Re: Timeless Apocalypse-Chapter 58: Fifth Circle

Uriel, seated on his boulder not far away, paid no attention to any of it, their clash not disturbing him in the slightest.

His back was straight, breaths slow and rhythmic, eyes closed, his mind plunged into a deep state of meditation.

The Mage Circles.

Uriel had given the matter a great deal of thought, spending long hours theorising, mulling over the explanations, tips, and examples laid out in his guide.

He had almost gone to the shop to buy more guides, just to gain a broader understanding of the subject and ensure his decision was the right one.

But Enoch’s breakthrough had completely rewired his way of thinking.

Not only had it given him several ideas he was certain would prove pivotal to their future, but it had also given him the answer he’d been searching for regarding his mage circles.

He had five runic languages, and could therefore become a fifth-circle mage.

The first two came directly from his guide and were absolutely perfect for what he wanted his first and second circle arsenals to be—a Versatile All-Purpose Mage Circle, and a Sensory Enhancement Mage Circle.

The former would allow him to do almost anything that wasn’t battle-related: extreme short-distance teleportation, simple household and menial spells, weak levitation forces, non-offensive elemental spells, weak healing spells. At its core was versatility, it would be his toolbox, capable of fixing nearly anything.

The latter, however, was far more specialised and, by all accounts, would allow him to cast spells and magic primarily meant to enhance his own senses, as well as those of his teammates.

Enhanced vision, hearing, smell, sensitivity, and much more. But it would also let him tweak those senses, granting him bodily perceptions his biology didn’t naturally possess.

While this seemed weak, almost redundant when his first circle was taken into account, Uriel didn’t see it that way.

Especially when one considered his next three circles, which would be born from the three diamond-grade runic language templates he’d obtained during his Advent.

They would be the Augmentation-Diminution Mage Circle, the Analysis-Inspection Mage Circle, and the Versatile Resonance Control Formation Mage Circle.

The first would allow him to augment and weaken both himself and others; an arsenal of third-circle spells rooted almost entirely in buffs and debuffs.

The second would let him cast spells that, in a sense, blended augmentation with sensory enhancement, but were more closely attuned to his mind: how much information he could take in, process, and truly digest.

The final one was perhaps the greatest risk of all, as he’d decided to dedicate his highest ring to it. In essence, it would allow him to draw large-scale spell formations born from his comprehension of things he had perfectly resonated with.

In other words, it was as if his entire Fifth Mage Circle were the spell sentry of the little witch, capable of deploying spells from his lesser circles—and future higher ones—into complex, large-scale, layered formations.

But it would also, in time, allow him to channel his spark through his spells, provided he understood it deeply enough.

It was an enormous gamble, using all five of his initial rings on almost purely auxiliary mage paths, with barely any defensive or offensive arsenal to speak of, but if it paid off...

WHOOOSH!

Uriel drew in a deep breath, the knowledge of the five runic languages swirling through his mind as he used his three templates to craft his desired languages.

Slowly, his thoughts emptied, his focus narrowing entirely onto his core.

There were many ways to form one’s access grade, but the easiest, and most perfect, method was engraving: carving a rune directly into the body itself, where it would act as a permanent physical bridge and anchor.

Atop Uriel’s solar plexus, precisely where his core was situated, droplets of blood leaked as flesh tore. Filaments of aether dug into him, guided by his mind as he wove a rune directly into his body.

The rune was beautiful, akin to a kaleidoscope of petals; layered and complex in its geometric patterns, reflecting dark silvers, bright whites, and deep shades of gold. It shifted and undulated with every ray of light.

TCHI!

The rune trembled, and Uriel’s body rippled as a link of resonance formed between his core and the world. In the blink of an eye, before he could even react, the rune dug deeper, resonating and harmonising his natal aether with the atmospheric aether around him.

He felt one with the world in a way his mortal mind could barely fathom, yet which felt entirely right, almost as though he were only now returning to his truest state of being.

His breaths pushed and pulled with the tides of moving aether, and his heart thumped in time with its pulsating rhythm.

His eyes flew open.

"My sensitivity is... rising?"

Because of his strange body, he’d assumed that forming his access grade wouldn’t grant him any immediate boon, but—

[You formed a Resonant Link!]

[You have reached Iron Access Grade!]

[You have reached Bronze Access Grade!]

Uriel nearly lost himself to the sensation, as though a seal had finally been lifted from his body, allowing him to breathe for the first time, fully open to the endless aether of the world.

[You have reached...!]

[You have reached Diamond Access Grade!]

His harmony with the ambient fabric of aether plunged his mind into a state of absolute enlightenment, and without even realising it, he shot past the diamond access grade, entering realms his guide had never mentioned.

[You have formed your first Mage Circle!]

In an instant, he tore past the Circle Pin Step and burst into the Rune Line Step, the runes across his mage circle lighting up so rapidly it may as well have been instantaneous.

And then—

BANG!

A second engraved, kaleidoscopic rune appeared, overlaid atop the first as another circle formed—another layer of resonance, another depth of runic complexity.

And it came so easily that—

[You have formed your second Mage Circle!]

[You have formed your third Mage Circle!]

[You have formed your fourth Mage Circle!]

[You have formed your fifth Mage Circle!]

The mastery and knowledge flowed into him effortlessly—five resplendent golden circles encasing his core, spinning around it in perfect harmony.

Across the circles, layers of runes shone brightly, each of a different colour and access grade, each reeking of the power of perfected origin runes.

Uriel had expected the Circle Pin and Rune Line steps to take at least several days for all his circles combined, but it seemed he had underestimated his own body.

Eyes still closed, his mind assimilated the flood of knowledge without difficulty. The aether around him remained calm, yet had thickened to such an extent that it resembled a mantle of white silk, completely veiling him.

Across and around the tightly wound mantle surrounding his meditating body, runes formed and shattered spontaneously, smoothly, again and again.

"..."

And then, the bodily reconstruction began.

BANG!