-Well, at least there’s no room for some experimental treatments… - mumbled For.
-Sure… Okay. I guess we’re enslaving this one…
He shuddered.
-Do we have needed items though?
-We don’t need much - I said. - What, some ink, blood and infused material.
-Well, we do have blood…- said Kon.
-I think I know a spell to create ink… - said For after a moment of consideration.
-You do?
I was genuinely surprised.
-Yeah. What, is that weird?
-No, it’s just I didn’t expect for someone like you to know such a… niche spell… I thought I’ll have to improvise…
-I was living alone for a long time. I remember a couple of spells that would definitely be “strange”.
-But let me guess. None of them are offensive. Or combat related.
-You said it yourself: “niche”.
-Yeah, got it, got it.
-There’s still the problem of having some mana infused material…
-Last time… you used infused water, right? - asked For. - I think that will be hard to procure here…
-It’s fine. We have plenty of that.
She looked at me confused.
-We have plenty of mana infused material - I said, pointing to myself. - Who said that it has to be water?
-I… eh?
-What?
-You want to make an ink… from yourself.
-I guess, essentially. It’s not like they were doing much different things before, right?
-I… I guess?
-It just has to be nicely grinded, so it will mix with the ink and blood.
-Okay… and paper…
-Nah, fuck paper.
-What, you’re telling me that you don’t even need the paper?!
-Of course not. You just need to write the contract on something. So why not directly on the skin?
The three of them looked shaken.
-What? You didn’t think that paper was somehow needed?
-I mean… what… what’s going to appear then if we summon the contract?! I mean, if it works, you’ll…
-What do you think? It’ll appear on your skin. I mean, it’s obvious.
She seemed hesitant.
-Right… sorry, I guess that’s a bit too much to ask of you at once - I said, realizing what I just made her realize. - We would be essentially tattooing you both… well, it’s going to be a lot less unpleasant than an actual tattoo, but still as permanent as a tattoo…
-Are you for real right now…
-Don’t worry about that. It’s going to disappear. It’s not like you have a fiery mark from our contract visible constantly. It’ll be there only if needed.
She grabbed her neck, remembering the flames I conjured on her flesh multiple times already.
-I… I guess it’s fine…
-Sorry. I would’ve done that myself, but… you know.
-Yes. Yes, yes. Let’s better get on with it…
-We need the stuff first, so…
We started preparing for the “operation”.
I say that, but it was just mostly me. The ink and blood were as easy as getting a knife at the ready and For casting one spell.
From the ruins we managed to find something that resembled a plate, which was good enough for our purposes.
The main issue was the mana infused material…
I did say that it would be easy, but I never considered my own durability.
Yeah, that was a problem.
I kind of forgot that my body was pretty hard to wound now.
We tried some knives at first. While not the best quality, it was what we had on hand, some metal tools. I don’t have to add that it ended in nothing: we didn’t even manage to give me a scratch. Or, rather in destroying the items in question almost immediately.
I sort of was hoping that those would be more durable, since they belonged to the group that was handling my own crystal before, but of course it was not the case. The actual items that would be helpful were gone, along with their newest product.
-Should… should I try to cast some kind of spell on you? - For was thinking aloud. - No, that’s not…
-Do you even know something that would work? - I asked, curious.
-No, not really…
-Even if you did, I bet it wouldn’t be enough… you’d have to infuse so much mana in it…
-Are we sure we can’t infuse pure mana into it?
-Sure we can. But good luck getting mana from a person sticking to this… mixture.
-And like yours is different! It’s your flesh.
-And also an Origin Crystal.
-What, don’t tell me that it’s some kind of exception?
-Of course it is - I nodded. - Origin Crystal is all but exceptional. And not fully understood, to be honest - I muttered.
-Hmm…
-So we have a problem…
-Well, there’s one other way… I didn’t really want to try and do this… I mean…
-There is? What is it?
-It’s a bit unpleasant…
-Unpleasant? For you? There’s anything that would be unpleasant in this body of yours?
I gazed towards our prisoner and decided to keep quiet.
-We could try using the same method I got… put out of commission earlier.
Both For and Kon looked stunned and horrified.
-That’s dangerous!
-I am aware. That’s why I didn’t want to do it.
-You could die! Again!
-I didn’t die. Also, who told you that you need to target my head? I would like to minimize the damage, thank you very much - I pointed out. - One of you’d have to just aim for my arm. Or preferably a finger.
They looked at each other.
-I… I don’t know what they did though.
-Ah - I realized that they never knew what exactly hit me. - That’s simple. You just need to focus some light magic and… boom.
-Boom?
-You saw. I did explode. What do you think?
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
-You want to blow your hand off?!
-I don’t want to. But do you have a better idea?
-I…
-Exactly. You don’t.
-Can’t we just find something else?!
-Oh, come on, it’s not that bad. Sure, pain, but whatever.
-We don’t even have anyone that can use that kind of magic!
-Of course we do.
-I am not talking about you! What, you want to blow yourself up?
-I mean, that’s possible, but I’d rather some of you do it. Third person perspective is always better to have…
-Kon, you can use that!?
-I…
He was uncertain.
-Of course he can. And so can you. I already explained before, magic is not something that limits you because you keep using one thing. Sure, you might be more proficient, but…
-No, I don’t mean it like that! We don’t have a crystal that would…
She stopped mid-sentence, realizing that she was wrong.
Of course, each of us had plenty of their own Origin Crystal to cast the spells of their choosing, no matter the element.
-I’ll just give you a spell and we should be good to go. Just let me think for a second…
-Mrgh… Okay. I’ll do it.
I looked her over.
I didn’t expect her to volunteer. I thought I was going to make Kon do it. It might be a bit cruel, but so what?
It’s not like her doing it would be any better.
-I would rather Kon do it. I mean, you have a lot less mana than him…
I said that, but it wasn’t exactly true. She did expand her mana pool during my… “beauty sleep”. She was on Kon’s level, sure, but she had more than enough to channel a spell of a moderate size to probably blow my face off.
-Never mind. You really want to do it?
She was surprised.
-I guess I get it, you still want some revenge for that old contract and all that. Hell, if I am so willing you’d be able to attempt to murder me without any repercussions…
-I…! NO!
Her protest was so immediate, even I was shocked.
-I would never do something like this!
-Mh-hm.
-Well, anyway, here’s the spell. “Mynu, gulytu lek qigo“. Means: “Light, focus and shoot”. You probably should target my finger, that is if you are able to be precise with it. I don’t mind losing my full hand, but I’d rather not.
-Ah! You… Really?
-What?
-You’re so determined?
-Determined? - I asked, confused. - Determination has nothing with it. That just means to an end.
-I…
-Come on, let’s go. That’s if you didn’t change your mind.
-No! I didn’t!
-Good.
-The spell I gave you should produce a beam of light from your fingertip, or whatever else you prefer - I explained as we walked a bit away from both Kon and the bound guy.
-Got it - she replied out loud. - And you want me to aim for…?
-I guess a finger? - I joined in a normal discussion. - I would rather like a small piece of me to be cut, so you know, I can get it back easier than the head…
-Yeah, right… I still don’t understand how you managed to revive…
-Not revive. I was never… Well, honestly - I said, interrupting my own thought - I don’t know. I was unconscious through most of it…
She shuddered.
We found a building with something that resembled a flat surface that I could put my hand on. That one was barely to be called a building, just a wall, really, no roof to speak about even.
I guess it didn’t matter anyway, not like we needed that right now.
-Well, let’s get this over with. You ready?
-As much as I’ll ever be.
I nodded and placed my palm right at the “table”.
-Go for it.
She took a deep breath, and stabilizing one hand with another, pointed one finger towards my hand.
-Mynu, gulytu lek qigo.
Her pronunciation was not perfect, but was good enough. I did tell her how the spell was supposed to look, so that also helped.
But, even considering that, the spell itself was amazing. I don’t know if that was because of her imagination or what, but she created a thin laser that sliced right through the table, missing us both.
-Nice. But aim this thing!
She nodded and carefully started moving the beam towards my hand.
I prepared myself for the inevitable pain that I was about to experience, holding my hand in place with another, to not fall over if, or rather when I was going to get hit, but…
The pain never arrived.
And it was not like she missed. She did reach my finger. And nothing happened.
Both of us looked at each other confused.
-Did… I fail the spell?
That was not possible. I mean, I couldn’t blame her for saying that, because I had the same thought just now, even though she cleanly sliced through the solid brick that was right in front of us.
-I… No…?
I started moving my hand. Maybe she cut it so quickly I didn’t even realize that it was already done?
But nope. My fingers were still in their right place.
Sure, I could feel some warmth on my palm now, as I was moving it right through the beam, but nothing else.
Hell, even the light was not being refracted. It was like it was nothing, just a light.
She ended the spell and looked at me with confusion
-I don’t get it…
-Am I not powerful enough…? Maybe Kon is really better at it…
-I mean… he might… but that can’t be. It’s not the first time I’ve been hit by a light spell, but every time the effect was completely different. Hell, even when a kid hit me with barely a speck of light, I felt it. I could tell it was doing damage. But… not this…
-Kid? From that island?
-Yeah.
-I mean, those are strange kids, who knows…
-Yeah, yeah, but that’s not possible. You already are far ahead of them in mana capacity - I explained to her. - Origin Crystal and all.
-I guess I am inexperienced…?
-And so were they. But, on the off chance you’re right…
I hesitated for a second, but decided to go with it anyway.
I placed my fingers right at my wrist.
A third level spell. If that’s not going to do it, nothing will.
-Peqa npyrka pyfuvyka.
It was effective. But not in the way I wanted.
Between my fingers, a quick flash of light shot right at the hand I was aiming at, and just hit me without any effect.
But, I can’t say that it didn’t have any effect at all.
I dumped quite a bit of mana into it. And so, it went a bit wide as well, striking the “table”, wall, the whole building, slicing it in half, falling right on top of us.
While I did react, she didn’t exactly know what I was doing, so her reaction was delayed. Some stray pieces of rubble hit her and almost knocked her over.
-What in the fuck?!
-You good?!
-Yeah…
Her head was bleeding. Quite profusely might I add.
-Doesn’t look like it!
-What’s going on?!
Kon was already on the way, dragging the prisoner right with him.
I say “dragging”, but he was almost walking by himself. He did need some “encouragement” though.
-An accident - I briefly explained. - My bad. I didn’t think I’d work so well…
-Don’t worry, I’m fine… - she said, wiping the blood from her face, just for it to be replaced by more, staining her clothes and sand nearby.
-Let me see…
Kon kneeled next to her and placed his hand on the wound, closing his eyes.
I felt a surge of mana from him and the wound… disappeared. He didn’t even use a spell.
-How the hell did you do that?
-Er…
He briefly gazed towards the prisoner.
-Didn’t I tell you about my ability? - he said, switching to talking directly into our heads.
-The way you healed yourself a long time ago?
-Yes.
-But I thought you had to…
She paused.
-I don’t really need much to heal a cut… It's easy. And since it was away from your face, I didn’t even have to remember much, your skin is not hard to visualize…
-Wow. That’s… useful…
-I never thought you’d use that kind of magic on someone again… - I pointed out. - After… you know.
He sighed.
-I still would prefer not to, but I’d rather you not bleed out.
-Come on, it’s not that bad.
-Not bad? Look at yourself.
He had a point. She lost quite a bit of blood. I didn’t really pay attention, but the wound was right at her temple…
I guess that explained why there was so much blood.
-I… sorry. I will try not to do that next time… - I said quietly…
-What were you trying to do anyway? - she asked, standing up and wiping the rest of the blood with her clothes.
-Right! I… Well, I wanted to check something… the spell we wanted to use was ineffective for some reason…
-Yeah, I thought it was because I was too weak. I wanted to ask Kon about it but, you… well, we blew up.
-It was not what I was aiming for! I wanted to do exactly what you did, to try and cut my own self, since your spell was not enough apparently.
-Okay… why didn’t you do that in the first place? I mean, I see now why, blowing up, but…
-It’s not it! I wouldn’t ever use such a powerful spell immediately. I just…. had to know.
-Know what?
-If I am resistant.
-What?
-When you cast your spell… It’s not like it didn’t work. You cut through the wall, didn’t you? And I felt the warmth of it.
-Warmth? - she didn't hide the surprise in her voice. - I didn’t feel a thing. If anything, I thought my fingers were getting cold…
-See? I only felt some brief warmth. And I bet it was not from the heat of the spell, it was from the mana you were releasing. And I was absorbing.
-Weren’t you supposed to be weak to this magic? - asked Kon. - We, rather? The crystal?
-That’s what I thought! But if this - I gestured towards the ruined wall - is not enough proof, I believe that it’s not the case any more.