Magister Insanity

Moments later, the conversation ended. Lancer abruptly rose and followed the boy to an unknown destination, while Gundric went his own way after finishing his afternoon supper.

Sonny lingered only briefly.

After clearing his tray, he returned it and left the cafeteria. The number of Sleepless had dwindled significantly; most had their own engagements and couldn't linger in the endless expanse. Still, it seemed some wouldn't have minded staying behind in the cafeteria forever.

Feeling the echo of that fleeting dream, Sonny shook his head and made his way to the rune study class.

Today's lecture focused on the comprehension of runes. Each rune bore a distinct symbol, and each symbol carried a meaning rooted in a forgotten language. Under normal circumstances, memorizing them all would have been an arduous task. Thankfully, Sonny possessed a photographic memory.

Though it wasn't quite as omniscient as it sounded. According to scholars and certain beliefs, a mind unburdened by forgetfulness could comprehend the realms of the heavens and, eventually, reach them. The mind, soul, and body were not entirely separate, yet each possessed distinct qualities, capable of functioning together in harmony.

Thus, if one could not attain the body of God, they would need to cultivate a mind capable of comprehending God. And if that too failed, one could transform the very quality of their soul into gold, ascending to the heavens, where the mind and body would inevitably follow. These were the three paths to achieving what was called "Transcendence."

Of course, this was framed as a purely scientific pursuit.

Humanity had advanced to the point where the average individual had questioned the purpose of their existence at least once in their lifeline. Even weather forecast channels, which was designed to predict and control the elements, had been established, though the accuracy of their predictions was, at best, laughable. Setting that aside, humans were inherently curious creatures who constantly observed their surroundings, the world, themselves and used those observations to create things never seen before.

This was something that has been going on before Sonny was even born.

As for the matter of mind advancement, humanity had made little progress on that front. No matter how sharp or intelligent a person was, true omniscience remained impossible, even with the most sophisticated memorization techniques. The closest humans could come to omniscience was what they called a "photographic memory." In reality, it wasn't all that remarkable.

Some might ask: if you could remember everything you saw and never forget it, doesn't that make you a god already? But that was far from the case!

Consider the standard computer as an example.

Unlike the human brain, a computer could store vast amounts of information and retrieve it almost instantly, without forgetting a single byte. It could organize data, cross-reference it, and perform complex calculations with perfect accuracy. Humans, by contrast, were far slower. Even with a photographic memory, the brain could only retain snapshots of information, and recalling them required mental effort. Mistakes could be made, connections could be missed, and interpretation often depended on the individual's understanding at the time.

Moreover, information alone did not equate to true comprehension. Even if one could memorize every law of the world, they still would not truly understand them. The flow of rivers, the drift of clouds, the pulse of blood… the world was governed by an infinite number of laws.

The mortal mind could not comprehend infinity!

It was like a computer's memory.

Even if someone possessed far greater storage capacity than their neighbor or those around them, they would eventually reach their limit. The human mind was said to be capable of holding more than a hundred years' worth of information, but it was constantly influenced by external factors and emotions.

As a result, "errors" inevitably crept in whenever one tried to recall certain memories.

When all was considered, photographic memory was little more than a fancy term for "greater memory."

Those who possessed it simply had an advantage over others, nothing more.

And what was this talk of the memory of God, anyway?

Sonny found the whole notion ridiculous. He couldn't understand why he was even entertaining such a blasphemous idea, perhaps it was a lingering effect of the previous conversation.

Either way, he cleared his mind and focused on the lesson.

Returning to the subject at hand, knowledge of rune languages was invaluable. They were not only employed across different paths of Sorcery but were also deeply intertwined with the Dreadspire. After all, the Murmur spoke to the infected through one such rune tongue.

In other words, it was not a universal translator.

The simplest example was Gundric and his Mythic Name, Sword of Nine. On its own, the meaning of the name was not apparent, but if one looked at the symbolic meaning of "Nine," then it symbolized finality and transcendence, the last step before the return to nothingness. However, that the number Nine also represented the burden of culmination.

The "Sword," on the other hand, embodied judgment, severance, and clarity.

When joined together, Sword of Nine formed a complete expression. But there were multiple runes tied to each of these concepts, each carrying its own shade of meaning. Thus, depending on which rune was used, the Mythic Name could also be interpreted as the "Dawn of Judgment," "Pillar of Severance," "Light of Ruin," or the "Star of Transformation."

The same applied to the Mythic Names of Lancer and Shura, Serpent Slayer and Chained Seer.

The "Serpent" symbolized cunning, temptation, renewal, and forbidden knowledge. To slay the serpent could mean triumph over corruption, the breaking of cycles, or even the silencing of wisdom itself. Thus, Serpent Slayer might also be interpreted as Sin Breaker, Bane of Cycles, or Destroyer of Memory.

The "Seer" represented vision, foresight, and revelation, while "Chained" conveyed suppression and restraint. Combined, Chained Seer could be interpreted as the Lost Prophet, Shackled Watcher, or False Visionary.

Even the most trivial alteration in words could create a vast divergence.

Clap!

At the front of the lecture hall, Instructor Irene clapped her hands once, drawing everyone's attention back to her.

"Enough theory for now," she said, sweeping her gaze across the rows of Sleepless. "Let us move on to a practical application, something even a novice can attempt. Today, we'll discuss the principles of a simple rune trap."

A faint murmur rippled through the class. The elves seemed unusually energetic today, Sonny noted in silence.

Instructor Irene raised a hand, and the noise ceased at once.

"The essence of runes lies in the ability to decipher them. On their own, they possess no real power. If you cannot read them, they are nothing more than meaningless scribbles. Some of you may think this lesson beneath you, but you are mistaken. This class is the bedrock upon which your path as sorcerers will be built, and it may very well save your life one day."

She paused, letting the words sink in before continuing.

"In truth, the foundation of casting Sorcery through runes is deceptively simple. Once you understand them and grasp their meaning, you can weave them into effects. Yet as Sleepless, your ability to cast Mysteries is constrained by the pitiful reserves within your Origin Sea. Advancement along the sequence will grant you more strength, yes, but even then, your use of Sorcery will remain bound by the «Law» of the Dreadspire. So what to do... what to do... what to do... To grow stronger, you must advance. To advance, you must accept greater restriction. A cruel paradox, is it not?"

Indeed, it was ironic. Sonny wondered if the mysterious creator of the Dreadspire had been poetic.

"Now then," Irene easily continued, "one of the most basic and fundamental trap runes available to a Sleepless is the Binding Rune. It freezes whoever steps upon it, regardless of the target. While simple, it is most commonly employed against monsters. The principle is straightforward: inscribe the rune along the creature's path. Either lure it toward the mark or anticipate its movement."

This meant that they would need to study the behavioral patterns of the beast carefully such as; how their targets moved, how they hunted, even how they fed, before laying the trap rune.

Needless to say, it was an arduous and time-consuming task.

More importantly, the Binding Rune could not be used effectively against people. Unlike eldritch creatures, individuals were clever and cautious. That intelligence was their only true advantage against such abominations, but it also made them just as dangerous, if not more so. After all, people were far harder to fool.

If someone noticed something strange etched into the ground, their first instinct would be to avoid it.

"Though I must warn you," Irene's eyes turned serious. "The effect of this rune is not absolute. The stronger the creature, the less it will be affected. High-ranking monsters can simply shrug it off. At best, the rune might stall them for a second before they tear you apart. In short, never attempt to use this against a Eldritch Creature of Fallen rank or above!"

Who would ever be foolish enough to try such a thing? Judging by the silence in the room, the entire class was thinking the same.