Scattered throughout history, tales of magic abound, from witches in Salem to the gods of Greece. These myths persist.

What if, at the pinnacle of the world, those leading scientific discovery aren't truly the best and brightest?

Could it be that, despite appearances, everyone, regardless of their intelligence, is utterly ignorant of the fundamental truths of the universe? That each person we know remains oblivious to a basic, universal reality?

Over the years, history itself has conspired to conceal the one true power in the universe, giving rise to empires and even their deities.

The existence of magic is no mere myth but a concrete reality. Orphaned at the tender age of three, I spent five years alongside other unfortunate children.

Then came the day when Jade, cloaked in dark green, her feminine charms hidden from view, arrived to take me home. Only her face was visible.

With grace, she moved through the room, tending to each child in turn until she stood before me.

When I finally beheld her in detail, words escaped me. I was entranced by her bright green eyes, deaf to her words.

And so, I was whisked away into the night, diverging from the path of mortals to enter a society shrouded in secrecy for millennia.

In this clandestine place, I delved into advanced science and the arcane. Others tirelessly researched more potent, unique magics, and one day, I might have joined their ranks.

Most magic practitioners entered a world teeming with magic around the age of twenty, primarily to reunite with their parents. Being an orphan, I was an exception.

Years passed, and I never experienced a mother's love, only unrelenting, agonizing training. Yet, through it, I progressed swiftly.

After each session, Jade would approach me, uttering, "You did well," before walking away, leaving me sprawled on the floor.

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Thus, the years flowed, with her instilling the fundamentals of magic within me, despite the unspeakable tortures she called training.

In the blink of an eye, a decade passed, and I was hailed as the most formidable magician of my generation, my abilities unnaturally augmented by my mentor.

On my eighteenth birthday, Jade appeared in an elegant deep green dress, complemented by emerald earrings and a necklace. She forced me into a suit and led me down to the basement.

The room was dimly lit, with faint lines on the floor forming an intricate magical circle. As Jade entered, the circle began to radiate with increasing intensity.

Confidently, Jade approached the circle, weaving runes as the light grew blinding, leaving me in the dark about her intentions.

For the first time, I witnessed my immortal master wielding a wand! Even against the most formidable of magicians, a mere gesture of her hand made problems vanish.

As the light dimmed, a massive blue reptile, roughly the size of a horse, materialized within the circle. Its fury was evident, as it amassed mana.

The mana it gathered surpassed my own power at least tenfold, though I was just a novice magician. How could it nonchalantly wield such might?

This creature rivaled an expert, perhaps even a master or a king. I shrank into the smallest form I could.

"Bind it with your blood." What? Jade, no longer tense, had stowed her wand and was retreating from the circle. Wide-eyed, I had no words.

"Cut your hand and let your blood fall onto the circle; my magic will take care of the rest. No need to fret." I wasn't concerned about the how; I wanted to know why.

Her tone brooked no questions, so I cautiously approached the circle. Just as I reached its edge, I sensed a change in the mana currents before me.

I leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the flames that erupted from the lizard's maw. Had the blast not halted at the circle's edge, I'd have perished.

Jade wore a hint of a smile as I glanced at her. I scrambled to find a knife, locating a silver, gem-encrusted dagger on a nearby table.

Returning to the circle's edge, I examined the blade. After hesitating, I looked to Jade.

She simply nodded, and I gripped the blade with my left hand, drawing it across my palm. Crimson drops formed slowly.

One, two, three, four. With each drop, the light faded, and the barrier dissipated. Jade smiled, a sight I'd never witnessed before.

My vision blurred, and I collapsed. Glancing at my hand, I watched it vanish, leaving only ash in its wake.

Our souls bound as master and servant by blood, I now understood. My new familiar was the dragon king Reliam.

Our bond prevented him from killing me, but Jade hadn't considered that it merely spared my soul from destruction.

If one were to die, their killer would face death as well. Reliam had preserved my soul at the last moment, expelling it from my body.

As I slipped into the void, guided by magic, I had no inkling of what awaited my soul.