Things never seem to go as planned when you need them to, especially in the most crucial of moments. I liked to consider that somewhere in the back of my mind I was special in some way, tricking myself into believing that the answer for why I survived that fateful day was because I was destined for greater things. Which I knew was an ignorant way of going through my life, and I suppose this moment humbled me. Thinking the passing of my kin would make things less troublesome for me in the future, as I assumed the worst in my life had already passed was a foolish notion to believe. Thinking that if I just wished for something to happen it would come to be as if it was the universe's way of compensating for my loss - in this case having an affinity toward lighting magic. However, once again the world has shut me down, allowing salt to mound upon wounds before I can lick them. Laughing at me as I deal with my newfound "basic" abilities.
All I felt at that moment was fear. Fear that I wouldn't be able to reach my goals, fear that my life was just a source of entertainment for some sentient being. It was demotivating. A kick while I was still down.
My father could see the disappointment on my face and approached me putting a hand on my head.
“Elex, I can clearly tell you aren't happy with what you have, and I don't exactly know what your future aspirations are, but despite that, use these new abilities that you have within you to their maximum potential. Just because someone is left at a disadvantage, doesn't mean they should give up on their goals. You should strive to become the best at what you can do. If you want to become strong, don't settle for anything less than the strongest, because I know you have the power within you to do so” He gave me a gentle smile while rubbing his fingers through my hair.
“Ok,” I briefly replied with my head facing my feet, allowing his words of motivation to sink in.
“So how do I get started?” I asked as my eager determination to obtain any sort of power had not faltered despite all of this talking, which had dragged on for quite a bit.
He stood back and smiled at me once again, whilst tossing over the earth and air arc stones in my direction. I caught the two crystals and stared at them intently, as the sun’s light reflected off of them into my eyelids. I didn't blink once.
“All you need to do now is put each stone into one of the arc slots on your knuckles” My father instructed with one hand now on his hip.
Was it that simple? All I had to do to obtain this power was insert them into my arc slots. My body hesitated at the thought of doing so, but my mind was ready. I placed the two arc stones into the arc slots above the knuckles of my index and middle finger. As I did so I felt a sharp sting and a small amount of light radiated from the two crystals now embedded in my left hand. As the light began to dim, the pain started to subside, leaving me standing there, watching the stones in silence.
“Now what?” I asked impatiently, waiting for something to happen, something to notify me that I could beckon the winds to my calling, or shake the earth at a thought... but there was nothing.
My father walked back over to me and scratched his head looking to the side with a goofy grin plastered on his face “ uh, well, I forgot to mention that there is a twenty-four-hour period from when you have inserted the stone, to being able to use it. See, your mana body needs time to integrate the information of the stones to allow you to use their abilities.”
I stared at him blankly, wondering why he would leave out such important information. This was the point where I questioned if my father was qualified to be teaching me about this kind of stuff. Although this fact didn't make any difference, it would mean that I would have to put my elemental training on hold for a whole day… or so I thought.
“But it's fine Elex, we can still prepare you for when you can use your abilities. After all, I haven't been making you physically train and meditate with mana for nothing.” he punched me on the shoulder, essentially telling me to deal with it and move on.
My father was right though, from the past couple of weeks, the endless meditation and honing my body to better sense mana had improved. I was able to take the ambient mana in the air and course it through my own body. My father had told me we did this so that the mana channels within our mana bodies can adapt and get used to the increasingly more mana we put into it, allowing us to have better overall control of mana itself.
Sitting comfortably on the ground crossed-legged, I began to concentrate hard and feel the mana within the air. I couldn't control huge amounts, but it was enough that I could lead the mana through every part of my body to allow better control. However, this time it felt... different. It was almost as if I could feel the difference within my body because of the arc stones. They were now a part of me, and I could feel it within my body and mind as if they were another limb that I would have to learn to take control of.
"I can... feel them," I said
"Of course, you can, your mana body has already begun to assimilate with the arc stones. It does take some getting used to, but you should use this time to get a feel for the stones until then"
"Well then let's get started"
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For the following months, I continually repeated a daily routine of physical training with my father after his work and then finished off with meditation in my room before I slept. I was able to control the arc stones the following day like my father said, albeit not as much as I imagined in my head at first, but nevertheless, I could do it. However, It was apparent that I needed to increase my control and forge my body to become stronger to obtain better authority over the stones, so that was a milestone I was looking forward to reaching. I could at least a moderate amount of somewhat heavy objects with the currents of the wind and be able to propel my body at increased speeds, which was daunting at first, but grew addictively irresistible. I was also able to raise miniature platforms and walls molded into any shape with the earth, increasing my versatility day by day.
Unfortunately, my stodgy lessons with Mr. Wilson carried on, bringing me to moments of mental distress that I had considered exploiting my newfound abilities upon him as revenge. However, I wouldn’t be so petty to stoop that low. I only endured and held on to the hope I had for turning old enough to finally enroll at a magic high school.
A few more weeks go by and my father decided to bring me to his work on what seemed to be no special day. Later on, however, I discovered through the slip of his tongue that it wasn’t initially his idea, but instead my grandfather's. Which made more sense since my father would only ever want me to leave the house if it was for running errands, training, or going on our weekly walk we do together to explore the city. However, my grandfather thought it would be nice for me to come in and see how he generated his grand fortune, clearly another ploy to show off how they do things here in the Capital.
Lydia waited for me in the carriage outside at the entrance to our house estate. Since my father and grandfather left earlier in the morning, she was to be my escort throughout the day.
“Sir Elex, please walk faster, we are running short on time” she shouted through the window from within the vehicle. She was terribly trying her best to hide her impatience.
“Aah, sorry Lydia, the breakfast the maids made was so good, I couldn't just leave it,” I said while entering the carriage door. We sat across from each other as I placed myself on top of one of the plush cushions, looking at each other in silence for a short awkward moment until I decided to break the ice once more.
“You know Lydia, I always say you don't have to call me sir” She looked over at me with her usual face of apathy in response to my comment.
“Understanding your place in this world is how you improve your life, sir.” Emphasizing the word sir to get her point across. “ My current place is to serve the Boldwick family, and with you being a member of that house, I am obligated to refer to you with appropriate respect toward your title” she explained.
I couldn't help but smile at her sincerity, any fool could tell that it wasn't just her appealing young looks that got her into the position she was in today. I already had a hard time arguing with her to stop calling me ‘Mr. Vinspear’ instead of ‘Sir Elex’. However, I decided it was time I used her own rules against her.
“If that’s truly what you believe, then am I to assume I would be above you in our relationship ?,” I said with a faint smirk on my face.
I swear I could see her eyes twitch at my remark before she hesitantly opened her mouth to reply “Well, naturally of course. You are the grandson of my employer, and I have been employed to serve his family, so It only makes sense for it to be that way”.
“Well, then I demand you to refer to me without the formalities,” I said, unable to hide the smile on my face. Lydia looked at me with worry in her eyes.
“But sir, I couldn't”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Defying my orders is the same as abandoning your duties. Honestly, I'd assume someone like you would know their place” I said sarcastically, I couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the red shade that began to appear on her cheeks.
“Very well, If you insist” she mumbled with her head turned towards the buildings passing by through the window, accepting her defeat.
As our journey dragged on for some time due to traffic, Lydia and I spoke briefly now and then, usually being with my one-sided banter. It was really just me trying to get her to talk more about herself, I knew that there must be more to her than this facade she puts on. And I took it upon myself to figure out what was behind her mask, but unfortunately, to no avail.
Upon our arrival at the city plaza where my grandfather's business was located, my father, who I could see approaching us from the entrance of the building, opened the carriage door for us himself, letting the driver leave the area. The number of people in the city center was suffocating. I had never seen so many people in one place before since I had grown up in the remote village of Leeton - its population being a sliver of the slums in the capital - but despite that, it was not only breathtaking but also a bit overwhelming as I couldn't help but feel as if eyes were gazing upon me specifically as we neared the entrance of the building.
Being led by my father, we walked through a magnificent silver gate without a spec of rust in sight. It had an archway that held the symbol ‘BW’ at its peak looking down upon all who passed under it as we steadily approached the main building. My father was talking to us and explaining everything that was in sight, as if being a tour guide, but my ears muffled out his words as I looked around myself and took interest in the scenery surrounding me. Large bouquets of flowers populated a garden-like pathway towards the main building doors. Their exotic appearances and scents hovered in the air enticing the noses of those who walked by.
Upon entering the main building, I couldn't help but notice that the interior was in complete contrast to the environmentally favored theme outside, with its green carpet floors that were decorated with golden patterns and hazel borders. The Auburn walls held small bottles and flasks put up for display that attached themselves to the high cream sealing with engraving along its surface. To call it beautiful would be an understatement. However, despite the expensive containers that were held in glass cabinets which gave off the impression that this place was only for high-class individuals, there was an unusual welcoming feel to the building. From the ever so slight envelopment of lukewarm air around your body as you walked in, to the smell of what seemed to remind me of lavender, allowed me to relax and be off guard.
As I stood still and took it all in, the gentle murmur of people talking and the euphoric erratic high-pitch clinks formed in the background from the tinted vials caressed my ears. My father suddenly gained my attention once more and the room's ambiance quickly faded.
“Well, what do you think of it, Elex ?” he said with a plastered smile on his face.
“Yeah, it's wonderful,” I scoffed. I honestly wasn't expecting something as amazing as this, but I can confidently say I was taken aback by the sheer beauty of it all.
My grandfather must have been aware of our arrival, as he could be seen coming down from the upstairs section of the building to greet us. His smart formal clothing made him look astute, as his green eyes complimented his attire.
“Ah, Elex my boy, so you have finally arrived. Come, there is something I want to show you” My grandfather waved his hands indicating for me to follow him upstairs.
As I walked behind him up the creaking carpet floorboards, he led me into a room where a woman was standing with a box next to her on a desk. My grandfather closed the door behind us, leaving Lydia and my father to talk with each other outside. I suppose this was something he wanted just for me to be present.
As I took another glance at the woman, it was obvious that she was different from us. Not in the sense that she wasn't related or the fact that she was female, but for the reason that she wasn't human. I had read many books and even seen some of the different races in person before, but this was the first time I had ever been this close to one of them. I wasn’t frightened or intimidated but simply fascinated.
As I studied her moving and talking to my grandfather it was apparent that she was of Demonic blood. Her sharp inhuman features stood out the most, as a tinge of purple was hinted in her matt black hair and eyes. Her ears had an ever so slight point to their tips - enough that it was noticeable - similar to the elves but not quite as extreme. I felt no attraction to her, but from the curves or her mature body and alluring facial features, I was sure she was a good representative of the Boldwick company.
She must have felt me staring at her scrutinizingly, as she turned her body along with my grandfather towards me.
“Hello Mr. Vinspear, my name is Anaya, and as I understand it your birthday wasn't too long ago, and Mr. Boldwick here asked me to help him get you a gift” As she finished talking, she held out the box to my face signaling for me to take it.
As I held the box in my hand, my grandfather stepped forward and said, “Go on Elex, open it. It's a rare item that originates from Doriveir, the capital of Zarendal.”
“Zarendal? From the Elven Kingdom?” I asked, wondering why he needed a Demon for Elven artifacts.”
“Yes, thankfully for Anaya’s close ties to some artificers in Doriveir, she was able to help me get you this gift, since finding safe and reliable communication between Elves and Humans has been very difficult as of the past few centuries.” My grandfather laughed
Carefully opening the box, as I removed its layers I was greeted with the slight shimmer of light reflecting off of a silver surface. In the center was a ring that was held into place by a dip in the box, and its engraved body made awkward ridges in the soft material holding it there. I picked up the ring with my finger and placed the box down on the table near where Anaya was standing.
“What is it ?” I asked, obviously knowing that it was more than just a simple finger accessory.
“It's a mana ring” Anaya replied “They only attach to one person ever. Of course, we still have no idea how the elves were able to create such a device without an arc stone, but despite that, it's a very rare and expensive piece of equipment to have, and you could find it out to be very useful to you in the future.”
Holding the ring with my fingers, I slid it carefully onto the middle finger of my right hand. As it reached the base of my where my finger connected to my palm, I could feel the cold silver suck the warmth from my hands and I instinctively gripped my hand tightly into a fist. When I opened my hands the ring began to glow, emanating a gentle hue of light around my fingers.
“Now Mr. Visnpear, say the words ‘Apertia’,” Anaya instructed. There was a bit of haste in her words, indicating for me to be quick
“Apertia” I repeated, keeping my eyes on the ring to see if some visible reaction would begin. However, I was wrong, there was no visual reaction but instead a physical one. The ring began to feel as if it was searing itself into my finger, exerting a short-lived but still very unpleasant sensation, similar to the arc stones, but worse.
Must all objects that grant me power bring such unnecessary pain? I could assume that the people who made these things were masochists if I didn't know any better. However, despite that, I could feel the ring sapping mana from out of my own body, for every moment I stood there my mana body had less fuel by the second. After watching the ring for a moment it suddenly stopped its light show and went back to its original state.
“What now ?” I asked, wondering what else I needed to do in order to use the ring.
“Now that the ring has taken in your own mana and bonded with your mana signature, it can only be used by you. The ring automatically takes ambient mana in the air and absorbs it, storing it and transforming it into your own mana, without you having to do it yourself” Anaya explained. “Look Mr. Vinspear, if you rub the top of the ring it will glow, depending on how much of the ring is glowing will determine how full it is stored with mana. When it has mana within it, all you need to do is say the word ‘Apertia’ and it will provide you with a constant flow of the mana inside it until it is empty. The ring's glow will slowly deplete to indicate how much is left inside.”
I brought my finger from my left hand and rubbed the tip of the ring gently. I stood there and watched it but nothing happened, I guess it would make sense for the ring to be empty since I only just bonded it to my mana signature.
“I suppose it takes time to fill?” I asked Anaya again
“Yes the ring should take around two days to fully store mana” she explained
Hearing this information my grandfather let out a gasp with a look of shock on his face “two full days ?” He exclaimed. “Anaya, just how expensive was that ring.”
“Two hundred and twenty-five gold coins Sir,” she said informatively
“Two hundred-... you could have bought a new house with that kind of money” My grandfather complained, he then paused for a second and looked at me, realizing that moaning about the price of a gift he just gave to someone was in bad taste. “Elex, I didn't mean it in a negative way, it’s just that, Anaya, I didn't think you would spend more than two stacks of your money on my family,” He said, with his voice beginning to break into a cry “Thank you”
“Your welcome sir, but I didn't pay for this using my own money” she replied
“Huh ?”
“I used yours,” she said apathetically, staring blankly at my grandfather's face. Something about her reminded me of someone else my grandfather had employed.
My grandfather was silent for some time, clearly thinking about this new revelation. He then looked at me and let out a sigh and smiled at us both “That's alright then, anything for you, Elex.”
The whole situation was comical, the only reason I could laugh at such a thing was because I definitely knew that price was not a problem for us anymore, but the fact that it was almost as expensive as my grandfather's house was unbelievable.
“Thank you so much for the gift” I laughed, walking up to him and giving him a hug.
Upon releasing him from my grip he spoke once more “anyway, that wasn't even your main gift” he grinned. “Elex, I was able to get you a place at Haulburn Academy !” He rejoiced, knowing that I was yearning to go to a magic high school for ages, and my grandfather wanted to be the one to grant me that wish.
I was struggling to contain my excitement just at the thought, my face twisted into an open mouth smile as I threw myself back into his arms and hugged him tighter this time.
I would finally be able to go to Haulburn academy. Aside from my goals, I had always wanted to go to a magic school, and Haulburn was amongst the best of the best in Sunderland. Once I'm there I'll be able to hone my abilities to their full extent, I'll be able to get one step closer to facing my mother and Casper’s killers. I kept a hold of my grandfather for a longer period, letting him know that I was grateful for all that he has done for me. I can honestly say I don't know where my father and I would be if it weren't for him. We are truly in his debt.