ã€ŠDruidã€‹


 Chapter 1: What is Dao

    What is magic?

    It is widely accepted that magic is a tradition, an art formed through the observation of this mystical paradox called Earth. Magic is manipulation ofuniverse''s energies, magic is deliberate and magic is inherent in the Earth''s creatures. Magic can''t be created nor can it be made up, but when people attempted to use it the result was the creation of spells. Raul''s lifetime of studies into magic and the universe had led him to a single conclusion.

    Life sucks.

    Nobody and no thingis born equal, much like a game''s character creation set on random every living personis born with different looks, intelligence, talent, charm, health and the lucky ones get to keep all their limbs. After a person is born they then have to brave the natural world outside the relative comfort of the womb. It is in this world where the chance exists to gain success through luck or become penniless if unlucky. It is at this point where Raul had placed magic''s purpose.

    Magic is a way to level the playing field we call life.

    With the ability to manipulate Earth''s energies, magicians gain full access to the greatest resource at their disposal; mother nature. From transforming rocks to gems and ferocious lions to lovable companions magic contrasts with life because magic''s possibilities are endless. Wealth and status become obsolete to the magician, nor are they required for a magician to practice their craft. The requirements for the practice of magic are those inherited from person to person.

    Desire, curiosity, knowledge, awareness, intelligence, persistence and education.

    The poorest orphan could stumble upon a magic book and become a king in a day. A wealthy tyrant could rule for a dozen years then offend a magician and disappear. But not every promise is fulfilled in life, nor is every one destined for power. One does not need to understand the magic texts written in ancient times. Not everyone can consume the magical potions which provide information on spells and experiments.

    But even without understanding, Earth''s wisdom grants every being the ability to learn magic.

    The ability to listen to the Earth''s wisdom provides each and every person with the necessary teachings for proficiency of magic, if they are just willing to listen to it. In every precious material, from the glittering gemstones filled with the Earth''s power to blades of grass trampled underneath a horses shoe there lies the Earth''s wisdom. Free and abundant for all. One is not born into magic, but they are quickly and undoubtedbly adoubted into it''s embrace once born into the world. Those that learn how to use magic from Earth''s wisdom or other means are known as magicians.

    The act of learning how to use magic is known as witchcraft.

    ¡°And it is your voice that has led me here.¡±

    Yes.

    Raul looked calmly at the tree in front of him. According to the universal understanding given by the Earth''s wisdom, magic is the source of all power. Whether used benevolently or selfishly each person knew that the general rule is that magicians reap what they sow. Receive evil for evil done. Receive good for good deeds done.

    So the standard perception wasthat witchcraft is something that allows you do what you want, but harm no-one.

    Raul placed his hand against the tree, ¡°You tell me that there is something on it''s way capable of and willing to destroy Earth. But you say that they will reap no evil karma and so you can''t tell me who it is or what they will do.¡±

    Correct.

    He frowned.

    ¡°How is that possible? No, it is impossible. No magician could wreak this kind of havoc and harm this many lives without incurring the wrath of Earth.¡±

    Not a magician.

    ¡°Not a magician?¡± Raul''s curiosity peaked. He had never heard of something like this, ¡°What is it then?¡±

    Do you desire the knowledge?

    The tree shimmered and a bright ray of white light lit up from within it, splitting the tree in half and creating a circle of bright light big enough to fit a person inside. It was not a spell, nor was it any kind of manipulation of magic. It was a burst of concentrated power in one area that punctured through reality itself.

    A portal.

    Raul was silent. Magic was concerned with the immediate needs and desires of the practitioner in the here and now. It never sought the possible rewards and was never concerned with the possible future outcomes. There was no waiting in time, magic gave a magician their share of rewards in the now.

    So why was the magic tempting him with possibilities?

    Find the answers you seek magician.

    Raul took a step towards the portal and then hesitated.

    Every magician was enticedby knowledge, but they had long ago evolved past the need for violence to solve problems. Magic''s very nature determined the near eradication of brutality in the universe. Peace could be felt by simply breathing the air. To see greed was rare, to find someone that acted selfishly was to find a diamond in a haystack. A killer was so rare as to be unique in the world.

    Raul could be called that unique person.

    But like all magicians he didn''t have a disposition towards killing and murder.

    ¡°What do you want me to do.¡±

    Find the cause. Destroy the destroyer. Stop the end of magic.

    ¡°Why me?¡± Raul acted hesitant but stepped into the light, allowing himself to be bathed in it''s rays.

    He already knew the answer to his question.

    He could be pursuaded. He could kill if he needed to.

    ''Magic doesn''t kill. Magic never wants to kill. It is impossible.'' Raul scratched his side pensively.

    It was the magicians nature to be inquisitive, to explore new things and go into the unknown. And Raul knew that he could no more resist mystery''s calling than resist the will to live. Magic was infinite, enough for every creature on the Earth to use a million times more than they currently were. Constantly generated, benefiting everyone, every individual, creature or thing and maximising their potential. It was something constituent of the universe and intertwined within the cosmos. It was everlasting and beyond the concepts of time, life and death.

    What could threaten this almighty force?

    Because you are the only one suitable.

    Because you will become the karma to those that seek to harm me.

    Raul breathed in the last breathe of peaceful forest air he knew he would be taking in for a while. He wasn''t sure where the portal went, he didn''t even know if he would be able to come back to this place, his home.

    He took the final step and went through the portal, and the air around him reverberated as the ground sighed.

    Good luck, druid.

    ****

    The history of magic has existedfor as long as the history of man has been recorded.

    Which is not that long, relatively speaking.

    Nobody knows the origin of magic. Some scholars propose that magic is what created the universe, others that magic was first created alongside the universe. But what is known is that magic is contained within every space and inside every portion of the existence. There is no place with life and death that does not contain magic. There are no people or cultures completely cut off from magic, no traditions devoid of magical influence and no history untouched by it''s unseen hand.

    And alongside magic''s companionship the human race learned to utilise it''s resources and harness it''s capabilities.

    They named this concept of magic manipulation ''spell''.

    Casting a magic spell is simple and complicated, depending on how you wish to manipulate magic.

    Some choose to shout words and infuse these words with magic so that they then become spells. Others stand within magical circles or wield objects capable of harnessing magic. What truly separates a magical spell from any other action is the casters intentions. Spells are unlimited in forms, but magicians are limited in imagination. For a spell to be created and used, the magician must consciously attempt to manipulate magical power and the Earth''s energies with intent in order to achieve a goal.

    That is not to say that every spell suits every magician. If a caster tries and fails to use gems to conjure the water necessary to put out a fire then perhaps they would be better suited to drawing in the energies from the air. Studies into this phenomenon led to the creation of five different sources from which magicians could draw magical power, water, fire, wind, earth and spirit. Some magicians can draw magic power equally from all five, others might find it easier to draw from earth and come up empty when trying with water. The strongest of magicians were those that could draw magic from more than one source of magic. To find someone who could draw from three sources of magic was rare.

    Raul could draw energy from all five sources.

    As soon as he stepped out of the portal he saw the air around him darken.

    The portal of light had closed the moment he stepped forth.

    Raul quickly stretched out the fingers of both his hands, each one painted a different colour. He concentrated on his middle fingers, one painted red and the other black, and pointed his fingersout into the space ahead of him.

    ¡°Spell of protection; Saliva anti danger spell.¡± Raul calmly uttered the words and spat over his left shoulder.

    A small sound was made as the spit hit a dry leaf and Raul instantly felt calmer.

    There were different ways to cast spells of protection. Sometimes the ingredients needed could fill a house and the chants would be an hour long.

    Raul had gone for the quicker option.

    Using the immediately available resource of his spit he had cast a simple spell of protection designed to repel evil spirits or beings harbouring evil intentions that were lurking about.

    The reason he had stretched out his fingers was simple. Spells of protection were often strengthened by the presence of the number five. The number was present not as a written image, but as a concept which was inside the caster''s mind at the time. To put a solid presence of this concept in the material plane such as two hands with five fingers each would greatly increase the strength of the spell. And the reason he had concentrated on his red and black fingers was because those colours, as well as blue, were also used to strengthen protection spells. He had simply chosen to concentrate on his middle fingers as it would have been slightly slower to also concentrate on his blue pinky at the same time.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Where is the magic?¡±

    Raul frowned and he studied the surroundings. Since he was able to cast magic using all five sources, he was naturally connected to these sources as though they were limbs. But now he could only sense one source of magic, his spirit. It was as though there was no magic in the world around him. There was also a peculiar feeling to the air, the aura of not only the atmosphere but also the world around him contained something different, something new.

    "This world is filled with the scent of death."

    The first thing that Raul noted was that it was night time.

    ¡°Perhaps... lunar divination?¡±

    Divination spells are a type of magic manipulation that lets magicians divine whatever their heart desires. Whether it be their fate, the local news or memories of the past. But in order to choose the correct spell the caster also needs to choose an action. Diviners use tools, rituals, spells and systems to reveal hidden information. Unlike the protection spells a divination spell cannot be strengthened through aid of a number or colour. This is because unlike other classes of spells, divination spells put the caster into direct contact with magic. Concentrating solely on the spell is a form of respect to magic from the caster.

    Lunar divination is a simple divination magic spell, the caster only has to gaze at the moon, pose the question they wish to ask in their mind and then inspiration would come to them.

    Raul shook his head, ¡°No.¡±

    Unfortunately this spell required him to take his mind off the surroundings for a long period of time. This is common in most divination spells, but as well as not giving an immediate answer, lunar divination could also take from as little as a few minutes to as much as a few weeks to provide the caster with the answers they seek. In this world that reeked of death and lacked magic in the airhe couldn''t risk something happenig while his guard was down.

    Raul rummaged through one of the many bags underneath his robes. When he withdrew his hand it was grasping a small herb.

    Raul brought the herb up to his mouth and chewed on it.

    Salvia divinorum, known commonly as oracle sage. The sage itself was not a divination spell, nor was one required using the herb. Instead oracle sage acts as a gateway to the opening of psychic abilities. It would allow the user to breathe in the atmosphere of the world and divine it''s properties. It was most effective when burnt and the smoke inhaled, but it could also be eaten when fire is unavailable. What would be found through this method is not precise answers to questions but general information granted from the world around him. An invisible hand scouring the surroundings and feeding what it felt into his being.

    Raul''s eyes closed and he took a deep breath, allowing his senses to retract as he attempted to understand the information being placed into his mind.

    ¡°I see...¡± Raul let out a sigh and cut off the effects of the oracle sage.

    He didn''t want to be under the effects of a divination spell for too long because he didn''t know if there were enemies around. The divination had quickly revealed what he wanted to know. He had divined that whether it was the trees surrounding him or the air he breathed nothing contained magic. All four of the external sources of magical power were cut off from him. Which left himself his spirit, as the sole source of magic left within this world.

    This meant his magical power hadbeen lowered to a fifth of his usual state.

    ¡°Something which comes from a world with no magic, and contains no magic, can reap no karma for evil actions.¡± Raul speculated, ¡°But if there is no magic, how can something without hope to threaten that which has magic? Let alone magic itself.¡±

    If there was still an internal source of magic then that meant that magic could still reach the inhabitants of this world.

    He needed more answers.

    Raul strode forward and put his hand on a nearby tree, lightly pulling on one of its fresh leaves and plucking it.

    In the divination class of spells there was one known as fig divination. Because the fig tree is descended from the tree of life it''s fruits could be used to determine the future of ones life. However this tree was not a fig tree, nor did it bear fruit.

    Instead, Raul was going to use a similar spell to divine a simple answer from the leaf. In order to use the original spell he first had to state a distinctive proposal, plan or scheme to the fig. With his modified spell he would only have to ask the leaf in his hand a question.

    Raul massaged the leaf inbetween his fingers, ¡°What animals eat your brethren?¡±

    He placed the leaf near another leaf, that he saw had been slightly chewn. He was careful to make sure they didn''t touch since the nature of the spell would be ruined if they did.

    The leaf in his hand slowly transformed, wilting in places, and remaining green in others. In a few seconds it had formed a distinct image of a squirrel-type creature.

    ¡°Good.¡± Raul let out a smile for the first time since arriving.

    The picture didn''t provide too many details, it couldn''t provide a detailed image nor could it show how tell or wide the creature was. But the fact that the spell had worked proved to Raul that the objects and creatures in this land could be used to cast spells. He would have been severely limited in his options if he couldn''t use the local resources in his spells.

    Of course, Raul had a specific plan in mind now that he knew that there were animals in this magic-less world.

    Magical partners.

    In his world magical partners were commonplace. Animals or creatures who participate in spells and rituals, enhancing them with their own powers. ''Familiars'' are the main category of magical partners. Familiar category magical partners are animals or creatures that are familiar with the caster, an individual that shares and lives with an intense psychic bond with the caster. A personal bond. This bond means that the caster and the familiar will feel a need to be together physically most times. A dog that sleeps under the caster''s bed or a bird perched on the caster''s shoulder all day would most likely be familiars. Familiars can enhance magic within the caster and sometimes the familiar can even cast spells themselves.

    Allies on the other hand are something that transcend the boundaries of familiars. Any animal may be approached to become an ally. It is a relationship on the spiritual level between the animal and the caster. Sometimes an ally may be found inherently within the casters spirit and so whenever the caster encounters that type of animal they will automatically be allies.

    As a druid it was not uncommon for Raul to communicate and form relationships with the many animals in his home forest. He had many allies, but he had never had a familiar, because druids were naturally solitary when it came to their spiritual individuality.

    One form of magic involving magical partners are animal images. Often a painting of an animal or creature could invoke it''s properties, for example, a carving of a tiger could invoke ferocity within the caster using it.

    The animal image which had formed from the leaf in Raul''s hand couldn''t be used in this way because it was too indistinct. But it could be used to find the creature it resembled.

    ¡°Animal healing magic; Magical sign animal spell.¡±

    Raul held the leaf in his hand and concentrated on the animal shape it was carved in.

    Then he placed it on the ground.

    An appropriately shaped animal image could be used to locate lost animals. But in this use of the spell Raul was simply letting every animal of this type in range know that he was there, and calling out to them.

    Raul rummaged through his bags again and his hand came out with a small bottle, the contents of which he sprayed onto his palms. He then put the bottle back in his bag.

    Eve oil.

    The creation of this oil was simple, apple blossoms, dried pomegranate seeds and snake root all placed in a bottle and covered with sweet almond and jojoba oil. Eve oil was use primarily to help communicate with animals. It could allow the users emotions to be understood by the animal and when used by a proficient and powerful caster such as Raul it could allow the animal to understand his words, and for him to understand it''s emotions in return. Normally he would have dressed a candle with the oil in order to maximise it''s use but he didn''t want to use up the candles he had in his bags without good reason because they could be used for important and powerful spells.

    Next Raul repeated the same process he had with the leaf and created a group of carved leaves, all in the shape of the squirrel-type animal. He placed them in a circle around the original leaf. In order to make an animal his ally or familiar it was necessary that the circle he used was big enough to fit both of them inside it. There was a slight breeze but now that the circle had been completed the leaves wouldn''t budge even if there was a hurricane.

    Soon a furry creature the size of a large rat waddled in from behind the surrounding trees and sniffed at the leaf curiously, giving Raul a glance with it''s wide, orb-like eyes. Raul looked calmly back at it and noted that even though it ate leaves, the creature had two large canines in its upper teeth. It looked like a cross between a vampire and squirrel.

    A world of death could only ever give birth to an animal designed for killing.

    Raul sat down and placed a small branchin front of him, frankincense.

    Then he attempted to visualise his proposal to the creature, causing it to shrink back as it was suddenly confronted by the feeling of having Raul communicate with it''s mind, with it''s spirit.

    It was a type of communication that trancended the physical dimension.

    As well as sitting inside the circle and using the frankincense to establish a spiritual link with the creature, Raul also needed to wait until the creature was willing to communicate with him.

    Even if an animal was trapped within his circle, Raul couldn''t force it to become his ally. The intricacies of the relationship of being allies with a magical partner was built on affection, love, respect and personal chemistry. These traits would be developed over time in normal situations, but because he was in a rush Raul was relying on a different method. He was requesting an alliance outright. As for whether or not the creature would know how to accept the communication he wasn''t worried. Each and every creature in existence would instinctively know how to accept a communication once it was sent to them.

    Raul was suddenly confronted with a frightened, but inquisitive emotion.

    Raul smiled, ¡°I see I have your attention, woodland creature.¡±

    The emotions were not Raul''s, they were the creatures. By accepting the establishment of the link the creature caused Raul to experience the same emotions that it was feeling. It was clearly frightened of him, but only because it was witnessing something it had never experiencedbefore. It didn''t sense a threat from him, and he wasn''t giving off the aura of someone that intended it harm, so it had accepted his proposal to talk.

    ¡°I will make my proposal simple,¡± Raul spoke slowly so that he could gauge from the creature''s emotions where it stood in the negotiations to partner with him, ¡°I offer you protection and in return I ask that you guide me to the nearest place that has creatures of my kind.¡±

    The good thing about having allies over familiars was that the caster and the creature were independent from each other. Unlike familiars, allies could provide information one day and be an ocean away in distance the next without any repercussions. If the squirrel was willing to become his ally it would only need to give him an answer and then they would be connected on a spiritual level. But Raul could also let the squirrel live it''s life in peace after he had fulfilled his bargain and then never see it again.

    Emotions of excitement flitted through Raul.

    The creature was excited because it could sense within it''s spirit how powerful Raul was. It was a simple creature with no aspirations in life other than to keep on living. It sensed that Raul could help it in that regard.

    The creature looked at Raul and he nodded in response. He could feel that it wanted him to fulfil his end of the bargain before it helped him with his request.

    "Very well. Prepare yourself creature."

    Raul took out a piece of amber from his bags and closed his eyes to visualise the animal it represented, ¡°Animal protection spell; Tiger guardian spirit spell.¡±

    In his world the tiger is profoundly connected with the traits of strength and daring. A ferocity that allowed the tiger to fully utilise the magic it was born with. It was an animal that was feared for it''s magical power and ability to wield it. When a tiger died it would leave behind an amber in it''s body that would contain it''s magical power. The spell he had just cast used this amber and would cause the squirrel-type creature to be surrounded by the aura of a tiger at all times. While it would remain the same physically it would change it''s mental state to that of a predator, becoming fiercer and braver. It would also emit a ferocious aura that would scare off potential predators. For an animal in the wild that didn''t wish to become stronger and wanted to live it''s life peacefully this was the best kind of protection that could be given to it.

    The squirrel let out a series of ferocious emotions as it attempted to control the new-found traits it had been gifted and the mental state it found itself in.

    A few minutes later the creature sent out an emotion that could roughly be translated in words as, ''thank you'' and then confirmed that it did indeed know the way to other creatures shaped like Raul.

    ¡°Lead me to them my friend.¡± Raul whispered.

    He wasn''t sure whether or not the humans would be friendly, so he warned the creature not to get too close.

    In this land how could he trust that the inhabitantswouldn''t kill him on sight?

    The creature ran into the trees and Raul followed it. He vaguely gathered from the squirrel''s emotions that it was purposefully passing through the nests of several of its kind in order to show off it''s new aura of ferocity to it''s fellow squirrel-things.

    Raul sighed and he could feel a small twinge inside of him, his magic was reacting to his feelings.

    It was a druid''s job to maintain peace and order wherever they were. Now he had done something which might affect the entire ecosystem of this forest. He didn''t regret it, he was in a world that magic itself had told him contained hostility and desperate times called for desperate measures.

    They had walked through two miles of trees and bushes when the creature suddenly stopped and pointed a clawed paw forward.

    Raul squinted his eyes and realised that across from the trees he could see a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a lake with a small wooden bridge built across it. A few meters away from the bridge was a hill covered in grass the sloped gently downward as well as a tall tree overlooking it bearing fruit that Raul couldn''t identify.

    And on top of the hill and underneath the tree was a wooden hut.

    Raul clenched his fingers, and focused on his pinkies, one containing blue and the other purple. Then he focused solely on the pinky that was purple. He thought of the intensity of his desires and the seriousness of his mission. Then he channelled these emotions as he felt the magic power within his spirit spark. Then he opened his palms and spread the oil he had within them over his body underneath his robe.

    ¡°Spell of Domination; My Will Be Done.¡±

    Among the spell classes there are spells which have generated a bad name for magicians. Strengthened by the colour purple, the type of spells only to those known and used by those that seek to do evil and reap evil karma. They are spells that allow the caster to convince or force others to do their bidding, spells that allow one to exert ones will onto others despite opposition and enhance the caster''s influence beyond natural limits. These are spells that allow the caster to persuade others to bend over and ask what they can do for you.

    Domination spells.

    They are different from hex class spells in that there is no harm intended towards the target. They are not used to attack.

    They are used to control others.

    The first domination class spell was developed by a woman, and so were most of the others after that. In the ancient times before magic was well known and thought to be spread unequally among the populace, some women lived in fear of their lives. They were beholden to their husbands, fathers and brothers and their lives could be cut away with a simple word or false accusation.

    And so they wished for a way to escape their slave-like lives.

    And the Earth''s wisdom responded.

    It was a class of spells that could be used for great evil, but also for great good. For all the magicians in history that used domination class spells for evil there were also those that used them for good. There is rarely a black and white way of seeing a use for magic. Slavery was abolished because a single slave found a spell to forcefully show others the things they had experienced in such a way that they could not deny it any longer.

    The spell Raul had just used was not designed to control others directly. Instead it caused him to radiate influence and power. It required the spreading of commanding oils over his body.

    Normally this spell would cause others to cower and fear from the aura being emitted.

    But this was only if amateurs used the spell. The normal use of the spell simply emulated a powerful aura like the tiger spell he had cast on the allied creature before. Raul''s was different because his aura was not fake, he simply kept it contained at all times in order to properly commune with the Earth''s wisdom free from distractions. The power radiating from his body was incomparable to that of the spell''s ordinary casting and he could control it in any way he wished. If he wanted to, he could even use it to attack.

    ¡°Ancient one... why have you come to visit me?¡±

    A voice echoed across the clearing and caused the trees to shake and animals to screech into the air. The squirrel creature wasscared away and the sky filled with birds escaping into the skies.

    The presence of birds in this world would be of great use to him later.

    A man stepped out of the wooden hut and frowned.

    He could sense Raul''s aura and to him it looked as though someone had lit the surrounding forest on fire. The man shivered but a second later a weaker, but still quite strong aura of peace and tranquillity emerged from his body.

    The man spread out his hands in a welcoming gesture, ¡°I am not a man of violence, and I am also a man of few enemies. If you are unrelated to me and simply passing by I would be more than grateful to accept you into my humble abode and discuss the dao with you.¡±

    ''Dao?'' Raul''s expression remained unchanged but internally he began tothink.

    He didn''t recognise this word.

    But from the context he could see that the man expected him to know it.

    ''A synonym for magic?'' Raul smiled.

    He could tell from this man''s aura that he was a person of peace. Raul recognised it as the aura of someone who had incredibly good karma, and had accumulated it from his good deeds.

    However, he couldn''t sense any magic within this aura.

    He immediately retracted his aura of power and the man gave him a pleasant smile and withdrewhis own aura in response. Raul walked over the bridge and stopped before entering the shade of the tree.

    ¡°I am impressed.¡± Raul spoke.

    The man spoke questioningly, ¡°What have I done to earn your respect, ancient one.¡±

    Raul pointed towards his heart, ¡°When confronted with a man radiating power and influence such as I, you not only showed that you were a peaceful man not used to violence but also accept me into your home. Some would call you foolish. I call you impressive.¡±

    The man looked confused then grinned, ¡°But of course, I accept everyone and everything, regardless of their past or future. For that is my dao.¡±

    Raul nodded at him and entered the house.

    The reason he did this was because he had seen the man''s aura clearly. There were many people in the world capable of changing their aura''s with spells or even hiding their auras.

    But these people would never be able to fool Raul.

    He had read not only the man''s aura, but also his personality and traits from this one point of contact. He could tell without a doubt that this man meant him no harm and was trustworthy.

    But he still didn''t let down his guard. He had only temporarily retracted the effect of the domination spell, he hadn''t cancelled it altogether.

    The inside of the hut was simple. There was a mattress on the floor that looked like it was made out of wool and filling up the middle of the hut was a small wooden table and three chairs. Raul smiled at the wool. It meant that at the very least the people of this world were advanced enough to begin concentrating on bringing luxury to their lives. Clearly this peaceful man lived a life similar to himself, in seclusion and cut off from the temptations of the material plane.

    The man stood behind a chair and motioned to another, ¡°Please, sit.¡±

    Once Raul had sat down the man followed suite and they stared at each other.

    Raul cleared his throat.

    ¡°I will begin. What is dao?¡±

 Chapter 2: Speed and Power

    ¡°What is dao?¡±

    Raul knew that in order to counteract and oppose the threat to magic in his world he would need more than brute strength. It was possible that he would need to recruit allies in this world, perhaps even become involved in it''s affairs if that was what it took.

    He was even willing to destroy it if that was the only solution.

    But the most important thing needed to help him complete his mission was information.

    To Raul''s surprise the man didn''t seem very confused with his question. He didn''t look at Raul as though he was a fool, nor did he look at him as though he thought that Raul was messing with him. In fact, the man was taking his time to answer the question and looked like he was truly putting thought into it.

    ''Perhaps this ''dao'' isn''t as commonplace in the world as magic is in mine.'' Raul thought to himself.

    This was the most obvious chain of thought. Raul had initially thought that ''dao'' was this worlds word for magic, but if he had asked what magic was in his own world he would have been laughed at because there was not a single being that didn''t know what magic was after it had first been discovered.

    Such was it''s nature.

    ¡°The dao...¡± The man whispered underneath his breath.

    ''The dao.'' Raul continued his thoughts, ''Then perhaps it is an object.''

    The man took a deep breath, ¡°You have asked me a deep question ancient one, and I do not know if I qualify to to answer it. In my experiences I have come across a single answer. The dao is a path, the dao is a way of life. There is a limit to the amount of dao''s one can discover, I have estimated it to be within the thousands. But as is common knowledge, a person can only choose one dao. But in my experiences I hold this assumption to be wrong. Dao''s intersect, and who is to say that a person can never change? And yet, who is to say that the person chooses the dao. I have discovered that the further I explore my dao the more I am convinced that I did not choose it, it is simply who I am and always was. A person may change their personality and their way of living, even their inner nature. But I do not think that a person can change their dao because they are their dao. The dao is your way of life. But at the same time I believe that a person and their dao are intertwined, so that one simply needs to explore themselves in order to find their path.¡±

    Raul let in a breath, ¡°Interesting...¡±

    He had never encountered anything like this before.

    From the description given, this ''dao'' was neither magic nor spells, but something completely different.

    And it was possible that this something wasn''t affected by karma like magic was.

    ¡°A dao is a way of life...¡± Raul repeated and the man nodded patiently.

    Raul''s mind was working in overdrive, ''Could that mean that in this world it is someone''s ''dao'', their way of life, to destroy all magic in my world? Is a dao that powerful?''

    Seeing Raul deep in contemplation the man hesitated, then spoke in a soft tone, ¡°Ancient one... what do you think the dao is?¡±

    ¡°I do not know anything about the dao.¡± Raul spoke truthfully, ¡°But I do not agree with your sentiment that a person is their dao.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± The man looked surprised, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    Raul thought about the inhabitants of his world, and then about his own life, ¡°Because I have met people without a dao, yet still have power beyond imaginations.¡±

    The man''s reactions were subtle but the widening of his eyes and surprise in his brows couldn''t be hidden.

    ¡°Truly you must have seen some mighty sights in your life ancient one. I have truly been enlightened by your words. You have met those without a dao and yet still have power. A true mystery. Then have I been wrong all my life? If the dao is not part of me, then is it only a chain constricting me from further improving myself? I have thought for so long that I needed to improve my dao to improve myself... but I only realise now that I have been restraining myself from improving. Who is to say that I cannot improve myself and concentrate on the dao at the same time? I have only harmed myself by thinking of the two as the same thing, and then only working to improve one. Your words are truly wondrous.¡±

    Raul''s body stiffened as the man suddenly exuded his aura again. However, he was not surprised that the man was releasing his aura. What surprised him was that the aura had increased.

    The man had become stronger just from hearing his words.

    What kind of thing was the dao, that people could become stronger just by hearing some words?

    The man didn''t even seem to be thinking of the same things Raul was. In fact, the man seemed to have gained some sort of deeper understanding into his words than Raul had intended. But why did this deeper understanding lead to an increase in the man''s power?

    The man''s power suddenly began to fluctuate, sometimes strong and sometimes far weaker than he was before.

    The man clasped his hands towards Raul and bowed, ¡°Thank you ancient one. I have broken through the bottleneck I was in thanks to your words. I shall have to pardon myself from our conversation in order to stabilise the power within my body. Please...¡± The man looked hesitant, ¡°I would like to continue this conversation after I am done. Would you honour me by acting as my guardian until I am done, so that we may then continue our conversation? I will not lie, I do not have many enemies, but I am aware that some have followed me and were waiting until I had my breakthrough intending to attack me now in my moment of weakness.¡±

    Raul nodded and the man breathed a sigh of relief before sitting down on top of his bed and crossing his legs in meditation.

    Raul was unsure as to what was happening within the man''s body but the concept of having enemies was universal. If there was a good man here, then undoubtedly his enemies were those that would have sown considerable bad karma within his own world.

    They were people he would not hesitate to fight against.

    But killing them is a different story.

    Raul walked outside and gazed at horizon. There were trees as far as his eyes could see.

    ''Why did the man call me ancient one?'' Raul dismissed the question, intending to ask the man later on.

    Raul sat down in front of the entrance and thought to himself.

    ''Elder protection spell, dragon''s tears spell, fennel spell...'' He thought of the various protection class spells he knew.

    A spell to ward off evil spirits was probably unnecessary since the opponents were likely to be human. But since the man was so strong it was clear his enemies would probably be equally as strong, or maybe slightly weaker since they had to resort to surprise attacks.

    Raul decided to cast spells that would protect from both the physical and spiritual opponents he could encounter.

    Raul took two seeds out of one of his bags and frowned. He could cast a long lasting protection spell using these seeds but his reserves would eventually run low if he used resources from his world constantly. His bags had spells in place which increased the amount they could hold. There are enough resources within them to cast all the spells he knew a thousand times over.

    But what if he stayed in this world long enough to need to cast them two thousand times over?

    Raul still hadn''t identified the threat to his world. Nor did he know how much time he would have to spend in this world.

    He shook his head and began to plant the seeds, one on either side of the door.

    The ritual for this next spell was simple.

    He gathered a handful of dirt from near the doorway and then took out another patch of dirt from his bags, this one had been dug up by a bull''s horns. He placed the dirt in one hand and with his free hand he put his hand back into the bag and took out some more dirt, this dirt had been dug up by a boar''s tusks.

    He placed the two seeds in the dirt pile and placed them and and equal amount of dirt into separate red bags conjuring bags.

    ¡°Spell of conception; Earth spell.¡±

    Once upon a time magicians had sought the answer to hunger by asking the Earth''s wisdom how to increase the growth rate of their crops.

    The spell ''Earth spell'' had been given to them in response.

    The use of magic has always been to obtain benefits in one form or another. Wealth, luck, true love or a passionate lover. All of these things could be gained through the use of magic. But since the beginning of human history, humans have been focused on the mysteries of birth and life. And this is similarly reflected in the deep themes of magic power and spells. For what is magic, but something which is used to create something new, which did not previously exist?

    And so magicians have long delved into fertility magic as a means of not only casting new spells, but exploring the nature of magic itself. Magic is about being fruitful and multiplying. Spells involving the control of fertility of all creatures boast the grandest repertoire. This is not limited to the fertility of babies, but also the enhancing and stimulating of traits such as creativity or courage, to name a couple.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    There was a more powerful version of the spell known as ''Earth spell enhanced'', but it required a nearby shrine to a particular magical deity.

    As soon as he spoke he felt the magic inside his spirit begin to swirl and the seeds within the red bags grew into full sized plants.

    Raul placed his hands above both of the plants, ¡°Spell of protection; Door guardian Ti Plant.¡±

    Ti plants are sacred plants within his world. They provide protection against all kinds of evil, physical and spiritual, and also double as subtle guardians that are not easily spotted. They work best in pairs and so placing one beside each part of the entrance door would allow them to defend the house completely.

    The spells in conjunction ensured that these particular Ti Plants recognised this house as the object of guarding.

    They would also protect those that they saw as the houses'' inhabitants.

    ''The sun is up. Are the say and night cycles of this world shorter than mine?''

    Raul glanced over the horizon again and realised that sun had already risen into the air. He was unsure how much time he had spent in the forest and in the house but he was sure it wasn''t enough for the moon that had been bright in the sky to descend.

    ''Come to think of it... How do the people of this world fight?''

    If the people of this world fought with spells then the Ti Plants would still be effective, but because they had to use their bodies to defend against magic attacks it meant that they wouldn''t be able to block everything. The man''s house and the man himself could be in danger if they attackers used spells affecting a wide area.

    Of course, if they only used their hands and fists then that would be fine.

    For protection against spells that would affect the entire house there was a simple solution.

    Magical circles.

    Simple, yet incredibly efficient. This was the proper way to describe magical circles. A magical circle designates an area for a purpose, in this case safety. No malevolent spells or spiritual forces can touch or harm an area designated for protection within a magical circle. Of course, magical circles could be broken, but the Ti Plants would make sure that this didn''t occur. Certain materials could be used to enhance the circle''s powers.

    Raul looked around and grinned. The tree that overlooked the hut had clearly been there for many years. It''s leaves were covering every inch surrounding the hut, but strangely there wasn''t a single one on the hut itself.

    Raul stood within the leaf covered area and envisioned a circle, the magic allowing him to see the leaves being connected together in a circle without having to physically see the leaves in person.

    Raul double checked that he was inside the circle and spoke, ¡°Spell of protection; Circle spell basic.¡±

    The leaves lit up with magical power and then dulled back to their original colours.

    The circle of protection was complete.

    ''These two should be enough.'' Raul nodded to himself.

    Raul sat quietly as he awaited the arrival of enemies. He didn''t even know if they would come since all he had to go on were the man''s words. He could feel the man''s aura fluctuating inside the house and knew that if he could feel it then it would be like a bright beacon to anyone else in the area.

    The Ti Plants grew and slithered their roots across the ground, causing Raul''s ears to perk up.

    If the Ti Plants were moving it meant that they had sensed a threat the the home.

    Somebody was thinking about doing harm to the man inside.

    ''This will be my second encounter with the people of this world.'' Raul took out something from his bags, hiding it in his palm.

    He had a feeling that this encounter wouldn''t be as pleasant as the one that he had just come from.

    The trees rustled and swathe of flames exploded towards the hut.

    ¡°Old man Gaisen your death is inevitable!¡± A voice echoed out from behind the flames.

    As they flew towards the hut the flames gathered into three separate pillars and moved as though they had a mind of their own. They split off to hit the hut from three different directions and Raul whistled as he looked at them.

    The flame pillars suddenly jolted in mid air right before hitting the hut and shivered, immediately dispersing as though they were being carried away by a gust of wind. They had hit the border of protection provided by the magic circle.

    ''Surprisingly weak.'' Raul thought simply.

    The flame pillars had clearly been sent with the intent to kill but they had barely tickled the most basic of circle protection spells.

    Raul looked towards the source of these flame pillars and saw three surprised looking individuals dressed in lavishly decorated red and gold robes that depicted dragons swirling around their bodies. Each one was old with greying long hair and they seemed to have bags under their eyes.

    Raul studied them curiously, ''So these are the enemies of the man. Did they call him Gaisen?''

    Fights were uncommon in his world. There was a very specific line between good and evil when magic was involved. Those that used magic for evil often found themselves hit with punishment due to the evil karma their actions had generated and the good people simply benefited due to their good karma. As such, fights had mostly been eliminated and the world had settled into a peaceful equilibrium. If people fought it was only in order to test magic and it''s application through new spells. Scheduled fights that had no killing intent behind them were more commonplace because using spells in real scenario''s was a necessary skill and also helped people in their studies and understanding of magic.

    The three old men walked cautiously towards the hut.

    One of them glanced in surprise as he noticed Raul sitting there, still as a statue.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± The man asked him sharply.

    Raul smiled, ¡°I''m a traveller.¡±

    The old man spat and his companions looked disgruntled.

    The old man that had spoken to Raul looked him over and noted his younger looks, ¡°Traveller my ass. You''re probably one of those people that heard the rumours of Gaisen''s power and wants to be his disciple. It''s too bad that you chose to defend him as well.¡±

    Raul tilted his head, ¡°Oh. Why is that?¡±

    The old man snorted and held a badge out for Raul to look at. It was coloured the same as the man''s robes and had a dragon insignia on it, ¡°We are elders of the Ancient Dragon Sect. We have come today to kill Gaisen. If you stand aside now we will reward you grandly. A young cultivator like you has yet to see the true limits of the world if you wish to follow someone like Gaisen. We offer you true power.¡±

    Raul gave the men an amused grin, ¡°It''s true that I don''t understand the limits of this world. That is something I am extremely curious about this limit actually. But I know that you can''t provide me with true power. If you have the gall to speak to me about providing power and insult this man inside when you send three people to kill him then perhaps it is you that needs to be instructed in what true power is.

    The old men flushed red at Raul''s words and they released their auras, each one slightly weaker than Gaisen''s had been.

    Each one had the feeling of someone who had killed before and done great evil.

    ''Truly there is no karma in this world. For if there was then these men would have died long ago as punishment for their actions.'' Raul internally shook his head.

    ¡°If you refuse to stand aside, then you will die alongside the old fool you protect.¡± The old man sneered.

    Immediately the three spontaneously combusted into flames. Each flame was more intense than the combined pillars from before and the old men seemed to be supplying them from within themselves.

    ''How can they cast spells so quickly.'' Raul gazed at the flames in surprise.

    They had appeared in an instant.

    This was something Raul had never encountered before.

    The old men suddenly disappeared and Raul flinched.

    He heard a loud crunching sound and they instantly reappeared with their faces smashing into the shield the circle of protection had summoned up. Because the shield was invisible they looked like they had flat faces and noses. Raul looked at them and burst into laughter.

    He had never seen such a sight before.

    While it was true that the circle of protection was invisible, that was only in the physical sense.

    Any magic user could easily sense that there was a magical circle nearby because they were used to feeling the magic in the air around them.

    But these men hadn''t even sensed the magical circle and so had smashed directly into it.

    All three of them had their noses broken and one had directly fallen unconscious. Raul had envisioned the circle with the notion of protection and not killing. So the shield would never kill the people that touched it. Even if these men had thrown themselves at lethal speeds into the wall it would compensate and at most make them fall unconscious.

    Raul suddenly cut off his laughter and grimaced, ''But still...''

    He hadn''t seen the people move at all. Not only did they surprise him with their spontaneous spell casting but they had also moved with such speed that the shield had directly knocked one of them unconscious from the impact.

    That meant that at least one of the men was moving fast enough to kill himself against what was essentially air.

    If the circle wasn''t there then he would have died instantly.

    ''What an interesting match up it would make... This world''s inhabitants against mine.'' Raul watched the conscious men cautiously backing away from the invisible shield.

    The unconscious person was the one that had previously talked to Raul.

    The remaining two men were still wreathed in flames but they no longer attempted to go near the hut physically.

    One of the men pointed his hand at Raul, ¡°I am unsure if this is a particular magical art, or perhaps a magic treasure. We will not be taken by surprise a second time. You have not killed our ally so I can assume that you do not wish to offend us. I will emphasise this now, you cannot come out of this unscathed. You have already offended us simply by obstructing our way.¡±

    ''Magic, He said magic.'' Raul contemplated in his mind.

    Outwardly, Raul chuckled, ¡°It is not up to me whether or not you are caught by surprise or not.¡±

    The men hesitated at his words and they grew looks of horror. Raul looked at their feet and was satisfied to see the roots of the Ti Plants had wrapped around the men''s legs while they were distracted talking to him. The men struggled for a second longer before the plants completely consumed them from head to toe. The plants wouldn''t kill them but they would suck the oxygen out of the space inside, causing the people inside to pass out. A few more seconds later the plants retracted from the men''s faces but continued to constrain their bodies, including the body of the man that had fallen unconscious in the first attack.

    ''What arrogant people. Turning their concentration away from potential threats while boasting about how powerful they are.'' Raul mused.

    If this had been a fight where he was unprepared it would have been his loss without a doubt. He didn''t know enough about the fighting methods of the people of this world. Their spell casting speed and their movement speed surprised him. Clearly they were also physically strong because these speeds would be unattainable otherwise. At the same time they could have simply cast another instant spell.

    There were too many unknowns.

    He had won because they were similarly disadvantaged against him due to their lack of knowledge. Clearly spells such as the protection circle didn''t exist in this world or else they would have sensed it and prepared for it. They were clearly used to fighting close up and physically or else they wouldn''t have jumped towards him. However, the flame pillars in their initial attack clearly indicated that they had long ranged attacks.

    ''Why did they switched tactics mid fight?'' Raul stared at the unconscious men.

    The door guardians hadn''t been ripped apart by their struggles. So that meant that they weren''t so physically strong that they could pose a threat to the plants. Nor had their fire harmed the shield or guardians.

    Their attacks were instantaneous, but their overall power was far, far weaker.

    Raul sighed.

    Maybe using the Ti Plants was too much preparation. It would have been much easier and less resource consuming to put in place guardian Fu Dogs or Gargoyles. This was something he was going to remember for later when he made his own base of operations in this world.

    But at least the Ti Plants weren''t the strongest of his guardians.

    Raul spent the next few hours guarding the hut but nobody else attacked. The old men had gained consciousness several times but were instantly knocked out by the Ti Plants. The Ti Plants made sure there were no long lasting effects by supplying them with healing magic. It was an unspoken law in Raul''s world that mental effects and well as physical injuries be prevented, kept to a minimum or even healed after inflicted. This was because magic itself would be affected by the mental state and physical state of the user and a maimed user was more likely to corrupt magic.

    Clearly these old men would have no such qualms.

    Just as the sun was straight over the middle of the sky Raul could feel the aura of Gaisen turn stable and retract. He was able to see that the aura was much more solid, as well as more powerful, than when he had met him.

    Raul was curious about this.

    In his point of view an aura is simply another aspect of magic, used for attacking at times but mostly just there to gauge how proficient a magician is in magic.

    But clearly Gaisen''s aura had increased separately from magic and all other aspects of his being had stayed the same.

    This meant that the way he was using his aura was far different to the way Raul used his own.

    Perhaps he had even thought that when Raul had used the domination class spell earlier that the aura he had released was an indication of his power.

    But in reality the aura''s were one of the most useless aspects of attacking magic, used only to intimidate or for controlling others. A magician''s true fighting power lay solely in their casting of hexes. To seal or bypass an aura was a simple task for Raul. On top of that there were also death class spells and dream class spells. When putting these all together the use of aura''s was nearly non-existent.

    ''Hmm.'' Raul waited patiently for the man to exit the hut.

    The fire pillars weren''t auras, which meant that the auras weren''t the only things used to attack in this world.

    But the old men had clearly released their aura''s with the intention of using them to attack.

    With the exception of love and money spells there are no classes of spells than can be directly summed up as wicked. Magic power is most often used benevolently, drawing and aiding health, wealth, stability, love and fertility. But magic power can also be used aggressively.

    This use of magic takes the form of hexes.

    Using magic as a punishing conduit of frustration, anger and resentment towards others and the world itself. It is these spells that are the source of fear within the world, they are the reason some beings grow up terrified of magic.

    These spells are not those used in a social setting, and they are not even the types of spells you would use against your enemies.

    This was because of the cardinal rule; as you reap, so you shall sow.

    If a hex is used then in turn the user will be punished for it by the world.

    This is the nature of karma.

    However magic in it''s essence is a neutral power, neither good nor evil.

    But spells are not neutral, and their use generates evil karma and good karma.

    It was a young genius magician that discovered the reason for this change in magic and spells after he chose to delve into the magic of hexes that the world shunned. He discovered that even though magic is in it''s essence a neutral force, malevolence or benevolence depends entirely upon what is intended and what is done with the magic.

    Nobody can truly fool magic, and so if they have even the slightly malicious intentions the spells they cast to manipulate magic will sow evil karma that will eventually cause them to be punished. So when hexes are cast they mostly generate evil karma not because the spells are evil, but because the people using them have evil intentions. Which meant that hexes could be used as long as the person did not have evil intentions.

    This was a huge find.

    Magic itself was always known as an entity that had it''s own will. There were people who argued later against this young genius''s findings because they had used hexes for good reasons and yet had been punished. The young genius could only state that maybe the people had good intentions and believed their actions to be right, but the world did not agree with them.

    So people continued to fear hexes and their usage as they could not determine whether what they were doing was what the world truly thought was right.

    Of course using hexes came with it''s own risks apart from sowing karma.

    If any of the materials used in the hex touched the caster then the magician would have to immediately cancel the spell and cleanse themselves. And if they tried to use the spell within twenty four hours of that incident they risked it backfiring on themselves.

    It''s main strengthening colour was dark green, which was the colour of Raul''s right hand''s pointing finger.

    Raul was broken out of his contemplation by the sound of the hut door opening.

    He turned around and saw Gaisen looking at the tied up men in surprise.

    Raul grinned, ¡°I gained a lot from this trip. Do you want to talk some more?¡±

    Gaisen smudged his fingers against his cheeks as though to double check that he wasn''t dreaming.

    ¡°O-of course, ancient one. I would be happy to converse with you. B-but I feel guilty, it is as though I am gaining benefits and protection from you without being able to give you a single useful thing in return.¡±

    Raul let out a dark grin as he thought to their conversation and the fight that had just occurred.

    ¡°Oh you don''t have to worry about that. I assure you, I am benefiting a lot more than you can imagine from this visit. Come. Let us talk.¡±

 Chapter 3: Immortal God Guo Feng

    Everyone has different desires, from wanting world peace to hoping for an apple for breakfast. But everyone has the same secret desire deep down inside of them to possess a way to accomplish their goals without even the slightest effort on their part. The ability to achieve miraculous or mundane things with the swish of a hand and the uttering of a word.

    Magic is the reason Raul''s world was able to fulfil these personal goals.

    Want to achieve something? Then you can. Wish to prevent a tragedy? Do so. You want to live your greatest desires? Erase your deepest fears? Magic can do this for you.

    But life sucks.

    Life is flawed.

    And so, life can only give birth to flawed creations.

    Scholars trace back the the first uses of magic to an ancient nation whose name has been long forgotten. When a large tomb containing records on ancient paper made of trees was uncovered scholars took the opportunity to explore it intending to find out about the ancient nation''s culture and the circumstances of it''s decline.

    They found that the nation had achieved many feats. They had created the dream class of spells, they had supported magic users of all ages and powers and thrived to the point of being a mighty empire. For all intents and purposes they should have stayed thriving until the current age.

    It was their ideology that led to their downfall.

    Reading the ancient papers the world discovered that the difference between the nation and the current people was not that there was no magic, but that there was a difference in the expectations of magic. The ancient nation''s people used magic for their everyday needs, but they held different expectations about life and death, different views on the material world''s importance and a different spiritual outlook.

    In essence, they were conquerors.

    They were flawed.

    They used magic to harm and dominate others. There was no equality, there was simply powerful magic users dominating those that had yet to discover magic within themselves. They built cities yet did not give nature time to recover. They used resources yet did not grow them back. They claimed lives in the name of justice.

    And so magic had retaliated.

    It is unclear how the nation was punished, but it is known from the papers that rioting and violence was rife. The once proud empire became a turbulent, violent effigy of magic. It stood as an eternal reminder to the world that if they abused magic for evil intentions, and if their desires were no pure and their goals no good, then they too would be destroyed and wiped from the face of the Earth.

    Magic was there to give balance to the terror that is life.

    Not to make it worse.

    Raul tapped his fingers against the wooden table, ¡°So if I were to kill the three men outside. You are telling me that there would be no repercussions? No punishment?¡±

    Raul could only imagine what kind of horrible world this was without magic to maintain order and balance.

    Could such a world really exist? A world in constant dire threat, with the strongest using their abilities as a repressive force.

    Yes.

    This was such a world.

    Gaisen nodded, ¡°I doubt that the Ancient Dragon Sect would dare to offend an expert as powerful as yourself. They would not dare retaliate against someone who has dealt with three of their elders effortlessly. Especially one such as you who has entered the stage of Immortal Treading.¡±

    Body Tempering, Soul Forming, Core Solidifying, Spirit Sundering, Immortal Treading.

    These were the levels of power that existed in this world.

    According the Gaisen his aura was that of someone at the Immortal Treading level of power, and thus held the title of ''ancient one''.

    Raul lifted his hand to his face and gave out a little laugh. The people of this world did not use magic, nor did they use spells. They measured their power by the aura released, but this could be hidden or lowered. In truth the only way to measure a persons power was to fight them or scan their body by touching it and injecting it with ''spirit energy''.

    Spirit energy was their equivalent of magic in this world.

    Raoul wasn''t quite sure what spirit energy was, only that it existed in the world but was different from magic. It was not used in a way of manipulation but was instead absorbed by the people of this world in order to become stronger. As the people absorbed more spirit energy their spirit grew stronger, causing their aura to grow stronger, and they gained access to higher realms of power.

    It was a method that emphasised personal improvement over cooperation with the world.

    So it could be said that none of the people in this world were magic users.

    This was the reason for their speed in casting spells, and their lack of power. Unlike magicians from Raul''s world this world''s inhabitants did not use items as conduits for spirit energy, nor did they manipulate spirit energy, they simply exuded it from their bodies and their very spirit acts as the activator of the spell, meaning that they themselves are the items used to cast. Their speed was equal to the speed that they could form intentions within their minds to cast spells. They still utilised hand movements and inner manipulations of energy to achieve different effects but this was mainly to provide slight advantages. At their core every person attacked using their spirit energy.

    In return they gained speed.

    But they lost so much more. Because their bodies can only hold a finite amount of spirit energy at a time it meant that they could run out if a fight lasted too long. According to Gaisen there were many elixirs and items which could replenish spirit energy within a ''cultivators'' body, and they could even meditate. But resources were also finite, and lost time in a battle could cause death.

    So cultivators did not use all their spirit energy when attacking, which caused their already weak attacks to become even weaker.

    Cultivators. It appears that this is the word for magicians in this world. Because they do not use magic, but instead ''cultivate'' spirit energy, the name is appropriate.

    Even the so-called magical items and techniques actually used spirit energy.

    Magicians did not have the same flaws as cultivators. There was no finite end to magic. Nor did magicians store magic internally, it was simple there. Unlimited, unrestrained power.

    But because magicians did not store magic internally, and did not become part of magic itself, they sorely lacked in speed.

    Apparently the pinnacle of power in this world was when a cultivator completely joined with spirit energy, causing their entire body to be made of spirit energy itself.

    These cultivators were called immortals.

    Raul nodded, ¡°I see.¡±

    They had only just entered the hut and Raul had all the information he needed. He had only asked Gaisen one question but the man had unknowingly given him all the answers he required.

    This was because of the use of two spells.

    Psychic power spell; Acacia Incense: Sacred wood.

    This spell belonged to the psychic power class of spells. Each and every spell in this class had two purposes, to enhance psychic ability and to replenish psychic depletion. Psychic power was separate from magic, it was a power discovered from within the person and it''s growth was stimulated through use and internal talent. It can also be enhanced or obtained by external objects.

    By blending dried powdered acacia, sandalwood, and frankincense, Raul created a burnable powder that wafted around the inside of the hut and increased his psychic powers.

    Divination spell; Human Divination.

    As long as Gaisen was reflected in the bowl of water he had brought out for Raul and placed on the table, then Raul simply had to gaze within the water and he would be given the information he desired.

    The first spell was designed to let him know what information he desired to know, by scanning Gaisens mind, the second was a quick and easy way to get the information without having to ask questions.

    Gaisen hadn''t hesitated in agreeing to his request to set up spells.

    This form of information passing was common in Raul''s world, but apparently the cultivators of this world mostly passed on information through the spoken word.

    There was still much Raul could not divine.

    What was the dao?

    For some reason even the divination magic could not give him an answer to this.

    What was the threat to his world?

    Again, the divination magic gave him no answers.

    Raul sighed.

    ¡°Tell me. Who are the strongest beings in this world?¡±

    It was only common sense that if there was a threat to his world, then it would be the strongest who were candidates to pose the greatest threat.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Gaisen fell silent and grasped the wooden cup that lay in-between his hands, ¡°There are many continents and lands undiscovered in this world. I would say that the strongest is the Martial Heavenly God, he is a cultivator who has become an immortal, and he is rarely seen because he is constantly travelling.¡±

    ''Could a lone person pose a threat to magic itself?'' Raul wondered.

    He watched Gaisen take a sip of water, ¡°Then, who is the strongest person with a large backing? Perhaps the head of a great empire or the ruler of a country.¡±

    Gaisen trembled, he could only think of one reason as to why Raul wanted to find the strongest beings, ¡°Two beings fulfil those requirements. The first is the Human God King, located in the imperial city of the Human Empire. The second is the Sacred God Beast, leader of the beast kin. His location is unknown.¡±

    Raul tilted his head, ¡°Does every strong cultivator add the word ''god'' to their title.¡±

    Gaisen shook his head, ¡°A title is not made up by the cultivator, it is given to them by their followers and admirers. It is only natural, as even the lowest of cultivators are seen as gods to the ordinary mortals in the world below.¡±

    Raul thought over Gaisen''s words whilst also taking in information from the divination spell.

    Cultivators could move incredibly quickly.

    The world they were in was vast. If his Earth was to be compared to this planet then this planet would be seen to be several times larger. But cultivators could traverse this expanse quickly. In fact, they could even fly.

    This would be a problem if his enemy decided to run away from him.

    He would have to find a way to move just as quickly if possible, or at least he would have to learn to predict where his target would be.

    Other than the strongest beings in the world there was also the potential for a new powerful being to emerge and be the destroyer of magic.

    War.

    It was a concept not unfamiliar in the early days of his world''s discovery of magic. In the modern times it had all but disappeared.

    In this world wars were common, in fact, wars helped keep the population of cultivators under control. Unlike magic which was infinite, the resources containing spirit energy would not continuously replenish and so resources were finite. This scarcity of resources led to war.

    And because of the nature of the dao, cultivators who participated in wars found themselves growing stronger and stronger.

    For every million culled there might be one who comes out a powerhouse.

    While Gaisen was waiting patiently for Raul to respond, Raul thought about the things he would need to do. The most important task he had to complete was finding a fast mode of travel or possibly transportation. Then he needed to investigate the beings that had been listed by Gaisen as the strongest, and maybe even the ones a level of power below them. And at the same time he would have to watch out for any news of brewing wars or current conflicts.

    And to do all that he needed to reach civilisation in order to investigate this world.

    Raul smiled, ¡°I am sorry Gaisen. But it appears that I must take my leave.¡±

    Gaisen looked at him with surprise but didn''t utter a single word of complaint. It wasn''t uncommon for travellers to have very strange personalities. Raul lifted himself out of his chair and calmly walked outside, making sure to break the magic circle formed within the leaves but leaving the Ti Plant guardians there.

    A magician could help things grow, but to reverse the process would be tantamount to killing the Ti Plants.

    He would also leave the elders being held captive with Gaisen.

    While it was true that Gaisen would be able to help him learn more about cultivation, in truth this information was fairly useless to him. Gaisen wasn''t a fighter so he didn''t have much knowledge of the techniques used by cultivators to fight. The man was also a recluse who had hidden himself away in order to begin secluded training in this hut.

    In other words, Gaisen had no idea of the current state of affairs in the world.

    It was even possible that his information on the powerhouses of the world was out of date.

    Raul turned to face Gaisen.¡°That you for your assistance Gaisen.¡±

    Gaisen bowed in return, ¡°I also thank you, ancient one. With your help I was able to breakthrough without any troubles. I shall remember this debt eternally.¡±

    Without another word Raul turned back towards the forest.

    He had gleamed the location of the Ancient Dragon Sect as well as the town it controlled.

    There was an entire world out there for him to explore and study.

    ''This is going to be so fun.''

    ****

    In a far off mountain there lay a single cave, inhabited by a sole individual.

    The mountain itself seemed like a sacred place, filled with ancient creatures and so dense with spiritual energy that nearby cultivators could almost see it in the air. Each and every single creature seemed to be living in peace and harmony. It seemed that the source of all this energy was the sole individual within the cave, silently meditating, unmoving and yet causing great changes to occur within the mountain.

    To the outside world he was known as the Martial Heavenly God.

    As though awaking from a deep sleep the individual opened his eyes. But unlike a waking dreamer his eyes were filled with clarity, and curiosity.

    The man stood up and strode outside of the cave, causing the creatures in the mountain the tremble in fear as they saw him. He ignored them and looked across the country that he had made his home, and then even further across a vast ocean. It looked as though he was trying to discern a small town in a distant land.

    ¡°Ancient Dragon Sect... who it is that calls for me, what manner of ancient being are you.¡±

    In the next instant, he disappeared.

    ****

    Guo Feng smiled as he looked down at the scenes of destruction below.

    With a single wave of his hand he caused a mighty army to be destroyed, with the other hand he casually accepted the adoration and prayers of a million people. Females with indescribable beauty fought each other for his affection. His greatest enemy, the young master that had bullied him when he was a boy, lay decapitated at his feet. Geniuses lined up in the hope of becoming his disciple and inheriting the techniques he had created from scratch as a child.

    He was an immortal god.

    A gust of wind blew down from the heavens and two angels descended, stopping at his feet and bowing to him.

    He gestured for them to stand and saw that they were two beautiful females. It appeared that the holy lord himself wished to become acquainted with him and had sent these angels as a gift. Guo Feng just laughed.

    But then everything shimmered and the entire scene around him collapsed.

    Guo Feng looked around in fear, ¡°W-what is this?¡±

    He was suddenly in a domed room that was plated from head to toe in white stone. Each plated contained a carving of dogs, wolves and deer. In the middle of the room there was Guo Feng and three statues, each depicting a single woman of breathless beauty with different weapons in her hand. A strange grey light illuminated the area and it seemed to come from above. When Guo Feng looked up he saw a moon staring down at him from above, it was etched into the room of the dome.

    A voice echoed out across the domed room and bounced off the walls, ¡°What an interesting dream that was young man, tell me, do all people dream of death and subjugation, or just yourself?¡±

    Guo Feng trembled, ¡°T-this is impossible!¡±

    Suddenly Guo Feng became acutely aware that he was dreaming, but at the same time this type of lucidity made it seem as though everything occurring within the ream was incredibly real.

    ¡°Ha.¡± The voice suddenly sounded out next to Guo Feng and the boy jumped, startled to see the figure of a person sitting next to him, ¡°This is indeed a dream young man. But at the same time it is reality. For who is to say that what happens outside the material plane, isn''t real? Dreams are indeed the birthplace and solidification of desires. If your desires were not real, then how would you dream?¡±

    The man laughed again as though sharing in a rich joke but Guo Feng simple stared at him uncomprehending.

    Raul lifted his hand and motioned for the boy to sit down, and waited while Guo Feng complied, ¡°I will cut to the chase young man. What is your position in the Ancient Dragon Sect?¡±

    Guo Feng immediately realised that this was no ordinary dream, and that this visitor was no ordinary person. He hesitated for a split second before bowing down so fast that he smashed his head against the stone ground.

    He winced in pain, ¡°I am Guo Feng, a humble servant of the sect. I would know none of it''s secrets nor would I be of any use as a hostage.¡±

    He lifted his head off the floor and was surprised to see that the stone had cracks in it, ¡°May I enquire as to this lords name and title. I would be happy to arrange a meeting between the lord and someone within the sect.¡±

    Even though this was only a dream Guo Feng could feel the sweat dripping down his back. Every aspect of this seemed real and Guo Feng felt like he could die at any moment. If this person was strong enough to enter his dreams then he, a lowly mortal, would probably be unable to defend for a second against a sudden attack.

    Raul chuckled at the child''s nervousness.

    He had never even thought of harming the child.

    After all, this was only a dream.

    To this world dreams are something ephemeral, unreal, and unworthy of attention or study. The cultivators of this world even forgo sleep and dreaming in favour of meditation. This was why he could only enter an ordinary person''s dream. But to the magicians of his world there is nothing more important than dreams. The significance of dreams lay not in their characteristics as transient passages. Instead, dreams were seen by magicians as portals to magical realms and planes of existence inaccessible through the material plane.

    Dreaming is an activity of the soul.

    So Raul had used dream magic in order to consciously guide and control this servant''s dream. He had been surprised by the vivacity of the dream that Guo Feng was having and so had chosen to move his conciousness somewhere else.

    The resting place of the goddess, Artemis.

    ''Dream Spells; Dream incubation spell: Artemis assistance spell.''

    Using his dream as a drawing board, Raul had created an alter for the goddess, Artemis. Then he had decorated it with images of the moon, dog, wolves and deer. He had also brought silver and white candles into his dream though they lay in another room. Then the spell required him to sprinkle dried mugwort onto lit charcoals and burn them as incense. He had then described to the goddess the kind of dream he wished to have, not the one he was in, but the dream of someone that was part of the Ancient Dragon Sect and would be willing to help him.

    So he had been able to enter Guo Feng''s dream and bring him here.

    Of course, this could not substitute for a real altar to Artemis. But it would have to suffice. Luckily the people of this world had almost no resistance to magic whatsoever, allowing him to easily influence this person''s dream world.

    Raul shook his head, ¡°I do not wish to use you as a hostage servant of the Ancient Dragon Sect. But I will take you up on your offer to arrange a meeting between the sect and myself. I would like to trade some information with them, if they are willing. I will also need you to meet with me and arrange for my stay at an inn in town. If possible I also wouldn''t mind staying within the sect itself.¡±

    Guo Feng nodded his head vigorously, ¡°Of course lord. I will contact my sect''s quartermaster as soon as possible, and alert the disciples of the sect to your presence. Only....¡±

    Guo Feng hesistated.

    Raul lifted an eyebrow, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    Guo shrugged his shoulders and extended his hands in a helpless motion, ¡°It is very far fetched to say that I was visited in my dreams. The other members of the sect may not believe me. Lord may have to make an appearance himself. I can organise to be in a certain part of the town if you wish and then I can direct you to the sect.¡±

    Raul nodded, ¡°That should be fine. This is your dream, show me the place where you wish to meet with me.¡±

    Raul waved his hand and as room around him shimmered, Guo Feng caught a glimpse of multiple hues, as though his fingers were all painted in different colours.

    Guo Feng tried to picture the square outside the entrance of the sect, where servants often went to cool down during their breaks and where ordinary people would not be stopped from entering. He also added the sun in the sky in order to show Raul what time he began his break from his duties.

    Even though he called himself a servant, the term the sect used was outer disciple.

    But this was a simply a glorified title that held little meaning to the outer disciples. They were treated badly and given the worst tasks, with hardly any reward in return for their hard work other than having the Ancient Dragon Sects name attached to them.

    It was a name that could make mortal tremble in fear, but the actual assistance the sect provided Guo Feng was incredibly small.

    For mortals like him that had little to no hope in practising cultivation, this was the way that the world worked.

    Raul noted the place and time and nodded, content, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The world shimmered again and suddenly the man disappeared, and Guo Feng once again found himself being prostrated to by a million individuals as his enemies lay dead around him.

    ****

    ¡°What scary dreams the people of this world have¡±

    Raul mused to himself as he walked towards the appointed area.

    He had taken advantage of the long walk into town to plan out his actions.

    He obviously couldn''t go to the strongest beings in this world since the distance covered would be astronomical. He may even die from age several times over if he tried. Instead he had made sure that the strongest would come to him.

    Dream spell; Dream powder: Mimosa Magic.

    The mimosa powder that Raul had concocted served three purposes. It could banish bad dreams, stimulate good dreams and encourage the good dreams to come true. In order to make it Raul ground up rose petals, lilac petals and acacia gum in a mortar and pestle. These were items and tools that he kept in his bags at all times.

    Then the result was blended in with cornstarch, and a few drops of essential oils of mimosa and bay laurel had to be sprinkled in the mix. Then he had fallen asleep within a magic circle in the forest with the mixture place around him.

    This would encourage the sole person he had concentrated on, the Martial Heavenly God, to feel as though he needed to come to the Ancient Dragon Sect.

    Whether or not worked was another matter.

    For now, Raul planned to establish himself in the sect. The most important thing that he needed was the one thing he was lacking, information. He had gained a lot from his encounter with Gaisen but he was still unfamiliar with how these cultivators fought and how they managed to tap into the spirit energy of the world around him while he couldn''t.

    So he had decided that he would establish a relation with the nearby sect.

    This world was one of constant fights and conflicts.

    Raul had learnt from Gaisen''s mind that this was the case, and that at the centre of all conflicts for resources there were the mighty and powerful sects of the world. But that didn''t mean that the sects were armies or military camps.

    They were schools.

    In Raul''s world there were no sects. Instead there were schools. Schools were a place of learning on his world, where once could discuss peace and tranquillity as well as learn how to better listen for the Earth''s wisdom. They had been a place of academics and scholarly enterprises.

    Sect''s taught their disciples how to fight wars.

    Nevertheless, they were still schools in Raul''s eyes.

    And he intended to learn.

    Raul looked around and saw that he had finally reached the court that he had seen in the servants dream. It was a plain looking area. A single fountain of water lay in the middle with a nice spread of grass area and a couple of trees making the place a bit more social. Further ahead was a grand gate a few meters wide and tall, with the carving a majestic dragon curling around it. It was coloured red and gold.

    This sect seemed fond of it''s colours and imagery.

    ¡°Lord.¡±

    A voice filled with respect called out to Raul from the fountain area.

    Raul was startled to see a boy that looked nothing like the one in the dream. In the first place a dream was hard to retain in memory, and Raul hadn''t paid particular attention the boy. He distinctly remembered that the boy looked a lot taller, and more handsome, within the dream.

    The Guo Feng that greeted him was a short, plump and freckled boy of about thirteen years of age.

    ''Only a teenager, and yet he dreams of destruction.'' Raul shook his head and looked at the boy who was half bowing, half running towards him.

    Guo Feng stopped in front of him and kept his bowing posture.

    ¡°There is no need to bow to me,¡± Raul smiled, ¡°Tell me, what is your name?¡±

    The boy lifted his head, ¡°Lord, my name is Guo Feng.¡±

    ¡°Guo Feng,¡± Raul spoke as though the name was slipping off the edge of his tongue.

    In his world this would be an uncommon name. It was the same for Gaisen.

    And yet he could understand the language of this world, which meant that somewhere, sometimes, something must have happened so that the language stayed the same but the way people were name changed.

    Raul strode towards the large gate and he heard Guo Feng squeak and hurry in front of him.

    ¡°Allow me to guide you inside lord! But, it may not be so easy.¡±

    Raul nodded.

    The two walked up to the gate and Raul saw that not only were there several guards outside the entrance, they were also holding weapons.

    ''How rare.'' Raul''s inquisitive nature was piqued.

    Weapons had long ago been trashed as a primitive means of fighting. After all, a single spell could bypass all obstacles from a distance of half a world away if done correctly. What use would a weapon be if the attack was of a magic nature.

    So for Raul this was a rare opportunity to see what direction had been taken for the development of weapons in a world where conflict of a physical nature was king.

    The guards saw Guo Feng walking towards them and nodded at him, but frowned as they saw Raul striding up behind him with the intent of entering.

    ¡°Halt.¡±

    A guard wearing a silver helmet and body armour pointed a sword at Raul.

    The magician stopped in his tracks and held his hands up into the air to show that he was unarmed.

    The guard examined Raul, ¡°State your name and your intention or be cut down where you stand.¡±

    ¡°Raul. I wish to establish relations with your sect.¡±

    After a moment the guard gave a cold snort. He had determined that there were no spiritual waves coming from Raul''s body, which meant that this man wasn''t even a cultivator. He had seen many people walk in with confidence as though they owned the place and then try and bluff their way into good fortunes.

    The guard lifted his weapon into the air and Guo Feng let out a frightened squeak, ¡°A mortal dares to try and enter a place of immortals? You are a fool. For your arrogance I decree that you shall have both your arms severed. And if you beg me for forgiveness now I will consider sparing your life and not reporting this incident to the sect.¡±

    Raul''s eyes widened at the sudden provocation but before he could react the guard''s sword disappeared and reappeared cleaving through the air above his right shoulder.

    Guo Feng let out a shriek as the sword chopped through Raul''s arm.

 Notice of Hiatus

    *Do not read past this point if you¡¯re looking for a fan fic chapter*

    Notice of Hiatus: Playing with Fire

    Hello people that read my fan fic. Due to several reasons which include upcoming assignments, then upcoming exams and finally an upcoming overseas trip it is likely that I will be unable to write chapters on my ff¡¯s within a reasonable time frame.

    So instead of letting you all become slowly pissed off at the slow and inconsistent release, I will instead release a whole bunch of chapters constantly after 2 months of hiatus! Yayyy, now you all get to wait in suspense for two months instead of anger!

    To prevent people getting bored I may post side stories as we go along, but honestly the workload is too much for me to be able to write ff chapters in this environment.

    Remember people, I don¡¯t know how others do it, but I write my ff¡¯s based off of the dreams and adventures that not just you but also I wish existed and if it comes between satisfying deadlines or satisfying dreams I will always pick the latter because you can¡¯t create a meaningful ff  if your being rushed.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    See you guys in two months for Playing with Fire chapters.

    Note: Anything posted in this period of two months is simply a side chapter and not part of the main storyline.

    Ps: If you''ve read this far then good for you! As a reward I will let you know that I am still writing the chapters as we go along but I will not be posting them, should you wish to see them in this time and you have a chatango acc (CoughCough Slimi CoughCough) then I might send you the unreleased chapter if you ask nicely, but only if I trust you and should *ANYONE* post the chapter as their own work then I will never give anyone a free look again :) At the same time you are free to hype people up without giving anything away.