Demon Magic

The North, Sea Dragon Point Peninsula, House Flint's castle, council hall.

"Magic is a sword without a hilt. It cannot be controlled at all!"

After hearing Eddard's words, Maester Albert suddenly said this. He still remembered hearing it from an herbal witch in a forest near Oldtown, and it was a saying many maesters strongly agreed with.

In fact, the Citadel had initially approached magic as a subject for research. But as time passed, after the emergence of a few fanatical researchers and several terrifying magical accidents, magic-or mysticism-had become something of a taboo.

This was also the main reason the Society for the Study of Dragons and Magic, to which Eddard and the others belonged, had never been recognized by the Citadel's mainstream research societies. People always feared the unknown, especially things they could not control.

They could hardly be blamed. Very few humans in this world could use mental power. Many people here used the power of their souls to perform magic; Fire Magic and Blood Magic both worked this way. Some Fire Magic had no offensive power whatsoever, being only a little stronger than ordinary illusions.

"In fact, much of the time, the only reason we cannot use magic is that our bloodlines and souls cannot communicate with those mystical powers. But I am different, because I have now mastered a means of casting magic in full."

"H-how is that possible?"

Compared with Maester Albert's shock, Ralf "Eel" and Bran "Housecat" seemed less surprised. After their encounter with the Others, they already believed that mysterious powers existed in this world.

"I can prove it to you right now, but that depends on whether Bran and the others are willing to accept such a change. It may affect their lives from now on, and even bring unusual changes to their bodies."

"Lord Eddard, I... I'm willing to try!"

Bran "Housecat" was the first to speak. His earlier experiences had given him an entirely different feeling, especially when he had displayed a special ability and others had taken him seriously. He had found that feeling immensely gratifying. For the first time, he had experienced what it meant to be valued by others.

To Bran "Housecat," who excelled at neither scholarship nor combat, he was a burden to his family. His future choices had been either to become a member of the Night's Watch on the Wall or to head south and become a maester.

But now, Bran had an entirely different choice. His future held more hope, and he might even become someone of considerable importance within the domain.

Seeing the determination in Bran "Housecat's" eyes, Eddard nodded to him. Then he took a piece of dragonglass from his coat pocket. The dragonglass column was about as long as an adult's index finger and looked like a weaving shuttle.

After Eddard infused it with a soul belonging to one of the Children of the Forest, the dragonglass gave off a luminous green glow. The three men opposite him were so astonished by the strange light that they stood rooted to the spot.

Then Eddard walked up to Bran with the glowing dragonglass. The young man's gaze was completely absorbed by it, and only when Eddard took his right hand and stabbed the dragonglass into his palm did the sharp pain jolt him awake.

The intense pain made Bran "Housecat" want to cry out, and he instinctively tried to pull his hand out of Eddard's grasp. Yet Bran discovered that he was already completely under Eddard's control, unable to muster any strength anywhere in his body.

"Ah... ugh... what is this?"

Only after the dragonglass had sunk completely into Bran's hand did Eddard release him. But Bran's scream had barely begun before it sounded as though something had choked it off.

The indescribable pain had suddenly vanished. He quickly brought his hand before his eyes but found nothing unusual. "Remember that feeling of your body and soul separating. Now try to move your consciousness into your right hand. Yes... just like that!"

Under Eddard's guidance, Bran "Housecat" gradually transferred his soul's consciousness into the dragonglass in his right hand. Then this rather shy, introverted cousin Eddard had acquired seemed to enter an entirely different world.

In that world, Bran Flint became a strange, short humanoid creature. Through that being's hundreds and thousands of years, Bran learned many things, and his memories gained scenes that did not belong to him at all.

"Huff, huff, huff..."

Before long, the only sound left in the hall was Bran "Housecat's" somewhat heavy breathing. His eyes had turned green-not the ordinary color of human irises, but a color that glowed.

"Can you feel that power now? You can try moving your consciousness somewhere else. Later, you can try merging your soul with animals and plants, just as in the legends."

Under Eddard's guidance, Bran's eyes rolled back, and his soul began wandering around the area. The sensation was extremely thrilling, and the sudden feeling of weightlessness left his consciousness somewhat confused.

In a burst of excitement, Bran's soul involuntarily rushed toward the weirwood. Fortunately, Eddard noticed in time and used the Golden Eye to call Bran's soul back to the vicinity of his body.

"Th-thank you! For... for your gift, my lord!"

After returning to his body, Bran "Housecat" stumbled over his words as he thanked Eddard. For a moment, he had nearly lost control of his soul. Although Eddard still looked just as terrifying to him, he himself was now hardly any better.

After entering Eddard's Dream World, Bran "Housecat's" body had also turned into something resembling wood. When Bran first touched his body, he even felt an uneven texture that seemed both real and illusory.

"Hah..."

After Eddard gave him a slap, Bran "Housecat" left the Dream World. Eddard then told him:

"Now is not the time to train this ability. Once I have finished awakening Ralf, I will teach you specifically how to use your powers. If I hadn't been holding you up just now, you would probably have fallen to the floor long ago."

"S-sorry, my lord!"

Bran "Housecat's" face grew a little hot at Eddard's words. Only then did he realize that Eddard had kept his hand hovering beneath him all along. Some invisible force field had kept his body from moving at all.

Eddard waved a hand to tell him not to be so stiff, then beckoned Ralf "Eel" over. Ralf was a rather shifty-looking young fellow whose thin body seemed almost too frail to withstand a gust of wind. Eddard knew, however, that Demon B'lack's power was already inside him.

The drink Ralf "Eel" had swallowed during the Bloodheart Clan's ritual had been Demon B'lack's demon blood. It would damage Ralf's body and draw out all his potential. Once it reached a certain point, his body would exhaust that potential and turn completely into a puppet bearing a demonic bloodline.

When that happened, once the demon blood had fully corrupted Ralf's body, his soul would become part of Demon B'lack. After his death, the first person to have drunk the demon blood would be able to control his corpse.

After obtaining a portion of Demon B'lack's flesh and soul, the Witch Queen Alys Rivers had kept researching how to control him. Under her control, the Bloodheart Tribe had become a collection of demonic half-breeds. Because Alys Rivers knew little of Demon B'lack's true nature, she had been lured into those ruins. Had Eddard not suddenly arrived and attacked, Alys Rivers would probably have become Demon B'lack's prey in the end as well.

Fortunately, the demon blood's corruption of Ralf "Eel" was not yet very severe. As long as Eddard implanted the Progenitor Demon in his body in time, Ralf "Eel" would have a very good chance of awakening a demonic bloodline and power.

Soon, another piece of dragonglass appeared in Eddard's hand. After he infused it with the Demon Child's soul, the black dragonglass instantly entered a state as though it were about to melt.

"Gulp..."

Ralf "Eel" swallowed at the sight of the strange gem in Eddard's hand. Yet when he thought of that uncanny demon, a trace of indescribable excitement arose in his heart. For some reason, he was not afraid of the demon's terrifying appearance; he even felt faintly happy.

"Ah..."

As the blood-red, molten dragonglass flowed into him, Ralf "Eel," the thin, small middle-aged man, let out a series of piercing cries. But the pain soon disappeared.

Then Ralf "Eel's" body began heating up without warning. Although his body grew hot, Ralf felt no discomfort whatsoever.

As Ralf "Eel" felt the heat throughout his body, he suddenly felt waves of soreness in his eyes. He instinctively rubbed them, but when he lowered his hand, he saw a little mangled flesh on the backs of his fingers.

"Ah... ah..."

Realizing something was wrong, Ralf "Eel" cried out in fright. But as his vision turned red, the scene around him changed utterly, transforming the area into a distorted world of haze. His fear vanished without a trace as his surroundings changed.

Ralf "Eel's" pupils had now become vertical slits, with fine scales arranged neatly around his eyes. His eyes had turned completely into demonic eyes. The black at the center of his pupils resembled a volcano on the verge of eruption, seemingly filled with an endless, terrifying desire for destruction.

What Ralf "Eel" saw through his eyes was all manner of smoke-or rather, energy. Eddard also possessed a power that held a fatal attraction for him, and Ralf involuntarily wanted to rush over and swallow it.

But just as Ralf "Eel" was about to act, the eyes on the illusory tentacles atop Eddard's head suddenly turned toward him. Then an irresistible pressure broke Ralf "Eel's" demonic state outright.

"Huff, huff..."

After collapsing into a sitting position on the floor, Ralf "Eel" gasped for breath, as though something incomparably terrifying had frightened him. Eddard smiled and reached out to pull him up.

"Now both of you should have experienced what magic is. Great power and satisfaction can easily make people lose themselves. I hope you adapt quickly. My domain is waiting for your strength."

Eddard looked at Ralf "Eel" and Bran "Housecat," who had yet to quite adjust, and patted their shoulders in encouragement. Then he told them to rest on the chairs to one side.

"Now, do you still think magic is illusion and herbalism?"

After doing all this, Eddard turned his gaze toward Maester Albert, whose expression had long since gone blank. Although this world had no concept called science, the maesters had always believed that what they studied was the only truth in this world.

But now, this worldview-shattering scene had completely overturned the truth Maester Albert believed in. He now understood that magic truly existed, and that the master he served had already mastered it.

"My dear Maester Albert, would you like to experience this feeling?"

At Eddard's question, Maester Albert swallowed instinctively. Not everyone encountered an opportunity to touch an entirely new field. But Maester Albert was already old. Had he been ten years younger, he might have wanted to take the risk. Now, however, he only wanted to properly record the knowledge he had encountered during this time, including the magic before him.

"I... I am already old. Perhaps I can still work for House Flint for a few more years. These mystical powers are indeed fascinating, but I have little time left. Perhaps I can train some apprentices who can read and write for you, and by observing and recording them, complete the fantastical journey I can no longer experience myself!"

Maester Albert spoke with some emotion. He now believed Eddard's words completely. The mutation in his body had also spread a little further because of this, and the dragonglass had completely corrupted his body.

Perhaps one day, Maester Albert would also awaken some strange ability. For now, however, Eddard did not dare attempt it lightly. Maester Albert was one of the few intellectuals under his command. If a careless mistake got him killed by that powerful force of awakening, Eddard would lose more than he gained.

"There will be a chance, my dear Maester Albert. Believe me, what happened today is only the beginning. We still have a long road ahead, and the future holds limitless possibilities."

Eddard comforted Maester Albert, and his words filled the old maester's heart with hope. Perhaps one day, he would see Eddard establish an incomparably prosperous city, or even a country.