Each breath was a challenge to inhale as he ran through the waist-high flower field. His nostrils had long since gotten used to refreshing scent of the pink and yellow flowers. Their mana lingered around them, a pale yellow and darker pink, reaching towards him as he brushed past the large leaves.

Each step he took was a challenge. His legs cried out in pain as his feet grew numb over time. Despite the cool of the High Tower’s shadow, he was drenched in sweat, panting, and gasping for breath as he ran towards the cloaked figure sitting on a large rock, towering over these fields of pink and yellow flowers.

Behind him, he could hear the grunts of Damien – the only other person who hadn’t collapsed somewhere in the fields. He was also panting, barely keeping up with Ash. Despite his strong build, the young noble was just as tired as Ash, if not more.

Their steps only came to a painful halt when they reached the rock.

“Not bad,” The Inquisitor looked down at them. “Better than the others, at least.”

Damien stumbled a few steps back, then fell down. Ash leaned his back against the rock, and let his body slowly slide down until he was sitting on the ground.

“You need to be much more resilient to exhaustion if you want to be able to hold your own in a fight.” The Inquisitor’s voice reached his ears, though he could barely hear him from the deafening sound of his own heartbeat. Gasping for air, he pressed his hands against his chest. His lungs felt as if they were on fire. Each breath made him long for more, making him breathe in faster, only to feel like he needed more air. His heart raced faster and faster as his vision blurred slightly.

“… kid!” He heard a woman’s annoyed voice. That woman – Kira – crouched in front of him with a pitiful expression. “Slow down.” She hissed, pressing her hand against his chest. “Take a breath,” She let up the pressure, “Then exhale, slowly.”

He felt his vision blur again, but as he forced himself to take slower breaths, his racing heart also began to slow. The rushing blood wasn’t so deafening anymore, and the burning sensation in his lungs slowly vanished. He felt numb all over.

“Unbelievable,” Kira stood back up, then walked around Damien, checking if he was ok. “Maple shouldn’t teach classes – these children weren’t ready for their mana hearts.” She raised her gaze towards the Inquisitor.

“Maple believes in a pure approach to magic, much like many of the other residents of the High Tower.” Inquisitor Victor let out a sigh. “But I agree, their state is worse than I thought.” The disappointment in his voice was palpable, and it struck Ash like a dagger in his chest.

He hated hearing that, first from Professor Maple because he wasn’t as skilled as the others, and now from the Inquisitor, because he wasn’t fit enough.

“These two at least stayed conscious.” Kira commented with a smirk. “Your daughter… not so much.” She shot a glance to her left, where Maya, Fionna, and Leon lay fast asleep. Leon had been the first to collapse, immediately followed by Maya. Fionna had somehow managed to keep up with Ash and Damien for about an hour longer, but she eventually collapsed as well.

“Fionna did well,” Inquisitor Victor nodded. “Leon needs to work on himself, and so does Maya.” He turned his gaze to Ash and Damien. “Well then, ready to walk at least? You had your rest.”

A whimper escaped Ash’s lips as he looked up in disbelief. The Inquisitor jumped down the rock, then walked towards Damien. “You’re awake, young man. Time to get up.” He grabbed his arms and pulled him up, then helped Ash up as well. “Kira, take the others back to the dorms please. They have reached their limit.”

“So have we…” Damien whispered just loudly enough to let Ash hear his words. They exchanged glances as they dragged their feet after the Inquisitor. Neither of them had the willpower or the courage left to try and protest. The tall man led them through the fields of flowers and exotic plants, heading north. With a slow pace, they circled around the High Tower.

The walls around Bhaile-Morn and the inner walls around the High Tower were tall, but not quite tall enough to block all of the Spire’s light. Now that the High Tower was behind them, about half of the garden was bathing in the Spire’s life-giving light. The flowers were more vibrant in colour, plants bloomed with much more vigour. Ash narrowed his eyes as the vibrant colours of mana mixed, swirling around their host plants, almost as if it was alive.

“The northern section of these gardens houses much more unique plants – save for the blossoming tree you like so much.” The Inquisitor shot Ash a glance with a faint smile on his lips. “While the gardens in the south are free to utilise and discover for all High Tower residents, including students such as yourselves, the northern section is reserved for high-ranking officials, and students with special talent.”

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The sound of flowing water reached their ears soon after the Inquisitor finished his words. He hastened his steps, forcing Damien and Ash to drag their weary bodies after him. Soon, the tall plants that reached way above their heads gave way to a small, round opening covered in vibrant green moss and clover. A shallow, yet wide river passed by the opening, flowing east. The opening was otherwise surrounded by tall plants that made it impossible to see beyond it.

Much smaller flowers bloomed on the moss-covered earth, a few of which were quite familiar to Ash. He ignored them though as his eyes focused on a singular flower, growing right next to the water. Its large, bright petals were a mix of blue and silver. Its aura was a much larger ghostly form of itself. It reached for the air, for the light of the Spire.

He had never expected to feel nostalgic for those fields he grew up with. He looked back at his life in Serna with disgust, hatred, fear… the few fond memories he had of his stepmother were overshadowed by the wrath and spite of his father. Even as he left, he felt fear. Until the carriages took off and Serna left his field of vision, he was afraid a strong grip would pull him back to that small village, to the fields of Serenpetal flowers.

“That flower is incredibly rare and precious.” The Inquisitor said upon noticing him stare at it. “They can’t be cultivated, so the mages responsible for these gardens try and prepare places where they can naturally bloom.”

They couldn’t be cultivated? Ash shot the Inquisitor a perplexed glance. His whole life’s experience proved otherwise. The Serenpetal fields were what made Baron Lo’Harkon a wealthy and important man. He sold the harvest every year, growing his wealth like a dragon hoarding gold.

“Beautiful.” Damien whispered, his gaze lingering on the ghostly aura of the flower, instead of the flower itself. “How come can they not be cultivated, sir?”

The Inquisitor shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. The botanists and herbalists are the ones who tried and failed.” He waved his hand dismissively. “The flower isn’t why we’re here, so let’s put that aside for now.”

Ash bit his lip. Should he speak up, tell the Inquisitor about the fields of Serenpetals in Serna? Would he even believe him? And even if he did, what would informing him of this even accomplish? Nothing, he concluded after a few moments of hesitation. It would accomplish nothing. Drawing attention to himself wouldn’t be wise.

“Come on,” The inquisitor said as he walked past the Serenpetal flower and crouched by the stream of water. The light of the Spire of Kindling reflected off the ripples on the water. Ash narrowed his eyes as he and Damien crouched as well, was the river itself glowing? Without thinking, he brushed his fingers against the water.

The water was cold and refreshing, and certainly charged with mana. He could see it where his fingers broke the surface of the water, pale blue mana also flowed along with the river, brushing against his skin. He spotted fishes just under the surface, they swam around his fingers, nibbling on dead skin of his callouses at his fingertips.

He chuckled softly as he wiggled his fingers. The fish retreated deeper into the water for a few moments before swimming back up to search for food again. He let them nibble, knowing they wouldn’t be able to do any damage.

“What is this river, sir?” Damien asked, also sticking his hand in the water. “I think you would know better than I do,” Inquisitor Victor said with a faint smile. “This stream flows from the Northern pass, all the way to Bhaile-Morn, somehow remaining unaffected by the corruption of the Howling Valley.”

Damien’s eyes widened. He took a handful of water with both hands and let it trickle back down from between his fingers. “Never would I have thought the rejuvenating spring reached all the way here.” He muttered. “Why is this not common knowledge? If the river keeps its power-“

“It doesn’t.” Inquisitor Victor cut the excited young noble off. “The Howling Valley strips it from all its power, but it regains it in these gardens. If I’m not mistaken, it took our predecessors many decades to find a way to restore a fraction of its power.” He dipped his hand into the water. “That’s not to say it’s worthless – a few mouthfuls of its water will wash away your exhaustion. And that’s why we’re here. Drink up.” He gestured at it with a smirk.

Damien seemed disappointed. “That’s a shame,” He muttered before drinking some of its water. He wiped his mouth to his sleeve, then looked north. “The Howling Valley is a frightening place, but to know that it’s dangerous enough to strip the Spring from its power…”

Ash scowled. He had heard of the Howling Valley, it was the only passage between the rest of the Empire and its northern provinces. The mountain range blocked all other passage.

The Inquisitor let out a sigh as he shook his head. “It’s not a place for the faint of heart. A place of-“

A bright red reflection on the water distracted Ash from his words. It had appeared out of nowhere and certainly wasn’t a fish. He jerked his head around just in time to see bright red mana weaving into a spell he had now grown familiar to. “Mana!” He shouted moments before the spell finalised, pointing at it as he started on his feet.

The Inquisitor flinched, before he even turned around his own crimson mana weaved into a powerful barrier around the three of them. He turned to face their aggressor just as the spell finalised, and a lance of roaring flames hit the barrier.

Ash covered his eyes as the bright flashes of two people’s mana colliding blinded him momentarily. He noticed Damien’s soothing blue mana form into a much smaller version of that same spell, though the young noble hid it in the palm of his hand which he kept behind his back.

“Show yourself!” The Inquisitor’s booming voice echoed in the fields, but silence was all that answered.

The attack came from behind the wall of plants surrounding the moss covered opening. While the attacker could undoubtedly see them, they didn’t have that advantage. Holding their breaths, they listened for the movements of the perpetrator, for rustling leaves or snapping branches.

Instead, what reached both Ash and Damien’s ears was the sound of something moving through water. “Behind you!” Ash exhaled as Damien turned around, releasing the spell he had prepared in his palm.

The glimmer of the Spire’s light on a metallic blade was all Ash could see before Damien’s fiery spell grazed the hand carrying it, hitting the surface of the water and releasing a puff of water vapour. Through the veil of vapour, the blade slashed upwards, cutting through cloth and skin. Blood gushed, and along with it, bright red mana reared its head once again from behind the layer of plants.