Master Of None

’Hundred layer ward

This is a sealed door made by having a hundred people’s mana infused within. The layered rune formations will allow the seal to deter other manas, protect the quality of the door, prevent any form opening it for a certain period of time, halt decay, dispel any airflow from it, block any spatial mana form interfering with it, slow the effects of time mana on it, block…

This rune formation is nearly impossible to replicate due to the lack of master arcane rune carvers. Even those in ancient times who managed to specialize in wards found this a nearly impossible task that would not be replicated again in their lifetime or the next. Even a celestial arcane rune carver would look at this with awe due to the level of the crafters and the quality produced.

This rune formation will also cause the door to decompose rapidly once it-’

Walker and Alice saw the mana along many runes on the door begin to fade before the door collapsed in a heap on the floor. It looked like decayed dry rotted saw dust. Nothing useful and no proof that the rune formation ward he had just used an appraisal on was actually there. He could record that something like that was possible, but it would be much harder proving it to any rune carvers or researcher now.

However, he and Alice could see the light mana filtering through in to a small room. Well, small in terms of how large the building above was. This room seemed to be connected to many rune lines throughout everything. Enough that someone could monitor the rune formations constantly without any issues.

But it was the walls that glowed brightest right now.

They had seen ruins with books and even materials intact before. It was not hard to remember the rune formations on shelving that allowed for certain items to be properly secured even though the people that maintained it were long gone. However, these were all books.

It wasn’t a library like the party had found beneath the demon capital or how the immortal king had stored things. It was a few shelves packed full of roughly bound books in a clear language that the ancient mages must have used to record their knowledge.

Walker could tell that the books were readable too since the system translated it for him without its use. Not that it would take him long to figure out the language with his set of skills and determination.

Regardless, the titles of the books were not ground breaking. Instead, they were all related to history.

”Defeat of the magma mole king. The tide of leeches. Discovery of the arcane ice rune enhances formation. All of these books are significant events recorded from ancient times. This might be a collection just history so that it wouldn’t be forgotten.”

Walker was stunned. The way that these records were kept was astonishing.

Major breakthroughs in magic, crafting, survival, and defeating ancient monsters. It was all that Genesis wished to learn about so that they could be better educated or to grow themselves in the future.

There were even books about certain classes that disappeared and switched to systems or people that lost their abilities when the collapse of mana happened. There were also books related to the chaos of wandering within the continent surrounded by ancient monster territories. It was a stunning collection that would have untold value right now.

”There is a book here titled, for the one who walks with the origin.” Alice spoke up, completely halting Walker’s awestruck movements. She knew that this would catch him off guard, but he hadn’t been able to look at the desk in the center of the room with all the connections to the rune formation lines just yet. Now,. he was forced to stop and look seriously.

”This is a small gift for you. I hope it finds you well in your time of exploration. My life was one full of strife and I know that you must have overcome your own to look in to a place beyond what I can even comprehend.” Walker was reading the first page out loud realizing it was a journal of someone’s life. Left to him as a gift.

The others had followed the staircase and made their way here just in time to listen as Walker read out loud what Alice had pointed out to him.

”My unique affinity with time mana was a mystery to myself and others. I was always a good guesser when we searched for prey to hunt or herbs to gather. I even had a good streak of gambling amongst my father for chores.”

”It was a few years later that I grasped the true benefits of my abilities. I could spot the potential someone had to grow and to protect themselves. I stopped my mother and father from joining a small caravan to the earth mages tower before they went to war with the rampaging ant colony. They survived the trip here to a grove once believed to be the home of a forest wyrm.”

”The forest wyrm perished but its bones and body radiated mana that scared off others and many territories clashed here so there was not a chance of war for some time. That was when I had my first true vision. One of the beings that I had never seen. A vision that faded when I did not work to grow this safe haven.”

Everyone looked at each other realizing that the time mage saw a great deal in to the future. They were able to see a future that they wished to be true and if they did not work toward that future, they would notice it change. Therefore, they were constantly working to achieve a future they would never see and only knew they were a part of.

”The knowledge here was gathered from ruins, wars, and the lost. Those who rested by my side did their best knowing that their journals would be passed on despite their bodies being dust in your day and age.”

”I managed to craft and also give my very blood to see so very much made that couldn’t be possible without the hope I saw in every vision. A world without those we loved being consumed by predators. Without mana clashing and causing drastic changes in the world. We hoped so much so that even we might be able to live as others in my visions.”

”Our end may not have been valiant. But the end was pure. Please read my account and share it with those who need it. This is my gift to you and my hope that when I close my eyes on my death bed, that I will have a vision of this book in your hands. Thank you for remembering us.”

It was heavy. Or at least the air felt heavier as everyone looked around.

This place was a safe haven for everyone because they had utilized the dead body of a forest wyrm to deter other ancient monsters from pursuing them. It was a place that had slowly lost its safety but been able to be forged in to a safe haven for the future.

All those seeking safety had been brought together or gathered here to be recorded. Been brought here to plant for a future they would never see.

It was admirable, but so heart wrenching that most people would be unable to fathom the true devotion and honor needed to be able to do such a thing. There were not many people alive or otherwise that could boast such achievements.

This young time mage had learned of their skills and managed to push themselves and others to be unique so that whatever they had left behind would be remembered. Not just remembered, used and fostered as if it was part of everyone else’s history from the start.

These mages hadn’t just survived here, they had found a way never to be left behind despite the fact that no larger races or developments existed. They survived and they were remembered.

”I believe we have a duty to do for them. Everyone here and everyone in Genesis has a duty to these ancient mages.” Walker didn’t see anyone shake their head at his words. Instead, they started to grab the books for him to store away.

They would be taken to be studied and copied with the utmost care necessary. It was the very least they could do.

The small glimmer of a silver ring caught Walker’s eye as he noticed a smaller letter too. ”I think there is more to this then…” He started to read and appraise the ring too. Whatever it was left for him to learn from, he would do so before he left, that was for certain.

…..

….

….

Please say no to piracy! Don’t take part in crime! Don’t patronize thieves!

Drop those golden tickets!