D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad-Chapter 1484 - Making Magic: Explanation Time

--- Lily ---

"So what are you doing now?" asked Kat. Lily had set up a table with a big stack of paper on it.

"Well… I'm trying to make a spell that turns other things into shadows first. That way if I mess up it's not going to hurt me… too much," explained Lily.

"Is it really safer? I mean, from your explanation it seemed like changing something else into shadow is just as dangerous as changing yourself into shadows," said Kat.

"Perhaps? Yes but also no? Um… ok so, normally changing something else into shadows would be harder. Everything, or at least, everything in other realms has higher energy in it and that energy naturally resists spell effects. Now for non-living things, younger non-living things especially, that resistance is drastically muted.

"In this case? This isn't just paper asked my mother to buy for me, this is paper I asked my mother to by for me that is saturated with my mana completely. So it's not just 'paper' but specifically MY paper. Which is quite different from a magical standpoint. Even if I'm not actively pumping mana through it the paper reacts to my wants a lot more.

In this case, I'm hoping to use it as a way to give the spell a path of least resistance to travel along," explained Lily.

"Aren't you also attuned to your magic? It is your magic after all, and your body would be saturated with it… would it not?" asked Kat.

"Well, once again, yes but also no. In this case if I didn't want the spell to change me my mana would help me resist the change, then there's the fact that I have demonic energy, then there's the link between you and I that might also make things harder to change, especially against our combined wills. Finally, because I have a soul, I naturally resist effects with just that.

"That's actually one of the first things covered in a whole bunch of my magic books. Apparently just having a soul changes things a bunch. Though it was a little unclear how certain things gain a soul. Like, not all bugs have souls, but a good number of trees do. It's very weird and age only sometimes plays a factor," explained Lily.

"Right… and this is safe?" asked Kat.

"Well… as safe as I can make it?" offered Lily. "If I'm touching the paper, intend to change the paper, and the spells I've already written all work as I expect them too… which I doubt, but if they do work then it should be safe-ish?"

Kat let out a long sigh. "Well is there anything you could do to make it safer?"

"Not… especially? I mean there's probably some enchantments that would help but I don't know any of them. Additionally, while there is some risk while touching the paper, the worst that's likely to happen there is a get a bit injured, and really, with you watching over me if it starts to look really dangerous you can just pull me away," said Lily.

"I can?" asked Kat confused.

"I mean… is there a reason you wouldn't?" asked Lily right back.

"You know what I meant Lily," said Kat with a glare. "If I disconnect you from that simple 'path of least resistance' will that cause any problems?"

"Um… maybe?" said Lily a little unsure. "The notes I do have on testing spells don't really take into account having someone as fast, strong, and durable as you around for this sort of thing. It would probably increase the chance of backlash… but if the spell is already looking to be quite dangerous, eating the backlash it probably better. Sure it'll hurt, but it's very recoverable,"

"Then why do people normally seem concerned about it?" asked Kat.

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"Oh, well it's just about a death sentence for a mage in combat," stated Lily bluntly. "Sure it really hurts, but it also massively disrupts your casting for anywhere between thirty seconds and like ten minutes or so? The first time at least. If you're a mage and that happens to you then you're really not in a good place in a fight,"

"Oh… ok that's a lot better than I thought. I won't say it's good exactly, but at least I understand why it's an acceptable cost here," said Kat.

Lily gave Kat a nod, "Yup… and now it's time for the first spell!" Lily lifted on of the pieces of paper up just by looking at them and ripped it in half with her mind. It was easy with the paper so saturated with mana. Lily then gently took the paper slip and pegged it in place on the frame she'd just pulled out from her ring.

Lily carefully touched a finger to the paper and stood slightly off to the side. *Wish I had some safety equipment… WAIT!* Lily paused, then took her finger away to summon up a pair of safety goggles that she was now aware of. Apparently just wishing she had some was enough for her ring to point out the equipment contained within.

Lily also decided to throw on an apron and some gloves… before quickly discarding the gloves. "No gloves?" asked Kat.

"It would make it harder for the magic to leave my fingers that way and it'd probably get stuck on the gloves instead of the paper… on inside my hand," answered Lily. Kat nodded in acceptance and readied herself for anything that might go wrong.

Lily once again approached the paper, finger carefully outstretched while standing slightly to the side but still clearly in view of the paper. The sigil for the spell was on display at the tip of her finger, the mana was spent… and nothing. Lily frowned, emulating the sequence of runes a second time and pressing a bit harder onto the paper… and still nothing. "I… did I miss something?" asked Lily.

"What do you mean?" asked Kat.

"Well… I thought I cast the spell correctly. The mana flowed out of me fine, I didn't experience any backlash and I'm certain the spell went off… it just didn't seem to do anything?" said Lily a touch confused.

"Well… without knowing anything… perhaps the spell only worked on shadows? I mean this IS shadow magic so that's really the first thing that comes to mind?" offered Kat.

Lily chewed on that thought, metaphorically, not literally. The recent cut in her mouth meant she wasn't going to make that mistake again so soon. "I… could see that being the case. It's really not what I thought the spell was going to do should it fail… but I guess it's possible? Let me just…"

Lily moved over to the shadow the paper was casting and poured mana into it, attuning it more to herself and then, with a quick glance at Kat. Tapped her finger against the shadow and cast the spell. Still nothing. Once more? Nothing. "Huh… did I mess this up more than I thought?"

Lily turned to the side and cast an underpowered paper storm and a bunch of small paper pieces flew at the wall. They didn't do any damage, but that really wasn't the point. "Ok so it's not my magic that's failing it's the spell. I wonder why this wasn't mentioned in the books?

It was all 'it could have horrific consequences even if the spell goes off properly' yet I don't think I saw a single book that mentioned the possibility of 'nothing' which… I guess also isn't too surprising?" mumbled Lily.

"Why is that? I feel like doing nothing IS pretty surprising, especially when you just cast a spell that should do at least something?" asked Kat.

"Well, yes, but also no? Maybe? I'm still puzzling this out… but think of it this way. Sitting on a chair is a lot easier then standing up, and remaining sitting on a chair is even easier then moving to a chair and sitting down. So I'm guessing that one of the interpretations is basically 'do nothing' or maybe 'do nothing until x happens'?

Let me just…" Lily trailed off as she pulled a stick out of her inventory and poked at the paper a bit. Nothing happened.

Then Lily poked at the shadow and the shadows looked like they were going to explode for a moment. Kat was ready and had already dashed over Lily, pulling her away as she moved to ensure that she was between the blast and Lily… only nothing ever happened. Kat carefully looked over and the shadow was just sort of puffy.

Once Lily had mental confirmation of that fact she looked over as well, and it looked a bit like the shadow was full of water. "Huh… well I guess that actually sort of makes sense? Maybe?" said Lily. "Can you poke it a bit for me?"

"Sure just stay there," said Kat as she went over and did as ask. Kat tapped the shadow and it sort of fizzed against her hand before reverting back to normal. Not deflating. No liquid was lost, it just sort went from 'balloon-like' to 'flat' without any transition. It was very strange to look at, likely useless but at least it was safe.

"Gonna need to test that a few times…" mumbled Lily.