The Mind Shield

Magic is omnipresent.

It's a fact that every wizard knows. Magic has been there since the beginning of time but it was only a few thousand years back that the humans started to get a proper grasp on it and started using it to their advantage.

Sadly magic is not fair to all. 

Most of the human population still cannot feel the presence of magic and it is only a handful that has been able to fully dabble into the magical arts. 

The earliest records of such usage dated back to King Solomon, considering they were the only untempered records remaining of the past. 

`Solomon was one of the earliest humans to write a book on magic… demonic but magical nonetheless.`

Ian had read the stories of Solomon and about his great deeds. While not all of them were good, the majority of what he did was in the name of God. 

Solomon's book 'Ars Goetia' awed Ian. The concepts of the demons were so imaginative yet sounded so veracious that he spent an entire week reading it. 

`Solomon, in his search for the truth of demons, delved into the dark arts. But he knew the danger it would have on his sanity, so he used one of the earliest forms of psychic shields, a very early version of Occlumency.`

That surprised Ian a little. From what he knew, Occlumency was created as a resistance against Legilimency. 

`Dark art influence can act as a form of Legilimency far worse than normal. Solomon learnt it the painful way, having the demons invade his mind, giving him unimaginable pain.`

Ian believed Solomon to be all-knowing before his demise. He didn't expect the wise king to fall for such tricks. 

`But he was wise -he was the wise king. He devised a form of magic that helped him shield his mind from the demonic influences.`

Occlumency?

`One of the earliest forms of Occlumency.`

Reading through the texts, Ian wondered if the current form of Occlumency was a more advanced version of what Solomon used. 

`Solomon described multiple ways to protect one's mind from outer influence and to be an unparalleled wizard, his teachings shall be imparted on you.`

As the letters on the page changed, he wasn't surprised. He had already learnt how to clear his mind of his thoughts. 

`A tranquil mind is the key to be a good Occlumen. Since you have already acquired this stage, you shall move on to the second stage.`

This was the stage that Ian was stuck at. It was difficult for him to erect a mind shield and even if he did erect it, he couldn't hold it for very long. 

`Shielding the mind is a great form of Occlumency as it allows the caster to keep their thoughts in their place and also saves them from the trouble of creating fake memories.`

Ian nodded as he read. It was true that keeping the mind cleared of thoughts at all times was a little more than annoying and as much as it was commended, it wasn't that good of a thing. 

`Shielding the mind has various stages, layers to be specific. But the very first step is gathering a portion of the magic and using it to layer the mind with it.`

Ian continued to read the book and he admitted that the way Merlin wrote it, made it extremely simple for him to understand. 

`The way most wizards use it is by making a container or creating something like a balloon inside which remains the brain. A type of a magical skull that prevents mental damage instead of physical ones.`

Ian agreed once again. It was what he learnt in those books that Garrick bought him. Creating a barrier that blocked Legilimancy. 

`But that is a very inefficient way to build a shield.`

Ian paused and frowned at what he just read.

"He is calling the currently accepted form of Occlumency… inefficient?"

He was sceptical yet he didn't totally dismiss the probability and continued reading.

`The more 'gap' or 'space' there is between the layer and the mind, the easier it is to break the shield.`

This was surprising to Ian. It wasn't something he thought of or could have figured on his own. Not the current him at least.

`The best way to form a shield is by allowing the magic to flow inside the head, letting it scan the insides of the head. This will allow the formation of a protective layer over the brain and the mind by extension in a way that minimises any gap between the layer and the mind.`

"This…"

Merlin's words made sense to him now. If there was too much space between the mind and the shield, it formed sort of a hollow space which in turn makes the breaking of the shield easier. 

However—

"The shield being too close… wouldn't that cause possible shockwaves when an enemy strikes the shield? The shockwaves might harm the Occlumen."

But just as he questioned, the answer appeared right in front of him. 

`Wizards use multiple layers of such shields instead of creating just one to prevent damage to the psyche and to increase the defence.`

'Can the book read my mind?' Ian wondered as the book seemed to provide him with all the answers he was looking for. But it didn't take him long to realise that it was not that the book could read his mind but it was the author who could predict the questions and doubts a reader might have. 

A trait of a great author. 

"Book of the wise… Merlin." Ian mumbled with both annoyance and admiration. 

Ian was frozen. It was a fabulous reward.

"But…"

As much as he loved the reward, he couldn't use it. After all, he didn't possess a wand. 

"Whatever, let's just start with it."

…

…

Shielding the mind didn't require one to clear their thoughts. But it did require them to focus their magic and channel it towards their head. 

Ian sat with his legs crossed and body upright. 

He could feel his magic. It was flowing around the entirety of himself but most of it was without a purpose. It was up to him to give it a purpose.

And he did.

He made quite a bit of the magic gather inside his head, slowly allowing it to settle in and scan the area as instructed. He could feel the magic making contact with the insides of his skull. It felt cold yet relaxing, however, he was not used to having the magical energy flow so close to his brain.

Yet it was easier than he expected, far easier. Not having to maintain a major gap and keeping that layer from crumbling down because of the hollow space made him realise how efficient this form of Occlumency was. 

Previously he could barely erect a shield for a moment and it took him forever to make it. But now he was forming it easily and instinctively. 

The magic covered the inside of his head, molded around the brain in the perfect shape and slowly turned dense. It wasn't a perfect sphere like the usual ones but it was far stronger and far easier than before. 

In that way, in under an hour, Ian created his first layer of the occlumency shield.

"Merlin… I love you."

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[[A/N: Sorry for the delay, I was busy with "Stuff".

And to make it clear, the book is linked with him through magic so his growth gets recorded in it. And the rewards, it cannot be a direct physical item. Like he won't be receiving any item that appears out of thin air, he will either get the instructions on how to make them or location of an already prepared one.

Same with spells and potions, he will get the instructions and recipe... rest is for him to practice and master.]]