A week has passed since my little adventure in the forest, and since then, I haven't done much. Why? Apparently, digging three holes with my bare hands wasn't my best idea. My hands are, at this very moment, completely bandaged, and I won't be able to hold anything for at least another week. Great.
And my right leg, you know, the one I used to block that snake? Yes, the one that attacked me in the forest. I'm sure you remember it. It may not have been able to pierce through my scales, but let's just say a child's body isn't made to withstand heavy impacts. And walking around all day with that heavy basket on my back? Oh yeah, this past week has been just wonderful.
Now I'm sitting in the room, watching Grandma write those same incomprehensible symbols, and that's it. Nothing else. My days have been like this since I returned.
'You know what? It's fine, it's great! Nothing better than staying at home doing nothing!'
I think this while raising my head and crossing my arms.
"You're bored, aren't you?" Still drawing, without looking in my direction, Mama Huiya says in a monotone voice, causing my head to fall onto the table for what's probably the fifth time in the last hour.
"Are you incapable of sitting still for even an hour?"
Not even an hour? Not even an hour?! Sure, sure, I can, no problem... Has it been an hour already? Oh, not even a minute yet?
...
My head falls onto the table again.
"Alright! I'll find something for you to do. Stop looking at me with that horrible face of desperation!"
Yay, I won't die of boredom today!
"Come here, I'll show you how to write a rune."
'A rune? What in the world is a rune?'
Mama Huiya stretches her arm under the table and, after searching for almost a whole minute, finally pulls something out. It looks like just a pile of old papers. When she puts them on the table, I can see something very familiar on them—the same strange drawings she's always making. But these seem different for some reason. I can't quite point out what it is, but something tells me they're more... I don't know, authentic? Are these the runes?
"You must have recognized these symbols after watching me for so long. Yes, these are runes. But no matter how much you watch, it won't help if you don't know what a rune is in the first place."
As if reading my thoughts, she answers my question without me even asking it, not that I could ask in the first place.
"Now pay attention, because I'll only explain this once." She pauses for a moment, thinking about how exactly to begin explaining. "Runes are the most primitive and simple form of magic, in its rawest and most violent form. As such, they are also its most powerful and destructive. In a way, you could say they are the building blocks of our world."
Wow, I didn't understand a single thing. Seriously, what did she just say? It's almost like she spoke in another language. Weird. And it looks like she noticed that too. I wonder what gave me away? Maybe it was my head slightly tilted to the side? Or the blank stare and the drool starting to drip from my mouth? We'll never know.
"This reaction is expected. For a layperson, information about runes will always sound like something from another world. Besides, no one can understand with just a simple explanation. But look on the bright side—you didn't faint after hearing me. So, that's a sign you have some affinity, at least."
Wait, what? I could have fainted just by listening to whatever you said?! And you said it anyway?! There's a limit to how irresponsible a person can be, you crazy old woman!
"Well, as expected, I can't just teach you about them directly."
After saying this she stayed silent for some time, deep in thought probably, or not, you never know with this woman. Does that mean my fate is really to rot in this chair? Waiting for my inevitable end in complete boredom?
"No need to be so dramatic. Fortunately, I know another way to teach you. Follow me outside; I can't do this indoors."
...
This is my first time outside the cabin in a week. It's nice to feel the wind after so long. Right now, I'm standing in the shade of a tree near the house, while Mama Huiya is a little ahead, getting ready to start the lesson.
"Today, I'll show you what a simple rune is and how to activate it, so pay attention."
After saying this, she lifts one of the papers with a symbol drawn on it. The paper itself isn't much bigger than the palm of my hand, so it's not very large. She holds it in front of her face for a second, then throws it forward. For a moment, I thought nothing had happened, until the paper burst into flames and rapidly grew in size, turning into a one-meter-wide fireball, flying off into the distance at surprising speed before extinguishing completely.
"First lesson, to study the runes is to study the world around us, to draw the runes is to draw the world itself"
Wait, what was that? I mean, I've seen mages cast fireballs before. That's normal—hell, it's even expected. Mages love those fireballs for some reason. But this? You need to be an experienced mage to cast something like that, and without any incantation to boot!
I studied a bit about magic a long time ago, and one of the basic concepts of magic is the use of mana! Mana being some kind of energy inside living beings. What mages do is use this energy to influence the world around them. The more mana you have and use, the greater the effect. But to do this, mages need to chant an incantation. Only very powerful mages can cast a spell without an incantation!
"As you can see, to explain it crudely, runes can be used to cast spells when used in a certain way. What I just did was pour my mana into the rune drawn on the paper, provoking its 'Awakening.' In this case, the rune drawn on the paper was the word for 'FIRE,' but the fireball didn't last long because I didn't put in enough mana."
Stop, stop! My head is going to explode if you keep talking like this!
"But you're not able to do that since you can't use your mana yet, so I'll show you another way to do it. Come here."
I quickly get up and leave the shade of the tree, heading over to her. Mama Huiya then grabs another piece of paper, but this time she also grabs something else—a small wooden vial.
"The other method to wake a rune is by feeding it some mana-rich substance. What I have here is a mixture made with the blood of the wood rats you caught. Now, I want you to feel how the energy flows through the rune, so do exactly as I say," she says while passing the paper and the vial into my hands. It's a bit hard to hold, but I eventually manage. I do as she tells me and drop a little of the liquid onto the paper.
'The paper is getting warm.'
"Good. Now that you've woken the rune, throw the paper forward, Phoebe."
...
As if bewitched, I can't take my eyes off the rune, which quickly lights up with a red glow. Even when the paper starts to catch fire and burn my hand, I still can't stop staring.
"Phoebe!"
Suddenly, I feel a hand forcibly take the paper from me, and I see that it was Mama Huiya, who quickly threw it away—just in time, too, as it turned into a giant fireball, much larger than the last one she threw.
"...I didn't expect her affinity to be this high... It seems doing this was a bad idea after all," I hear her mutter something, but I can't quite catch what it is.
"Phoebe! Give me your hand, now!" she commands in a serious voice, and I simply obey. Expecting some kind of punishment for my mistake, I turn my face and close my eyes, waiting for the worst, until I hear her speak again. "You're burned. I'm sorry. I should've been more careful. Even knowing the risks, I still exposed you to danger," she says with a guilty expression.
I open my eyes and turn to look at her, surprised. In the army, I would definitely be punished for something like this. Without thinking much, I run and hug her. It's moments like this when I wish I could say something.
'You didn't do anything wrong.'
"Hm, let's go back inside. I need to treat this wound before it gets infected," she says, hugging me back and wiping my tears. Today was a long day.
.
.
.