The sky was still dark when Kvolt rose, his leather blankets falling into a heap around him. He dressed silently, taking care not to make noise and wake the rest of the house.

Lisai had finally given in to Kvolt's insistence, after he had employed all his persuasion skills. He wasn't sure exactly how he managed to convince her to let him go to Virtin so early, given the distance to be covered. Maybe she sensed his underlying desperation for knowledge, for an escape from routine. Or maybe it was just the cumulative effect of his pleading eyes and whispered promises. Either way, she had agreed, albeit reluctantly.

Kvolt left the house at the first light of dawn, his stomach churning with excitement. He began his journey through the village's dirt streets, following the winding path that led to the gates of Virtin.

Some residents were already up at that hour, preparing for another day of hard work. Kvolt could feel their curious gazes on him as he passed, some people whispering and pointing at his flaming red hair. But he kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, ignoring the jeers and sour looks. There were more important matters at stake today.

As he walked, the looks became less intense, perhaps getting used to his presence.

Soon the streets opened up before him, a maze of stone and wooden constructions. The air carried the smell of fireplace smoke, fresh bread and a thousand other scents that make up the breath of people waking up.

Finally, he spotted his destination - the modest stone house where Maryuli lived. Stifling a smile of anticipation, Kvolt approached and knocked on the weathered door.

"Kvolt," a voice called out. "Come in!"

He opened the door, carefully looking around until he spotted his instructor.

Maryuli was sitting in her leather armchair, eyes focused on the rune stone in her hands. The living room was cozy, illuminated by the soft glow of the fireplace. Wooden shelves lined the walls, filled with books and artifacts from her travels as a merchant.

Kvolt sat down in front of her, amber eyes curious. He had arrived at her house earlier that morning, eager to continue his magical studies away from his mother's disapproving eyes.

Moreover, the few books Thallru had given him had already been immensely devoured. With Aurora already scanning every tiny word into its database.

"Ah, my brilliant student!" she exclaimed as Kvolt entered. "I was expecting you."

Kvolt returned the smile with a nod.

"Sit down, my young one," Maryuli gestured to the chair in front of her. "Today we will start exploring magical theory in more detail."

Kvolt obeyed, sitting on the edge of the chair.

Maryuli studied him with perceptive eyes. "You are truly a phenomenon, Kvolt. Such a sharp mind in such a young vessel." She shook her head, amazed. "If the great schools of Arcanis knew about you, there would be a real battle to have you as a student."

"I can't wait for that to happen. Too bad the educational institutions only allow students from the age of twelve," he said. "Besides, at the moment I have to help my mother. My father has been absent for a long time."

Maryuli nodded in agreement. "But enough rambling," she continued, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "It's time to start the classifications and theories that govern arcane practice."

"This," Maryuli began, lifting a stone, "is a detection rune. It allows us to discern the presence and nature of magic in an individual."

Kvolt leaned forward, studying the symbols etched on the stone's surface. "How does it work?"

Maryuli smiled, appreciating his enthusiasm. "The runes are carved into specific minerals that amplify the resonance of mana. When positioned over key points on the body, they vibrate, detecting the internal flow of mana."

"Well, if I activated it now," said Maryuli, "it would happen a soft gray glow. This is how it responds to my Inept essence - a dormant magical spark, but still present."

She pointed at Kvolt. "However, if it were you holding the rune, I would expect it to glow in a bluish hue."

Kvolt raised his eyebrows. According to Aurora's analysis, his core was indeed blue. This indicated that her sensors were being accurate.

When Maryuli handed him the stone, he turned the rune between his fingers. Immediately, the stone emitted a strong, deep blue light.

"Blue... Why?" he asked, wanting to know what these colors really mean.

"Blue is the color associated with apprentices whose internal mana pathways are forming and growing like the branches of a tree," explained Maryuli. "Those who awaken and are gifted with magic, whose mana cores are active and pulsating," she said. "It is the weakest stage of a Gifted one."

"And the different shades of blue? Do they mean something?"

"Yes," replied Maryuli, her eyes widening at the mention of the topic. "You see, magic is a force with countless levels of expression and understanding. Therefore, mages have developed a classification system to map an individual's progress. There are 4 main degrees in each phase of the core - soft, moderate, deep and intense, and then when the Gifted evolves, their core begins to take on a new color."

She leaned forward.

"To simplify... Imagine the core as a spectrum of colors, each shade representing a new level of skill and knowledge. It starts with gray for the Inept, like me - just a glimpse of magical potential. Next comes soft blue for the neophytes."

Her hands began to move, illustrating the words.

"As you progress in your training, your mana core strengthens and expands, adopting a moderate blue and then it gets deeper and more intense. First as a Minor Acolyte, and then a Major Acolyte."

Kvolt frowned, his mind working furiously to absorb the details. "What about the other colors? What do they represent?"

"Ah, yes!" Maryuli smiled, clearly amused by his interest. "After blue, the core begins to take on a greenish hue. Adept level Gifted ones have cores of this color, representing the stability and solidity of their core, as well as their knowledge."

She counted on her fingers as she went up the scale.

"The fourth comes beige for those who reach the Magus level," she smiled. "And then the fifth, golden yellow for the Arcane levels, then the color changes to orange, of Sumo Magister level, who are mostly on the council, known as Archons. And finally, red for the Supreme Magister, who is currently the Archmage - this level being the most powerful and venerated masters of magic."

Kvolt smiled broadly, imagining what it would be like to possess a fiery core of that color.

"And is there a level even above the Supreme Magister?" he couldn't help but ask.

Maryuli nodded, her face taking on an almost reverent expression. "Yes. It is said that the true masters, those who have transcended the limits of mortality itself, reach a mythical level known as Ipsissimus Arcanum. Their core glows with a pure white, the very embodiment of transcendental enlightenment... But of course, these are legends."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

A shiver ran through Kvolt at this revelation. What would it be like to possess such magnitude of power? To be one with the very essence of creation? Maybe it was like Buddha's enlightenment.

The AI's voice sounded in Kvolt's mind, breaking from his reverie. "The Gifted seem to have created a systematic progression of internal energy structures as a practitioner advances in their skills. Like a sequence of evolutionary stages."

Kvolt tilted his head, visualizing the data that Aurora was compiling. It was a table, with each level corresponding to a new set of characteristics and capabilities.

"Allow me to organize this information into a more palatable format," Aurora continued. "Based on the details provided by Maryuli and the books you studied, I was able to create a conceptual framework."

Suddenly, Kvolt's vision was filled with a holographic projection, almost like a game screen suspended in the air. On it, the different levels of the magical hierarchy were listed in an elegant progression.

Level 0: Deprived

Individuals with no magical potential, without a core or deactivated core Level

Level 1: Inept

They possess magic, but are unable to use it.

* Gray

* Moderate Gray

* Deep Gray

* Intense Gray

Level 2: Blue

* Soft Blue | Neophytes

* Moderate Blue | Neophytes

* Deep Blue | Minor Acolyte

* Intense Blue | Major Acolyte

Level 3: Green

* Soft Green | Minor Adept

* Moderate Green | Minor Adept

* Deep Green | Major Adept

* Intense Green | Major Adept

Level 4: Beige

* Soft Beige | Minor Magus

* Moderate Beige | Minor Magus

* Deep Beige | Major Magus

* Intense Beige | Major Magus

Level 5: Yellow

* Soft Yellow | Arcane

* Moderate Yellow | Arcane

* Deep Yellow | Arcane Magister

* Intense Yellow | Arcane Magister

Level 6: Orange (Sumo Magister)

* Soft Orange

* Moderate Orange

* Deep Orange

* Intense Orange

Level 7: Red (Supreme Magister)

* Soft Red

* Moderate Red

* Deep Red

* Intense Red

Level 8: White (Ipsissimus Arcanum)

* Soft White

* Moderate White

* Deep White

* Intense White

"This is interesting," he breathed, turning to Maryuli, who had been watching the boy stare into nothingness for a while, almost speechless. "So, according to this classification, where exactly do I fall?"

The woman shrugged, a smile playing on her lips. "It's hard to say for sure, but based on what I've seen of your aura and abilities, I'd say you're already at least at the level of a Major Acolyte, if not a little beyond. The rune says that your core emits a deep blue, the third degree of the blue color."

Kvolt shook his head, absorbing the information. Being ranked as an acolyte was surprising, given his short time in this world. But then again, much about his existence here defied explanation.

"So, what exactly can an acolyte do?"

Maryuli smiled. "Well, that depends on your focus of study. There are many schools of magic, each with their own sets of skills and specialties. Also, some Gifted are born with a green or higher core, but due to lack of guidance they can be considered acolytes. But the higher the core, usually the easier it is to learn more basic concepts of magic, and also the greater the dangers, as a Gifted with a green or higher core may present mana uncontrol."

She got up and walked to a shelf, her fingers sliding over the spines of the books until she pulled out a heavy tome. "Here, this book details the main schools of study. We have the elemental schools that are part of the study of creation and manipulation magic, which includes the control of fire, water, air, and lightning."

She flipped through some pages, pointing to illustrations of mages casting ice beams and summoning spectral spirits. "Illusionism, conjuration, Restoration..." - the list goes on. Each school requires dedicated study and practice to master."

Kvolt listened attentively, his mind frantically working with the possibilities. He had experimented with elemental magic in his training, but the other schools were unknown to him.

"What about learning magic without a specific institution?" he asked, thinking of his own peculiar abilities. "Is it possible for someone to have an innate talent that doesn't fit into these labels?"

Maryuli pondered the question. "Well, it's not unheard of. Some individuals are born with unique abilities that defy easy categorization, as I said before, Gifted who are already born with a green or yellow core, or even two internal cores. But such gifts usually always come at a price without proper tutelage."

Kvolt looked away, vividly remembering the dark power that had consumed him. The feeling of something hungry stirring beneath his skin, yearning for release.

"I feel something inside me," he admitted in a low voice. "Something dangerous. I don't know how to control it, or even fully understand it."

Maryuli reached out and gently placed her hand over his. "That is the purpose of training, Kvolt. To learn to control and direct your magic, no matter what form it takes. That's why young gifted under the age of twelve are sent to the boarding school. Magic can be dangerous. But since I appreciate you and your mother, I won't tell the authorities," and then she gave Kvolt a deep look. "But promise me that you will be careful with your powers?"

Kvolt stared at her, half uncertain, but nodded positively.

She leaned back, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "But, given your potential and unique understanding, I wouldn't be surprised if you rose through the ranks of the arcane hierarchy faster than most."

"Anyway, do you want to continue studying?" she offered gently. "I'm afraid we might have to spend the whole day here if we want to cover everything."

Kvolt barely looked up from the pages. "Sure," he replied distractedly. "The more information, the better."

Maryuli shook her head, chuckling softly at his unwavering enthusiasm. Reaching out, she began to rearrange the books and scrolls, preparing for yet another long night of studies.

Then, a specific question arose in his mind, one that had been poking at the edges of his consciousness since his conversation with Henry.

"Maryuli," he began, choosing his words carefully. "Have you ever heard of something called Vitalis?"

Maryuli tilted her head, thoughtful. "Vitalis? Yes, I've heard of that. Although I've never had much direct contact with that energy."

She leaned back in her chair, eyes distant as she scoured her memory. "From what I know, Vitalis is an inner force that everyone possesses, but it is particularly strong in those who follow the martial path. Warriors, soldiers, anyone who dedicates their life to physical cultivation."

Kvolt smiled, remembering his father's words. "How does it differ from mana? What does it allow these warriors to do?"

"Well, while mana is primarily used to cast spells and perform external feats, Vitalis is more about enhancing internal physical capabilities," explained Maryuli. "Warriors who master Vitalis are capable of feats of strength, perception, speed, and endurance that defy understanding."

She paused, frowning as she tried to recall more details. "I've heard stories of Vitalis warriors lifting enormous stones, running faster than horses, and surviving injuries that would kill an ordinary man."

He knew that Vitalis granted power, but this... this was beyond anything he had imagined.

"And how does one learn to use Vitalis?" he asked. "Is it like learning magic? Are there schools, teachers?"

Maryuli shook her head. "Hmm... I've heard of elite schools for soldiers that teach this path, but it's not something as studied in Arcanis, maybe in some of the continents there are some people who focus on perfecting the paths of Vitalis."

She shrugged, looking a bit uncertain. "I've heard it takes many years, perhaps even decades, for a warrior to truly master Vitalis. And even then, its use can be detrimental if overdone."

Kvolt frowned, intrigued by this information. "Detrimental? How so?"

"Well, like I said, I know very little about it," stressed Maryuli. "But I remember hearing stories of warriors who pushed their bodies beyond limits using Vitalis. Stories of burst hearts, torn muscles, even minds shattered under the strain."

A chill ran down Kvolt's spine at those words. He remembered the feeling of raw power coursing through his veins when he touched Vitalis, the intoxicating euphoria.

Could the pursuit of such power come at a price he wasn't prepared to pay?

"But, like I said, those are just stories," Maryuli continued, seemingly oblivious to Kvolt's discomfort. "I'm sure that, with proper training and guidance, Vitalis can be a powerful tool. Just like magic, it's all a matter of balance and control."

Kvolt sat there, his thoughts spinning. He knew Maryuli was right - any power, whether magical or martial, came with its own risks and responsibilities.

But still, he couldn't deny the allure he felt, the need to unravel Vitalis and master its potential.

After all, wasn't that his purpose here? To unlock every facet of himself, to push the boundaries of what was possible?

With a sigh, Kvolt pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. There would be time to explore Vitalis later, to probe its depths and master its secrets.

For now, he had to focus on the here and now - on his studies with Maryuli, on unraveling what the magic pulsing in his veins was.

And the hours dragged on, marked only by the soft rustle of turning pages and Kvolt's occasional murmurs as he discussed some particularly intriguing insight. Candles were lit and then consumed, casting their dancing shadows on the walls as time passed.

At some point, Kvolt began to feel disoriented, his red eyes heavy with fatigue. But whenever he threatened to succumb to sleep, something would bring him back - a detail in a diagram, a theory to be explored.

Finally, when the first rays of dawn began to dance through the cracks of the window, Maryuli sighed and closed the last book with a soft thud.

"All right, I think that's enough for today," she declared, rubbing her tired eyes. "You are a true studying machine, Kvolt. But even the most dedicated students need rest... Your mother will be angry with me if you don't go home."

Kvolt blinked a few times, pulled back to reality. There were still so many questions to be answered, so many concepts to be explored...