My body is on the verge of absence; I can only feel the cold aura inside. The coldness of sorrow and grief comes from the burning pain and scars of the past. I've been living in a dark mind, but I saw a candle. I felt warmth, and I felt that my shackles of pain were being melted away. Sadly, I cannot touch it out of fear of blowing the hope away.
It is never easy to endure during my dreams; nightmares always try to bring up the terrible past of losing critical parts of myself and of my life, which happened to me pretty frequently back then. One particular dream that I've never had before was of a demonic creature dressed in a long, black, torn gown who appeared to have dark, damaged wings like a real fallen angel. He appeared to be staring into my soul, which made me feel heavy; this feeling was only heightened when he pointed at me with demonic hands and uttered the whispering words that roused me from sleep.
"I am coming for you."
I awoke from the nightmare right away, my heart racing. I grabbed my water basin that I used to wash my face with because I was perspiring. After splashing water in my face, I began pondering the kind of dream I had and said to myself,
"What was that? That was unusual. What could it possibly mean?"
It wasn't necessary to ponder that dream of mine so early in the morning, so I started to push it from my mind. To gauge how light the morning was, I peered out the window. I jumped out of bed and started to walk up to the window to get some fresh air when I suddenly noticed my father, Famus, standing outside.
I wondered why he was only standing there. I started to dress up to go downstairs after being greeted by the maids to grab a slice of bread in the kitchen. Sittia suddenly comes up to me from behind, which startles me.
"Wah!" Sittia jumped me.
"Sittia?!"
"Good morning, Garre—I mean, master. I see you have taken a slice of freshly baked bread. Lord Famus wishes to see you outside, but before you go, might I suggest enjoying your bread first?" She said it in a happy, but kind of nervous, manner.
"Dad? So that's why he is standing outside?"
As Sittia said, Famus must be waiting for me as to why he was in the garden. I thanked Sittia for telling me and went directly outside to meet Famus with bread in my mouth. I was nervous when I saw him standing alone with a menacing look, only wearing a tunic and holding some kind of wooden sword.
"Did you have breakfast?" he said.
"Only a slice of bread, Fam—I mean father."
"Mhm, good," he replied.
He pulls out a sword from his behind and tosses it to the ground at my feet. I was confused, but I soon realized that this could be what he meant by yesterday.
(Holy sh*t, a literal training?!) I thought.
It was not what I anticipated—a real sword fight. I perceived it as being similar to typical homeschooling. I was ready to ask him something when I saw how intently he was looking at me, both hands holding the wooden sword's pommel in front of him, pressing the blade into the ground.
I remained silent and thought seriously as well, since this is not my first time. I slowly picked up the sword from the ground. Famus seemed amazed that I had so bravely taken the sword without saying a word, and he said,
"Are you ready, Garrel?"
I nodded.
"Let's first test out your reflexes," he said as he lifted his wooden sword.
"Yeah, sure, I can do that," I replied.
Before I said anything, the first thing I saw was him begin charging at me at a high speed before I even looked at him. Even though I didn't anticipate him becoming serious, especially with a kid like me, it was startling. He moved so quickly that he was already in position to strike me with his wooden sword when I was at a loss for what to do.
I had a flashback from the past as he prepared to slash me with a powerful strike, and it somehow entered my subconscious, allowing me to parry the blow and effectively stop the attack.
He seemed amazed at what I did, and I smirked a little as I deftly deflected his blow, but then unannouncedly he kicked me in the foot, knocking me off balance and causing me to fall to the grassy ground.
"You still have a lot to learn, son, but nice parry, though," he said.
From that day on, in realization, I found that this was going to be a part of my beginning life when I lied on the ground.
Each day we train in any form of training, from conditioning my body to teaching me the basics of sword fighting styles. Each other day is a rest day, which I turned into a learning day as I learned from the books in the library.
I need to balance my physique and mind, as it is important for me. Learning more about the world and its functions, I got further curious to become what I see in the future, but my past still haunts me, which I must overcome as my goal is this world.
"I must change my life as I need to, but first I must study about this world I'm in."
Unfortunately, the books are out of date, and others are too obscure to read, but there is one in particular that appears to teach how to perform elemental arcs, or magic for short. Out of curiosity, when Sittia's mom can do it, I probably can as well. I raised my hand and aimed at a wooden cup, hoping to push it off the table and doing a basic chant from an air element called "Air Blow" as the book instructed me to, but nothing happened. I thought I could use my mind to perform the chant, but instead it gives me a head ache. Trying to yell the chant, which might do the trick, proved impossible, but I still tried.
"Gusts of wind, heed my call! With air element arc! I shall enthrall! A breath of wind to push with flight! AIR BLO-!"
"You seem to be having fun there," said Mom, who was silently looking at me from the door.
(Gosh darn it, I've gone and made a fine mess of things now, ain't I?) I thought, as I was shocked and embarrassed when my mother was actually observing me.
She looked at the book that I was reading and was surprised that I could actually read it.
"Oh! "You're trying to chant an arc, don't you? "She said.
She sits right beside me and seems to be trying to help me. She's begun to read the text in the book and has found the problem.
"You're trying to do an ancient air arc that dates back years; it's kind of obsolete, you know."
As I sat next to her, I suddenly remembered that she was not just an ordinary woman but a mage with knowledge far beyond my own. My curiosity piqued, I found myself hanging on her every word, eager to learn more about myself and the mysteries of this world.
"You should try out another basic spell that I made; this book is for the olden times. Try this, and hopefully it works."
With a piece of paper in hand, she wrote a chant and passed it to me; it was similar to the book but shorter. As I recited the incantation, nothing seemed to happen, and she giggled at my failed attempt. She grabbed my hands, and I felt a strange feeling and some sort of electricity that began to go through my hands. She began to tell me,
"You don't concentrate it with your voice; it is the energy of your emotions from your lungs and the blood stream that you need. You'd feel the world's atmosphere that surrounds you, and you'd put all the energy in your palms."
As she said that, I began to understand what she meant. I closed my eyes and began to chant the incantation. I discovered a fragment of the past in my emotions and noticed two energy orbs attempting to merge into one another. I made every effort to connect the two, and I was successful.
"Air blow!"
A small gust of air appeared from our palms, which blew our faces. From there, I was happy that I was able to chant an elemental arc that wasn't in my past world. I looked at her face, and she was very impressed. She turned to me and said,
"Congratulations, my baby boy!" She said.
What she said reminded me of someone from my world, and it was a small glimpse that was emotional to think about but remained calm in front of Sul or my magical mother.
From that point on, we practice swordplay with Famus four times per week, and the next day, I study more about elemental arcs with Sul. I discovered a lot, notably the fundamentals of elemental arc magic. The world is fueled by elemental arcs, which are present in the majority of living things, as I discovered. An arc is a collection of various elemental types and is referred to as a group of elements. All magic is built around these six primary arcs, each of which has its own set of skills and abilities.
The Zephyr Arc (air) is a common arc of the wind and air. This arc can summon gusts of wind depending on the user's ability, create whirlwinds, and manipulate the air. Zephyr Arc users are known as "windweavers, and their abilities range from gentle breezes to devastating hurricanes. There was once a mage that could do that, and now it is the most common element amongst all arcs used in aerodynamic works. This arc can also be used for windmills that are used to raise water for irrigation or saw wood.
Pyro Arc (fire) is the arc of flames and heat. Those who wield this arc can control and shape fire to their will, creating blazing infernos or controlling small flames for warmth. Pyro Arc users are known as flamecasters, and their abilities range from minor heat manipulation to creating extreme heat to smelt metal, which is currently a good use for the profession of blacksmith. Flamecasters also have odd jobs where they are responsible for turning on the lights in villages or cities, such as light poles or lanterns in the streets.
The Terra arc (Earth) is the arc of earth and stone. An arc that can manipulate the ground, creating blocks of stone or dirt and being able to control the ground. Terra Arc users are known as Terrashapers, and their abilities range from minor tremors to the ability to shift entire continents. This was said in myths, but now they're known as builders and are most likely good at engineering and the hard work of civil engineering. As I read in the books, I found mega-infrastructures such as the Wall of Lifher, which separates the north and south of the continent and was built by the early days of man, where once Terra Arc was once powerful compared to today and now, which can be seen to this day.
Aqua Arc (water) is the arc of water and ice. Those who wield this arc can control water in all its forms, from summoning tidal waves to creating ice bridges. Aqua Arc users are known as tidecallers, and their abilities range from minor control of water to the ability to create massive water constructs. This arc works well with terra arc since both combinations can create vegetation and make cement for homes and roads.
These are the four elements that most people could obtain, but there are two other fundamental arcs that are rare to have and obtain, but both have important functions.
Lumin Arc (Light): The Lumin Arc is the magic of light and illumination. This arc can create bright flashes of light that hinder the undead or can be used as magic to heal others, which can even cure any disease depending on its capacity. Lumin Arc users are known as "radiants," and their abilities range from minor light manipulation to the ability to create blindingly bright explosions. Mom held this power as her special ability, which is why she was a radiant mage whose role was to heal injured troops in battle.
Umbra Arc (Shadow): Umbra Arc is the magic of darkness and shadows. Those who wield this power can summon shadows to conceal themselves or use their magic to drain the life force of others. Umbra Arc users are known as "shadowcasters," and their abilities range from minor shadow manipulation to the ability to create an eternal night. With its shadow, it can move objects with its arc force because of the object's shadow.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
There are seperate kind of having an arc which is Dynastic and Natural.
Dynastic arcs are a kind of arc that is passed down through family bloodlines and can only be inherited from one's ancestors, which is how the Lumin Arc and Umbra Arc are obtained. That's why people of nobility gain their status based on the arc they have. Natural arcs are another kind of arc that can be obtained from natural sources such as plants, minerals, or even the elements themselves. Natural arcs are highly sought after by miners, adventurers, and sorcerers who seek to expand their magical abilities beyond what is passed down by their ancestors.
My arc is a part of the dynastic arc because Sul and Famus had a strong arc, especially considering that my mother was a radiant mage at the time, and I'm lucky I could have their genes. The more arc you possess, the more proficient you get at invoking elemental arc spells; for the simplest spells, you can even do so without saying the arc incantation aloud.
After learning and reading about the elemental arcs, a question popped into my mind.
(Is there a possibility that someone could have all the arcs?)
I asked Sul about it, and she said,
"That only exists in tales, and if it were true, someone wouldn't even survive to just have 3–4 arcs."
I found it strange that the arcs could kill a person, but she went on to explain why, which makes more sense.
"An arc cannot manifest with another opposite element, such as fire or water; it always has a combination of arcs. Plus, the more arcs you possess, the more dangerous they are and the greater the risk of overdosing on your own arc, which can lead to some powerful arcs. Users degrade or mostly die at a young age due to the high capacity of the arcs, which always have a limit," she said.
I begin to think, starting to rub my chin, that it is possible to get killed by your own arc, but further I think, she said once more, which was interesting.
"But I did not say that it is impossible; there was once a man who could possess all the arcs in one without dying or deteriorating."
I ask, "Who is this man, and how can he possess all the arcs in one without dying or degrading?"
He was a hero who once banished every form of wickedness from this world, and some believe that it was he who dispersed all the elements throughout the world that was once elementless. How did he acquire all the arcs?
I inquired, and she answered,
"He was not from our world."
She directly shrugged it off and said it was only Falgin Lore (note: Falgin Lore was a mythical beginning from an old religion from the past that has been forgotten for centuries but whose ruins still remain). She left the room afterwards when the guest arrived, and I continued to study alone in the library.
A few days later, before I trained with Famus, he wanted to see and test how much my arc capacity was, which he explained to me days ago. We went to the pavillion with some woman wearing a strange hat. She was one of the guests that went to our mansion a few days ago.
With a graceful introduction, she proclaims herself as the village's revered priestess, prepared to unveil the enigmatic "arc search" ritual to discern the depths of my latent power and unveil the dominant elemental essence residing within me. Her nimble hands diligently assemble the enigmatic tools—a delicate chest, ancient parchments, and a shimmering crystal that was an unalchemized arc cystal that doesn't yet have an element because it hasn't been processed by an alchemist yet but contained the arc energy—further preparing for the arcane revelation that awaits.
She commenced instructing me to do the following as she did her thing, weaving intricate gestures and incantations around the gleaming crystal nestled within the mystic chest. The air shimmered with arcane energy as she delicately placed the parchment upon the vessel, a conduit for untold secrets. Gently, she beseeched me to extend my hand, granting her access to my latent power while ensuring it hovered just above the surface, an ephemeral connection bound by unseen forces.
She continues to cast the arc spell until it becomes so bright with its shining particles that a glowing light is beginning to develop between my palms and the paper, appearing as though it serves as a passage to the box. The inside of the box also began to glow, and I was amused and perplexed to witness this happening. As the light continued to glow, it lit up the entire pavillion and then gradually faded down as if it had already been completed.
The priestess slowly opened the box and was shocked by what she witnessed. Instead of results, she only found an empty arc crystal being shattered to pieces. All of us in the pavillion were confused, and I asked myself,
(Heh? What was that all about?)
"That's strange. I haven't experienced this before," she said.
"Are you sure you did it right?" Famus asked.
"It must be the cystal; if it cracked or shattered, it must be that it cannot handle your child's energy, but like I said, I haven't experienced this before, so I'm not sure," she answered.
Famus and I glared at each other bewildered, and a question popped up in my mind, and I questioned her:
"How about a bigger crystal?"
"Good question, but it's rare and expensive to have, and if I had ever had it, I wouldn't perform it because of how much the cystal's arc energy can hold; it already takes one whole person to even five people to perform this kind of ritual with sure answers."
"What should we do to know his arc capacity?" Famus questioned.
"Mhm... I would recommend going to the University of San Arcania, near the capital. I'm sure that there's a proper arc search held that tests students' arc capacity as their testing stage to enter the university."
"San Arcania?" I asked.
"San Arcania. It's a school in a bustling town. That's where your aunt lives," Famus said.
I have often wondered who this aunt is, especially when they take a business trip to another province. They mentioned her and that I also have an uncle throughout dinner, and I'm curious if I'll ever get to meet them one day.
But the main question that made us wonder today is,
"Why did the crystal crack during the arc search?"
Two years later
Three years have passed, and I'm now 11 years old. It's almost the end of Februarius (february), and in a few months, it will be my next birthday. This time of month is a month of purification and renewal, but for us, it is the month that will test my worth.
As I was sitting down in my chair, writing down the things I needed to know in my journal, Famus entered my room and said,
"Garrel, are you ready?"
"Yes"
I stood up from my chair, already clad in light armor. We both walk through the empty halls while the rain pours outside. I wondered what would happen, but I already knew that it was the day.
All of us were already gathered outside, including the guards and the maids. Sul only peered out of the window. In front of the manor, we stood in the rain, preparing for the final duel to test whether I was truly going to be part of the family.
For the past few years, I have finally concluded that the Rionhart family is among the last and most powerful nobilic families in the old kingdom. The Rionharts hold a strict tradition to train and test the heir, which is held by the entire family. Famus had clearly explained that I was going to be the first and last child in the family.
Famus was the youngest of his siblings and was the one who was chosen as the heir for the entire family under his control. Now that he is the heir, he'll be choosing me as the next. This is one of the first steps in becoming the heir to the family's tradition.
"Well then..."
Famus and I hold a stance on who's going to strike first. With only a wooden sword and myself, I must hold my ground and parry most of his attacks. I stood there, bracing for anything that came ahead.
I exhaled to release the tension and tightened my grasp on my blade as the rain splattered across it. Famus has started to charge with great speed, and as we both strike, our swords parry one another numerous times, but he has the advantage because of his strength and speed, forcing me to back away.
Once it got out of hand, I had no choice but to use my arc magic.
I screamed, "Ground wall!" without needing to finish the entire chant of inchantation.
The chant made a wall from the ground, causing the both of us to split, giving me the chance to back away, but with Famus strength, he was able to break through the wall. I was able to go back in time as he broke it. I walked around him, preparing each of his attacks, and he said,
"Using your cards now? Oh, you're playing that game," he said.
He breathed heavily as I looked at him, amazed that the aura around him changed drastically and that the water around him changed as if it had formed around him, and the air and the water seemed to start to combine with him.
(What... is that?) I asked myself as I wondered.
Famus looked at me seriously, and when he prepared a stance again, I was caught off guard as he had already appeared in front of me with his sword and was already in range to strike me down. I used my sword to parry, but with its extreme force, it ended up falling off my hands and throwing it to the ground. At the end, I had no sword with me. In this view, he was about to strike me again, and it reminded me of my private years at the barracks.
During our hand-to-hand combat training to practice fighting techniques, I was paired up with the most hated man I know, but the man I will be relying on.
"You've survived all the trials. But this one—this is where your luck runs out." These were the words he said, which I remembered in my mind.
He was tall, strongly built, and blond, but somehow I couldn't remember his face or his name, which are the things that I'm having difficulties with after the war, but I knew we were part of a band of brothers. Another flashback came in, but it was him dying.
"Take the ammo; you'll need it." His final words came as blood came out of his mouth.
From what I saw, bring me up to my instinct and begin to dodge Famus' sword and charge up to his stomach. It was unexpected for him, as I hugged him and kicked his feet, to lose his balance. When he was about to use his sword to stab my sides, I grabbed the wooden blade as if it were a rifle with a bayonet about to stab me.
"What are you doing, Garrel?" he yelled as we were about to fall.
We both fell to the muddy ground, wrestling to create dominance. I was struggling to press the blade down to his neck, but I ended up pressing the flat part to his chest as he was trying to divert the blade.
"Such an unknightly display!" he said in an irritated manner.
He uses his full body force, including the sword, to roll and be on top of me. He does the same thing as I did; the blade was so close to my neck that I couldn't hold the blade any further because of how strong he is. A flashback as I look at Famus' face resembles what happened back then.
(This wasn't my first time being in a situation like this.)
A slight glimpse of a German soldier who was also on top of me with a knife pressing down close to my chest. When my hands started to bleed from holding the knife's blade, the man I despise but who I always respond to intervened to save me. I then recalled what we used to do when we fought each other and made friendships in the barracks.
(I cannot let my guilt let up!) words thought in my mind.
While doing my best to prevent the blade from reaching my neck, I started to scream at the top of my lungs—not out of pain but out of rage. Famus was taken aback not just by my scream but also because he had expected me to give a battle cry to demonstrate my will. He sighs and stops applying pressure to the sword out of admiration, then stands up.
"What you did just now has shown me courage; what you made was an example of the traits of a knight," he said.
"Even without a sword and outstrengthened, you are still able to have the fighting spirit to continue to fight, no matter who the opponent is," he continues.
After hearing those words, I stood up on my feet, able to feel all the pain that was inflicted on me inside, but with glory. I never imagined that I would be able to overcome something so challenging and traumatic. Due to the past, I never felt so remorse for my fallen brothers in battle, yet I am more relieved than before.
"Congratulations! You are now worthy to be a Rionhart, son," he said at last.
As exhaustion overcame me, darkness enveloped my senses, and I felt as though I had been rendered unconscious. In the midst of this hazy state, a vivid image emerged before my eyes—a woman whose face I recognized all too well. It was my mother, a beloved figure from my past life. In this ethereal moment, I found myself beside her, transported back to a time when we shared countless joyous moments playing with my friends in the open fields, but I tripped, causing me to have a wound in my elbow, and now I'm being treated by my mother.
"You shouldn't have run so fast!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with concern.
"It's alright, mah; you're just overreacting," I reassured her, trying to ease her worries.
"There, all patched up, and no playing in the field for a week!" she declared firmly.
"Mah! That ain't fair; just because I fell doesn't mean I should be grounded for a whole damn week," I protested, feeling a sense of injustice.
"Oh dear, you're going to need that time to recover before you can play again. Besides, I took care of your wounds, so we're being fair," she explained, her tone gentle yet resolute.
"But..."
"For the whole week, you need to focus on your homework and help me with the chores in the house. Your father can't be here due to work," she added, emphasizing the importance of my responsibilities.
I used to feel disheartened by this time, but as she tenderly touched my cheeks to wipe away the dirt on my face, a warm smile graced her lips that Her words resonated deeply with me.
"Dear, don't be sad about it just because I stopped you for a whole week; you still have more years to do it."
I awoke from my unconsciousness, gradually emerging from the depths of my mind. The last image of my mother's smiling face lingered in my memories, a bittersweet reminder of the world I had left behind. Instead of finding her by my side, I was greeted by Sul, my new mother in this world. Startled, her eyes widened as she witnessed my awakening.
Without hesitation, she drew me into an embrace, pressing my head against her chest as tears welled up in her eyes. Concerned, I asked if everything was alright, but she clung to me even tighter.
"I can't breathe," I mumbled, my voice muffled against her chest.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, releasing her hold on me.
Finally free from her grip, I took a breath and surveyed my surroundings. My body was adorned with bandages, concealing bruises that adorned my skin. A wave of dizziness washed over me, likely a result of my slight fever, possibly due to the rain. The battle had been far more intense than I had anticipated, especially considering the formidable Zephyr arc I had encountered. Dodging its attacks had proven to be a daunting task.
"My dear! I feared you would sleep forever!" Sul exclaimed, her voice filled with relief.
"Well, I'm perfectly fine now. I suppose I could use a little more rest, though. Thank you," I replied, preparing to lay my head back down.
Before I could do so, Sul gently touched my cheeks, mimicking a gesture my mother had often bestowed upon me. Her voice resonated with warmth as she spoke the words I would forever hold close to my heart.
"You are as cherished as the stars, my dear," she whispered, her voice carrying a hauntingly familiar cadence.
In an instant, those were the exact words from my late mother from the world I had left behind. Her tender voice, like a gentle lullaby, echoed in my ears. Tears welled up in my eyes as the weight of longing and loss mingled with the newfound warmth of Sul's love.
I wept, tears streaming down my face, for in that moment, I knew that the boundaries of the world could not sever the eternal bond between a mother and her child. Sul's words had rekindled the flame of love that had flickered in my heart, reminding me that even in this strange new world, I had found a family to call my own.
[ In their love, I found my family ]