The days passed by in a flash, and Avon soon found himself standing in front of the cardinal once more.
The fact that the cardinal had gained a disciple was kept under wraps for the moment due to countless reasons; even Headmistress Azael wasn't privy to their secret. Everybody in the orphanage was under the impression that it was High Priest Joshua, instead, who had taken the mantle of Avon's mentor.
Avon was seated in front of an ancient desk that was placed in a corner of the cardinal's temporary quarters in the temple- the duo being forced to act discreet so as to not draw the attention of countless power-hungry people who were itching to find a way to bring the cardinal into their grasp.
"So, Master Adrienne," Avon grinned as he spoke, his tone dripping with amusement. "Why exactly am I here and not in a training ground instead?"
"Patience, boy." the cardinal laughed as he settled himself in a chair opposite Avon's own, letting the stack of books that he was carrying in his arms land onto the table with a loud thump. "How would you cast a spell if you do not even understand how magic works?"
"Are those..." Avon trailed off, an unasked question clear in his tone.
"They are. Your little... display the other day proved that you have no need to learn the basics of elemental magic, so I made sure to procure some intermediate tomes for you instead." The cardinal pulled out a thick, blue book from the pile with ease, rapidly flipping through the pages before passing it on to Avon. "Though with your abilities, I'm sure that it wouldn't take long before you pass this stage as well. But before you learn how to slay your enemies in a quarter of a second, I need to know if you truly understand what it means to be a mage."
"Is there much to it? A mage is someone who learns how to feel and use mana as though it were an extension of his own body."
"True, but do you know how a mage comes to influence the mana in their surroundings?"
"A mage's body acts as a medium for the mana to pass through, with the potency of the mana and the effectiveness of the spell depending on the degree to which a mage can dominate atmospheric mana with their consciousness."
"Correct. Many seem to think that a mage's body holds an inherent pool of mana, but that is not the case. No mortal can store mana in their body on a permanent basis. Rather, the pressure that their minds exert as they force mana to shape itself according to their wills is what matters the most."
"So what a mage needs to train is simply their minds?"
"The more a mage casts a particular spell, the easier it is for their wills to influence mana into taking the form of that spell. While mental power is the most important factor, one cannot simply forgo training."
"I see."
"I'm surprised that you know about all of this despite being a commoner. Generally, only the nobles that interact with mages routinely have their basic theory down perfectly."
"I managed to stumble upon a fairly accurate guide in my orphanage's library that explains the basics of mana utilisation."
"Oh? You're quite lucky, aren't you? Do you also know how we quantify a mage's powers and their spells?"
"Spells are divided into three realms- basic, intermediate, and advanced, each having three sub-tiers- low-tier, middle-tier, and high-tier. There are a few archaic spells that are quite esoteric in nature, and haven't been classified into any of the tiers as a result. To be able to cast those spells depends solely on one's personal luck or a special constitution.
"A mage's power is quantified in stars- a mage who can cast intermediate spells at the middle-tier is known as a five star mage, while the ones who can cast advanced spells at the low-tier are called seven star mages, to name a few. In addition to mastering higher levels of spells, a mage also needs to have the ability to manipulate a certain amount of mana in order to advance in rank.
"Until you reach three stars, you'll only be known as an apprentice mage. Six stars gives you the title of grand mage while nine stars allows you to call yourself an archmage."
"And why is it that there are so few human archmages till date?"
"Out of the three races, beastmen are best suited to become warriors, while elves are inherently in tune with nature, allowing them to become mages easily. On the other hand, the human race has the capability to produce both warriors and mages, but our aptitude tends to be mediocre when compared to the other two races."
"Very good. Unlike quite a few arrogant brats, you're actually pretty well read and are clear of any misconceptions, meaning that I don't have to waste your time with banal topics and can focus on your spells instead." The cardinal sounded extremely satisfied as he tapped on the book that lay open in front of Avon. "Learn that for now."
Avon glanced at the crisp pages, a small smile tugging at his lips when he saw the spell that the cardinal wanted him to learn. "You want me to learn gravity magic at the age of twelve? I'm sure the mages at the academy would be appalled if they ever saw your curriculum."
"Those mages don't have satirical, twelve-year old geniuses as students now, do they? If you think that I'll go easy on you just because of your age, then you're dead wrong." the cardinal smirked, amused. "Or are you telling me that you're all bark and no bite, kid?"
"Oh?" Avon raised an eyebrow, a hidden light shining in his eyes. "What if I told you that I can learn how to cast this by the end of the day?"
"If you can do that, then as a treat, I'll let you in on a little secret that only three mages in this entire world know."
"I'd get such a big reward for something this simple?" Avon asked, greed visible in his shining eyes. "Not that I'm complaining, of course."
"I already planned on telling you once you were ready, but if your comprehension speed truly is that terrifying, it won't be that long anyways." the cardinal answered cryptically.
"Deal."
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Three hours later, a shocked Silver Oracle found himself gaping at the shattered remains of a table. "To think that you would actually master an intermediate spell in three hours... you really are the child of destiny..."
"Or," Avon pointed out as he waved his hand once, making the countless flowerpots on the windowsills float in the air with a simple flick of his wrist. "I'm just smart and this has nothing to do with my fate?"
"You still don't believe me, do you?" the cardinal questioned, exasperated.
"Of course not. Who in their right mind will go around thinking 'I'm actually the hero who will save the entire world in the future from the clutches of evil', just because a mysterious old man told them so."
The man simply rolled his eyes at Avon's mockery, ignoring him as he sat back down. "Only time will tell the truth. All I need to do in order to prove myself to you is to wait. Now, a promise is a promise. So, here." a thin book suddenly appeared in the oracle's grasp as he casually displayed his proficiency in spatial magic.
The book had an intricate seal drawn on its cover which made it release a faint aura- signifying that the spell hidden inside its pages was an archaic one, one of the rarest kinds. Its silver pages seemed to glow in the softly lit room, adding to its ethereal nature. Lines of runes ran across its protruding spine, each one pulsating with a different colour. The silhouette of an unknown creature was embellished onto its center, looking as though it was carved out of the smoothest of jades.
Avon's ruby eyes widened comically as he scrambled out of his seat, white hair fluttering harshly in the wind as his hand closed in on the silver book with great fervor, only to be disappointed when the cardinal made it vanish with a flourish of his hands.
"It isn't for you to use now. Perhaps later, Avon." the cardinal smiled mysteriously, ignoring the noise of protest that erupted out of his angered disciple.
"But you said you'll let me see!" Avon pouted, fingers still curled around a phantom of the book.
"I told you that I'd let you in on a secret, and I already did, didn't I?" the cardinal's eyes twinkled merrily. "The book that you just saw is a technique of the ancients, boy, one that was thought to have been lost in the vicissitudes of time. Very few know of its existence."
"But-"
"It's level is far beyond your own, Avon. Even if I gave it to you, you won't be able to understand it until you rise in power. Only then will I let you read it." the cardinal cut him off, his tone extremely stern. "Nothing good ever comes out of rushing things."
"...fine." Avon sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be able to change his master's mind. "Can you at least tell me what it's about, though? Please, master?"
A thoughtful gleam appeared in the cardinal's eyes as he considered his request, before nodding towards Avon. "Tell me, have you ever heard of spirits?"
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