Arata didn't walk home; he dragged himself.
The Four Maze Grimoire weighed fifty-four pounds—Arata knew this because his mind had calculated the tension in his shoulder muscles.
The iron strap he made to carry it dug into his skin. The physical pain was nothing compared to the mental stress.
"Hey Zero-Star! Don't trip over your uselessness!" some boys shouted from a tavern balcony.
Arata ignored them his eyes on the cobblestones. Every stone he stepped on sent information into his mind.
The stones were 400 years old. They were made of Basalt. They took 0.002% of his magic per hour.
He reached the forge. Fell against the door. His nose was bleeding—a dark trickle.
This was the problem of having the "Calculation Mind" linked to magic.
His brain was processing data fast for his body.
Master Vahn ran out his face worried. He didn't ask about the book. He saw the blood and the violet shine in Aratas eyes. "Inside. Now."
Vahn locked the door. Helped Arata onto a bench. He looked at the iron book.
"It's a 'Hungry One' isn't it? I've heard stories of books that don't give power but take it " he said.
"It's not taking magic Master " Arata said, holding his head. "It's taking... Everything.
It's showing me the lines. The sky is full of strings Master.
They're pulling the heat out of the forge. They're pulling the life out of the trees."
Vahn went pale. He grabbed a heavy leather cloak. Threw it over the iron book.
"Don't ever say that loud. If some people hear you talking about the 'Strings' they won't just call you a Zero-Star.
They'll burn you as a Heretic " he warned.
Arata tried to stand. His legs gave out. He felt a scary sensation—as if time had slowed down.
For a moment he saw Master Vahn moving slowly the dust in the air frozen.
Then reality went back to normal and Arata vomited on the floor.
[ERROR: MAGIC-TIME DISTORTION DETECTED.]
[PENALTY: SENSORY PARALYSIS. 10 MINUTES.]
Arata lay on the floor unable to move.
He could. Hear, but his body wasn't working.
He realized then that magic wasn't a gift. It was a force that hurt.
It was the "Source Code,". His human brain was a simple machine trying to run a big program.
"I have to go " Arata whispered. "If I stay here... I'll break the forge. I'll break you."
Vahn sighed, looking at Arata.
"I know. The Maze Kingdom is, like a garden, Arata.
Some people only want flowers that grow in straight lines.
You... You're a forest fire. You need to go to the Ashen Gorge."