The Beginning of the End [B-Rank Exam]

The time one has is priceless. As well as the time remaining.

602 Words

Status

HP: 100%
MP: 100%

Even if Hikari was trying new things, she would break her old traditions. She still went to this canyon to practice her magic. It was always hard to improve as it was hard to practice this magic without her mentor around anymore. But, she accepted that life had to move on a while. That one couldn't dwell on the past forever and needed to accept this. This is why she tried to stay strong when she had heard the news about her guildmate's passing. Hikari was shocked as she felt somewhat empty when she heard that he had died but tried not to dwell on the issue. It was over and done with. She barely interacted with him but when they did, she just brushed him off, not really being thankful that he was there. She sighed, looking up at the overcast sky as she got lost in her thoughts. Why would she be mean to someone when she didn't even know what they were like. It was unlike her at all, she was not usually cold to those that she just met. Even those who did flirt, which he did, she always tried to remain polite to them. She sat down on a nearby rock, holding an open palm to the sky. The magic in her hand had a small spark but then a magic circle appeared, floating above the enchantress' hand. She dispelled the circle, disappointed as she noticed that the circle created didn't have a new effect different from the effects of her other circles. It was as if her magic had peaked then plateaued and it was making her somewhat sad. After all, she had been trying her best to improve but had it all been for nothing?

The day waned on as Hikari smiled softly at the sunset, now fading beyond the horizon. It was twilight, which made the sky look beautiful, a vibrant orange with touches of blue. It made the world seem to go slower which made her close her eyes, wondering as to what could been with the world around her if the people around her hadn't died. If the one who originally taught her the magic that she used was still alive, she'd be much more advanced with how she uses her enchanting magic. The original way of casting the magic had been a lot more elegant and with more complicated effects. Hikari placed a magic circle on the ground next to her, staring at the glowing enchantment. Her's were much simpler and a lot less complex so maybe she had a more bastardized form of the magic. She sighed as she dispelled another circle, wondering where she broke from the original past of the magic. If her guild mate hadn't died, perhaps they would have been friends. They could have formed a team as they seemed like they could get along well if they both knew each other. Unfortunately, fate has different ideas and took away those around Hikari in her life. She chuckled sadly as she looked at the dirt on the ground as she remembered the day she had been told that he was declared dead. She didn't know how to feel. She didn't know him well enough to feel empty but still knew him enough that it felt emptier when he was gone. The bar stool he sat at usually never had someone filling the seat. Even in the giant guild hall, it felt more empty than ever. Hikari sat down, looking at the sky, wondering as to what life had to take away next before her very own.

The time one has is priceless. As well as the time remaining.

715 Words

Status

HP: 0%
MP: ??%

The day continued on as Hikari repeatedly tried to use her magic. It wasn't going that well. She hadn't worked her magic like this in a long time and was starting to feel the effects of it. She sat down on the floor, panting as she was exhausted from trying to create a magical circle with a new effect. She had never made it this far without any progress. After about a day's worth of practice, she at least had as to what a new circle's effect could potentially be. However, even as such, she hadn't a clue in the world as to what she could do. Perhaps her magic was at the peak it could possibly be at. She didn't want to believe it had come to that but every possible scenario was pointing to this conclusion. Hikari had reached her limit with her magic. The way that she was now was the way that she would always remain. She could not stand for this. She stood up straight, determined to make a way for this magic to evolve to the level of all the wizards she had learned about in the stories. They are what she aspires to be, and she is making sure that she will reach that goal. Hikari prepared her sword in it's sheath and took a deep breath. From there, she raised her hand above her head and read the incantation for the original magic circle created from her magic. The words seemed to emanate from her hand and created a sphere around her, words of ancient text that seemed meaningless up until the moment when the words began to glow. Each character in the language shone with such brilliance that from the outside, it could have potentially been blinding. As she noticed the words, she felt as though she had found the element that she had been missing: holy light.

The Inoue family had always been a holy family and as such the original usage of their magic was for prayers and masses, however most carried the holy light element within them. However, when Hikari originally learned the magic, it was never one specific element. It always changed forms but never became light. Hikari's smile grew as she searched the runes and didn't see any mistakes. She had never mastered this incantation but now, she could learn how the magic originally was instead of what her character had molded it to be. It was kind of sad though, her magic lost the individuality that had been different from her family. Now, she was going to be branded the same as them if anyone saw her magic. However, as these thoughts clouded her mind, the runes formerly white glow began to be tainted with a blackish tint. Hikari paid no mind, thinking about what was to come in her life, until the endless void of words completely surrounded her, shrouding her in darkness.

It was in this darkness where Hikari felt an ever looming presence. Something that was watching her. It was hard to breathe and her breaths were shallow and short. She felt as though she... had died.

When the girl's spirit had passed, she glanced at her body, shrouded with runes that now read of death. She stayed with her former vessel, crying but no one there to comfort her. She had died without reason. A pointless death for a pointless being. It shouldn't have ended there. She had no one that she loved around her and wanted to be comforted however, that was not possible as no one she knew was surrounding her with love, sad but eager to send her into the afterlife, free of regret. But her end was a silly one, a mage who failed at casting their magic so hard that it had killed them. The runes shrouding her body had no intention of revealing her body to the world. The spirit had decided to remain with the body until a mage could dispel the runes from her body and reveal who the mage was to the world. Not many would miss her, but she had all the time in the world to figure out who would. It was only a matter of when. And Hikari is a very patient person.