Magic-men

"Magic shouldn't be taken too seriously" - Great Ordinator Laranys Bardiz.
 
Dear Journal,
 
We finally arrived on Vazakis island. It was a pleasant journey from Gessen. We now prepare to go to the tin mines and maybe find that wizard's lair I read about. Hope it'll help them. I don't want to lead them into a dud. There's no time to waste, I really hope it counts.
 
No money to even move. We had to make our own torches, so Bart went to get alcohol from people, through his singing. He rushed so much when I told him I'd be disappointed if he'd fail. Hehe. Music is, after all, a universal language. A magic, of sorts. I like this term Verfys uses, Magic men. It sounds so delightfully simple. I think I'll use it. To me, Bart is a magic-man of sorts, I'm not sure if he sees himself that way, but he does seem to know more than he lets on. He's really funny, makes a day brighter. That's magic, as far as I'm concerned.
 
Well, not as potent as arcanic magic or runes. So yes, we would face those. As it happened, we found ourselves in front of 5 different mine entrances, and we had to choose. We started to delve into these intricate systems of rails and tunnels. There, we found a series of complex runes, which seemed to be connected, in pairs. Each rune system had an orb, some with rubies, some with sapphires. Order versus chaos. Poetic, in its way. I think most wizards are also a little poetic. Magic has its lyricism. Yes, we were in the lair of another Magic-man.
 
The runes themselves were puzzling to us, not in the least to Talion, who seemed to have gone through the School of Magic like the spring flooding through the river bed. Well, he knew some things, enough to get our minds going. So it seems two runes were linked via the rail system itself, and 2 other pairs, through walls. And they kept each other in contradiction.
 
I will try to replicate the runes here:
 
Very interesting, right? I always found runes fascinating. I mean... the Word is such an important part of the world. The Almighty created by speaking the words: let there be. So say the wise ancients. Even the polytheistic faiths of old had the same dynamic. Words, which shape creation. And runes are words for magic, and magical effects. And they speak texts of immense complexity, when properly done. And these runes were properly done, that's for sure.
 
We had to use our own magic to alter the runes, but they hit back with these huge lighting bolts, and we all got a little... fried. I, quite a lot. It was horrible. I blacked out completely, and it seems I drifted away for quite a while. When I woke up, they were all over me, trying to find out if I was alright, but I could barely speak, my jaw was so clenched. From the bolts. I remember sleeping a lot afterwards. Truth be told, I kind of lost memory of what exactly was going on, but I remember telling them to split so we could influence both runes of the pair in the same time. I think. It worked, since these runes could be made to not be in contradiction with one another. That de-activated them, and opened some magic doors. So we could continue deeper in the mine.
 
Well, I realized I kind of jumped across several scenes. I have to point out, dear journal, that I was horrible in these mines. A small poppy flying around and getting hurt by every small sharp rock on the way. Big guy Heron however did take good care of me and probably saved my life twice. I owe him quite a lot now, and it's weird because he only smiles and nods there. I mean, I like him, but how am I supposed to return the favour? He's so simple, and yet... I know he has his own sadness. I don't know how to repay him in any meaningful way yet. I'll try to find some way, I'm sure I'm smart enough for it. I hope.
 
Getting back to the main problem... After opening the magic doors, we then had to cross this area between two pillars, which obviously was some magical device. A singularity of lightning bolts appeared from these magic-infused stones on the sides, when Verfys tried to cross, and hit her and all of us, including the orbs we took from the runes (why oh why). I had to think quickly so I tried to use Bart's rapier to connect stones from one side between each other. I remember from reading a book on fire magic that lightning bolts are attracted to metal and can travel through it more easily. And those stones were all blue, while the stones on the other side were red. And the bolts went from one colour to the other. So obviously I had to make the bolts travel from blue to blue. That way the balance of the magical device would break. It did, somewhat. But I got fried again....
 
I remember running away from the dungeon, to the sound of hundreds of tiny claws gnawing through thick rock. Back on the surface, I found how we took a nice orb from the wizard's chamber, which had been located beyond the singularity. It seems the Singularity had been destroyed, after Verfys, Heron and Nixie replicated my initial idea. I'm glad I could help them, however small and fried that help was. But I heard Verfys had gotten fried by some weird dead rats, moved by contionous impulses of lightning bolts. Horrid... Well, I made sure to treat their burn wounds, at least. One out of three "Eve care" vials gone. Two left to go, hih. Poor Verfys, had to throw herself into a pile of rats in order to get them out, it seems. I was outside, still fuming from that bolt. I can't remember seeing any rat. I was probably too dead.
 
After Talion and Nixie asked for the wizard's orb, it was decided that Nixie would carry it, with Talion as secondary user. Good choice.
 
We returned from the mines in a good mood. I had lived through two near-death experiences, but I was alive and well. To think how I read about great adventures, and now I am part of one. I'm lucky. I really am.
 
The boat is quiet. By the Almighty.... I was reading through the Gavan book we found in the wizard's library, a book on runes... and Talion and Bart both come towards me, Bart kinda wants to go back, since I think he wanted to read but realized he didn't know Gavan.. and Talion says he would like to learn Gavan. Yes. To read his goddamn book. I wanted to throw his goddamn book in his goddamn head or maybe in the water. Go swim for it. Gavan. Go learn Gavan. I barely heard a word from Talion. Yes he was worried about me getting fried. But as soon as I was back on my feet... Gone. Just gone.
 
What a magic-man.
 
No peaches today. My peach-destiny has fallen. I'm sad.