After the test we walked for several more hours, following the road that led east from Talonholme. In that span of time, I think Ariel had taken about four whole breaths of air, the rest was spent talking. Caelin wasn't kidding when he said that magic was Ariel's passion.

  She seemed to know everything about it. From its origin, to spell theory. Beneath the poised and studious princess facade, she was, at heart, quite the magic nerd. Once she'd finally opened up, her enthusiasm was contagious, almost like Shelly. She was very eager to have someone willing to listern to her plethora of knowledge. Maybe she didn't have many friends to share with before? Regardless, right now I was a sponge and ready to soak it all in.

  I did have a limit though, and my brain was starting to hurt. But, to sum it all up, Elemora was formed ages ago when four great elemental monsters clashed for dominance. The residual magic from their battle still influences the land to this day. Ages ago, they went dormant, though the story changes depending on who you ask.

  Some people see them as gods, while others think they'll come back to destroy the world one day. In either case, their fight shaped the foundation of the world with elemental magic spreading throughout the land as the result of their feud.

  According to Ariel, an ancient civilization thrived during that time. They were called the Myzrak Arcanum, or the Myzrakians, as everyone calls them. The language they spoke had the power to harness the unbound magical energies throughout the land.

  Many of the resident beasts and creatures of Elemora have an innate ability to control these elemental energies. Humanoids, on the other hand, require the use of the ancient Myzrakian language.

  Modern magic spells are built upon root words, with each element having its own unique root. By modifying the roots with 'affixes', as Ariel calls them, you can create just about any effect imaginable.

  Even though many of their secrets were lost with time, Myzrakian ruins can still be discovered all around Elemora. Exploring these ruins is a hobby that only the bravest explorers have, but it has led to the discoveries of ancient artifacts and new affixes with powerful effects.

  In my magic crash course, Ariel had taught me that 'Thryx' is the root for fire, 'Quira' is water, 'Darrun' is earth, and "Elva' is wind. Once you memorize those, all you have to do is modify the root with various affixes to achieve the results that you want. Such is the basis of spellcrafting, which requires lots of training, practice, and knowledge.

  "Sooo--" Ariel said in-between breaths, "If you take a look at the spell I used on the Gloom Screecher, it makes a lot more sense as to how spells are formed."

  By this point my head was spinning. With a hand massaging my temple I managed to ask, "How did that one go again? I kind of forgot to listen...you know...cause I was about to die."

  "VrenElvaQuira Keltaris", Ariel said again.

  I was expecting to see the ice spears form again, but after a couple seconds nothing happened.

  "Why didn't the spell do anything this time?" I asked.

  "Well quite simply," Ariel said, "Because I didn't want it to. Just saying the words is not enough, it also requires intent and the channeling of mana. The Myzrakian language is very powerful, but at the end of the day, without intent and manaura, they're just words."

  "Aaannd," Caelin chimed in, "In order for most people to use magic they need to have some sort of item to help focus their manaura. That's why Ari uses a wand, and I have my sword. It varies from person to person, but having a focus helps to channel manaura better and act as a catalyst for your spells."

  A giggle escaped from me as I saw Ariel punch Caelin for calling her 'Ari' again.

  "Cae's right though," Ariel said. Caelin rolled his eyes when she called him 'Cae', but didn't say anything. "To keep it simple, wands and weapons can be used to supplement magic, though there are many other ways to cast it. My wand and Caelin's sword have inscriptions imbued with magic energy. Going back to the spell, the simple translation is "Cold Wind and Water, rise and move with power."

  "That's pretty neat," I said, running a hand through my hair. "So how strong was that spell? It sounded like you used two elements there."

  Ariel smiled, as if her child had learned to speak.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "You learn quick!" She said with excitement. "I did, actually. Spell level is scaled from one to ten, with ten being the most complex. The spell I used would be classified as a level three spell at minimum since I used two elements."

  "Each element you add increases the tier by two," Caelin chimed in.

  "Currently, I've only been able to cast up to level four," Ariel said with a sideways glance.

  "I've only made it to three," Caelin said with a sigh. Suddenly he perked up, "Did you know that monsters also get ranked from one to ten?"

  "I...did not," I said with a laugh.

  "Well, they get ranked on how dangerous they are. Typically, you need to be able to cast spells equal to or higher than the monster's tier to defeat them. That's not always the case, and it doesn't factor in physical combat, but it's a good rule of thumb."

  * This is great, we have the history buff spell girl and the monster nerd warrior boy. Quite fitting actually. *

  "Lastly," Ariel added, "I'm sure you heard us mention it, but everyone has a manaura pool that varies from person to person. It reflects the amount of mana available to you for casting spells."

  "I see..."

  "Your manaura affects your affinity for elements, and when you cast spells, you tap into your pool. If you ever use more mana than you're capable of...it could be life threatening."

  "She's right," Caelin butted in. "Mana fatigue is no joke. We've seen some of the greatest mages and soldiers die because they drained their manaura too far."

  "That's pretty scary...," I said with a shiver. "I wonder how big mine is..."

  "With a ton of training, humans can learn to sense manaura. I'm not the best at it yet, but from what I can tell yours seems different than most. Once we make it to Terra Grix, they have devices that can test you."

  "Well let's hurry it up then! With all this magic talk, I can hardly wait!"

  * I wonder what I'm capable of... *

  "We can practice along the way, I'll teach you some simple affixes that you can add to your spells."

  "And I'll teach you the basics of combat! You'll be ready for the entrance exam in no time."

  "Thanks you guys," I said as I went to give them each a hug.

  They both acted surprised, as if they never really hugged anyone before. Caelin gave me a one arm hug which he cut short and turned to face the other way. Ariel was tense at first, but after a moment she relaxed and embraced it too. I hugged her a little harder than I meant to, causing our breasts to press together. It was a foreign sensation which made me turn red with embarrassment. I quickly let go and hopped a couple steps away.

  When I looked back, she didn't seem to notice and cheerfully moved to catch up. Caelin, on the other hand, hadn't moved and was keeping his back towards me.

  "Come on," I said, eager to move on. "Let's keep going!"

  Caelin coughed and adjusted his shirt before turning to catch back up.

  As we returned to our walking pace, Ariel finally said, "The next town, Lockeguard, should be around the hill over there. After that it's only a half day to the western trial city, Elemyr."

  "The western one? Does that mean there are other places to take entrance exams?" I asked.

  "It does, and there are four in total. These cities were some of the first ones established long ago. In the West, where we're heading, is Elemyr. To the North is Elethar, South is Elebrax, and east is Eleron. Elemora is very intriguing because the four elements influence the different regions more than others."

  "In what way?" I asked.

  "The farther north you go the more wet it gets, with lakes and rivers. The farther south you go, the more hills and mountains appear. Farther east becomes very hot and dry, while the west is flat and windy. The entrance exams reflect the three elements they are closest to. So Elemyr is going to be Earth, Wind, and Water inspired."

  "You really know a ton, don't you? I have so much to learn...it's really daunting."

  "Don't worry! Caelin said, "We may only have several years worth of a headstart on you, but I'm sure you'll catch up in no time! I mean, you're pretty lucky after all."

  It was my turn to lightly bop Caelin on the arm, causing him to laugh.

  "I'm not lucky! I only remember the past couple days, and it's already been a lot!"

  For a while longer, they both continued to share their knowledge with me as we walked. Even Ariel was beginning to run out of steam after talking so much, though she did manage to teach me a couple more affixes that I could practice with.

  Finally, as we rounded the bend in the road, a large walled off town came into view. The wall was similar to the one in Talonholme with large wood beams forming most of the wall. There was no moat this time, however. Despite that, it seemed even more fortified than the previous town. Guards were posted along the wall, and every fifty or so feet there was an archer tower lit with torches. There was a large gate at the front that looked very reinforced with iron bars. It took a couple minutes to reach the entrance, and as we did, a voice called from above.

  "Declare yourself!" shouted the voice.

  "Ariel Serelith," Ariel said elegantly, her poise returning after hours of being relaxed.

  "Caelin Serelith," Caelin followed.

  I almost missed my cue, "Mae-! Mae Bell!"

  "What purpose have you here?"

  "We're looking to stay the night, we're heading to the Terra Grix entrance exam," Ariel said calmly.

  A loud 'clank' was heard on the other side of the gate, and moments later I heard a latch click with chains moving as the gate began to open. In the opening was a guard mounted on a large horse-like creature. It was nearly identical to a horse, but it was pale and had four ears and two long tails.

  "Welcome to Lockeguard, Lord and Lady Serelith. Please stay as long as you'd like," the soldier stated.

  "Thank you, we won't be long after we rest up,' Ariel said with a smile.

  The guard nodded and beckoned us forward. The three of us hurried through the gate as it began to close back shut behind us.

  "Now then," Ariel said with a clap, "Why don't we find a place to stay."

  Caelin and I both nodded in agreement. I was starting to get really hungry again, and could hardly wait to practice some of the things I'd learned.