One day, under a tree that shielded them from the sunlight, the Blake siblings studied magic with their magic instructor.
This had been going on for around a year and well, the kids showed great promise.
“And this is how you do the [Ablaze] spell,” the magic instructor said as the blade of the knife he had in his hands was set on fire. “You just have to imagine your mana building up around the blade and then release it in a controlled way. It can be awkward at first but soon enough you’ll get used to it.”
He gave the knife to Erik who effortlessly did the same. He grinned as the blade was surrounded by the orange aura, the heat embracing his fingertips in an almost comforting way.
“Too easy for me, old man, when will you show us an actual challenge?” Erik said in a provocative manner that made his teacher sigh.
“Such preposterous, young Erik. I shall let you know that I’ve been a mage longer than you’ve been alive so please show some respect for once,” he said, frowning slightly.
Erik felt a pull on his arm before watching Ben get close to his ear, placing his hands around it.
“He’s supposed to have taught, like, dozens of students before us, he knows what he’s doing,” he whispered.
Erik could only scoff, however. “Yeah? Doesn’t look like he’s got much left to teach.”
A vein popped on the teacher's head, it seemed like he could hear the chit-chat but decided to not say anything.
Despite their cockiness, one could only agree that Erik was incredibly talented. Even if one was to receive proper training, it was said that it took 4-5 years of consistent training to improve your max spell tier by one. Erik had already achieved second tier before getting any training and this last year made him able to control it as easily as breathing.
This kid could become a monster one day.
“Well, I think it's an interesting spell,” Ben said, holding the knife as it was passed on to him and coated it in a thin layer of water. Many spells seemed to work similarly, independent of your elemental affinity—the element one can use. Sure, they would have a different name and a different effect but the step of imagining the spell would be mostly the same.
“Mister, the spell increases the cutting power and sets things on fire when you use [Ablaze] but what about [Soaked]?” Ben asked, referring to the water-based version of the same spell
“Well-” the instructor tried to answer but was interrupted as an arrow flew past his year, almost grazing it.
There was a thud behind him, making everyone look. The arrow had penetrated deep into the tree trunk, making disheveled marks on the wood around it. Surprisingly, the arrow was intact.
“Miss Anna!” the teacher placed his hands on his sides and gave the girl a stern look. “That was dangerous, you should not do that without permission.”
Anna however seemed to not care as she turned to her brothers excited, which led to a background grumble coming from the instructor but no one cared.
“Did you see what I did? Wow, I can’t believe my arrow packed so much strength,” she clenched her bow tightly.
“Wow, have you been practicing?” Ben asked, his eyes shined after seeing his sister do such a cool magic spell.
Anna beamed at her brothers, her eyes gleaming with pride as she nodded.
"I’ve been practicing every day after our lessons," she confessed, brushing her finger below her nose to appear humble.
Anna had shown great progress. Despite being the only one of the siblings not capable of using 2nd tier magic yet, she had only awakened six months ago so it was understandable.
Instead, she had refined her hunting skills far beyond what was expected even for seasoned hunters, it was to the point where she would scour several kilometers each day and bring heavy carcasses.
Magic was truly incredible, it granted the ability to create powerful spells but also made you stronger, quicker, and helped on the day-to-day.
For the rest of the tutoring session, the siblings continued to misbehave around their teacher. They didn’t show him any respect, leaving him to sigh in resignation. After he finally left, Alice shouted from the top of the hill.
“Hey! Lunch is ready!”
Erik jolted to his feet, a grin spreading across his face as he thought about what they might eat today. Before he could sprint off, though, someone grabbed his wrist. He turned to see Anna.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“It’s just that…” She paused, then suddenly bolted across the grass. “The last one home does the dishes!”
“Ah, damn!” Erik cursed, quickly giving chase.
The siblings raced up the hill, their hearts pounding. Despite Anna’s head start, Erik’s athleticism shone through as he reached the top a few strides ahead of her.
Ben arrived last, his face pale and drenched with sweat, clutching his knees like he was about to collapse. It wasn’t surprising, for one he was the smallest and youngest but even then, he simply wasn’t physically gifted like his siblings.
Erik moved closer, smirking.
“Erik…” Ben panted, looking up at the older brother he admired. A small smile curled up on his face.
“Good luck with the dishes,” Erik said, clapping a hand on Ben’s shoulder before dashing inside.
Ben’s ragged scream of betrayal echoed across the hill as the siblings burst into laughter.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
The scent of lunch filled the cottage as Erik stepped inside, bringing with it a comforting warmth that seemed to chase away the chill in the air. The table was modest, set with wooden plates and simple utensils, but the food laid out was nothing short of inviting.
A large, iron pot sat in the center, filled with a thick pottage, Erik could see the fat bits of salted pork in it that made him want to devour it even more.
Beside it was a trencher of coarse brown bread, the kind that was dense and slightly chewy, perfect for soaking up the pottage. A small wheel of cheese sat on the side, wrapped in a cloth.
Just before Erik started eating, however, Alice spoke.
“Come on Erik, you know we have to pray before eating,” she said, giving him her hand.
Erik grumbled lowly but caved in, wanting to end the movements of his bowels as soon as possible. He held hands with his family and silently prayed to the gods, although he didn’t believe much in them.
After they ended, the kids devoured the food much to their mom’s chuckles. It seemed like tiring your mana core made you extra hungry – or her kids were just beasts.
As Erik finished his plate, he leaned back in his chair, feeling the warmth of the meal settle in his belly. He still didn’t fully understand how the change was brought, but the evidence was clear. Starting with Alice’s recovery.
She wasn’t so skinny that he could see every bone of her anymore, now she actually had some meat stuffed in that skeleton. Her complexion wasn’t a sickly white anymore too, furthermore, she hadn’t seemed so happy in years and her bedridden days were few and far between now.
They could thank those changes to Phillips. He visited the family every week, paid tutors for Erik and his siblings, got them magic books, and paid doctors to see Alice. He supported her many times. He went above and beyond for the Blake family.
Erik during that time kept making potions and trading them with Elder Faren, earning good coin and supplies.
Sometimes he’d go to grandma´s house with his family and learn something new. Grandma Katherine always acted like she didn’t care but Erik was sure she felt happy to have human contact instead of being with her non-talking familiars.
Perhaps one day, they could get her out of the forest, although it would likely require a high-level spell to bring her to health.
All in all, the situation was better than in the last few years. Kaf’s death although still painful, was now seen as a new opportunity by the family – a new beginning – as he would have wanted them to see it.
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A few hours later, the sound of hooves echoed through the village as Erik practiced outside with his siblings. They looked over to the dirt road below and saw two opulent carriages.
The first carriage was immediately recognizable to Erik. Its body was a striking crimson, trimmed with ornate gold accents that gleamed in the sunlight. The wheels were crafted from dark wood, reinforced with golden rims, and emblazoned on each door was the emblem of the royal family—a fierce, majestic dragon, its wings outstretched and claws bared, symbolizing power and authority.
This was Duke Phillips’ carriage, the same one that had visited the village many times before.
Besides it, however, was one Erik had never seen. The body of the carriage was a deep, regal blue, almost like the night sky, with intricate silver tracing the edges and framing the windows.
Erik didn’t know who was the occupant of such a carriage but since it looked no less impressive than that of the Duke, it meant it was someone of equal power or wealth who came to the village.
People gathered by the square and whispers soon followed as people were curious about the new visitor.
The door of Duke Phillips’ carriage was the first to open, revealing the Duke himself. He stepped out gracefully, his tall figure dressed in a finely tailored red and gold doublet, the colors of the royal family. His presence commanded immediate respect, and the villagers responded with bows and curtsies as he acknowledged them with a nod.
But all eyes soon turned to the second carriage as its door swung open. From there, an old woman stepped outside. She had white hair, most covered by the pointy dark blue hat she wore. Her clothes were of the same hue—dark blue sorcerer robes. She used a wooden cane to step down from the carriage.
No, it was no normal wooden cane. It was too thick, and besides Erik could feel a weird energy coming from it.
“It's a magic staff,” Ben was the one to point it out, his eyes glimmering upon the sight.
Erik nodded slightly. He had heard about them – staffs or wands were a mage’s equivalent of a sword, they increased your powers and made you cast more powerful attacks.
Duke Phillips, having stepped aside to allow her room, offered a respectful bow, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the villagers. Phillips was a good man but It was rare to see a Duke show such deference, that person was truly important.
The two of them spoke for a few moments, their conversation however could not be heard by the Blakes who were too far away.
Then she made her way through the village, stopping to talk to Elder Faren. Phillips, on the other hand, waved at Erik and his brothers and walked up the hill.
“I hope you’re doing fine today, as you have seen I brought a guest for this visit,” the Duke spoke with a smile, pointing at the old lady.
There was a creaking sound of the door. Erik turned, seeing Alice step outside, curious about the ordeal.
“What brings you here today, Sir Phillips?” she spoke with a warm look on her face.
The man bowed, after seeing her presence, drawing a chuckle from the woman.
“Your children have shown great potential as magic casters, Ms. Blake. Because of that, I contacted Margaret, a friend of mine from the capital. She’s the director of the Royal Magic Academy.”
“Ohh really? That’s incredible, mister,” Ben said, his eyes settling on Margaret who was far away.
“Eh, is she really that important?”
“Wait, you don’t know Erik?” Anna asked, raising her brow.
“Yeah, you really should know,” Ben joined in.
A vein popped on Erik’s head as he got mildly annoyed. “No, I don’t. How do you know it??”
“Well, it says in half the books Mister Phillips gave us,” Ben said.
There was a moment of silence. Erik looked down.
“Didn’t you read the books I’ve been giving you, Erik?”
Erik shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting to the side as he scratched the back of his neck. The weight of Duke Phillips' gaze was heavy, and he could feel his siblings' eyes on him as well.
"Uh, well... I’ve been meaning to, but I’ve been busy," Erik mumbled, trying to sound casual but knowing he wasn’t fooling anyone.
Duke Phillips chuckled softly. “I understand that it can be hard Erik but they’ll deepen your knowledge if you give them a try. I understand—life in the village can be demanding. However, the Royal Magic Academy is the most prestigious magic school in the world, that’s the place you want to go if you want to become a powerful mage so you need to study.”
Alice gave Erik a sympathetic look. “I’m sure he’s been busy with his potions and helping around, right? It’s not easy juggling everything.”
Erik nodded gratefully at his mother.
‘Phew they almost got me. Actually I just can’t be bothered to read, it takes too much time anyway,’ Erik cleaned his sweaty forehead with a grin. At least now he knew of that place though, just in time even. Normal tutors weren’t quite enough anymore for how much the siblings had evolved.
The Duke turned to Alice. “We’ll be gathering all the village children at the square shortly to access their magic potential. Margaret will be conducting the assessments. I hope you’ll allow your children to participate?”
Alice smiled. “Of course, you went through all the trouble to give us this opportunity so we must accept. It’s a rare chance, and I wouldn’t deny them that. But... I hope they won’t be disappointed if things don’t go as they hope.”
When the kids started to gather near the village square, Phillips laughed a bit
“Alice, those kids... well let me just say they’re way better than any noble prodigy I have seen,” he praised their enormous potential.
Alice smiled warmly. “Is that so? Well, I want to see how it goes then.”