[Light Magic:
Presides over qualities associated with light, be it luminosity, refraction, diffraction, energy, colour; or more abstractly, healing, protection, blessing, guidance, illusion, evocation, construction and communication etc
When using magic for the first time, your intention sets your starting point, and that will be your highest talent within that type of magic. This will always be your point of entry, and any proficiency gained will increase your reach from this starting point.
Your starting point is known as your alignment.]
_Okay... So that means I can cast healing magic then?_
I read it over again.
_What exactly connects it to abstract ideas? Isn't that quite subjective?_
_It's cooking my brain a bit, but it looks like ideas are related to each other in the sense that the more similar they are, the closer they are? So... as your proficiency in the magic increases, you'll be able to 'reach' these similar ideas first and are perhaps cheaper to cast._
_Out of all of them, I like the sound of healing and evocation the most, but they're all a little vague as well._
_Healing is fine, and if I had to guess, it's closely related to protection and maybe blessing, so I wouldn't be missing out on that if I permanently get this magic in the future._
_Right now, I'm using this guy's soul like a medium or something; I can't be sure that I'll ever have it again anyway..._
_Alright, I just have to focus on the idea of healing as acutely as possible...?_
_Sounds... easy enough, but do I literally imagine skin and bones regenerating? Or do I try to imagine the feeling of being healed? situations that involve healing in some way?_
_I guess I should do all of it._
Standing on one knee, I raised my bare hand and closed my eyes.
_Ok, ok. Healing... he. al. in. g._
Within my mind's eye, I tried to imagine torn flesh sewing itself back together, the apparatus of a puncturing wound being rewound through time, a healthy colour returning to Rena's face... and the wave of energy that would wash over me with each level up.
It was all a little ludicrous, but I felt like each of these ideas overlapped in a way that I wanted—in a way that gave clarity to the idea of healing itself somehow.
_This is the best idea I have, but in retrospect, it seems a little stupid._
But there was nothing else, so I threw the doubts from my mind and refocused.
_...Fading pain, waning sickness, rain upon a withering forest..._
Then something changed.
My eyes flickered open, and I directed my mana sense to my hand to gain as much as I could from this.
The streaks had grown far softer at my palm, and I could see small waves washing inward, then waning as they pulsed back outward. Each wave brought a different kind of pressure upon my hand, tingling my fingertips.
With each bounce, a colour—some kind of an essence—was left behind.
I continued visualising and using the full ability of my interwoven senses in a vague attempt to convey just what I wanted.
_I feel like I'm getting somewhere._
A smile graced my lips as the feeling grew stronger and more intense.
But then, the inward waves abruptly stopped; however, the glow remained, and the energy emanated outwards, now unimpeded.
_It's similar to the bubbles of dark magic before... Did I accidentally set my alignment? And I don't even know what they are? Hah, I'll have to check it out later._
Relaxing my mana sense, colour drifted back into the world.
_But even so... this magic is beautiful._
It was like stars hidden within an aurora; thick, vaporous emerald green light and flecks of gold were forming within its nebulous trails that swam around my hand.
_This was easier than I'd expected._
Despite how mesmerising it was, I still maintained my focus as I poured my cupped hand over Rena's body.
Specks of gold, like dust in the air caught by morning light, sprinkled down onto her.
I was mesmerised but still focused while I poured my hand over Rena and the cupped specks of gold sprinkled down on top of her.
It was scorching sand carried by the dry wind and extinguished by the evening sun in flashes of brilliance...
_Um?_
Suddenly, that uncomfortable heat enveloped my hand, and I furrowed my brows.
It felt... wrong.
Quickly, it grew into a scalding pain, and the skin of my hand began melting away.
A cry of pain inadvertently left me, interrupted by pained coughing and sucking in of short breaths between.
_How could I forget to breathe? Hah but that's not the issue._
The magic had already died out; only a faint mist remained in the air, but I didn't care; I was too busy holding my arm and keeping my chest steady—I didn't want to cause any more damage.
Sweat dripped from my brow.
_Just what..._
I sighed, a little disheartened.
_Was it the magic itself? Or was it because I'm actually a demon?_
Standing up, I looked over at Rena.
Her brows were furrowed in her sleep, but she looked much healthier now. The bleeding appeared to have stopped, and she looked more rested than when I had first seen her in the library.
_At least it worked._
_If I could just level up somehow..._
I gripped my arm tightly, as if stopping the blood flow would stop the pain.
My mind wondered, and my eyes drifted.
The lake immediately caught my attention, and I felt the compelling urge to push my hand into its... ice-cold surface.
Carefully, I walked over to it, clunkily kneeling down in the process.
_tsk._
_This damn body and its immobility._
I clicked my tongue in irritation and fumbled about with my other hand, trying to get this heavy armour off my torso.
When it fell away, a soothing comfort washed over me with the cool wind against my skin.
I still had clothes, of course, but they were loose and light.
There were blood stains on the brown shirt, but they didn't seem to be getting any larger.
Relaxing, I arched my back and leaned over the water.
I had raised my hand as well, but froze upon seeing even my vague reflection.
Short, dark-blond hair, and eyes of a similar colour, but not as sharp as I expected.
Before, the only clear thing was his obnoxious voice, so it was quite surprising. I had also expected him to be older.
It wasn't like he was awful to look at, but I felt a little ill seeing it, yet at the same time it was morbidly difficult to look away from, like watching someone die in front of you, or being stuck between awake and asleep, unable to open your eyes.
I forced it and pulled my eyes upward again.
_I haven't even seen my real face yet._
_Am- Am I... actually upset?_
I took a deep breath and clenched my healthy hand.
_If only I were stronger, I wouldn't have come here in the first place; I could have melted her limbs with my darkness and cauterised her wounds with my lightning._
_But I'm too weak._
_Too weak not to listen to Elech's threats._
_Too weak to fight back against that invisible Demon._
_Too weak to melt some container._
_It's like the memory of her blank, dead stare in that crystal is mocking me, but it's all in my head, I know that much._
_I..._
Briefly closing my eyes, I released my breath.
_We need to survive first, then form a proper plan; I have surprise on my side._
_I can't have my body right now, but I can use this one._
_The tips of my fingers caressed the water's surface, and the frigid water nipped at my burns._
Without a second thought, I plunged my hand into its dark depths.
It felt like I had dipped my hand into acid, but that sting was only a flash.
A shaky breath, one full of relief and free of pain, escaped me.
What a soothing chill.
I lost myself in it.
I couldn't help but imagine that this is how a desert would feel if iced water were poured onto it: the saturation and the melding of the sand, the alleviation of the endless dry friction of the ceaseless wind and the scorching sun.
For some reason, that imagery feels so personal to me.
Nostalgic, even...
_Just... who was I before that cave? It feels like a natural question, yet not at the same time._
_I have no memory; I was obviously just born, yet the question feels natural—an obvious one to ask._
_I've been so vigilant; even for the short while at the outpost, I didn't relax, not really._
_Except for right now, in a strange place and in a strange body I don't know, yet conform to with ease and with no practice at all._
I wanted to fall deeper into that distant visage of those grand sandscapes, but the sudden touch of a hand against my shoulder broke me from my inner reverie.
"Did you... Is this because of- because of the Doctrine."
A tired and hesitant voice reached out to my ears and drew me from my introspection; however, the surprise laced in her latter words did not escape my notice.
I was so lost that I didn't even find myself startled.
She could see the burns rising beyond my hand and up my arm. If she can recognise healing magic, then she must have inferred what happened.
_But the Doctrine... There it is again. Does it actually have the power to curse and bind you like this? Are all angels forced down by these principles?_
"I'm not sure. It's the only explanation right now, so you're probably right, Rena."
I spoke sombrely, and when I turned to look at her, it appeared that she had not heard me at all; instead, she was abnormally fixated on my hand.
Until suddenly she wasn't.
Turning further, I watched her quickly dash into an area heavily covered with flora.
_What is she doing?_