《Eternity Wizard》 EW - Chapter 1 A black coloured forest spawned with oppressive swamp filled with a thick, wet fog. Even the most strident sunlight was unable to penetrate the low clouds and gloomy fog layer of white mist in the surroundings as it renders the path unseeable while giving off a chilly feeling. Foul-smelling ponds inhabited by a swarm of strange creatures were everywhere one looked. But, right at the heart of the of this forest land, where no reasonable living human being could bear to live, a dense number of tower hovered over the encompassing land. Some were exaggerated large and tall with greyish stone, that seems like plugged deep into the ground. Some were small and patched with clay and clapboard that seems barely place on the ground. At the southwest part of the Tower, the land was completely populated by dwarfish towers some seems new and shinny some old and fragile that a little wind blow could seem to make the tower tremble. The sky darkened with the coming night, small and faint light appear like popping out of the darkness of the dwarf towers land. In one of the dwarf towers a young man seemly around 16-year-old laid down on his bed, its body was rigid, not the faints bread could seem from him. Suddenly its eyes open like a bolt and taking a deep breath at the same time. ¡®My heart really hurts¡­.¡¯ This was Ryan first thought upon waking up. In truth, all of its body was aching with pain but its heart seems more severe. It felt as if there was a cut on it, hurting so badly that it seemed as if it was about to crack apart. "Huh?" Barely containing the pain he raises its head looking around. "Where?" As his consciousness cleared he felt out of place as he surveyed his surroundings. What filled his vision were a dark room, with the musty old shelves lining the sides filled with a sense of antiquity with walls formed from hollowed stone blocks and worn out wooden pillars that support the tall ceiling, widows that barely resembles one. Slightly moving his head, wanting to see his surroundings more carefully. Suddenly, a bunch of memories flashed in Ryan mind after a strong pain hit his head. Ryan fell straight down to the bed as he lost his consciousness the moment followed by his eyes whiting and he fainted. Just as he faints, at his heart position that was beating at a slow pace only to spike fastly. At the same time, a tiny dark-red-blood dot at Ryan''s hands seems to gain life and start moving upward its arm, then in no time it arrived at his heart. The moment the dark-red-blood dot arrived at his heart it starts to grow frenetically as if feeding on the most delicious gourmet. It slowly grows a cacoon like a thing out of Ryan''s heart. But it doesn''t seem to affect by the fact that it had grown out of Ryan body as it continues the suck him and grow. But it seems to suck something different from blood or else by the size it has now it would have suck Ryan blood dry by now. Sometime later it had stop suck, it was now the size of Swiss Ball. But it was still stuck to Ryan''s chest. It cocoon shell seems to harder. "snap" It cocoon soon start to show signs of a crack. At the beginning was one but with time it starts to spread till the crack cover the entire cocoon. Then the entire cocoon shell seems to crack by itself as it starts to crack to the size of the sand grain, then falling to the ground. From the very beginning to now roughly was enough for the dark sky start to breed some light. After the shell had fallen down a humanoid could see on top of Ryan. The humanoid was still at his chest. But then he raises its head and raises from the top of Ryan staying by his side. "Crunch, Crunch" In its mouth, it seems like it was trying to chew something. Then he spits it out to it''s his hand to see it. It was a yellow smug like a thing that seems to have a life of its own. But the humanoid creature just shoves in its mouth to chew it again and swallow it in one go. Then the humanoid creature starts looking around with curiosity. At the first sigh of everything, its eyes were vague but at the same time, it could seem to gain light every time lay its eyes on something. ... By now the sky had complete wake as it was shiny it light heavily on the lands but around the all the light seems to be shade by the shadow of the tower and the gloomy dark forest. After a long time, Ryan finally managed to wake up. When he was unconscious he seemed like he was in a dream, his face was gloomily and dark frowned by the realization of his wake up. This world was no longer the Earth that he knew, and his body wasn`t his original body either. It once belonged to a neophyte in the craft of magic, whose name was Zaru. In short, he was just a soul, who managed to take over this body right at the bridge of death when the original Zaru died. His mind was distracted, the scenes of what happened back on Earth continually flashing through his eyes. Ryan, a young and promising man of society just finished his college degree after arduous work. Just barely getting a job in a research facility, although he was just residual disposal in a Genetic company, the payroll was enough for a young man like him to settle his superficial needs. ¡°Damn!¡± In contrast to his familiar memories, there was another that would perfectly contrast with one another. The original owner of the body, Zaru from the distant island of the lower coast. Considered to be from low birth by this world standards, but at the age of 8 was found to possess a magic aptitude, so he was taken by a local noble the moment it was founded. Then he passes from the hand of one noble to another, as the lowers noble were put under pressure by the upper nobles until he ends at the grand duke. By the age of 11, he has taken to the main continent home to great creatures of magic and knowledge and since then he was accepted under Eternity Tower Institute. A sacred place dedicates to the knowledge of magic. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Although he was founded to have an aptitude for magic only after coming were that he realizes that what caused nobles to fight for was nothing but the barely minimum to be accepted as a neophyte. After 3 years as a neophyte, he was able to progress to the beginner practitioner. But more one he could not make more progress he made the decision that most would prefer to give up instead of choosing it, become a Magus study partner. In other words a lab-rat. As his last trace of memory was enter the magus lab and then waking up were. "Hum?". Suddenly Zaru heart knitted was his sensed was slowly focusing in his surrounding and taking a note at has as his right bedside. "M..." Domeric almost gave a scream like a little girl being chased by some monster. But he then stops himself before the sound could completely run out of his mouth. He didn''t give a scream as he felt the oppressing breath. A woman seemed in her late middle-age with a dark robe, her body flashing a little glow of strange grey that seems to drabness any light that passes around her. She stares at Zaru with her gaze analysing his body detailed like if cutting peace by peace so see. "Pre-.. preceptor Lilissy " Zaru brows knitted into a tight frown. He couldn¡¯t control himself and clenched his fists and barely spitting out comprehensible words and his body sitting there straight. The one who studies before him now was the magus that had experience with his body. She studs there not binding any mind to Zaru state of mind. She only stares intensely and frowning her brows from time to time. She then raises her hand to send a stray of light to Zaru body. The moment the stray of light enters his body e could something like a tidal wave ravishing his body sending straight to the land of unconsciousness. At the same time, a drop of blood flow out of Zaru body into a test tube in Magus Lilissy hand. Then she takes the test tube and saves in one of her bags. Next, she takes a notebook crowed with words then the page start move as if by their own will and stop, she then cast her eyes on rows of names where some are marked with crux other with "?" and strings of number. Then she marks an "X" at Zaru name. Oyl - X - X4XX Haeny-? - X23X Ireny - ? - XX2X .. Zaru -X - XXXX Her face was written full o frustration. After all this she turns to go, only to stop and a light ball flows out of her hand into Zaru head. .... After an unknown amount of time Zaru again wake up, and as he wakes up he hurriedly looks around only to find nothing that could again give him enough shock to send him again to the dreamland. "Come to my laboratory when you wake up". Suddenly a voice sound inside Zaru head. "Hhhh!!" Barely after he hears a noise, everything he went through just now went to the back of his head as his stomach gave a cry hungry so loud that he could hear it with is bared hears. He hasting to look around as he holds his stomach with his hand, then he settles his eyes on the ham on top of the table not far from him. He barely masters any strength from the inexistence from his body to reach the table to take the ham and biking a mouthful of it. Barely chewing it he forcefull swallow it to relieve his hungry. After he had lower a little his hungry he cast a look at his body. As it looks at it he had a feeling that is body was a round smaller than his memory. Afterwards, he cast a more precise gaze around. The tower was a little small and was divided into four partitions, a bedroom, living room and washroom and an upward part dedicate to be a small laboratory and as he cast his look around memory associated with it would be stimulated. "Creek!". As Zaru was lost between chewing, processing his memory and looking around e could hear a creaking sound of a door opening "Who?". In a bolt turn his head facing the door and seeing that a person that had already was halfway in. Zaru was starting to falling in fear again, according to his memory only thing that had a bit of magic in his tower was his door that would only allow people that have permission could enter. As the person enter not answering Zaru question. Zaru stood in high alert carefully looking a the intruder. The person had a grey robe with a vertical strip of black on it whit his hood on barely showing his face. Zaru instantly identify it as a neophyte robe and as the strip of black it indicates that was a level 1 neophyte. "Don''t come closer". Zaru raise his hand with the little strength it had gained while holding the peace of ham in his hand in a treading way as the intruder now had entered and walking to him The intruder stopped was he heard Zaru, but not caring for threating at all. Then the intruder slowly takes off his hood. Revealing his lineless on his face that echoes his teens years, his short light-dark hair, with his glossy dark eyes with a tinge of red submissively lying on his face calmly looking at Zaru. Zaru knitted his brows as he lay his eyes at the intruder as he identifies it. But as his memory indicate what he was seeing he casting a deep gazing almost sending his eyes out of his socket. It seems as if his image was cast on the intruder. EW - Chapter 2 It seems as if his image was cast on the intruder. "Who are you?". Zaru asked with a faint uncertainty as to what he was seen. But the intruder didn''t answer him as it walks to him only to stop barely at Zaru hands reach. Zaru mind immediately starts getting paranoid as he tries to get up to gain a distance first. As he was getting up he felt a familiar breath, then he, instantly stop. For a moment he felt some kind of connection with the person in from of him. "I am...." "Were the same" The intruder''s voice was, small and barely articulated, but it sounded laund and clear in Zaru hears. "Zumm!!" At this moment as if a connection has been established, Zaru discover a constantly flow of information passing through his mind, there was a vivid image, sound and smell as if it was him felling it. He was confused at first but then he knew this information didn''t belong to him at all. Uncounsly Zara lowers his hand as if felling that the intruder wasn''t an intruder at all. But itself or more concrete his copy front body to soul. "How?" Zaru knitted his brows in confusion as there wasn''t any memory of the deceased body about this. By now Zaru hasn''t so shocked any more as if he had come to the realization that nothing could be more unbelieved that reborn out of a dead body. ... "So, two days already ". Zary easily calms down and start analysing the shared memory between then. The first trace of memory his copy had was it in from of Zaru body looking at himself. Then it starts to access the former Zaru memory and Ryan. It rapidly starts processing its new-found memory. It then felt an ominous feeling and from the combination of his memory, it decides to get out the Zaru tower taking his robes and badge and hide for a while. As for where it hides there were only three choices, one of then being the dining hall, the meditation hall and the library. And from this three the library was the most logical option, as it was inappropriate to pass an entire day there and not be seen eating, and the meditation hall was required to pay to use it but Zaru pocked was barren. Seen till were Zaru was quite impressed by this replica instincts was it was clearly for him that the ominous feeling that his replica felt was quite accurate as Zaru himself had received his welcome party from the magus Lilissy. But what caused him to be more impressed was his replica intelligence. All the time it had spent in the library it spending on reading and absorbing all book he lay his hand on. And all memory about that information has clearly imprinted in his memory as if the book was just in front of his eyes. As for why the replica had this ability Zaru could only think it has to do with the magus experiment. And the fact that the magus experiment was about a dead blood ancestry or also know as a long-extinct magical creature where any remains of their body had prettified rendering completely impossible for them to appear again. In this case a "Puca" a magical creature akin to elfs and fays, with hight sense to magic, incredible shapeshifting ability, high intelligence and a lek of other ability but none of then been sort of replication. And as to why Zaru had literary duplicate himself, he had a hunch it had to do with his dead-on earth. And why he thinks that, is that the company he was working at was studying cell replication while maintaining or eliminating certain features and the way he was killed. That right Zaru cleary remembers by now the way he died, or why he was burned to death to be more precise. He was disposing of a bunch of failed residual experiment genetic material then accidentally broking the insulator, followed by red light and the room being lit on the blaze. After lots of thought Zaru easily start to accept all these recent strings of events, although it was still mather of time for him to truly come about it. "It night again". By the time he had processed all recent events, the sky had already fallen dark and tiredness had befallen him and like a baby, he fell dead again on his bed and after a while snoring like a pig. ... The sky had barely started clearing, in an area full of towers, where their wall made of stone twined from crazily growing vines of rattan to a dead aurora of desolation where some have flicking light shining from their windows. but all of them looked like dwarf plugged into to the ground in comparison to the sky-piercing tower into the distance. "Realy, seen is believing "Zaru walk casually on the stone patched while casting his eyes around. Although all this was already in his memory but seen it lively was the first time. The road was desolate was his stead racket loud and creep was Zaru quicken his spet when he remembers the dangers of this place. Although around was considered safe by the neophytes. But Zaru didn''t want to put that to test. "I hoping there his something to eat at this time" Although it was early Zaru could not hold his stomach any more as his stomach had started roaring with an earsplitting pain from his slumber, so he was walking to the dining hall. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Zaru quickly arrived. The dining hall was notably extravagant and is located on the east side of dormitory Tower most know as neophyte towers. And everything here is free, and they too can make a dish that someone wants as long some money was given out. "Come on Ryan. you better fill your stomach full" Zaru wasn''t alone was his now named replica stood by his side covering his face with a hoodie. Although was dangerous for then to walk together, Zaru had seen no danger right now was at this time only five people was present a the dining hall and that was including then self. "So good!" Zaru could help praise the food, as it was remarkable delicious than anything he could remember on Earth. While eating he cast his eyes around. From the people present he could see that two were a level 1 neophyte like him wearing a white robe with a black stripe and the other wearing a grey robe, a practitioner. While looking Zaru remember how the classification work. As one start stepping into the footprint of a magus, they are classified into 3 levels. The first level is known as a colt or level 1 neophyte where they barely have any capability of casting a spell but with more high mental force than a normal human and their bits of knowledge. The second was simply know as level 2 neophyte and the level 3 neophyte is most know as a practitioner as they are half step to become a magus. And as for Magus power classification Zaru scarcely have any knowledge of if not their tremendous knowledge and their vast power. "Crap..." The moment Zaru was recalling what he knew about Magus, he remembers Lilissy voice when he had wake up. Zaru swiftly finish eating his food dinner, sending Ryan to the library to hid and start walking to Lilissy to tower. By now the sky had already clear up and there was a more notable presence of neophyte passing, but they take a peek at Zaru. It wasn¡ät because of the fast pace Zaru had, but where he was going as his direction pointed to the Laboratory areas. On the sightseer''s eyes were like seen a rat waking year and walking to a laboratory, but they aren''t shocked, this was just an uncommon sight for then this early. As Zaru rushed through several towers, two large buildings, and a garden. He then stopped in front of an area designed for experiment labs. It was located close to the centre of the Eternity Tower institute was it circulate three main towers at the centre. The labs'' area was also known as Magus tower, although they had their own residence most of Magus spend their life on their labs as it had everything they need, from a comfortable place to sleep to the high-end equipped kitchen. Zaru stood in from of a Tower, yet he did not attempt to knock on the door. Therefore, he just waited outside patiently. All the Magus tower (labs) have a thigh magic security under the owner''s hand and that included too just 10-meter outside of it. After a moment, there came a little rust noise as the door opens. Zaru waited till the door had complete open and walk is while gulping down. The moment he got inside an intense light swelled his sights. Short his eyes adapt and he cast his sight on a group of floating light ball the packed the ceiling. The room was like a living room, where bookshelves filled the right conner and at left hang a big oil painted portrait. Zaru stood quite as his sense seemed to see two Magus Lilissy, the portrait was so vivid that gave the impression of being alive combine with her body image stat right beneath it. "Zaru right!" The Magus Lilissy put down a book and turn his eyes to Zaru. Then she lifts her hand in an extrinsic way at the same time a bag as if coming right through wall start floating to Zaru. "There, the thing we agree to" She retreats her hand back to the book while putting her eyes back to the book. Zaru look at the everything in marvel only coming backing to himself when the bag landed in his hand. "Many thanks to your honour" Zaru saluted while taking a bow, he tried to his memory best in acting and sound. "Talk!" Lilissy inquired not taking her eyes from her book and the fact that Zaru still heads his head down like a puppy asking for permission. "I could not find my neophyte badge" Zaru muster a little force to talk. "Are you sure?" Lilissy word sound calms a treating at same time warning Zaru to not play any trick. "Gasp!". Suddenly a suffocating force involved Zaru rendering him stiff. Then the force tonne down and a badge flow in from of Zaru. Zaru swiftly grasp then bowing himself again and immediately retreat "Uff" After Zaru had walked out of the Lilissy tower radius of influence he releases a little relaxed sigh. He then looks at the red raven''s badge, this represents that he had the consent of its owner to used on his name. For example, Zaru could borrow a book at the library on Lilissy name or extort some neophyte. Zaru didn''t dare to cross this idea through his mind as dead would be the least of his problems. EW - Chapter 3 Why would Zaru gamble offending magus Lilissy for a badge? It was because inside the Eternity Tower if one wants to access from resources to knowledge it was required to identify itself but its core functionality it to register a neophyte contribution or access task that is issued. Although Zaru didn¡ät lose is badge but if he wants to have double the benefits he should have twice the way to do it. After walking a while Zaru arrived at the Administration hall. ADMINISTRATION At the entrance a stood engraved symbol which resembles as if word and patterns was scramble together. This was Gafat langue one of most use langue by the magus community. Most of the langue focus on giving meaning instead of just description. Zaru after 3 years of learning it e could be considered of medium proficient. After taking his eyes off the Gafat symbol Zaru stepped inside the Administration. An old woman with a grey-white hair and brown eyebrows was seated at the wide, black office counter. She was scrawling something with a feather pen, and beside her was a stack of parchment. Behind her, countless bookshelves reach over to the ceiling, and sheepskin paper and even crystal balls were disorderly arranged on them. ¡°What affair do may I help you with?¡± The old woman put down the feather pen in her hand, and her wrinkled face smiled mildly. "I lost my badge" Zaru had arrived at the counter ¡°Well, that''s unfortunate!¡± Said the old woman And then she looked at Zaru and her eyes flashed brightly. He scanned through the Zaru, before finally landing on the red raven badge on his hand. Then the old woman raised her hand and a big sheepskin book floated out of one of the shelf and landed in front of her. As soon the sheepskin book landed in front of her it starts to unfold quickly as if by its own and as soon it stops a string of light shot out of the book straight to Zaru. Zaru was caught by blow but by the time he realized the light had entered his body and shoot back to the book. The time the light entered the book the old woman brow frowned. Then she made a thoughtful look at Zaru then landed on the bag in his back. Then enlightenment filled her eyes As if in contemplation the old woman said to herself. "Aint she gone a little too far this time" "What is your name" The old woman asked. "Zaru..." Zaru was still under shock, everything happens so suddenly. "Zaru Ligneth Shaen Whelts Vyss Thekore Ezior" But he quickly recuperates and starts talks his full name as it forces himself out of its memory. It turns out that each of his surnames belongs to each noble that had taken him when he was young. The old woman didn¡ät seem impressed to this long string of name. She then raised her hand again and the book pages in front of her start moving again. "Here it is, Zaru..." "From the Tercarres archipelagos arrived four and a half years ago a... no mentor nor a preceptor, a low-grade aptitude and was a level 1 neophyte..." The old woman started uttering series of information about Zaru while he would only shake his head in confirmation. "Was?" Zaru caught something amiss. As if not earing Zaru, the old woman raised her hand and a badge flew to Zaru. "What about the lost one?"Zaru caught the badge and careful look at it, then turning to the old woman and asking. "Not much difference to that". The old woman said lazily. "Tell me something brat(Zaru), how much did you sell your life for"Seen the Zaru giving a bow and turning to leave the old woman curiously asked. "What?" Zaru was confused by the old woman word. Then Zaru felt the bag on his bag moving by it own and ending on the old woman hands. "Well, it seems your life is pretty cheap." She cast more careful eyes on the bags as if she could see through it. "Oh, cheap and stupid too." Add as she could still see that Zaru didn¡ät understand her meaning yet. "You have been poisoned by dark energy and that wasn''t even the worst...". Then a crystal ball flowed in front of Zaru then it starts to slowly become dark. ... Zaru had arrived at his dwarf tower and just lay down on the floor. Zaru look carefully at the parchment in on his hand and then understanding dip his mind. It turns out that he didn''t come harm-free out of the experiment and the reason dead ancient blood had this name was because of the deadly poison the blood becomes as it slowly decays when injecting on a living body. There also some myths that dead ancient blood are cursed by time to never fully appear again. ''Yah, if science could bring someone back from the dead, imagine what magic could do..''. And it turns out that magus Lilissy besides poisoned him also went a step further to kill him (old Zaru) and brought him back to life again. This way she could trick the decay effect for a while to best perform a long time experiment. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. And there consequence to that too, when one died even if was for a fraction of a second he or she would already be contaminated by dead energy, which explained why he wasn¡ät trowed again into a lab and scrutinise. Because the dead energy has a very strong breath that obscures any living breath. The dead energy wasn¡ät so troublesome as one could just clean then self with a potion or using some other method. And that was the parchment in his hand was, a way to slowly drive out the energy out of his body. But the decayed blood it was another mather. Even if you take a potion it would only be postponed for a while. All this had a very strong effect on his life expectancy as the old woman gave him at most 15 years and that if he could become a level 3 neophyte in 7 years and also if could he become a Magus before that he could probably extend it further, but the old woman didn¡ät even mention it as Zaru could only derivate. "Sight" After pondering this he becomes very distressed. He felt like if he went to the doctor and was told that he has terminated illness and just a matter of time till he died. Zaru still lost in his depressed though when the door start to open. He then raised his head looking at the door calmly as Ryan enters through. "I already deaded once, NOT gonna wait for the second". Zaru eyes glimmered with determination. Zaru raised from the floor and sat on his bed then he started meditating. "NONE, not even a trace".After a long moment Zaru face seems to twist. In his mind, it was like he(old Zaru) went to sleep as level 1 neophyte and wake up like a normal person. He had expected to fall from neophyte level but didn¡ät expect that to fall even to any memory relates to neophyte meditation techniques to disappear. Zaru force himself from the bed and walk to the wall, then he reaches his hand into a hole and gave a slight push, exposing a small space inside. Then he walks again to his bed with the crystal ball held in his hands. Zaru rub the crystal ball, his eyes slowly turned hazy flaring a dark glow. "Hhh" An spiked pain pokes his brain as if some worn his crawling inside. ¡°Oh my¡­... ¡°Zaru discovered that many images, symbols and words flowed as if nowhere and firmly imprinted in his brain along with the pain. After a while, Zaru belatedly recovered from the pain, but still feeling dizzy. This crystal ball was given to him (Old Zaru) when he arrived at Tower, it contains information about neophyte meditation techniques and some other information about the Eternity Tower. It ould input information straight into the neophyte¡¯s brains, but the process is a little too rough and it may need to be repeated from time to time as neophyte could not completely remember it at a single time. Neophyte meditation techniques are, as the name implies, special techniques given to neophyte, and are the most rudimentary of techniques. After countless adjustment, the meditation techniques have already reached a nearly perfect degree, and even in other places, its contents didn''t vary much. They are similar to visualisation techniques. A neophyte engrave mind runes inside their mind to increase their spiritual force, and as more mind runes are engraved, their spiritual force grows stronger and thick. As neophyte classification thought out levels is defined by the progress in meditation. When one can meditate with 10 arcane runes, they have passed the criteria for a level 1 neophyte. Being able to meditate with 100 arcane runes is the sign of a level 2 neophyte. As for level 3 neophyte, there seemed to be additional requirements needed. As for the meditation speed, it is closely related to a neophytes aptitude. The neophytes aptitude is divided in seven grade. Where its further divide in low-grade from 1 to 2, medium-grade from 3 to 4, high-grade from 5 to 6 and a grade 7 is known as legend as only in ancient time it seemed to appear. The superiority of a high-grade neophyte is remarkably clear; they can leap into level 1 in only one to three months. As for a medium-grade neophyte, the time needed to become a level 1 neophyte is approximately six months to one nine months. The low-grade neophyte will need a year to several years. And the difficulty in advancing will only sky rise when ascending to level 2 neophyte and level 3 neophyte. ¡°I can finally start practising!¡± Zaru murmured to himself. "Only with strength could he control his life"If at first, he decides to take it calmly but now understanding had come to him. When Zaru was about to begin he stopped. Then his mood improved a little. Here remember that he had a partner and was the most reliable one at that. Himself. "Ryan, Come here". Zaru called Ryan. EW - Chapter 4 Ryan walks to Zaru. "Come on join me" Zaru hastily Ryan to sit by his side. Unconsciously Zaru founded himself relying on Ryan for the company. Ryan now at most could be considered a normal person with sensitivity for magic at best. And Zaru wanted to test if Ryan could meditate at least. "Ok, now we can start". Zaru said as he adjusts his position so that they can all fit up on the bed. Zaru calm himself as he entered the meditation trance and Ryan was doing the same as if in synchronization whit Zaru. Again Zaru takes the crystal ball and rubbing slowly, as the last time bulks of information were sent through Zaru mind followed by the biting pain. But compared with last time all this was more tolerable was if his burden was been shared. This time Zaru ignored all information focusing only on the mind rune. He starts to focus very deeply on the first mind rune. A mind rune slowly emerged in the Zaru brain. At first, it was vague and distorted but it then with passing breath it was coming more and more clear. The mind rune resembled a 4D image and pattern combined given an impression of staring at a bottomless pit deep to infinite. At the same time, there were a few dots of flickering lights surroundings Zaru body. They slowly penetrated his body disappearing in it. Zaru abruptly opened his eyes in confusion. Then he looks outside through the windows seem the sky barely darkening. "So fast?". Zaru knew he was a low-grade aptitude grade. It was so cleary by the desperate chooses he(old Zaru) had made that led to his downfall. But now he estimates that he took just three hours to engrave the first mind rune deep into his mind, his speed could only be attributed to the legendary grade as for the old Zaru, he had taken 1 month to just engrave the first mind rune. "Muscle memory"After a little though Zaru figured it out. After all, the old Zaru was a level 1 neophyte. This explains why could he meditate so fast. If the first time was hell the second was like a breeze. Mind rune engraving is too difficult, even if went all the way to the end a step wrong in the process mean to repeat it all from the beginning again. "So tiring" Zaru fell the sudden strain in his body when he was trying to continue meditating. "Although the tiredness is obvious I can still fill refreshed somehow" The meditation technique purpose is to increase the spiritual force and the increase in it have a direct impact on the body too. It can make life metamorphosis, and evolve to a higher life form. Zaru was preparing to find a place to rest as he looks a Ryan still in meditation. But then his eyes flashed confusion. He could feel energy tremble around. Although he had just finished practice his first (the new Zaru) mind rune his sense had gone up a notch. Zaru eyes then moved to rest in Ryan. Zaru then stood in front of Ryan quietly looking at him while thinking. After a while, Ryan opens his eyes, around him the flickering light still trembling as it was cleary in front of his eyes. His eyes moved to meet Zaru as his eyes still flickering in pondering. "How?" Zaru trow a question to himself as he looks at the morning sky. He knew very clearly in his memory how difficult his to meditate the mind rune. Although just now the speed he could meditate his first mind rune be considered a legendary-grade, he understanding that was because for him was like doing it a second time in easy mode after went through the hell mode in the first time. But right now Ryan just to finished his first mind rune. Although he took double of time Zaru took but that combine could only amount to a full day. "Ok, either because of the experiment, Ryan grade went up straight to legendary-grade or because I could meditate the mind rune first, strengthing up my spirit force so Ryan would only need to engrave the mind rune... " For Zaru the second was more like it, as he could feel his spirit force more serene after Ryan finished engraving his first mind rune. "I should sleep now, after all, is good to do it after meditating "He had stood wake up all night as he felt the Ryan progress in engraving his mid rune so his tiredness was going through the roofs. But his belly seems to drive away his desire to sleep. First Zaru went to the dining hall to get some food for him and Ryan. But he quickly went back to his Tower. Meditating put lot of stress in mind too and it has a direct relation with the spirit force recover, but the mental recovery is a slow process, although magus may have a way to speed up recovery, for Zaru, the best way is to go through into a deep slumber. By the time Zaru wake up the sky was back to dark again. Then he took the extra food he took from the dining hall and start eating it. Zaru felt that most of the tiredness he felt had disappeared, and he even felt a little better than before. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "The bag" While eating Zaru remembered the bad he got from magus Lilissy as it stood at the corner he had tossed it when he came depressed from the administration hall. "What greed b*tch" Zaru cursed the old woman from the administration hall as he looks at the bag that it¡äs now half full as he had entered that place. All the thing the old woman told Zaru wasn''t free. Here Magus abide by the equal exchange. "Magic crystals!" It was a hazy black crystal prism, about the size of a nail cap, with a faint mysterious glow. According to his memory, the magic crystals were a kind of currency between Magus. So they are very useful for a neophyte. Their usefulness varies from exchanging resource to knowledge it could even produce beneficial results to one''s body. "Oh!, 50 magic crystal" That amount wasn¡ät bad for a level 1 neophyte. At least Zaru had never had all this at once. Although he (Old Zaru) used to accept some low paying task the most he had saved was less than 40 magic crystal bu that took him a year and a half. Although the old woman only took 50 magical crystal for Zaru it felt too much. As if forcing his eyes out of magic crystal Zaru keep looking at his bag. Then he took a sealed glassed crystal container with a grass leaf inside it. "Uuuuh". The moment Zaru took the bottle the room filled with a glooming light bringing whit it a depressing tune. "Ghost leaf" Zaru eyes couldn''t help marvel. This one of the main reason the old Zaru was driven to sell himself. The ghost leaf has myriads of utility and effect. The size of spoon It is classified as a magical spirit herb, one of the most simple and growable herbs that just need a freshly dead body, so why it names. Each of this Ghost leaf cost around 100 magic crystal but it was difficult for a neophyte to put its hand on it. It used by most magus as a catalyser in variety of experiment and even as an ingredient for potions. And in all this is stock is not enough making it one of the most sought herbs in magus community. All this made it price inflate as high as 300 magic crystal per leaf even making neophyte going as further to fight for it. The reason neophyte his so crazy for it is that one of it affect when refine it could raise one spirit strength. Although one could raise their spirit strength throughout meditation, this is a long and hard process. And for someone that had low aptitude the longer they stayed in on level the more difficult is for them to advance further. So alternative that could raise spiritual force his a very hungry market where the offer never could satisfy it. Although in Ghost leaf this effect it only visibly for thus below level 3 neophyte but it still had a very high demand fur thus in level 2 neophyte. In the middle of the excitement, Zaru unsealed the ghost leaf. But just he was about to finish unsealed the container slip out of his hand and breaking when hitting the floor. "Oh no!" In a jolt, Zaru gets down to pick it. "Ouch," But while he was picking the Ghost leaf when his left hand was cut by a sharp piece of the crystal container. "Quick Ryan find me a container" But Zaru didn¡ät care about the cut as he shouts to Ryan to find a new recipient. Because once the Ghost leaf was plug out of the dead body its shelf life is very short, so most of the time it would be sealed in a vacuum container to further preserved it. Ryan quickly took one of glass container from Zaru old toolkit and handed it to Zaru. "Hope is not damaged"Zaru had quickly put the Ghost leaf inside the bottle and sealed it again. Zaru carefully look at it, as now the Ghost leaf was completely covered in blood. Then he took some old cloth and made a band-aid and roll his hand in it. "Look!". Ryan voice suddenly sounded in Zaru hear. "What?". Zaru quickly turned his head out his hand and look a the glass bottle now rest on the table. Zaru face darkness as he sees the Ghost leaf rapidly withering. This made his body unconsciously stiffing. What was Ghost leaf, for the old Zaru was so precious that he sold himself as a rat-lab for it. "Did someone cursed me?" Zaru didn¡ät know why but seem the Ghost leaf wither into a pile of debris Zaru depression had reached a new level. Compared to Zaru, Ryan seemed not caring by the Ghost leaf whithering as his eyes still carefully looking at the pile of debris. "Yah it could only be it, as to who it must be that b*tch magus Lil...". Right, where Zaru was finding someone to cursed for his seemly bad luck he felt a new presence coming to his sense. "Who?" He jolts his eyes around in search, but only to land on the glass container. Right there in the middle of the little pile of debris, like a seed sprouting a tine hazy dark red leaf was growing out of the debris pile. It keeps growing at naked eyes till stopping at half spoon size. "Ghost lead?, How?" Zaru look at now half size Ghost lead.