Chapter 4: Arcane Path

It originates from the Earth, drifts into Water, burns in the Fire, and returns to the Wind. Fire flickers and Water fluctuates. unlike Wind, Earth does not flow. The world exists with this conflicting forces.

Elements

▪︎▪︎▪︎

The Arcane Path, just like the Martial Path, is one of the three major Paths in cultivation. However, the percentage of cultivators of the former is much smaller than the latter.. Like for every ten awakened children, 5 or 6 will most likely have an aptitude for the Martial Path while only 2 or 3 will most likely have an aptitude for the Arcane Path.

Aside from that, cultivators of this path have an innate advantage over martial path. Of course, that is, as long as distance is properly accounted but if a practitioner shortens it, it pretty much nullifies that advantage.

It's just that low level spells in the Arcane Path have higher destructive effect than those of its counterpart in the Martial Path.

Of course, this is not always true because in the higher levels, body practitioners can literally overturn mountains.

In front of Lex is the Arcane Tower. Filled with strange symbols and runes on the outer walls, the tower, consisting of seven floors, stand tall within the center area of the village.

It is the pride of Invokers to have an Arcane Tower because only those having a rank of Arcane Masters and above can build their own towers.

Moreover, all Arcane Towers have seven floors based on Invokers' doctrines. The differing factor between each Arcane Towers are the runes and symbols engraved as well as the power it passively manifest.

Lex entered the Arcane Tower and arrived in a study room. Inside the room, nine other youths are already here, waiting, ready to learn more about the Arcane Path.

Ten youths of different ages ranging from 7 to 12 are sitting in a study room within the Arcane Tower.

The air in the room seemed denser because of thd mental energies the young invokers unconsciously released.

In this room filled with books, long tables, few chairs, a writing board, and a few posters of magic circles, it can evoke one's thirst for knowledge in the Arcane Path.

After a few minutes, the Village Invoker, dress in dark red fitting robe and a pointed hat, entered the room.

She walks to the front and placed her staff beside the chair and the stacks of paper in her table. Then, she flashed a smile towards her class and said, "Let us first congratulate our newest invoker, Relius, congratulations in successfully forming your first Arcane Rune. Keep up the good work!"

"Congratulations!" "Welcome to the Arcane Path!" his classmates further encouraged.

"T-thank you!" Relius timidly bowed to the crowd. "Thank you Mentor Cassandra for guiding me and teaching me Arcane knowledge," he shyly added and immediately takes his sit, bowing his head, This level of praise was the first for the ten-year-old fledgeling invoker.

Invoker is the term used by the cultivators of the Arcane Path, another major Path aside from the Martial Path.

For one to become an Invoker, one of the touchstone is having an Elemental Affinity.

During the Aptitude test, a person's elemental affinity will manifest.

Moreover, manifestation of elemental phenomenon can be felt during Illuviation which indicates a person's elemental affinity.

[Note: Illuviation is the process of accumulating mystic energy from the environment towards the body.]

Of course, one can only be considered an Invoker if one can successcully engrave an Arcane Rune. And to engrave an Arcane Rune, strong mental energy is required.

Comparingly, if a Martial Path formed their Martial Heart and uses pneuma as their power, in the Arcane Path, one must engrave an Arcane Rune in one's consciousness and harness the mana into their specific Elements to successfully engrave one.

Moreover, the Arcane Rune is filled with the knowledge and understanding a cultivator have on the Arcane Path, making it extremely unique like a thumbprint. It is the crystallization of their knowledge, their truth, their perception or understanding of the world.

Both of these are cultivators' source of strength and throughout their journey in their path, they must constantly reinforce, strengthen, and reforge them.

Additionally, just like how a Martial Heart can cause weakening in cultivation if one's beliefis not firm enough, Arcane Rune can also lead to a similar circumstance,

An Invoker's greatest pursuit is knowledge and they use it to create their Arcane Runes. If one's knowledge is flawed and insufficient, one cannot advance and may lose one's cultivation ranks.

After a cultivator successfully engrave their Arcane Rune, one can be said to be an Iron-rank Arcane Apprentice.

Just like the Martial Path, the lowest stage is Apprentice, followed by Scholar as the next stage. Furthermore, it also has ten levels which are:

1- Iron

2- Copper

3- Silver

4- Gold

5- Platinum

6- Quicksilver

7- Mithril

8- Obsidian

9- Orichalcum

10- Adamantium

People who cultivates both the Martial and Arcane Paths, are extremely rare. In every century, they can be counted in one's hands. Their potential is limitless.

After the brief celebratory greeting, Invoker Cassandra started teaching her class.

"Since the mystic beasts are starting to be more active lately, I will teach you the weakness of beasts and how you can deal with them, or how to escape their pursuit," Invoker Cassandra added. Then, she passed to them the stacks of paper placed on the table.

It was a compilation of common mystic beasts seen in the mountain with detailed information about them including their strength level, racial trait, and weaknesses.

"Since we are talking about mystic beasts, let us know Millan's first-hand experience against a mystic beast. Millan, can you help your classmates by sharing your insights?" Invoker Cassandra requested.

Millan, an 11-year-old boy, stand from his seat and complied to her request and went in front. "I was to collect meat so I was hunting for Berserk Boars where they usually frequented. It was still dark so I waited patiently."

Hearing their techer's question and his classmate's introduction, Lex can't help but remember his vivid dream last night.

"Just as I spotted a boar, I found a few of its companions so I still waited patiently when one of them get separated from the herd," Millan continued.

"Then, after waiting for so long, one of them finally moved away from the others so I followed it," hearing this, the whole class also got excited and amazed at his bravery.

Even Lex got his whole imagination working for the possibilities.

"As it is moving so slowly, I can't wait anymore so I hit it with rock spears. I got its attention and I angered it. By the way, it is their racial trait 'Enrage' which grants them increase in their strength and speed. Then, with its added speed, I lured it where some traps are placed, but I did not realize that another boar is just nearby and heard its friends battlecry"

"Fortunately, the first boar is closer to me. After hitting it another few rock spears, it charged at me unknowingly activating the net trap armed with barbs which easily killed it. As for the other one, it followed right after and increase its speed again when it saw how its friend died."

At this point, the whole class listen intently with bated breaths, some with sparkling eyes.

"By now, my mana is running low and have to finish it as soon as I can. So, i set up a simple Quagmire spell, then aimed two rock spears at its feet so that it will lose its balance. Finally, it got stucked in the quagmire I solidified. I fired another few rock spears concentrated at its side," he narrated.

"This time, I really run out of mana," he stopped before looking at his classmates. Some of them are imagining the worst even though he is standing there alive and well right in front of them.

Then, Millan continued, " With the sword at my waist, I confronted it and had a few tussle with it, slowly waiting for its racial skill to end"

"Then, I struck hard with my sword when its racial skill ended leaving it exhausted to not waste the opportunity, slashing directly towards it. Thanks to the earlier rockspears, my sword easily pierced its hide to its heart, successfully killing it. Hehe," he finished his story bashfully scratching his chin.

Even he did not think he can be successful in hunting the two boars. Being an Adamantium-rank Arcane Apprentice, Millan, against two Level 10 Berserk Boars, ultimately triumphed!

Since the youths are required to learn the basics of other Martial Path aside from the one they are studying, Millan only has basic skills in swordsmanship. Still, that skill became handy and helped him in his hunt.

The class applauded him of his feat. Amazement evident in their eyes from how he descibed the battle.

Lex is unable to compare himself if he can do that too and make the right call at the critical moments.

"Incredible Millan! I praised you for your bravery, keen observation and ingenuity in using low tier spells. Did you heard that class, being able to determine a mystic beast's strength, weakness and racial trait can help you in killing it or escaping from it," Invoker Cassandra praised and emphasized to the class.

Millan's battle awareness and usage of techniques and opportunities are remarkable. If others of the same age are in his position, they would only be struck dead and not able to seize the moment.

"Be observant of your surrounding and never let your vigilance down in the forest since danger lurks everywhere." she further warned.

"Thank you for sharing your experience Millan," Invoker Cassandra said. Millan bowed and returned to his seat.

Their lesson went on to talk about other beasts and what to do when facing danger.

All the while, Lex had his mind flying elsewhere. Their lesson finished just as the sun was setting.