"To walk the path before you," Eisel began, "you need strength you currently don't have. Thankfully you have shown to be resourceful and determined, traits that will carry you further than talent and affinity ever will. The path to power is a long one filled with countless pitfalls, some seemingly orthodox while others that will demand the sacrifice of oneself and more. Most involve powerful spells and curses, unimaginable artifacts and tomes." He sighed, "The paths to power are many and varied but before we begin, I have a gift for you."
He waved his hand, materializing a thick bound book out of thin air. With Aster already guessing that his master-to-be might be in a possession of something similar to his void stone, he wasn't taken by surprise even when the materialized book floated towards his lap.
"This would be your personal tome for the coming days. A mage without a spellbook at hand can be likened to a witch without a grimoire in her grasp. On cannot exist without the other. That book," He pointed at the volume in his hands, "is meant to accompany you throughout your journey. It would be a safe space where you can jot down your thoughts & inspirations. Many spells were birthed from such a tradition."
When he saw Aster staring at the heavy bound book with wonder, he felt the need to add.
"You can take your time to familiarize with it later but for now, let's focus on things that matter." After making sure Aster had stored the tome into his void stone, he continued.
"Now where was I...ah yes, the paths to power are many and varied but from what I can see there are a few roads you can take." He stared at him, almost as if he was peering into his soul before he counted his fingers with his raised hand.
"First and foremost is your elemental affinity. From first glance it's obvious that you have inherited your father's astral affinity. While it's not the most obvious path, history has known of powerful astrologers who could summon a part of cosmos themselves. It's a viable path if any."
Raising his second finger, he went on.
"The second road you can take is through your legacy. I took the liberty to check the tome in your possession and I was more than a little disappointed to discover that it's incomplete. As much as your father wanted you to protect it with your life, your family's legacy is not whole…and though I might have an idea on the reason why, it's not yet time to share."
Aster felt like his heart was about to sink into the ground.
"W-what d-do you mean it isn't complete? Our family's legacy has been passed down for generations and my father… personally handed it to me before everything got destroyed. How can it be incomplete?"
A kind but patronizing smile was on Eisel's face. "Child, there are so many things you do not know of, the true history, lore and legends concealed from everyone's eyes. It would take a long time for me to explain and frankly you are not strong enough to convince to me to do otherwise. So stay still and listen."
Aster took several deep breaths as his chest hammered and his head swam with a thousand thoughts. At first he instinctively wanted to deny what he heard but considering he was before what most people would consider the father of all magic, he couldn't muster enough strength to do so. While the legend of the Forefather had spread far and wide in Shorelands, it was his disciple the spellmeister that had truly ushered in the age of peace after the supposed dark times of anarchy hundreds of years ago.
Still every time he thought of his father and his family sacrificing their lives to protect what could only amount to a broken legacy, it made his heart hurt. If his words were true, then that meant despite the strength his father had possessed, and the heights he had achieved before his demise, he was still held back by a faulty legacy. Maybe if they had enough time, his father would have had the chance to explain everything to him, from their bizarre family history to the fact that they had felt the need to hide his mother's magic from him, but all was gone, washed away by greed of people who were after something that was not theirs.
But as he focused his eyes on the shade before him, on his kind but lordly smile that hid the madness within, Aster realized not everything was lost. The person in front of him had answers to some of the many questions he had and if he had to wade through all of the weird rules and options, if he had to endure through his mania and wildness in order to seek out the truth he will. He would be patient he thought to himself. He would obtain the answers he sought no matter what.
The shade must have seen something in eyes because he went on almost as if nothing had happened.
"Another road to power is through artifacts which to be frank, it's the one path I would not let you take, especially if you still desire to learn from me. Many potential mages and warriors have fallen to the trap of this path. The strength offered might seem true but it's all lie, an illusion. Take the said artifact from him and the wielder would be nothing but a shadow of his previous strength. It's fortunate that you possess none of such artifact and in addition, even if I had one, I would never let a disciple of mine depend on such a thing, not until they prove their worth."
For a second Aster was taken with the fancy of himself wielding a staff of such strength that even Lord of Lunar house despaired from his might but he couldn't even bring himself to enjoy it. A small part of him definitely wanted that strength but he knew that if he went to face his enemies with such glaring weakness he would end up dead faster than he could blink. He hadn't forgotten that his enemies were powerful enough to shroud themselves from the heavens, effectively concealing themselves from a household full of mages who can read the stars. Forcing himself to be patient, Aster knew nothing less than true strength could be enough to ensure he lived long enough to get to the bottom of things. Still knowing all that, he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at his words.
"The last true road you can actually take is a merge of several other roads in addition to patience and unimaginable hard work. You will have to work twice, three times, or even ten times as much if you want to be strong enough to face them, and even then, it might barely be enough. As I said, you are lucky enough to cross path with me. What's more there is another option…one that can at least guarantee everything you desire and more…but the price you will have to pay might be too heavy..."
Eiseldawn seemingly lost focus until Aster's curious question reached him.
"What choice are you talking about?"
Eisel shook his head. "You will have to wait to find out. Now let's see where you currently stand."
Seeing the puzzled expression on Aster, he smirked.
"You can't expect to get stronger without knowing your true limits now, can you?"
When it finally dawned on him, Aster can only say what followed was the most arduous torture he had ever gone through. He was made to jump and run, twist and swerve. The shade, his current master made sure to test everything and push his body in every way. At first he was blown away by just how much his body could handle but then he knew that if it wasn't for the countless days he had spent trekking through the forest whilst escaping his pursuers, he would have fared much worse.
But none of the bodily exercises were as much ordeal to him as the ones that involved his mana. The first time Aster dared cast his familiar night spell, his current master snorted so loudly that he felt his disdain through his robes. What followed was less of a lecture but more of a long rant that went on the lines of how the low tier spells; the cantrips were made to be more of guidance than sure print. The spell words were simplified for a reason as they were meant to allow sprouting acolytes like him to gain access to the core of their true affinity. The fact that he dumbly took the effort to swallow those words and regurgitate them on each attempt to cast the spell was a sure sign of a declining generation. Who knew of how many mages who had done the same?
Of all the things Aster had done, none had quite rankled the old young man like that, which in turn made him feel even more defensive as it was the first spell his father had ever taught him. When Aster finally lost his patience, he was forced to cut him short.
"What do you suggest then?" His voice attempted to show some of the respect but it looked like his face could no longer hide what he felt.
His half master was about to go on another tirade when he suddenly turned his forthcoming words into a small cough.
"Ahem to make this simple, I suppose I could give a few pointers." He raised his eyes directly to him.
"The only good thing out of this mess is the fact that your mastery of spell is more than decent. But what you were supposed to accomplish is to silently cast it, using your own will and intent to bring forth the spell to its fruition without a whisper of a word."
Aster stared at him. "My father…" He faltered as a familiar bolt of pain coursed in his heart, "my father said I could only silent cast when I advance to become a mage of the second order."
Eiseldawn airily brushed away his presumptions.
"These cantrips you have mastered are nothing more than a simple manifestation of your affinity. Later on we would properly delve through all the pillars of magic and how your affinity comes to play but for now know that your cantrip is nothing more than your affinity at will. Low tier spells were made to teach neophytes like you how to easily control and will their affinity to existence. To make it simple, it's the lazy man method as it helps to quickly acclimatize those whose affinity might be found lacking without the endless meditation."
Aster slowly absorbed the knowledge when he finally asked.
"Then what should I do?"
Eiseldawn smirked. "Once upon a time I would have let you blunder around until you figure it yourself but I want you ready and prepared soon enough. So pay attention and don't waste the few days that you do have."
Afterwards Eiseldawn proceeded to explain as Aster attempted to listen as attentively as he could. What it finally boiled down to was for Aster to summon several tendrils of mana inside of him and then shape them to his will until he was fully covered, just like what the cantrip would have achieved but without the aid of the incantation. At first he thought it would be easy as he was already familiar with the sensation of pulling his mana from within. But when he tried to flatten those tendrils around him to form the midnight cloak he was so familiar with, he found his control was severely lacking as he had been used to the spell doing it for him for years. Not one to admit his defeat especially after the previous disdain, Aster pushed on regardless.
For hours he struggled, completely running dry his mana reservoirs dry several times accompanied by a blinding headache that bled through every inch of his brain. After he nearly made himself pass out of sheer stubbornness, he finally gave up but it seemed his half master was still not done with him.
"Do not slump over. As it happens this is an opportune time for you to do this exercise especially after your horrendous display. Sit in a meditative pose and listen carefully."
Gritting his teeth, it was with pure will Aster was able to force himself to sit cross legged on the ground. By now the sun was just setting on the horizon, throwing a shifting shade of colors on to the sky with light clouds dotted all around. Throughout the day the hot sun had scorched the ground dry but with the arrival of twilight, a cold breeze conveniently cooled his sweaty robe. Hungry, tired and frustrated, Aster could only take a deep breath to assuage his feelings, making an effort to focus on what his master was about to say.
Looking above, Eiseldawn nodded.
"Good, this is perfect for what we are about to do. At this point of time where the sun had not yet set, and moon has still not risen, lies a small window where the veil is thin and one's sight can glimpse to the beyond."
His gaze shifted down to him.
"While your affinity with the stars is commendable, it can only bring you so far. What you are about to do on is another form of altered meditation, one that would go a long way to build your foundation. Still there are a few things to keep in mind."
Eiseldawn's face got solemn as he summoned a cuboid-glinting stone in his hand. The stone sparkled under the dying light, a hue of crystalline darkness emanating from it, almost as if a fragment of the night was held within. Feeling himself drawn to it, Aster could only stare at the otherworldly stone before him. Just to make sure he opened his lips.
"Is that a…"
"Starite stone…absolutely." Eisel lovingly gazed at it. "This one is of the highest grade possible. In fact it would have only needed a few decades to evolve into something more were it not unearthed but that's not our concern."
Turning towards Aster, his face was grave.
"What I about to offer you is something countless star-touched mages would have gladly sacrificed anything to get." Holding the stone in front of him, he continued. "From this stone I can offer you a glimpse of the cosmos, a brief look behind the veil of where your future path may potentially lie. Normally, this option would never have been offered to a weak mage like you, as you are most certainly to explode when the purest mana of the stone happens to clash with your tainted body or risk burning your soul for insights that you are most definitely not capable to comprehend. This is not even speaking of the need of a priceless essence stone like this one required for it."
Seeing Aster's pale face, Eiseldawn sighed.
"But, you have nothing to be afraid off. Under my guidance, what would have definitely been your demise would instead turn to be an opportunity of immeasurable worth for you. Further more you most certainly need this if you ever hope to become a powerhouse. The many small advantages you can steal early on in your path will turn into unshakeable pillars in the future where you will able to build on an even greater foundation which will allow you stand higher than your peers."
When he still saw the hesitant look on his face, Eiseldawn scoffed.
"Child this is only the start of the long journey ahead of us. There will be many choices ahead where you will find yourself at the precipice, where the risks are many but the prizes are just as rewarding. Do you remember your conviction or were you just uttering empty phrases? Now is the time to prove it. Trust me and potentially gain something of inestimable worth or take a step back and risk spend even more time and effort on a quest that's already has the potential to fail."
As Aster stared at the glittering stone filled with sparkling blue and white silvery flecks, his previous words echoed in his brain.
Willing to sacrifice everything…
Those were the words he had uttered as they had resonated with him deep inside. He was willing to sacrifice everything in order to get his revenge but now that he was finally given a choice to do so, a part of him couldn't help but tremble with fear. Shaking his head he could only affirm to himself. He wouldn't allow himself to falter at the first possible obstacle in his path. Most importantly he couldn't allow his fears and doubts steal from him something that could prove to be invaluable to his future. Every choice he had made had come to this and so he could only nod his head, feeling the need to say out loud despite his many misgivings. His half master was right about one thing. He would have many more choices and decisions he would have to make in the future, and it would be up to him to take the ones that could bring him to his goals even quicker.
"I am ready."
Eiseldawn's face slowly turned in a smile. "I commend you for being decisive child. And so without wasting any more time, let's begin."
With a flick of his hand, the starry stone came to hover in between them even as a golden light materialized from thin air, forming intricate line of markings that seemed to encase them in a circle. His eyes focused, Eiseldawn hands slowly swirled around, his fingers gracefully constructing several strands of golden mana that surrounded the floating cuboid in a globe of shining patterns. When he was done, he breathed deeply, his gaze never shifting from the changing markings.
"I have to emphasize child that you follow exactly what I say. While I can limit the stone's mana from your unprepared body and mind, it's your senses that will ultimately have to slip inside and take a glance. Only someone whose senses are as developed as yours can accomplish this. Heed a warning though, know your limits lest you end up foolishly shattering your soul this early onto your journey."
Aster took a deep breath as he stared at the floating stone. For a moment he was confused on what he should do until it suddenly became obvious. Closing his eyes, he took several deep breaths, quickly settling himself into a trance. Then he slowly widened his senses all around him, similar to what he used to do before he arrived at the meadow. Along the way, his senses have proved to more than a boon and it was clear his master wanted him to use every advantage he had to fearlessly forge on ahead.
When his awareness finally touched the golden construct swirling around the cuboid, he knew he was on the right path. In his mind, he could see nothing but the rotating spell, its intricate markings somehow imprinting themselves into his brain, almost as if he were staring at them with his eyes open. He was just about to ask on what he should do next when a small opening slowly made itself obvious. A stray thought made him form a small tendril that slowly slipped inside, moving directly towards the cuboid, the spell construct helping him on the way by compressing it into a needle sharp point that shot onwards until it pierced through the surface of the starite stone.
Then his mind exploded.
His senses were abruptly transported to a dark expanse that somehow felt limited and yet endless. Like a speck of dust floating on an endless vista, all around him were countless stars dotting the landscape forming several of the constellations he was already familiar with and more. Staring at everything around him, Aster felt for the first time that he could actually see the night for what it really was. An epitome of darkness and a world of silence; a never-ending cycle of birth and rebirth; a heavenly phenomenon threaded into the tapestry itself, weaving into every celestial object he could lay his eyes on. From the gleaming stars to the elusive moon, from the deepest darkness and the unending space, Aster saw a glimpse of the cosmos captured within the stone and realized he wanted more.
The pull he had felt before, the hunger his affinity had birthed, now unleashed itself without warning. A fleeting connection was present between Aster and the stars and his affinity pulled at it, attempting to devour, bask itself or perhaps return to the skies where it rightfully belonged. A confusing mesh of desires bombarded Aster and it was not helped by the deluge of the starlight mana that soon washed over him, drowning his senses with more concepts and meaning, truths that beheld the cosmos itself. He quickly found his previous impression of the world of silence was both right and wrong as his mind rang with a thousand voices, all uttering beautiful and terrible things he could barely comprehend. Impressions and insights continuously assaulted him until he could do nothing more than instinctively let it all pass him by like a stream that was meant to always return to its source
In all of his affinity-induced frenzy, Aster had forgotten that he was only there as a single tendril and so in his maddened efforts trying to encompass it all; he had pushed his mind and body to the utmost limits. Outside, his new robes were now caked with blood as rivulets of it streamed down his face from his nose and ears. Just when he felt his mind, soul or whatever held his sanity was about to snap despite the stubbornness to hold, a sound boomed into mind.
"ENOUGH!"
Eiseldawn bellowed, his command powerful enough to throw Aster out of the golden circle, shattering it in the process. Remnants of stars flickered in Aster's gaze as he struggled to orient himself as Eiseldawn's voice was strong enough to pull him out of the stone and cut off the connection. As he shook his head and tried to move his suddenly weakened body, his master's rebuke was somehow able to pierce through the haze and jolt him to attention.
"Insolent child!" He hollered, "What were you thinking? Do you realize what you have done? It would have taken only a second longer and your soul would have fried under the weight of it all, leaving you as nothing but a husk." He took several deep breaths of air even as he has no need for it, his robe flapping through the night's breeze, the only sign of his troubled emotions other than his harshly glowing eyes.
"I did all that I could to make sure you were safe and I warned you to limit yourself but instead what did you do? You went ahead and proceeded to nearly kill yourself by gorging on more concepts than your mind can handle."
Aster tried to apologize.
"I-I-m s-sorry m-aster…I d-don't know what c-came over me." He uttered as he futilely tried to bow although his body wouldn't let him.
Still despite knowing he had nearly died, a savage satisfaction formed in his heart. Aster could feel it deep inside, an awakening of something else, something more. He had no idea what it was but he knew he had come out of the ordeal marked for something greater. He now only needed to take his time to process his gains, the thought of it increasing his anticipation, an unbidden smile emerging on his blooded face.
Unbeknownst to him, even as his head looked towards the ground, Eiseldawn's unparalleled perception caught it all. The ghastly smile on his disciple's face took the winds out of him. He could only shake his head and sigh as he muttered to himself. "I'm creating a monster." But out loud he berated him.
"You should have waited child," he continued, "What I wanted to bestow to you was an edge that would have proved useful for the rest of your life. But now I wonder if my trust in you has been misplaced."
Panicking, Aster groaned as he struggled to raise himself off the ground. He felt fragile, as if a stiff breeze would have been enough to topple him back to the ground. Taking his time to stand properly, he tried to find words to properly explain himself but in the end he knew he was the one in the wrong.
"Forgive me master…"he rasped, until he coughed to clear his throat. "I was trapped…in the stone. I couldn't stop… I couldn't let myself out. Something kept me there… kept wanting more."
He really tried to make sense of what had made him take such a huge risk but as he looked up, he found his master staring at him strangely.
"That should have been impossible." His gaze pierced straight through him. "You affinity shouldn't have awakened, not at this time." Taking a step around him, he raised his hand, stifling Aster's questions down his throat.
"It is too early…" he murmured to himself, "Your hunger shouldn't have triggered…but then your astral affinity has bestowed you with a gift of uncanny senses. And from your tale it seems it's intimately connected to the world, giving it an early intuition on exactly what it needs."He froze as it dawned on him.
"That is exactly what I had done. I had dangled a starite stone on the cusp of evolving into a Tessaract in front of you and your affinity impulsively latched on, seeking to return to the source despite its weak strength."
He stared at Aster with a new appreciation.
"I have to admit child, you might be one of the most sensitive neophytes I have ever taught." He mused out loud. "I should have accounted for the eventual hunger in your affinity but your weak strength made me severally underestimate you."
Aster's mind swam as he tried in vain to understand what Eiseldawn was saying. When he finally saw the smirk on his face, he instinctively knew there would be no answers for him any time soon. He sighed.
"So now what?"
His master smiled. "Now you rest while I prepare something for you to eat. And then…we begin the true preparation." The wording of it might have appeared strange to Aster but looking at his Master's face he had inkling what awaited for him was something more than what he had experienced today.