Limitless Summoner: Rise of the Soul God

Ethan silently began to clean up, his hands moving mechanically while his mind swirled with questions. What kind of magic was that? How did she make the symbols glow? And what were those talismans for?

He glanced at them, the faint light still pulsing from their symbols, almost as if they were alive. A shiver ran down his spine. Miss Agnes wasn't just an old hag with a temper.

She was a master of a craft Ethan didn't even know existed. He'd heard of sorcerers and magicians, but this... this was on another level. For the first time after coming to this world, Ethan felt like a small child. He wanted to learn everything.

He swept the leftover ink and paper bits into a pile, careful not to disturb the talismans. The old woman watched him, her sharp eyes following his every move. It made his skin crawl. "Don't go getting any ideas, boy," she snapped, her voice weary but still sharp.@@novelbin@@

"This isn't child's play. One wrong symbol, and you'll end up as a stain on that floor." She flicked her cane at the intricate patterns now faded on the ground. Ethan swallowed hard, his eyes widening.

A stain? Was she serious? He looked at the talismans again, a mixture of fear and fascination bubbling inside him.

But that only made him want to learn more. If these symbols could do something so dangerous, they could also do something incredible. Maybe even powerful enough to change his life. He set his jaw, determination flaring in his chest.

He would learn this magic, one way or another. If she could do it, so could he. He looked over at the old hag, who was now resting on a chair, eyes closed, her breathing heavy. She looked older, more fragile somehow.

"Stop daydreaming and take out the cauldron. The glass bottles need to be washed. Fill the cauldron with water and start preparing the next batch of fresh ink." The grating voice sounded again, the old hag still resting with her eyes closed.

Ethan gave an approving nod at how she could see him even with her eyes closed. He walked over to retrieve the cauldron. It was heavier than he expected, its dark metal surface cool and smooth under his fingers.

The cauldron was etched with faint symbols, much like the ones the old woman had drawn on the floor. His fingers brushed over them, feeling the grooves and curves. His curiosity burned hotter than ever. What did they mean? How did they work?

After placing the cauldron, he then paused. Where was he supposed to get the water from? Maybe from the upstairs kitchen where Lia was doing the dishes? It didn't seem right but this was all Ethan had.

Of course, he could always ask the old hag and get barked at. He sighed and started walking to the kitchen. He didn't mind the scoldings but he did not want to disturb her rest. God knows she needed it at this age.

However, he barely took a few steps when the coarse voice sounded again. "What? You don't know how to cast a simple water-conjuring spell?

Ethan froze, his foot mid-step, heart skipping a beat. A water conjuring spell? He turned slowly, his eyes wide, his mouth slightly open. The old hag still sat there, eyes closed, her body slumped in that rickety chair.

She looked as if she hadn't moved an inch, and yet her voice cut through the room like a knife. How did she even know what he was doing? He swallowed hard, his mind racing. Did she have eyes on the back of her head? Or was she just that good?

He took a tentative step back toward the cauldron, clearing his throat. "Uh… no, I don't," he admitted, his voice embarrassingly small. His cheeks burned with shame. Of course, he didn't know how to cast a water spell. How could he?

Back in his world, magic was just fantasy, something out of storybooks and movies. But here, it was real, and apparently, even a simple water spell was common knowledge. He felt like an idiot, standing there clueless.

A heavy sigh echoed through the room, and the old hag's eyes flicked open. "Figures. Useless brat," she muttered, but there was no real malice in her voice, just weary annoyance. She heaved herself up from the chair, her bones cracking audibly as she straightened.

With a grumble, she shuffled over to him, her cane thumping against the stone floor. Ethan's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he watched the old hag.

She rolled her eyes, muttering something about "hopeless apprentices" before straightening her back, her fingers flicking gracefully through the air. Her voice dropped low.

"Aqua Vis! Fluere ad voluntatem!" Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire

The words danced off her tongue, smooth and fluid. As she spoke, her fingers traced a spiraling pattern in the air, and the temperature around them seemed to drop just slightly, the air thickening with moisture.

A faint, bluish glow shimmered around her hand before water began to flow, swirling gracefully into the cauldron.

The old hag turned her head, giving him a side-eye. "Close your mouth before a fly gets in, boy. This is basic magic. Even children can do it," she sneered, but her lips twitched, almost like she was holding back a smile.

Ethan shut his mouth and nodded in a daze.

The old woman smirked. "It's an incantation from the ancient tongue. It means, 'Water's Power, Flow at my Will.'" She tilted her head, scrutinizing him. "Words have power, boy. If you don't respect them, they'll devour you."

She turned on her heel, her cane tapping against the floor as she walked away. "Now stop gawking and start preparing the ink. We don't have all day."

Ethan swallowed, his gaze drifting back to the cauldron, where the water still swirled gently.

"Aqua Vis… Fluere ad voluntatem…" he whispered again, a shiver of excitement running through him. He just learned his second magic skill!