BOOK 1, CHAPTER 10 – The Language of Magic

Golden glimmers waved before his eyes. Soft at first. Little glimmers just beyond his comprehension. His mind was frozen, taken at the sight. He was dumbfounded.

Afraid to speak, he simply watched. Little Green’s noises and other sounds faded out. Even the oppressive atmosphere from the mother snake was lost. All that remained was the golden light within the dark.

The light was more like floating golden specks, densely packed together. They floated and traveled. As he focused, more glimmering specks appeared. No, appeared was wrong. The correct way to describe it was he could see more.

The waves grew from a few small lines, to a small stream. They bounced up and down in unison, much like ripples in water. They danced, joined by more as he concentrated. The waves seemed to travel towards him, bouncing off of his body and dissipating.

As he ‘looked’ farther beyond, faded lines became visible. The lines became solid with some smaller faded specks. The waves seemed to come from the group of lines. A shadow took shape and form. A slender body was bobbing it’s top and facing him.

“Little Green?” Artien asked incredulously.

A loud scraping sounded in his ears as Mother Snake moved. A loud hiss sounded, followed by a stream of golden waves that nearly flooded out Little Green’s shape. He followed the trail of waves to dense golden lines shaped like spades pointed down a giant form. The Mother Snake moved her head, looking directly at him. Her head and eyes were bright, full of golden light.

Her eyes caught his, holding him hostage. The eyes were hypnotizing, full of a beautiful golden fire. The fire grew deeper, drawing him in. He was unable to pull away, sensing danger. The fire exploded, and an ocean of gold fire flooded his mind.

The fire engulfed his head. It was too strong. His mind couldn’t handle the power and he fell to the stone floor. He didn’t move, having lost consciousness. His eyes remained open and unseeing.

Little Green ran to his side, worried. She looked at his eyes, seeing the once-honey-colored-eyes stay a faded white. She lowered her head to his, hearing his soft breathing. She turned a glare on her mother, hissing unhappily.

“Little Green, worry not. He looked too deeply. He is unharmed.” Mother Snake assured her last offspring.

Both mother and daughter wait, one calm and patient, the other full of worry and somewhat unsure. An hour later Little Green was delighted to see Artien get back up and brace his back against the wall.

Artien knew his eyes were open. Still, all they gave him was darkness. The golden lights were gone. He rubbed his head, not sure what to make of anything.

“What happened?” He asked.

“What did you see, boy?” Mother snake returned his question.

“Golden lights.”

Artien felt Little Green curl up in his lap. He reached down and started rubbing her head. She settled down comfortably as they spoke.

“Golden lights. Like waves and shapes. I saw Little Green. I saw you, and the fire.” He frowned, his mind feeling heavy with fatigue. “I can’t explain it better than that.”

“You must be tired. Seeing the lights all at once such as you did is dangerous. You are more talented than you know.”

“But what was that? I’m confused.”

“Those waves of light are the natural shape of mana. Mana is in all things. You saw this.”

“Are you saying I can see mana? But, my eyes?” He asked, unbelieving. Despite his doubt, his voice held a tinge of hope.

“This sight uses not your eyes. It is in your mind. More accurately, your soul. This is an inherent ability you posses. It is called ‘Divine Eyes’.” The mother snake licked the air, tasting his chaotic emotions. “Only gods have such eyes.”

“I’m not a god.”

“Hiss-ss-ss,” Mother Snake laughed, “Of course not. You are certainly mortal. Your blood may be closer to divinity than mine. These ‘Divine Eyes’ can see the nature of magic. This gives you a distinct advantage.”

“How did you know I could see them?” Artien asked suddenly. “How do you know so much? You knew before I said it, didn’t you?”

“I did. It is in you. This strange… energy. You carry many secrets you refuse to tell. I am surprised at the ability that came out.” She laughed again. “You are very interesting."

“Wait, you did all this to see what ability just might happen to appear?” He asked, shocked. “What if got something else other than Divine Eyes? I’d really be crippled!”

“You received Divine Eyes. You could not get better.” She said.

“Don’t change the subject. You –“

Little Green hissed, bumping his hand that stopped. He looked down at her, sighing. He continued his stroking her head.

“I guess it’s not bad. I won’t thank you though. People will think I’m crippled.”

“This can also be a strength. The Divine Eyes can bring destruction upon you two. Best to keep it hidden.” Mother Snake warned.

“Alright. How can I do this? To see the mana again?”

“I have not met another with the same ability.” Mother Snake said. “I have met many, beast and human alike. Elf and demon. None I have crossed have shown a dense divinity as yours.”

Artien remained silent a moment before saying, “You mean you don’t know.” It was a statement more than a question.

“Try going over what brought the lights.” Mother Snake said before she pulled her head back and left a scaled wall. “It’s best you rest first.” She reminded him, her voice slightly echoing.

Artien lifted Little Green off his lap. She protested and curled up at his side. He crossed his legs and began meditating, closing his eyes out of habit. The surroundings were forgotten. Sounds were blocked out. He cycled mana as he went through his breathing technique.

It took him three days to completely recover his fatigue. After he recovered, he stopped using mana. He deepened his meditation. He then forgot his sense of self. Darkness descended, the silence absolute.

There he waited, trying to ‘see’. He waited a long while before he forgot to try to see. He simply floated in the darkness. As he did, something from within grew. A small speck of himself woke up, stretching out.

That something was thirsty. It reached out, wanting to be connected. The self stretched beyond his body, mixing with the mana in the world around him. As it did, small glimmers became visible. He stretched a tiny bit more, feeling a limit before his mind warned him. Any further and light would overwhelm him again.

He practiced carefully, afraid to pass out again. He stayed watching the lights dancing until his mind became fatigued. Little Green at his side dropped a piece of fresh meat. She left, returning with water. He thanked her, quickly eating his fill.

Once he ate, he meditated until he recovered his mind. He would then reach for the lights and watch until his mind tired. Each time he felt he could watch them a little longer than before. He made slow progress, having to pause to eat and drink and meditate.

After he was done meditating, he threw himself back to Divine Eyes. He continuously did this until he fell asleep. He woke up to Little Green sleeping on his chest. He carefully adjusted her into his lap and began practicing yet another round.

His Divine Eyes increased in time. At first it was a few minutes. Within a few days, it was an hour. He then moved on to stretching out farther. The little glimmers became waves. The waves danced, bouncing up and down.

He watched them, in a trance.

He was taken with the golden light, finding it beautiful each time he saw it. The mana made up the world. It was in everything. This golden light flowed through everything. Once he saw the world with Divine Eyes, wouldn’t the world be at it’s most beautiful and stunning?

Eager too see such a sight, he trained harder. At 10 days, he went out a bit farther. Vague lines shimmered behind the waves. In his lap, Little Green took form. Her curled up form shaped in parallel circles. The circles rose and fell as she slept.

As Divine Eyes grew in strength, his mind adapted over time. It took longer to become tired. His fatigue dropped from twelve hours and a good rest to three hours and meditation. His body also felt lighter. His body adjusted to having Divine Eyes activated.

Before he realized, 25 days had passed. It was on this day he found a major change. He had almost no difficulty staying awake with Divine Eyes and needed only to meditate for half an hour to refresh his mind enough to continue. The nearest objects were distinct in shape and depth. This included Little Green.

He was watching her sleep with a soft smile, and impulsively stroked her head. She woke up, her jaw widening in a yawn. Her eyes blinked. When she looked at him, her eyes were disks of a soft sheen of gold. She hissed at him, sending small waves of golden sparks at him.

He followed the sparks as they bounced off. She laughed at his silly look. More golden sparks were sent out, this time in small spurts. As it hit him, his eyes widened. The mana was carrying her sounds!

“Little Green?”

She hissed at him, then started up a conversation. A feeling of joy reached through their connection to him. He felt close to her, almost like he could understand what she was saying. She went on for a long while, having slept too much while he practiced Divine Eyes.

Artien became aware of a similarity to the connection they shared, it’s feeling, and the mana coming from Little Green. There was not only mana coming over, but sounds. Not just sounds. It also included a knowing, a kind of…intent.

From the intent he could sort of understand. Just as he was getting used to it, Little Green slowed her conversation. She yawned again. She fell asleep. To continue, she had to be talking.

Disappointed at being thwarted a revelation, he returned to his Divine Eyes training. When Little Green woke up, he requested she talk. Happy to oblige, she had another long conversation. He focused on her and their shared connection along with the mana.

Slowly, his mind made sense of it all. This was mana in a way one could speak it. It traveled to him clearer than sound. With his Divine Eyes, he was able to comprehend a whole new language. Little Green’s chatter cleared up from a jumbled mess of information to clear cut answers.

The first words he understood as she slowed her conversation and yawned were ultimately simple. She lowered her head and closed her eyes. She yawned shortly one last time before a small wave of mana reached his eyes.

“Ah. Tired. I will sleep.”

His heart skipped, and the biggest grin split his face. “These Divine Eyes are the best!”

“I take it you have finished?” Mother snake asked, golden waves reaching him without the sound of her voice. Since he understood, he could also make out her distinct way of speech.

“Yes. I see the words. What is this? Do mana words have a name?”

“Hiss-ss-ss. Yes. The type of speech you see us using is called Beast Language. This language only beasts understand. Now you know why.”

“Can beasts also see mana?”

“No. We can sense it. We cannot see it. Those who are extremely powerful might be able to.”

“How powerful does someone have to be to see mana?” He asked, curious.

“Hmm. Much more powerful than I. Another reason to keep your Divine Eyes hidden.”

“I will. I don’t want to attract trouble.” He said, remembering the village. “Do you think I’m a demon spawn?”

“Demon spawn? You mean a demon’s child?” The Mother Snake’s tone was surprised. “Why would you ask such a question?”

“I was accused of being demon spawn.” His voice lowered. “What if I am?”

“Am what? A demon? That is truly silly. Boy, I have met demons before. They are nothing like you. They are beings easily swayed by emotions and will die to exact revenge on their enemies.”

“I don’t have the aura of a demon or anything like that?”

“You ask strange things. There is no trace of demon in you. What’s more, I sense only a divinity. This proves you have nothing to do with demons.”

Artien let out a heavy sigh. “Thank you.” A heavy weight lifted off his heart.

As he was relieved, a different kind of fatigue came in sharply. He yawned. He tried keeping his mind focused. The mana’s golden light slowly faded. Unwillingly, he succumbed to slumber.