Jeremy followed the directions through town. Serenveil was bigger than Pierre Part but smaller than New Iberia. Jeremy would’ve guessed the population to be around 5000 or less. There were several inns, a few sidewalk cafes, various shops, stables, and a huge church. The residential area was separate from the commercial district by design. Everyone walked everywhere, and it seemed like everyone was out and about during the day.

  The burrow was weirdly situated at the end of the residential district, away from all commerce. It was situated next to the cemetary. Four men in robes were sitting in front of a stone building the size of a tiny house all wearing blue robes. One man looked like he was part boar with huge tusks jutting up from his bottom jaw. One just looked like a very old man. The other two looked like elves. Honest to God, pointy- eared elves.

  “Excuse me,” Jeremy asked as he approached. “Can one of you help me enchant a staff?”

  The four mages stared at him, but seemed to accept him for what he was. Jeremy was used to the discriminatory looks he had been getting all day.

  “Why would we do that?” The old man said.

  “I’ll pay you—”

  “We have no need for coin,” The orc said.

  “What do you want? I have a gem that I can use to enchant a staff, but I have no idea how to do that.” Jeremy may have sounded a little frustrated.

  “We can enchant a staff for you,” one of the elves said. “But you must first retrieve a staff and something for us.”

  “I have to find a staff for you? Can’t you just enchant this staff?”

  “You cannot just enchant any staff,” the other elf said implying Jeremy was a moron. “The staff must have magical properties. We do not possess one at the moment, and we would not just give you something for nothing.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “A mage from Velasyr should have retrieved a heartseed and brought it to us by now,” the first elf said. “The journey is only 5000 strides, but the mage has not returned in over four suns. You should go to Velasyr to inquire of the mage first, then proceed to Cavern of the Hollow. This is a well known cavern because of the Tree of Nivalár, one of the few trees remaining from the great awakening 2000 years ago.”

  “You want me to go alone?” Jeremy asked. “I am new to your world, and I don'twould not know how to get to Velasyr or the cavern.”

  “I will go with you,” the orc said. “The heartseed was originally intended for me. It is my responsibility to retrieve it. You look too weak to me as well.”

  “Thanks.” Jeremy said.

  “I did not mean it as a compliment.”

  ?

  The orc was indeed an orc. His name was Rovek, and he had been a mage for many years. On the journey he told Jeremy how he had left his home of Urog-Mor because they did not support him becoming a mage. The orcs lived up to the stereotype of being a very brusque and eager to fight. Rovek would fight, but he had no desire to use physical brutality. He loved the mystic arts and he wanted to become the most powerful mage in the realm.

  “I have a long way to go,” Rovek said. “There seems to be so much to learn and so little time. I was hoping the heartseed would help me cross a barrier I have been stuck at for a few seasons.”

  “What does the heartseed do?” Jeremy asked.

  “Once absorbed it can increase your mana pool considerably allowing me to learn more complex spells. I cannot enhance my current abilities any further, and I do not have enough mana to learn the most complex skills.”

  “Why didn’t you go to retrieve this heartseed yourself?”

  “I would have, but Threnna desired to enhance her own abilities and retrieve a staff from the tree of Nivalár for her use. She is also from Velasyr and wished to spend time with her family.”

  Rovek was very powerful indeed. Along the path, several creatures attacked them including howlers and some weird mushroom creature. Rovek struck them down using various spells not giving Jeremy a chance to do anything. Jeremy watched Rovek shoot fire balls, walls of fire, and a very powerful hot rocks spell that Rovek used by picking up a handful of small rocks, heating them, then shooting them at his target. It appeared Rovek had specialized in fire attributes.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “Did you specialize in fire type magic on purpose?”

  “When you have an affinity to a certain ability, the fastest way to get stronger is to continue to focus on and train that affinity. My flaming stone attack is an evolution of firebolt. It was my favorite spell and now flaming stone is. What is your affinity?”

  “I really don’t know,” Jeremy said. “I have shock and fire spells. Mel and I can use soul flame together, but other than that I really don’t know.” Jeremy wasn’t going to tell Rovek everything. He had learned a valuable lesson on trust.

  “Some spells are easier than others for you to cast. Keep casting and you will soon know your affinity. Once known, cast that spell as much as possible to develop it as much as it can be developed. You should be able to evolve it from there. Time will tell. I will let you kill anything we encounter from here out.”

  “Thanks for that. I would love to learn more from you. Or other mages. Is that possible? Is there a school for mages?”

  “There is no official school or training available. We tend to learn from other mages when they are willing to teach or take on an apprentice. I am not an instructor, but I can help you channel your mana properly.”

  “Channel?” Jeremy asked. “Like, there are better ways to use magic?”

  “Yes. Well, use it more effectively, charge it up more, use more mana per cast, cause more damage.”

  “Wow. Okay. I could definitely use training in that area.”

  Rovek told Jeremy they should be getting closer to the cavern and to be on guard and ready for any attackers. The area was high in mana and sometimes new creatures would be formed and attack on instinct. They were attacked by

  Rovek was right. As soon as they left the main path, they were attacked by a swarm of beetle like mites.

  The mites came in various sizes; some much larger than others. Jeremy suspected there were probably over 100 of them and he wondered if the queen was amongst them or chose to command from a different vantage point.

  “Mel,” Jeremy said. “Let’s attack with our soul flare attack.”

  [Sure!] Mel said excitedly.

  The fire worked, killing several.

  [Let’s do it again.]

  This time, Jeremy noticed the swarm adapted to the fire attack, having learned from the previous one.

  Rovek stood by idly as he promised he would.

  Jeremy used divinity with hardly any effect. Well, that was a waste of mana, he thought

  “Hit the swarm with water,” he told Melorien.

  The bugs had focused in on who had been attacking them and started to fly around the team. Jeremy got bit by one of the larger ones. He was swinging his sword at one of the flyers and left his legs unguarded.

  Mel hit as many bugs as he could with water., Rovek watched from behind a force field of some sort shaking his head as if he were watching someone do something very stupid.

  Jeremy called lightning, which worked really well. He guessed he probably killed over half the walking bugs.

  Mel shot more water at the swarm but they were adapting to the water attack now.

  Jeremy used wind gust which was extremely effective against the flyers knocking all but two or three to the ground. He only had half of his mana pool left. He tried another wind attack, but the bugs moved out of the way.

  Jeremy growled in frustration.

  “A little help?!” he yelled at Rovek.

  Rovek smiled and went to work.