Alcede nodded. “It sure seems like it. I’d hazard a guess and say that the deposit was sized to the duration of the spell.”
“Fair enough, I suppose. I mean, it was originally to enrich the earth anyway. But if you overwork the land that way, you’d risk depleting the soil and returning it to a wasteland again,” groaned Egbert.
“That does make sense...” Lyse agreed.
Razanate’s soil was originally poor, but it had been enriched with centuries of the Light’s blessing. As the Light’s spell circle drew mana from the earth, however, it would eventually exhaust the land after long enough.
“Our ancestors could’ve at least given us a heads-up. There’s no way they didn’t know to tell us something so important,” grumbled Egbert.
“I wouldn’t rule it out.” Sidis gave a half-hearted, pained laugh. “It’s possible they never predicted any of this would happen. Even putting the inadvertent fuel from monster attacks aside, it’s possible that the black stone deposit and the Light were far more effective than they ever imagined. It’s also possible that they knew but couldn’t find a way to spread the truth.”
“I suspect Sidis is right on the money. They crafted the spell circle to make the land fertile and likely thought that it would last maybe a century tops. I’m sure they never dreamed the Light would turn into what it has,” Alcede said with a shrug. “Whatever the case, we only have one choice now—and that’s to create a new Light. So, in order to make sure we get that right, we’ll start small and have a trial here today. I beseech you all for your aid.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. “What is it exactly that we’re helping with?” Sidis asked.
“I need your magic. We’ll be making a small version, about as tall as a person, but even that will consume a great deal of mana. I should also mention that this is all an experiment. I don’t know what will happen, and if anything does go wrong, well, I shall beseech your aid then too.”
Egbert furrowed his brow. “It is safer that we get a feel for it by starting small. If we succeed here today, then we can hammer out the details for the real deal.”
“Understood, Your Majesty,” Lyse agreed. “Would you please allow me to watch the operation in case I could help in the event of an emergency?”
“Miss Lyse, you were instrumental in deciphering the spell circle and you’re here today because you ought to bear witness to our little experiment,” Alcede explained, finally smiling.
Lyse thanked the duke but couldn’t help feeling something was wrong. Alcede definitely seemed worried. He usually smiled constantly, so Lyse could only assume he was rather anxious. The duke, however, appeared to put his worry aside as he proceeded with the experiment.
“First, we’ll need this stuff,” he said as he tipped over his backpack, spilling a load of black stone. The bag must have been filled to the brim with the stuff. Alcede arranged the stones in a central pile and, grabbing a stick from the shore, began tracing a spell circle.
“You’re drawing it directly into the dirt?” Lyse remarked unwittingly.
“Yes. If the spell is to provide the land with mana, then it’s crucial to etch it directly into the earth.”
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“No, but thank you for offering. Even drawing the circle consumes mana.”
Without any way to contribute, Lyse stepped back to let Alcede work. After drawing the circle, he finished it off by placing pairs of gemstones in three locations—jade, rubies, beryl, and diamonds, all about half the size of a fist. They were undoubtedly quite precious.
“Alcede, are those...?”
“Oh, you’ve noticed, have you, Your Majesty? I borrowed them from the treasury. They were gifted to us by Alstra as an apology for the whole Seren thing, and we’re putting them to good use.”
“I mean, I guess ex post facto approval is justified here...” Egbert sighed. “Just make sure you backdate the documents, will you?”
“I already have, Your Majesty. I just didn’t quite have the time to get your signature...” Alcede said, explaining the matter away. “There, it’s complete.”
“So this is the Light of Origin’s...” Sidis muttered to himself as he beheld the circle. Lyse couldn’t help staring herself, as it was the most elaborate spell circle she’d ever seen.
“Everything probably leads back into this. This is what scatters mana throughout the land and empowers us,” Alcede said as he, too, keenly observed his handiwork.
“It uses light magic... Now I get why the pillar is so radiant,” mused Sidis.
“It seems so purposeful at first, but it’s more likely that the various formulae of the circle interacted in unforeseen ways. I’ve heard that happens from time to time,” noted Egbert.
“Yes, quite right.” With a clap of his hands, Alcede moved on to the next step of the plan. “Now then, to activate the circle, I shall need everyone’s help. Place a hand upon each gemstone and stream your mana into them.”
“So we’re all doing double duty, huh?” muttered Egbert as he grabbed hold of two gemstones. Sidis did the same beside him, leaving the remaining pair to Alcede.
“Let us begin.”
As soon as Alcede gave the signal to start, sparks crackled and flew from all the gemstones. Lyse watched from a safe distance. The gems began to glow, their light trickling into the circle in the sand. Progress was slow, as it took a considerable amount of mana.
“Hmm... This will take five minutes, I think,” predicted Alcede.
Not a moment later, Lyse sensed a presence behind her and whipped around. She saw nothing, but she was sure she’d felt it. The uneasy feeling lingered.
Sidis seemed to have sensed it himself. Keeping hold of the stones in his hands, he warned her, “Be careful, Lyse.”
“Of course,” she replied as she scanned the area. She couldn’t hear well over the crashing waves on the shore, making it difficult for her to get a grasp of her surroundings. But then, at the bottom of the cliff, she spied shadowy figures clambering up the rock face. All she saw at first were long antennae, followed by many little legs, and fishlike tails. “Shrimp...?”