Below is what I wrote during day 7 of NaNoWriMo.
(Reminder, this is a WIP, there will be spelling and writing errors. | Join me for live writing streams on Twitch. | If you like what you see, consider supporting me on Ko-fi and/or Twitch so that I can continue making more content for you to enjoy. https://linktr.ee/GoldThornGuild)
"Do you know all the plants here?" Liwen asked as they wandered around the clearing.
"Hm, most of them probably," Jia answered, "It has been a while since I last checked but I did extensive study of the plants here when I was first learning plant magic."
"That's amazing."
"Hardly, I was just obsessed with plants. Still am a bit I guess."
"I wish I had something I was that passionate about."
"I'm sure you will someday. Feel free to explore wherever you want; I'll follow your lead. There is beauty to be found regardless of which direction you choose to take."
"Alright. How about this way then?" Liwen asked as they pointed down a small trail near them.
"Excellent choice. After you."
The trail was well worn but much narrower than the path they had taken into the forest. In most places the trail was just wide enough for one person to walk, only occasionally becoming wide enough for two people to stand abreast. No trees had been cleared for this trail, instead it snaked between the trees. This also meant that there was no strip of clear sky above. The branches of the untouched trees reached out over the trail and blocked out most of the sky. Only occasionally would there be gaps between the branches where the pale blue could be easily seen.
"It feels cooler in here than it was outside the forest or even in the clearing," Liwen observed.
"That's because it is. The trees block the sunlight and that shading combined with the moisture in the dirt and plants mean that it can be significantly cooler in the forest than outside of it."
"It's so quiet and peaceful too."
"The trees and plants can act as a buffer that suppresses sound. Though, if you listen closely, you will discover that the forest is full of its own sounds. They are quiet and peaceful sounds, but the forest is far from silent."
Liwen stopped walking and closed their eyes to listen. The first thing they noticed was the sound of birds singing in the distance. Then the rustling of leaves and the creaking of branches. There were soft clicks that Liwen couldn't identify and the background hum of the breeze in the upper branches of the trees. The more they listened, the more they could hear.
"You're right," Liwen said eventually, "There are so many sounds. I didn't notice when I was walking but the forest is full of sound and activity even though at first it seems so quiet and empty."
"There is a depth to the world that is easy to miss at first. Sometimes you need to stop and just be present in order to properly experience what is around you."
"I'm glad you came with me. I might have missed out on this experience if I was here by myself."
"Happy to help. I have a soft spot for the forest. As a plant-mage I experience it in a slightly different and more intimate way than most people do."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm more in tune with the forest because the dominant energy type is plant energy. There is energy of other types, of course, but the primary type is plant. As a plant-mage I feel the flow of that energy. I feel, as well as hear, when a bird moves a branch. I can sense the path of wind, or people and animals for that matter, by the movement of the energy threads in the plants that are being moved. The forest is so alive to me. One of the most vibrant and active places in the world."
"That's incredible. Though it also sounds kind of overwhelming..."
"It was at first, especially because I kind of rushed my training. Most plant-mages start off small, working with only a couple potted plants at a time, but I was over-excited and impatient. I rushed into the forest mere days after I attuned to plant-magic. I got a headache almost instantly and nearly passed out because of how much stimulus flooded me all once. Not my smartest decision," Jia laughed.
"What happened after that?"
"My teacher chased after me and carried me back to the main house. After I had rested for a bit and my headache had mostly gone away, I got a stern lecture about how reckless it was to rush into the forest before I was accustomed to sensing plant-magic. I wasn't allowed near the forest for a while after that."
"Is it still uncomfortable for you to be in the forest?"
"Not at all. Attuning to magic for the first time is kind of like awakening. At first you are unaccustomed to the stimulus you are receiving and everything is overwhelming. Given a little time, you adjust and become accustomed to the sensations. With practice you can also learn how to filter through the sensations so that you only fully experience some of the stimulus instead of all of it. The forest is a peaceful place for me now. I come here to relax and clear my head."
"Are all magic types like that? Is it always overwhelming when you first attune?"
"Hm, good question. I'm not sure about all the magic types because I only have experience with a few, but I think in general it depends on the magic type and where you are located. For example, plant-magic attunement would be less overwhelming for a mage in the capital than for one here because the amount of plant-magic in the capital is much lower than it is here. Conversely, a metal-mage would be more overwhelmed in the capital than here because there is more metal in the capital."
"That makes sense."
"I suppose for air-mages the location doesn't matter. I've never actually asked anyone with hybrid or indirect magic types what their initial experience was like."
"Hybrid and indirect?"
"Yes, there are three categories of magic types: direct, hybrid, and indirect. Direct magic types are those that control a specific elemental energy. For example, plant, land, and light. Hybrid types are those that do not act on a specific elemental energy but rather can manipulate specific types of materials. Hybrid types include fabric, glass, and pigment magic. Lastly is indirect types which are further divided into mind-based and energy manipulation-based. Mind based are word and mind magic. Honestly, those ones always went above my head. They use a unusual type of magic that affects people's thoughts and perceptions. Because of this they are highly regulated and require extra training in order to master. Energy manipulation types include: regeneration, destruction, purification, and radiation. They don't control individual energy types but instead can alter existing energy weaves in specific ways."
"Energy weaves?"
"Oh, I guess I am kind of jumping ahead in the curriculum. Elemental energy manifests itself to mages in the form of threads. Mages can then manipulate those threads to form objects or perform actions. This is done by weaving the threads together in specific patterns. For example, the way I cultivate different types of flowers is by changing the energy weave of the seedling. By moving threads in the weave of a flower I can change the color of the petals or even the shape and size of the bloom."
"That's amazing!"
"It is indeed. I sometimes still marvel at how Progenitor gave us such a powerful skill. They allow us to shape the world and join them in the creative process."
"I can't wait to learn magic!"
"When we get back to the main house I'll show you the Introduction To Magic books, so that you can start learning about the different types and narrowing down which one you want to learn first. Though don't forget that you have more than just magic to learn about and explore."
"What else could there be?"
Jia laughed, "Plenty. Magic is just a small part of your life. In fact, some people hardly use magic at all."
"Really!?"
"Really. No one in this village is a Weaver, meaning no one has fully mastered a magic type. Most people here only learn as much magic as they need for day to day life. Some people haven't even attuned to more than one type."
"You can attune to multiple types?"
"Yes. A person can attune to up to five different types. Most people focus on one primary type and then learn a handful of spells of other types if they are useful. For example, I my primary attunement is plant but I am also attuned to water and purification because they have spells that are helpful when cultivating plants. I don't consider myself a water or purification mage because I only know a handful of spells in those types, but I am attuned, weakly at least, to those magic types."
"Interesting..."
"You can dabble in multiple types of magic but I suggest starting out by focusing on one. You will have eternity to try all the magic you want, so don't feel like you need to rush. Take your time and enjoy the learning process. And don't forget to think about yourself. Discovering yourself and your name is at least as important as picking your magic type."
"Oh, right, I almost about that."
"Progenitor wasn't wrong about you being a handful," Jia laughed, "You've only been awaken for a few days and your mind is already in the clouds."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Not at all. Everyone has their own path. Some are more calm and grounded and some, like you, can't take to the skies soon enough. Just be careful not to blast ahead too quickly, otherwise you might find yourself having to backtrack because you missed something important at the start."
"I'll try not to."
"And I'll try my best to help you."
~~~
"I don't know about you, but I am starting to get hungry," Jia said after they had been wondering through the forest for a while, "Want to start heading back towards the village so we can get something for lunch?"
"Sure, I guess," Liwen said.
"If you turn left at the fork up ahead, that trail will take us to the edge of the crop fields. Then you can see the farm, maybe say hi to some of the farmers if they aren't too busy, and then we can follow the farm road to the tavern."
"The tavern? I think I vaguely remember you showing that to me during the village tour?"
"I bet you will remember it when you see it. It is a cozy gathering place near the center of the village and it is where you can find the best meat pies that I've ever tasted."
~~~
"Liwen! Hi!" Lilian called as soon as Liwen and Jia reached the edge of the field where she was working.
Once again, Lilian looked completely different than the previous times Liwen had seen her. Her blond hair looked almost brown from all the dirt caked in it. In fact, her shirt was the only thing not covered in a layer of dirt and the only reason it was spared was because she had taken it off and hung it on the gate post.
"You always make such a mess of yourself when plowing," Jia said.
"Got to make sure the soil is clear and well mixed before the sowing begins," Lilian grinned.
"Yes, but does that require playing in the dirt as well?"
Lilian just shrugged and then turned her attention to Liwen.
"Exploring the forest today? What did you think of it? Personally, it is a bit quiet for my taste but I can't deny that it is beautiful."
"I loved it," Liwen answered, "I learned about magic too."
"You're certainly starting on your lessons faster than I did."
"No surprise," Jia said, "You kept running away from your lessons. I swear you spent more time at the tavern than you did at your studies."
"Yeah, probably," Lilian laughed, "But I learned what I needed to one way or another didn't I?"
"I suppose you did."
"Where are you off to now?"
"The tavern for lunch."
"Jealous. I wish I could join you but there is still a lot of work to do today and I got yelled at last time I tracked dirt into the tavern..."
"I'm sorry I missed that," Jia laughed, "Well, we better get going. I am starving after all the walking we did this morning. See you later, Lilian. Oh, and try to clean yourself up a bit before you get home. I do not want to see a dust trail in the main house."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll shower off and change clothes before I come home."
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