After falling through our shadows, we were transported to a throbbingly quiet and cold realm that was starkly different from anything I imagined. Firstly, we were floating in some type of fluid that felt like extremely cold water and air. But the cold was distant. Like phantom pain. My father all but dragged me through it by the arm as he swam- or flew through the inverted landscape behind Grandpa Lich.

By appearance, it seemed as if we never left the room. Yet, everywhere that was normally touching light was covered in a pitch black hue while all the shadows in the entire estate shone a bright white. Besides that, the building I grew up in was dilapidated and overgrown. The waterfall that constantly ran under the estate still fell. Only slowly. As an ooze of tar spilling over to spread toxic fumes onto the rocks far below.

As I was pulled, I could even see my mother walking through the halls in the jarring color scheme. Her form was ethereal and ghostly as she opened doors and maneuvered around walls that simply didn’t exist in this realm.

“What do you think?” Grandpa Lich called from ahead with pride and nostalgia in his voice. “This realm is our birthright. In all my years, I’ve never met another human who feels safe in this place. They always come out terrified. Wahahaha!”

‘Yeah. I bet.’ I snorted internally before distractedly replying. “It’s incredible.” I paused to see the hints of visible breath trailing from my lips, yet I felt not a hint of cold. A benefit of the affinity, I assumed before asking. “Do we all share the same shadows?”

“Yes and no,” Father replied. “The realms that we use for storage are based on our personal shadows; the ones cast by our bodies. You can venture inside, but it's more of a private realm. Like a country within the realm around us; one you alone have access to. And, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, it’s cold. Which makes it unwise to store things you’d rather keep hot within your shadow. As for the proper realm, we'll always be able to see one another roaming about in the same area.”

“The distance that you can travel through this realm and the speed at which you move depends on how much mana you have and are willing to spend.” Grandpa Lich explained from his place even further up ahead. Where he was currently doing flips and barrel rolls through the space while he waited for us to catch up. He was definitely a strange man. While he was old; centuries old by the account of him and my parents, he seemed as joyfully exuberant as a twenty-year-old; and sometimes even as a child. Like now, with him flipping and doing mid-air poses above an obsidian dais in the rundown courtyard.

“Navigating it is another matter entirely, however.” He continued. “As you can see, what appears in physical reality is reduced to a dilapidated state. Making navigation difficult.”

Probably at much dismay to him, I gazed upwards in awe at the black void above. Not a star or moon in sight. Yet the dead soil, leafless trees, and everything else were as clear as could be in the endless shades of gray afforded by my eyes.

With no regard for my awe, my father pulled me towards one of the cloudy white shadows casts from the trees and assimilated through the quickly thickening fog. After a sudden moment of vertigo, I felt the return of gravity pull my feet onto the solid stone surface and the cool night air lapping gently against my skin. Bringing about an immense calm to wash over me as I settled into place across from my progenitors.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting, dear,” Father said as he moved towards my mother, but only after making sure I had my composure. “Amun’s first time should not be rushed.”

“All that matters is his satisfaction with the experience.” Mother so elegantly replied while keeping her eyes trained on me. “Amun’s joy is my joy.”

“It was incredible,” I repeated to her the same words as before. Prompting a warm smile to spread over her face.

“Amun.” My father suddenly knelt beside me. “Remember what I told you, months ago?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “That many things will change. I will learn magic and how to behave as a Grand Duke.”

“Precisely.” Father grinned wide and patted my head. “Tonight marks the start of your magical training. I know it is still your birthday, but you are a royal. A Grand Duke. Great things are expected of you.”

“It’s fine, Dad.” I nodded resolutely. After all, I stopped celebrating birthdays ages ago. “I’m ready to learn.”

“Very well.” He smiled, returning to his feet and gesturing behind him. “Your mother will talk to you first about both mana and your nature as a half-elf.”

<> Mother approached, speaking in Elvish. <> She flicked her eyes toward my father and great-grandfather for just an instant. <>

<> I nodded to her.

<> She smiled back, pausing to run her slender fingers through my hair. <>

<> I nodded again.

She smiled again; if only briefly, before straightening up and assuming a more professional aura. <>

<> I nodded. <> For some reason, I’ve never felt the need to hide my higher speech skills or intellect from my mother, despite the complexities of the language. I supposed it was because she would always speak to me in the same manner. Though, even if I were to attempt to hide my intellect, I had the strong inclination that I’d never fool her. No matter how hard I tried.

<> She regally shook her head. <>

<> I nodded. <>

<> She nodded. <> She gestured to my paternal ancestors beside her, eliciting confused or awkward looks to be exchanged between them before she continued. <>

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With those words, she stepped back and shifted her focus to her loosely curled hand; almost as if she were holding a weapon. Within the next few seconds, the ambient mana began to violently swirl above her palm before rapidly condensing into what appeared to be solid energy. Some sort of reaction occurred within a split second, causing the solid energy to multiply and expand into the shape of a slim longsword brimming with power. Enough to discharge arcs of something that seemed to be electricity but definitively wasn’t.

Looking at it invoked feelings of destruction and instability within me that made me take an unconscious step backward. But despite my shock, my mother proudly raised the weapon overhead to pose for a few seconds before releasing her focus, allowing the blade to dissipate into the cloud of ambient mana around her

<> I asked in amazement.

<> Mother so proudly explained. <> She pointed a stern finger at me before stepping back to my father’s side. <>

‘Oh, Lady. I will.’ I grinned internally before politely bowing. <>

“I’ll explain the basics, so listen close.” Grandpa started after taking the cue from my mother. “There are many things we need to cover so pay attention. Besides mana, there are two things you need to understand. Elemental Manipulation, and Affinities.

“Like elves and their Mana Forging, all humans have the natural ability to manipulate the four elements- earth, water, air, and fire. As its name suggests, manipulating the elements requires the elements to be present in the first place. One cannot manipulate water in the desert, for instance. Only through what we call, Affinity Cores, are we able to use higher forms of magic such as ours. Yet, much of the population is born without them.

“For those that are, many often spend their entire lives with their sole core. One passed down from family member to family member, with a few mutations found here or there.”

“Mutations?” I asked with genuine confusion.

“Changes to the status quo,” Grandpa grunted. “I’m an example of such. A being in possession of an elevated or mutated form of our sorcery. As are you, I’m sure.”

“Are you sure you’re not going too fast?” Father suddenly interjected.

“Have you not seen your own son's brilliance just now?” Great Grandpa Lich quickly spat, turning to his grandson. “I see intellect and understanding hidden in those eyes. He may be fooling you, Grandson. But I have yet to witness a moment of confusion or misconception since I arrived. He’s understood everything that’s been explained to him thus far. For example.” He turned quickly back to me with a wicked grin spread across his face. “Amun, can you tell me what it is you felt when we first met?”

I stayed silent for a moment before answering, not to make it appear as if I were trying to appear puzzled; that ship had long since sailed, but because I struggled to find the right words. “It was like... your shadow of death... met mine.”

“Case in point.” Grandpa grinned. Then resumed his lesson without pause. “Now, Amun. If I’m to teach you, you have to remain candid with me at all times. You may lie to others about your abilities- To the Emperor or even your Father, I don’t care. But never to me. Understand?”

His words caught a sharp glare from my father and an amusing chuckle from my mother. Truthfully, I didn’t really feel the need to not tell them; nor did I feel the need to ever disclose it for shits and giggles. The chances of them even understanding the concepts of my dormant affinities were hilariously slim, after all, so the question never even crossed my mind. Regardless, I nodded my affirmations so that he could continue.

“Good.” He smiled with a resolute nod. “Now, as I was saying. Our Sorcery comes in many lesser forms for the extended family, ranging from poison to ink. On our side, there are three tiers to our power. The lowest is darkness, something we all possess. Your father solely. I and you are in possession of its evolved form- Death, an affinity only some of our ancestors were privy to. But from what I feel within you, you have something far greater than each of those affinities combined. Something far more ominous than even death. I see within you, Amun, a core as dark as the abyss itself. So tell me what it is.”

"Void,” I replied simply.

“Void?” My father recoiled in shock.

Grandpa instead quickly stood tall and looked to the sky with his hand on his chin while muttering to himself. “The void. Yes... if death kills whatever it touches, the void magic reduces it to nothingness. Erases it completely from existence. The soul and even the spirit. Amazing!” He let out an amazed; or despairing chuckle before looking back at me with newfound vigor. “I will teach you everything I know about our darkness; as well as everything I’m currently able to about death. And in time, I’ll attempt to train you in this void magic.”

‘Yeah, right!’ I laughed internally. ‘How, if this is the first time you’ve ever seen it? You probably just want to study my magic, old man.’

“You can read the specifics later.” He continued. “I’ll give you a basic explanation of everything beforehand, and then we’ll begin our hands-on lessons.” He then said, moving away from my parents to the other side of the platform. “Mana and Elemental Manipulation. I’m sure you can feel it all around you. Dense energy, much like water or air swirling among us? Close your eyes and feel for it.”

“I feel it.” I quickly replied, invoking another sly grin from my mother and a shocked glance from my father.

“That is what we call mana.” Grandpa continued without pause. “There are three things you must know regarding mana and how it interacts with your body. Mana Wells. Mana Pores. And Mana Tolerance.

“That glowing ‘heart’ within yourself is your Mana Well. A spiritual organ that automatically stockpiles and condenses mana inside your body. The size of your well is determined at birth and can only be expanded via various items or more… drastic measures.

“Mana Pores on the other hand.” He continued after a short but awkward pause. “Are analogous to the rate at which mana seeps into your Well. Your rate of mana recovery, in other words. And lastly, Mana Tolerance is representative of the density of ambient mana you’re able to dwell in comfortably. Here in the Deapou Empire, the ambient levels are relatively average.

“These three things are at the center of magic for us humans.” Grandpa declared. “They are what allows us to manipulate mana. And through understanding those fundamentals, oneself, and the nature of their affinities; one can become a great mystic. With weapons, armor, potions, and enchantments one could gain an edge over their peers. But only with determination, courage, and sacrifice can you rise to the top. Understand?”

“Yes!” I resolutely nodded. “I understand.”

“Good.” He grunted. “Now, as I’ve said. All humans possess the ability to manipulate the elements. This is a physical ability, accomplished by interacting with the mana around us. As such, the aptitude an individual has for any particular element varies. Many who are smarter than I believe it’s dependent on your personality. That said, I believe air or water would be a good fit for you, Amun. Try using the surrounding mana to do what I do.”

At his words, he held out the palm of his hand and after a moment, mana began to be pulled to the center of his hand, seemingly dragging the air into a small vortex along with it.

“Reach out with your mind and grab hold of the mana as if it were an extension of your limbs.” He somewhat loudly instructed over the softly whistling wind. “Visualize the effect you wish to make and use the mana to bend and twist the elements to your desired form.”

Following his archaic directions, I focused on first the ambient energy swarming around the environment before dragging it to my palm with my mind. Spinning it clockwise as it came into my hand. At that point, the mana subtly surged towards the center of my palm, dragging a small portion of air along with it that sent a small breeze through my fingers.

“Not bad for a first try.” Father nodded slowly as if he were impressed.

Grandpa on the other hand, only grunted as if he were disappointed before walking off. “Keep practicing until you get it right.” He waved behind his back. “I’ll check on you come sundown.”

With that, my father gave me a reassuring smile and told me good job before trotting off behind him. Leaving my mother and me to stand in the peaceful silence of the night.

<> She said slowly after a few moments. A wise gleam shone in her eyes as she looked skyward. <>

Ah.

<> I nodded. <>