Zaber went outside and carefully looked around. The village was peaceful. Dim lights were visible from the huts; so were eating, so had already gone to sleep, and others seed to be having quiet conversations with their families.
Zaber headed toward the well outside the village. As he walked, he glanced at the sky for a mont.
"Very beautiful stars..." he said in a low voice.
The words dissolved in the air. He remained silent again and continued on his way.
When he reached the well, he took the elixirs and staffs he had left earlier and headed to the edge of the village. He looked around several tis, making sure no one was there.
Zaber pointed the staff at the ground. With his other hand, he placed two fingers in the middle of his forehead. He closed his eyes. He tried to recall the circle his father had given him. He revived every line, every angle, every proportion in his mory.
After a while, a small circle began to form at the tip of the staff.
Zaber opened his eyes. Now holding the staff firmly with both hands, he slowly began to expand the black and dark blue circle at the tip. The circle trembled in the air, as if it were an unstable living creature.
When it had expanded enough, Zaber brought the staff closer to the ground. The circle touched the soil and left a dark mark, as if the earth itself had been marked.
Zaber took a deep breath.
"Working with circles is very difficult..."
X’s voice rang inside:
"Yes. It requires high intelligence. Moreover, this is your first ti using a circle. If you hadn’t read so many books before, your brain would have exploded by now."
Zaber’s face was sweating. He walked toward another corner of the village. His breathing gradually beca heavier.
"Damn... I was supposed to use this later. Am I rushing a bit? What do you think?" he said inside.
X did not hesitate for a mont:
"No. You need to do it now. The greater the pressure you face, the better you will beco."
Zaber did not reply. He reached another corner and sat on the ground. He placed the staff beside him. He tried to regulate his breathing. He stared at the sky.
Ti passed slowly. After about an hour, he stood up again. As before, he began setting up another circle.
This ti, when he finished the task, Zaber held his head. The surroundings seed to spin. He took a few steps but his legs weakened.
He fell to the ground.
He lay under the night sky. The circles were already in place.
Zaber lay looking at the sky. The stars seed to float slowly before his eyes. He did not try to stand—because he knew he would fall again. His body still did not obey, his muscles stiff like heavy stones. Although his breathing was gradually returning to normal, his head was still buzzing.
Only after lying for about an hour and a half did he slowly sit up. Bracing his hands on the ground, he forced his body to rise. His vision darkened for a mont, but he clenched his teeth and held himself steady.
"Hors..." he said in a low voice.
Then determination awoke inside him.
"I need to continue," he said to himself.
He slowly stood up, took his staffs and elixirs. Each step was cautious, asured. Then he headed toward the third side of the village. The night had deepened, the village was completely silent—only the sound of insects from afar and the whisper of the wind.
When he reached the destination, Zaber looked around. No one was there. The darkness surrounded him, only the faint light of Ruya and Siamon illuminated the ground. He felt his breathing becoming a bit heavier.
Holding the two staffs in both hands, he pointed them at the ground. Then he closed his eyes. He gathered his inner focus, squeezing out all distracting thoughts.
After a while, another circle began to form.
This ti the pressure was stronger.
The air thickened. A strange noise grew in Zaber’s ears. It felt as if an invisible force was pressing on him.
Zaber’s head spun. He took a few steps one way, a few steps the other. He barely maintained his balance. His knees trembled, his breathing ca in short bursts. Nevertheless, he clenched his teeth and barely managed to set the circle in place.
As soon as the circle was set, he collapsed to the ground.
His chest burned. His breathing beca sharply rapid. Zaber looked at the elixirs beside him. His hand trembling, he took one. Opening his mouth, he began drinking the elixir.
As soon as the liquid passed down his throat, it felt as if mana was filling inside him. His body gradually recovered, the heaviness in his muscles lessened a bit. His eyes cleared, his heart cald sowhat.
He rested for half an hour.
Then, although fatigue had not yet left his body, the determination inside him prevailed again. Zaber slowly stood up and headed to the last place.
This ti—there was no turning back.
---As Zaber headed to the last place, each step felt as if it was draining strength from his body. Although mana was filling inside him, his body could not adapt to it. Working with circles was not just magic—it was a burden that crushed both mind and body at once.
He reached the farthest side of the village.
Here the houses were sparse, the walls eroded, old fences creaked in the wind. The surroundings were silent.
Zaber stopped.
"One more..." he said in a low voice.
He took the two staffs in his hands again. This ti his hands were clearly trembling. He pointed them at the ground. Then he closed his eyes. He tried to regulate his breathing.
After a while, another circle began to form.
This ti it did not appear imdiately.
He felt the mana inside him almost depleting. His head ached as if it was splitting. His heart beat irregularly.
"X..." he said inside. "If I collapse now..."
X’s voice rang calm but firm:
"Do not collapse. This is the last one. If you endure now, you will move to the next stage."
Zaber clenched his teeth tightly.
"Then... I will endure."
He gathered all his will.
The circle finally began to form.
This ti it was larger than the previous ones. It pressed on the air, as if crushing it to the ground. Zaber did not scream. He made no sound. Only his veins bulged, cold sweat flowed from his forehead.
The circle settled on the ground.
The earth seed to tremble.
At that mont, blood slowly began to flow from Zaber’s nose.
Zaber remained standing upright for a mont... then his entire body relaxed, and he fell backward to the ground.
He did not lose consciousness.
But he could not move either.
He lay staring at the sky. The stars blurred before his eyes, fading.
"Done..." he said inside. "Now it begins."
The village was still peaceful.
But this peace—was precious for the village.
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