Chapter III

As Nigreos’s eyes slowly flickered open, he couldn’t help but cringe away at the painfully bright light that greeted him. His mind was groggy, as if the nap he had seemingly been taking hadn’t been enough to wipe away his fatigue, so for a few moments, he just lay there with his eyes closed again, enjoying the relaxing warmth against his skin and the soft touch of the grass beneath him. He wasn’t sure exactly where he was, and his first thought was that he must have gone out to the palace gardens and drifted off to sleep, but he soon brushed that possibility aside. He wasn’t in Noctalus, after all, for he had already departed for the Academy a couple of weeks ago, and then after that, he and his new team joined Princess Ilirianna Iiji and Nakoma Taurus on an investigation of Hiriech when…

The dark mage shot to a sitting position as if he had been electrocuted, his body going cold despite the pleasant warmth around him. Finally, his memories returned and he recalled the events of Aeyir Malloway’s coming-of-age ball where Rotana Vesh and his “Kosah-Rei” used magic to completely wipe out the entire nobility of Hiriech that had been present. He, Abi, and Ilirianna had bore witness to the carnage and had nearly become victims themselves, but after escaping the destroyed ballroom, they rushed into the basement both in pursuit of Vesh, as well as in the hopes of rejoining Album and Ryokumo.

Right… Then we saw Ryokumo chasing after Mallicent by himself, so I split up from the girls to go find Album. He put his hand to his face as he desperately tried to recount the events that brought him to his current situation. I used mind magic to reach out to her, but that subject responded, so I sprinted to the lab and saw Album unconscious when… He frowned. When what? Was I attacked? I only remember seeing her laying on the ground, but now I’m…

Meet me at the hot spring on the mountaintop. There we shall talk, young mage of the shadows.

Nigreos exhaled sharply, his eyes going wide as the final piece of the puzzle clicked. That humanoid mass of black that he knew had to be the subject consumed him, speaking those words in his mind before knocking him out.

And then I woke up here. I remember all of that, but …where the hell is here, because this certainly isn’t the Aquesen basement.

Having composed himself, Nigreos surveyed his surroundings, finding himself currently sitting in a massive field of grass that seemed to stretch out for miles to his right, his left, as well as behind him, without an end in sight. Directly ahead, the fields came to an abrupt stop at the base of a giant mountain that loomed high overhead, with a dirt pathway winding up around the side and towards the peak. Above him, the sun was shining, indicating that it must be sometime around midday.

How long was I out then? The sun had only set a few hours before I passed out, so if it’s already noon, then what happened? On top of that, from what I know, there’s no lone mountain like this anywhere near Hiriech, so I would have had to be transported and dumped way out here. Why would anybody do that? The Kosah-Rei would have just killed me, so this has to be the work of the subject. And if it’s the work of the subject… Closing his eyes, Nigreos reached out with his mana, attempting to get a feel for his surroundings, and almost instantly, he was able to confirm his hunch. Yeah, I’m not in Ijiria right now. With a mana density like this, I must be in a pocket realm.

Creating a pocket realm was one of the most complex magics known to Ijiria, and so very few could actually make one. In fact, under half of the Masters of Ijiria, those being Acostav, Koroha, and Nigreos’s father, could even make one, and from what he knew, King Markreas was currently the only Iiji with a pocket realm. It was challenging because pocket realms were essentially the creation of a miniature realm, with the largest pocket realm ever created being barely the size of the city of Erika. Mages also only had enough mana to support no more than one, so once a realm was formed, that was the only one the individual would ever have.

If this subject can create one, then what the living hell is it? It wasn’t human, that’s for sure, but I’ve never heard of anything nonhuman that could… Nigreos furrowed his brow, craning his neck to gaze up at the mountain’s peak before letting out a reluctant sigh. Well, it said to meet at the mountaintop to talk, so I suppose I’m not gonna be learning anything unless I start hiking. With any luck, Album will be up there, too. That thing assured me she’s alive, and I have a feeling she’s in here. I need to find her, at all costs.

However, as Nigreos got to his feet, he couldn’t help but pause and stare blankly down at his body, only to find himself completely naked. Well shit… So it didn’t send me in with my clothes, huh? He glanced around in the senseless hope that his clothing just might be laying in a pile nearby, but another scan told him that wasn’t the case. So I’ve gotta hike up a mountain ass naked? Fantastic. Guess I oughta get on with it then…

The dark mage shook his head and began making his way towards the start of the trail, but just as he stepped off of the grass and into the dirt, something else strange occurred to him.

He felt perfectly calm.

Despite the horrors he witnessed in that ballroom, despite knowing that Album could be in danger somewhere in this realm, and that Ilirianna, Abi, and Ryokumo, as well as the Masters, were fighting for their lives back in Hiriech, he didn’t feel panicked or rushed. On the contrary, he hadn’t been this calm since he was a child.

The pocket realm’s probably affecting me… That should be worrisome, but I don’t really care. There’s nothing I can do, after all. Until I find Album and reach the mountaintop, I’m stuck here anyway, so why get worked up? He shrugged. Oh well, let’s get hiking.

And so, dismissing his concerns with a soft chuckle, Nigreos Noctis began what was sure to be a very long hike to the peak of that mountain.

***

I must be almost there, right?

Absently asking herself that question, Album Luz casually made her way along the trail, humming softly to herself as she admired the beautiful scenery of lush green trees and bushes that lined the sides of the pathway. The sounds one would have expected from a nature trail, such as birds chirping or the skittering of critters were completely absent, making it feel as if Album was the only living thing inside that realm. She knew that knowledge should have made her anxious, but for some reason, she was okay with it, and actually found it comforting, for even though it meant she was separated from her allies, it also meant there wouldn't be any enemies there to cause her harm. She had been walking for what she guessed was an hour, but she had long since realized that the sun wasn’t moving, for it was still at its zenith, just as it had been when she awakened in The Angel’s pocket realm.

This is such a unique place…and I kinda like it. It makes me think that maybe it can be trusted.

She knew it had been a rash and impulsive decision to blow open The Angel’s container and release it, but after hearing the explosions off in the distance and listening to Mallicent cackling with glee, declaring his victory, she knew she hadn’t had the time to ponder her options any longer. Not only had The Angel promised to give her the details of the members of the Kosah-Rei, but it also claimed to have the means to fix her mana deficiencies, so after making the choice to align herself with it, she could only pray it wasn’t going to stab her in the back.

I just hope Ryokumo and the others are safe. I still don’t know what Mallicent’s allies did back there, so I’m a little worried for them.

Album had to remind herself to trust in Ryokumo, who had left her behind when he went in pursuit of the fleeing Mallicent. Believing he would have the situation handled, she stayed and confronted The Angel, but before she could demand anything else of it, the black mass that was its body consumed her, and it gave her one last piece of information.

We can talk within my pocket realm, Little Light. You’ll be safer there, so when you awaken, come to the top of the mountain where we can get to know each other better. There, we will be safe to discuss my proposal.

Therefore, when she finally woke up in that field and saw the mountain before her, Album gathered her resolve, got to her feet, and began heading to the designated meeting point.

That being said, I do wish it could have left me with my clothes…

She had been apprehensive about walking up a mountain completely nude, and especially without shoes, but to her pleasant surprise, the sun’s warmth was soothing against her bare skin and the dirt was as soft as a pillow beneath her feet. It wasn’t ideal, but it was far better than she had expected, so she just decided to go with the flow and do as requested.

Eventually, the trees and shrubbery began to thin out, and not long after the plant life had mostly vanished, Album came came to stand just before a natural stone bridge that crossed to the other side of what she guessed was a two-hundred foot ravine, a magnificent waterfall pouring down on the right side and flowing down the mountain to a river below. A calming mist enveloped the area where she stood, tiny water droplets covering her skin. For a few seconds, Album closed her eyes and simply enjoyed the many relaxing sensations running across her body.

Yet, she had to remind herself that The Angel was waiting for her, so she reluctantly opened her eyes and stepped onto the ten-feet wide, railingless stone bridge. With nothing to protect her from falling should she stumble, Album knew she should have been nervous, but just like before, she was strangely at ease, and walked across like it was nothing. Off to the left was a stunning and breathtaking view of the fields she had woken up in as they stretched off as far as the eye could see, probably only ending at the edge of the pocket realm. It was a sight she wished she could enjoy longer, but upon reaching the other side of the bridge and returning to the trail, Album was forced once again to press on and put the beauty behind her.

I wonder…what this conversation is going to be like…

So much of what The Angel had claimed back in the laboratory seemed far too good to be true, and since she hadn’t had the time to determine how reliable its information about the Kosah-Rei was, she couldn’t be certain that she wasn’t being manipulated like a fool.

I mean, if it really can increase my mana then that means I’ll finally be able to start living up to Father’s expectations. I can make him and Eko proud, and I’ll be able to support Princess Ilirianna and my team. The only thing is, even if it is telling the truth, it’s not going to help me unless I give it what it wants…

If you’re imagining me stealing your body and taking it for my own, then you would be mistaken. No…a host of mine would have full autonomy.

That’s what it told me, but I still can’t say I’d be so willing to be its host. It’s clearly intelligent and dangerous, so I need to stay on my toes.

Continuing on to the higher elevations, Album couldn’t help but marvel at the fact that, despite having been walking for around two hours, she wasn’t even close to winded, and could only assume that was yet another effect of the strange realm—a realm that was only growing even stranger by the second. The plant life had returned to the scenery not long after crossing the bridge, but the colors were now more unnatural. The trees had red trunks and pink and gold leaves while the grass had become a beautiful bright blue that bordered more on cyan. She had never seen anything like it, and she hoped that someday, she could return to this pocket realm when she had more time to bask in the serenity.

To her disappointment, the colorful forest only lasted for around twenty more minutes before Album emerged from the trees and came to a stop as she found herself standing at her destination. Stretched out before her, taking up almost the entirety of the mountaintop, was a seemingly natural hot spring with steam rising from the waters along with the scent of roses. She would have loved to have immediately submerged herself in that pool, but she couldn’t bring her legs to move, and that was because her eyes were locked onto the individual already inside. She was already submerged up to her chest in the spring, for Album was gazing at a clone of herself, resting against the edge of the pool with her eyes closed.

What…the hell? That’s me, but…

“So you finally made it, Little Light,” her clone said softly, the voice identical to hers, and when her eyelids opened, revealing bright blue eyes, she smiled a knowing smile. “Please, don’t hesitate to get in. You’ve more than earned it after that walk.”

“B-but…” Swallowing back her protests, Album frowned as she realized based on the way it addressed her that this clone was, in fact, The Angel in her body. “Why do you look like me? What are you?”

It shook its head. “I could explain it, but like I said back in the lab, you wouldn’t understand it. I’m an artificial being of magic created by people who understood the workings of the multiverse far better than even the most educated being in your realm.” It then laughed softly, its smile then becoming oddly warm. “You don’t have to worry. I only appear this way because of the nature of what I am. Please, take a seat.”

The Angel motioned towards the spring once more, and when Album turned and gazed around at the alluring pool, she couldn’t help but obey simply because she desperately wanted to. She gently lowered her right foot into the water, and instantly, she was overwhelmed by a relaxing sensation the likes of which she had never experienced in her life. Within a second, she had sat down on a natural stone step that ran along the side of the spring, the warm water coming up to her neck as she leaned down and sighed.

“It’s lovely, is it not?” the Angel said.

“Lovely is an understatement. This is heaven.”

The Angel giggled. “I’m glad you like it. In that case, enjoy it to the fullest while we wait for my other guest. And based on my calculations, it shouldn’t be much longer until their arrival either. Once they’re here, we can begin our discussion.”

“Other guest?” Album murmured with a frown, but given how hazy and sleepy her mind had become, she found herself unable to dwell on The Angel’s words any longer than it took to speak them, and soon enough, she had closed her eyes and forgotten all about it.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

It was a wonderfully welcome relief after the intense and sickening stress of the past few weeks. From the orientation at the Academy to the fear that she had ruined their chances of being the royal team, and then to the responsibility of helping Princess Ilirianna investigate the murders in Hiriech—there hadn’t been a single moment where Album Luz could just unwind and stop worrying. In fact, even before any of that had begun, she had been stressing over her insufficient mana and her strained relationship with her father. She studied her ass off all the time without anything to show for it, so there was just a never-ending sense of terror that hung over her and weighed her down. She couldn’t even begin to count the days where she didn’t want to get out of bed—where she wished she could just shut her eyes and cover her ears.

When her despair got really bad, she would even begin to consider just pressing her hand over her throat and using her meager mana to cut off her own head. After all, if she died, it would probably be for the better. She wouldn’t be risking her incompetence humiliating her family, and her father would be free to allow her cousins to vie for the eraser power. It would be perfect for everybody, and the only reason she never did was because she knew that, at the very least, Eko, Nigreos, Lunara, and Neah would miss her, and that knowledge stayed her hand.

Her life was full of painful stress and anxiety.

But in that moment, resting in the soothing waters of The Angel’s hot spring, it was like she was free. For the first time in her life, she didn’t feel stressed over anything, and she knew she would have given anything to never leave those waters again. Logically, she knew that her allies were currently fighting for their lives in Hiriech, but that logic simply couldn’t break past the enchanting aura of the spring, and she was perfectly happy to keep it that way.

That was why, when she heard the soft patter of footsteps approaching the spring from behind, she reluctantly sighed, knowing that her euphoria was over, for that sound was certainly marking the arrival of The Angel’s other guest.

“Er, Album? Good, you're safe… I was worried.”

Recognizing the voice, Album thought for a moment that she must have been mistaken, but when she weakly opened her eyes and glanced over her shoulder, she found Nigreos standing just at the edge of the water, gazing down at her with a relieved expression.

“N-Nigreos?” she stuttered, and upon realizing that he, too, was completely in the nude, Album turned to face forward, feeling her cheeks turning a bit red from embarrassment as she added, “What are you doing here? I mean, how did you—?”

“He arrived in the lab not long after you entered this realm,” The Angel interrupted. “And seeing as his magic is as rare as your own, I decided you both could be of use to me and let him inside as well.” It then glanced up at the young man standing behind Album and motioned towards the waters. “Please, Son of Darkness. Take a seat.”

Album subtly tried to twist her body so that Nigreos wouldn’t be able to see anything, but a brief glance at the surface of the water showed that it was rather cloudy, and that anything below the surface was safely concealed. Content with that fact, she waited for her friend to enter, but to her confusion, Nigreos didn’t immediately move.

“So you’re the subject, I imagine?” he growled, addressing The Angel.

“I am, yes.”

“Then why the hell do you look like me? What’s going on here?”

Album furrowed her brow in confusion, glancing at The Angel to find that, contrary to what Nigreos was saying, it still looked like a clone of her rather than him, but before she could voice her own confusion, it explained itself.

“For the sake of simplicity, I appear to each person as themselves,” it said. “Album perceives me as a clone of her just as you perceive me as a clone of you. I can appear however I like, to be honest, but with so many options, I just go with the easy choice. Do you not like it?”

“Not at all. It’s damn unnerving,” Nigreos grunted, a hint of frustration in his voice. “Listen here, Subject. I don’t know what you and Album discussed, but you have a lot of explaining to do for me. We don’t have the time to waste hiking up your mountain and chilling in a hot spring. Our allies are fighting out there, and could be dying. They need our help.”

The calmness of his tone didn’t match his words, and she could only assume that the realm was affecting Nigreos’s anxiety as well. He knew they needed to get out and provide backup to the others, but he didn’t feel the matching desperation.

“Worry not,” The Angel assured him. “I’m sure you know this given your status, but pocket realms, like normal realms, do not always have to match the passing of time in Ijiria. Time here is far faster than it is back there, so despite the roughly two hours you have experienced, it has actually only been around twenty minutes back there. By the time we are done talking, it should only have been thirty.”

“Thirty minutes is plenty of time for somebody to die,” Nigreos snapped. “I—”

“Nigreos, it’s okay.” Talking over her old friend, Album gazed down at the water and shook her head. “It’s not going to let us out unless we speak with it, so for the sake of our team, we should just do as it says and get on with it. I trust Ryokumo and Abi, as well as the Princess and Masters, to handle Hiriech without us for the time being. So please…enter the spring.”

The Angel grinned pleasantly. “Thank you, Little Light.”

To Album’s relief, after a few moments of silence, Nigreos let out a heavy sigh and stepped into the water, moving far enough to Album’s right to give themselves plenty of personal space, and only once his body was covered did she turn and smile reassuringly at him. The somber expression on his face gave her pause, and she wondered if perhaps he knew something she didn’t, but before she could inquire about it, The Angel began speaking.

“First of all, Son of Darkness, as much as I dislike the name Doctor Miyon gave me, I loathe being called ‘The Subject’ even more, so please just refer to me as ‘The Angel’, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“S-sure,” Nigreos stuttered, still seeming put off by the fact that, from his perspective, he was talking to himself. “Whatever you say, just get to it. Why are we here and what do you want with us? Earlier, you said something about our rare magic affinities, so I imagine your interest in us has to do with light and dark magic?”

“It does, yes.” The Angel then glanced up at the cloudless sky, a distant look coming over its face as it seemed to mentally go somewhere else. “You see, I am not of this realm that you call Ijiria. No…I am from somewhere else entirely.”

It had already said as much to Album back in the lab, but since this was the first Nigreos was hearing of it, his eyes went wide. “W-what? But…Omaruo and Hildegan aren’t magical, and since Cansi doesn’t have civilization, are you telling me you’re from Kaira…or even one of the border realms?”

The Angel slowly shook its head. “I do not know enough of your Ijirian terminology to give you specifics, but I can tell you what I’ve overheard from the doctor. I recognize one of the names you just spoke, so I must correct what you claimed. The realm of Cansi might not have a civilization now, but it did a couple millennia ago.”

Given the lengthy walk she had taken to get there, Album had more than enough time to ponder their earlier conversation, so she had already reached this conclusion. It had said it was from a world far more complex and advanced than Ijiria currently was, and since magic didn't exist in Omaruo and Hildegan, and had only entered Kaira when the Ijirians invaded it, that left only the barren wasteland of Cansi as the most likely candidate.

For centuries, Ijirian scientists have theorized that there may have been a civilization in Cansi long before we ever arrived. There’s a faint magical residue indicating that something must have existed to produce it, but after exploring as much of the surface as possible, we never found even a trace of a civilization anywhere. Many have concluded that the mana residue might have come from plants or marine life beneath the surface of the ocean, but we never got to check before the Realm Forgers fled Ijiria. Album’s lips tightened in curiosity. But if The Angel is to be believed then our ancient scientists might have been on the right track…

Album glanced sidelong at Nigreos to find that his expression had gone even more stunned, and she couldn’t help wondering what he would have looked like had the calming effects of the realm and the hot spring not been affecting him.

“But…” he uttered, his brain clearly moving faster than his mouth could keep up. “Our people thoroughly explored Cansi for evidence of a civilization and found nothing! If there really had been one…?”

The Angel cocked an eyebrow. “Did you not hear me? I said a couple millennia ago. The nature of that realm’s end was a destruction beyond anything you could ever comprehend, and there were entire cities that were left without a trace of their existence aside from craters. Over the many years before your people ever arrived, I’m sure nature altered much of the landscape and hid any evidence that might have remained. That being said, they didn’t look close enough, for if they had, they would have found me.”

Its features then turned rather intense as its eyes slowly shifted between the two of them, making it appear as if it had suddenly started glaring at them, but when the ghost of a longing smile twisted the corner of its lips, she realized that the emotion it was showing was not anger, but regret and pain.

“My memories…left me long ago,” it said softly. “In my mind, I can see vague images of the world you called Cansi, and of people that may have been important to me, but every time anything starts to become clear, it slips from my grasp. I think it’s a product of what was done to me…but I could not tell you what became of my home and my people. I could not tell you what I am or why I am like this… I was in a magical slumber for centuries and my first truly clear memory is waking up in the ruins of a laboratory to that wretched magicless doctor, and before I could properly gather my bearings and defend myself, I had been contained…”

The Angel’s blue eyes shifted down to the steaming waters they were resting in, and for a moment, everything was silent. Album knew that the second she left this realm, the weight of what they were learning would properly hit her, so she was grateful that The Angel’s magic was keeping her composed enough to properly process everything.

What every scientists in the world wouldn’t give to speak to this thing, she remarked with a little bit of pride at the fact that she was getting such an unlikely opportunity. There actually were people in Cansi once upon a time, and they created this angel…

“That’s something I’ve been wondering actually,” Album commented, finally managing to find her voice and ask it one of her own questions. “You told me back at the lab that this doctor, Uma Miyon, was a magicless from Omaruo. What do you know about him? I mean, the collective efforts of the Ijirian research teams couldn’t find even a tiny piece of evidence for the existence of this ancient civilization, so how did a magicless man manage to locate wherever you were sleeping?”

At the moment, the doctor that Mallicent had been working for was an enigma, and with this new information The Angel was providing, she just couldn’t fathom how he could possibly have both found it and captured it, but unfortunately, its answer was disappointing.

“I do not know,” The Angel admitted. “Miyon has what you call a realm dagger, that much I can confirm, and he used it to enter Cansi, but he never let anything slip about his means of finding me. I can add that he was accompanied by a young woman and a large knight, though the knight seemed mainly for protection. I do not think any of the three had any power that could have tracked me down. I am sorry I can not give a more satisfactory answer.”

“No, it’s fine,” Album assured it. “We’ll find him and force him to tell us ourselves.”

Nigreos nodded his agreement. “And already, you’ve given us some ridiculously crucial information. There were only three realm daggers left in the entire realm, so if Miyon brought one here from Omaruo, then we have the potential to recover it.” He then glanced at Album. “We should let the princess and Master Taurus know the second we find them.”

But before Album could say anything in reply, The Angel quickly intervened. “Unfortunately, just minutes after I made mental contact with you, I felt a surge of magic not far, indicating that a portal was opened. It is my belief that somebody has already fled your realm with the dagger.”

The two Noctalus froze, and as Nigreos and Album exchanged concerned glances, it was clear that they were thinking along the same lines.

If somebody escaped to another realm, that could be utterly disastrous depending on what they did there. The Oralian Isolation Act forbids anybody, even the Masters, from crossing realms without authorization from the crown and the council, and if they went to a magicless realm, the law dictates the erasure of any locals who come in contact with magic.

“Then in that case, we need to hurry,” Nigreos grunted, his features strained with fear. “Get to the point, Angel, so we can go aid our allies. What do you want with us? Why are you even telling us all of this?”

The Angel leaned back against the edge of the hot spring and considered his question. “Well, as I said, I do not recall my purpose or what the intention of creating me was, but deep inside of me is this innate desire, as if I instinctively know what it is my creators wanted me to do. To reach my full potential, I need a human host, and the two of you are the most compatible individuals I have come across since I was reawakened.”

“A host?” Nigreos parroted, a hint of suspicion creeping into his voice. “Do you mean to say you’re trying to take over our bodies? Like a parasite?”

The Angel instantly shook its head. “Not in the slightest, no. As I somewhat explained to the little light, I use the term ‘host’ loosely. I would not be eradicating your mind, nor would I even be entering your bodies. At least not yet for that last one,” it added softly, but still loud enough to be heard. And seeming to expect that comment to startle them, it immediately kept talking. “What I seek to do is not imprint on you, but for the opposite. You will not become me, rather I will become you.”

Nigreos and Album glanced at one another again, and she could see in her old friend’s eyes that he was clearly more concerned for her than for himself.

“From what I’ve gathered, Ijiria never reached its full potential,” The Angel went on. “Somewhere along the way, the evolution of your people came to a premature stop, whereas those who dwelled in Cansi continued to improve. Ijirians look down on the magicless as inferior beings, but you are not supreme in this multiverse either.”

“How so?” Nigreos demanded sharply.

“Tell me, Son of Darkness, what types of magical affinities do your people possess? What forms of mana are produced within you?”

Furrowing his brow in ever-growing annoyance, Nigreos answered the question with confidence. “Well, the base five consist of Nature, Wind, Fire, Water, and Rock. On top of that, we have the three more dangerous affinities of Darkness, Light, and Mind, all of which are rare because most people cannot produce dark, light, and mind mana in their bodies. They have to draw from the air to do it.”

“Not us, though,” Album added. “Our families are some of the only ones who can produce dark and light mana internally.”

The Angel chuckled, eyeing them both with what almost seemed like excitement. “Then it is as I suspected.” It sat up straighter and brushed some of its hair from its face. “Almost every magic user of this realm is limited to those five, but in Cansi, there were far more ‘affinities’ than just those. Mages could draw upon more advanced classes of mana, some of which would put even your dark and light to shame. I wish I could recall what they were, but in many ways, it’s pointless. It matters not to the discussion at hand for not even the two of you can draw upon these types.”

“Wait, hold on a second!” Nigreos protested. “We can’t just push that to the side! Other affinities?”

But The Angel was already moving on. “If the proper spells are known, they can be cast without needing the internal mana, as I’m sure you are aware. Anybody can cast dark and light magic, but it's not as effective and very damaging to the body. Compatibility is important. If I were to guess, Mind magic, as you called it, probably drives the caster insane after a period of time, yes? Is that correct?”

Sensing Nigreos’s frustration at being so swiftly ignored, Album decided to jump in and answer herself. “Yes, that’s correct. Mind magic is almost never studied because the casters all go crazy after a while. Because of this, Ijiria hasn’t had a Master of the Mind in around a century. Those who can safely wield it are even rarer than those who can safely wield dark and light. It’s probably around one in a million who can.”

“Yes, that is because Ijirians never evolved to create mana more advanced than those five,” The Angel stated. “If one’s body could produce mind mana, they wouldn’t go crazy. They could harness it without damage to their brains.”

“But hold on!” Nigreos snapped. “You’re saying that Ijirians didn’t evolve like that, but like Album said, the Noctis and Luz families can create dark and light magic! On top of that, almost every Master of the Mind in history could handle mind magic! If what you’re saying is true then clearly some Ijirians evolved to do it!”

“Incorrect.” So bluntly and easily denying Nigreos’s claim, The Angel merely laughed. “No Ijirian can do it, that’s not how it works. My memories may be faded and dull, but I still recall the basic elements of the multiverse’s laws. No, Son of Darkness… If your family can create dark mana…”

It then paused and looked Nigreos dead in the eyes before speaking words that caused both him and Album to freeze.

“Then the two of you are descended from the mages of Cansi.”