Chapter 142: Slivera
As the days passed, the last vestiges of fall vanished as the chill of winter marched across the mountains. It had been several weeks since the first snowfall, making three months since we’d arrived. The students had since learned of my hideaway, which somehow earned the nickname "Fate’s Rest." Often, when I arrived early in the monring, a few brave souls were cloistered away, eagerly awaiting my arrival. Although I never said anything, they would flee the instant I arrived, only occasionally offering a few nervous stammers apologizing or asking for an autograph.
Elise brought a sense of light and energy to my life each day, visiting after her classes and activities ended. Occasionally, she’d bring friends or classmates and introduce me, whom I always politely greeted. Outside of our daily training, I rarely saw Soltair and Trithe, who continuously fought monsters and hunted for the dragon, which was proving elusive.
On this particular day, I was deep in conversation with the master librarian, Slivera. She’d sought me out several times, engaging in lectures or discussion for several hours then disappearing completely. At first, I was extremely wary, but she didn’t once mention the church’s orders, and parted with small tidbits of advice or information I found extremely useful.
The ninth-level librarian sat across from me, in the middle of her current lecture. Her hands waved in animated gestures every other word, and her voice buzzed with excitement. High-level magic was a topic students guessed at, but were unqualified to learn, making this a rare opportunity to share her knowledge.
"Sixth-circle spells form an important threshold in spellcasting. Up until that point, the difference between circles is the complexity of the spell. But after that, it is power. There is little mechanical difference between a seventh and ninth-circle spell, save the overwhelming strength demonstrated by the spell. If supported by sufficient mana, any sixth-circle spell can be boosted up, increasing in magnitude, capability, and effect with each additional magic circle," Silvera explained.
I nodded, absorbing every word. Her teachings had proven reliable in the past, aiding me in learning several fifth and sixth-circle spells to this point. Now, as I prepared myself to master a seventh circle, it was imperative I understood the magic correctly. When exploring with this much power, making a mistake, especially in ignorance, was often life-threatening.
As she took a breath, I raised my hand. At her nod, I asked, "How big is the difference in power? I know a fourth-circle spell can handle several third-circles without issue, but how powerful is seventh?"
Slivera’s aged face crinkled in a smile. "Ah, to be naive. When speaking of this level, it is no longer appropriate to compare different circles. When you ascended to reach sixth level, your mana underwent a qualitative transformation, dwarfing that which sustained you at fifth. Can you imagine losing to your previous self?"
I shook my head, unsure of where she was going. That was true for every other spell level too, right?
"The distance only grows from there. When you break through to seventh level, your growth will exponentially increase. The distance between seventh and eighth is larger still."
"And ninth?"