The very next morning, Lassandra woke Aelira gently.

  ?“It is time, My Lady.”

  ?Still groggy, Aelira dressed in her training clothes and stumbled out to the garden. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of dew and damp earth.

  ?Zaek was already there, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed.

  ?“Good job, little one,” he said with a lazy grin. “You actually got this old man’s hopes up yesterday.”

  ?“T-Thanks...” Aelira murmured, bowing her head shyly. Then, a thought struck her. “Where did you go yesterday? I heard you were out all day.”

  ?“Hmm? Were you wondering?” Zaek shrugged, looking away. “I was just running away from your grumpy old grizzle—”

  ?“Ahem.”

  ?Lassandra cleared her throat loudly from behind Aelira. Her stare was sharp enough to cut glass.

  ?“I mean... your grandfather,” Zaek corrected smoothly, not missing a beat. “He kept going on about ‘the good old days,’ so I ran for my life.”

  ?He said it so casually, as if fleeing from Sylas Viremont—the man everyone else feared—was the most natural thing in the world.

  ?“...”

  ?Aelira stared at him silently, judging him with her flat silver eyes.

  ?“Anyway,” Zaek continued, waving his hand to brush off the awkward silence. “Since you were able to feel and move your mana at will... it’s time for the next step: figuring out your Element.”

  ?“My Element?”

  ?“Yeah. Everyone has a unique pulse. You unlocked the door by reaching your mana, but now we need to see what kind of key you hold. Fire, Ice, Wind, Water, Light, Dark... it could be anything.”

  ?“So... we only have one?”

  ?“Not exactly,” Zaek replied, scratching his chin. “It’s just that you’re usually more compatible with certain elements than others. For example, my affinity is Wind, but I can use Fire pretty well if I need to. As a side note, most Evarards are born with Wind affinity.”

  ?“I see... Does family matter for this?”

  ?Zaek grinned. “Good question! Yes and no. Yes, because your lineage plays a role. No, because it’s not absolute.”

  ?“Not absolute?” Aelira tilted her head.

  ?“In other words, you could have Fire affinity despite being a Viremont. It’s just rare—not impossible.” He paused, his expression turning slightly more serious. “But how you cast... that’s a different story. That part is completely up to you.”

  ?“...”

  ?“Well, it’s better to show than to tell. Watch closely.”

  ?Aelira focused.

  ?Zaek calmly extended his hand. He didn’t chant. He didn’t strain.

  ?Whoosh.

  ?A small, concentrated whirlwind appeared in his palm. It danced like a living thing, picking up a few fallen leaves and spinning them in a perfect circle.

  Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

  ?“How is it?” He lowered his hand, and the wind vanished instantly. “I lead the pulses inside me, guide them into my hand, and then shape them with my will. That is magic.”

  ?Aelira’s eyes shone with excitement.

  ?“So, that is magic... It’s my first time seeing it up close.”

  ?She had seen illustrations in books, static and lifeless. But this? The way the air moved, the way it obeyed him—it was mesmerizing.

  ?“Now, give it a try yourself.”

  ?“Me? Now?” She pointed at herself, wide-eyed.

  ?“Yes. You can’t learn if you don’t try, right?”

  ?She glanced nervously behind her. Lassandra offered a reassuring smile and a thumbs-up.

  ?“Lady Aelira, you can do this.”

  ?“Kid, don’t worry,” Zaek added. “Even if you fail, no one will laugh at you.”

  ?Aelira swallowed hard. She took a step forward.

  ?“I want you to expand your mana again,” Zaek instructed. “This time, do it slowly. Let it echo naturally.”

  ?Closing her eyes, Aelira reached inward. She bypassed the heavy, silent void she had felt before and went straight for the warm, rhythmic pulse in her stomach.

  ?There.

  ?She pulled gently.

  ?Throb.

  ?A sharp ache shot through her arm. Her muscles tightened.

  ?“Magic is part of your body,” Zaek said calmly, watching her wince. “It’s natural for it to hurt when you first shape it. Like stretching a stiff muscle. That will continue until your body adapts.”

  ?Aelira ignored the pain. She opened her eyes, focused.

  ?“Now, guide your mana there.” Zaek pointed to her right hand.

  ?“My hand?”

  ?“You could choose anywhere, but hands are best—they help support your imagination.”

  ?“Okay...”

  ?Though uncertain, Aelira obeyed. She visualized the pulse flowing from her core, up her chest, down her shoulder, and into her palm. She felt it swirl there, waiting for a command.

  ?“Now,” Zaek said softly. “Before you release it—imagine. Fire. Wind. Ice. Light. Dark. Cycle through them in your mind.”

  ?Aelira closed her eyes tighter.

  ?Fire... She imagined heat. Flickering flames.

  ?Wind... She imagined the breeze that cooled her sweat.

  ?Light... Dark...

  ?Ice...

  ?“Trust your senses. Focus on the vibrations.”

  ?When she imagined Ice, the mana in her hand hummed. It felt right. It felt like coming home.

  ?“It will naturally take the form of the one most compatible with you.”

  ?She grabbed onto that feeling. She amplified it. And then, she released it.

  ?Snap.

  ?A crisp sound echoed through the garden.

  ?When she opened her eyes, she gasped.

  ?Her hand was untouched, but the grass beneath her feet had transformed. A perfect circle of white frost had bloomed outward, turning the green blades into glittering crystal sculptures.

  ?The air around her was biting cold.

  ?“Ice, huh...” Zaek muttered, crossing his arms. He looked at the frozen patch, impressed. “To think you could pull it off on your first try. Impressive.”

  ?From nearby, Lassandra clapped softly, her eyes wide with admiration.

  ?Aelira stared at the frost, speechless. I did this.

  ?Zaek watched her carefully.

  ?I might be overthinking it, he thought. But based on this... she’s probably extremely magic-sensitive.

  ?He decided to test her.

  ?Without moving a muscle, without changing his expression, Zaek leaked a tiny, microscopic pulse of his own mana into the air. It was faint—like a single drop of water in an ocean.

  ?He took a casual step back, preparing himself—just in case.

  ?Snap.

  ?Aelira’s head whipped around instantly. Her silver eyes locked onto him.

  ?“...?”

  ?Zaek froze.

  ?What the hell?

  ?I was planning to increase it gradually... but she noticed the first drop?

  ?It wasn't just that she had a massive mana pool. Her sensitivity was off the charts.

  ?This reminds me of the legends about King Laius... They said he could feel a leaf falling in a forest miles away.

  ?Recovering quickly, Zaek masked his shock with a grin.

  ?“What’s wrong?” he asked innocently.

  ?Aelira frowned, looking around. “I... thought I felt something. For a second.”

  ?“It must’ve been your imagination,” Zaek replied, waving it off. “Nerves.”

  ?Aelira chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Maybe.”

  ?“Well, since we’ve achieved today’s goal, you’re free to go. Rest up.”

  ?He turned to leave.

  ?“Ah, Sensei!”

  ?Aelira called out just as he was walking away.

  ?“Hmm?” Zaek stopped, glancing over his shoulder.

  ?“Before I could feel the mana properly... I felt something else.”

  ?“Something else?”

  ?“Yes. It was... strange. Like a liquid? Or maybe a solid? It was heavy. It wouldn’t move no matter how hard I tried.”

  ?Zaek blinked. He searched his vast knowledge of magic, ancient texts, and heroic lore.

  ?Nothing came to mind.

  ?“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said bluntly.

  ?“Is that so?” Aelira looked disappointed.

  ?“Yeah,” he shrugged. “First time I’ve ever heard of that. Maybe ask a scholar next time. Anyway, that’s enough for today. Let’s leave it here.”

  ?He waved lazily and strolled away.

  ?But as he turned the corner, his smile vanished.

  ?A heavy solid that won't move?

  ?He glanced back at the small girl standing in the patch of frost.

  ?Just what kind of monster did I pick up?