[Matthew]

 I’ve always wondered how Dreas town looks like. I imagined it would be like one of those villages from the middle age back in Earth. Constructions manly built with rocks and wood, streets big enough to let horses and other animals pass with no problems, and many people walking around, giving the image of a very lively place.

Now, I can say that I was spot on about almost everything. When Carl came in the morning, he brought me with him to the town, after I agreed with all the terms in the contract and sign it. I was amazed, after so much time locked in the orphanage, everything impressed me.

Right now, we were walking by what apparently was the principal street. It was filled with many kind of shops, inns, places to eat, and many other buildings that I didn’t really know of their function, but were big enough to catch my attention.

“Come on boy! Don’t get distracted” Carl said, and then fastened his pace towards one of the houses on the street.

Our destination was a wooden house, not too big and not too small either. Just a plain looking house. It was unremarkable, there was nothing distinctive about it. To such an extent that if I had to give someone indications to come here, I would be in a really difficult position. Besides I am really bad with indications to begin with.

Once we were inside, Carl proceed to one of the rooms in the back. The main room, at the entrance, was clearly meant to receive the clients. It was spacious and with many shelves and tables where I imagine the products Carl sell eventually will be placed.

“Let’s begin” He said once he sat down in one of the few chairs of the room, by the only table that there was. “I already know what courses about magic you’ve taken” His eyes showed no emotion, if he was surprised by the fact that a boy my age had already taken all the courses there was about magic, he hid it really well.

By this time, I was already sitting in front of him. Concentrated would be a good way to describe me right now. He had already told me that he had many things to do on the afternoons, and that would be for at least three weeks, when the shop will open. That means, we haven’t too much time to work with. Every second counts.

“How you already know all the living beings in this planet have magic inside their bodies, specifically mana, which circulates by the mana veins distributed in our body” He begin to explain.

That was the very first thing they teach us in class. Thankfully, my exposure to magic was really early on in this life. So, I took advantage in my first years of life, to try to comprehend how the magic in this world works.  

“There is no change about this fact, the mana stays in our bodies and can’t go further away. That is, until we reach the age of ten of course, that’s when our mana veins connects with the world, and let us influence it”

By myself, I achieved the understanding of how the mana could move inside my body. But, I was never able to ‘influence the world’ like some people could, no matter how hard I tried. It was until my first magic class that I understood why I couldn’t do it. And then, later in that class, why I wouldn’t.

“The most common way to do this, is to make a contract with a spirit. That way a person can generate an element and simply control it with the mana we have. The problem with this method is that not everyone can use it. Either because not everyone has affinities to begin with, or because some are just incapable of make a contract with a spirit”

Yeah, affinities were absolute to determinate if someone had a chance to even contact a spirit, let alone contract it. I knew early on about me having no affinities, but it was in class that I understood what that really meant.

“For this kind of people, there are other possibilities to use magic. One of them is to use the mana to increase the strength or velocity of their bodies, what they could use in battle. The drawback is the consumption, which is excessive. Just people with an enormous amount of mana can use this effectively”   

Controlling the mana inside my body was my forte. I was able to strength my body and be faster. At the beginning, I couldn’t last more than 30 seconds, but since then I’ve practiced every night before going to sleep, thanks to that I’ve become more efficient with the mana use. Now I can last for 5 minutes before passing out. And I still think there is room to grow a little more. Or at least I hope so, at the end is my only weapon in a physical confrontation.

“Then there is people like you, who has no affinity, nor a big amount of mana inside your body, but exceed in control. People like you, usually choose to live a normal life away from magic and battles” He stopped and watched me with more intensity than before “But sometimes they choose the hard path, the one to use their talents to a better use. One of these paths is to become an enchanter, a path that you already choose the moment you signed the contract” He finished.

I already knew about the magic professions I could aspire to be. But I never believed that I would be able to learn one. Unlike the traditional way of using magic that is very intuitive to learn, this kind of profession needed to be learnt from a teacher, or have a lot of books of the matter. And if you weren’t in a healthy family, it just wasn’t possible.

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“Yes master. I will work hard to meet your expectative” I didn’t remember when was the last time that I was as sincere with someone as I’m being now. I was really grateful for the chance to learn, and my intentions to work hard were real. I will take this opportunity.

He looked at me for some time, like he was studying me, “Good” He simply said after a while.

Then he just stood up and walked towards the corner where a big bookcase was located. There were a lot of books, much more than one could find in the orphanage, although isn’t fair to compare both places.

The next thing I know, in front of me were placed a big pile of books. There were 5 of them, and all of them weren’t exactly small. I always complained about the lack of books I had access to. I felt that I was wasting time to learn new stuff. It seems that destiny heard too well my complains and hit me hard.

“The first step to become an enchanter is to learn the ancient language” He took the first two books from the pile and put them closer to me “These two books will help you to learn the language. The other three are interesting stories which will help you to practice once you have mastered it to some degree” He explain me.

Apparently, there was nothing more to be said, because without saying a word he just walked out of the room, leaving me all alone with the books in the table. Also, there were some pens and pieces of paper.

I knew what I needed to do. I pick one of the two books close to me and started to read it. It was a dictionary, there were words in a language I assumed was the ancient language, and at the side of every one of them was the definition in the common language.

I checked the other book close by, and it was also a dictionary. I could understand now why Carl gave me 5 books. The study was meant to be done with the two dictionaries plus one of the other books. Translating the books using the dictionary was the best way to learn in this case. I continued with that while time pass by.

I don’t know how much time passed since I begin translating the first book, called ‘How to enchant’. It was a really difficult task to do so. There were just too many words, many of them had the same meaning, but were used in different kind of context.

It will take a really long time for me to learn the language. For now, the only thing I could do was being organized. I identify the pronouns and write them down in a piece of paper. I did the same for any key word I found. It was really helping to made me feel some progress. A really small progress.

I was supposed to study until Carl came back later. He just come by one more time just to let me know that he will be going out and just told me to work hard. I really liked the trust he put on me, he wasn’t like the other teacher I had, that thought that if they weren’t in front of you all the time, you wouldn’t work at all. Idiots.

I had already pass my attention span. I am tired of working, and at the end continuing in this kind of conditions is not healthy. Convincing myself for a little longer I finally decided to walk around the house a little.

The house had only one floor and besides the main room there just a couple more rooms. One of them was clearly were Carl lived. I was a curious person, but review others people stuff was a no for me. Unless I really don’t like the person, then maybe I wouldn’t care that much.

In my original plan, before Carl’s offer, I thought about creating something with my other word knowledge to gain a lot of money. A really simple plan, but with the little information I had, the specifications always evaded me. Anyway, I still needed money to pay for a place to live, I wanted to leave the orphanage and Carl already told me that he didn’t want me here at nights.

There were a couple of stores close here. It couldn’t hurt to see what kind of products were on sale. Decided to go out I went to the mirror at the big room to see how I looked. There I was in all my splendor. I was a really small boy, with not much going for me. I had short black hair, brown eyes, a skin slightly pale and a tired expression on my face. I arrange my clothes a little bit to look a bit more decent and to no be kick out of a store. I had a plain black shirt and brown pants, the typical clothes used by orphanage kids.

Ready to go, I went out of Carl’s store. Finally, I was by myself in the street, now I could really put more attention to the people. This was clearly a humble town, all the people looked ok, but no one seemed to live a healthy life.

My first destination was the store at the other side of the street, it was the closest one after all. I couldn’t risk being too far away when Carl arrives.

Before entering the store, I could see a suspicious group of hooded persons walking by the principal street. It was obvious that they were looking for someone. They were looking in every direction and pausing at every building, it seems like they were asking something in every place and then move on to another.

They still weren’t that close to Carl’s place, there were just too many places in between. But, I couldn’t decide what would be the best thing to do. Comeback to the store and talk to them, or wait here until they go away. I will cross their path either way.

At the end, I decided to enter the store, being with more people around me gave me more security that being alone with them. That’s what I wanted to do, but before I could reach the door handle someone put his hand on my shoulder.

“I’m in trouble, can you help me?... Please” The voice behind me creaked a little at the end, it was from someone in despair. A voice that I recognize.

“Luna” I simply said and turned around to look at the hooded girl, her eyes were red from crying by what I could see.

The last time I talked to her was yesterday, before meeting with miss Cleo. I was supposed to meet her after that, but she was nowhere to be found. I thought it will be suspicious to ask too much about her, so I planned to look again for her when I came back to the orphanage. Why is she out here? Why is she crying?

“Please” She repeated.

Time was something she didn’t have I guess. The suspicious guys were closer and I would bet a coin, if I had one, that they were the cause of her state.

I took Luna’s hand and slowly hiding in the crowd I guide her towards Carl’s place. The short distance between the stores seems to have multiplied by a big number. The time passed and we were still too far away. Luckily, every step counted and finally we arrived.

Once Inside I relaxed. I had a really easing going life until now, I think my heart has never pound so hard like now. The problem was that these guys were coming, I didn’t know who they were, but I was very sure that I had what they wanted.

“Thank you” She finally said and then she trapped me in a strong hug. She was still crying I could feel her tears at the top of my head. I was just really grateful that her mask is covering her nose.

“Calm down!” I said with a little more force that I intended “They will come here, you need to hide. Come here” She didn’t resist. It was like she put all her trust in me. I was kind of happy for that, but the responsibility I felt for her safety was just too much considering that two days ago I didn’t even meet this girl. I am really weird.

The only place I could think as a hiding place was behind the big bookcase. It was positioned in the corner, facing the center of the room. In other words, there was a space big enough to hide someone behind it.

“Luna, can you jump behind this bookcase? I will make sure they don’t come here, ok?” I tried my best to give her a reassuring smile. But maybe my nerves betrayed me.

“Ok. I will trust you” She said, and after give me another hug she jumped behind the bookcase. She must have used mana to jump that high, that or beastkind are more frightening than I thought.

So, what now? What should I do? Wait for them here? Wait for them outside? Pray for Carl’s return? I really hope that Carl returns soon.

My thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock of the principal door. Shit. They were here now.