Seed Of Speed

"Not the person I would expect to find in the library," Catro said.

"Hmm… Good to see sleep has not eluded you the past few night, dear 'brother'," Diego mused aloud as he mentally dismissed the notification and turned around.

Catro's eyes narrowed for a moment, but his face quickly turned into a smile as he laughed and said, "I lost a night of sleep after you failed to return, but I was told of your later return to the village which eased my grief-filled heart, so I have managed to sleep well since. You were a brave elder brother, luring away those Devil Worms."

Diego's eye twitched without his control as he could now remember the truth of the matter. Catro had invited out Ishu for a camping trip where they sampled various fungi and herbs that caused Ishu to hallucinate, seeing a swarm of Devil Worms surrounding them. It was when he started ranting and shouting that Catro attacked, slicing him with a knife soaked in Searing Cobra King venom. It was a strong, torturous venom that could kill someone at the peak of the Mortal Body like Barru and there was no anti-venom, so Catro was unable to figure out how Ishu had survived.

(Well, I guess Ishu didn't really survive if I'm here.) Diego thought to himself. He let his expression soften as he replied to Catro's statement, "It was my duty as an elder brother and it even allowed me to stumble across a stroke of fortune that opened my horizons."

Katalina had given him tips on how to explain away some of the changes he would undoubtedly show. The main idea was spun aroud receiving a transmission for a long dead elder in a forgotten tomb as Ishu had heard many of such stories in the past. That could easily explain how a young wastrel rising to become a proud son of heaven as if it was a legend in the making.

"A stroke of fortune, you say? Well, congratulations. I had guessed as much with Lord Father's announcement, but hearing you make my heart both happy and sad. All I ask is that you take good care of the Telryn Clan," Catro said with a sigh.

"I understand your heartache. It is a shame that we brothers must kill each other for the seat of Patriarch before we can even leave the Oasis, especially since without my action as your elder brother, my fate could have been very different that day," Diego said, mentally chuckling as he dug in yet another jab at his would-be killer.

Catro face turned an unpleasant shade, but to his credit, his voice seemed unaffected as replied, "You are right, Lord Father is far stricter than our forefathers. It was not always so, but the last seven generations have engaged in the Days of Ascension. Personally, as one who will die soon anyways, I can freely say the reason why the Telryn Clan has stagnated is precisely because of this fact! The strongest of us must kill each other before we can contribute to the clan!"

Diego inwardly smirked as he listened to what could almost be called a plea for his life from him the man who had tried to kill him. In truth, he had few ties to the Telryn Clan since he would be forced to continue being "Ishu" while he was here. Katalina had even mentioned the a few stories like the ones Catro described, but there was no way he would let the killer of the original host off. He was considering sparing a few brothers, but he was certainly not one of them! But first, he had to win tomorrow's duels, or he would die like the others.

"I understand your words brother, and I promise give you a quick end… unlike what others had gifted me," Diego said quietly as he passed Catro then left the room with a small smile on his face.

Although Diego could talk that way to Catro, it was simply bravado in front of his three elder brothers. Few truly believed in Ishu's chance and even Diego doubted himself slightly as the memories of his brothers were intimidating, but he could only move forward like the tip of his spear.

Diego's next trip was to the Hovel, surprisingly. Although Firesand had suggested he come after becoming the true heir, there was a sliver of hope that he might be able to complete his second mission which would allow him to power level his skills before his fight.

There were a few servants carrying fresh water to the building while others worked the large garden that grew all of the healing herbs in the village. As he crossed the grounds, he drew a few looks, but no one stopped their duties to greet him which said something about the division between the Owl Faction and the Patriarch. Still, Diego did not let this bother him as he continued on into the building where someone finally stopped him.

"Young master Ishu, what brings you to the Hovel, today?" a young man asked.

"I wished to greet Shaman Firesand and, if he had the time, discuss a few topics he mentioned when we last met," Diego answered.

The young man gave a sigh and explained, "I doubt Shaman Firesand would have the time for idle chat, I'm afraid. He has been spending the past few days locked away in the Formation Chamber barely stopping long enough to give us our daily tasks."

Diego frowned at the obvious dismissal, but he was in no place to complain. "A pity, but if that is how it is, I can only curse my poor luck. Please send along my greeting to Shaman Firesand when you can."

"Of course, young master!" the servant said with a slight bow.

He doubted the man would do as he said, but he had little authority, especially here, so he could only turn and leave for now. He did not get far though before he heard a voice call out to him.

"Young master Ishu!"

Diego had reached midway down the path dividing the halves of the garden, so he turned back around to find Rainshower descending like an immortal fairy from the top floor of the Hovel. She landed with a smile and a gentle tap, barely disturbing the sand under her feet. Obviously, she had used a spell to slow her fall.

"Shaman Rainshower, it is good to see you in high spirits," Diego said with a slight bow.

"What brings you to the Hovel?"

Diego smiled as his hopes rekindled, "I was coming to pay respects to your father and hoped he could enlighten me on a few things."

"Father had sensed your presence and sent me since he could not make it down in time before you started leaving. Please, follow me," Rainshower said, turning back to the Hovel.

Diego's smile widened slightly as, not only did he have a chance of finishing his mission, but now he was able to enjoy the view the exotic woman leading the way. Rainshower's misty blue robes could not conceal her large b.r.e.a.s.ts and shapely b.u.t.t. She wore her long, orange hair in single tail that was tied up with a cord that matched her robes. She moved with a mystical grace and confidence he had never seen in a woman during his past life.

Rainshower lead him back into the Hovel and up the central staircase. The third floor was quite and void of servants, unlike the first two floors. She led him over to a door and opened it for him, allowing him to enter without her.

There were three walls of sandstone that were lined with latticework shelves like those in the library that held many scrolls and also a few shelves with strange bobbles that piqued his curiosity. The back wall was bolts of red, green, and blue cloth which let in the sunlight as well as a gentle breeze. Firesand sat in a padded chair under a band of light, holding a scroll, but he looked up from it and smiled at him.

"Young master Ishu, I am pleased to see you in the Hovel. Would you care for a glass of Polus Unda? It's a nectar tea we brew here within the Hovel," Firesand said, waving his hand and causing a small teapot to appear, floating over his hand.

(Do I need to worry about poison's or true potions or something?) Diego asked in his mind.

::By the information gathered in the library, it is highly unlikely that the Shaman would be able to produce something that would threaten the natural regeneration abilities granted by your 'Seed'::

"That would be very nice," Diego replied, with a polite bow of his head.

"Sit, sit…" Firesand said, waving his other hand.

A chair appeared across from small table next to the Shaman as well as two glasses. Diego sat down in the new chair as Firesand filled their cups and chanted a soft spell over them.

"It is to chill the drink as it is best cold on a hot day," Firesand said as he took his glass and the other rested on the table. He took a sip and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the flavor.

Diego resisted the urge to chuckle as he took his glass then took a drink. The blue liquid had a strong citrus flavor with a cooling, minty feeling for the aftertaste. He caught himself making a similar as Firesand, who did not spare him the kindness as he gave a chuckle of his own.

"So, what brings you here, young master?" Firesand asked.

Diego chuckled and said, "If you will forgive, I will not be coy and ask my question directly as my time is limited. Would you be willing to explain more about your offer when I left here a few days ago?"

Firesand smiled then took another sip before replying. "Although it would be easier on me if you came after securing your position, I wonder if you are coming because you are worried for you chances in the upcoming duels."

"It would be foolish not worry about facing my elder brothers. Each of them achieved Half-Gold Skin and are more skilled than I am with their weapons," Diego replied, taking another drink.

"Hmm… Humility is not something common in the Telryn Clan, but it's far too late to back out now. Magic is not something that can be learned in a night, I'm afraid, so I do not believe I can be of any help to you," Firesaid replied with an apologetic expression.

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Mission Acquired!

- Convince Shaman Firesand to reveal a spell scroll and then preform the spell for you!

- Requirements: Record spell scroll and watch demonstration of the spell.

- Reward: Special Skill unlocked: [Mimic] and 50 skill points

============================================

Diego smiled in his heart while he sighed aloud. "I had guessed as much, but there is still hope in my heart. Foolish as it may be, does that mean I have the ability to wield magic one day?"

Firesand chuckled and rubbed his chin. "With practice and time, you could," he said with a mystic sounding tone.

Now, Diego could finally smile as his eyes shined with a scheming glint. "Then please, Shaman Firesand! The Telryn Clan rarely produces Shamans, and when will we produce the next one if I die?!? Your Konto Sect will only supply us with a single Shaman, so we must rely on those we produce ourselves!"

Firesand laughed and finished his glass before setting it down in the table. "I applaud your impassioned speech but question the heart behind it."

Diego scratched the back of his head as he chuckled and replied, "I am grasping at loose sand at this point. Surely there is a basic spell I could try to see if I truly have the aptitude."

"Even the most gifted of our students will take six hours to learn the most basic of spells while an average one will take three days," Firesand replied with a sigh.

"Then there is still hope. I know to you, we are just a small clan in a backwater oasis, but you must have grown tired of the suppression from my father. None of the favored winners would be any different than him."

"You certainly are persistent, young master. Fine, although they would not be too helpful in a fight, there is one that could be used as a distraction," Firesand sighed as a scroll appeared in his hand.

He handed Diego the scroll, who opened it up and scanned it over. He was able to read most of the text through Ishu's memories, but there were some strange runes he could not recognize.

::Ha! Six hours for a [Flash Point] spell, you've certainly ended up in a backwards world! Make him show it to you then give him the shock of his life!::

(I thought I needed to keep a low profile.) Diego complained in his mind.

There was no reply from Katalina which made him silently chuckle while he focused on the scroll. The first part of scroll explained the spell in detail and how to draw the glyphs with his Mind's Eye. As he stared at the strange runes, a fuzzy feeling began to buzz between his brows.

Although he was no where close to casting the spell, Firesand still watched the boy as he began unconsciously gathering the mana in the air. At first, he only drew in a thin trickle at first, and while it did not increase in speed, it slowly became a pure stream of Light Mana. The old Shaman was simply stunned since the only explanation would be that the boy had a high level of affinity with Light Magic, but as he thought about it, that helped explain his impressive breakthrough. After a few minutes, Diego stopped and rubbed his forehead.

"It truly unlike anything I have ever seen. You would be willing to show me what this spell is like?" Diego asked.

"Yes, yes, of course! The [Flash Point] is a basic light spell and that gathers the Light Mana in the air then releases it in a sudden, bright burst. While projecting the glyphs in your mind, you must also focus on the tip of your finger as it will be where the spell will release. This is it," Firesand said then raised his hand. The tip of his finger suddenly lit up with a blinding white light before dying away a moment later.

===========================================================

Mission Complete!

- Convince Shaman Firesand to reveal a spell scroll and then preform the spell for you!

- Reward: Special Skill unlocked: [Mimic] and 50 skill points

===========================================================

(Alright, Kat, explain [Mimic] while I pretend to understand this voodoo.) Diego thought with some amus.e.m.e.nt.

::The ability will allow you to recreate any spell as long as you have recorded the spell scroll and watch another cast it::

(So, if I wanted to…)

::You can use the [Mimic] skill and cast the [Flash Point] spell::

(Then my last quest is as good as done!) Diego thought happily.

"Keep trying to understand the mysteries of the scroll. Although it is made up of elementary glyphs, they make up part of the foundation for all Light Magic," Firesand encouraged.

"Thank you, Shaman Firesand," Diego said as he returned his attention to the scroll.

(Any tips on understanding this other than cheating?) Diego asked silently while staring at the runes on the scroll.

::You must be able to recreate the Glyph Seal within your mind perfectly. Each glyph must the correct size, placing, and even color, though the scroll doesn't mention that fact. It relies on drawing in Light Mana to manage the color, but with practice, you can purify the mana under your own efforts, increasing the power and efficiency of the spell::

Diego shifted in his chair, so that he could lean on an elbow while he stared at the scroll. Firesand continued to watch the energy swirling around him as he practiced. The boy seemed to be a natural and, if it was not for the Sect Laws saying apprentices must learn their first spells without help, he would be rambling on about the different theories and techniques for casting. He could only watch on in silence as his [Mana Sight] slowly painted Diego in a golden light.