8:32 AM
Golden Fields Region, Verdant Haven
Réel Residence
As the first light of dawn painted the sky in hues of soft pastels, a gentle morning breeze swept through the verdant landscape, carrying with it the fragrance of blooming flowers.
Maurice and Aubert stood amidst a field of vibrant blossoms, petals swaying in rhythm with the whispering wind.
"Aubert, before we begin. Do you remember your last lesson?" Maurice asked, his voice carrying warmth that mirrored the golden glow of the sunrise.
Aubert's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Imagination!"
Imagination—the word resonated within Aubert's heart, a key to unlocking the wonders of magic, a notion instilled by his father's guidance.
Maurice's smile widened. "Correct, but what else?"
Aubert furrowed his brow in concentration, his mind retracing the lessons engraved in his memory.
Observing Aubert's earnestness, Maurice couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Suddenly, enlightenment dawned upon Aubert, his eyes brightening with realization. "M-Mana control, preserving mana, and uhh- magic is connected to emotions too!"
Maurice's pride swelled at Aubert's recollection. "Correct, I'm glad you remembered."
Aubert's grin radiated with joy. "Yay!"
Maurice leaned closer to Aubert. "Now, for the first lesson for today. Do you understand what I speak when I cast spells?"
Aubert furrowed his brow, confusion flickering across his features. "No...?"
Maurice nodded, his expression gentle yet firm. "Why is that?"
Aubert pondered for a moment, his hand absentmindedly stroking his chin. "I…don't know."
Maurice smiled reassuringly. "That's fine. But do you want to know why you don't understand?"
Aubert's curiosity piqued, and he nodded eagerly, leaning in closer to catch every word.
"It's because I was speaking backward," Maurice revealed, his tone holding a hint of mystery.
Aubert's eyes widened with surprise. "But why do you speak backward, Papa?"
"It's because it makes my magic presentations more unpredictable. Also, this is the tradition of the Réel family to boost our concentration."
Maurice then clasped his hands together, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "What do you think I'm going to do?"
"You're going to clap your hands, speak backward, and something magical will happen?" Aubert hazarded a guess.
Maurice chuckled, a glimmer of pride in his son's understanding. "Correct."
Clap! Clap!
Maurice clapped both his hands, and in a swirl of mystic energy, a blue smoke materialized alongside his dark blue top hat.
He then held the top hat and put his hands inside. "Now, I'm going to pull something out from my top hat and I want you to guess what I said."
Aubert nodded, ready to guess what his father would say.
"tah a ni tibbar deR!" Maurice said.
Aubert's mind whirled as he deciphered his father's reversed words. He pondered over the syllables, rearranging them in his mind.
"Red Ribbit in a hat?" Aubert ventured.
Maurice chuckled. "Close enough."
Maurice then pulled out a red rabbit from the top hat.
"Aww! I was close!" Aubert exclaimed.
"Yeah, you were," Maurice affirmed with a grin.
Maurice gently placed the rabbit on the ground, watching as it transformed into dark blue smoke and dissipated into the air.
"Now, I want you to think of something, say it backward, and pull it out of this top hat."
Maurice extended the top hat toward Aubert, a playful twinkle in his eyes.
Aubert's eyes widened in anticipation as he accepted the top hat from his father's hands.
"But remember, don't imagine too big, only small things for now. We don't want you to overexert your mana." Maurice warned.
Aubert nodded, his excitement tinged with a hint of caution.
He closed his eyes, his mind filled with the image of a flock of birds.
"s-d-i-r-b o-f k-c-o-l-f A."
He opened his eyes, only to find his magic hadn't worked. Disappointment washed over him.
Undeterred, Aubert tried again. "s-s-d-i-r-b o-f k-c-o-l-f A."
Again, nothing happened.
Aubert was at a loss. He had used his imagination before and successfully cast spells, but this time, it was different.
With a determined look on his face, Aubert tried once more. He closed his eyes, his mind filled with the image of a flock of birds.
"s-d-i-r-b o-f k-c-o-l-f A."
He opened his eyes, only to find his magic hadn't worked. The top hat remained empty, devoid of the flock of birds he had envisioned.
Doubt began to creep into Aubert's mind. He had been so confident, so sure of his ability to cast this spell. But now, he was starting to question himself.
His heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the empty top hat. His hands trembled slightly, the weight of his repeated failures pressing down on him. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves.
But the doubt was there, gnawing at his confidence, casting a shadow over his previous successes.
He couldn't help but wonder, 'Why can't I do this? What am I doing wrong?'
His self-assurance was wavering, replaced by a growing uncertainty. He felt a lump in his throat, his excitement replaced with frustration and self-doubt.
Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Maurice, his mentor and friend, smiling at him with a reassuring look.
"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself, Aubert. You're doing great. You just need a little more practice, that's all." Maurice said, his voice calm and soothing.
Aubert looked at him with a mix of gratitude and curiosity.
"But what am I doing wrong? Why can't I make the birds appear?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Maurice chuckled softly. "You're not doing anything wrong, Aubert. You're just speaking backward incorrectly."
He continued, "You see, in the Réel tradition, we don't just reverse the order of the letters, we also reverse the order of the syllables. So, instead of saying 's-d-i-r-b o-f k-c-o-l-f A', you should say 'b-i-r-d-s f-o l-o-c-k A'. That way, your magic will flow better and your spell will work."
Aubert blinked in surprise. He had never heard of this rule before. He wondered why Maurice had taught him to speak backward in the first place.
Maurice seemed to read his mind.
"You might be wondering why I wanted you to practice speaking backward, Aubert. Well, there are two reasons. One, it helps improve your cognitive skills, your memory, and your creativity.
He continued, "And two, it can be a great way to confuse your enemies if you ever have to fight someone dangerous. Imagine how they would react if you suddenly started speaking backward in the middle of a battle. They would be so baffled and distracted, they wouldn't know what to do."
Aubert nodded, understanding Maurice's logic. He realized that speaking backward was not necessary for casting spells, but it was a useful skill to have.
Maurice smiled and continued. "But speaking backward is not the only important aspect of great magic, Aubert. There is something else that is even more essential. Do you know what it is?"
Aubert shook his head, eager to learn more.
Maurice leaned closer and whispered.
"It's belief, Aubert. Believe in yourself, in your magic, and your dreams. You have to believe that you can do anything you set your mind to, that your magic is powerful and beautiful, and that your dreams are worth pursuing."
He continued, "If you don't believe in yourself, your magic will become weaker, and your spells will fail. But if you do believe in yourself, your magic will become stronger, and your spells will succeed."
Aubert's eyes widened at the word 'belief'. He felt a warm sensation in his chest, a spark of hope and joy.
He realized that Maurice was right. He had been doubting himself too much, letting his failures get to him. He had forgotten to believe in himself, in his magic.
He looked at Maurice with a bright smile. He felt a new confidence and determination in his heart. He knew what he had to do.
He closed his eyes, his mind filled with the image of a flock of birds.
"b-i-r-d-s f-o l-o-c-k A."
He opened his eyes, and to his delight, he saw a flock of colorful birds flying out of the top hat, filling the air with their cheerful chirping.
He laughed with joy, his eyes sparkling with wonder. He had done it. He had cast the spell.
He hugged Maurice, who hugged him back, proud of his progress.
"Thank you, Papa," Aubert said, his voice full of gratitude and happiness.
Maurice smiled and ruffled his hair. "You're welcome, Aubert. You're a natural. You're going to be a great magician someday. I believe in you."
Bzzt!
Maurice's Commlink vibrated, disrupting the tranquility of the moment. With a gentle motion, he disentangled himself from Aubert's embrace and retrieved the device from his pocket.
"Wait, let me get this," Maurice whispered, his expression transitioning from serenity to concern as he glanced at the caller's identity.
"Bonjour, Mademoiselle Charlotte," Maurice greeted.
"Bonjour, Monsieur Maurice, I want to talk about the Stargate you rented."
Maurice raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"
"Well...it's gone," Charlotte's admission hung in the air, laden with uncertainty.
"Gone?" Maurice echoed, his mind racing to comprehend the implications of the missing Stargate.
"Yes, Monsieur Maurice. We searched everywhere, but there's no sign of it," Charlotte's frustration was palpable.
Maurice's thoughts whirled with concern, his foremost priority being Aubert's safety and training.
"But, don't worry, we have found another E-rank Stargate. Though this one might be a bit...childish," Charlotte offered a glimmer of hope amidst the unsettling news.
Maurice's relief was tangible. "Oh, that's great!" he exclaimed, his focus unwavering on Aubert's development, regardless of the Stargate's specifications.
"I'm glad you think so, Monsieur Maurice. I'll make arrangements for the new Stargate, and I will send you its location," Charlotte assured, her voice carrying a tone of determination.
Bzzt!
Maurice's Commlink vibrated once again, this time with a text notification. He glanced at the screen briefly, acknowledging the incoming message, before returning his attention to Charlotte.
"Thank you, Mademoiselle Charlotte. Your assistance is greatly appreciated," Maurice expressed his gratitude before preparing to conclude the call.
"Goodbye, Monsieur Maurice," Charlotte bid farewell, her tone carrying a sense of urgency.
Maurice reciprocated the sentiment. "Goodbye, Mademoiselle Charlotte."
As the call ended, Maurice turned his focus back to Aubert, who had been listening intently to the conversation.
"Papa, what's a Stargate?" Aubert's curiosity piqued, his eyes filled with wonder and intrigue.
Maurice regarded his son with a gentle smile "You'll soon know enough."
"But first, you must continue practicing your backwards speaking skills. After that we will do a little combat training."
Aubert nodded, eager to learn and grow under his father's guidance.