Chapter 17: First Spell
Selena laughed at my question, giving me a genuine smile. "Cast a spell? Sure, go ahead."
Her face was full of mirth, like a driving instructor waiting for the student to forget the clutch. Her reaction sent an uncertain twitch through my tail, but, taking a shallow breath, I closed my eyes and reached inside. My mana was far away, but I coaxed it closer, shivering as the seductive warmth filled me from horns to tail.
Finally, got it.
As I gathered the mana in my hands, I recalled the light stones this world used for illumination. Spreading my fingers apart, I imagined a small ball of warm, glowing light growing between them. The thought of runes or chants never crossed my mind, having slipped away during the lecture.
The mana resisted, refusing to obey my will. I lost myself in the inner exertion, barely noticing the beads of sweat on my forehead. The mana wriggled stubbornly, and my brow furrowed in concentration.
After a few tense moments, Selena reached out to nudge me. "It's okay if you give up. It's not like you can-"
Finally, the dam broke, and mana rushed out of me, materializing into rapidly spinning runes. The magic circle disappeared barely a breath later, replaced by a glowing orb the size of a tennis ball. As the tide of mana dispersed, my strength left me and I sagged in exhaustion. Selena stared open-mouthed, all signs of mirth gone.
"Did I do something wrong?" I asked after catching my breath, looking cautiously at the glowing sphere. Everything looked alright to me, but the elf's expression was frozen in shock.
"Y-you...what the hell did you do?" She finally asked, rubbing her eyes and staring at the glowing ball of light
A few nearby mages came over, drawn by the commotion. My joy at casting the spell was quickly subdued by the extra attention, and my tail curled around my legs.
"I-I just tried to replicate the light crystals," I said, looking down in embarrassment.