The days in the Council's hall passed in a blur. Aric was pushed beyond his limits, both physically and mentally. Every waking moment was filled with lessons, training, and tasks designed to prepare him for what lay ahead. Yet, the more he learned, the more he realized how little he truly understood.
The mages of the Council were not the benevolent mentors he had expected. They were stern, focused, and demanding. Their lessons were sharp and direct, pushing him to think faster, act quicker, and rely on instincts he had never known he had. The magic they wielded was something beyond his comprehension.
"You must learn to control your mind before you can control anything else," Elder Velan had said on the first day of his training. "Your mind is a gateway. If you cannot focus it, you will never wield the power required to protect the Veil."
At first, Aric struggled. His mind wandered to thoughts of Varen, of his father, of the life he had left behind. The pull of the past was strong, and every time he tried to focus, memories would flood his thoughts, distracting him. But as the days wore on, he began to realize the truth in the elder's words. His distractions were his greatest enemy.
It was a grueling practice: meditating in silence for hours, blocking out every external thought, every emotion, every memory. The air around him would hum with magic, a tangible force he could almost taste on his tongue. At first, it had been maddening. He had never been one to sit still, much less face the chaos in his own mind. But slowly, something began to shift within him. His mind started to still. Thoughts became more controlled, more focused.
"You are not simply fighting the darkness outside, Aric," Thalon told him one evening, as they walked through the ancient hall. "The darkness within is just as dangerous. If you cannot tame it, you will lose the fight before it even begins."
Aric nodded, though a part of him resisted the idea. Could the chaos in his mind really be as dangerous as the threat they were preparing for? Could his own fears and doubts be the very thing that would bring about the world's end?
The answer, though unspoken, lingered in the air, as heavy as the pressure that constantly weighed on his chest. It was an answer he would have to find himself.
But it wasn't just his mind he had to master.
One morning, Elder Velan led him to a high stone tower, where the air was thin and sharp. Aric stood at the base, feeling the wind whip through his hair, his breath coming out in quick bursts.
"Climb to the top," the elder instructed, pointing to the narrow, winding staircase that spiraled up the tower. The stone was slick with rain, the stairs uneven and treacherous. "And do not stop until you reach the summit. Only then will you begin to understand the power you must wield."
Aric hesitated. The stairs looked nearly impossible to climb. His legs were already sore from the constant training, and his body ached from the long days of meditation and study. But there was no turning back now. He had come this far.
He placed one foot on the first step and began to ascend.
The climb was brutal. The stairs seemed endless, twisting and turning at impossible angles. His muscles burned, his hands slipped on the slick stone. Each step felt like it might be his last, and the weight of the world pressed down on him with every movement.
But as he climbed higher, something changed. The air grew heavier, and his thoughts became sharper. He felt as though he were tapping into something deep within himself, something that had been dormant for years. It wasn't magic—at least, not in the traditional sense. It was something far more subtle, a quiet strength that began to surge through his veins.
He pushed forward, ignoring the pain in his legs, the exhaustion in his body. The summit seemed so far away, but he couldn't stop. There was a pull, an invisible force urging him onward.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he reached the top. Gasping for breath, he stood on the platform, looking out over the vast expanse below him. The entire world seemed to stretch out before him, the mountains in the distance, the valley far below, and the sky overhead.
For the first time since his journey began, Aric felt truly alive.
Elder Velan stood behind him, watching silently. "What do you feel?" he asked.
Aric took a deep breath, his chest swelling with an emotion he couldn't quite name. "I feel... stronger. Like I've finally found something inside of me."
The elder nodded. "Good. You've just begun to tap into your potential, Aric. But this is only the beginning. There are greater trials ahead. The power you will need to face the Lurking One is not something that can be given to you. It must come from within."
Aric looked out over the horizon, a sense of determination settling in his chest. He had come this far, and he would go farther. Whatever was waiting for him at the end of this journey, he would be ready.
The path ahead was still unclear, but for the first time, Aric felt the stirrings of something more—a strength he had never known before.
And for the first time, he believed he could face whatever darkness was coming.