I'm on the floor in my room, cooling my head with meditation.
I take a deep breath.
"Hoooo."
It's been a month since my 'productive' discussion with Alexander.
And these past few weeks, I've been learning about first circle flame spells from him.
I've learned what spells really are now. They're not just abracadabra, and they're certainly not as straightforward as I thought they were, there's a complex process behind it.
First, one has to chant the magic formula of the spell.
Let's say I want to cast a fireball spell. I'll have to recall the already crammed formula and chant it out loud, then the chant will resonate deeply with the mana in my first circle and mana of the fire element will be automatically released from my circle to my mana pathway and from my mana pathway to my body and the formula will rest on my palm as a magic circle. Only then can the fireball be cast.
So chanting is necessary to cast spells. But mages that have formed their 3rd circle upwards don't necessarily need to chant the magic formula, as they're familiar with the system and the system is familiar with them, and the formula for the spells– like fireball, is already deeply ingrained in their circle.
These people only summon the fire element mana from their circle and the formula along with it, and the formula will automatically rest on their palms as a magic circle or they can choose to draw the circle on the air, enabling them to cast the spell easily.
That's how to identify a 3rd circle mage– by how they cast spells without chanting and only with magic circles. But of course not me, I can tell just by looking at them and the number of rings around them.
And... The most shocking fact is that, from the 6th circle upwards, you can cast spells without chanting and without even needing to draw a magic circle on your palm or on the air.
Wanna make a fireball? Just think of it, then boom– it's on your hands. Wanna make a fire arrow? Then just think of it, then boom– it's floating in the air. And even fire cannons, advanced flame spells like meteor too! They don't have to start chanting, they just think of it and it appears!
For now, I've learned the fireball spell formula, the fire arrow spell formula, the fire rope spell formula, and the fire tempest formula.
But there's something I've discovered lately. And that is the fact that I don't need to chant the formula of the spells for it to resonate with my first circle. I immediately crammed all the three spell formulas the day Alexander taught me.
In the beginning, I needed to chant for the magic circle to appear on my palm, but now?
The moment I think of the formula and the spell, the circle appears on my hand and I can draw it in the air too.
I don't know why. It's something that's only supposed to happen when I reach the third circle.
But right now I've stopped thinking about it, I've decided that if a plate of food magically manifests in front of me while I'm hungry– I'll eat it.
I'm not going to tell Alexander or anybody. I'll keep this to myself, and treat it as my secret, much like how I kept the flame of eternity and my meeting with the Phoenix and pretty much my whole existence as a reincarnated soul a secret.
If I need to cast magic in front of people, I'll chant the spells first to make it seem like I need to chant like a regular first-circle mage before I can cast.
I stretch my body and crack my neck.
I stand up from where I'm sitting with a bright smile on my face.
"Isn't it time for me to leave this house? I've gotten everything I need."
Then with a low voice, I say, "This night, I shall leave this house. To begin my journey."
But first.
I put on a plain, white shirt, covering my chest and then I walk out of the room.
"To inform Alexander."
***
"So, tonight's the night huh?"
He asks me, his voice low.
"Yeah. I'm leaving this night."
I respond, I'm leaning on the wall next to the door. I decided not to sit down because I didn't feel like it.
He sighs.
"It really is a shame, but there's nothing anyone can do about it, you have to leave."
I nod my head.
"Yeah."
"Aren't you gonna need an escort?"
"No, I won't."
"A... Guide then?"
"No, I won't."
"Just someone to protect you and ensure your safety?"
"No, I won't."
He looks at me with his eyes narrowed and I smirk. He smiles and shakes his head.
"You're too stubborn you brat."
I chuckle.
"I'm a Flameworth, remember?"
He smiles and nods in agreement.
"But I think you'll need a guard at least."
"No, if I take a guard with me then you'll know of my whereabouts, which I don't want. And... Whoever has you 'shackled' can force the details of my whereabouts from you and track me down. So, it's for my good."
I say shamelessly.
He laughs lowly.
"You're really shameless, boy."
"I'm just neatly covering my tracks."
He chuckles.
"What would you need?"
"A horse-drawn wagon, a hooded robe, and... That's all."
He nods his head.
"You'll find the robe in the wagon. And the carriage, you'll find it outside the estate of the Flameworths, down at the entrance of the street, it'll be there, waiting for you."
I nod my head and turn to take my leave.
"Ed."
I turn to face him with a surprised look.
"That's the name you said I should look forward to hearing right?"
"Yes, it is," I say softly.
He nods his head and says, "Alright."
"Don't forget your artifacts."
I almost forgot those.
And I open the door.
"Goodbye, Charles."
I hear his low, solemn voice behind me, but I don't respond and continue walking.
Goodbye, Alexander.
At midnight, I'll make my move.