Fear Not The Elf Who Knows 10,000 Spells - Chapter 9

I stood with a bow and arrows in my hands. Greenery and trees around me.

Old Schroff and I were hunting in the forest areas down from the mountain.

The fishes were capture is mostly for selling, and we need to eat different stuff from time to time. Also animal pelts are useful to sell as well. Or as Old Schroff would say, everything from an animal had its uses.

I lined up a shot on a deer, half a kilometer out, the image wavered.

I lowered the bow, closing my eyes as I took in a deep breath and let it out in frustration.

I cast the eyesight of a hawk spell again, Formed this time. The deer was clear in my eyes, not image wavering, nothing wrong.

I held up the bow as I lined up my shot again. My arm shook. The draw was too much on my eight, almost nine year old body. My body strengthening wouldn't hold.

Focus. Focus. I told myself.

My arms were steady.

Then I saw Rein die to my Zoltraak.

I lowered the bow, unloosing the string.

It's been happening ever since the Death Tunnel visit two weeks ago.

It's like I lost my ability to shape my mana as I please. I can cast spells just fine.

Formed Spells—'Correct Spell Casting' as Schroff would tell me—I can do just fine.

But Non-Formed Spells, spells built by nothing but my imagination and will, those just crumbled at the slightest sign of distraction? Hesitation? ...Reality.  

When I try to use them in an actual situation, the structure just crumbles.

I glared at nothing. It was just an illusion. Of course there are things strong than me. Or rather... better at using mana control than me.

I knew that. I expected that. It's just... it turned out to be a monster. A mindless beast that wasn't mindless. I wanted to tell myself it was a demon, but those guys are distinct. And the wiki explicitly said Einsams weren't demons, regardless of their nickname.

Even the old exercises of freely controlling mana were more difficult. Except mana suppression. I got better and making my mana levels appear smaller, like a normal eight year old.

Like a coward.

"It's about to move." Schroff said as he appeared next to me, dropping five dead deers next to him. His sudden arrival startling me.

He looked at my surprise, then looked away frowning. Probably berating himself for taking me to the Death Tunnel. Since then I've been afraid of something else getting into my mind.

The world felt vibrant and dead without mana detection.

"I shouldn't have taken you there." Schroff muttered under his breath, likely not expecting me to hear.

"Not your fault. I'd probably would have went on my own if I didn't pester you." I spoke up. I wouldn't, but he doesn't need to know that. Better appear as some wildly kid that's been humbled. Not that far from the truth.

"You know, you can string that bow without using that Bärentatze-like spell of yours, right?" Schroff said.

Bärentatze was a spell that granted one's arms and hands the strength of a bear. Useful for archers.

Of course even my body strengthening was based on something. I need to stop being arrogant.

"I'm not so sure." I muttered, feeling ashamed that I gave Schroff such high expectations of me that I'm falling short of.

Schroff scoffed. Okay, my self pity is getting annoying even to me.

"Cast Wurfspeer and just fire. Don't think about it." He said. "You're good at controlling the arrow after its loose." That's only because I was good at telekinesis. I'm not sure now I'll— "Three. Two..."

I took a breath, closed my eyes.

And cast Wurfspeer, feeling my mana and the World's mana fused into the shape of the spell.

"One."

I opened my eyes, drew the arrow back and let go.

My eyes still had their hawk eyesight. That spell kept going given its duration.

The arrow flew and had I no control over it, it would have sailed over the deer's head by a few inches. I lower it's vector and the arrow went through the deer's chest and struck its heart without piercing through the other side of its body. No need to ruin the pelt.

The deer stumbled then fell in the next moments. It instantly died before realizing so.

"Alright, go get it now." Schroff nodded with a look of pride.

When I looked down in shame rather than dash up to get the deer at super speed, Schroff frowned looking aside as he ran a hand through his hair.

"You still didn't read it?" He asked slowly. I bite down on my embarrassment and shook my head. It must seem like I'm wasting his time. "You know, you might try to hide it, but you always looked so excited when it came to that spell in particular. I always feared what kind of hellion I'd unleash if I teach it to you." He said chuckling, trying to lighten the mood.

I just loathed myself even more. Loathed how weak I am.

"I just don't want to mess it up."

===x===

One Week Ago

"Trenn, come here." Schroff said as I was sword training. I've been neglecting it for a while now, only training one hour when I wake up and one before I go to bed.

The sword was still heavy all this time. Wielding it was uncoordinating. Like, I had to learn how to use a zweihander or something. Except it's like Siegfried's sword from Soul Calibur, or Guts from Berserk.

I stopped my training, feeling my body heated up. Even with it now starting to snow more regularly, I still felt hot from swinging this damn heavy thing around.

I wiped away my sweat with a towel, used a spell to summon water than washes you up quickly, got dressed then went inside the cabin.

Schroff was waiting for me there with surprise. A slight smirk on his lips as he held up a book for me.

A Grimoire.

Although it was more like a pamphlet. Ten to twenty pages long.

I took it with some trepidation and a sense of rejection. A wish in my heart that it wasn't what I thought it was. I wasn't ready. I'd taint my wish with my current self.

'The Spell of Shortened Travel and Rough Terrain Maneuvering'.

I opened the first page and to my dejection I read the name of the spell after some general description.

Jilwer. 

Just like I expected. Just like I always wanted.

And right now, everything in me wanted to reject it.

"I figured after that encounter with the Einsam, you need something to help you escape. Not only that was in six months when we make our trip to sell our goods, you'll need that to keep up with me." Schroff explained, as I look up meeting his gaze. He smirked. "What? You didn't think I usually just walked the whole way did you?" He laughed and waved me off. "When you first traveled with me I wanted to see how resilient you are. You showed you are. Patience and dedicated as well. So I know you'll excel with it. I think you'll only need two months to learn it." He smiled wildly, expecting me to jump in joy at being given a help that can aid in combat.

Yet quieter I continued to be as I just stared blankly, maybe even with some trepidation at the grimoire, the more worried Schroff became.

"...I don't know if I'm ready." I finally said.

Schroff lost is smile and grunted, as he rubbed the back of his head, and looked away.

"No one knows when they are. You just gotta put in the work, and let the results speak of your effort." Schroff said. I wanted to give a rebuttal, ask him to take back the grimoire. "Take your time in learning it." He said, stopping any rejection or self-condemnation from leaving my mouth. "Hitting a snag or two normal. That's part of living. You'll figure it out."

"What if I don't?" I asked.

"I don't think you'll let yourself quit. I've known you long enough to tell you're bullheaded." Schroff chuckled.

I found my lips twitching into a smile despite myself.

Yet it didn't change how I felt about finally having one of the two spells I longed for in my hand.

I don't want to learn it as I was now. I don't want to ruin this spell with my chains and limits.

I just don't know how to shed them, when the specter of that Einsam haunts my thoughts. 

===x===

Schroff sighed and stayed quiet for a moment.

I need to get my shit together. I can't be a burden on the old man. Six months. Less now. I need to figure something out.

This isn't a guardianship, it's an apprenticeship. Well apprentice, go do your fucking job!

"I'll go get the deer." I said.

"No, I'll do it. It's faster that way." Schroff shook his head. "Watch the game while I get back. Keep your guard up. Forest is never a safe place."

"Got it." I nodded.

Between a blink of an eye and the next, Schroff vanished. A whistle in the wind signaled his movement.

I waited, just looking at the scenery around me, feeling the calm warm-ish air hit my face.

The forest was noisy, as it normally was. But there was something tranquil in that noise.

For a while I could just stop thinking, try and just focus on breathing, and let those dark emotions berating me, quieten and fall to the side for a bit.

Of course, such peace didn't dare last.

I didn't register what my eyes saw for a few seconds.

Rustle from the leaves, then a creature coming closer from the tree lines.

Then it appeared with a roar.

Giant stout body like a bear, orange fur with brown strips, a tiger's face along with claws and fangs dripping with acid.

Bäriger.

An aggressive monster with a terrifying appetite. It had a hard time eating due to all the acid it produced, but it killed its prey very quickly, so it could hunt many.

I didn't sense it until I could see it, and it could see me.

Because I didn't have my damn mana detection on!

The Bäriger ran at me with a snarl.

I fumbled with the bow and arrows, trying to get the arrow nocked. I wouldn't make it in time.

The Bäriger neared with a growl, as it ran at speeds that belayed it's heavy mass. Just like a real bear.

I threw the bow and arrows aside and just grabbed at my magic.

A Defensive spell was thrown up immediately, just in time for the Bäriger to crash into the barrier.

As expected the monster stopped dead against the magical might of Defensive Magic.

Then it's acid began to melt it.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" The acid is magic? Can affect magic?

What? Does this universe have some kind of daily reminder that I'm not hot shit?

I push more mana into the barrier and that stops it's deterioration.

Oh, so it's just a matter of sharpening up the foundation. Just make the barrier stronger.

That also meant it's taking more mana to maintain.

I readied a Zoltraak, maybe I can used this opportunity to focus my imagination and convection once more. Right here and now, I create the spell shape with my mana alone. I imagine the beam piercing through everything like a heated rod breaking through a sheet of ice.

Unlike the direwolf from that one time, the Bäriger wasn't slow in its attack frenzy.

The monster began breaking the barrier one piece at a time, as hexagons started to shatter one by one.

The upper half of the barrier broke under it's relentless assault much faster.

"Don't get fancy, your life is more important." Schroff's words echoed in my mind.

The Zoltraak spell structure that was trying to stay held together, snapped into place instantly with the addition of World mana. A correct casting.

The Bäriger roared in my face. I fired the beam into its face.

It dodged.

My eyes widened in shock. This thing had much sharper instincts than I thought.

The Phaitagurd broke completely, as the Bäriger lunged at me.

There was no time I had to think. I cast Zoltraak without thinking, just to kill this beast.

The beam fired from my hand as an idle thought came to mind.

Why am I rooted in place? Why didn't I just run? Why am I a lousy fighter?

Body strengthening is on? I realized much to my shock. When did I do that?

...I cast Zoltraak in a Non-Formed way.

I felt a bit of elation that when it was do or die, I succeeded into shaping magic by my will, visualization and conviction.

The Zoltraak slammed into the Bäriger's shoulder blowing up its arm off.

I missed?! 

The monster shouted in pain, yet was still relentlessly dashing at me.

It's other arm, sharp claws and acidic goo still heading to my head.

You're kidding me? Am I... gonna die from something this stupid? Because I missed? My adventured ended before it even began—

The Bäriger's arm went missing, along with its head.

I heard the sound of something cause a bang as it passed in front of me. A sonic boom.

The headless monster stopped dead in its tracks, as its body began disintegrating before it even hit the ground.

Distantly I heard Schroff coming up to us, shouting for me, worried about me.

"Kid, you're okay!" Schroff said as he kneeled next to me.

Huh? When did I fall and sit down on the ground? My legs are shaking. Oh, I guess I'm in shock.

"Dammit, boy. Your life isn't worth some stupid game meat, you should have ran and moved around!" Schroff said, yet I was a bit transfixed by my savor.

"I'm just glad I got here in time." Said the hooded man.

The large man looked at us with concern, his large muscled frame showed someone that trained a lot and fought a lot.

He removed his hood, making Schroff's eyes widened in surprise.

It was an elf.

"Hello, good hunters. I wish you well on this day. You made a great showing against such a powerful mighty beast as the Bäriger. Its truly a shock that you haven't so much as a scratch upon your frame, young child. You should be proud of such accomplishment."

"Bah! Proud my ass." Schroff waved him off. "It will just get to the head of this little shit-stirrer."

The blond elf laughed.

"I am Flink the Archer. Might I know who you two are? It must be quite the story for how a Mountain Hunter and an Aspiring Mage came to each other's company?" He said in good-nature.

"'Mountain Hunter'? That's an old title." Schroff muttered. "I'm Schroff, an Archer of the Weißer Berg tribe like my father and his father before him." He said as he gestured for me, his hand extended. I took it and he pulled me up to my feet. "This little one is Trenn. My apprentice. Not sure about being a mage. I'm not one and he doesn't have anyone to learn from."

"Truly?" Flink asked in surprise.

I was still mostly silent as I was stunned by the random appearance of this elf.

Schroff dope slapped the back of my head.

"Boy, stop being rude and introduce yourself."

"Ow! Right, sorry, I'm Trenn."

Excuse me for being shocked, because this universe seems to have a sense of humor.

The first elf I met in this new life wasn't some cute waifu. No.

Rather it's some bro that's a member of the Church of Swole! What the fuck!?