"Why don't you change your mana to netherane? If your talent is connected to darkness, that is a good choice."
Templeton's words thrummed in Finn's head as he walked to the dormitories.
"Netherane, huh? In my previous life, I didn't have to change my mana property because my core formation technique had the fundamental principle ingrained in it, but since I screwed it up this time..."
Netherane, a change in mana property. This was a method dark magicians adopted to perform dark magic.
Just like mages, martial artists too adopted netherane. They were referred to as those who follow the path of the demon.
Finn had started gaining pieces of his past life, the effects of the regression had started taking effect.
At least I can recall some things, Finn thought as he entered his room. The room was large, but simple. It consisted of a living room with furniture and a dining table.
To the left he noticed a bathroom, Better clean up.
Finn took off his clothes and wrapped his waist in a towel as he entered the bathroom. The walls were polished blackstone, while the bathtub and other hardware were white, striking a majestic appearance.
"Netherane..." Finn muttered as he walked towards the bathtub. Upon reaching the shower, he noticed the dial had two colours on the control panel behind it, red and blue. Finn took off his towel and hung it on the wall anchor.
"Red must be hot and blue must be cold. While cold baths are good I just want to enjoy this," Finn said and turned it to the red side.
The shower turned on as water started pouring in, steam covering the room.
"Should I do it?"
Netherane would actually benefit me more.
He started wiping the sweat and grime that had accumulated after walking around the busy streets.
"Wonder what the old man's doing. I want to know more about him."
Finn wiped himself as he walked out, covering himself.
"I should write down the things I remember, especially that hologram, wonder what that was?"
He took out a ring he had placed atop a table earlier and wore it in his right index finger. A t-shirt and a trouser manifests atop his hands.
He changes into his new clothes, "I love the fresh smell of clothes. Buying clothes really was exhausting, by the time we finished it was already dark."
GROWL
"Thankfully he got me some food before leaving," Finn said as he tapped on his ring twice and a brown package manifested.
...
After the meal, Finn sat down in the center of the living room, and positioned himself, preparing for meditation.
"Alright, I've decided. Netherane it is."
_________________________
"Are you happy?" The Count asked, looking at Jack who was laying in a bed, one bigger than the one in his cabin.
"A little," Jack said.
"I see."
"Elias has grown, he looks a lot like his mother."
"That bitch?"
"Hey!"
Jack was particularly sensitive to few words, it could be a simple reason, maybe because the words simply aren't pleasant to listen to.
"I'm not apologizing. I do have a question." the Count pressed.
Jack nodded, "Ask away."
"Why didn't you fight like you usually did?"
"Huh?"
"Against the knight, why didn't you go all out?"
"I didn't want to join... I wanted to lose but..."
"Is it because of that woman, Shia?"
I've never seen a mage who values life besides him."
"She was just like him, wasn't she? Clingy."
"She sure was, everything about her reminds me of him," Jack spoke, his voice dropping.
"So, why?"
"Why?"
"Why didn't you fight like you usually do?"
"Like I said."
"That's not the truth."
"Why do you think that?"
"You were giving it your all, but if you had fought like you usually did you could have put up a much better fight."
"Was my performance that bad?" Jack asked sheepishly.
"It was beyond bad, utterly unimpressive."
"Hey now, that's a bit harsh."
"You were out of mana before you knew it," the Count replied as he floated around the room.
"Yes, that method of fighting was inefficient, but I did put up a fight."
"You think so?"
"No."
"Yes. If the knight had been serious, he could have taken you down pretty fast, and for a fact that he was toying with you since the beginning."
"He was holding back so I wouldn't get hurt."
"If you knew, you should have fought better," the Count spoke, his smooth voice tinted with dissatisfaction.
"I'm sorry, can you forgive me this time?"
"I can, but I don't think he will."
"Brother?"
"You know how he can be."
"He's younger than me."
"He's stronger than you."
"Is he?"
"Are you that strong?"
"I can be."
"You sure?"
"Mm, Yes?"
"Are you feeling better?" The Count asked, concerned for him.
"I'm alright, it felt good to finally see him."
"The truth," the Count demanded.
"Actually, no. I feel terrible," Jack replied, his eyes revealing great sadness. "I never realised I hurt Hailee like that."
"Had you stayed and fought for yourself, maybe you could have won and not let anyone down."
"I... wanted to leave that life behind. I thought I could—"
The Count continued, "live peacefully?"
"Yes. Maybe after everything that's happened, just maybe I could take a break."
"It seems the universe had other plans."
"And I saw the chance I had for a peaceful life back then," Jack replied, his eyes filling up.
"You thought you could use it as an excuse to run away."
"I did, and I regret my choices."
"Is regretting going to change anything?"
"No."
"Then, will you promise to never run away, never hold back," the Count said, his hand extended towards Jack, and slid his finger across his forehead.
"I... can't promise anything, but I will try my best not to," Jack said.
"That's better, now cheer up. You're a professor at the greatest academy ever."
"But will I be alright?"
"Teaching is easy, I've had a few disciples of my own. They were a handful but I managed."
"I still don't know anything about you."
"Maybe for the best."
"No," cough cough, Jack slowly stood up and walked towards the sink.
Cough cough
Upon reaching the sink he bent over and vomited a large puddle of dark blood, painting the sink deep red as it splattered.
He turned on the tap and cupped his hands to take a small amount of water and washed his mouth.
He then used his hand to guide the water and wash the blood off the sink.
"The symptoms are less than usual, right?" The Count asked, used to the sight.
"The blood has gotten clearer than before," Jack replied, his voice raspy.
"Why don't you sleep. Today was tiring compared to chopping wood, right?"
"Yes, it was."
_________________________
"Woah! How did you do that sister?" Gabriel said, his eyes bulging out.
"I don't know."
"A perfect... synthesis..." Wyge exclaimed.
...
Daniela wiggled around her bed, unable to sleep as memories of the day flashed through her mind. That... I never thought it would work, but now that it did... I wonder what sort of changes would happen.
"Synthesis, I never thought I'd be able to pull it off with my level of understanding."
Daniela who has never practiced magic, had a brain that was not used to the heavy strains of using magic, yet after Rose took over such a problem seemed to have disappeared. Why?
School starts next week. Can't believe it, me as an adult is about to go back to school. Where did things take such a turn?
"I can't stay cooped up here, I think I'll check out the city, after all Rubinos is most beautiful at night," Daniela got up, walking towards her wardrobe.
"I can't exit the palace the normal way, and from what I figured my room is at the west side. I can exit through the sewers, but... beggars can't be choosers."
...
"When can I meet you?" Wyge asked. She was standing on a rooftop balcony at the castle.
"Tonight. Come to the spot we always meet at," a voice came from Wyge's Vördr. The voice was that of a young girl's.
"Alright," Wyge replied as she tapped on her Vördr. "Time for a stretch."
...
Daniela pulled on a boot and a dark cloak from her wardrobe. She had to be discreet, and just like in movies and novels the dark cloak worked the best in sneaking out at night.
Alright, let's do this.
Daniela pushed open her door slowly, trying not to make any sort of sound. She walked through the large hallway lit up in a golden glow.
The hallway was just like how the rest of the palace was, beautifully polished marble floors, the otherwise plain walls decorated with golden accents and lined with polished wood for the elegant finish.
My room is in the west wing. Now if I want to exit the palace at night, I can do it the normal way since the regulations are such that no one unless they have permission could leave at night, and this applies to even us, the children of the emperor.
Daniela paused in front of the stairs, I hope I won't get in trouble.
She walked down, taking each step with precision, her boots pressing against the carpeted stairs.
"Ooh, it's chilly tonight," one of the knights who was passing by on the lower floor muttered.
Oh, shit the guards, Daniela took a step back, her heart almost skipping a beat.
The other knight who was with him replied, "I want to sleep already, besides why am I working the night shift? Nick promised to cover for me."
"Nick? You really believe him," the first knight added. "Pretty sure he is out in his usual spot."
"Steam pot?"
Steam pot? Isn't that the name of that bar? Daniela thought, as she withdrew a bit more but not enough to miss out on the conversation between the two.
"Where else? Though I'm not sure what he does there," the knight said.
The second knight added, "Isn't it obvious, women."
"Really? If he wanted, there are plenty of maids here. Why go there?"
"I don't know and I don't care, I just want to end this," the knights continued as they walked off past the stairs, and Daniela stepped down.
I can't exit through the stairs, should I jump out?
Daniela stood there thinking, unsure of what to do. The thought had crossed her mind a few times.
The palace is twenty stories high, and my residence is the west wing. I want to go to the south side, where there is an unused sewer, but how do I get down?
"Air, vibrate, move and float, I command the wind to aid me," Daniela chanted, the air around her shimmering before the air twisted and turned around her in small gusts, disappearing after a second.
"Hey, that worked?! I guess I'll jump," Daniela sighed in relief. 'I'm here on the sixteenth floor, and I shouldn't take any damage if I can pull this off.'
She walked down the stairs, and pushed open the windows after pulling up the restraint. She climbed over and braced herself for the fall.
Handsigns, what should I use? Should I use one of harmony? Fuck that. Let's go for power, Daniela bent the ring finger on her left hand. This should do it.
"Air, vibrate, move and float, I command the wind to aid me," Daniela chanted as she jumped. The wind swirled around her, powerful enough to slow her descent.
"This feels great," Daniela said as she felt the wind around rotating at great speed, slowing her fall.
She decides to look down, but a large tree, with crimson leaves, stood out brightened by the moonlight.
"Fuck! A tree! If I hit the leaves I'll lose balance and fall, no let's not panic. Since the tree isn't that tall I'll do this."
"Water, flow and deafen the censure ahead of me: Aqua guard," Daniela finished the incantation, the wind around her replaced by water swirling in a small vortex.
But her body falls faster now that the wind wasn't stopping the fall. She fell straight through the tree and crashed into the grassy floor.
"Ouch," Daniela dusted herself as she stood up, a small shift in the grass where Daniela fell. "I activated two spells I never used, I'm awesome."
Because I had memories of having read the spells, I was able to use them. Is this how overpowered protagonists always feel?
"Hey what was that, did you hear something?" the voice came from two knights who were patrolling.
"Shit," Daniela scrambled around.
"I think it came from here," one of the knights pointed towards where Daniela had fallen earlier.
RUSTLE RUSTLE
"This is..." the knight paused.
"Yes, it's one of those huge rats, they've been digging up the garden, and falling, damaging the ground," the other knight completed.
"Hans already filed a complaint but I guess the administration is too busy dealing with other things," the knights walked off.
"Phew, I can't believe I got off easy," Daniela sighed in relief.
She got up and started walking. I guess I should just stick to dark patches of shadows and I'll blend in.
Daniela continued through the palace gardens all the way holding close to the castle walls so as not to lose her way.
This castle is so fricking huge, if I hadn't gotten her memories I would have been screwed.
"Ha, I finally reached the sewers."
_________________________