The morning air was crisp, filled with the scent of damp earth and fresh grass. The sun had barely risen above the treetops, casting a golden glow over the open field behind Granny Clora's cottage.
I stood barefoot in the grass, my body tense, my heart still racing from the revelation.
Light and Darkness.
A forbidden combination. A power feared by all.
I clenched my fists. I had no idea what this meant for me, but one thing was clear I needed to learn how to control it.
Granny Clora stood a few feet away, her wooden staff planted firmly in the ground. She studied me with sharp, knowing eyes.
"Magic is an extension of one's soul," she began. "It is not merely power, but will. It must be guided, controlled, and shaped. Otherwise, it will consume you."
I swallowed hard. "How do I control it?"
She smiled faintly. "We will start with the basics. Close your eyes and focus on the energy within you."
I obeyed, shutting my eyes and taking a deep breath.
"Feel it," she said softly. "The power inside you. The warmth of the light… and the chill of the darkness."
I concentrated, reaching deep inside myself, just as I had the day before. At first, there was nothing. Then, a flicker.
A spark of golden warmth.
A pulse of cold shadow.
They were both there two opposing forces, coexisting inside me.
I gasped as the energy surged, fire and ice coursing through my veins. My body trembled, the power barely contained.
"Steady yourself," Granny Clora instructed. "Do not let it overwhelm you. Breathe. Balance."
I gritted my teeth, trying to hold it in. The golden light burned in my chest, while the dark energy coiled around my limbs. It felt like two beasts fighting inside me, neither willing to submit.
"Good," Granny Clora said. "Now… release it. Slowly."
I exhaled and let the energy flow outward.
A soft golden glow flickered around my hands, and at the same time, dark mist coiled around my fingers. Light and Darkness, side by side.
Granny Clora's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly masked her surprise.
"Impressive," she murmured. "You are already able to manifest both elements. That is rare."
I looked at my hands, amazed. "I can feel it… but it's unstable."
She nodded. "That is because you are untrained. If you wish to master these powers, you must learn control. Without it, this power will destroy you."
Her words sent a chill down my spine.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. I couldn't afford to lose control. If this power was truly dangerous, then I had to master it no matter what.
The training continued.
Granny Clora made me practice summoning and dispersing my magic over and over again. At first, it was exhausting. The more I used my power, the more unstable it became. The golden light would flicker wildly, and the darkness would lash out like a living thing.
Several times, I nearly lost control.
Once, a burst of light shot from my hand, nearly scorching a nearby tree. Another time, a tendril of shadow lashed out, carving deep grooves into the dirt.
Each time, Granny Clora remained calm, guiding me with her steady voice.
"Do not fight the magic," she told me. "Accept it. Guide it."
By midday, I was drenched in sweat, my body aching from exhaustion. But I was improving. My control was still shaky, but I could feel the difference.
Granny Clora watched me with approval. "You learn quickly. That is good. But magic is not just about power. It is also about knowledge."
She turned and began walking toward the cottage. "Come. There is something you must see."
Curious, I followed her inside.
She led me to a dusty bookshelf, running her fingers along the old tomes. Finally, she pulled out a thick, leather-bound book and placed it on the table.
"This," she said, "is the Codex of Eldoria. It contains the history of magic, the gods, and the demons."
I sat down, staring at the book. The cover was old, worn with age, yet I could feel a faint hum of magic from it.
"Read," she said. "If you wish to understand your power, you must first understand its origins."
I hesitated, then reached for the book, opening it carefully.
The pages were filled with elegant, ancient script, alongside illustrations of powerful beings gods wreathed in golden light, demons shrouded in darkness.
And then, on one page, I saw something that made my blood run cold.
A drawing of a man standing between the gods and demons, wreathed in both light and darkness.
And below it, a single word.
Harbinger.
I looked up at Granny Clora, my throat dry. "What is this?"
She exhaled slowly. "The prophecy of the one who wields both light and darkness."
A chill ran down my spine.
Somehow, I knew this prophecy was about me.
The word Harbinger burned in my mind.
I stared at the illustration of the lone figure wreathed in both light and darkness, standing between the gods and demons. Something about it unsettled me like a forgotten memory trying to claw its way back.
I looked up at Granny Clora. "What does this mean?"
She sighed, her gaze heavy with unspoken thoughts. "The Harbinger is a figure of legend. A being said to be born once every thousand years one who possesses both divine and demonic power."
I swallowed hard. "And… what happens to the Harbinger?"
She hesitated, then slowly turned the page.
The next image sent a chill down my spine.
It was the same figure but this time, they were kneeling amidst a battlefield of corpses. One half of their body shone with radiant light, while the other was shrouded in suffocating darkness. Above them, celestial beings and demonic lords loomed, their expressions unreadable.
Below the illustration, there was a passage written in the ancient script. Granny Clora read it aloud:
"The one who walks the path of both light and shadow shall bring balance or ruin. Their power shall shape the fate of worlds. Will they stand as a savior… or fall as the destroyer?"
A heavy silence filled the room.
I clenched my fists. Balance or ruin. Savior or destroyer.
I shook my head. "This is just a legend, right? A story?"
Granny Clora's expression darkened. "Legends are born from truth, Waine. The question is do you believe in fate?"
Fate. I never gave much thought to it before. But now, it felt like an invisible force tightening around me.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Even if this prophecy is about me… I don't care. I won't let some old legend decide who I am."
A flicker of approval passed through Granny Clora's eyes. "Good answer. But remember this, Waine your power is not something to take lightly. Those who learn of it will fear you. Some will want to control you. Others will seek to destroy you."
I clenched my jaw. "Then I'll become strong enough to protect myself."
Granny Clora studied me for a long moment before nodding. "Very well. Then let us continue your training."
We spent the rest of the day practicing.
Granny Clora focused on teaching me how to properly channel my magic. She explained that magic wasn't just about raw power it was about control, balance, and intent.
"You cannot force magic to obey," she said as she demonstrated by conjuring a soft golden flame in her palm. "You must guide it, like a flowing river."
At first, I struggled. The moment I tried summoning my power, it surged violently, nearly knocking me off my feet. The golden light burned too hot, while the dark energy lashed out like a beast trying to escape its cage.
"Steady yourself," Granny Clora reminded me. "You are not controlling two separate powers. You are controlling one power that exists in two forms."
I took a deep breath, focusing again.
Instead of forcing the magic, I let it rise naturally. I visualized a flame and a shadow dancing together two forces moving in harmony rather than opposition.
And then… it happened.
A small, glowing orb of golden light hovered above my right palm, while a flickering wisp of darkness curled around my left hand. Both pulsed in sync, neither overpowering the other.
Granny Clora's eyes widened slightly. "Incredible. To control both this quickly… You are truly different."
I exhaled, both excited and exhausted.
This was only the beginning, but I could already feel it.
The power inside me… it was waking up.
And with it, so was my destiny.
To be Continue