Fear Not The Elf Who Knows 10,000 Spells - Chapter 3

AN: Okay. Last change, because even if it's on the nose, this is just easier. Junges/Kater is now changed permanently to Löwenjunges.

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I woke up, and just like before going to bed, I did visualization practice.

I imagined myself running through the whole of Schwanz with the world frozen in time.

I imagine myself swinging my arm, and everything in my sight is sliced like a picture cut by a sword.

I may not have Jilwer and Reelseiden yet, but that doesn't mean I won't prepare my ass off.

It's been my routine for basically this whole new life of mine.

After that I had to bath before anyone else, because I didn't want fight with anyone or wait a turn with others pushing for you to hurry up. Lots of morning stuff to get through.

At least that was my plan, but as I finished my visualization training, and moved to get up I heard a groan besides me.

I saw black, blue-tinted hair lying next to me. It was the long hair of Rein.

She was one of the younger kids in the orphanage. A little girl of five or six that tended to stick to me more than others, so I tended to be group together with her by the matron when I'm around.

Although, that's basically after I finish training for the day, so like from evening or sunset till bed time.

I usually use that time to help out around the orphanage is anyone asked for help, or just do my mana detection training. I reached the point where I'm focusing on ants now. Rein usually just sits quietly next to me, or asks me to read her bedtime stories from the matron's books.

Rein usually was a deep sleeper, unlike all the other kids in the orphanage that tended to be light sleepers.

Yet this time as I moved, she let out a groan as she opened her little eyes, with a sleepy pout. She wasn't really sleeping on the bed, but resting her arms and head on it, while sitting on the floor. This silly brat, that's bad for your knees. Honestly, anime tropes like that are stupid.

"Train," she called out in a small whine and opened her little eyes. And of course like a wittle baby she has to butcher my name. "I'm notta baby!" Rein said with a mighty pout.

Okay, my face can't possibly be showing my emotions that much.

"I didn't say anything." I pointed out trying not to smile.

"Ms. Gu-Ten says that's what you're thinking when you're making that face." Rein pointed out accusingly, her little finger pointed at me.

Dammit old lady, I can't believe you ratted me out like that.

Rein's eyes, started to drop after that little excitement.

I sighed, removed my blanket and got up.

"Alright, okay, up you go." I said as I pulled her off the floor and onto the bed, as I moved to get down. "I'll tell Ms. Gütig to let you sleep in a little longer today."

Rein weighed as much as a feather. Plump-ish kid, but everyone could easily pick her up. She hated it. It was hilarious.

Pretty sure she secretly liked it when I or the matron picked her up though. Not sure why me too. I'm not motherly am I? Do I give off that vibe? 

 "Nooo, I still..." Rein yawned. "Didn't give you...breakfast..." She was dozing off. I placed her where I was and covered her with the blanket. She seemed to instinctively snuggle into the warmth I left behind.

I looked to the table next to my bed. There was four beds in the room, I was on the one furthest away from the door in the room's corner. The desk was between my bed and opposite bed for Rot, one of my roommates.

The desk was really meant to make the room more lively, or for one of us kids to use it for reading or studying, but it just ended up mostly used for decorations and personal keepsakes. I didn't have anything of mine on it, maybe some old drawings I don't plan to take with me.

On the desk was a plate with... a ball... cookie? A half-burnt cookie in the shape of a sea mine?

"I made you a star cookie." Rein said from behind me with a soft sleepy tone.

"Aren't stars flat?" I found myself saying before I could stop. I should have just said thank you, waited for her to sleep and threw it out.

"Ms. Gu-Ten said the sun is a star. The sun is a ball. And stars have horns, so horn ball." Rein said, some annoyance fighting to show itself from her sleepiness.

Impeccable logic.

"Did the matron help you with it?" I really hope it wasn't one of the other kids that let her play around in the kitchen.

"Aren't you...gonna try it?" Rein scowled at me like a squirrel.

I help back a sigh and prepared for whatever this thing of a cookie will turn out to be.

I didn't bother thinking about it, or examining it. Might as well get it over with.

I took the cookie ball—A-hem, star, about as big as a tennis ball, filling my hand, as in three bites devoured the whole thing quickly.

"You didn't taste it!" Rein whined. sitting up a little.

And thank god I didn't! How the hell was the outside burned and crunchy and the inside still raw dough.

I mean, there's still sugar in it, so that's good.

"Rein, how long did you put this in the oven?" I asked.

"Oven? We're not suppose to use that." Rein crunched her cute eyebrows in confusion. "I used fire under a pan like a proper cook. Lässig showed me."

Of fucking course it was Lässig. That guy should not be given any responsibility for anything, regardless of him being seventeen and one of the oldest kids still around.

"So?" Rein said as began to pulled back to under the blanket, her eyes dropping closed. "Is it good?" She asked with a quieting voice.

"Yeah, it just," I pulled back any criticism. This was a kid after all. "Yeah, it was good, Rein."

"Good enough..." She yawned once more. "You'll... stay..."

Where the hell did that come from?!

I frowned unsure how to explain to a six year old child that I still have to leave today.

I tried to start a few times, sighing each time, as I didn't know how to say this in a way that didn't hurt.

Thankfully while I was brainstorming an answer, Rein's breathing changed to something low and steady. She had fallen asleep before she could wait for my answer.

"Sorry, Rein." I whispered, and moved the blanket to cover her, so she doesn't get cold.

I frowned as I turned to leave the room. She's a kid. She'll be sad for a while, but she had seen other kids leave to lives before. She'll be fine after a while, right?

I ignored that small ping of guilt, as I went about my day.

===x===

Schroff, an Archer POV:

"Hey, old man!"

Schroff blinked at a voice he didn't expect to called out to him, set down his hot buttered rum, and turned his head to see the boy that came up to him two years ago asking to be his apprentice.

Schroff doesn't have a lot of pleasures in life. He's old, all his family left the Anfang Region long ago that he doesn't know if they are alive or dead, he's alone and what peace he can expect in his latter years is likely to vanish with this civil war going on.

His life is work. Crossing the Froststaub mountains to reach the sea. Fishing. Use a preserve fish meat spell, and curing it when he doesn't have enough mana. Cross the mountain again back to his cabin. Hunt animals. Preserve or cure whatever game he got. Put everything in frost storage. Built up stock, then travel down the mountain to sell his game to three different town, picking up supplies, money and firewood, before landing at Schwanz for the big pay day of selling everything left.

Then it's back home. Rinse and repeat.

The only pleasure he allowed himself in his lonely old age, is the conversation he finds in taverns, and a quiet cup of hot buttered rum. He doesn't like to mix the two.

It doesn't seem like he will get to enjoy drink in peace.

Trenn seemed like a normal rambunctious kid with a loud mouth and attitude, even if he doesn't raise his voice, or act noisy. Yet, he had this way about him like someone headed towards a goal, with an unstoppable focus.

He reminded Schroff of when he was young and foolish, wanting to be an adventurer and fight monster, rather than do something actually productive. He wasn't a bad kid really.

It's just that Trenn wanted to learn folk magic from Schroff and the old man wanted to not be bothered into doing something that required that much effort.

So he gave the boy an impossible challenge. An old dwarven warrior tradition. One that was left in the past.

For a dwarf to be considered a warrior, he needed to find the tree with the strongest roots, and be able to ripe it out of the ground.

Schroff felt like that requirement was unnesseary, so he only made it, so that as long as Trenn completed said challenge, he'll take him on as an apprentice.

Given the boy's grit and dedicated, Schroff reckoned Trenn will take until his mid-adolescence till he succeeded.

By then Schroff hoped he'd have died off. He had turned seventy two recently after all.

Besides, it was a mercy for the boy. It's not like his wishes for strength went unnoticed by the Elves Shield. They wanted Schroff to train the kid, so they'd have a Warrior with mountain folk spells on their side. Schroff was promised a lot of gold should he agree. They even promised to pay him for any student he'd take. A way to "sponsor" those kids development. A way for Schroff's people and their traditions to not be forgotten.

Oh no. Just turn the ways of the Weißer Berg tribe to those of indoctrinated killers.

The old archer's challenge to the boy was suppose to show his high standards. And also a subtle way of telling the Elves Shield leaders of this city to fuck off. Thankfully they let things be. They don't want to seem like the crazed cultists, like those of the Coalition.

Schroff was old, and he really hated living long enough to see the peace the world enjoyed by the efforts of Himmel the Hero, get torn to shreds by self-entitled fools. See his tribe be forced to abandon their ancestral homes lest they get caught up in men's violent stupidity.

He stayed. Because someone had to stay. Someone had to remember.

"I'm coming with you today." Trenn said, his assured tone bringing Schroff's wandering mind back to the kid.

"...I believe my words were clear, kid. " Schroff said with a disappointed tone.

He supposed he shouldn't have expected a child to continue to act so mature, and to not throw a temper tantrum at a difficult challenge. Although he kinda hoped Trenn's pride in his maturity wouldn't let him lower his determination, and complain about the harshness of the task.

"Yeah. Which is why I'm saying I'm ready. I can do it now." Trenn said with a wide grin, of a kid who knew something the adults didn't.

Schroff blinked and looked again at Trenn, really focused on the boy. There wasn't an nervousness in his posture. No false confidence, or the wary those who prepare trickery tend to hold.

Huh... 

Schroff won't say he's surprised. He doesn't fully believe the kid, since they can be pretty self-assured without bases... but his curiosity is piqued.

"That right?" Schroff raised an eyebrow.

"You pick the tree. That way you can't say I was cheating." Trenn said back.

Schroff couldn't help the snort at the boy's gumption. With a little motivation in wanting to see how this plays out, Schroff downs his drink, letting the warm rum mix, fill up his belly, and stood up.

"Alright," the old man gestured for the black haired boy to lead the way. "This should be funny."

===x===

The boy, Trenn looked comical hugging one of the trees in the forest around Schwanz.

Schroff and Trenn were accompanied by the old lady who ran the Calm Orphanage, along with some kids.

They all watched as Trenn's arms cracked the tree bark, as they sank into the wood. The body growled, groaned and trembled.

Schroff's eyes widened as he watched the boy's mana surge and nearly explode out of him. The instability was obvious now that the body was engaging in strenuous activity.

Why was he trying to suppress his mana even while using it? Schroff thought.

The tree shook, and the ground cracked and broke under the kid.

Then with a shout, Trenn started pull the tree up.

The roots sprang out of the ground, ripping apart and breaking as the old archer watched the impossible happen.

An eight year old pulled up the fourty foot tall tree out of the ground.

"YES!" Trenn shouted out in joy. Then began to lose his balance.

Schroff moved with the speed spell before he could think, and pulled the boy away from under the tree and back next to him and the audience, the moment tree leaned toward Trenn.

The tree fell with a loud thud, as it hit the ground.

Schroff looked at the grinning kid, who's hair shined dark blue under the sun's rays, ignoring the cheering orphans and orphanage matron behind him.

Well shit. Schroff scoffed with a scowl. I got an apprentice.