If that is the case then I can probably learn a lot if I can get into the city and explore. The problem now is how to get over there, either I can swim or I can try to build a raft. Since there might still be something nasty at the bottom of the lake I am not inclined to try swimming across.

So building a raft it is, good thing there are plenty of trees around! Instead of just cutting down trees randomly I look around for the ones that aren't doing so well. Removing them should actually help out the trees around them, in total I cut down twelve trees.

The next step is to trim off all the branches, which go into my pouch since I need more firewood anyway. The interesting thing is that as I am trimming off the branches I can feel mana in the tree trunks. It surprises me since it has been a long time since I was able to feel mana this easily.

To test it out I reach out with my will and give the mana a little nudge, and it obediently moves where I pushed it. This means I can manipulate mana again, which gives me an idea. In a lot of fantasy stories elves can sing to wood and reshape it as they wish, I'm wondering if I can do something similar.

I take two of the cleaned trunks and lay them side by side, then I focus my will and slowly merge the two sets of mana together. When I open my eyes I find that the two tree trunks have merged together perfectly. One by one I add the other trunks using the same process until all twelve are merged into one piece.

*DING*

Congratulations! You have acquired the magic skill Mana Manipulation!

Mana Manipulation

Level: 1

SP Cost: 25/minute

The ability to manipulate mana into new shapes.

'Wow, it has been a long time since I made a new skill! This feels awesome!'

Deciding to play around with the skill a bit I start changing the shape of the raft. After experimenting for about an hour I find out some of the rules that apply to the skill. For one thing I cannot alter the mass of the object, but I can alter the density.

If this also applies to metal I should be able to turn lesser ore into higher quality, but that will have to wait for later. I can also add my sacred power into the object to patch weak spots in the mana, the two seem to merge just fine. This means I should also be able to enchant items using my sacred power just like I did when I was using mana.

Although, while I have tried to create spells again, for some reason it doesn't work with sacred power, something seems to be missing. That is something I will have to experiment with later, maybe I can figure something out with enough time. For now since rafts aren't very stable I decide to turn it into a canoe instead.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Woodworking has progressed to level 6!

Woodworking

Level 6

Agi +6

You can make tools or structures from wood.

Congratulations! Skill Mana Manipulation has progressed to level 2!

Mana Manipulation

Level: 2

SP Cost: 25/2 minutes

The ability to manipulate mana into new shapes.

By the time I am done it has turned out quite well and I am fairly proud of it. The last thing I do is turn a large branch into a oar and once that is done I am ready to cross the lake. After pushing it into the water I have Bones take the front and tell him to watch for danger, while Kechara gets put in the middle.

Then I take my spot in the back and start paddling us across the lake, which with my strength is pretty easy. Despite my expectations nothing attacks us as we are crossing, so it only takes about fifteen minutes to reach the other side. Since there is a wall around the city I beach the canoe near where the bridge was.

When we climb up to the road we can see a gate in the wall, it is partially collapsed but is still a sight to see. It is wide enough for four wagons to pass through at once and is completely covered in carvings. The gateway is about thirty feet tall which would make the walls of the city about forty feet tall.

That isn't just for decoration, whoever built this city did so with defense in mind. That means they were aware of war at the least, and that maybe they expected the city to be attacked. In front of the gate on either side are two massive lion statues, sitting on pedestals. The lions look like they would be about fifteen feet tall if standing upright and they are beautifully carved.

It is strange how this city was built to be defended but they seem to have insisted on the defenses being beautiful. As I step between the statues I see the gate light up and I can feel mana moving before the gate scans us. Seems some of the magic is still working, and somehow I doubt the scan is going to identify me as friendly.

As soon as the thought pops into my head that the statues are going to come alive they start glowing. I should have known better, statues outside the wall would have to be more than just decoration. As the statues start moving I realize they are not coming to life, they are animating, they must be a type of golem.

The eyes of the lions start glowing red and both of them turn towards us and let out a fearsome roar. Bones and I draw our swords and back away from them to give us room to fight. Kechara runs back down to the boat when I tell her to, I don't want her getting hurt.

After the roar the lions jump down from their pedestals and start moving towards us. Telling Bones to keep the other one busy I activate mind blade and dash in to attack my lion. As I rush in I throw a wind blade at its face to distract it, this lets me get a good solid hit in on its leg.

Unfortunately, even though it was a good hit all it does is take a small chunk out of the lion's leg. As I dodge back away from the paw it swings at me I realize that this is not going to be easy, a sword is not the right weapon for this. Even worse as I am trying to think of a plan I notice the wound in its leg has already healed.