On a bright sunny morning, at a small grove beside Marian Lake, Adam lazily sat atop a tree branch, perfecting a ritual runic formation in his grimoire.
The sound of laughter could be heard coming from nearby. A little girl with a head full of black hair with orange streaks was chasing Valerian, who was in his cat form. The sound of the girl's giggles was like lodies to Adam's ears.
He raised his head, shifting his attention toward Autumn who was happily playing with Valerian. Seeing such a scene, a warm smile gradually blossod on his face. Valerian seed to be in a cheerful mood as well as he played with the little girl.
Adam looked around the grove and saw animals such as deer, rabbits, squirrels, and several types of birds slowly gathering together, drawn by Autumn's presence.
She naturally radiated an aura of familiarity that drew animals to her. Not to ntion, even Valerian, who was a proud dragon, felt very comfortable around her. The only other people he felt comfortable around were Adam and his friends.
Druids are such fascinating Magi, thought Adam as he rested his chin on his palm. I wonder what it is about them that draws wildlife and magical beasts.
I wonder how Autumn will grow up after she becos a Magus and embodies the Way of the Druid. Hmm, they're also intrinsically talented with herbs and plants, making them great Herbalists.
Unlike regular Magi, druids saw themselves less as masters of the elents of nature and more as an extension of its will.
"Autumn, back away!" Suddenly, Valerian's scream snapped Adam out of his thoughts. He saw that the young dragon was standing in front of the little girl, guarding her from a small green snake that had appeared from the bushes.
"But it's just a little snake." Autumn pouted with her head lowered, startled by Valerian's sudden change in deanor.
Valerian ignored the girl, instead, he stared nacingly at the little snake. Killing such a harmless creature that didn't wield mana was beneath him, so he simply chose to scare him away.
Like Adam, the young dragon too had an instinctive fear and hatred for serpentine creatures. After all, it was because of an evil snake from the Spirit World that he was separated from his family. To date, he didn't know who his parents were. His only family in this world was Adam.
The young dragon had ntioned to Adam on several occasions that when he was powerful enough, he would visit that floating island in the Spirit World that the snake who kidnapped him called it's ho.
He would then beat the whereabouts of his origin out of that snake and then kill it!
Seeing Valerian's nacing face, the little green snake shuddered. It was a regular creature with no mana, how could it bear the might of a dragon?
The snake struggled to breathe as it slowly turned around and slithered away. It revealed its forked tongue and hissed softly before finally disappearing into the bushes.
"... I just wanted to play."
Adam's expression turned complicated when he heard what the tiny green snake said when it hissed. Thanks to the mories of the last expert whose soul he'd devoured, he was able to learn the language that all serpents in this universe used - snaketongue.
A soft sigh escaped the raven-haired youth's lips as he gazed at the bush through which the green snake had disappeared. He could still sense this little creature. It was slithering away at great speeds like its life depended on it.
anwhile, Valerian and Autumn had resud playing in the grove with the other birds and animals that had gathered.
Adam leaned his back against the trunk of the tree, shifting his gaze to the sparse canopy of the grove. Sunlight filtered through and bathed his face as he thought to himself, If I look at it objectively... although snakes are greatly feared by the general populace, they're also more often than not misunderstood.
Snakes possess lethal venom and great strength, making them natural predators. In a world of magic, this fear was further amplified by their ability to grow to colossal sizes and wield dangerous types of magic.
There were many cultures throughout the universe that associated snakes with lies, trickery, or forbidden knowledge. These creatures were even linked to dark magic, leading to fear of their influence.
But how are these creatures any different from us Magi? So use our gifts for good, others use them for personal gain and commit evil deeds, Adam mused, shaking his head.
In so cases, however, snakes served as guardians and not predators. They guarded sacred places and ancient artifacts. They were perceived as threats but attacked only when provoked.
So magical serpents served as protectors of balance, keeping dark forces in check. Unfortunately, they were misunderstood by their intimidating nature.
In so ancient cultures, snakes were revered as symbols of wisdom and transformation, but fear distorted their image. Their cryptic and intimidating speech alienated those unwilling to engage with their intelligence.
Snakes shedding their skin might symbolize renewal, leaving behind the shackles of the past and embracing the endless possibilities of a new future. However, the process of shedding skin was often seen as unsettling by the masses.
This very process could possibly have a connection with the cycle of life and death. It may inspire reverence in so and fear in many.
Fear is the language of those who do not understand, Adam thought.
Snakes, for all their fangs and venom, are no more evil than the rivers they coiled beside. Perhaps, I should really start seeing things from a different perspective.
Adam looked at the diagram of the runic formation that he'd just drawn in his grimoire. It was the gateway to the Coil of Eternity!
Yeah... I should make a trip to the Spirit World tonight.
Adam made up his mind. He put away the grimoire in his earring and jumped off the branch. With a soft thud, he landed on the ground, startling the nearby animals that had huddled
around Autumn.
"Alright, you two, let's head back to the castle," he said.
"Already?" Autumn made a long face, unwilling to leave. She loved playing with animals,
after all.
Adam rolled his eyes at her. "If we don't leave now, Professor Whitaker is going to get mad. Do you want her to get mad?"
"Fine..." Autumn got to her feet and bade farewell to all the birds and animals. She then ran toward Adam and grabbed his hand, walking beside him.
Adam's heart ward. He looked at the little girl and noticed she was a little unhappy about not being able to play more. "We can take a quick detour to Linlin's Patisserie if you want," he
said.
"Really?!" Autumn's eyes shone like the brightest stars. She clearly recalled the wonderful desserts the elderly elf baked. She had gone to this patisserie with Adam and Professor
Whitaker a few tis and loved the place.
"Yeah, sure, why not?" Adam shrugged nonchalantly.
"Okay, okay!" Autumn started running, pulling Adam's hand. "Let's hurry! We don't want the Professor getting mad! Valerian, you too, hurry! I'm feeling hungry all of a sudden. Let's go!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers