《The Snare that will Someday Catch the Sun》


 Chapter 1: Reopening the Curtains

    POV: Lisbeth


    ¡°Now can anyone tell me the main disadvantages of the Swift Potion?¡±


    A kindly old mage swept his eyes along a class of around sixty young acolytes. He briefly glanced at me meaningfully, as if to urge me to answer his question less obnoxiously than Mike Fosse. I busy myself with the journal I¡¯ve been working on for the past two months.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Fosse?¡± The mage¡¯s voiced was overly cheerful and was pitched a little higher to disguise a sigh. Such a good teacher.


    ¡°The potion has a rate of failure that¡¯s estimated to be twenty percent ¨C the failures are indistinguishable to the finished product unless consumed. Although it¡¯s low, it¡¯s nevertheless significant when you¡¯re out on a dangerous mission. You can¡¯t take too much within fifteen hours as it¡¯s poison could be fatal when it reaches a certain threshold. Now a mages regenera-¡­¡±


    No, it¡¯s because the main component is from a Jade Dugite¡¯s bloodline and the particular gene only exist on 80% of them. But you¡¯ll never get to study that because bloodline magic is banned. It feels like there are more banned magicks every year.


    ¡°Excellent, Mr. Fosse! I hope that you all finished your assignments during the class,¡± there were giggles everywhere, as Mr. Li is the only teacher that collects yesterday¡¯s homework after class.


    Mike sits in front of me, his abnormally huge eyes looking all smug as he collects the class¡¯ papers for Mr. Li. ¡°Looks like little miss perfect could get lax after just a little bit of praise.¡± He sneered at my frantic scribbling.


    I opened the last page of the journal and handed him the folded assignment I did the night before. He scoffed and piled it on top of the stack. He had a subtle look of alarm looking at me work so hard. I might¡¯ve told him to get a life but it¡¯s honestly better for him to study more.


    I gathered my school supplies and gave him my brightest smile, ¡°See ya at the Team Tournament!¡± I watched his eyes dilate behind his glasses and a telltale redness rushed up his cheeks. Aww, puberty¡¯s kicking in.


    ¡°You finish homework immediately to watch sports?¡± He glared at me hatefully.


    Remembering my mission today, I feel a sense of urgency. ¡°Yup¡± I acknowledged nonchalantly and went out of the classroom.


    A few meters later, I heard some shuffling behind me. I looked back to see Mike looking at me.


    ¡°Incoming,¡± I said.


    ¡°Whooooooooo! NERD!!¡± A handsome well-built sophomore was standing upside down on the ceiling, dropping what looked like orange fur-balls. Those are itchy. In another life, I would enjoy this, I might¡¯ve even joined in on bullying Mike. Now I just had a bitter smile at these trifling pranks. I walked away apathetically.


    Mike dashed in front of me, probably going to buy the antidote. He paused and asked, ¡°Why are you gonna watch it anyway? It¡¯s only the Dark Schools competing on the finals¡± They¡¯re unofficially called Dark Schools because they are rumored to keep banned magicks in their curriculum. They¡¯re also accused of cheating a lot with less standard, undetectable magicks.


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting now.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    He had a look of disappointment, as if anything that goes against his world view is a freak of nature. ¡°Dark Magic users. You¡¯d like that wouldn¡¯t you!¡± A mix of physical and psychological discomfort made him raise his voice. He ran away to do whatever.


    I clutched my bag unconsciously as I hurried to the Sidhe Stadium, absentmindedly avoiding hexes along the way. For some reason, the school isn¡¯t really big on keeping order, despite the trend of discrimination to spells that are ¡®harmful¡¯.


    I hailed a carriage to take me Downtown. I didn¡¯t immediately enter the Stadium but I mixed into the crowed and casted a powerful ¡®Nondescript¡¯ spell on myself. Entering a dark alley, I spread my spiritual force and sensed three conscients observing me. I also felt their shock and terror when I suddenly disappeared from their senses.


    Finding a blind-spot, I opened my bag and took a cursory glance at the racks of potions. Their amount and quality would reduce a rich Marquis to poverty if he buys them all. The real treasure however, is the spatial bag that even a prince may not necessarily have enough gold and connections to acquire.


    I quickly picked a Face Dancer and downed it in one gulp. I chose an appearance of a man with dark brown eyes and chestnut-colored hair. Blending in the shadows, I donned a cloak from the space bag and stealthily went towards the Sidhe Stadium.


    Passing through the rows of VIP rooms, I entered one that I had reserved a week ago. There was already someone inside but I didn¡¯t bother to knock and I just entered.


    She was sitting on one of the several luxurious couches, concentrating on reheating her cup of coffee. I could detect some alcohol in it too.


    I didn¡¯t make a sound as I approached her, yet she still turned and beamed at me. ¡°Mr. Danton, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± She stood up and offered her hand.


    ¡°Ms. Olminsky.¡± we shook hands and exchanged fake smiles.


    ¡°Oh my, you look younger than I thought!¡± She gushed at me. Ah, if only you knew that I¡¯m still a schoolgirl. ¡°The essays you¡¯ve sent me suggested otherwise. At least, I was expecting someone who actually served as a public official.¡±


    I gestured for her to sit back down and I took my place on the couch nearest her. ¡°Thank you. May I ask if you¡¯ve considered my offer?¡±


    ¡°I accept. Your work is thoroughly researched and there are no errors in the citations. I plan to publish some articles twice a week, while the one about contractual beasts will be this month¡¯s highlight. Are you sure you want to publish them all anonymously?¡±


    Contractual beasts is a controversial topic. It¡¯s an old prohibited practice of having a familiar. It greatly increases an individual¡¯s war potential by binding any creature to a Mage, magical or otherwise. It has been lobbied to be a gateway for enslaving non-magical humans.


    The higher echelons of the human government is aware of the existence of the magical part of the world. This is yet another restriction to the Wizarding society. It gained a lot of support because of the propaganda for it being anti-human. A lot of wizards come from human families, just like Mike Fosse.


    ¡°Yes, but are you alright? You might be seen as an enemy of the administration for this.¡± A lot of my work delved into the historical background of a lot of prohibited ¡®Dark Magic¡¯. They were passed arbitrarily with questionable propaganda, all in order to appease the humans as well as gain monetary benefits from their governments, humans had always been overwhelmingly populous and profitable.


    ¡°Unlikely. People like to listen to the dead more than the living.¡±


    ¡°Then we shall test the waters with these. I hope that we can gain enough attention that it would be safer to tackle the more recent legislative issues¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! I look forward to the research on bloodlines that you¡¯ve proposed. Have you thought on who you might ask to help you with it?¡± she asked cheerfully.


    It¡¯s the same way I found you, fellow sympathizer. I silently activated Light Eyes and looked at the box opposite us, hundreds of meters away, at the Headmaster¡¯s seat of a the so-called ¡®Dark School¡¯. His eyes sharpened and he glared at my general direction, not really knowing that I was the one who was staring at him. He doesn¡¯t know me, we¡¯ve never met before, not in any of my identities.


    ¡°I have my ways.¡± I smiled charmingly.


    We haven¡¯t met before but I know you. I know him. I¡¯ve doneallof these before, differently, more stupidly.


    We don¡¯t have much time. They are coming and we need to restore the Magicks of this world. ¡°Let¡¯s watch the game for now.¡± I need to piss off Mike later too.


    ----------End Chapter


    A/N: Originally posted on reddit. Now turning it into a webnovel.

 Chapter 2: Runes

    POV: Will


    Terry was sleeping beside me, contentment and exhaustion evident on her naked body. It''s really time for me to sneak out of the girls'' dorm before the morning rounds. I pulled away the curtains and momentarily made a gap in my bed-mate''s localized wards. Silencing spell, nondescript spell, etc.


    To my surprise, her roommate is awake. I felt my heart run cold, not because I just got caught fooling around. It was the look on her face. I felt fear from the indescribable murderousness of her countenance, as if all the malice in the world are weighing on her thin shoulders.


    Lisbeth, The Little Countess of Dasom. The school''s mentors heap praises on this first year genius but the student body knows what she truly is - a monster. My posse and I prank a lot of people but this one feels like she has eyes on the back of her head. She looks at everyone like they''re all beneath her. Sometimes, I would glimpse this look on her face and I always thought that there''s something wrong with my head. Then it''s gone in the blink of an eye, just like now.


    Her face smoothed over into it''s usual calm. Pretending that there''s nothing going on with me and her roommate - nobles like us had always been liberal when it comes to bedroom matters. She gave me a nod and she briskly went to the washroom. Leaving that illusion of coldness again, and the stone walls of this dormitory seemed a little more sinister.


    I can''t understand how that nerd, Mike, have the guts to glare at her all the time. Is it because his domesticated sheep-like instincts can''t sense the danger from girl?


    <hr>


    Lisbeth


    I was too late. I''m supposed to rescue the children. The humans'' technology had advanced too much that they have a counter for every trick I had but I persisted and I came this far. Just a little more and I could take them to a relatively safe location, to exile with me.


    Really? Do I really have enough magic to transport us all? How about the injured?


    Reality struck me hard when I saw the scene that greeted me. I stumbled on what seemed like a laboratory with countless little pale-blue bodies. I felt a spark of consciousness in the middle of the room and found a little kid with her four limbs severed from her body. Her stomach was torn open, surgically clean but it was just left open.


    Oh Mother, she''s conscious.


    Magic is linked to a person''s spirit and consciousness so I could sense it with a habitual scan. They might have been experimenting on what suffering could stimulate a reaction, and how they could wield it. There were signs of life in other cages but no... there are no conscious thoughts that echo within the weave of magic. They''re reduced to this. Only this child remained. I don''t know any healing spells, I don''t have any potent potions that could possibly help, and I have lost contact with my allies.


    Before I knew it, I knelt beside the table she was on. For the first time in my life I prayed, "Time has passed, the Wheel has turned," I should be allowed this, we should be allowed at least this.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "...let her come to you and know that she has been b-blessed by your gracious gift of Life." I choked on my words. This little girl had suffered more in this life...


    I was crying blood and tears and I wiped them off from my eyes, using them to write a rune on the floor. It''s okay, I''ll end it now. It''s okay. I held her ''hand'', or the stub that remained, and comforted us both.


    Incinerate.


    I woke up in despair and I realized that the nightmare was over. The memories were over. But they were real, I don''t even know if time restarted or if this is an alternate timeline. It was real. I trembled and screamed, grateful for the wards surrounding my bed. My restlessness urged me to get out and start my day.


    To my surprise, there''s someone else beside my roommate in this room. I didn''t mean to but my nerves screamed at me to kill, eliminate the threat. I met his eyes and his terrified expression brought me back to reality. Let''s pretend no one saw anything.


    Later after breakfast, I have Runes with Professor Wolf and I try not to throw up. The Runes subject hasn''t changed since ancient times, that it''s always passing down the symbols that various noble families had graciously donated to the public. It is the product of research and understanding the ancient Yron Language - a language believed to be a relic from an origin dimension.


    Today, we''re studying the Runic Symbol for ''Burn''. What I previously used, ''Incinerate'', was an improved version. Specially developed for battle instead of cooking stew. I marvel how need inspires innovation. If only we could innovate more before the need arises.


    "Ms. Dasom, you look pale today. Do you need to go to the infirmary?"


    "No sir," I smiled sweetly, "I was just studying last night." I heard several scoffs in the classroom.


    He beamed, "It will get easier, studying Runes actually has a positive effect on a Mage''s mind. Class, take note." It''s true, although there''s currently no conclusive evidence on the matter. If you get on a high enough level that runes are imprinted in your mind, your memory and brain space will get a lot of benefits. It''s not easy, as runes have a certain characteristic that they can''t be written in most permanent methods and it''s obscenely blurry when you first encounter one.


    You can write them with water, sand, blood etc. but not with ink. There are special materials that make up scrolls that could hold them, usually as disposable objects. For example, a Mage would imbue his magic on a scroll, to be used by an acolyte. One-use is the limit.


    There are secret methods that I know of to carve them on weapons but it requires a monstrous amount of mana. Writing them without intent will cause them to fade. A basic demonstration would require Professor Wolf to set the floor on fire, the water that formed the rune still visible beneath the flames.


    The best use for runes is to advance a Mage''s Consciousness and by extension, the control over magic. People should really take this class more seriously.


    Speaking of archived information. That boy with my roommate, William was it? One of his great, great, great grandparents was a succubus. I should warn her. They can get almost anything pregnant. Anyway,


    "Sir, may I? I accidentally discovered something, I hope you won''t be too mad..."


    "Go ahead, Ms. Dasom!"


    I sent additional mana and spiritual force on the Rune, then I added an extra stroke on the character. It''s a lower version of incinerate but it still made the fires blaze ever stronger, and although my mana input was minimal, everyone could feel that the duration had been extended. "I practiced on a safe spot and made a mistake," I said guiltily, lying doubly. "then it became this way. Also it naturally imprinted on my head..."


    "Marvelous!" This man isn''t the type to care for safety. Somewhere in the deepest parts of his desires, he placed Runes over the wellbeing of the brats he''s forced to babysit for hours.


    I could feel the children''s interest rise. Do they also feel the rot in their magic? Do they also crave our connection to Yron and the World''s Weave?

 Chapter 3: Samhain

    Lisbeth


    It¡¯s amazing how you can miss food after not eating it for months. To save some time, I just prepare some nutritional potions so that I don¡¯t have to take a break from my work. The body only needs some sugar and fat for energy afterall, then I have a nameless potion that I lovingly call ¡®army ration¡¯ so I don¡¯t get sick from malnutrition.


    Today however, we celebrate All Hallows¡¯ Day, and the Eastern Endor Academy had prepared a lavish feast in its honor. The normally cold stone corridors were bathed in a warm orange glow from the moss that covers the ceilings. They usually have a white luminescence but interacting with certain spores could trigger a reaction and a temporary change of color. A mass of students excitedly entered the main hall, their spirits high as classes are suspended for two days.


    I went with the flow and claimed a seat next to my dorm mates. I don¡¯t like interacting with people but there¡¯s a certain sense of comfort when you¡¯re relaxed and surrounded by your peers. As much as possible, I try not to look like a barbarian as I clean out the food in my area. I may have cheated by giving everyone a slight nudge of ''don''t notice me here'', as I gobble up one dish after another.


    "...those fingers are practically god''s gift to women- huh!?" Terry cut off whatever she was saying to her friend once she realized that there''s barely any food left on our area. Well it was only a slight nudge so it''s easy to break out of the suggestion. I leaned back on my chair and started to doze off.


    Terry glared at the guys opposite us, wordlessly accusing them for being greedy. I heard her mumble about ¡®being on a diet anyway¡¯ and she let the matter drop. "We''re all growing kids, you really shouldn''t restrict your food that much." I mumbled a sleepy reply to my roommate.


    "Didn''t sleep last night?" She asked suggestively.


    "Kinda. I was solidifying Runic images in my head." I did that long ago, and I''m becoming a habitual liar. Mostly, I was meditating, scheming, and dealing with PTSD.


    Most importantly, I think about how to get more money.


    The path of a Mage is an expensive one. Potion and runes for example need high investments but they also have high returns. In my case, I''m planning a few comprehensive research endeavors - not to test for results as I know how they will turn out, but to make sure that the public has concrete facts in which they could base their decisions on.


    I can''t sleep on the lunch table. "I''m gonna buy some stuff." I marched to the potions department to buy some ingredients. It just so happened that Mike was there as well.


    "5 gold for three stalks of Blue Moon Nightshade?!" it wasn''t that expensive for most people, especially since most kids who are enrolled here are nobles. Mike looked at the cashier like the guy was asking for one of his kidneys.


    I narrowed my eyes and did a quick calculation. Fosse came from commoner family, humans actually, and he did suffer the disadvantages of poverty. For the first few months.


    He''s relentless if nothing else, and spent all of his allowance on potion ingredients. He sells the finished products Downtown, and there¡¯s no lack of market for it. He should earn a lot of profit of a few folds, and to my knowledge, his family isn''t at the point where they need to rely on their acolyte son to sustain them. I believe they don''t send him money anymore though, and he''s mostly self-sustaining.


    There are actually a lot of humans with a potential for magic but they don¡¯t go to Wizarding schools due to lack of talent and resources. Some form tribes and communities in order to practice their magic, away from normal people. Others just integrate themselves amongst common humans, as the extent of their magical capabilities isn¡¯t remarkable enough to prompt them to cling to wizarding ways. They¡¯re sworn to secrecy.


    With a relatively large community, and only a small number of people specializing in production, even a student¡¯s products could have a high demand.


    There should be a limit on how miserly you are, or so my upbringing tells me. "Maybe you should forage for ingredients instead."


    He turned his scowl at me, and for a moment I felt petty bickering with him. I, an old soul, am pestering this kid. I convince myself that he¡¯s a form of entertainment and doubled down on my shamelessness. "How was the game?" he said tersely.


    "The Ventians'' field controler was brilliant. He turned the whole field in ice. Their opponents used a lot of Imryxian fire potions to counter it." They threw money at their problems.


    He adapted an expression that looks down on such spending, but his eyes delighted at the potential demand for fire potions as they¡¯re very easy to make. You hypocrite that only cares about money, who hates Dark Schools now?


    His ingredients were ready by the time we finished bickering. Mike grudgingly gave the exact amount but I''ve never seen him use these materials before, yet they are intimately familiar to me.


    On the folds of his robes, I glimpsed part of the newspaper. I remember that Ms. Olminsky was supposed to publish an article of mine on potions. I also sent it to the Potions Guild but they''re much slower on processing these things.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "You''ve read this morning''s papers? The one about potions?" I asked conversationally.


    "Yea."


    "What do you think about the its effects?" it could help induce a state that could predict certain things, albeit only very near into the future, and only limited to the user''s immediate actions. There''s also some margin of error, but rarely, it is only on the immediate future after all.


    "I... don''t think that people are supposed to glimpse at the future, I can see why it was feared but being labelled as ''Dark'' is too much. Looking at it another way, it only lets us access the cause and effect of things related to us. It''s possible that we know the future already, only subconsciously. I mean we sometimes dream of things that will probably happen because of the crap we do... I don''t know, it''s..."


    "It''s a fate that''s originally yours anyway."


    Be less of a bigot, please. Also, "you''re holding up the line."


    He was reminded of my usual arrogance and said, "But you''re the one who asked me if - nevermind." Mike left in a huff. I felt pleased with myself, different from this morning''s depression.


    "Has my Orichalcum and Kyrrad arrived?" I asked. Strictly speaking, it''s not a potions ingredient but I discovered recently that if this place gets delivery, why not include my orders?


    I plan to have someone make these into weapons for me, and I''ll infuse it with runes. Some, I''ll auction in the Black Market. So much to do, so little war funds. I don¡¯t expect to use them soon as


    "The Kyrrad arrived last night, Miss. The Orichalcum ran out of stock but your request was forwarded to the Main Branch. Unfortunately, it might be another month before you can get some. There¡¯s a long list of buyers and they¡¯re not accepting advance payments anymore."


    Sighing, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I understand.¡±


    <hr>


    Night fell, and I didn¡¯t bother to be Mr. Danton to disguise myself. I wore a black cloak and a bronze mask that looked like a reptile. It was far from the center of the city, an area that no one lives in anymore. I made sure that there wasn¡¯t anyone present and I wandered the streets slowly, quietly.


    The houses were low and old. They were made of mud and bricks, and facing the same natural elements gave them all a similar dreary coloring. The night air was cold and foggy. The stone pavement before me gradually turned less and less visible the farther I walked.


    It was a small area but I could no longer tell what direction I was facing, or where I¡¯m going. My heart beat steadily and there were illusory undulation in the fog, in time with my heartbeat. My footsteps unconsciously followed a strange rhythm. In the back of my mind, I felt the stone pavement beneath my feat change into soil, into old wood.


    ¡°Show yourself.¡± I heard a distant and familiar voice. Raising my head, I realized that I was at the entrance of a small room with an altar at the other end. There was a child sitting at the stairs, looking at me with her dark, red-tinted eyes. She was the one who spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± I gently replied, slowly but surely making my way to her. She looked miserable. Her parents were missing, presumably dead, and now she¡¯s forced to hold the tile of ¡®Countess of Dasom¡¯ while ceding all the actual powers to some hateful relatives. I stopped a few paces away from her and took off my mask, and then I awkwardly opened my arms. ¡°It¡¯s alright, come here.¡±


    She thinned her lips but I knew that she wanted a hug but was too prideful to say so. In her stead, I made the request, ¡°Please? I want a hug.¡±


    ¡°¡­alright.¡±


    She stood up and dusted her clothes. The moment she rose, her body stretched and rapidly aged. I was caught off guard when a hag leapt at my exposed throat.


    My senses flared and I tried to step back but it was too late. Her strong hand was around my neck and I frantically tried to pry it away. Her hands lacked the elasticity of youth and they felt like smooth plastic. The long nails were biting at my skin.


    Her grey hair was muddling my vision but I could still see the crazed glint from her eyes, and the evil smirk that revealed yellowed teeth. ¡°You-!!¡± I choked.


    She pulled out a dagger from her other hand and I loosened one of my own hands to meet it. A stab came at me and I moved to catch her hand, but she changed the angle so the blade sunk into my palm. ¡°Ugh!¡±


    I reigned in my disgust as I sank my teeth on her unpleasant hands. It wasn¡¯t enough so I gave her a kick that finally made her let go of my neck, and dislodged the knife from my palm.


    Pressure built on my head as I forcefully stopped a coughing fit and urged my injured right hand to form some symbols in the air. I willed the dust motes to form a rune, taking advantage of my injury to add sacrificial elements to it. The air churned and wind blades rushed crazily to the hag.


    She cackled and merely met the sharp air head on. I gritted my teeth and redirected the attack to the side of the room, leaving her mostly unharmed but for a thin line on her cheek. A few moments later, the line darkened and turned red. Blood oozed out from it; however, she paid it no mind and grinned instead.


    I coughed and croaked, ¡°What do you want!?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± She echoed in a grating voice.


    Forcing myself to calm down, I tried to restore my calm. ¡°I wish for justice. I want to save myself and my people.¡±


    ¡°HAHAHAHA!!!¡± The hag burst out laughing, ¡°There¡¯s only the two of us, you might as well say what you really want!¡±


    My heart leapt and I didn¡¯t know why, ¡°That is the future I¡¯m working for¡­!¡± a harsh, insistent whisper.


    ¡°You killed yourself when you lost what¡¯s important to you.¡± She gleefully crooned, ¡°There were so many that you could have saved still, so much that you could have done.¡±


    I felt myself weaken as my shame was laid out in the open. ¡°It¡¯s different now.¡±


    Her face turned serious and she stared at me in silence. ¡°You let yourself be swayed by the circumstances that you find yourself in?¡± Her voice became less grating, it sounded more like a strict, middle-aged woman. ¡°Had you woken up in a world where your loved ones didn¡¯t exist, but the future is still headed on a similar fate, would you be working so desperately now?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ would hide myself and let those morons from the administration drive everyone to hell. People are sheep! They can¡¯t even muster up the courage to admit reality sometimes! They make so many excuses and brainwash themselves that everything is just fine! What peace treaty, what compromise?¡±


    I sobbed, and rambled ¡°The conservative party led us all to hell with their bullshit diplomacy. And I believed them too, at first. We were all at fault. Now everyone¡¯s alive again, they¡¯ve returned to me¡­¡±


    The hag listened to me in silence as I talked about the past life, where the wizarding society didn¡¯t pull its shit together and gave a very sorry resistance from invasion. Indeed, to conquer the earth, one must conquer oneself.


    ¡°What do you really want?¡± she asked again, pointing a knife to my heart.


    ¡°¡­satisfaction¡± against my enemies. I clasped the knife-bearing hand and aided its aim to my heart. I pulled it in and the blade sank deep into my chest.


    The hag laughed and I heard her say ¡°Justice and revenge may not be mutually exclusive¡±, the voice transforming as it eventually resembled mine.


    I was left alone in the room. I didn¡¯t have any wound on my palm or on my chest. ¡°Until next year, Shadow.¡± I felt blood trickle down my cheek.