3—A detailed study

Saying the aforementioned word ink begins to flood the page forming a map of the area. Mountains to the south east. Lakes nestled by hills and the ocean to the west and south. The latitude can even be discerned by the shading.

Looking closer he saw what looked like a scattering of buildings across most of the map with two large 'cities' one to the east surrounded by water and one far north by the sea. The northern one being much larger.

'This map I have seen it before...'

The was only a single symbol on the screen a white arrow facing north with the small text 'you' written above it.

"Why is there nothing written on this map besides my current location."

[You have not visited these places once you visit them the tome will accumulate knowledge to fill the map naturally.]

Somehow only now noticing the text on the top left that says...

Velen.

'Velen! I knew that I've seen this map before somewhere. This is one of the major areas of the Witcher 3 game.'

Excitement fills him for a while before he remembers what kind of world this was monsters infest the entire world, death and disease around every corner.

Even the superhuman witchers with all their mutations and tools can only barely survive this world with careful preparation and foreknowledge of their situation.

"If they only stand that much of a better chance what am I to do? If I step out of here I'm just an expendable peasant too young to defend himself. I would surely die a dogs death. If I was an adult then perhaps..."

[The tome though not combat orientated can still vastly improve your chances of survival. Would the owner like to learn Runology and Runecraft?]

Reading the self written text he grows out of his spiral of negative thoughts.

"Yes."

[Affirming. The tome believes that a practical approach would be the more expedient method. The most important tool in the art of runecrafting is the Inscriptor. Take hold.]

Before he could process what it meant by 'take hold' a thin pen slightly longer than your average pencil appeared in the air infront of him.

Taking hold of the so called inscriptor he looked at the fresh batch of text that formed on the page.

[The inscriptor is used to inscribe runes onto an object or form enchantment papers. To successfully inscribe a rune you must have the 'meaning' firmly in your mind while writing the rune.]

[Try writing the word 'calm' with the prescribed inscriptor.]

Following the instruction intently he traced the word 'calm' in the air.

"Huh... It didn't work is this pen broken? nothing happened are you sure I should write it in English aren't runes supposed to be strange shapes and symbols in some alien language?"

[There is nothing wrong with the inscriptor. The tome concludes the one at fault is you. Runes are written in a language you understand because the meaning is important to create the effect, symbols you can't recognise or a language you don't understand wouldn't have any meaning to you thus a failure to create runes.]

"If it's not the inscriptor then what did I do wrong?"

[The tome will repeat once more. The meaning is the the most vital part of writing runes. Imagine a perfectly calm state or image when writing the rune for 'calm' to successfully inscribe it. The tome asks if the owner wishes to activate assistive mode for the mentally challenged.]

The young boy feels as if he is being insulted but chalks it off.

Sighing softly he says...

"No but thanks for the explanation."

Trying once more he prepares the inscriptor to write the rune and then takes deep slow breathes.

He imagines the pristine lake he visited as a child in his past life it's deep blue shade, calm surface clouds rolling gently above in contrast to the overbearing mountains behind.

Solidifying this image in his mind he attempts to write the rune. Once more tracing the word 'calm' in the air.

Immediately he notices that this time it feels as if he is pulling the 'pen' across the surface of honey.

Not letting the new sensation distract him he continues his task until his finishes writing the final letter.

Opening his eyes which he held shut to remove visual distractions he reveals an expression of shock after seeing the word calm glowing in the air before saying...

"I did it! I'm a wizard! Hahaha!"

The rune quickly dissipates as he loses his mental image thanks to his excitement.

[The tome congratulates the owner on inscribing his first rune but the tome must correct the owner, runology is not a school of magic, runes are only powered by ambient magic not a product of it. It would be more appropriate to be called a runologist.]

"Thanks-.... err do you have a name?"

He asks finally calming his excitement.

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A/N: An introduction to runecrafting for our fellow protagonist. 824 Words without Author's note.