Day Fifteen:Magic?
1500 Words
Magic. It was a concept of misdirection, sleight of hand, hidden contraptions, and other tricks used to create the illusion of magic.
To those who had seen magic shows before, magic was something interesting and amazing to watch. John had seen a few magic shows as a kid—the classic rabbit in a hat trick, the flower from a cane, pick-a-card, and many more.
But John had never expected that the rabbit standing before him would be the one performing magic!
The rabbit was supposed to be part of the magic trick, not using magic itself!
“Mahou? No, this is a basic spell called Rock Bullet,” the rabbit corrected. “It’s an Earth-Element type of basic spell,” it added.
Yeah, it’s mahou, John almost said but held his tongue. That term clearly wasn’t universal, he thought.
“...Rock Bullet,” John repeated. “Is that what you used to kill that lone wolf?”
He had seen its power firsthand. John was sure that if the rabbit decided to shoot it at him, he’d be a goner. No joke—it could crush a Night Wolf’s skull with a single shot. As for him? He wasn’t that tough yet!
“Yes, it’s one of my basic spells and the Element I’m most attuned to,” the rabbit nodded. It then lowered its leg/arm, and the rock bullet hovering over its finger disappeared.
Seeing that, John had a thought.
Could I learn it too?
If he could learn that skill, maybe he’d stand a better chance against the monsters outside. But clearly, Rock Bullet alone wasn’t enough. If it were, the rabbit would have already ruled the whole area.
“…The Earth-Element is what I used to leave this area and drag your body here,” the rabbit suddenly said, answering his earlier question. “I dug a tunnel and sealed it using Earth manipulation to prevent the beasts from tracking me. Only then could I leave.”
“I see… then, could I learn that spell as well?” John asked, full of hope.
The rabbit looked at him while sipping from its wooden mug. John, feeling its gaze, didn’t back down. He stared back into the rabbit’s big blue eyes, his gaze sincere and hopeful. After a few minutes, John's eyelids began twitching and his eyes felt dry. Finally, the rabbit lowered its mug, placing it on the clay table.
“Elemental Magic,” it said.
John stayed silent, knowing the rabbit was beginning a lecture. He straightened his back like an obedient, straight-A student and listened.
“There are five main types of basic Elemental Affinity: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Wood. These are also known as the most basic Elements found throughout the world.”
There were also rarer Elements like Light and Darkness, but those who possessed them were considered treasures of their countries. People with Light Affinity were seen as messengers of the gods, while those with Darkness were thought of as Death Incarnate. At least, that’s what most people in the world of Ashura believed.
“There are other types of magic affinities, but I won’t get into that,” the rabbit continued. “I’m proficient in Earth, Wood, and Water. While I can use Fire and Wind, I can only create a flicker of flame or a gust of wind at best.”
The rabbit demonstrated, raising its finger. A small candle-like flame appeared, which was then extinguished by a gust of wind.
John nodded in amazement. They were weak spells, but still, it was magic, and he was eager to learn!
“I’ve shown you my Earth Element. For Wood, I used my ability to hollow out this tree. And for Water, I used it to draw water from the lake for us to drink.”
Hearing this, John tilted his head and asked, “Draw water? Can’t Water-Element magic be used for drinking?”
“No, it can’t,” the rabbit shook its head. It raised its finger again, and in an instant, an outline of a bubble appeared. Slowly, blue lines traced around it—first vertically, then horizontally, then diagonally. The lines converged and interlocked like snakes in a pit. Eventually, waves rippled through the bubble as it condensed into a water ball.
John’s eyes widened as he compared this process to the rabbit’s earlier spells. From the formation of the bubble to the intertwining lines, it was far more complex and much slower. John realized the rabbit was demonstrating the process, but he couldn’t grasp it.
“Magic-created resources aren’t consumable. Otherwise, there would be no wars over resources. People could just produce infinite water, trees, or land. The world would be more peaceful if that were the case,” the rabbit explained.
“But it’s also said that the elements around us—trees, lakes, land, wind—are created by magic,” it added, confusing John further.
“Then… the water we drink is created from magic?” John asked, looking at the mug in his hand, filled with yesterday’s orange liquid.
“In theory, yes. But that contradicts the fact that magic-created resources can’t be consumed. Magic is just energy from the surroundings. It only takes the shape of water when given the corresponding element. If you drink magic-created water, it will revert to energy once it enters your body. It wouldn’t quench your thirst.”
John was about to ask why they could drink lake water and eat fruit from trees if they were created by magic, but the rabbit popped the water ball and continued.
“Don’t overthink it. Even I’m not sure. Just know that magic-created resources don’t last. They eventually return to their original form—mana, the energy bestowed upon Ashura during the Great Cataclysm in exchange for countless lives.”
John nodded. It was easier not to dwell on it.
Satisfied, the rabbit put down its mug and adjusted itself on its clay chair.
“Now, I’ll teach you how to conjure the most basic spell: Rock Bullet.”
John’s eyes widened in excitement. He set down his mug and straightened his back.
“Yes, shisho!”
...
John stared at the ceiling. The more he stared, the more he admired the craftsmanship. The ceiling was top-notch.
It had been five hours since the rabbit said it would teach him how to conjure a Rock Bullet. But within those five hours, the rabbit had given up and gone out to find food.
“You’re hopeless,” it had said after painstakingly trying to teach him.
John was utterly lost.
“Just what kind of language was that?” he thought, recalling the incomprehensible chant the rabbit had given him to recite.
It went something like… @%$#&!^.
What kind of language was that? No matter how many times he tried to pronounce it, nothing happened. He didn’t even feel the mana the rabbit had mentioned. He felt like he was spouting nonsense.
He had asked the rabbit why it needed a chant when it could cast spells without one. The rabbit’s response? “Skill issue.”
Indeed, John was a beginner. He didn’t even know how to pronounce the words correctly, much less cast without chanting.
Dejected, John stared at the ceiling, hoping for inspiration. He had recited the words so many times, but the more he said them, the more they slipped from his memory. It was like a forgetful spell in itself.
“I should ask the rabbit to write it down,” John thought. Little did he realize, he couldn’t even read Ashuran, let alone pronounce it.
For a while longer, John lay there, eyes closed, replaying the rabbit’s spells in his mind—the Rock Bullet, the Candle Flame, the Gust of Wind, and especially that Water Ball. He felt that if he could understand how the rabbit conjured that water ball, maybe he could cast a spell too?
He remembered the water ball didn’t appear immediately. It underwent several changes before forming. Could it be, just as the rabbit had said, that it was formed from energy—mana?
John knew from the stories he had read that mana could be used for casting spells, empowering the body, or even summoning beings. But how does one feel mana? How can one grasp it?
He focused inward, trying to sense something unusual, something that wasn’t there before. From the soles of his feet to the top of his head, he concentrated.
Once... twice…
John lost track of time. Night had fallen without him realizing it.
The rabbit returned, but seeing him in deep concentration, it didn’t disturb him. It glanced at John, then quietly turned in for the night without eating.
As dawn broke, sunlight filtered through the foliage above, casting soft beams of light on the room. At that moment, John’s eyes shot open.
And in that moment, an onyx glimmer appeared in his hazel eyes.
“…I’ve felt it.”
- Writer
