Looking to the sky a young boy no more than eleven. Found himself enchanted, by the many stars that circled above him. Long had he looked upon the stars in the heavens wondering at their strange movements. Laying next to him was a book of magic runes which he was studying. For much of his young life, he had dedicated himself to the study of this book. Being born into a peasant family, there was wondering, how his family came upon such a book.
The poor did not have the money, nor the education for the purpose of keeping books. Deyxel caressed the book lightly with his right hand still looking up at the sky.
'It is strange looking up into this sky, it seems to me that there are some strange movements in the stars. Somehow they would go in the same direction then a sudden change in direction. As if they were not stars at all but some strange entities, something made, not natural.'
In the back of his mind, is a memory of watching the launch of a rocket. With a satellite mounted on top. While deployed such an object looked like a star far above the one viewing it. In the sky above the objects in the night sky could not be satellites. For one thing, the movements that Deyxel had observed were sometimes erratic. Other times whatever was up there was coming across the sky in a weird direction.
'It is impossible for me to describe this kind of thing to the people around me. They do not understand what I understand. These lights look almost like satellites travelling through the sky.'
Reminiscing on a life long lost that he had once lived. Almost 11 years ago since he had died, and that another world was now fiction in his mind. He had been 30 when he passed away from cancer. He is ignorant of much of the world, having spent most of his life working like a madman due to being a workaholic. He did not actively form attachments, he had a few friends. Not being attached to any woman or knowing any woman. For that fact due to what could almost be seen as an addiction to work.
When he reincarnated into this world there had not been some god or powerful magical being who had summoned him to this world. Slowly and silently he came and was born in a small village on the frontier of his nation.
Being late outside at night was not something that his parents discouraged. Due to his handicap or what others defined as a handicap. However, this did not mean that he was completely without restriction being still young and looking always for trouble.
What was this handicap one would ask? Well in a world of magic, mages used the mana in their bodies to perform magic great or small. Depending on the person a staff, earring or some other kind of medium would be used. Which they could use to manipulate the world around them. However, it was very rare for an individual to be born who could not use magic in any of these ways. Our young friend just so happens to be one of those who do not. Having the capacity to use magic except, in only one way, that way is by the use of runes.
Regardless of this little inconvenience, Deyxel continued to look for ways in which he could use runes. Even in small ways to be able to achieve a greater degree of acceptance.
He had found ways to innovate on these runes. In the book next to him were the most basic runes that could be used to perform magic. So his ability to do anything other than what was in the book was difficult. Once he had turned eleven Deyxel began to improvise more. Aside from simply just reading the book in order to find out exactly what he could do. Let's say a simple fireball and what do you think he found? Well, the rune would make a fireball, that simply hovered above the piece of paper. Or on any other object that it was written upon.
He would find after months of trial and error. There was a great deal of error that it was easy for him to be able to create. Something similar to a faucet, when he wrote the right rune on the side of a wall and it was for water. Gravity working as it does would pull the water from the orb that hung perfectly in the air. Why when the rune faced horizontally no water would fall was beyond him at present.
Fascinating as this find was considering what happens when trying to do something similar with fire it would just burn at a distance from the rune. Having attempted to see what other results he could get using other runes. The best he had come up with was to interlace two wind-type runes to create what could only be described as a wind slash.
This kind of finding was not that impressive to Deyxel. His older sister used a wind-slash-like spell with such ease that what he had done felt unimpressive.
Regardless in the last few months, he had constructed a simple contraption. That allowed him to begin using this technique. For the purpose of making a little money.
Taking some wood he found strewn about. Deyxel built what looked like a hollow box with one side missing. Placed what he had made around a piece of granite. That had fallen off the face of the mountain close to his home. The young boy began to cut the granite using this wind slash technique. Placing the runes in a way to get a decent three-by-three-by-two cut on any piece of granite. Afterward, he would use another rune integration that he devised. Using a cushion of air under the rock to move it. How this cushion of air was formed, was to be found at the tips of the sticks that protruded outward making the open end of the box. Four small panels upon the stick bore the needed runes both cut the bottom of the stone. Followed simultaneously by a barrier of air upon which at the center point the rich lifting cushion would be activated.
That is right a quad-infused rune but this to Deyxel felt was little progress. As before his sister had outdone this as well. In all the village Gelima Vornal was a peak existence. So regardless of his parent's inability to pay for the schooling, Gelima was enrolled at the Aihetal Mage Academy.
During the summer break, she would return and show the fruits of her labours. At such times the whole family would marvel at what was exhibited. It was at such times that Deyxel would be reminded of what he could not do. But he always was proud to see his older sister doing well.
Sitting up from where he sat one could see the small house in which his family lived. The family was currently five in number, two parents with three children. Of the three Deyxel was the youngest with two sisters before him.
Within the house, the sound of washing dishes could be heard.
'Ah, I hate washing dishes without a dishwasher.'
Complaining to himself, Deyxel did have some things about this life that he loathed. The lack of any modern conveniences made him cringe. That being said one can not change the era the live in immediately.
Having heard and seen many strange things since coming to this world. Deyxel could not tell if he was in the Roman Empire or Queen Victoria's Britain. Where he lived was primitive to a fault. Putting that aside he could not disregard the stories of large metal vehicles. Pulling the equivalent of twelve to twenty plows tilling the soil. Piecing together from different sources these vehicles sounded like steam-powered land trains.
Just thinking how immense the difference, was between one part of the country from another was quite painful. The worst part was that no one acted like it was some great thing to worry about.
"Little brother you have finally come inside. If you want to help you can help Rihyil put the plates away along with the utensils. The rest of the pots have already been put away." [Gelima]
"I will help Rihyil." [Deyxel]
The kitchen was small due to the fact that the house is only a single story. Only three rooms made up the entire structure. The youngest is in the same room as his sisters, his parents having their own separate rooms. The rest of the space was a big open space for both the living area and the kitchen. With the family not being too big, a meal was usually manageable.
Moving from the wash area to where the different items were meant to be placed. Deyxel quickly finished what he was asked to do.
"Older sister everything is finished." [Deyxel]
Gelima looked around the room surveying the condition of everything. Having turned sixteen two weeks ago as well as being fresh home from school. She worked hard to keep the house clean so that sickness would not become too prevalent. Spending months in what was akin to a different world only a few days travelling. She naturally brought back with her a lot of ideas that were improving the living situation.
"Yes everything is finished, now we wait for mother and father to return home." [Rilyil]
Looking from behind a large shelf that hid her from view Rilyil appeared. Her red hair the same colour as her siblings was longer than Gelima's by a hand. Reached the middle of her back while Gelima had had hers cut a while ago. Academy regulations dictated that a girl's hair should not extend below the shoulder. So while one sister's hair grew longer the others did not.
"Good, Deyxel you will go brush your teeth now and get ready for bed." [Gelima]
For a moment he stood there looking at his older sister. Back four days ago when she returned home Gelima had brought what looked like toothbrushes. For a moment Deyxel almost wept at the idea of actually properly cleaning his teeth. This excitement was quickly stifled by his sister's insistent desire to make sure he was consistently doing it.
Regardless of what he felt the youngest nodded silently, walking to a basin that had been prepared. As Deyxel placed the brush in his mouth he could hear the door into the home open.
"Gelina is your brother back inside yet?"
A women's voice could be heard as the door opened slowly.
"He is brushing his teeth now Mother." [Gelima]
Looking up from some study materials she had brought home from the academy. Gelima moved towards the door to meet her parents.
"What happened that the village chief called for a meeting?" [Gelima]
For a moment both adults silently gave their coats to the eldest daughter. As the younger prepared two glasses of water.
"Thank you, Rilyil."
"Damn strange thing, a letter appeared not two hours ago at the village chief's home. Stating that a cache of cut stones was waiting for the chief to inspect. Apparently, some master stone cutter has decided to come out to the boonies."
The man in his mid-thirties thumbed a pipe he had been working with since entering the house.
"A recluse it would seem, in the letter, it is stated that the village can use them or sell them. This person will continue to provide stone if payment can be provided. The location for the payment is far from the cache. Don't you think so Iscal?"
"Exactly almost a full mile between both sites. A strange person, regardless the chief paid twenty silver and six gold Soubai for thirteen of those cut stones." [Iscal]
Both daughters looked at their parents with shocked faces looking towards Iscal after he said this. Gold and silver were desperately valued in the Kingdom of Drayma. Being a landlocked nation with limited trade opportunities gold and silver mines were few.
With this being the situation coinage had been graded according to the purity of the type of metal that made the coin. For now, it is sufficient to say that there are three grades that constitute this system.
Away from the conversation at the kitchen table, Deyxel stood in a near fallen state over the basin. Having also heard the sum that had been paid for the cut stone. He could barely stand in his current position.
"Seriously the old man will pay that much?" [Deyxel]
Earlier in the day when he had placed the stones and the letter. He had thought that the offer would be laughed off. People all this long way from nowhere were wiry of outsiders. Especially when they started giving gifts. Now it seemed the old village chief wasn't going to say no to a good thing.
Mainly the income that could be made by selling such quality granite. This is what Deyxel had hoped for initially however, now his expectations had been greatly exceeded.
Finishing his teeth the young boy changed into his one-piece nightgown. Simple to make and wash it was the basic bed clothing for most people who live in most villages.
As he slowly slipped into sleep a thought came to him.
'I wonder what else I could make?'