Aelric sat cross-legged on a flat stone at the edge of the encampment, eyes closed, hands resting lightly on his knees. His surroundings faded as he turned his focus inward, reaching for the currents of mana that thrummed through his veins.
Each night, he had retreated to this secluded spot after days filled with battle, hunts, and survival. The grueling routines—setting traps, using bait to lure Howlfangs, and scavenging for resources—left little time for reflection.
Yet, every evening, he returned to this spot to perform what had been drilled into him since childhood: the mastery of the mana core.
Tonight, something was different. The mana within him, once scattered and elusive, began to gather. He smiled faintly, exhaling as the glow intensified. A small smile curved his lips. Finally.
The mana core was complete. His muscles felt invigorated, his senses sharpened.
He stood, flexing his fingers experimentally. The core provided a foundation, but without an Art to channel the mana, it remained dormant. Time to take the next step.
Retrieving a worn parchement from his pocket, the very same one Varik had tossed away, he studied the text. The script was ancient, penned by his ancestors long ago. Firebolt—the last remaining Art of the Draythar lineage. The rest had been lost to time or stolen by rivals. Preserving this one had been his father's obsession.
By the dim glow of a small lantern, Aelric began to study the intricate diagrams and incantations. Each symbol represented a precise manipulation of mana, a specific intent. He traced the lines with his finger, committing them to memory. And with them came a voice—a memory as vivid as the fire he now sought to command.
*********
"You're holding it wrong," Selene said, her voice sharp and unyielding.
Aelric frowned, adjusting his stance for what felt like the hundredth time. His fingers gripped the training rod tightly, his arms trembling with effort. "It doesn't matter," he muttered. "I can't even cast Firebolt without a mana core. What's the point?"
Selene's footsteps echoed in the chamber as she approached. "The point," she said, her tone softer now, "is that when the time comes, you'll be ready."
He glanced up at her, frustration flickering in his eyes. "Why can't I just do it then? There are other things for me to learn and magic does not come as easily to me as it does to you."
Her brow furrowed, and for a moment, Aelric thought she might snap at him. Instead, she crouched beside him. Her touch was firm but not harsh.
"You think I was good at this from the start?" she asked, her voice quiet.
Aelric blinked. "Weren't you?"
She smiled faintly, a rare expression on her usually stoic face. "I burned my hands the first time I tried to cast Firebolt. Father made me keep practicing until I could barely stand. I hated him for it. But you know what I learned?"
"What?"
"That fire doesn't care about hate or fear," she said. "It only listens to control." Her gaze bore into his, fierce but warm. "And control starts here." She tapped his forehead gently, then his chest. "And here. Focus on the flame, Aelric. Not on your failure. Not on me. Just the flame."
"Alright then," he said, as her words settled into him. "I'll try again."
Her smile widened, just a fraction. "Good. Because I'm not letting you leave until you get it right."
*********
The memory lingered as Aelric exhaled slowly, his breath misting in the cold air. Selene's voice echoed in his mind, her words as clear now as they had been then: Focus on the flame. Not on your failure.
He whispered the incantation, feeling the warmth in his chest surge. The mana flowed down his arm, pooling in his palm. This time, the flame flickered to life—small, but steady. He gritted his teeth, pouring his will into it. The flame grew, shaping itself into a bright, crackling orb.
The heat was immediate and intense, singeing the air around him. With a swift motion, he hurled it forward. The explosion lit up the forest, scattering embers like fireflies.
Aelric stared at the fading light, his chest tightening. He could almost see her there—Selene, with her sharp gaze and faint, approving smile. "You'd probably tell me it's not good enough," he murmured.
The mastery of Firebolt brought about a change to his mana core as well. It transformed from a neutral glow to a vivid crimson. His core had aligned, transforming to align exclusively with fire-based Arts.
He clenched his fists, turning back toward the camp. The warmth of his victory was fleeting, replaced by the ache of longing. It had been so many days since he'd left Caelvaris, the longest he'd ever been away. What was happening there now? Was Selene holding the kingdom together? Or had the walls fallen in his absence?
The thought weighed heavily on him as he approached the campfire, its glow spilling out into the darkness.
Gerrick's laughter greeted him as he stepped into the circle of light. The large man gestured animatedly, his booming voice carrying over the low murmur of conversation.
"And then—bam!—I smashed its skull clean in!" Gerrick declared, gesturing wildly.
"With one swing, of course," Mira added dryly. "How convenient."
The group's laughter was warm, but it didn't reach Aelric. He lingered at the edge of the camp, his gaze drifting toward the firelight. The flames reminded him of home, sitting on his father's lap while Selene studied the art of strategy and war.
But the memory, like the fire before him, was a distant glow, out of reach.
He turned away, his gaze landing on Duran, who sat sharpening his blade at the edge of the camp. The rhythmic rasp of the whetstone filled the silence between them as Aelric approached.
"Do you ever think about home?" Aelric asked quietly.
Duran paused, glancing at him. "Why? Do you?"
Aelric hesitated. "More than I'd like to admit," he said finally. He wondered if Caelvaris was still holding. If his sister was…
He trailed off, the weight of uncertainty pressing on his chest. "I worry I left them in ruin."
Duran resumed sharpening, his movements slow and deliberate. "Can't think about something you never had."
Aelric tilted his head, curiosity sparking. "Never had a home?"
"Not really," Duran replied. "Grew up in a camp. Men with more scars than sense. Called it home, but it wasn't. Just a place to eat and sleep before the next fight."
"That sounds…" Aelric searched for the right word. "Lonely."
Duran shrugged. "It was what it was. When you grow up like that, you learn to keep moving. Attachments get you killed. If you don't have anything, no one can take it from you."
Aelric frowned, the weight of Duran's words settling over him. "Still," he said quietly, "everyone deserves a place to belong. Once we're out of here, I'll make it my mission to help you find one. A real one."
Duran's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Don't let the leadership thing get to your head, boy. You're doing all right so far, but it's a long road ahead."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Aelric said with a wry smile.
Duran's expression softened for a moment before he resumed his task. "Just don't prove me wrong."
"I won't," he whispered as he studied the system message the progress:
[Quest Progress: 64/100 Howlfangs slain.]
**********
The next morning, the group gathered for Aelric's latest plan: a mission to scavenge weapons from the ambush site. As Aelric laid out the details, Kane shifted uneasily. "Do we have to go back there?" he asked, his voice tinged with fear.
"We need weapons," Aelric said. "If we're going to survive, we can't rely on sticks and stones."
Kane looked down, fiddling nervously with the hem of his tunic. "I get that, it's just… I don't know if I'll be any help."
"You're more help than you think," Aelric said. "I wouldn't ask you to come if I didn't believe that."
Kane glanced up, a flicker of determination crossing his face. "Okay. I'll try."
"Count me in," Gerrick offered, his grin wide as always. "I need to find a hammer worthy of my power."
Elysia, leaning against a boulder with her chain coiled around her forearm, watched the exchange in silence. Her sharp eyes flicked toward Varik and his lackeys, who lingered at the edge of the camp, whispering among themselves.
Aelric approached her. "Notice anything?"
"They've been quiet … too quiet," she murmured, nodding toward Varik's group. "Quiet isn't in their nature."
Aelric followed her gaze, his expression hardening. "I'll deal with them soon. For now, we focus on the mission."
**********
From the shadows beyond the firelight, Varik leaned against the rough stone wall, his eyes narrowed as he observed the gathering. The soft murmurs of Serenna and his men filtered through the air like a sullen wind, their voices low but laced with discontent.
"They're getting stronger," Serenna muttered, her gaze fixed on Aelric. "The prisoners trust him now. You saw how they rallied behind him after the ambush."
Varik's lips curled into a sneer. "Trust is a dangerous thing. It makes people forget their place."
"They've been gathering weapons," one of the lackeys added. "Real ones—blades, shields, bows. If this keeps up, they'll be better armed than us."
Varik's fingers drummed against his thigh as he considered the implications. It wasn't just the weapons that worried him. It was the boy. Aelric had been a mere nuisance at first. But now, he carried himself differently—his voice steadier, his commands sharp and purposeful.
"It's troublesome," Serenna murmured, her tone flat but edged with concern. "If the prisoners rally behind him, we'll lose control. All it'll take is one spark."
He turned to Serenna, his voice low and deliberate. "How are the preparations?"
She hesitated, then glanced at their two lackeys. One of them—a wiry man with a scar running down his cheek—cleared his throat. "He's agreed to help."
Varik chuckled darkly. "Good. Now we just have to be patient. Let the boy think he's won them over. Let them believe in his little plans."
"And when they're ready?" Serenna asked, her tone laced with skepticism.
"Then we strike," Varik replied with a dark chuckle. "Not before. Let them do the hard work—kill the Howlfangs, wear themselves down."
*****
A/N:
There you have it—the first signs of magic! Soon, you'll get to see a full display of its power and learn more about the system that shapes this world. Stay tuned—things are about to get even more exciting!