This cluster was the first Rune Pattern he was building.
Runes are single entities, but they can't form a true meaning. They are like single letters, only when combining them, will they reveal their meaning.
For this, wizards have split the Rune Circle, the "True Meaning" into three different stages: Rune String, Rune Pattern, Rune Net.
Three rune strings are one rune pattern, three rune patterns are one rune net and three rune nets result in one Rune Circle. Every circle can engrave one spell.
There is also a difference in rune circles – Foundational Rune Circles who form the Meditation Rune, and Spell Rune Circles who are carriers of spells.
The Foundational Rune Circles are also engraved with spells – but these are called 'Affinity' who are the foundation of a wizard's path.
Rune Circles are also separated into ranks – three First Ring Rune Circle form one Second Ring Rune Circle.
The study of runes is endless, there are countless runes and new runes being created every day.
After all, the foundation of runes are strings – through the multiple multiplications and combinations, there are countless final runes.
"The Arcane Warlock Wizard Tower got the name 'Trinity Enlightenment' from their meditation rune –three rune circles that form a first ring wizard circle!
It is said the number '3' is extremely important in magic theory, because it is the most stable number. Although I don't really understand why, I can see that everything with a number three is basically balanced to the extreme.
The difference in strength of those who balance is the difference between a 'Jack of all Trades' and a 'Master of All'."
He smiled and looked at the cluster – in his sight, he entangled the patterns and nets, leaving behind only the rune strings. Naturally this was only his vision – he didn't really destroy these.
A total of 26 strings.
27 strings form 9 patterns, 9 patterns form 3 nets, and three nets form one circle – finally, three circles form one ring.
Elios was only one string way from forming the first circle – [Magia], which meant Magic.
The order of circles wasn't actually important, but different circles would enhance different points first.
For example, the [Magia] rune would allow his body to actively absorb magic power into his heart!
Just like the brain tells the heart how much and how strong to beat and pump blood, the sea of consciousness that resides in the soul tells the magic container residing in the heart to absorb magic power actively.
Without it, the absorption is passively, and only because Elios has meditation talent – without it, even passive absorption wouldn't be possible.
Once active absorption is possible, one can continue to expand the magic container and even use spells!
On the other hand, the two other rune circles he has to learn are [Corpus] (Body) and [Anima] Soul.
The former strengthens the body to the level of a knight, while the latter expands the sea of consciousness and allows space for more runes.
In fact, based on the meditation talent, there are different slots for runes. A one-star meditation talent would have to learn [Anima] (Soul) first, to ensure they don't end up having too few rune slots, while a five-star meditation talent can basically ignore it.
"I should form [Anima] (Soul) second, so that I have more time exercising my body. Although becoming strong instantly sounds good, in fact, I have to get used to it and experiment with it.
If I have a basic understanding of my body prior, it will be easier for me to test it later on.
Waiting isn't an option, so it's better to just take [Anima] (Soul) before [Corpus] (Body)."
Having finished his inner monologue, Elios cleared his mind of all distracting thoughts.
Slowly, he started to build a Rune String.
It was like engraving a letter – different words had different lengths, but every stroke (pattern) was done in three precise and equally large parts.
It was like telling someone to write an L with three strokes – usually, you would instantly be able to do it with two, but now you suddenly had to do it with three.
Elios was even worse off – he had to split [Magia] (Magic) (Circle) into three letters (Net), then these three letters into nine strokes (Pattern), and these nine strokes into twenty-seven movements.
In the sea of consciousness, there was no orientation to measure centimetres and such, so each wizard had their own way of doing things and you had to learn it on your own. Once you have one rune, you can use it as reference. Slowly, with more and more runes, it will be easier to write single rune strings.
Unfortunately, at one point your progress will be static, but the requirement for new runes will continue to grow!
Elios was different – he already had a reference object – the Gate of Worlds!
With it, it was a lot easier for him to form rune strings!
He heard that even the apprentice with the highest learning talent, Eyon, only engraved 19 strings!
Elios focused deeply – the issue with strings was that they had to be done precisely and in one go. Once you have a string, you can 'store' it together with others, but strings themselves had to be done in one movement.
Every movement would cost him around one fifth mental power – you needed at least one fifth as safety, and two fifths to have a clear mind and recover properly.
Generally, if you aren't in a rush, you won't use more than three fifths of your mental power before you recover.
One fifth of mental power recovers in 24 hours.
This meant that one had essentially one try every day, or if you want to exhaust yourself, you could use more.
Of course this situation is under the premise that you have a five star meditation talent – lower talents took longer to recover.
The average statistic is to take five times the recovery rate on the first try, three times the recovery rate once you are experienced, and one time the recovery rate at the final stage.
Mental power recovery only improves after a sublimation – the previously titled "final stage" is when one has reached the formal wizard stage, which are three stages of first to third ring.
This means that under current circumstances, Elios is expected to finish his first rune circle after 135 days, over four months… it was only 87 now, and Elios was about to condense the final string!
This was the average speed of an experienced person – the reference point wasn't enough. Elios learning and rune talent was high too…