CHAPTER 103: RESONANCE

Maeve cannot stop staring at both Arthur and Aldriana as they walk toward the cave entrance.

Liam, beside her, suddenly blurts, "Wow, you two. That was amazing." He calls up his water ball and proudly lifts it to Aldriana.

"Look, I can hold it for almost fifteen minutes now."

Aldriana looks at him, then at the water ball. She notices its shape is no longer wobbling. It stays perfectly round, like a carved sphere. Its color is even and clear, sparkling like an aquamarine gemstone.

She gives Liam a nod of approval. "That is excellent. Look at it. Perfectly round, beautiful color. You have leveled up."

She turns to Arthur. "And you too. Your fire no longer stays wrapped around your fists. It moves ahead of your fist."

"You both have strong resonance with water and fire."

Arthur and Liam straighten with pride.

"But do not get cocky," Aldriana adds. "There is another reason why you advanced so fast. Beside your resonance, the mana here is ridiculously rich. You have unlimited access to it." She gestures at both of them. "That is why you do not feel as tired as you expected."

Both men listen carefully. They have been riding the euphoria of using magic for the first time and they both felt freedom. It is addicting. They want to do it again.

Maeve is listening just as intently. She still cannot believe Arthur and Liam just learned magic in less than a day.

But her attention keeps drifting back to Aldriana.

At first, she thought Aldriana was simply another magus like her. But after seeing her spells and hearing her explanations, Maeve is convinced she is not an ordinary magus.

Is she a rogue? No. Her theories do not match rogue methods. In fact, they feel deeper than mine.

Ah, Maeve, you think too much. She is probably just better at explaining.

I will ask Teacher. Maeve makes a mental note.

"So I have a resonance with fire?" Arthur asks.

"And I am water?" Liam adds.

"Yes to both," Aldriana answers.

"But water is calm, cool, refreshing. I am energetic, impulsive, always moving," Liam argues. "Wouldn’t fire fit me better?"

"That is a good question. But before I answer, answer this. When you cast your water spell, what did you feel?"

"Liberated." Arthur answers first and Liam immediately agrees.

"Then water is your element, and fire is Arthur’s."

"So I cannot cast fire?" Liam asks.

"Palm up," Aldriana instructs. Liam obeys.

"And say ’Fyra.’"

"Fyra."

A small flame sparks to life on his palm.

"Hey, I can do it too," Liam says, excited.

"What do you feel?" Aldriana asks.

Liam thinks for a moment. "Satisfied. Excited."

"Does it have the same liberated feeling?"

Liam looks at the tiny flame and sighs. "No. Not even close."

Aldriana nods. "Exactly. Having a resonance does not mean you cannot call on other elements. Remember, magic is communication with nature. If you can communicate, you can cast any spell."

"And resonance only makes one element easier," Arthur recalls.

"That is correct. That is the basic understanding."

Liberated? Maeve frowns. The term feels foreign to her.

Aldriana notices but says nothing. If Maeve has been learning magic, there must be a school or society teaching it. The idea excites Aldriana. I have to find this community.

But she does not want to confuse Maeve with theories that might contradict what she has learned.

Like her incantations.

What in the world was that spell? Aldriana internally shakes her head.

"So, what is next?" Liam asks.

"I am going to check on Julian. You two..." Aldriana pauses, considering something.

"Each of you can now call upon your element. And this dungeon is rich with mana. Let us exploit that. I want you to try shaping your water or fire as much as you can. You are free to shape it into anything you want."

"How do we do that?" Arthur asks.

"Use your imagination. Visualize it in your mind when you cast the spell."

Both men nod and split off to different corners to practice.

Let me see how strong their resonance is. I want to know if this no-incantation casting can be taught.

Maeve follows Aldriana toward Julian.

She has a dozen questions swirling in her head, but she does not know where to start or if she even should. By the time she snaps out of it, they are already beside Julian.

Aldriana crouches and places her palm above Julian’s right ribs.

"Good. Almost healed."

"Is that why he keeps sleeping and not waking up? You put him to sleep?" Maeve asks. She notices he is sleeping unusually deeply.

"Yes. His body needs rest. A lot of it. And he will not be able to rest if the quality of his sleep is poor. I have to make sure it is good enough."

Maeve nods in understanding.

"You know," she says suddenly. "What Arthur and Liam can do right now... it is amazing. And if they truly learned magic just last night, then you are one hella teacher."

"Thank you. But I cannot take credit when it is not due. It is not just me. It is their resonance and the environment."

"No, it is you. I know resonance and the environment help, but if you cannot explain things simple and clear, they would not pick it up this fast."

Aldriana smiles.

"I... I want to ask you something," Maeve says, stammering a little before she pushes herself forward.

"Go ahead."

They walk a distance away from Julian so he can continue healing undisturbed.

When they find a spot, Aldriana waves her hand, and the earth rises, shaping itself into a table and two chairs.

"Earth!" Maeve gasps. She scoffs lightly. "I should not be surprised. It is you."

"You know about me?" Aldriana frowns. No one is supposed to know her. No one should know her except Liam. Even Arthur and Julian only met her recently.

Maeve’s laugh is crisp and sincere.

"I watched you use magic in ways I have never even heard of. So I should not be surprised anymore. That is all I meant."

"Thank you," Aldriana says. "Now, your question?"

Maeve inhales once. "Ah, right. The fireball incantation... that was you, correct?"