Elevation of Mana Chapter 9 Big Fish

Getting time to practice magic was a real problem.  Sure, I'd figured out one small thing, but I was still bad at it and had no time to try it out, because I was always being watched.  Regardless of how the days and weeks passed I was just never left alone.  That was pretty good policy for a baby in this level of civilization, but it still irked that I was unable to get much done.

It wasn't like many others were often alone though.  People traveled in groups, large ones.  The men who went out to hunt did so in large parties, the women to gather, much the same.  Everything was done with others it seemed, the idea of privacy nearly non-existent.  That brought up some questions in my mind about how... new generations were made, but I'd never seen anyone going at it, so it must be somehow hidden.

I did make a few inroads, small movements and the like, and even one attempt at making a fire, in one of the fire-pits for safety of course.  Every time I tried though it seemed one of my parents or Elaya came running shortly thereafter.  I didn't know how they were seeing what I was doing, but there must be some way.  The fire attempt had led to an almost panicked look on the woman, and me being even more tightly watched.

A new watcher even joined.  My father's best friend was a man by the name of Larus.  He was without a doubt the most well toned man in the village, not large like a bodybuilder, but hard and chiseled like a lightweight prize fighter.  He also shared the aura which seemed to indicate magic, but I'd never seen him do anything.

The downside to Larus being around was the number of girls he brought with him.  He was clearly single, and just as clearly several of our female residents would be happy to change that for him.  Learning as I had it was clear why, magic was power, and he clearly had it, as well as good looks.  I didn't know what his thoughts were though, since he never commented much on it.

He would sit and tell stories while my parents attended to their own tasks.  All of the children gathered round for these, and he told us of the hunters and the beasts that they went after.  He described deer the size of huts and birds that could eat a man whole, and how as a group they'd go and take them down.  He always downplayed his own role, instead regaling us with stories of how this man or that had landed a critical blow on the creature's side, or the trap they'd set.

Eventually time came for bed though and I was carted off.  His stories were good, and while I'd personally prefer games or a good book  entertainment was thin on the ground here.  I very briefly considered trying to convert some of the stories from my old world, but the truth was that I didn't have the skill for that, and so I let that thought fade.

Days came, and days went, and I grew bit by bit.  I could walk now, and talk a bit, though I did little of the latter.  There was so much to see, and I was even now being given a bit of time to play with some of the other children.  Honestly, there wasn't much for me to do with them, as they all seemed to be ten or so, but that was fine.

I thought this might be something at least a little distracting, where I may even get a bit of time alone to practice magic, but alas, it was not so simple.  The first time I was brought over I was swarmed by about four girls who really, really wanted to play their variant of 'house', with me obviously still as the baby.  Sadly none of them were as skilled at handling me as my family was, and all were far too eager.

Perhaps all would have been lost, but then a hero appeared.  Well, not a hero exactly, but someone who'd surely save me this time.  A boy came to us a few days into my torture and stepped up to the girl who seemed to be running this little clique.

"Hey, Elian should be playing with us," he declared.  "We need to teach him boy games."  He stood with his head held high and a weird, three pronged spear on his back.

"He's playing with us," the girl, by the name of Ayla replied.  I'd learned her name as she ran this group harshly.  "Elian doesn't want to go with you, right Elian."

"I do want to go with them," I said, probably the longest sentence that I'd spoken in this world.

"He-he doesn't know what he's talking about, he's just a baby!"  She objected, the call being taken up by several of the other girls.

It launched into an argument between the cadre of girls and two of the boys.  The latter stood there taking all of their anger and letting them be drawn closer and closer.  I noticed that I was now not being watched by my previous jailers and began to slip backwards.

The adults were watching on, but seemed content to just let it play out.  I was sure they even saw me trying to slip away.  As long as the children were safe, and not hurting each other, it seemed they'd let small things play out.

As I tried to get around a small bush, and out of sight of the two groups I met a boy creeping around the same.  He was small and lithe, probably the youngest of the boys, with his face and body painted to blend in with the surroundings.  Or at least that seemed to be the goal, his camouflage was less than perfect.

We looked at each other for a full second and I could see him smile.  "Good going little brother, we're here to rescue you."

"Thanks," I responded and began following.

He nodded and began leading me back, near the edge of the clearing that we were in today.  I thought he might take me out of the edge, but he didn't, getting just close enough that we had periodic cover, but never outside of the gathering women's area.  Several nodded to him conspiratorially as we passed, not trying to hide from them, but from the group of girls.  My aunt had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing as we crept along by where she was.

I didn't see when the girls noticed my departure, but I certainly heard it.  By that time I was well and away and enough of our guardians had seen us that they went to laughing openly.  Even calling out that we were fine, just hiding.

We were near the creek again today and I was led far upstream by the painted boy.  We were soon joined by the rest of the boys, who'd slipped away shortly after, there were five in all.

"It worked?"  The spear holding boy asked, smiling as he approached.

"Yeah, he was escaping right as I was coming in."

"Great!  You're Elian right?  I'm Ninden, you've already met Olond I see," the spear holding boy said.  "Want to come with us?  There's lots to do."

"Sure, what stuff?"  I asked.

"Fishing today, but there are rules."  At my nod he continued, "Never, ever go outside of the clearing we're in.  We're safe here, but there are monsters that will eat you."  I suppose I looked like I understood because he continued.  "And don't go anywhere alone until you're a bit bigger.  The women don't mind if you're playing with us, but while you're so small they'll get mad if you're alone."

"Okay," I agreed, and we headed off up the stream a bit.

We arrived at a pool, just near the edge of our allotted area, one swarming with little fish.  Each of the boys had a spear there, and they were quickly taken up, each except me.  There was a little branch though, one just about right for how tall I was.  I was as big as a larger two-year old at this point, and this was the first bit we had to do.  While some of the other boys went off to begin, it was the oldest Ninden who came over to where I was.

"Alright, you need a spear, so I'll show you huh?"  He took out a small stone knife and cut prongs into the end of the little branch, so it made a little three parted spear tip, well almost.  "You cut these like this, and then you get a stone, about the size of your thumb can you find one?"

I looked on the ground and found one that matched close, a small round one and presented it to him.  "Here, like this?"

"Yeah, then take some vine and tie it here, like this."  He showed me where and how, then took the time to let me try and get it myself.

It was simple enough, the stone parted the points by sitting between them, and was held in with several wraps and clove hitches, nothing complex.  I got it on my first try and he patted me on the shoulder.

"Good job, now, you should ask Olond to teach you to spear fish, he's the best at it."

Olond did indeed teach me how to use the spear.  The trick, it was explained to me, was to aim low and thrust fast, the fish were lower in the water then they looked, and very quick.  Other than that I needed to stay still.  He set me up in a good little area with a rise I could stand on and the boys let me have at it.

I was not really good at spear fishing, but they were.  While I tried, I was still very small, and couldn't quite manage it for most of the day.  The older boys didn't seem concerned, every now and then calling out to give me encouragement or repeat the instructions.

Near the end of the day I was tired, but still determined.  I was also having some thoughts on how to do this.  There was a fish right in front of me, one of the largest I'd seen today, right in my sights, and I had a plan.  I extended my will, my magic, into my spear, and as I went to thrust I pushed it with me.

The spear, with my magic in it, went fast as a bolt, and lodged into my target.  Things went sort of wrong then, as I'd underestimated the size of my prey.  I had the spear, and it was lodged in well, but the huge fish struggled, pulling me off my feet.

I wasn't alone though, and the elves of this world, even the young ones, highly valued each other.  Within a second the other boys were with me, helping me up, and with the spear.  I got a bit of help hauling my catch out of the water and Ninden smiled.

"You got one, and a good one too!"  He enthused.

"Yeah," I agreed with a smile.

It was the only fish I got all day, and my mother had doubts when they explained it was mine.  It did make a good dinner though, as it was added to our family's food for the evening.  Dad asked me to tell him the story of how I got it, and while I hesitated a bit, I eventually gave it a shot.  He wasn't the only one to listen either, most of the hunters in the area leaned in, it was polite after all to let someone tell you about how they got a good bit of prey.