I was planning to become a warmage as powerful as my eldest brother Haad, and warmages used mighty complex spells with long incantations.

For this reason, I had focused a considerable amount of time on memorizing 64-word, 128-word, and even some 256-word spells. Additionally, I had already mastered the execution of three summoning rituals that would be perfect in large scale battles or siege situations.

I knew that Myriam’s spell repertoire was as amazing as a manaless person’s could be—certainly better than mine—but she was focused much more on magic-item crafting than pure damage spells.

With these thoughts in my mind, I walked down the hill, my heavy Carta Magica gently hitting my lower back with every step, and turned left toward the beginning of a small but rather thick pine forest. After a short walk through the trees, crunching pine needles with my boots, I reached the clearing I was looking for.

I unstrapped my spellbook, opened it to the bookmark showing that day’s spell, and set it on a large protruding rock, tilted so that I could read from it.

This would be the seventh consecutive day that I would practice this particular spell. I managed to execute it flawlessly more often than not but due to its nature, I didn’t want to take any chances.

Name : Earth Split

School of Magic : Evocation

Verbal Components : 256 words

Somatic Components : Complex

Material Component : 900lbs of Grain

HP Consumed : 0

MP Consumed : 0

Divine Mana Consumed : 72,000

Range : 700 inches

Casting Time : 1,800 seconds

Precondition : None.

Description : After the completion of the ritual, the caster can draw a chasm that can span up to one 20 miles in length, 300 feet in width and 500 feet in depth.

The 256-word incantation should last approximately thirty minutes, during which I needed to loop the chant but the somatic movements were unique. This was the most difficult part of its execution.

It was also extremely powerful. This particular spell would be useful for redirecting enemy forces, fortifying points of interest or simply for decimating enemy forces.

The downside was its long duration and the fact that it needed hundreds of bucket-loads of grain to be cast, which would be a big consideration in the case of a city being attacked leading up to a siege. In any case, the decision would not be up to me. I just had to make sure that I would be ready if needed.

I began repeating the incantation over and over again, perfectly executing the complex succession of hand, feet, waist and head movements. I successfully finished the casting once.

Twice.

I almost missed the last part of the invocation during the third time, as I realized I was approaching my limits. The fourth time was extremely stressful and taxing on my body.

I managed to complete it with no errors but was dripping sweat by the end. The sun was shining directly on top of the forest and its rays pierced through the canopy of the pine tree branches.

I took off my sweatshirt, laid it on a particularly sunny spot and sat on the floor to catch my breath. The liturgy was only days away.

The day that my destiny would be determined. Everything in our lives depended on that day. Everything depended on the judgment we would receive from The Divine and the amount of mana It would bestow us.

I sat there considering the heavy meaning and importance of that moment and running my plans through my head for the hundredth time. Until my stomach started growling and I realized I had been neglecting my diet.

I put my sweatshirt back on, strapped my Carta Magica on my back and made my way out of the small forest and toward home. Unlike my hunger, the sun was past its peak now, which meant that I would have to eat whatever cold leftovers remained of lunch, beg my parents to warm it up or make me something new.

My sister would have fixed me something without complaint, but I guess studying in the Holy Order’s university beats making late lunch meals for your manaless brother. If only we were in our mansion back in the capital…

I would be able to use one of our magical devices and create a meal of my choosing but father was quite strict about living a simpler life here. I guessed it couldn’t be helped though.

Life was indeed simpler here but not worse by any means. I felt much more connected to this place and its people than I ever felt in Elysia.

I approached the door of our house and could hear no noise from inside. Mother and father were usually in the temple at this time in any case.

However, as soon as I opened the door, the whole kitchen and dining room sprang into life. A lavish hot meal manifested in the multiple dishes that flew in from the now-closing cupboards.

One of my parents must have set the spell to be activated once I opened the door. I smiled at the irony of it.

I was training to be a warmage—a force to be reckoned with—but these small spells that rendered life easier and happier made all the difference to my day. I sat down, still smiling, and enjoyed my hot lunch.

***

Not long after I had finished clearing the dinner table and laid down on one of the sofas, away from the sunlight still coming in from our large square windows, I heard voices approaching our garden.

That was when I heard our yard door open and, after a few seconds, close again. The voices grew louder and merrier while they moved closer to the house, as if intent on not letting me enjoy a single minute of rest more.

The door opened and in came my father, followed by my mother, arm in arm with Myriam.

“Hey, Adel.” He greeted me. “Long day?”

I sat up on the sofa and nodded, while stretching my hands.

“You sure look like you had one, dear,” came my mother’s reply, as she let Myriam’s arm go and took a seat in an armchair opposite me.

“Hello, Adel,” said Myriam and sat down next to my mother, on an armchair identical to hers.

I nodded at her, my drowsiness still holding the best of me. My father headed out again, his work staff in hand.

“I’m going to create the altar for next week’s ceremony,” said father. “Myriam, if you don’t stay for dinner, I’ll see you tomorrow at the temple.”

“Yes, Priest Imar. See you then.”

My father closed the door behind him and my mother turned back to Myriam as his footsteps slowly faded into the distance, followed by the yard door opening and closing once more.