Chapter 3 - Harrowbloom

  Once she realized Daniel was telling the truth, Felicia’s expression crumbled into one of extreme internal debate. Her entire body leaned to the side, entirely unlike the noble young lady she was.

  “Aaaah, you really can see it…”

  For just a moment, her lashes parted—enough for Daniel to glimpse something odd beneath—but then she shut them tight again.

  “I can use magic,” she murmured, almost too softly to hear. “I don’t know what kind, but… I can show you.”

  The temptation had won over her caution in the end.

  “Thank you, Felicia. I’m glad you decided to trust me with this.”

  Her expression faltered again, but this time she seemed moved rather than conflicted. “You know, most people don’t believe me when I say this, but I can tell if someone is smiling when they talk to me. And usually… if they’re lying as well. You seem genuine.”

  She was right—he really was glad. Even if she had refused to show him, he would tell her the basics of seeing through mana. He would have found it hard to leave otherwise.

  But her ability to tell truth from lie could be an issue.

  “That’s impressive,” he replied dismissively, more guarded than before. “Whenever you’re ready.”

  She hesitated, but soon put her hands together like she was holding a sphere between her palms. Then her brows furrowed in concentration.

  “I don’t know if it could actually hurt anyone, but the one time I tested it, it shredded a wooden block to pieces.”

  That sounded pretty regular for initiate-level attack magic, so Daniel wasn’t surprised. But something like that shouldn’t be able to influence the seal Artorias had cast a thousand years ago.

  It took another moment before anything started happening, then he could feel the mana coming from her arms, focusing on a tiny space in the middle of her hands.

  A bright little dot appeared in between her fingers, almost like a tiny star. It looked perfectly harmless, like all it did was shine a bit of light. But at the same time, it seemed incredibly dense in mana.

  “That’s very interesting… I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  That level of density shouldn’t be possible at such low levels of magic. The mana was too thin, too volatile.

  But those mysteries are at the core of Sarun magic. Concepts the mind struggles to comprehend.

  A rush of excitement suddenly flushed through him. This was magic, the thing he had been dreaming of his entire life. Anticipation surged, not just to test her spell, but to see the rest of this world up close.

  He wanted to study it closer. Everything.

  “Can you shoot it toward me?”

  She flinched backwards, nearly losing control of her magic. “What?!”

  “Are you able to shoot it toward me?” he clarified, knowing well she had understood him the first time.

  “...What if you get hurt?”

  He had to stifle a laugh, but she probably noticed. “If I do, I’ll make you the greatest mage that ever lived.”

  She huffed, cheeks puffing. “Don’t make fun of me.”

  “I could.”

  He could already tell this wasn’t ordinary magic. No academy spellbook had contained this. No tutor could teach it. This was something new she had created on her own.

  …How far would she get if I taught her?

  In all recorded history, only a handful of mages had ever birthed a magic of their own. Of course, this magic was still in its infancy. But even then, it was incredibly impressive. Especially at her age.

  So when he said those words to her, that he could make her the greatest mage, he wasn’t lying.

  She still didn’t believe him, obviously. But even so, she opened her hands and pushed the tiny light toward him.

  As he watched it approach, the instincts of an experienced mage yelled in his mind. That thing might fit through the eye of a needle, but if it hit him unprotected, it could hurt.

  This feels like the same mana as before. Guess I was right.

  With a flick of his wrist, he created a thin wall of mana in front of the little star. It passed through it without issue, creating a spiraling hole around it. The magic was stable enough not to fall apart easily.

  Another flick of his hand, and this time he made the wall thick and sturdy. A barrier, though only of the first tier.

  This time, the light didn’t pierce, but instead burst apart upon impact. It created a fist-sized hole in the barrier, sending cracks across the entire surface.

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  It was beautiful, in a destructive kind of way.

  “Huh, that’s quite something. Rotation seems to be an important part of the formula, but I have no idea how you managed to condense it like that and still keep it stable.”

  “...It didn’t hurt you then?” She sounded anxious, though he wasn’t sure which outcome she was hoping for the most.

  “No, I’m afraid not. But I’m more than satisfied.”

  She sighed in relief.

  “Then—”

  Her voice cut off instantly. A worried look crossed her face as she turned her head toward the city.

  Daniel followed her attention, and soon understood why she had gone quiet.

  A large flying ship cut through the air toward them, carried by a balloon far too small for the weight—unless magic was involved, which of course it was.

  So they managed to make airships…

  Daniel had considered including them himself, but he concluded that the story would have been over too quickly then. He wanted the journey.

  A hatch yawned open beneath it, and a fierce man in red stood framed in the doorway, eyes locked on them.

  “Ahh, shit,” Daniel muttered. “I think your family noticed me after all.”

  Felicia looked surprisingly worried about that fact. “So it would seem. Us both.”

  “You’re not supposed to be here?”

  She didn’t answer, but the tension in her face said enough.

  “Intruders!” the man in red called, magically amplifying his voice to reach them. “This is hallowed ground of the Harrowbloom family! Explain yourselves!”

  Daniel glanced at Felicia. She’d gone still, her chin ducked like she was trying to make herself smaller. He didn’t miss the way she turned her face away from the man in red.

  “Sorry about that!” Daniel called back with his hands raised. “I was just leaving.”

  The man snorted loud enough for it to carry over the wind. “You will do no such thing. Come peacefully, or I will bring you both in by force.”

  “Friendly sort,” Daniel muttered to Felicia, who pursed her lips in response. “Does he not realize who you are?”

  The ship banked, lowering toward a flat stretch of ground nearby. The man stepped off without a harness, falling fifty meters before landing in an explosion of dirt. When the dust cleared, he was already walking toward them—tall, broad-shouldered, and radiating the kind of confidence that came from both power and authority.

  He stopped a few paces away, glancing between Daniel and Felicia. Only then did he seem to realize who she was.

  “Felicia,” he rumbled threateningly. “I should have known you’d sneak out here again. Return to the ship. Now.”

  “Yes, Father.” Her voice was barely audible. She retrieved her walking stick, brushed past Daniel without meeting his eyes, and began picking her way toward the airship.

  Now it was just Daniel and the patriarch.

  “Your name,” the man demanded.

  “Daniel Hansen.” Might as well be honest about the things he could be, Daniel figured. “And yours?”

  “Franz Harrowbloom,” the man replied, lifting his chin slightly in pride. “I’ve never heard of anyone with that name before. Why are you here?”

  “Trying to get to the city. Took the wrong path.” Daniel gestured toward the mountain’s peak. “Didn’t realize it was private property.”

  Franz’s eyes narrowed. “Beyond the mountain is nothing but sea.”

  “Then I’m really lost,” Daniel said, smiling faintly.

  “Cut the bull! We both know why you’re here. The only difference between you and the others is that you had the power to get through the barrier. Do you think that makes it okay?”

  “...I really don’t know why you think I’m here, Sir. But I’ll get out of your hair, if that’s fine.”

  Daniel turned and began walking past the angry man.

  The angry man didn’t like that.

  Waves of dense mana started emanating from the ground below them, along with a deep rumbling that shook their feet.

  “I know you are strong, but remember; you are standing on the grounds of Harrowbloom. There are more enchantments and formations buried below it than even I can count, ready to obey my command.”

  That was no idle threat. Daniel knew well how much of an advantage having the home field was, even a thousand years ago. Who knew what advances had been made in formation magic since?

  He sighed deeply, turning back around to face Franz. This was heading in a bad direction. He couldn’t reveal who he was, and he could not get captured.

  “What’s your plan, Harrowbloom? To test me? Imprison me? If it is to make sure I don’t come back here, I promise I won’t.”

  Franz himself didn’t seem certain of the answer, but it was hard to tell. His rugged face was barely moving. “Give me any reason to trust you, Hansen.”

  Reason to trust me, or reason to back down? I’m short on credentials, but the latter can be fixed.

  “Have you seen this magic before?” Daniel asked after a tense silence, slowly lifting an arm. His mana rushed forth, condensing into a perfectly black ball of fire hovering above his palm. So black that it seemed like a hole in his vision.

  Franz studied the black flame closely for a few seconds, then scoffed. “Using that magic here… Do you think yourself a messiah?”

  Ah, shit. Of course they would know the types of magic Artorias used.

  He’s actually called the messiah, fucking hell. I’m gonna have a stern conversation with whoever decided to make us a religious symbol. Or their descendants or whatever.

  “No, I’m not a big fan,” Daniel replied, staring Franz in the eyes. “But if you want to test this flame, be my guest.”

  Franz studied him for a moment longer, taking a long breath to calm himself. “You’re bold, Hansen. Boldness without backing gets you killed.”

  This guy is stubborn.

  How much power could he show without it being too much? Could he release his mana again? A bit more than last time? No, double would hopefully do it.

  The mana in Daniel’s core started drifting out from him, pressing down on everything around them. Specs of dirt rose from the ground, and the rumbling beneath them intensified several times over.

  For a long moment, neither of them moved, simply staring at each other.

  Franz’s eyes narrowed. “…Hmph. Not everyone needs backing, I suppose.”

  He tilted his head toward the city. “If you have business there, go. I’ll tell the guards to let you out. But if I hear you’ve caused trouble…”

  “Me? I’m the least trouble-causing guy I know. Promise.”

  It was a truce in everything but name.

  Daniel turned to leave, filing away the fact that Franz didn’t ask why Felicia was with him. Which meant either Franz already knew… or didn’t care.

  He gazed at the airship still lying a few hundred meters away, spotting a girl in a white dress sitting with her feet hanging out of the hatch. It was too far away to see her face, but her sunken posture made her seem sad.

  He owed her a lesson—but it would have to wait.

  There was a city waiting to be explored, and he was more than a little bit excited.