The group sat down in the living room, accompanied by the sweet and alluring fairy song, which suddenly turned to a loud “Ley-lines damn it!”

“Ehm,” Kaili cleaned her throat and turned to Manuel. “You may not realize it, but rituals can be really important to certain people. It’s not just about the result. It’s about how it makes people feel. That little tingly feeling of importance you get in your chest.”

“Or it’s about the community,” Airo added. “Like today. The whole village gathered. It’s so lively today, with people cheering, working hard as a single group and then heading off to have some good meal once most is done. It connects people.”

“And the fact that it’s rare and not just something you can do every day makes it special,” said Cia. “Many people look forward for any special celebrations or festivals for this exact reason. Especially if they happen only like once a year or so. Let alone once per life.”

Kaili wanted to speak, but Manuel interrupted her. “I know the theory behind rituals. I know what they mean to people. After all, it’s why they work in the first place. It’s that primitive magic at work.”

Everyone looked at him with heads full of questions.

“Primitive magic?” Jin asked, slightly irritated that the customs of their home town would be labelled as such.

“Yes. Rituals were used before people discovered magic.” He looked around at the four children seated around him. Their faces suggested that they knew little of what he was talking about. “Have you never learned about the connection between magic and rituals?”

“Rituals are like magic, but it requires more material stuff,” Jin replied.

“Beeep! Wrong!” the wizard dismissed his words. “Back when people didn’t know how to use magic like the wizards do now, they only had these rituals. Someone once found out that if you dance around a fire at midnight while someone else nearby bangs the drums, it might summon a rain, for example. But such discoveries were made all over the world. Different cultures had different traditions and rituals that essentially did the same. It wasn’t until thousands of years later when someone actually tried to figure out why it is.”

He shifted and sat on the arm rest of his armchair. “All that you described is exactly why these rituals work in the first place. I told you before that having a positive feeling towards magic makes it easier to use, and the rituals work solely on that. People want something, like rain, so they study nature around them until some old shaman who actually knows nothing about the world tells them that he found a way to make their wish come true. The the man comes up with a whole variety of things that process would require. Specific place, building, time of a year, dances, herbs, body paint, clothes, or sometimes even a living sacrifice. You name it. None of it matters though. What matters is that performing the ritual made people believe in it. They felt all those positive feelings, which attracted magic that made the change happen. If it didn’t, then they tried more and more demanding rituals until it worked. And of course, once such a ritual proved to be working, why change it? They got their wish. Based on that, entire cultures were born. And those rituals are carried out to this day.

He cracked his knuckles before snapping his fingers. Another Jon Mari flower appeared on the table before them. “So no matter if it’s made by ritual or by magic, the outcome is the same. The way it comes into existence is the same. It’s the same thing as saying that fire should only be started by a hand drill because it feels the best, all the while there would be matches or lighters available to you. I understand why Samlas wants to create the flower herself. That way, the gift feels more genuine. I just wish she’d understand how much time it has cost us so far.

He looked around, but it seemed that only half of the children were still listening to him.

“So, that dance I did today…” said Airo.

“Yes, my dear boy, that too works with the same principle.”

“So all that training I did never mattered? I learned those steps of the dance for absolutely nothing? Any old dance would do the trick as long as people would believe in it?”

Manuel laughed. “Oh absolutely not. Don’t get the wrong idea, your training was absolutely necessary. Tell me, who taught you the dance?”

“My parents.”

“See? One reason to feel good about it. It’s not some random twirling of your hips. It’s something passed on. It’s a family legacy. That makes you feel important. Then you learn it. It requires work. Once you master the difficult steps, you feel happy because you accomplished something. Then you put on those ceremonial robes. Those were probably made by a great artisan and with expensive materials. They make you feel special. Then, there is the music. People work together to provide the drum beat you can dance to. That creates a sense of honour and importance. And then, you are the only one to carry it out. The sense of uniqueness. All that combined creates the outcome you want. Any old dance would never do, as it would never feel special enough.”

“But now that I know how rituals work–“

“You will still find them special. It is the feelings and memories of an entire culture that matter. Not the fact that you understand the workings behind it. But who knows, maybe with that knowledge, you will be able to improve the ritual. Add more steps to the dance, so that it becomes more efficient and potent.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Is that really something I could do?”

Manuel smiled. “Of course!” He extended his arms as if he wanted to hug the air itself. “Magic is our playground. You can truly do anything you want, if you give it enough thought! Isn’t that amazing?”

“Damn it! Again!” Samlas yelled from upstairs.

“Maybe we should move somewhere… not directly below her?” Kaili suggested. “Like the dining hall?”

“Ah, splendid idea! Let’s prevent each other from further disruptions,” Manuel agreed and sprung up from his chair.

Kaili turned to Jin. They both exchanged a single nod.

“You go on ahead, I have to go to the bathroom,” Jin said. It was the perfect excuse. Manuel didn’t question anything. Along the way, the boy simply hid and waited until the rest of the group disappeared behind a corner. Then, he returned to the living room and went down the stairs leading into the cellar.

This was as far as his plan went. He had no idea of what he actually wanted to say or do, only a few loose points he came up with. Not to mention that all that depended on the simple question of whether or not did Manuel lock the door this time.

Jin walked past the Cordicon and headed for the armoury. For a moment he thought it through before his hand finally grabbed the handle. The door was unlocked. Was it because Manuel foresaw it, or did he simply forget? The idea didn’t give him a moment of rest. It was like he was being watched. As if his every step was documented and his every action could be used against him.

The armoury was dark, just like always. Now that he was alone in there, the countless weapons in Manuel’s collection seemed even scarier. He wondered how many of those were perhaps once people, whose souls the wizard trapped for all sorts of minor transgressions.

He shook his head. Distractions of this kind were not something he could afford. If Manuel caught him there, he could be in trouble. At least if the old wizard didn’t plan for it to happen in the first place. The uncertainly kept beating against the boy’s mind like waves against a cliffside.

Leaving the other weapons alone, he walked all the way to the far end of the room. A much familiar broken sword lay on a pedestal, tied down by what he only assumed was some sort of a small enchanted chain, as its faint white glow suggested.

“Hey,” Jin greeted the demon and poked the closed eye in place of a pommel.

“Ow!” the sword groaned as the eye opened. “Oh! It’s you! Oh no… It’s you. Did you come here to destroy me?” Rudy spoke and his gaze carried a certain amount of sincere worry.

“No, that’s not why I’m here. I wanted to talk to you about something. Something Manuel related.”

“Really? You’re not here for revenge?”

“Revenge? Why would I want revenge?”

“I left you guys in the mines. Just so you know, I am sorry about that, honestly.”

“I don’t hold that against you. I mean, yeah, it was a terrible thing to do, but ultimately, we became wizards because of it. And again, it was Manuel who made the whole thing happen the way it did, so it’s hard to give you all the blame.”

“Heh, spoken like a wise man. Well, if not for revenge, then why did you come? What do you want to talk about?”

Jin took a deep breath. In a single stream of words with almost no time to breathe, the summarized the whole air ship incident. How they got attacked by pirates, how he met Lorican, and what the man told him. The sword’s reaction, however, remained unchanged for the most part, until the last second.

“Hahaha! They want to kill Manuel? Oh, I can’t want to see that. Maybe I won’t be so alone down here after all. Oh dear, what fate awaits them, I cannot imagine.”

“Shhh! Not so loud! I’m not sure if Manuel knows I’m here and just in case, I don’t want to attract his attention.”

“Ohoho, we’re going against the wizard’s back again? Feels like old times! So, do say already, why did you come to tell me all this?”

“Because I want to know your opinion. You went against Manuel. Do you honestly think he’s keeping the world kinda… frozen?”

“Well, yes, of course. That much is clear. But I’m worried your little dumb head will take that as me approving of this Lorican and his ideals.”

Jin raised an eyebrow. “You don’t agree that Manuel should be stopped?”

“Stopped? Yes. Killed? No. Both sides are right. Manuel is causing a lot of harm to those currently oppressed, but he’s also doing a lot of good for the world. Something should happen to change his mind, but if he disappeared completely, it would just lead to chaos.”

“Those oppressed, you said? Did that once include you? What exactly happened when you got sealed?”

“I doubt we have time for the whole story. You’d have to take me outside for a proper conversation.”

“Just keep it simple then.”

The demon rolled his eye. “You’re not fun. Well, a long time ago, my people were persuaded into signing a contract. First time that demons were settling on the Grand Lane. We had no place to call our own, and neither did the people we met. They proposed that we use our physical strength to help them build a city that would be our future. Made us sign a magical contract too, which was supposed to ensure there wouldn’t be any fighting between us for the land. Problem was that the contract mentioned we’d be building a city for ‘two grand species’. According to their law, demons were not one of the grand species. They cast us out and the magic forced us to march to the wilderness. I was born in one of the camps on the outskirts of the country. Some demons of my age found a loophole in the contract and so we went and staged an uprising. After that, didn’t take long till Manuel came.”

“And you fought him.”

“Yeah. I was powerful. Arrogant.”

“Was?”

“Yes, was, you nerd. I learned my lesson!”

“Nice. It only took getting your butt kicked a second time, decades later.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know I messed up. Don’t have trouble admitting that, so long as you keep that smug grin of yours away from my face.”

Jin pulled his hat down to hide his expression.

“You want to know if you’re on the right side?” Rudy asked.

“I… Yeah, I suppose so. Feels like everyone is wrong, one way or another.”

“That’s life. Never black and white. Always shades of grey.”

“What would you do?”

“Me? I wouldn’t do anything.”

“Nothing at all?”

“Nope. I’d enjoy life. Would keep learning magic, making deliveries, and growing stronger. So that next time, if Lorican would come asking if I’d like to join him, I could let my fists do the talking.”

Jin went silent for a moment. “Thanks. I suppose you have a point.”

“Actually, after Airo broke my blade, I have many points. Sharp ones. Hehe. But tell me, boy, what will you do? What have you decided?”

“Exactly what you said. I’ll train. Get stronger. If Manuel survives then all is well. If Lorican comes for us, I will protect everyone. I must. And if Manuel dies, I will do my best to keep the world from falling apart. Not like he did. I’ll try to do better.”

A long whistle emanated from the sword. “Wow, big ambitions.”

“Yeah, I have no idea where to even start. But I’ll figure something out.”

“Start by training. Learn to control magic better. Then make a spell of your own. Something unique. Something that you know would work against Lorican. Manuel knows him and you’ve seen him in action. That gives you the upper hand. Knowledge is half the battle.”