Kvolt sat on his bed, Thallru's books sprawled before him like a buffet of knowledge. His eyes scanned the pages, feasting on each word, each symbol, with an insatiable hunger.

Maryuli had been a patient and skilled teacher. She guided him through the fundamentals, teaching him to recognize the characters, to connect their sounds and meanings. Under her tutelage, Kvolt learned to read simple sentences, then paragraphs, and finally whole pages.

It was a difficult and, at times, frustrating process. There were moments when the symbols seemed to dance on the page, mocking his efforts to decipher them, even with Aurora by his side. But Kvolt persisted. He practiced tirelessly, tracing the characters in the air, murmuring the words until they became familiar on his tongue.

"You have a natural talent for this," Maryuli commented one day, watching as Kvolt read a passage. "I've never seen anyone progress so quickly, especially at your age."

Kvolt smiled at the praise, but deep down, he knew it was more than just talent. It was necessity. Each page contained clues about his new world, about his place in it. He couldn't afford to learn at a slow pace.

As his understanding of the language grew, so too did his understanding of the world around him. The history books spoke of a divided land, where magic was both a blessing and a curse.

He learned of the Deprived ones, those born without a drop of magic in their veins. Relegated to the fringes of society, they lived lives as pariahs in slums, in servitude, slavery, and despair.

Then there were the Inept, the vast majority. They carried a sliver of magic, but could not access it. Condemned to an existence of mediocrity, many seemed to accept it, but Kvolt had no doubt of the envy and resentment they felt for those above them.

The Gifted were the fortunate ones, those who could not only sense magic but bend it to their will. They occupied the halls of power and institutions, dictating laws and shaping the destiny of the nation.

"Interesting, isn't it?" Maryuli mused, flipping through a dusty tome. "The way magic shapes every piece of our lives. It determines our status, our potential, even our very humanity."

Kvolt nodded in agreement, his mind spinning with the implications. In his old world, in most countries, status was determined by wealth, education, connections, fame... But here, you were born into your place. Your fate was written in your blood.

"It kind of reminds me of some games I used to play, too," he commented absentmindedly, more to himself and Aurora than to Maryuli. "In The Elder Scrolls, for instance, your race could determine your starting abilities. And in World of Warcraft, your class defined your role in society."

Maryuli cocked her head, curious. "Games? What games?"

Kvolt blinked, realizing his slip. "Oh, um... they're like interactive stories. But nevermind. What I meant is that there are parallels, you know? With some tales," he finished with an awkward laugh.

"Aurora," he called silently, "what do you make of all this? This hierarchy based on magic?"

The AI murmured in his mind, processing the question. "It's a fascinating system from a sociological standpoint," she responded after a moment. "Magic seems to serve as a form of social stratification, their perspective differing from someone like yourself, who was born into a modern society."

Kvolt nodded, following Aurora's line of reasoning. "Which means social mobility is extremely limited, if not impossible. If you're born Deprived, you die Deprived. There's no way to climb in life through hard work or talent."

"Precisely," Aurora agreed. "It's a system that seems designed to preserve the status quo, to keep power in the hands of the select few. It's no wonder there might be tension and resentment between the classes."

Kvolt sighed, running a hand through his wavy hair. It was a lot to process. A part of him he didn't much like to admit was intrigued. After all, he was a Gifted. He would benefit from this system.

"Maryuli, I was wondering... Is it possible for a child of a Deprived parent to be born with magic? Or for an Inept to become a Gifted?"

Maryuli pondered the question for a moment. "Well, it's rare, but not unheard of for a child of a Deprived with a Gifted to be born with magical abilities. Typically, these children end up being Inept, with only a spark of magic. But occasionally, a full Gifted can emerge from such a union."

Kvolt smiled, absorbing this information. "And what about two Inepts? Could their child be a Gifted? Or could an Inept, through training or study, become a Gifted?"

"Theoretically, yes," said Maryuli. "There are some cases in the literature of individuals who were considered Inept for most of their lives, their mana core a deep gray, but who through great effort and brilliance, managed to awaken and manipulate their inner magical spark, their core then turning a soft blue," she brought a hand to her chin. "But I've never heard of someone with a gray core obtaining a blue one."

She paused, as if choosing her next words carefully. "It's important to note that these cases are exceedingly rare. The vast majority of Inepts, even with extensive training, are only able to manipulate magic to a very limited degree. Many can practice for years and, in the end, barely be able to light a candle."

Aurora chimed in. "It seems that while magical ability is primarily determined by genetics, there is an element of variability and potential for development."

The AI continued, going into further detail. "On Earth, many traits, from eye color to predisposition to certain diseases, are determined by genes - units of heredity that are passed down from parents to offspring. Each individual inherits two sets of genes, one from each parent."

Kvolt listened intently, intrigued by the explanation.

"Some genes are dominant, meaning you only need to inherit one to express the trait. Others are recessive, requiring two copies to manifest. And some traits are polygenic, influenced by multiple genes interacting in complex ways."

Aurora paused, processing how to explain. "Applying that model here, we could theorize that magical ability is a genetic trait. Perhaps there is a 'magic gene' or, more likely, a collection of genes that together determine an individual's magical potential."

Kvolt nodded slowly, following the logic. "So, in this theory, the Deprived ones would be those who inherited no copies of the magic genes. The Gifted would have two copies, or an ideal configuration of multiple genes. And the Inept would be somewhere in between - with some magical potential, but not the full expression."

"Precisely," Aurora affirmed. "And, as with other genetic traits, there may be room for variation and exceptions. Spontaneous mutations, unusual gene combinations, genes that require exposure to activate... These could explain the rare cases of Inepts, like yourself, becoming Gifted, or magic unexpectedly surfacing in Deprived lineages."

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Kvolt considered this, relating it to his own path and development. "Aurora, was I born as an Inept, do you think I became Gifted due to my potential? And that it was through our training, the development of my mana pool, that I effectively became a Gifted?"

There was a pause as the AI processed the question. "It's an intriguing possibility, Kvolt. Given the advanced knowledge and techniques from the previous world, combined with my analytical abilities and guidance, it's plausible that we may have, unknowingly, followed a path similar to what Maryuli described - awakening and strengthening your innate magical potential through unconventional means."

"However," Aurora continued, "it's equally possible that you were destined to become a Gifted, and our training simply allowed you to reach your potential more quickly and efficiently than would have otherwise been possible. Without more data about your lineage and this world, it's difficult to say for certain."

Shaking his head to clear those thoughts, Kvolt turned his attention back to the books. There was still so much to learn - about the politics of this world, its religions and customs.

And the more he learned, the more questions arose. What was the true role of the Gifted in this society? Were they the benevolent guardians they liked to portray themselves as? Or were they tyrants, ruling through fear and oppression?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. He looked up to see his sister entering the room, a scowl on her young face.

"Kvolt!" she complained, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You promised to play with me today! But you just keep your nose buried in those boring books!"

Kvolt felt a pang of guilt. He had promised, hadn't he? But the books were so captivating, so full of vital knowledge. He'd simply lost track of time.

"Not now, Nessa," he said, already turning back to his book. "I'm in the middle of something important here."

Nessa huffed and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Kvolt barely registered her exit, already immersing himself back in the text.

"Maryuli," he said, his tone urgent. "These books mention different magical institutions - schools, guilds, even the government itself. Can you tell me more about them?"

Maryuli nodded, her face taking on a pensive expression. "Being a Gifted in Arcanis Evernum comes with many responsibilities," she began. "When a child shows signs of magical abilities, they are taken from their family and placed in a special boarding school where they are categorized as Neophytes, novice apprentices of the arcane path."

"Taken?" Kvolt interrupted, his tone sharp. "Against their will?"

"Most of the time, yes," Maryuli admitted. "It's for their safety and those around them. An untrained child, without control... they can be very dangerous, Kvolt. To themselves and others. Which is why Kvolt, you must be careful... You've never had formal magical training and one day your powers could hurt someone. One day when you feel comfortable I could help get you into a magic school. It would be very good for your development."

Kvolt nodded, particularly liking that idea. He could see the logic behind it. Finally, he would understand how this world operated.

"After the boarding school," Maryuli continued, "the Gifted are sorted into different institutions based on their abilities and aptitudes. The magic schools train them in various arcane disciplines. The guilds or organizations recruit them for specific missions and services. And some, the most powerful or politically connected, may even work directly for the government."

"Very interesting," Kvolt murmured, his mind whirring with the possibilities. "So, every Gifted has to be associated with one of those institutions? There are no independent mages?"

"Not officially," said Maryuli. "To be an independent mage is essentially to be an outlaw. The government likes to keep a tight control over anyone with magical power," she looked at Kvolt intently. "If they discovered you, they would consider you a wild talent, someone who hasn't received formal training... and as you're still a boy, you would be subjected to testing to confirm you haven't been influenced by malign forces or are acting against the Council's will."

It made sense from a control perspective, Kvolt supposed. But it also seemed incredibly restrictive.

"You know an awful lot about this for someone who isn't Gifted," he observed, giving Maryuli a speculative look. "How did you learn all this?"

Maryuli smiled. "My father is a merchant," she explained. "He has investments in various guilds, so he needs to understand how the world works. I basically grew up listening to this stuff."

"her knowledge is impressive," Aurora praised in Kvolt's mind. "She demonstrates a deep understanding of the socio-political structures governing the use of magic in this society."

"Indeed," Kvolt agreed silently. "She is a valuable resource. We need to learn everything we can from her."

"But," Maryuli continued, "it's important to remember we're only talking about Arcanis Evernus here. There are many other realms, tribes and peoples scattered across the world, each with their own magical traditions and way of life."

She got up and went to her leather satchel, from which she produced a rolled-up map. Unfurling it on the table, she pointed to a teardrop-shaped landmass. "Here is Arcanis Evernus. As you can see, we are a peninsula, separated from the two main continents by vast oceans."

Kvolt studied the map with interest, noting the crude outlines and lack of detail. Clearly, this was a world still largely unexplored, with vast unknown areas.

"To the north," Maryuli continued, tracing the border with her finger, "we have the land of the Thalvyrim, known as the Thalvyr Empire. They are an interesting people - possessors of a strong affinity for magic. It is said they can walk barefoot on snow without feeling the cold, and their sorcerers can call forth blizzards with a mere thought."

"The Thalvyrim..." Kvolt murmured the name, feeling it strange on his tongue. "What do they look like physically? Do they resemble us?"

Maryuli shook her head. "Not exactly. They tend to be taller and leaner than the humans of Arcanis, with pale, almost translucent skin. And their ears," she touched her own ears to emphasize, "are pointed, like those of a feline."

Kvolt felt a jolt of recognition. He turned his attention inward to Aurora, speaking silently in his mind. "Pointed ears, affinity with ice... Aurora, does that sound familiar to you? Could the Thalvyr be, well... elves?"

There was a pause as the AI considered the question. "There are definite parallels with traditional representations of elves in Earth mythology and fantasy, much inspired by Tolkien," she agreed. "Particularly with the elves, who are often described as having a connection to nature and a similar physical appearance."

Kvolt begin to thinking, his mind spinning with the implications. If the Thalvyr were elves, then what else in this world could mirror the stories and legends of Earth? Would there be dwarves in the mountains, orcs on the plains? Dragons?

Then an idea struck him, so sudden and shocking that he almost choked. What if... what if it wasn't just the stories that were parallel? What if this world, this reality, was somehow connected to Earth?

Could it be that the fairy tales and legends of Earth were not mere fables, but distant echoes of a long-forgotten truth? That at some point in the distant past, there had been a link, a passage, between these worlds?

It was an intoxicating and terrifying idea. If true, the implications would be enormous. It could mean that his presence here was not accidental, but part of a larger pattern, a deeper purpose.

"A valid theory," Aurora commented, following his train of thought. "If there is a connection between these worlds, it could potentially explain your current situation. Perhaps you are not the first to cross this threshold."

Kvolt scarcely dared to breathe. He knew it was mere speculation at this point - he had no proof, no concrete evidence to support his hypothesis. And yet, the possibility was too tantalizing to ignore.

He would have to investigate further, learn everything he could about the history and mythology of this world. If there were parallels, points of convergence with the legends of Earth, he would find them.

And perhaps, just perhaps, those connections could provide a clue as to how he ended up here - and, more importantly, how he might potentially find his way back, should he ever wish to leave.

"Kvolt? Are you alright?"

Maryuli's voice brought him back to the present. He blinked, realizing he'd been staring off into space for who knows how long.

"Yes, sorry," he said, forcing a smile. "I just... got lost in thought for a moment."

Maryuli smiled back, her expression understanding. "It's alright. I know it's a lot of information to process all at once."

"You have no idea," Kvolt muttered under his breath. But out loud, he said, "Thank you, Maryuli. For everything. Your insights are a great help."

As they returned to their studies, Kvolt's mind continued to work through possibilities and plans. He had a long road ahead of him, he knew - years of learning and growth before he could even begin to unravel the mysteries of his purpose.

But for the first time since arriving in this strange new world, he felt a flicker of hope resonate. Because if his suspicions were correct, if there truly was a connection between this place and Earth...

Then perhaps he wasn't as lost as he thought.