Mack wanted to use the light constructs as guinea pigs but then he remembered….

“Dammit! They are light constructs!”

They were created using a magic spell. If he tried to change them. It was like going right to the 5th stage of Essence Manipulation. Impossible for him.

And as well. They were not living beings. So the tests may be useless. .

In the end. He would need to be ruthless again.

Ruthless to himself.

He was not sure how simple drawings could influence the behavior of Essence. It seemed a thing out of a fantasy book for him.

But he had to try.

Mack looked at the cube and tried to choose which one of the runes he should test first.

He started looking at the runes close to the one he believed was responsible for the Essence compression.

There were too many runes on that part of the cube. Some stacked so much that in a ten centimeters area seemed like it was another cube itself of so many runes.

“It’s going to be a long day. Better rest before.”

Said Mack, looking at the sun raising on the distance.

He was without sleep and spent the night looking at the cube. His mind and eyes were tired.

Mack stopped using his backpack during the last days because it was inconvenient and made his fighting more clumsy. So now he had nothing to use as improvised bed.

He went to the other side of the cube, the one where the sun’s rays did not touch yet, lay on the grass and closed his eyes.

Dreams he did not want to have came to haunt him during the sleep. And he woke up four hours later covered in cold sweat.

Because of his battle suit, only his head looked like went to a sauna. Or Hel.

“Fuck. Those nightmares again.”

Said Mack, raising himself from the ground.

The sun was already shinning full of light. But his mind was not one that could appreciate that. Not with those nightmares.

Mack looked at the runes again. And an idea popped into his mind.

“Right! If Essence is everywhere and is like a virus. And if they are influenced by the will of thing….then…. maybe the runes are for them like my nightmares are for me. Changing my mood or behavior in a passive way.”

“But why it must be runes? Why not English? Or drawings? Or music?”

Mack pondered over the question then remembered something….

“Those cubes were supposed to be technological devices…..”

“Hey bookie girl. Did you lie to me? Are they magical stuff?”

[To answer that question I will quote someone from your world]

[Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic]

“You didn’t answer me at all. And that quote is to be used in a completely different context.”

[Think this way. To create a cube. Is impossible doing it using only your brain and knowledge. The process involves quantum physics. Tons of data analysis. And what humans call programming language]

“I thought they came from a factory or something. After all, it says ‘Cube Inc’ in the items created in the cube”

[Like on Earth, companies are everywhere in the multiple dimensions and planets, Cube Inc is only one. A rather famous one. And the cubes they create are the most advanced too. But no. The cubes are not created in an automated process. Each cube has the signature of his creator. And only one per cube. Some of those spend years to create a single one. And those are very very expensive]

“So my ancestor was really a wealthy guy.”

[Yes. But all those cubes you saw until now are the common type. They are mainly used as a ‘safe box’ or used to create simple genetic forms. Not much creation process was necessary for them. So they were extremely cheap compared to the sword you are using, for example. This sword could cause the very same Cube Inc to go broke to buy if it was auctioned]

“I see. After all, this sword uses a very rare kind of blood as material. One that is the same as mine. Warlock blood.”

[Indeed]

“Wait. Is the blood the key? The blood and the runes?”

[…]

“I guess I will need to do tests to figure this out. I only hope I don’t blow up myself”

Said Mack, already grabbing one of his daggers.

Another self-mutilation session was about to start.

One that would change the course of all the planets in the vast dimensions.

Because what Mack was about to start, was something completely unheard of before. Not because no one ever thought about it. But because no one had the exact perfect conditions for that.

A body over saturated with Essence.

Warlock Blood.

Basic runic knowledge.

A strong will.

And more importantly, one needed to have the balls to do it.

And Mack had all those.

~slash~

A single rune was carved in his left hand, close to the tattoo.

But nothing happened

~slash~

~slash~

Two more.

Nothing happened.

Mack focused his mind on his left hand. He used the same process he did with the Argonian cape. Thinking as if the newly carved runes were part of his body.

He could feel a change. He urged with his mind for it to work. To Essence to go there. To activate. All ethereal thoughts but with the same will behind them. To active the runes.

Mack closed his eyes. He could feel something moving in his skin and flesh. It was there yet not. It was very subtle. Almost imperceptible.

Mack opened his eyes. The runes were blinking in red blood light.

~boom~

“Arghhhhh!!!!!!”

Mack screamed in pain.

He grabbed his left arm with his right hand.

The pain was lacerating.

His hand had exploded. And now a hole appeared where the runes were supposed to be, he could even see thru the hole.

Not even half a second later, blood started to pour from the hole like it was a bottle of wine that was just opened.

The explosion had hit an important vein in Mack’s hand.

~stumble~

Mack fell to the ground.

Only a few seconds passed, but he already lost too much blood.

Mack passed out in a pool of blood.

Again.

Present seemed to repeat the Past. While the future seemed to be anything but a good one.

And that was just a regular day in Mack’s life.