Calvin sat dumbfounded, struggling to digest the truth of the words he had just heard.
Another world? But how was that possible?
He had so many questions—and since he knew Elijah lacked the answers, he started forming theories of his own.
The answer was obviously magic-related. And though he lacked true insights into the matter, he couldn't help but recall the very first lesson he'd learned from the so-called magic advisor:
Impossible feat = Intent + Fuel.
Elijah's sudden appearance was the impossible feat.
The environment was already overly saturated with the fuel—mana.
Did their desperate desire for an expert act as the intent in that equation and somehow… draw him here?
That was Calvin's working theory.
As for other worlds actually existing? He had no idea where to even begin.
Realizing he'd been spacing out for a while, Calvin cleared his throat and straightened in his chair, finally finding his voice again.
"This is all so fascinating. How many worlds are out there, I wonder? And how would one go about traversing from one to the other? Above all, the possibilities of magic seems endless"
Leaning forward, he clasped Elijah's hands in his own.
"Elijah, my boy," he said with a bright smile, "of all the places you could've ended up… I'm so grateful that fate chose here. You're such a fantastic specimen."
Elijah flinched back instinctively, almost toppling his chair.
"S—specimen?!"
***
After their very unusual meeting, Calvin personally escorted Elijah to a room arranged for him to stay the night.
It was luxurious, almost obnoxiously so.
Golden ornaments lined the walls, causing the dim torchlight to glisten and bathe everything in a warm radiant golden hue. The bed was massive, draped in breathtaking white sheets. In one corner sat a desk and chair, in another, a giant mirror with gold trimmed edges. A closet filled with clothes only fit for nobles, completed the space
It was only then that Elijah thought to actually care about what he'd been wearing all this time. His dark, purplish-black robes fit surprisingly well in this world. No one else wore anything like them, but they worked well enough to go unquestioned—and thankfully, they had.
As he began settling in, Elijah couldn't help thinking about his current situation—and more worryingly—his future.
What was the plan?
Was he really going to stick around and play magic instructor?
He honestly didn't even know where to begin. He'd never taught anyone anything before. And magic? Magic wasn't exactly the easiest subject to explain. There were many different categories, types, adaptations, and hundreds of applications.
And on top of all that, while he'd always been obsessed with the flashy parts—the big spells, the destructive scenes, the cool skills—he'd never paid much attention to the theory behind it all.
'What am I gonna do about getting back home?' he wondered.
'Do I even want to?'
His time here so far had been… chaotic. Terrifying. A true nightmare
And yet… it was exciting.
More exciting than anything his old life had offered.
Elijah sighed and sat up on the bed.
'No need to think about all that. If I'm going to advise them on magic, the least I can do is figure out what I'm actually working with.'
He stretched his arms overhead, then got up from the bed and sat down cross-legged on the soft carpet floor.
'If Calvin's demonstration earlier was anything to go by… meditation should be the first step.'
He followed the instructions he'd blindly given out earlier:
Eyes closed. Calm, controlled breathing.
In… out…
In… out…
Nothing.
Still, he continued.
And continued.
Until eventually, his mind began to settle, the beating of his own heart echoing in his head started to fade and the whispers of his stray thoughts began to hush
It was then that he sensed it. A completely new sensation, one no different from the feeling of fresh oxygen dancing its way up your nostrils and then into your lungs yet… so different.
A warmth without description— a tingling feeling— enveloped his entire body with chills as it seeped into his pores
He felt at peace. so much so that, while his initial intent was to replicate Calvin's flame, he couldn't bring himself to move pass the gathering phase fearing it might stop the sensation.
The 'tingling feeling' was so satisfying that words couldn't begin to explain it. It was as euphoric as experiencing a scalp massager hitting just the right spot over and over, after a long and stressful day at work, ten fold.
Though, Eventually, he stopped gathering and instead changed his approach to playing with it.
He was circulating it throughout his body. From the tips of his fingers to the crown of his head then all the way to the tips of his toes. This time it felt more than just oddly satisfying, his body felt stronger and his mind sharper and more refreshed than ever before.
It was only then, that Elijah decided it was time to replicate the finger flame.
He circulated everything he had gathered towards the tip of his index finger. He couldn't help smiling with glee as the felt the sweet sensation of mana trickling from every part of his body, heading to a singular point.
His eyes remained closed as he tried to get a perfect mental image of a flame. After which, Only the spark from his intent remained to ignite it.
"Here goes nothing…" he took another breath " flame on!"
A brilliant orange glow slowly started emanating from his finger accompanied by warmth, it kept gradually growing more intensely until it started overpowering the soft golden hue that spread throughout the room before it. Then grew some more
Until—
BOOM!
Elijah's right index finger exploded into pieces.
For a second there was no pain, just a void filled with confusion. Then it hit.
"Fucking hell!" he screamed.
A surge of agony gushed from the point of impact,rapidly permeating throughout his entire body. His brain reeled fighting to process the mangled mess where his fingers used to be. Blood splattered.Flesh peeled. His finger pulsated intensely, every heartbeat felt like a sledgehammer slamming into the nerve itself
But… Despite it all; Elijah was smiling.
One measly finger was a small price to pay for his life long dream of wielding magic.
He had vicariously experienced it countless times through protagonists of books,animes and films. However, now… now he had experienced it for himself with his own hands
He undeniably had, even if only briefly
He spared a second to look down at the mangled mess which was once his finger, only the skeleton remained. All flesh—skin, nerves and muscles—were ripped to shreds— and blood leaked from what remain where the rest of finger connected with the hand.
There were no burn marks or scents of burnt flesh, which meant the 'explosion' was unrelated to the fire itself and was instead a result of condensing more mana in a single point than his body could currently handle.
Elijah made a mental note of that, but couldn't be bothered by anything else.
His finger was gone, but now he had magic.
He was no different from an addict who just got hooked on a new drug, then got thrown in a place with copious amounts it. So while others would've been discouraged about continuing or more concerned about their lost appendage…
Elijah sat back down with his legs criss-crossed, closed his eyes and started refocusing his breathing. Calming his heart which now beat wildly due to all the adrenaline currently in his system.
He was continuing his meditation
In… out… in… out…
He sat there for hours. Gathering and circulating mana throughout the entirety of his body.
His body kept getting stronger, his mind kept feeling more refreshed, and every time the circulation reached the mangled finger,it soothed its throbbing ever so slightly. Soon he stopped feeling it all together.
He circulated mana for hours and hours more, testing just how much concentration he could maintain in a single spot before feeling the strain.
He experimented with the flame some more smiling proudly every time, though he never actually opened his eyes to witness them. The brilliant warmth from his finger was all the reassurance he needed.
Elijah spent the entire night circulating mana throughout the entirety of his body. At one point he even fell into a trance, not quite sleeping but not quite conscious either.
He was now only opening his eyes because he could hear someone approaching his room.
It was then that he noticed it.
Somewhere along the lines of all his meditation.
Elijah had somehow managed to accidentally regrow his finger.