The next morning began like any other. The sun shone through the window, casting a soft light across the room. I sat on my bed, holding the book my parents had given me the day before. It was old, its pages tattered as if it had survived many generations. But the promise it held was clear: answers.
"You should read this, Luck," my mother had said. "Maybe it's still too early, but you can start. Who knows, maybe in the future, you'll be the most powerful mage this world has ever seen."
My father chuckled briefly, in his usual playful way, causing my mother to scold him. "Don't tease him!"
I chuckled a little at that. "No, they're not real. They're not my parents, maybe not even real people."
My father had said as I left, "Don't overdo it."
I had held the book in my hands, nodding resolutely. It was as though I had taken on an invisible responsibility. My mother's words echoed in my head. The most powerful mage… Could I really make it?
With one last look at the room I had "lived" in, I left the house. The path led me to a small clearing at the edge of the forest, far enough away from everything that no one could see me. No one should know what I was planning. No one should disturb me.
The fresh air greeted me as I reached the clearing. The grass was soft, tickling my legs as I sat in the shade of a tree. The book lay before me, and I opened it to the first page. It was full of pictures, descriptions, and exercises that were supposed to teach me everything about the four affinities: Fire, Water, Earth, Air. It had it all—every spell, every technique. It seemed easy, too easy. Maybe it was exactly what I needed. After all, I was someone who quickly understood what I wanted to learn.
"I'll master this in no time," I thought as I studied the book. Control fire? No problem. Manipulate water? A piece of cake. I've learned everything I need to know.
The plan was simple: concentration, calm, call the magic, and master it. I just had to believe in my goals.
I closed the book and looked up at the sky. The vast sky appeared to me like a blank page on which I could write my own rules. I felt ready. Determined to begin the first exercise, I extended my hand.
"Fire," I whispered quietly. I felt a spark within me, a tingling sensation that began to burn like a flame deep inside. It was what I needed to call the magic. This was the moment that would make me stronger. I focused.
But nothing happened. No flame, no spark, nothing.
"What?" I muttered, disappointed, and tried again. But again, nothing. No change. No magic.
Frustrated, I sank to my knees. How could this be? I knew how this was supposed to work! Why wasn't it working? Was I really still too weak? Was I really still too young?
"Come on, Luck! You spent years in your previous life learning and fighting. A little fire should be no problem!"
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. This wasn't the first time I'd faced difficulties. In my previous life, I had failed just as often, but that had never stopped me. I knew that every setback was just a step on the path I needed to follow.
The reality was unforgiving. Magic couldn't be mastered so easily. There were no shortcuts. I had to learn to be patient, even though I was used to progressing more quickly.
The day passed quickly. I was still sitting in the clearing, trying again and again, concentrating. The wind played with my hair, and I closed my eyes repeatedly to find the peace I needed. Every hour I spent on the meadow seemed endless. But I didn't give up. I didn't care that it didn't work right away. I had learned in life that everything that turned out to be valuable took time and patience.
Days passed, and I continued training. Every day I sat in the clearing, studied the book, and tried the techniques. I could feel the energy working inside me, as if it were slowly building up, but time and again, it broke apart before forming anything concrete. Magic was different from anything I had ever known.
Weeks went by, and I felt the frustration inside me growing. But it wasn't the kind of frustration that paralyzed me. It was the kind that made me stronger, that drove me to keep going. I had never gotten anything without effort. And I wouldn't achieve magic easily either.
I will grow stronger. I will master this magic. No doubt, no hesitation—I will do it.
In the following weeks, my approach changed. I didn't just train more, but I started applying techniques from my previous life—meditation, concentration, mental discipline. I worked to gain the control I needed to tame the magic. It was hard work. But I had never known anything else.
The moon shone in the distance as I sat on the ground after a particularly long training session. My body was tired, my muscles ached, but my mind was sharp. Maybe I wasn't where I wanted to be yet, but I wouldn't give up.
I had my goal in mind: to become powerful, to gain control, to master everything. And magic—magic was just the beginning.