The smell of rain and damp earth filled Lyonel's nose as he crept through the edge of the woods behind the Vance estate.
It had been three days since Seraphina's visit—three days of her sending him notes hidden in books her servants delivered, asking questions about runes and aether patterns.
Today, she'd slipped him a message written in hurried script: "Meet me at the old grove by the creek. They say it's cursed—I need your eyes to see why."
"Cursed groves," Lyonel muttered to himself, ducking under a low-hanging branch. "In my past life, 'cursed' just meant 'needs better drainage and pest control.' Though Aether Logic's already flagging something weird."
"Scan complete," the voice in his mind chimed in. "Abnormal aether density detected—corrupted pattern matching early Void Rot symptoms. Suggest caution: area has drained magic from all living things for decades."
Lyonel pulled his small pack tighter—it held his stone carving tools, a few pieces of treated wood, and a water skin Seraphina had insisted he bring. "Thanks for the heads-up. Let's just hope 'cursed' doesn't mean 'giant monster that breathes purple fire.' I haven't figured out how to make a fireproof rubber duck yet."
The grove opened up before him like a gaping mouth—tall trees with gray, leafless branches twisted into unnatural shapes, and the creek that ran through it was still and dark as oil. Seraphina was already there, pacing near the water's edge, her copper hair tied back in a messy braid.
"You're late," she said, but there was no bite to her words. Her green eyes were wide with worry as she gestured at the trees. "Look—nothing grows here. My father says it's been this way since before he was born. Mages who've tried to fix it either lose their magic or get sick."
Lyonel knelt by the creek, dipping his finger into the water. It was cold, and when he pulled his hand out, a faint black tinge lingered on his skin.
"Analysis: Water contains corrupted aether particles," Aether Logic reported.
"Not enough to harm a Nullborn, but dangerous for those with innate affinity. Source appears to be a cluster of corrupted runes at the grove's center."
"Corrupted runes," Lyonel said aloud, standing up and wiping his hand on his pants.
"So it's not cursed—it's broken. Like a computer with a virus."
"A what?" Seraphina frowned.
"Ancient terminology," he said with a grin. "Basically, someone messed up a weave a long time ago, and it's been spreading bad code ever since."
He started walking toward the grove's center, ducking under twisted branches. "Come on—but stay behind me. Your magic might make it worse."
Seraphina followed close behind, her hands glowing with a faint protective light. "What if something attacks us?"
"Then I'll throw my wooden toys at it," Lyonel shot back, then paused and turned to her with a serious look. "Actually—if anything happens, run. My Nullborn status means the corruption can't hurt me like it can you. I'll be fine."
She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it, nodding slowly. "You're weird, Lyonel Vance."
"Weird is my superpower," he said, pushing through the last of the twisted branches to reach the grove's heart.
In the center stood a large stone altar, covered in faded runes that pulsed with a sickly purple light. Black vines crawled up its sides, and the ground around it was cracked and barren.
"Full scan initiated," Aether Logic said. "Rune pattern identified—ancient life-blessing weave, but modified with void-aligned symbols. Likely an attempt to amplify power that backfired."
Lyonel pulled out his stone stylus and a piece of purified wood. "So we just need to rewrite the code. Er—fix the runes."
"Warning: Attempting to modify corrupted runes may trigger a surge of energy."
"Good thing I brought a surge protector," Lyonel muttered, then called out to Seraphina. "Hey—stand back about ten feet and make yourself a water shield. Just in case things get… sparky."
He knelt before the altar, tracing the original runes with his finger. The pattern was familiar—similar to the ones in The Weaving Codex, but twisted into something dark.
With careful precision, he began carving new runes over the corrupted ones, silver light spreading from his stylus as he worked.
"Think of it like untangling a knot," he said, his voice calm and focused despite the purple light flaring brighter. "You don't pull harder—you find the loose end and work it free."
As the last rune fell into place, the altar shuddered. Black smoke billowed up, and the ground shook beneath their feet.
Seraphina cried out, raising her water shield as a wave of corrupted aether surged outward.
Lyonel stood his ground, his golden eyes glowing bright as he held up the piece of wood he'd carved. "Aether Logic—redirect surge to purification weave!"
The silver light from his carving flared into a brilliant white, wrapping around the altar like a cocoon. The black smoke dissipated, the purple glow faded, and slowly but surely, green shoots began to push through the cracked earth.
By the time the light died down, the grove looked like a different place—pale green leaves were budding on the trees, and the creek ran clear and bright once more. Seraphina walked over slowly, her eyes wide with wonder as she touched a newly sprouted fern.
"You did it," she breathed. "You fixedit."
"We fixed it," Lyonel corrected, grinning as he brushed dirt off his knees. "Your water shield kept the surge from spreading too far. Plus, you were the one brave enough to come here in the first place."
He pulled a small carved object from his pocket—a tiny wooden duck with a rune on its wing that glowed faintly.
"For you. It's a 'Calm Current' weave—keeps water clean and steady. Think of it as a thank-you for trusting the weird Nullborn kid."
Seraphina took it carefully, a wide smile spreading across her face.
"I'm going to ask my father if I can visit more often. I have so many questions about runes—and about your 'ancient terminology.'"
"Just be warned," Lyonel said as they started walking back toward the estate.
"My ancient terminology includes things like 'why did they ever think pointy shoes were a good idea' and 'the best way to organize books is by color, fight me.'"
"You're ridiculous," Seraphina laughed—a real, full laugh that echoed through the now-living grove.
"Ridiculous and effective," Lyonel shot back, then paused as Aether Logic spoke up again.
"New pattern detected: Multiple beastkin signatures approaching the grove. Non-hostile—likely drawn to restored aether flow."
Lyonel grinned, looking toward the woods where rustling leaves signaled movement. "Looks like our work's already attracting attention. Let's just hope they're friendlier than giant purple fire-breathing monsters."
"You're not serious about the monsters, are you?" Seraphina asked, though she was smiling.
"Never say never," Lyonel said with a wink. "But if they do show up—I've already got a plan. We'll just tell them rubber ducks are sacred. Works every time."