The flames lit the night. Here in the village of Sky Chant, magic was practiced at all hours. The flames came from the first lessons received at the site. Priests from all corners of Greenleaf came here—not those seeking to be in a group to save it, but those who wanted to save themselves from becoming a medicine kit for the people they accompanied... they were from the branch of discipline.
Far from almost all cities, our closest sister was Midnight Raven, which, after a rather quick start, had begun to contribute greatly to allowing our promising students to test higher-level magics. Likewise, their weak mages were sent to us for training, to obtain new ways of facing an era as savage as the one we lived in after the Cataclysm.
The hut on the right housed the novices—those with very little magical field and even less control over what they had. There, they had to learn what the power of enchantments meant and how it affected their surroundings, even if it was only a one-meter diameter. As I approached, I heard them:
"Magic is nothing more than a form of energy. It serves to move, stop, and give properties to what lies within its field of action. Observe this cloth—it is a simple cotton rag. Its protection against magic is zero, so any enchantment designed to affect its structure will be fully received—these are attack and defense magics.
A simple fireball will burn it; the energy of a magical lightning bolt would pulverize it. But that only means you can reinforce it. Look—I only need to trace the discipline runes, which will cover its structure with layers of magic. Each of them will defend the cloth and what it protects from as much damage as the magic layer can generate.
Now, most of you wonder: is it better to have one thick layer of magic or several thin ones? The answer is the second. While one thick layer of magic could resist three fireballs, it is so exhausting to invoke, shape, and maintain that creating something like that would leave you unprotected from attacks. That is called cooldown. Priests' magic is not as powerful, but in exchange, it develops meticulous skills—we can make more than ten layers of armor, enough to recover and create more when these expire. Also, do not forget the cloth has its own details.
A battle between you and an enemy should not be based on the enchantments you can execute. Understand that. That is why you train your bodies and minds. You must be able to face enemies like the rest, with the awareness of having to help them even while under attack. Your weapons can also be reinforced. A strike with fire magic or even a single layer of discipline magic can do more damage than you think. Add to that that you must be able to master your staves, and you will have many reasons to be here."
He was a discipline priest—one of the best I had. For now, I only had him. My best student and several of the advanced ones were learning with the Blackcap leader. I only hoped they would not change discipline like those I heard in the farthest hut.
"Young ones, magic does not only attack the physical plane. Magic has many mental branches—some with temporary damage, others with long-term damage, and even deadly ones. Here, you will only learn those that give you advantages in battle—quick magics, short invocations that can be used against many enemies. Your weapons are in your hands and your head—do not forget it.
Mental damages are divided into sensory and control. The former can cause blindness, disable speech, hearing, or sight. Not all are permanent, but they are effective and cannot be stopped by anyone using traditional shields. The latter are more intense—created for destructive purposes by the elves. Attacks like Nightmare, Mind Poison, Corruption generate such disparate perceptions that your allies might eliminate you while thinking they are fulfilling their assigned duty. However, Absorbing Touch, Leech Mana, Mental Torture, and Howls are enchantments created by humans. They are not permanent, easier to execute, but no less devastating. Just remember: being able to harm means you must know the limits—not kill those who do not seek death, but be relentless with those who threaten your integrity. That is why you are trained in discipline—so you do not falter when your friend, your comrade, even your lover, one day wants to eliminate you."
That was extreme, but coming from the dark priests, I thought they were behaving quite well. When I learned of their existence, almost all the friends in my charge were already trained in this branch. I admitted it was very effective for facing enemies, but the branch I had created was meant for other things—for other enemies, for our own.
The village breathed curiosity. Everyone was learning—men, women, many mystical creatures came for advice. Nothing important, but it showed that we were not very powerful, not weak. That simple difference made it so that when everything went to hell, when the death squads rose, when peace could not be found within three days' radius, we were able to pacify the area. We eliminated the threats to the villages. The children sent to this place were those rejected by the mages, or those the sacred priests considered too rough—they came with us. We were working with the second generation of beings who would be able to fend for themselves.
The sound that tore through the night was horrendous—a series of chants, still distant, but coming this way. I opened my mouth to give the alarm when the novices' hut exploded in a fireball. As I ran, a single thought filled my head: I have to save our children!