Chapter 9 - The Basics

He spoke to me.

"You see. This place has magic to do with controlling mana. Warping it to your will. Watch."

He snapped his hands and a flame appeared in front of his face. Why was he telling me about common knowledge?

He then pointed his hand at me. Snapping into finger guns.

Fire balls appeared, flying at me with a mediocre speed. Which I dodged with general ease, and those of which that hit me didn't do much.

"Sadly, I'm not talented enough to win using this. Barely even know the basics. Everyone can use flames this weak. They probably can't even harm a normal human."

I stayed cautious of him.

"Now, watch this." He traced through the air with his index finger.

"Burn."

Words of a language I did not know, glowed in the air.

A stream of flame flew at me. I dodged most of it, and the flame that reached me didn't do anything.

"This type of magic is different. Requiring not mana, but stamina, and your life. Now, this sort of magic can be coded in advanced. Activation words, situational activation, movement, such and such. It lasts far longer with much less energy, but the effect is similar. It requires much more time to make though."

This new information was... quite some news.

"However, where I'm from. This requires much more talent. In both intelligence and affinity. Some are blessed by this magic. They can do exactly what I'm currently doing, but with a thought. The ease for them is insane. Wars between one blessed and armies. Now, they still have trouble with even the strongest non magic users. Do you wanna know why? It's because the magic was not fast nor strong enough to kill them."

Dealing somewhat deep and unnaturally shaped scratch lines.

"Now. Do you know how to bypass this? Simple. Carve the spell into the enemy. The effect will be increased and it'll be impossible to miss."

Immediately, I hardened my body to the max in an attempt to brace what would happen next.

"Combust."

The lines glowed, when part of my body heated up then burst in a huge explosion.

I then tried to put myself back together, which had become much more difficult with the heated attack I'd been dealt.

"Fascinating isn't it? Bind."

I suddenly felt a strange lost of control in my body. I could not manipulate it as I did. No matter how much I tried, I could not change form. I could barely move.

"Now, there are ways for the spell to fail. One, the words are somehow separated. For example, if you chose to scatter, breaking up the pieces of my wonderful spell. Spells drawn on water or air though? It's interesting how to break those. Anyways, seeing as you can no longer change form. You lose this fight. I am quite merciful, so I won't kill you. Instead, here."

"Do you agree to this contract? Say no and I end you. The terms of it are, you can not purposely harm anyone for a reason I deem bad, if you do, you'll be incapacitated. If you kill anyone without my permission, you die. If you try abusing the rules with any loopholes, you gain my memories. I will give you five hours to think. I will not let you move from this. If five hours pass and you say nothing, I kill you."

Then he unleashed his killing intent. Completely paralyzing me. After a few minutes of thinking, I spoke, "Yes."

The lines glowed and he left.

...

———

I stumbled home. I walked through the front door, closed it, locked it, then slowly started collapsing.

I was exhausted. Then, I blacked out.