Another six months had passed in the Kingdom of Arenthia, and Torrack was now nearly twelve years old. His progress was nothing short of remarkable. In a mere year, he had risen to the rank of knight, an achievement that would take most several years of grueling training. Torrack's skill with a sword was unmatched among his peers. He could outmaneuver nearly every warrior in the kingdom, except for a select few—namely, the king's guards and the magicians with their strange, potent magic. These challenges drove him, pushing him further and deeper into his training and his bond with Lyra, the curse that had now become his closest companion.
In the training grounds, Torrack faced off against Varya once again.
Her red aura flared brilliantly around her, a protective shield of searing energy. Torrack could see her aura clearly with his Aura Sight. He could even sense her intentions, catching glimpses of her next moves before she made them. But when she cast her spells, Torrack was at a loss. Magic, unlike auras, was a mystery to him outside of Lyra's realm.
Varya lunged, her sword alight with crimson energy. Torrack sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the slash. He could sense her intent—the slight shift in her stance, the twitch of her wrist—but when she summoned a burst of fire from her blade, Torrack had no warning. He barely managed to deflect the spell, stumbling back as the flames singed his arm.
"Damn it," Torrack thought, frustration gnawing at him. "I can see what she's going to do, but I can't see how the magic works… I can't predict it."
After their match, Elion, the magician with the blue aura, approached Torrack.
"You're improving fast," Elion said, a hint of admiration in his tone. "But magic still gives you trouble, doesn't it?"
Torrack nodded, rubbing his sore arm. "I can sense your intentions, but the magic… it's like I'm blind to it. Outside of Lyra's realm, I can't see what's happening with it, just the effects."
Elion tilted his head, considering. "Magic is different from aura perception. Auras let you see emotions, thoughts, even intentions. Magic is a raw force—unpredictable, primal. To understand it, you need to perceive more than just the physical; you need to grasp the flow of energy itself, the very fabric of reality."
"But how?" Torrack asked, genuinely curious.
Elion smiled faintly. "You're already on the right path, Torrack. Keep exploring. You'll find your way."
Later, Torrack sat alone in the courtyard, deep in thought.
He'd spent so much time training his Aura Sight, honing his ability to sense the auras around him. But the magicians' spells were different, slippery. He could sense the intent behind the magic, the emotion fueling it, but not the magic itself. Not unless he was in Lyra's realm.
"If only I could see what they're doing with their magic," Torrack thought. "Maybe then I could defend against it properly."
His mind drifted back to his connection with Lyra. In her realm, his abilities were vastly enhanced. He could see auras more clearly, reach further with his Aura Amplification, and—most importantly—he could see magic.
In Lyra's realm, Torrack practiced his abilities daily.
Here, he could see magic as clearly as he saw auras in the physical world. He could watch the flow of energy as Elion or Varya cast their spells. He could see the threads of magic intertwining with reality, bending it, changing it. When Thorne used his magic to make a plant grow, Torrack could see the magic coursing through the soil, feeding the roots, accelerating time itself around the plant.
"This is it," Torrack thought as he observed Thorne's magic in action. "I can see the magic here… I can see exactly what it's doing, how it works. If only I could bring this vision into the real world."
Lyra's presence was a constant in this realm, guiding him, supporting him. Over the months, she had grown from the shadowy child he first encountered into a more defined presence. Now, she appeared almost like a young woman, her aura no longer dark and chaotic but soft and calming, radiating a quiet strength.
"You're learning quickly," Lyra said softly as Torrack watched Thorne weave another spell. "Your understanding of magic is growing. Perhaps, one day, you'll be able to see it outside my realm, too."
Torrack turned to her, his expression determined. "I need to find a way to take you with me, Lyra. If I can keep you close, I might be able to use what I learn here in the real world. I might be able to see magic out there, too."
Lyra nodded thoughtfully. "You've grown so much, Torrack. I believe in you. If anyone can find a way, it's you."
Back in the physical world, Torrack continued his rigorous training.
He practiced with the knights, honing his combat skills. He sparred with Elion and Varya, trying to anticipate their magic. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fully grasp their spells. He couldn't see the magic—only the aura around them.
Yet, he refused to give up.
Every night, he would retreat to his chambers, close his eyes, and enter Lyra's realm. There, he would practice seeing magic, feeling its flow, understanding its patterns. He would watch Thorne, Elion, and Varya as they practiced, studying their techniques, learning the subtle differences between their spells.
Slowly, he began to see patterns. He noticed how the flow of magic changed with different spells, how it reacted to different elements, how it twisted and turned in response to the caster's intent.
One evening, after a long day of training, Torrack sat in his room, lost in thought.
"I'm getting closer," he thought, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'm beginning to understand magic… but only in Lyra's realm. I need to find a way to see it in the real world."
His thoughts turned to Lyra again. He knew she was the key. If he could find a way to bring her with him, to keep her by his side at all times, he could use his abilities fully, without the limitations of being outside her realm.
But how to do it?
He remembered Thorne's stories about magical artifacts—objects that could bind spirits, hold magic, channel power. If he could find such an artifact, maybe he could bind Lyra to it, allowing her to travel with him, stay by his side.
"I'll find a way," he vowed silently. "I'll find a way to bring you with me, Lyra. We'll face the world together."
With that resolve, Torrack drifted off to sleep, his mind buzzing with ideas and possibilities. The path ahead was uncertain, but he was ready to face whatever challenges came his way. He would master his abilities, learn to see magic, and with Lyra's help, he would become a force to be reckoned with—a knight not just of the realm, but of the spirit and the arcane.