The orb glowed brightly in Emery's hand, its light casting hues of green, blue, white, and gold across the room.
Vidal stepped forward, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Not again," he murmured, almost to himself. "Another one."
"What does it mean?" Emery asked, her voice tinged with awe.
"It means," Vidal said, his tone careful, "that you, like Logan, are extraordinary." He gestured toward the glowing colors. "These represent your Mana affinities. Green is Nature, Blue is Water, White is Light, and Gold is Life."
Emery blinked, absorbing the information. "So... what does that mean for me?"
Vidal glanced at Ulrik, who gave a subtle nod. "You have four affinities," Vidal explained, his voice steady. "One basic—Water. Two rare—Nature and Light. And one foundational—Life. Each affinity represents a type of magic you can wield, and foundational affinities like Life are ancient, powerful, and exceedingly rare."
---
Emery's lips parted in shock, her gaze dropping to the orb in her hand. "I'm... I'm like Logan?"
"Not exactly," Ulrik said, his tone gruff. "Logan's talents lean heavily toward Qi, though his Mana affinities are impressive. You, on the other hand, are purely a Magi. And yes," he added begrudgingly, "you're a genius by our standards."
Emery's face lit up with a mix of pride and relief. She glanced at me, her eyes sparkling.
I couldn't hold back my smile, but my chest tightened. The thought of leaving her behind now was unbearable.
---
"Ulrik," I said, stepping forward, "you have to take her with us."
Ulrik frowned, his arms crossing over his broad chest. "This isn't a charity, boy."
"She's a genius!" I argued, my voice rising. "You just said it yourself—she deserves proper training, just like I do."
Vidal chimed in, his voice eager. "He's right, Ulrik. She has incredible potential. We can't leave her here."
Ulrik sighed heavily, his stern gaze shifting to Emery. "A Magi's life isn't easy," he said, his tone serious. "It's demanding, isolating, and often dangerous. Are you ready for that kind of life, girl?"
Emery straightened, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination. "I'm ready."
Ulrik studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Then we set off together. Both of you."
---
The announcement hung in the air, its weight settling over us all. Inga and Rorik exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of pride and sadness.
"Thank you," I said, my voice firm. "Both of you."
Ulrik waved me off, already turning toward the door. "Don't thank me yet, boy. You've got a long road ahead."
---
The night air was cool and crisp as Emery and I sat on the edge of the porch, the stars above brighter than I'd ever seen. She leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder.
"Everything's changing," she said softly.
"I know," I replied, my gaze fixed on the horizon. "But at least we're in this together."
She smiled faintly. "You really think we'll be okay?"
I turned to her, my hand gently squeezing hers. "I don't know what's ahead, Emery. But I know we'll face it together. No matter what."
She nodded, her grip tightening. "I just hope I'm strong enough."
"You are," I said firmly. "You've already proven that. And now, we'll get stronger. Together."
The stars above seemed to shine a little brighter as we sat there, the uncertainty of the future tempered by the comfort of each other's presence.