Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World - Chapter 216

Chapter 216: The lesson (3)
Henry nodded in understanding as a gentle breeze brushed against his face, making his black hair sway – “We mages,” Luna continued, her tone laced with some kind of pride – “do not rely on crude methods like coating our hearts and bodies with Mana, as you warriors do. Instead, we transform our very spirits into sigils, aligning ourselves with the flow of Mana around us and gaining the ability to manipulate it directly, outside of our bodies.”

“Our spirits serve as conduits” – she continued, flicking her finger. The pressurized air arrow hovering in front of her shifted, morphing into a dense, spinning sphere. It floated between them, its wild rotation sending ripples through the air – “By transforming our spirits into sigils, we create a natural connection with the Mana in the environment. They see us as part of themselves, not a strange entity, which makes it easier to manipulate and draw.”

She gestured toward the spinning ball of air – “But here’s the catch” – she said – “Our spirits tend to favor a particular element, and the sigil we create amplifies that preference. We don’t know why, but it’s an innate part of how spirits work. Take me, for example. My spirit naturally aligns with wind, making it easier for me to create sigils and manipulate Mana for wind-based magic. That doesn’t mean I’m incapable of working with other elements” – she added with a shrug – “but it would take more effort, yield weaker results, and require learning entirely new sigil patterns. It’s counter productive.”

Henry stayed silent, his eyes fixed on the spinning ball of air as he absorbed her words.

“And once again, it all comes down to combinations” Luna continued, her voice steady – “By weaving Mana strands into different sigil patterns, I can create an endless variety of spells. Let me show you…”

With another flick of her hand, the spinning ball of air expanded briefly. Then, the air gathered to form into a sleek, floating sword that hovered between them, shimmering faintly. All it took was a small change in the pattern of the mana strands.

“The stronger your spirit, the more intricate and powerful your spirit sigil becomes” – Luna continued, her tone shifting to one of instruction – “A stronger sigil allows you to gather more Mana strands and create increasingly complex patterns. And once your spirit reaches a certain level, you will even be able to produce multiple sigils at the same time.”

Henry’s eyes widened as the air around them thickened. In an instant, the single sword multiplied, splitting into dozens of identical blades. One by one, they materialized in the space between them, forming a deadly array of hovering weapons. It was as if an invisible army had drawn its swords, awaiting a single command from its queen.

And then, just as quickly as they had appeared, the swords vanished, dissolving into thin air. Luna’s expression darkened as her gaze shifted toward the distant Frozen Forest. Her jaw tightened, and her hands curled into fists as frustration flickered across her face.

“This cursed forest…” she muttered through clenched teeth, her tone filled with anger. For a moment, it looked as though she wanted to unleash her magic upon it, regardless of the cost. But she exhaled slowly, forcing herself to calm down. She wanted to expand the endless number of swords, but the forest only allowed up to a limit, not allowing the Mana strings to form, like a nemesis for all mages.

Henry’s eyes were still fixed on the place where the dozens of swords had been hovering a few moments back. Those swords were enough to take his whole army down and also a few cities, even the capital could be taken down. The idea of the southern areas having thousands of people capable of creating such feats made him wary.

“How do I know if I have the potential to transform my spirit into a sigil?”- Henry asked.

“Finally asking the important questions” – She said, her tone teasing. Luna made a grabbing gesture towards her hut and from there came a faint whistling sound. Henry turned just in time to see a small, black object speeding toward them. It zipped past his shoulder and landed neatly in Luna’s hand.

She held it up for him to see, a smooth, polished black stone, no larger than a sparrow’s egg – “This” – she said – “is a Spirit Talent Stone. A simple tool, really. It’s inscribed with a sigil that briefly synchronizes with your spirit. If you have the potential, it will glow, revealing your strongest elemental affinity. If it stays dull…” – She shrugged, her smirk returning – “Then you’ll just have to stick to swinging swords and punching things for the rest of your life.”

Henry reached out to take the stone, his fingers brushing its cool, polished surface. It felt heavier than it looked, and as he turned it over in his hand, he couldn’t see any visible markings – “And how does it work?” – he asked.

“It’s not difficult” – Luna said – “Close your eyes, focus on the stone, and try to feel for something within you. If your spirit has any talent, the stone will respond.”

Henry nodded, gripping the stone tightly in his hand. He took a deep breath, his eyes falling shut as he concentrated. For a moment, there was nothing, just the faint chill of the wind and the sound of distant voices from the trainees. But then, something stirred. It was faint at first, something that came not from a specific limb or organ, but from his whole body, like a wave. He felt the Mana around him more clearly now, not as an outsider drawing it in, but as though it were part of him, flowing naturally toward the stone in his hand.

A faint glow pierced the darkness behind his eyelids. His eyes snapped open, and he looked down to see the stone glowing a bright, fiery red.

“Interesting” – Luna said, her emerald eyes narrowing as she observed the light – “Fire. Perhaps that has something to do with that strange purple flame of yours.” She tilted her head, her smirk returning. “Well, it seems you have the talent after all. Congratulations, your m-a-j-e-s-t-y. You’re not completely hopeless.”

Henry ignored her teasing – “So” – he asked – “how do I transform my spirit into a sigil?”

Luna chuckled softly, crossing her arms. “Eager, aren’t we? Well, it’s not as simple as waving your hand and willing it into existence. You’ll need a Spirit Sigil Technique, a method for shaping your spirit into a sigil. It’s a delicate process, one that requires precision, focus, and patience.”

“And where would I find such a technique?” Henry asked, already expecting her answer.

Her smirk widened, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “That, your majesty, is the tricky part. Spirit Sigil Techniques are rare and closely guarded. I happen to have a few… but whether I feel like sharing them is another matter entirely.”

Henry raised an eyebrow – “And what would it take for you to share them?”

Luna tapped her chin thoughtfully, pretending to ponder the question. “Well,” she said after a moment, “I might be persuaded… if you were to, say, provide me with more of those books you promised. Or perhaps some rare materials from the Frozen Forest. Maybe both.”

Henry sighed, already anticipating her demands. “I only have three more.” – He said.

“Come on..I know you have one more stashed away in case you need more of my help” she said, her smirk never fading. “After all, I’m offering you something priceless. The ability to manipulate Mana, to wield magic… it’s worth a few books, don’t you think?”

Henry shook his head – “I really don’t have any left. Can’t you give me the same technique you have shared with the others?”

Luna pointed her fingers towards the trainees – “I have given them a wind based Sigil Technique and some of them doesn’t even have the talent for the wind element.” – She said, looking into Henry’s gray eyes, which were looking a bit down. She sighed – “But I do have a simple Fire Sigil Technique, which I stolen from that intruder. I will give it to you”.