Fenris eagerly awaited the arrival of his new magic tutor, wondering what she would look like and how she would teach him. His excitement was palpable as he stood outside the mansion with his father, Marcos.
"Father, do you know what she looks like?" Fenris asked, unable to contain his excitement.
Marcos smiled at his son's enthusiasm. "I have actually met her before, son. But I'll let you be the judge of her appearance when she arrives."
Fenris's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? What is she like?"
Marcos chuckled softly. "I think it's better if you find out for yourself, Fenris. But I can tell you that she's a very talented mage, and I think she'll be a great teacher for you."
As they waited, a carriage appeared in the distance, and Fenris watched eagerly as it drew closer. The doors opened, and a beautiful girl stepped out, wearing a hooded robe that obscured her face.
"Greetings, Fenris," she said, turning her eyes towards him. As she studied his appearance, her eyes widened with surprise upon noticing his black hair and eyes—traits considered exceedingly rare in this part of the country. It was particularly striking when comparing him to Marcos, who bore a distinctly different appearance from his son.
For a brief moment, Rifa couldn't help but wonder whether Fenris was truly Marcos's child. However, realizing that now wasn't the time for speculation or assumptions about their family dynamics, she quickly dismissed the thought and focused on introductions instead.
"I am Rifa, your magic tutor," Rifa introduced herself with a slight bow. She extended her hand out to Fenris, hinting at him to take her hand and walk down the steps. Fenris took the hint, and grabbed her hand while he stepped down the stairs leading up to the mansion entrance.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Rifa reached up and pulled back her hood, revealing her face for the first time. Fenris gasped in awe at the sight before him. Rifa was stunningly beautiful, with long red hair and piercing green eyes that sparkled in the sunlight.
"Hello, Rifa," he said, smiling broadly. "You're even more beautiful than I imagined."
Rifa returned his smile, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Thank you, Fenris. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Together, Fenris and Rifa approached the waiting carriage that would take them to their training destination. Before climbing aboard, Fenris turned to face his father.
"Goodbye, Father," he said warmly. "I promise I'll work hard and make you proud."
Marcos smiled at his son's determination and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I know you will, my boy," Marcos replied with pride in his voice. "Take care of yourself and learn all that you can from Rifa."
As they climbed aboard the carriage and settled into their seats, the anticipation of beginning his formal magical education sent waves of excitement through Fenris.
With one last wave goodbye to Marcos as the driver urged the horses forward, Fenris focused on the journey ahead—both literally and metaphorically—as they embarked on this new chapter in life together.
As the carriage began its journey, Rifa couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and curiosity about her new student. She was intrigued by his unusual features and outstanding affinity for magic while looking forward to unraveling the depths of his potential.
Not long into their journey via carriage, Fenris experienced motion sickness – a severe case that made him feel nauseous when moving in enclosed spaces such as carriages. He recalled previous trips taken alongside Marcos which had similar effects on him.
Rifa quickly noticed Fenris looking unwell and immediately expressed concern. "Are you alright?" she asked in a worried tone.
"Yeah...I'm fine. I've had motion sickness like this before," he replied while questioning why he hadn't opted for walking instead of using land transportation causing such discomfort.
"I can open the window if you'd like," Rifa suggested before doing so to improve ventilation inside allowing fresh air to flow through which alleviated some symptoms enabling Fenris to sit up more comfortably than before.
"T-Thanks..." With Rifa's help opening up the window and letting fresh air circulate through the carriage, Fenris felt better and managed to sit upright without feeling too sick or slouched over. As he rested his head on one arm, taking slow breaths of fresh air coming from outside, he couldn't help but study his tutor curiously - her beauty exceeded any expectations he may have held previously about what an adventurer would look like up close.
As the carriage continued its journey, Fenris found himself captivated by his new tutor. Having only heard stories about her from his father, he felt a sense of awe and excitement at finally meeting Rifa in person and learning from such an illustrious adventurer.
Fenris couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. "So, Rifa," he began tentatively, "I've heard many tales of your incredible adventures from my father. How did you come to be here in Tonelico territory?"
"Indeed," Rifa replied with a hint of modesty, still amazed that someone as young as Fenris had already learned about her reputation through tales passed down by others. "I did retire from adventuring not too long ago. As for my arrival in Tonelico territory, it was quite serendipitous—your father encountered me while I was en route to the capital. I must admit that it took me aback when he approached someone like myself—a former adventurer—to mentor another."
"Well, you're renowned for your talents, aren't you?" Fenris asked earnestly without reservation, confident in Rifa's exceptional abilities and experience. "It seems only natural that my father would be determined to find you eventually. He searched high and low for mages skilled enough to instruct me but nearly lost hope until fate led him to discover you."
Rifa paused briefly before responding thoughtfully: "Perhaps...it may have been destiny guiding us together." Hearing Fenris' explanation made her appreciate why Marcos had been so eager for her guidance over his son; maybe their chance encounter wasn't merely coincidental after all.
Regardless of how they came together or what forces brought them here now, she felt incredibly grateful to have crossed paths with someone as intelligent and mature beyond his years like Fenris—a promising student who seemed more than ready to embrace the challenges ahead during their training under her watchful eye.
In their conversation so far, Rifa remarked with a hint of admiration, "You're quite mature for someone your age." It would indeed be unusual for a normal child to act this reserved; however, life was full of unexpected surprises.
"Oh, you noticed?" asked Fenris. His behavior was more mature than that of a typical 9-year-old boy, but he hadn't paid much attention to it. The reason behind his maturity stemmed from him helping out the Tonelico mansion's servants. Although he lacked the familial love he desired, Fenris found solace and companionship among the lower ranks of the household staff who taught him invaluable skills along with cooking and cleaning.
"It's quite remarkable that you're not like your fellow aristocrats," Rifa mused. "Most of them tend to be self-indulgent and spoiled." She couldn't help but wonder about Fenris' upbringing and assumed that solid parenting played a role in his development—though Marcos had left out many details concerning his son's life.
"I see. I'm glad to hear that you respect me," Fenris replied earnestly.
After about 30 minutes of riding through picturesque landscapes dotted with lush greenery under azure skies, the horse-drawn carriage arrived at their destination—an expansive open plain where few people ventured into or lived nearby.
The vast plains within Tonelico territory provided ample space for training in isolation; however, they were also notorious for bandit raids and monster attacks on unsuspecting merchants passing through—a persistent issue since Marcos became patriarch which remained unresolved even today despite numerous efforts by local authorities.
As Fenris gazed upon endless rolling fields stretching towards horizon outside carriage window wondering if this was where his magical education would commence under Rifa's guidance—it dawned upon him how ideal such secluded location truly seemed given potential risks involved during practice sessions ensuring safety remains paramount above all else while unlocking secrets hidden deep within himself transforming him into formidable mage he was destined to become.
As the carriage came to a halt, Fenris and Rifa climbed out, both eager to begin their training. They ventured towards the open field near where they had parked the carriage, footsteps echoing across the grounds. Fenris was bubbling with anticipation, excited about commencing his magical education under Rifa's guidance.
Rifa herself found her intrigue growing for this unusual prodigy in front of her; she sensed great potential within him just waiting to be unlocked and honed.
Upon reaching the spacious field that would serve as their training ground, Rifa turned to face her new student. "This location should give us ample room for practicing your magic safely," she said as she surveyed their surroundings with approval—aware of its isolation from any potential hazards or distractions while offering an almost serene atmosphere conducive for learning advanced skills required in becoming a formidable mage like no other before.
Rifa, with a reassuring smile on her face, began outlining their training plan for the day. "We'll start with some basic spells first to gauge your current abilities and level of control. After that, we can gradually move on to more advanced techniques tailored specifically for you," she explained in a gentle yet confident manner.
Fenris nodded eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation as they prepared to commence their magical journey together.
The tutor guided Fenris through several fundamental spells—an exercise aimed at building a strong foundation before venturing into complex incantations. They started off by practicing simple elemental manipulation such as creating small gusts of wind or igniting tiny flames within the palm of his hand—tasks designed to nurture focus and precision while instilling an understanding of energy channeling essential for all mages regardless of age or experience.
With each successful spell cast under Rifa's watchful eye and encouraging feedback, Fenris grew more comfortable in harnessing his innate power—a testament not only to his prodigious talent but also unwavering determination which impressed Rifa beyond measure given how rare it was witnessing someone so young display immense maturity alongside exceptional skills far surpassing those expected from children twice their age even among most revered magical academies across realm.
As the hours passed by, laughter and moments of intense concentration filled the air. The sun slowly descended towards the horizon, casting golden hues upon the vast open field where Fenris and Rifa diligently worked together to refine his mystical prowess.
At one point during their practice session, Rifa couldn't help but express her admiration for Fenris' progress. "Fenris," she said with a smile that conveyed both surprise and delight, "I must say I'm truly impressed by your abilities at such a young age. You've exceeded my expectations."
Fenris beamed in response to Rifa's praise as they continued their training.
Through their shared efforts, a deep bond began to form between mentor and pupil—a connection destined to shape not only their individual paths but also influence the course of magical history itself. Beneath an endless sky that bore witness to every triumphant step on their journey toward greatness, both student and teacher were committed wholeheartedly—without fear or hesitation—to following a path illuminated by hope.
This beacon guided them forward through any darkness they might encounter in a world awaiting miracles born from love, knowledge, and courage combined. Together, Fenris and Rifa forged something extraordinary: an exceptional legacy capable of transcending time and space while leaving behind profound impacts on those fortunate enough to bear witness as it unfolded before their very eyes.
Several days had passed since Fenris and Rifa began their magical training together. As they started a new session, Rifa decided it was time to introduce her young prodigy to an extraordinary technique—silent casting.
"Today," she explained with excitement in her voice, "I'm going to teach you about silent casting. It's a rare talent that only a select few mages can master."
Rifa went on to describe the unique method of silent casting in this world: visualizing the spell within one's mind and allowing instinct to do the rest. The key requirements were memorizing the spell, visualizing its various aspects such as power, shape, and effect, then executing it flawlessly.
Fenris listened intently before attempting several different spells using silent casting under Rifa's guidance. At first, he struggled with this unfamiliar approach; his initial attempts either failed or produced unintended outcomes.
However, over the next few weeks of continuous practice, and with unwavering determination, Fenris slowly began grasping the concept behind silent casting. His progress brought visible delight to Rifa as she witnessed her student overcoming challenges through perseverance and hard work.
Eventually, Fenris experienced his breakthrough moment when everything seemed to click into place for him. With newfound confidence and mastery of this elusive skill now at his disposal—he marveled at how smoothly each silently casted spell materialized exactly as he intended.
Rifa watched proudly as Fenris demonstrated his newly acquired ability by effortlessly invoking elemental magic without uttering a single word—a testament not only to their shared efforts but also proof that even someone so young could conquer unparalleled heights if driven by passion for knowledge coupled with unyielding dedication toward achieving greatness no matter obstacles standing way.