Path to Danger?

Previously:

That pause... You judged me there didn't you?" Mace inquired, feeling all embarrassed.

[I am a System, I have no feelings nor ability to judge you. I can't laugh nor patronise you Master]

"Why do I feel like you are doing all those things at once..."

[I am a System-]

"Yes, yes, I heard you the first time, I understand!" Mace replied, feeling defeated to a mere 'System'.

"Instead, tell me about these heart Magic Circles, I have no clue even with the memories of Tora"

[Yes, Heart Magic Circles...]

Present:

[Yes, Heart Magic Circles provide a person the ability to manipulate Mana. This is what makes Mage or Warrior, a Mage. It's decided within here, from birth, what their specific Magic affinity will be. This is usually affected by their families bloodline since Heart Magic Circles develop from the genetics of the parents. It's Very rare for a person to wield an affinity differing to their family.]

"Wow! so you mean it's the Mana Core of a person? Like the Meridians in cultivation Manga's I've read before?"

[No, It's not similar to the Meridians you've just mentioned.]

"Why is that?"

[Meridians provide the aptitude to absorb and refine the Worlds' source of Energy, (also known as the Power of the Heavens and the Earth), to the person so they may use it as their own. This process is …[!![Insufficient System Level ]!!] You Must Level the system to know the process.]

"... Strange, why-" Before he can utter a reply, Bell proceeded to carry on.

[Although a Heart Magic Circle resides within a person's body such as the Meridians; in reality, it doesn't contain a single ounce of Mana within it.]

"So how does it even work?" He questioned, brushing off the earlier anomaly that occurred,

[Mana is the energy from the surroundings, a Heart Magic Circle simply borrows the surrounding energy and turns it into powerful spells for the user to exert. The more powerful the exerted spell is, the stronger the Heart Magic Circle needs to be.]

"Why do you say that?"

[They'll lack the strength needed to control the energy volume needed.]

"So you have to have a bigger Heart?" Mace questioned, not able to understand the process of Magic circles.

[…No. A person can have multiple Heart Magic Circles imbedded within one another. This occurs when a user either ranks up or experiences a life and death situation. Very few can also be born with embedded Heart Magic Circles. These types of children are considered geniuses in Sorcery and usually reach high ranks; both in Magic and in Status.]

"High Ranks in Status?! WOW! SIGN ME UPPPP! Hahaha, Having you is really my greatest luck! now I know this information, I can plan ahead!" Mace roared.

He's excitement quickly subsided as he watched his step on the rocky patch of pavement barely connecting to the main road he'd left behind.

The derelict path was surrounded by two large walls of crops; Sunflowers on the left and wheat/tall grass on the right. It looked like this path was purposefully hidden away by someone or something since getting here would never have been possible without Bell who informed him of it's existence.

This side road caught his eye as it had looked neglected and unused even though being fairly close to the kingdom.

The further and further he tread down this path, the more eerie and deserted it looked. Cobwebs decorated the tall crops while mud and broken rocks complimented the floor's worn out look.

"Scary Right?" Mace said, contemplating whether to carry on on this path.

[It has no underlying dangers....]

"Oh Really? That's go-"

[Other than the deadly spiders as well as other poisonous creatures that reside in the shadows.]

"...Thanks for that, Made me Feel MUCH BETTER" Mace replied sarcastically, now even more sure to not go along with this.

[You're Welcome!]

"YOU KNOW THAT'S SARCASM!!!!" Mace burst out.

In the midst of this, a gust blew by causing the crops to lean from side to side ever so gently; though, this was still enough to make Mace frightened.

"I never stepped outside in my previous life but now, I'm in the middle of no where, on a planet I know little to nothing about... WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO HAPPENNN TO MEE" he wailed.

He looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was going down, casting long shadows over the treacherous path. It was getting harder to see, and the thought of being lost in the dark was terrifying.

As he walked further down the path, Mace noticed something move out of the corner of his eye. He spun around to find nothing but shadows. He shrugged it off and kept moving forward. But the eerie feeling wouldn't leave him. Something was watching him.

Suddenly, Mace let out a blood-curdling scream. "Snake!" he yelled. Mace began jumping around frantically as he attempted to place distance between him and the creature.

A voice in his mind replied to his distressful attempts.

[…That Snake is not venomous]

Mace felt his face turn red with embarrassment. He had never seen a snake before and had no idea they could be harmless. He took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

"Let's keep moving," Mace said, as if trying to change the subject.

[…You're almost there.]

Mace took a deep breath and headed forward, feeling a newfound sense of confidence. He knew that the path was treacherous, but he was determined to make it to the end.

As the sun went down and the shadows grew longer, Mace now felt that he could handle anything that came his way, that he could face his fears and come out on top!.....or so he thought.....

As he walked further into the darkness, Mace noticed something moving in the grass on his right. He froze, his heart racing with fear. A small little rabbit jumped out into they open before trotting across. Upon seeing it, Mace felt his body relax as he realised that there was nothing to be afraid of.

A few more minutes of creepy silence rolled by.

He finally reached the end of the path, and Mace could hardly believe his eyes. He had emerged in a beautiful meadow, filled with wildflowers of every colour. The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow across the sky.

"Wow," Mace breathed. "This is incredible."

Mace took a deep breath and looked around, feeling a sense of peace that he had never experienced before. The meadow was so serene and quiet, he could almost forget about the dangers lurking on the path behind him.

As they walked along, Mace thought about all the things he had learned on this journey. He had faced his fears, discovered a hidden path, and seen things he had never seen before. He had learned to trust his instincts and to have a little more faith in Bell. Most of all, he had discovered that the world was full of wonder and adventure, something which was unheard of for the shut-in. He once again felt that he was capable of facing whatever came his way.

As the sun finally set, casting the meadow into darkness, Mace felt a sense of accomplishment!

That quickly went away though since now he had just realised he has no where to sleep...

"Bell.... Where do I even rest for the night?" Mace asked, fearing Bells' possible suggestion of returning back where they came from.

[Sleep on the meadow...]

"..." Mace's face went straight. He knew Bell could be harsh but that basic response just topped it all.

Anger and annoyance began bubbling up. "IN THE MEADOW?!" He roared.

"THERE COULD BE CREATURES AND DANGERS AROUND PLUS IT GETS COLD AT NIGHT! DO YOU SIMPLY WANT ME TO DIE?!" He huffed and puffed.

[…Check the system shop... There's tents that you could purchase...]

"... Oh..."

Mace Felt embarrassed.

An awkward silence filled the meadow for a brief moment before crickets and other animal noises reclaimed their dominance.

To Be Continued...