Following the night of his first attempt at anything magic-oriented, Jake awoke with a body sorer than he had ever felt. The tent was dark, the sun outside blocked by its walls and a sheet his Auntie had placed over the sleeping area’s entrance. The boy’s muscles ached and his body felt heavy. It was hard to find the motivation to get up from how much everything hurt. He thought of just rolling back over and stuffing his face beneath a pillow. Except the loud growling of his stomach reminded him that he needed sustenance.

“Well this sucks…” he grumbled, forcing himself to roll over and sit up. He let out a large-mouthed yawn and stretched his arms over his head, forcing the tight muscles to breathe a little. He stepped into the sand and then slid his feet into his sandals, sliding his toes between the frayed cloth thongs to keep them in place.

“Finally awake, are we?” Chul’s voice echoed from above. He was hiding in the peak of the tent, the shadows concealing his small shape. Jake scratched at his head and shrugged.

“Barely.” The boy rubbed at his neck and did a few stretches in place. “I hurt all over. Kind of wish I stayed asleep.” Feeling a bit more limber, Jake stepped out of the sleeping area and into the main tent. His Auntie was gone, as usual. Breakfast was set out with a cup of tea to drink and instructions on chores for the day were written down on a note beside his plate.

But, there was one more thing. Elana was sitting there, sipping tea from a cup.

“Uh, morning.” Jake blinked away the lingering sleepiness from his eyes and stared at Elana for a few extra seconds. Just to make sure she wasn’t just a figment of his mind.

She wasn’t. Her cup clicked on the table as she met his eyes. “Good morning, Jake.” She looked him up and down, sighed, and stepped over into the kitchen area. “Get yourself cleaned up for the day. I’ll help with chores.”

Jake checked over himself to make sure he was safe for the company. He was wearing his clothes, so he was safe from that embarrassment at least. His hair was a mess, though, and he hadn’t brushed his teeth yet. He made his way over to the bucket of water set beside the tent flap and took a few handfuls to wash off his face. He then pooled some into his palms and splashed it through his black hair. Once it was wet enough, he utilized a brush to rake out any of the knots and straighten out the mess on his scalp. He needed a haircut.

“I can do them. Shouldn’t you be at the gate?” Jake used the mirror to peek over his shoulder. The angle gave him a nice view of Elana as she worked to clean the dirty dishes his Auntie had used to make breakfast. While she cleaned the bowls and pots, Jake grabbed the small brush from the wooden holder, applied a dab of paste to the fibers, and then began to scrub at his teeth.

“I wanted to check on you first.” Elana turned to face him, and Jake adjusted the mirror to change its image. “How did your second conversation with Auntie go?”

Jake spit into the sand behind the bucket. “It didn’t. She was asleep.” Jake stuffed the brush back into his mouth and scrubbed a little harder, finishing up. Elana sighed and continued to clean.

“You won’t get anywhere with her unless you talk to her, Jake.”

Jake rolled his eyes and rinsed out his mouth. He then poured a bit of water onto the bristles of his brush to rinse them before returning them to the wooden holster. He grabbed a small cloth hanging beside it to wipe off his face, then he grabbed the water bucket to toss its contents outside into the sands. He set the empty bucket in its original place. By the time Jake returned to the table, Elana was also finishing up. She wasn’t dressed for work. Instead, she looked more dressed for a day off.

“You know how she is. I need proof if I want her to believe me.” Looking at his plate, Jake had quite the meal to eat. Scrambled eggs with meat and cheese, a roll with butter melted into it, a small serving of strawberry jam, a fruit bowl, olives, a few slices of tomato, and three pancake balls. The eggs, tomato, and olives were all set atop a large pita bread which was ready to be folded and eaten. Jake bowed his head for a moment to pray, then he started with the fruit.

Elana organized the dishes, wiped off her hands, and then turned to stare at him. “What kind of proof are you thinking of then? You don’t have Sahar.”

And that was where Jake found himself uncertain. If he wanted his Auntie to believe him, he would need to give her undeniable proof that he could perform magic. On top of that, it needed to be strong magic. Magic that she couldn’t argue against. Magic that could sway her and earn her trust that he wouldn’t just run off and die. While he had little faith he would be able to accomplish that task in a day or two, Jake did believe he could set up the foundations for it. So long as he paced his training and put his time into properly learning the basics, Jake could set himself up in a few weeks. Maybe.

“I’ll figure it out.” He avoided the Sahar problem with a shrug. However, instead of getting Elana to also brush off the subject, she raised an eyebrow and her head tilted ever so slightly. Jake avoided her eyes. He didn’t like that look.

“Oh?” Her tone shifted. Suddenly, Jake felt that he was in danger. She said nothing as she approached him. Jake felt his heart rate spike as she grabbed his sleeve and tugged it up, exposing the black marking on his arm. “Does this have anything to do with your sudden confidence?”

Jake’s eyes shot open and he jerked away from her. “Quit it, Elana!” Jake snapped, scowling up at her. The woman was unphased.

“What happened in the Ravine, Jake?” She asked, her arms folding as she glared at him.

Jake’s jaw tensed up as he felt the weight of her stare. “What’s it matter?”

Elana scoffed and leaned down towards him. She put a finger in his face. “Something happened down there to you. I can see it in your face. Your Auntie might not think anything strange of it, but I do.” Before Jake could swat at the finger, Elana backed away and took her seat at the table.

“I’m not against you, Jake. You know that.” She threw him a glance before grabbing her cup of tea. Jake eyed her for a few moments, expecting her to add something. When she didn’t, he returned to his food.

She didn’t push further, nor did Jake say anything. He slowly nipped through his food, whittling away at it all as he used eating as an excuse to not respond. It gave him time to think, to organize his thoughts and sift through what he should tell her and what he shouldn’t. He trusted Elana. As she said, she wasn’t his enemy. But, that didn’t mean she was his ally either. She never outright said it but Elana certainly didn’t like the idea of him leaving the village. Every time he talked about it, he could see the sad look in her eyes.

“I can’t tell you yet.” He wanted to. He wanted to tell her everything and he knew she would both believe him. She wouldn’t tell his Auntie either. But… He still wasn’t entirely confident in himself. In his magic. He was just starting to crawl. He wasn’t comfortable with sharing his current position when he had little to nothing to show for it.

She seemed a bit dissatisfied with his answer but she didn’t pry. She only frowned and shrugged. “Just don’t be stupid, okay?”

Jake smirked. “Can’t make that kind of promise, but I’ll try.”

“Idiot.”

Jake continued to eat and Elana took the time to speak of her problems. Her parents were pushing her for marriage, her mother complaining of how she would miss her chance if she continued to wait. While her father continued to offer up numerous names of men she had never even met, all with boring occupations and little to nothing but a mat to their name. Work wasn’t too stressful but her Captain was hounding her for her lack of effort. There were even a few who spent more time trying to make passes at her than doing their actual work. It made her shifts long and exhausting. The good news was that with her being a Magi, she at least had some control over who she’d marry. She would be the final vote on that matter, and the Elders would make sure of that.

Up until her twentieth birthday, though. At that point, if she was still unmarried, she would be matched with one of the other male Magi. Doing so would hopefully continue the bloodline carrying Sahar and hopefully birth an even stronger child. With Magi being scarce in the village, the Elders wanted to do their best to at least maintain the numbers they had. Female Magi were given a bit of freedom in their youth to live and love but it would become a duty to birth strong children later on in life. And Elana’s youth timer was ticking.

“Or I just die alone. That would be nice.” Elana sighed and took a heavy sip from her tea cup. Jake gave her a weird look before letting a chuckle slip out. “What?” She scowled at him.

“You? Live alone? Nice joke.” Jake rolled his eyes and popped the last pancake ball into his mouth. Elana sucked her teeth.

“I could do quite fine on my own, thank you.” She huffed and grabbed Jake’s cup of tea as he reached for it. The boy’s eyes widened. The pancake roll in his mouth was dry as sand. He needed a drink. Elana watched him suffer for a bit as she stole a sip from his cup. When she returned it, his face was changing shades of color.

He coughed harshly when he could finally breathe again and slapped his cup down on the table. “Yea, maybe. If you could cook anything other than burnt rice.” After getting his tea stolen, Jake decided to stab her a bit as payback.

Elana gasped and she placed her hand to her mouth, exaggerating her disbelief that he’d say such a thing. “Oh, you speak almost as if you could do any better.”

Jake grumbled and stacked his plates. “I don’t need to. I just need to marry someone who can cook for me.”

“Or live with Auntie the rest of your life.” Elana took her turn to laugh and it was Jake’s turn to be the one upset. He rumbled his annoyance as he carried the stack of plates to the kitchen area. He wasted no time beginning to wash them, cleaning up after himself.

An awkward, heavy silence fell over them both. He was wiping down the last plate when she set down her cup beside him. She was a bit closer than usual.

“Two years, Jake. That’s all the freedom I have left, you know.” She said, nudging him. Jake remained quiet as he finished with a plate and set it to the side.

“You’ll be upset if you don’t take this absolute one-of-a-kind opportunity.” They had discussed this before- a potential for the two of them to marry. However, Jake was deadset on his dreams of becoming an Adventurer. If he married Elana he would have to give it all up. He wouldn’t be like his father and just run off, leaving her behind.

Jake’s jaw tensed and he looked at his reflection in the bucket of water. Elana noticed where he was staring and her eyes turned to meet his in the water. The boy’s lips pressed together, as he looked at her beautiful face, her flowery-smelling hair, and the woman’s smooth bronze skin. He let out a sigh and swished at the water, disturbing the clear image. His decision remained unswayed.

“I’m leaving this village, Elana. I won’t do the same thing my father did.” Jake switched from rag to towel and began to dry the dishes, making quick work of the droplets on them.

Though, even as Jake tried to show that he was busy and as he tried to avoid her conversation, Elana wasn’t so easy to get off the subject. Such a decision was important in the village, and she had made it clear she wouldn’t marry some random guy. “Which is why I told you I was fine with it. He left you. He abandoned us, and your mother. But you. I know you’ll come back.”

“Elana…” Jake’s tone shifted and he shot her a glare. She finally got the message as she pulled away and gave him some distance. Jake finished drying, set the plates back in an organized fashion, and then grabbed the water bucket. When he turned, Elana was standing in his way. She looked far more serious. Jake didn’t like that look in her eye and he knew exactly what she was going to say. It made his stomach tighten.

“What if I come with you?”

“No.” An instant answer. Jake stepped around her and carried the bucket to the flap.

“Jake-”

“I said no, Elana.” Jake stopped at the flap of the tent. “Just… No.”

He stepped outside and tossed the water into the sand. He waited there for a few moments, basking in the burning sun as he took in a long breath. He closed his eyes, taking in the warmth of the daylight and the scent of the crisp, morning desert air. He could feel a very faint, cooling breeze touch his cheeks. After just a few moments of being in the heat, small beads of sweat began to form on his skin.

The flap of the tent fluttered behind him and he heard the scattering of sand. Emotional steps of a very saddened woman. “You know, you’re just like your Auntie sometimes.” Jake flinched and turned to retort, but Elana put a finger to his face again. “But, I know you aren’t lying to me. You’re lying to yourself.”

She flicked at his nose and then stepped away from the tent. He held his tongue as he watched Elana walk away. Standing there, alone, he felt his heart sink. The bucket in his hands felt heavy all of a sudden, as did the invisible weight of his choices tugging on his shoulders. He kept his thoughts to himself and forced himself to look away from her shrinking figure as she distanced herself. He returned to the tent and, silently, got on with the list of chores his Auntie had asked him to complete.

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It was near midday by the time Jake finished his Auntie’s tasks and he made sure to double-check the list before he left. He and Chul made their way towards the outskirts of the village, Jake fully intent on spending the rest of the day practicing his magic. The plan was to split his time in the Library and his time with Chul. Chul wasn’t perfect at magic, but he could at least provide some assistance with it. Of course, how much Chul could help would be highly dependent on Jake’s progress. The Arachkin’s magic was limited, and it seemed the spells he used weren’t exactly the usual type.

Jake slipped off to the edge of the village to the wall and found that the hole he’d dug had been filled in. Leaving the village required one of two things; passage blessed by the Elders, or a merchant/traveler's talisman. Without either, individuals were only allowed to leave under escort. While Jake could have stuck to the Marker for his training within the Library, his subsequent training with Chul would require a lot more space. And a lot fewer eyes.

Thus, he repeated the same tactic he usually did. The boy checked for guards and slipped into the gaps between the tents to where a small board with two straps on it was hidden just beneath the sand. Then, he waited. He sat between the tents and quietly kicked at the sand, toying with the grains as he waited for the eventual sound of feet and chatter. Two guards on the opposite side of the low wall passed by, signaling for Jake to begin his quick escape. A hole took days to dig, as it required a shovel and a lot of effort in the baking heat. Climbing was a lot less time-consuming, but riskier due to the visibility of it.

Jake did consider being patient with his training but he would rather maximize his time. Practical training was just as important as reading and studying… probably. It was more he wanted to be able to practice rather than just read books for days on end. Jake plucked the wooden board out of the sand and tossed it up onto one of the tents.

“Hold on,” Jake informed Chul to brace himself before he began his ascent. The tents themselves were held down by long, taut ropes. They were anchored deep into the sand and attached to heavy bricks. With the compact sand holding them in place, they could support a tent and a bit of extra weight. Jake tested the thick rope and then yanked himself up onto it. He hooked his feet and then climbed up onto the top of the tent. Once there, he snatched up his board and moved on.

He kept towards the edge and then hopped across to the next tent. He balanced on the thicker, sturdy edge, his feet moving one over the other as he balanced on the internal pipe in the wall of the tent. The piping helped the fabric maintain its shape. Said piping was generally sturdy and Jake had found that it could be balanced on, but only if there weren’t things tugging down on it. The tents on this side of the village were conveniently all storage tents. So not only were they larger but inside there were only boxes stacked up. Nothing causing additional stress on the tents themselves.

As he reached the edge of the third tent, he was at the closest point to the wall. He tossed the board first, throwing it lightly so it would land on the edge of the wall. With a kick and a powerful leap, the boy lunged to cross the gap and chased the board. It wasn’t a far jump but it was always sketchy, as the stone wasn’t always rough to grab. Especially if a lot of sand had blown onto it during the night. Thankfully luck continued to be on his side. The beating sun made the rocks gritty and Jake’s palms and fingers stuck to them as he caught the edge. Using his feet to kick upwards and his arms to pull, the boy yanked himself up onto the wall. He kept a low profile, skirting across the top of his belly. He checked to see that the patrol had kept walking and then rolled over the edge, dragging the board down with him.

The moment his sandals hit the sands, he started running. The boy opened his stride and sprinted across the golden sea, heading for freedom. There was a steep drop-off three hundred meters away from the village on the current side. Steep enough to slide on and a usual deterrent for the guards if they gave chase. Usually.

“HEY!”

“There it is,” Jake spat. The guards had seen him. He glanced to his right to see the guard in the tower shouting for the patrol. They turned to spot him, but only one gave chase. The other shoved his spear into the ground and watched. Jake smirked and ran even faster, sprinting towards the edge of the sand.

He reached before the guard could even get close and then turned left. He followed the edge, peering over it to check for any Dunebeasts. Seeing none skulking around at its base, he next checked the sand for any signs of buried threats- Golden Worms. They tended to lurk in dune walls or at the base of the dunes themselves, catching anything that slid down. He didn’t see any trace or typical signs of them being around so he took his chance. The boy stopped and then looked back at the guard was was still a good fifty meters off. Jake smiled at him and dropped his board to the sand. The guard began his final sprint to try and catch the boy, but Jake had done this far too many times to be caught by such a slow old man.

Jake hooked his left foot into the front strap and tugged it tight. Then, he stepped into the back strap. Just as he yanked it snug over his foot, he tipped right and plunged over the edge.

“SEE YA!” He shouted, plummeting down the edge of the dune. The guard stopped before he tumbled over the edge, peering down the steep and distant slope as the boy made his escape- well out of reach.

“You bastard child!” The guard shouted, his voice echoing through the open air. Jake didn’t hear him though, the sound of the whirling sands filling his ears as he surfed smoothly down the dune.

He held out his hands a bit to keep his balance initially and used his hips to direct his body. As he picked up speed, the boy brought in his elbows and bent his knees just a bit. He took the long route this time, following the curve of the dune as he swept across it. As he lost speed, the boy adjusted his descent, sweeping the nose of the board down and kicking the back to bring it around. He lowered slightly, keeping his profile close to the board to avoid falling, and closed his eyes slightly as he raced to the bottom of the dune. The air kicked at his body, his clothes dragging against his body. Sand flew outwards around him, a cloudy haze of it behind him.

“Isn’t this dangerous?!” Chul shouted, but Jake only laughed.

“Only if you suck at it!” He answered as he continued to laugh.

The steep slope eventually began to smooth out, but Jake had enough speed. He kept low and fired out of the dune’s basin like a dart. The dune across from it was far shorter, short enough that Jake was able to glide up and over its lip. He twirled, using the momentum of the upward angle to spin his body. As he turned around, he checked the top of the dune- both guards were standing there, watching as he performed his little trick. The Guard who was more experienced with Jake’s antics placed a hand on his co-worker's shoulder.

Satisfied that he wasn’t being chased anymore, the boy refocused himself on his little stunt. Now that he was in the air- he needed to land. Jake used the moment of both his spin and the upward jump to push himself forward through the air in a wide arc. He angled his board down using his feet and knees, then lowered slightly to brace for the impact. He had carried enough speed that he’d cleared the back edge of the dune but he had come down too fast. He would hit the slope in stride, so his angle needed to be perfect or he’d eat it.

As he dropped back to the golden sea, the boy clenched his teeth just in case and made one final adjustment. He leaned forward ever so slightly and-

Butter.

The board pressed onto the sand and Jake tore down the backside of the dune, carrying his momentum a long way. He moved fast and kept low, swaying his hips back and forth to keep his speed. There was no other dune to jump across, but there were two dunes back to back ahead of him. Jake used his speed down the back of the dune he was on to carry him a part of the way up the dune on the left. Then, he turned his board to speed down to the dune on the right. Back and forth, he transitioned between the two until the inevitable. With no more downward momentum, the friction of the sand gradually cut away at his speed until there was little to none left. When he was all burnt out, the boy cut to the right and kicked the back forward, braking and sliding to a comfortable stop.

“You certainly are eccentric in your style of living, boy.” Chul looked up to Jake as the boy knelt to loosen the straps. Jake stepped out of them and then tightened the grip on his sandals, ensuring they wouldn’t fall off.

“Blame my father,” Jake huffed. “Plus the village is boring. I’d rather be out here.” Jake picked up his board and looked around him. He was surrounded by sands.

“Not much to see.” While the Arachkin wasn’t exactly wrong, Jake didn’t quite agree. There was plenty to see- you just needed to know where to look.

“Not here, but close by there is.” Jake started his walk and followed the two dunes, talking along the edge of the one on the right to keep out of the sun and to avoid the Sand Worm he’d spotted. He adjusted the pack on his back and carried the board under his arm as he walked.

After a few minutes of walking, Jake cut to the right and climbed to the top of the dune. He peered over its ledge and checked around him. He spotted a few cacti jutting out of the sands, along with plenty of dead brush. He slid down the dune a bit and then continued to walk. Another few minutes passed and he checked again, this time spotting a tall pillar jutting from the sands. He marched over the edge of the dune and then flipped his board over his head, blocking out the sun as he walked towards the tall pillar.

There wasn’t anything special about it. It was a stone marker in place used to direct the caravans. It had a signpost attached to it, giving directions to the next villages which were at least two days away. It was also a watering point, and a few Magi were sitting inside of the hut beside the pillar.

“Jake?” A boy inside perked up as Jake stepped inside. The girl he was with rolled her eyes.

“Running away again?” She huffed. Jake shrugged and set down his board. He pulled his pack off his back and then several bottles from inside.

“Just a little excursion. Mind if I get some water?” Jake asked with a charismatic smile, hoping they’d play along. The girl crossed her arms, turning her head away. The boy, on the other hand, was happy to oblige.

“The guards stepped off to go piss. You might want to be quick.” The boy held out his hands and from the tips of his fingers, water began to collect. The small orbs of water then poured out into the bottles, filling them up slowly.

“Thanks. I figured that’s why they weren’t outside.” Scattered through the sands between villages, man-made stone pillars were placed to aid the Caravans in their travels. While the caravans didn’t necessarily need them, they helped minimize the distance the navigators needed to worry about when directing the drivers. They also, sometimes, were manned by Water Magi. The Magi could replenish any water for the caravan and provide water that could be used for cleaning and bathing.

Since Water Magi, in general, were scarce, they were only placed at key markers that saw frequent traffic. On top of that, they were sent out only when caravans were anticipated to be passing through. If a caravan found the marker a day early or a day late- they might miss the opportunity and be forced to continue along. A runner could be sent to the Magi’s village, of course, but that was only in emergencies. Caravans always moved with ample amounts of water. The Magi were just convenience and a sign of goodwill from the villages.

Of course, since Magi were highly valued, Guards were stationed with them along with a pair of horses that the Magi could use to escape should anything happen. The horses were kept in a separate stable beside the marker, so Jake didn’t have to deal with them if he was just getting water.

“Where you headed?” The man asked. Jake shrugged.

“Probably just to the cliffs. Need some space, you know?” Jake wasn’t exactly sure where he wanted to go still but the cliffs nearby sounded like the best option. There were a few caves he could hide from the sun in and the Dunebeasts tended to avoid them, as there was little food there. Sandworms loved them, though. Anything that fell from the top would no doubt become food for one lurking down below.

“You really should go back to the village. You caused a mess the last time you left.” The girl rolled her eyes, but Jake ignored her.

“Thanks, Wadir.” Jake smiled as he packed up the bottles when his friend was done. Wadir grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

“No problem. Good luck, but don’t stay out late. Guess someone is having a ceremony tonight. I hear the girls are going to be dancing!” Wadir let out a laugh as Jake shouldered his pack. Before he could answer, he heard feet outside. The boy turned and darted out, not giving an answer but he certainly gave it a thought. If the ladies were dancing and giving a show, he’d certainly enjoy watching it.

Jake slipped around the edge of the marker, following the stone off to its side and around the corner. The guards came into view from their side, turning and walking into the shade without as much of a glance in Jake’s direction. Pumping his fist quietly, Jake turned around and skulked off into the sand. He once more placed his board over his head and walked in the direction of the sun. Judging the time by its height in the sky, he adjusted his course a bit and walked until he crested another large dune. Not far off, he saw the rocks of the nearby cliffs. They were at least a kilometer away but with his board and a few dunes between him and the goal- he made quick work of those thousand meters.

As the golden sand gave way to soft pink sandstone, Chul crept out of the cover of Jake’s shirt and onto the boy's neck. “I have yet to decide if you are bold, or foolish. It is quite a difficult choice to make.”

“Thanks for the compliment.” Jake flashed his partner a smile as he approached the edge of the rocks. This was no Ravine. He could see the bottom. A flat, sandy death where several pits with hungry mouths in their centers awaited the unfortunate. Jake kept close to the edge, following the rocks as a path was cut into the cliff face. It was a short route, barely twenty feet down before a smooth landing awaited him. And the entrance of a small cave. It was empty, aside from some provisions he had left behind and a blanket he had taken from the storage tents a long while back.

The cave was just one hideaway Jake had found in the desert. It was one of the best places to get away from the boring air of his village. With the numerous dunes around, Jake could practice his sand surfing for hours and return to the cave whenever he needed a break from the sun. It was also close enough to the village that he could return rather quickly. Lastly- there were no Dunebeasts. With the threat of the Sand Worms down below, the Dunebeasts kept their distance. A fatal fall wasn’t worth the risk.

“But, I am quite impressed. I now see why you were confident enough to challenge the Ravine.” After they entered the cave, Chul quickly hopped off Jake’s shoulder and skittered onto the wall. Jake set his board down by the entrance and then grabbed a box of matches. He plucked one free and struck the end against the coarse side of the box. He leveled the flame against a wick that was soaked into an oil dish. The flame ignited, illuminating the small space just enough for Jake to be confident that nothing was lurking within it.

“It wasn’t that I was confident. I was just curious.” Jake sat down on a thin mat he’d placed beside the wall and then leaned into the rock. “I wanted to see it, so I planned out the trip and took my chance when I had it.”

Chul moved across the roof of the cave, adjusting his position to be directly over Jake and a bit towards the back of the small rocky inlet. “That was all? No sense of challenge or a dare? Just a desire to see what was within it?” When Jake nodded, Chul’s fangs chittered as he laughed. “You truly are interesting, boy. Very few would look into such a foul place and decide to enter it. You mentioned hearing stories before entering, and many who came before you said the same. Did those not cross your mind?”

“Of course they did.” Jake blinked as he looked up at his friend. “But the stories just weren’t enough.” Jake looked down and lifted a rock in his hand. He twirled it, observing its rough shape. “...They’re never enough.” His lips pressed together for a moment, then he chucked the rock out of the cave. It skipped at the edge of the cliffs before plummeting out of sight.

Chul stared down at Jake, silent as Jake’s expression remained soft. There was a distance in the boy’s eyes, as though he were looking well beyond the walls of the cave. Chul hummed softly and slowly made his way down to the boy’s side. “Is it your father?” He asked.

Jake’s jaw tensed. He reached for another rock. However, he only grabbed it. His fingers gripped the stone and his eyes stared down at it. The rock had the same shape as the Ulnoc Talisman. Well, similar.

“Something like that.” After another pause, Jake plucked the rock from the floor and also threw it out of the cave. This time, it cleared the cliff edge. “But not just him, all of them.” Jake rolled up onto his feet. He let out a heavy exhale as he stepped to the edge of the cave, his eyes peering up and towards the distant sky.

“There’s a whole world out there, Chul. A world more than just sand and sun.” Jake reached a hand up, his fingers stretching towards the cool blue. “It’s not that I hate where I am. I love this place, I love my home. My Auntie. The village and everyone in it. But those people… People from far-off places, places I only hear of from their mouths.”

Jake’s stretched-out fingers curled into a fist, his fingers wrapping around the tiniest speck of a cloud. He gripped that puff of air tightly. “I want to see them. All of them.”

“It will take time, child. Time. Patience. And a lot of strength.” Chul approached the edge of the cave, from the ceiling, and peered down at the boy. “The dreams you have, you cannot achieve with a light heart. Are you certain?”

Jake stared past his fist, his eyes lingering on the cloud as it emerged from his fingers. “My father once told me that nothing is certain. Not even the choices we make are set in stone. It’s only when we take action that certainty becomes reality.” Jake lowered his fist and his lips curled into a faint smile. “It’s easy to talk, but real men don’t talk with their mouths.” The boy leaned back a bit as he looked up. He grinned and stared up at Chul.

“Real men talk with their hands.” Jake turned his palms upwards and wiggled his fingers. Chul’s fangs chittered as he watched the boy return to the mat inside of the cave. “For years I’ve said that I would leave and see the world. What kind of man would I be if I turned on all of it now that I’ve got the chance to act on those words?”

Chul stared at the boy, watching as he sat down and crossed his legs. Jake made himself comfortable and his lips remained in a smile as he closed his eyes. The Arachkin continued to stare as Jake delved into his mind and left for the Library. Chul remembered when he was young like Jake- driven and curious, willing to take on the world. Oh, how foolish he had been… but at least this time, Chul could do something to keep Jake from making the same mistakes he did. Or he would at least try.

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Day two of his time in the Library began with cultivation- a lot of it. Jake closed himself off from the Library and focused entirely on working on his Mana Flow. He needed to gain more control over his mana if he wanted to become a powerful mage. Control and efficiency would be key to proper casting, and Jake would make sure to lay the proper groundwork for it all. Dedicated to that cause- Jake spent hours sitting in place, toying with his mana and refining his flow. The Fairies checked in on him every so often, likely at the request of Yir, but they generally left him undisturbed if he was cultivating.

Alba returned after a few hours into his stay but the fairy remained distant. She loitered for a bit longer than the others, waiting around even as he took a break. She checked in on his advancements and viewed his flow to see how it looked now compared to when she had last seen it. His improvement was steady and expected. However, if he wanted to make larger leaps in progress, his technique would need even further refinement. Jake was focusing quite a bit on the steady and cumulative growth of his mana flow. Where if he had put more focus into his mana control- he likely would see more gains that way.

Yet, such a change would likely put an excess burden on his mana flow. The increased density of the resulting mana would strain his flow tubes and choke them out. Or, the mana would actually overpower the passageways and burst out of the tubes, which would still be made up of weaker and thinner mana. Jake needed to balance the two. Strengthen his mana, and then reinforce his mana tubes to keep it contained. He was even preparing to create another mana tail if he needed it. But while he had gained a bit more mana and his capacity had increased slightly- it wasn’t enough to destabilize the flow yet. For now one was enough.

In between the long stints of sitting in one spot, Jake found himself reading through his first spellbook. Novice Spellcasting Guidebook- Foundations Volume I. Living up to its name, the book was focused on introductory spells and building on the standard knowledge a Mage would be expected to have. From magical variables within spells to magic circles or sigils, to the importance of mana control. While Cultivation wasn’t mentioned specifically, Jake read several suggestions stating that Mages should first familiarize themselves with their mana and become comfortable with drawing it out before casting spells. Doing so would limit the potential for dangerous accidents to occur.

That little bit of missing information made Jake pause. He flipped to the cover and checked the name of the author- Julian Redwood. A simple name, basic. Not one from the sands. He then checked the name of the author of his cultivation book- Anlyth Lubetor. A more exotic-sounding one. Jake probably wasn’t saying it correctly so it certainly wasn’t the kind of name he would ever find outside of the Library.

“Alba?” Jake called out to the fairy, who was sitting on a higher shelf off to his right. She hummed at him, her eyes not moving from the book she was reading. “Is Magic taught the same everywhere in the world?”

This caught her attention. The fairy peeked over at him, watching as Jake began to look between the various books and author names. Each of them was written differently and sounded different. Many were similar to the basic ‘Redwood’ sort of thing, but a few were far more outlandish.

“No, it’s not. Magic knowledge isn’t universal, and countries each have different levels of magic available to them because of it.” Alba’s wings fluttered as she hopped off the shelf. “Why do you ask?”

Jake nipped at the inside of his cheek as he began to think, piecing together the little hints he had missed on his original readthrough of the books he’d touched. If the current level of magic were different throughout the world, and knowledge wasn’t the same- then it only made sense that there were so many different cultivation techniques. On top of that, it also made sense that Redwood might not quite know what “cultivation” was. They might have performed the technique, but maybe they only did it out of instinct or maybe their teacher had taught them to do it without quite knowing what it was. Was the place this ‘Redwood’ fellow from a less magic-oriented country?

Doubtful. Jake found three other volumes of the guidebook on the shelf, provided to him and other users of the study room by Yir and her team of fairies. Jake checked the names and found each of the Guidebooks not only increased in volume number but also in difficulty. Redwood must have either been a skilled magician or the book was a work done by multiple mages sharing their knowledge.

“Something the matter?” His lack of an answer piqued Alba’s curiosity. She fluttered into his view to get his attention. Jake shook his head.

“No. I just noticed that this book doesn’t mention cultivation.” Jake pointed at the Novice Spellbook and then flipped into its initial pages. “The author seems to dance around the subject without really going into detail. As if they don’t know what cultivation is.” Jake focused on the text again, reading through the words on the pages and shuffling through a few pages as he skimmed over the information.

“Cultivation isn’t a widespread thing. Most mages learn by just casting.” Alba shrugged and landed on a stack of books, keeping her at relative eye-level with Jake.

“Really?” Jake raised his eyebrows and looked at her. “Why? It seems almost like a necessity.”

“For you, it might be.” Alba let out a laugh and crossed her arms. “You’re a bit of an outlier with that river of power in you, but most mages only have a little bit of mana in them these days. Cultivating that tiny bit usually is more of a waste. So, most schools don’t even teach cultivation to those weaker types. Instead, they skip to casting. Casting magic can do the same thing cultivation does, just with more force.”

Jake stared at her, a bit annoyed by her wording. If what she was saying was true- he could have spent time casting spells rather than sitting on his ass.

“Using incantations will trigger your mana to react to the Words of Power. They’re like instructions.” Alba fluttered down to the table and then walked to the book in front of Jake. She flipped to the first spell, Wind Ball, and pointed at the Words of Power written. “Even without cultivating you can cast a spell by reading those words in the proper order.”

“Sylphrus sylus Tyr.” Alba held out her hand and her voice carried into the air as she called forth the spell. She’d cut out several words compared to what Jake saw on the page but even without them, a palm-sized ball of compressed whirling wind appeared at her fingertips.

“The words will cause your mana to react, and you can feel it when it happens. Cast enough of the same spell and your control over it will increase. Cast enough spells and your control over your mana as a whole will also increase.” Alba let the ball of wind swirl at her fingertips for a short while before she dispersed it with a flick. It shot upwards towards the ceiling, then the wind scattered as the sphere lost its shape. “Gain more control and you’ll be able to cast stronger spells. Build the strength and control for those more potent spells and your capacity will similarly increase to match the need of your casting.”

“It takes years for that kind of growth, though.” Alba shrugged and pointed toward the cultivation textbook. “But with cultivation, you accelerate that process.”

“Because you put more focus on your mana flow directly…” Jake mumbled. Alba nodded.

“Spell casting forces your mana to work to meet the needs of that specific spell. Cultivating prepares your mana to handle any spell.” Alba smirked and winked. “Cultivation encourages your mana to be malleable. It develops a stronger bond with your mana flow and helps create a more instinctive connection with it.”

Jake let out a soft hum as he peered down at the spellbook. He read over the Wind Ball incantation, his eyes glazing over the Words of Power. He didn’t speak them but he found his mana already reacting as he thought of them. His eyes narrowed a bit, then he closed the book.

The more Jake looked into the world of magic and the more he asked his questions, the more curious he was about how the rest of the world saw magic. For there to be so many books focused on it, he had originally assumed that magic was widespread and well integrated into the world’s functions. However, if magic wasn’t uniformly known throughout the world and something as basic as cultivation wasn’t known by everyone, or if it was something purposefully suppressed or protected, then maybe his initial assumption was incorrect. There was no real way to tell. Not now, at least. The guidebook was rather old, too, so the state of magic could have changed in the original country it came from.

The boy sighed and folded his arms over his chest. He looked up at the bookshelf again, his eyes scanning over the various book spines in his view. Magic was making him both curious to learn and it fed his desire to adventure. He didn’t quite care to meet the mages and authors but his curiosity about magic in the various places made him antsy to get on with things. The sooner he was competent, the sooner he could leave his village and start exploring the world.

“Thanks, Alba.” Jake turned from the table and returned to his spot where he could cultivate.

“Of course.” Alba stepped up to the edge of the table. “Cultivating again?” She asked.

“Yes. Another hour or so.” Jake turned over one of two hourglasses. One was his cultivation timer, the other was set to track the time he had so far spent within the Library. Each cultivation session was done for two flips. After two flips, Jake had learned his concentration dropped off and his mana flow would tire from the constant pressure on it. Thus, after two flips Jake made sure to take a brief break.

“Rushing progress will only lead to problems, boy.” Yir made her appearance finally, the fairy filling the doorway with her presence as she landed on the floor just within the threshold. Jake stiffened and Alba rose to her feet.

“Miss Yir,” Alba bowed slightly. Yir smiled at her but she didn’t quite look at Jake in similar kindness.

“Is there a problem with my pacing?” Jake didn’t quite have all the time in the world to be sitting on his hands. He needed to prepare his mana properly so that once he began casting, it would work exactly as desired. He didn’t have time for mistakes when it came to the practical use of magic. He certainly would need to give himself time to get accustomed to casting. However, he would need to pick up on the skill quickly. If not, his progress would become stagnant and he would lose even more time trying to make corrections.

“Your growth is steady and I can see change within your mana flow.” Yir’s eyes flickered to green as she stared at him. “But, your growth will slow in time.”

“Why?” Cultivation was a steady build-up of internal foundations. Why would his growth stop if he kept after it?

“You’re cultivating with the expectation that your mana will be far easier to use once you begin casting, is that right?”

Jake felt his stomach tighten. Her accuracy was… unsettling.

“Seems so.” Yir huffed as she saw the color drain from the boy’s face. “Cultivation will aid in making your mana easier to use, but without actually using it for its true purpose your body will still fail to utilize it properly. No matter how comfortable you become with controlling your mana- cultivation cannot prepare you for the eventual act of casting.”

“But isn’t that why we use incantations?” Words of Power performed much of the work, or that was what Jake thought. He figured that so long as his mana was ready to be utilized and could be efficiently called forth- the incantations would handle the rest.

An eyebrow on Yir’s face popped up as she stared at him. “Words of Power certainly will cause a spell to activate, but unless you can control your mana being drawn out by them, you’ll just become a bomb waiting to be set off.”

Jake didn’t quite like the sound of that.

“Words of Power cause our mana to react in three ways.” Yir held up her hand and three fingers jutted upwards. “First- they begin the conversion to the requested element. Second- they provide our mana with the spell’s variables. Direction, size, speed, shape, and density to name a few. Third- the actual trigger or ignition of the spell itself.” With each number, Yir lowered a finger.

“Cultivation makes it easier for the Words of Power to draw out your mana. It makes the conversion process from mana to element faster and it lowers the amount of mana required to fulfill each variable within the spell. But- a lack of practiced control has a chance to cause a fatal error in the last step.”

Jake gulped. Alba, just off to his right stuck a finger out. A ball of fire appeared at the very tip and then popped in a loud but controlled burst of heat.

“In other words, something we call a Mana Explosion.” Yir gave a name to the phenomenon. “Fail to control your mana and properly cast the spell, and the Words of Power will pull out far more mana and the spell will collapse. Most times, explosions are small and spells can be quickly tossed away before much damage is caused to the Mage. Other times…” Yir’s voice trailed off, but Alba was once again far more visual. She grinned and dragged her finger across her neck.

“Death,” Jake muttered. Yir nodded.

“Such cases are rare. The potential for an explosion to be dangerous falls entirely on the available mana within a mage. Since most have very little mana to begin, with the risk is low. You, on the other hand, could blow up this Library.” Yir planted her hands firmly on her hips. “Which is why we are making exceptions to some rules.”

“What?” Alba and Jake both answered in unison. Yir’s lips curled into a smile as she snapped her fingers. Three fairies entered, their green wings carrying them into the study room and to the back wall. Together, they started a little construction project.

“I spoke with Lady Ferynith and informed her of your recent advances. She wants to ensure your growth is protected from curious eyes, given proper oversight, and is done safely. Thus, I have been permitted to create a Practice Room for you.”

Jake turned to watch as the three fairies extended the wall outwards, pushing the material away from the current room to create another beyond a small threshold. Using mana, they stretched the white walls, forming a large open square space. Yir flew through the new doorway and provided them with instructions on what she wanted the room to be. It was rather simple- a large rectangular box with two raised platforms on both ends and a square pit in the middle between them.

On the close platform, she had the fairies erect a pedestal to its side which would act as a place for him to place his spellbooks. At the far end, along the sides of the room at various intervals, and in the ceiling, Yir had the fairies create several targets. The targets differed in size and shape, but each had various points that would need to be struck for the target to be considered “destroyed”. Once formed, Yir planted a regenerative rune within the targets so that they would retake their shape after being destroyed or damaged.

The walls were strengthened with an array of runes, magic barriers, and regenerative sigils to ensure they would be able to withstand the abuse of missed spells. While they weren’t impervious, the combination would certainly be enough to withstand much of what Jake expected to learn. Anything beyond the strength of the array and Jake would need to practice in the Overworld. Unless he found a way to strengthen it himself. Though, Yir likely placed such a limit on the array on purpose. Once Jake outgrew the practice room, he would be more than able to survive in the outside world with his spells.

“This should do just fine.” Yir hovered just above the casting platform, her eyes taking in the view of the space. To test it, she raised her left hand and conjured up an array of fireballs. Eight of them appeared around her before firing off down the lane. They struck their targets, the small balls of flame obliterating the targets before smashing into the walls. The barriers flashed and the walls cratered. Moments after the mana within them pulsed to life, the craters smoothed out and the targets began to reform.

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Satisfied, Yir canceled out the fireballs she had cast to replace those she had fired. The three fairies who had come to perform the labor bowed before fluttering away. Alba let out a low whistle as she landed on the pedestal for the books.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this place.” She grinned. Yir raised an eyebrow and looked at her. “What?”

“Nothing.” Yir shook her head a little and then turned to Jake. “This room is for you to practice your casting. You are not allowed to do so outside of this place. Even in the Overworld for the time being.”

Jake sighed and his shoulders slumped forward. “What am I, a child?”

Yir flew up to his face, eye level with him. “As a matter of fact- yes. You are.” She quipped. “In terms of magic, you are a toddler. An infant. And with the mana brewing in you, you require special handling to ensure it doesn’t go awry. Understand?” Her tone was stern and angry. Jake took the scolding like a good boy and nodded in acknowledgment. He felt too scared to answer verbally.

“Good. Now, go grab that spellbook. The beginner one.”

“Yes ma’am.” Jake did as told and returned to the study room. He plucked the Novice Guidebook from the table and returned to the practice space. Yir utilized her magic to yank it from his fingers and then opened its cover.

“Have you read up on your elements yet?” She asked. Jake shook his head.

“The cultivation book mentioned that different elements may be more difficult than others but that was it.” Thus far, Jake only knew of the different elements by name and a little about what each of them could do. But he hadn’t formally read up on them just yet. The cultivation texts hadn’t put much focus on them.

“Sit.” Yir pointed at the floor. Jake folded his knees and sat down. “You. Out.” She pointed at Alba, and then at the door.

“Hah?” Alba’s mouth opened and she looked upset. “But I wanna learn too!”

“You have work to do, don’t you?” Yir folded her arms, her eyes piercing as she glared down at Alba. The other fairy looked away and folded her hands behind her back.

“Can’t I just stay for a lit-” Yir held up a hand and a ball of fire appeared. Alba’s voice cut off and she darted for the exit. Jake swallowed a lump in his throat as he watched Yir’s face soften. She sighed, tired, and cut off the mana feeding the fireball.

“I generally don’t give formal lessons. However, to keep you from blowing a spell up in your face, I’m going to help you with the initial steps. I’ll teach you about the elements and then we will do some practice with your first spell. After that, you are on your own. Yes?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good. Everything I’m going to teach you is in this book.” Yir flicked her finger and the book snapped shut. She waved her hand, causing it to fly back into Jake’s hands. “The elements are taught in order as are the lower tiered spells associated with each element. You will only be learning Wind and Water for now.”

Jake raised his hand. “Why can’t I learn the others?”

“Because you’ll blow yourself up.” Yir retorted. Jake pursed his lips and dropped his hand. “While you may have an affinity for the elements, that doesn’t make them any easier to use, Jake. Especially since you weren’t born with mana. Your body isn’t made to handle the stress of such intense elements. So, we’ll build up your mana’s durability.”

Jake raised his hand again. “If that’s true, then why do people who have an affinity for fire magic able to use it without blowing up?”

Yir folded her arms over her chest. Jake’s jaw clenched as he lowered his hand. “It’s natural for them. They were born with the mana source capable of supporting that magic and their body grew up with that natural strength to support such magic. You were born with none of that. Even with Lady Ferynith’s blessing, the mana source within you is fresh and needs proper nurturing. Place too much stress on it and it will break. Like metal fresh from the forge. It needs proper tempering, understand?”

“I guess.” Jake frowned. Though he understood, he wasn’t quite excited to hear it. This meant he would be set back quite a bit until he could develop the necessary strength to cast those more potent spells. Yir hadn’t told him how long it would take and he doubted she even could. He figured most mages began their practice at an early age. By then, their body had years of natural time to develop resistance to the mana within them. Did that mean Jake would need to wait years before he could use fire magic?

“Don’t look so sad,” Yir’s tone softened as she called out to him. “Trust in your blessing and work hard. You’ll get there sooner than you think.” The fairy gave him a smile and a wink, which helped lift his spirits just a bit.

“Now.” Yir cut their brief bonding moment with a clap of her fingers. “Let us begin. Listen carefully.” She motioned for Jake to set the book down and then flipped it open with her magic. She turned the book to the first chapter. A chapter that explained the basics of magic and mana once more. It seemed she was going to start from the beginning.

Jake braced himself and settled in, opening his ears and mind as Yir began her instruction.

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Following along with Yir’s instruction, Jake found that there was far more to spell casting than he originally expected. A glance at the Guidebook had set him up with the belief that spells were rather simple in construction and that all he needed to do was learn their incantations. He originally thought that repeating the words would be enough, but that was only the start of it. To understand that, Jake first needed to understand how the Words of Power worked.

Words of Power were just that- words that would cause a Mage’s internal mana to trigger and move in a specific way or direction. As Magic declined through generations of systematic suppression, so did the average mage’s control of their internal mana. Thus, Words of Power were created by Older Mages to assist their Apprentices with casting the more complicated spells within their books. However, as mage continued to decline, Words of Power became too strong for the average mage to handle and it was necessary to further break them down into simpler and weaker versions until inevitably they were split into four different variables; shape, size, direction, speed.

Simplifying the Words of Power into the four variables helped mages sustain their power and over time, incantations began to stabilize as mages refined and perfected them. While the spells themselves are a fraction of the strength that they once were, mages were able to halt their power decline finally and began finding ways to circumvent power requirements for higher-tiered spells. In time, as cultivation began to creep back into standard practice and as knowledge once considered “lost” was translated and relearned- magic began an upward trend once more.

To help newer mages understand the Words of Power, magic began to be treated like mathematics. Words of Power began to be referred to also as “Spell Variables” and the spells were seen as more equations in which the combinations would equal some form of output. By adjusting the variables and moving mana between them, Mages could modify and adjust their spells to meet different needs. However, such training and practices were seen mostly as a waste of time, and magic schools began only teaching basic magic rather than encouraging freedom and experimentation.

The idea was to minimize the risk of explosions by reducing the types of spells Apprentices knew and had access to. By slowly building up the repertoire and streamlining the process- injury and accidents became less frequent. However, new generations of mages found that this injured their growth in the long run. Reliance on the Words of Power caused most mages to lose the ability to adapt in combat and their battle efficiency plummeted.

Thus, Yir instructed Jake to never let himself rely entirely on the Words of Power. Instead, he needed to develop a comfort with them that he could inevitably develop into Incantationless Casting- an art of magic that required lots of practice and a bond with one’s mana flow that was second nature. It would be difficult to learn but it would not be impossible so long as he continued to cultivate.

Mana was pliable. It could be molded and twisted to the command of the user as long as the user maintained control of it. Words of Power acted only in place of that control to supplement a Mage’s lack of cultivation. Incantationless Casting could be achieved so long as the mage both understood the end goal of their spell and had full control over their mana flow. By understanding the variables of the spell and knowing precisely when, where, and how much mana was needed- a mage did not need the aid of Words of Power. There were risks, of course. Mana Explosions were one. Mana Poisoning was another.

Mana Poisoning was a far rarer occurrence, as a majority of mages knew to expel the expended mana before losing control of their spell. However, once a spell was started, the mana’s evolution from resource to fuel turned it into a potentially deadly concoction. Once utilized and fed into a spell, mana was found to no longer be safe for the human body. Cycling it back through one’s mana flow would cause internal damage, much like the injection of venom from a snake bite. The more dangerous the spell that was being attempted, the more potent the mana once expended. And since a mage generally maintains a direct connection with a spell until the very last moment- failing to maintain an outward flow could result in something known as “Backfeed”. Backfeed occurs when the outward flow flips, and the expended mana feeds back into the mage’s mana flow.

Thus, a stable connection was necessary to be kept solid. Should the mage lose concentration, mana poisoning would occur. To counter the possibility of back feed, most mages dispelled the collection of mana by cutting the flow to the spell and scattering the collected mana into the air. Or, they simply tossed the spell aside and let the mana naturally disperse. Dispelling the mana was necessary for higher-level spells. Lower tiered spells generally would break down without the help of external disruption, as their construction was rather weak to begin with. A few spells, though, could not be stopped even when started. Such spells were generally considered “forbidden” or kept secret, as the dangers of casting them far outweighed their use.

Jake’s control of his mana flow was already rather advanced for his level. While it wasn’t significant or something truly worth applauding over, it would be enough to sustain the lower-tiered Water and Wind element spells. As Yir had previously warned, he was not at the level to be messing with Fire or Rock spells. The mana requirements of Rock spells were high as the material was the densest. Fire spells required a high level of mana control and concentration Jake couldn’t hope to match just yet. Practice with the other elements would help him.

As for the elements themselves, they each had their specific uses and a range of spells attributed to them. While the Novice-type spells were the same, the more advanced spells became more specific and unique to the elements. Thunder, Rock, and Fire elements were geared heavily toward combat. Water and Wind could be used for fighting but were more utility-based in their use. Light was a recovery and barrier-focused element, while Dark magic was known to be heavily curse-based. Though, knowledge of Dark magic was kept secret as much of its spells could bring ruin to the Overworld.

There was more to each element but Yir focused on the basics. Jake would need to conduct his research into each of them as his knowledge and casting ability progressed. Though, even if he wanted to branch out into the more advanced elements he wasn’t exactly able to with his current guidebook. Within the Novice volume, there were only spells for Wind, Water, and Fire. Rock magic was mentioned but no incantations were provided. Light and Dark magic were never mentioned and Thunder magic was excluded due to its “extreme rarity”.

In other words- the author doubted anyone reading it would have an affinity for Thunder magic so he didn’t even bother with it. Jake scoffed when Yir mentioned it. She did glare at him but didn’t scold him for his reaction.

“Thunder magic’s use is limited anyways. You likely won’t ever use it.” Yir similarly didn’t bother going into too much explanation of the element as she agreed a bit with the author’s way of thinking. While Thunder magic was a strong element, it was rather useless on its own. It was generally used more in combination with higher-tiered fire and water spells. Its lower-level spells were rather specific in how they could be utilized and the parameters for them were just as annoying. Aside from the ‘Spark’ spell, which Yir used to zap at Jake whenever he dozed off or asked a stupid question.

The lesson finally came to a close with Yir introducing Jake to the first spell he would learn to cast- Wind Ball. The spell was the same across all four of the basic elements and would create a small sphere comprised of the desired element. By adjusting the parameters of the spell, Jake could change its shape and size, the direction it flew off, and its speed of flight.

“Here are the words.” Yir returned to the page with the first spell and showcased the Words of Power to him. Jake stepped up to the pedestal and stared at them, reading over the incantation a few times as he familiarized himself with it. Alba had spoken the spell before, so he knew how to articulate the spell.

“Staring at the book isn’t going to make it appear.” Yir quipped, likely growing impatient. The boy’s lips pressed together and he stepped back from the book. “Hold out your hand and extend your palm in the direction you want to cast the spell.” She fluttered just off his shoulder.

Jake lifted his left arm. Yir moved from his right to his left and she adjusted his posture. She straightened his back, nudged his legs to widen, and then kicked at the crook of his elbow to bend his arm a bit. “Stop being so stiff.”

After her abuse, Jake took in a breath and relaxed. He closed his eyes for a moment to focus inward on his mana flow and eased his breathing. His thoughts calmed and his heart stopped its incessant thumping. His mana flow calmed as a result. When he was ready, Jake opened his eyes and took in another steady breath.

“Sylphrus sylus…” His mana bubbled and surged towards his hand, the outlets in his mana flow widening as mana poured out of his fingertips and collected just over his palm. A sphere began to form as the wind began to whip at his skin.

“Appara…” The wind shifted. Jake felt it begin to tug at his skin as it threatened to surge forward in the direction his palm was pointed.

“Undara…” The amount of mana flowing out of his fingers increased, the wind strengthened, and the small ball that had formed expanded. It stretched outwards until it fit comfortably within his hand. The generated sphere had a soft white color to it, much like a fluffy cloud might.

“Tyr!” With the final word, the trigger, the ball shot forward. The mana in his palm snapped and the ball was cut from its bindings. It kicked at him, pushing against Jake’s hand as it dashed forward-

-only to plummet not two inches away from where it had formed. Jake and Yir watched as the hand-sized ball of wind arced down to the ground, the wind dispersing after a foot of flight. The powerful gale turned into a soft whispering breeze as it fizzled away, vanishing before it even hit the ground.

“It seems you have a lot of work to do,” Yir sighed. Jake felt his stomach drop and he lowered his hand, his eyes staring at the spot where he had last seen the Wind Ball.

While the sight itself was discouraging, the event as a whole was enlightening. Jake had never felt his mana move like that before. The sensation of it rushing towards the spell, flowing out of his fingers, and gathering in his hand felt oddly good. He felt a sensation of relief wash over him as his mana flow finally found its use. The power within him pulsed, eager to fulfill its natural task. It was disappointing to see the result but he wasn’t going to let it get in his way. Baby steps were necessary. He was just thankful the first spell hadn’t gone wrong in some way.

“I’m going to keep practicing,” Jake said aloud to Yir. He then raised his hand again. “Until I get it right, I’ll keep practicing.” He spoke with determined vigor, both to reassure Yir and to solidify the feelings within himself. Before he let himself get into a rut, Jake forced himself to keep pushing.

As he already knew- there was no time to waste.

“I’ve taught you all you need to know for this step. The rest is up to you.” After seeing the expression on his face, Yir smiled at him before giving him his needed space. “Good luck.”

Jake nodded his head, not taking his eyes away from the distant target. “Sylphrus sylus appara, Undara…” Jake paused as the second sphere of wind appeared at his fingertips. He took in another breath, then fired.

“Tyr!” Once again, the connection of mana was cut and Jake felt the pushback. Yet, again, the ball fell to the floor after just a few inches of flight. While he wanted to understand what the issue was, Jake wasn’t quite sure what he should be looking for. Thus, he focused on repetition. He was doing fine with the initial steps so he decided to practice them first.

“...Tyr!”

“...Tyr!”

“...Tyr!”

Over and over.

Again and again.

Cast after cast.

Jake stood in one spot and kept his palm raised, repeating the spell as he familiarized himself with each step in the process. From the moment he chose the element to the very moment he trigger the ball to fly off and drop towards the floor. Through dozens of castings, Jake focused entirely on the feeling of mana ebbing within himself. His mana flow balked through the pressure but remained stable. No kinks, no powerful throbs, no backlash. Just pure consistency as he repeated the same simple spell over and over.

He began to notice something missing towards the end of the spells, however. Something he was honing in on as the potential source of his problem. His mana flowed outwards with each Word he stated. However, ‘Tyr’ lacked the same punch that the other Words carried. It felt lacking. So, Jake decided to perform a little experiment.

He collected a bit of extra mana into his hand as he created the next spell. When he was ready to trigger it, he pushed the mana out of his palm and fed it into the Wind Ball.

“Tyr!”

The Ball whistled as it expended the extra mana. A heavy gust pushed against his palm and the ball jerked outwards, careening forward in a slight spiral before once more arcing towards the floor. This time, the ball held together as it impacted the ground. It smashed into the barrier before dispersing. The sight brought a grin to Jake’s face as he realized what he had failed to do.

The initial variables of the spell had forced Jake’s mana to react and had drawn out the required mana by force. However, the trigger word, ‘Tyr’ didn’t naturally do this. ‘Tyr’ was an activation word, not a variable for the spell. Thus, Jake would need to feed the mana into the spell himself for it to activate properly. This was the control requirement. On top of needing to have enough mana to support the spell and enough control to keep the spell from blowing up in his face, Jake needed to be able to manually supply mana to support the spell’s activation requirement. The more mana he fed it, the stronger it would fire.

“Tyr!” Jake collected twice the amount of mana this time into his palm, giving the spell plenty to eat as he activated it. Upon activation, the wind cracked and the ball shot forward. It flew down the lane. It held together for the entire distance and smacked inevitably into the back wall.

Success.

Now, repetition.

“Tyr!” “Tyr!” “Tyr!” “Tyr!”

“Tyr!” “Tyr!” “Tyr!” “Tyr!”

Jake paused only to retrieve his hourglass, flipping it and setting it on the podium. The boy held up his hands, focusing entirely on his spell casting. As he progressed, he began to understand what Yir meant. The more he cast, the more he felt his connection with his mana flow grow. As he grew more familiar with how it reacted to his spells, Jake began to work on anticipating what the Words of Power would do. He began setting up the mana, pushing it into his hands and feeding the spell.

Then, he took the next step. Much like how he controlled his mana to create his tail, Jake pushed the mana out of his fingers manually. He called out the element but began to form the sphere on its own. It wasn’t easy and he felt the strain on his body as he concentrated on gathering it together. On his first ten attempts, Jake lost his bind to the mana and the wind broke apart before he could collect it.

After the next ten attempts, he could feel it collect and was able to shape the mana into a small ball. It took twice as many attempts to increase the size, and then even more to increase the ball’s density of mana.

Three hourglass flips later and Jake could finally hold a palm-sized ball in front of him. He didn’t relish at the moment, though, and pushed on with his training. He fired off the ball he had finally worked so hard to create and watched as it slammed into a target. The ball failed to hold together. On impact, the ball collapsed and the wind blew over the target like a gasp. Jake narrowed his eyes and dumped more mana into the next spell.

The ball cracked, whistling through the air before blowing through the target. The white object shattered apart, splitting in half as the wind ball broke its spine. The residual mana within the spell was enough to carry the ball into the second target, but there it dissipated and fell apart. With another mark of success on his tally, Jake familiarized.

He repeated the Incantationless creation of the Wind Ball, increasing his creation time, lowering the amount of mana he wasted, and cutting down the time between creation and activation. Once each sphere was ready, he upped his pace to fire it off. The boy aimed for perfection, driving himself towards it as he used it as an excuse to better his ability. He worked on increasing their size and adjusting their speed, and he even worked on adjusting the shape of the sphere a bit.

As a result, Jake learned that he could cone off the spheres, creating spike-like objects that would break the targets and pin them to the walls. He could create multiple spheres at once with enough mana. He could even create them in places other than his hand so long as he controlled the path his mana flowed to the creation point. There was a limit to that distance, of course, but he could manage a few feet of space. For what he needed, such a distance would be sufficient. Jake wasn’t sure of what kinds of enemies he would come across during his adventures but having multiple available angles of attack and the ability to generate more than one sphere at a time would come in handy.

Once he was comfortable with his first spell, he sought more. Jake flipped to the other spells and began working on expanding his casting knowledge. Wind Ball was only the beginning. Within the book, Jake learned of a Wind Spear spell and a Wind Wall spell. The Spear spell created an elongated and thin sort of spike made out of the wind. It was longer, heavier, and flew a bit slower. But its piercing power was far higher than the Wind Ball. It skewered several targets with ease before falling apart and was capable of piercing even the wall if it was thrown with enough speed.

The Wind Wall created a strong, torso-high wall of wind in front of Jake. Its variables were a bit more complex and it required even more mana to use. On top of the initial cost, a constant channeling of mana was required to keep it activated. The larger, thicker, and denser the wall, the more costly it was to be kept up. Jake felt it strain on his mana flow as he toyed with the spell. While it was handy, Jake would use it sparingly. The cost was high and Jake found that he couldn’t move the wall once it was activated. Thus, he would have to stay put if he wanted to make use of it.

The boy spent a few hourglass tips worth of time getting comfortable with the other two spells and once more worked on his Incantationless Castings of them. But, he didn’t delay in progressing further. He would spend more time working on them in the future. He did the math of how much time he had left in his head and realized he was running short for the day. He had enough left to practice one more.

He flipped to the next section, the Water Element.

“Oh, that’s interesting…” Jake noticed that the Water Ball spell utilized the same variables the Wind Ball spell did. Sylus, Appara, and Undara still controlled the shape, direction, and size, Tyr was still the activation word, and the element word carried the identifier “-rus” at the end of it. Though he had been told not to, the discovery led Jake to check the Fire element spell out of curiosity. It too had the same pieces. But, that was where his curiosity ended. Jake turned back to the Water Ball spell and kept himself from the trouble the Fire element might cause. For now, at least.

After taking a brief break and taking some time to cultivate for a little bit, Jake was ready to continue his casting practice. Cultivating in between helped his mana source refill what had been spent and brought stability back to his flow. The constant expenditure had caused quite a bit of stress on him and Jake felt the fatigue of his constant casting. As his mana replenished itself, he felt the fatigue fade.

When he was ready, Jake worked through the same steps he had taken with the Wind Element. He familiarized himself with the Words of Power and then began to cast.

“Aquarus, sylus…” The flow of mana seemed to change in his hand, a more fluid sensation gathering in his palm. As the conversion occurred from mana to element, Jake felt a slickness coat his fingers. His hand felt moist and wet, something he should have expected but it still felt… odd. The ball that appeared at his fingers was a light blue and looked as though it were flowing.

“Appra…” He felt more mana gather in his palm, more than the amount with the Wind Ball. It was as if his body knew it was going to take more than before to even budge the ball. However, Jake still pushed more into the ball, preparing himself for the activation.

“Undara…” The size of the Water Ball shifted, and it increased to match the fit of his palm. He cinched down on the mana flow to keep the ball from growing excessively large, ensuring it maintained a manageable size.

“Tyr!” The same sensation of pressure coiled in his palm. The Water Ball pushed back against him, the pressure of the mana expulsion catching the boy off guard. The activation hit heavier, as it seemed to take far more force to project the ball forward. The additional mana he poured into the water ball sent it off. However, just like the Wind Ball, the Water Ball arced downwards. It smashed into the pit, the water scattering outward.

Jake twisted his lips in annoyance, staring at the water stain. He had even prepared for such a result but it seemed the mana requirement was far higher than even that. Was the difference in elements that extreme? Or was his construction of the spell just off somehow?

“That’s annoying,” he grumbled. He gave his mana a few moments to recollect itself, as to prepare for the next expenditure. When he was set and his mana flow stabilized, the boy raised his hand to repeat the spell.

“Aquarus-!” Jake formed the ball, fed it a steady stream of mana, and boosted his output beyond that which the Words of Power drew from him. The natural amount wasn’t enough to create anything sizeable. However, that was where Jake made the realization of his error. It wasn’t that the Words of Power had set him up to fail. The spell itself was correct. It was his meddling with it that had caused the spell to fail.

The Words of Power drew out the baseline amount of required mana for the standard spell. Which meant that the mana drawn out to propel the Water Ball was only enough to feed the smaller, marble-sized ball. It wasn’t nearly enough to propel the palm-sized ball he was trying to create. Thus, if he wanted to fuel that much larger ball, Jake would have to similarly increase the fuel. But how much would that take?

“Time to figure it out! TYR!” Jake dumped a large amount of mana into the Water Ball, doubling the prior amount that he had used. This time, the Water Ball shot forward and looked to be moving at a quick enough pace. However, before it even reached the first target the Water Ball deformed in the air. It lost its shape, the water breaking loose from its spherical form and scattered harmlessly into the air. Jake had put more effort into the propulsion and speed but failed to counterbalance the reinforcement of its shape. More mana in one, not enough in another. He sucked his teeth at the mistake. A novice one to make but one he was lucky to make early on. He made the mental note and immediately began on the spell again.

Balance. Even distribution of mana. Careful control of the power in his hand. Extra fuel for the heavier weight. Proper aim for the target.

“Tyr!” Additional mana for distance and a tight core to withstand the kick!

Jake felt the push against his palm and hear a faint slap as the water jolted forward. The sphere deformed, elongating slightly as the air pressure around the ball squeezed the sphere. It soared in a slight arc, the wind beneath it causing the ball to lift as it barreled through the air. When it struck the target, the ball slapped it and caused it to bend. The head of the target flexed backward and the water ball ricocheted, bouncing right and flying into the ground. It had speed but lacked the punching power at the end of its flight to cause enough damage. The impact might have knocked the target over or caused internal damage, but not enough for a killing blow.

“Damn,” Jake cursed. He didn’t hesitate to try again, however. Another ball was in his hand. He increased the mana feeding its shape, upping the density of the ball to make it stiffer and more resilient. He shrank its size slightly to make it more agile, more precise, and condense to keep the impact damage centralized. Then, he poured even more mana in to increase its speed.

He wouldn’t fail this time.

“Tyr!” Jake felt the activation of the spell shake his arm. He felt his teeth rattle and heard the crack of the air. If he had blinked, he would have missed the effect of his spell.

Much like the target hit by the Wind Ball, the target struck by the Water Ball was splintered in half, folding with a satisfying snap through the midsection. At the impact point, the material flexed outwards like the walls of a crater. However, unlike the Wind Ball, the Water Ball’s speed was slowed dramatically by the impact and its direction changed just as drastically. It twisted upwards, curving and smacking another target in the face. The face was bent backward and the material around the neck cracked. It didn’t break off entirely, the head folding and slapping the back of the target.

“Oh.” Jake blinked, watching the Water Ball fly off towards the back of the lane and slap the wall. It splattered, the ball now a harmless collection of liquid as it hit the barrier.

The spell had taken quite a bit of mana, significantly more than he had been ready to use. The amount was still manageable and his mana flow remained strong, strong enough to support a plethora of casts. Yet the stress on his body was rather high. The casting had shaken him more than he was ready for. He could support a dozen or so of those spells before he would begin to feel the fatigue. While they were rather strong, he would need to develop the conditioning to support far more than a dozen of them.

Jake had heard plenty of stories of Adventurers coming across potentially unfair odds. If he wanted to be ready for such a circumstance, it would be up to the current him to ensure his future would be safe. He felt a bit of fear when he thought about the possibility of running out of either mana or the ability to cast a spell. In such a situation, he would be not just useless, but he would likely be outright dead. An inevitable outcome for a mage that couldn’t fight in the face of a ready and capable foe. He would need to invest upfront if he wanted to survive such a fight. So, he grit his teeth and dug in his heels. The boy flipped the hourglass once more and start to grind away.

Spell after spell, Jake fired off both Water and Wind spells. He practiced alternating between the elements, trying to establish familiarity with both. He cast his Wind spells without Incantations, working to minimize the total casting time and total mana spent on them. He still needed Words of Power to fire off the spears and to set the parameters for the Wind Wall, but the feeling was beginning to come to him more naturally. The Water spells were much harder to grasp and strained him far too much for him to cut down the Words. Whenever he tried, Jake felt his control of the spell wane.

That feeling only increased as his mana pool shrank. His efficiency with his casting dropped slightly as his mana flow worked to keep up with the workload, and Jake felt it shake a little from the stress. The boy’s speed was high but he realized he was inefficient. He was casting faster than his mana source could feed, and his mana pool suffered. While he doubted he would need to cast at such a high rate in the near future, he found it to be good practice. The strain on his mana source kicked it into high gear and the boy could feel it strengthening, growing, and building in an attempt to match the need for the expenditure. It wasn’t a massive growth but it wasn’t slight either. Steady. Controlled. Balanced.

Jake burned through his mana tail, burned through the excess within his mana flow, and began to eat into the stagnant pool. He ate away more and more, adjusting and alternating between the spells as he worked himself to the point of exhaustion. His body gave out before his mana flow did, but the fatigue on both caused him to have to sit down. He breathed heavily, heaving air as his lungs sought oxygen. His body ached and burned, the stress being felt through his tight muscles. His heart thumped in his chest and he felt his thoughts grow a bit foggy. He glanced up at the hourglass, watching as the sands began to empty into the bottom half. There wasn’t much left in the top half. There were around ten minutes or so left.

That was enough for the day. The boy let out a whistle and flopped down onto his back. He stared up at the ceiling, taking the last few minutes left in the hourglass to collect himself.

“Well, that was exciting.” He reached his hand up towards the ceiling, watching it shake as his tired muscles struggled to keep it upright. Even in the Library, he felt the effect of the spells. Part of him wondered if he could make it back to the Village in such a state. He might have to ask Chul for a ride.

He let out a tired huff and forced himself to sit up. He stared out into the lane and noticed that the pit had filled with water. The boy furrowed his eyebrows at the sight, wondering now how he was going to deal with the mess.

“Will it… go away?” he muttered, rolling onto his hands and knees to touch and poke at the water. It didn’t seem to want to fade or evaporate. It remained stationary, still, and Jake could see his weary reflection in the cool blue liquid.

“I guess I can ask later.” Jake pushed himself up to his feet and staggered a bit, catching himself before his legs gave out from beneath him. He chuckled, satisfied with his hard work. If this was how it was going to be every day, Jake knew he was in for a long, hard journey. He just needed to put in the same effort every day.

For now, it was time to party. He had timed the hourglasses so he would make it back in time for that nightly dance his friend had mentioned. If he was right, it was just about time for it now.

The boy closed his spell casting Guidebook and made his way into the study room. He cleaned up the books, set his hourglasses together in the center of the table, and cleaned up the rest of his area of loose papers. He used wind magic to blow off the dust from the shelves and then made for the Sigil in the connected foyer. Alba and Yir weren’t in sight to say goodbye to but Jake did pass a few other fairies on his way out. He made sure to thank them for their work and kept out of their way as they flew around the Library.

As he stepped off the stairs and made his way towards the exit, the Sigil suddenly lit up. The boy’s eyes widened and he watched as a tall, gray cloaked figure emerged from the light. They appeared in stride, a pair of heavy, calf-high black boots carrying them into the white-walled space. Jake couldn’t get a good look at their face as the hood and mask they wore blocked his view. As Jake passed them, his nose filled with the faint smell of iron--blood?

The boy turned to say something, but the individual suddenly shot skyward. A gale of wind whipped at his face, causing him to recoil and lift an arm to protect himself from it. When he looked up, attempting to chase them with his eyes, the individual was already gone. Jake’s teeth clenched and he swallowed a lump in his throat. Whoever that person was, they certainly didn’t care for small talk it seemed. That or they were desperate for knowledge. Were they in a pinch?

“...Don’t get involved,” Jake muttered. He turned back to the sigil and fast walked up the steps to it. He didn’t waste any time feeding mana into it. But just as he did, he heard feet impact the floor behind him. He felt the pressure of eyes on his back and turned to see the figure staring at him.

“A child…?” The voice was feminine. Deep, but there was no mistake that it was a woman.

“Wha-” Before Jake could speak, the mana he’d sent into the sigil triggered the spell. The Library blinked away and he fell into the black of his consciousness.

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Jake’s eyes flashed open and he let out a heavy gasp as he emerged in the cave he had ducked into. Immediately, Jake looked around himself, searching for the masked figure. When he realized where he was, and also noticed Chul staring down at him from the ceiling, he let out another huff and slouched against the wall.

“Welcome back,” Chul called to him, his head twisting slightly. “Something the matter?”

Jake took a few moments to catch his breath and steady his thoughts. Who was that?

“No, I’m fine. Just tired from training.” Jake huffed again and slowly got to his feet. His body in the Overworld was slick with sweat. His muscles were just as tight and when he tapped into his mana flow, he still felt how depleted it was. The effort expended in the Library translated a lot more harshly into the Overworld. His stomach clenched and gurgled and his throat felt dry, parched.

“Think I could ride on your back to the Village?” Jake gave Chul a weary grin as he stared up at his friend. Chul eyed him, watching him closely for a few moments in silence.

“It will not do you much good to train to the point of exhaustion.” Chul’s fangs chittered as he made his way down off the ceiling and to the floor. “We have time, boy. Much time before you will need to say anything to your Aunt. Do not overwork yourself to the point of injury.”

Jake stared at his far more experienced companion and frowned a bit at the warning. While he didn’t plan on getting himself into such a state, he certainly could see it happening if he carried the same pace from the day into the future. His body felt heavy, his muscles were burnt out and his mind still felt foggy. Too much of that and he’d wind up collapsing. Maybe it would do him better to practice in the village somewhere rather than out in the desert. At least there he wouldn’t have to worry about a long trip home.

“Thanks, Chul.” Jake did appreciate the wisdom. He had thought about the potential trouble but after hearing it a second time from an outside source, he would need to take steps to protect himself. For now, he just wanted to get home.

The boy popped open his pack and took out some water and food. He took a few minutes to sit down and began to fill the hole in his gut with a few sandwiches, fueling the recovery process early as he relaxed a bit.

“So? What have you learned?” Chul lowered his body to the floor, curling up a bit as he watched Jake eat. The boy cleared his mouth of his bite before answering, careful not to let himself choke.

“I practiced my first spells today. That and more cultivation. Yir said spell casting would help with my mana control by putting it to use and she was right. I felt a lot more growth from combining the two than just cultivating.” Jake paused to take a sip of water. “I just need to get better at balancing the two. I did a lot of casting towards the end and it wiped me out.”

Chul’s fangs chittered as he laughed. “I noticed. Your body began to shiver and your breathing hastened towards the end of your little meditation session. I thought you might be in trouble.”

Jake scoffed. “Not quite in trouble, but I did feel stupid for a bit there.” He rolled his eyes as he thought about the struggle he had with the Wind Ball at first, and then his struggle with the Water Ball. Both very were simple spells and proved to be quite annoying to get the hang of. “Just need to keep practicing.”

“I am here should you need assistance,” Chul said aloud. Jake nodded as he swallowed down another mouthful.

“I appreciate it, Chul.” He flashed the Arachkin a happy smile. “Maybe we can duel in the future too. I’d like to see what my magic will do against a foe like yourself.”

Chul’s eyes widened a bit before he let out an even louder, deep-throated laugh. His fangs clapped together in a powerful movement as his entire body quaked. “A duel? Boy, you are hundreds of years too early for such a thing. Maybe when you are old and gray I will consider your request.”

Jake grinned wide and stuck out a finger. “I accept those terms!”

The two laughed, the cave filling with their voices as they enjoyed the cool air together.

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The return trip to the village was a longer one than Jake was ready for. Thankfully, the sun had dropped behind the horizon and the cool night air brushed over his face as Chul carried him home. They followed the same route back, following the sands and using the moon to direct them. They had left right on time, as those that had taken refuge at the stone marker were making their way back to the village. Chul maintained a safe distance and followed behind them. When the group reached the gates, Chul and Jake switched places and Jake walked the rest of the way.

As he approached, Captain Ata was standing there waiting for him.

“My guards told me of your little excursion!” The Captain yelled out to Jake as the boy closed in. The Captain noticed the board Jake was carrying and his eyebrows furrowed. “Sandboarding?”

Jake shrugged and grinned. “Better than wasting my life laying around in the village.”

“You could make yourself useful for a change. That’s always an option.” The Captain reached out and whacked Jake over the head. The hit wasn’t heavy, a light punishment. “At least you came back this time.”

Jake nodded and winked. “Thought about it, but I think I scared Auntie enough.”

Captain Ata swatted at him again. “Get inside before I discipline you.”

“Yes, Sir!” Jake stiffened and gave a mock salute before running by the Guard Captain and through the gates.

“Close the gates!” Captain Ata shouted, signaling for the doors to be closed and sealed. He gave the sands a wide look, searching for any stragglers on the horizon before he too stepped back into the safety of the village’s meager walls.

Inside the village, the type of activity was different than the typical Trading Days. Music, song, and lights filled the air. The smell of food and wine caused his mouth to water, and people were dressed far more exotically and brightly than was typical. The village was alive, but for another reason than making money. Jake hurried through the crowd, pushing his way by as he slipped off the main street and he weaved his way to the supply tents. He returned his board to its hiding spot, burying it beneath the sand once more for future use. Then, he made his way back to his Auntie’s tent. He needed to get cleaned up and changed in a hurry if he wanted to make it to the main event- the dance ceremony after the girl’s Red Ceremony.

“Auntie!” Jake called out for his Auntie as he slapped open the tent flap. She was inside, standing over the stove with an array of dishes being prepared. At the sound of his voice and the sound of his entrance, she whirled around.

“There you are!” She shouted. “I was looking all over for you. Where were you?!”

Jake came up with a lie quickly- “I was helping by the supply tents. They were messy and I thought they could use some help.”

His Auntie stared at him. Though she likely didn’t buy it, the woman just shook her head without much argument and pointed at the water bucket set in the sand beside him. “Fine, whatever. Take that to the Marker and get some water, would you? I need it for the juunya and I can’t leave the meat to burn.”

Jake glanced down at the bucket and immediately a thought came to mind- practice.

“Okay, Auntie!” Without a fight, he snatched up the bucket and stepped out of the tent. He let the flap close and then moved swiftly off to the side. He slipped between his Auntie’s tent and the neighbor’s, moving deep into it to where they kept extra supplies outside of the tent. It was a common storage space where the four clustered tents shared things they couldn’t keep within the normal living space.

Eager to use the opportunity to put his magic to use, Jake figured it was the perfect spot to fill the water bucket. With everyone distracted by the party in the center of the village, there wouldn’t be anyone snooping around or stumbling into the space for something random. He made sure to check his surroundings and even waited a few moments, just in case someone decided to step around the corner.

Then, he raised his hands and hovered them over the bucket.

“Aquarus…” he muttered, careful not to speak too loudly. While he certainly was outside of the tent and the village was rather noisy for a regular summer evening- the walls of the tent were thin. Too loud and he would alert his Auntie. Though, even if he did, he doubted she would think anything of it. It was a common area, of course. Anyone could have just walked i-

“...Jake?” Ah, but he hadn’t prepared for that.

Jake stopped his mana flow, cutting it off mid-cast as the Water Ball formed in his hands. He looked over to his right as the water dumped into the bucket, waterfalling from his fingertips in a heavy spray as he locked eyes with his Auntie standing at the entrance of the tent.

It had been just two days since he had started his journey into magic. He had cultivated for the majority of the first day, made good headway down the road of mana control, and he had practiced significantly with his first few spells. The first spells that would be the foundation of his future endeavors. He had done a lot and spent dozens of hours within the Library slaving away, grinding through what he felt was the hardest part of his first baby steps into the world of magic. He planned on spending several days, weeks in that solitary way, pushing through and perfecting those spells and developing a strong foundation through cultivation.

He didn’t quite expect to be caught so freaking early.

“Uh… H-Hi, Auntie.”

The two stared at one another, his Auntie glaring at him.

“What are you doing?” She asked, folding her arms over her chest. Jake stiffened, straightening his back. His hands dripped with water, still wet from the spell.

“M-Magic…?” He said, unable to lie now that he was caught red-handed.

The woman eyed him, her expression harsh. “Magic?”

“Magic.” He repeated.

They stood in silence, the two staring at one another as Jake waited for her to say something. Anything. He expected a scolding. A shouting match to start. Or maybe for her to just start whipping and beating him. Instead, she just stood there… staring.

“Fill the bucket and come inside. We’ll discuss this later.” Without another word, Jake was left speechless as she walked away. An uncharacteristic move from a woman so prone to violence. A move that sent a chill down his spine.

He was more uncomfortable with her doing nothing than he was with anything else she could have done. He felt the blood drain from his face. Fear filled his body and chilled him to the bone. Not even the cold night air was as painful as that silence was.

“I’m going to die.” He muttered before filling the bucket. When he lifted it, it was the heaviest bucket he had ever picked up.

“Bring it over. Hurry.” When Jake stepped inside, his Auntie waved for him to come to the stove. Jake did so carefully, cautious of the potentially impending backhand. To his surprise, it never came. When he set down the bucket, his Auntie waved him off and scooped some water into a cup to add to a pot. The boy moved aside, sitting down at the table in silence as he watched and waited for something to happen.

Frighteningly, there was nothing. His auntie quietly cooked the large pot of juunya, stirring it and adding the necessary ingredients to make her uniquely thick stock along with an array of spices to give it that familiar Auntie Rayne flavor. An hour or so passed before it was finished. She placed a lid over the top and whistled for Jake to grab it.

“The handles may be hot. Here.” She passed him hand mittens to wear to avoid burning himself and then swiftly moved to collect the other dishes she had prepared- an array of sliced meats, assorted vegetables, and a collection of spice bottles gathered up in a small bin. Jake slipped the mittens onto his hands and then lifted the bucket off the stove. His Auntie smothered the flame with a lid and then hurried to slide on her slippers. “Come, let’s go. We’re already late.”

“Yes, Auntie.” Jake kept his mouth shut, avoiding saying anything excessive or unnecessary to avoid provoking her as she hurried out of the tent. Chul was waiting in the corner, watching as Jake followed her out.

“You’re in trouble now.” Chul taunted the boy. Jake answered with a whimper as he rushed out into the open air.

His Auntie led him to the food tent that she worked at during the day and they were greeted by two other older women at the entrance. Both were working to tie open the flap and announced their arrival, shouting for the crowd to move apart so Jake and his Auntie could move through. The noise inside was deafening, the chorus of conversation and shouting making it hard for Jake to think. Two men inevitably had to act as escorts, forcing the creation of a lane for the food to be brought through. Jake’s Auntie thanked the two kind men, as did Jake. They were paid in two slices of free meat.

Jake brought the pot behind the large counter set up at the back of the tent and placed it down beside four others that held similar juunya soups within them- each with their own family flavor and style of preparation. The prepared meats and vegetables were placed elsewhere for use in other dishes.

“Here. Take this.” Just as Jake finished with one task, his Auntie stuffed another into his hand. A large tray of drinks. “Take it to the girls. They’ll be thirsty.”

“But Auntie-” Jake tried to argue, unsure if he should be the one to do it because of his gender, but the woman hushed him with a finger. He clamped his mouth shut and turned around, hurrying out of the space behind the counter. He shouted to get people to move, kicking and pushing his way out of the tent.

Thankful to be away from his Auntie, Jake slipped away from the tent and moved through the village towards the Marker. He weaved through the noisy crowd that had gathered in the center of the village and moved swiftly towards the much more lonesome-looking building. There were guards posted a small distance away, ensuring any prying eyes were kept away so the girls inside could conduct their business in peace. The ceremony was a sacred one and only Elders were allowed within the Marker during its timeframe. When Jake approached with the red-colored drinks, however, he was permitted to enter.

Not without an escort, of course. A female guard stood off to the side, ready to lead him in.

It was Elana, and she was quick to jump on him.

“You left the village again today, didn’t you?” She nagged. Jake rolled his eyes.

“Not tonight, please. Auntie caught me and I’m already sweating enough.” He groaned, tired from everyone wanting a piece of his sanity. Elana stared at him, unwilling to just roll over unlike his Auntie had.

“Caught you doing what?” She pressed. Jake huffed and didn’t bother shying away from it.

“Magic. Magic, Elana.” He spat out, upping his pace to shorten the available talking time. Elana narrowed her eyes. Doubt spilled over her expression as her eyebrows knit together.

“Magic? But you can’t do magic,” she hissed. Her voice lowered as if keying in that he might be hiding something that could potentially get him in trouble. She always did have a sense about that.

“Yes, I can.” Jake shot her an annoyed look. When their eyes met, Elana stopped walking and her mouth closed. Jake didn’t stop and he rushed to the marker. Without a word, he stepped up to the entrance and bowed his head. His eyes closed as he knelt. “Elders, I’ve brought the drinks.” He raised the dish with the array of glasses, extending them outwards to be taken from him.

“Ah, Jake. I thank you for bringing them.” One of the Elders called out from inside. Jake kept his head lowered and his eyes closed as he waited for the weight to be lifted from his hands. Feet approached the flap at the entrance and Jake heard the fabric be pushed aside. The dish was pulled away and Jake lowered his hands, crossing a fist across his chest to his heart. “You are excused.”

“Bura’neesh, Solar,” Jake announced.

“Bura’need, Solar.” The woman who took the glasses from him returned. Jake waited until he heard the flap be pulled back before he finally lifted his head and turned away from the marker. Elana was still standing behind him, staring at him.

“We’ll talk later,” Jake said as he passed her. She grabbed at his shoulder.

“No, we’ll talk now.” She spat. Jake brushed off her hand and his mouth opened. However, as he whirled to shout, the words caught in his throat. He halted the emotions he felt curdling in his mind and stomach, stopping them before he let himself explode on Elana. She wasn’t the one who deserved any of it and he was careful to stop himself before he let those emotions spill over wrongly.

“Later.” He seethed, forcing his jaw to clamp shut as he turned away from her.

“I hate when you hide things from me!” She shouted at his back, her foot slamming into the sand as she stood there.

This time, it was her turn to watch him walk away.

----------------------------------------

The night passed without further incident. Jake assisted his Auntie in polite silence, speaking only when spoken to and he kept his answers curt and orderly. He delivered food and drinks as requested and filled the role of server for the night. When it was time for the main event, he watched from the side as the girls were brought out to the end of the Oasis. They each carried their drink, a red wine brewed specifically for their graduation to adulthood.

At the water’s edge, the Eldest Woman of the Village blessed the girls with fertility, good fortune, and a strong marriage. The women were then instructed to drink the wine. Next, the Elder Woman applied thin stripes of red paint to their foreheads and cheeks to symbolize their bleeding. And finally, as the drums began to beat, they began their dance. A choreographed routine that was meant to appeal to any potential suitors in the crowd. A show of womanhood done to bring attention to their femininity. A solicit attempt to garner interest and show she was capable of carrying a child. A dance that was more a show than anything really meaningful. While the older generation considered it necessary, the younger generation found it odd, uncomfortable, and outdated. But, traditions ran deep in the village. Defying them was never taken lightly and generally was punished severely.

At the end of the dance, the now-women were given gifts from potential suitor families trying to gain favor and a few of the girls were provided with potential marriage partner choices. Each would be given a short time to make their own marital decisions. However, those that failed to choose, those like Elana, would be forced into marriage. They were warned of such and after acknowledgment, the women were allowed to choose right then.

More than half did, announcing their decision to marry and selecting their partners on the spot. These women rose to their feet, called out their choices, and their new partners emerged from a roaring crowd to kneel before them. Those that refrained from making a choice did so by quietly bowing their heads and remaining on their knees. Instead of cheers, there was a somber silence. By not standing, the girls essentially denied the prior arrangements and prior requests for marriage. The gifts given to them had been done so for nothing.

Jake loved that part the most. The silent decisions were occurring more often as the years and ceremonies went on. Women would remain kneeling, even if they had made a decision already to make a snub at the ceremony as a whole. It was their only safe opportunity to do so. Any other time would be far too defiant and while the other women around them might know the truth, the woman could easily deny any allegations against her.

“I simply did not make my decision at the time” would be all that was necessary to brush off any potential punishment. It was a brilliant move, one that Jake enjoyed seeing. And he knew there were dozens of other men who agreed. Times were changing, and the Elders could sense it. But, so long as the older generation remained alive, the new generation would need to be patient.

Jake assisted after the ceremony with the after-party and the inevitable clean-up. When all was finished, he helped carry their utensils back to his Auntie’s tent where they ate a quiet dinner and cleaned their dishes. Jake expected an argument. He expected at least a conversation. Maybe even a question. However, his Auntie didn’t even mention his magic. She spoke only of the ceremony, of how she disliked the young girls not choosing to marry right away. She expressed her disliking of their choices and even made some side comments on the few marital choices that had been made. It seemed nothing was perfect in her eyes. A lose-lose situation. Jake kept his tongue in his mouth and ate while nodding along and keeping his answers curt.

They went to bed without a word about his magic.

Then, the next morning passed. Oddly enough, his Auntie still refrained from saying anything. All through breakfast, Jake sat tensely as he awaited something. Anything to come out of her mouth about it. She left for her work at the food tent without so much as a breath wasted on his magic. It was unsettling. But, Jake kept quiet and remained left in his suspense. He didn’t speak up about it and went about his business. He slipped away once he finished his chores and headed for the supply tents. There, he moved some crates around and created a small spot to hide in so he could train.

Several days passed like this. He would return to his Auntie’s tent in the middle of the day for lunch, eating in relative quiet as his Auntie raved about her stressful morning. After lunch, he would go back to the supply tent to continue training, then return home in the evening for dinner. His Auntie never once questioned him about his magic. But, as the days passed he could feel the tension in his mind getting worse and worse. His magic was improving but the stress lingering in the back of his mind was only getting worse.

Nearly two weeks passed of waiting, wondering, worrying, and stressing. Jake was at his limit. Chul had kept him calm, helped him remain focused, but he couldn’t anymore. His Auntie remained silent about the incident and Jake found it too unnatural for her to go so long and not even mention something as important and conflicting. There were times he could see it on her face- the same tension in her expression that he felt in his mind. When their conversations died, he could see her thinking, contemplating something.

And Jake couldn’t take it any longer. If she wouldn’t say anything, he would.

So, as they finished dinner, Jake set down his empty tea cup and took in a long breath. His Auntie noticed and she too put down her tea cup.

“Auntie.” He said, looking down at his hands as they gripped the teacup in front of him. “...I can do magic.”

His Auntie stared at the side of his face, her lips unmoving, her expression unchanging. Jake didn’t dare meet those eyes as he waited for her to respond. The silence was painful and he felt his throat dry. He swallowed, trying to get the lump out of it as he began to feel his hands shake. His Auntie, silently, reached for the teapot. As Jake sweated, she refilled their cups.

“And?” She asked flatly. Jake clenched his teeth, sorting out his racing thoughts. He wasn’t quite sure what she wanted so he spit out… something.

“I’m going to become a Mage and become an Adventurer with it.” He wasn’t sure what she was expecting. Nor did he expect her to be so quiet.

“We shall see.” With that, she lifted her cup to her lips and took a long sip. Jake remained still, stiffly holding the cup in his hands. It was hot and his sweaty palms burned a little from the heat seeping through the walls of the clay. “Tomorrow we will speak with the Elder.”

Jake’s spine straightened and he found himself staring at her. This time, she did not meet his eyes. She quietly collected their plates from dinner and stood up in front of the table. “The… The Elder?” Jake muttered. His Auntie nodded.

“You say you can perform magic?” She looked at him, meeting his terrified eyes. “Then the Elder will be the judge of that.” She turned away and carried the plates to the kitchen area. Jake opened his mouth to say something back but he found himself unable to find the words.

He closed his mouth and silently finished his tea. When he was done, he carried his cup to his Auntie to be cleaned and then went to bed without another word.

It seemed the time had come.