reason why these Non-Formed Spells aren't seen spells is because a spell is recognized as a magic structure made up of two parts, personal mana and world mana.
As Schroff said, aspiring mages need Certainty. That's what "actual" spells provide.
Yes, there's room for belief and imagination that affect a spell's strength and potency, but a structured spells has a baseline of capability that gives it, well, certainty.
If you use a shield spell, it will stop a standard single ray of a killing spell.
If you used spell to make campfire, it will produce a flame large enough to set fire to firewood.
Non-Formed Spell are all about imagination without any structure, without any certainty.
"Thus completely useless to any mage with a working brain." Said Old Schroff.
Because according to his words, in the middle of anything real, anything important, how can you completely change your focus to just imagine things happening, and actually have enough belief that they will.
"You'd have to be a madman. Or a Priest." Schroff said, but didn't elaborate on the second part.
I kept practicing my mana control exercises while we walked up the mountain trail, focusing on training as usual.
Then I sensed something in my mana detection range that alarmed me. It's been there for a while now, but it seemed almost frozen in place. Likely sleeping.
Yet as we moved up the mountain and ended up getting closer, it woke up, and was now heading toward us. Fast.
It's also because it was awake that I noticed how different its mana felt.
"Something weird is coming up toward us from the left side. It's," I thought for a moment. "Faster than a deer."
Schroff stopped for a bit and activated his mana detection. It felt like a powerful one pulse sonar, then he shut it down.
I wondered why he does that? I mean, sure it doesn't take mana to detect mana. Or rather if you have mana, you can detect mana. If there's a cost, it's too small to be noticed.
However, it is mentally tiring after a while, at least that's the reason I thought why mages don't have their mana detection on twenty-four-seven.
Still, in this new life I did a lot of meditation for my image training Jilwer and Reelseiden—For when I eventually get them and I will. One is so close!
So I just kept up my mana detection all the time. Using it in conjunction with mana suppression was like doing a breath focusing meditation exercise. I finally learned how to make my mana suppress seem natural. Just like I had to return my focus to my breath while meditation, I had to return my focus on keeping my mana in a stable flow while restricted.
After a month, I managed to push past any mental discomfort, and could keep mana detection up all the time. It took a while to keep up mana detection in my sleep, but I managed it after two month.
Managing this was godsend for perfecting mana suppression. Still can't manage it perfectly, but now I can practice it all the time more efficiently.
Although the full sight with mana was something I couldn't keep up all the time yet. Only the normal mana detection.
Neat coincidence, keeping mana detection up also helped in ensuring I learned Zoltraak and Phaitagurd well, even if Schroff said that kids can at least manage to cast the spell in a few hours, to maybe a day or two normally.
For me, I didn't see a point in casting the spells badly, so I kept up mana detection and suppression, to ensure when I finally got Offensive and Defensive magic, I got them right.
Which I did.
And right now something weird and vicious was coming toward us.
I had Zoltraak up and ready to fire, as a ball of glowing white energy hovered in front of my palm.
"Hmm, I guess it was inevitable we'd run into one." Schroff said, before glancing at my readied spell. "Good instincts."
"What is it?" I asked.
"What you'd expect when travelling in this world." Schroff replied.
The creature appeared, as I saw it come up the side of the steep hill we were walking on.
It looked like a wolf, but much bigger. It had black fur that was mangled in parts, showing scarred skin. Snow blue eyes, that glowed like an ice zombie, with drool and blood falling from it's open mouth and bared teeth.
It was not a wolf, and I don't think it was sleeping before.
I've seen wolves before. I've senses their mana. And no matter what, an animal's mana wouldn't have so much malice and negativity that I could instantly tell it was so, and feel it. Parsing emotions wasn't something you just got from another person's or being's mana. It took time and training. Something on my list of later skills to work on.
More importantly, this thing had five times the amount of mana a normal wolf would have.
"A monster." Schroff said.
It was a catch-all term for beings that were mutated by the world's mana, or are formed from it. Although almost all monster fall into the second category. The important thing is, they are beings that disintegrate into mana particles upon death.
Dust to dust and mana to mana, I suppose.
There are many of almost any kind. So I'm kinda surprised we only ran into one now.
"Alright, it's coming. I'll cover you, so show what you can do." Schroff said bluntly.
Oh sweet, real combat experience!
The direwolf was dashing toward us. It was like a motorcycle coming toward us in terms of speed, but due to it being a four-legged creature, the feel was different. Too real and too freaky.
That feel of air rising at the back of my neck was too real. I wanted to just turn and run, but that was stupid. I knew that logically that was stupid and what my brain wanted to do.
But I didn't. I'm not gonna run when my adventure hasn't even started. Heck, I didn't even finish my training arc yet!
I fired the Zoltraak.
The beam launched like an arrow right at the monster.
And missed.
The direwolf had jumped to the side and kept dashing forward.
I frowned. Aaah, nah, fuck that!
I made and fire another Zoltraak beam.
And another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another.
The direwolf tried to evade them as before, but they were getting quicker. It still managed to dodge them. Slippery little shit.
I focused on one of the beams I fired, while letting the other keep going off around the direwolf, making it think I was panicking, while a single beam curved from behind and—
It jumped and let the beam pass by from under it.
Okay, isn't this thing a little too smart? No, I get it. This thing can sense mana.
Alright then.
"Fuck it." I stopped the Offensive Magic spell, stepped up and spread my arms wide, as if inviting the monster to a hug.
"Trenn." Schroff said from beside me, but I didn't look at him or address him, my focus on the beast.
"I know what I'm doing. I'll give you a shot to attack it." I said, focusing on readying the spell, waiting to get it just right.
The direwolf was fast.
Forty meters now.
Thirty meters.
Spell formed, ready to be cast.
Twenty, ten!
Wait. I commanded my panicking brain.
Five—It lunged into the air, jaws open.
"Phaitagurd!" I shouted the spell's name.
A Spell's named didn't needed to be called out to be cast. It was a child's mnemonic method to be able to cast them. A beginner's crunch, and I wasn't afraid to use it right now.
A barrier instantly sprung into existence.
I expected the monster to crash into the barrier, so I was ready to tilt it back, and divert the momentum to throw it behind me at any instant.
A Zoltraak in the back of my mind, ready to—
CRASH!
And then the biggest shock of my life thus far happen.
The direwolf crashed into the magic barrier...and stopped dead in it's tracks.
Like an animal it kept trying to push against it, bit by bit using it's strength to crack the shield open, from the divider of the individual hexagons.
I just made another barrier behind the one starting to weaken. And after a full minute, the direwolf expended it's beastly power to break the first barrier, and instantly was stopped by the second one. It started to push against the second to break it—
Thwip. Thwip. Thwip.
Instantly three arrows pierced the direwolf.
One in its eye, one deep in its ear, and one through the neck.
It dead instantly.
It fell to the ground dead, looking straight at nothing.
Its dead white-blue eyes almost looked like they could see through me.
Then they disappeared as the monster's body blackened and disintegrated into mana particles.
"Not bad." Schroff said after a while, putting back his bow over his shoulder. "A tad too reckless, but even while afraid you kept your wits and acted as needed. Good job."
I stayed quiet for a while, my sudden inner turmoil slowly surely overtaking my mind.
"How come we never ran into one until now?" I asked, uncaring about the question, but trying to act normal and keep the conversation going.
"You didn't think travelling for two months without trouble on the road was luck, did you?" Schroff scoffed. "Magic's the answer. I used a trusty folk spell that detects predators, doesn't work on anything person smart, but would still detect scents and presences."
"Oh," I said, trying to sound interesting, engaged as usual but I was absent-minded. "Am I gonna learn those?" I think Schroff noticed, as rather than answer he simple grunted, and started walking again.
I said nothing as well, appricateing the silence.
The barrier stopped the direwolf.
I didn't belief for even a second that it would. Only divert it, delay it. Yet the Defensive Magic stopped it all the same.
Why? The answer instantly came to me, what Schroff kept talking about.
Certainty.
Mages want to make spells that gives them the effect they want.
So of course rather than take one spell and extrapolate it, they made many spells for many different situation, even twelve spells for making tea, or a hundred fucking different telekinetic spell, each for a different situation or requirement.
Because Spells offered certainty.
You cast a spell, you will get the bare expected minimum effect you want, because it is baked into the spells' structure to give you that effect. Anything extra due to imagination was just a bonus.
This will kill my dream.
The thought, no matter how much I didn't want it, tried to reject it with all my being, entered my heart.
The Spells of this world as they exist will kill my dream of becoming the stronger using Jilwer and Reelseiden.
Limitation are baked into everything in the world.
I knew that. Of course I knew that.
Observation and study of the world will allow mages to create better spells. That's how progress works. The accumulation of time and knowledge to create something better.
...
But that is not how I want to do things. The more spells I learn, the more limitation I will be indoctrinated by.
That is not the path I want to walk.
Yet I can't stop learning and wait to find Reelseiden. I can't just sit down and do nothing and hope my chosen spells find me.
I will have to learn more spells as I go, to survive if nothing else.
So how can I solve this conundrum?
Learning the limits of this world, means learning how to exploit or overcome them.
But learning them also places those limiting chains on me. On my mindset and believes.
I have to figure out a solution before I learn my two spells, or I will doom myself to be nerfed forever.
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Fear Not The Elf Who Knows 10,000 Spells by Silver W. King
Anime » Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Rated: T, English, Adventure & Fantasy, OC, Words: 106k+, Favs: 362, Follows: 446, Published: Apr 17, 2025 Updated: Oct 10, 2025
105Chapter 8
The tunnel like the last time I saw it was chilling and gloomy. It wasn't cold, but rather it just gave off this vibe that made fear chill within me, but no coldness in the air. The cave was alight from what I could see in a distance with some fluorescent moss that gave off an orange glow like the sun, or a fire. The name of the moss was something I forgot because it can't be eaten or has any use beyond being glowy.
Using the Adlerblick, the spell that grants hawk-like vision, I could see the exit of the tunnel. There were even some moss lighting up the way before the exit.
"Alright," Schroff spoke next to the... curiosity at the entrance. A wooden post stuck to the ground with a rope tied to it. The old man finished looping the end of the rope into a belt. "Here." He said offering the rope to me.
I took the rope by the loop end and stared at it, feeling incredulous as I now understood what it's for. Yet I still asked the question.
"What is this for?"
"Wrap it around your waist. Tighten it. You feel it pushing into your stomach, you run toward where you're being tugged against." Schroff explained.
"What kind of monsters are in there?" I asked confused about this method. We have mana detection and a weapon enhancement spell. With Scroff's bow and arrows, he should be able to take care of them without an issue.
"Monster." He corrected, making me raise and eyebrow, and a slight bit of excitement flared in me. A unique monster? Awesome. Guess it's time for a Tutorial Boss. "An Einsam." Schroff said as I did as he said and wrapped the rope around me, closing the loop tight like a belt. "Make damn sure to use spells correctly. Formed Spells. None of that fancy shtick you do."
"An Einsam? That's the..." I slyly didn't comment on whether I'd use Formed or Non-Formed Spells. What's the point of the method I honed if I don't use it in a practical real life situation. I tried to recall the monster's name. I felt like I should've recognized it. After a moment, it sparked the memory of ghost Himmel telling Frieren to shoot him. "The monster that makes illusions about people you know, right?"
"Normally yes, and that in itself is dangerous enough." Schroff said, as he checked the rope before casting a spell that made it stronger. "However this one..."
A low wailing sound began to come out of the cave. It grew louder as we felt the wind rush past us.
Schroff's face lost its blood, as his eyes widened then narrowed in serious caution.
I looked between the old man and the tunnel.
"Schroff, it's just the wind." I said.
"The wasn't the wind, boy." Schroff shook his head.
"Y-Yeah, it is. If it's the Einsam I'd have detected it by now." I said, confused. Because yes, Ididn'tfeel anything in my mana detection range, so it was clearly just wind through a tunnel.
"Mana Detection..." Schroff looked at me in surprise, before sighing and shaking his head. "Right, you always have that on." He said. "Cancel it and turn it up again."
"Huh?" I scrunched my face in confusion.
"Just do it. And really focus this time." Schroff said, seriously.
Alarms sounded in my head. He's saying I missed something? Even more, because I missed it, whatever it is, the first time I won't detect it now?
That was... disturbing.
I did as Schroff said, really focusing on my mana detection as I turned it back on and—
Something hit me.
Through the mana detection itself. From the very mana I put out something struck it and my mind instantaneously.
Then it's presence. This link dissipated. Like if it was a rope, every individual strand of straw broke down till there was nothing.
No. There's still the vague shape of a rope, of a link. Like the barest hint of something there that you can only notice by focusing on it and squinting. And even then you aren't entirely sure if something's there, or it's your eyes and light playing tricks on you.
But my instincts told me something was there. So I didn't dismiss the danger.
"Einsam can look at your memories through your own mana?" I said in worry.
"I don't know about normal ones. I never met them. Heard stories, but never ones like this one." Schroff said, glaring at the cave's entrance. The wailing returned.
Except this time there was no wind with it.
...Was, was this thing taunting us? Knowing that we are there, and that weknowthat it is there. My smirk gradually faded.
"How is it different?"
"...My father used to tell me about this tunnel when I was young and curious." Schroff began. "He told me that this Einsam existed since the time of his grandfather, and his grandfather before him. It simply settled here in this tunnel, feasting on travelers, before being sealed to only this tunnel by a traveling mage."
"So it's old?" I said warily.
"I think older than the stories." Schroff said seriously. "Ancient even. Maybe a thousand years old from the time of Great Mage Flamme. Maybe older." He said before some nervousness leaked into his frame. I've never seen him nervous before. "...I don't think its sealed at all. I think it chooses to stay in there. That it finds being a death trap in the tunnel for desperate travelers to be entertaining."
I blinked in worry at that.
"But... Monsters don't have that kind of intelligence." I argued. "They're just instincts and hunger."
"Well," Schroff began. "I thought the same too once." He said looking into the cave and suddenly seemed darker. The light of the exit on the other side, seem further and smaller. "Be careful now. Run away the second you sense something off."
"Okay." I nodded.
I walked toward the tunnel. I readied myself, mana suppression, body strengthening, mana detection ready. I may not have my sword—Old Schroff said I wasn't fighting, just scouting, so it would be dangerous to have it around—but trying to link to my head to use my memories was dumb. I can backtrack the link you dumbass monster.
I readied Zoltraak. Yeah, I felt a bit of mental pressure of doing everything I usually do, while using a Non-Formed Spell, but this was only for a few minutes. I can last that long.
Just one shot the monster. In and out, real quick.
I walked into the mouth of the tunnel, I told my first step into the tunnel, my feet touched the ground—
I saw my parents.
Not the ones from this life, I don't remember those.
But the ones from my past life.
"Son, look at how much you've grown?" Said my 'mom'.
"What a life you've lived. I'm so proud of you." Said my 'dad'.
I frowned at the obvious false image. It even looked like a ghostly TV static. I fired my spell beam.
The image dispersed, as I expected it would. A small sigh escaped me without meaning to.
I mean really, my parents from my past life don't exist in this world. Like that's such an obvious thing, why would it pull on that of all things?
"Just like a said, monsters with instincts. It shouldn't have used something that outlandish." I scoffed.
Crying.
I heard crying.
I saw Rein crying behind one of rock formation. The stone stake thing that rises from the ground. Something with a 'S'. What's it called?
Stalactite?
Stalagmite?
Bah, who cares? They all start with the same words.
"Are you serious?" I sighed at the stupid obvious bait.
"T-Train?" 'Rein' looked up from where she was hiding, smiling upon seeing me. "Train!" She quickly ran up to me.
I sighed at the stupid illusion. Like hell Rein would be here and in a fucking dress like I remember her being.
I raised a hand readying another Zoltraak.
Something trickled at the back of my mind. 'Rein' didn't look like a ghostly image like my past life parents were.
She looked real. Exactly as I remember her. Was the Einsam tailoring its illusions to its prey as time when on? Improving them? And that fast? No wonder its seen as so dangerous.
'Rein' slowed down and looked at me in fear.
"T-Train." 'Rein' said in fear. "W-Why are you point that at me? Train, you're scaring me?"
Aren't they suppose to only recite what I'd imagine them to say?
Hmm, I guess the real Rein would also react like this.
I fired the beam, sighing in annoyance at another—
A scream. Blood splattered.
Rein stood with as if frozen in time. A hole in her chest. Gore visible and blood gushing from her.
"N-no..." Rein uttered before her eyes dulled and she fell dead to the floor.
"Trenn!" Schroff shouted from behind me.
The matron screamed. "REIN! NOOOO!"
I snapped my head behind to see the matron and the other orphans standing next to Löwenjunges and Old Schroff who looked at me horrified.
"Rein!" 'Lässig' shouted and ran toward us.
I tried to form another Zoltraak but this... this wasn't real right?
Lässig rushed pass me bumping into my shoulder almost making me fall down.
What!?
I held my shoulder focusing on it.
I felt that. I felt that bump.
"Rein, Rein!" The older boy shouted desperately. "TRENN, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? SNAP OUT OF IT!"
"You're not real." I said focusing on the sensation of that bump. It felt real. The touch felt real, the impact. Yet I knew this was a lie. ...Right? "All of you wouldn't come here. Its a long trip, not a walk in the park."
"Schwanz was attacked by the Anti-Elf Coalition." 'Löwenjunges' spoke as he walked up to me with a sorrowful, pleading look. "We came here because Schroff was meant to train you to fight with us. We needed your help and to protect you." He came close and I raised a hand holding the beam ready to fire.
"Stay back." I said firmly. "Even if that's the case you wouldn't come to this cave. You wouldn't have separated—"
"The Coalition chased us!" 'Löwenjunges' cried out as he held my wrist that was pointing at him. "Look at us! We're real! This is real! Trenn, please snap out of it, we're real, we need your help."
My spell weakened. I couldn't maintain it as the energy grew unstable and dispersed.
What my mind and body were telling me, were at odd with my magical senses.
Thisisn'treal.I shouted to myself.
"You're wearing the same clothes." I ripped my hand out of the Fake Löwenjunges' grip.
"What?"
Schroff told me to use Formed Spells. I mentally apologized to him for dismissing that advice. To my shame, even after all my efforts, I still needed 'Certainty' to be a mage. I'll have to work on that.
I readied the Offensive Magic spell and this time it didn't disperse.
"We are in thefuckingmountains, at high altitudes, in the winter." I growled with a sneer. "And you all look the same. Theexactsame as I saw you last time." I turned and look at the 'corpse' of Rein. "It's been months since I've seen Rein. A child her age would have grown a bit by now, not look the exact same." I turned to 'Löwenjunges'. "Stop this weakass charade and show yourself, or actually do something impressive."
I called out. Not that I exacted a monster of all thing to understand what I was saying.
Regardless I just focused on its string thin link it had to me and looked through it.
"Found you." I said, feeling the largest pool of mana within the tunnel, unlike Löwenjunges, the matron and everyone as they had none. Seriously, fucking waste of time.
I fired the Zoltraak deep into the tunnel, watching through the mana detection as it followed the monster's link and slammed into the Einsam, killing it. It died screaming.
"Heh," I smirked. That was easy—
"̵V̸e̶r̵y̶ ̴w̶e̷l̴l̴.̵"̷
I heard the voice from all around me.
From Rein's corpse, to Lässig, to Löwenjunges, to Matron Gütig to... Schroff.
"What?" I stared in shock. Since when!?
Between one blink and the next I was back in Schwanz.
Schroff was next to me as we were carrying the fishe we'd sell.
"Trenn, I'm so glad you're back. And look at you. Only a year and you've grown so much." The matron said.
"Train! You have to tell me all the stories! Come on!" Rein said as she rand up to me, pulling on my arm.
I wanted to fight. To cast Zoltraak at this illusion.
Yet Rein was older. Her dress was different. New. I've never seen it before.
I could feel the warmth of the air this far west from the mountains. I could smell the familiar scent of the city I've lived in all my life.
"N-No, this is—"
A giant fireball fell from the sky.
It hit the orphanage and exploded blasting the world with light and heat.
I fell to the ground feeling something warm on my body.
I looked up to see the city on fire. People burning in the streets.
"COALITION! THE ANTI-ELF COALITION ARE HERE! SHIELDS! SHEEEILDS!" Löwenjunges was shouting as he rode on a horse running around trying to fight men in different colored banners.
I looked at the weight on my chest. It was Rein. Her back blasted from the heat and shrapnel as it was a gory mess.
"T-Train," Rein said with a wet raspy voice. "H-Help me." Her voice was too hollowed from the loss of air.
And then she died.
I watched as Lässig tried to save some of the kids from the burning building.
And then he died.
I watched Löwenjunges fight outnumbered ten to one.
And then he died.
I watched as the only place I knew growing up was destroyed piece by piece.
I saw it. I heard it. I smelled it! Ifeltit.
"...enough."
Over and over people I've known, even if I didn't care about, even if I don't remember their names, they all died in all manner of horrific way before my eyes.
"Enough."
The lady that gave me extra bread early in the mornings every once in a while.
And then she died.
The older boy who was with us in the orphanage showing about becoming a great swordsman and a hero like Himmel, who left to join Elves Shield. He used encourage me to play with the other kids, making sure I wasn't alone.
And then he died.
The blacksmith that I helped carry heavy equipment as part of my training, and gave me my blue jacket as thanks for the help. The jacket was one that once belonged to his son, but he grew out of.
And then he died.
Or the old lady who taught me how to read and—
"Enough!" I shouted, releasing the hold on my mana, trying to push this whole world away—
The tightness on my stomach grew, and then it pulled at me, and with a surprising force it pulled me off my feet!
Before I realized it I was physically pulled away from the scene, as I was launched back and found myself in Schroff's arms out of the tunnel.
Back in the cold mountain air. In the real world.
"Kid. Calm down. It's okay, you're back. I'm here." Schroff said, before tugging at my ropes to show me they were there. "See?"
I closed my mana detection immediately, then opened it to only skin deep, focusing solely on anything within me.
I saw the remnants the link the Einsam once had on me. Now it was breaking for real. If I was to describe it with colors, it's as if once it hit me, it became transparent in parts, making it seem like it weaken, but in truth it was still full there.
Only now that I was outside the tunnel, outside the range of the Einsam did it start breaking.
We looked into the tunnel to see the scene of the city burning like a vision into hell. The illusion was crafted to pain a picture, rather than only people like I expected an Einsam to do. I could even hear sounds from the illusion playing within the tunnel. It literally was like a TV. But looked too real.
It was an illusion. I knew that now. I mean, I always knew that.
I felt the cold of the mountain and held onto it like a lifeline.
Slowly the images dispersed and we saw the tunnel as it normally was again.
Far, far within the tunnel we saw it. The Ancient Einsam revealing itself.
It stood there as if wrapped in shadows. As if taunting us, by being there, yet knowing we won't dare head toward it.
"I'm going to fucking kill that thing." I gritted my teeth. How dare it! How dare it play with my mind like that.
In my heart, I vowed to vanquish it before I left this mountain for good.
Just before the link the monster latched onto me completely disconnected a heard a voice, that wasn't a voice.
Like a collection of people speaking at once. Voices that I didn't know, speaking in tongues I didn't understand, but the meaning was clear.
"̸W̴e̷l̴c̸o̷m̶e̴ ̶b̵a̷c̶k̷ ̶a̴n̸y̷t̴i̸m̷e̶.̶"̴
I shivered once more from the comforting cold.
AN: I feel I should mention I have up to 10 more chapter on the Patron site with an E.
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