Snap! Whispers of Wind, Earth, and Shadow
“Snap!” Eredis landed Ian safely. She had summoned a massive gust of wind to cushion him like a pillow. Seeing her disciple's expression, she smiled faintly. He looked bewildered, but deep in thought. It wasn't the face of someone who'd just had a thrilling ride and was done with it.
“You realized something, didn't you?”
Ian nodded blankly.
“The wind... it spoke in the Maronius Language.”
Eredis laughed delightedly. The Maronius Language was the great magical tongue devised by grand mages. No wonder he was shocked to witness it firsthand.
“That's the first step of magic.”
“First step?”
“Mages commune with the mysteries of nature to borrow their power. Language is the stepping stone connecting humans and nature.”
This was why Ian had slaved away studying nothing but the Maronius Language for six years. Magic was communication. Borrowing the power of nature through dialogue. But what if Ian misspoke and made a foolish request? Or angered them? Disaster would follow. That's why he was forbidden from communing with nature until he mastered the Maronius Language perfectly.
“What did the wind's voice sound like?”
Ian recalled the memory. Soaring high in the sky amid tens of thousands of winds fluttering freely.
“Free.”
Eredis nodded. Wind was the element of freedom.
“The process of hearing a mystery's voice is called 'Novice.'”
Eredis stroked her disciple's head. He was nearly an adult, but in her eyes, he was still just a child.
“Congratulations on entering Aerokinesis.”
Mages can commune with all things.
Thanks to the mysterious magical language, Maronius Language.
The moment a mage hears a mystery's voice marks their 'Novice' rank. Novice mages must travel the world, focusing on hearing the voices of every mystery to discover which magic suits them best.
Everyone has different affinities. Some for Aerokinesis, others for Geokinesis. Cryokinesis, Hydrokinesis, Pyrokinesis, and even Summoning, transformation, alteration, creation, necromancy, chronomancy—each school demands personal trial to enter.
“Next is Geokinesis.”
Eredis led Ian into a deep cave. To hear the earth's voice, burying oneself deep underground was best. But live burial would just be murder, so the cave was the next best option.
“Geokinesis has slightly higher entry difficulty,” Eredis explained. “Try to hear the earth's voice.”
“Yes, Master.”
“But don't push too hard. You've already entered Aerokinesis, so becoming an Aerokinesis master is enough.”
She said it out of affection for her disciple, but variety in magic was always better. Who received more respect: a mage wielding one school or ten? Obvious.
Ian knew this too, so he walked into the deep cave on his own.
'This is fucking scary.'
Even learning Aerokinesis had been terrifying. Mages needed to be fearless by nature. If Ian had acrophobia, could he have learned Aerokinesis? Likewise, if he couldn't endure the cave's gloom and claustrophobia, he couldn't become a Geokinesis mage.
Ian extinguished his torch to focus and listened for the earth's voice.
[...Thus, what flows]
[Does not move, so cannot be said to flow]
[No different from the firmly solidified]
'What the hell is this?'
The earth spouted nonsense, far harder to grasp than the air's voice. A sign of Ian's low affinity for Geokinesis. Normally, one would study specialized earth tongue to improve communication accuracy.
Skill: Geokinesis
Ability to wield earth magic.
Invest skill points to advance magic progress.
Unused Points: 100
*Skill points obtained by collecting mysteries.
'Oh.' A skill window popped up the moment he heard the earth's voice.
But Ian had his Status Window. Investing points boosted magic proficiency.
'Who am I? Cheat player.'
Ian allocated a few points to Geokinesis. The change was immediate.
[Little human]
[Lava flows beneath]
[Beware eruption if quake comes]
Now clear and precise. Ian realized: Ah, this is magic. The process of conversing with mysteries—that was magic.
Having mastered Geokinesis, Ian gathered his things to leave.
'Wait a sec.'
Since he'd learned magic anyway, why not use it to get out?
This deep, pitch-black cave required a torch. But with Geokinesis, he could ask the earth to guide him.
'Let's try.'
Entry was guided by Eredis, but mastery came from self-reliance. As a mage now, Ian had to commune with all things to grow.
"Earth."
Ian chanted in the magical tongue. His six years of polish shone through.
[What is it, little human?]
'It worked!'
The earth responded. Thrilled, Ian grinned unwittingly.
"[Me, outside, go]"
[Outside? What is outside?]
"[Cave, outside]"
[This is the cave? But outside... hard to understand.]
"[Exit]"
[Walk?]
'... Damn it.'
Communication failed. Ian instantly knew why. The earth lacked concepts of "inside" and "outside." Human abstractions too complex for it. Plus, his practical Maronius Language was flawed. No particles—intent filled that role. Skilled mages conveyed will clearly, but novice Ian struggled just picking words.
'Tricky.'
He realized: Don't ask the earth for guidance. To it, the whole world was its body—no paths existed.
'Ask the wind?'
Ian pondered requests for wind. "From narrow to wide"? Decent, but risked deep underground vents.
'Tricky.'
Magic's feel clicked: Linguistic sense for dialogue, coding sense for commands.
'Precise orders block variables, yield desired results...'
It's coding!
But without commands, useless.
'Just bail.'
Yeah. Screw magic. Light the damn torch.
Ian gave up and lit it.
[Hate!!!]
[Hurts!!!]
'Holy shit!'
A shrill scream. Ian panicked, snuffing the flame.
'What was that?'
No more voices. Only earth's heavy rumble. He strained for all things' whispers, but nothing.
'Hallucination?'
Ian shook his head. What hallucination screamed like that?
No choice. He sat cross-legged, full focus on the voices of all things.
How much time passed? A new voice trickled into his ear.
[...Quiet here, nice.]
[Hate noise.]
[Hate pain.]
A tiny voice. He'd miss it without darkness.
Whatever it was, Ian greeted it.
"[Hello]?"
[What? What!]
[Human! It's a human!]
[Says hello! So cute!]
"[Who are you]?"
[Darkness!]
Ah, darkness. Why hadn't he thought of that? In a pitch-black cave, besides earth, only darkness fit.
Skill: Umbrakinesis
Ability to wield darkness and shadow magic.
Umbrakinesis. A school Eredis never mentioned.
'Lucky.' Pure chance entry. Better than nothing.
'... Darkness, huh?'
Magic itch returned. Earth and air were tricky, but darkness? Clear requests.
"[Light! Where?]"
[Eek! Light's over there!]
[Hate light!]
Like a quest marker, a sparkling light appeared ahead. Light at the end.
'It works?'
First success wielding a mystery via Maronius Language. Riding the momentum, Ian tested more.
"[Ground, where?]"
[Ground's everywhere!]
"[Step, walk]"
[Ah! Humans walk!]
[Walkable ground here!]
Darkness highlighted walkable ground.
'Whoa...'
In pitch black, an unnaturally vivid path emerged.
Umbrakinesis – Darkvision
See as clear as day in darkness.
A new spell added. One Ian discovered and used himself.
"[Thanks!]"
Ian thanked darkness and trudged through it. After a while, the exit appeared.
'Light...'
Bright light welcomed him, but joy felt absent. The darkness had been more comfortable...
“Ian!”
Eredis spotted him and ran over, tilting her head.
“No torch?”
“Didn't use one.”
“What? You... used magic to escape?”
Eredis instantly realized. Impressed. Tough with just Geokinesis and Aerokinesis. Remarkable application for a brand-new novice.
“Learned Umbrakinesis from darkness.”
“What?!”
Now she was shocked. Darkness? That timid, shy mystery's voice? How?!