"Along with Mogar's energy, we also contain what you call runes. When you imagine sothing and will for it to happen, the runes form within you. The corresponding runes in the world energy resonate with those conjured by your mana core, engendering an elental spell.
"When you enter a Fringe, Mogar can distinguish the runes generated by your mana core among the billions of others so that, when you stutter, it helps you to spell the words right like any parent would."
"Do you think this is how humans discovered magic?" Solus asked. "A lucky traveler stumbled into a Fringe and received Mogar's help?"
"That's how a bard would spin it, but I doubt that's how it happened." The Crone shook her head. "I've discussed this matter many tis with the Guardians and my fellow white cores, and we've co to a common theory.
"A long ti ago, a human born with a powerful core and an affinity for an elent was about to die. If at the hands of an enemy, a predator, or just out of thirst, it's impossible to say.
"What matters is that human didn't want to die, and in their desperation, they conjured a chore magic rune. Upon returning to their village, they shared their discovery with the rest of their tribe, and, in ti, all six runes were discovered."
"That I can believe and accounts for chore magic, but I ant real magic. What the first Awakened human turned into true magic, and the others developed into fake magic." Solus said.
"I was getting to that." Baba Yaga replied. "I'm certain that soon, the humans got accustod to the power magic gave them and grew frustrated with its limits. As most humans do, they gave up after a while and thought that was it.
"Until soone so brilliant, talented, and stubborn that for simplicity's sake we'll call Manohar, refused to believe that chore magic was the best he could do. Maybe he put himself into danger like his progenitor, or maybe he just had a world-class hissy fit while standing above a mana geyser.
"This past Manohar learned another rune, creating the first tier one spell and becoming the first fake mage on Mogar."
"That sounds like sothing Manohar would have done." Lith nodded.
"You've seen it yourself. Once soone breaks the invisible chain created by the word 'impossible', many others suddenly realize they can do the sa." The Crone continued. "It's the reason people like , you, and Silverwing are necessary.
"Scholars like believe that soon after this past Manohar discovered the first spells, fake magic spread like wildfire. No matter if friends, neighbors, or enemies. Anyone who saw a mage in action understood the potential of magic and imitated them."
"I can see it happen." Solus nodded. "After all, fake magic is far from subtle. You can hear the chant and see the hand signs. Anyone with a powerful enough mana core could learn any spell after seeing it a few tis."
"Also, I doubt the first fake mages thought of adding flourishes to their runes to mislead their opponents until they had their own spells used against them." Lith pondered. "What about tiers four and five?"
"That's an entirely different subject." Baba Yaga replied. "One you should ask Tezka about. He's one of the few people still alive from that ti. If you ask , though, Awakened geniuses created tier four and five after reaching an understanding of magic deeper than a fake mage ever could.
"It was probably the work of generations of Awakened bloodlines, collecting countless data through trial-and-error until soone brilliant enough to make sense of it was born."
"What about you, Malyshka?" Solus asked. "How did you learn tier four and five?"
"I'm not that old, Epphy." The Crone chuckled. "In my younger days, all branches of magic you call specializations had already been created and thoroughly developed. Yet after I escaped my city, I had no one to guide .
"After I Awakened, I refined my body and core, and once I reached the limits of tier three magic, I devoted most of my ti to practicing my fighting skills.
"The Odi had developed the upper tiers of light and Forgemastering magic, but soone from the lower caste like wasn't allowed anywhere near a mage's lab unless they dragged you inside as a test subject.
"I remained ignorant of them despite my best efforts until I t a mber of the Awakened Council by chance. Our kind was even rarer back then, so Akata was relatively friendly with despite the common distrust for the Odi.
"She introduced to the Council of the ti, and they assigned a ntor. Of course, the first one I got was an exploitative piece of garbage who used as cheap labor and taught next to nothing.
"Luckily for , cloaking runes weren't a thing back then. I learned on my own by observing his spells, studying his artifacts, and reading the books he left lying around the rooms I was allowed into.
"Once I got sick of him and realized I had already squeezed most of the casual knowledge I could from him, I bailed. I was a self-Awakened like you, Lith, so no one could force into that 100 years apprenticeship bullshit.
"I went on like that for almost ten years, changing over ten ntors until I t Rhekari. He took in because I was an Odi, and he hated my people's guts. They had conquered his village and enslaved everyone he knew.
"Rhekari wanted to use to settle the score."
"Wait, I thought that as a self-Awakened, you couldn't be forced into an apprenticeship against your will." Solus said. "How did he pull that off? Did he hurt you?"
"My bad, I should have been clearer." The Crone smiled at Solus' honest worry. "Rhekari hated the Odi's high caste, not every mber of the Odi race. When he learned I was a lower caste and hated the high caste as much as he did, he offered a deal.
"I would teach Rhekari everything about my people's weak points, how we built our cities, and our language to infiltrate the Odi settlents, and he would teach high-tier magic like a true ntor.
"I took that deal and added a condition of my own. I'd go with him, and while he killed the high caste, I freed the lower caste imprisoned in the working camps and experintal labs. We made a great team."
"Was he handso?" Solus hadn't missed how her friend's eyes sparkled as she recalled the ti she had spent with her ntor, even while describing grueso circumstances.
"We've rested enough." Baba Yaga cleared her throat. "Let's get back to work, shall we?"
"Only a couple of questions." Lith said. "When did you et the Guardians?"
"Much later, of course." She shrugged. "I was already an accomplished mage, and I was trying to overco the limits of the magical theories of the ti. No Guardian took you in as an apprentice out of pity or because you were a pretty face.
"You had to add sothing to their knowledge to prove your worth."
"So, were you a pretty face?" Solus asked.
"I swear to the gods, I didn't answer these questions when you were still called Elphyn, I won't answer them now!" The Crone grunted.
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