"Alright, north to the fort, then east to the bridge, and from there south to the ruins."
At least, that's what the witch told me.
I made my way to some ruins, where I was met by soldiers and even a couple of mages. And those bastards caught me off guard. Before I could even notice them or summon my powers, they attacked. Only at the last moment did a crystalline chime cut through my hearing, and in the next instant, glowing shards pierced my body.
It was only after I rewound time that I realized where the attack had originated.
At the very top of the ruins, on two separate fragments of Farron-Azul, stood emaciated men with zombie-like expressions, dressed in garments long faded to gray. And they were attacking from hundreds of meters away with the precision of seasoned snipers! While ordinary soldiers hadn't even spotted me yet, these guys not only saw me but attacked without hesitation.
And when I tried to step aside, the projectile changed its course. These magical missiles had homing abilities! Still, their turns were sluggish enough that a last-moment sidestep during slowed time let me dodge the attacks.
"Well, you started this! Be proud of yourselves, scum."
Honestly, I just wanted to try out this little trick.
From the amulet around my neck, sand poured out, splitting into several streams and forming golden funnels. Moments later, four spiraling spears shot toward the first mage. None hit, of course… but more spears shot from the funnels.
"Damn it…"
Out of nearly twenty spears, not a single one found its mark. The mage looked around, stunned, as some spears lodged themselves in the stone debris. With a sigh, I rewound time, the spears vanishing into the portals and returning to my world. Then, slowing time, I approached my enemies the old-fashioned way—hand-to-hand combat.
I cleared the lower part of the ruins, dealing with the soldiers, before somehow climbing onto a fragment where one of the mages had taken cover.
But instead of killing him, I snatched his staff.
And I started time again.
"Let's talk."
"Eeeeeaaah!" the mage groaned, lunging at me with his hands.
At that moment, the second mage fired a shard of light from his staff. I watched in shock as it struck the first mage, who was standing in the line of fire, embedding itself in his back. The hit sent the sorcerer sprawling before me.
"Huh…"
It seemed these guys, though magical, weren't exactly clever. In the end, I had no choice but to finish him off. After clearing the enemies, I began carefully inspecting the ruins for the elusive sorceress. I found a decent two-handed sword, much more manageable than the massive weapons of the local brutes. Thanks to Melina, I had truly grown stronger. Wandering the desert had improved my physical condition, too.
I also gathered the soldiers' and mages' swords and spears. By evening, I climbed again onto the fragments of Farron-Azul, where the mages had attacked me, and found a stack of scrolls near one of them.
"Hmm… this looks like… exactly…"
Unrolling a scroll, I discovered an intricate diagram on dark-blue parchment, covered with annotations. It reminded me of the magic the attacking mages had used: just before casting, a strange pattern would flare at the tip of their staff. Though different from the scroll's drawing, the style was unmistakably similar—a magical sigil necessary to channel their spells.
Great. I hadn't found the sorceress-instructor yet, but I had found magical scrolls, which I now didn't know what to do with.
I returned to my world to rest, then decided to switch activities and resumed studying literacy.
Honestly, I had grown fond of Fiia's gentle touch and her attitude. She truly seemed happy whenever I came back for more lessons and embraces. Soon, we set aside the primer and tackled more complex histories of Elden. It was useful for my general education, helping me understand the world I had entered.
"So… this has been going on for hundreds of years?" I asked in surprise.
Kale had mentioned something similar, but based on conversations with others, I'd assumed the fall of the Ring and the war between Marika's heirs had been recent. In reality, it had been over a century ago, and since then, the world had slowly decayed, rotting from within.
But that wasn't all.
During another visit to the fortress, I encountered a man in strange armor resting in a chair, a golden sword laid across the table.
"Oh, a new soul," he remarked, eyeing me carefully.
His armor looked as if two people had been fused together.
"My name is Chrono. I just arrived here," I replied.
The warrior studied me. I did look rather unremarkable: simple clothes like a commoner, a bannered cloak. Only the amulet around my neck and a golden dagger at my belt stood out.
"I'm Di, a hunter of the living dead," he introduced himself.
I pictured a gaunt, pale face beneath the gilded mask, but it turned out to be a brimmed hat instead.
"Living dead?"
"These restless souls succumbed to corruption and rose from their graves, desecrating the Golden Order. My duty is to end their existence. But you… beware the living dead. They are not easy to handle."
"I've already encountered a few," I said.
"Really?" Di's surprise was evident.
"Godric's soldiers and the enhanced spawn."
"Oh… haha…" he laughed suddenly. "Desolate souls, yes, in a way, they're like the undead. But no, I wasn't referring to them."
"Then I haven't met these undead yet. Who are they? What do they look like?"
"Hmm… corrupted souls, masters of bones. Walking skeletons near their graves."
"This world really is going mad," I muttered, shaking my head.
"For a long time," Di sighed. "And if you must face the dead, remember: the only way to lay them to rest is to sever the root of death."
"The root of death? What's that?"
"A desecrated part of the Great Tree… these cursed undead violate it, breaking the Law."
"Understood. I'll keep that in mind."
I became curious to see these risen dead.
Still, my goal remained: to find the sorceress who could teach me local magic. Returning to the path, I found previously defeated soldiers and mages among the ruins—though now they carried no weapons, just crude clubs or old daggers. Only the mages still had their staffs. I had forgotten about those last time.
"Hmm…"
I decided to engage the soldiers again. But this time, there was an opportunity to test the spirits. I felt a certain presence. Indeed, when I held the box of ashes, I could sense the spirits. The bell the witch had given me summoned them. Three large wolves formed from silvery light.
"Alright, guys, help me deal with these pests."
One wolf snorted, then all three lowered their heads and charged toward the ruins. They clearly knew what to do. Soon, shouts of anger rang out as soldiers were assaulted by the summoned creatures. I, meanwhile, dealt with the mages, taking their staffs as before.
Afterwards, I experimented a little with one of the magical staffs.
"Whoa…"
I managed to draw a bright blue light from the crystal tip. Though I knew no spells, the experience with the sands of time seemed to help me manipulate mystical forces. I was determined to study the local schools of magic.
The wolves soon vanished, returning to ashes. I summoned Flow and explored the surroundings.
"Who's this?"
I discovered strange, hairy goblin-like creatures. Aggressive, they increased my stock of runes. And for eliminating soldiers again, I gained a few more runes, though less than the first time.
I had to veer off the path for a procession. Two ugly giants dragged a black carriage, chained by spikes to their bodies, followed by mounted knights and ordinary soldiers. Exhausted, zombie-like men closed the procession.
"Let's see…"
Despite their numbers, they were no real challenge. Even the giants weren't a problem; I simply pierced them with spiral spears, gaining the most runes for it. In the carriage, I found a large axe, presumably a relic, which I took, though unwieldy.
I continued onward, spending another day until reaching a bridge guarded by soldiers.
"This is a different bridge… Renna never mentioned it…"
Perhaps I missed the ruins. Worse would be if the witch had deceived me and laughed at my search. If that's the case, I'd find her and—well, I needed to calm that persistent frustration.
I retraced the route, visiting the site of grace at the bridge, asking Melina to enhance my stats. I only had enough runes to increase endurance—less fatigue on the journey.
Another night passed, and I resumed the path. Soldiers were there again, and I tested a homemade grenade from Kale.
"Wow!"
It exceeded expectations, exploding into fire, turning a soldier to charred pulp and scorching two more. I didn't even need to slow time. Both were disoriented and easy to finish off.
Continuing on, I soon stumbled upon more ruins with fragments of Farron-Azul—and was attacked again.
I hadn't expected the peculiar flowers to animate and spit poisonous spores! I inhaled enough to vomit blood seconds later. Not wanting to experience the poisoning, I rewound time, slowed it, and moved through the ruins faster than the flowers could react.
"It must be here somewhere," I whispered, finding a descent into the dungeon.
Even on the stairs, the presence of wolf spirits intensified. A boundary between the real and the mystical thinned. Then came an unpleasant scraping sound, revealing its source: a hulking brute with a massive flail, wearing a terrifying pot on his head.
"GHRR!" he roared, turning sharply.
Behind him, a familiar-style door appeared—the same as in the crypt. Surely, this might be where the sorceress hid.
"Hey, can you tell the witch I just want…"
The brute lunged, silencing me. He intended to crush me. Slowing time, I sidestepped and drove a dagger deep into his back, striking repeatedly, finally rewinding time again.
The monster groaned, staggering, its helmet toppling as it fell. But it tried to rise again, bleeding.
"Persistent," I muttered, summoning a spear.
Its blows were heavy, and I marveled at how it flinched at my strikes. Melina's help had amplified my strength far beyond what I had known on Earth.
Another brute fell. I considered using a heavier weapon, maybe the two-handed sword or the carriage axe, to finish faster.
When the brute turned to dust, rays of light coalesced in the stone hall, forming a new site of grace. The subtle glimmer I'd overlooked before now shone fully.
Activating the site, I pushed open a door. It moved easily once halfway raised. Inside, the room glittered with shards of luminous stones. Bookshelves lined the walls, though many books were missing. At the center stood a desk, behind which a strange woman in a blue robe crossed her arms. Her mask resembled a stone head crowned with glowing gems.
"Oh, you found me, dim one," she said, voice pleasant. "What brings you to my abode?"
"Ahem…" I coughed awkwardly. "Perhaps I was looking for you. Forgive me for… handling your guard roughly, but negotiation failed."
"Haha… I understand. That warrior had long since lost his mind. I bear you no ill will."
"Very well…"
"So you seek me? How did you know where I hid? Are you a witch hunter?"
Though calm, her voice carried a trace of fear—she truly feared me.
"What? No! I don't even know your name. A witch recently told me to find you if I wanted to learn magic."
"Oh… a student, then?" she mused. "And this witch?"
"She called herself Renna."
"Hmm… the old Snow Witch of the Three Sisters? I didn't know she lived. Her magic… I know little, perhaps she has her own methods. So you need a teacher, yes?"
"Yes. I recently arrived in the Interworld. My homeland… does not practice magic, which makes it fascinating."
She rubbed her stone-like chin.
"Alright… if you have even a little talent, I could teach you the magic of the gleaming stones. But did Renna tell you why I hide here, not at the Academy?"
"Uh… no…"
"I was expelled for studying forbidden magic. Still want to learn?"
"Yes!" I replied immediately, though perhaps caution was wise.
"Haha… fine. My name is Sellena, and if that is your wish, from this hour, you are my pupil."
"My name is Chrono," I introduced myself.
"Good, Chrono."
She agreed to take me as her student just like that. Renna hadn't lied. Sellena moved to a shelf, fetching a book.
"Can you read, Chrono?"
"I was just taught literacy, so I might not be perfect, but I learn quickly."
"Hmm, alright. First, we'll test your potential. Take one of these stones from the floor."
I obeyed. The crystal pulsed faintly blue at my touch.
"Interesting… the stone's power resonates with your soul. A good sign."
"So I can learn magic?"
"Yes, most likely." She nodded. "Now try to draw power from it… imagine taking the light from it…"
I focused, making the stone glow brighter, as with the mage's staff. A ball of light formed in my hand, a tangible lump of energy. If my will had a shape, it would appear as a hand gripping the blue spark.
"Excellent!" Sellena exclaimed. "You have talent. Learning will be easy. You should grasp the basics quickly."
Unlike time sands, this light didn't obey me, yet I could interact with mystical forces. That small success thrilled me more than mastering temporal powers.
"Now, you must learn to use stones, the so-called 'false spells.' In Liurnia, ordinary soldiers without talent use them. This will help you feel the power of gleaming stones before progressing."
She showed me various magical crystals.
"They're easy to craft, though materials are found in Lake Liurnia, not here. Breaking a crystal creates a false spell, shooting several charges at a target. Targeting isn't hard, aided by experience with time sands. But controlling the stones is trickier; they are neutral and need a push."
"So I link my will to the stone, directing my intent?" I asked.
"Exactly," she said, blending theory and practice. By evening, I could cast false spells from crystals, beginning to understand local magic's essence.
"Magic is like prayer," she explained. "Clerics draw from external gods, we draw from the stars. Prayers carry external will; mages share their own will with stellar power."
"So magic is more flexible?" I asked.
"Yes!" she confirmed. "You can shape and alter it, while prayers depend on a god's will."
"And are there many gods?"
"Hmm… external powers, I don't know their names or numbers. I can tell you about earthly gods before Marika."
"Please."
"Many names are lost. The giant god had one eye, slain by Marika, leaving only an undying flame that even the Outer Will couldn't extinguish."
"And now?"
"In the snow valleys, guarded by one of the last giants. A cursed titan, Marika ensures none reach the forge."
"I saw giants nearby… are they—"
"No. Trolls," she said with a tone of condescending amusement. "Foolish, conquered folk of the Golden Order."
"Understood…"
"Another god governs mages—the Lord of Stones, creator of the Crystallians."
"But you…"
"No, we do not worship him. The Crystallians taught Liurnians their crystal magic. Gleaming stone magic imitates the primordial crystal magic."
So magic, to some extent, originates from the gods.
"And the Crystallians?"
"A nearly extinct people… we'll discuss them later."
Today, Sellena told me of gods lost to history, even a nameless god of rot, imprisoned somewhere, and possibly tied to the red rot that Malenia spread centuries later. She mentioned a deathbird of necromancy and a black-eyed queen opposing other gods.
"Enough for today, student," Sellena sighed. "You endured my teaching well. Haha, I need rest."
"Very well," I nodded. "When should I return for the next lesson?"
"Come in the morning."
"As you say."
For now, I continued my reading lessons at the Round Table Fortress.