Mark of the Fool

Good job, Cedric! Alex clapped for the Chosen, giddy with excitement. You're close!

Aye, Id be a lot closer ifn youd be so kind tnot break me bloody flow wit yer lip flappin! The Chosen snapped from between clenched teeth. Cedrics eyes were shut tight, his breathing was laboured; he weaved his body through the Spear-and-Oar Dance in the middle of the forest clearing, muscles flexing with every movement. Clap fer me when I aint tryin t think about so many things at the same time!

Right, sorry! Alex called, cupping his hands around his mouth. Im just trying to encourage you!

Yer still talkin!

Right, shit, sorry! Its just that youre doing so well

Now yer jus bloody doin it on purpose!

Im not, I swear! Its just, right, right! Sorry! Shutting up now!

Alex fell silent for a long momentat least long to him.

But seriously, Im super proud, he said under his breath, watching the Chosen of Thameland dance, his moves flowing from one to the next under the morning sky. A natural athlete, the redheaded man had readily absorbed the basics of every dance Alex had taught him over the past few days, and was always eager for more.

If only the same was true with the Chosens progress with the grounding exercise.

Asking Cedric to simply sit, breathe and be, was easy to ask of him, but close to impossible for him to do. Within minutes of starting the meditation, hed be twitching, fidgeting, or shifting about; his mind would drift as boredom and impatience took over.

It had taken Alex the better part of a day to realise what was wrong: expecting the Hero to just stay still was like trying to herd barn cats. Futile.

He was the man who had ditched his priestly escort to run off to Coille forest to fight Ravener-spawn, because he needed to act.

Cedric was a doer, and after Alex realised that, he knew he had to adaptif the Chosens body wanted to movethen he shouldnt be fighting it. Instead of trying to force him to sit still, he needed to work on the grounding exercise while performing the Spear-and-Oar dance.

Calm would have to be achieved through the explosive power of movement.

And that movement would then steady his breathing.

The Chosen had moved through the dances steps, stances, and positions as his chest rose and fell: inhale for four, hold for seven, then exhale for eight.

Each day, his breathing had grown a little less laboured.

Until, something wonderful happened.

The Chosens movement was now matching his breathing.

His morphic weaponshaped like a spearpulsed. His steps were steady. His exhalation was timed with an explosive step.

Yes! Alex thought. Keep going. Youre almost thereyoure almost

Something shifted in the Chosens movements. A subtle twitch of a muscle, a shift in his timing. His breathing became calmer

and then, there it was.

Success.

Cedric had gotten it.

His body moved with perfect harmony, power, grace and beauty, all conducted by a breath as steady as the tide. His face was a mask of serenity, his eyes utterly calm, gaze focusing on the path ahead. A few minutes passed. Then dozens.

The Chosen seemed entranced, united in body and mind. Alex watched him, reluctant to break the union hed worked so hard for.

He would leave the Chosen in peace for a time and do some learning of his own.

Slipping to the side of the clearing to get his satchel, the young archwizard took out the spell-guide for Steel Body, opened it and began tracing the magic circuit with his index finger: some points on the diagram were familiarsimilar to sections of blood magic spells hed learned beforebut most were new to him.

Hed never cast a spell that was capable of transforming his flesh so completely, and such transmutations were notoriously tricky. Miscasting a spell like this, would not only risk a mana reversal, but could turn the casting wizard into a mound of sand, a piece of twisted wood, or a ball of squealing flesh. None were appealing.

Theres no way he would have risked casting this spell when he had the Mark of the Fool.

But nowthings had changed.

The best thing is for me to cast it with a gesture, Alex thought, opening a notebook. I could use it for physical resilience and strength, then dismiss it for speed and faster mana flow. Hmmmwhats this part here? ah, that should be helpful.

Alex stood, and holding the spell guide, looked over the incantation one final time, then nodded. Guess theres only one thing left to do.

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He focused the Mark of the General on perfecting his pronunciation. Memories of incantationssuccesses and failurescame pouring back to him, guiding him through the syllables of the intricate spell. Mana surged, and a complex, eight part magic circuit formed within his mana pool.

The magic circuit completed.

Power surged through his body, his sense of touch dulled. Iron oozed from his veins, suffusing his body. His perception of dampness and the bite of cool spring wind on his skin faded. His flesh transformed, changing to shining, polished steel. Strength poured into his muscle fibres.

Wow, this feels so stra

Breath failed him partway through the sentenceyet he didnt have to take another one, at least for now. In his current form, the archwizard had no need for breathing to sustain life, a trait that would come in handy.

Alex placed two fingers against his neck.

No pulse either.

He waseffectivelya living steel statue.

This is so cool, he thought. I wonder what Claygon will think?

I want to test itright now! Tromping to the nearest tree, Alex curled his right arm backballed his hand into a fistand swung.

A loud crack and an explosion of tree bark followed, as his fist struck the trunk, burrowing into the wood.

Not bad! he thought. Maybe lets try something else.

He reached around the tree trunk, gripping it on either side, and using his teleportation power, severed the trunk from its base and teleported the stump and roots away. He began to lift.

The tree wasnt quite the size of the old oak Hart had wrenched from the ground, but it was close, yet Alex had little trouble hoisting it over his head.

His body was stronger under this spell. He took a conscious breath, raising the tree up and down.

It isnt the flashiest spell, but its damn useful, if any Ravener-spawn get too close to me, I could crush them to pulp. And a steel body is fantastic for defencedamn, if Id known this spell when I was fighting the hidden church in Keldas sanctum, I doubt their consecrated soil would have affected me. Anyway, I know it now, and Ill be making good use of it. Maybe Id better put this tree down and see how Cedrics doing.

Alex slowly laid the tree on its sidebranches cracking and snapping as they touched the groundand looked up to check on Cedric. He found the Chosen staring at him.

Oh! Youre done! the General clapped unevenly, his palms clanging together like dull bells. Good job!

Why thbloody blazes r ymetal? Cedric sounded bewildered.

What?

Yer bloody metal, mate!

What do you meaOh, its a new spell! Alex slapped his hand against his forehead. There was another clang. It turns my body to steelas you can see. Anyway, whats important is that

Alex grinned, pointing at his mouth. Youre not the only one with metal in your mouth now!

Silence.

Whawhat th

I mean you have a golden smile, but mines steely, Alex joked.

Please bloody tell me ydina learn this spell jus fer yer shite joke!

N-no! Alex cried. Cedric looked sceptical.

Anyway, lets move on. The spell changes my body to magically enhanced metal. Its not flashy, but its eighth-tier.

The Chosens eyes bulged. The way ysay eighth-tier all casual-like makes me ead spin. But, ah well, good on ya! Cedric grinned and clapped, his gold tooth shining.

Thank you, thank you, Alex said, bowing his head exaggeratedly.

Aye, an now tha ya finished showin off, Cedric cracked his neck. I gots somethin tshow ya. I was savin this one fer a surprise.

The Chosen muttered an incantation, extending a hand in front of him. A shimmering wall of force materialised in the air.

Holy crap! Alex shouted. Wall of Force! You broke through to fifth-tier!

I been workin on sixth, friend. Cedric couldnt help but smirk a little. Been gettin close too. Is kinda hopin tget there bfore Isolde gets tseventh an leaves me behind, but shes been sayin that shes real close, so I dunno bout that one. Thothers are real close tfifth too. Cept for Drestrawell, Id best let her show ya fer herself.

I can hardly wait. Alex rubbed his hands together, his palms making ominous, metallic, creaking and grinding sounds. But wait, lets leave the spells for a second. Howd it go with your dancing and breathing?

Cedrics smirk turned into an overjoyed smile. He slapped himself on the chest. Friendo, it feels so bloody good! So natural, like I was always meant tbe fightin like that! Once I gotmbreathin an dancin all in step, hoo boy! Everythin worked like a bloody charm!

Awesome, Alex said. Then the next thing well be working on is getting you to cast more than one spell at the same time, using your body, not your mouth, which should be a lot easier now.

How so? Cedric asked.

Well, describe how your body feels when youre dancing and doing the grounding exercise at the same time? Alex asked.

Feels bloody good an...oh! Cedrics eyes grew wide. I gets it! I can feel every muscle better. Feels like Im noticin every muscle movin a lot more than usual. So now that I kin notice me own bodys movements easier

Youll have an easier time controlling those movements more precisely, Alex finished for him. Very, very good.

Aye! the Chosen shouted. Well, then, guess we better get back twork! Tell me what tdo next oh teacher o mine!

Next, were going to be studying spell arrays and finding commonalities in

I bloody hates ya!

###

Drestra watched the trees before her.

Most looked just as they should: solid, old elms and oaks rising from the earth, with bursting leaf buds and new leaves springing up on their branches.

Some, however, looked semi-solid, off, not quite right.

The Sage of Thameland gave a tight smile of satisfaction.

Because she could tell they werent real.

Those over there. She pointed to three towering oaks. Theyre the illusions. She looked at four Thundars standing nearby, hands on their hipsthree of the minotaurs appeared somewhat vagueshe pointed at the solid one. And you are the real Thundar.

Damn, you got me! the minotaur dispelled his illusions. The other minotaurs and illusionary trees shimmered to nothingness. Hells, Drestra, you did it, you really can cast True Seeing now!

The dragon smiled, taking off her veil and showing her teeth.

Thundarsexpression shifted, as it always did.

For a time, she used to think her teeth made him uneasy, but shed come to realise that he felt the exact opposite.

Now, she took great joy in revealing her fangs to him.

Youll be able to cast it too, she said, her voice crackling. Youre almost at fifth.

Yeah. The minotaur scratched the back of his head as he laughed nervously. He kept glancing at her fangs. Gotta admit, Alex was right: wrapping your head around every little detail of a spell array is a pain, but once you can do it, it makes learning spells so much easier.

Drestra watched him. Youre all getting your heads around it faster than I am, but Im slowly getting there. And

Suddenly, from nearby, there came a powerful crack like thunder.

Both minotaur and dragon whirled, spotting a massive bolt of lightning streaking over the canopy to the north. It peaked in the sky, exploding in a coil of electricity, sending out hundreds of hungry bolts seeking targets in every direction.

A familiar laugh rang out over the trees.

Well, Ill be damned, Thundar mused. Looks like Isoldes hit seventh-tier.

Cedrics going to go a little crazy over that one, Drestra grinned.

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