The Magical Path

Hardrial proceeded to explain how it worked and how to do it.

An Arkanometric Fabric (Power Rune) is composed of two things: the Rune as such and the connections.

The Rune of Power is basically the Elemental Magification, the one that gives meaning and element to magic. A Rune for a Fire Bullet is not the same as a Rune for an Air Bullet. They have different characteristics and are made differently.

The connections are just threads that connect all the runes of power on each side, forming a circle. Without one, there is no other.

Just as connections do not work without a Power Rune, Power Runes do not work without connections.

That is the basis of the Power Runes and the understanding of them.

"I'd like you to try right now. I want to see if you understood me." Hardrial said, after explaining to him how they are made and how he could make them on paper.

Just as he said this, the door to the side burst open, which attracted his attention. A teacher walked through the door.

"Professor Hardrial, the President requests your presence in the office at this time." He spoke. His slightly pompous manner of speaking made it apparent that he thought he was superior to Hardrial.

He frowned. "The President is looking for me?" he was surprised, but did not move.

"Tell him I'll come as soon as I'm finished. I'm busy with one of my students." He replied and looked back at Louis to urge him to continue.

But then, the professor standing there raised his voice. "Professor Hardrial, that is disrespectful to the President. He asked to see you immediately..."

"Yeah, I heard that." Hardrial turned to look at him, slightly annoyed. "But I don't have much time for meetings when I'm teaching, doesn't he know that? But, since he looks so rushed, tell him I'll be there in 30 minutes."

He was direct in his words, which angered the professor in front of him. "Mr. Hardr...!"

"Did I speak in another language, or did Professor Niles not hear me?"

Niles was even angrier at his words, but Hardrial's stern look made him swallow everything he wanted to say.

"You..."

His hand almost pointed at him, but in the end, his mind won out over his temper, and he turned away.

"I'll wait for you outside for 30 minutes, " he replied before walking out and leaning against the wall on one side of the room.

Hardrial sighed. "What a temperamental guy." He turned and smiled at Louis.

"Go ahead. Let me see what you got."

Louis nodded. Looking sideways at the man who had just made a fuss, he realized he was very powerful. It wasn't on the level of what he felt from Hardrial, as the latter might be as powerful as his Uncle Dan, but he was powerful.

'I wonder what level these people are?'

He paid more attention to his sheet of paper and writing brush than to his thoughts.

That way, within seconds, he was fully focused on the problem in front of him.

Sir Hardrial asked him to make a complete Arkanometric Fabric with its Power Rune and Connections.

'It's just a drawing and I've been looking at it for a while now, I'm sure I can do it.' He didn't think it was too difficult, though they had a lot of strange lines.

So, he started...

Or so he wanted to.

Suddenly, he was stunned and looked at Professor Hardrial.

"This... I don't think drawing it was complicated. Although it has complexities in the shapes and difficult lines... I don't think making them with ink is enough to activate the magic, right? The ones on that scroll don't look like they're made with ink..." He spoke.

Hardrial looked at him for a minute.

And then smiled. "Well, you found the first problem in no time." He looked at Laura. "Miss Laura had to draw 10 times in 2 weeks, so she could understand that it wasn't like that."

She was surprised too. Was this the first time he would learn about this? Did he realize in a second something that usually takes many people tens or hundreds of tries to realize?

'Is it because he can see the Arkanometric Flow?' he thought.

Louis sighed in relief when he heard that. Initially, he thought he had missed something and would be scolded for not paying enough attention. Luckily, that wasn't the case.

"It's simple." Hardrial said. "Arkanometric Fabrics are not drawn with ink, even if you use brushes. They are drawn using the Arkanometric Flow Threads. Remember those Universal Fabrics I told you about on the first day?"

Louis nodded. "I see. That's why you said I have a certain advantage. I understand." He looked down at his brush again. "I'll try."

Then he concentrated.

Arkanometric Flow involves using passive energy to draw. That's where there was a huge problem.

It was extremely exhausting to do so, because Passive Energy is not unlimited. Beginners don't properly control it and waste it on foolish moves.

Luckily, he could see this Logic-Magic Mesh piercing the world. It wasn't an overwhelming advantage, but he could notice specific patterns around the room and in front of him because he could see them.

Thanks to that, he could draw more easily, moving his brush gently so as not to make a mistake.

Slowly, he saw how what he was drawing took on a slightly white color. It was a single Rune of Power, surrounded by Connections. And for this, there is an order to follow.

First, you make the Rune of Power, then you add the Connections. Following that order you can complete the Fabric.

While he moved his hand over the sheet of paper, he looked up to see the Arkanometric Fabric before him so he could study it. Then he would do it again.

The time passed relatively slowly for him, but it was exciting.

Until...

PAM*

A soft explosion occurred as he passed by on one of the lines of the Rune. It made him frown.

"Exploded?" he asked, seeing his Arkanometric Fabric scatter everywhere.

Hardrial smiled.

"29 minutes passed, and you were wrong only up to the most complicated part of the Rune. I think you have grasped much better than me, what an Arkanometric Fabric means, I must praise you." He was sincere.

Louis frowned as he realized that if he got it wrong once, all his work would magically explode and disperse.

Every thread would disperse and join the threads already all over the place.

"The Magical Path is a path of Perfection..." He whispered, realizing.