“If you happen to form an inert lump, don’t panic. This will still allow you to increase your overall mana density. Which is imperative for graduating. What will become difficult will be your spell casting. As you won’t have access to that lump of mana until you learn how to loosen and harvest it.”

  Looking around the room, no one appears to be getting it. Nora is the closest but her core still has deformations. As I look at her my own mana refuses to settle down. Despite being so unruly I forced through the other compression methods, but this final hardening is beyond me. I cannot even begin without the fear of failing dominating my mind.

  “Little pup, your mana is still boiling. You have been too heavily influenced by your surroundings. Not a bad thing necessarily. However, you must be yourself if you want to make progress.”

  The teacher snuck up on me. As is their habit, when standing next to me they take on my race. It was startling the first time. Stepping away, her mane of lustrous black hair melts into finely spun threads of silver. While her massive black wings fade to transparency.

  “Fae child, you are creating layers of varying density. You have mana inside you that is not your own. Try a different image, go back a stage or two and try using simultaneous methods. You may need a different order entirely. Hmm, that is all for today, find a suitable image and practice on your own. I will see you next week.”

  When the teacher is far enough away from everyone. Their form melts into the dark stones of the Academy’s halls.

  “Cath, do you have any more classes today?” Nora asked, rushing over to me bouncing energetically.

  Nora has been especially bouncy since the start of the second year.

  Letting out a sigh I didn’t realize I was holding, my mana uncompresses. I still cannot hold the third level comfortably.

  “No, I have surprisingly few classes. Lyeh left most of my time open for training. I had originally hoped she would train with me. However, she has been busy with other work. The time she has free has been spent cooking or watching various shows.” I answered Nora, unable to stop myself from staring.

  “Well, I still have botany followed by advanced herbology. Could I trouble you to start preparations for dinner? Purchase and subdue the vegetables for me, if you please. I will handle cooking everything once I’m done. That way Lyeh will have a bit more time to play with you.” Nora tells me, leaning over practically pushing up against me.

  That shouldn’t be difficult.

  “I have my promise with Sign later. As long as it doesn’t overlap, I will do what you ask.” I replied, looking up at Nora.

  Despite my positive answer, Nora looks at me, her eyes filled with concern. She pauses as though to say something but simply turns and leaves. I don’t know how to act when she looks at me like that. Lyeh’s concern fills me with so much joy my heart quickens, but when Nora looks at me like that; I cannot help but feel weak.

  Nora only beats me in size, but we are equal in strength.

  Back in our guildhall Sign is in a frantic conversation with Pass. Sign carefully arranged his schedule to have more classes than anyone while setting aside time to work with each of us. I wanted to spend time with Lyeh, not Sign, but he has promised to help me. Help me with more problems than simply graduating.

  “By matching their historical text with their mythology. I believe that Earth’s last god died roughly two thousand years ago.” Pass answers.

  “Yes, but mana persists at reasonable levels for a few hundred years after. Further, its disappearance from the world isn’t uniform. Long after their historical records indicate the complete vanishment of mana. A new land is discovered that still has reasonable levels of ambient mana. Though even this dried up over four hundred years ago.” Sign adds.

  “How much trust should we put in these records? The few records we have of the old days are embellished beyond use. Our ancestors’ memories are immutable but they are still memories. Embellishments and limited understanding obscure the past on all worlds. That is what they told us in our classes.” Pass counters.

  “That is what is so enthralling about their history. Any single source should be looked at with skepticism. However, for their recent history they have multiple corroborating sources allowing a more concise image to take shape. Even their older material uses ingenious methods of cross checking for facts. I never imagined a society could retroactively preserve their past simply by applying universal constants.” Sign continues, his magic eye almost shimmering as brightly as his expression.

  **Buzz Buzz Buzz** An alarm beeps, stopping the two of them. They both look strained. Sign turns to see me and his strained look turns to resignation.

  “We got sidetracked a bit. We will pick up here next time. Cath, I have been waiting for this. Please change into a medical gown and then follow me. You can leave your stuff in the changing room.” Sign says, he turns to look right at me but his eyes are closed.

  After changing we step through a door into an open room. I don’t like this room. It has an oppressive atmosphere. As though, all of my senses are muffled. Sign steps into the knee high waters.

  “Lay down at the edge of the pool. I need a better look at it before we begin any experiments.” Sign asks, pulling the large lens he got from Earth out of his pocket.

  Lying at the edge of the pool, I turned around before revealing my bare back to Sign. These medical gowns have open backs, similar to my old training robes. Honestly, they are unnerving to put on.

  **Don Don** Sign’s glare turns cold, and a shiver runs down my spine. I may not be looking at him but I am sure he opened his magic eye and directed it at me. Biting my lip, I am reminded of how my father would look at and judge me. How he would run his fingers down my back as if re-carving his crest each time. How he would tease my muscles checking each and everyone of them as I grew.

  I feel him touching every part of me.

  Gripping my shoulders tightly, I am thankful Sign's gaze only reminds me of my father when he is examining the crest. If not, I might grow to hate Sign. Not that I truly understand why I hate my father. It must be tied to how all my memories of him are filled with pain. The pain of loss, and the burning, throbbing pain of his training.

  “As I feared. These crests are four dimensional magic circles. They are carved into your flesh and soul. It will be impossible for any of us to remove them as we are now. Not without completely restructuring your soul. Further, both are intertwined with each other and your natural magic circuits. The second crest is essentially written around the original. Maybe I could do something similar.” Sign tells me, not that I understand what he is saying.

  “Eep!”

  Sign suddenly touched my back, causing me to flinch. His fingers are so much smaller than my father’s. Even so, when he traced the crest on my back. I was immediately brought back to those training sessions. All those times with father, before mother killed him and took me as her trophy.

  All those nights I spent in constant pain surrounded by the cries of me and my sisters.

  “Sorry Cath, let’s get out of here before we trigger a flag. Gah, ever since I looked at her a bit too closely, Lyeh’s chaos has infected my mind. Please Cath, don’t think too deeply about what I just said. If and when needed, I will ask if I can touch you. Again, I am sorry.” Sign said, his voice becoming flustered.

  Shortly after we enter the strange room, we leave. I won’t complain. I don’t like that room. Turning to look at Sign, his face looks flush and his movements are unsteady. Perhaps that room is uncomfortable for him as well, and he only went in to help me?

  Back in the lab, Sign takes a small flask hanging from his belt filled with an odd liquid. Quickly opening it he drinks it in one motion. He appears to be drinking a rather foul smelling, thick green metallic liquid. To prove my assumption, Sign grimaces as he empties the flask.

  “I would offer you some. However, your face tells me you would refuse. Not that this potion would do anything for someone with a healthy body. Please, have a seat.” Sign gestures to an open chain.

  “Our first test will be recreating the results from Earth. Now, this potion will work on you, but it still has a foul taste. Cath, if it starts burning, quickly drink that. It will stop the pain and assist your body in healing any damage.” Sign tells me, after handing me a different flask and showing a rather forced smile, his eyes are closed once again.

  Slowly thin metal wires extend from Sign and encircle me. His arms go limp and his breathing becomes labored, his fingers twitch randomly as if he is in pain. I have never seen him like this.

  No, he was incapacitated a few times while at Lyeh’s home.

  An image of Sign strapped to a bed and occasionally twitching popped into my head. Is this normal for him? Are these metal wires normally stopping his body from being like this? How far is he pushing himself to help me?

  “No changes? I’m using the same amount and frequency of electromagnetic waves as Inanna’s test. Meaning something unknown is different. Is it mana or the flux? Arg, I have barely scratched the surface when it comes to understanding the erratic-flux phenomenon. Ok first, let’s assume it’s a mana problem. So we will modify the experiment. Cath please lay down on that table.” Sign asked.

  I didn’t even know he had started the test. It hasn’t been long but I haven’t been given the chance to say anything. I have many questions about my crests. I’m certain if I get them working it will solve my mana deficiency and I can move to the next step. Also, I wish to be as close to Lyeh as I was with my mother. I want to feel her mana wrapped gently around me.

  “Is it possible for Lyeh to activate only one crest?”

  After laying on the table, I turned and asked Sign. He reacts as though he is shocked I’m here. Sign has his eyes closed again, and his face is slowly becoming more flush. I wonder if that potion he took earlier is only now working.

  “At the moment, that is impossible. I’m working on at least a dozen different ideas that may or may not allow the crests to be activated safely. I will know more after these initial experiments. Uh please, turn over to expose your back. I need access to the crests to collect all the necessary data.” Sign says, his eyes still closed tight.

  Obeying, I turned over and contemplated what I could do. If I can’t expect my crests to be reactivated. I should focus on compressing my mana. Or, would the mana transfer method father used work with Lyeh? I was able to take in some of her mana before…

  “It’s not my hands this time, but I will be touching your back with my exosuit.” Sign warns.

  There is a sudden sharp pain followed by a cold pressure applied to my back. In a panic I clench my muscles but most don’t respond. It feels like our annual expedition into the spider dungeon, countless needle-like things are poking at my back.

  They are swarming on me!

  “Woah, calm down. I have blocked your pain receptors from your lower half so I can observe how your mana flows. To that end, I’m setting up a barrier to exclude mana from the area. Forcibly pulling mana from an individual is uncomfortable at best. Just relax. If anything looks to be going wrong, I will stop and heal you. Just try not to move, as that could cause damage to your spinal cord.” Sign says, expressing great concern.

  This sensation is far too familiar to that throbbing pain. I’m far more scared than I would like to admit. However, I trust Lyeh, and she trusts Sign. Even if he doesn’t actually care about any of us the way she does. He will help us because he wants the solution itself. Sign’s way of thinking is very similar to the Academy. He can be cold in his pursuit of knowledge. Very much like the way my father sought greater and greater challenges.

  Those two are similar in that way.

  After a prolonged session of poking, prodding, and piercing. The cold pressure on my back lessons and I can feel my toes again. Unlike with father’s training, there is no lingering burning or throbbing. I am relieved, but am left craving warmth.

  I need a hug.

  “I have done all I can for now. Which admittedly, isn’t a lot. There is one more experiment to try but we have to go back to the other room.” Sign tells me.

  “So you cannot activate them?”

  “No, I can. It’s just that the current process is far too inefficient. I was only able to recreate the phenomenon by exposing you to electromagnetic waves and items we brought from Earth. Items that are soaked in that same odd aura as Lyeh. What I believe is the erratic-flux. Thanks to you, I have proven that the erratic-flux directly affects how electromagnetic waves interact with reality but not much else.” Sign explains.

  Sign has various items on the table near me. Nora’s necklace and some of the clothes that survived the trip back to the Academy. There are other items but I don’t know what they are. Regardless, these items have a similar effect on my crests as being on Earth or being close to Lyeh.

  “This next experiment will attempt to activate your crests without binding you to Lyeh or anyone. Instead, we will trick your crests’ into believing that they are bound to Lyeh. This is only possible because your two crests share an affinity with Lyeh. Probably also why her mana flows into you with almost no resistance. Both you and Nora could be dyed by her without a second thought.” Sign tells me.

  Back in the stifling room, Sign is standing over me drawing in the air. Lying face up, the liquid I’m floating in is warm but not in a pleasant way. The symbols Sign draws slowly float down until I can no longer see them. I assume they are floating alongside me, but I cannot check. Sign made it very clear, I cannot let any of this liquid get in my nose or mouth.

  How does he write so confidently when he still has his eyes closed?

  “When I first saw your crests, Cath. I was greatly confused. From what I could tell they were both hero crests, artificial hero skills. However, that clashed with my understanding of karma. It was only after obtaining a sin myself and piecing together an image of the greater sin, War. I think I understand. Cosmic karma is far more subjective than I expected.” Sign continues.

  Having finished, the last symbol falls on me. At first nothing happens. Sign opens one eye and squints at me. Then I feel a warmth on the small of my back and my chest. He has done it; he has activated my crests!

  “Anyway, I had always assumed heroes were intrinsically linked to virtues, and demons to sins. However, demons and heroes aren’t a dichotomy. Neither are sins and virtues. Your father and Lyeh are both Heroes bearing the Apocalyptic Sin of War.” Sign explains, his magic eye focusing harder than ever on me.

  “What is an Apocalyptic Sin?”

  “A sin of civilization. They are on a completely different scale than the deadly sins of mortals. Not something a normal person should be able to obtain. They should be something a person could obtain only after years or decades of. Well, I don’t think I should explain them any further.” Sign went on.

  What could Lyeh have lived through to have a sin equal to that of my father, at such a young age?

  “Anyway, your mother and Lyeh are both Heroes bearing the Virtue of Martyrdom. To be honest, this is simply a guess on my part. What I gathered based on what I could see of your crests. Though, Lyeh’s family crest is infinitely more complex than just those two pieces, but I hope she is an outlier.” Sign adds, now wearing a rather annoying grin.

  Is that why Lyeh feels so comfortable to be around? She reminds me of both my father and mother. Though I don’t have any comforting memories of my father. Yet, if I were to compare him to Lyeh. Their auras feel comparable, if not their strength. Lyeh might even be greater than what he actually was. And her mana keeps growing at an astounding rate, even if she hasn’t changed.

  No, Lyeh differs completely from my father. Lyeh’s strength is warm and comforting. I want to be closer to her. To have her pet and scratch me. I want to feel the warmth of her mana wrapping around and flowing through me.

  The most joy I ever felt was lying on her lap watching those Earth movies while she pet me.

  “Now then, by linking you in-directly to Lyeh’s martyr skill. We should be able to activate an important feature of your crests. The ability to share mana. Ever since Lyeh activated her prana furnace, she has had more mana than she knows what to do with. If this dungeon didn’t allow her to bleed off excess mana whenever she wants. She might have exploded by now. So this will actually be of help to both of you, and I get valuable data on artificial mana circuits.” Sign said with a smirk.

  That sounds dangerous but I’m in no position to complain. Still, the amused grin on Sign is very annoying. He draws another symbol; it hits me and the warmth spreads throughout my whole body.

  It’s like a warm hug.

  **Soul Corridor activated. Pay the toll to connect Cath’s Symbol of Martyrdom with Lyeh’s Virtue of Martyrdom through the Trials of War.**

  Was that the System? But it sounded slightly different, almost feminine.

  “Something happened. The link should have been successful but something stopped it. Can you tell me what happened?” Sign asks.

  “The System is asking me to confirm if I want to link to Lyeh.”

  “I didn’t expect that. The Academy's System shouldn’t interfere with us, unless we ask it to. Or, if we were going to bring harm to a student. But Martyrdom doesn’t harm others. The System should only stop us from harming another, not ourselves. Is this because I am helping?” Sign asks himself.

  This warning doesn’t matter to me. I already decided to pay any cost to get stronger. To fight alongside Lyeh so we can have those joyful times simply relaxing together. I will grab hold of my joy and cling to it with everything I have.

  “I will gladly pay whatever toll. If it means I will grow stronger.”

  **Conditions met, establishing a burden of balance. I welcome your assistance, child. However, your burden is too heavy for her as she is currently. It will be locked into that Vault for now, but that will relieve you of some of its weight.**

 

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