Chapter 18 - A Voice from Beyond

That night, Robin awoke from a troubled sleep.

The first thing he was aware of was his own heavy breathing, sweat beading his brow. His eyes flicked around the unfamiliar setting, panic taking hold in the instant before he remembered. He was in the Nohrian capitol, in the room that had been leant to himself and Lucina. It was still the night of the Festival of Long Nights. The castle and the city outside was still and quiet, the festivities having long since come to an end as sleep had one by one claimed the party goers.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Robin took a slow, steady breath, willing the confused snippets of jumbled memories and fevered dreams to recede. His dreams were rarely a coherent affair, always half remembered experiences that mixed with one-another in ways that rarely made sense, melding with whatever other things his unconscious mind managed to conjure up.

Least this time it wasn't another nightmare, Robin mused. He sighed. No, this time his dreams had not troubled him with anything that inspired fear. Rather they had overwhelmed him with so many clashing visions that his unconscious mind had barely managed to keep up.

Turning his head, he checked on Lucina, finding her resting still at his side. Good, I didn't wake her, Robin thought, closing his eyes once more.

Yet try as he might, sleep failed to claim him. He rolled over, trying to let go of consciousness and slip back into his dreams. His mind continued to reel with a ceaseless cacophony of thoughts, unable to find rest.

"...Robin…"

Robin bolted upright, eyes shooting wide open at sound of his name. He looked around, eyes scanning the room for any intruder. Yet nothing entered his vision, everything seemed as still as it had been. He glanced back down at Lucina, seeing that she too remained sound asleep.

Certainly wasn't her… not even a murmur. Did I just imagine it? Maybe I'm more tired than I thought...

Even as he considered this, Robin rolled out of bed, his body moving without thinking. It was as if he could feel something tugging at his mind, urging him to follow it's heed. Perhaps it was mere restlessness or some other instinct guiding his action. Regardless of which it was, or if it was any other possible explanation, it didn't matter. Clearly he wasn't going to get any more rest that night.

Pulling on his coat and boots, Robin found a scrap of paper and scrawled a quick note.

Lucina,

Couldn't sleep. Went for a walk. Will be back soon

Robin

Setting it where she would easily find it, Robin made his way out of the castle and into the city beyond. For some time he wandered the deserted streets aimlessly, letting his feet carry him wherever they may. The full moon had sunk low in the sky, signaling that dawn was mere hours away. The frigid air clung to the land in a misty veil, freezing vapor rolling over empty plazas and silent walkways.

Before long, Robin found himself at the city's gates. He started to turn away, only to stop himself, once again feeling the same mental tug as before. He started forward, passing through it and into the countryside beyond.

As he walked he recalled what Lucina had told him of her talk with Corrin, wondering if he would pass the spot they had spoken. The empty land gave little marker to go by, making it impossible to tell if or when he did, if he even did come across the place.

Sighing, he trudged on, his feet carrying him deeper into the countryside.

For how long he walked, he could not say. He passed from empty land into a cluster of trees, bare branches reaching up into the sky like boney fingers clawing at the silver moon. Dried leaves crunched beneath his boots with each step, mixing with the whistle of the wind and the creaking of swaying branches. The world seemed empty and alone, as if he were the only soul for miles distance.

Slowly the thicket gave away, opening up to reveal a great clearing. In its center lay a small, isolated pond, its crystalline waters clear and still. The stars and moon above shimmered in its surface, a mirror capturing the light of the heavens within its depths.

He remembered finding it on one of the maps of Nohrian land, back when he was attempting to anticipate the Invisible Soldiers' next movements. While the pond would provide a means for their enemy to pass from their world into this one, the small size of the body of water meant that it was unlikely that a large enough force to threaten the Nohrian capital could be summoned here. Or at the very least not in a short period of time, during which time it was likely to be detected, especially with the Nohrians now on alert for such an incursion.

Why was I drawn here? Robin wondered. He gazed at the moon's reflection, the silvery disk dancing with the gentle movement of the water's mirror surface.

At that moment the wind picked up, whistling through the clearing. Dried leaves swirled around him, the chill in the air biting more deeply than it had before. Robin wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. Yet through it all his eyes remained fixed on the pond, the surface now tossed and rippling with the strength of the wind, the moon's silver light becoming a blur in the disturbed water.

Then as quickly as it come, the wind died once more, the water becoming still. The moon returned to sit still in the center of the water, its light cold against the reflected stars that yet twinkled from within the distant depths.

But that was not what caught his attention then. Where moments before had been nothing but the trees behind him, a second silhouette now stood next to his own reflection, clad in flowing white that seemed to radiate its own light. There had been no sound of approach or movement in the reflection. It had seemed as though the white garbed figure had materialized from thin air, the exact moment of its appearance masked when the waters had been disturbed.

Robin spun around to face the figure, his hand going for the tome tucked in his coat.

Before him stood a woman with long, flowing aqua hair that seemed to sway in time with her garments, as if still moved by the very wind that had faded but moments before. She seemed to take no heed of his movement, her gaze staring longingly into the mirror surface, her golden eyes carrying in them the weary sadness of one whose life had been burdened by much hardship.

Robin recognized the woman at once. He had seen her on two occasions before. First was in that other world, when she had guided him through the fog and stopped Corrin and Lucina's fight before either of them could be killed. The other he could not be fully certain of: having glimpsed her among the mists and rubble of the shattered dam. A sight only he had been able to see. But as with both occasions, she appeared to him now as a mirage like form, almost alike to the phantoms they fought only wreathed in light rather than shadowy flame. Her body seemed translucent, gently fading in and out of focus as if in time with the steady rhythm of waves against some distant shore.

"Azura…" Robin said, speaking the woman's name aloud.

Slowly the woman lifted her head, turning to regard him with distant eyes that seemed to both perceive him yet somehow peer straight through him to glimpse some far distant sight.

"You're Azura, right? I saw you before, didn't I? Besides when you helped us through the fog," Robin continued. "It was at the dam, but no one else could see you. I thought I might have imagined it, but… I didn't, did I?"

Azura included her head, confirming that it was so.

Robin frowned, his brow furrowing as he pondered this new piece of information. "Why could only I see you? And why appear before me now? I can only imagine there is some reason. Otherwise I'd think you'd appear to Corrin or any of your other friends who know you better than I."

For a moment Azura said nothing, her distant yet present gaze remaining fixed to his face now. A shiver ran through Robin, feeling as though something about himself had been laid bare before those golden eyes. Not his thoughts, no. It didn't feel like when his father or Grima had peered into his mind and tried to take hold of his will. This was different, as if she was looking into something deeper. Some fundamental truth of his being.

"It is… easier, to make myself seen by you," Azura answered. Her voice was soft, yet carried with it the same gentle sadness that permeated her expression. "When you saw me that day, I realized this truth. What in the past required much of my strength for but a moment's word or fleeting glance… Yet you can see me when others cannot."

"That… doesn't exactly explain why…" Robin noted, his frown deepening further. "So it's easier to appear to me, but why? Why can I..." he trailed off, motioning to her ghostly form.

Again Azura was silent for another long moment, this time seeming to be considering her answer carefully.

"Because you were once like me," she said simply.

"I was… what do you mean?" Robin asked.

"You were as I am now. A sprit caught between life and death, neither living but yet tied to the world. Once whose body faded like mists on the wind, their soul spent."

"Oh," Robin answered, dropping his gaze. She could have just said it outright. 'Because you died, just like I did' would have been a far simpler explanation. But, perhaps, she hadn't softened the blow of her words for his sake, but for her own. Afterall, of the two of them, one stood there alive once more.

And the other did not.

"Though you walk now among the living, a small part of you remains across that brink. It is by yet touching the place beyond this life, the place that all must journey in the end, that grants you sight to perceive those caught between its threshold," Azura continued. "You died. I can see it." It was not a question.

Robin felt his eyes widen, his breath hitching in his throat. I… a part of me is still… He really didn't know how to process that bit of knowledge. I… I knew I died but… If a part of me is still there… what does that make me? He clenched his teeth, pouring his will into his racing heart, stilling the flickers of panic before they could grow. He could worry about that later. Now… now he needed to stay focused.

With a great effort, Robin forced himself to nod his head, confirming her words as truth.

"But you came back," Azura said.

"That… that's a long story," Robin told her, his sight remaining on the ground between them.

"I can see them."

Robin raised his head, blinking at her in confusion. "See what?"

"The threads of light that reach beyond this word, wrapping your soul. When I look at you, I see a life flickering on the edge of oblivion. A fragile mote of light, a piece of it missing. But yet a great power yet fills it, drawn from the glimmering strands…" Azura said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Robin clutched his chest, his body feeling heavy as the weight of her words sunk in. My bonds… they… they're still keeping me here? Without the heart of Grima… without that part of me… I really do need them, huh? Unbidden, tears stung his eyes, forcing him to blink lest his vision blur fully. "My friends… I'd be nothing without them. I wouldn't even be standing here right now if my ties to them hadn't brought me back."

Azura was silent for another passing moment. A gust of wind blew between them, leaves swirling against the silvery moonlight. "They must truly care for you. For those bonds to carry such power… It is no small matter." Azura looked away, her golden eyes reflected on the shimmering disk caught in the water's reflection. For a moment, Robin caught a flicker of regret and longing pass through her gaze, only to quickly vanish beneath the surface.

"I know," Robin answered, his voice hoarse. "They… they're the most amazing people I've ever met. Every one of them. For all their many quirks and flaws, they are all so much stronger than I could ever wish to be..."

With that Robin fell silent, the world seeming to become still once more. Then he sighed deeply, shaking his head slowly. "I'm sorry. I caught you up in my muses. I did not mean to waste your time."

"It is alright… I do not mind," Azura said. Her gaze remained fixed on the water as she spoke. While her tone remained much the same, this time Robin was sure he heard a hint of the same longing he'd seen in her eyes but moments before.

Perhaps I reminded her of what she once had… What she left behind…

For a moment he considered asking her about it, but… no. It would only open more wounds to speak of it. So instead Robin tried to act like he hadn't noticed, driving the topic back to the matter at hand. "Still, even if you don't mind it, you surely didn't appear before me to talk about me. There is some reason you came to me, isn't there."

Slowly Azura turned her head back to him. Their eyes met and for a long moment she held him in her gaze, not a word passing between them. "Yes. I came to offer what guidance I may."

Robin nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"When I faded, my lifeforce spent… I willed my spirit to remain to help guide Corrin in what way I could. It was by no mistake that I appeared before you and one who bears a dragon's brand: I knew that you would be able to aid him as he faces the darkness that lays before him."

"And Corrin is… important to all this?" Robin asked.

"The blade he wields, the Yatonokami, is the means to guide the fate of this world. As its bearer, the task of facing the darkness that dwells in the silent depths falls to him…" Azura explained. "It… it was that burden that lead Corrin to the path he took… a path of war and lies… of conquests and fate. He suffered so much and yet... I could protect him only for so long. I could not see him onto the end. I left before the true fight had even begun… before he could face an enemy that always awaited us."

"Wait, do you know something about our enemy? Do you know who they are?" Robin asked, eyes widening. Vague as her words had been, the way she spoke did not seem to imply the identity of this foe was hidden to her. Quite the opposite

"I…" Azura grimaced, her expression becoming almost pained. She averted her gazed. "I… cannot say."

"What? Why? If you know then why…"

"I cannot say," Azura repeated.

"Yes, you said that, but why can't you tell me."

"I cannot say," she said for the third time.

"Why can't you?" Robin asked yet again. "You guided us before. You know where these things come from. Surely you must-" Robin froze. In that very instant something seemed to click into place in his head. He recalled Corrin's words as they had left the very world Azura had helped guide them in, of the curse that prevents anyone from speaking of it. A curse that prevents those who knew of it from being able to tell others of it's existence.

It was then that Robin recalled something he'd been told, a conversation that now seemed a lifetime away. It had been when he'd reached out to Tiki for guidance in the face of the Invisible Soldiers' invasion of his own world. She too had been unable to answer his questions regarding the identity, the reasons for which she had been unable to explain.

Had it been staring him in the face this entire time? Now that he placed Tiki's words alongside Azura's, the similarity was unmistakable. It was the same curse Corrin had spoken of, or if not the exact same then one that was at the very least quite similar.

Dammit, he should have put it together sooner. He should have recalled Tiki's words as soon as Corrin had first spoken of the curse. Sure, he hadn't been in the best state of mind at the time, but that was no excuse. He should have done better.

"You aren't just saying you won't tell me, are you?" Robin asked, He spoke slowly and carefully, putting emphasis on each word.

Azura said nothing. She stood perfectly still, eyes on him.

"You are saying that you can't tell me, is that correct?" Robin continued, watching her expression carefully.

Again, Azura said nothing. However, if only for an instant, her eyes seemed to light up, as if she grasped what he was doing.

"And if for whatever reason you were unable to tell me something, would you be prevented from answering no to something I say that is not true?" Robin asked

Azura nodded. The barest hint of a smile tugged at her lips. Good, she'd gotten it!

Robin grinned, feeling his heart began to race. Now, he would need to choose his words carefully. Not only would he be trying to piece together things based on what questions Azura couldn't answer and any indirect answers she could give, but he had to avoid speaking of the curse or that other world directly. One slip up and… well, he wouldn't really be around to regret it.

"Let's say, hypothetically speaking, there was a secret location that you didn't want others to know about. So you protect that secret. Could you protect other secrets too? Like the person's identity?" Robin asked, voicing his suspicions out loud.

Azura did not answer.

Good, that confirms I am on the right track, Robin noted. "Where do the Invisible Soldiers come from?"

No answer.

"Can you write down your answers?"

No response. He'd figured as much, but it had been worth a shot.

"If something was already written down, I wouldn't be able to read it, would I?"

"Nothing would prevent you from doing so," Azura answered.

Okay, good. We're getting somewhere. That means if there is a written account of information protected by the curse, it would be possible to pass that text off to someone else. Seems like the curse is triggered communicating directly, either through words or writing. But not indirect methods. Robin stored this information away for later, as it provided avenues he could consider.

"Why didn't you talk to us before? When we first met?" Robin asked next, shifting his questions to other means he may get correct answers.

"I could not," Azura replied.

"Does it have anything to do your current state?" Robin asked.

"Yes."

"Are you more vulnerable in ways a living person would not be?"

"Yes," Azura repeated.

Robin nodded. As he thought, the reason she hadn't tried to speak to them in that location wasn't just because of some difficulty in appearing before them, but also due to being vulnerable if she were to attempt to do so. Unfortunately that rules out going there myself and hoping she could appear before me and answer these questions. Dammit, if only someone else knew about all this. There's only so much I can piece together from asking questions she can't…

"...answer," Robin whispered, finishing the thought aloud as the sudden realization dawned on him.

Azura gave him a quizzical look. "What answer do you speak of?"

Robin barely heard her, his mind racing at a lightning pace. He recalled how when he'd met Owain, Severa, and Inigo they had told him about their reasons for coming to this world, that they'd refused to answer some of his questions, saying that some answers were too secret for them to speak openly of. He'd taken it at face value at first, but… even then he'd found it strange. No secret should have been so dire to prevent them from speaking. Not when the very fate of this world may very well hang in the balance. So why not break the promises they claimed they swore?

What if it wasn't a promise that prevented them from answering. What if they simply couldn't answer.

"My friends. The others who came from my world. I think they know about our enemy," Robin explained. It was the only explanation that made sense. All the cryptic remarks about being asked to save this world. They knew about the threat they faced: it was the reason they were called here in the first place.

If they know about the curse, they must have been brought to that other world. Which surely means they are aware that they can safely speak while there. But then why didn't they try to bring anyone back there… unless… yes, it's possible they don't know about the passageway through the bottomless canyon.

With that, a plan began to take shape. Yes, of anyone of their grounp, they would be the ones he could certainly convince to follow him to the bottomless canyon. Once inside, they would be able to tell their full story, which with any luck would provide the answers he needed to come up with a real plan.

"I am certain of it. It's the only thing that explains the way they've been acting. Why they can't answer, just like you have been," Robin explained, waving his hands vaguely in Azura's direction to indicate what he was referring to. "I just need to bring them to the bottomless canyon. Yes… yes, this might work."

Azura nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. The first joyous expression he'd seen her wear this whole time. "Good. I am glad you have discovered the path you must follow." She paused, her smiling fading as her expression grew serious once more. "I am putting my faith in you, Robin. It falls to you to act as the guide for the others. Should you fail, then all may be lost. Please, you must see Corrin to the end of his burden, to the destiny that yet falls to him."

No, it's completely alright, Azura. No pressure or anything, Robin thought, his internal voice dripping with sarcasm. Least he'd had the presence of mind to keep the biting remark to himself. He'd had plenty of practice at keeping such thoughts unspoken.

So instead he nodded, doing his best to appear more confident than he felt. Really, how hard could it possibly be? "After I have a plan, I suppose my next task would be to convince everyone else to… well, jump off a cliff… Not looking forward to having to make that seem like a good and not completely insane idea."

"No. You will not have time," Azura said, her words suddenly urgent and tense.

"I… what?" Robin asked, arching an eyebrow. "I don't follow."

Azura closed her eyes, her expression becoming distant, as if her mind had wandered to a place far away. "When dawn turns to dusk, and dusk turns to dawn... The pass in the Bottomless Canyon opens or closes."

"When dawn turns to… What does that mean?" Robin asked.

"Once every few decades, the skies above Nohr and Hoshido will reverse. When it happens, the pass shifts open or closed," Azura explained.

"Oh…" Robin whispered. He had a sudden, dreadful feeling he knew exactly where this was going. He prayed he was wrong. Gods did he pray he was wrong. "And that happens… when, exactly?"

"At the stroke of midnight two days hence," Azura answered simply.

Silence. Robin felt his mouth fall partially open, the reality of what she'd said slowly but surely sinking in.

"You…" A stream a curses fell from his breath, strung together in a unsellable mess of syllables. It took several moments before he managed to regain enough of his composure to form proper, polite words. "Dammit... I… dammit! Two days… I barely have enough time to bring Owain, Severa, and Inigo to the bottomless canyon. Even if we have a plan in time, there is no way an army can be mobilized to enter before the way is blocked." He scowled, grinding the heel of his boot into the dirt. "I take it that we aren't so lucky that our enemy will be prevented from leaving once this happens, are we?"

"I am afraid not," Azura answered solemnly. "I am sorry. This matter must also become part of your task: to discover a way to stop our foes after the skies change. By what means, I am afraid I truly cannot say. It is beyond my knowledge. If it is even possible."

Robin's frown deepened. This was getting better and better by the minute. One impossible task after another, all falling to him.

Giving up already? Didn't you once say that it's the job of a crack tactician to work miracles, isn't it? To do the impossible, even if you had to come back from the dead to do it? The voice in his mind cut through the clouds of doubt that had risen within him, recalling the words he'd spoken to Lucina all those years before. Doing the impossible… no matter what challenge he'd faced in the past, he'd overcome it. Because he'd had them by his side, all of them. How was this any different than those times. For even if they weren't here with him in person, even if they were entire worlds away…

... with the strength of their bonds, he could do anything. He had to believe that.

"I doubt it will be that hard. Finding solution to a problem with no clear answer is just another day in the life of a tactician," Robin said, putting a confident smile on his face. He needed to seem sure of himself. Not for anyone else's benefit, but for his own. He had to believe he could do it. For himself.

Azura smiled and nodded. It was at that moment that a shimmering glow seemed to ripple through her ghostly form. Her body began to flicker, pieces of her beginning to dissolve away starting with her fingers and foes, slowly spreading to the rest of her.

"What's…" Robin started to ask.

"I'm afraid I am out of time. Even this took much out of me. I do not know when or if I will be able to offer council again. The rest… the rest remains with you now…" she said. Motes of prismatic light drifted from her fading body, drifting away like bubbles floating from within the ocean's deep expanse..

"Wait, before you go. Should I tell anyone else about this? What about Corrin? Should he…" Robin shook his head, trailing off.

"I…. do not know…" Azura said, her expression growing sad. "I fear that if he knew… how near I may be to him yet out of reach… it will only bring him more pain…" Her body flickered, more of her form dissolving away. "But… to keep such a secret from him... He deserves better."

A gust of wind tore through the clearing, leaves kicking up to swirl around them. Azura's body seemed to break apart into a thousand points of light, dissolving away into the wind. Yet even as she faded, her voice rang out, casting her final, parting words. "I leave it to you…Do what you feel is right… I put my trust in you."

And with that she was gone. Behind him the first faint light of the morning sun peeked out over the horizon, the black of night replaced by an deep ocean blue. Soon the sky would be lit by a paler blue, turning into golds and crimson hues as dawn broke over the land.

The dawning of a new day. A time for change and new beginnings, Robin mused, gazing up to where the moon had begun to make its descent into the horizon

Stormclouds rumbled in the distance, threatening the oncoming of rain. The morning light would be fleeting it seemed, replaced by gray overcast and the drumbeats of thunder. So much was still uncertain. Yet for all the darkness that awaited them all...

He had to believe a true, brighter dawn would come.

Author's Note: So that took a lot longer than expected. I hope it was worth the wait.

So here we have it, the other major scene I've been planning for some time. I hope my explanation for why Robin can see Azura makes sense, as a lot of people have been wondering about that for some time. Good thing he can see her though, as he was finally able to get some of the answers he needed. Or rather, to be guided towards the answers he seeks. Which, as it turns out, will need to come from three individuals in particular, who can truly shed some light on the nature of their foes and what is needed going forward.

In other news you guys may have noticed the lack of character spotlights in the last few chapter. The reason they have been left out is that I like to keep the spotlight to a character who is relevant to the chapter I attach it to, which so far all of the relevant characters are ones I did before.

So with that in mind, I plan to introduce a bonus segment that I will be putting at the end of future chapters where a character spotlight is not relevant. This segment will be called "Robin's Writings" which will short excerpts "taken" from things Robin has written regarding numerous topics. I figure this will be a fun way to expand upon the lore of the series through Robin's voice and perspective. So stick around for the first entry of this type, as Robin discusses the nature of magic within the Fire Emblem universe.

But first, it's time to respond to some guest reviews

Dracofight - Thank you for the review. While I can't say anything in regards to more Awakening characters appearing, I can at the very least say we will be seeing some more Hoshido characters very soon indeed.

Guest - While Corrin is very similar to Robin, he does share a lot of traits with Lucina, which was my intention. Meaning she was the perfect person to give him advice and guidance here. So I am glad that ended up working out as well as I hoped it would And yes, hopefully now Corrin can truly begin to heal.

Now with that said, that's all for now everyone. As always, I look forward to seeing what you guys think. Until next time, I hope you enjoyed this one, and I wish everyone a wonderful day!

Robin's Writings: On the Topic of Magic

Magic.

It is one of the fundamental forces of the countless worlds that make up the very fabric of creation. Yet despite being an intrinsic part of reality, one that helps shape the world and touches each of our lives in some way, the exact nature of magic has been the subject of seemingly endless debates throughout history. Indeed, for as long as mages and scholors have existed, so too has this question echoed through the halls of every great place of learning. What is magic?

One school of thought on this matter is that magic is simply another form of energy: no different than light, heat, gravity, magnetism, physical, or potential energy. It is argued, as countless experiments have shown, that magic obeys many of the same laws that govern the more mundane forms of energy. It can neither be created nor destroyed, only transferred or converted to and from other forms of energy. When a spellcaster creates a fireball, they are simply transforming that magical energy into light and heat in the shape and form they desire. However, others argue that this fails to account for the unique trait possessed by magic that no other from of power possesses: the ability for beings both mortal and divine alike to wield and control magic through they own willpower. Wouldn't then magic be something wholly different from simple energy as we understand it. Others still have put forth the idea combining both of these sides, arguing that the energy wielded and shaped through magic is indeed it's own form of energy alike to all the others, but that the force that guides this power is the true aspect of magic, with it being something we have yet to truly understand or identify.

Regardless of which of these views are correct, if any of them even are, the fundamental rules and function of magic are something that has been well defined. Magical energy, as we will refer to it as for simplicities sake regardless of the validity of considering it a simple form of nature, permeates all of reality. Some may describe it as a great sea, which indeed would prove quite accurate, for magic is is constant motions, flowing throughout reality in currents and pooling into provides variations in the strength of magical area based on location, with some areas making it easier or more difficult to harness magical energy. While this rarely makes little noticeable difference to the average spellcaster, this can have a substantial effect when attempting to perform a more powerful spell or ritual, which often require they be conducted in locations where great reservoirs of magical energy are available. It is possible too for the currents of magic to be influenced and altered, particularly by the presence of powerful beings, cataclysmic events, or even physical locations that possess some particularly strong supernatural properties.

Now with this baseline understanding of magic's place in the physical world, we can now explore how magic is harnessed and wielded by spellcaster. When a mage prepares to cast a spell, they are attempting to tap into the ambient magical energies surrounding them, which provide the fuel, so to speak, for whatever effect they seek to accomplish. This energy, as discussed before, is converted into more mundane forms of energy that provide the given effect. A wind spell, for example, is merely converting the magic into physical force that propels air into the desired shape and trajectory. The more powerful a spell, the more magic that is required. It is this power drawn in from their surroundings that accounts for the vast majority of the energy of any given spell.

However, some energy must come from the spellcaster themselves, providing the initial catalyst for the spell as well as the might needed to draw in the surrounding energy to begin with. Early mages relied wholly on their own life energy to fuel their spells. Simple and straightforward, this type of magic tends to be more primal and crude compared to later forms, possessing great power but putting the caster at considerable risk. Every spell cast through this method puts considerable strain on the body and rapidly uses up the user' energy. Yet the effectiveness of this method cannot be denied, having been practiced for thousands of years. Indeed, in Valmese continent, this form of spellcasting persisted long past the invention of magical foci such as tomes and staves, only in recent centuries adopting the methods used in the other known continents.

Due to the many drawbacks of the early forms of spellcasting discussed above, most modern spellcasters rely on magical foci to harness magic. These foci are physical objects, typically tomes or staves, though truly any object could be used, imbued with magical energy that the spellcaster can draw upon in the place of their own life energy when casting the spell. Rather than act as simple font of power, the energies contained within a foci are typically are woven into the foundational framework necessary for a specific spell. This means that not only is some of the work done for the caster, but also means less energy as a whole is needed to shape the ambient magic needed to complete the spell. This greatly raises the efficiency of the magic, requiring less energy to come from the tome itself as less is wasted on the initial stages of the spell. Only a very small amount of energy is drawn from the user themselves, no more than what would be required by a knight to swing a sword or an archer to draw and loose an arrow.

However, this type of spellcasting does not come without it's own drawbacks. The first is that is requires a great deal more concentration and mental fortitude to properly wield a magical foci. This means that while the physical strain is lessened through their use, magical foci result in far greater mental strain on the caster, particularly with prolonged and frequent use over a brief period of time. That is also not to say there is no physical drawbacks. Casting spells still wears out the body as easily as physical exertion would, posing it's own set of risks, particularly on the battlefield. Finally the difficulty of harnessing foci necessitates far more study and learning on the part of a spellcaster, meaning any given mage needs years if not decades of study before they are ready to serve in any substantial spellcasting role. In there end there are benefits and tradeoffs to both methods, though perhaps there is a reason the use of magical foci has proven preferred across most worlds.

That being said, these two examples are not the only ways magic can be harnessed. Other methods are available, such as converting other forms of energy into magic or through the utilization of other forces such as divine power or quintessence. These topics, however, perhaps should be left aside for now, as they require their own segments if they were to be explored at any length. For now, let us delve a bit deeper into the traditional schools of magic, as we explore their differences as well their unique histories and applications…

Excerpt ends here.