Mark of Time:

The Mark of the Chosen of Time.

Bond of Fate: Fated strings

A Bond born from the union of Time and Fate

Abilities: Time Reset

Resets: 4

Integrity: 97.12%

Tier: Undefined

The system message floated in front of Jennifer’s eyes, prompting a blink from her. A blink that turned into two, and then three. Jennifer sat in a daze, waiting for her memories to return, for the tide of everything to come crashing to her. Yet all she could remember, was a sinking horror, and the sicking smell of blood permeating her being.

Jennifer looked down at her hands, and found them shaking. There was an unnatural blanket of calm over her mind. ‘Calm Mind’ or some variation of the spell, she noted mutedly. This wasn’t a first time thing either, she quickly realised. The same daze had blanketed her thoughts subtly ever since the beginning. But it was only now, when the Blanket was so thick it seeped directly into her thoughts and muffled them, that she began to notice its presence.

Yet, even through the blanket muffling her mind, Jennifer found a deep dread rising inside her chest. She’d lost herself to the madness. To those red tendrils that had burrowed in her soul, and had changed her very being.

Her memories returned. Of the blood-red messages. That deep red that had permeated the words of the System itself, seeping through her soul. A deep seated revulsion rose from her soul as she remembered. She had gained a [Race]. She had levelled up in a [Race]. There was no such thing as a Racial level. You could not level up as a human, it went against the nature of the system. Yet. She had.

She had been a demon, one who could level.

“Sera take me,” Jennifer breathed out loud, her heart thundering. She sat silently upon her chair, feeling as if she could hear the screaming cries of her city dying. A spell that could turn a human into a demon. One with levels. The world was going to change forever.

Jennifer curled up, her gut churning. She gagged, remembering the smell of blood that had filled her mind. She’d wanted to drink in it till she was full. To tear flesh out and eat. She had almost… almost done something horrible to Keith.

If it wasn’t for Loux I…

A chill traveled down Jennifer’s spine. This was worse than her worst nightmare. She could not afford to tarry on her own anymore.

She needed to tell Prince Laiken. She needed to tell someone. Never before, had she truly believed that the Alliance could fall to the demons. Even with everything they’d seen, the joint strength of all the major species on Zweiril sounded like an impossible enemy to defeat.

But if they can turn us into demons. Indiscriminately kill us all, and use the surviving turned humans to level up… Sera.

Jennifer raised a shivering hand up to her hair, finding sweat beading her forehead. She was grateful for the strange ‘Calm Mind’ spell that was keeping her together. She suspected it was what had kept her from falling apart even with her repeated deaths. Though that did nothing to reduce her dislike at her thoughts being forced into a calm against her wishes, she was grateful for it nonetheless.

My bond. [Fated Strings] has not worked after my first encounter with a demon. Perhaps if I can figure out how it works, I may be able to get to Prince Laiken.

There were far too many things to do. Far too many questions to answer. Yet, at the end of all her thoughts, one particular one came to her mind. A promise.

Jennifer leaned over to reach out towards a particular book on her desk on enchanting perimeters and wards and began to write down notes.

She had promised her brother that she would prevent that future. And she had every desire to live up to her promise.

***

“Jenn! I heard! Congrats on getting accepted!” Rumina shouted, tackling Jennifer, spinning her around in circles.

“Sera, put me down Rumina,” Jennifer laughed, hitting her friend’s shoulder lightly which made Rumina spin her around even faster.

“Are you kidding me! I’m so excited Jenn!” Rumina exclaimed, but despite her words the girl soon let Jennifer down.

“Alright… maybe I overdid it,” her friend winced, patting her back once and Jennifer let out a genuine laugh at the reaction.

“In any case, we need to celebrate!” Rumina exclaimed, grabbing Jennifer’s hand and scooping them up.

“Not today Rumina, I’ve got something I need your help with,” Jennifer said, receiving a raised eyebrow from her friend. She ignored the reaction, focusing on tracing the spell she’d memorised overnight and practiced multiple times.

“Muffle Sound,” Jennifer murmured under her breath, moving her fingers in the casting symbol to help her use the spell properly. A pop in her ears told her she’d succeeded, a little area of sound dampening surrounding her as her mana dipped slightly to manifest the spell.

She immediately sensed Rumina’s guard start to rise.

“Do you have any strong wards that can keep our conversation private?” Jennifer asked, glancing around.

“You’re starting to worry me Jenn,” Rumina replied, as she walked to the back of the store. A moment later, the girl motioned for Jennifer to follow.

Walking in, Jennifer felt a light tingle of mana pass over her skin as she entered a side chamber filled with stacks of parchments, ink bottles, letters and envelopes lined up.

“There’s a ward setup in here,” Rumina said, turning to face Jennifer, her arms crossed. “What is it Jenn?”

Jennifer glanced around the chamber, before turning towards Rumina. “I need you to take me to Derim. Fallow’s skull.”

Rumina’s eyes widened in surprise. “How do you—”

“Take a seat Rumina,” Jennifer said, walking to the nearby chair and taking a seat. “I have a long story to tell.”

***

“Do you really think that was what you’d said it was? The thing you saw at the end?” Rumina asked, and Jennifer nodded. The walls of Fallow’s Skull passed by the two girls as they walked deeper into the shifting caverns.

“There’s no other good answer that I can think of. I may be wrong, but that is irrelevant. What it is, I need to stop it. And for that, I first need to get my hands on that apprenticeship,” Jennifer replied. She would need to read extensively on blood magic as well, and to find her hands on books she could not find normally was just one of the reasons for her trip today.

“I’m still having a tough time wrapping my head around all of this,” Rumina said, and Jennifer glanced at her friend, a strange feeling building in her. How many more resets before she found herself growing distant from her friend? Their shared memories all lost to months that never even happened?

She shook the thought off, glancing forward. They’d arrived at Derim’s shop. “It’s me,” Rumina called out, walking through the vases and miscellaneous things lying all around outside the place.

Jennifer followed behind, walking into the shop.

“I don’t remember there being any delivery today. Something from the guild?” Derim asked, before her eyes rested upon Jennifer. “Who’s the girl?”

Jennifer walked ahead, not waiting for a reply. “I’m Jennifer. A [Resourceful Enchanter] and a [Glass Mage]. I want to buy every book you have on blood magic, and life glass. And three Lune stones engraved with the ‘message’ spell.”

Derim raised an eyebrow at her, glancing at Rumina for a moment. “I know better than to ask questions.”

The elc scuttled into his shop, the sound of clangs of metallic parts and items falling coming from inside.

“You really do know him…” Rumina whispered under her breath, and Jennifer glanced to the side, a light smile on her face.

With a light cloud of dust surrounding him, Derim walked out, coughing as he waved the dust away. With a few stumbling steps, he set down two large tomes onto the table with a pair of shining blue stones set on top.

“Thirty silver for the lune stones,” Derim coughed out, taking a moment to gather himself. “The books though… they are priceless. I see no reason to give them to some kid trying to dabble in blood arts for the fun of it.”

Jennifer looked up to meet the Elc’s eyes, staring into them for a moment. Silently, she lifted her hand, as the blood dagger manifested in it, glistening in the dim light of the dungeon wall, filtering in.

“That- a lost skill,” Derim breathed, his eyes fixated upon the blade.

With a quick motion, Jenninfer pulled her hand back, dematerialising the blade. “I doubt you will have a better method of studying life glass than this Derim. If you agree to give me those two books, I will give you a shard of my [Blood Dagger],” Jennifer replied, keeping her gaze firm.

“[Key Information],” Rumins spoke up. “if you take of 10 silver from the lune stones, I’ll call in a favour from the guild on your behalf as well.”

“That dratted skill of yours. Fine. Life-glass… the things I could craft with this,” Dremin muttered, before looking up at Jennifer. “It’s going to cost you if these books are damaged or lost.”

Jennifer nodded in reply. A moment later, she summoned her [Blood Dagger] once more, before tugging on one section of it. A little piece of her dagger broke off, floating around her palm which she sent towards Derim.

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The elc quickly snagged the shard out of mid air, putting it in a pouch that he clutched carefully.

“How much range do these have?” Jennifer asked, picking one of the stones up.

“Roughly about fifty feet in all directions, give or take,” Derim replied and Jennifer hummed in thought.

“Can you make it so that the only thing they do is send a signal but their range is a few miles?

Jennifer took out 20 silvers from her pouch, setting the coins on the table as she grabbed the two books when she realised a problem.

“I’ll probably need something to hide them in. Wouldn’t be smart to walk out with these in broad daylight.”

“5 silver for a concealment cloth that I can wrap them up in,” Derim said, and Jennifer smiled. The man did know how to do business.

Taking out the silver coins, she quickly got the books wrapped up by Derim, before leaving the shop.

“Thanks Derim,” Jennifer muttered as she walked out.

“I never gave you my name,” Derim replied, and she ignored his words, stepping out of the place. Rumina followed behind shortly after, a frown set on her features.

“What do you plan to do now?” Rumina asked, walking alongside her.

Jennifer dug into her pocket to pull out one of the two lune stones she’d gotten. Sending a pulse of mana, she connected the engraved message spell to her mana signature. “Keep this with you. If anything, happens. Send me a message through this Lune to me. I’ll receive it on my end. I need to teach how to use this to Keith and then head off to the Academy,” Jennifer said, feeling her nerves rising.

She hadn’t levelled in her Glass Mage class since her last fight, but she’d grown extensively as a mage. And Jennifer had a feeling that the only thing she needed now was a push, and a real combat scenario to get her over the edge.

“Anything I can help with?” Rumina asked.

“Just be careful. Oh, and look into what the Orcs are doing. Specifically, Captain Drighak, an Orc Mercenary captain I’m interested in. If you can get more information on him that’ll be amazing. He might be connected to Irwys Silveran, the knight I want to get in touch with.”

Rumina nodded, the rays of light coming in from the outside interrupting the two. Jennifer walked outside the shifting caverns of the Fallow’s Skull, and glanced towards her friend.

“Good luck Jenn, show them you’re the best!” Rumina cheered, and Jennifer smiled.

“Stay safe Rumina,” Jennifer replied, turning around. Holding the two books in her hand, she made her way towards her home.

Just one last thing remained, before her test at the Academy.

***

“You’ll teach me magic?!” Keith exclaimed, jumping out of his chair as he leapt at Jennifer. “Really? That’s not a lie right? Can you say it again?”

Jennifer put a finger to her loud brother’s lips, shushing him as best as she could. “Keep quiet or you’ll learn nothing,” she whispered, staring at her brother.

Keith returned an enthusiastic nod.

“Okay. Yes, you heard it right. I’ll teach you magic,” Jennifer said, and saw Keith’s mouth open in disbelief, yet his response caught Jennifer off guard.

“But why?” her brother asked. “Is it because you got accepted?”

It took Jennifer a moment to understand what her brother meant, and she remembered the promise she’d made all those months ago to teach him magic if she got accepted. It had been a way to get him off her back while she was preparing for her entrance tests, she hadn’t expected him to remember it for so long.

“Yes,” Jennifer replied, as Keith’s eyes began to sparkle with excitement. She felt some guilt at having forgotten her promise so easily even before the reset. It wouldn’t have taken more than a couple hours to teach her brother a basic cantrip like light, but she’d been too occupied by the Academy and her own things to ever spare the time.

“First things first. What do you know about magic?” Jennifer asked, looking down at her brother.

“Umm, magic. You need mana to use it, and the ability to sense mana and control it. Not everyone can use magic, and not everyone who can will become a Mage,” Keith replied, and Jennifer nodded.

“That’s correct. But do you know how spells are formed?”

Her brother spluttered for an answer, before settling to stare blankly at her with an embarrassed smile. Jennifer smiled back, patting his head.

“Okay, from the very basics then. There are twelve tiers of magic. Tier 1 to Tier 12. These tiers define all forms of magic, both known and unknown. Now, magic is made up of spells. What’s a spell? Do you know?”

“Oh! A spell is, like, it’s when you use mana in specific ways to make it do things.”

“Not wrong. A spell is two things. The spell matrix, and the implementation of mana through that spell matrix. There are essentially three components to spell casting Keith. We shape a spell in our mind, the shape of the spell, the way all the mana threads connect. We shape this spell, and then manifest it. The process of manifestation is when you actualise the spell matrix by putting mana through it. This is what casting is,” Jennifer said.

“Then… why do people call casting the thing where they say a lot of words?” Keith asked and Jennifer stared at him, one of her eyebrows raised.

“Do you mean chanting? That’s part of vocalised casting,” Jennifer replied, before extending her hand in front. A white ball of light blinked into existence above it. “Here. You didn’t see me say anything did you?”

“Whoa!” Keith exclaimed, staring at the little ball. “Show me more!”

“Later, silly. You’ll be able to do this much yourself in a few weeks. Just don’t tell dad I taught you this, it’s supposed to be a secret,” Jennifer said, putting a finger on her mouth as she leaned down.

“I promise to Sera,” Keith replied in a similarly hushed tone.

“Alright, then we can begin. Sit down and cross your legs, we’ll get you to develop a mana sense first.”

She guided her brothers through the steps of sensing mana, trying to remember how her own father had taught her. Sitting next to him, she sent a constant pulse of mana through his hand, trying to help guide his senses to where his own mana pathways were, and how to correctly channel mana through them.

To her surprise, it only took her brother a few minutes before he could already send a small amount of mana to his palm. Almost half the time it had taken her, if she remembered things right.

“You’re a quick learner aren’t you?” Jennifer said, to which her brother shot her a cheerful grin.

“If you don’t go fast, I’m going to beat you Jenn!” Keith shot towards her, which prompted a laugh from Jennifer.

“Oh? Is that so? Maybe I shouldn’t teach my rival then, it sounds counter-productive,” Jennifer replied back, watching as Keith’s expression paled.

“No, I didn’t mean it. You’re gonna be the bestest one around, I’ll be the second bestest,” Keith offered, hugging her slightly from the side, and Jennifer couldn’t help but ruffle his hair up.

“Enough games Kei, pay close attention. I’ll teach you the light spell now,” Jennifer said, and Keith pulled back, straightening his back, brows set in concentration.

Extending her hand, Jennifer slowly moved her mana through the extremely simple spell matrix of the light spell. It was so simple that there were ongoing debates about whether it qualified as one or not.

“Focus your mana at a point above your palm. Just one point. The ball is not a sphere filled with mana, but a single point emitting light. The ball is formed from the mana boundary that you set for your spell, and how far you want it to extend it to,” Jennifer said, glancing at her brother.

Hesitantly, Keith extended his own palm and began to focus. Jennifer could sense the mana flowing through his pathways, all the way up to his palms through [Enhanced Mana Sense]. It was a feeble flow, but she could tell that he had good control. Better than hers, when she’d started.

After a few minutes of sitting down and concentrating, Keith slumbed back onto the ground with a defeated sigh. “I can’t do this. It’s too difficult.”

Jennifer moved closer to her brother, before flicking his forehead.

“Ouch,” the boy exclaimed, clutching at his forehead as he stood straight back up and glared at her. “What was that for!”

“That’s what my master does when I give up. Except he’s ten times stronger than me.”

Keith grumbled under his breath at her words, before extending his hands out once more. With effort, he channelled his mana, and tried to use the light spell.

“You’re spreading it out Kei. It’s one point. As small as you can make it. Just put it together, in the smallest area possible, and the mana will light itself up,” Jennifer said, as her brother shifted his position, his frown deepening.

Jennifer sensed his mana shift, from the wide spread out vapour that drifted aimless, a small portion began to coalesce together. She could tell he was struggling to contain it, and sent a small strand of mana above his palm that nudged his mana slightly closer.

“Keith! You did it!” Jennifer exclaimed, as her brother opened his eyes to see a tiny flicker of light above his palm. The spell broke the moment he opened his eyes, the light fading, but it had been enough time for the boy to see it for himself.

Eyes wide open, Keith looked down upon his hands. “I… did that? I can do magic now?” There was a shiver of unrestrained joy in his voice, that brought a smile to Jennifer’s lips. He really was her brother.

“Yes, Kei. You can. Though you will need a lot of practice to beat me,” Jennifer replied with a wink.

Rather than laugh, or be embarrassed, her brother stared at her with the most serious expression she’d ever seen on his face. “I’ll beat you. I’ll become the strongest [Mage] ever.”

Taken slightly aback by the response, Jennier stared at her brother before her smile widened. “I look forward to the day.” A moment later, she stood up, dusting her clothes from having sat on the ground, she turned towards Keith. “Would you like to see something special? I’ll only share this if you swear to Sera that you will not tell anyone.”

Keith looked up at her, standing from the ground as well. “What is it?” he asked curiously.

“Magic,” Jennifer replied.

“Okay. I swear on Sera’s name, I will not share what you will show me,” Keith said, and Jenn saw his eyes grow wide. She smiled.

“You’re a mage now Keith. And a mage’s promise has a lot more worth than a normal person’s. If you gain a class tonight, then tell me,” Jennifer said, and Keith turned to stare at her in disbelief, before nodding.

“Okay, then watch. I’ve been working for almost three months on this,” Jennifer replied. She extended her hand, a single ball of light forming above her palm. Yet unlike the flicker her brother had produced, her light ball was smooth, spherical, and uniform from all directions in a manner that showed a high level of shaping mastery.

With a pulse of mana, Jennifer broke the ball of light, forming hundreds of glittering light dust particles that swirled all around her, sparkling in multitudes of colors. She heard the exclamations of surprise coming from her brother, but she was far from done.

She reached out to the glowing swirl of light dust, multiple mana threads running through the cluster. With an exertion of her will, she changed their shape, forming small leaves of light that swirled around her in an unseen breeze. With a tug on the multitudes of mana threads tying each leaf, Jennifer pulled, as the leaves twirled and twisted and fluttered all around her.

With the last of her concentration, she manifested her glass, little particles shining with the colorful light, as they reflected the radiance back, and formed a haze of glowing particles.

Jennifer turned to her brother, her hair rustling in the wind generated from her mana. Her blue eyes had turned reflective from the glass mana flooding her pathways as she cast her spell. Combined with the glittering light and glass, it gave her an otherworldly look.

“I have a secret, Kei,” Jennifer spoke, watching her brother stare at her in bewilderment. “I’m actually a time traveler.”

“You are… a time traveler?” he repeated, as if struggling to internalise the words.

Jennifer returned a nod.

“Is- why are you back here then Jenn? Did you become a famous [Enchanter]?” her brother asked, and Jennifer found herself taken aback. The surprise was enough for her control to slip as the flowing leaves blinked out of existence.

Pulling her glass mana back as her eyes returned to normal, Jennifer smiled, shaking her head. She walked closer to Keith, putting her hand in the pouch next to her waist.

“Not yet. There’s something bad that’s going to happen Keith. Something really bad. It’s why I’m back. And I need your help to stop it.”

Jennifer felt her heart tighten, when she saw her brother return a serious nod. Grabbing the remaining lune stone, she pulled it out and set it onto Keith’s palm.

“Don’t tell mom and dad. You must absolutely not. There are dangerous people that might be listening and I don’t want any of you to get hurt. It’s why, I want you to stay with Mom and Dad, and if you ever think that you’re in trouble, send some mana into this stone. It will send a message to me, and I’ll come running to help you as fast as I can.”

Jennifer met her brother’s gaze, as he looked down on the small blue stone in his hand, engraved with runes.

Looking up, he met his sister’s eyes. “I promise.”

Jennifer pulled Keith into a hug, pressing him tight to her chest. “I promised you that I’ll prevent things. And I plan to keep my promise,” Jennifer murmured back, feeling one weight off her chest.

Now all that remained was a visit to the Academy.