Spring of Discovery (Celestia Chronicles Book 1/Seasons Arc: Book 1)

Chapter 23: Basics of Energy Conservation

The next morning Jade was greeted by Saje as she awoke.

"We start your training today," he said as greeting.

"Right now?" Jade rubbed her eyes.

"Yes. It's unfortunate we've gone this long without it. You need to learn the basics of energy conservation. You have five minutes to get ready."

Jade spent the next few minutes donning fresh clothes and rinsing her face in the nearby river. She met up with Saje, who was holding a gold bracelet in his hands.

"Magic is amplified through symbols and magical artifacts like magical tools and amulets. While amulets and tools help with all forms of magic, symbols create a stronger output, but more focused on a single task. Without an amulet to resonate with your unique energy we will have to resort to symbols. The trick with symbols is that you need to be selective about them. If you try too many they'll end up negating each other or creating unintentional side effects. This bracelet has the three most basic spells every spell caster uses: a basic attack spell, a barrier spell, and a healing spell. The bracelet is an especially strong example because these spells make up the three most fundamental aspects of combat: Offense, Defense, and Assist.

"The trick to these spells is to balance the energy input with the desired result. For an example we will use a Yield One spell as our base. This means it is made of the least amount of energy input possible. A Yield One attack spell could knock someone back without any bruises whatsoever, while a Yield One barrier can block a Yield One attack with even less energy input. A Yield One barrier could crack under something stronger and the amount of energy input increases the longer the barrier is cast. This means that after a few minutes a Yield One barrier will end up requiring twice the amount of input than a Yield Ten barrier for just a second. There is also a Yield One healing spell that would heal a tiny cut. The greater the injury the more input required. Trying to heal someone on the brink of death is never a good idea because in most cases both parties would die.

"Essentially, a battle comes down to the simple task of doing what conserves the most energy. I say simple because in theory it is but in practice it's a matter of reading a situation and figuring out what is best for the scenario. Your opponent also makes a big difference, some might go all out attack with little to no regard for energy consumption, while others will try to play the long game and lower the enemy's energy to ensure their own victory. A strategy like this is a favorite of your Aunt Kendra. She didn't get the title of Kendra the Fearless for nothing. I have never met anyone who is better at playing the long game than her."

Jade took in all this information as Saje handed her the bracelet. He then beckoned over to Talon, who had sat silently a ways off. Talon rose and walked over, drawing his sword. Saje turned his scepter into a small jewel that he fastened around his neck.

"I will demonstrate how to put what I said into practice," said Saje. "Ready Talon?"

"Ready."

Talon swung his sword at Saje who dodged out of the way. He fired to shots of blue magic at Talon who jumped out of the way. Talon opened his mouth and shot a fireball at Saje who threw up a barrier that broke when the fire hit it. Saje threw another spell at Talon that threw him back. Talon ran to Saje and swung his sword; Saje blocked it with a barrier on his arm. The barrier broke under the force of the sword and Saje punched Talon back. Saje held his right hand over the wound on his left arm while shooting spells with his left hand. Talon was hit twice more and raised his hands in defeat.

Jade was impressed with how quickly this occurred and how Saje was able to read the situation. Her father taught her the basics of swordplay, but she never watched a duel with a spell caster before. It made her feel small in comparison, having just been just winging it this whole time.

"Did you notice how I was able to heal my arm and shoot off magic at the same time? The reality was that to strengthen a barrier that was already cast would have cost more than the combined effort of a Yield Four healing and a Yield Four attack. I read the situation and decided it was better to take the softened blow to my arm than to keep playing defense. This is part of a magical duel, knowing what you can sacrifice and when. It's essentially a game of chess; you need to understand your opponent's moves and be ahead of them. Another point to make is, if it's available the best option is always no magic! Dodging and using physical attacks are far less straining on the body, but they don't always offer a strategic high ground. If the rewards far outweigh the risks non-magical tactics are always the best."

Jade nodded and put her bracelet on. She and Saje began to train together by sparring with each other as Gremdar and Arda looked on.

"He looks happy" noted Gremdar. "I don't know if I've ever seen him this happy."

"I have," said Arda with a sigh. "But not since Xavier left."