Chapter 174. Natural Rune

[Mana Pool: 10023/10023]

[You have reached Second Circle!]

Adom stared at the notification floating in his vision, blinking slowly.

Just like that?

...Well, it wasn't exactly "just like that." He'd just experienced pain in a way he hadn't since gaining [Primordial Body], which was saying something. But still. Second Circle. After years of careful advancement and measured progress, he'd apparently gained a new circle because some alien voices had burned runes into his back.

The mana pool increase was substantial too. He'd been sitting at around eight thousand for months, and now he was over ten thousand. That was the kind of jump that usually took years of dedicated meditation and core refinement.

Magic was definitely weird sometimes.

"Are you injured? Should I fetch Maria? Or maybe we should return home immediately and—"

"Bennu." Adom held up a hand, still processing what he was seeing. "I'm okay. Just... give me a moment."

He pushed himself to his feet, brushing sand off his knees. Everything felt different. Not dramatically so, but like someone had taken a musical instrument he'd been playing for years and retuned every string. His balance was better. His awareness sharper. Even the way air moved across his skin felt more vivid.

And inside his chest, something was definitely not the same as it had been five minutes ago.

"You are making that face again," Bennu said, hovering nearby with concern. "The face you make when you are thinking very hard about magical theory."

"Because I am thinking very hard about magical theory." Adom closed his eyes and turned his attention inward, focusing on his Axis core the way he'd done thousands of times before. "And what I'm seeing doesn't make sense."

What he found there made him forget to breathe.

His core had transformed entirely.

Where before it had been a sphere with a single ring rotating around it—the mark of First Circle—now there were two rings. The new one was smaller, spinning in the opposite direction, and where the two rings intersected, tiny sparks of energy jumped between them like miniature lightning.

But more than that, the core itself looked different. More complex. Like a heart, with chambers and pathways that channeled energy in ways his old core never could have managed. The central sphere pulsed rhythmically, pumping both mana and Fluid through his body without any conscious effort on his part.

It was beautiful. It was also completely unprecedented.

"This is incredible," he murmured.

"What is incredible?" Bennu asked, settling onto the sand beside him. "You are sitting very still and your breathing changed."

"My core. It's completely different now. The second ring formed, but it's not just sitting there like a static enhancement. It's actually working in conjunction with the first one."

Adom watched in fascination as his mana channels expanded in real time. The pathways that carried magical energy through his body were growing wider, more efficient, branching into new configurations he'd never seen before. Like his circulatory system was being upgraded while he observed.

The old system had been simple. His Axis core produced energy, and he consciously directed that energy into either mana for spellcasting or Fluid for physical enhancement. It required focus, meditation, deliberate control.

This new system was running itself.

Mana flowed through dedicated channels, ready to be shaped into spells at a moment's notice. Fluid moved through separate pathways, continuously strengthening his muscles and reinforcing his bones. And somehow, his core was managing both processes simultaneously while also drawing in ambient mana from the environment.

"Hold on, let me test something."

Adom raised his hand and weaved [Wind], a simple spell he'd used countless times. A gentle breeze stirred the sand around them, carrying the salt scent of the ocean.

[-3 Mana]

The notification appeared and disappeared almost instantly, replaced by another.

[+3 Mana]

Eight seconds. It had taken less than eight seconds for his core to absorb ambient mana from the environment and replenish what he'd used. Without any meditation, without any conscious effort, without even thinking about it.

"That's not how mana recovery is supposed to work," he said aloud.

"What is not how it is supposed to work?"

"I just weaved a spell, and my core replaced the used mana automatically. That should take at least ten minutes of meditation, not eight seconds of... nothing."

Bennu tilted his head. "Is that bad?"

"It's impossible. Or it should be impossible. But apparently—"

He was interrupted by another realization. The Fluid that normally required careful meditation to produce was now flowing through his body continuously. He could feel it strengthening his muscles, reinforcing his bones, enhancing his reflexes. The same power he'd learned to control over years of careful practice was now as automatic as his heartbeat.

Adom had grown used to managing his supernatural strength ever since it had increased so dramatically a few years back. Learning to write without crushing quills, shake hands without breaking fingers. Fluid enhancement was nothing new. But having it constantly active, produced and distributed by his core without any input from him...

That was entirely different.

He flexed his hand experimentally. The power was there, waiting, perfectly controlled. His body seemed to know exactly how much strength to apply for any given task. Like the core was managing the distribution of Fluid with the same unconscious precision it used to regulate his heartbeat.

"I think I need to test the Axis manifestation," he said.

"The what manifestation?"

"You'll see."

Adom took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, allowing the two energies to merge the way they did when he pushed his abilities to their limit.

The white energy that was Axis—part mana, part Fluid, something more than both—erupted around his body like controlled flame.

Fwoosh.

The energy enveloped him from head to toe, crackling with power that made the air itself seem to hum. It felt like standing in the center of a lightning storm while also being perfectly safe.

Now it felt as natural as breathing. The energy responded to his will instantly, shaping itself around his body like a second skin.

Adom stood there for a moment, overwhelmed by the sheer exhilaration of it. Axis always brought excitement, a rush of potential that made everything seem possible. But this was his power, flowing through him as naturally as blood, ready to be shaped by his will without any of the usual strain.

"You are glowing like fire," Bennu said, eyes wide with wonder. "And you look very happy."

"I feel very happy. This is—"

Another notification appeared.

[Primordial Body has reached Level 2!]

The white energy gradually faded back into his skin, leaving Adom feeling more balanced and powerful than he had in years. Maybe ever.

"Okay," Adom said, looking down at his hands as if seeing them for the first time. "That was definitely not supposed to happen this fast."

"What was not supposed to happen? And what was that white fire?"

Adom met Bennu's concerned gaze and realized he didn't have a good answer. The transformation from First to Second Circle usually took years of careful advancement. Skills didn't normally jump levels without warning. And he wasn't aware that natural runes burned themselves into people's backs while alien voices whispered in languages that predated human civilization.

"I think," Adom said slowly, "we might need to have a much longer conversation about what just happened. And possibly consult an old dragon when we get home."

*****

"Hmmm."

Adom looked up from where he was sitting shirtless on one of Biggins' chairs, craning his neck to try and catch the old dragon's expression. "Is this a good hmm, or a bad hmm?"

Biggins adjusted his spectacles and leaned closer to the runes on Adom's back, his breath tickling between the shoulder blades. "It is an 'I am not sure what this is' hmm."

Adom sighed and reached for his robes. "Well, that's reassuring."

"Oh, don't be like that," Biggins said with a smile, stepping back to give Adom room to dress. "I'm sorry, my dear fellow, but I'm not as well-versed in natural runes as I'd like to be. You're the expert on that, actually, not me. I deal more in the 'weird magical artifacts that probably shouldn't exist' side of things."

"Right." Adom pulled his tunic over his head, wincing slightly as the fabric brushed against the still-tender skin. "I should have thought of that."

"However," Biggins said, his eyes lighting up with sudden interest, "I am quite curious about these voices you mentioned. That's much more my area of expertise."

Adom settled back into the chair properly now that he was clothed. "I don't really understand them. They spoke in a language I've never heard before, but the cadence felt familiar. Like something I'd encountered previously."

"And where might you have encountered something like that?"

"When I played the war of tongues with the witch. In the fae realm. She mentioned something about the original form of magic, and her voice carried the same... resonance, I suppose."

Biggins nodded thoughtfully. "Ah yes, the witch. She's significantly older than I am, you know. Was already a prominent figure in the primordial age. She would know more about that time's mysteries than someone like me, who's spent most of his existence seeking them rather than living through them."

"This is one more reason to visit her, maybe."

"Indeed. Though I suspect she'll want something in return for that knowledge. She always does."

Adom leaned slightly back in the chair, considering. "Eren also has a rune on his back. He told me he's had it since infancy."

"Ah, now that's interesting." Biggins perked up considerably. "You should ask a bit more about Eren's birth circumstances, I think."

"How is that relevant?"

"Well," Biggins said, beginning to pace around the small room in that peculiar way he had when he was working through a problem, "you got this rune after using [Resonance], which is a skill you share with Bennu. A bond skill, if I understand correctly."

Adom nodded. He'd taken Bennu home before coming to the Weird Stuff Store, not wanting to expose the young phoenix to whatever strange theories Biggins might propose.

"So by that same logic..."

"Eren might have formed a bond, whether consciously or not, with a being that allowed him to have this rune?" Adom completed the thought, then frowned. "But then again, wouldn't that being have manifested by now? It's been years."

"If it did and it was on Arkhos, I would have known about it," Biggins said with the confidence of someone who made it his business to know about unusual magical phenomena.

"So either there's no bonded being, or..."

"Or it's somewhere else entirely. Another realm, perhaps. Or dormant in some way." Biggins shrugged. "But the best way to understand your rune more would be to ask the person who's had a similar thing for years already."

Adom considered this. It made sense, in the straightforward way that most of Biggins' advice did once you got past the initial eccentricity.

He got up from the chair, stretching slightly. The runes on his back gave a small twinge when he moved, but nothing like the burning sensation from earlier. Just a reminder that something fundamental had changed in his magical anatomy.

"I'll talk to Eren tomorrow, after classes."

"Excellent plan. Do bring me whatever you learn. I have a feeling this is just the beginning of something quite interesting." Biggins was already turning back to one of his many projects, a contraption that appeared to be half telescope and half tea kettle.

Adom waved goodbye and made his way out of the Weird Stuff Store, the little bell above the door chiming as he stepped back into the bustling afternoon streets of Arkhos.

The excitement from his advancement was still there, humming through his veins like a low-grade fever. Second Circle. The words kept repeating in his mind, accompanied by the memory of white fire wreathing his body and the sensation of his core pumping energy through newly expanded channels. He felt different walking through the city now—more aware, more connected to the magical currents that flowed beneath the surface of everyday life.

The streets were alive with their usual afternoon energy. Merchants called out prices for fresh bread and exotic spell components. Students hurried between classes, their robes flapping behind them as they navigated the crowds. A new group of halfling musicians had set up near the fountain in Commerce Square.

Adom was making his way through the afternoon crowds when he spotted a familiar figure near the fountain in Commerce Square. Old Jack was there, but instead of performing his usual fire magic, he was handing out colorful flyers to passersby.

"Entertainment for the whole family!" Jack called out with the same enthusiasm he'd once used to announce his street performances. "Grand opening next week!"

Adom pulled his pointy hat down slightly, casting his face in shadow as he approached. Jack was holding out flyers to anyone who passed.

"Step right up, sir!" He called out as Adom drew near, not recognizing him beneath the hat's brim. "Jack's Magical Menagerie—finest entertainment in all of Arkhos! Opening night spectacle you won't want to miss!"

He pressed a colorful flyer into Adom's hands. The advertisement promised "Fire Dragons, Elemental Wonders, and Family-Friendly Magic Shows Every Evening."

Jack looked different. Better. His clothes were clean and well-fitted, his hair was trimmed, and there was a confidence in his posture that hadn't been there during his street performing days.

"Proper venue this time, sir," Jack continued with pride. "No more street corners for old Jack. Got myself a real stage, lighting, comfortable seating for the whole family."

Adom nodded politely, keeping his face in shadow. He remembered watching Jack's fire dragons dance through the air when he was just a child visiting Arkhos with his parents. The man had been performing on street corners for decades, entertaining crowds for whatever coins they'd drop in his hat. Seeing him take this step into legitimate business ownership, knowing that Wangara had helped him secure the funding to make his dreams reality, filled Adom with quiet satisfaction.

"Thank you," Adom said simply, his voice muffled by the hat.

"My pleasure, sir! Hope to see you there!"

Adom continued through the streets with a warm feeling in his chest. It was good to see people moving forward, building something better for themselves. He tucked the flyer into his robes, already planning to attend opening night.

He was still smiling and considering whether to stop by the Academy early to review his lesson plans or head straight home to check on Ada and Bennu when a flash of familiar red hair caught his attention.

That particular shade, bright and slightly unkempt, belonged to exactly one person in Arkhos.

Adom looked closer through the crowd and confirmed his suspicion. Sam was walking about fifty feet ahead of him, moving slowly along the main thoroughfare. His head was down, hands shoved deep in his pockets, completely oblivious to the world around him.

A grin spread across Adom's face. Perfect timing.

With everything that had been happening lately—Council meetings, research breakthroughs, mysterious phoenixes learning to be human, and now magical advancement that shouldn't have been possible—he and Sam had barely seen each other outside of official business.

Adult life really was like that.

When they'd been students, they could spend entire afternoons just wandering around the city or arguing about magical theory in the library. Now they were both professionals with responsibilities and schedules, and their friendship had gotten compressed into the spaces between work.

But that didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun.

Adom activated a minor spell, dampening his footsteps and blending more naturally with the crowd around him. Sam was walking slowly enough that it was easy to keep pace while staying in his blind spots. The red-haired mage seemed lost in thought, barely paying attention to where he was going.

That made this almost too easy.

Adom crept closer, timing his approach with the natural ebb and flow of foot traffic. A cart full of vegetables rolled between them, providing perfect cover for his final approach. When the cart passed, Adom was close enough to reach out and touch Sam's shoulders.

He waited for the perfect moment—Sam was stepping around a small group of chattering Academy students—and struck.

"BOO!"

Sam jumped about three feet straight up, spinning around mid-air with his hands already weaving the opening gestures of what looked like a very dangerous combat spell. His face went through a rapid succession of expressions: shock, fear, recognition, and then annoyance.

Adom burst out laughing. "It's me! It's me! Don't incinerate me!"

"Adom?" Sam's hands dropped, the half-formed spell dissipating into harmless sparks. "You—" He stopped mid-sentence, and some of the tension went out of his shoulders. "Hey."

The laughter died in Adom's throat immediately.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. Sam's response had been all off—too quiet, too subdued. And now that Adom was looking properly, he could see that Sam's eyes were red. Not the red of someone who'd been surprised or startled, but the puffy, irritated red of someone who'd been crying. Recently.

"Were you crying?"

Sam turned his face away immediately, wiping at his eyes with the back of his sleeve in a gesture that was both automatic and futile. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

But Adom was already worrying about it. Sam rarely cried. In all the years they'd known each other, through Academy stress and failed experiments and romantic disasters and the general chaos of growing up, Adom could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen Sam actually cry. And never in public.

"Sam." Adom stepped closer, his voice dropping to something more serious. "What's going on?"

Sam tried to hide his face further, angling his body away, but his shoulders were trembling slightly. When he spoke, his voice was barely audible over the street noise around them.

"It's my mother."

This felt like a physical blow. Sam's mother had been in a coma for years now, ever since the magical accident that had nearly killed her when Sam awakened to magic. She'd been stable for so long that Adom had almost... almost forgot.

"What..." Adom's mouth felt dry. "Is she..."

"No. Not yet." Sam's voice cracked on the words.

They stood there in the middle of the busy street, people flowing around them like water around stones. Adom waited, giving his friend the time he needed to find the words. A merchant's cart rumbled past, wheels clattering on cobblestones. Somewhere nearby, Jack was still giving flyers.

Sam took a shuddering breath. "The healers called me in this morning. They said—" He stopped, swallowed hard, tried again. "They said her condition has gotten worse. Her body is... shutting down."

Another pause. Sam was staring at the ground now, unable or unwilling to meet Adom's eyes.

"They don't think she'll live another month."