"You know what's bugging me? That earth spirit you told me about, it should be a spell… then why did he still take so long to understand his first rune, could it be that he is delaying on purpose?" Cykrus whispered as he observed Frey from a distance.
The boy was standing at the centre of the palace's garden, surrounded by earth particles on all fronts.
He had his eyes closed, focusing on the information the rune had left behind inside of his mind, he was making his first attempt at unleashing the spell.
Agnes visibly disagreed with her lord's thoughts.
"I doubt it. He may be hiding some things, but he isn't dishonest. He is not any different from us; he has his own goals, aspirations, hurdles and secrets." she said and looked on as the earth lightly began to rumble.
The scale was small, not even a full square meter, however anyone who scoffed at the sight would have their eyes pop out of their sockets, as a pointy spike made purely of earth shot out of the ground.
Frey began laughing at the sight, he had cast this spell, he had caused this spike to appear!
Cykrus applauded from the side, he had regained much of his confidence after seeing this display.
Maybe, just maybe, there was still hope for Aventia.
Although Frey had taken quite a bit more time than he expected for the first part of their preparations, who's to say that things won't go uphill from this point forth?
Two years was still a long time ahead.
"Did you see what I did!" Frey wore a bright smile as he faced the two of them.
"I'll do it again!" he said with much excitement, holding out his hands towards the next spot of earth particles.
The spot he targeted vibrated once again, yet another spike shot out from below, but an unexpected sound echoed within the boy's ears just a moment later.
It sounded like a wall being broken apart.
Frey's eyes went wide, the smile on his face frozen in place as he focused his gaze downwards at the half-destroyed spike, whose broken tip had come dangerously close towards him.
Cykrus had his right arm outstretched, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw Frey unharmed.
Luckily, he had reacted in time.
Frey lowered his arms, his excitement was quickly overshadowed by the realisation that the spells posed not just a threat to enemies, but to oneself as well.
"Do not lose focus of your spells, no matter the situation. If you already have a chance of harming yourself with your spells, just imagine your troubles when someone else attacks you with spells of their own." Cykrus lectured.
Frey nodded in response, even without those words he had understood his mistake, but the display of Cykrus breaking his spike still replayed in his mind: how incredible must his lord's control over their shared element be?
Especially his reaction time was out of this world!
Frey sighed in admiration; he thanked the gods for making him this man's disciple.
"Now, try again, but keep note of your control. And don't get overconfident!" Cykrus ordered, then turned back to Agnes.
"About that thing you mentioned earlier…" he spoke.
"Simerlin's miracle?" Agnes made sure they were speaking of the same thing.
"Right, that."
"Like I said, I swear, not a single element within that room was used, or even reacted to his 'spell'." she recounted what she believed to have seen.
Cykrus tilted his head slightly to observe Frey.
"Earth's particles are also used up very rarely, could it be that?" he asked while observing the spikes that littered the former garden.
Although the ground was vastly deformed in comparison to before, the number of available orbs used to cast a spell remained roughly the same.
"No, it's not that. I am certain that I saw correctly, it just doesn't make any sense…" she smiled wryly.
"I should have paid more attention; I was too absorbed in my thoughts at the time-" Cykrus stopped speaking as the sound of clattering metal armour approached them.
"My lord! My lord!" a guard from the palace's gates hurried over to him.
"What's the matter?" Cykrus asked as the man stopped a respectful distance away from him, then placed his fist over his heart, where the green peacock insignia was engraved.
"I come bearing a letter of most urgent news! I was ordered to deliver it to you post haste." the man claimed, reached for his pocket, and pulled out a sealed envelope which he presented with both of his hands.
"Thank you, you may return." Cykrus answered after accepting the envelope.
The guard showed the same gesture once more, then left with quick steps.
Cykrus carefully examined the envelope, making sure that it wasn't resealed.
He recognised the stamp on the wax of the envelope, one of his trusted informants seemed to have uncovered something.
The suspense became too unbearable, not just for him, but Agnes also became curious after observing the scene.
He ripped the envelope open and pulled out the letter before studying its contents.
"The Ironhoofs and the Whitewoods are both marching towards the Land of Fog?" Cykrus mumbled loud enough for Agnes to overhear.
"Huh? What's there?" she chimed in.
"It seems my informants haven't found out yet, but those two wouldn't move without a good reason, especially with numbers that are sure to draw attention, like they did."
"Isn't them battling it out good for us? Especially so close to the competition?"
"Perhaps, but if they truly end up fighting, then whatever they are searching for must be that much more worth it."
"Should we get involved?"
"Not you, Agnes, we have no chance of obtaining what they seek in a confrontation. I'll have some people keep tabs on the situation- That reminds me… I have some more preparations to make, I'll leave Frey's training to you for now."
"But I don't know the first thing about earth magic!"
"Doesn't matter, teach him whatever you can, and let him figure out the rest. If there are any hurdles he can't get over, I'll spare some time to intervene. If he wants to enter the treasury for the tome, just come to me."
Agnes hesitated to agree.
Although she had called Frey her apprentice in order to trick Simerlin on their way back to Aventia, she didn't feel ready to impart her wisdom onto someone else.
She was just a rank two mage with a slightly more intimidating reputation than most.
Agnes sighed deeply, then nodded her head.
"Alright, but just know that I won't take the blame when he doesn't turn out the way you picture him." she said.
"I'd never blame you. I will leave it to you then." Cykrus smiled at her, glanced at Frey once more, and quietly left.
Frey had focused entirely on wielding his first spell, all of these events passed by without him noticing.
Agnes turned towards him and walked over while mentally preparing to mentor this child.
… …
Three months passed, and Frey dedicated all of the time he had to getting accustomed to his control over the earthen spikes.
Agnes advised him how to use them more efficiently, to surprise enemies, to vary their size, width, and length, to make them unpredictable.
She taught him to reuse the leftover particles that remained on the spikes he created, adding an entirely new layer of surprise for anyone that underestimated him.
After the first two weeks he felt that his control over the spikes were good enough, and he yearned for the inheritance tome, to learn even more spells.
Agnes had lectured him back when they first met, that variety was a mage's most powerful tool.
Although Cykrus was busy, he happily agreed to open the treasury whenever Frey requested access.
The first time he reopened the tome after having deciphered his first rune, he felt like ants were crawling all over his brain.
This tingling sensation felt unpleasant at first, but after glancing at the remaining runes inside of the book, it dimmed somewhat.
Frey flipped through the pages, before he tried his hand at another rune, he wanted to quench his thirst of curiosity.
Did his view of the rune that contained the spikes change at all?
Back at the start, it used to be nothing more than a still image, a strange character he had no use for, but as he arrived at the page, he could feel the connection between it, and the information that had engraved itself into his head.
He used his finger to trace the outlines of the rune, each twist and every turn of the drawing had a meaning, one he now saw through with ease.
Now that he had finally reached his first milestone, he managed to take some time and appreciate the intricate details before him.
For the first time he questioned the origin of this tome.
Cykrus mentioned that he learned his first spells through this tome as well, and its pages looked like they had seen their fair share of centuries.
Had his ancestors created it, or did they merely chance upon it too?
Either way, he wondered whether he was able to replicate the drawing himself.
Frey had seen what runes could do, Hodwan had given him a demonstration he wouldn't forget for life.
The contents of the rune were now a part of him, and its design was a picture-perfect memory…
He shook his head, there were no tools around to draw or carve a rune for now, so he instead focused on the remaining pages of the book.
Frey noticed upon closer inspection, that several parts of other runes shared similarities to the one he had learned.
Cykrus had told him that understanding them would get easier after the first one, and it seemed that was correct.
No matter how hard he tried though, he was unable to guess what kind of spell hid behind which rune.
He chose a random design and started analysing it.
Like this, several more months passed.
Frey alternated between his physical workout, deciphering runes to gain new spells, and practising them.
Leaving the palace's grounds became a scarcity.
Those depressing feelings he used to have since lessened, though he still worried about the competition and his progress, he managed to contain them to a degree.
The only other form of entertainment he had access to during those times were private conversations with Lu, and the rumours the palace's staff exchanged with one another.
One particular rumour stood out to him, the day he overheard it, he felt his heart skip a beat.
"I heard they finally found some clues on the whereabouts of that wanted criminal."
"Hm? Which one?"
"You know… that bandit who got lucky enough to escape Lady Agnes' pursuit."
"Ah! That one. Yeah, I remember. The announcement back then still boggles my mind! After all, Lady Agnes is such a strong mage!"
"I know, right? I can't imagine what underhanded tricks that man must have used to escape. I hope they catch him soon… all of Aventia will get to sleep more soundly then."
"Supposedly he is hiding out in Pinestop."
"Pinestop? That town isn't too big, unless he runs, I guess that bandit's time is ticking."
Frey had finally found out about the ongoing search for Hodwan, the man who had taken everything from him, the target of his revenge, and the final goal he had set for himself!
Frey scoffed at the thought, he had learned much already, he was confident in his spells, his training worked wonders.
He knew what to do, so he approached Agnes to inform her.
"Are you crazy? We don't have the time to waste on that small fry, the competition is in less than a year and a half!"
"There are still so many things for you to learn and prepare for!" Agnes immediately refused him.
"Besides, once the guards have captured him, you can do with him whatever you want."
"But didn't you tell me that normal humans can't measure up to rank one mages?" Frey retorted, making his intent on facing Hodwan clear.
"That Hodwan was left nigh-dead after using all of the runes on his body, he was just lucky to remain hidden for so long." Agnes answered, but Frey held onto his doubts.
"Anyways, return to your studies, even if the guards are too incompetent to capture him, the current you wouldn't be able to defeat that guy, so keep getting stronger first." she ordered him.
Frey left with a pout, if even Agnes had this stance, approaching Cykrus to ask for permission would be in vain.
He returned to his room, the day passed by in a flash, the sun slowly setting.
It was time for dinner, Lena the head-maid was carrying a tray of food, specially prepared for Frey, to aid in his growth.
She approached his closed door, then knocked lightly.
Lena knew how eccentric mages could be from all those years she had served under Cykrus and Agnes, her knocking was light enough to not break someone's concentration.
There was no response, so she gripped the handle of the door, and carefully opened it.
"I am coming in…" she said while pushing the door.
Lena stepped inside and immediately noticed that there was no light, nor any trace of Frey.
She looked through the room while pondering over what to do, then decided to just leave the tray on the table within, in case he returned soon.
The head-maid closed the door behind herself and returned to her usual duties.
… …
At the same time, a hooded figure with a small stature was hushing from one alley to the next, slowly moving towards the main gate of Aventia.
While the figure thought it was being sneaky, the few onlookers that noticed its presence raised their brows at the amusing sight.
The figure squinted its eyes once it had the gate in sight, pondering over a strategy to get by the guards unnoticed.
As usual, a full group was protecting the entrance, and searching incoming carriages and travellers, the same could sometimes apply to those intending to leave, especially when they looked or acted suspiciously…
Said figure checking all the boxes.
Perhaps a spell?
Or could just sneaking by work?
The figure pondered, until it jumped in surprise, as someone had placed their hand on their shoulder.
The hooded figure flinched in fear, their gaze shooting at the perpetrator, only to see a warrior wearing white and golden-red.
However, the figure's gaze moved past the man right in front of them, landing on another instead…
"It really was you… young Frey." Priest Simerlin spoke from atop his horse, at the centre of a formation of the church's warriors.
"N- No, I am not-" Frey stumbled over his words while trying to lie his way out.
"A strange attire, but judging from your behaviour, I'd say you are trying to leave the city, hm?" he continued, not minding Frey.
The boy swallowed his words, the priest had seen right through him, he only nodded in response.
Simerlin scratched his head, "I am unsure why you'd want to do that, but thanks to you, I have successfully put Lord Aventia in my debt. I wouldn't mind helping you out."
Frey's eyes lit up, he nodded again, much more enthusiastically, then walked along with the church's members towards the gate.
The guards stationed there nodded at the priest, wordlessly informing him that he is allowed passage.
One of them noticed the hooded figure among the group, but before he spoke up, he reminded himself that even Lord Aventia himself had to treat the priest with respect.
A meek guard like himself was better off not questioning such events.
After the group had distanced themselves far enough from the gate, they began splitting up.
Frey walked into one direction, and the remaining horses into another.
Simerlin looked at the boy and sighed.
"You look like you are in need of a horse." he said while shaking his head, trying not to mind the fact that this would be the second time he had lent a horse, and likely wouldn't get it back.
Frey stopped to look at the man, "Are you sure?"
He felt strange, his opinion of the priest was rather bad, so this act of kindness was completely unexpected.
Simerlin gestured with his hand, and one of his guards got off their horse, then helped Frey onto it.
"I won't forget this." Frey thanked him, then urged the horse on.
He had no experience in riding a horse, only that one time where he rode with Agnes.
At first the horse did not react to him, causing Frey great embarrassment.
"Move…" he whispered in his desperation, and without further delay, the horse started to walk.
"You better not." Simerlin spoke out loud once the boy had left his vicinity.
… …
Agnes and Cykrus were seated within the dining hall, both of them enjoying the meal the palace's cook had made.
"You really have got to give this guy a raise!" Agnes gushed, causing her lord to chuckle.
"What is Frey up to today?" he asked as Lena walked in with a second helping.
"Mhm, about that, he approached me to send him after that Hodwan guy. I obviously disagreed, but he didn't look happy about it." Agnes remembered the interaction she had with the boy.
Cykrus raised his brow, "So, where is he right now?"
"About that… I was going to bring his meal to him, but I didn't find him." Lena interjected.
Cykrus dropped his cutlery on the spot as he stood up in a hurry, rushing out of the dining hall.
Agnes followed him with her gaze, she took a bit more time to process what got him so worked up, but not much later her eyes opened in shock, "He better not have…!"