Principle of Magic

At a far away place, thunder roared through the darkened sky. Rain fell, drizzling heavily upon the black grass on a floating island. A structure that resembles an ancient temple from the greeks, that stood lonely on top of the island. Though, in crumbles as the passing of times has worn down the structure from its glory and beauty.

Yet it was still in use, inside a few people, no ten of them, all shrouded in black cloaks, hiding their malicious grins in the shadows. They each sat on a tall throne that floated above the ground. Creating a circle as the dark clouds rained heavily upon their cloaks.

Another lightning struck, causing a pillar to fall apart beside a man on a throne, resting his chin on his hand calmly. He grinned, his eyes glew red and said, "Those fools, easily swayed by greed..."

A girl with a wry smile continued, "Heh, at least those beastmen will be busy for a while..."

"And the elves, what about them?" Another man asked.

"They? Still stuck with their ideas of not associating with the other species…”

A kid laughed, "Either way, the plan is soon complete... To think it took us over 500 years to prepare for this moment."

A old woman smiled, "Indeed, the time is near.” she said, raising a chalice filled with black blood to the air, “A toast for our great leader!"

"A toast for our great leader!" All of them said, gulped the liquid and let out their moan of ecstasy .

The girl snapped out of it, as her briefs was now wet, "Anyways... What about the betrayer, the eleventh?"

"Probably dead after all these years… Besides, if he wanted to retaliate, he should have done it when he was at his prime." The old woman replied.

Someone who was quiet the whole time then laughed, laughed so much that he nearly fell to the crumbled stone floor below him. "If he isn’t alive, no one can stop us" An old man said, holding his mighty staff filled with skulls on a throne bigger than all other.

They laughed once again, together with yet another roar of thunder across the cloudy sky.

A few days later...

“Rumble, rumble, rumble”

He gazed at the blue skies with his hands behind his soft black hair, laying neatly on a warm stack of hay as the tall lushy forest rustled, passing by together with the white clouds. A glittering river ran down from the tall mountain nearby, with a ring of clouds hovering at the tip like a snake biting its tail.

Taking a look to the right, he could see the animals of the forest casted their reflections on the large glittering river. After a while the wagon pulled by the horses left the forest, leaving the animals behind yet kept the river. Revealing the sun that blinded him, bathing him in soothing warmth as it did, the sun that has fallen twice ever since they had left the third village in the country to the northeast of the western continent, Photos.

Who would have thought that the Kingdom of Photos would fall that quick, not he at least. Laying there on the soft hay, Tony was lost in thoughts as a few fluffy blue birds chirped above him and then rested on the edge of the wagon filled with hay. He glanced at Rin who sat beside him with her back on the stack and leather boots on the wooden floor.

Hopefully the group of adventures are safe. He thought, gazing upon the hills filled with grass to her left and then returned his eyes upon the birds.

“Apprentice, can you see the blue birds over there?” He asked, deciding that he shouldn’t think about the fallen country as he pointed at the birds that scratched themselves with their tiny beak. They looked like handballs with their fluffyness and tiny wings, one wouldn't think that they could fly in the first place.

She tried to focus at the birds, but eventually stared at the wooden floor, sulking she said, “Barely, I can only see the sparkling blue everywhere… These glittering light that illuminate strongly, it’s mana right? It’s as if they are tiny stars that shines brightly like dreams...”

Tony smiled, “Yes apprentice, that’s mana. Now take a look at me and tell me what you see?”

Looking at him with her blue eyes, she then covered her eyes with her hand and said, “I can’t, the light is too strong… Though, at the same time.. Soothing as if it is filled with hope”

He chuckled, “You’ll get used to it eventually, anyways… Have you ever heard of the Magician’s Eyes?”

“It’s what every mages obtains when they train to become one right. Like the ones you gave me?”

“Yeah, but have you heard of Royal Eyes?”

“No…”

“That’s what I gave you, the main difference being, is that your eyes is more sensitive to the flow of mana than the magician’s eye. You did say that my mana felt soothing, right?”

“Yeah, I can’t place it in words but…With just a glance, I could feel the tingling feeling inside my chest and the sparkling mana which envelops me, it feels very warm…”

“That’s right, now you can feel and see how anyone feels by looking at them, meaning that you can see through my very soul right now… This also includes mana that doesn’t want to be seen.”

“I see… This explains why I can see the mana coated on the tattered cloak. On the other hand, Claria couldn’t see it, but the mana tells me that it can protect against any magic weaker than it.”

“That’s right Apprentice, though, don’t tell anyone about the Royal eyes nor hint about it.”

“Why? Doesn’t everyone strive for these eyes?”

“Apprentice, it's not possible to attain these eyes through training... Lets just say that no one knows when they first appeared and when they did, those that have the eyes is called the Royal Eye bearer.”

“Can't these bearers share it to everyone, like you?”

Should I tell her about it, how I obtained mine? He thought, gazing upon the fluffy birds as he recalled the events with his master.

With the silence, Rin rose an eyebrow and took another glance at him, “Tony, why are you su…?” she asked, yet quickly turned away, holding her knees, she shuddered as if she had seen death itself.

A laugh came from the front of the wagon. It was the old man that brought them to Arkantos, the capital city of Photos. He held the ropes around the horses and said, “Child, that’s because you can only obtain it from another Royal Eye bearer and there isn't a lot of them in the first place. Meaning that they are rare. So you'll have to get them by bloody force or that the bearer willingly shares them by reducing the strength of their eyes permanently. In a way, you could call it inheritance and cannot be done multiple times.”

Tony nodded, “That’s right, since I gave the Royal Eyes to you apprentice, I have lost most of its true power including gifting the eyes to someone else.  Besides, the true power could also be called a double edged sword to these Royal Eyes and the reason why not everyone wants to sink an nation for it.”

He glanced at the shivering Rin who held her legs and tightened chest, “You took another look at me right? Did you feel it…?”

“Y..yes…”

“It’s a powerful weapon since you can see through anyone, but also a deadly weapon against the users mental mind. Though, learn to control it and you’ll have a powerful weapon... After all, what ties friend together for the most part is lies, hence if they cannot lie to you, staying friends will be hard.” He said, patting her head to calm her down.

She tilted her head towards him with a sad expression, while also fiddling with her fingers coated in swirling mana.

Oh, you have already gotten to this stage… Should I give her the bronze shaft? He thought, after all, it was only yesterday that he had told her to try controlling her mana through imagination, like forming animals or weapons with her mana.

He let out another smile, “Heh, don't worry, I'll always be your friend. After all... I did force it upon you when you said that you were mentally prepared. Anyways… Old man, you are fairly knowledgeable about this and... Don't we also meet each other a lot lately?"

He laughed, “For the former question, you could say that I am and for the latter, that we do, but it’s all a coincidence… Ever since the Empire took over Photos, they assigned someone younger and stronger on my farm, hence why I am leaving for the west right now. "

He laughed again, "Not that I really cared though, ever since I was young, I always wanted to travel around the world… This is a perfect opportunity while I am still strong and not bound by anything like the farm.”

“Fair enough, but may I know where you are heading towards?”

“Well, I was planning to head south towards the flower garden in the kingdom of Pylla. Rumours say that it is really beautiful... Although..."

"Although?"

"The neighbour also called the empire has actually taken over Pylla, not only that, even Kaendas next to Pylla... Now it's a war zone between Iberrawiel allied with Breallan and Zerran against the Empire at the middle of the west continent. And of course, we can’t forget about the east continent, but it seems that there is some kind of internal strife.”

"Really? Damn, Afauthien isn't kidding around this year, considering how they make use of the confusion..."

"Indeed, so I am actually gonna drop you off near the great wall and then head north to the mountain of snakes. I've heard that the scales of these particular snake is like a rainbow filled with thousands of colors"

"That's nice, but the Great wall?"

"Yeah, the giant wall that separated Photos and Afauthien, also called the border"

"Oh, I didn't know that they called it the Great wall..."

The old man laughed again, "Now you do, young lad"

Tony couldn't help but laugh softly himself, the old man was a cheerful fellow, it's as if they had switched age between themselves.

Taking a break from the conversation, a strong breeze filled with mana came from behind the wagon. His hair waved with the wind and dust stung his eyes, while he pushed himself up with his elbow from the stack of hay to find the source of the magic.

"Swoosh..."

A few jail wagon pulled by horses like a train yet not, as the horses was made out of wind and not flesh and blood. The coachman clad in the armour of the empire waved towards them as he passed their wobbling wagon with ease.

Replying back with a wave, he caught the glimpse of the fluffy tails, ears and also the white hair behind the metal bars. All distinct for the beastmen race of the east continent.

Slaves... He thought, recalling the first sentence that Rin said, the day he first saw her. Someone who look identical to Lucas, which happens to be his father who sold her mother to slavery... And power... Should I ask her about it, why she wanted power?

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Taking a look at Rin covered in her tattered cloak and silky hair behind her back. He was about to ask her, yet got interrupted by her own question.

"Tony, when will I learn my first real magic?" she asked, making a unyielding expression as she focused to form a dragon above the tip of her finger. It looked terrible, more like a fish with legs...

"Well...", He said, scratching his cheek. "When you can form five highly detailed dragons simultaneously, I'll teach you the basics"

Now eyes wide, fire burned inside of her blue eyes with the new goal at front of her. Trying to form all of the dragons right of the bat, she started to pant heavily instead. Soaking her clothes in sweat yet not, as the sweat instead rolled down from her forehead to the wooden floor of the wagon, since her clothings were waterproof.

He chuckled, "Don't be in a hurry apprentice, the time will come eventually… Besides, I have yet to teach you the principle of the elements.”

Taking a break by catching a few breath, she asked, “Principle of the elements?”

“Yeah, every elements has a set of rule that is controlled by the state of the users mind. I told you that there is 6 elements right?”

She started to count her fingers, “Yeah, there is Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, Darkness and light, Right?”

“Yeah, just how you can see through my soul by gazing upon my mana, mana also takes form with a element precisely at this principle. Lets say Fire… If your state of mind is filled with rage and havoc, the mana inside of your body will take the shape of the burning flames.”

“Oh…”

“For water, you’d have to be calm and be in peace. Wind, free like the birds yet sharp. Earth, firm and unbreakable.”

“What about Darkness and light?”

“Those are special cases and cannot be explained properly as they varies from person to person. Either way, changing the state of your mind in a matter of seconds is harder than you think, especially when you need to maintain it for the spell you are using simultaneously as you form the spell itself. This is also the reason why most magicians only choose one element or they will suffer longer casting time… Of course, they also use a medium to fill their imagination. So, lets teach you only one of the principles for the time being. Hence, which one will you want to try out first, apprentice?”

“Hmm…”, She was lost in thoughts as she started to fiddle with her swirling mana once again. “I don’t know what to pick, Tony…”

The old man laughed, “How about choosing the same principle which your master first learned?”

Her eyes became wide and she stood up on the wobbling wagon, “That’s a great idea! So, what did you pick first, Tony?”

“Well…” He gazed upon the blue skies as he recalled the past, “I didn’t really pick mine…”

It was a cloudy day, clouds that shrouded the surface around the tower with its shadows. The tower that reached the skies below the clouds, watching over the citizens with their structures around it. Yet, the people heavily sighed, gazing upon the tower that released the black clouds together with the strong smell of burnt chicken…

“Frederica… The idiot magician is doing it again…”, someone ranted, scrubbing their hair as they walked around the streets.

Meanwhile, in the tower…

“Achuuu!...” He sneezed and panicked” AAARRGH! Why can’t I cook this chicken without turning it pitch black?!” The handsome blonde man forcefully shook the pan with coal burnt chicken.

“... Maybe because your past anger is building the heat up? Besides… Why are you even using magic to cook the food?” the teen with black hair asked, flipping the next page of the newspaper as he leaned on the wooden chair against the wall.

“Apprentice! As a magician, you should always use magic whenever you can, or you’ll rust around the corners. Nooo! I did it again!” He said, throwing the next batch out of the pan into the trashbin filled with wasted chicken.

Tony shrugged and flipped to the next page, “To think that the greatest fire magician lost his cool against a tiny chicken... And what's up with that pink apron, is that part of the so called, not rust around the corners?”

The pan turned red, flames reached the wooden roof, leaving black marks as he muttered, “Oh… I’ve heard that frog meat was delicious… Especially if cooked by someone who has a pink apron at a cloudy day like today...” He gazed outside the window.

Tony grinned, “Don’t worry, I came prepared” He snickered, revealing a box filled with frog legs behind the newspaper.

Master’s eyes glowed red, “Oh… I believe this potion needs to be tested” he said, taking out a bottle from his apron pocket and wobbled it.

“Ah, another potion for Fredrica… I'll tell her to bring her own version of a apron whilst I do.”

The pan melted, “You are getting good at this…”

“So are you…” Tony replied, gently placed the newspaper onto the wooden table.

“Want to duel me?”

“No way… I can only change the shape of my mana…”

“... How many?”

“How many?”

“Yeah, how many dragons can you form simultaneously, my apprentice?”

“7?”

His master smiled, “Follow me” He said, snapping his finger and removed the black clouds that shrouded the blue skies and returned everything to its perfect condition like the melted pan and now empty trash bin. It was as if they had traveled back through time.

“Are you coming?” His master asked, beckoning to the teen that stood there in awe as he opened the door to another room.

“Ah, yes…”

Passing the door, his eyes were blinded, revealing a white room that stretched as far as the eyes could see. It was as if they had gone to another dimension.

"I call this the white room... Anyways, follow me."

Tony nodded and followed his master tracks. With each step his master took, colors started to fill the area around him, grass appeared, bushes and trees also. The sky with the clouds and animals that gently gazed upon them. He could smell the nature, as a glittering river appeared while they went deeper inside the small forest that grew out of nowhere. It was if his master was a brush and with each step he swiped the white room with colors.

"Apprentice, since I am a fire magician, I'll will only teach you the principles of the fire"

Tony nodded as he stood behind his master.

He snapped his fingers and three target dummies appeared before him. They were made out of wheat like a scarecrow together with a wooden sword and shield.

He then took a stance, took a deep breath and said, "Apprentice, first you must gather the mana inside your body or borrow the mana from the nature around you. Remember… Use your senses and feel the mana."

Tony nodded, took the same stance as he and gathered the mana that coated his body like a thin layer of invisible cloth. It tingled with warmth as more mana crept closer onto his skin. Though, while he did. He tried to hold in his laugh as his master still had his pink apron.

"Now, you must form it in any shape or form like this, imagination is crucial" He said, creating a large ball of mana, hovering above his palm.

Tony avoided his eyes, formed a large ball of mana like his master and tried his best not to lose to the tingling feeling in his stomach.

"This ball of mana might be harmless now, but remember the principles I told you about. Feel the rage inside of you, feel the wrath that you want to bring upon your enemies or the chicken that never cooks properly" He said, as a swirling red flame started to take over the large ball of mana, creating a giant fireball that dried the leaves and grass nearby just by shining upon them.

Tony held his mouth, not only because of the chicken, but also because his master's pink apron waved with the wind while his master tried to be serious by demonstrating the principle. He couldn't hold it anymore and bursted out in laugh instead, which made his ball of mana turn into a ball of shining light as he rolled around the grass. "Ahem", Eyes now wide, he stared at his master, wondering what he should do.

His master was bright red as a pimple, yet smiled and said, "It's fine, keep it like that. Now you need to imagine how it should work. Is it a projectile? Is it a ticking bomb? Or just something to illuminate the surroundings without hurting yourself or allies?"

He snapped his fingers and the bright sky turned dark, filled with tiny stars. He threw the ball to the sky and it exploded into more glittering stars that shone brightly, illuminating the whole forest.

He then grinned and said, "Your turn apprentice."

Tony grinned also, focused his mind until he broke down in sweat. A shiver ran down his spine while the warm liquid left a salty taste in his mouth. He too threw his ball to the dark sky.

It exploded, created a sparkling gold galaxy as if it was big bang itself, yet also vanished into tiny glitters a few seconds later.

"Fascinating, though a rule you must always remember, the looks of a spell can be deceiving. Think always outside the box and you will succeed."

"Yes, master!"

"Heh, I'll go back to my chicken while you train here. Snap your fingers if you want to leave the room."

"... And that's how I picked the fire element, besides the chicken also tasted good when I returned to the kitchen."

Rin chuckled as she rested her head on his thighs, listening to his story while also fiddling with her own mana. "I will do my best!" she said cheerfully.

"Heh, fascinating story you have over there... But it seems that I can see the Great Wall now. Might want to continue another time." The old man added.

"Indeed." Tony replied, gazing upon the stonewalls that grew taller for each second the horses pulled the wagon towards the borders.

After a while, the old man stopped the horses dead on their tracks. “This is it…”

"Yeah, thanks for giving us a ride" Tony thanked, bowing while also patting the shoulder Rin. Notifying the girl that avoided the old man with her eyes.

"Thanks!" She added, eyes closed and also bowed.

"My pleasure. May we meet again in our travels." He waved and left through another road that lead towards a mountain far away.

"Well, lets continue on foot, shall we?"

Rin avoided his eyes and body. "Can I still hold your hand? Your mana is still blinding me..."

Tony shrugged, "Why not?"

She smiled, grabbed the hand with her soft hands and pointed towards the gate with the other, "Lets go!"