Blade Over Magic

Ben’s Uniqueness

Xander and Ben spoke about many things, and it was during this conversation that he realized he’d actually really wanted someone he could speak to freely.

Even though Ben transmigrated 8 years before him, at the very least, he was able to understand all sorts of earth terms that Xander needed to be careful about subconsciously saying while he was around the others. So it wasn’t surprising that the two of them got attached pretty quickly.

There was also the fact that Xander actually understood that Ben was very much neurodivergent. Actually the more they spoke, the more obvious it was.

At first glance, Ben seemed pretty quiet and distracted. Yet when he and Xander started talking, the boy became very talkative, often tripping over his own words and talking very fast, going on tangents until Xander brought him back to the topic at hand, and so on.

It seemed that this scene was something new to the princess, as Xander noticed her surprise when she heard Ben be so talkative when—and this was his assumption—the boy was typically quiet.

It wasn’t surprising though. From what he’d seen in Tatonia, it was a place that didn’t really see mental issues as issues unless they were very obvious. So they probably thought Ben was just strange.

Be that as it may, Xander did learn quite a few things about the boy.

The first was actually his abilities as a whole and what made him special in Tatonia.

The conversation went something like this

”Ritual Magic?” Xander raised a brow when Ben told him what sort of magic he used, his legs swinging back and forth.

”Yeah. Well, that’s what the princess told me to call it. Ritual Magic exists but apparently the type I practice hasn’t been seen anywhere else. Apparently normal Ritual Magic is very complex and dangerous, and well, mine kinda is too, but I can subvert many of the dangers because of how it works.” Xander sensed the boy was going on a tangent again and smiled. He briefly glanced at the princess who seemed content to listen to their conversation, looking wholly at ease in her chair. Meanwhile, Archmage Finn, whether it was his main body or a clone, hadn’t moved a muscle since he brought Ben here. It was a bit eerie.

”Alright, how does your Ritual Magic work?” He asked to once again bring Ben back on track, and the boy leaned forward, his hands raising as he gestured.

”Okay so like... It’s like... hm...” He paused as he looked for a way to describe it properly.

”... Okay, so basically in my eyes, I don’t just see like... the physical reality everyone is used to. My senses don’t just perceive it either. Instead, reality is made up of numerous layers that overlap with each other, and depending on the layer, there can be certain entities with strange abilities.” He tilted his head. ”I think calling them eldritch would be accurate. Anyway quite a lot of these entities try to like, extend their reach into other layers, this could be by controlling beings in those other layers or other means.” Xander frowned a little.

”So it’s sort of like proxies?” Ben’s eyes lit up.

”Yes! But it’s very rare that these entities can just get these proxies. More often than not, they need an ’avenue’ or ’opening’, and for those to appear, the prospective proxy had to make the initiative to communicate with said entity, which is where the rituals come in.” Ben paused and tilted his head, as though listening to something.

Or maybe someone?

Then he nodded.

”Yeah, that. So like, these entities usually have authority in certain domains. So for a prospective proxy to make make contact with them and open an avenue, they need to make a Ritual within that entity’s domain, and when they do that, they need to use the honorific name of that entity. Naturally they won’t know this name, and it’s the entity that will tell them. This can be through visions, dreams, coincidences, and so on. If they do this successfully, then the entity will be able to establish a connection with them from its layer, and in exchange for doing its bidding, the proxy will be able to borrow the abilities of the entity to an extent.” Xander nodded slightly.

”That sounds simple enough. So how is it different for you?” He asked, and Ben smiled with some pride.

”To be honest, a lot of entities aren’t very nice. To them, their proxies are a means to an end. Tools. Once they lose their usefulness, they get thrown away. But I’m different. Because I can actually perceive these different layers, I can actually communicate with these entities! And one recurring trait they have is their inability to lie. So if I ask one if it has bad intentions, it either says yes or stays silent if it does, and that’s how I know to stay away from them. However, there are some friendly entities, like the ones I’m currently friends with.” Xander blinked.

He was... friends with the eldritch beings?

”... But how can you communicate with them in the first place? I don’t know a whole lot about Ritual Magic, but I thought that hearing whatever a creature on the other side of the Ritual had to say put the person at a very high risk of getting corrupted in some way or another.” Hearing this, Ben nodded enthusiastically.

”That’s true. It also ties into why they can’t lie. Their ’language’, and very existences, are sort of like... hm. Okay remember when I said they have authority over certain domains? Well, they also have to follow the rules related to that domain. So say one of these has authority over the domain of ’decay’. To that entity, decay isn’t just a concept, it’s their entire existence and the absolute truth of their reality. They straight up can’t lie because they lack the ability to conceive anything outside their specific truth. A being of absolute decay cannot speak of growth, because to them, growth does not exist. They only speak reality as they embody it.” He pointed a finger up for emphasis.

”And that is why normal people get corrupted. When an entity speaks, they aren’t just saying words, they are projecting the raw, unfiltered reality of their domain directly into the mind of whoever is listening. Hence, if a normal person hears the voice of a decay entity, their mind automatically tries to process that absolute truth, but the mortal mind isn’t built for that. The truth overwrites their mind, forcing their thoughts, soul, and eventually, their physical body conform to that entity’s domain. They go mad or mutate because they literally get by the entity’s existence just by listening to them!” Ben sounded way too cheerful about everything he just said, and Xander could only smile wryly.

”And... you don’t get rewritten?”

”Nope!” Ben grinned, tapping the side of his head. ”For some reason, my mind just treats it like a regular conversation. Granted, I didn’t understand the ’language’ at first so I had to learn, but I figured it out eventually. I can perceive their layers and hear their truths without my own reality getting overwritten. So to me, they’re just really honest, slightly weird-looking guys who happen to control fundamental forces of existence!”

”...” Xander stared at him.

’... That’s terrifying.’ He sighed, then he asked.

”So... how exactly does this benefit you? Ability wise? You said you can borrow their abilities? Also does that mean you need to help them with things too?” He couldn’t help but be a bit concerned.

”Oh, well for the second question, like I said, some are really nice and don’t just want to extend their influence to other layers. The ones I’m friends with are just really curious or want a friend! As for how they can benefit me, well. One way is when I get them to help me make an item. I can ’sacrifice’ something to them, and in return, they can imbued a trace of their authority into an item of my choosing. I have a lot of these actually. Though... most of my items are with mr Finn.” He looked at the Archmage who was just standing there.

The princess hummed.

”Finn, would you be so helpful?” She asked, and he just nodded.

That strange symbol appeared again, this time in front of Ben, and the boy reached into the opening it created to take out a box.

He reached to open it, then he paused and looked at Xander with a bit of sheepishness.

”Oh, this one is in the domain of that decay I mentioned earlier, so... its aura is a bit jarring.” Xander blinked and nodded slightly.

”Alright, go ahead.”

Ben grinned and opened the box, and as soon as he did, Xander’s whole body shuddered.

Ben had warned him, but he had no clue just how... suffocating the aura would be. Even the princess went pale as Finn had to summon a few runes to dampen the aura a bit.

Ben then took out a simple black leather glove, but even just looking at it, images of decay filled Xander’s mind, and he had the sudden thought that getting touched by that thing would be a very, very bad idea.

”I cann it Desolation.” He put on the glove and flexed his hand, looking at Xander like he was expecting praise.

”Pretty cool, right?” Xander forced a smile.

”... That’s one word for it.”