Общий файл / Does Force Bind to Responsibility?: Глава 19

Chapter 19
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*Marius*

Camrad_RIP 31.05.22 в 18:45

Marius hovered thoughtfully above the floor in one of his crypts. Tentacles woven of translucent shadow hung lazily around him, as if caressing a marble crypt. Opposite him, on one knee, was Lias.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:23

/This scene reeks of annoying imperfection," the lich remarked to himself. "Something is missing...

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:24

Marius glanced around the crypt. Massive patterned columns, between which there were marble tables for the dead, were crowned by a ceiling reaching far upward. There were no windows; all the illumination came from magic torches on the walls.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:25

/Everything is perfect. Strange feeling.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:25

Lich deigned to turn his attention to the "apprentice". He had mastered this trick of divided thinking yesterday. One part of his mind was fixating on what was going on around him, and the other part was thinking. When something atypical happened and it was necessary to react somehow to it, the second part of the consciousness stepped in.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:26

Marius instantly reviewed everything the student said.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:26

"So you claim to have mastered the first part of the White Flame. I didn't tell you to do that, so I'm guessing it has to do with the last practice session? That's interesting. I had no idea that *you* could master it at all, at least not in your lifetime. Well," he waggled his palm. "Show it to me."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:27

Lias got to his feet, concentrated, pointed his open palm at the lich, and began reciting the incantation. Marius, noting to himself the mistakes in the vocalizations - and there were surprisingly few - waited.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:27

Lias finished, almost shouting the last words. Nothing happened.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:28

"I'm not impressed. "The lich remarked snidely.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:28

"Excuse me, Master..." Lias began frantically rummaging through his bag for notebooks. He found one and with a trembling hand quickly flipped through the pages to find the right one.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:28

"But I did everything right, didn't I? Why...?"

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:29

"Because you just memorized the text. It's not enough to master the spell. I know it's not obvious - not to you, anyway. And I remind you that I've already opened your eyes to this nuance. Twice."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:29

"But the book gives absolutely precise instructions on how to activate..." Lias was confused.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:30

"Exactly. Activate. Saying a spell doesn't construct it. When a spell already exists in you, when it's already part of you, your soul, and your source of power, the invocative component triggers it. Casting a spell is just one way to start the process you've prepared. You, on the other hand, know the White Flame only in a descriptive way. It's not a part of you. So when you cast that spell, you're just shaking the air."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:31

"How do I... Construct it, teacher? There are thousands of books in the city library, which ones do I need to read to understand it?"

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:31

/Interesting. Lias came to the same question as I did, and almost as quickly. I have a power infinite compared to a mere mortal, and I am just as far from understanding the fundamentals.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:33

"Tens of thousands of books," the lich corrected, raising his finger admonishingly. "And that's what we're going to do now."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:33

Marius stroked his chin, stopped hovering, and paced leisurely from side to side.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:34

"Once here, you had the confidence to cast four spells. Three of them had a slight effect on living vertebrates, restoring their functionality at the expense of your personal spiritual powers. Another one affected the residual emanations of souls, making them fearful and unwilling to interact with the small area around you. You told me how you trained in these spells, and from your words and my attempts to teach you something new, I drew the following conclusions."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:36

"The first is that you don't have enough intelligence and energy to master a spell ranked higher than a beginner from a scroll, or by mastering written material."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:36

"The second is that you are capable of mastering new forms of spirit manifestation. Not spells in my usual sense, but very similar."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:37

"Third, you can comprehend forms of spirit manifestation that are new to you in at least one way. Namely, by being under stressful conditions. How exactly this happens, I can't tell you yet; we'll find out and document it in the foreseeable future."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:37

"I simulated various stressful conditions for you after I made these conclusions. At this point, the method that was tested yesterday and confirmed this morning can be considered the most - and the only - effective one."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:38

"You forced me to fight the undead you raised, Master. At the most desperate moment, I... It was just the knowledge that came to me. If it hadn't, I would have died," Lias replied with a touch of resentment.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:38

"Not the preferred outcome, I agree. Still, some breakthrough has been made. You have given your spiritual power a form that can be seen as a means of inflicting direct damage."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:39

"I was desperate and did the only thing I could do!"

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:39

"That's the point. Notice that it took you not years, but literally days to learn a new magic skill. It's all in the approach, I think... Anyway, your mastering of a new skill can be attributed to one of the types of "constructing" magic. Do you remember in detail how you do it?"

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:40

Lias thought for a while.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:40

"It is difficult, and I cannot describe the whole process in detail. I imagine what I want to do, and something inside responds to my desire. Only it's very long and it's easy to lose focus."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:41

/This is it, noted the lich with satisfaction. Some progress.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:41

Marius himself had been trying to find the keys to his powers for quite some time. To figure out exactly what happens when he activates his magical power. From day one until now, nothing worked. Lich had infinite diligence and the same patience. He was willing to spend any amount of time and effort to get to the bottom of it. The only problem was that he had no idea exactly how to approach the case to achieve the desired result.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:42

And now his accidental apprentice made it possible at least to observe the development and formation of something new, from the very beginning. Even though Marius was a stranger to light magic, there was still the possibility that the principles could be generalized and used in research.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:42

"Of course, the performance will still have to be worked on." Lich brushed aside Liase's attempt to say something. "If you can reproduce this "spell" in a state of relative peace, you won't need to trigger a life-threatening condition just yet. That will be your task for the next class. If you succeed, we'll explore the subject of invocative and symbolic activation in more detail next."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:44

"I'll do my best, Master," Lias bowed obediently. "I still have questions..."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:44

"That's good," the lich nodded graciously. "Ask."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:45

"Master, you're saying that casting a spell is just a way to trigger an existing form, right?"

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:45

"Exactly."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:45

"What about spell casters who simply memorize words and gestures? After all, they can do it, and I've read of people with no magical gift at all sometimes using magic?"

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:46

"That's a good question. Ask me more of those, and I'll despise you less. You see," the lich paced from side to side again. "Pure invocation is like a condition for a reflex. It is intended to induce your mind and spirit to unconsciously perform a series of predetermined actions. We'll talk about this, as I promised, in the next session. And you asked about a method that involves not only the voice, but also gestures and, as a rule, various objects and symbols. It's a way of forcing the environment, or the ether, so to speak, to perform preset actions on your behalf. It is a rather risky practice. In this case, the caster usually does not fully understand what forces and how exactly will be involved. There may be side effects, or, if you make a mistake, something may happen that does not correspond to expectations at all."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:47

"What if I want to try? I'm sure that with your guidance I will succeed! Besides, as far as I know, that's what most magicians do..."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:47

"Sad is the fate of a world populated by idiots. In general, I think it's a waste of time. But you can try it, if you can find a suitable manual and let me read it beforehand. I'd be very surprised if you could find something like that in the city libraries. Also, you should remember that my direct assignments are a higher priority."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:48

"I got it. I also wanted to ask... Is it possible for me to move to the city?"

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:48

Marius thought for a moment.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:48

/Logical. The desire for comfort is obviously more attainable in an environment optimal for its species. If given such an opportunity in the form of a bargain, perhaps performance would increase... One might try it.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:49

"In theory, yes. Justify your wish."

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:49

Here, in Necropolis, there is no way to live normally. There is no water and food, they have to be brought here, especially for me, and I have never seen any offerings to the dead. There is no place to sleep, the sarcophagi are very cold, and in general, there are no living quarters, only reception rooms and crypts... I won't try to escape, I swear. Let me live where... Where I can live a normal life. I think I can afford a corner, I've still got the money you gave me the first time. At the very least, I'll find a job, as a clerk, or in a temple, there's a lot of them here, I'll be able to get a job somewhere.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:50

/I hadn't even thought about offerings. I need to learn more about the traditions involved.

Camrad_RIP 04.06.22 в 07:51

"So you're seriously considering settling down here. Hmm. You do realize you're a stranger in the city, don't you?"

Camrad_RIP 03.06.22 в 19:30