Chantless Magic
"Why? Can't you do it?"
*Crunch!*
Seeing the blade embedded in his body, No. 2 swallowed hard. What the hell? Magic. A blade sword? A 1-circle spell? How?
Where had it come from? And how had it pierced the barrier he'd set up?
He scanned for the caster. A spell that dense would require a long incantation. The mana output was no joke either. Pouring that much mana into a blade sword? And what was with the color? An attribute he'd never seen before.
Drip. Drip.
[Guh...]
Blood sprayed from inside the mask. It had missed the vitals. The mask turned toward something. That kid? The boy glaring at him from behind Iris. Black hair, pale green eyes. No way it was really that runt?
[...You... what are you?]
No. 2 asked in a dubious tone.
"What do you think, asshole? Just a train passenger."
[What?]
"Fuck. I was having a nice, refreshing time for once. But this shitty world never gives you a break. What the hell are you? What's with the bullshit? And that fucking crow mask?"
[...]
He faltered at the barrage of words. They didn't sound like they were coming from a kid. And this brat had pierced his barrier? ...Looks can be deceiving. Maybe older than he looked? No. 2 kept that in mind. Could be a dwarf. Elf or dwarf, they aged slow either way.
[A variable.]
Blood was pouring out. He'd die like this. [...Protect me.]
At his command, others stepped forward. He needed to buy time for his incantation. They were in the same boat anyway—
*Kwaaaaah!!!*
"Gahhh!"
[What...?]
Screams rang out as several goons flew through the air. No. 2 froze at the sight. Something had exploded. What the hell just happened?
Then something hurtled toward him. This was—
*Kwaak!!*
[Kugh!]
He whipped his head aside to dodge. *Boom!!!* A spell shot through the hole it'd made. If he'd seen right, that was a thorn arrow.
How? What had happened? It made no sense. He moved while eyeing the boy.
*Hummm!!!* [...!!]
He gasped at the sight. [...That...!]
Two swords floating around the boy. An arrow nocked in his hand. [...Simultaneous... simultaneous casting?]
Casting two spells at once. And his lips weren't moving. No incantation. [...Chantless?]
That's when he pinpointed the weirdness. Chantless casting. No words.
[Nonsense!]
Impossible. Magic worked by weaving mana through language. That was the rule. Using mana without it? No human could do that.
[You some kind of god?]
No. 2 refused to believe. A being beyond magic's principles and nature's laws. How could he—
"Dumbass. What if you can't believe it?"
His vision blurred. He couldn't finish his sentence. The ground rushed up. Seeing it, No. 2 realized. His head had been severed.
Thud.
Roll.
No. 2's head hit the floor. That was the end for him.
＊＊＊＊
*Screeeech!!!*
*Rumble!!*
The train barreled on like a mad beast, wind howling through the hole. I peered inside. Amid the flowing blood, I spotted figures.
"Eek!"
"...Kyaaak!"
They grabbed hostages in a flash. Was it because their leader was dead? I narrowed my eyes.
[Don't move!]
[If you do...!]
They'd kill the hostages? I twitched my hand to act—
Whoosh!
Something shot past me like a bullet. Iris. She dove straight into the terrorists holding the hostages.
*Slash!*
*Spurt!*
[Gahk!]
[Gaaak!]
She carved through them in seconds. I narrowed my eyes at the sight. My gaze drifted to the crow-masked head rolling on the floor.
I killed a person. Just now, with magic. I killed someone.
But.
Why doesn't it feel like anything? Way too calm. Unnaturally so. No hesitation at all. I just killed him. How?
I couldn't make sense of it myself. Then Iris spoke to me.
"...Ruin. You okay?"
"Ah, yeah. You okay, Lady Iris?"
"...I'm fine."
She didn't look great. They'd said she'd need two months' rest, and jumping into action like this probably wasn't helping.
What about Erhia? Erhia seemed passed out. Shock, maybe? Who knows.
Whew.
I wiped my sweat. Beads dotted my forehead.
...He was a mage, right? The guy I killed. I remembered his magic. Some pinwheel thing he'd launched.
Wind attribute? So that's attribute magic. Made sense now. Sharp pale green blades shooting out.
And.
That barrier. The mana film around him. I'd seen it deflect Iris's attacks.
So.
I erased it. Wiped it clean. Wasn't hard. Just told it to fuck off, and it did. Same as pulling mana from the troll.
And even.
*Swoooosh!!!!*
It's coming. Mana flowing in from the dead mage. A lot of it. But.
Feels gross. Absorbing it left a nasty aftertaste. What the hell? This shitty feeling? Made me want to puke. Even putting it in my heart felt wrong. Uncomfortable as fuck. What was this?
As I pondered, I said to Iris,
"Lady Iris, the train's a mess right now, so maybe come over here—"
I tried to call her over, but.
Thump.
"..."
My heart raced again. Same sensation as before. I turned.
Someone approached from afar. Another crow mask. Covered head to toe in blood.
[Oh my. What a mess we've got here?]
"..."
I gripped the vibrator tight in my throat. *Whirr.* My circle spun. I circulated mana and stared him down.
[Hello, kiddos?]
Chills ran down my spine. Just looking at him.
"...Ruin...."
Iris must've sensed it too—she raised her sword, tense.
[Oh, right, it's you. Iris Hailron. That's you, huh?]
The crow recognized her.
[And that friend of yours too? Your doing? Better than the rumors, huh?]
"...Who are you? What's your deal?"
*Humm.* Iris unleashed her aura as she spoke.
[If I was gonna tell you that... I wouldn't be wearing this mask, would I?]
Step.
The crow mask moved. Then.
Something caught my eye. A blue line. Trajectory visible. I shifted my head.
*Shiiik!*
[Huh?]
Something stabbed past where my head had been. A spear. Where'd that come from? No clue.
[What? You dodged—]
The mask sounded surprised. That's when I generated a blade sword.
[Oh?]
I fired it straight at him. *Clang!!!* He parried with his spear, letting out a startled noise.
[What the—? You're a mage? But no incantation?]
Different from the last one. Gut feeling. I recalled the sword and fired thorn arrows. Less mana than the sword. Three in a row.
He deflected them with his spear. *Ting!* *Kwaaa!!* The arrows wrecked everything around.
[This is...]
I didn't care about the crow's reaction. Iris charged in. Close quarters now. Spear and sword clashed, but soon she was getting pushed back.
He's strong. Too strong. Even Banheil, that crown prince, would've been blown away by those thorn arrows. This guy brushed them off like nothing.
Won't cut it. Thorn arrows and blade swords couldn't stop him. I could harass, support. But it wasn't enough. Felt that much.
Needed more power. What more?
...
It flashed in my mind.
That. The magic the dead guy used. Mana structure, ratios. Shape. Could I? Attribute magic depends on your attribute, right? I don't even know mine.
But.
*Whirrrrrr!!!!*
Such thoughts were pointless—my hands were already moving.
What's it called? No idea. Didn't need to. Just come out. Name didn't matter. Fire however. That's what I thought as I compressed it.
Mana shaped to my imagination. Crescent of wind. Blackness enveloped it. Huge mana drain. All the mana from the dead guy gone.
Blade sword and thorn arrow? Not even comparable.
So.
Should be stronger. Had to be. I pointed at him with my hand.
"Lady Iris, get out of the way."
"...!"
I warned and fired. Iris dodged instantly.
*Shiiiiiik!!!!*
The crescent flew at insane speed. He swung his spear to block, but.
*Crunch!!*
[Huh?]
*Screech!!* It didn't bounce. Pushed forward, threatening to split the spear. Panic crept into the crow's voice.
[What the hell is—!]
As he kept getting shoved back, Iris lunged. About to pile on more attacks. That's when.
The crow saw Iris incoming and changed tactics. Gave up blocking, spun his spear. Trying to deflect? Intent clear, but couldn't deflect it all.
*Slash!!*
His arm got severed by the magic. Arm gone or not, he spun and his foot slammed Iris's chest.
"Guh!"
Iris flew back. Right toward me.
"Kyaak!"
I caught her, but this frail body made it no easy feat. We hit the floor. I scrambled up, and there was the crow ahead.
Drip.
Drip.
Blood from his left arm. Stump plain as day.
[What are you? No-chant mage? Never heard of that. What's your deal?]
"Like knowing helps you. You won't spill your own guts, but pry into mine? Fuck off."
[Hahaha. Fair point... Fun. Didn't expect a wild card like you. Thought we'd just handle that monster Colton. Didn't see the plan going this sideways.]
"What?"
Colton? The duke's name from that mouth? I widened my eyes, and he said,
[Wind attribute mage? But murky color. Feels real nasty.]
"Dunno. Just tried it out."
[Hmm? No idea... Whatever. Mission accomplished anyway.]
The crow moved.
[See you next time. Won't be this easy.]
Right side. Heading that way. Iris swung at it.
"Can't let him escape!"
*Whirr!!* I gathered remaining mana for a thorn arrow. But I aimed left, not right.
[Huh?]
*Crack!* The thorn arrow burst in midair with a weird yelp. There, a crow mask suddenly collapsed.
"...Wha?"
Iris, who'd been charging, froze. The one she'd chased dissolved like mist. I said,
"Trying to bluff? Almost got you killed."
I saw the energy thread. It pointed left, not right.
And I wasn't dumb enough to miss it.
I've said it before.
In my dictionary,
there are no sweet potatoes.