Mark of the Fool

Chapter 662: Greed

Come in, Professor Mangals voice called through the door.

Good, she doesn't have a class, Alex thought with relief as he stepped into her office.

She looked up from a notebook she was sketching in at her desk.

Ah, Alex, pleasure to see you, she smiled at him warmly. How can I help you? I doubt youre here for extra help since youve been mastering our lessons in class so far.

Professor. He marched to her desk like a knight about to challenge a dragon. I would like access to a sixth-tier spell-guide.

She startled, raising an eyebrow. Sixth-tier? Do you wish to read ahead? I know how skilled you are, Alex, but I assure you, fifth-tier spells will be complex enough; students are expected to graduate having mastered fifth-tier spells. And you are only starting your third year. Patience, my ambitious young friend.

With a chuckle, Mangal looked back down at her notebook, picking up her pen.

Professor, he said quietly. Ive already mastered fifth-tier summoning spells.

The professor paused, slowly looking up at him. Pardon me?

I just summoned a hellchainer and an Astlanti celestial. Right now, in the Cells. I could do it again right here. Right now.

She put the pen down. Truly?

Truly, Alex said with conviction.

Show me the Astlanti celestial then. Mangal leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. A dark eyebrow rose. That is one of the most challenging of the fifth-tier summoning spells. So show me.

Alex took a deep breath, casting the spell.

Again, the Mark's interference rose to stop him.

Again, the Travellers power came to help him.

With complete precision, he pronounced each syllable.

The magic circuit formed in his mana pool.

A connection built between the material world and the celestial planes.

The air beside him parted, and an ethereal form shimmered into being in front of the professors desk.

Ah, thou art calling me again this soon, young master of the arcane? The celestial said, looking at Alex imperiously. Dost thou seek to introduce me to another sorcerer. I sense greater power from her than from thee.

Mangals jaw had gone slack.

Her eyes flicked between Alex and the celestial. What. She said flatly.

Ta-daaaa, the young wizard gestured to the celestial.

It appears I am to be part of some chicanery and buffoonery, it sounded displeased.

With respect, Vaunted One. The Professor stood up. We are simply coming to grips with certain changes, much as your people did during your transmigration.

The celestials expression softened slightly. So, thou knoweth of us. Good. I hath noted thy respect.

Yes, ancient one, Alex said. I will call you again, later.

With that, he dismissed the celestial.

Mangals face was the image of disbelief. Alex, do you know what youve done?

Yes. Summoned one of the most difficult-to-conjure spirits that can be conjured by fifth-tier magic. Alex smiled, without a shred of false humility.

Yes! Mangal cried. I recognise your exceptional affinity for summoning spells, but this is beyond my wildest imaginings. All things considered, you were still slow with the actual spellcasting, but it was done steadily and with excellent control.

She shook her head. What youve done today is remarkable, but Im still not certain about allowing you to try sixth-tier magic. It goes without saying that casting at such high levels is daunting, there are very good reasons why one attempts such magic during graduate studies, and not before. Countless wizards never reach that level. Ever. Not even after a century. Sixth-tier isnt quite the barrier that seventh-tier is, but it is by no means easy.

I know, professor, Alex said. But I believe Im up to the challenge. I think if you handed me a sixth-tier summoning spell right now, I could cast it. It might take me a few tries, but I know I could do it.

Her eyes narrowed, watching him carefully, then she scoffed at herself. I suppose its not surprising that I somehow find myself on the cusp of believing you. Give me a moment to think.

Mangal turned away, looking out the window with her brow furrowed in thought and her lips moving silently.

Alex, stay here for a moment. Do not touch anything, she said suddenly.

With that, Professor Mangal cast a teleportation spellher magic forming a connection in the direction of the libraryand vanished.

His mind whirling, Alex waited in silence as the minutes seemed to drag by, before she returned. Teleportation magic warned him, and she reappeared, holding three spell-guides.

Alright, if you wish to do this, then youll do it under my direct supervision. I have no classes for the next two hours and had planned on spending the time working on a personal project, but now youve piqued my curiosity, so that can wait for now.

If you want to take care of your project, this can wait, professor. Alex said.

Believe me, I do not wish for this to wait, Professor Mangal assured him, pressing the three spell-guides into his hands. I do have some doubts that you will manage to cast sixth-tier, butif you doyou and I will have much to discuss. Better that we do this sooner than later.

Alright, Alex said. Whatever you say.

Good, now which Cell were you working in? she asked.

314, Alex said.

Very good, if your time isnt up, Ill teleport there with you, she said.

Actually, I can get back myself, so Ill just meet you there, Alex said.

Concentrating, he teleported back to the hall in front of Cell 314, passing his student card over the door to open it and a heartbeat or two later, Professor Mangal appeared beside him.

You really did teleport here by yourself, she said. One day you must explain to me how you do that; I saw you use it in the Grand Battle and the malicious side of me very much enjoyed watching you confuse your competition, she smiled at the memory. Most wizards tend to keep the secrets of their unique gifts to themselves, but if you are willing to share, I would love to know more.

One day, I promise Ill explain, Alex said. But for now, Im eager to get started, if you dont mind.

Of course, Professor Mangal said, following Alex into the room.

She greeted Bubbles politely before nodding to the spell-guides shed handed him. Take a look at those.

Alex noted the title of each book.

The first was a guide for the sixth-tier spell: Summon Celestial Dire Tiger.

The second was a guide for Summon Shadow Demon.

And the last was for the sixth-tier spell, Summon Greater Water Elemental.

Interesting choices, Alex said.

They range from fairly easy for their level, to quite difficult; summoning a shadow demon will be easiest, they love to be summoned to torment mortals. Then the greater water elementalthey are powerful entities and are indifferent to mortals. Celestial dire tigerwill be the hardest of the three to conjure. While good-hearted, they are also quite prideful and resistant to being summoned on command.

Just like the Astlanti celestial, Alex said, handing two spell-guides to two Wizards Hand hed conjured earlier, then flipping open the guide to Summon Shadow Demon. I guess Ill be working my way up to the others, so how many tries do I have with each spell?

Professor Mangals eyes flicked to a timekeeper on the wall. I will need a half hour to prepare for class. So you have an hour and a half. Take as many tries as you need.

Perfect. Alex started reading the spell-guide.

His heart sank briefly.

The spell array and magic circuit were far more complex than hed imagined. Six magic circuits were interconnected, forming the conjoined circuit that would power such fearsome magic, and from the looks of it, it was definitely a mana guzzler. Naturally, the circuitry was complex, but the way the circuits joined together was not only complex, but maddening.

Alex instantly understood why most wizards never cast sixth-tier spells.

No, dont get discouraged, he thought, his finger tracing the circuit. Its complex, but its made up of smaller parts. You have experience with a lot of them, so just break the spell array down to its components and youll be able to do this.

And so he got to work.

For over a half hour, he copied the magic circuits schematics into his notebook over and over again, using the Mark to avoid any mistakes he might make. By doing things in such minute detail, he was learning the spell arrays structure down to its basics.

He then moved on, practising the incantation syllable by syllable for another fifteen minutes, and when that was done, he was ready.

Alright, he said to Professor Mangal. Im either about to blow apart my mana pool, or summon some super demon lord, so if things go wrong, please save me.

I will try. She cocked her head, looking down at his diagrams. You have a very unique way of learning spells.

Hey, it works, he said, turning to the summoning circle. Here we go.

He wrote a new entry in his notebook:

Summon Shadow Demon. 1st attempt. Progress:

Alex began chanting the incantation and knew he was in for a struggle; the sheer amount of mana being channelled by the sixth-tier spell felt like a raging ocean in his grip. He remembered watching a horse farmer in Alric trying to break a stallion; a massive, proud, wild beast whod wanted nothing to do with either the farmer, or his reins. The horse had bucked with everything it had, determined to catapult the man from off his back and into the weeds, dirt or creek, whichever came first; the horse didnt care. At the time, Alex felt a lot of sympathy for the horse, suddenly, he felt a lot of sympathy for the man.

The magic raged under his control as he tried guiding it into its magic circuit. All the while, the Mark raged as well, as though the idea of the Fool even trying to wield this level of magic was a great insult.

But standing against its resistance, was the power of the Traveller, grasping his mana, helping him reach the hells.

His mind felt like it would fracture, like it was on the verge of splitting apart.

Why the hell is this so hard? he thought, trying to guide his thoughts through the torrent of past failures. It feels worse than its ever felt before, like its trying to break my mind! It feels like

Realisation struck him like ice water.

He wasnt imagining that the Mark was resisting harder than ever before; it was resisting harder than ever before.

Panting hard, he stopped the spell.

I warned you it would be difficult, Mangal said gently. We should stop for now and

He held up a hand. You said that I had an hour and a half to try, right? Which means I have about forty-five minutes left, dont I?

That is true, the professor said, I did indeed say that.

Right, so let me try again, Alex said. I dont want to give up yet, not without giving it everything I can.

She shrugged easily. It is your time, Alex. I gave it to you. Use it as you wish.

Thanks, he said and turning to his notebook, he jotted down a number.

Summon Shadow Demon. 1st attempt. Progress: 2%

Alex examined the spell array as he rubbed his right shoulder.

After all this time, he was still learning things about his Mark.

Degrees, he thought. Its about degrees.

He remembered when hed picked up a sword on the deck of the Red Siren with Theresa. The Mark had rebelled, making him lose balance and flop oafishly on the deck.

But, when hed torn Yantrahpretaye to pieces, the Marks reaction had been different, a lot more intense, and when hed killed him, it had resisted so violently that he was sick afterward.

And while that reaction had been bad, it was nowhere near as bad as when hed attacked the First Apostle and ripped the mans arm off.

Picking up a weapon meant a small amount of resistance... Killing a demon meant morebut the monster was made of metal. Maybe the Mark didnt consider Yantrahpretaye an actual living being? Like how I can kill bugs. But when I pulled Uldars priests arm off, it almost fried my brain and broke me in two, he thought.

He studied the sixth-tier spell. What if its the same for spells? A certain level of resistance for most spellsbut as soon as I get to the really powerful stuff, the Fools Mark fights me even harder. Like the difference between picking up a weapon and tearing off someones arm.

An icy feeling began growing in his gut, spreading through the rest of his body.

The Travellers powerI think it s been shielding me from the worst of it since fourth-tier, he thought. But now that the spells are way more powerful, the Mark really doesnt want me using them. I think I could probably manage sixth-tier spells, but seventh-tierwho knows. Eighth-tier? Ninth-tier? There may be a hard limit to the level of spell I can cast until I find a way to beat this Mark permanently.

He shook his head. But, I believe I can cast sixth-tier spells, and I can do it now. With time, Ill figure out whats going on with higher tiers, but thats a later problem. Right now? The Marks not stopping me from summoning a damn shadow demon, if I have anything to say about it.