The journey upward was accompanied by soft electronic music. Finn jittered, probably uncomfortable with the silence since we boarded the elevator.
I was currently staring at the indicator above the door while Finn stood behind me. Eventually, he broke the silence and inquired, “So, where did you even engrave the Barrier? I didn’t see you draw one before entering or even inside the blowing room.”
“Wait, you lot call it the blowing room?” I asked.
“Oh, no, of course not. The blowing room is just what I prefer to call it. The room’s called the ATPC, standing for Automatic Threat and Particle Cleanser.”
I shook my head and let out a chuckle. “Blowing room sounds better than whatever you said just now.”
My reply must have broken the tension, as Finn grinned and pointed a finger at me. “I think so as well. Calling it the ATPC will scare away most people. Some even complained to the security about the danger of having tons of air blasted in their faces, but how else are we supposed to keep things safe and clean around here?”
“Wait, I get how the blowing room can clean snow and dust, but how are they supposed to remove ‘threats’?”
Finn shrugged. “Don’t know. You should know more about it than I do, being an alchemist and all. Anyway, back to the question, when did you even have time to draw a Barrier circle?”
“What, curious?”
“Of course! I didn’t even detect any movements from your mana tendrils. Did you learn a technique to hide their manifestation?”
“I wish, but no, the answer is simpler than that,” I said.
I lifted my hand and tapped on my left chest. Finn raised one of his eyebrows before furrowing both of them when I continued to tap my chest.
“Oh, don’t tell me you did it,” Finn’s words were laced with weariness, correctly guessing what I implied.
I forced down an unwanted chortle and said with a stiff expression, “Sure did. Backup methods are always welcome, after all.”
Finn was appalled at my confirmation, his mouth gaping in disbelief. “Are you crazy? No, wait. You are crazy. I should’ve known better.”
He sighed loudly and pointed at my torso. “You do realise how illegal that is, right? Let me recite the international law for you. Line forty-one, section B, states that any unwarranted individual with the possession of a casting circle engraved on their body shall be incarcerated for at least one month and will be required to remove said engraving via tattoos or burns.”
“On top of that,” he added. “Kronasia’s constitutional law also forbids any form of long-lasting engravings of casting circles, with the sole exception of being mages aligned with government agencies. And for you to expose your crime in front of an officer like me, have you gone mad?”
I scoffed at his exasperation.
My confidence must have rubbed him the wrong way, as he massaged his temples and clenched his other fist. “Why would you do such a thing then?!”
“It’s because I’m well aware of the law,” I said.
Too well, in fact. I smirked and unbuttoned my shirt, displaying my bare chest and the casting circle for Barrier. As a fourth-tier spell, it contained intricate details compared to spells like Float and Farsight. Its components often overlapped, while some required tricky gestures and pinpoint precision to achieve correctly.
“You see, this is something I created a few months ago.” I raised my finger and peeled off a thin layer of skin from my nape under his widened eyes. “Just like a slip, this artificial skin functions as a medium to draw a casting circle, while providing both the flexibility and stickiness required for it not to shift during movements.”
After all, a few centimetres of miscalculation could fail the spell, making its aspect of being sticky extremely important. Finn stared at my creation with confusion and slight disgust.
“You know, sometimes I wonder what goes through your head. Sure, that would technically bypass the law, but you’re very mistaken if you think you wouldn’t go to jail for something like that.”
He sighed and took out a piece of metal, engraved with the circle for Hinder, a third-tier spell to obstruct movements.
“What’s wrong with the regular way of using metal slips? Not only is it easier compared to making whatever you’re wearing right now, but you only need to pull it out of your pocket to use it. Surely this little thing is better than that thing of yours.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” I let out a genuine chuckle and took out a metal slip of my own. “You aren’t wrong for thinking it would be easier for me to use these, but owning a little trick up my sleeve would be better than having none at all, don’t you think?”
“Also, Barrier is a purely defensive spell. Even if someone did figure out the trick behind it, they wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, except for giving me extra protection if they wished to. And as per the law, this isn’t illegal and won’t get me in trouble, right?”
Finn closed his eyes and massaged his temples even harder, probably annoyed by how strong my argument was. The law forbids permanent engravings on the body, but not the temporary kind. Plus, the fake skin can be disposed of immediately, unlike regular engravings that leave behind traces and imperfections on the skin. Damn, my wits are terrifying.
In the end, all he did was inhale deeply and warn me. “It’s technically legal. But don’t let anyone other than the two of us know of its existence, got it?”
I smirked and gave him a thumbs-up. “Got it.”
He muttered under his breath and replied, “As long as you understand.”
I stared above the metal door, watching as the indicator turned to the number eight. A couple of minutes had passed since the elevator ascended, yet we were only on the eighth floor? Just how gigantic was this castle?
“Hey, you know.” My eyebrows furrowed as Finn’s voice reached me. It sounded subdued, unlike the lively conversation earlier. Finn pursed his lips and smiled - that smile again, the one he wears when he’s hiding something.
He ruminated for a while before speaking in a hushed tone. “Have you been experiencing something strange lately?”
“Strange? Such as?” I asked.
“Uh, you know.” He stopped and smiled stiffly. I felt a tug at the back of my mind. Was he unaware of his own body jittering all over the place?
“Such as encountering weird phenomena, hallucinations, ghosts, loss of memories, confusion—.” He stopped and stared at me with his brown eyes. “—uncontrollable emotions, impulsiveness, and even coming into contact with beings you shouldn’t have.”
He stared silently. I got into acting mode and suppressed the sudden fear that overwhelmed me. I was about to laugh the tension away when my own words reverberated inside my mind, bringing dread alongside it.
—If that was the case, then what was Finn’s purpose in inviting me? Was someone forcing him to do so? Damn it, I didn’t have enough information to—.
The tugs amplified in intensity. Finn may have noticed my abnormality, as his smile eventually warped into a grimace.
“Answer my question, Lylie.”
My head spun. Everything looked off. His voice sounded like it was coming from somewhere far away. Unconsciously, I asked him something that had been bothering me since earlier.
“Hey, you came to the store yesterday, right?”
“What are you talking about?” His laugh quivered. “That was two days ago, Lylie.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
At that moment, everything appeared to be tainted by the colour white. It dominated my vision, turning the corner of my vision white while blurring others. I dropped my suitcase.
“I need to go.”
“W-what are you even talking about? We’re already on the ninth floor. Why do you need to go now?”
“I need to go!”
Finn flinched at my sudden yell. His grimace eventually disappeared, and he looked…dejected?
“No, you don’t. You need to stay and follow me to our co-workers, right?”
“Our co-workers?” Wait, he was right. We had come here to discuss our plans for Reformation Day. I even created a detailed blueprint for an automated machine to dispense merchandise to visitors. He was right. I needed to follow him to our co-workers.
With a ding, the elevator door opened, finally revealing the tenth floor. It wasn’t as grand as the first floor, but it was already twice as tall as my store. Unlike its rough exterior, the tenth floor appeared to be influenced by technology, evident from how clean its marble interior was.
“Follow me,” he said.
Finn picked up my fallen suitcase and walked forward. I trailed after him, my steps wobbly as everything felt strange.
The white was replaced by a darker shade, making me squint as I struggled to keep myself standing straight. A moment of complacency and my head would meet the floor, undoubtedly.
We stopped at the end of the corridor, in front of a metal door with motifs adorning its body. They looked like snakes strangling each other. Perhaps I should try to recreate this pattern later.
Finn knocked and opened the metal door when someone replied. With a squeak, Finn pushed open the metal door and walked into the room.
The room was white. That was it. The room was white, with only a metal desk and some chairs inside. The ceiling lamp was also too bright—damn it! I squinted to avoid being blinded.
My attention was diverted when someone cleared their throat. Someone had been in the room all along!
A handsome man in his late thirties sat across the metal desk. His slicked-back hair and hawk-like black eyes contrasted with his slightly tanned skin. “How is he?” he said.
“Weird. Emotionally unstable, very impulsive, yet rational at times, sir.” Finn stood beside the man and frowned.
“I see.” The man nodded and stared me in the eyes. “For now, have a seat and answer some of my questions.”
His voice was magnetic and soothing, as if it were an instrument. I sat on the chair with a nod, facing both of them with a faint smile at the corner of my mouth.
Something tugged harder, and the voices once again whispered in my ears.
—If that was the case, then what was his purpose in inviting me? Was someone forcing him to do so?
—Was someone forcing him to do so?
—Was someone forcing him to do so?
My head spun, warping their faces into a spiral of nonsense. The white colour reappeared in the corner of my vision, as if fighting against the darker shade.
—Was someone forcing him to do so?
—Who forced him to do so?
—Did he force himself to do so?
—…Someone forced him to do so.
Something cracked at the back of my mind, pouring cold water over my head. I fell from the chair, landing on my stomach and clutching my head.
“Hey?!” Finn approached me. “Are you okay? What’s wrong with you?”
What had they done to me? No, what had Finn done to me? Was it some form of hypnosis? But how? Even if such a thing existed, how could he so easily control a Magus like me?
“Hey! Are you hurt anywhere?! Answer me!” Finn’s voice interrupted my thoughts, forcing my head to cool down. Unlike moments earlier, I felt oddly refreshed instead of dull.
I didn’t know why, but there was no time to think. I feigned a loud growl and lay on the floor, drawing several casting circles on my chest, away from their sight. Finn’s voice cracked as he screamed at the older man.
“Sir, something’s wrong with him!”
I could hear the sound of wood scraping against the floor as the man spoke in a deep voice. “Calm down, Grottel.”
His soothing voice yanked my consciousness briefly, turning the floor dim and almost dissipating my tendrils. However, another rush of coldness poured inside my head, freeing me of his influence.
Great, his words were even more powerful than Finn’s. I faked another screech of agony, all the while sketching multiple circles simultaneously. Some crumbled in failure, while some successfully came into being.
The man appeared to be confused by my condition. I heard him murmur something as Finn kept yelling, mortified.
It was now or never. With a deep breath, I yelled as loud as I could and inserted two hundred units of mana into my chest, overcharging the Windblow spell I drew.
At that instant, a tremendous current of wind emanated from my body, sending Finn flying with a surprised shriek. It had no real damaging power, but it was perfect to distract both of them.
In an instant, I got to my feet and inserted two hundred units of mana into the Haste circle, overcharging it and letting strength course through my body.
The man must have noticed my intention, as he furrowed his eyebrows and exclaimed, “Sleep!”
A wave of drowsiness overwhelmed me, tempting me to lie back down and close my eyes. Yet, the cold surged once more and freed me from his words. I gritted my teeth and stormed outside, casting an Earthwall to seal the entrance shut.
Those three were the only circles I managed to draw. As I dashed through the corridor, I fumbled around, searching for any slips on my body. In the end, I found only three slips with spells engraved on their metal bodies.
Haste, Hinder, and Fireball. Not terrible, but not the best either.
If only I had my suitcase with me. It contained many slips I had prepared for emergencies like this.
—Boom!
Something exploded behind me, prompting me to run even faster. Did they detonate a bomb back there?
I reached the end of the corridor and kicked the red door beside the elevator, leading to a flight of stairs. I ignored the dented door and jumped beyond the stairs, leaping my way through the emergency exit. Each landing reverberated through the hollow space, almost covering the commotion above me. Almost.
Something was coming, and it was approaching in a fury. Deep, loud stomps came from upstairs, together with the noise of crushed concrete. What did they send after me? A herd of elephants?
I cursed and inserted two hundred units of mana into the Haste slip, overcharging it and refreshing its effects. Unlike drawn circles, engraved slips gave us the opportunity to cast a spell multiple time.
Of course, it had its limits. Some sort of damage must have appeared on the slip, but I was too busy running for my life to search for it.
I put the metal slips between the gaps of my finger and tried to draw another circle on my body.
But then, a deep voice echoed through the space. The melody was deep and drawn out, yet beautiful in a sense I could never explain. It was elegant, exquisite, and divine. This was surely something that would win awards and cause ladies to swoon after the singer.
I regained my focus as something cold flooded my thoughts. Sweat flowed down my face as I regained control of my tendrils and tried to draw something helpful for once, still leaping my way downward.
I would have loved to study this disturbance spell if I wasn’t running for my life.
But I wasn’t able to focus on drawing a circle, thanks to his bizarre spell. Not only that, the stomping above seemed to be closer by each passing minute.
Damn it, so all of it comes down to this.
I made up my mind and bit my lower lip, preparing for the pain that would soon pursue. I prayed for luck and shoved my remaining 3800 units of mana, greatly overcharging the Haste slip and forcing strength to flood through my veins. Cracks formed throughout the metal instrument before it finally shattered to dust.
It was not very cost-effective, but it was all I could do for now. Gashes formed and blood seeped through. It was painful, but I ignored it and pushed my legs to their absolute limits.
I thought back to what had happened earlier and cursed once again. Not only had Finn deceived me, but he had also led me into a trap of his own volition. I’ll make sure he’ll pay for this.
The song changed as I bolted down the stairs. The other party must have noticed my boost in speed as the tune and tempo changed.
Instead of the gloom and melancholy from earlier, he now sang with a higher pitch and intensity. Gongs and drums joined the song, resembling those I had heard in the desert. With it, the stomps behind me quickened, moving alongside the tempo of the song.
I put away the metal slip and leapt, using my whole body, hopefully boosting me even just a little. I held back a grunt as another part of my leg tore open. A third-tier spell could only go so far, even with 3800 units of mana.
If I had to compare it with a regular overcharged Haste, then the effects currently active were merely three times more powerful. It was very much not worth it when you included the side effects that came with it, including overworking your muscles to the point of tearing open. But what was I supposed to do? This was the only way I could think of to escape this place.
I glanced at a metal door as I made my way through. I should be on the fifth floor now, considering the giant conspicuous number painted on the door. Fourth floor. The music intensified while the stomps continued to wreak havoc on the building.
Do they not care about the place?!
Third floor. I could feel them coming closer, their hooves and bellows now close enough for me to notice. Second floor. I saw them for a moment. They had four horns, muscular bodies, and their eyes glinted red. What sorts of people keep demonic bulls as pets?
Almost there! I could see the light just beyond the exit! The bulls were only half a floor away. No matter what happened next, everything would be better once I fled this building!
—Bang!
Jackpot! The snow hit me in the face, bringing a smirk to my lips. However, as soon as I opened the exit, a black silhouette dropped from the sky and wrapped an arm around my neck, choking me and lifting me several inches off the ground.
I wheezed in pain as I glared at my assailant. It was the man from earlier. His white breath tickled my neck as he tightened his grasp around my neck.
Then everything went black.