My Point of View

It's been a few months since I ended up... wherever the hell I am.

At this point, I've mostly stopped trying to make sense of it.

Instead, I've focused on making myself useful.

I've spent much of my time helping train the kingdom's knights and riding alongside them whenever monsters attacked nearby villages. At first, most of them had been skeptical of me. That changed fairly quickly after a few battles.

Nothing builds trust faster than fighting side by side.

Of course, living here for months has had some unexpected benefits.

The biggest one being magic.

How I'm able to use magic, I honestly have no idea.

The scholars certainly don't know.

My best theory is that it has something to do with me having a semblance. It causing my soul to start adapting to the magical nature where I am and slowly learning to interact with it. It's also possible that killing a dragon had something to do with it.

Or maybe it's both.

At this point, I'm just guessing.

Regardless of the reason, I've managed to learn the basics.

Fire Shot was the first spell I mastered. It's essentially a small fireball that I shoot from my fingertips. It's still useful for combat but nothing spectacular. Nothing devastating.

Then came Minor Healing, which is exactly what it sounds like. Cuts, bruises, and other minor injuries can be healed with enough concentration.

After that I learned Water Spout, Earth Shield, Lightning Shock, Air Shot, and Shadow Travel.

Lightning Shock is basically a magical taser.

Air Shot fires a compressed ball of air. It's not particularly powerful, but it can still knock someone off balance.

Earth Shield creates a small wall of stone capable of stopping weaker attacks. A explosion or hard enough hit will break it.

Shadow Travel is by far the most interesting spell I've learned. It's a beginner level spell, but it allows me to move through shadows over short distances. It's not nearly as powerful as the version from the Percy Jackson books, but the similarities are hard to ignore.

As for magical theory, I've learned the basics of the seven primary elements.

Fire. Water. Earth. Air. Light. Darkness. And Plasma.

Apparently every mage starts there.

Beyond those lie the rarer disciplines.

Holy Magic.

Demonic Magic.

And a handful of other specialized branches that most people never encounter.

Of course, actually learning those is another matter entirely.

Holy Magic is typically reserved for Holy Heroes and the clergy.

Demonic Magic tends to be practiced by Demonic Heralds, cultists, and other individuals most sane people prefer to avoid.

As a result, information on either discipline is difficult to come by.

Not that I'm complaining.

If my choices are learning magic from a priest or a demon worshiper, I'd rather stick with throwing fireballs for now.

"Look, it's the American Knight."

The whispered words came from a pair of young boys standing near one of the castle's windows as I walked past.

I caught them staring.

The moment they realized I'd heard them, both immediately straightened.

One looked embarrassed.

The other looked excited.

I simply gave them a small nod as I continued down the hallway.

That was enough to send them into a frenzy of whispered conversation.

I fought the urge to laugh.

The title still felt strange.

A month ago, I'd been Alex.

Just Alex.

Then I'd helped kill a dragon.

After that, everything changed.

Princess Eleanor had jokingly called me the American Knight during a banquet.

The name had spread through the castle by morning.

By the end of the week, the city was using it.

By the end of the month, it had become my unofficial title.

At first, it had annoyed me.

A lot.

Mostly because I'd spent days convincing people I wasn't a knight.

Then they gave me a knightly title anyway.

Apparently logic had little power against public opinion.

Eventually, I stopped fighting it.

If anything, I'd started to embrace it.

There were worse things people could call me.

Besides, the title seemed to make people smile.

The children certainly loved it.

The knights found it amusing.

And Eleanor never missed an opportunity to use it.

Usually at my expense.

I rounded a corner and immediately spotted her waiting near one of the castle's balconies.

The moment she saw me, a familiar smile appeared.

"Good morning, American Knight."

I sighed.

"Good morning, Princess."

The smile widened.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

Unfortunately for me, she enjoyed it far too much.

"Ready for your next lesson?" Eleanor asked.

"Yep."

I adjusted the strap of my rifle as we started down the corridor.

"I think I've finally figured Earth Dome out."

The princess looked pleasantly surprised.

"Already?"

"I said I figured it out. I didn't say I mastered it."

That earned a small laugh.

"Fair enough."

As we continued walking, I thought back to the spell.

Earth Dome was essentially the upgraded version of Earth Shield.

Instead of creating a single wall of stone, it raised a solid dome around the caster.

It was thicker.

Stronger.

And significantly more difficult to break through.

The downside?

It completely blocked my view of everything outside.

Which was less than ideal.

"Still has problems, though." I admitted.

"Oh?"

I nodded.

"Once the dome goes up, I can't see a damn thing."

The princess winced.

"That does seem problematic."

"A little."

I gestured with one hand.

"Sure, I'm protected, but so is everyone trying to kill me."

Eleanor laughed.

"I suppose that defeats the purpose."

"Exactly."

The spell was great for surviving.

Not so great for winning.

At least not by itself.

"Aldric says that's because I'm thinking about it incorrectly."

"The court mage?"

"Yep."

The princess smiled.

"And what does he think you're missing?"

I shrugged.

"He keeps saying that every spell is a tool."

That sounded familiar.

Mostly because it was the same thing I'd been saying about weapons for years.

"A hammer isn't bad because it can't cut wood." I muttered.

Eleanor blinked.

"What?"

I sighed.

"Another expression."

The princess groaned.

"Of course it is."

I grinned.

"What Aldric is trying to tell me is that Earth Dome isn't meant to solve every problem."

"Go on."

"It's meant to solve one problem really well."

"And that problem?"

I looked at her.

"Not dying."

The princess stared at me for a moment.

Then nodded.

"When you put it that way, it sounds considerably more useful."

"Exactly."

Besides, if I needed to see what was happening outside the dome...

I could always drop it and start shooting.

That solution made considerably more sense to me.

The training grounds were already active by the time we arrived.

Knights sparred with blunted swords while squires hurried back and forth carrying equipment.

A few of them noticed Eleanor and immediately straightened.

More noticed me.

I was getting used to that.

Mostly.

"Morning, American Knight!" One of the younger squires called.

I pointed at him.

"You're lucky you're young."

The boy grinned.

Eleanor laughed.

"You've embraced the title more than you admit."

"No."

"You absolutely have."

"Maybe."

The princess smirked.

"I knew it."

We continued across the yard until we reached a stone circle near the edge of the grounds.

Waiting there was Aldric.

The kingdom's court mage looked exactly like what most people imagined when they heard the words court mage.

Long robes.

Long beard.

Wooden staff.

The whole package.

"Master Aldric." Eleanor greeted.

"Princess."

The old mage then turned toward me.

"American Knight."

I groaned.

"Not you too."

"You have become quite popular."

"Unfortunately."

The old man chuckled.

"Now then. I hear you've made progress with Earth Dome."

"I think so."

Aldric nodded.

"Show me."

I stepped into the center of the stone circle.

Closing my eyes, I reached for the familiar sensation of mana.

It felt strange every time.

Like grabbing hold of a muscle I never knew existed.

The magic flowed through me.

Down into the earth.

The ground trembled.

Stone erupted upward around me.

A moment later, a dome of rock enclosed my position.

The familiar darkness followed.

No light.

No view.

Nothing.

Just stone.

A few seconds later, I released the spell.

The dome crumbled back into the earth.

Master Aldric nodded approvingly.

"Much faster."

"Told you I figured it out."

"You have."

The old mage walked around the circle, examining the remnants.

"But."

I sighed.

There was always a but.

"But?"

"The structure remains inefficient."

Called it.

I folded my arms.

"Meaning?"

"You are spending too much mana reinforcing areas that do not require reinforcement."

I stared at him.

He stared back.

The princess looked between us.

After several seconds, I spoke.

"I have no idea what that means."

Aldric sighed.

"Imagine constructing a castle."

"Okay."

"You do not make every wall equally thick."

I blinked.

Then blinked again.

"...Actually that makes sense."

The old mage looked relieved.

Eleanor looked amused.

Apparently everyone had expected a longer explanation.

Aldric tapped his staff against the ground.

"Most attacks will come from one direction."

I nodded.

"Right."

"Then why are you reinforcing the entire dome equally?"

I opened my mouth.

Then paused.

Then closed it.

"Huh."

The old mage smiled.

"You understand now."

"I think so."

Earth Dome wasn't supposed to be one solid shell.

It was supposed to be adaptable.

Thicker where attacks were likely.

Thinner where they weren't.

That would save mana.

And probably make the spell stronger.

"Damn."

Aldric raised an eyebrow.

"Damn?"

"Sorry."

The old mage sighed.

"I shall never understand your language."

"Neither do I."

Eleanor snorted.

The mage ignored both of us.

"Again."

I rolled my shoulders.

Then reached for the magic once more.

Maybe this lesson would be more useful than I'd expected.

And considering the last monster attack had involved a troll throwing a wagon at me...

A stronger shield sounded pretty damn appealing.

By the tenth attempt, I finally got it.

The stone dome rose around me once more.

Only this time, I could feel the difference.

The front section was thicker.

Denser.

The rear section remained strong but required noticeably less mana to maintain.

A few seconds later, I released the spell.

The stone collapsed back into the earth.

Aldric nodded approvingly.

"Better."

I grinned.

"I'll take that."

The old mage looked genuinely pleased.

For him, that was practically a standing ovation.

"You learn quickly."

"I've had good teachers."

Eleanor looked surprised.

The old mage looked pleased.

I immediately regretted saying it.

Both of them looked far too happy.

"Don't get used to it."

"Too late." Eleanor said.

Aldric stroked his beard.

"Since you've grasped the fundamentals of Earth Dome, I believe it is time we moved on."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

The old mage nodded.

"Advanced Healing."

My smile disappeared.

"Advanced Healing?"

"Indeed."

I looked at him.

Then at Eleanor.

Then back at him.

"You're trusting me with that?"

The old mage frowned.

"You make it sound dangerous."

"Magic that manipulates the human body sounds pretty dangerous."

Eleanor nodded.

"Fair point."

The mage sighed.

"As always, your concerns are simultaneously valid and irritating."

"I have a gift."

The old man ignored me.

"Advanced Healing is not simply a stronger version of Minor Healing."

That immediately got my attention.

"Oh?"

"Minor Healing accelerates natural recovery."

I nodded.

I already knew that.

Cuts closed faster.

Bruises faded.

Minor injuries healed.

Useful.

Simple.

Reliable.

Aldric continued.

"Advanced Healing actively repairs damage."

Now that sounded impressive.

The old mage pointed toward a nearby training dummy.

"If a soldier suffers a deep wound, Minor Healing encourages the body to mend itself."

I nodded.

"Advanced Healing?"

"The spell directly guides the restoration process."

I blinked.

"That sounds significantly more complicated."

"It is."

There it was.

The catch.

Eleanor folded her arms.

"So why teach him now?"

The old mage looked at me.

"Because he possesses the discipline for it."

I pointed at myself.

"Are you sure?"

"No."

"Good."

The mage sighed.

"Yet despite your complete lack of faith in yourself, you have demonstrated an unusual understanding of healing."

I frowned.

"How?"

"Your questions."

That caught me off guard.

The old mage tapped his staff against the ground.

"Most students wish to know how quickly they can heal injuries."

I nodded.

"Seems reasonable."

"You asked what happens if a spell heals something incorrectly."

The training yard grew quiet.

I remembered asking that.

Mostly because the answer had been horrifying.

Master Aldric continued.

"You think about consequences."

"Someone has to."

The old mage smiled.

"Precisely."

He motioned for me to follow.

A few minutes later we arrived at a smaller section of the training grounds.

Several injured knights sat nearby.

Nothing serious.

Bruises.

Sprains.

Minor cuts.

The sort of injuries that came from training.

Aldric gestured toward one of them.

"Today you begin with bruising."

I blinked.

"Bruises?"

The old mage nodded.

"Before you heal broken bones, severed muscles, and mortal wounds, you learn bruises."

I stared at him.

Then slowly smiled.

"You know..."

"What?"

"That's probably the smartest thing you've taught me."

The old mage looked offended.

Eleanor laughed.

As we walked toward the injured knights, I glanced over at Aldric.

"You know, I kind of thought you'd have me work on animals first before moving on to people. That's what you did when teaching me Minor Healing."

Aldric nodded.

"Because Minor Healing was your first healing spell."

"And?"

"And you needed to learn restraint."

I frowned.

"Restraint?"

The old mage tapped his staff against the ground.

"Healing magic is dangerous when wielded carelessly."

That got my attention.

Aldric continued.

"When you first learned Minor Healing, your control was poor. Had you practiced on people, mistakes could have caused unnecessary pain or worsened existing injuries."

I winced.

"Fair enough."

"Animals allowed you to learn the fundamentals without risking serious harm."

I nodded.

That made sense.

"However..." Aldric continued. "...once a mage learns Minor Healing, they have already opened the pathway required to work on the human body."

"And Advanced Healing?"

"Requires greater precision, not a different foundation."

I thought about that for a moment.

"So it's less about learning something new and more about improving what I already know."

A small smile appeared beneath the old mage's beard.

"Exactly."

I pointed at him.

"See? Why can't you explain things like that all the time?"

Aldric sighed.

"Because most students understand the first explanation."

Princess Eleanor snorted.

I grinned.

"Fair."

We finally reached the group of injured knights.

There were about a dozen of them.

Nothing life threatening.

Mostly training injuries.

A few bruises.

Several cuts.

One poor bastard looked like he'd lost an argument with a horse.

I cleared my throat.

"Aight, listen up."

The knights immediately straightened.

Apparently dragon slaying came with authority.

"Those with minor cuts, bruises, sprains, and anything else that isn't serious, move over to the left."

Several knights immediately obeyed.

I pointed toward the opposite side.

"Those with deep cuts, broken bones, and the uglier injuries stay on the right."

A few knights exchanged nervous glances but complied.

Within a minute, the group had divided itself.

I looked them over.

Then nodded.

"Good."

Princess Eleanor raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

"Making my life easier."

Aldric nodded approvingly.

I looked at the left side first.

Minor injuries.

Good place to start.

No sense trying to fix broken bones before I figured out how not to accidentally set somebody's arm on fire.

Aldric seemed to read my thoughts.

"A wise approach."

I grinned.

"I have those occasionally."

The old mage looked unconvinced.

Eleanor laughed.

And the knights immediately looked far less confident about being my patients.

I approached the first knight in the minor injury line.

The man couldn't have been older than twenty.

A nasty bruise covered most of his forearm.

"How'd you manage that?"

The knight looked embarrassed.

"Shield drill."

I nodded.

"Translation. Somebody hit you."

"Repeatedly."

"That tracks."

A few nearby knights chuckled.

I knelt beside him and placed a hand over the bruise.

Closing my eyes, I reached for the familiar sensation of mana.

Unlike Fire Shot or Earth Shield, healing magic felt delicate.

Less like wielding a weapon.

More like trying to repair a watch with boxing gloves on.

A faint green glow appeared beneath my hand.

The bruise gradually faded.

Not instantly.

But enough that the discoloration visibly lessened.

Aldric nodded.

"Good."

The knight flexed his arm.

His eyes widened.

"The pain's gone."

"Don't go punching walls just because it feels better."

The knight blinked.

"I wasn't planning to."

"Good. Continue not planning to."

Princess Eleanor rolled her eyes.

The next patient stepped forward.

A woman with a cut running along her palm.

I examined it briefly.

"Training sword?"

She nodded.

"Poor grip?"

The knight looked surprised.

"How did you know?"

I pointed at the wound.

"Because if the sword hit your hand, you're either incredibly unlucky or your grip slipped."

The woman winced.

"Fair."

Healing magic flowed once more.

The cut slowly closed.

When I finished, only a faint pink line remained.

"There."

She flexed her fingers.

"Thank you."

I nodded.

"No problem."

As she stepped away, another knight moved forward.

This one had a bruised shoulder.

And a black eye.

And a swollen lip.

I stared at him.

The knight stared back.

"What happened to you?"

"I challenged Sir Roland."

I looked at the injury.

Then looked at Sir Roland training nearby.

Then back at the knight.

"That sounds like a self-inflicted injury."

Several knights burst out laughing.

Even the injured knight looked offended.

"Sir Roland said I showed promise."

"And then?"

"He hit me."

"Repeatedly?"

"Repeatedly."

I nodded.

"Yeah. That's about what I expected."

The healing process went much smoother now.

Each patient helped me understand the spell a little better.

Not just how to heal.

But when to heal.

Aldric had been right.

Healing wasn't about dumping mana into somebody until the injury vanished.

It was about guidance.

Precision.

Control.

By the time I reached the end of the minor injury line, I felt considerably more confident.

The knights certainly seemed happy.

One even offered to buy me a drink later.

Then I turned toward the right side.

The serious injuries.

A broken arm.

Several deep cuts.

One knight with what looked suspiciously like a dislocated shoulder.

My confidence immediately dropped.

"Aldric."

"Yes?"

"I've changed my mind."

The old mage raised an eyebrow.

"About?"

"I preferred bruises."

Princess Eleanor laughed.

Aldric smiled.

"That is why we started with bruises."

I sighed.

"Fair enough."

The old mage stepped beside me.

"Remember."

I looked at him.

"Advanced Healing does not force the body to heal."

"It guides it."

"Exactly."

I nodded.

Then approached the knight with the broken arm.

The man looked nervous.

Honestly?

So was I.

"Well," I said, rolling my shoulders. "Let's see if we can fix that without accidentally giving you a third elbow."

The knight with the broken arm immediately looked horrified.

Princess Eleanor buried her face in her hands.

Aldric sighed heavily.

I pointed at them.

"See? This is why nobody appreciates my sense of humor."

The injured knight looked less than reassured.

"You're joking... right?"

I looked at his arm.

Then at him.

Then back at his arm.

"...Mostly."

The man looked like he was considering running away.

Aldric stepped in.

"He is joking."

The old mage shot me a look.

"Mostly."

I grinned.

The mage looked ready to hit me with his staff.

Probably justified.

"Relax." I told the knight. "If I screw up, Aldric will yell at me."

"That does not inspire confidence."

"Fair."

Taking a deep breath, I knelt beside him.

Unlike bruises and cuts, I could actually feel the damage beneath the skin.

The bone wasn't shattered.

Just fractured.

That was good.

Probably.

I slowly guided the magic through the injury.

The spell felt different than before.

More demanding.

Like trying to carefully align dozens of tiny pieces without disturbing anything else.

Sweat formed on my forehead.

A few seconds passed.

Then a few more.

Eventually, the knight's expression relaxed.

"The pain is fading."

"Good."

I continued focusing.

The mana slowly worked through the damaged bone.

Not forcing it.

Guiding it.

Helping it return to where it belonged.

Finally, I released the spell.

The knight cautiously moved his arm.

Then blinked.

Then moved it again.

"It doesn't hurt."

"Don't celebrate yet."

The knight looked confused.

I pointed at him.

"Just because something doesn't hurt doesn't mean it's fully healed."

A few nearby soldiers nodded.

I continued.

"People get hurt, feel better, then immediately do something stupid and end up right back where they started."

Princess Eleanor smiled.

"You sound experienced."

"I am."

The princess laughed.

The knight sheepishly lowered his arm.

"Right."

"Give it a day."

"A day?"

"You spent weeks breaking it. Give it at least twenty four hours."

Several knights laughed.

The next patient stepped forward.

A deep cut along his side.

The wound had already been stitched.

Good.

That made my life easier.

"How'd this happen?"

"Monster."

I nodded.

That explained everything.

"What kind?"

The knight grimaced.

"Clawbeast."

"Ah."

The soldiers nearby collectively winced.

Apparently they knew exactly what that meant.

I carefully examined the injury.

"Well, first piece of advice."

The knight looked at me.

"If a creature is called a Clawbeast..."

I pointed at the wound.

"...avoid the claws."

Several knights burst out laughing.

The injured man looked offended.

"Very helpful."

"I try."

Even Aldric looked amused.

Healing magic flowed through the wound.

The stitches remained.

The tissue beneath them began mending.

Slowly.

Carefully.

When I finished, the knight looked considerably healthier.

"There."

"Thank you."

I nodded.

"Also."

The knight sighed.

"There's more?"

"Yeah."

I pointed toward the training field.

"Work on your footwork."

The knight blinked.

"My footwork?"

"Monster got your side."

"Yes."

"You let it get beside you."

The knight opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

"Fair."

I grinned.

"See? Learning."

Patient after patient came through.

As I worked, I kept offering advice.

Some practical.

Some sarcastic.

Some both.

A knight with a sprained ankle got a lecture on watching where he was walking.

A soldier with a bruised rib learned that charging headfirst into problems wasn't a valid strategy.

Sir Roland immediately agreed with me.

Which was ironic because half the kingdom's military doctrine appeared to be charging headfirst into problems.

By the time the line had shortened, the atmosphere had become noticeably more relaxed.

The knights were joking.

Laughing.

Talking.

Healing wasn't nearly as frightening as it had seemed.

Then the final patient stepped forward.

And I immediately stopped smiling.

Because unlike the others...

This injury wasn't from training.

Or an accident.

It was a monster wound.

A bad one.

And judging by Aldric's expression...

This was the real test.

Four deep gashes ran across the man's side.

The wound had already been cleaned and stitched, but the flesh around it was red and inflamed.

Definitely not normal.

I crouched beside him.

"What hit you?"

The knight grimaced.

"A Rotclaw."

I frowned.

"A what?"

One of the nearby knights answered.

"A scavenger monster. They feed on carrion."

That immediately got my attention.

"Do they carry disease?"

The knight blinked.

"Disease?"

"Do people get sick after they're scratched?"

Aldric looked interested.

"Occasionally."

I nodded.

"Wonderful."

The injured knight looked nervous.

"Is that bad?"

"It's not good."

I carefully examined the wound.

The inflammation.

The discoloration.

The smell.

Then I looked up.

"What exactly does this thing do?"

Sir Roland folded his arms.

"Rotclaws feed upon corpses and refuse. Their claws are filthy."

That explained everything.

I pointed at the wound.

"Then before I heal this, I want it cleaned."

Several knights exchanged confused looks.

Aldric raised an eyebrow.

"It has already been washed."

"With water."

"Yes."

I nodded.

"That's a start."

The old mage's eyes narrowed.

"What are you planning?"

"An experiment."

Princess Eleanor immediately looked concerned.

"That word rarely ends well."

I ignored her.

Holding my hand over the wound, I focused.

Water gathered from the air.

A small stream formed above the injury.

Water Spout.

The spell gently washed over the wound.

Several knights looked confused.

"He's cleaning it again?"

"Apparently."

I ignored them.

The water alone wasn't enough.

I needed control.

So I cast again.

Air Shot.

Only this time I didn't fire it.

Instead, I used the compressed air to keep the water circulating around the wound.

Like a tiny whirlpool.

The gathered knights stared.

Aldric's eyes widened slightly.

Interesting.

Apparently nobody had done this before.

The water continued flowing.

Flushing dirt and contaminants from the injury.

Then came the risky part.

I concentrated.

Mana flowed again.

Lightning Shock.

Tiny blue sparks danced across the water.

The knight jumped.

"Ow!"

"Relax."

"You're electrocuting me!"

"Technically."

"Technically?!"

A few knights began laughing.

I focused carefully.

Very carefully.

The electricity remained weak.

Just enough to pass through the water.

Not enough to seriously harm him.

Aldric stepped closer.

His eyes fixed on the spellwork.

"You are combining them."

I glanced at him.

"Yeah."

The old mage looked stunned.

Princess Eleanor looked equally surprised.

"You can do that?"

I shrugged.

"Why wouldn't I be able to?"

Neither answered.

That probably meant I'd stumbled onto something.

The water continued circulating.

The air maintained the flow.

The electricity coursed through it.

For several seconds I maintained all three spells simultaneously.

Then the strain hit.

Hard.

My vision blurred.

A headache immediately formed behind my eyes.

The water wobbled.

The lightning flickered.

My breathing grew heavier.

"Damn."

Aldric noticed instantly.

"Release the spells."

I shook my head.

"Almost done."

"Alex."

"Almost."

The old mage clearly wanted to argue.

Instead he watched.

Finally, after another few seconds, I released all three spells.

The water vanished.

The air dissipated.

The lightning faded.

I immediately sat down.

Princess Eleanor crouched beside me.

"You look terrible."

"I feel fantastic."

She stared.

"You look like you're about to pass out."

"Details."

Aldric ignored both of us.

His attention remained fixed on the wound.

The old mage slowly knelt beside the knight.

Examining the injury.

Silence followed.

Then his eyes widened.

The redness had diminished considerably.

The swelling had gone down.

Most importantly...

The corruption surrounding the wound had nearly vanished.

The gathered knights began murmuring.

"What did he do?"

"I've never seen that before."

"Was that three spells?"

"At the same time?"

Aldric stood slowly.

For perhaps the first time since I'd met him, the old mage looked genuinely shocked.

"Remarkable."

I looked up from where I was sitting on the ground.

"Good remarkable or bad remarkable?"

The old mage looked at me.

"Alex."

"Yeah?"

"I have spent over forty years studying magic."

That wasn't an answer.

"Okay."

"I have never seen anyone combine three different elemental spells in such a manner."

The training yard fell silent.

I blinked.

"Really?"

"Really."

I thought about it.

Then shrugged.

"It seemed logical."

Aldric stared at me.

Princess Eleanor stared at me.

Sir Roland stared at me.

The injured knight stared at me.

"...What?" I asked.

The old mage slowly rubbed his temples.

"I'm beginning to suspect your greatest magical talent is accidentally doing things nobody else has thought to try."

Honestly?

That sounded about right.

"Sounds interesting." I said, dropping down onto a nearby bench and taking a few seconds to catch my breath.

My head was still pounding.

Using three spells simultaneously had seemed like a good idea at the time.

Now?

Not so much.

Aldric folded his arms.

"You nearly exhausted your mana, Alex."

"I noticed."

"You cannot continue."

I shook my head.

"No."

The old mage frowned.

"No?"

"My mana's already recovering."

I closed my eyes briefly.

Sure enough, I could feel it.

Slow.

Steady.

Like water gradually filling an empty bucket.

Not fast enough to cast anything impressive, but enough that I could tell it was coming back.

"I can feel it recharging."

Several knights exchanged confused looks.

Aldric raised an eyebrow.

"You can sense your mana reserves?"

"Sort of."

The old mage looked thoughtful.

I continued.

"I don't have enough mana to throw three spells around like that and keep doing it all day."

I pointed toward the wounded knight.

"Especially not while maintaining them at the same time."

Princess Eleanor tilted her head.

"Then why do it?"

I shrugged.

"Because it worked."

The princess opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

Apparently she couldn't argue with the results.

I looked back toward Aldric.

"What I need is a bigger mana pool."

The old mage nodded slowly.

"A reasonable conclusion."

"I'll need exercises. Meditation. Training. Whatever mages do to increase it."

"Such methods exist."

A grin spread across my face.

"Perfect."

The old mage immediately looked concerned.

Which was fair.

Most people became concerned whenever I got excited about training.

I pushed myself back to my feet.

The brief rest had helped.

Not much.

But enough.

Aldric stepped forward.

"You should wait."

"I am waiting."

"You sat down for less than a minute."

"I said waiting, not retiring."

Princess Eleanor sighed.

The injured knight looked uncertain.

I pointed at him.

"Hold still."

The man immediately froze.

Good.

At least somebody listened to me.

I knelt beside him once more and placed my hand over the wound.

This time there would be no experiments.

No combining spells.

No trying to reinvent magical medicine.

Just Advanced Healing.

Slow.

Controlled.

Careful.

The green glow returned beneath my hand.

Immediately I noticed the difference.

The wound was cleaner.

The surrounding tissue healthier.

The earlier combination of spells had done more than I'd realized.

Now the healing magic could focus on repairing damage instead of fighting contamination.

Aldric noticed it too.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Interesting."

I smirked.

"Told you."

"Do not become arrogant."

"I prefer confident."

"That is not the same thing."

"Depends who you ask."

The old mage groaned.

Princess Eleanor laughed.

Meanwhile, the wound continued to close.

Not instantly.

Not magically disappearing like in stories.

But steadily.

Methodically.

The way healing should work.

Eventually I released the spell.

The knight carefully examined his side.

The angry redness was gone.

The swelling had diminished.

Most importantly, the pain in his expression had vanished.

The man looked stunned.

"I..."

He flexed slightly.

"...I feel better."

I smiled.

"Good."

Then I pointed directly at him.

"Now go rest."

The knight blinked.

"But I'm healed."

"You're healing."

The distinction was important.

"You still took a claw across the ribs. Don't go trying to wrestle a monster tomorrow."

The knight looked mildly offended.

"I wasn't planning to."

"Good."

I pointed toward the barracks.

"Then continue not planning to."

Several nearby soldiers burst out laughing.

Even Aldric's beard twitched.

Which was probably the closest thing the old mage had to a smile.

And for the first time since beginning the lesson, I felt like maybe, just maybe, I was starting to get the hang of this whole magic thing.

"So how'd I do?" I asked.

Aldric was already examining the knight's wound for what felt like the tenth time.

The old mage adjusted his spectacles.

Then adjusted them again.

Then looked back at me.

"You did remarkably well."

I grinned.

"I'll take that."

The old mage slowly nodded.

"No. I do not believe you understand."

That got my attention.

Aldric straightened.

"What you accomplished today was highly unusual."

Princess Eleanor raised an eyebrow.

"Unusual?"

The old mage nodded.

"I am going to have to record your method in the Grimoire."

The surrounding knights immediately began whispering amongst themselves.

I blinked.

"The Grimoire?"

"The kingdom's collection of magical knowledge."

I pointed at myself.

"You're putting something I did in the magical equivalent of a textbook?"

Aldric nodded.

"Yes."

"Huh."

I honestly wasn't sure how to respond to that.

The old mage folded his hands behind his back.

"The combination of Water Spout, Air Shot, and Lightning Shock was unlike anything I have encountered."

I shrugged.

"It just seemed logical."

Aldric sighed.

"You keep saying that."

"Because it is."

The old mage motioned toward the knight.

"Then explain."

I glanced at the healed wound.

"Alright."

Several of the nearby knights leaned in.

Apparently I'd accidentally started a lecture.

"Here's the thing about wounds."

I pointed at the injury.

"If you don't clean them properly, bad stuff gets inside."

"Bad stuff?" Eleanor asked.

"Dirt. Rot. Tiny things you can't see."

Several people looked confused.

I continued.

"If they stay inside the wound while it heals, they can cause infections."

Aldric frowned.

"Infections."

I nodded.

"The body starts fighting whatever got inside."

The old mage's eyes widened slightly.

As if a dozen things were suddenly making sense.

I pointed at the knight.

"So if you heal a dirty wound without cleaning it first, you're basically trapping the problem inside."

The training yard grew quiet.

One of the older knights looked horrified.

"That sounds terrible."

"It is."

Aldric slowly rubbed his beard.

"That would explain why some magically healed wounds worsen despite successful treatment."

I pointed at him.

"Exactly."

The old mage looked thoughtful.

Very thoughtful.

The kind of thoughtful that usually meant a scholar had just discovered something important.

Princess Eleanor crossed her arms.

"You speak as though you've studied medicine."

I laughed.

"No."

The princess looked surprised.

"No?"

"My grandmother was a nurse."

"A healer?"

"More or less."

I nodded.

"When I was younger, I'd occasionally read some of her medical books."

Eleanor blinked.

"You read medical texts for fun?"

I thought about it.

"...In hindsight, that might've been a little weird."

"A little?" She asked.

I ignored her.

"The point is, I picked up things here and there."

Aldric looked interested.

"Such as?"

I pointed at the knight's side.

"Clean wounds."

Then pointed at another knight.

"Don't drink questionable water."

Then pointed at a third.

"Wash your hands."

The knights exchanged confused looks.

One finally spoke.

"What do hands have to do with wounds?"

I stared at him.

Then looked at his hands.

Then at the dirt beneath his fingernails.

Then back at him.

"...A lot."

Aldric immediately looked interested again.

Princess Eleanor sighed.

The old mage smiled.

Which was honestly more concerning than if he'd started yelling.

Because every time Aldric got that look, it usually meant I was about to spend the next several hours answering questions.

Sure enough...

"What is an infection?"

I sighed.

Called it.

The nearby knights immediately looked interested.

Apparently training was over.

Now we were attending a lecture.

I pointed at one of the wooden training dummies.

"Let's say that dummy is your body."

Aldric nodded.

"So far, I understand."

"Then let's say a monster claws you."

I picked up a small stick from the ground and jabbed the dummy with it.

"Now there's a hole."

The knights followed along.

"So far so good."

I then scooped up a handful of dirt.

"And now let's say some of this gets inside."

Several people looked disgusted.

Good.

That meant they were paying attention.

I shoved the dirt into the hole.

"Your body doesn't like that."

"Why?" Eleanor asked.

"Because it doesn't belong there."

The princess frowned.

"That simple?"

"Usually."

I shrugged.

"The body is surprisingly good at figuring out when something shouldn't be inside it."

Aldric looked fascinated.

"What happens next?"

"The body fights back."

Several knights nodded.

That made sense to them.

"Most of the time, it wins."

I pointed at the dirt.

"But sometimes it doesn't."

"And then?"

I looked at the wound.

"It spreads."

The training yard grew quieter.

"People get sick."

I pointed at the knight I'd just healed.

"Fever."

Another knight.

"Pain."

Another.

"Swelling."

Aldric slowly nodded.

"Rot."

"Exactly."

The old mage looked like somebody had just handed him a missing piece of a puzzle.

Eleanor crossed her arms.

"So washing your hands prevents that?"

"Sometimes."

The princess looked skeptical.

I pointed toward a nearby horse.

"What happens if you step in horse shit?"

Several knights laughed.

Eleanor wrinkled her nose.

"You clean your boot."

"Right."

I pointed at her hand.

"Now imagine touching that."

The princess immediately looked disgusted.

"Absolutely not."

"Exactly."

I pointed at the wounded knight.

"Now imagine touching an open wound afterward."

Several knights suddenly looked concerned.

One immediately started examining his hands.

Aldric looked thoughtful.

"You're saying disease can be carried."

"I think so."

The old mage blinked.

"You think so?"

I nodded.

"I'm not a doctor."

"You have repeatedly demonstrated knowledge beyond most physicians."

"Because I read books."

Aldric looked offended.

"You make that sound simple."

"It is simple."

The old mage looked ready to argue.

Then paused.

Then sighed.

Which usually meant he realized I wasn't entirely wrong.

One of the younger knights raised a hand.

I stared at him.

The knight stared back.

"Why are you raising your hand?"

The knight lowered it.

"Sorry."

"Continue."

The knight cleared his throat.

"If cleaning wounds is so important, why has nobody thought of it before?"

I opened my mouth.

Then paused.

Then looked at Aldric.

Then at Eleanor.

Then back at the knight.

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"People usually don't know things until somebody figures them out."

The knight frowned.

I continued.

"Somebody had to figure out swords."

A few knights nodded.

"Somebody had to figure out armor."

More nodding.

"Somebody had to figure out magic."

Aldric looked pleased.

I pointed at the healed knight.

"Maybe somebody eventually figures out medicine."

The training yard fell silent.

Aldric stared at me.

Eleanor stared at me.

Even Sir Roland looked thoughtful.

Then the old mage slowly smiled.

"Alex."

"Yeah?"

"I believe your grandmother would be pleased."

For a moment, I didn't have a joke.

Didn't have a sarcastic comment.

Just a memory.

An old woman in scrubs.

Medical books stacked on a table.

Me reading things I barely understood.

A small smile crossed my face.

"Yeah."

I looked down at my hands.

"She probably would."

For once, nobody laughed.

And somehow that made the moment feel even more genuine.

The silence lingered for a few moments.

Not an awkward silence.

Just one of those rare moments where nobody felt the need to speak.

Thankfully, Sir Roland ruined it.

"Well."

The old knight folded his arms.

"If we're discussing medicine, does that mean I should stop putting whiskey on wounds?"

I immediately looked at him.

"You put whiskey on wounds?"

The knight nodded.

"Of course."

I rubbed my temples.

"Sir Roland."

"Yes?"

"Why?"

The knight looked confused.

"To clean them."

I blinked.

Then blinked again.

Actually...

"Alright, that's not the worst idea I've heard."

Aldric looked surprised.

"It isn't?"

I shook my head.

"No. Alcohol kills things."

The gathered crowd stared.

Sir Roland grinned triumphantly.

"See?"

I pointed at him.

"However."

The grin vanished.

"There it is."

"Drinking the whiskey before cleaning the wound does not count."

Several knights burst out laughing.

Sir Roland looked offended.

The princess outright laughed.

"I knew there would be a catch."

"There's always a catch."

The old knight grumbled something under his breath.

I turned back toward the group.

"Honestly, most medicine isn't some great mystery."

Aldric raised an eyebrow.

"It is not?"

"No."

I pointed toward the nearest knight.

"Eat."

Then another.

"Drink water."

Another.

"Get sleep."

Aldric frowned.

"Surely there is more to it than that."

"There is."

I nodded.

"But people would be amazed how many problems can be solved by doing those three things."

Several knights exchanged guilty looks.

That told me everything I needed to know.

"How much sleep do you all get?"

Nobody answered.

I pointed accusingly.

"That is not a good sign."

One younger knight finally spoke.

"We rise at dawn."

"And?"

"We train until dusk."

"And?"

The knight shifted awkwardly.

"Then we drink."

Several soldiers immediately found the ground fascinating.

I nodded.

"That explains a lot."

Princess Eleanor laughed.

Sir Roland groaned.

"You sound like my wife."

"Your wife sounds smart."

The knight looked betrayed.

"I liked you better before."

"Impossible."

Aldric shook his head.

"Your solutions seem deceptively simple."

"Most good solutions are."

The old mage considered that.

Then slowly nodded.

A messenger suddenly appeared at the edge of the training yard.

The young man looked out of breath.

"Princess!"

Eleanor turned.

"Yes?"

The messenger bowed.

"Your father requests your presence in the council chamber."

The princess sighed.

"Of course he does."

I smirked.

"Duty calls."

"Unfortunately."

The messenger then looked toward me.

"His Majesty also requested the presence of the American Knight."

I pointed at myself.

"Why?"

The messenger hesitated.

Then cleared his throat.

"A monster attack."

The humor immediately vanished from the training yard.

Sir Roland straightened.

Aldric's expression hardened.

Princess Eleanor folded her arms.

"What happened?"

The messenger swallowed.

"A village near the eastern forests was attacked at dawn."

The training yard fell silent.

I glanced toward Sir Roland.

The old knight was already reaching for his sword.

Then I looked at Aldric.

The mage's expression told me everything I needed to know.

This wasn't a training exercise.

And judging by the concern on everyone's faces...

Whatever had attacked that village was bad enough to warrant a meeting of the royal council.

I sighed.

"Well."

Princess Eleanor looked at me.

I adjusted the sling of the BAR across my shoulder.

"So much for a quiet afternoon."

The trip to the council chamber was noticeably different from my first visit.

Nobody was joking.

Nobody was laughing.

Even Eleanor seemed more focused than usual.

Whatever had happened at the village, it was serious.

The guards stationed outside the chamber immediately opened the doors as we approached.

Inside, King Richard sat at the head of the table.

Several nobles surrounded him.

Maps covered most of the table's surface.

The moment we entered, every eye turned toward us.

"Your Majesty." Eleanor greeted.

"Father."

I gave a nod.

"King."

Richard nodded in return.

"Alex."

A servant pulled out a chair.

I ignored it and remained standing.

The king didn't seem surprised.

By now, he'd learned that getting me to act like a noble was a lost cause.

"Report." Eleanor said.

One of the military officers stepped forward.

The man looked exhausted.

"At dawn, a messenger arrived from Eastbrook."

I leaned against the wall.

"How bad?"

The officer hesitated.

"Twenty three dead."

The room fell silent.

My expression hardened.

"How many wounded?"

"Thirty one."

That was worse than I expected.

The officer pointed toward the map.

"Survivors claim the attack came from the eastern forest."

Sir Roland frowned.

"What attacked them?"

The officer swallowed.

"That's the problem."

I immediately didn't like where this was going.

"No one knows."

The room became quiet.

King Richard folded his hands.

"The survivors describe different things."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Different how?"

The king motioned toward the officer.

The man nodded.

"One witness described a giant wolf."

"Okay."

"Another described a creature made of shadows."

My eyebrow rose higher.

"Alright."

"A third claimed it was a dragon."

That got everyone's attention.

Sir Roland immediately shook his head.

"No."

The officer nodded.

"Exactly."

The old knight folded his arms.

"A dragon does not sneak into a village."

"No."

"And if a dragon attacked, there would be no village left."

I nodded.

"Also true."

The officer pointed toward several notes.

"Yet all three reports came from people who survived."

Interesting.

Very interesting.

I pushed away from the wall and approached the table.

"Show me."

The officer slid several reports toward me.

I quickly scanned them.

The handwriting was terrible.

Apparently that was universal.

A few moments later, I set them down.

"Huh."

King Richard looked at me.

"What?"

I pointed at the reports.

"Everyone's describing the appearance differently."

The king nodded.

"Correct."

"But not the behavior."

That got the room's attention.

I pointed to the first report.

"Attacked livestock first."

The second.

"Moved primarily at night."

The third.

"Avoided fire."

I looked up.

"Different descriptions."

Then tapped the papers.

"Same creature."

Several nobles looked confused.

Aldric looked interested.

"Explain."

I pointed toward the eastern forest.

"Whatever this thing is, it isn't random."

The old mage nodded.

I continued.

"Everybody remembers what they saw differently."

Then pointed toward the notes again.

"But the creature's actions stay consistent."

Sir Roland frowned.

"You believe the witnesses are mistaken?"

"No."

I shook my head.

"I think they genuinely saw those things."

That earned several confused looks.

Even Eleanor looked puzzled.

"Then how can they all be correct?"

I looked toward Aldric.

"Magic."

The old mage's eyes narrowed.

The room fell silent.

King Richard leaned forward.

"You believe the creature is using magic?"

I nodded.

"It's the only thing that makes sense."

The king exchanged a glance with Aldric.

The old mage looked troubled.

Which wasn't a good sign.

Finally, Aldric spoke.

"There are creatures capable of manipulating perception."

I looked at him.

"Meaning?"

The old mage sighed.

"Creatures that appear differently to different people."

Well.

That was unfortunate.

"Great."

The king frowned.

"You sound unsurprised."

I rubbed my forehead.

"After waking up in a kingdom full of magic, monsters, dragons, and spellcasting?"

I shrugged.

"My standards for weird have increased significantly."

A few people actually laughed.

Even King Richard smiled slightly.

Then the smile vanished.

"Can it be stopped?"

The room fell silent once more.

Aldric looked toward me.

I looked toward Aldric.

The old mage sighed.

I sighed.

Then we both spoke at the same time.

"We're going to need more information."

The king closed his eyes.

Apparently that wasn't the answer he wanted.

Unfortunately, it was the truth.

"Then you all shall depart once this meeting is dismissed." The king said.

"Wilco." I replied automatically.

The room fell silent.

Several nobles exchanged confused looks.

Princess Eleanor pinched the bridge of her nose.

The king raised an eyebrow.

"I assume that means yes?"

"More or less."

"More or less?"

"It means will comply. Military shorthand."

"And why not simply say that?"

"Because that takes longer."

The king stared at me for a moment.

"I see."

"Plus it sounds cooler."

Eleanor groaned.

"Of course that's your reason."

I pointed at her.

"You're learning."

"I am beginning to fear that."

A few of the knights chuckled.

Even the king looked amused as he shook his head.

"Very well. You are dismissed."

"Copy that."

The king blinked.

"Was that another one?"

"Yep."

The king slowly rubbed his temple.

"Go."

"Aight."

Princess Eleanor immediately turned and headed for the doors before I could confuse her father any further.

I followed after her, trying, and failing, not to grin.

"I understood perhaps half of that conversation." I heard Sir Roland mutter, behind us.

"That makes two of us." Aldric replied.

Once the doors closed behind us, Eleanor rounded on me.

"Do you enjoy doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Speaking in strange words and phrases nobody understands."

"Not particularly."

She gave me a look.

"That was a lie."

"Maybe a little."

"A little?"

"Okay, a lot."

Eleanor sighed.

"One day you're going to give one of the nobles a heart attack."

"If Lord Hawthorne hasn't had one yet, I think we're safe."

The princess laughed despite herself.

"You really don't like him, do you?"

"I don't dislike him."

"You called him a walking tax collector."

"That doesn't mean I dislike him."

"You also called him a bureaucratic goblin."

"That was one time."

"Twice."

"The second time was funny."

Eleanor shook her head.

"You are impossible."

"I've been told that before."

We continued down the hallway, passing servants and guards.

Most offered respectful bows to Eleanor.

A surprising number nodded to me as well.

A few even smiled.

I still wasn't entirely used to that.

A couple months ago I'd been a complete stranger.

Then I'd killed a dragon.

Apparently that did wonders for your reputation.

As we descended a staircase, a pair of young squires hurried past carrying practice swords.

One of them noticed me.

His eyes widened.

"It's the American Knight."

The other immediately straightened.

"Good afternoon, sir."

I nodded.

"Afternoon."

They hurried off.

Eleanor watched them go.

"You know, most people would be proud of having a title like that."

"I am proud."

"Really?"

"Sure."

I shrugged.

"Could be worse."

"Worse?"

"They could've called me Dragon Guy."

Eleanor stared at me.

"Dragon Guy?"

"People aren't always creative."

"Neither are you, apparently."

"Fair."

We stepped out into one of the castle courtyards.

Knights trained nearby while servants moved supplies between buildings.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the stone.

For a few moments neither of us spoke.

Then Eleanor glanced toward me.

"Are you nervous?"

"About what?"

"The expedition."

I considered that.

"Not really."

"Even after hearing what attacked the village?"

"I've fought monsters before."

"These aren't Grimm."

"They're still monsters."

Eleanor frowned.

"You make that sound simple."

"It usually isn't."

I adjusted the sling of my BAR.

"But worrying about it doesn't make the fight easier."

The princess studied me for a moment.

"You really believe that, don't you?"

"Yep."

"How?"

I looked out toward the training yard where a group of young knights practiced sword drills.

"Because fear doesn't stop bad things from happening."

I paused.

"It just makes you suffer twice."

Eleanor fell silent.

For once, she didn't have a teasing remark ready.

We stood there for a moment, watching the knights train.

Then a familiar voice shouted from across the courtyard.

"American Knight!"

I winced.

"Ah hell."

Eleanor immediately smiled.

"What?"

"That's Marcus."

"And?"

"Whenever Marcus sounds excited, it usually means something exploded."

A second later the young knight came sprinting into the courtyard.

"Good news!"

I pointed at him.

"See? That's exactly what someone says right before explaining why there's a problem."

Eleanor folded her arms.

"What happened this time?"

Marcus looked between us.

"First, I'd like to point out that nobody is hurt."

"There was definitely an explosion."

"There was definitely an explosion," Marcus admitted.

"Called it."

Eleanor groaned.

"Marcus."

"Right. So, remember the gravity enchantment you put on your armor?"

I immediately frowned.

"...What about it?"

"Sir Roland wanted to see how it worked."

"Marcus."

"And then Sir Cedric wanted to see how it worked."

"Marcus."

"And then they started arguing about whether it actually worked."

I slowly closed my eyes.

"Marcus."

"And then Sir Cedric put it on."

"Marcus."

"And then he accidentally activated it."

Eleanor sighed.

"How bad?"

Marcus scratched the back of his head.

"Depends."

"Depends on what?"

"How attached you are to the training yard."

I stared at him.

Eleanor stared at him.

Marcus smiled nervously.

"The good news is that the armor works."

"The fact you're calling that the good news worries me."

"It should."

Five minutes later we arrived at the training yard.

Or rather...

What used to be the training yard.

There was now a very noticeable crater.

Knights stood around the edge of it looking embarrassed.

In the center sat my armor.

Completely unharmed.

The ground beneath it, however, had given up on life.

I stopped walking.

"How?"

Marcus pointed toward Sir Cedric.

The knight looked like a man preparing for his own execution.

"I merely wished to test the enchantment."

"And?"

"I may have increased the burden reduction in the wrong direction."

I blinked.

"You made it heavier?"

"A little."

"How much is a little?"

Nobody answered.

That was concerning.

I looked toward Aldric, who had apparently been summoned after the incident.

The old mage looked exhausted.

"How much?"

Aldric sighed.

"Approximately one thousand three hundred pounds."

Silence.

I blinked.

Eleanor blinked.

Marcus visibly backed away.

"You made my armor weigh over half a ton?"

"Temporarily."

"That doesn't make me feel better."

"It should not."

I looked down at the armor sitting peacefully in the crater.

Then back at Aldric.

Then back at the crater.

"You know..."

"No."

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"I know you."

I grinned.

"I could weaponize this."

Aldric closed his eyes.

Eleanor buried her face in her hands.

Marcus started laughing.

"Absolutely not." Aldric said.

"Hear me out."

"No."

"What if..."

"No."

"Just a little?"

"Alex."

"Fine."

I looked at the crater again.

"Still kinda impressive though."

Aldric looked moments away from developing another headache.

"That statement is precisely why I am worried."

I rolled my eyes and made my way down into the crater.

Loose dirt and broken stone shifted beneath my boots as I descended. The armor sat at the bottom like nothing had happened, completely unharmed despite the damage surrounding it.

Honestly, I wasn't even surprised anymore.

After killing the dragon, I'd spent weeks upgrading the armor.

The original plates had been removed and replaced with dragon scales, carefully forged and fitted into the carrier. The fabric portions had been reinforced with enchanted spider silk, creating a flexible weave that was stronger than most steel armor while remaining light enough to move in.

That alone would've made it impressive.

Then came the enchantments.

Reinforcement runes had been woven throughout the armor to increase its durability. A gravity enchantment reduced the burden it placed on me while still retaining its actual weight. The helmet had been enchanted to store and distribute electrical energy, allowing it to keep my equipment powered for months at a time.

Add in the various protective enchantments Aldric and I had layered onto it over the past month, and the armor had become something entirely unique.

Half military equipment.

Half magical artifact.

Entirely ridiculous.

Which, admittedly, described most of my projects these days.

Reaching the bottom of the crater, I grabbed the carrier and gave it a quick inspection.

Not a scratch.

I glanced up toward Aldric.

"See? Works perfectly."

"That was never the concern."

"You're just upset because my armor survived."

"No."

"The crater?"

"The crater."

"Fair enough."

Marcus immediately pointed toward the massive hole.

"To be fair, that's a very impressive crater."

Aldric looked ready to throw all three of us into it.

"Just use an Earth spell to fix it." I suggested. "Or a Time spell to rewind it to before the crater existed."

Aldric gave me a flat look.

"Time Magic is not something one simply uses."

"Sounds like a skill issue."

Several nearby knights immediately looked away, pretending they hadn't heard that.

Aldric's eye twitched.

"Time spells are reserved for Magnus-level mages."

"That's a rank, isn't it?"

"It is."

"And I'm assuming it's a high one."

"One of the highest."

"Gotcha."

Aldric sighed.

"Beyond their complexity, Time spells are notoriously difficult to learn. The words and runes shift each time they are read."

That got my attention.

"They what?"

"Change."

"Like... magically?"

"Precisely."

"That's annoying."

"That is why so few mages master the discipline."

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully.

"Huh."

"No."

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"I know that look."

"What look?"

"The look that precedes terrible ideas."

"I was just thinking I might check out a book on Time Magic."

Aldric closed his eyes.

"There it is."

"What?"

"The terrible idea."

I laughed and shook my head before turning my attention back to my armor.

Setting the BAR carefully on a nearby crate, I began putting the armor back on.

Despite being made from dragon scales and reinforced spider silk, the carrier settled comfortably against my body. The gravity enchantment woven throughout the armor reduced the burden on me while leaving the actual weight unchanged.

To everyone else, the armor was heavy.

To me, it felt like slipping on a well-worn jacket.

I tightened the straps and fastened the buckles before rolling my shoulders.

The armor moved with me effortlessly.

"Still weird seeing you wear that," Marcus commented.

"What?"

"You're carrying enough armor to outfit three knights."

"And?"

"You move like you're wearing a shirt."

"That's because I planned ahead."

"That's not how gravity works."

"Magic."

Marcus frowned.

"You know, every time someone explains something with magic, I somehow understand less."

"Welcome to my life."

Aldric groaned from somewhere behind us.

"That statement concerns me more than you realize."

"You know, I've been wondering something, Aldric..." I said as I picked up my BAR and slung it across my back. "...am I a Mage or an Artificer?"

Aldric glanced over at me.

"Whatever do you mean, Alex?"

I adjusted the sling before continuing.

"Well, a Mage is someone who gains power through study, research, and mastering the laws of magic."

I held up a finger.

"An Artificer, on the other hand, channels magic through creations. Enchantments, inventions, magical equipment. They blend arcane theory with craftsmanship and technology."

I gestured toward my armor.

"The dragon scale plates."

Another finger.

"The spider silk weave."

Another.

"The gravity enchantment."

Another.

"The battery charging enchantments in my helmet."

Another.

"The Inventory enchantment I'm working on for my bracer."

I lowered my hand.

"At this point, I spend almost as much time building things as I do learning spells."

Aldric was silent for a moment.

"That is... a fair observation."

"So?"

The old mage stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"The answer is not a simple one."

"Meaning?"

"A Mage studies magic."

"Which I do."

"An Artificer crafts magical objects."

"Which I also do."

"Precisely."

I frowned.

"That isn't very helpful."

"I wasn't finished."

Aldric's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked me over.

"Most mages focus on spells."

"Makes sense."

"Most artificers focus on creations."

"Also makes sense."

"You do both."

I paused.

"Huh."

"You learn spells not merely to cast them, but to improve your equipment. You craft equipment not merely to use it, but to improve your magic."

Aldric shook his head.

"Truthfully, Alex, I am not entirely certain what category you belong in."

Marcus immediately spoke up.

"A menace."

"I was thinking innovator."

"Menace."

"Visionary?"

"Definitely menace."

Aldric ignored both of us.

"If I were forced to classify you, I would say you are something in between."

"A Mageificer?"

Aldric looked horrified.

"Never say that again."

Marcus immediately burst out laughing.

"I'm writing that down."

"Don't encourage him." Aldric groaned.

"Too late."

I grinned before making my way up the side of the crater.

Loose dirt shifted beneath my boots as I climbed toward the edge.

My helmet still sat atop a nearby table where I'd left it before retrieving the armor.

Picking it up, I turned it over in my hands.

Dragon-scale plating reinforced the exterior while enchantments were woven throughout the structure. The attached flashlight, camera, and night vision equipment were all powered by a magical charging system tied to Lightning Shock.

What had once been a standard combat helmet had become something entirely unique.

Much like the rest of my gear.

"You know..." I said, slipping the helmet onto my head. "...I think I like Artificer more."

"Why?"

I fastened the chin strap.

"Because every time I build something, you get a headache."

Aldric stared at me.

Marcus laughed so hard he nearly fell into the crater.

Eleanor, who had been quietly watching the entire exchange, simply sighed.

"One day..." She muttered. "...he's going to invent something that ends the world."

I tilted my head.

"That's a little dramatic."

"Is it?"

Nobody answered.

Which was mildly concerning.

I sighed.

"E equals M C squared." I muttered.

Aldric paused.

"...What does that mean?"

I stared off into the distance for a moment.

"It means Princess Eleanor was somewhat right."

"About what?"

"About me eventually inventing something capable of ending the world."

The amusement vanished from the faces around me.

Aldric frowned.

"I do not believe I follow."

"That equation describes the relationship between matter and energy."

"And?"

"And it led to the creation of a weapon that harnesses the fundamental power of the universe itself."

Silence.

Complete silence.

I could practically hear the gears turning in Aldric's head.

"How powerful a weapon?" He finally asked.

I looked toward the castle.

"See the castle?"

"Yes."

"Imagine it disappearing."

Nobody spoke.

"Now imagine everything around it disappearing too."

Marcus laughed nervously.

"You're joking."

"I wish I was."

Aldric's expression slowly shifted from curiosity to horror.

"Such a weapon cannot exist."

"It can."

"How?"

"By converting a tiny amount of matter directly into energy."

I shook my head.

"The resulting explosion would dwarf anything you've ever seen. It would create a shockwave capable of flattening entire cities."

The knights around us had gone completely silent.

"At the center..." I continued. "...a sphere of superheated gas would form. Temperatures reaching beyond what most people can even comprehend. Hotter than a forge. Hotter than dragon fire."

I paused.

"Hotter than the surface of the sun."

Marcus visibly paled.

"You're serious."

"Dead serious."

Aldric stared at me.

"And your people created such a thing?"

I nodded.

"Twice."

The old mage slowly sat down on the nearest crate.

"I suddenly understand why you told the king your homeland was not a kingdom."

"Why's that?"

Aldric looked at me as though seeing me for the first time.

"Because any nation capable of creating such a weapon has long since surpassed kingdoms."

"My country is what we call a Hyperpower." I said.

"A Hyperpower?" Aldric repeated.

I nodded.

"It surpassed being a superpower long ago and stands alone as the first of its kind."

The old mage looked skeptical.

"Yet you claim it does not seek conquest."

"Because it doesn't."

I picked up my helmet and secured it onto my head.

"America would rather trade than conquer. We'd rather build than destroy. We'd rather help than take."

I fastened the chinstrap before continuing.

"That doesn't mean we're weak."

My gaze swept across the gathered knights.

"Far from it."

For a moment, nobody spoke.

"If there's one thing my country is exceptionally good at." I continued. "It's war."

My voice remained calm.

Matter of fact.

"We've spent centuries perfecting it."

The silence that followed was noticeably heavier than before.

After everything I'd told them about my homeland, I couldn't entirely blame them.

"Now then, lock and load."

Several knights exchanged confused looks.

Marcus immediately perked up.

"I don't know what that means, but it sounds important."

"It means get your gear and get moving."

"Ah."

Marcus drew his sword.

"That does sound important."

Eleanor rolled her eyes.

Aldric sighed.

And I started toward the gate.

"We've got a mission."

The mood in the training yard shifted almost immediately.

Knights who had been laughing moments before straightened.

Conversations died off.

Weapons were checked.

Armor straps tightened.

Whatever monster had attacked the villages, it was serious enough for the king to dispatch a sizeable force.

That alone told me everything I needed to know.

Sir Roland stepped forward and raised his voice.

"Form up!"

The response was immediate.

Knights moved into position with practiced efficiency.

Not perfect.

But far better than when I'd first arrived.

Months of training had paid off.

I watched them assemble.

Eleanor moved beside me.

"You seem excited."

"I am."

"Most people aren't excited when marching toward danger."

"Most people don't spend their lives fighting monsters."

"Fair point."

I smirked.

"Besides, if it's dangerous enough to worry about, we'll find out soon enough."

"And if it isn't?"

"Then I got dressed up for nothing."

Eleanor rolled her eyes.

"You truly are impossible."

"I've heard that somewhere before."

The castle gates opened with a low rumble.

Sunlight poured through the widening gap.

Beyond lay the road leading into the countryside.

Waiting near the front of the column were several wagons carrying supplies.

Horses stamped their hooves impatiently.

Villagers and servants stood nearby watching the soldiers prepare to leave.

A few waved.

Some looked nervous.

Others looked relieved.

They knew help was coming.

That's what mattered.

"Alex."

I turned toward Aldric.

The old mage stood beside his horse, staff in hand.

"Hmm?"

"Try not to invent any new magic during this mission."

I looked genuinely offended.

"I don't invent magic."

Aldric stared.

Eleanor stared.

Marcus stared.

Sir Roland stared.

"...That's fair." I admitted, knowing he was meaning combination magic.

Aldric sighed.

"That is precisely what worries me."

A grin spread across my face.

"No promises."

"I was afraid you would say that."

A horn sounded.

The column began moving.

Hooves clattered against stone.

Wagons creaked forward.

Knights marched through the gates and onto the road.

I fell into step beside Eleanor and Sir Roland.

"So..." I said after a few minutes. "...what exactly are we hunting?"

Sir Roland's expression darkened.

"That is the problem."

"Meaning?"

"Nobody knows."

My smile faded.

"I was at the meeting. I know that much. What wasn't shared?"

Roland and Eleanor exchanged a glance.

Neither looked comfortable.

That immediately caught my attention.

"Tracks found at the attack sites belong to none of those creatures."

My eyebrows rose.

"What do they belong to?"

Roland's jaw tightened.

"A fox."

Silence.

I slowly turned toward him.

"...A fox?"

"A fox."

"A giant fox?"

"No."

"Then that's impossible."

"We know."

My hand unconsciously drifted toward the hilt of my sword.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, a small warning bell started ringing.

Because creatures that left impossible tracks usually meant one thing.

Magic.

And in my experience, magical problems had a habit of becoming personal.
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A/N: And done. kuwebby2 what do you think?