Idea 27 Chapter 2

Continue the writing momentum!

The next day, Vanessa and Rupard reached a decision. Ross seemed more mature than others his age and it should be alright to start teaching him, lest he try to learn on his own and hurt himself. 

The first thing they did was begin by teaching him how to read. There were two main languages on this continent: the common language and ancient magic language. The common language was called ‘Solaya’ and almost everything on the continent was written in it. The magic language ‘Kratknir’ was mostly lost through the ages, but mages still research the language for the secrets of magic. 

Unfortunately, Vanessa and Rupard didn’t know much Kratknir, but they could still recognize a few words. The magic academy they had studied in taught a bit as a required course, but it wasn’t imperative to study it further. 

Ross began learning the alphabet and slowly started reading some textbooks on magic. In this world, magic particles are commonly known as ‘Seilee’. Seilee would automatically gather in the body, but only 20% of the population was able to manifest it. To use magic was basically to use the magic inside the body and communicate with the Seilee outside, causing the Seilee to change and morph into various phenomena. 

However, people had affinities for certain elements. Seilee were inherently neutral, but when people casted spells, some elements would be stronger than others, or they may not be able to use that element at all. For example, Ross’ mother Vanessa was mainly a water mage. She was able to cast water spells most effectively, but other spells such as fire, earth, air, etc. weren’t as strong. Some she couldn’t cast at all such as earth. 

The theory behind this wasn’t completely developed, but a common hypothesis was that the body itself leaned towards certain elements, so when magic is gathered inside the body and manipulated, the Seilee would no longer be completely pure, hence the phenomena. 

So, one of the first things anyone wanting to learn magic would do was test their compatible elements. Ross sat down and began feeling inside his body, trying to sense the Seilee outside. 

Faint particles floated around him like dust, ‘This must be Seilee.’ He manipulated the magic power inside him and stretched it out from his body. The Seilee seemed stimulated and gathered towards his palm.

“Water, water…” He tried to visualize water inside his mind: rivers, rain, droplets… Slowly, the neutral Seilee began changing and formed a tiny drop of water. Ross cried out, “I did it! I did it!” The droplet fell into his palm and almost instantly evaporated, but Ross wasn’t deterred, “Mom! Look, I used magic!”

Ross furrowed his brow as he strenuously gathered magic to form a tiny drop of water again, “Look!”

Vanessa was impressed, “Oh! That was fast! Was that your first try? You might be a natural!”

“Of course!” Ross puffed out his chest. 

“Sage managed to use magic?” Rupard walked in from outside.

Vanessa held his hand, “Yes, our baby might be a magic genius.”

Ross could never seem to get used to the name ‘Sage’. He scratched his head and said, “Does that mean I have a water affinity?”

Vanessa pondered, “Perhaps. Affinities tend to be passed down so it’s highly likely you have a water affinity like me. The academy had a testing ball that could sense your strongest affinity, and we can try sending you there for the entrance exam when you’re eight.”

“Alright!” In any case, this was his first success! Ross ran back upstairs to test the other elements. The main elements were naturally fire, water, earth, and air, but you could also create variations from these main elements. By condensing water and cooling it, you could create ice; by compressing fire to heat it up, you could create a hotter fire. There were also other elements like thunder, grass, light, and dark, but they were very rare and usually a bloodline trait.

Ross tried visualizing the other elements one by one, but none of them succeeded. “Strange, an element can sometimes be forcefully converted by injecting more magic power, but my body might not have that capacity right now. So, the first thing I should do is increase my magic power!”

In this way, Ross began his crazy daily training of exhausting all the magic power in his body, resting, and repeating the process. By straining his body, he would break through the limits of his body and be able to accumulate more magic power, a common strategy. Slowly, Ross’s tiny water drop became a droplet, and then into a small ball of water. 

By the time Ross could condense a large globe of water, he could feel the beginnings of manipulating other elements. 

“I really don’t seem to have an affinity for the other elements.” Ross sighed as he released his magic power. Though he could slightly sense it, it was like trying to touch something on the other side of a glass wall. “That’s okay! I can just practice water spells then!” 

The years passed quickly and Ross was now five years old. 

“Sage, come with me.” Rupard one day said sternly to him. Ross wondered to himself but followed him outside. Then, a wooden sword was thrusted to him, “Sage, learning magic is a fine thing, but mages have a big weakness, and that is that they are physically weak. That’s why, from now on, I will be teaching you swordsmanship.”

“Swordsmanship?” Ross had seen Rupard training every day outside the window and did indeed hold some interest. After all, who wouldn’t want to learn swords and magic? 

While Ross was still in a daze, Rupard suddenly charged forward! The wooden sword in his hand struck out, straight towards Ross’ neck! Ross’ pupils shrunk as he hurriedly lifted the wooden sword in his hand to block, but he had barely lifted it a few inches when Rupard’s sword arrived!

Ross gulped and fell backwards, shouting: “That’s unfair! You caught me unprepared!”

Rupard took back his wooden sword, gazing down coldly from above. The sun shone from behind him, casting shadows over his face. At this moment, he truly seemed like a cold-blooded swordsman, “Unfair? When someone tries to kill you in the future, are you going to use that same excuse?”

Ross’ mouth twitched but he didn’t respond.

Rupard knelt down and touched Ross’ head, “Sage, this world isn’t as pretty as it may seem. If I could, I wish that you can live a peaceful life and never have to worry, but this world is filled with conflict and danger. You must have the ability to protect yourself in the future.”

‘That’s such a flag.’ Ross looked up at Rupard, determined. Rupard smiled at the conviction in his eyes and announced, “Okay! I’ll be teaching you swordsmanship in the morning from now on, and your mom will be teaching you magic and reading in the afternoon! Prepare yourself!” 

“Yes!” 

From then on, Ross would get beaten into the dirt by Rupard every morning and exhaust his magic power in the afternoon as well as learn to read. Every day was tiring yet fulfilling. 

One morning, as Ross was training with Rupard, two boys watched from outside the fence. Rupard was the first to notice them and soon beckoned them over. Ross paused and also looked over.

They were almost a carbon copy of each other with red hair and hazel eyes. One had a silly, happy smile on his face while the other seemed more taciturn. The smiling one greeted, “Nice to meet you, sir!” He turned towards Ross, extending a hand, “To you too!” 

Ross shook his hand, feeling slightly confused. 

The smiling one said, “We’re your neighbors! I’m Eric, and this is Yang! We’re twins!” Yang nodded. Eric continued, “We’ve seen you training here for a while and wanted to take the chance to get to know you! What do you say, do you want to come play with us?”

Ross looked at his father and Rupard nodded, “That’s a great idea! Sage, you should go with them.” He bent down and whispered to Ross, “You should make some more friends.”

Ross looked down at his feet. It was true, he was basically a shut-in ever since he came to this world and severely lacked communication with others outside of his parents. However… He glanced at Eric and Yang. But that didn’t mean he wanted to play with children! He was an adult!!!