Magic is a hard subject. To introduce it plainly, magic is the process of weaving mana in order to change the world that surrounds us and the rules it naturally contains. In theory, it isn't that hard. Garim has been trying his hardest to dumb it down every day, from noon 'till sun down, to get me to manipulate my mana.
When it comes to practice, it's a different story.
I've yet to be able to make even the slightest ripple in the flow of mana in my body, which Garim describes as being "as still as a dead animal", which isn't even natural. Like, mana is supposed to flow in every being in nature.
First thing I've failed at is maintaining a meditative state of mind. Garim has tried to ease me into it, but I just can't keep focus. Every time I try to quiet down, it feels like the fogginess in my head just spreads and murks my thought process to a halt.
It's been a gruelling process and finally, after a week, Garim decided to give me the day off.
"Ah man, it sucks. I feel so tired." - I complained to my mom, who had been watching me leave everyday and come back tired and frustrated.
"You know sweetie, maybe trying to force things isn't the way to go. If it is meant to happen, it will. Just take today off, give it a bit of time?" - Mom said, as she poured lunch onto my plate.
"It's not that simple mom, but thanks. By the way, where's dad? He hasn't come back in a few days." - I asked, absent-mindedly.
"Sometimes hunting requires patience dear, you know that. He might have found a track for a large animal and is just taking a bit longer. The whole hunting party hasn't comeback so, don't panic."
Mom is worried. I hear it. The voices in my head have been getting clearer every day that goes by.
The throbbing in my head is also getting worse, every time I hear the voices... I feel them. Every emotion, every sentiment that goes through that person's mind. Sometimes it's hard to separate my thoughts from the outside voices.
Today I plan on camping out in the relatively big forest near out town. It's been my refuge since I was young and would not fit in with the other children. I know most of the outer region and have ventured deeper very ocasionally, resulting in the backlash from Dad.
He says there are dangerous beasts in the forest, capable of wielding simple magic and that no child should try and face them.
But, Garim says I'm powerful. Maybe that's the catalyst I need, to risk my life? Heroes in the fairy tales always got stronger when their life depended on it. So, let's find out.
I made some last minute packing, some dried food and water to last me a few nights at least. Got my old tent from dad's army days and carried it on my back whilst I sneaked out of the house so Mom wouldn't get too worried.
I decided to brave into the deeper parts of the forest this time around, and it quickly proved to be a rash decision.
There's almost no light, seeing as the tall trees cover the sunlight, meaning it's hard to see the musk-covered rocks on the muddy floor.
It had been raining for the past days, so my clothes quickly got damp and uncomfortable.
This part of the forest was strangely eerie. Normally, bugs and small critters can be found if you do as little noise as possible when walking around, but not here. Combine that with the lack of good ilumination, and you've got yourself a scenario that easily spook me.
But nothing was worse than hearing faint voices, almost whispers of the dying. Especially when I recognised one of them as being a member of the hunting party which Dad lead.
They were all around me and became especially creepy as night rolled around.
Dad used to tell me that you should never kill unnecessarily, that Nature would always rebound at you sooner or later if you hunted for sport.
Yet, that never stopped the town mayor from commissioning dad in hunting parties. Dad, having survived his military days with prestige and being a local made him a prime target for his greedy clutches.
Always trying to suck up to the officials that rolled around every year, presenting them with simple magical beast catalysts in the hopes of getting his son a spot in an academy, which Dad said were a big no-no.
You see, to kill beasts that were blessed with magic was highly frowned upon in the high society, yet it was a "necessary evil", as the Imperial mages called it. Poor towns and villages relied on this black market to stay afloat from the taxes, which the empire turned a blind eye to.
So, as Dad would say, Nature will eventually strike back.
And it did.
I woke up in the middle of the night, with this ominous feeling that something was awfully wrong. My back was drenched in cold sweat, the kind you get when you get yourself in danger.
Then, I heard it, almost like a hissing voice, that spoke in a crude language.
"Where are they... Where are my children.... Who took them, AWAY FROM ME!"
Something or someone was out there, and it was not happy.
Screams echoed in the forest, screeching, like someone gasping for their last breath.
The tree top I had climbed to started to shake, almost as if Nature itself was afraid of what was to come. Small critters poked out of their nests and then quickly hid again.
Some behemoth was walking among this forest, and it is angry. Very angry.
I heard someone rushing through the forest, making the brushes rustle in the typical hurried, endangered animal running away in a panic type of sound, where the branches on the soil snap, mud gets thrown everywhere and their breath is in disorder.
It was someone that belonged to the hunting party dad had gone out with, although the dim lighting didn't allow me to see much more. I could smell the faint metallic smell of blood reeking from him, and he was limping, very apparently in pain.
"What happened? Where is the rest of the hunting party?"- I pried, trying to understand the situation.
"We found a beast's nest, filled with eggs. Big ones. Most of us were against taking it but, as usual, the mayor's son is a greedy bastard and forced some to take them into their bags." - He looked distraught. I took a closer look and found he was holding a bloodied egg.
So that's what happened. They stole eggs from a beast. And now, that beast was coming after them for it.
"Can I see it?" - I pointed at the egg. The man seemed to hesitate, but eventually gave up his struggle and gave the egg to me.
"Keep it. Too many have died for it. I have no use for it, even if I live."
"I smell blood... s-someone who held my precious children's blood... I WANT THEM BACK!" - It rumbled in my head, and I saw someone - or something - looking at me from very far away. It saw me holding the egg, and started getting closer. Like, freakisly closer.
I saw it then. What looked like a giant eagle, with large talons glittering in the moonlight like silver, swooping down on me.
Stop, I thought.
It wasn't me, I screamed in my head, not knowing the reason why I just stood there.
I could feel Death's chilly breath, getting ever-closer to me, and closed my eyes, as if accepting my fate.
For the first time in what seemed years, my thoughts went still, my breathing calmed down. The haze which had always plagued my mind was settling down, compressing down into the character which had lied hidden in it.
I heard it then.
"BEGONE BEAST!"
The seal which lingered in the haze, which locked it behind that misty curtain which remained ever-so elusive for all my life. It was glowing.
Someone who looked strangely like me was smiling at me, with a misty look in their eyes. It beckoned me and spoke.
"Child, I am sorry for this, but I had no choice but to seal your powers until you came of age, throwing you into this prison of a plane. My enemies are too many so please, don't blame me. When the time is right we will see each other again. Now, remember what I am about to say."
Some words begun to fade, as if the image was losing it's power.
"In the beginning , there was Void... The arrogance of Gods made Darkness, whilst the Demon's ever-lasting grace gave us Light. The Elements were created as a balance, and so the planes were born. Break the shackles of the mortal and become a true mage, A Telepath. Be blessed by me, the first of our blood, and be welcomed before the Mist. Welcome Rubius Razi, son of ..." - The haze which clouded my mind then begun to dissipate, leaving behind what looked like a book. - Void".