Chapter 16.1: A moment of pain

Chapter 16.1: A moment of pain

Zeke took a deep breath and ignored the stinging in his chest in favor of doing what he was told. As soon as he started, the mirrors around the circle began to glow with an even brighter light. The light beams were unobstructed as they passed through his skin. This didnt mean the process was painless, however.

It felt like a sharp knife was carving away at his heart. Still, the episodic spikes of agony over the last weeks had hardened him sufficiently to be able to endure it. Zeke gritted his teeth and focused on casting his magic. He used the spell in various ways, cycling between all he had practiced.

Meanwhile, Maximilian fiddled with the controls, adjusting dials and pressing buttons as he worked. Zeke watched him with a mix of fascination and anxiety, wondering if there was a problem.

After what felt like an eternity, Maximilian finally nodded in satisfaction and gave Zeke the ok sign. Everything is in order. How are you holding up, my boy?

Can barely feel it, Zeke said through gritted teeth. He even managed to contort his lips into the approximation of a smile.

Look at this kid, Maximilian said with a chuckle. But youd do well to preserve your strength. It only gets worse from here on. If you cant endure it anymore, you should quit. I highly doubt that you will be able to exhaust a perfect blood core anyway.

Zeke agreed with a nod, but in truth, he had no intention of stopping before he had exhausted his core completely. He would never forgive himself for surrendering to the pain now, only to pay the consequences for the rest of his life. He had spent enough time being powerless, being at the mercy of others. Zeke would endure whatever was necessary to never end up in such a state again. With his determination made up, he focused solely on his spellcasting.L1tLagoon witnessed the first publication of this chapter on Ñøv€l--B1n.

Maximilians prediction was soon proven correct as the pain intensified every couple of minutes. Zeke couldnt be sure, but to him, it felt like the carving inside his core was getting deeper and more intricate. Like an artist adding extra lines and additional flourishes to his work.

After half an hour had passed, the pain had reached a peak. The boisterous attitude and fake smile had long since left Zekes face. He was grinding his teeth and staring straight ahead, barely able to stay seated upright.

You just passed the first stage, Maximilian praised. This is about how long the more talented youngsters are expected to hold out for.

Zeke laboriously raised his head and focused his eyes. He didnt verbally request it, but Maximilian continued his explanation anyway.

The process of Spell Engraving has been researched extensively, Maximilian said. As you can probably imagine, getting a satisfactory result in this first step on the path to becoming a Mage is essential for long-term growth. It is even hypothesized

Maximilian cut himself off as he saw Zeke struggling not to roll his eyes. With a cough, he continued his original point. Anyway, thats not important right now. What the research shows is that there are three stages to the engraving process:

The first 30 minutes are what we call the basic engraving phase. During this time, the regular spell functionality is getting carved into your core. A lot of people consider this to be the most important part of the Ritual, as it will allow you to use the spell faster and more efficiently. During this phase, it will feel like somebody is using a rusty knife on your innards.

Zeke nodded his head jerkily at the description, this was exactly how he had felt since the start of the Ritual. It had not been a pleasant experience. The pain had subsided for the moment and he was curious to learn what he had to contend with next.

The next 30 minutes are called the instinctive engraving phase. Only a select few ever make it this far. In this phase, your core gets linked with your nervous system. This will allow you to use your spell without any conscious thought. This phenomenon can manifest itself in different forms. For example, If you were to engrave a movement spell, it is very possible that you will use it automatically when dodging. The results get better the longer you hold on. In my opinion, this is an often underestimated aspect of Spell engraving. I personally made it to the middle of this phase with both of my affinities and I have profited immensely over the years. However

Maximilian gave Zeke a pitting look. The boy had begun to spasm a moment ago. It had started out like a nervous tick in his face but had slowly spread to encompass his entire body. His twitching and spasming limbs might have looked comical were it not for the expression of agony on Zekes face.

He clung to this mantra like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood as the storm raged around him. One agonizing second after another, from one moment to the next, he endured. He didnt even hear Maximilian call out to him an eternity later.

Boy you made it through, the old man said. Despite the good news, there was no joy on his face, only worry. Maximilian watched as a barely conscious Zeke, struggled to stay upright. If he couldnt feel the slight flow of Mana coming from the boy, Maximilian would have been convinced he was out cold.

Another hour passed, as Zeke continued. There was absolute silence in the room, not even the sound of breathing could be heard from either of the two occupants. Zeke seemed little more than a corpse at this point. His eyes had started to leak blood, two crimson trails now outlined his immature features. There was blood coming out of his ears and nose as well. Zeke had stopped shaking a while ago.

Maximilian had never seen anything like the scene he was witnessing right now. He had no idea how to handle the situation at this point. Should he intervene? But what right did he even have to do so? It was common knowledge that the Ritual was perfectly safe, after all. In all of recorded history, there had never been a single case of anybody coming to serious harm.

On the other hand, he had never heard of anybody surpassing the soul-binding phase by more than an hour. And why would they? Who would ever go through this inhuman torture for an uncertain reward? The nebulous result of their research didnt even pinpoint a single concrete benefit. Maximilian could scarcely imagine the kind of a lunatic that would accept such a deal except for the boy in front of him.

Maximilian could hardly believe that this was the same person who had wanted to quit after only a single day of intense training. Clearly, something had changed in him after that day. There had never been another instance where he had given anything less than 110% effort. But his display today took that trend to another level entirely. The old mans musings were interrupted when he heard a quiet murmur.

He looked up to find Zeke in the same position as before, but his lips were moving. He couldnt make out what Zeke was saying, but the whispering had undoubtedly come from him. He couldnt ignore this, it might be a cry for help. Maximilian tried to get as close as possible without disturbing the ceremony. After another step, he was almost able to make out the words. "A...pain... -time... ength".

Worried for his students safety, Maximilian extended his head as far into the circle as he dared. His ear was now only an arms length from the boys mouth. Finally, he could make out what he was whispering.

"A moment of pain for a lifetime of strength"

Maximilian's heart clenched when he heard the words his student was whispering. Zeke repeated the phrase over and over again, his hoarse throat barely able to produce a whisper. Maximilian realized that he was responsible for the misery Zeke was going through, his own philosophy had spurred him to such recklessness.

The old man took a step back and watched Zeke with a mixture of pride and guilt. All the levity had long since left his face, and he just continued to look at the young man in front of him. What had he gotten himself into by adopting such a kid? With a slight smile on his face, Maximilian continued his silent vigil, determined to watch over Zeke for however long the process would take.

Shortly After the third hour had passed, the lights from the mirrors suddenly flashed, before winking out completely. Maximilian eyes widened, he had never heard of this happening. It was common knowledge that there was no end to the Ritual. It lasted for as long as the person could endure, not until it was done.

However, Maximilian couldnt dwell on the issue for long. His gaze remained locked onto Zeke, who had remained unmoving. The boys eyes had remained shut. Not even the rising and falling of his chest was noticeable. The old mans breath stopped. He didn't dare move.

After what felt like forever, Zeke's eyelashes fluttered a little and he opened his eyes. He looked at Maximilian and a weak smile appeared on his blood-smeared face. He only managed to say a single sentence before collapsing on the spot. "Didnt let you down."

Maximilian rushed to Zeke's side, relieved that this was finally over. His emotions were a whirlwind. The old man had not felt anything the like in centuries. He didnt even have the words to describe what he was feeling right now.

Rest now, was all he managed all he trusted himself to say.

Zeke closed his eyes, too exhausted to even nod. Maximilian picked him up and carried him out of the chamber, determined to get him the care he needed.