Chapter 13: Beneath the Still Waters

The stillness of the lake was uncanny.

Nagomi stood at its edge, the northern forest behind him dense and quiet. The surface of the lake reflected the overcast sky like a perfectly polished mirror. It was too quiet, unnaturally so. Even the usual chirping of birds or rustling leaves was absent. He could hear only his own breathing.

His fingers brushed the pouch on his belt—where the slime core rested, pulsing faintly, as if reacting to something nearby.

"Something's off…"

He crouched by the water and studied his reflection. His eyes, once full of nervous curiosity, now held a steady calm. A transformation was happening, not in a burst of power, but with every step he took, every lesson he absorbed from the world around him.

Suddenly, ripples danced across the water. From the center of the lake, a black orb rose—smooth, shining, and humming with quiet energy. Nagomi stood up instantly, hand moving to the dagger at his waist. No fanfare. No monster leaping out. Just the orb… hovering.

A voice echoed in the back of his mind. A whisper, like someone murmuring through layers of cloth.

"Do not seek the flood before understanding the ripple."

His brow furrowed. Another illusion? No… this feels different.

He took a careful step forward.

Then, with a sudden rush of wind, the orb cracked. A burst of dark mist erupted, spreading across the lake. Shapes emerged—shadowy creatures made of mist, with glowing blue eyes and clawed limbs. They didn’t roar or shriek. They moved silently, as if born from the silence itself.

Nagomi’s heartbeat quickened. He wasn’t ready for this. No backup. No nearby town.

Just him and his blade.

He leapt back, avoiding a slash from one of the wraiths. His dagger glinted, slicing through the mist—only for the creature to reform instantly.

Tch. Physical attacks won’t work… then what will?

He didn’t know magic yet. Not really. He had seen it, admired it, felt its pulse in the world… but not once had he called upon it.

Still, he remembered a line from one of the beginner spellbooks he'd glanced at back at the guild: "Magic begins not with incantation, but with intent."

He focused.

Not on destruction.

But on containment.

He ran across the water's edge, leading the wraiths in a wide arc, drawing them close together. Then, with a burst of instinct—maybe desperation—he slammed the monster core into the ground.

A soft hum spread.

The wraiths paused, as if recognizing something.

Then, they vanished. Dissipated like smoke caught in wind.

Silence returned.

Nagomi fell to one knee, breathing hard. His hand trembled—not from fear, but from adrenaline. Did… did the core react to my will?

A soft chime broke the tension.

Behind him, standing atop a smooth rock, was a girl. Her cloak was long and deep green, trimmed in gold. A silver crest shaped like a crescent moon shone on her chest. Her face was unreadable, but her voice was calm and clear.

“You don’t use magic… yet the core responded. hmmm.”

Nagomi stood, guarded. “Who are you?”

“I’m called Elria. Watcher of the Azure Grove. And you just stepped into a sacred testing ground.”

He blinked. “A… what?”

She stepped forward, the air around her faintly shimmering with magic. “Those shadows? Echoes of unresolved will. They are drawn to uncertainty, to unshaped power. Most who stumble upon them… are consumed.”

Nagomi swallowed, his throat dry. “But I wasn’t.”

“No. Because your heart did not seek domination.” She tilted her head. “You’re not like the others. You’re still learning… slowly. That’s rare.”

He didn’t respond immediately. He didn’t quite understand what had happened himself. But her presence was steadying. He felt no danger from her—only watchfulness.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because those who pass the lake's trial often find themselves tangled in fates greater than their choosing.” Her eyes narrowed. “And this world has enough fools drunk on power.”

She reached into her cloak and tossed him a small book. “This will teach you the basics. Don’t misuse it.”

He caught it. The cover was simple: “Principles of Spirit Weaving.”

When he looked up again, she was gone.

No trace.

Just the fading hum of magic and the distant sound of wind returning to the forest.

Nagomi stood alone once more. He glanced down at the book in his hand, then at the silent lake.

A step forward.

Another ripple.

Another piece of the world revealed.

"I don’t want power for the sake of power," he thought. "But if it lets me keep moving, keep exploring… then I’ll master it. All of it."

And with that, he turned and walked into the trees, deeper into the world that was slowly unfolding before him—one secret at a time.