[Before you read! Please be patient with me on this chapter. It may look like info dumping but we’ll need this information later on. I’ll also slowly remind the reader of bits and parts of this down the road. For now, these are simply the general outlines of what is to come]
Ludwig continued reading until something appeared in front of him.
[You have gained +1 intelligence]
“Wait what?” he muttered completely surprised.
“I would guess that intelligence does indeed grow with reading but how does the system even compute that?” his question had no ears to fall onto so he just sighed and resumed his study.
What Algad Hcil talked about was a profound and exhaustive explanation of the circles a ‘magician’ can have in their hearts.
But it also defined how it may only be possible for certain beings to have such a thing like magic circles.
For example, creatures of magic, such as dragons and elves and druids and the sort don’t need them. They are part magic, and part…whatever they are. As for humans, they all start with a body that is pretty much detached from magic, and need to create the circles to host their magic.
A heart can contain up to nine magic circles, which is already an almost impossible feat to reach since only three people have ever reached that realm.
As for the first circle, it is where one is able to use the most basic of spells, such as fire ball, wind blade, water ball, earth spikes and so on and so forth.
The second level will allow the user to cast a higher tier, costing more mana but with more destructive powers, such as Fire Bomb, Wind Saw, Water Torrent, Earth Grasp and so on so forth.
The levels would increase and so would the magic and mana cost. As for how one can create a magic circle, it is pretty simple.
Once one is able to feel the mana inside them, they’ll need to channel it around their hearts, creating a sturdy ring of mana that will constantly spiral around their hearts. Sounds simple at first, but this requires an incredible focus and dedication to the craft not to mention a diagram to follow.
There are several schools of thought that devised several mana circles.
First let’s talk about the most common magic circle, The White Circle, born from the research of the scholars of magic, the White Circle is the simplest of the bunch, and it requires one to focus up their mana into the shape of a ring around their hearts, while at the same time they’ll use their remaining mana to lock it in place, and make it a permanent existence in their hearts.
To be frank that is pretty much almost all what other schools do, this is the basic start.
As for how, the excess mana would act as a soldering tool to fit and lock the circle in place. It is like creating a new limb that you’ll be forever conscious of.
Creating the circles is the easiest part, but having the excess mana leftover to bind it to remain a permanent part of you is the most difficult part, especially since the ‘Bind’ will be requiring incredibly more cumulative mana each level.
If we give the first level for example let’s say a specific number, of one mana unit, then the next level would need ten times the mana unit. While the third level will need a hundred and so on so forth.
Now one would think, if you already have that much mana in you, why do you even need to make circles?
The answer is simple, it is because a human body cannot contain that much mana in the first place.
Unlike dragons who are inherently magic at its essence. They don’t need such a thing as a mana circle, they are born already capable of using sixth tier level of magic in the first place.
And can grow to reach the eight level and in some rare cases even ninth level magic.
While the human body is incapable of hosting so much mana at once, it will simply destroy them. Thus, the creation of Magic Circles which act as permanent organs for saving mana.
[You have gained +1 intelligence]
Another notification interrupted Ludwig’s reading. He was interested in what Algad Hcil was saying, the explanation was simple and clear, and seemed to broaden his perspective of this world’s power level.
‘Now, for others that don’t need such a thing as Magic Circles, such as Sorcerers, who are beings, humans even that are born with an aptitude and a quality to receive mana that is far above that of their brethren and peers.
A Sorcerer however has a great advantage in terms of the magic they can use, since they can be born with at least a level for magic ability and skills, and can further grow two, or three tiers if lucky and talented above, but at the same time, they can never breach the eight level, not to even think about dreaming of reaching the ninth.
Then there are other beings, such as the undead for example, some vampires or even liches and banshees are born with a powerful ability to handle mana.
The nobles of the vampire race can also build up and create circles but that will only weaken them as it will further endanger their hearts since it’s their weak points, but a mage vampire is at all and any level a step above any other wizard or mage of the same rank simply due to the incredible mana potential they have.
Although the downside for normal vampires is they lose half of their ability when its morning time. as for the nobles of their race, they lose up to a quarter of it.
As for Undead, Liches for example, a rare breed of Undead that is able to use Death Magic, they do not resort to using magic circles since they are well dead. And have no heart to host the magic circle, they save their mana circles inside what they call an Eternal Flask. Which is their weak point, since a lich can forever regenerate and come back unless their Eternal Flask is destroyed.
Liches can use up to fifth tier magic just by existing, and can go up two more ranks once they reach an Arch lich level.
There are more creatures with this exemption of Circles, like we mentioned before, the closer you are to the ‘Source of Magic’ the less reliant you’ll need to use Circles to host your mana.
For Elves they are attuned with nature to such an incredible degree that they can command it and that lives on it to do their bidding, some of the Nobler Elves can even use the Roots of the World Tree Yggdrasil to foil any of their enemies. And they don’t even need to have an ounce of magic in them as they use the magic around them which is a stage no one had ever reached before.
[You have gained +1 intelligence]
Another notification distracted Ludwig but he continued on.
The book had a lengthy but clear explanation of magic, and it helped him understand the purpose of it, not only that he soon found himself at the last page of the book which brought some sadness to him.
He wondered what did Van Dijk even mean by skip any parts he didn’t understand, the book was clear and consistent with the theories and teachings it was saying and he didn’t find any difficulty reading it.
He then opened another book, something about White Magic and its uses, and finished it all in about half an hour.
It talked in length about White Magic and how it can be used not only for one self but for others. It is in this book considered the highest form of selfless magic, as it creates protections and barriers, and even Delves into Healing Magic which is the property of the Holy Churches.
As a matter of fact, the Divine Magic of the Church is considered white magic, while white magic encompasses a bit more than just the Divine Magic, since its users don’t even need to be followers of the church.
More books in front of Ludwig explained about all the schools of magic, including the five towers of magic.
The White Tower of Wisdom: specializes in restorative spells, cures, protective magic, wards, shields barriers and light magic, to dispel darkness and confusion.
It focuses Selflessness, guidance, knowledge and benevolence.
The Red Tower of Passion: Offensive spells that do incredible damage, and not only fire, even lightning and explosions and the sort is part of the Red Tower. It may delve into chaos and large scale devastation, even to the point of reaching the rims of Dark Magic as blood magic is although forbidden was once a part of the Red Tower’s specialty.
It also touches a bit upon the emotional part which is inherently the realm of the Blue Tower, as in intensifying one’s emotion and manipulating it, since magic and emotion go hand in hand.
It focuses Emotion, intensity, aggression, and Drive.
The Blue Tower of Serenity, inherently this tower is built around exploring the mind, it specializes in the creation of illusions, perception alteration, deception of the senses, and mind magic, it is a tower that was once prominent in the past for its uncanny ability to manipulate the opponents and make enemies allies.
But once some of the restrictions of the Black Towers were removed, it no longer had the lead among the five towers.
Its main focus is calmness, reflection, clarity and subtility.
The Gray Tower of Neutrality, which is the steadiest of the towers when it comes to internal politics. And also the most mysterious, since it delves into domains far from what can be considered “Normal”. It also acts as an Arbiter in the matters of the Five Towers, maintaining the equilibrium of the five towers without leaning into any tower’s favors.
Its main studies would contain Transmutation magic of all forms, Alchemy, Etheric formless magic, such as emotion and even Time Magic to a certain point.
It focuses on Balance, transformation, Impartiality and adaptability.
Last but not least, The Black Tower of Power.
The Black Tower had begun by delving into all sort of Dark Magic at first, Including but not limited to Necromancy, Fear, ancient Powers, Soul Magic and Curse magic. However these studies brought more harm than good, creating vile and vicious individuals who sought to reach their goals no matter the cost. Even at the cost of selling their souls to Demons and Devils.
The Great Magic War had started due to one of their Tower Masters having abused that dark power and costed the Magic World a great deal of its most powerful Mages.
Due to that, the Gray Tower of Neutrality had imposed sanctions and prohibitions on the Black Tower of power, limiting their research range and forbidding several parts of their curriculum. Necromancy, Curse Magic, all forms of Dark Magic including Demonic Rituals and summoning were banned for use. And they were only allowed to study Hex Magic and the ability to fight against the Dark Arts.
Which although it limited their power and range by a great deal, no one has the ability to say that the Black Tower is actually the weakest of the bunch yet. As it still harbors some of the most powerful mages of the continent.
Each tower governs a distinct philosophical or emotional spectrum, with magic schools tied to these core traits. The White Tower serves the common good, the Red Tower indulges in intensity and destruction, the Blue Tower seeks harmony and subtlety, the Gray Tower pursues neutrality and change, while the Black Tower craves control and often delves into dangerous or morally questionable powers.
However, something nagged at Ludwig. He was killed and resurrected by necromancers, yet the books were explicit in stating that necromancy was banned and heavily sanctioned. How then had these necromancers been allowed to bring him back? Shouldn’t this have warranted an investigation or retribution?
“Something’s rotten in Denmark,” Ludwig muttered.
He pondered the inconsistencies he had uncovered. The necromancers had defied the rules set by the Gray Tower of Neutrality, the very institution that had imposed strict restrictions on the use of Necromancy. Yet, they had done so without fear of reprisal. This suggested either corruption or a deeper conspiracy at play within the towers.
Ludwig’s mind continued to churn with possibilities. Could the Black Tower still be practicing forbidden magic in secret, undermining the laws set forth by the other towers? And what role did Van Dijk play in all of this? The Tower Master had clearly defied many conventions, but to what end?
His grip on the book tightened. The path ahead was fraught with danger and uncertainty, but now he had knowledge—a tool that could be as powerful as any weapon. He would continue to read, to learn, and to uncover the truths hidden in the shadows of this world.