"Today, we will be discussing some of the most commonly used enchanted items: The Hearth Stone, Scrolls, and enhanced weapons." Ms. Nightfrost addressed the first-year mages class 2. "While you are not yet advanced enough to create any of these items, knowing how they work will help you to control some of the effects taught later this term. This lesson will also help demonstrate how runes can be combined to create a desired effect. So, here we go. A Hearth stone allows anyone to be able to magically teleport to a pre-determined location. A Hearth Stone is a single use item that can be made by most mages. To make a Hearth Stone, you first need a stone large enough to engrave the arcane runes upon and a hearth with a fire built within it." Approaching the blackboard, Ms. Nightfrost drew the runes used for Hearth Stones. "Now using these runes – Hold, Move, Doorway, Home, and Fire - you can trap a single casting of the teleport spell within the stone. The spell will be anchored to the hearth, allowing the one who uses the stone to arrive in front of that specific hearth."
Ms. Nightfrost looked over the class busily copying the runes onto their parchment. "Two hundred years ago, Hearth Stones were much more powerful. They could be used many times over, as well as be re-focused to other hearths. Unfortunately, Mages have never been able to equal those old Stones."
A hand rose in the middle of the class. "Ms. Nightfrost, why can't mages make Hearth Stones like that anymore? How did we lose the skill?"
"It's simple. Mages were never able to make Hearth Stones that powerful to begin with. The most powerful Hearth Stones were always made by Shamans. Before the fall of the Shamans, they were the best enchanters in the world. Even the Dwarves skill at rune crafting could not compare to a Shamans' skill."
"The Shamans did?" asked Cecilia Westbridge. Cecilia was the daughter of the guild master of the guild 'Sparking Sword'. The Sparking Swords were a combat guild that focused on the use of enchanted items to increase their power. Cecilia had earned a reputation for being the most powerful mage in the first-year class. This had translated into popularity, especially among the females of the class. Thomas skill with elemental magic, at the level being taught in the first year, had not earned him any friends. Cecilia was his least fan.
"Why couldn't the mages surpass the shamans? Our magic's are much more powerful," continued Cecilia.
Ms. Nightfrost looked at the class with a glint in her eye. This class was proceeding exactly as she wanted. She was tired of her students belittling Thomas for no reason than he had shown Cecilia up during the shock spell lessons that he had first joined the mages for. Thomas' spells did more damage and were quicker to cast than Cecilia's. Led by Cecilia, all the magic classes had joined the rest of the school to ignore and bully Thomas.
"It has less to do with power, and more to do with control. Arcane magic is unnatural. We rip at reality with our power. The force we use to create even the simplest spell is so great that we can barely control it. But Shamans are attuned to elemental magic. A Shaman doesn't force arcane energies to obey him. The elements are willing to do as he wishes. Because the elements choose to obey, he has an infinitely more precise control of what he accomplishes. That control is what allows shamans to create such powerful enchantments."
"I'm positive my control is far superior to anyone here," Cecilia arrogantly stated.
Ms. Nightfrost smiled. "Anyone? I've been practicing magic for over four-hundred years. Do you really think you can out-perform me?"
"Well…"
"And you're wrong about Mr. Walker as well. But let's prove it. Mr. Walker, please come to the front of class." As Thomas made his way to the front of the room, Ms. Nightfrost continued, "Now this spell is usually only taught in the second semester. It is called 'Elemental Wisp'. It will create a small elemental creature for you to control. We will be using them to test your control." Ms. Nightfrost conjured a white ball of magic. "This is a wisp. They are mostly used as lights and for amusement. Mr. Walker, please summon a wisp, please"
As his lessons had progressed, Thomas had learned how to focus his will to interact with the forces of elemental magic. "I need a wisp" he silently pleaded. His eyes flashed and five glowing balls appeared around him in response to his call.
Looking at the balls floating around him Thomas commented, "Perhaps I should have specified which element I needed."
Ms. Nightfrost grinned. "I believe you are right." She turned toward the class, "A mage can only summon a wisp of an element that he or she is attuned to. It is extremely rare for a Mage to be attuned to more than one element, because the elemental forces will cancel each other out. No mage can ever summon more than one type of elemental wisp at a given time. As we can see, that rule does not apply to Shamans."
"Ms. Nightfrost? Why does he have five wisps? There are only four elements, correct?" asked Karen Stone, one of Cecilia's closest supporters.
"Thomas did not specify which element he was calling, so all of the elements answered. The fifth is a wisp of spirit magic. Shamans were also known to be very strong in spirit magic. Thomas seems to be exceptionally attuned to it as well, so when he called, it answered." Turning back to Thomas, Ms. Nightfrost continued, "Now I want you to move your wisps in the most complicated pattern you can manage."
Thomas began moving his wisps in complicated interlinking circles.
"Very good, Thomas. Now I'll try to bring my wisp into the pattern. If I can't keep up, the results should be fairly spectacular."
Ms. Nightfrost moved her wisp into the pattern that Thomas had set. Almost immediately, the strain began to show on her face. Before she had completed ten revolutions, her wisp brushed against one of Thomas'. There was a large flash and a bang as Ms. Nightfrost's white air wisp and Thomas' red fire wisp exploded.
"As you can see, I was not able to keep up with the pattern Mr. Walker set. And since I know some of you are thinking it," here she looked at Cecilia, "I did not purposely fail. The pattern was too complicated for me to follow. And you saw the results of mixing an air wisp with a fire wisp."
"Now, let's get back to class. "