Magic & Maps

It's been a few days since Hugo agreed to ally with Jason, and all has been going well.

They formed a prosaic bond, each learning about the other. Funny enough, despite his attitude, Jason found out he was quite the jokester with his innocuous remarks.

Throughout these days, they ran into a few stragglers from the group.

Expectedly, they defeated them with ease, none even posing a challenge.

Only through interrogating them did they discover the group they've been fighting was called 'Nysa'

"Type of fucking name is that?"

Hugo busted out in a boisterous laugh along with Jason, both wheezing and making fun of the man in front of them.

Even though they were going to discard the man afterward, they still had frivolity-filled jokes in such a situation.

Not only was Nysa closing in on their location, but the activity of Suljars also became terrifyingly high, significantly during the night.

The man bounded to the sturdy steel wall and watched the two in fear and anguish.

He was drowning in torment. The only thing he wanted to do was leave this horrible place.

He was shaking uncontrollably and even pissed his pants a few times.

They took a pragmatic approach to question the people they captured.

They asked questions, and all they had to do was answer.

Regardless, they would die. But one would be quick and free of suffering. The other is the exact opposite.

They slowly realized that such things were futile; The Nysa members never spoke of anything crucial, just simply that they would die for what they'd done.

Recovering from his ridiculous moment, Jason strode over to the little wooden cafe table carrying his sword.

"Sigh..."

In three brisk motions, Jason cleanly slashed the man's head off. Blood spewed from the headless corpse, dyeing the walls a pretty crimson wall.

Coincidentally enough, the splattering blood created what seemed to be a thick red tree with vines protruding out every side.

It painted leaves on the wall like a designer did it himself, it beautifully played on the wall.

"How beautiful." Jason admired the painting and Hugo could see his unspoken surprise.

Another Nysa member is lifeless at their hands.

Jason walked out of the steel room. A scent of freshness freely entered his nostrils, replacing the repugnant spell of metallic stench that plagued the room.

Like he usually did, he channeled his mana throughout his body. It started from the central region of his body, then he controlled where he wanted it to go.

He wasn't sure if focusing his mana into the targetted body part would endow it with extraordinary benefits, but he was sure to try.

Through working with his magic, Jason also discovered that you can increase your stats naturally; Magic at least.

This was true for each stat Doing exercises raised your agility and strength, and the mind was all based on birth. Stamina could also be increased by running or exercising.

In the last few days, Jason has specifically worked on his magic, channeling the feeling throughout his body and orienting himself with the only spell he has.

Wind Arrow.

It was a simple yet obvious name. It absolutely symbolized what the spell would be. An arrow spawned by the wind.

It depleted 20% of Jason's mana with each use, so he didn't dare to use it leisurely. Luckily, there haven't been any moments he had to use the spell since unlocking it.

Despite it taking 20% of his mana, using it would surely help him in crucial moments that could save him or multiple other lives.

Jason stood 10 yards from a lone tree in Hugo's yard, the latter watching intensively another 5 yards behind the former.

He concentrated his mana on his fingertips, forcing it to flow out into the real world.

Tiny green motes of mana suspended themselves in the air near Jason's hand. It moved to his will. Jason owned this mana. He would make sure to use it sparingly.

It lazily flew around his hand. He hasn't taken any control of it yet so this was its natural movement.

What Jason was unaware of was that he broke into the 1st stage of a mage.

Materialization.

It was separate from being able to move the mana throughout your body.

Yes, you could enhance your skin even without reaching Materialization.

What Jason was doing within his body before casting the spell was Stage 0.

Stage 0, commonly called Motility.

This was the act of being able to move the mana to different body parts.

Most will automatically think that it is the lowest stage, it provided fewer benefits besides building the foundation for a mage, yet they were incredibly wrong.

Each stage provided its own fantastical benefits, all building a mage to be their best self.

This also had tiers.

Skin, Muscle, Bone, Mind, and Cell.

Each one endowed a boost in power if you could reach it.

The amount of power you earn by breaking through depends on the tier and how well you hone it.

Each tier provided a unique boost, differing from the others.

Skin.

It solidifies the person's skin, making it nearly impenetrable to people weaker than them. Not only would this increase one's defense by a tremendous amount, but it'd also even boost their attacking power if they used their body.

Muscle.

From the skin, this should be simple enough. It increases the overall ability of a person's body.

Speed, Jumping, Strength, Sight, Hearing, everything.

Bone.

It strengthens one's bones and ligaments, of all sorts.

Mind.

Enhancing ones thinking speed and auxiliary capabilities

Each stage has tiers, and there aren't any requirements.

Jason wasn't even at the middle stage of stage 0.

He wasn't capable of enhancing his body with mana, yet he could move it from his body into the world.

He was only at tier one of the Materialization, and he had far more to go to break into stage 2.

And finally, Cell.

It's an overall power boost. The power you could receive from it was unimaginable, yet only a handful of people ever reached this stage.

Each one sat at the pinnacle of life, untouched and unworried.

Each stage required the user to break down their mana to envelop and enhance the said body part.

Despite it not being in contact with his body, he could still control it as long as it was his mana.

Once his control over his magic goes up, he'll be capable enough to slightly curve the trajectory of his arrow.

Along with a starting spell, each magic user gains elemental control over their affinity.

At the starting level, water wielders could move a pound of water nearly effortlessly.

Earth users could summon a wall 4 feet tall; presuming it was 1 foot thick and hardly any inches wide.

And you can take a hint on what you could do with other affinities.

Jason barely leveled up since meeting Hugo, only raising two levels.

Only leveling up twice won't hold much importance; That's what most people will think.

During the current time, they had a whole organization of ex-marines and overall dangerous people after them, and the looming threat of Suljars threatened their very existence.

There was no place on earth to be weak. He needed to be strong and undefeatable.

Jason himself acknowledged this and planned to go hunting with Hugo.

He wasn't sure if killing animals high in the food chain would give him XP, but he also decided he would also hunt Nysa members.

Each Nysa combatant had a tattoo to differentiate themselves from casual citizens.

They were scattered throughout southern California, implying that in most places they traveled to a few Nysa members would be present.

Unfortunately, they didn't have the luxury of traveling.

Even if you merged the strength of the two together, slaying a Suljar was far from their reach.

Their level would at least have to double or triple to kill a single Suljar; Together.

Hugo sat outside the discreetly hidden house, not particularly doing anything that held importance.

Jason, however, stood inside drawing lines interlinking with dots on a vast map that covered the entirety of California.

Each dot with a red pin was a lootable place.

Supermarkets, grocery stores, clinics, hospitals, Police Departments, and much more.

Each dot with a green pin was a possible safe house or general point of interest.

Banks, Schools, and Police Departments, again.

Jason also thought out a simple train of goals and events to take place.

First, they would head to the Valley to reunite with Jason's parents.

Then, they would head over to the Walmart located deep within Yucca Valley. Located near the middle of it.

After taking resources they would make their way over to the hospital and urgent care for medical resources like medicines, first-aid kits, and other essentials.

Only then would they proceed with looting and going to safe houses.

Jason set down the map and rolled it up, setting it in a small leather purse with skull patches embedded in the front.

"Hugo, you ready?" Jason hollered out, slinging the purse around his shoulder and neck.

Releasing a grunt, Hugo stood up, exhaling a deep breath he held in for a long time.

"Yep, always am."

"Good, we're going" Jason rashly slammed the door behind him, brushing past Hugo and walking unhurriedly.

"Don't slam my door you prick."

"Whatever."

Hugo followed suit, carelessly looking at the sky above them, daydreaming like a baby.

They walked past the shattered and deformed tree that littered its remains all over a portion of Hugo's yard before Jason hollered out to him,

"Hey, you there?"

Jason snapped Hugo out of his daze, shoving the map into his hands for him to look at.

"Guide us to where they are. I'm awful with directions." Ordered him.

"Hmph."

Hugo scanned the map. Firstly, he pinpointed their precise location, then he created a travel plan in his mind for them to follow.

He glided his finger throughout the page, memorizing where all the dots were drawn and what they meant.

"Alright, this way."

Hugo pointed to Jason's left side, and they began their journey.

The duo carefully traveled through the forest, emerging out the other side onto the new highway.

"Where now?"

"Uhh..."

"What?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know where to go."

"HOW? There is a big ass map right in front of you, look at it."

"I am... It doesn't say where the valley is."

"It's not a literal valley! It's Yucca Valley."

"I still don't know."

"How is that even possible?"

"I'm bad with maps."