World Sphere - 222 - Some People Dont Know How To Let Go

Chapter 222:

Choosing a new spell was always a big decision for a mage. I currently had 24 spells, and most of them I rarely use anymore. With twelve slots available, the smartest move would be to learn the strongest spells I could. Atheric spells were the most versatile with their evolutions, but I also had the lightning and healing affinities to reduce the relative costs of spells in those spheres.

“Father should mind spells,” Kiara’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Maybe,” I replied offhandedly, and she growled at being brushed off before going to a corner to look out the forward viewport.

I looked over my spell list:

Imprinted Spell List    Tier     Slots    Affinity

Absolute Time 1          1          Chronomancy

Aether Fortress           3          4          Aetheric

Aether Shield  2          2          Aetheric

Alarm  1          1          Divination

Arcane Lock   1          1          Aetheric

Arcane Web     2          2          Aetheric

Cleanliness      1          1          Aether

Comprehend Languages         1          1          Aether

Dimensional Closet    3          4          Space

Flight   3          4          Air

Ice Ball           1          1          Water

Lesser Restoration      3          1          Healing

Lightning Elemental   5          8          Lightning

Lightning Reflexes     4          2          Lightning/Healing

Lightning Spear          2          1          Lightning

Lightning Sphere        2          1          Lightning

Mend Flesh     1          1          Healing

Neutralize Poison       2          1          Healing

Obfuscate Abilities     1          1          Darkness

Personal Invisibility    2          2          Illusion

Privacy             1          1          Illusion

Telescopic Eye            1          1          Air

Thermostatic Aura      3          1          Healing

Tissue Extraction        3          1          Healing

Even with my experience, learning another tier five lightning spell would require a huge time investment. If I was going to learn an offensive spell, I should probably focus on something that can be used from the bridge of the Maelstrom. Mage spells generally have very short range unless you focus your evolutions on extending them. If I learned a high-tier damage spell, I could possibly focus all the evolutions on extending the range—effectively turning it into my own aether cannon. And if it was a lightning affinity spell, I could possibly make it a tier five spell. The thought of learning another tier five spell made me groan, but it was the smartest path forward. That would use 8 of my available 12 spell slots, leaving 4 for a tier three aetheric spell that I was definitely learning before the tier five.

I pulled a massive tome of indexed spells from my dimensional closet and turned to the tier three aetheric spell list. The descriptions were very short, as this was just a general reference book I got from Sana. There were two hundred seventeen spells under the section, with most of them being asterisked, which meant the spellbooks were only found in dungeons.

I quickly discarded spells that replicated what I already had and spells that didn’t seem to be worth imprinting, leaving me with a list of five spells.

Temporary Object – creates a solid object that lasts one hour
True Sight – see the truth in aetheric manifestations
Aetheric Tether – connect two people with an invisible line of aether
Aetheric Anchor – mark a location that you can look at from anywhere and review anything that has occurred after the anchor was cast
Spellprint – interpret any tier two or tier one spell to the caster that can later be transferred to create a spellbook

The most amazing spell on the list by far was the last one. Dungeon spellbooks were destroyed when a mage learned the spell, even if they were attempted to be hidden. I assumed something like an aether tether was established to the mage when they started studying a spell that let the spellbook know when it was imprinted. Spellprint was a way for a mage to recreate rare spellbooks without doing mountains of research and experimentation on runic spell patterns.

Some mages dedicated their entire lives to copying spells from their matrix into a spellbook. Sana Velin was one of those mages. I would have to get a more complete description of these spells and their possible evolutions before making a decision, but it was a start for now.

The watch on the bridge switched, and I retreated to my cabin only to find Freya had taken it over. Her clothes were everywhere, and she was playing with artifacts at my artificing bench. “Why are you not in one of the other cabins?” I asked.

Freya put on a big smile. “Remy packed them all with crates. The only places to sleep are the bridge, hallways, this cabin, or the small part of the hold not already packed.”

I nodded, realizing I had told Remy to take everything he could possibly fit on the Maelstrom that would turn a healthy profit. “You can share this cabin with Neoma then. I will set up on the bridge.” Freya groaned, probably thinking she would have a chance to spend more time with me. I packed up my artificing station, the few books here, and the clothes in the small closet.

Thibault was in the helmsman chair. “Back already?” He said, craning his neck.

“Sleeping arrangements are going to be tight the next four days. I am setting up here with the cats. Neoma and Freya will take my cabin. You, Blaze, and Remy are in the cargo hold,” I explained. Thibault grunted acknowledgment and watched me as I set up.

It wasn’t the first time I had set my artificing table on the bridge of the Maelstrom, and it went quickly. I pulled a cot out of my dimensional closet and relieved Thibault.

“I can watch too,” Kiara’s voice echoed in my head.

I looked at her doubtfully, and that doubt leaked through our connection. In response, Kiara leaped up into the chair and sat. Her massive white bulk fitted snugly in the captain’s chair. She looked majestic in the chair and maybe a little smug. “Do you understand the aetheric proximity detector?” I asked, more curious than acquiescing to her offer.

“Dots get close, wake father up,” she said, looking over at the device. I had to concede it was that simple.

“Not this trip, Kiara. You cannot activate the controls,” I said. When her paw came up, I panicked. “Please do not try!” Her paw hovered over the lateral pitch control. Even if she sent us into a spin, the gravity plane for the ship was fixed by another array.

“When can I change?” She said smugly through our link. Was this all a devious attempt to get her next beast essence quicker?

“It is still months before it will be safe for you to take that essence,” I replied.

I had purchased a dungeon beast essence for Kiara that would allow her to morph into a second form, but she had matured enough or had enough time to assimilate the other powerful essences I had given her. I could feel her quickly retreating from my mind as it appeared I had guessed it. She leapt from the captain’s chair and went to sulk in the corner. After she curled into a ball, she severed our link. I had to remember she was barely over two years old mentally, even though she was able to sort through my memories and had learned the language rapidly.

I already had enough moody, manipulative women in my life; I didn’t need another. Adrial took the opportunity to put her massive head under my hand for attention. “At least you are simple, girl.” She nipped at my belt, and I rolled my eyes. I pulled a chunk of flesh from my dimensional closet and fed it to her. She chewed noisily to annoy her sister.

The trip through the passage went fairly smoothly. The biggest problem was that we had so little space to complete our daily weapon training. I didn’t want to regress like I had before, so I didn’t use it as an excuse to skip it. It also gave me a chance to see Freya’s progress. Bleiz was her personal weapon trainer, and he pushed her hard.

I hadn’t even realized that Freya had learned the mend flesh spell, and nearly got upset when Bleiz cut open her cheek in a skirmish where she overextended. The wound closed quickly as Freya narrowed her eyes, trying to find a way to get revenge. “When did you learn mend flesh?” I asked, interrupting.

A month ago, Gareth said I should learn it if I wanted to be a successful delver, she said, relaxing and turning her back on Bleiz. She then spun quickly and tried to surprise him, but failed as he easily parried her attacks. Frustrated, she turned to me. “Brother, I need better weapons.”

“No,” I said without hesitation. She had a light, thin short sword with durability runes on it and a mithril core matrix. I made it for her as Bleiz determined it was the best weapon for her current fitness. It was flexible but would be nearly impossible to break. She also had a small buckler that could create a body-sized aether shield in front of her, but could only be used once in combat.

“How about we all attack Storme for a bit?” Bleiz announced. Remy looked up from his ledger in the corner. “Yes, you too,” Bleiz said, showing his canines in a smile. Thibault was on the bridge, but Neoma was here, and the Skyguard was drawing her blades. Kiara stood and arched her back, stretching.

“So this is how it is going to be?” I said, drawing my weapons. The confined space was going to make things difficult with so many opponents, and there was something about Bleiz’s body language. He was too confident. “You finally imprinted your new spell,” I guessed. His smile instantly faded, and mine appeared. I didn’t know what it was, but at least I could prepare for it.

Minutes later, Freya screamed in horror as her blade had pierced my chest, and I coughed blood onto her. I had my lightning reflexes in overdrive and had been handling the group, even when Adrial figured to join. But Bleiz had finally landed an open palm strike on me, and I lost my weave on lightning reflexes. As my mind figured out the problem and I started casting it, Adrial had slammed me backward into Freya’s blade.

“It’s fine. Just remove it, and I will heal it.” I sat heavily on the deck and repaired the damage, upset that these clothes were ruined. “So that was it? What is it?”

“Tier three spell disruption,” Bleiz said, making sure I was okay. “I needed to evolve it a few times to make sure it could affect your tier four spell, but it looks like it worked.”

“Tier three? You used four slots on it?” I said, surprised.

“It fills a weakness of breaking through powerful spells. The spellbook also details evolutions you can do to spells to prevent it from happening to you,” he said thoughtfully. “I will give it to you when you reach your next evolution.”

“You did all that, just to beat me in a duel?” I asked, standing.

“It is useful to me, and yes, I wanted to show you had weaknesses and help plug them,” Bleiz said seriously.

I fingered the hole in my shirt. “Well, thank you, I guess.” I then spent some time consoling Freya and Adrial for almost killing me. There was never any real danger, as we had plenty of healing potions and healers. My aether shield ring was going to need some upgrades in the future as well. Just blocking a single strike was not enough.

I had a lot of artificing to do during the five-day voyage to and from the Sapphire Passage. On the way there, I was tasked with creating as many dual-enchantment artificed blades as possible for Remy to sell. Quality blades like the ones I crafted went for 30% more in Elespolis, a trade city at the Sapphire Passage, than they did in Myththorne or Llorth. The plan was for us to land in Elespolis for a week and have Remy get the best deal he could for the weapons and other goods he brought.

Then we would go to the other side of the passage to the city of Temescrest, which dealt in both skyships, spacecraft, and magitech for them. We would be spending all the gold we earned in Elespolis there, plus whatever I could spare.

My artificing work would not be done either. During our two weeks in those cities, I had to find the time to artifice at least twelve aether swivel cannons to be delivered on our return. Also on the return trip, I needed to work on rings, echo stones, and two taxis currently stored in my dimensional closet. I was less a High Mage and more of an artifact factory.

The four days passed relatively quickly, and Freya slowly got over stabbing me. She didn’t want to spar with me anymore because of it, and I was actually happy about it. It meant she might not have the mentality to become a delver.

We were all crowded on the bridge when it came into sight. The Sapphire Passage hadn’t changed as we approached. It was a black hole in the lowlands. There seemed to be more traffic around it and there were no large ships locked in combat this time. At least I knew the approach pattern and dropped our height to approach properly this time, and wouldn’t need to pay for an escort. We still got a message ringing on the bridge.

“Maelstrom out of Skyholme Islands, reduce your altitude to 6000 feet, and reduce speed to under 800 mph on your approach. Please acknowledge,” the bored voice said.

Not only had they recognized our ship from our last visit, but they also tagged us at 500 miles out. It had to be magitech. I didn’t have an altimeter on the Maelstrom, so I did my best to estimate what just over a mile was. Remy took a note that we needed an altimeter.

I decelerated further and slower, taking a gentle approach into an open docking platform. Just as before, a magistrate was waiting at the bottom of our ramp with a smile, ready to take out gold. I prepaid for five days, giving Remy that time to sell what he could.

We had talked during the voyage, and Remy planned to visit Milo’s Blades first, even though he didn’t usually deal in runic weapons. He was honest with us and recommended Mikal’s Runic Weapons for a better deal. Finding such honesty in a shopkeeper was rare, and I wanted to build that relationship. Maybe the hundred plus weapons I had prepared could help persuade him to start selling runic weapons.

With the fees paid, I activated the crew. “The cats stay on the ship to guard it. Bleiz and Thibault, you are to stay with Remy while he makes his deal. Neoma, you are tethered to Freya.” Bleiz grunted unhappily, and Kiara growled since I was going out alone. “I am only going to the spell repository to buy a single spell and return. I don’t need a guard.”

I headed into the city and stayed on the main pedestrian roads as I headed the three miles to the nearest large seller of spells. I wasn’t even halfway there when two large gray-skinned men started walking beside me. They were too obvious and most likely half-orcs. Tall buildings flanked the thoroughfare, and there was still a press of people going in both directions. I was slightly curious what this was all about. When a third half-orc walked behind me, I slowed as Kiara was getting agitated, looking through my eyes.

“Fine, you can come, but don’t be seen,” I said through our link.

The purpose of the escort quickly became clear as a grinning young man with slicked-back hair was walking ahead of me. I recognized him right away from the auction. I had outbid him on the phantom kittens months ago. I guessed he held grudges. I knew the laws of the city, and I just needed him to make the first move…

© Copyrighted 2024, 2025 by AlwaysRollsAOne

No permission is granted to translate, copy, or repost this original work of fiction. If you are reading this on a site other than my Patreon, it has been stolen without my permission and violates DMCA. Remember, this work is the result of my creative effort and is protected by copyright law. Removing or altering this notification acknowledges that you are aware you are in violation of DMCA. And here is a new one: No permission is granted for my original work to be used to train AI.