Schillian played with Lila in the streets. She still looked concerned about what had happened, but Schillian smiled and told her to be happy instead — he'd been given a chance to study at the Magic Academy.Lila's face lit up with a sweet smile. "I'm proud of you," she said, "I want to go there with you someday."
"You will. When the time comes." Schillian puts on a serious face. Lila blushes and punches him in the face.
Inside the inn, the innkeeper, along with Schillian's parents, Millian and Seralla — listened to Alira as she explained what had happened at the Council.Karshen wore a flat expression, but deep down, he was proud — even if still worried. Seralla, on the other hand, showed every emotion on her face: from fear, to sadness, to joy.
As Alira was about to head back to the council office, she saw Schillian again, playing with Lila near the inn.She gave him a soft smile. "Your training starts tomorrow," she said.
That night, Schillian lay in bed, staring up at the night sky through his window. A full moon bathed the room in silver light.
Sage himself, huh… But for what?" he wondered.He still didn't know anything about "The Sage" or what it meant to become one. From the books he read, the sage is the most important person in the Arcane Council and there can only be one.
Little did he know, it was all he'd ever wanted — the title of the top magician, a being with profound understanding of Aether and its harmony with nature. The thought gave him a headache. So, he rolled over and let sleep take him. Tomorrow was coming.
The next morning, Alira arrived early at the inn. She spotted the family hard at work cleaning up the building. Seralla handled most of the work — cooking, scrubbing — while Schillian helped wherever he could.
Alira sat at a table, quietly watching from a distance.
"Miss Alira! Welcome!" Schillian greeted her brightly.In an instant, Seralla served her a hot cup of coffee.
Alira blinked in surprise. "Was this made with fire magic?" she asked.Seralla nodded. "Yes, I used fire to heat the water. I'll leave you two now," she said, and returned to the bar to continue cleaning the tables.
After a few sips, Alira stood up.She took Schillian with her into the forest.
"Is it finally time to train, Miss?" Schillian asked eagerly.He was full of ambition — even if it was just the basics, he couldn't wait. He was still a child, after all.
Meanwhile, in the center of Emberfall, Head Mage Arshen stood silently, observing the hearthstone.
Alira walked Schillian into a small clearing deep within the forest — a hollow space between the trees, large enough for training. Even Schillian, who often foraged in these woods, didn't know this place existed.
"Okay, where do we start... ah yes, basic understanding," Alira muttered, visibly distracted. Her hand pressed against her temple as she tried to keep her focus. Clearly, the responsibility placed on her had been weighing her down.
Schillian looked up at her, eyes filled with anticipation.
"Alright, kid. Listen closely to what I'm about to say," she began, her tone sharpening.
She explained that magic didn't just appear from nowhere. There was something in the world — something invisible to most — called Aether, the essence of all magic. According to legend, only a rare few could see it with the naked eye. Modern tools existed to visualize it, but they were expensive, rare, and reserved for high-ranking mages.
But then—
"You mean these mists?" Schillian asked suddenly. "I've been seeing them for a while now."
Alira's eyes narrowed. "What... did you just say?"
"The colorful mists. They're everywhere. I've seen them ever since I can remember."
A deep silence fell between them. Alira stared at him, stunned. She had only ever seen Aether herself using specialized goggles reserved for senior mages. Schillian... was describing it perfectly.
Without another word, she rushed over, gripped his shoulders tightly, her face pale.
"Under any circumstances... do not share this with anyone. Do you understand me?" Her voice trembled with urgency as her eyes darted around the area.
She cast a detection spell to confirm — they were alone.
Once she was sure, she stepped back and took a deep breath.
"Alright... You said you could 'do this and that.' Let's start from the beginning."
She restarted the lecture with a calmer voice.
"There are two types of magic used by most people: Utility and Combat."
Utility magic helped with daily tasks — heating water, lighting lamps, repairing clothes. Schillian was already familiar with this from seeing others use it.
Combat magic, on the other hand, was strictly controlled. Used for offense or defense, only authorized individuals trained by the Arcane Council could legally wield it. But those traveling outside protected zones — through wilderness, mountains, and lawless regions — often had to learn it out of necessity.
Then, Alira moved on to something more advanced.
"Next, we learn to sense Aether," she said. "It's one of the most essential skills for a mage."
Even though Schillian could already see Aether, she decided it was important to teach him the sensing method properly.
"Sensing Aether is like... listening," she explained. "You listen to how it flows, to where it's being disturbed. The most basic application is cloaking yourself with Aether. A defense spell."
To demonstrate, she cloaked herself in a gentle layer of glowing Aether. Schillian could clearly see it compressing around her body.
"Can you replicate that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I can try... if you explain how," Schillian replied.
She nodded and walked him through the steps — how to gather Aether, how to focus it, and how to cast the protective chant.
It took hours. Failure after failure. But Schillian didn't give up.
Until finally, he did it.
It was faint. Flickering. But it was real — a thin, shimmering film of Aether cloaked around his small body.
Alira stood still, staring.
"It took me months to even..." She cut herself off, gritting her teeth. "Whatever. Doesn't matter."
Despite her irritation, she smirked. For all his talent, Schillian was still a child — and still had so much to learn.
After a few more lessons about controlling flow and forming barriers, evening fell.
As they packed up to leave, Alira asked offhandedly, "How old are you again, kid?"
"I'm six years old now, Miss," Schillian said cheerfully.
Meanwhile, back in Emberfall...
In the center of Emberfall, Head Mage Arshen stood alone before the massive Hearthstone crystal. it loomed silently in the plaza, it's carved runes faintly glows. it's casting a gentle pulses of aetheric light over the cobbled square.
He narrowed his eyes, watching as unstable energy pulsed within its core — an anomaly.
"Hm... This isn't good," he muttered, placing a hand under his chin. "I'll need to do something about this soon... before someone else notices."
The sun rose once more over Emberfall. In the heart of the city plaza, people moved about their daily business—until they noticed something strange.
The Hearthstone flickered.
Its light, usually steady and radiant, pulsed faintly. An uneasy buzz filled the air.
"Did you see that?"
"The crystal… it's dimmer than before."
Moments later, Head Mage Arshen arrived with a group of magisters, his commanding presence instantly drawing attention. Civilians stepped back, murmuring.
"There's no documentation of this behavior," one magister said, eyes fixed on the massive blue crystal.
"We charged it a month ago," added another. "It shouldn't need recharging for several more."
Arshen said nothing at first. He simply stood there, arms behind his back, gazing up at the Hearthstone's glowing form.
Something is wrong.
Far from the city, in the quiet depths of the forest, Alira stood with Schillian in a clearing between trees.
"Today's lesson is about shaping aether," she said, brushing strands of hair from her face. "Think of it like a canvas. We don't just call on fire or wind—we form it with intent."
She demonstrated. A flick of her hand summoned a puff of wind. Then fire, water, and a splash of earth from the soil.
"These are the four base elements. Combined, they form hundreds of spells. But shaping isn't easy. Precision takes time."
Schillian nodded and tried his hand. A small spark… then a huge wave. His expressions bounced between surprise and frustration.
"It's okay," Alira reassured him. "When I was learning, I once lit my own boots on fire."
They both laughed.
But from the trees beyond the clearing, someone watched. Hidden in black robes and a pale mask, they stood in silence—eyes locked on Schillian.
The boy paused mid-cast, eyes narrowing at the treeline. For a second, he was sure someone was there. But when he blinked, the figure was gone.
An hour passed.
Suddenly, birds erupted from the canopy, screeching in panic. The ground shook violently beneath their feet.
"Earthquake?" Schillian gasped.
"No…" Alira's voice dropped. "A monster."
Trees crashed down ahead. Branches splintered. The ground cracked.
A black boar stepped into the clearing—massive as a tree, with eyes that burned like fire. Its thick hide pulsed with something... unnatural.
Dark aether. "That thing, the aether around it, looks dark and... distorted." Schillian mumbles faintly. He is afraid. He never witnessed something like this before.