Spell classifications, while having served their purpose thus far, are inherently vague and obsolete. No true scholar would consider them truthful categorizations of Mana-controlling techniques, nor should he assume being able to precisely classify them in any meaningful way. Many of my predecessors tried and stumbled upon subtypes within subtypes of thaumaturgical abilities, making it altogether too cumbersome for universal use.
Hence, for the sake of convenience, six spell categories have been retained and are still currently in use amongst spellcasters: Summoning (La particle), Conjuration (Ul particle), Destruction (Al particle), Enhancement (An particle), Sealing (In particle) and Alteration (Il particle).
Even though chants and incantations may differ between cultures, the basic principles are identical, and spellcasting particles remain untouched primarily thanks to the Sorcerers' efforts…
- Codex Doctrina, vol. 1, ch. 4, p. 57
The following day, Aeden and his friends went for a second tour of the settlement, making sure to be more thorough. They didn't know what they were looking for, but it didn't stop them from inspecting every nook and cranny of Cochlinia, much to Luni's annoyance.
"Can you explain to me what you're doing? I already showed you this spot yesterday!" he seemed upset that they were taking so long, despite initially being quite eager to show them around. Aeden asked :
"Sorry Luni, we can't really tell you right now. If you're bored, you can go, we'll handle it from here." he passed his hand along a crumbling stone wall, which still had signs of spellcasting being used on it.
They were in the middle of a slight depression, quite far from the barrier and not very close to the houses. It was a patch of greenery with destroyed stone effigies and collapsing structures, though the strangest thing about it was the surrounding Mana. It felt fragile but aggressive as if it had been constantly weakened and forcibly moved around by strong spells.
Thanks to Mana Oculus, Megissa saw blotches where the Mana flow was unstable, meaning it could lead to disastrous consequences should more delicate thaumaturgy be used, mainly for the spellcaster. Such scars could only be attributed to the overuse of Destruction spells. As implied by the name, they're incredibly devastating and take a toll on the atmospheric Mana.
Outside the barrier, anomalies like these can heal by themselves in a few days, but in protected places where Mana isn't as dense, regeneration could take months.
According to Luni, that was a popular spot and training field for spellcasters, where they tended to test out their skills or simply let loose. They probably formed the depression so far from both the habitations and the barrier for that reason.
"It's not that… I thought it'd be quicker since I have to play with Vita today."
"Vita, who's that? A lover this young, huh... That's a player for ya." Decima grinned like an old pervert as she ruffled the boy's hair. He struggled to push her hand away while his cheeks reddened.
"No, that's not it! Vita's mother went away and her father is always drunk. No one ever visits them so I always go to play with her."
"That's so nice of you, Luni." Aeden glanced at Megissa, who was exchanging looks with Nihil. They both turned towards him, and he immediately took the hint. Junia surely knew about Luni's activities, and she advised them to stay with him for the day. The clue probably lay with this 'Vita.' He softened his expression and spoke again to their guide :
"Tell me, Luni. Where did Vita's mother go?"
"To the forest, obviously. I think she was the last one before the attack. Lots of grownups disappeared at the same time!"
"Can we go with you to Vita's house? That way, we could complete our visit and you'd get to play with her."
"That's a deal! Follow me." Luni beamed as he leaped over a statue, hurriedly climbing the depression.
Decima followed closely behind him while the others took their time.
"What'd you think, Megi? Is this what she wanted?" Aeden asked in a low voice.
"Well, without knowing the specifics of her Oath, I can't say for sure." she seemed hesitant but still went on with it.
"If her Oath forbids her from directly guiding us towards a clue, this seems like the best way to do it. I'm confident this is our lead. Let's follow." Nihil nodded as if trying to convince himself before picking up speed. At this point, they were clutching at straws, and he didn't want to stay there for much longer.
_
Half an hour of walking later, it was already evening. The sun was finalizing its slow descent as they neared a stone hut, surrounded by chaotic plants and messy crops. A little girl was busy trying to salvage what little food she could and chasing away what Aeden assumed were rats. She was around Luni's age, with long light brown hair, skin slightly tanned by sunlight, and dark green eyes. The child was malnourished, with skeletal limbs and a small body for her age.
"Vita!"
The moment he saw her, Luni lunged and started shouting her name. He was physically the opposite, showing a healthy, lean constitution. His skin was also tanned, with black hair and dark brown eyes. The boy was already helping her carry whatever she was picking up as she stood wide-eyed. She then gave him the purest smile Aeden ever saw, sporting an immaculate row of white baby teeth.
"Sorry… I couldn't bring food today."
"Don't worry, Luni. I had some fruit this morning, and I caught a big rat! Want to eat with me?"
She proudly revealed the rat carcass, which didn't seem to disgust Luni. He calmly replied :
"No thanks, I already ate today."
"Oh, good then…" she briefly lowered her gaze, staying silent for a moment before asking, "So who're they? Your friends?"
"You could say that. They're outsiders who saved our settlement. They wanted to come along when I told them I wanted to play with you."
Vita's eyes widened once more, and she nearly dropped her dinner. She stuttered as she tried to speak to Aeden's party :
"I'm s-..sorry, we don't have much food, so I can't properly receive you." the little girl lowered her head in shame, but he quickly patted her on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about that. My name's Aeden…" he then pointed at his friends. "Those are Megissa, Nihil and Decima."
"I'm.. I'm Vita! Pleased to meet you!"
"I'm delighted to meet you as well, Vita. Is your father here?"
"Dad? He's inside the house. Why do you need him?"
Aeden looked at the crumbling stone hut, then turned towards Megissa. Her Mana Oculus was already active, but she nodded negatively. There was no sign of anything strange.
"How long have you been living here, Vita?"
"Huh? Since mommy went away, I guess. Daddy started always drinking and we came here. He kept telling me that everyone was-..."
"Hey! Who goes there? Where are you, Vita… Vita…" A drunk man's voice came from the hut, gruff yet mellowed by alcohol. The last call was almost a pleading.
"I'm coming, daddy! We have visitors!"
Vita immediately gestured for them to follow her as she entered her house. It was even smaller than the lodgings given to Aeden and his companions, with a small straw bed and a single chair next to a tiny table in the farthest corner from the door.
A burly man was sitting on it, with light brown messy hair and an unkempt beard. His nose and cheeks were red from alcohol, and the entire hut reeked from the smell of it. He shoved away numerous liquor bottles when his daughter approached, immediately hugging him. It would've been a heartwarming sight if not for the state he was in.
"May I help you?" he managed to say as he slowly tried to stand up. Vita stayed in front of him while facing Aeden, seemingly acting as her father's support and protector.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking :
"Yes… We're guests of Cochlinia, my name's Aeden and these are my companions. We wanted to ask you some questions about your wife.. if you don't mind."
The man's eyes widened in surprise. They were pitch black.
"Guests, huh? You're those who… saved us. Yes, saved us. My name's Aloysius. What'd you want to know?" he took his daughter's hand, gripping it gently.
"We heard that your wife disappeared shortly before the settlement was attacked. Do you have any idea where she went?"
"You heard.. ? Disappeared… ? Is it what they're reduced to nowadays… After everything she's done for them!" he smashed the table next to him, destroying the bottles of alcohol and startling his daughter. His hand was bleeding, which made Vita gasp even more loudly.
"Daddy, your hand!"
".. Uh, sorry, I scared you, flower." he sat again on his chair with a loud sigh, as if that last hit drained all of his remaining strength.
"I'm done with this… They could all die if I care, but.. my daughter..." he struggled to stifle his tears, glancing at the ceiling. "I can't let them do the same to her."
"Do what exactly?" Megissa pressed on.
"Livia was a spellcaster, see… Vita's probably going to be one too. Her idiot brother went away and left her here. I can't… I can't do anything to protect her."
"Protect her from what, sir? Aloysius… please tell us, maybe we can help." Aeden could feel it. They were close to the truth, so close.
"They… they-..."
A sudden Mana pulse alarmed everyone, prompting Aeden's party to take an immediate battle stance.
"Megi! Nihil!"
"Got it!"
"In Obice."
Nihil grasped the void and weaved a spherical barrier around them, covering everyone. Megissa's eyes burned with the ethereal shine of Mana Oculus, searching for any hostile spell. Despite her visual prowess, Aeden and Aloysius were the first to see it.
Black, misty tendrils passed through the protection as if it didn't exist, twirling elegantly in the air while reaching for Vita.
"No! No! Not again! Get away! GET AWAY!"
Aloysius put himself in front of his daughter. He tried to strike the tendrils with his chair, waving it madly. Aeden attempted to catch them, too, in vain.
"Megi! What's this? What should we do?!"
"I don't know!"
She yelled shortly before the bizarre phenomenon vanished from their sight. However, Vita's low, weak cry told them where it went. Her fragile body was forcibly thrust against the wall as black gashes painfully carved themselves on her face.
"DADDY! HELP ME! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!"
Blood flowed madly from her wounds while taking the form of a sigil, cutting through her left eye and making her almost faint from agony. She was suspended on the cold stone like a puppet on display; reddish claw marks etched on her arms.
"DO SOMETHING, PLEASE!"
"Aeden? Aeden! Your orders!" Nihil and Megissa cried simultaneously, though their leader was still caught between shock and incomprehension.
"I-.. I don't know-..."
A blurry figure went immediately past them, blasting away the stone wall with a single punch. It was Decima. She intercepted Vita's body as she finally lost consciousness from the pain. The bloody sigil was still on her face, though there was no sign of the black mist that made it.
"What's going on? Vita!" Luni came rushing inside, panicking, when he saw his friend's state. However, what happened after shocked Aeden even more.
"No... No! Please, don't do this. She's all I have left, please. I didn't mean to, I wasn't going to tell them. Please, please, please, I beg you!" Aloysius was crawling on the floor, imploring Luni the instant he looked at him. He seemed afraid. No, terrified would be the correct term.
"Huh? What are you saying? It's just the chief's son, Aloysius. Don't spout nonsense, we need to get Vita to the Medice right away." Megissa wasn't having any of it.
"No, not Junia! They'll send her to the forest.. my baby, my flower…" the father started crying.
Luni seemed like he wanted to say something. He mouthed incomprehensible words, then simply ran away. He sprinted through the field towards the center of Cochlinia without looking back even once.
"Wait, Luni!" Aeden was about to follow the boy when Nihil stopped him.
"You'll talk to him after, Aeden… At least, I hope so. First, we'll need to take care of this." he glanced towards the still crying Aloysius before adding. "Why are you so afraid of him? He's only a child… your daughter's sole friend."
The man suddenly raised his head, looking at him with bloodshot eyes.
"No… It's impossible! I'm sure of it, he's dead. He's dead, he's dead, he's dead!" he violently pulled out his hair.
They all silently looked at him, still unsure about what to think of the situation. Whatever danger they were warned about, it seemed real. And the worst is, even after seeing it with their own eyes, they didn't know exactly what it was.
"What makes you so sure he's dead?" Megissa finally asked, trying to calm him down.
"I.. I-.. killed him."