《Shadowbirth》 Monolith The Monolith stood over the town unmoving. Its shadow blessed the people, granting them gifts of power as it shielded them from the Light of the Searing. No one questioned where it had come from or what it was for. They only worshiped the Monolith and stayed within its shadow, as without it, they would be at the mercy of the Light. The gifts they gained from the Monolith were used to better their lives under its shade and in the rituals they had to worship it. It was an immutable truth of the town, one that went before the oldest elders in the town could recall. Before the building of the town. It was so far back that it was just a part of daily life. It was how life had always been... until the cracks started to form in the black structure. At first, no one actually noticed the cracks, keeping themselves busy with their lives. It was only the eve of a celebration of the founding when they first noticed the cracks. A novice priest had been sent to the Monolith¡¯s base to make preparations, only to return as quickly as he left in a panic. A panic that was immensely infectious. The town was rather expansive and diverse under the shadow, with around eighty thousand residents, yet it took less than a few hours for most of the town to know the situation. The best mages and stoneworkers moved to the base of the monolith to check the damage as the cracks grew more prominent, but with little knowledge of the exact nature of the stone the town considered sacred, it was hard to make noticeable progress on the cause. The best analysis magic came back with unknown runes, while the stone itself seemed to have properties that defied what was known. The more the two groups learned, the less they knew, and time was slowly draining away. That was how it had been for two weeks. The current lead of the mason group, Mort Lycan, was busy testing his tools with one of the crumpled pebbles from the Monolith that had fallen in his tent. The wolf-based therianthrope had found no new results, and he was moments away from giving out a roar of frustration when one of the apprentices called to him from outside his tent. ¡°Mr. Lycan? Reports say the other side has gotten a breakthrough.¡± ¡°WHAT?¡± He leaped from his seat and turned to face the flap leading out. ¡°Explain, now!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know myself, sir, I was just told one of the mages did something crazy and it got them somewhere. I don¡¯t even know what they did.¡± ¡°That crazy coot,¡± Mort muttered under his breath, before standing to his full height and addressing the apprentice. ¡°Alright, tell her I¡¯ll meet her soon. Not like I made any headway here.¡± The apprentice gave an alert, ¡°Yessir!¡± before rushing off for more grunt work. Mort gave a grunt as he stepped outside to meet with the other half of the team. Even though it had been three weeks since the original discovery was reported, the campsite at the base of the Monolith was just as busy as before. The very fact that nothing made sense between their knowledge and the Monolith¡¯s current state seemed to drive them further instead of discourage them, with many of the group either inspecting the stone and its readings, or hauling items back and forth. It was admirable, and if a calamity wasn¡¯t on the- An explosion came from the other side of the campsite as Mort was stopped from his pleased thoughts. While the mason¡¯s had started looking into lesser used techniques to get answers from the Monolith, the mages had a more. . . volatile approach. They had started with just analyzing the Monolith and attempting to decipher the runes, but as the results came back with less and less returns, they all started to just try the runes themselves without translation. Mort had half a mind to think that the mage¡¯s breakthrough was just a matter of some mistake they made, and this didn¡¯t help his thoughts. As he arrived at the Mage¡¯s portion of the camp, he was immediately beset by half a dozen of the magical apprentices. Some tried to swipe his fur or pull his tail, to his annoyance. Mages were always taught that many things could be used as a component for a spell, and that even the most useless things could be used in casting for devastating effects. Unfortunately, this meant that most new mages had some tendencies that they would have to unlearn that made them nuisances to others. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Luckily, it didn¡¯t take long for Mort¡¯s presence to be known, and he had hardly gotten to the main clearing before a flash of blue and a torrent of water heralded the arrival of the head of the mages, a woman named Umi that had mastered most water spells. Her appearance had been affected by her chosen element as her hair seemed to be actual water, and her form never truly dry. ¡°Thank you for making such a fuss, but we have important things to do still, and you all need to go help the others.¡± Mort gave a sigh of relief as the rascals ran off, a few with some of his hairs yelling thanks as Umi chuckled at him. ¡°Energetic lot, aren¡¯t they?¡± Mort didn¡¯t answer the question as he crossed his arms. ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°Such a stick in the mud you are.¡± Mort had to give an immense effort not to bare his fangs. ¡°Lives are on the line, you wet fool! You expect me to just laze about and-¡± A splash of water cut off his tirade as Umi snapped her fingers. ¡°I expect you to not let your drive cloud your focus. Especially when magic¡¯s involved. Even you know it reacts to emotions.¡± Mort just stared. ¡°Run that by me again.¡± ¡°The Monolith is magic. All of it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to be joking. That¡¯s your big breakthrough? Even a toddler knows the Monolith is magical.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear what I said. The Monolith is magic. Not Magical, Magic. In particular, it¡¯s dark magic.¡± Mort blinked. ¡°Can you explain this in a way I can understand?¡± ¡°The Monolith is a Void Stone. Think of it like the mana batteries we use, bringing magic into itself to sustain its form. When it¡¯s no longer supplied with its needed amount of mana, its form changes. I¡¯m not certain as to what, but it does.¡± Mort blinked. ¡°So. . . does this mean the Searing of legend is over?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. What I do know is this: the Monolith is no longer taking in the magic that made it this tall, and something will take its place.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t like that news.¡± ¡°Pity, because that¡¯s the news I have.¡± The two sat in silence as they considered the knowledge they had just gained, before a small quake hit the campsite. Mort dropped to all fours with a snarl as he looked around. ¡°Tell your brats to knock off their magic blasts. Even if the Monolith absorbed magic, that¡¯s not true for our camp.¡± He barked. ¡°Last thing we need is all of our equipment breaking as well!¡± ¡°That. . . wasn¡¯t any of our magic.¡± This gave Mort pause as he looked at Umi. In turn, she shook her head and pointed towards the Monolith. It was no longer cracking, instead collapsing in on itself. The massive stone gave off a massive pull as the pieces that had fallen from it were recalled. Broken off pieces flew back to the stone, headless of what was in their path as the Monolith started to shrink. Everyone at the camp could feel the pull as the towering structure that had defined their lives started to vanish before their very eyes. It was an odd feeling in the air for those not in touch with the magic the stone had given them for centuries, but for those truly in touch with their gift, the meaning was clear. Clear enough that every mage at the camp felt the need to run towards the dense concentration of mana. Umi was no different as she rushed like the rapids of her spellcraft, dousing Mort in a massive wave from her unexpected spell. It was only moments, but with it, it felt like eons as the casters gathered at the base. The monolith condensed before them, going from beyond the skyline to just above three feet in height. Pure black stone became olive skin as what looked to be a child formed in front of them, dressed in a dark dress. The only hint of her origin was her long hair, which was just as dark as the void she had come from. Violet eyes opened to regard the crowd as the being spoke. ¡°Where am I?¡± Arrival Everyone that had gathered to inspect and report on the monolith froze as the massive stone shrank and shifted into the form of a small girl. No one knew what to make of the little one as she looked over them with curiosity. Different people seemed to have different reactions as they looked over her. The youngest of the lot, mostly apprentices for the two groups, simply were in awe of the girl as they saw her emerge from their divine pillar. Those more in tune with their magic instantly felt the urge to bow to the girl, while those without just felt the need to stand at attention before her. Only Umi had enough reverence and self-control to come forward and answer the girl¡¯s question. ¡°We were at the base of the Monolith. Since that doesn¡¯t mean much now, I¡¯d say instead, you are just outside of our town.¡± ¡°Your. . . town?¡± The girl asked, the words unfamiliar on her lips as if said second-hand. ¡°Yes, our town. it¡¯s a pretty big one, as you can see.¡± Umi pointed behind her, where the place itself sat. ¡°Could you take me?¡± The words came faster, but were still off, like they were being read instead of spoken. Umi moved her head to say no, only for a chill to come up through her spine and her body to suddenly dry out a bit. All at once, she felt a dominating presence as she spoke. ¡°I can. What should I call you, little one? Do you have a name?¡± ¡°Name? My name is. . .¡± The girl stopped, repeating the words. At first, it just seemed to be muttering, but as she continued to say it, something started to pull on the people gathered. Umi felt it first, then other mages. It started akin to a push from behind, then a shove, then the pain started. A few of the adept mages let out harsh screams from the feeling, which make the girl jump, and the pull stronger to effect even more of the crowd. Umi bit her lip as she attempted to weather the feeling to speak. ¡°I-i-if you d-d-don¡¯t know, can I give you o-one?¡± She asked, fighting against the discomfort in her chest and pain in her core. Then the feeling stopped. A few dozen people collapsed as the girl looked up. ¡°You would grant me one?¡± Umi nodded as she tried to hide her condition. ¡°How about Vio?¡± ¡°Vio. . .¡± The girl seemed to taste the words as she judged the name, before nodding in approval. ¡°Vio, I like it. . .¡± She said as she walked over to Umi slowly. Umi only wished she had the liberty to scream at this moment.
The walk, for Umi did not want to risk teleportation with her new charge, gave the water mage time to reflect and assess the girl walking with her. As had been noted before, Vio seemed to be an unassuming girl with dark skin and even darker hair. Yet with Umi closer to her and able to take the girl in, more seemed to come to light about her. For one, Vio¡¯s violet eyes seemed to sparkle with unknown power and childlike innocence. They were naturally wide as she looked from place to place, pointing to grass and dirt on the two¡¯s path. Her face looked deceptively soft, more like the child she seemed to be than the stone she came from, and was framed by her hair. This was the only real proof of her origin at first glance, so dark that light seemed to bend around it while coming down past her shoulders and moving in a wind of its own. It had an almost ethereal quality to it, and Umi found it hard not to stare and get sucked in once she looked at it. ¡°-ur name, Miss? Miss?¡± Luckily, the calling of Vio was enough to break the spell the hair had over her, and Umi was back to reality to answer the little one. ¡°Oh. . . I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet?¡± Vio shook her head, and Umi gave a nervous chuckle. ¡°My apologies, a lot of excitement made me forget. I¡¯m Umi.¡± Vio smiled as she grabbed Umi¡¯s hand and shook it. ¡°Good to meet you.¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Umi gave a small nervous smile back down to Vio before quickly pointing ahead, as the town came closer. ¡°And look, we are almost here. Stick close to me, would you? I don¡¯t want you getting lost here and hurting yourself.¡± Or more likely, hurting everyone else around you accidentally. Vio nodded as she went behind Umi and started to follow quietly. Umi could only hope the news itself would be as smooth. Light was coming, and even if the Searing was over, light was never good news. . .
Vio looked at the town with silent awe as she took in the sight. Hundreds of stone homes stood before her, all of various shapes and sizes. There were glows that came from many of them, with bigger houses seeming to have bigger glowing spots. None of them were as bright as Umi¡¯s, with many just as dull as the crowd that had met her. It still was like a sea of stars within the houses, each one calling to her in murmured whispers. It was comforting, and it beckoned her to go faster to see them all closer. She just hoped it would go better than her first attempt to reach through the glows. Her focus had got inward for a moment, and the entire crowd flickered. She didn''t know why. . . but she knew it was bad to do again.
The two entered town with little fanfare, but Vio found it difficult to focus on Umi''s words as she looked from building to building. To her, everything was new and exciting, and while she knew what things were, it was still her first time seeing these marvels. Umi gave a large sigh as Vio finally tuned back into what the water mage was saying. ¡°. . . even listening? This is important for you to know.¡± ¡°The houses? Or the fact we are going to go around the square through back roads?¡± Umi blinked. ¡°That is right. We are taking the back roads to meet with the council.¡± ¡°Because my appearance is unexpected, right?¡± Umi quickly recovered from her surprise to nod. ¡°That¡¯s right, we were going to celebrate a recent event, but your surprise showing means that we¡¯ll have something different to do.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Big girl things. Just know that you are going to have a big day very soon.¡± ¡°That sounds exciting!¡± ¡°That is one word for it.¡± The two passed an alley with a good look of the plaza, and there were at least a hundred people in the square. Even hidden and far from their gaze, the two could hear the people¡¯s concerned words. ¡°There¡¯s been no updates for the researchers since they started.¡± ¡°They probably broke it at this rate.¡± ¡°I saw the Monolith shrink from here.¡± ¡°Whatever they did put us in danger!¡± ¡°Fitting our anniversary is our day of reckoning.¡± ¡°The Monolith gives, and it takes.¡± ¡°Well, we aren¡¯t all dead yet. . .¡± ¡°The elders had said the Light has pulsed and waned in strength before, just to come in full force whenever people leave. Now, we are doomed on the next pulse.¡± ¡°I knew we shouldn¡¯t have left this to that water mage fool. She knew nothing of. . .¡± Umi couldn¡¯t help but quicken her pace as her clothes and skin rippled. Vio opened her mouth to speak, but somehow. . . she knew it was better to stay silent. Neither of the girls said much else as they came to a small brick building. It was more akin to a schoolhouse than what its label of ¡°Council¡¯s Gathering.¡± Umi took a deep breath to steady herself and knocked on the door. ¡°Now or never. No pressure, just the weight of the world.¡± Vio reached out to grasp Umi¡¯s hand at that, and gave the older mage a small smile while a small bit of energy transferred from the small girl. Neither did anything to help the storm hidden behind Umi¡¯s eyes. Council The council building¡¯s inside was a stark contrast to the outside. While the building¡¯s outer appearance was small, unassuming, and simple, inside was large, grand, and complex. Even the entrance was a stark contrast between the two, as the outer stone made way to a grand foyer and hall that led to a stairwell. Black stone paved the path forward as the air itself seemed to weigh down on those that came within, while the walls seemed to funnel people in and stretch longer than it could possibly be. The ceiling was more black stone, but while the floor had a small shine to it that illuminated the hall, the ceiling was a void. It was unsettling to look at for long, even for people that worshiped shadows. Umi shuddered as she slowly trudged forward. Her body was weighed down by the sheer pressure of the atmosphere as each step felt like trudging through mud with weights on her arms and legs. The pressure was slightly suffocating, but Umi managed to bear with the pressure. Vio was not spared from the entrance¡¯s weird effects, but for her it was much different. For her, it was akin to a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder; not enough to impede her movement, but enough to be an obstacle if she attempted to go beyond her current position. This feeling only grew as the two made it to the stairs, and Umi braced herself on the railing that led into the darkness. ¡°Why is the air so heavy?¡± Vio asked, more curious to what she felt, than annoyed at the weak binds. ¡°The council¡¯s not in a great mood after hearing about the cracks. This is just a side effect.¡± ¡°Oh. . . so the funny feeling will leave once we explain everything?¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± Umi said as she made it to the bottom where a heavy steel door sat. ¡°Now, try to leave everything to me, okay?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for an answer as she knocked on the door. Vio still nodded as a booming voice came from the other side and the pressure increased, suddenly forcing Umi to a knee as she had to readjust. ¡°WHO DISTURBS THE COUNCIL NOW?¡± Umi took a breath in as she stood to full height, projecting a small barrier around her to mitigate the aura¡¯s pressure. ¡°This is Umi, head mage for the Monolith research. We have news of the situation.¡± ¡°Good, I hope.¡± ¡°A little of column A, and a little of Column B.¡± There was movement on the other side of the door as it unlocked and opened, allowing the two to enter into the inner sanctum. Unlike the suffocating dark that was the pathway in, this room was like a night sky of old. Dark blue light came down from motes on the ceiling, illuminating the council as they sat in basic chairs made of stone with silk cushions. Umi beckoned Vio to stay close as the voice spoke again, now placed with a large mountain of a man with a light presence besides his imposing size. This was Furis, who looked down to Umi as he sat, having closed the distance in mere seconds. ¡°SO WHAT, ehrm, So what news have you, Umi?¡± He asked, adjusting his volume as the council looked at her. ¡°There is no easy way to say this. . . but I have brought the Monolith here.¡± The pressure that had filled the room had faded for a split second as the entire council blinked and attempted to process the information and fail miserably. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m gonna need you to say that again, in plain speak.¡± Furis said as the pressure returned in full force, smashing through Umi¡¯s barrier and bringing her to a knee. ¡°T-t-the Monolith was a m-massive Void Stone. It¡¯s reached its limit and now s-stands before you.¡± Umi stammered out, the pressure for the area now focused on her made it difficult to speak, let alone explain properly. Yet the council failed to notice as the culmination of the recent events came to influence their power. This only became more apparent as the next member of the council made herself known. A snow-white, rabbit therianthrope clad in ice spoke in a low, even tone. ¡°You mean to tell us the child behind you is the Monolith?¡± ¡°Y-yes, Ma¡¯am Lumi.¡± Umi breathed out as she attempted to focus and fight through the intense pressure to no avail. Vio noticed but held her tongue, even as the pressure started to bear down on her. ¡°Such a ridiculous proposition, but stranger thi-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you believe this drivel!¡± A shout came from the center seat as a man clad in fire spoke. ¡°She has nothing more of note, and wishes to cover up her mistake. It would only be fitting to take her from her position and send someone more FIT for the role.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Niteros.¡± Lumi said his name once in a low voice, almost a growl. A threat was hidden there, yet only he could see it. His flames faded, yet the pressure continued to hold. ¡°Excuse me for my overstepping, but I will not apologize. The teams have been at the base of the Monolith for more than long enough to have at least given a report of what was happening, and all that we¡¯ve heard until this moment was ¡®we have no results¡¯. This cannot be acceptable!¡± Lumi nodded as she spoke. ¡°This much is truth, but magic is a fickle thing. It is possible that the right scan was not done until now.¡± ¡°And it took more than two weeks from the supposed ¡®brightest mages¡¯ we have to offer to figure out the right spell? EXCUSES!¡± A new voice cut into the argument before it could go much further. ¡°What of the child? I remember every charge that resided within the shadow, yet I know not her face.¡± The rest of the council turned to face the speaker, a dragon currently in humanoid form. She still had green scales and wings showing her nature, and weathered eyes that had been her much longer than the others. ¡°Umi should be ashamed of bringing such a pipsqueak here. I say punish her, Belera.¡± Niteros started. ¡°As for the child, she should not be here. Get her. . . out . . .of. . .¡± He started to trail off as Vio made herself known with a pull on the air. In an instant, the pressure that had filled it was gone from most of the room, now swirling around her and under her command. Her eyes gave off a dangerous glow as she focused on the pressure in the air, glowing lanterns to her that had come too close and now would have a new master. ¡°I won¡¯t let you punish Miss Umi for the truth.¡± Vio tersely said as the power made her float and started to push the others of the council back. The seats became crushing as Vio pushed the council members into them, her hair starting to defy gravity as the council had to put up their own barriers against her. Umi huffed as she was given space to breathe, before standing up and addressing the council properly. ¡°As I was saying, the girl here is the Monolith, or rather, was. I can have the rest explained later, but there is a new era coming. One of light. I hope the council can take this in with clear heads, for we will need them in the coming days.¡± A final unnamed voice spoke from the council, seemingly unfazed by the pressure exerted on him, even if he was unable to move from under it. ¡°Your new charge is powerful. I expect you to let us know what they can do and soon.¡± Umi gave a chuckle as she gave Vio a pat on her back, the motion disrupting the girl¡¯s unrefined spellwork, the pressure in the air finally breaking as she spoke. ¡°Of course, Sir Grev. Might we be dismissed?¡± A group of nods ushered them out as the council looked to each other, letting the two leave without another word. The door to the council chambers closed and let silence reign over the five for a few moments. ¡°Well, that was interesting.¡± Furis gave a sigh as he leaned back. ¡°The child¡¯s magic? I would agree.¡± Belera said with a nod as she moved to tend to her wings, the limbs having been pressed into the seat. ¡°I¡¯ve not seen gravity magic like that for a few decades.¡± Grev added as he gave his shoulders a stretch. ¡°Do not tell me you suddenly believe all of that madness!¡± Niteros shouted back, his flames once more starting to heat up. Only for a cold dunk of snow to put him out. ¡°If I recall correctly, you said the same when presented with a blade that could absorb your mana.¡± Lumi said, her coldness hiding a bit of amusement. ¡°That-¡± ¡°And when told of Belera¡¯s true form.¡± ¡°Completely different!¡± ¡°And an apprentice beating your record.¡± Only grumbles came as an answer. ¡°This girl is a completely new existence, possibly from the one we revered the most. It would not hurt to back up and keep an eye on her.¡± ¡°This is a reckless endeavor and you know it.¡± ¡°Says the hot head that got us so on edge we were leaking mana.¡± There was no answer for that.
Umi let out a deep breath as she rounded another corner to arrive at her home. ¡°That. . . was a lot.¡± Vio nodded as she looked up to Umi, before looking over the building. It wasn¡¯t anything special on the outside, a small shack that seemed to only be a dozen or so feet in all three dimensions. It was another building more like a shack than a home. Umi chuckled as she saw these thoughts go through her charge¡¯s mind, before she unlocked the door with a spell and gestured her inside. It was a nice waiting room, with a door placed on the center of the floor. ¡°Is everything underground here?¡± Vio asked as she looked at the door. ¡°Not everything, but much of the important stuff.¡± Umi said with a smile as she opened it and led down into the basement. This area was set up more like somewhere one could live as multicolored crystals gave off light and revealed an underground cavern spring. A few openings signaled different rooms, like bedrooms, a bath, a kitchen, and a lab. Umi smiled. ¡°Well then, you¡¯ll be staying with me for the time being, so should get yourself comfy. I¡¯ll be in my lab if you have any questions.¡± ¡°Just one:¡± Vio said as she looked up to Umi. ¡°What was all that back there?¡± Umi laughed. ¡°Right, it¡¯s only been a day, and I¡¯ve yet to tell you anything helpful. I¡¯m going to need to get you some water. This will be a while.¡± Lesson Umi looked down to Vio as she sat on a stone chair. The smaller girl was fully attentive, holding a half-empty glass of water as the water mage prepared the lesson. It was endearing in a way, and Umi couldn''t truly hide her excitement as her hair rippled. "Now, I''m sure you have a few questions, so I''ll start at the beginning. If you know something, you can fill it in for me, and then we can get to the next part. "That make sense?" Vio nodded. "Good. Now to begin, I need to share a little history. Long ago, a great wave of light blanketed the world. Survival within this ''Light of Searing'' was near impossible as even the hardiest of people became ash under its light. So the first people of this town moved from shadow to shadow and scraped by. This changed when they found the Monolith. "It is hard to know the exacts, as this was long ago, but the decision was made to settle here in the base of the shadow. At first this didn''t change life too much, but within the first two generations, the people here underwent changes." Umi snapped her fingers and the glass in Vio''s hand filled back to full. "Those born within the shadow gained the power of magic, and with that it was quickly decided to make the settlements here permanent." "So everyone can do stuff like you and those people back there?" "That''s a bit farther in to go over, but for right this moment the answer is yes and no." Umi chuckled as she took a seat, the confusion on Vio''s face a treat in itself. "Now for the main part of the lesson, Magic shapes itself both on the feelings of the wielder, and their nature." "So, like that fire guy was a hothead?" "Niteros would call himself passionate, but yes." Umi covered her mouth to hide the chuckle at the man''s expense. "This shaping goes both ways, as you can see. The more proficient with magic one is, the closer to their preferred casts their appearance takes." Vio nodded, ideas starting to form as dots were connected for her. "So, are people locked to their specialties? "No, not locked, but it is difficult to cast in a way counter to yourself. I, for example, need not think to manipulate water. Fire or air are possible with effort, but don''t ask me to move a stone." Vio took a sip of her drink. "Magic isn''t limited to these elemental manipulations though, is it?" Umi nodded. "Correct, they are just used to make visualization easier. Sir Grev, for example, uses spatial magic. This tends to make him a bit formless unless focused on." "So, was he the one pressing down on you back there?" "Partly, but not fully. Remember magic forms on one''s will right? Well, sometimes, it can manifest without being put to use. Normally, high stress with lack of focus will lead to that. We call it mana leakage." "Well I don''t like it, it felt. . ." Vio seemed to blank on the word she wanted, only for the slightest tug on Umi''s core to give her the answer. ". . .restrictive." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Umi took in a breath at the unfamiliar feeling, before dismissing it. "It was only that bad because all five of them were experiencing it, probably for a week at least." "Isn¡¯t that bad?" "For us? It can be, but I doubt you truly need to worry about it. Under normal circumstances, such a thing is harmless." You already showed that. Umi didn''t say the last part aloud. If her suspicions were right, that was the last thing she needed to hear. Vio nodded as she moved into deep thought. Then Umi heard the words that made her stiffen. Even her flowing hair had lost its ripples as Vio spoke. ¡°Could I learn magic?¡± Umi didn¡¯t notice when she nodded, nor the shifting emotions on Vio¡¯s face as she subconsciously processed the lesson. She missed the immediate sadness at the thought of being declined, the concern for Umi¡¯s well-being as she zoned out, or the elation of being granted her request. Only when Umi left the room and returned with a crystal was she back to her senses. She took a deep breath as she came in and presented the crystal to Vio. ¡°SInce I suppose you have the aptitude for it, we¡¯ll start at the beginning. Please touch the crystal, so I may see what we are working with.¡± ¡°Just touch it?¡± ¡°Yes. Normally we do this to see if one can use magic practically, but in your case, we are looking more to see how much you have access to at the moment.¡± Vio nodded before looking the crystal over. It was a clear pentagonal prism. Nothing seemed special about it, yet Vio saw a faint glow within the crystal. Nothing of the glow seemed to suggest anything, so Vio touched the crystal. She expected the glow to get stronger, or dim. She expected an eruption of power, water or flames. What she didn¡¯t expect was the glow to go into her and fade, while the crystal crumbled in her hand. ¡°Um. . . That doesn¡¯t normally happen, right?¡± Umi gave a sigh as she took a seat. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°So, what even was ¡®that¡¯?¡± ¡°An answer. Don¡¯t worry about it for right now. I¡¯ll have something for you later, but for now-¡± Umi was cut off by a yawn. ¡°It¡¯s getting kinda late. Why don¡¯t I fix you some food and show you to a bed?¡± Vio seemed unconvinced, but nodded.
Umi let out a breath as she saw Vio tucked in and asleep. ¡°This has been one wild day.¡± She said as she returned to her office, furiously scribing down notes. ¡°And the coming ones are going to be just as much as a mess
The Monolith has come down into a form like our own. This form, known for now as Vio, shows exceptional magical talent without any knowledge. What Vio seems to be able to cast is based on instinct and need. Further experimentation will be needed, but it is my hypothesis that our magic is somewhat linked to hers. I suspect we have always been borrowers, and it may be time to return our gifts or give adequate repayment to keep them.
Umi hummed as she looked over the note, before moving to write down her initial report on the entire Monolith situation. She left nothing out as she made her report, yet as she wrote, her mind wandered to what she had seen.
Addendum: Vio seems to be as developed as she appears. To this end, I suggest extreme caution while dealing with her. Extreme stress on her will end badly for all those involved.
Umi let out a breath as she put in her warning. She doubted it would be needed, but before today, she had thought that the Monolith situation would be handled without any more problems, and three weeks ago, she had thought that nothing would change here. Those thoughts were clearly wrong, and she didn¡¯t wish to be three for three. ¡°Hopefully, this can all blow over without issue.¡± Clearly, she still had lessons to learn of tempting fate. Enigma Vio smiled as she walked through a vast field within an infinite void. A gentle breeze swept through the area, bringing the scent of lavender through the air. The void sky, darker than black, was broken up by small multicolored motes of light that gently hovered around. Each one seemed to pulse and move of their own accord as most stayed well above her. Some were close enough to touch as she passed them. The gentle light they gave off revealed a purple path for Vio to go on. The young lady smiled as she followed the path with a bounce in her step, before looking at the lights themselves. Each gave off a gentle glow as they seemed to communicate with themselves, flitting to and fro without much care. All seemed to be peaceful here, and Vio moved to sit as she saw them float, content to watch them. Only for the void to be replaced with light. It was a painful, searing light that grabbed each of the motes and absorbed them one by one. A devourer of light that swept over the sacred darkness and burnt the scene to ash. The field became charcoal and glass, as the air came to smell horrid. Vio didn¡¯t understand a thing she saw, but as the light came at her, she felt something she couldn¡¯t describe. It made her blood ice cold as she moved without thought. A ball of shadows formed in her hand as she felt an energy well up within her. She launched the ball at the light, then another and another. As each attack came at the light, it halted it for a time, before it started to move again. Vio¡¯s anger kept the dark spheres coming as she fought back the light, losing ground every second. Her desperation was answered by her magic as the attacks became bigger and more destructive. The burnt land was torn apart by the force as the glassed ground simply shattered from the pressure. Yet the light didn¡¯t stop. It made it to Vio, despite her efforts. And everything was consumed by light.
Vio woke with a scream as the room she was in was thrown into vast disarray. She gave heavy breaths as she looked around, panic clouding her mind as the shadows seemed to draw themselves to her. A knock on the door jolted her and she fired off a half-made lance of darkness at the sound. There was silence for a few moments, before a voice spoke. ¡°Vio? Are you okay in there?¡± Vio stopped at the sound of Umi¡¯s voice, before taking a breath in. ¡°Yes. . . I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°What happened? It sounded like a real fight in there.¡± ¡°I think I had a . . .¡± It was quiet for another moment, before Umi felt a pull on herself. ¡°A nightmare. Some light came and I tried to fight it. But I couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°That explains a lot. Mind if I come in?¡± ¡°Please do.¡± Vio tried her best not to sound desperate. She failed. Umi opened the door to take a look around the room, and couldn¡¯t help but give a low whistle. While the area had been mostly cave with a simple bed off to one side and a dresser on the other, it was now filled with impact craters from dozens of powerful attacks. The dresser itself had been embedded into the stone wall as it hung open, lances of shadow pinning it in place. The bed had moved to the other side of the room, covered in cracks and dents. ¡°Bad dream, you said?¡± Vio nodded. ¡°Please don¡¯t be-¡± ¡°Upset? I expected something like this already. I¡¯m more impressed you managed to do this much unconscious. Not many can even gather this much power.¡± ¡°Oh. . . that¡¯s good. . .¡± ¡°Now, would you like to get something to eat?¡± Umi snapped her fingers, and a wave of condensation came around Vio, passing around her in a fine mist before becoming darker and fading from sight. ¡°I would like that.¡± Vio replied as she hopped out of bed, looking up to Umi with a small smile. Breakfast was already cooking as the two came out of the room, and the smell of roasted mushrooms and meat filled the air. Vio took a deep sniff in, and it seemed like her worries melted away as she was led to a table, where an odd-looking steak was sat on a plate surrounded by various mushrooms of all colors. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°It¡¯s still not much since I wasn¡¯t expecting company, but I¡¯m sure it still should fill you up.¡± ¡°You said that about last night with those odd, green. . . noodles? But it still filled my plate.¡± Umi chuckled. ¡°It¡¯d be silly to leave the pantry completely empty, ya know.¡± She took a seat and crossed her legs, drawing in energy from her surroundings as she had her own ¡®breakfast¡¯. Vio felt the energy flow in the air shift and thin as Umi¡¯s glow grew brighter. She watched as she ate, wanting to ask, but not daring to as she filled herself on her meal. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Umi asked. ¡°Well, you are doing that instead of having food.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine with this, at least for now.¡± ¡°What is ¡®this¡¯?¡± Vio asked. ¡°Can I try?¡± Umi sat up as she shook her head. ¡°Just a trick I found for keeping myself topped up. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll need to learn a bit more before you attempt something like this.¡± She then laughed as she looked down to Vio¡¯s plate. ¡°Besides, the food¡¯s better than the technique, trust me on that one.¡± ¡°If you say so. So what are we to do today?¡± ¡°Well, as much as I would like to get started on teaching you,¡± And learning about you, ¡°I have to go back to the Monolith site first and check up on everyone Vio gave a sigh as she looked into her breakfast and took another bite. ¡°And me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to stick by me. While I am impressed on how much you¡¯ve picked up in only a day, you are still young and need an eye on you to keep you out of trouble.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, after we finish, I¡¯ll take you out somewhere, so we can see what you can do. Vio¡¯s face lit up as Umi nodded.
As the two headed back to the base camp that had sat where the Monolith was, Umi let herself think about the progression of things so far. Yesterday''s events had taken her by surprise, not just in their events, but how she had taken them with the flow. She thanked her magical ties that she hadn¡¯t panicked between moving as the guardian of a young god and having the ire of the council pointed directly at herself, but that could have just been seen as the facts just not settling in her mind Looking to Vio, she was a marvel that defied the common sense known so far. The Monolith had stood for millennia, yet she clearly did not have those years within her, and much of that knowledge was no doubt borrowed from her and her co-workers. While she shared the Monolith¡¯s magical potential, she seemed to take as the Monolith only gave. And this was just scratching the surface. Umi only hummed as she looked down to Vio. ¡°You are going to make our work cut out for us.¡± She said with a chuckle as the two made it back to camp. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vio asked, looking up to Umi. Umi opened her mouth to answer, only for a gruff shout to take it¡¯s own opportunity to fill in the blank. ¡°THIS BRAT DID HOW MUCH DAMAGE TO THE PROJECT?¡± ¡°Um. . . Is that bad?¡± Umi chuckled nervously as she looked over the camp. . . or rather what was left of it. Vio¡¯s awakening had done more than a bit of damage as holes littered every tent, with those closer to the empty pedestal having much more. In some cases, the tent in question was no more than shredded tarp. Some dried red spots could be seen in the dirt, as a few people could be seen in the infirmary tents. Luckily everyone seemed to be alive and accounted for, but that seemed to have been the best news. As this was said, Mort stepped out of his hole-ridden tent with a growl as he looked at the report in his claws, no doubt a damage report. Umi gave a hum as she came over to Mort as he skimmed the paper. ¡°So, what did I miss yesterday after we left?¡± ¡°Almost all of the inspection equipment is broken, a few of the apprentices have holes in their bodies, and the hundreds of holes on the tents and bags making work and transport just about impossible.¡± Mort grumbled as he looked up. ¡°I almost envy your exit.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, I got to deal with the week-long anger of the Council.¡± Umi said with a shudder, water coming off her form. ¡°Luckily girl.¡± He said sarcastically. ¡°Well, if your break is over, we need to fix this mess and do what we can before we return with our complete lack of findings.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t really help with the gear, but I¡¯ll see what I can do with the holey people.¡± ¡°One thing before you do. Might wanna leave the girl that caused it with me.¡± ¡°That seems like a worse idea.¡± ¡°Than shocking someone out for good?¡± Vio looked as the two adults shot back and forth, before speaking. ¡°So. . . who is the wolf man?¡± Umi smirked. ¡°This here is Mort. Try to help him out. I need to excuse myself for a moment.¡± Mort only had the chance to look at Umi with disdain, before a 4 foot missile struck him in the side. He sucked in air as he only now realized his mistake. . . but not it¡¯s full depth.