The first light of dawn crept onto Lance's small cot, casting a gentle glow on his face. He blinked awake, the previous day’s memories still fresh in his mind, playing in his head like a vivid dream. He rubbed his eyes and sat up on his cot.

Quickly, he put on his boots and crept out of the dorm room, not wanting to wake the other youths sleeping there. He made his way to the fields for his shift. As he walked over, he noticed Farmer Thorne already there in his usual sturdy trousers, leather vest, and wide-brimmed hat, his boots caked in mud from working hard in the fields. Farmer Thorne spotted him and raised his eyebrows. “You’re up early, Lance. There’s still about an hour until your shift.”

“Just need to clear my head,” Lance replied, rubbing his forehead. Thorne didn’t push further. Lance grabbed a hoe and started tilling the fields.

The day had been very uneventful, leaving Lance with plenty of time to think about the strange occurrences of the previous day. By the end of the day, Lance had decided he wanted nothing to do with them. As the sun was setting, he walked towards the mess hall, chatting with his friends. His mind felt free from worries after his recent decision, and his laughter could be heard from far away.

Once he finally reached the dorm room, he noticed that it was surprisingly quiet. He quickly went inside and found Father Elias in his white linen robes waiting for him. The priest of Aris offered him a warm smile in greeting. “Would you like to go for a walk with me, Lance?”

Lance kept his face straight. “Sure.”

As they walked together, they didn’t exchange any conversation and strolled briefly in an awkward silence. Finally, Father Elias broke the ice. “Do you know why I have called you here, Lance?”

“No,” he said truthfully.

“Well, I will get straight to the point. You have been given a great gift, Lance.”

“Gift? Is this about yesterday? Because I don’t know what happened, and it was not on purpose,” he said defensively, panic rising in his chest.

“Calm down, my child. You have done nothing wrong.”

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“Oh.” He calmed down a little but didn’t let down his guard.

“Tell me, do you know what lifestream is?”

“Well, lifestream is all around us. It’s the essence of the universe. It’s the basis of what we call magic.”

“Precisely. And do you know the criteria of a mage?”

“Uuhhmm, no,” he admitted.

“Well, first of all, most humans don’t have any connection to lifestream because lifestream doesn’t exist in the material plane. It’s what overlays all the planes of existence, kind of like the sheets on your bed. Only those who have a natural connection to their soul can access the lifestream. And then again, there is another problem.”

“We need someplace to store that lifestream.”

“Precisely. Most magical creatures have this built into their souls. Researchers call them lifestream cores. Unlike magical creatures, humans don’t have active mana pools naturally. We need to awaken them through a very complex process, which we can discuss later.”

“Do you want to know why I’m telling you this?”

“Yes, of course,” though he already knew the answer.

“Lance, my boy, I have noticed a connection between you and the spiritual world.”

Lance’s heart pounded in his chest. “What does that mean?”

Father Elias stopped walking and turned to face Lance, his expression serious yet kind. “It means that you have the potential to become a mage, Lance. The incident at the festival was not a mere coincidence. It was a sign of your latent abilities.”

Lance stared at the priest, his mind racing. “But I don’t know anything about magic. I’m just a farm boy.”

Father Elias placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Everyone starts somewhere, Lance. The fact that you have this connection means that you have a gift. With proper training and guidance, you can learn to harness it and use it for good.”

“But what if I don’t want to? What if I just want to live a normal life?”

“That is a choice only you can make,” Father Elias said gently. “But consider this: with great power comes great responsibility. Your abilities could help many people, and you might find that this path brings you fulfillment in ways you never imagined.”

Lance took a deep breath, trying to process everything. “So, what happens now?”

Father Elias smiled. “Unfortunately, I cannot teach you about magic myself. I only know how to channel the divinity of Aris. My abilities lie in invoking miracles, mostly for healing.” Lance thought back to the times he had seen Father Elias channel the power of Aris to heal the sick and injured. It was a testament to the priest’s connection with the divine.

“So what should I do?”

“The only way to truly learn about magic is to attend university. There, you will find the knowledge and training you need to develop your abilities.”

“A university? For wizards?” Lance repeated, his mind reeling at the thought, in back toward places like the Arinitic mountains university was a fantasy most people couldn't even dream about.

“Yes, Lance. It’s a place where people like you can learn to control and use their powers responsibly. It won’t be easy, but it’s the best path for you if you want to understand and master your gift.”

Lance nodded slowly, feeling a mix of fear and excitement. “All right. I’ll give it a try.”

As they walked back to the dormitory, Lance couldn’t help but feel that his life was about to change in ways he couldn’t yet comprehend.