The soft morning light filtered through the thin curtains, casting gentle patterns across Izuku Midoriya's desk. The grimoire lay open, its pages alive with shifting symbols and diagrams of ancient runes. The air was still, punctuated only by the faint scratching of Izuku's pencil as he copied the complex markings onto fresh sheets of paper.
The past few days had been a whirlwind of discovery, tension, and release. After finally opening up to Inko and Hisashi, he felt a weight lift—a burden shared among those who truly cared for him. They didn't understand the full truth, but their trust was enough. It fueled his determination.
Today, his focus was deeper. More disciplined. He wasn't just tracing runes or casting small protective spells anymore. He was beginning to weave them—layering symbols, emotions, and willpower into something greater.
Izuku sat cross-legged on the floor, the grimoire open before him. The delicate lines of the Runes of Binding and Protection caught the light as he traced their shapes with reverent fingers.
He paused, closing his eyes. Breathing in deeply, he let the steady rhythm of his heartbeat guide his mind. Meditation was no longer just a quiet pause. It was an active state—a tuning of his soul's frequency to the chaotic energies within.
But the meditation was not without its risks.
During his last attempt, he had felt his consciousness slip beyond the beach, beyond the city—into realms unfamiliar and vast. His mind had glimpsed cosmic tapestries, swirling energies, and a mysterious eye that watched silently—the Watcher.
That encounter had shaken him deeply, and yet a strange ember of excitement had sparked within.
II. The Weaving Begins
He began by drawing a simple rune in the sand: Saelir, the Rune of Protection. The symbol shimmered faintly, forming a barely visible shield around him.
Next, he layered Luminis, the Rune of Light, blending warmth and clarity into his shield.
The real test came when he attempted to add Sanare, the Rune of Healing.
The grimoire's pages fluttered wildly as Izuku struggled to maintain his calm. His breath quickened, and the rune flickered uncertainly before blossoming into a soft, radiant dome enveloping his palm.
A small cut on his finger, sustained during training, began to knit closed beneath the gentle glow.
His heart swelled with triumph.
Later, over dinner, Inko poured him a cup of honey tea.
"You're glowing, Izuku," she smiled warmly.
He chuckled softly. "It's the magic. Or maybe the tea."
Hisashi looked thoughtful. "I remember when I helped kids through tough times. Sometimes the best way to control something wild isn't to grip it tighter, but to understand when to let go."
Izuku nodded. "I think I'm learning that. The runes respond to my emotions as much as my will."
He hesitated, then said quietly, "I saw… something. During meditation. Something watching me."
Inko's smile faltered slightly but she reached out, placing a reassuring hand on his.
"We don't know what's out there, but we're here for you. Whatever comes."
That night, as Izuku meditated again, the grimoire began glowing softly on its own. The pages shifted, revealing diagrams of runes he had never seen—multidimensional symbols that shimmered with otherworldly energy.
A whisper echoed faintly in his mind, not Wanda's voice, but something older.
He gasped as a vision flooded his senses—Scarlet Witch standing before a collapsing universe, then a shadowed figure handing a crying baby into unseen arms.
The image shattered, leaving Izuku breathless and trembling.
Faced with newfound knowledge and power, Izuku wrestled with temptation.
A complex rune from the vision hovered in his mind—its promise of power and control was intoxicating.
But he remembered Hisashi's words.
He chose restraint.
Instead of risking the unknown, he drew a simple symbol—a new rune, born from dreams and hope.
The Rune of Balance.
As it glowed beneath his fingers, a calm washed over him. The storm inside quieted.
He was ready—for now.