When A Mage Revolts

When Benjamin realized what was going on and just sat there gawking.

The mages were conducting an experiment on a new runic technique, making sure to be extra careful in the process. But despite their precautions, they heard a booming sound right after beginning the procedure – seconds later, Benjamin hurled out from the magic circle, eyes wide open, sharing their dumbfounded expressions.

How was he going to explain this?

"Hey, wasn’t I in my room? How did I end up here?" He asked the System in his mind.

"Nothing unusual." The System replied nonchalantly, "You changed your position in the elemental plane, resulting in a change of coordinates in reality as well; along with the weird technique these people attempted to use, it’s no wonder that you were warped to this point."

"...Forget it."

With a collective of gazes from the mages cast unto him, Benjamin was at a loss for words. There’s no way he can tell these people that he just came from the elemental plane, right? Doing so would surely get him dissected for research.

"Director, are you real?" Fortunately, someone decided to break the awkward silence. The mage to the left of Benjamin rubbed his eyes a little before asking, as if unsure if he was witnessing an illusion.

"Of course I’m real." Benjamin coughed a few times, nodded, then continued, "So… what technique are you guys researching? While meditating in my room, I was suddenly transported here by you lot."

The mages to his side looked at one another before one of them approached him and said, "We discovered that runes may possibly have intricate ties with the elemental plane of legend. As such, we wanted to try summoning some materials from the elemental plane through a channeling a technique. This was our first attempt at doing so."

"Is that so…"

Benjamin nodded, then stood up and left the casting circle.

Ignoring the awkward fact that he had been "summoned", this result certainly had him astonished. The fact that he had arrived here meant that this technique could create portals.

A small gateway to the elemental plane had opened up through the use of runes…

"Do not think such highly of this technique." The System seemed to be able to tell what he was thinking and interrupted, "The reason that you ended up here was mainly because you were already about to leave there, therefore, the law of the plane dictated you turn up here."

Alright then…

"To think you would even consider the possibility of establishing a portal."

"In my opinion, this sort of research direction has already digressed too much." Benjamin turned to the mages in the room and said, "It’s true that runes and the elemental plane are connected, yet at the same time, each of us possesses another factor which may equate to a higher probability in coming into contact with the elemental plane."

The mages listened as doubt filled their gazes.

"And what would that be?"

"Our spiritual energy." Benjamin more or less relayed the System’s explanations back to these people, "It is an important asset in communicating with the elements, so I’m sure we can use it to interact with the elemental planes as well. You should conduct further research into connecting spiritual energy and runes, as I’m sure this will lead to further advancements in the field."

Then, one of the mages brought up a similar question that Benjamin had once asked, "But… the state of spiritual energy is unstable, and it is impossible to be shaped into a runic form – after all, runes require a physical vessel."

"Then find an alternate vessel."

"For example…?"

Benjamin gave it some thought, then a sudden epiphany came to him and he replied, "You can use the elements."

In truth, he had realized the rune in his space of consciousness was initially formed via the convergence of elements. Although both the elements and spiritual energy were difficult to control, at the very least, these things weren’t ethereal and could potentially act as vessels.

"The elements… how do we do that?" Someone asked immediately.

"Summon a sphere of water and mold it into runic shapes, then keep infusing it with water elemental energy," Being unsure himself, Benjamin relayed his experience of conjuring the triangular rune back to them.

"Right now?"

The mages in the lab looked at each other, almost expecting Benjamin to burst into laughter and tell them it was all a joke. However, under Benjamin’s insistence, some quickly began to move.

After a short incantation, a water sphere appeared and was shaped into the most basic water elemental rune structures.

That mage held the water formed rune in his right hand, gently tuning its elemental dissociation, then, he began to infuse it with spiritual energy. The entire lab fell silent, everyone set their sights on the water-based rune, waiting for a potential miracle to happen.

However, half a minute passed by without anything happening.

"Director Benjamin, the elements couldn’t have held it together." The mage lifted his head, shaking it in disappointment, "The dissociation of elements in the structures of magic is too strong, it’s unlikely to become a rune’s vessel."

Benjamin shook his head.

"No... something must be missing…"

He recalled his earliest memory of a rune converging in the space of consciousness. Though it could be done in the space of consciousness without a hitch, there was no reaction in reality. What was the missing factor in between the two environments?"

Benjamin’s intuition told him that there should be a way to resolve this. And so, he didn’t give up, but rather, became fired up in response.

What could it be lacking?

"Could you also infuse spiritual energy into it?" Benjamin suddenly asked after thinking.

"What would be the point? This spell in which I cast contained a signature of my spiritual energy." The mage who was holding the water-based rune replied, "Moreover, it is not easy to infuse spiritual energy."

"Just give it a try." Benjamin said, "Don’t you guys usually get stuck at your personal limits in learning magic, isn’t this the reason you are researching runes in the first place? The thing we are looking at right now could be the breakthrough you are looking for.

The mage listened, still partially doubtful, but did not argue.

Benjamin read the situation at hand, gave it some thought, then added, "When both elemental and spiritual energy are infused in it, chant the spell to cast a water sphere again, but this time, don’t conjure the water sphere."

"That… will result in backfire."

"Just tiny water sphere spell… a little backfire wouldn’t hurt, right?

The mage went quiet for a moment, then nodded.

With the water-based rune in his hand, he once more went into a state of absolute concentration. The dissociating elements converged once again in the water-based rune, but at the same time, the mage began to emit pulses of spiritual energy waves outward.

—Although he attempted to infuse spiritual energy into it, it still behaved like water waves, passing through the water-based rune without any signs of stopping.

As expected, the surrounding mages expressed disappointment in their eyes.

It didn’t seem like this worked either.

Then, as they were about to heave a downhearted sigh, the mage in the middle of the experiment parted his lips, chanting the spell for the water sphere once more. After this, the disperse of magical pulse waves stopped, and the backfired elements converged toward the mage. Everybody grit their teeth, expecting him to start groaning in pain any moment now.

Except, the sounds of pain never came.

As the backfired elements neared the mage, they suddenly converged toward the water-based rune on his hand, like metal shavings to a magnet. Immediately after, the previously unreactive rune lit up.

"Dear Lord…"

Everyone who was present was stunned silent.

When the backfired elements entered the water-based rune, the rune started to shine brighter and brighter. Following this, a dazzling white light flashed, and everyone instinctively shielded their eyes. When they opened their eyes, the glowing water-based rune had disappeared.

Upon seeing what had transpired, the surrounding people were stunned.

"What is this… what just happened?"

Countless astonished and intrigued gazes fell on the experimenting mage. Meanwhile, the mage still had both eyes shut tightly, eyebrows quivering, acting as if he had just experienced a spell backfire and was still processing the pain that came with it.

A few seconds later, he opened his eyes.

Everyone could clearly see what happened next – a bright flash within his tired irises. And as committed researchers of runes, there was no mistaking what they saw in his eyes - they were water-based runes.

—The water-based rune had disappeared without a trace, only to reappear in his irises.