The next morning, despite it being an off day, Kellan was too eager to rest. His mind buzzed with questions from the book he had read the previous night. Determined to find answers, he ran to find his trainer, Scholar Darius. He found Darius busy compiling recent events into the record books in the library.
Kellan patiently waited for Darius to wind up his work. After some time, Darius noticed Kellan's presence and asked, "What brings you here, Kellan? Shouldn't you be enjoying your day off?"
Kellan couldn't contain his curiosity. "Scholar Darius, I read about the sages last night. I have so many questions! Is it true they could bend nature to their will? And what about the dragons? Did the Primordial Ancient Sage really tame them?"
Darius listened to Kellan's eager questions and then laughed heartily. "Ha ha ha ha ha! It is a great story is not it."
Kellan nodded showing his approval.
Seeing the look in his eyes Darius continued, "They always exaggerate in literature, Kellan. These tales are often idealistic views written in hopes of molding the future generation to have good ideals and to develop a moral responsibility for the powerful. Do you really believe that someone who had all this power would pass it down to others so easily? It's all the same Sages are just exaggerated Mages."
"But the stories are so detailed," Kellan protested. "There must be some truth to them."
Darius leaned back, pulled out a book from a nearby shelf, and sat down. "Let's start with the basics about mage. Shall we?"
Kellan excitedly nodded.
"Good" Darius continued, "Mages are those who can borrow the power of nature to perform mystical feats, or simply put, magic. Generally, it is impossible to see the energy flowing in nature. Some call it mana, some ether, some ki, or aura, but the essence remains the same. It's energy. To channel it, one has to see and feel it. Once you are able to do that, you can channel that energy and visualize it into the form you desire. And thus, you have magic. A being who can do all this is a mage."
"How come there are mages, and no one knows about them?" Kellan asked, still not satisfied.
Darius chuckled again. "Just because someone in a rural village does not know about mages doesn't mean no one knows about them. Mages are known, but they are mostly royals. Only nobles have access to them, so very few commoners are aware of their existence."
"Okay," Kellan said, "But why is that? Why are only the royals able to become mages?"
Darius sighed, flipping through the book. "It is said that humans in the Age of Sage became too prideful and challenged the gods. To punish them, the gods took the one thing they loved most: magic. They blocked the sense that allowed humans to see and channel mana. So, no human can naturally become a mage. But humans have one thing that is special to them: adaptability. They adapted and found a solution. If a mage who has good control over his channelling and understands the theory channels energy into a person, they can unlock that person's mana senses, making it possible to feel and channel mana."
"So, they pass down the power within their families," Kellan concluded.
"Exactly," Darius said. "Once a mage's senses are unlocked, they train and refine their abilities. Naturally, those with the power of magic would keep it within their bloodline, ensuring their family's dominance. This gave rise to the current world where each magical family controls and rules their own kingdom."
Kellan thought for a moment and then asked, "If being a mage is this easy, then what stops them from making an army of mages and conquering the world?"
Darius nodded, appreciating the question. "Even if one's senses are unlocked and they become a mage, it does not guarantee power. To put it simply, one can only use so much energy at a time. Everyone has a limit, some a little less, some a little more, but the overall amount for humans remains the same. With that limited energy, what and how powerful a phenomenon or magic one can invoke completely depends on the intelligence of the caster."
"How you see the world, how much you understand it, and what you can trigger with the energy make a huge difference."
He paused to let this sink in before continuing, "It is recorded that some, despite being mages for several years, could only light candles with magic, while some with good knowledge, despite being new mages, could burn down a whole army."
"It is this limitation that keeps most mages busy in their research, gaining more knowledge and understanding to become more powerful. They don't have much time to train others, so most high mages do not move unless their or their kingdom's existence is under threat. This is why the world is the way it is today."
Kellan nodded, deep in thought. "So that's why. From what I have seen Scholar Darius is the smartest person I know. So, if you become a mage then you will be super strong."
"Yes," Darius laughed. "How I wish."
His laughter filled the library, it's been a long time since he laughed so much. After a few moments has passed he left Kellan with few words of wisdom, "Magic is a gift and a burden, and it has shaped the very fabric of our society. It's important to understand its history and its implications."
Kellan's curiosity was far from sated, but he felt a profound respect for the knowledge Darius had shared. As Kellan left the library, his mind drifted with thoughts, the world of magic was more complex and nuanced than he had imagined, and he was eager to learn more. The journey to understand the mysteries of magic had only just begun.