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CHAPTER 267

297 AC

POV THIRD PERSON

Aermir and Rickon arrived at Skagos, their destination set on the dormant volcano that dominated the heart of the island. The colossal structure, its peak shrouded in an ever-present mist, towered over the landscape like a slumbering giant. The caldera, a massive depression at the volcano's summit, revealed an otherworldly expanse.

Aermir dismounted Sith, and his connection with the earth allowed him to use earth sense. He could see 600 meters into the earth and sense the elemental mana deep within the volcano. The air was already filled with fire elements. As he touched the ground, he felt the deep resonance of fire element, an indication that the volcano, though inactive, held the breaths of fire within its depths.

Rickon marveled at the wisps of fire elements dancing around the caldera, a mesmerizing display of raw elemental power. His eyes reflected excitement and determination, and he turned to Aermir.

"This place is teeming with fire elemental mana. If I can harness it, I can forge my mana heart quickly."

Intrigued, Aermir nodded for him to continue.

"See, it's about control and connection. Watch closely, Aermir."

Rickon extended his hands, palms facing the swirling wisps of fire elemental mana. As he concentrated, the wisps responded, converging around him like obedient flames.

"First, you pull the mana close, but you don't absorb it immediately. You let it dance around you like you're becoming one with the element," Rickon continued. Aermir observed as the wisps encircled Rickon, creating an ethereal aura around him. The air crackled as the wisps of fire elements clashed with each other, and the temperature around Rickon started to climb up.

"Then, you draw it in, not forcefully, but like taking a soft breath. You need to imagine as if you are breathing through your skin. These two parts are impossible for people who can't feel or see the mana. These are two parts I need to spark for them. After this part, it flows through you, following the pathways of your blood vessels. Without having manaheart, I cannot pull mana into them and control it so they can feel it," Rickon instructed.

The air seemed to shimmer as Rickon began the absorption process, the wisps gracefully weaving into his being.

"Now, the crucial part. You guide it to your heart. This is where the transformation happens," Rickon explained. This part was the same as how Aermir created the circles around his heart to reach higher levels.

Aermir focused on Rickon's chest, where the glow of elemental mana started to intensify. The caldera responded; it was like the dormant volcano was welcoming this new caster to the world.

Now, Rickon started pulling the mana with all his power. He couldn't talk anymore and had to fully focus on it. The mana around his heart started to whirl with great speed, and as the speed intensified, the absorption intensified with it.

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Seeing this would take some time, Aermir started to summon some of his familiars so they could create a cordon around him. After that, he created a big hut around Rickon using his earth magic. He turned to Berus and then said,

"Could you go and find us something to eat."

Berus released the miniaturization spell on himself, and his size grew to the size of a small horse. As for Artio, even though black bears were supposed to be smaller than grizzly and polar bears, Artio was already as big as a polar bear. Berus licked Aermir's hand and said,

-Right away, master. What should we hunt? Birds, small animals, or deer... I like deer.-

Artio shook her head and said,

-Big Bro, we should hunt salmons; they are the best.-

Aermir said, "It doesn't matter. Anyone of those is fine."

After that, both of them started to run to the edge of the caldera, and they still discussed what was the best meat.

...

For two days, Rickon absorbed elements without sleeping or eating anything. Aermir knew the boy would be hungry when he was finished, so he had readied some fish and game meat. As Rickon completed the formation of his mana heart, the volcano seemed to sigh, the elemental energies settling back into their dormant state.

Aermir could feel the pulsating energy inside Rickon; now he was the same as he, a caster, a druid. Rickon created this technique by observing Aermir and his familiars, which is why he was also a druid. Of course, being a warg helped out, too. Aermir knew this because he could feel the nature mana harmonizing with the fire element inside Rickon.

Aermir couldn't help himself but smile from ear to ear. Finally, he had another caster under him. After stabilizing himself, Rickon sighed deeply, and then his stomach grumbled like a thunderclap.

"I am starving!"

Aermir released a hearty laughter and said,

"I knew this would happen come out."

They left the small hut, and on top of a stone table were many pieces of meat laid on top of wooden plates. While waiting, Aermir didn't want to put the meat on top of a stone table and made some simple wooden utensils using wood manipulation magic. Rickon devoured the food like a starving wolf, but Aermir was getting impatient.

"Focus on your mana heart and pull the mana to your hand while imagining a fireball inside your palm; feel the heat, the movement of the flames, then call out Perzys."

Rickon devoured a big salmon and closed his eyes; Aermir could feel the mana inside Rickon's body move,

"Perzys!"

Rickon opened up his palm, and sparks flew from his hand but nothing else. When Rickon failed, he frowned and tried a few more times, but each time, nothing but a few sparks appeared. This made him unhappy, but Aermir was over the clouds; he didn't expect him to succeed on his first try, and seeing those sparks was enough for him to be happy.

Rickon was exhausted. He had stayed up for two days and didn't want to sleep. He was dosing off between his attempts to create a fireball, but he was not giving up; Aermir could see he would pass out from exhaustion, but He could also see Rickon still had a quarter of his mana.

Aermir warned him about how dangerous it was to deplete all of his mana, so Rickon knew when to stop, but sleepiness was creeping up on him every time he relaxed himself to focus.

"Just sleep for a few hours; now you have a lifetime to pursue the magic."

Rickon shook his head,

"No, I have to do this. I am going to do this."

Aermir couldn't understand Rickon's obsession; it was just a matter of practice; he already had his mana heart. He shook his head pityingly and continued to observe him. Rickon was the most precious person in his life now, so he didn't want any accident to happen to him.

The night had come, and Rickon had almost fallen asleep standing up; he had difficulty even lifting his head, but he was stubborn as a goat and kept trying the fireball spell. He could sense his mana was depleting, so he had to be successful; Rickon poured everything he had into this: his hopes, his dream of being the strongest, his aim to fly; everything was riding in this one spell.

Rickon had to see he was successful and not a small kid, a goof like how his family treated him. He always looked up to Jon, Robb, and Aermir, but now it was time that other people would look up to him.

"PERZYS!!!"

Again, small sparks flew out of his palm, but then those sparks, rather than disappearing, started to coalesce and form a small ball of fire. Rickon's eyes grew with shock and wonder. He was smiling from ear to ear. For Aermir, it looked like a feeble spell, and he was reminded of the first time he cast this spell.

For Rickon, this feeble flame cut the darkness of the night like the sun itself. The heat it radiates warms him up, and it feels blinding, but Rickon doesn't even blink his eyes. His eyes were shining with excitement. He just looks at that small flame; his heart beats like a drum.

"Finally..."

After uttering those words, all power left Rickon's body, and he passed out. Aermir put his hands on his body and looked at his situation; he still had some mana, so it was not because of mana exhaustion; he had simply fallen asleep. Aermir shook his head while smiling,

"Stubborn kid."