"What are thosse!?"

'EEEEEEEEK'

"Why the bloody hell is there movin' piles o goo?!"

"Maker, stop laughing. Please help, they're escaping!"

"Iss thiss magic? I don't like magic!"

Fanv just stared at the chaos that was unfolding before her, the half eaten Deear in her embrace completely forgotten. She had followed Mikvel and Sam's scent to the deeper parts of the dungeon, excited to show them the huge Deear she, the goats and some rodents had killed, but instead, she had been met with the sight of 20 or black slime puddles the of varying sizes that were all moving.

Sam was plastered to the ceiling, staring in horror at the wriggling slimes as they tried to escape Mikvel who were frantically trying to herd them back into a big cave behind him by waving a huge stick. Maker's core stood in the entrance of said cave, laughing like a maniac with her hands in the air and a small group of slimes sliding around her in a circle. Dessi was just as confused as Fanv and when a slime as big as her started towards her she made her displeasure very clear to anyone listening.

Sam screeched at something and set off running across the ceiling, flailing his arms and clawing at something on his human head. Fanv looked closer and noticed a tiny slime crawling in his hair, how it got there is a mystery.

"What's going on? Maker what did you do?!"

Maaaaagic! I did nothing! Mikvel created magical sliiiiimes! I love them! I want 20!

Fanv moved her gaze to Mikvel just in time to see him get tackled by a huge slime. It pinned him to the ground and opened what could only be described as a featureless mouth. Fanv started to panic and rushed to get it off him when the slime formed a tentacle-like tongue and licked Mikvel's face affectionately. It looked kind of like what a dog would do if dogs were huge piles of goo and the size of a cow.

Mikvel, understandably, froze when the wet slime tongue touched his face and then promptly passed out. All the slimes burst and dissolved at once when their creator fell unconscious, making Maker sigh in disappointment. The giddy dungeon lady jumped back and forth a bit and refused to meet Fanv's gaze when she scowled at her.

"What did you make him do?"

I just gave him a staff and told him to try using it...

"And?"

And... He might have used way more mana than recommended and formed tons of slimes?

Fanv stared at Maker, dumbfounded.

"How- How does one? He used magic? Doesn't he need an Affinity for that?"

Oh, he got one! He already had some talent for manipulating mana, all though he did not know it yet. Using magic for the first time was enough for him to get an Affinity for an element!

"If yer going to talk bout complicated hokus pokus then I'll be going."

Dessi stated her disinterest in magic and tore a leg off from the almost forgotten Deear carcass, dragging it with her as she left. Sam had finally calmed down from his panic and descended from the ceiling to see if he could wake Mikvel. Maker continued as if a slime invasion and the aftermath was nothing new.

Pretty sure he got a rare element, not one of the simple ones like water, fire or earth.

"I don't know much about magic... How many elements are there?"

No idea! Many! They base ones like water, earth, fire, air, life etc can be combined to create complicated combinations. While base elements can be used to create the strongest phenomenon, combinations have way more potential! The best example would perhaps be the Storm element. Someone with Water affinity might be able to make it rain but someone with Storm can make it rain AND cause a thunderstorm! Wind, electricity, water, all the base elements are technically available to someone with the Storm affinity although the water spells will never be as strong as the spells used by someone with just Water affinity. Are you following? You look confused.

"Uh... So Mikvel has Storm affinity?"

No no, I do not know what affinity he has. I can not check his status since he is not my creature. Although magic is volatile enough to make their users mutate. If we are lucky then he will mutate into something I can claim! Would that not be wonderful!

"I'd rather not..."

Mikvel was holding his head while rising with the help of Sam. He looked groggy and confused but otherwise fine.

Do not turn that possibility down so fast. Being a creature is fun! You get to evolve and look pretty and fight a lot!

"It's not that bad. I kinda like being a Visvarg. Though going mad during the full moon is less fun. Or it's fun but not good... It's hard to explain. Isn't the next full moon pretty close?"

"I think sso yess. The nightss are getting brighter."

"Gotta plan something for that...Anyway, Mikvel! What affinity did you get?"

"Uh, hold on... [Art]..."

"What?... Is that even an element?"

"Apparently... What does it mean though?"

"Whatss art?"

"Art is... Pretty things? Drawings and sculptures and stuff-"

Pretty things is an element?! That is the best thing I have ever heard!

"Not all art is pretty though! But most artists want their art to be pretty."

Still good!

"How were those slimes art though..."

"They ssmell grosss..."

"They smelled kind of like ink?"

"Oh yeah, ink smells gross doesn't it? It's been awhile since I smelled ink so I couldn't place the smell."

"Ink iss a kind of dye right?"

"Yes."

"I wonder if I can use magic?"

Try the staff. Just hold it and try to sense the mana in the air. Our dungeon has lots of mana just floating around in the air so it is easier to use magic in here.

Fanv carefully picked up the staff from the floor. She held it with both hands and concentrated. Everyone held their breath as they watched.

Nothing happened.

"... Are you feeling anything? It feels kind of weird when you suck in the mana."

"... My hands itch a bit but otherwise nothing... I guess I'm not a magic user."

Sam sighed in relife. He hurridly explained that he was afraid of another hoard of slimes attacking if Fanv could use magic.

The slimes appeared as a result of Mikvel using the mana he sucked into his body. The user's body converts mana into their element and then works as fuel for whatever the user's wants it to do. Mikvel sucked in alot of mana so he got many slimes.

"Maybe ssuck in lesss mana next time..."

"The feeling is super vague and strange so it was hard to control... I just kind of went with it..."

"Try again, see if you can create something other than a slime."

"Like what?"

Fanv handed him the staff as she thought.

"A bird?"

Mikvel nodded and held out his hand, palm up. He held the staff in his other hand. The white gem began to glow softly as Mikvel's face turned into a frown as he concentrated. Beads of sweat formed as he focused. The sweat then moved and blended with the dirt and grime that had gotten stuck on him when he fought off the slime. Fanv couldn't help but say "Gross, sweat slime." and quickly got scolded by Maker who explained that his element seemed to need physical materials to work.

After what felt like an eternity to Mikvel he finally stopped pulling on the invisible mana that filled the air. It felt like breathing and that was a problem. Taking a deep 'breath' would result in a myriad of slimes and a sense of nausea. Sucking in only a little mana was hard to say the very least but the result made it worth it.

A small black puddle formed in his hand, no bigger than an apple when it finished growing. It moved and wiggled a bit in his palm. With a force of will he imagined the shape of a bird and willed the slime to take that shape. It shook once then two tentacles sprouted from it, shaping themselves into the vague image of a pair of wings. The others gasped and Maker whistled in amazment. Seeing someone else form and mold something living was fascinating. The way he moved the mana around and focused it on certain actions was crude and unsteady but otherwise it reminded her of her own methods.

When Mikvel was satisfied with the wings he tried to move his focus to form a head and some legs, but the slimy wings burst when he took his focus away from them. He sighed in annoyance and started reforming the wings again. It went a bit faster this time and he didn't switch focus quiet as fast this time. The wings quivered like water but held. Slowly, the black slime started to resemble a bird as its creator molded it.

'Hello, what are you doing?'

Mikvel jumped and the slime fell to the floor with a splat. Everyone turned their gaze to Pohc who gave them a confused stare.

'What?'

Mikvel would have to train on his magic-making...