Pro Quo

Was good to study magic again! Have access to an actual library about the stuff. Make gestions, have some actual orientation from someone who is more than just somewhat competent in this stuff. I never got to understand the principles behind healing magic, I was vaguely aware that principles exist in the core of every specialization. Maestra Verenice is more that just a competent certified mage with specialization in healing.

She was a Battle-Mage with considerable combat experience, and a licenced Artifex. One of those rare masters of the art capable to perform Level 4 spells. The level necessary to actually make new magic instruments, tools, and weapons. Repair the most delicate and powerful, instruments and magic mechanisms also require that level of spellcasting. Minor stuff can be achieved with Level 3 spells.

In any case takes an exceptional amount of mana to perform a level 3, few spellcaster would even try. The complexity of the incantations and equations that must be visualized in the right order and harmony also makes unadvisable for mages to do those spells alone. She and Magisters at her level perform Level 3 spells by themselves without problem. To try a Level 4, even if you happen to have the necessary mana at hand, that would be too much for any human mage. Not impossible, but too dangerous.

Dwarven mages perform complex Level 4 spells in regular basis, without rituals or collective work. Much of Verenice’s library was in Dwarven languages. Dwarves are physically and mentally resilient, and their minds are naturally able to deal with levels of complexity no human could. Besides, dwarves have more mana than humans, on average. All branches of the famous Elven Tree have more mana and more talent for spellcasting than dwarves, except the Forest Elves, who are somewhere in between dwarves and humans.

However, even the most gifted branches of the Elven Tree would see an individual able to make level 5 spells without ritualistic and a circle of mages an exceptional individual. Someone able to go Level 6 without ritual would be an aberration among Royal Fae, who are more powerful than elves. This would be a rare individual even among High Dragons.

The complexity and the mana cost escalates disproportionally fast in the highest levels. Whatever rests above Level 7 remains myth and theoretical speculation.

I was craving for that kind of conversation! I didn’t had idea about how much I needed it until I find it.

Of course, I could not show my level of understanding. My questions needed to be very carefully presented as logical ratter than intuitive speculations. I could never hope to pretend lack of interest or a bad mind for the theory of magic. However, there are people who have great mind for magic, even magic sensitivity, and zero spellcasting potential. I was out of luck because the person teaching me magic happened to be a healer.

She would wish to try fix whatever was blocking my capacity to materialize spells. Even knowing that, I decide to cross the bridge when it was in front of me.

Was a amazing afternoon and evening in her bedroom, which was also her laboratory and library. We started again couple hours after breakfast. The lessons in theory took best part of that day, went into the night. My new teacher lent me half a dozen foundational texts of formative importance for a mage. And a couple more about Meta-Magic related to Healing, specifically.

“So, now, its time for you to start paying your lessons! Take your clothes, young man”

“Sure, I mean, what?”

“You, naked, now. Fast! Go, go, go!! Keep the armour in the legs and arms, if it helps you feel comfortable. Hurry up!“

I was not sure what to think, but after watching she demonstrate some level 4 spells the day before, without draw mana from any crystal. I was sure that there was nothing I could hope to do to escape this room without her permission. If that was what I would like to do under the circumstances.

Long and deep meditation would be required to find out, deep down, what I wanted. Meanwhile, I was naked.

She was no paying attention to me, but looking for something in a sac. The moment she found it, she took something that looked like a tarot card and presented it to me. Speaking some incantation. The card burned in blue flames and disappeared.

Next instant I was fully dressed again. This time in the fine robes of a Battle-Mage.

My size and weight where all wrong. I looked at my hands, surprized. I was an adult man, looks like. Late thirties, early fourths.

I run to the large mirror behind a table. That face, was not mine. Not the one I have now, or had back on Earth. There was, however, something vaguely familiar on it.

“That is the body of your grandfather, when he was 26 years old.”

“You mean, my father’s father? The one who was banished by his family when he decided to marry a village mage with no noble blood?”

“Who told you THAT?”

“Well, I, don’t know exactly who. Was, more or less, I don’t know…!”

“Leaving the non-essential parts out. Your grandfather was never banished, he was proscript. First is a legal action that cuts the ties between someone and its family name. Second is just being told to leave and never came back until you apologise. What he never did, and since he died, he never will do.

Most of his children, your father’s siblings, came back to the family, to get the chance of social ascension that came with nobility. Even in a low position inside the family. Your good for nothing father never did so, because he was too vain and arrogant to bend his knees for the people who refused to accept his parents, union.

By the way, your mother was not a peasant. What she was, in juridic language, was an Apostate. Some Priestess who betrayed her religious order. Also, a convicted traitor, from Royal Law perspective, in that specific case. Before that, she was actually of higher status than your father, as far as nobility can go, it does not go higher than her status for women in this nation, actually.

I was working for your grandmother when she met your grandfather. She was not a Demon-Hunter Priestess yet back them.

We travelled together years later when she decided to turn against her order, your father broke his commitment to marry a noblewoman who was waiting for him to reach the proper age. That was the beginning of our adventure, we accepted work in a dwarven expedition to the Demon Continent. A powerful and rich dwarven scholar was obsessed with some ancient texts, seeking lost ruins in some isolated part of the most dangerous continent on our planet. We embraced that since was our only chance to elude the people hunting your grandmother.”

“That is quite a tale, but, even if true. I miss the point where it explains why I am looking like my dead grandfather right now”

“Transmutation spell, with a little bit of illusion magic for the clothes. You cannot feel it, exactly, but you are actually naked. Not a problem, even with the night a little cold, you are quite vigorous, the spell adds to it. You have nothing to worry about. Is just for theatrical purpose.

Your grandfather made a promise for the daughter of that dwarven scholar I just mentioned. She wanted something from him, he intended to give it to her I believe, but circumstances didn’t helped. Her father, your grandmother, whatever.”

“You want me to, have sex, with a dwarven woman. Pretending to be my dead grandfather?”

“Oh, no one is going to pretend anything! Your grandfather had sex with many lassies during our travels, your grandmother tolerated it well enough. The three of them indulged carnal distractions many times, according to what I was told! That is not what your father promised to this noble laide of dwarven heritage! That he gave her, many times”

“Then what?”

“You are going to make the dwarven lassie company. Tonight, and some more times after that”

“I see no inconvenient in that. How many times, you have in mind?”

“Just until you get this girl pregnant.”