Volume 4 Chapter 7 Day I Afternoon
After about 30 minutes, the merchants' wagons calmed down from the earlier attack. Fortunately, there was minimal damage, allowing the caravan to set off again quickly.
Al and Leda managed to board Eric's large, roofed wagon, which had three rows of seats for two people each, reinforced against bandit attacks. Fitz and Eric occupied the back, while Marcus and Lucas were at the front, leaving Al and Leda in the second row.
Once on the move, Eric and Fitz frequently chanted spells with their eyes closed. Although unfamiliar to Al, it seemed they were using two types of spells, likely including the 'Floating Eye' spell Leda had mentioned, to check for enemies from above.
"It's the Telepathy spell. It informs Captain Jonas of any threats we find."
Leda quietly explained as she noticed Al straining to listen.
"I see, that's amazing. So this is what the magician's job is."
Al murmured. Hearing this, Leda nodded repeatedly, looking pleased as if she had been complimented.
"Hey, is there anything we need to do while we're traveling?"
Al asked. Leda lightly shook her head.
"Sometimes we might serve water to our masters. But learning by watching what they do is also an important job for us apprentices."
Al scratched his head. Leda was nervously watching what Eric and Fitz were doing. Meanwhile, Marcus and Lucas were quietly chatting among themselves. Al watched them for a while, but soon he resumed practicing his usual spells.
* * *
As the carriage moved on, Fitz finally spoke to Al and the others just before sunset, looking exhausted from casting the 'Floating Eye' and 'Telepathy' spells.
"We should reach the campsite before sunset and plan to leave just before sunrise tomorrow. We'll be there for about 11 hours, but after excluding the hour after arrival and before departure, we have 9 hours for guard duty. With Al here, we'll pair up: Leda and Al as one team, Marcus and I as another, and Sir Eric with Lucas as the final team. We'll switch every three hours."
The apprentices nodded. Fitz continued explaining.
"Along with the watch duty, I'd like Al to help set up the campsite and use 'Light' spells to illuminate the area and eliminate any blind spots. Your 'Light' spell from the previous test was impressive; it stayed lit until the next afternoon. You might even be better than I am with it. How many can you light up at once?"
Casting spells requires mental strength, and excessive chanting can lead to fatigue and mistakes. After the last test, Al reflected on this and determined he could maintain the light spell for 20 hours and cast it successfully about 20 times. Exceeding that would significantly lower his success rate.
"About 20 places. If I go over that, the success rate drops a lot."
Fitz nodded vigorously.
"That's great. We have 11 official carriages, including ours, so that should be enough if we think of one for each. Leda, you should tell him where to light them. Of course, Marcus and Lucas will go with him to closely watch Al's chanting."
Al and Leda nodded. Marcus, sitting in the front row, looked at Al and shook his head in admiration.
"20 hours is amazing. You're still younger than me. I can only do it for about an hour."
Lucas, sitting next to him, nodded in agreement.
"Aren't you making it too bright? That will shorten the effect time."
When Al mentioned this, the others looked puzzled, leading him to smile wryly. He realized magicians often reacted similarly, so he decided to share his usual explanation, even though he hadn't planned to discuss it now.
"Look at this."
Al cast the 'Light' spell twice: one in his right palm, glowing like a candle, and another in his left, bright as a torch. The others were surprised, their eyes widening. Lucas instinctively grabbed Al's arm, and they leaned in closer to compare the two lights.
"Mr. Fitz, during the last test, you saw the light from my light spell and said, 'The brightness is fine,' right?"
Suddenly asked, Fitz hesitated for a moment, swallowed hard, and nodded deeply.
"Now that you mention it, I might have said that... After years of teaching, there are sometimes those who are dim. But what does that have to do with this...?"
Al smiled brightly.
"Mr. Fitz, whether you realize it or not, you must know that the brightness of the light spell varies from person to person."
Hearing this, Fitz looked at Eric. When their eyes met, they both nodded slightly.
"Different...? Yes, that's true. But what does that have to do with the two different brightnesses of the light spells you just showed? More importantly, explain the difference in brightness."
Fitz appeared irritated, struggling to understand Al's point, while Eric listened closely. Leda, Marcus, and Lucas exchanged curious glances.
"I'll break it down. Remember the 'Light' spell's symbol? It starts with complete darkness, then a white glowing symbol appears, illuminating the surroundings. It's like a sunrise. Other magicians I've spoken to think the same. What do you all think?"
At that point, Al paused. Everyone, including Eric, nodded lightly or tilted their heads. Seeing this, Al continued speaking.
"Should I call that brightness image inspiration? I believe that's the essence of light when casting light spells. I focused on that strong image to change the brightness. Other spells also have adaptable elements, which I refer to as options. For 'Light' spells, the option is brightness, and adjusting that can also affect the duration."
"That's ridiculous..."
Fitz looked at Al with a face like he was seeing something strange. He shrugged and smiled wryly.
"I've explained this before, but no one has managed to change the brightness. Even my elementary school teacher tried multiple times without success. So, I ask you to trust me on this: for my 'Light' spells, adjusting the brightness affects the duration. That's why I thought Marcus's 'Light' spell might be too bright."
"No, but..."
Fitz tried to say something, but Eric stopped him.
"I find it hard to believe, but it's clear Al can change the brightness of light spells. We must recognize that, and as magic instructors, we should explore how this is possible. We can verify later if brightness indeed affects the duration of the spell. We still have questions about the Magic Sense spell, which might also be related."
Fitz nodded reluctantly at Eric's acknowledgment.
"Al, I've mastered the light spell in theory, but I can't recall the spellbook's descriptions accurately. I need to review the material and remember how I visualized it. After this bodyguard job, could you assist me? I'll prepare a reward, of course."
Al pondered Eric's request. Several magicians had attempted to explain and test this concept but had failed. Directly stating this might come off as questioning Eric's abilities.
"I also want others to be able to reproduce it, and I will cooperate. But..."
Al hesitated at that point. Seeing this, Eric nodded.
"I understand. You want to say that the chances of success are low. And the reward is hard to calculate too. Then let's think of a different way. Either way, this bodyguard job comes first. Let's focus on finishing it safely. After that, I'll suggest what to do next. Is that okay?"
Fitz, Leda, and the others nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, the sun dipped below the western mountains, part of the Sipree range. They were nearing the top of a small hill, which would soon be their campsite. The view from there was excellent, offering a clear line of sight for any approaching Barbarians or magical beasts.
"The campsite is just ahead. Once we arrive, it's time for the 'Light' spell. Al, please follow Leda's instructions."
Fitz said this, and Al and Leda nodded vigorously in response.
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