A Small Fragment of Darkness (4)
Humans instinctively reject anything different from themselves. The beastkin were rejected that way too... And even now, quite some time later, they've only been somewhat accepted because they're useful. Of course, subtle discrimination against beastkin still lingers. But let's skip that for now since we're talking about mages, not beastkin.
Anyway, humans rejected mages who instinctively wielded powers unlike their own. And who could blame them? Humans had no spirits, no shamans—nothing. Sure, merchants trading with elves or Lizardmen might have known about such things... but they were a tiny minority. Most humans were shocked when they first saw magic. The Life Temples? They'd long since blended into society, becoming everyday life. Plus, healing wounds didn't require a Life Temple priest if you had the right medicine and proper treatment.
But humans treated magic differently. Even though anyone could do similar things with mana stones, mages could pull it off effortlessly without them—so maybe it was jealousy? What foolish humans.
As a result, mages either hid their abilities to live normal lives, wandered from place to place abandoning their homes, or banded together in communities. Out of pity for them, I offered advice to those heading elsewhere: disguise yourselves as Life Temple pilgrims. Even humans who hated mages wouldn't dare touch a temple pilgrim.
Anyway, some mages lived in hiding, others roamed as wanderers, and the rest wandered until they finally settled together in a place free from persecution. It was harsh land for ordinary humans: the edge of the Scorching Desert in the south. Barren except for a small oasis, with no other water sources. There, the mages built their village.
Normal humans couldn't survive there... but for mages who could use magic, it was tough but manageable. They hunted monsters for food with spells, conjured water or ice to combat shortages and scorching heat, and shaped rocks from the sandy ground into houses. It wasn't easy, but they persevered and made it work.
Someone who pitied them built a small Life Temple and stationed a few pilgrims there—nothing major.
These mages wielded mana instinctively through their innate magic... but in terms of mana usage, they were the best—well, not the absolute best since dragons exist. The best among non-dragons, anyway. Mages quickly mastered mana stones, which were similar to their own power. They extracted mana from stones to amplify their spells, analyzed their magic to replicate it in stones, and even ground mana stone dust into ink to draw on papyrus, creating magic scrolls that reproduced spells.
Why not just hold the stone and cast? Efficiency. Same amount of mana stone: holding it raw gets you maybe 1 out of 10,000. But inscribing it on papyrus? 10, even 100 times more. That kind of gain makes the effort worthwhile. Mages using stones directly get 20-200 times efficiency, but let's skip that.
These inked papyrus scrolls—commonly called magic scrolls—became hugely valuable. Papyrus was pricey, but head a bit west from the mages' spot in the Scorching Desert's edge, and you'd hit Lizardmen territory. Buying papyrus from them was no issue.
Thus, mages bought mana stones from merchants, made scrolls, sold them, and slowly amassed wealth to improve their village. The harsh environment guzzled money just to maintain basics, but it beat wandering or hiding your powers.
The village stabilized somewhat... but it was still precarious. The biggest issue? Population. Mages were never numerous to begin with, and those settling here were a fraction of that. Even 30 years after mages first appeared, the village had barely over 200 people.
So, I decided to add one more thing: a touch of faith. To deter any human king whose eyes gleamed at the scrolls from marching an army in. Ifrit was nearby, perfect timing.
And so, the village where mages gathered was born: Babel. But who the hell named it Babel? Sounds ominous as fuck.
"Still feels like a waste for me to be out here personally smacking monsters around."
「Coming after so long just to say that? No idea what you're on about, Mom.」
"Yeah, me neither."
I'd come to the volcano in the heart of the Scorching Desert to meet Ifrit. Faith in the Sacred Flame had spread widely, making him the God of Flames, but nothing beat chatting face-to-face.
"Anyway, anything new?"
「What would be? I just hang out here zoning out. Days blur into boredom; I'm dying here.」
"That's why I brought you a spell."
I taught Ifrit the avatar creation magic.
「Not giving back the scale, huh?」
"Talking like it's yours. It was mine originally."
「But... teaching me this feels like you're saying no way in hell.」
"Bingo. No scales back. That's why I'm teaching you this instead."
Ifrit made a dissatisfied face, formed an incarnation, and tested it out.
"Hmm. Still too weak. Can't even muster a tenth of my dragon power."
"Dragons are just OP. Use that incarnation to roam free."
"Thanks for the spell, but... really no scales?"
"Nope."
I shut down his plea cold.
"One more thing. Mind if I borrow a bit of your flame?"
"My flame? For what?"
"There's a human mage village at the desert entrance. They're vulnerable. Share some flame, let them claim your protection—it'll ward off invaders."
Faith in the Sacred Flame, which absolves the sins of the dead, was quietly popular across the continent. Anyone thinking of attacking would hesitate, fearing its wrath.
"You gain more faith, they get protection. Win-win, right?"
Ifrit pondered, then replied.
"Fine by me, but... wouldn't it be easier if you protected them, Mom?"
Me protecting directly...? Hmm... too much hassle. Honestly! I'd done tons of work!!! Spread life across the world!!! Helped evolution galore!!! Raised nature spirits like kids!!! Gave 'em bodies!!! Dinosaurs born!!! Helped dogs!!! Sure, I rage-quit and fucked shit up once, but still. After that, helped a ton more!!! Even built the underworld myself!!! Can't I finally chill now?! Right?!
I couldn't voice that. Boo-hoo. Helping the village wasn't a bad idea, but not as Creator Dragon or Life Goddess. Too annoying. Plus, their spot at the desert's edge made Ifrit the closest fit.
"You're better suited. Plus, it's a chance to solidify faith in you."
"Faith... Honestly, I barely feel a difference."
Ifrit griped hard. Same here, tbh. Faith as Creator Dragon and Life Goddess trickles in, but compared to my base power, it's negligible. Still, every bit helps!
"Anyway, got it."
Ifrit plucked a tiny flame from his main body. I shaped a stone brazier and housed it. Perfect. Time for humans to face a piece of the Sacred Flame!
At that time, a lone figure crossed the blazing Scorching Desert. A girl1 with long silver hair and horns sprouting from her head.
She cradled a massive stone brazier carved from rock. No fuel inside, yet an eternal flame burned steadily.
Untired despite the heavy load and sweltering sands, she set it down in the village square, erected a fence around it, and declared:
「This flame is part of the Sacred Flame. Pray to it with sincere hearts, and it shall protect you forever.」
The mages, half-doubting, began praying. Miraculously, the village—sweltering with heat—cooled to a livable temperature.
Thus, the Eternal Flame became a sanctuary drawing believers in the Sacred Flame.
1Records from the time couldn't identify her, but it's now known she was the Dragon Priestess, saint of the Life Church. Opinions vary on why the Dragon Priestess crossed the desert with a fragment of the Sacred Flame; the Life Church offers no comment, leaving it a mystery.