《Lineage》


 Chapter 1

    She kept telling herself she had to be quiet. Sitting in the corner of a lavish, walk-in closet filled with little girl clothes was a four-year-old girl. The girl had silvery-white hair that flowed down freely and celestial blue eyes, and her most notable feature was her pointed elven ears. She was wearing a white long-sleeved dress with a pink floral design on the front.


    Sitting in the corner of the dark closet, the girl gripped the hem of her dress and pressed her lips together. Her eyes were locked on the bottom of the closed closet door, watching the small amount of light flutter into the dark room. She remained incredibly still, not wanting to make a noise, even though the white carpet flooring would possibly silence her movements.


    She stiffened at the sound of footsteps, and her heartbeat quickened. The footsteps grew closer and closer until she knew the person she was hearing entered the room.


    She could hear a male hum from outside her door, and a deep voice called out, "Strange. I thought she would be in here."


    The footsteps sounded again, and a shadow passed under the doorway from the person walking in front of the closet. The girl quickly cupped her hands around her mouth, not daring to make a peep. She could hear the man outside the closet stop walking, knowing he wasn''t directly in front of the closet.


    "I wonder," the man called out in a pondering tone. "Could she be hiding?" A quick shuffle sounded outside the closet, like the man falling to his knees. "Could she be under the bed?"


    The girl could hear the man outside the closet lift the bedframe cover and, a second later, the sound of him standing up.


    "I suppose not," The man called out. A light chuckle escaped from him, "Maybe she''s in here."


    The footsteps sounded again, becoming louder, and the shadows of someone''s shoes could be seen under the door. The girl''s eyes were wide, locked on the door hand of her closet. The knob began to turn, and she closed her eyes tightly, thinking maybe he wouldn''t see her.


    She jumped at the sound of the closet door flying open, and she could see the light pour into her dark closet behind her eyelids.


    The man stepped into the closet and smiled humorously, seeing the little girl sitting in the corner with her mouth covered and eyes closed. She was in the open corner, concealed by nothing.


    The man was tall and muscular, with long white hair, dark green eyes, pointed elf ears, and a chiseled jaw. He looked to be in his early-thirties and full of youth. He wore a formal military-style uniform consisting of a black long-sleeve shirt that buttoned up diagonally to the right with a gold trim, black pants with a golden stripe running down its sides, and black shin-high black leather boots. He had on a black and gold trimmed waist belt; two gold epaulets were adorned on his shoulders; several medals were pinned on the left side of his shirt; a gold braided cord was attached to his left epaulet, which ran under his left armpit, and four golden stars were embroidered on the man''s collar, showing his rank.


    He clasped his hands to the small of his back, tilted his head to the right slightly, and smiled warmly at the little girl. "Oh, Elianna!" He called out, saying her name, pretending not to see her. Elianna stiffened, pressing her lips closer together. He mentally chuckled, "I guess she''s not in here either." He let out a dramatic sigh, "Too bad. Pancakes are her favorite."


    Elianna practically jumped with glee upon hearing the word pancakes. She dropped the hands from her eyes and looked at the man with a belated expression, "There''s pancakes?!"


    The man pretended to jump back in shock, placing his hand over his sternum, "Oh! There you are!" He smiled at her, "You scared me."


    Elianna giggled, stood up, and ran to the man. The man let out a chuckle as he reached down and picked her up, giving her a small kiss on the cheek.


    Elianna smiled wide, "Sorry, Daddy!" She wiggled in his arms with excitement, "You said pancakes!!"


    The man laughed and nodded, "That''s right." He carried her out of the closet and closed the door.


    They walked into Elianna''s bedroom, which was a large room with gray wooden flooring and light pink walls with white flowers and butterflies painted on the walls for decor. White furniture, which consisted of a bed, dresser, and nightstand, filled the room. There were three doors inside the bedroom, one which led to the closet that Elianna was just in, another to her bathroom, and the last to the hallway.


    "The staff decided to make pancakes this morning," The man smiled and poked Elianna on the nose, getting another giggle from her. "So I came to wake you up." He smiled playfully at her, "But it seems you were already awake and decided to play hide and seek, my  little munchkin."


    "Lord Lucian," A male voice called out from the hallway.


    Hearing his name, Lucian and Elianna looked at the open door to the hallway curiously, and Lucian called out, "In here!"


    A moment later, an older-looking human with black and gray hair and brown eyes peeked his head in. He smiled as his eyes fell on Lucain and Elianna, who was in his arms. The man entered and gave a slight bow, revealing he was wearing a nice black and white suit, "Good morning, My Lord."


    Lucian returned the man''s smile, who he knew as his head butler, "You may rise, Augustus." Augustus stood straight, and Lucian looked at him curiously, "What is it?"


    "I came to tell you that breakfast is ready," Augustus informed.


    "Perfect!" Lucian said and looked at Elianna. "We were just discussing breakfast, actually."


    Elianna nodded excitedly at Augustus, "Daddy said there will be pancakes!"


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    Augustus smiled warmly at Elianna, "That''s correct, My Lady."


    Elianna wiggled happily, "I love pancakes!"


    Augustus and Lucian both laughed, and Augustus followed Lucian as he exited Elianna''s room. They entered a light yellow hallway with gray wooden flooring and paintings of different landscapes hung on the walls.


    As they made their way down the hallway, Lucian looked over his shoulder at Augustus, "Was my wife already notified?"


    Augustus nodded, "Yes, Lady Katarina was entering the dining room when I left to find you."


    "Good," Lucain said as he looked forward, and they exited the hallway.


    They entered the large, elegant, and beautiful entrance hall of their mansion. The entrance hall was white with gold trim and a sizeable crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There was a dual grand staircase with gray wooden steps and gray wooden handrails. Statues and pottery were laid throughout the room, and paintings were hung on the walls. While the top floor had gray flooring, the bottom had spotless white marble flooring.


    Lucian and Augustus descended the right grand staircase before they approached and entered the dining area. The dining area was lavish, with paintings hanging on the light blue walls and statues placed in the corner for decor. A significantly large brown wooden table was set up in the middle of the room, with silver candle sticks on top for decor.


    At the end of the table, sitting on the right side of the end seat, was a beautiful woman with flawless skin, glimmering silver hair that she had tied back in a ponytail, and bright sky-blue eyes who looked to be in her early-thirties. She was wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt with a black vest, fingerless black bracers, black pants, shin-high black boots, and a half-skirt that had an open front and fell to her knees. She sat elegantly in her chair, her right leg crossed over her left, as she read over the papers in her hand.


    Elianna smiled brightly as her eyes fell on the woman, "Mommy!"


    Katarina looked up from her papers and smiled warmly when she saw her husband walk in with their daughter in his arms. "Good morning, you two."


    Lucian placed Elianna on the ground, and she quickly ran to her mom. Katarina smiled the entire time as she watched Elianna run around the table and approach her. Katarina scooted her chair out, swiftly picked up Elianna, and placed her in her lap as they shared a hug.


    Lucian smiled lovingly at his wife and daughter before he looked at his head butler, "Augustus."


    Augustus, who was standing there smiling as he watched Elianna and Katarina, looked at Lucian curiously, "Yes, My Lord?"


    Lucian gestured to the double brown doors leading to the kitchen, "Could you please inform the staff to serve the breakfast?"


    Augustus nodded, "Of course."


    "Thank you," Lucian said as Augustus walked off.


    Lucian looked back at his daughter and wife and approached them. Katarina was straightening out Elianna''s hair, which was jumbled up from bedhead, when she looked up and smiled affectionately at Lucian.


    Lucian leaned down, gave his wife a kiss, and smiled, "Good morning, my love."


    Katarina hummed and returned his smile, "Good morning."


    "Ewwww," Elianna said over dramatically, her nose scrunching in disgust.


    Lucian and Katarina chuckled at their daughter, and Lucian took his seat at the head of the table to Katarina''s left.


    Katarina looked at Lucain curiously as she continued to straighten Elianna''s hair, "How did yesterday go? You got home pretty late." Lucian let out a long sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Katarina smiled humorously at him, "That good, huh?"


    "The council meeting was going well in the beginning," Lucian began before he looked at his wife with a deadpan look. "But then the kings started to butt heads again."


    Katarina chuckled, "Of course. What about this time?"


    "The orcs," Lucian said, and Katarina''s smile faded. "There''s been some increased activity at the wall. And some adventurers encountered a band of orcs in Ehomire forest."


    Katarina''s hand froze midway through Elianna''s hair, looking at Lucain, surprised. Elianna was twiddling her thumbs and humming to herself when she curiously looked up at her mom, feeling her stop straightening her hair.


    "That''s impossible," Katarina said in shock. "How did they get past the wall and the forces guarding Calignar''s borders?"


    Lucian shrugged, "They don''t know. That''s what the argument was about. They were all pointing fingers at each other, saying their defenses around the orc kingdom were lacking."


    "And the orcs?" Katarina asked. "What happened to them? Were they questioned?"


    Lucian shook his head, "No. The group of adventurers ki-" His eyes flicked to Elianna, who tilted her head slightly, looking at her dad with an inquisitive expression. Lucian cleared his throat, looked at Katarina, and continued, "The adventurers disposed of the orcs."


    Katarina nodded, "I see." Katarina hummed and went back to straightening Elianna''s hair. "So, no way for them to tell us, then."


    Lucian shook his head. "Nope. In the end, the three kings decided to inspect the defenses around the orc kingdom to see if there were any weaknesses." He looked at the double doors and smiled, seeing his mansion staff walk out with the pancakes. "Anyway, It''s no use worrying about it now."


    Elianna smiled with excitement, seeing the pancakes, "Pancakes!"


    Lucian and Katarina chuckled at Elianna as the mansion staff walked around the table to serve the breakfast. They placed a plate of pancakes in front of Lucian and Katarina, including another plate in front of the empty seat to Katarina''s right.


    A young brown-haired elven female with brown hair pulled out the chair, and Katarina thanked her as she placed Elianna into the chair. The maid pushed the chair back, and Elianna beamed with happiness at the pancakes in front of her. The staff then placed the sterling silver utensils, butter, pancakes, and drinks on the table before they bowed and left the room. Two of the staff members stayed behind to stand by in case Lucian, Katarina, or Elianna needed something.


    Katarina grabbed the butter, smearing it over Elianna''s pancakes before pouring syrup on them and then cutting them up for her.


    "Thanks, Mommy!" Elianna said excitedly as she grabbed her fork. She took a bite of her pancakes, hummed contently, and said with her mouthful, "This is so good!"


    Katarina chuckled and smiled at her daughter, "Don''t speak with your mouth full, sweetie."


    Elianna nodded and continued to eat her pancakes.


    Lucian and Katarina then began to butter and pour syrup over their pancakes, seeing Elianna enjoying hers.


    Taking a bite of his pancakes, Lucian looked at Katarina curiously, "Anything exciting happening at the academy today?"


    Katarina took a bite of her food and shrugged, "Same as usual." Her eyes flicked to Lucian, and she smiled, "We''re actually holding a little competition in my class today. A little gauntlet."


    Lucian chuckled, knowing she always got excited when it came to her class. He loved seeing how passionate she was about teaching. He remembered how happy she was when she learned she was pregnant. But, after she gave birth to Elianna, she decided to leave the knight order, which she loved very much. When Elianna turned three, Katarina decided she wanted to start working again but didn''t want to return to the knight order, as she didn''t want to do anything dangerous, no matter how much she missed it. So, she decided to do something safe and as close to being a knight as possible. She ended up being accepted as the new combat tactics professor at the Tri-Union Academy and loved teaching the students and helping them excel.


    "Well, let me know who wins. I could always use more knights," Lucian said.


    Katarina smiled and jestfully saluted Lucian, "Yes, Commander."


    Lucian lightheartedly narrowed his eyes on his wife. He knew she always loved teasing him about his rank, with him being the commander of the knight order for the Tri-Union forces.


    Seeing her mother salute, Elianna followed suit and used her fork to salute, getting syrup on her eyebrow. "Yes, Commander," Elianna mimicked.


    Lucian and Katrarina both laughed jovially, and the three of them continued their breakfast, enjoying their time as a family.

 Chapter 2

    The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky as Lucian, Katarina, and Elianna stepped out the front door of their mansion.


    Their mansion was elegant and beautiful. It was made of white stone, with a gray tile roof and large brown wooden double doors on the front. The driveway was made of red brick with a large fountain in the middle. The driveway was surrounded by the beautiful front yard that was full of potted plants, bushes, nicely trimmed hedges, and trees scattered throughout. On the right side of the mansion was a small stable with two carriages out front and two caretakers outside, maintaining the area.


    Katarina smiled warmly at Elianna and knelt in front of her. She ensured Elianna''s small pink tennis shoes were tied and straightened her sundress. She moved to make the final adjustments to Elianna''s hair when she looked at Lucian curiously.


    "Are the carriages not ready yet?" Katarina asked.


    Lucian, who was watching his wife and daughter lovingly, looked toward the stables. He sighed, seeing staff members currently getting horses harnessed to the carriage. "No," Lucian said, sounding irritated. "It seems that they aren''t. They''re still harnessing the horses."


    Katarina smiled a little humorously, knowing how impatient her husband can be, "I''m sure they will be done soon."


    "Still," Lucain grumbled as he crossed his arms and watched the stable staff members like a hawk. "They should know better by now."


    "Well, staring at them is not going to make them move any faster," Katarina jested. Katarina stood up and reached out to Elianna, who gleefully took her hand. "I''ll go ahead and walk Elianna to Isabelle''s. Just have my carriage driver meet me at her residence."


    Without taking his eyes off the stable workers, Lucian nodded. Katarina chuckled at her husband before giving him a light kiss on the cheek. Lucian looked at her and smiled affectionately, watching her walk off with Elianna.


    Katarina held onto Elianna''s hand as they left the front yard of their mansion and entered the large cul-de-sac where they lived. At the edge of their property, to the side of the entrance, was a sign with their mansion address and their last name, "Vail residence," written on it.


    The cul-de-sac was large, with the Vail''s mansion at the end of it. Nine Mansions that housed nobility were built all along the cul-de-sac, with one mansion on either side of the Vail residence and six more mansions going down the cul-de-sac road, three on each side of the road, until the cul-de-sac merged onto the main thoroughfare. The road itself was made of smooth gray cobblestone.


    Making a left turn out of their residential property, Katarina smiled at Elianna, "Are you excited to see your friends, sweetie?"


    Elianna nodded energetically, "Yeah!" She smiled competitively, "I hope we play tag again. This time, I will get Tyler and win."


    Katarina looked at Elianna humorously, knowing she could be a little aggressive when it came to playing games, as she didn''t like to lose. "Well, try not to get your dress dirty. Last time, you were covered in dirt."


    Elianna looked to the side and pouted, "I fell. Then stupid Tyler tagged me."


    Katarina''s lips curved down as she tried not to laugh, "Ah. So that''s why you were so sour yesterday."


    Elianna looked at her mom inquisitively, tilting her head slightly to the right, "Sour?"


    "It means you were in a bad mood," Katarina informed.


    Elianna hummed, looking down, and mouthed ''sour'' at herself. Katarina laughed lightheartedly as she watched her daughter, and they continued their way down the cul-de-sac. They walked for some time, making their way past the first two mansions on the left, and approached the middle mansion.


    At the mansion''s entrance was a sign with the address and words "Pooglia residence" written on it. The driveway and front yard were similar to the Vail''s mansion, with red brick covering the ground and potted plants scattered throughout the yard. However, instead of a fountain in the middle of the driveway, a large, beautiful green tree grew from a small patch of grass. The mansion was made of white brick, had a black tiled roof, and gray front double doors.


    Katarina and Elianna approached the mansion''s double doors when Katarina turned around, hearing the sound of a horse''s hooves. Elianna looked at her mother, wondering why she stopped and followed her gaze. Their eyes fell on two black carriages with gold trim, being pulled by two horses each, coming up the driveway. The coachman of the first carriage was a young human male with brown hair, while the coachman of the second carriage was a middle-aged male elf with green hair.


    Recognizing the carriages, Elianna smiled with excitement, "Daddy''s here!"


    Katarina smiled and nodded, "Yes, he is."


    The first carriage rolled up and stopped in front of the mansion''s front steps, while the second carriage stopped behind the first. The door to the first carriage opened, and Lucian smiled warmly at his family as he hopped out and approached them.


    Katarina looked at her husband happily but also genuinely surprised, "I thought you''d be on your way to the garrison by now."


    Lucian shook his head, "Not yet." He approached Elianna and gently patted her head, getting a gleeful laugh from her. "I wanted to say bye to this stinker first."


    Katarina, Lucian, and Elianna all looked at the double doors as they suddenly opened. A woman in her early thirties with orange hair and blue eyes exited the mansion wearing a casual-looking short-sleeved red dress. She gave Katarina and Lucian a friendly smile.


    "Good morning, Lucian, Katarina," The female greeted. Her eyes flicked to Elianna, "And good morning to you as well, Elianna."


    "Good morning!" Elianna chirped with a grin.


    Katarina returned the lady''s smile, "Good morning, Isabelle."


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    Lucian gave Isabelle a friendly nod, "Good morning, how''re you?"


    While Isabelle was Lucian and Katarina''s neighbor, they also considered her a good friend. Isabelle got along well with all her neighbors in the cul-de-sac and would watch their kids for them while they had to work or just when their kids wanted to hang out together and have fun.


    "I''m good, thank you," Isabelle replied. "I saw your carriages rolling up through the window, so I came to greet you."


    "We would''ve been here earlier," Lucian grumbled and shot the coachman a narrowed-eyed glare. "But the carriages weren''t ready yet when we were about to leave."


    Katarina rolled his eyes and looked at Isabelle with a deadpan look. Isabelle chuckled as Katarina had told her on multiple occasions how impatient her husband was.


    "Oh, the horror," Isabelle jested, and Katarina laughed alongside her.


    Lucian raised a brow, his eyes flicking between Isabelle and Katarina before he grumbled something under his breath.


    "Are the others here?!" Elianna blurted suddenly. She was looking at Isabelle with anticipation, as she was growing restless just standing there while the adults spoke.


    Isabelle looked at Elianna and smiled, "Yes, they''re in the backyard right now." Isabelle looked behind her into the mansion. "Maryann!"


    Footsteps sounded from inside the mansion, and a young human, blonde-haired, brown-eyed maid appeared and bowed. "Yes, My Lady."


    Isabelle gestured to Elianna, "Elianna wishes to go play with the others. Can you please escort her to the backyard?"


    Maryann nodded, "Of course, My Lady." Maryann stood straight and held her hand out to Elianna, "Come with me, Lady Elianna."


    Elianna nodded energetically and took a step forward when a hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder. Elianna stopped and looked behind her curiously, seeing her mother grabbing her.


    Katarina smiled warmly at Elianna, "Are you forgetting something?"


    Elianna looked at her mother, confused, "What?"


    Katarina chuckled, knelt in front of Elianna, and pulled her into a hug. "A hug goodbye. Have a good day, sweetie."


    Elianna smiled and returned her mother''s hug, "I will, Mom!" They broke the hug, and Elianna looked at her dad and approached him. "Bye, Daddy!"


    Lucian smiled lovingly at his daughter, knelt down, and they shared a hug. "Goodbye munchkin. I''ll see you later."


    Elianna and her father broke their hug, and Katarina and Lucian chuckled humorously and warmly as Elianna ran into the mansion excitedly, and Maryann escorted her to the backyard.


    "They grow up quick," Isabelle said, watching Elianna as she walked off. Katarina and Lucian nodded. Isabelle looked back at Luciana and Katarina. "Is she excited for her birthday next week?"


    Lucian chuckled and nodded, "Very."


    "She hasn''t stopped talking about it," Katarina laughed.


    "Good. Jensen and I will be there. Tyler is also excited," Isabelle said.


    "Looking forward to seeing you there," Lucian smiled before he gestured to the carriage. "I should be going."


    "Same here," Katarina nodded and looked at Isabelle appreciatively. "Thank you for watching Elianna again."


    "Of course," Isabelle said, giving Lucian and Katarina a friendly wave as they walked off. "She''s always welcome here."


    ***


    Elianna was practically jumping with excitement as Maryann escorted her through the mansion. She loved spending time and playing games with her friends.


    They exited the mansion''s back doors and entered a large backyard. The backyard opened up to a large grassy area that contained several trees and bushes, and behind that was a fenced-off garden.


    Three individuals stood near a tree in the grassy area, making Elianna smile.


    The first individual was a young boy who Elianna recognized as Tyler. Tyler was two years older than Elianna and was slightly taller than her. He had short blonde hair and dark eyes.


    The second individual was a young girl who Elianna recognized as Sarah. Sarah was the same age as Elianna, being a little shorter than her. She had pink hair that was tied back into a ponytail and light blue eyes.


    The third individual was another young boy, Dylan, who Elianna knew. Dylan was Tyler''s age and the same height as Elianna. He had medium-length black hair and green eyes.


    Maryann let go of Elianna''s hand and smiled at her, "Have fun, My Lady."


    "Thank you!" Elianna chirped as she ran off toward her three friends. "Hey, everyone!" Elianna waved as she neared them.


    The three of them looked toward Elianna, smiled, and waved at her as she approached.


    "Hey, Elle!" Sarah said, happy to see her.


    "About time you showed up," Dylan jested.


    "I''m Sorry, my parents were talking forever," Elianna complained before she excitedly smiled at her friends. "So what were you guys doing? Were you playing a game?"


    Sarah shook her head, "Not yet. We didn''t know what to play."


    "What about tag?" Elianna suggested.


    "Again?" Dylan said with a small sigh. "But we played that so much yesterday."


    "Who knows," Tyler said, giving Elianna a competitive smile. "Maybe she just wants to lose again."


    Elianna''s eyes narrowed on Tyler in a challenge, "You''re the one who is going to lose. You won''t tag me this time!"


    Tyler laughed unbelievingly, "We''ll see about that."


    "I guess we''re playing tag," Sarah shrugged.


    Dylan sighed, "Fine." He looked between his friends, "So, who will be it?"


    "Elianna," Tyler quickly suggested. "Since she was it last time."


    Elianna pouted and huffed, "Fine."


    "Okay, remember the rules!" Sarah said, pointing to the tree. "Keep your hand on the tree and count to three. Then you can chase us!"


    "I know," Elianna said competitively as she approached the tree and placed her palm flat against it.


    Seeing her palm flat against the tree, Dylan yelled, "Go!"


    Dylan, Sarah, and Tyler quickly ran off, heading in different directions.


    "One," Elianna began, her eyes laser-locked on Tyler as he ran. "Two." She got into a running stance, getting ready to run like a lion preparing to hunt their prey. "Three!"


    Elianna dashed off the tree, heading directly toward Tyler. Tyler was quick, but Elianna was fast for her age.


    Tyler ran as fast as he could, believing Elianna would be targeting him. He looked over his shoulder, and his eyes widened in shock as he was right. With a determined gaze, Elianna ran after Tyler and was closing in on him.


    Sarah stopped and laughed, seeing Elianna going directly for Tyler and catching up to him. "You better hurry, Tyler!"


    Dylan laughed as well and yelled, "Looks like Elianna won''t be it for long!"


    Elianna smiled victoriously as she quickly closed in on Tyler. Her heart was beating fast, and she was beginning to sweat profusely.


    Tyler quickly made a right-hand turn, heading toward a tree to use it as a shield against Elianna and prevent himself from being tagged.


    Elianna quickly adjusted her course, seeing Tyler heading for the tree, and quickened her pace, running as fast as she could. She could feel her heart beating fast, and she started to sweat more as her body began to feel hot. She stumbled a little as a sudden tightness hit her chest, but she ignored it, seeing she was almost an arm''s length away from Tyler.


    Elianna knew she needed to push herself, tag Tyler, and make him pay for tagging her last time. She ran as fast as she possibly could, feeling her body becoming red hot. The tightness in her chest began to increase, feeling a pressure building inside her. Elianna continued to ignore the pressure and reached out to Tyler.


    She was so close now, mere inches from tagging Tyler. She put all her energy into running, closing in, and just when she was about to tag Tyler, the world around Elianna exploded.


    A shockwave shot out from Elianna, knocking Tyler several feet forward. He landed harshly on the grass, sliding to a halt. The shockwave shot out in all directions, passing over Sarah and Dylan harmlessly as they stood several feet away. When the shockwave hit the mansion, the windows slightly rattled.


    A few moments later, the back doors to the mansion flew open, and Isabelle ran out in a panic, feeling the shockwave from inside the mansion.


    "What happened?!" Isabelle yelled, then froze as she surveyed the backyard.


    Sarah and Dylan stood still, almost in a daze. Tyler grumbled in pain as he slowly pushed himself up. But it was Elianna who Isabelle was staring at, wide-eyed and in shock. Elianna lay on her back, unconscious, with a shimmering white barrier around her.


    In a tone of disbelief, Isabelle whispered, "Impossible."

 Chapter 3

    Elianna was motionless as she lay in her bed in her bedroom. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was rhythmic as she slept peacefully.


    Sitting beside Elianna''s bed was her mother, who had an expression full of concern. She held onto Elianna''s left hand with both of her hands, not taking her eyes off her daughter. The moments that lead up to where they are now played in her mind over and over again.


    ***


    *Before*


    Katarina hadn''t even arrived at Tri-Union Academy when her spatial ring began to vibrate. Katarina had always appreciated her spacial ring, as it was enchanted to hold items like a backpack, making carrying items around convenient. She looked at her right hand, where she kept her spatial ring on her right ring finger, and could tell it was her telemirror activating. Feeling the telemirror activating, Katarina wondered who would be using the enchanted communication device to contact her.


    Katarina, using her intent and the raw power that is the root of all magical energy, known as mana, willed the mirror in her ring to appear. The mirror was pulled out of her ring and appeared in her right hand in a flash of green radiant light. The oval-shaped mirror was about the size of one''s palm and had a silver border with an intricate design.


    Katarina pushed mana from her mana core into the mirror, willing it to answer, and was surprised to see Isabelle''s face appear in the reflection part of the mirror.


    "Isabelle?" Katarina said, confused and curious, wondering why she was calling. "Is everything o-"


    "Katarina!" Isabelle yelled. Alarm bells immediately started sounding in Katarina''s head, and her thoughts began to race, wondering what was wrong. "You need to get back here quick! It''s Elianna!"


    Katarina''s stomach dropped, and she didn''t need to hear anything else as she said, "I''m on my way!"


    Katarina willed the communication to end, and Isabelle''s image faded. She stored the mirror back into her ring and slid open the small communication window at the front of the carriage to speak with the coachman.


    "Change of plans!" Katarina practically yelled, startling the carriage driver. The driver whirled his head to look at Katarina. "Take me back to Isabella''s! Now!"


    Hearing the urgency in Katarina''s voice, the driver responded hastily, "Right away!"


    Katarina quickly closed the window and sat back into her carriage, feeling the driver turn them around. She pulled her mirror back out of her spatial ring and pushed magic into it, picturing her husband''s image, willing him to appear.


    After a few moments of Katarina staring at the shimmering mirror, Lucian''s face appeared. He smiled, seeing Katarina, but before he could say anything, Katarina yelled.


    "Get back to Isabelle''s! I''m on my way there now! It''s Elianna! I don''t know exactly what happened!"


    Lucian''s eyes widened to the size of moons, and he nodded. "I''m on my way."


    Their communication ended, and Katarina placed the mirror back into her ring. The next several minutes were agonizing for Katarina as she sat in the carriage, picturing the worst-case scenarios. She just wanted to jump out of the carriage and start running down the street, but she could tell the carriage driver was going as fast as he could.


    She stared out the window, watching the different colored brick buildings, humans, dwarves, and elves who were all walking on the sidewalk, go by as they rode past. They soon entered the noble residential area, and Katarina was feeling anxious, just wanting to be at Isabelle''s already.


    Katarina was already grabbing the door handle when they turned down her street. As soon as the carriage rolled up to the front of Isabelle''s mansion, Katarina flung the door open and ran up the steps toward the front door. She could tell she beat her husband to Isabelle''s as his carriage wasn''t out front.


    Katarina didn''t even need to knock on the front door of the mansion, as a maid opened it just as she approached it. Katarina and the maid didn''t exchange greetings. Katarina charged inside and looked around in a panic. The mansion seemed to all be in one piece, and there were no signs of distress or nefarious activities.


    Katarina whirled around, facing the maid, and snapped, "Where is my daughter?!"


    The maid looked upstairs and pointed, "Upstairs and to the left. First door on your right."


    Katarina didn''t say thank you as she ran up the stairs and turned left. She immediately noticed Isabelle standing outside the room, almost looking apprehensive. Isabelle''s eyes flicked to Katarina, and she looked relieved.


    "Thank goodness you''re here," Isabelle said.


    Katarina quickly approached Isabelle, still in a panic. "Where is my daughter?! What happened?!"


    Isabelle looked toward the room and pointed, "She''s in there."


    Katarina rushed past Isabelle and froze as she entered the room. Lying on the bed, sleeping peacefully, was Elianna. Her dress was disheveled and had dirt on it, and her hair was a mess.


    A sense of relief washed over Katarina like a tidal wave. She walked up to Elianna, smiling warmly, and knelt beside her, brushing a few strands of her hair out of her face.


    Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and Lucian called out, "Where is Elianna?!"


    "We''re in here!" Katarina called out, not taking her eyes off her daughter.


    A moment later, Lucian entered the room and sighed happily, seeing Elianna was okay, sleeping peacefully on the bed. He approached the bed and stood beside Katarina as she continued to brush Elianna''s hair.


    "Be careful," Isabelle said from the doorway.


    Katarina and Lucian looked at Isabelle over their shoulders, seeing she was still standing outside the room, staring at Elianna cautiously.


    Katarina eyed Isabelle with confusion, "What are you doing? Why are you standing out there? And what happened?"


    Isabelle seemed to hesitate for a moment, her eyes darting between Elianna and Katarina.


    "Isabelle?" Lucian said, confused. "Are you okay?"


    Isabelle swallowed hard, and all she said was, "Look at Elianna''s heart with your mana vision."


    "Her heart?" Lucian said, perplexed, and Isabelle nodded.


    Lucian and Katarina exchanged glances before they looked at Elianna. They pushed mana into their eyes, which allowed them to see the mana particles in whatever they were looking at. Katarina and Lucian''s eyes widened in surprise, suddenly speechless, for inside Elianna''s heart was a shimmering white light that looked like a star.


    "She''s awakened," Katarina whispered in disbelief. "Her mana core has formed. But that''s impossible."


    "Well, it happened!" Isabelle snapped. Lucian''s and Katarina''s heads whirled toward her. Isabelle pointed to the backyard of her mansion. "She awakened with such force that it sent out a shockwave that shook the house and knocked Tyler down!"


    Lucian looked at Isabelle, concerned, "Is Tyler okay."


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    "He''s fine," Isabelle said defensively, her eyes flicking to Elianna. "He''s been taken to another room with the other kids."


    "Then why is Elianna here by herself?" Katarina asked.


    Isabelle scoffed, "And put her with the other kids?! I don''t think so! This is unheard of! I don''t know what else will happen when she''s around! I''ve never heard of someone awakening so early or in such a way!"


    Lucian narrowed his eyes on Isabelle, "My daughter isn''t dangerous."


    "Evidence to the contrary," Isabelle contradicted harshly. "She could''ve seriously hurt the other kids. She might still if she''s around. Who knows what will happen."


    Katarina didn''t appreciate how Isabelle was speaking about her daughter but bit her tongue. She could tell Lucian was about to say something, so she quickly spoke up.


    "Thank you for contacting us," Katarina said plainly. She swiftly got to her feet and picked up her daughter, holding her tightly. "We''ll be going."


    As Katarina and Lucian walked past her, Isabelle stepped back, almost as if she were afraid. Lucian shot Isabelle a slight glare as he walked past, staying close to his wife and daughter. The staff in Isabelle''s mansion seemed to keep their distance from the three of them as they left the residence, which only irritated Lucian and Katarina more.


    ***


    *Present*


    What happened at Isabelle''s still lingered in Katarina''s mind. She was irritated with Isabelle for calling her daughter dangerous. While Katarina herself was concerned and didn''t know what was happening to her daughter, she would never be afraid of her.


    Katarina smiled warmly at her daughter, running a hand through her slivery-white hair, which she had fixed while Elianna was lying down. While she was happy to see her daughter resting peacefully, she couldn''t help but be a little worried. While Katarina didn''t like how Isabelle called Elianna dangerous, she knew that Isabelle was right about this situation being one big unknown. She didn''t know what else could happen with Elianna, and the thought weighed on her mind.


    "She''s in here," Lucian''s voice sounded from the hallway.


    Katarina looked toward the door and watched as Lucian walked inside. Behind him, an older human woman who looked in her fifties, with graying black hair tied back into a bun and teal eyes, stepped in. She wore Tri-Union mage apparel, consisting of a deep brown shirt that was covered by a deep brown robe with a golden trim that was connected at the waist and open at the bottom. A gold sash wrapped around her waist, and she had deep brown pants, shin-high deep brown boots, and a white cloak that was snapped together with an elegant golden chain. Golden olive branches that had a golden leaf in the center were embroidered on the collar of her shirt, signifying her rank as the Arch-Mage of the Tri-Union forces. The gold trim and the sheen of her clothing gave her apparel an opulent look, which was well-known for mages.


    Katarina felt relieved to see the woman had finally arrived. As soon as she and Lucian had arrived home, Lucian had called her to request that she come check on Elianna, to make sure she was okay.


    Katarina stood up and respectfully bowed to the woman, "Arch-mage Matilda. Thank you for coming."


    Matilda smiled friendly at Katarina. "Hello, Katarina, and of course." Her eyes flicked to Elianna, and her smile faded. "Has she woken up?"


    Katarina shook her head and looked at Elianna, concerned, "No. I''m not sure if something is wrong. I''m not even sure about what is happening exactly."


    Matilda hummed and stepped up to Elianna''s bed. "Well, let me take a look."


    Matilda held her hands over Elianna''s unconscious body and closed her eyes. A radiant emerald green energy poured from Matilda''s hands, washing over Elianna. Katarina and Lucian anxiously watched as Matilda concentrated and cast her nature magic spell.


    After a few moments, the energy subsided, and Matilda lowered her hands and opened her eyes. She looked at Katarina and Lucian with a reassuring smile, "She''s fine. There''s physically nothing wrong with her."


    Katarina and Lucian sighed with relief, and Lucian asked, "Why hasn''t she woken up yet?"


    "Her body is resting," Matilda said and looked back at Elianna. "It''s normal for a body to rest after awakening. The mana core forming can take a physical toll."


    "But are you able to tell why she awakened now?" Katarina asked, looking at her daughter. "The mana core doesn''t usually form until around eight years old."


    "True," Matilda nodded. "Some can even awaken as early as seven with the proper training."


    "But she''s only four, almost five, and she''s had no training," Katarina said. Katarina''s concerned-filled gaze fell on her sleeping daughter. "She''s still a small child. Her body isn''t developed enough to handle this strain of mana. What if problems should surface because of this? Isabelle even considered my daughter dangerous since she didn''t know what else could happen to her."


    "To be honest, I''m not sure why she awakened early as there are no indicators why," Matilda admitted. "However, She definitely has a strong sense of mana about her, and there is nothing physically wrong with her. Everything about her physically is working normally. In fact, it seems that her core has stabilized and integrated nicely with her body." Matilda smiled softly, "So no, I don''t sense anything that would make her dangerous."


    Katarina relaxed a little hearing that, "What about the shockwave Isabelle mentioned?" Her eyes flicked to Matilda. "Isabelle told us her mansion shook from the sheer force of Elianna''s awakening. That isn''t normal. Usually, a small wave of mana washes over someone when they awaken."


    Matilda sighed, looking at Elianna curiously. "I can''t say for certain. I''ve never encountered this before." Matilda looked at Katarina cautiously, "To be honest, it''s not her physical state that I''m worried about, especially since she''s fine. It''s her psyche."


    "What do you mean?" Katarina asked worriedly.


    Matilda''s eyes flicked to Elianna, then back to Katarina, "Who knows what she remembers. This could''ve been a traumatic experience for her." She smiled softly at Katarina. "When she wakes, she needs to be watched with love, perhaps even caution."


    Katarina looked at her sleeping daughter, emotions of love and concern swirling in her chest. "We will keep an eye on her."


    "Do you know when she will wake up?" Lucian inquired.


    Matilda shook her head, "No." She looked toward Lucian. "But don''t be concerned. As I said, her body is just resting, and she''s physically fine. She should wake up soon."


    Lucian nodded, seeming to relax, "Okay." He smiled at Matilda, "Thank you."


    Matilda returned his smile, "Of course. I came right away when you told me what happened." Matilda stepped away from the bed, "Now, I should be going." She chuckled, "I do have a mage order to run, after all."


    "I will walk you out," Lucian said.


    "I appreciate that," Matilda said and looked to Katarina. "It was good to see you again, Katarina."


    Katarina smiled at Matilda, "You as well, and thank you again."


    Katarina watched as Matilda walked out of the room, Lucian following her. With both of them gone, Katarina sat back down beside Elianna''s bed and took her hand. The room was quiet, with the only noise coming from Elianna as she breathed rhythmically.


    After a few moments of silence, Lucian walked back into the room, "Matilda left." He walked around the bed and stood beside Katarina, watching his daughter. "I told her to let my lieutenant commander know I would not be coming in today."


    "I should probably call the school," Katarina mumbled. "They''re probably wondering where I am."


    "I already did," Lucian advised. "I called them after Matilda left."


    Katarina smiled at Lucian, "Thank you." Her smile faded, and she looked at her husband curiously, "I-Is this what I think it is?"


    Lucian''s smile also faded, and he sighed, "I''m honestly not sure."


    Lucian and Katarina whirled their heads to Elianna, hearing her grumble. She stirred slightly, furrowing her brows.


    Katarina''s heart nearly skipped a beat, her grip on Elianna''s hand tightening, and her eyes began to tear up. "Elianna? Sweetie?"


    Elianna grumbled again, and her eyes fluttered open. Her eyes traced the ceiling of her room before she looked to her side, feeling someone holding her hand. Her eyes fell on her mom and dad, who were looking at her teary-eyed, with smiles of relief.


    "Mommy? Daddy?" Elianna said, her voice sounding tired.


    "Hey, sweetie," Katarina said, letting out a joyful laugh, glad to see her daughter was awake and talking. She stood up, sat beside Elianna, and pulled her into a hug.


    "What happened?" Elianna asked, feeling a little sore.


    Lucian walked around the bed, sat beside his wife and daughter, and joined them in their hug, holding them tightly. "What do you remember?"


    Katarina and Lucian looked concerned, anxiously waiting to hear what Elianna was about to say. Matilda''s words about this incident affecting Elianna''s psyche had them both concerned about her mental state.


    Elianna hummed, "I was playing tag, but I started not to feel good. Then I woke up here."


    "Well, you awakened, sweetie," Katarina said a little cautiously.


    "Awakened?" Elianna repeated, confused. She then laughed a little, "Yeah. I''m awake, silly mommy."


    Lucian and Katarina chuckled lightheartedly, their concern washing away, glad to hear their daughters laugh.


    Katarina asked, "How are you feeling, sweetie?"


    Elianna hummed for a moment, "Hungry."


    Lucian and Katarina paused for a moment, as they expected her to say tired or sore. They shared a glance before they laughed and smiled.


    "What do you want to eat?" Lucian asked.


    Elianna hummed before she looked at her father inquiringly, "What about ice cream?"


    Katarina and Lucian looked at each other, smiled, and nodded.


    "Sure, sweetie," Katarina said lovingly. "We can have ice cream."


    "Yay!" Elianna yelped with glee and climbed out of her parent''s embrace. Lucian and Katarina watched their daughter with warm smiles as she hopped down from the bed. "Come on!" She ran out the door, yelling, "Ice cream!"


    "I guess she''s feeling fine," Lucian laughed, glad to see that this incident wasn''t affecting her mentally.


    Katarina nodded before her smile faded, "But her awakening. Does this change things?"


    "I''m not sure," Lucian admitted. He looked at Katarina with a reassuring smile. "We''ll just take it one day at a time and follow Matilda''s advice. We''ll watch her with all the love we can give."


    Katarina returned her husband''s smile and nodded, "Okay."


    Lucian and Katarina leaned in and shared a loving kiss.


    "EEEWWW!"


    Lucian and Katarina looked at the doorway and saw Elianna standing there, her nose scrunched up with disgust.


    "I thought you went to get ice cream," Lucian said with amusement.


    Elianna shook her head and smiled wide, "I''m waiting for you!"


    Lucian and Katarina smiled and stood from the bed.


    "Alright," Lucian said, and Elianna giggled as he picked her up. "Let''s go."


    Elianna yelled happily while Katarina and Lucian lovingly smiled as they went to eat ice cream together.

 Chapter 4

    Elianna was bored as she stood in front of the window beside the front door of her family''s mansion. The sun seeped through the window, making her slivery-white hair glimmer and her white dress glow in the light. She had her arms laid out on the windowsill and was using them as headrests. Elianna had been cooped up in her mansion for the past three days and was beginning to grow restless. Just yesterday, she asked her mom if she could go over to Isabelle''s and play with her friends, but her mom said no.


    While Elianna loved spending time with her parents, all she wanted was to see her friends again. She hadn''t been able to spend any time with them ever since she passed out. Her parents had also been keeping a close eye on her, which she found a little annoying.


    Elianna''s eyes were locked on the cul-de-sac outside her window, wondering what her friends were up to, when she heard footsteps behind her.


    "Ah, there you are, sweetie."


    Elianna looked over her shoulder, seeing her mother approach her with a loving smile. She was wearing a gray shirt, black pants, black shin-high boots, and black leather gauntlets. Katarina knelt in front of her and brushed a few strands of Elianna''s silvery-white hair behind her ear.


    "What are you doing?" Katarina asked curiously. "You didn''t eat all of your pancakes before you walked off. You love your pancakes."


    Elianna shrugged, "I wasn''t hungry." She looked back out the window. "Do you think I can see my friends today?"


    Katarina''s smile faded, and she looked at her daughter sympathetically. This wasn''t the first time Elianna had asked to go see her friends, and Katarina knew it wouldn''t be the last. But Katarina didn''t have the heart to tell her daughter about the note Isabelle had left in the mailbox for her and Lucian.


    The day after the incident, Lucian checked the mailbox in front of their mansion and found a letter addressed to them from Isabelle. Isabelle explained to them that Tyler was okay, but she didn''t feel comfortable with Elianna coming over to her place anymore. She explained that what happened with Elianna was abnormal, and she had a right to be cautious about her.


    After reading the letter, Lucian burned it in the palm of his hand with fire magic, saying she was just being narrow-minded. Katarina agreed, thinking that her daughter wasn''t dangerous. However, that didn''t prevent Katarina from still being worried about her daughter, despite Arch-Mage Matilda''s words.


    So, Lucian and Katarina had taken the past three days off of their respective jobs to be with Elianna. To Katarina''s relief, nothing out of the ordinary happened to Elianna, and she has been acting like her usual self. The only problem was that Elianna was beginning to become bored and lonely, and Katarina didn''t know how to fix it. Lucian and Katarina tried to reach out to Sarah and Dylan''s parents, but they never responded. They could only assume Isabelle had already gotten to them and spread rumors about their daughter.


    "Not today, munchkin."


    Elianna and Katarina looked toward the voice and saw Lucian, adorned in his black and gold formal military attire, approaching them.


    Elianna looked at her father disappointedly, "Why not? I always go play with my friends when you leave."


    Lucian''s smile faded, and he knelt before his daughter, looking into his eyes. "I know these past few days have been tough on you since you haven''t seen your friends." Lucian paused, trying to come up with an explanation, seeing his daughter''s disappointed, inquiring eyes on him.


    "We just want to make sure that you''re okay first," Katarina said, affectionately smiling at Elianna.


    "But I feel fine," Elianna said softly.


    "We know," Lucian said. "But what happened before really scared us." His eyes narrowed slightly, but he kept his composure as he said, "And Isabelle was scared as well. You passed out, and we just want to make sure you will be fine when you go outside again."


    Elianna''s eyes fell, seeing her parents weren''t going to let her out of the mansion again. She slowly nodded, not looking up.


    Lucian sighed, seeing his daughter sad and disappointed. He hated seeing her like this, and it made him even more angry with Isabelle for not only speaking to his daughter in such a way but also making her sad.


    "Tell you what," Katarina said gently, giving Elianna a reassuring pat on her head. "Once I come home, you and I can watch an illusionaire of your choice."


    Elianna''s eyes flicked up slightly, her mother piquing her interest. Elianna loved watching illusionaires. When her parents first showed her one, she was mesmerized by the little crystal-like balls that produced images and noise.


    Elianna''s lips curved slightly, "Anyone I want?"


    Katarina smiled wholesomely, "As long as it''s appropriate."


    Elianna looked at her mother curiously, "Appropriate?"


    Lucian chuckled, "One that you can watch."


    Elianna hummed, "Wendy''s adventure?"


    Katarina and Lucian shared a humorous glance and smiled, knowing that was her favorite.


    Katarina nodded, "Yes. We can watch that one."


    Elianna smiled brightly and nodded energetically, "Okay!"


    "But you need to do one thing first," Lucian said, and Elianna looked at him curiously. "You need to complete your learning with Justine."


    Elianna''s smile faded, and she grumbled. Lucian smiled humorously, knowing Elianna wasn''t a fan of learning. However, after he and Katarina received Isabelle''s note, they contacted Justine, Elianna''s tutor, asking if she could come over more frequently and keep Elianna company.


    Katarina laughed a little and kissed Elianna on the head before she stood up. "Complete your learning. Then, when I get home, you and I can watch the illusionaire."


    Elianna nodded, "Okay."


    Lucian kissed Elianna''s forehead and smiled, "Love you, munchkin."


    Elianna smiled, "Love you, Daddy." She looked at her mom, "And Mommy."


    Lucian and Katarina smiled at their daughter, giving her one last goodbye before they left and walked out the front door. Elianna looked back out the window and watched her parents as they approached the driveway where their two carriages were waiting. They shared a quick kiss before entering their respective carriages and riding off.


    Elianna felt lonely watching her parents leave. They had been with her for the last three days, and now, she was alone at the mansion with the staff and couldn''t see her friends.


    "Lady Elianna."


    Elianna turned around and saw an older human female with graying hair and brown eyes standing in the doorway, smiling warmly at her. Elianna recognized her as Justine, the private tutor her parents had recently hired.


    Elianna turned to face Justine, not excited for her learning. However, she did what her parents taught her and respectfully greeted her, "Good morning, Teacher."


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    Justine reached out to Elianna with her hand. "Ready for today?"


    Mentally sulking, Elianna nodded and walked up to Justine. Elianna took Justine''s hand and followed her to the mansion''s library. The library was vast and beautiful. Dark gray carpet made up the flooring, and mahogany bookshelves were lined up across the walls. In the middle of the library were multiple mahogany tables and chairs. On top of one table were several blocks and cards.


    Elianna and Justine approached the table with the items on top, and Justine pulled a unique toddler chair out for Elianna and sat her in it before sitting in her own chair across from her.


    "Now," Justine said with a warm smile and picked up the cards. "Let''s start with numbers."


    Elianna mentally grumbled and watched Justine as she showed her the cards individually. Each card had a color, number, or object on it, and Elianna had to identify it. After some time of going over the cards, Justine moved on to shapes. Justine placed several shapes in front of Elianna, and she needed to identify them and make them fit into a box with the shapes cut out of them.


    After some time passed, Justine smiled at Elianna, "Well done, Lady Elianna. Let''s go ahead and take a break. I''ll let you know when we will start again."


    Elianna nodded excitedly, seeing they were done for now, "Okay!"


    Justine chuckled as she watched Elianna jump down from her chair and run out of the library. Elianna didn''t have a specific destination in mind and ran through the mansion. She found herself back at the front door and peered out the window. Her eyes widened in surprise, seeing her friends outside in the cul-de-sac playing with a frisbee. Seeing her friends outside, smiling, and having fun, Elianna felt incredibly lonely, just cooped up in the mansion.


    Wanting to see her friends, Elianna mischievously looked over her shoulder, seeing no one was watching her. She moved to the front door, reached up, grabbed the door handle, and opened the door slightly. She slipped out the front door and blinked from the bright sun beaming on her.


    Elianna let her eyes adjust before she smiled and ran off toward her friends. Trevor laughed and smiled as he tossed the frisbee to Dylan. Dylan caught the frisbee with a cheer before throwing it to Sarah. Sarah laughed gleefully as she grabbed the frisbee and was about to toss it to Tyler when she froze with surprise, going wide-eyed, seeing Elianna running toward them.


    Tyler and Dylan''s smiles faded, and they turned to see what she was looking at. Their eyes widened when they noticed Elianna.


    "Hey, everyone!" Elianna said excitedly, giving them a happy wave. She stopped, breathing hard from running to them, with a bright smile. But her smile faded slightly when she saw her friends back up a little, giving her cautious looks. "A-Are you okay?" Elianna inquired, her voice soft.


    "Why are you here?" Dylan asked, sounding rude.


    A jolt ran through Elianna, her stomach dropping, as her friends had never spoken to her like that before.


    "W-What do you m-mean?" Elianna stuttered. Elianna looked at Sarah, but Sarah just looked away.


    "Watch out, she might blow up again," Dylan laughed.


    "I-" Elianna didn''t know what to say and looked at Tyler.


    Tyler backed away a step, "My mom said what you did was weird. She doesn''t want you near us."


    Dylan laughed again, "My Dad said it was freaky! Elianna, the freak!"


    "Freak..?" Elianna''s voice cracked, and her eyes began to water. "I-"


    Tyler narrowed his eyes on Elianna, "Go away. We don''t want to play with you."


    Elianna''s lips wobbled, and her eyes flicked to Sarah again. Sarah said nothing and kept looking down.


    "Ha, she''s crying!" Dylan yelled, pointing at Elianna.


    "Shut up!" Elianna snapped, her voice cracking and tears streaming down her face.


    "Elianna!!" Justine''s voice called out.


    Elianna whirled around, seeing Justine walking out of the mansion and looking at Elianna wide-eyed. Elianna didn''t say anything else to her friends and ran away, heading straight to the mansion.


    Justine called out to Elianna as she ran past her, but Elianna ran straight into the mansion, up the stairs, and to her room. Seeking the comfort of her bed, she climbed into it, crying, and shoved her head into her pillow. Elianna heard Justine call out to her from behind her closed bedroom door, but Elianna didn''t answer. She continued to remain in bed, crying until she eventually cried herself to sleep.


    ***


    Elianna breathed rhythmically in her bed, sound asleep. Her pillow, wet from her tears, had dried, and Elianna looked so peaceful as a figure sat beside her on her bed. Elianna stirred slightly as a hand gently moved a few strands of her silvery-white hair out of her face.


    Slowly, Elianna''s eyes fluttered open, and her eyes fell on her father, who was sitting beside her, smiling warmly at her.


    "Hey, munchkin," Lucian said softly.


    Elianna smiled at her Dad, "Hey, Daddy. You''re home."


    Lucian nodded, "Yep. You''ve been asleep for a while."


    Elianna''s smile faded, and she looked to the side, remembering what happened just before she fell asleep.


    Elianna''s eyes became watery again, and her lips wobbled, "They were mean to me."


    "Your friends?" Lucian inquired, and Elianna nodded. Lucian sighed, "Justine told me what she saw. What happened?"


    Elianna sat up and stared at her bed as she explained to her father what had happened with her friends. Lucian remained quiet as Elianna spoke, making sure not to let his anger show. He was already furious when he came to check on Elianna after Justine told him she had come into the mansion, crying after she had snuck out and seen her friends. He wasn''t mad at his daughter but at her friends and Isabelle.


    When Elianna finished telling her father what had happened, she sniffled, "I don''t know why they were mean."


    Lucian looked at his daughter sympathetically, "They don''t understand, Elianna. Your friends are just listening to their parents. And their parents are scared for no reason, just because you awakened."


    Elianna looked at her father curiously. She had heard her mother say she had awakened previously. She tilted her head slightly, "Awakened? Like, wake up from my nap."


    Lucian chuckled, smiling softly, and shook his head, "No, sweetie." Lucian sighed, seeing he was going to have to explain. He turned so he was fully facing Elianna. "Munchkin, I want you to do something. Can you close your eyes?"


    Elianna looked confused but did as her father asked.


    Lucian placed his hands on his daughter''s shoulders and pushed a small amount of mana into her. Elianna stiffened a little, and her brows furrowed.


    "Keep your eyes closed," Lucian instructed. "What you are feeling is a flow of pure mana."


    "Mana?" Elianna said, confused.


    "Yes, I''ll explain," Lucian said. "I want you to focus on this feeling. Can you do that? You should see some light."


    Elianna nodded and did as her father asked. She felt the warm, energetic feeling of mana in her shoulder, and behind her eyes, she began to see streams of radiant white light.


    Elianna''s brows raised, and she whispered, "Woah..."


    "Do you see channels or lines of white light?" Lucian asked, and Eliana nodded. Lucian smiled and continued, "Good. That white light is pure mana. Mana is the raw power that is the root substance of all magical energy that exists in the atmosphere. It allows us to use magic and fuels magic items."


    Elianna tilted her head in confusion, "Huh?"


    Lucian chuckled, almost forgetting his daughter wasn''t even five yet. "Never mind. Right now, I want you to focus on and follow the light."


    "Follow it?" Elianna said, confused.


    Lucian nodded, "Like a coloring book. Follow the lines."


    Elianna fell silent and did as her father asked. It was difficult at first, trying to figure out how to follow the streams of light. But after a moment, Elianna''s brows raised, and she gasped, seeing a beautiful, shimmering white light.


    "What do you see?" Lucian asked. "Does it look like a star? Or a ball of light?"


    "Yeah! I-It''s so bright!" Elianna chirped.


    Lucian chuckled and took his hands away, "You can open your eyes now."


    Elianna opened her eyes and looked at her father excitedly, "It was so pretty!"


    "That was your mana core," Lucian said, pointing to Elianna''s heart. "It is in your heart."


    Elianna tilted her head slightly to the right, "Mana core?"


    Lucian nodded, "Yes. That is what awakened means. Your mana core has formed."


    Elianna just blinked, and all she said was, "Why?"


    Lucian''s brows furrowed, and his eyes fell to the bed. "We aren''t sure. Everyone has a mana core. However, people aren''t supposed to awaken until around eight. Possibly seven with training."


    "I''m almost five!" Elianna chirped.


    Lucian looked at his daughter, smiled, and nodded. "Yes, you are. That''s why people are scared. They don''t understand why you have a mana core at so young."


    Elianna''s smile fell, and she spoke softly, "I-Is it because I''m a freak."


    "No," Lucian snapped defensively, and Elianna flinched a little. Lucian sighed softly, looking at his daughter, "You are not a freak." He smiled at her lovingly, "You are and always will be special. Don''t listen to your friends."


    Elianna smiled slightly and nodded, "Okay."


    "Do you want to go watch an illusionaire?"


    Lucian and Elianna looked to the doorway and saw Katarina leaning against it, arms crossed and with a warm smile on her face. She had walked in earlier to check on Elianna but remained quiet in the doorway as Lucian explained her mana core to her.


    "Mommy!" Elianna yelled in excitement.


    Katarina was glad to see Elianna happy. She was worried when she arrived home, and Justine told her what happened.


    "So? Do you want to watch an illusionaire now?"


    Elianna nodded happily, but her smile faded, and she looked at her Dad, "But I didn''t finish my learning."


    Lucian shared a humourous smile with his wife. He stood up from the bed, picked up his daughter, and she giggled gleefully. "That''s okay. Just finish it next time."


    Elianna nodded belatedly and held onto her Dad tightly as he walked to the door. Katarina gave her daughter a small kiss on the forehead, and they all walked into the hallway.


    "Can we also have snacks?" Elianna asked as they walked down the hallway.


    "What kind of snacks?" Katarina asked.


    Elianna hummed, thinking, "Cookies?"


    Lucian and Katarina chuckled, sharing a glance, and nodded.


    "Yes," Katarina said, giving her daughter a sweet smile. "We can have cookies."

 Chapter 5

    The Vail mansion was beautifully decorated with streamers and balloons. Hanging from the grand staircase in the entryway was a large sign that read, ''Happy 5th Birthday Elianna!''.


    Everything was set up for a perfect child''s birthday party. However, not one child could be heard laughing. In the dining room of the mansion, Elianna sat in her seat and picked at her spaghetti with her fork. She was dressed elegantly in a small pink floral dress, and her hair was neatly braided into a bun with a small pink flower barrette.


    Lucian, who was dressed in a suit consisting of a white button-up shirt, green blazer, and black pants, sat beside his daughter. Lucian mentally sighed, knowing his daughter was in a gloomy mood. Today was her fifth birthday, a day she had been excited for. But, her excitement had faded away when none of her friends came to celebrate with her. Lucian had hoped Isabelle and the other parents would see reason and attend the party, but their not showing up and disappointing his daughter angered him.


    Lucian gave his daughter a small, loving smile, "How''s the spaghetti?"


    Elianna shrugged, her eyes downcast, "It''s okay." She poked her spaghetti a few more times before she looked at her father with a saddened gaze. "Why didn''t they come?"


    Lucian''s heart cracked when he saw his daughter''s teary eyes. He gave her a comforting smile, shifted his chair closer to her, and gently rubbed her back. "I''m sorry, munchkin. I know you wanted to see your friends today."


    Elianna looked down, "I guess they really do think I''m a freak."


    Anger flared inside Lucian, but he kept his composure and spoke softly, "It doesn''t matter what they think." Elianna''s gaze flicked back to him. He smiled at her, "You are Elianna, my special little girl. Don''t worry about what those other kids say."


    "But they''re my friends," Elianna sniffled. "I just wanted to play with them."


    Lucian sighed, reassuringly rubbing his daughter''s back, "I know."


    Lucian and Elianna looked toward the double doors leading to the kitchen when they heard them open. Katarina, wearing an elegant and beautiful purple dress, and Justine, wearing a bright yellow dress, walked out with loving smiles. Behind them were a few maids and butlers, including Augustus, who were smiling brightly, with one of the maids carrying a large pink cake.


    "Happy birthday!" The mansion staff cheered in unison.


    Elianna smiled slightly after seeing her cake and sat straight in her chair.


    Katarina walked around the table, approached her daughter, and gave her a loving kiss on her forehead, "Happy birthday, sweetie."


    "Happy birthday, young lady," Justine said with a warm smile.


    "Thank you," Elianna said softly to Justine and her mother.


    Lucian stood up from his chair and stepped back as the mansion staff walked around the table. One of the maids stepped up to Elianna and removed her plate of spaghetti while another placed the cake on the table in front of her. Elianna smiled at the cake, thinking it looked delicious, and couldn''t wait to eat it.


    Katarina stood beside her husband, smiling lovingly at her daughter, and whispered to him, "How is she doing?"


    Lucian sighed, keeping the smile on his face, trying not to look sad, and whispered back, "She''s still sad that her friends didn''t come."


    "I don''t blame her," Katarina said, sounding upset. "This was a big day for her. I was hoping the cake would put her in a better mood."


    The human maid who placed the cake in front of Elianna placed five individual candles on top of it.


    "One, two, three, four, five!" Elianna counted out loud excitedly. "Five candles!"


    "Very good," Justine complimented as she and the mansion staff chuckled warmly.


    Lucian smiled, seeing his daughter a little happy, "Good idea."


    Lucian approached his daughter, who looked at her father curiously. Lucian raised his left index finger, igniting it in a small flame.


    "Woah," Elianna said, mesmerized, as she stared at the fire with awe.


    Lucian chuckled at Elianna, thinking it was cute how she was always intrigued when he or Katarina used magic in front of her. Lucian lit the candles individually with his fire-coated finger before dispersing the fire magic.


    Lucian stepped back and nodded to everyone, who began to sing her a happy birthday simultaneously. Elianna sat there with a gleeful smile, looking around at the mansion staff, her parents, and Justine. But as she looked around, her smile slowly began to fade, and she looked back at the candles burning before her.


    Once the song was finished, Katarina said cheerfully, "Make a wish and blow out your candles, sweetie!"


    Elianna sat there for a moment, thinking about what she wanted. And right now, she just wanted one thing. Friends. She leaned forward, took a deep breath, and blew out her candles.


    With the candles out, the mansion staff, Justine, and Elianna''s parents clapped happily.


    "We''ll take the cake back to the kitchen and cut it up," Augustus informed.


    Katarina nodded, "Thank you." She looked at one of the maids, "Can you also bring out Elianna''s present?"


    The maid nodded, and she and the other mansion staff proceeded to walk back into the kitchen. One of the maids took the cake with her.


    Lucian watched the mansion staff walk off, and when he looked back at Elianna, he grew a little concerned, seeing her sitting there, her smile now gone. "Elianna? You okay?"


    Justine and Katarina followed Lucian''s gaze, seeing Elianna shrug.


    "I''m okay," Elianna said, looking at her father with a saddened gaze. "I just wish I had some friends here. It''s what I wished for¡ªfriends." Her gaze fell, "But I have no friends here. And I''m stuck in here."


    Lucian, Katarina, and Justine''s hearts cracked. They hated seeing Elianna like this. She was usually energetic and joyful. But now, it''s like her happiness was extinguished.


    Lucian stared at his daughter, trying to think of a way to cheer her up. She was correct; none of her friends had attended her party, and she had been stuck inside the mansion for the past few days. He thought about maybe taking her out somewhere to get some fresh air when his eyes widened as an idea came to mind.


    Lucian smiled, "I''ll be right back."


    Katarina looked at Lucian curiously, "Where are you going?"


    Lucian grinned, "You''ll see."


    Katarina raised a brow, seeing her husband was up to something, and watched him as he walked out of the dining room.


    The kitchen doors opened, and a few of the maids walked out, one carrying a large present while the others carrying pieces of cake. The maid with the present placed the present on the table, and the other maids distributed the cake. Justine and Katarina thanked the maids when they received their pieces of cake, while Elianna was too distracted by her large present to notice when one of the maids placed the cake beside her.


    There was one maid left who held a piece of cake and looked around, confused.


    Katarina smiled at the maid, "My husband stepped out. You can place the cake on the table. He will eat it later."


    The maid nodded, "Yes, My Lady." The young maid placed the cake on the table, and the staff members returned to the kitchen.


    Elianna looked at the large box-shaped present with interest, "Can I open it?"


    Katarina chuckled, knowing her daughter loved presents, "Not yet. Wait for your fa-" Katarina''s eyes flicked to the dining room entrance, seeing Lucian walk back in. Katarina smiled, "Okay. You can open it."


    Elianna didn''t wait a second as she reached out and began to tear away the pink and yellow wrapping paper. Katarina and Justine laughed comically, seeing how eager Elianna was to see what she got for her birthday.


    Lucian chuckled and smiled warmly as he watched his daughter tear off the wrapping paper. He grabbed the piece of cake on the table that he assumed was his and stood beside his wife.


    As she watched Elianna, Katarina leaned close to Lucian and whispered, "Where did you go?"


    Lucian took a bite of his cake and whispered back, "I made a call, and I''m having the staff prepare one of the carriages."


    Katarina looked at her husband, confused, "Who did you call? And what for?"


    Lucian grinned, "You''ll see."


    "Woah!"


    Lucian and Katarina looked at Elianna, seeing her stare at her present with wide, gleeful eyes. The wrapping paper didn''t stand a chance against her, as it was now scattered across the floor and table.


    On the box was a painting of a pink toddler''s tea playset. Elianna wiggled happily and looked at her Mom, "We can have tea parties!"


    Katarina laughed and smiled jovially at her daughter, knowing she loved playing tea party. She had seen this toy set at the market and knew it would be perfect for her daughter. "Yes, we can, sweetie."


    "Can we play now?!" Elianna asked energetically.


    Katarina was about to answer yes when Lucian said, "Not yet, munchkin." Katarina looked at him, confused.


    "Why not?" Elianna asked, looking a little disappointed.


    Katarina also wondered why when Lucian smiled and said, "Well, do you still want to leave the mansion? We can go somewhere."


    Elianna''s face lit up with excitement, "Where?!"


    "It''s a surprise," Lucian laughed, seeing how excited his daughter was getting. "Go ahead and eat your cake, then we will leave."


    Elianna nodded energetically and began to eat her piece of cake.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I believe I should get going," Justine said to Katarina and Lucian, and they looked at her. Justine smiled, "I have things at home I need to take care of."


    Katarina smiled, "That alright. Thank you for coming."


    Justine returned Katarina''s smile, "Of course." Justine approached Elianna as she took a bite of her cake and gently grabbed her shoulder. Elianna looked up, her mouth full and frosting coating her lips. Justine laughed lightheartedly and smiled, "I''m going to get going now. Happy birthday."


    Elianna chewed and swallowed her cake before smiling, "Thank you!"


    Justine gave Elianna one more pat on the shoulder before she left the dining room, leaving Katarina, Lucian, and Elianna alone.


    Lucian and Katarina finished their pieces of cake and placed the small silver plates on the table.


    Elianna finished hers soon after, jumped down off the chair, and smiled excitedly at her father, "Okay! I''m ready!"


    Katarina and Lucian smiled humorously at their daughter, seeing she had frosting on her mouth.


    Katarina chuckled, "Hold on, sweetie." She grabbed a napkin off the table and dampened it with water magic. She knelt in front of her daughter and wiped her mouth with the napkin, "You got frosting all over you."


    "I take it you liked the cake?" Lucian jested.


    Katarina finished cleaning off Elianna, and Elianna smiled and nodded, "Yeah! It was my favorite!"


    "It''s why I told them to make strawberry cake," Katarina said warmly and poked Elianna on the nose, getting a giggle out of her.


    "Alright," Lucian said, seeing that Elianna was now cleaned up and ready to go. He approached his daughter, and she laughed as he picked her up. "Let''s get going," he said.


    "Where are we going?!" Elianna asked excitedly.


    "I told you, it''s a surprise," Lucian chuckled.


    "Should I change?" Katarina asked, gesturing to her dress.


    Lucian shook his head, "No, it''s fine." He smiled warmly, "Besides, you look beautiful."


    Katarina returned his smile, "Thanks, sweetheart."


    Katarina gave Lucian a quick kiss, earning an "Eeeww" from Elianna.


    Katarina followed Lucian as he carried Elianna out of the mansion, her eyes falling on a carriage that was waiting for them in the driveway. The young human male coachman bowed respectfully to the three of them as they approached, and he opened the door for them.


    They entered the carriage and sat down on the elegant red leather seats. Lucian and Katarina took the window seats, and Elianna sat in her father''s lap, as she excitedly looked out the window.


    The coachman closed the door and took his seat at the front of the carriage, which jerked as they set off. Lucian and Katarina were silent as they warmly watched their daughter as she looked out the window. They knew she loved watching the world go by whenever they were in the carriage.


    They rode in silence, watching the mansions go by until they left the nobility district. The scenery changed from mansions to different-colored brick buildings. The buildings varied in size, some bigger than others, with some two stories and others only one. Signs were nailed on the front of the buildings, indicating what it was, with some being restaurants and some stores. The area was well kept, with gray cobblestone roads clear of trash or debris.


    Sidewalks were on either side of the gray cobblestone road. Elves, humans, and dwarves alike, all dressed differently, occupied these sidewalks as they walked throughout the city, heading toward their destination.


    "There are so many people!" Elianna commented.


    Lucian chuckled and nodded, "Yep. Tri-Union City is the biggest city on the continent of Zaraemar."


    "Tri-Union City," Elianna whispered to herself.


    "That''s right," Lucian said, looking out the window and seeing the different individuals on the sidewalk as they rode by. "It''s called Tri-Union City because it''s home to the three races of elves, dwarves, and humans, who all live in harmony."


    Lucian''s eyes flicked to one small group of individuals, and he pointed to them, "Elianna, you see those people?"


    Elianna looked to where he was pointing and saw a group of eleven people walking together. They were a mix of humans, dwarves, and elves, ten of whom wore similar apparel. The apparel was military, consisting of a black and gold leather sleeveless top with two gold diamond-shaped clasps on the front. Both arms were covered in a black and gold forearm sleeve, which covered their arms from the elbows down to their wrists, leaving their shoulders and biceps exposed. They had shin-high black leather boots, which matched their black pants that had a gold stripe running down their side.


    The eleventh person was a young elven female wearing different apparel who walked behind the rest. She was wearing a deep brown shirt that was covered by a deep brown robe with a golden trim connected at the waist and open at the bottom. A gold sash wrapped around her waist, and she had deep brown pants, shin-high deep brown boots, and a white cloak snapped together with an elegant golden chain. While the ten people in front of the female had more utilitarian apparel, her clothing was far more opulent.


    "Woah! They look cool!" Elianna expressed.


    "Those are Tri-Union soldiers," Lucian informed. "The ones in the sleeveless leather armor are knights. They''re wearing the knight combat uniform."


    "Knights," Elianna repeated, looking at the group in awe.


    "Correct," Lucian nodded. "The one walking behind them is a mage. She''s wearing mage apparel."


    "Mage," Elianna reiterated and looked at her father with a sparkle in her eyes. "Daddy! They look so cool!"


    Lucian smiled warmly, "I''m glad you think so. Because we are on our way to see more of them."


    Elianna''s expression lit up, "Really?!"


    Lucian nodded, "Yep."


    "That''s where we''re going?" Katarina asked curiously. "To the garrison? To see the Tri-Union forces?"


    Lucian looked at his wife and nodded, "Yep. I thought getting Elianna out of the house would be good."


    Katarina looked at Elianna, seeing how excited she looked as she peered out the window. She smiled warmly, "Good idea."


    "I just hope she''ll like it," Lucian admitted.


    Katarina took Lucian''s hand reassuringly, "I''m sure she will."


    Lucian and Katarina smiled lovingly at each other and silently enjoyed each other''s company as they continued their carriage ride. They soon approached a large brick wall, which seemed to extend far and wide. The carriage followed the wall until it arrived at a large golden gated archway, which was guarded by several individuals in knight and mage uniforms.


    The carriage stopped at the entrance to the archway''s gated entrance, and one of the knights, a dwarven male in his late twenties, approached it. On the collar of his leather top were two golden discs, showing his rank. The dwarf looked at the carriage and said, "Identifica¡ª" The dwarf stopped and went wide-eyed with surprise. They snapped to attention and saluted, "Good afternoon, Commander Vail! Apologies! We were not expecting you today!"


    Elianna looked at the dwarf curiously, seeing him salute like her mother sometimes did.


    Lucian saluted the dwarf back, "No worries. Carry on, sergeant."


    Seeing Lucian salute, Elianna followed his lead and saluted the dwarf as well. The dwarf smiled a little, trying to keep his composure, thinking it was cute. Lucian dropped his salute but looked at the dwarf curiously as he held his. Lucian looked at his daughter, seeing she was still saluting, and he smiled.


    "Put your hand down, munchkin," Lucain said softly.


    Elianna did as her father said and lowered her hand. The dwarf dropped his salute, and Lucian nodded to him in thanks.


    The dwarf returned Lucian''s nod and looked at the other soldiers, "Let the commander through!"


    The knights moved out of the way and opened the gate for the carriage, allowing it to pass through.


    The area they entered was vast, with a single white brick road lined with trees and bushes. This road led straight to a significantly large palace made of white stone with gold trim. The palace looked like multiple buildings in one, in the shape of a square and three stories high.


    Lush green grass grew throughout the area, and to the far right side were several gray stone buildings. The gray-stoned buildings varied in size and shape, with some being three stories, some two, and others only one. One of the one-story buildings was different from the others and was made of brown wood. It had carriages surrounding it, signifying it was a large stable.


    Once they passed the gate, the carriage immediately made a right turn, heading directly toward the gray stone buildings. Elianna looked out the window and stared at the palace in awe, seeing it was significantly larger than her mansion.


    Elianna pointed toward the palace, "What''s that?"


    Katarina looked to where she was pointing, "That''s the palace. It''s where the regent lives."


    "Regent?" Elianna said, confused.


    Katarina chuckled and nodded, "They''re in charge of Tri-Union City."


    Elianna blinked before looking back at the palace, "It''s so big and pretty!" Elianna looked at her parents excitedly, "Are we going there?"


    Lucian shook his head, "No. We are going somewhere else."


    "Where?" Elianna asked eagerly.


    Lucian smiled, "You''ll see. We''re almost there."


    Elianna nodded and continued to look out the window. After some more time passed, Elianna watched out the window as the carriage stopped in front of one of the gray brick buildings. The three of them exited the carriage and were greeted by noises of people yelling, swords clashing, and distant explosions.


    Elianna looked at the noises curiously as her father carried her, and her gaze fell on dozens of knights and mage uniformed members who were training throughout the area. Some were using target dummies, some were training with each other, and others were running around doing physical exercise. Her eyes flicked to one location, seeing more knights running around on an obstacle course, jumping over barricades, climbing walls, and using rope swings.


    "Woah," Elianna said, completely mesmerized by everything around her.


    "So this must be Elianna."


    Lucian and Katarina looked toward the voice and smiled, seeing a male approaching them. He wore formal military attire similar to Lucian''s, except he had three gold stars on his collar instead of four. He was an older human male with black graying hair and brown eyes.


    Katarina smiled at the male, "Good afternoon, Hector."


    Hector returned Katarina''s smile and gave her a hug, "It''s good to see you, Kat."


    They broke the hug, and Hector nodded to Lucian, "I canceled the inspection as requested, Commander."


    "Good," Lucian said and smiled at Elianna. "I was hoping to show this little one around and show her the troops as they trained."


    Elianna didn''t pay her father any attention, as her gaze was locked on the knights. Her eyes were wide and gleaming, seeing the knights training together, alone, or with mages. Their bodies were covered in a white translucent barrier, which stuck to them like a second skin. Their swords were coated in magic, varying between the elements of water, earth, air, fire, ice, lightning, plant, and lava. When their swords collided, their magic exploded, which Elianna thought was beautiful.


    "M-Magic," Elianna whispered.


    Lucian followed her gaze, chuckled, and nodded, "Yep, that''s right. They''re using magic."


    "Elianna," Katarina said, trying to get her daughter''s attention. Elianna looked at her, and Katarina gestured to Hector. "Can you say hi to Hector? He''s your dad''s second in command. He''s the lieutenant commander of the forces here in Tri-Union City."


    Elianna looked at Hector, gave a small wave, and smiled, "Hello! I''m Elianna, and I''m five years old today!"


    Hector chuckled and returned her smile, "Hello, Elianna. It''s a pleasure to meet you. And," He placed his hands together, and Elianna watched him curiously. An icy wind coated his hands, and Elianna''s eyes widened with awe. He separated his hands, showing a small icy ball. He held the ball in one hand when Elianna jolted with surprise as lighting enveloped the ball. Hector tossed the ball high into the air, and it exploded in the air safely above them in a beautiful display of icy and electric blue mana. "Happy birthday!"


    Elianna gasped and yelled excitedly, "Woah!" She looked at her father. "Daddy, did you see that?!"


    Lucian laughed warmly, glad to see his daughter was already having fun, "Yes, I did, munchkin."


    "Would you like to see some more magic?" Hector asked, and Elianna nodded energetically. Hector smiled, "Follow me."


    Elianna watched with anticipation as her father held her, and they began to walk toward the knights who were training. They trained in between the buildings, where wooden practice dummies resembling a man''s torso and head and obstacle courses made of wood and metal were set up. In front of the buildings, more wooden practice dummies were set up.


    Hector gestured to the buildings around them and smiled at Elianna, "Welcome to the garrison."


    "Garrison," Elianna whispered in awe.


    "This entire area is known as the garrison," Lucian explained to his daughter. "The different buildings are for the five battalions which are stationed here. The taller buildings are the barracks that house single soldiers with no families. There''s also a supply depot, armory, infirmary-"


    "And a mess hall," Hector cut in.


    "Yes, eating is important," Lucian jested.


    Katarina chuckled, "Guys, she''s five." She looked at her daughter with a loving smile. "And I don''t think she''s listening."


    Lucian and Hector looked at Elianna, seeing she, in fact, wasn''t listening. Her eyes darted around, smiling wide, as she watched the knights train and the explosions of magic.


    Mages were training in the same area together, casting spells of different varieties and manipulating the mana around them in a beautiful display. Some even shot spells at each other, with their training partner either blocking it with a white translucent rectangular-shaped shield, or they disappeared in flashes of green light and appeared a short distance away. And others trained with knights, practicing different tactics and working together.


    However, Elianna seemed more interested in the knights than the mages as she watched them dash around. She saw how they moved, jumped, and twirled swiftly and clashed their swords against each other and the dummies.


    "They''re all so cool!" Elianna expressed, pointing to the knights.


    "Yes, they are," Katarina said, happy to see her daughter smiling.


    Elianna watched the knights and noticed the white translucent light coating their entire bodies. "Daddy!" Elianna said excitedly, recognizing the light. "Mana!"


    Lucian chuckled and nodded, "That''s right. Mana."


    "I-I have mana too!" Elianna said, looking at her father brightly. "Can I play with them?!"


    Hector looked at Elianna and smiled, unsurprised. Lucian had already informed him of Elianna''s awakening and was admittedly skeptical at first. That was, however, until Hector scanned Elianna''s core moments ago and saw her mana core.


    Katarina looked slightly concerned about the idea and shook her head, "Uh. Not right now, sweetie."


    "Can I later?!" Elianna chirped. She looked back at the knights and started to wave her hands around like she was holding a sword, mimicking their movements. "They look so cool! I wanna do that too!"


    "You know," Hector began and looked at Lucian and Katarina. "Since Elianna is awakened, you could begin her mana training now." Hector smiled at Elianna, thinking her mimicking the knights was cute. "Besides, there is no safer place than around here. We could all keep an eye on her."


    "Uh, I don''t know," Katarina said, a little hesitant. "She just turned five."


    Lucian looked at his daughter, contemplating. He was joyful seeing how she was acting now, happy and excited. It was like she was back to her usual self. He would do anything to keep his daughter from being sad again.


    Lucian smiled, "We''ll think about it."

 Chapter 6

    Elianna ran at a steady pace, trying to keep herself from getting too tired. She focused on her breathing, using what her father called combat breathing to keep her breathing rate low during high-physical-stress encounters. The grassy area at the garrison was flat, making running much easier and putting less strain on her adolescent body.


    Elianna pushed her hair out of her sweaty face as she neared the headquarters building. She knew she was coming to the end and needed to stay focused. She didn''t know how much time had passed since she started, but she hoped she was right on track to meet her goal. Running along the side of the headquarters building, she noticed she was nearing the front and decided to put all her energy into this last stretch.


    Elianna sprinted, moving as fast as her little legs would allow, and turned the corner. Her eyes fell on her father, who was casually standing outside the building. Instead of the usual formal attire he usually wore at the garrison, he was currently adorned in the combat uniform, which he wore while he trained his daughter.


    Lucian''s brows furrowed as he stared at the pocket watch in his hand. He looked up at the sound of running, seeing his daughter running toward him. His lips curved slightly in a proud smirk before he turned to face her fully as she approached and he looked back at the pocket watch.


    Elianna was so close now, and her breathing rate increased as she pushed her body harder. She closed in on her father and immediately slowed down after she ran past him. She came to a stop and whirled around to face her father, breathing hard.


    "Did I," Elianna gulped hard, trying to regain her breath. "Did I make it?"


    Lucian chuckled as he stored his pocket watch in his spatial ring. He turned to face Elianna, giving her a proud smile, "Not only did you make it, but you ran that in ten minutes."


    Elianne beamed, smiling wide, "I was thirty seconds faster this time?"


    Lucian nodded, "You were. Nice job, munchkin."


    Elianna let out a victory yell, throwing her arms into the air before she let herself fall back onto the grassy floor. She heard her father laugh a little as she lay there, trying to regain her breath, as she stared at the beautiful clear blue sky.


    "Laying down while training?"


    Elianna looked toward the voice and smiled wide, seeing Hector walking down the front steps of the headquarters building. He was dressed in formal military attire and held a stack of papers in his hand.


    Elianna quickly sat up, looking at Hector with excitement, "Uncle Hector, guess what?!"


    Hector chuckled, "What is it, little one?"


    "I beat my run time! I completed the run in ten minutes!"


    Hector''s brows raised with genuine surprise, and they looked at Lucian, "Did she run the full mile?"


    Lucian nodded proudly, "She did indeed."


    Hector looked back at Elianna with a smirk, "Not bad. Not bad at all. Especially for a seven-year-old."


    Lucian crossed his arms, smiling at his daughter, "She''s been training hard these past two years."


    Elianna held her chin high, "Yes, I have."


    Lucian and Hector laughed lightheartedly before Lucian looked at Hector curiously. "Where are you off to?"


    Hector raised the papers he was holding, "I''m going to the third battalion. Today, they''re conducting an inspection of their troops and assembly area. I thought I''d go over and join them."


    Lucian nodded, "Gotcha. Let me know how it goes and what corrections need to be made."


    "Will do," Hector said. He looked at Elianna again and smiled. "Good work, little Elle." He approached her and gave her a high five. "Keep it up."


    "I will!" Elianna chirped, giving Hector a wave as he walked off.


    "Alright, now," Lucian began, and Elianna looked at him. He gestured to her, "You can stay in your running clothes or get cleaned up and dressed in your training clothes. Which do you want to do?"


    Elianna stood up from the ground and stretched her arms high. "I''ll get cleaned up first." She walked toward her father and pulled at her shirt. "These clothes stink."


    Lucian playfully waved his hand in front of his nose, "I wasn''t going to say anything."


    Elianna jestfully narrowed her eyes on her father and went to kick him. Lucian laughed as he jumped back and began to approach the headquarters building. Elianna followed her father up the front steps and through the front door.


    The inside of the headquarters building was large, neat, and well-put together. The dark gray wooden flooring contrasted nicely with the eggshell-colored walls. Bookshelves full of magical items and books lined the walls. Several offices were built along the right and left walls. The offices on the right belonged to the knight leaders, while the left belonged to the mage leaders. In front of the offices were desks where their assistants sat. At the end of the building was another room, which led into the common meeting room for when the leaders of both factions convened. In the middle of the room was a large rectangular table with a map.


    The map was of the continent of Zaraemar, showing the elven kingdom of Thearyah in the northeast, the human kingdom of Gavaria in the northwest, and the dwarven kingdom of Duridie in the southeast. Lush green trees surrounded the elven kingdom, while the human kingdom was vast in the grasslands, and the dwarven kingdom was deep in the mountain ranges.


    In the middle of the map was a city more significant than the others, Tri-Union City, where Elianna lived. However, the most notable part of the map was the blackened area in the southwest. Elianna''s father told her it was the home of the orcs, the kingdom of Calignar. She once asked her father why it looked like that, and he simply told her it was because it wasn''t a good place.


    Two white banners with gold trim hung from the ceiling. The banner on the right showed the knight''s ranks: private, private second class, private first class, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, lieutenant commander, and commander. The banner on the left showed the mage ranks: inductus, initiate, novice, apprentice, adeptus, experitor, master, high-mage, and arch-mage. While the knight ranks consisted of golden squares, discs, triangles, and stars, the mage ranks consisted of golden leaves and olive branches.


    Elianna followed her father as they walked toward his office, which was the far-right one. Several of the assistants looked up as Elianna and Lucain walked past, giving them respectful nods. When they approached Lucian''s office, Elianna''s eyes fell on her father''s assistant. He looked to be about in his early twenties, and he was dressed in formal military attire. A gold square on his collar indicated he was a private second class.


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    "Good morning, Lewis," Lucian greeted his assistant as they approached.


    Lewis looked up from the paperwork, seeing the commander and his daughter. He swiftly stood from his chair, giving Lucian a respectful nod, "Good morning, Commander." His eyes fell on Elianna and gave her a friendly smile, "Good morning, Lady Elle."


    "Good morning," Elianna greeted back.


    "Any new messages?" Lucian asked.


    Lewis shook his head, "No, sir." He gestured to his desk, "I''m also just about done organizing the paperwork you gave me."


    "Good," Lucian said as he opened the door to his office. "Once that''s done, just place it on my desk."


    Lewis nodded, sat back down, and continued to organize the paperwork.


    Elianna followed her father into his office, which was spacious and elegant. The ceiling and floor were the same as the rest of the building. File cabinets lined the left side of his wall, and a large gray wooden desk was situated in the back of the room. Three black leather chairs were situated at the desk, two on one side and one on the other, where Elianna''s father usually sat. A black leather couch was placed against the wall opposite the desk, which had a white and gray coffee table in front of it that sat on top of an elegant black and gold rug. On the right side of the room was another door, which Elianna knew led to Lucian''s private bathroom.


    Lucian closed the office door behind them and took Elianna''s neatly folded training clothes from his spatial ring. The training clothes were simple and similar in color to the Tri-Union knight colors. They consisted of a short-sleeve black and gold shirt, black pants, and black running shoes.


    Lucian handed his daughter her clothes and gestured to the bathroom, "Go get cleaned up." He walked over to his desk and pulled out his chair. "I''m going to try and catch up on some work in the meantime."


    Elianna nodded and went to the bathroom. It was clean and well-organized. The floor was gray tile, and the walls were eggshell white. The bathroom had a dual sink counter made of white wood and marble. The bathtub and shower were separate, with the bathtub being made out of marble like the sinks.


    Not wanting to waste time and continue with her training, Elianna quickly took a shower, got dressed, combed her hair, and walked back into her father''s office.


    Lucian was sitting at his desk, writing on a paper with a pencil, when he looked up. Lucian smiled and stood up from his desk, "Ready?"


    Elianna nodded, excited to see what kind of training her father had in store for her today, "Ready."


    "Good," Lucian said as he walked around his desk, giving Elianna a loving pat on the head as he passed her and approached the door. "Then let''s go."


    Elianna followed her father as he left his office, walked through the building, and walked outside. They made a right turn once they descended the headquarters steps and approached the first battalion building. Elianna watched as the soldiers outside the building trained together, with the mages casting their spells, and the knights ran around, practicing their strikes and defensive skills.


    "Alright," Lucian began and turned to face his daughter fully. "Now, give me a quick recap on mana."


    Elianna nodded and began, "Mana is the raw power that is the root substance of magical energy that exists in the atmosphere. The mana in the atmosphere is split between nature mana and the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water. Our bodies are able to absorb the atmospheric mana, refining it into pure mana."


    Lucian smiled, "Correct. It is how our bodies naturally form mana cores. Now, over these past two years, you''ve been doing two kinds of training: mana core training and physical exercise. The physical training was to help strengthen your body, while the mana core training was to help develop your mana core." Lucian sat on the ground cross-legged and gestured to Elianna to follow his lead, which she did. "What I want you to do is close your eyes and focus on your mana core."


    Elianna nodded and did as her father asked. Closing her eyes, she focused on the feeling of mana inside her. With her training, it had become much easier to feel her mana and see her mana core over these past two years. A brilliant burning white light soon came into view, and she could feel the mana from her mana core coursing through her.


    "Do you see your mana core?" Lucian asked, and Elianna nodded. "Good. Do you notice something different about it?"


    Elianna''s brows furrowed, and she shook her head, "I don''t think so."


    "What about its brightness," Lucian said. "Have you noticed how your mana core has gotten brighter the more you trained and developed your core?"


    Elianna''s brows raised, realizing he was right. When her core first formed, it was merely a small white light. Now, it was large and blazing. "Is it because my mana core is stronger?"


    "No," Lucian said, and Elianna felt a little disappointed. "It''s because your core can now hold more mana. The more you focus on absorbing the atmospheric mana and refining it, the more you will develop your mana core and be able to hold more mana. Mana cores have three stages: shimmering, bright, and radiant. Your mana core is in the radiant stage. As you continue to develop your mana core, it will naturally split, going from one radiant star to two shimmering stars. When your core splits, your two stars work together, increasing your strength exponentially and the amount of mana your body can hold."


    Elianna nodded, "So, I''m close to getting two stars then?"


    "Precisely. However, before we continue, you will need to make a decision."


    "What decision?"


    "Open your eyes."


    Elianna curiously opened her eyes, seeing her father still sitting in front of her. He smiled at her and gestured to the soldiers to the side of them.


    "Beside us are mages and knights," Lucian began. He held up two fingers, "There are two types of mana cores: stars and circles." He put his hand down. "Also known as an internal and external core. Knights have stars, or internal cores, which allow them to push mana through their body and augment themselves. It''s why we knights are also called augmenters."


    Lucian looked at the mages, and Elianna followed his gaze. Several different colors of mana swirled around the mages as they cast spells and controlled the elements. Elianna watched one particular mage disappear and reappear a few feet away in a flash of green light.


    Lucian gestured to the mages, "Mages have circles, or external cores, which allow them to project their mana and control the ambient elemental and nature mana around them. While mages tend to be physically weaker than knights since they can''t augment themselves, they have access to great power."


    Elianna looked at her father curiously, "Can augmenters control the elemental and nature mana as well?"


    "Yes and no," Lucian said. "I''ll explain once you get stronger. For now, I need you to focus on your mana core." Elianna understood and nodded. "The decision I need you to make is if you want to be a mage or augmenter."


    Elianna looked at her father, surprised, "I can choose?"


    Lucian smiled and nodded, "Yes, but not for much longer. You see, everyone is born with an internal core or star. To become a mage, you must be able to manipulate and alter your core, expanding it past your heart and forming it into a circle or external core. The reason I say you won''t be able to choose for much longer is because this must be done while you only have one star. It is nearly impossible to manipulate two stars at once."


    "That''s so cool!" Elianna expressed.


    Lucian looked at his daughter seriously, "However, doing this is dangerous. Not everyone can alter their core, which is why mages are so rare. If someone continues to try and alter their core without success, they can end up putting too much strain on themselves and their mana core, resulting in their heart bursting."


    Elianna paled, "B-Bursting..."


    Lucian nodded gravely, "Yes. I''m not trying to scare you or influence your decision. I just need you to know the risks before you choose. If you do want to be a mage, I can ask Arch-Mage Matilda to assist you in altering your core."


    Elianna fell silent, contemplating. She looked toward the first battalion soldiers, watching the mages and knights train. She watched the mages again, seeing a red-haired female holding her hand up. Ruby-colored mana swirled above her hand as she conjured a fireball the size of a grapefruit. The female wiggled her fingers, and the fireball broke apart, with the flames now circling her hand like a ring of fire. In front of her was another female with red hair, but she looked younger and similar to the one wielding the fire magic, and she wasn''t in a mage outfit. The younger female''s eyes were wide as she watched the flames with a look of astonishment.


    Elianna then looked toward the knights, seeing the translucent light around them like a second skin as they dashed around swiftly, coating their swords in elemental or pure mana, and struck each other or training dummies. She watched as one particular knight, a stocky dwarf with short yellow hair, coated his sword in lightning magic. The dwarf swung his sword horizontally, with the lightning extending like a whip, and slashed the training dummy before him across its torso with the lightning whip before quickly dashing to the side and striking the dummy again.


    Elianna smiled, always thinking the knights were impressive every time she witnessed them in action. While Elianna always felt the displays of magic from the mages were beautiful, she always felt admiration toward the knights.


    Coming to a decision, Elianna looked at her father confidently, "I want to be an augmentor."


    Lucian smiled proudly, "Good. Now, let''s begin."

 Chapter 7

    The mid-morning sun beamed brightly upon Elianna as she stood upon the lush green grass in front of the garrison''s headquarters building. The crisp air blew around her, carrying her silvery-white hair in the wind, a few strands falling upon her face. She stood poised, staring at her father, who stood several feet before her.


    Lucian had a playful grin on his face as he twirled around the short wooden bat he was holding in his right hand. "Are you ready, Elianna?"


    Elianna nodded determinedly, "I am."


    "Good," Lucian said as he took a brown leatherbound ball out of his spatial ring and stopped swinging the bat around. "Remember. This is a movement and reaction drill. Amplify yourself with mana, just like I showed you."


    "Got it."


    Elianna watched her father unblinkingly, waiting for him to make his move. This was her final test to prove she could push mana through her body to make herself stronger and faster, and she didn''t intend to lose.


    Lucian tossed the ball into the air, and Elianna prepared herself. She felt the warm power of mana flowing inside her mana core and, just like her father showed her, pushed it out throughout her body through what he called mana channels and mana veins. He had told her that while the mana channels were like rivers that flowed out from her mana core throughout her body, the mana veins were like streams that flowed into the muscle,  allowing for augmentation. It was incredible, feeling the warmth of the pure mana expanding from her core and flowing through her entire body. She could feel herself becoming lighter, yet also stronger.


    The ball began to fall, and Lucian swung his bat hard, striking it and sending it to Elianna''s far left. Elianna''s eyes tracked the ball''s movement and dashed toward it at incredible speeds.


    Amplifying her body with mana made her faster, so much faster that Elianna was able to shorten her one-mile run time significantly. She loved this feeling, the mana flowing through her body and the wind brushing against her skin as she ran.


    Elianna quickly moved into the ball''s path, watching it bounce off the ground. She swiftly picked it up with her bare hand, and with the mana flowing through her right arm, she threw it back toward her father.


    The baseball flew rapidly through the air, directly toward Lucian. Lucian smiled, lifting the bat and getting ready to hit the ball again. "Good accuracy! Keep it up! Four more!"


    Lucian struck the ball again, hitting it to Elianna''s far right. Elianna burst to the right, stumbling a little but remaining on her feet. She stretched her right arm out and grabbed the ball just before it passed her. She slid to a stop, aimed, and threw the ball back toward her father.


    Elianna watched the ball as Lucian hit it down the middle in a line drive. Elianna sped towards the ball as quickly as she could, determined not to let it get past her. She reached out and nearly had to jump to catch the ball at the last second. Skidding to a stop, she quickly turned and threw the ball back to her father.


    This time, however, Elianna mentally scolded herself as she threw it too far to his right. She had nothing to worry about, though, as Lucian quickly adjusted and dashed toward the ball to hit it again.


    "Don''t get sloppy!" Lucian yelled, striking the ball again and hitting a grounder to Elianna''s left. "Keep a clear mind and stay focused!"


    Elianna nodded in response and burst toward the ball. She reached down and caught the ball swiftly before skidding to a halt. She twirled around, focused, and threw the ball back toward her father. Elianna smiled contently, seeing she was far more accurate on this throw than the previous one.


    "Better!" Lucian called out and prepared to strike the ball again.


    Lucian''s eyes flicked to her right, and Elianna got ready, thinking that was where he was going to hit the ball. But to Elianna''s surprise, Lucian hit the ball high, directly over Elianna''s head.


    Elianna stumbled to the right before she was able to regain her footing. She pushed more mana into her legs, squatted down, and jumped as high as she could, jumping a few feet into the air. She reached her arm out and almost yelled with glee when she caught the ball. She landed on the ground safely and looked at her father with a wide smile.


    Lucian smiled proudly at his daughter, "Very good munchkin. Now relax."


    Elianna let out a breath of relief, and physically relaxed, cutting off the flow of mana in her body. She immediately felt physically tired and collapsed on the lush green grass beneath her. She breathed heavily as she laid on her back, feeling the sweat rolling down the side of her head, her hair clinging to her face, and her hands stung a little from catching the leatherbound ball repeatedly. She stared at the beautiful clear blue sky above her, feeling the wind flow over her as she calmed her breathing. Footsteps caught Elianna''s attention, and she looked to her side, seeing her father approach.


    Lucian chuckled, seeing his daughter lying there, "You did well." He stored the short wooden bat in his spatial ring and laid down beside his daughter, looking at the clear sky.


    Elianna looked at her father curiously, "Any suggestions on what I can work on?"


    "Just one," Lucian looked toward his daughter. "Do you know why you stumbled on the last hit?"


    Elianna thought for a second, "Well, I thought you were going to hit the ball to my right."


    Lucian smiled, "Exactly. I did that on purpose to see what you would do."


    Lucian sat up, and Elianna followed his lead. They sat cross-legged, looking at each other.


    Lucian gestured to his daughter, "You anticipated the hit."


    Elianna brushed the strands of her hair away from her face, "Anticipated?"


    "It means you thought I was going to do something, so you were preparing to react to it."


    "Is that a bad thing?"


    Lucian grabbed his chin, trying to think how to answer, "Yes and no." Elianna looked at her father, confused, so he continued. "It''s good to anticipate for something to happen; this way, you are prepared. However, too much anticipation can end up hurting you in the end. If you expect something to happen one way, but it happens another, it could cause some trouble. Like how you stumbled today."


    Elianna looked to the side, processing her father''s words. "So, It''s okay to anticipate, but always be ready for something else to happen?"


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    Lucian nodded and smiled, "Precisely. We will go over anticipation more, but for now, we will focus on something else."


    Elianna looked at her father curiously, "What?"


    Lucian stood up and reached out to his daughter, "I''m going to teach you how to form a mana guard."


    Elianna took her father''s hand, "Mana guard?" Her father pulled her up to her feet. "What''s that?"


    Lucian smiled, "You''re about to find out." His eyes flicked to the ball in her hands, "Here, I can take that." Elianna followed his gaze, seeing she was still holding the ball. She placed the ball into his hand, and he stored it in his spatial ring. Lucian smiled and jerked his chin, "Follow me."


    Elianna followed her father as he began to walk toward the first battalion building, where knights and mages were outside training as usual. Lucian stopped and turned to face Elianna fully, gesturing to the knights, "What do you see?"


    Elianna looked to where he was gesturing and saw several knights of different races training together. They wielded a variety of weapons coated in different elements. She observed a tall male elven knight with green hair who was wielding two short swords in his hands. The elven knight was surrounded by a white translucent barrier and raised his swords, getting into an attack stance. Before him stood a tall human male wielding a spear, also with a translucent barrier around him, standing in a defensive stance.


    The elf coated their two short swords in fire magic before dashing toward the male at incredible speeds. Wind magic began to quickly form at the tip of the human''s spear before he thrust it forward, unleashing an intense beam of wind magic toward the elf. The elf quickly jumped into the air and spun around in a circular motion, releasing two crescents of fire magic from his swords toward the beam of wind.


    The wind and fire magic attacks collided in an explosion, which rang loudly in Elianna''s ears. Elianna watched the display of power with a wide smile, as she always loved watching the knights train.


    "Elianna."


    Elianna''s head snapped to her left when she heard her name, and she saw her father watching her with a humorous smile.


    Lucian knew and always adored how much she loved magic and watching the knights train. Seeing the bright smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes always brought him a sense of joy.


    Lucian looked at Elianna curiously, "So? What did you see?"


    Elianna shrugged, "They were training like usual. One had a spear and used wind magic, while the other had swords and used fire magic."


    Lucian nodded, "That''s correct. But what did they both have in common?"


    Elianna looked confused, not knowing what he meant. She looked back toward the elf and human, seeing that the elf had now closed the distance to the human. The elf repeatedly slashed his fire-coated swords at the human while the human parried the attacks with his wind-coated spear.


    Elianna watched both of them closely, trying to figure out what they had in common. She noticed they moved differently, used different types of magic, and had different weapons. Elianna was confused and was about to ask her father what he meant until it clicked. Her brows raised in realization, seeing the translucent barrier around both of them.


    Elianna looked at her father excitedly, "The barrier!"


    Lucian chuckled and nodded, "That''s correct." Lucian stepped back, and Elianna was mesmerized as a white translucent barrier formed around her father. Lucian gestured to himself, "This is called a mana guard. It''s a technique used by augmenters."


    Elianna looked around, seeing the knights that were sparing with each other or hitting training dummies did indeed have a mana guard around them.


    "The mana guard serves several purposes," Lucian continued, and Elianna looked at him. "It is like a second skin. It wraps around your body and acts like armor. The mana guard will also protect you from being directly manipulated by mage spells or even cancel an active spell effect, such as transformation spells."


    Elianna looked at her father curiously, "Transformation spells?"


    "It lets a mage change their own or another''s appearance," Lucian explained. "Our mana guards can prevent that. It can also protect augmenters from attack spells. However, our mana guards are not perfect. Spells or attacks can pierce them, like any type of armor. The stronger your mana guard, the more damage it can take. Any questions?"


    Elianna shook her head, "No."


    "Alright then," Lucian said as he canceled his mana guard, and the barrier faded away. He sat cross-legged on the ground, and Elianna followed his lead, sitting in front and facing him. "I''m now going to teach you how to form a mana guard."


    Elianna smiled and nodded in excitement, "I''m ready."


    Lucian chuckled as he loved how excited his daughter got during training. "You already know how to push mana through your body to enhance yourself, which is the first step to the mana guard. Now, go ahead and push the mana through your body, like you did before during the movement drill."


    Elianna nodded and did as her father said. She focused on her mana core and directed the mana through her body, feeling it course through her channels and veins.


    "Good, now the mana guard stems from the channels inside your body and wraps around you. Focus on the mana flowing through your channels, and push it out."


    Elianna looked confused, "Push it out?"


    Lucian nodded, "Push the mana past your channels. We augmenters can direct the mana coursing inside us and form it around our bodies. That is how we form the mana guard."


    Elianna nodded and closed her eyes. She visualized the mana coursing through her, seeing the pure white energy flowing through her channels like rivers. She focused on the mana, remembering what her father taught her. Magic was based on willpower and intent. You must concentrate on the mana and, through your intent and visualization, can direct it.


    Elianna focused on her mana and breathing. Because she was so deep in concentration, she stopped hearing the sound of the knight''s training, and she felt the mana coursing through her channels begin to fluctuate.


    The mana flowing through Elianna began to expand, and she visualized it pushing out and wrapping around her. Her skin began to feel warm, the same warmth she felt when she pushed mana through her body, and she stopped feeling the wind brush against her skin.


    "Elianna," Lucian said, and Elianna jumped slightly in surprise. "Open your eyes."


    Elianna slowly opened her eyes, seeing her father smiling proudly at her. Her vision was clear, and she didn''t see anything different. Elianna looked down, her eyes widening with surprise, seeing a white translucent barrier around her, and the mana barrier fluctuated a little.


    "Keep your concentration," Lucian said gently.


    Elianna took a breath, concentrating on her mana guard, and it held firm.


    "Very good, munchkin," Lucian said contentedly and stood up. "Go ahead and stand up."


    Elianna slowly got to her feet while concentrating on holding her mana guard.


    Lucian gestured to Elianna, "Now that you know how the mana guard feels, go ahead and dismiss it."


    Elianna nodded and canceled the flow of mana through her body. She felt the flow of mana stop and watched as her mana guard disappeared.


    "Good," Lucian said and shifted on his feet. He placed his left foot in front of his right and held his hands up in fists. "Now, get into this stance."


    Elianna beamed with excitement, "Are we starting combat training?"


    Lucian smiled, "Yes. Now get into this stance." Elianna quickly and excitedly mimicked her father''s stance. "Good," Lucian said and stood straight. He took a pair of sparring pads out of his spatial ring and put them on. He held his hands up, "Go ahead and give the sparring pad one good punch. We will work on technique later. First, I want to show you something."


    Elianna nodded and punched his left pad with her right fist as hard as she could. Her fist and wrist immediately throbbed, and she pulled her arm back, "Ow."


    Lucian chuckled and smiled, "Punching can hurt. Especially with the wrong technique. Now, apply your mana guard."


    Elianna nodded and concentrated. This time, she kept her eyes open and pushed the mana through her channels. Like before, she focused on the mana forming around her and watched her arms with a smile as her mana guard formed.


    "Very good," Lucian said happily, seeing his daughter grasp the training quickly. "Now, punch with your right hand again."


    Elianna nodded and got back into her fighting stance. She moved just like before and punched as hard as she could. However, this time, her eyes widened in pleasant surprise when her fist connected with the sparring pad, as she felt the physical connection but no pain.


    Lucian smiled, seeing her surprise, "Your mana guard reinforces your body through your mana veins and makes it highly durable. While you will still feel the force of something striking you, the mana guard will block some of the pain but not all, especially against strong attacks."


    Elianna stood straight, looking at her hands in awe. She flicked her left arm, taking note that she could feel the slight pressure behind it but felt no pain.


    Lucian held up his sparing pads, excited to teach his daughter, "Ready, munchkin?"


    Elianna smiled, looked at her father determinedly, and got into a fighting stance, "Ready."

 Chapter 8

    Elianna''s skin glistened with sweat as she panted hard, trying to catch her breath. If she had learned anything this past year, it was that her father''s combat training was far more intense than the physical exercises he showed her to strengthen her body. Though she may complain at times, she truly loved the time she got to spend with her father during her training. She definitely enjoyed her training days more than the days she had to stay home and study with Justine.


    The cool breeze was a comfort as it brushed against her skin, and when she looked up, she was thankful for the clouds that covered the afternoon sun. Elianna closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing as she sat on the lush green grass in front of the headquarters building. She counted each breath to herself, noticing her respiration rate decreasing with each breath. Soon enough, she found herself relaxed and her breathing rhythmic.


    "How are you holding up?"


    Elianna looked at her father, who was sitting a few feet before her, smiling at her. He held a small black canteen in his right hand, similar to the one she was holding.


    Lucian looked at his daughter curiously, "Do you need to take a longer break?"


    Elianna shook her head, "No, I''m fine." She took another sip of her canteen, cherishing the refreshing water as it hit her lips.


    Lucian smiled, "You sure? You can take a longer break if you want to. Don''t push yourself too hard."


    Elianna screwed the lid back onto the canteen and got back to her feet. "I know, but I''m fine. Let''s keep going."


    "Alright," Lucian got to his feet, storing his canteen in his spatial ring. He motioned to Elianna, who tossed her canteen to him, and he stored it in his ring as well. He took the sparing pads out of his ring and began to put them on, "We will continue with the two one-two drills."


    Elianna nodded and reached back, tying her hair into a ponytail. When she first started combat training, her father had recommended tying her hair back to keep it out of her eyes. She tested out two different styles: the bun and the ponytail. In the end, she decided the bun was tedious and would sometimes come loose. However, she realized the ponytail was much easier to maintain, as she could undo and redo it quickly as she did earlier when she was cooling down.


    Once she had tied her hair back, she looked at her father and saw that he had put on his sparring pads. Lucian held his hands up and smiled, "Ready?"


    Elianna nodded and approached him. She got into her usual fighting stance, placing one foot in front of the other, and held her fists up. She took a deep breath, pushed mana through her body, and activated her mana guard, "Ready."


    Lucian''s smile faded, and he looked at his daughter seriously. He went into his training mode, as Elianna liked to call it. "Punch, kick, punch!"


    Elianna burst into action, throwing a right hook to Lucian''s right sparring pad and quickly following up with a left hook to his left sparring pad. She punched as hard as she could, feeling the connection of her punches. She brought her hands back and kicked up with her right foot. Lucian brought down his right sparring pad, meeting her kick, before holding his hand back up. Elianna quickly got back into her fighting pose and threw two more punches.


    "Good!" Lucian yelled and took a step back. "Side kick, spin kick, side kick."


    Elianna quickly adjusted her fighting stance so she was canted with her father. Using her right leg, she delivered two quick side kicks, which he blocked with ease with his right sparring pad. Elianna planted her right foot on the ground, spun on her heel, and delivered a spin kick to her father with her left foot. Lucian blocked the spin kick, taking another step back. Elianna quickly readjusted herself before delivering two more side kicks with her left foot, which Lucian blocked.


    "Very good!" Lucian commended and stepped toward his daughter. "Punch, uppercut, punch."


    Elianna didn''t hesitate to throw a punch, connecting her left fist with her father''s left sparring pad. Suddenly, before Elianna could bring her arm back, Lucian swung his right arm out toward her head. Elianna''s attention snapped toward the sparring pad aimed at her head, and she quickly ducked. Her father advised her he would sometimes sneak attack like this. The first time he did it, he knocked her on the floor, which she was sure would''ve hurt a lot more if she hadn''t had her mana guard activated.


    Lucian''s sparring pad sailed harmlessly over her head, and she stood back up, getting back into her attack stance. Lucian held both sparring pads up, and Elianna delivered a quick right punch. Lucian angled his sparring pads down, and Elianna delivered a quick uppercut with her right hand. Once Lucian held his sparring pads up again, Elianna delivered two more quick punches as hard as she could.


    Lucian smiled proudly, "Excellent!" He lowered his sparring pads, "Relax, munchkin."


    Elianna looked a little surprised, lowered her hands, and deactivated her mana guard, "That''s it?"


    Lucian smiled contently and nodded, "That''s it. Your technique and reaction time are exceptional. It''s time we moved on with your training."


    Elianna smiled, feeling joyful from her father''s compliment. "What are we going to work on now?"


    "First things first," Lucian took his sparring pads off and stored them inside his spatial ring. He raised his right hand, palm face up, and a smooth silver ring appeared in his hand. Lucian smiled at his daughter, "Do you know what this is?"


    Elianna raised a brow, "Uh, a ring?"


    Lucian chuckled, "Technically, yes. It''s a spatial ring." He dropped the silver ring into his left hand and raised his right, revealing a gold ring on his right ring finger. "This is my spatial ring. As you know, they''re used to hold items."


    "Like a bag."


    Lucian smiled and nodded, "Yes, like a bag."


    Elianna looked at her father curiously, "So why do you need two spatial rings?"


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "I don''t," Lucian held out his left hand, the spatial ring lying flat on his palm. "This one is yours, munchkin."


    Elianna beamed, her eyes locked on the spatial ring. She slowly reached out and picked up the ring, being gentle with it, thinking it was the most precious thing in the world. "It''s mine?" Elianna breathed out in disbelief.


    Lucian chortled and nodded, "It is."


    Elianna smiled, her eyes tearing up with joy. She quickly moved forward, wrapping her arms around her father in a loving hug. "Thanks, Dad!"


    Lucian smiled affectionately, returning her hug, "You''re welcome, munchkin." They broke the hug, and Lucian gestured to her, "Go ahead and put it on."


    Elianna nodded and excitedly slipped the ring onto her right ring finger. However, her smile faded, seeing the ring was a little too big for her. "It''s too b-" Her eyes widened with surprise, watching as the ring began to glow with an emerald green hue. The ring started to shrink, settling comfortably on her finger. "Woah," Elianna breathed out in awe, wiggling her fingers. "That was so cool."


    "Spatial rings are designed to fit its wearer," Lucian began, and Elianna looked at him. "As you grow, your ring will grow with you."


    Elianna nodded and looked at the ring again, seeing its silver band shine against her skin. She smiled happily, "I love it."


    "I have one more thing for you," Lucian said, and Elianna looked at him again.


    Lucian raised his right hand, taking a short brown wooden sword out from his spatial ring. Elianna''s eyes widened with excitement, seeing the wooden sword in her father''s right hand. It looked to be a basic sword design, with its blade about the length of Elianna''s arm and a crossguard separating the blade from the hilt.


    "Elianna," Lucian said, looking at his daughter seriously. The excitement in Elianna''s eyes faded, and she looked at her father curiously. Lucian held the wooden sword up, "While this is a wooden sword, I do not want you treating this like a toy. You will treat this as if it is real. Understood?"


    Elianna shrank back a little and nodded, "Understood."


    Lucian''s gaze softened, seeing his daughter''s reaction to his tone. "I''m not trying to scare you, munchkin." He squatted down so he was face-to-face with his daughter. "It''s just that the more you get used to treating this sword like it is real, the more careful you will be when wielding a real one. Okay?"


    Elianna smiled, "Okay."


    "Good," Lucian patted Elianna on her head before he got to his feet. He reached the sword out to her, "Here. This will be yours, and you will keep it on you."


    Elianna''s heart was beating quickly with excitement. With her father''s words ringing in her ear, she grabbed the sword by the hilt and held it up before her. Her eyes traced the wooden sword up and down, "It''s heavier than I thought."


    "It''s made that way," Lucian said, pointing to the sword. "While training swords aren''t as heavy as real swords, they''re made to be heavier to mimic the real thing. This way, knights are used to the weight of a sword."


    Elianna nodded and waved the sword around a little, remembering what her father had said about being careful with it. Her lips curved into a smile, feeling the sword in her hands. It was something she had dreamed of ever since she saw the knights training on her fifth birthday. Now, here she was, three years later, and holding a sword.


    "Now," Lucian began. Elianna stopped waving around her sword and looked at her father. He held up his spatial ring, "Using spatial rings is quite easy. All you have to do is push mana into it and, with your intent, take an item out or store something away." He gestured to his daughter. "So, what I want you to do is direct the mana flowing inside you to the ring. The ring will then activate, and from there, you can use it."


    Elianna nodded and looked at her ring. Focusing on her mana core, she directed her mana to flow through her right arm. She focused on her ring and pictured her mana flowing into it. Like a sponge absorbing water, the mana flowed into the ring, which felt warm on Elianna''s finger. Staying focused, she looked at her sword and thought of it going into her ring. The sword disappeared in a flash of emerald green light, and Elianna''s eyes widened in awe. Her eyes flicked to the ring, and she could sense the sword inside, like an itch in the back of her mind.


    "Very good," Lucian complimented. "Taking out the sword is just as easy. Just-"


    Lucian didn''t even finish his sentence as Elianna pulled the sword out of her ring, which appeared in her right hand once again. Elianna smiled gleefully, cutting off the mana to her ring, "This is so cool!"


    Lucian smiled, "This way, it''ll be easier to carry your sword around. Plus, you can store other items in your ring if you want."


    Elianna looked at her father curiously, "Can it hold a lot?"


    Lucian shrugged, "About as much as a storage room, I would say." He smiled and gestured to her, "Now, as you''ve probably guessed, we are now going to start training on sword skills. Are you ready?"


    Elianna smiled and nodded in excitement, "I''m ready."


    "Good," Lucian began. "First les-"


    "Commander."


    Lucian and Elianna looked to the side and saw three individuals approaching them, all dressed in formal Tri-Union military attire. The first individual was Hector, the lieutenant commander of the Tri-Union City forces.


    The second individual was an elven man who looked to be in his forties. He was tall and muscular, with short green hair and brown eyes. Two gold triangles on his uniform collar signified his rank as a captain.


    Walking beside the green-haired man was a human male who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. He was just about as tall as the green-haired man but looked to be more muscular. He had medium-length midnight-black hair and sapphire eyes. A single gold triangle on his uniform collar signified his rank as a lieutenant.


    Lucian looked at the three men and smiled, "Hello, Hector." His eyes flicked to the green-haired man, "Maurus." He looked at the black-haired man, "And Mathew."


    Hector looked at Elianna and smiled, "Hello, little Elle. How''re you?"


    Elianna returned his smile, "Hey, Uncle Hector! I''m good!" She held up her wooden sword, "Dad was just about to teach me sword skills!"


    Hector chuckled, "Was he now? Just be careful. Swords aren''t toys."


    Elianna nodded, "I will."


    Lucian looked at Maurus curiously, "Hector showing you the ropes of lieutenant commander before he retires?"


    Maurus smiled and nodded, "Yes, sir." He gestured to Mathew behind him, "And Mathew is shadowing me for when he takes my spot."


    Lucian looked at Mathew and Maurus simultaneously, "You''re about to take on new responsibilities. Are you both ready?"


    Mathew and Maurus nodded and, at the same time, said, "Yes, sir."


    "What''s retires?" Elianna curiously asked.


    Lucian looked at his daughter and said, "It means that Hector will no longer be part of the Tri-Union forces."


    Elianna looked at Hector with a saddened gaze, "Uncle Hector, You''re leaving?"


    Hector gave Elianna a small smile, "Not for a few more months. But yes, little one."


    Elianna physically slumped, not wanting him to leave. Hector was like family to her, and she didn''t really hang out with anyone anymore. "Where will you go?"


    Hector looked up, thinking, "I think I''ll join my son and become an adventurer and go off and explore the continent." He looked at Elianna and smiled, "But don''t worry. I''ll still visit. Besides," he gestured to the two men behind him, "these two aren''t bad company."


    Elianna looked at Maurus and Mathew curiously. She had seen Maurus around the headquarters building and had a few conversations with him in the past. Mathew, however, she had never met before.


    Maurus smiled, "It''s good to see you again, Elle."


    Elianna returned his smile, "You too." Her eyes flicked back to Mathew, and she gave him a small wave, "Hello, I''m Elianna."


    Mathew returned her smile and waved, "Good afternoon, Elianna. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    Elianna''s smile widened, seeing that he was friendly. "Nice to meet you, too. My friends call me Elle. You can call me that if you want."


    Mathew chuckled, "Elle, it is."


    Lucian smiled, glad to see her getting along with the others. He looked at Hector curiously, "Were you just stopping by to say hi?"


    Hector sighed and looked at Lucian seriously. "I''m afraid not." Lucian''s smile faded, seeing Hector''s change of demeanor. "We just received a report from one of the outposts. There''s something pertinent we need to discuss."

 Chapter 9

    Elianna sat cross-legged on the black leather couch of her father''s office in the headquarters building. She appreciated the silence, as it allowed her to concentrate on her mana core. Feeling and drawing in the ambient mana around her, she could see her radiant star behind her eyes and feel its warmth thrumming with power.


    This process was always difficult for Elianna since she wasn''t fond of staying still. But if it meant improving, she would work as hard as she could, just like she did with everything else. She could feel the atmospheric mana all around her, drawing it into her body and feeling it flow through her channels to her core. The mana in her core swirled around, filling her core to the brink.


    Elianna''s brows furrowed as she began to feel a strain in her mana core. She stopped absorbing mana and the refinement process, opened her eyes, and let out a deep breath, releasing all her physical tension. She raised her arms above her head in a deep stretch and stood up from the couch.


    Growing bored, Elianna''s eyes fell to her father''s desk, wondering when he would return. She remembered how when Hector told her father they had something to discuss, her father told her to wait in his office. She watched as her father, Hector, Maurus, and Mathew entered the meeting room together before she went to her father''s office, where she had been waiting ever since. She wasn''t sure exactly how long she had been waiting, but to her, it had been forever.


    Feeling impatient and wanting to go practice with the new wooden sword her father gave her, Elianna grumbled and plopped back down on the leather couch. Leaning her head against the couch''s backrest, Elianna stared at the ceiling, wondering what her father and the others could be talking about.


    With her boredom reaching its peak again, Elianna returned to her cross-legged sitting position. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on feeling the mana around her and drew it in. The mana was warm with energy as it traveled through her channels, flowing into her core again. She felt the strain from before once more, watching as the radiant light from her star flickered.


    Elianna''s brows furrowed. She was not exactly sure why she was feeling this strain, but she continued to train her mana core just like her father taught her. Refining the mana in her core was always a strange sensation, almost like a raging energy inside her becoming tranquil. With the mana swirling around in her mana core, the strain began to grow. Elianna winced a little at the strain and was about to stop when her brows raised in surprise.


    Elianna watched her radiant core, seeing its light fluctuate until it began to dim. She thought something was wrong until she saw it: the second star. No longer did she have one radiant star, but two shimmering stars sitting parallel to each other. Her eyes shot open, a wide, excited smile forming on her lips.


    Elianna jumped off the couch, throwing her arms into the air, and cheered. Her father had explained to her the progression of mana cores, and she knew she was close to reaching her second star, but seeing that second star appear still came as a pleasant surprise. Looking down at her arms, Elianna channeled mana through herself. Her brows raised, feeling the significant difference of power flowing through her and her two stars working in tandem. It was almost like someone had increased the flow of water from a faucet, increasing the strength of the water pressure.


    Elianna smiled proudly, feeling a sense of excitement and accomplishment. The first thing that popped into her mind was that she wanted to tell her father. She dashed for the office door and swung it open. Stepping out into the open area, the first thing she saw was her father''s assistant, Lewis, sitting at his deck.


    Lewis looked up and smiled at Elianna, seeing her walk out, "Good afternoon, Lady Elianna. Did you need something?"


    Elianna nodded excitedly, "Have you seen my dad?"


    Lewis hummed and looked toward the double doors to the meeting room. "I believe he is still with the others."


    "Thanks!" Elianna chirped and ran toward the room.


    Lewis yelled something after her, but Elianna was too excited to notice what he said. She approached the double doors, noticing it was slightly cracked open. She peeked inside and smiled, seeing her father in the room, but he wasn''t alone.


    The meeting room was large and elegant, with dark gray wooden flooring and white walls. On the left side of the room were paintings hanging on the wall, depicting Mages performing magic. On the right side were more paintings depicting knights in valiant combat. A large brown wooden table was situated in the middle of the room, with six black leather chairs on each side and two more black leather chairs at the end.


    Lucian stood at the end of the table, with Hector, Maurus, and Mathew standing to his left. To her father''s right were two individuals in mage apparel, minus their cloaks, both of whom Elianna recognized: Matilda and Alric. Alric was an older elven man with dark charcoal gray hair and brown eyes. The olive branches on his collar signified he was the High-Mage of the Tri-Union City Mage Order and Matilda''s second in command.


    "This is the seventh encounter with them, and we have no idea what they want?" Matilda asked, looking at the papers scattered on the table. She looked up at Hector with a concerned look.


    Hector looked at Matilda and shook his head, "No. We just know their name."


    Lucian leaned forward, bracing his hands on the desk, stared at the paperwork, and said, in a darkened tone, "The infernal cult."


    Hector looked at Lucian, "Olkar outpost is looking more into this last encounter as we speak."


    Lucian nodded, "Good. I want to be kept up to d-"


    "Lady Elianna!" A voice hastily whispered.


    Elianna looked away from the confusing conversation, seeing Lewis standing beside her with a worried look. Lewis held his hand out to her, "Lady Elianna, please. Let''s go back to Commander Vail''s office. You''re not supposed to be standing out here."


    Elianna looked at Lewis, confused, "Why not?"


    Lewis looked at the double doors, seeming uncomfortable, before looking back at Elianna. "These meetings are confidential. Secret. No one is supposed to lis-" Lewis stiffened and stood straight as an arrow at attention as the double doors opened.


    Matilda peeked her head out and looked at Lewis curiously. Her eyes flicked down, and she smiled, seeing Elianna standing there, "What do we have here?"


    Elianna smiled and waved, "Hello, Aunt Matilda."


    Lewis swallowed hard, looking nervous, "A-Apologies, Arch-Mage Matilda. I was trying to get her to go back to Commander Vail''s office and not listen to the meeting."


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Matilda humorously raised a brow, "Eavesdropping, are we?"


    "Who is it?" Hector called out from inside the room.


    Matilda smiled, moving to the side and opening the door wider, looking into the room at everyone else, "We have a visitor."


    Elianna peered inside the room, seeing everyone looking at the doors curiously. Lucian''s eyes widened in surprise before he smiled and sighed. His eyes flicked to the side, seeing Lewis standing straight.


    Lewis flinched as Lucian''s eyes fell on him, "S-Sorry, Sir. I-"


    Lucian waved his hand dismissively, "Don''t worry. You can go back to work."


    Lewis nodded and hastily turned around, making his way to his desk.


    Hector crossed his arms and chuckled, "What brings you here, little one?"


    Matilda motioned for Elianna to come inside and walked back into the room. Elianna moved into the room as Matilda approached and stood by Alric.


    Approaching the table, Elianna''s eyes flicked to the papers, seeing several of them scattered. Atop the papers was a piece of red cloth with a symbol of a black dead tree that was surrounded by a black circle.


    Hector followed Elianna''s gaze and quickly flipped the papers over, covering the cloth.


    Noticing the motion, Lucian nodded to Hector in thanks before smiling at his daughter, "I thought you were going to wait for me in my office."


    Elianna looked at her father and smiled brightly, remembering why she was there, " I was! But then something happened, and I wanted to come and tell you!" Everyone in the room smiled, seeing how excited Elianna was, thinking she was cute. Elianna stood straight and with a proud expression, "See anything different?"


    Lucian tilted his head, looking at his daughter curiously. He looked her up and down, not seeing anything obviously different. Seeing how enthusiastic his daughter was, Lucian knew it couldn''t be something simple.


    Inquiringly, Lucian looked at his daughter''s mana core, and his eyes widened in surprise. But his surprise was soon replaced with pride as he yelled, "You reached the second star?!"


    Everyone''s brows raised in surprise, and they looked at Elianna''s mana core. Disbelief washed over them, seeing her two shimmering stars side by side.


    Elianna nodded jovially, "I got it in the office!"


    "Ha!" Lucian cheered. He ran around the room at lightning speed, and Elianna giggled as Lucian picked her up and held her high. "That''s my daughter!"


    "That''s..." Hector began, nearly speechless. He finally chuckled, shaking his head, and smiled. "That''s amazing."


    Alric looked at Elianna with an impressed expression, "She''s eight, right?"


    Lucian set Elianna back on the ground and nodded, "That she is."


    "Most kids would be awakening at your age," Mathew commented, smiling at Elianna. "My daughter didn''t even awaken until seven. Congratulations, young one. It''s a remarkable feat."


    "Remarkable indeed," Matilda said, smiling at Elianna but also looking at her curiously. She had always been impressed with Elianna ever since Lucian called her the day she had awakened. But to see her reach her second star at age eight, she could barely believe her eyes.


    "So," Maurus began, crossing his arms, looking at Elianna inquisitively. "Which element are you going to choose?"


    Elianna''s smile faded, and she looked at Maurus confused, "Huh?"


    Lucian chuckled and looked at Maurus, "We haven''t discussed elemental cores yet."


    Hector smiled at Elianna, "You''re in for an amazing lesson, little one."


    Hearing Hector, Elianna looked at her father excitedly, "Can we start now?"


    Lucian''s smile faded, and he looked back at the paperwork on the table. He sighed, knowing there were more things to discuss.


    "Don''t worry," Hector began, and Lucian looked at him. "I''ll contact Olkar Outpost and get further details. We can then discuss everything tomorrow."


    Lucian smiled appreciatively and nodded, "Thank you."


    Hector returned the smile, "Don''t mention it." He looked at Elianna and winked, "Have fun, little one."


    Elianna nodded excitedly, "I will!" She excitedly grabbed her father''s hand and pulled, "Come on!"


    Lucian chuckled, letting Elianna pull him out of the room, "Slow down, munchkin. We have time."


    Elianna nodded, letting go of her father''s hand, and walked beside him. She had a wide, excited smile on her face as they made their way through the headquarters building and stepped outside. Elianna squinted as the bright sunlight flashed before her, and the warm temperature outside was significantly different from the spell-cooled inside of the headquarters building.


    "Follow me," Lucian said.


    Elianna followed her father down the steps of the headquarters building and onto the lush grassy area. Lucian turned to face his daughter fully and sat on the grass, gesturing her to do the same. Elianna sat down, facing her father, smiling eagerly.


    Lucian smiled, seeing how Elianna was anticipating this lesson. In truth, so was he. "As Maurus mentioned, now that you have reached your second star, you can choose an element."


    Lucian raised his hand, and Elianna''s eyes widened in awe as she watched Lucian coat his hand in fire magic. Lucian chuckled, seeing his daughter''s expression. The flames dispersed and were quickly replaced with water magic, then earth, then wind.


    Once Lucian demonstrated the four basic elements, he put his hand down, dismissing the magic. "Once an augmenter obtains their second star, our mana core and channels become strong enough to form and sustain a single elemental core, giving you access to an element of your choosing."


    Elianna''s brows raised in surprise, "I can choose?!"


    Lucian smiled and nodded, "You can."


    "Can I use all four like you?!"


    Lucian chuckled and shook his head, "Only eight stars and above can use all four elements."


    Elianna''s eyes widened in wonder, "You have eight stars?! That''s so cool! It''s so many!"


    "Actually, I have nine," Lucian winked, and Elianna''s admiration increased. "As we grow stronger, the more elemental cores we can have. At the second star, we can have one. At four stars, two. Six stars, three. And eight stars, all four. Now, close your eyes."


    Elianna nodded and closed her eyes.


    "Listen to my directions. First, focus on the mana flowing into you," Lucian began.


    Listening to her father, Elianna focused on the mana particles she was absorbing, seeing their different colors of ruby, sapphire, silver, bronze, and emerald. She knew these were the colors of fire, water, air, earth, and nature mana.


    Lucian continued, "When we draw in the atmospheric mana, we direct it to our core to refine into pure mana and fill our mana cores or strengthen them. To create an elemental core, we need to direct the elemental mana, any of our choosing, to our abdomen."


    Elianna''s brows furrowed, "Abdomen?"


    Lucian reached out, poking Elianna in the abdomen, and she giggled. Lucian smiled, "Right here." Lucian sat straight. "The way we do this is to focus on a single type of elemental mana, be it fire, water, earth, or air. Like directing your pure mana through your body, you direct this elemental mana of your choosing to your abdomen. Once there, you gather the elemental mana and your pure mana will naturally surround it, and it''ll solidify into an elemental core. Just like how there are four elements, there are four different types of elemental cores. Ruby for fire, sapphire for water, bronze for earth, and silver for air. Make sense?"


    Elianna nodded energetically, "Makes sense." Her smile faded, and she curiously tilted her head to the right. "But what about nature mana? There is nature mana, too. Can I make a nature core and use nature magic?"


    Lucian shook his head, "No, our bodies, no matter how strong we are, can''t handle the raw power of a nature core. Many have tried, and all have died in the attempt. Do not try and make one."


    "Hmmm," Elianna hummed. "What about ice magic? I''ve seen knights use it."


    "Ice magic is a higher element; the same goes for lava, plant, and lightning magic. Fusion magic is required to access these elements."


    "Fusion magic?"


    Lucian chuckled, "I''ll explain later when you''re ready to learn it. For now, focus on the four elements I demonstrated earlier to decide what elemental core you want."


    Elianna''s brows furrowed, feeling indecisive, "Which element should I choose?"


    "Open your eyes, munchkin."


    Elianna opened her eyes and saw her father sitting across from her, smiling warmly.


    "Choosing your first element is a big deal. It''s the first one you will be trained on and the only one you will have for a few years until when or if you get stronger."


    "A big deal?" Elianna asked, And Lucian nodded. Elianna''s eyes flicked down, feeling unsure which one she should choose. She looked at her father curiously, "What was your first one?"


    Lucian chuckled and shook his head, "I''m not going to influence your answer. This is something you need to figure out."


    Elianna''s brows furrowed, her mind racing. She remembered her father holding up his hand, showing her all four elements. But she couldn''t decide which one she wanted.


    "Can..." Elianna looked at her father. "Can I think about it?"


    Lucian smiled warmly, "Of course, munchkin."


    Lucian got to his feet and gestured for Elianna to stand up.


    Elianna got to her feet and looked at her father inquisitively, "What are we doing now?"


    Lucian smirked and removed his wooden sword from his spatial ring, "We''re going to continue our sword training. Ready?"


    Elianna smiled jovially and nodded ardently, taking out her wooden sword, "Ready!"

 Chapter 10

    The library in the Vail mansion was silent, except for the sound of the mounted clock ticking and the noises coming from Elianna''s pencil as she scribbled words on her paper. She finished her answer on the third page before flipping it over, revealing a new page full of questions on the packet she was working on.


    Elianna sighed, placed her elbow on the table, and propped her head onto her hand. Elianna''s eyes flicked over to Justine, who was sitting nonchalantly across from her at the table, reading the book in her hand. Justine''s eyes moved away from the book, meeting Elianna''s gaze, and she smiled.


    "Hurry up, Elianna." Justine looked at the clock. "You only have ten more minutes to complete your test."


    Elianna grumbled, hating tests, "I''m almost done. I''m on the final page."


    Justine nodded and went back to reading, "Don''t rush. Read the questions thoroughly."


    Elianna stretched her arms out, hating sitting still. She looked back at the reading and writing test before her and read the first question on the page. It was a question asking her to rewrite the sentence correctly. Going over the question in her head, she wrote out the answer before moving on to the next question.


    The questions were simple, thanks to the studying her mom helped her out with. She eventually reached the final question, which was a reading question. She read over the paragraph and read the prompt, which asked her to place punctuation throughout the paragraph properly. Elianna sighed, just wanting to get the test over with. She began to re-read the paragraph, placing punctuations as she went. Once she was complete, she closed the packet and set the pencil down.


    Elianna sat straight, looking at her teacher, "I''ve completed the test."


    Justine''s eyes flicked up. She saw Elianna sitting properly, as she had been taught. She looked at the test, which was neatly closed, with the pencil lying beside it.


    Justine humorously smiled and closed her book, looking back at Elianna. "While I know you are my only student, you still need to write your name to get credit."


    Elianna''s brows furrowed in confusion before she looked at her test. Her eyes widened, and she felt like an idiot, seeing that the name section was blank. She quickly picked up her pencil, jotting down her name, before placing the pencil to the side again.


    Elianna reviewed the first page of the test before looking at Justine again. "Now, I''ve completed the test."


    Justine chuckled before reaching her hand out. Elianna slid the test over to her teacher, who took it and placed it before her. Justine took a booklet out of her bag that was situated in the chair beside her, which Elianna recognized as the answer key, containing the correct answers to the test. Justine placed the book down and opened it to the page with the bookmark.


    Taking out a red pencil from her bag, Justine began to look over Elianna''s test, "Let''s see here."


    Elianna sat there anxiously, watching Justine as she read over her answers. Her eyes flicked to the clock, watching the seconds tick by, before looking back at Justine. She began to twiddle her thumbs, watching as Justine turned the first page over without marking a single one of Elianna''s answers on the first page.


    Beginning to feel restless, Elianna''s eyes darted between Justine and the clock, watching as she turned over the second page. Elianna wasn''t nervous about knowing if she passed the test or not. She had the confidence to know she did well. She was eager for Justine to finish grading the test because this was the last assignment she had to complete for the day.


    Justine paused, her eyes flicked up and she smiled, seeing Elianna fidgeting in her chair, "Patience is a virtue, young lady."


    Elianna''s eyes flicked back to Justine, and she stopped moving, sighed, and nodded. Elianna knew the saying well, as she had heard it in every other tutoring session from her teacher. "Yes, Teacher."


    Justine looked back at the test and continued her grading, "I''ll be finished soon, don''t worry."


    Elianna nodded and remained still, watching Justine as she finished grading the third page of the test. Now, time seemed to slow down as Elianna watched Justine look over the last page of the test. She swore Justine was now purposefully going slower, driving Elianna insane.


    Straightening in her seat, Elianna''s eyes were locked on her test as Justine reached the final question. Her eyes were darting between Justine''s pencil and her face, waiting for her to finish. At long last, Justine sat up and flipped the packet over.


    "Very good, Elianna," Justine said contently, writing out a hundred percent on the top of the test. "A perfect score." Justine placed the pencil down and looked up. Her smile widened, seeing Elianna sitting there stiffly, with her eyes darting between her and the door. Justine chuckled, "Okay. You are dismissed from your lessons for the day."


    Elianna cheered as she abruptly stood up, almost knocking the chair over. She ran around the table, giving Justine a hug, "Thank you, Teacher!"


    Justine smiled happily and returned the hug, "Have fun, and I will see you next time."


    "Okay!" Elianna chirped as they broke the hug. She smiled and waved at Justine as she ran out of the library, "Bye, Teacher!"


    Elianna dashed through the large hallways before entering the grand entryway.


    "Done with your lessons?"


    Elianna froze and looked toward the voice, seeing Augustus standing beside two young maids, one human with brown hair and one elf with blonde, who were dusting the tables beside the front door. The maids turned around, their eyes falling on Elianna, and bowed.


    "Greetings, Lady Elianna," The maids said in tandem.


    Elianna smiled at the maids, "Hello, you may stand." She looked at Augustus, "Yeah! I''m going to go get changed to practice now!"


    Augustus smiled and nodded, "Very good, My Lady. I assume you will be in the gym, then?"


    Elianna nodded, "Yeah!"


    "Very good. Have a good practice session, My Lady."


    "Thank you!" Elianna said happily as she ran up the right staircase.


    Reaching the second floor, Elianna dashed to her right, moving swiftly through the halls before she reached her room. She entered her room, closed the door behind her, and pulled her training apparel, which consisted of a black shirt and blue shorts, out of her dresser drawer. She quickly got changed, discarding the dress and sandals she was wearing and replacing her clothes with training apparel and running shoes.


    Once changed, Elianna left her room and made her way back downstairs, where she noticed Augustus and the maids no longer by the doors. Elianna dashed out of the grand entryway, making her way through the elegant mansion, and approached a set of brown wooden double doors.


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    Slowing her pace, Elianna opened the double doors and walked inside, entering the extravagantly large gym. Light brown wooden flooring covered the gym''s ground, which matched nicely with its cream-colored painted walls. Various gym equipment was staged alongside the walls, giving her no shortage of options for what to use.


    However, Elianna wasn''t focused on the gym equipment but was looking at the large rectangular sparring area in the center. Elianna approached the sparring area, passing the pedestal that was used to control the repair and barrier spells for the sparring area.


    Moving to the center of the sparring area, Elianna did her quick stretches, ensuring her body was nice and loose, before taking her wooden sword out. She took a deep breath, placing her feet at eleven and five o''clock, just like her father taught her. Grasping the wooden hilt, she held her sword up, taking her attack stance.


    Slowly, Elianna began to move her arms and feet in tandem, practicing the fundamental movement skills her father showed her. Just like he said, she was starting slow, getting her body used to the movement. It was different, Elianna realized, using a sword versus using only her fists. The sword acted as an extension of herself, extending her reach.


    On the fourth repetition of the movement skills, Elianna began to move faster. The polished, hard wooden floor beneath her screeched as her shoes glided across it. Her movements were swift, moving faster and faster with each repetition. Her father told her slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. The more her body got used to the movement, the quicker and more fluidly she could move.


    As Elianna completed one more iteration before she stopped and thrust her sword out in the basic attack she was taught. She immediately brought her sword back, holding it up horizontally in a block. She thrust her sword out again before blocking, repeating this about a dozen times before re-starting her movement drill.


    This was what her father showed her a few days ago and what she had been practicing ever since. He told her to master the basics first, and then they would move on to more advanced work. Elianna was beginning to sweat despite the chilled air from the spell-cooled room. With her breathing increasing, Elianna thrust one more time before taking a deep breath, standing straight, and relaxing.


    Elianna''s head snapped to the gym entrance, hearing clapping. She smiled wide, seeing her mother leaning against the door frame. "Mom!"


    Katarina smiled and walked toward her daughter, "Hello, Sweetie."


    Elianna stored her sword in her spatial ring and ran toward her mother. Katarina laughed jovially as Elianna crashed into her, and they shared a warm, loving hug.


    "Justine told me about the test. Great work."


    They broke the hug, and Elianna smiled, "Thanks, Mom."


    Katarina''s eyes flicked to the sparring area, and she jerked her chin toward it, "Practicing your sword skills?"


    Elianna followed her mother''s gaze and nodded, "Yeah."


    Katarina looked back at her daughter and curiously tilted her head slightly to the right, "Have you thought about what element you want?"


    Elianna''s smile faded, looked down and sighed, "No."


    Choosing an element had weighed on Elianna''s mind for the past few days, ever since she got her second star. She would stare at the knights at the garrison, watching as they trained, seeing what elements they used, hoping it would help her decide. However, it didn''t, and she was at a loss for which to choose.


    Katarina''s lips curved slightly as she saw her daughter struggling with her decision. She looked back toward the sparring area and approached it, saying, "Here, follow me, Sweetie."


    Elianna looked at her mother inquisitively before she followed her to the sparring area. Katarina walked to the center of the sparring area before fully facing her daughter and sat on the floor cross-legged. Elianna followed her mother''s lead and sat on the floor, facing her.


    Elianna jestfully smiled, "Are you finally going to tell me what your first element was?"


    Katarina chuckled and shook her head, "No. Like your father and I said before, we will not influence your choice. But it doesn''t mean I can''t help you choose."


    Elianna looked at her mother, confused, "How?"


    Katarina smiled, "As I assume your father has told you, choosing an element is a big deal. But, there is always one which our bodies lean toward."


    "Lean toward?"


    Katarina nodded, "In a sense, yes. It all comes down to our fighting style. Elemental magic is different in the sense of how the elements are used. Everyone''s fighting style is specific to each person. So, choosing your first element based on your fighting style would be wise."


    Elianna looked at her mother, dumbfounded, "I don''t understand."


    Katarina chuckled and held up her hand, igniting it in fire magic, "Fire is aggressive and destructive. People with a more aggressive fighting style should choose this one." She dispersed the fire, forming water magic around her hand, "Water is tranquil and smooth, but also harsh and unrelenting. People with a more fluid and strong fighting style should choose this element." Dispersing the water, Katarina coated her hand in the wind, "Wind is swift and elegant. People with a more agile fighting style should choose this element." Dispersing the wind, Katarina placed her palm flat on the floor, "Then earth. Earth is steadfast and powerful. People with more of a defensive fighting style should choose this element."


    Listening to her mother intently, Elianna looked at her curiously, "So, which fighting style do I have?"


    Katarina smiled and shook her head, "You need to figure that out, Sweetie." She gestured to her daughter, "Take out your sword and continue your practice, remembering what I told you. It''ll come to you."


    Elianna''s eyes fell, thinking. A moment later, she looked at her mother determinedly and nodded. She got to her feet, took a few steps away from her mother, and took her wooden sword out. She got back into her attack stance and stood there, focusing.


    Taking a deep breath, Elianna began to move her feet and arms slowly, moving her sword around and practicing her fundamentals. As she moved, she focused on her technique and how her body carried itself across the sparring area. She stopped moving, delivering a quick thrust, before going into a defensive pose and continuing her foot and arm work.


    She quickly realized her form was far from defensive, pushing earth out of her mind. She began to move quicker, delivering occasional strikes and blocking with her sword. She didn''t think her movements were aggressive, leaving her with two options. Elianna''s pace quickened, and she moved across the sparring area with ease.


    Katarina watched her daughter intently but also with a bright and proud smile. She could see how her daughter moved, attacked, and defended. It was amazing to her how her daughter adapted to her husband''s training so quickly, but even more amazing how she had already unlocked her second star. She still remembered the day she came home from work and her daughter told her the news. She barely believed her ears before she saw her daughter''s core with her own eyes. Katarina was ecstatic, and that night, they celebrated and had the staff make Elianna her favorite cake.


    Katarina''s eyes fixed back on her daughter, realizing she had been lost in thought. Her smile widened as she saw Elianna moving quicker than before while attacking and defending with ease. Katarina focused on Elianna''s leg work and arms as she thrust and carried her sword. She watched as Elianna performed one more quick sword thrust before she froze, breathing hard and eyes wide. Katarina smirked, knowing her daughter had come to a decision.


    "Ready?"


    Elianna lowered her sword, looked at her mother, smiled, and nodded, "Ready."


    Katarina gestured in front of her, "Sit down, Sweetie." Elianna stored her sword in her spatial ring and sat down before her mother. "Now, close your eyes and focus on the elemental mana you want, then draw that elemental mana to your abdomen. Your own mana will naturally form around and solidify it into an elemental core."


    Hearing and understanding her mother''s instructions, Elianna closed her eyes and focused. She began to draw in the ambient mana around her and concentrated on the particular one she wanted. Her breathing was rhythmic as she began to direct the elemental mana she wanted to her abdomen.


    Directing the elemental mana to her abdomen was easier than Elianna predicted. It was just like channeling mana from her core. She watched behind her eyes as the elemental mana began to pool in her abdomen. She controlled her breathing, focusing on the elemental mana, feeling it build, swirling, and taking a spherical shape.


    Elianna didn''t know how much time had passed, but she watched as the sphere of elemental mana began to shine brightly. Her abdomen began to feel hot, and she saw and felt a translucent barrier of her pure white mana forming around the sphere. The translucent barrier glowed brighter, looking like a pure white ball of mana, and Elianna winced as it burned hot.


    Seeing Elianna wince, Katarina reached out and reassuringly took her daughter''s hand. Katarina remembered what it was like when she formed her first elemental core and knew how painful it could be. So, she wanted to let her daughter know that everything would be okay and that she was there for her.


    Elianna relaxed slightly, feeling her mother''s comforting touch, and continued her focus. Soon, the bright light and burning sensation began to subside. Elianna smiled contently and opened her eyes, seeing a proud expression on her mother''s face.


    "Congrats, Sweetie," Katarina said. "You did it."


    Elianna moved forward, taking her mother into a loving hug, which she returned. "Thanks, Mom."


    Katarina chuckled, holding her daughter in a loving embrace, "Of course, Sweetie."


    Katarina and Elianna hugged each other tightly. Katarina was proud of her daughter, and Elianna was happy, as inside Elianna''s abdomen now sat a sapphire core.

 Chapter 11

    Elianna was deep in concentration, with a wide smile on her face, as she stared at the water magic she was manipulating in her hands. Feeling the water magic course through her body was a strange yet exhilarating sensation. While the pure mana that flowed through her channels felt warm, the water mana felt cool and tranquil.


    She did as her father taught her over this past year, pushing mana out from her mana core and directing it to her elemental core. She felt the water magic swirl with power in her abdomen before directing it through her body. Elianna found that directing the water magic through her channels was easy, as it was the same concept as manipulating the pure mana through her, just with the extra step of pushing the mana into her elemental core.


    Holding both hands in front of her, she watched the water magic dance around. Water coated Elianna''s hands, raising into the air with tendrils of water and taking different shapes that she saw fit. Her father taught her that the elemental magic she produced was an extension of herself, and the water magic she was manipulating felt exactly like that,  like another appendage that she could control.


    Wiggling her fingers, Elianna moved the water in her hands around, forming it into a sphere. As her father taught her, she manipulated the sphere, turning it into a diamond and then a pyramid. Elianna always found it easy and had peace of mind as she manipulated her magic, something she thoroughly enjoyed.


    The carriage Elianna was riding in jolted, and Elianna''s eyes narrowed, seeing the water she was manipulating vibrate as she almost broke her concentration. However, despite the outside distraction, Elianna smiled as she managed to keep her water magic intact.


    "-na"


    Elianna moved her hands around, manipulating the water, forming it into a square.


    "-ianna."


    Wiggling her fingers, Elianna swirled the water inside the square around, watching it circulate, forming a small water cyclone.


    "Elianna."


    Elianna snapped out of her concentration and looked to her left with a curious look. Her eyes fell on her mother, who was sitting beside her, looking at her with a smile.


    Katarina gestured to the water magic Elianna was manipulating, "Why don''t you take a break, Sweetheart."


    "Your mother''s right," Lucian said. Elianna looked at him, seeing him sitting across from her. "You can practice later. Take this time and enjoy being out and about."


    Elianna smiled and nodded, looking down at the water magic in her hands, seeing the water inside the square had stopped moving. "Alright."


    The water magic broke apart, absorbing back into Elianna''s hands, moving through her channels and back into her elemental core. She relaxed her body, stopped pushing mana outside of her mana core, and looked out the window.


    Elianna''s eyes darted around, scanning and watching the scenery outside the carriage. Brick buildings of various colors passed as they rode through the streets of Tri-Union City. Pedestrians, consisting of humans, elves, and dwarves, occupied the sidewalks, walking to their desired destinations. The pedestrians wore different types of apparel, some more fancier than others, showing their social status. Wooden signs hung outside the buildings, with the names and symbols of the business within.


    "So," Elianna began and looked at her father curiously. "Why are we coming to the shopping district again?"


    Lucian smiled, "It''s a surprise."


    Elianna beamed with excitement, "A surprise?!"


    Katarina and Lucian chuckled, sharing a glance, knowing their daughter loved surprises.


    "Yes, Sweetie," Katarina said, running her fingers through her daughter''s hair, which flowed down freely. "And I don''t think you would want us to tell you and ruin the surprise. Would you?"


    Elianna energetically shook her head, "No."


    Lucian laughed, "Well, don''t worry. You''ll find out what it is soon enough."


    Elianna nodded and turned to look outside. She watched as the carriage passed buildings and pedestrians until it came to a halt. Her head whirled, and she looked at her father, "Are we there?!"


    Lucian shook his head, "Not yet."


    The carriage rocked as the driver dismounted, and Katarina, Lucian, and Elianna looked at the carriage door as it opened. Their carriage driver, a young human male with brown hair and gray eyes, slightly bowed.


    "We have arrived at the stables, My Lord and Ladies."


    Katarina smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Samuel."


    "Of course, My Lady," Samuel said and stepped back, moving out of the Vail''s way.


    Lucian was the first to get up and exit the carriage. He turned around and offered his hand to his wife. Katarina and Lucian shared a loving smile as she took his hand, and he helped her out of the carriage.


    "What a gentleman," Katarina jested, giving her husband a quick peck on the lips.


    "Gross," Elianna commented, sticking her tongue out in a disgusted manner.


    Katarina chuckled and looked at her daughter, who was still inside the carriage. "You''ll be doing that with your love one day," she said.


    Lucian''s smile immediately faded, "Which won''t be for a long, long time."


    Katarina chuckled at her husband''s protectiveness.


    Lucian looked inside the carriage and smiled warmly, reaching his hands out, "Come out, Munchkin."


    Elianna moved to exit the carriage, but before she could descend the carriage steps, Lucian grabbed her by her waist. Elianna giggled with glee as her father picked her up and set her down safely beside her.


    Elianna excitedly looked around, seeing the carriage had stopped on the side of the gray cobblestone road. In the center of the road were positive median barriers that contained grass, bushes, and trees.


    "Elianna," Katarina said, smiling at her daughter and reaching her hand out to her. "Take my hand."


    "Mom," Elianna grumbled. "I''m nine. I''m not a child."


    Katarina chuckled, and her loving smile widened, "You will always be my child to me, no matter how old you are. Just take my hand, Sweetie, so I can keep you close."


    A small smile formed on Elianna''s lips at her mother''s words, and she nodded as she took her mother''s hand. Elianna followed her mother and father as they walked around the carriage, moving onto the sidewalk. Elianna looked up, seeing the carriage had parked beside a large red brick building that had several stories. The building had a significantly large entrance, where several soldiers in Tri-Union combat uniforms stood. Above the entrance was a sign that read, "Commercial livery stables." In front of the building was a small stand where a middle-aged dwarf with long black hair, a black beard, and orange eyes stood.


    Katarina held onto her daughter''s hand, and they followed closely behind Lucian as he approached the dwarf. The dwarf was scribbling in a large notebook but stopped and looked up as Lucian approached.


    Lucian nodded to the dwarf, "Good morning. Storage for one carriage for a few hours."


    The dwarf''s eyes flicked to the carriage before looking back at Lucian, "Identification, please."


    Lucian took a small white rectangular card from his spatial ring and handed it to the dwarf. The dwarf looked at the card before going wide-eyed, and his gaze snapped to Lucian.


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    "Lucian Vail?! F-Forgive me. I didn''t recogn-"


    Lucian calmly gestured with his hand, "Don''t worry. I just need a storage space for my carriage."


    The dwarf quickly composed himself, picking up a square wooden tile from a pile sitting on the stand to the dwarf''s right. The dwarf handed the tile and identification card to Lucian.


    The dwarf scribbled into the book, "Storage space fourteen on floor three is all yours, Commander Vail."


    Lucian nodded, "Thank you."


    Lucian turned, and Katarina and Elianna watched as he approached Samuel. Lucian spoke to Samuel, who nodded and got into the driver''s seat. Lucian walked back to Katarina and Elianna as Samuel whipped the reins, and the carriage began moving toward the stable entrance.


    Lucian smiled, approaching his wife and daughter, "Alright, let''s go."


    Lucian and Katarina began walking down the sidewalk on either side of their daughter, with Elianna holding onto her mother''s hand and looking around. Elianna looked through the building windows, seeing shops of all sorts. One building they passed had shelves stocked with decor, silverware, as well as silver and gold plate settings. Another building she noticed was stocked with furniture, while another was full of clothing, both fancy and for everyday wear.


    A sudden, delectable smell filled Elianna''s nostrils, and her head whipped to the side, looking across the street. Her gaze fell on a restaurant, seeing individuals through the windows sitting at nicely polished wooden tables, enjoying their meals.


    "Hungry, Sweetie?"


    Elianna looked up and saw her mother smiling down at her. She returned her mother''s smile and nodded, "A little."


    "We can grab something to eat after we make our first stop," Lucian advised. "I want to get you your surprise first." He looked jestfully at his daughter, "You don''t mind, do you?"


    Elianna excitedly shook her head, "Nu-uh."


    Lucian chuckled, "I thought not."


    The Vail''s continued their way down the sidewalk, with Elianna noticing the different people walking by them. She noticed how some were more casually dressed than others while others wore more extravagant clothing, walking with their chins held high.


    "We''re here."


    Elianna looked at her father, hearing him speak, before following his gaze. She observed they had stopped in front of a brown brick building, which had a large wooden sign hanging outside that read, "Eridas'' weapons and armor."


    Elianna looked at the sign curiously, wondering why they were there. Before she had a chance to ask, Lucian had opened the door, and she followed her mother as they walked in after him.


    The inside of the building was large and spacious. Weapon racks were bolted to the walls, where weapons of different types, shapes, and sizes were mounted. Manakins and clothing racks were scattered throughout the large room, showing off armors of various colors and types. One manakin was adorned with shining silver plate armor, while another was decorated with a simple black chain mail. At the end of the building was a large counter, where an elderly dwarf with long gray hair, a gray beard, and blue eyes stood.


    The dwarf''s eyes flicked to the entrance, and he gave a broad, friendly smile, "Well, look who finally decided to show up."


    Lucian returned the dwarf''s friendly smile, "I would''ve come earlier. But I wasn''t sure how much of your face I could tolerate."


    The dwarf burst into laughter, and Elianna''s eyes darted between the dwarf and her father in confusion. She strictly remembered her father and mother telling her to be nice to people, but here her father was, insulting the man''s face. Elianna looked at her mother, but to her surprise, Katarina also had a warm smile.


    The dwarf calmed down from his laughter and walked around the counter. He approached Lucian and shook his hand, "It''s good to see you again, old friend."


    Lucian nodded, "You as well."


    The dwarf looked at Katarina and smiled, "Good morning, Kat."


    Katarina returned the dwarf''s smile, "Good morning, Eridas. It''s been too long."


    Eridas chuckled and nodded, "That it has." His eyes flicked to Elianna, "And this must be Elianna." Elianna gave a small, shy smile and nodded. "Well, It''s a pleasure to meet you, young lady."


    "Eridas here," Katarina began, gesturing to Eridas and looking at her daughter. "And your father used to work together."


    Elianna looked at Eridas curiously, "You did?" Elianna''s shyness immediately meted away as she looked at Eridas excitedly, "Are you a knight?!"


    Eridas chortled humorously, "I was. I''m retired now."


    "Eridas was actually the commander of the knight order before me," Lucian said, looking at Eridas with a proud smile. "He was an excellent mentor."


    Eridas waved his waved, "Bah, I just did my job." He looked around his store and smiled, "Now, I have a new one."


    "Yeah, you retired just to work in a weapons and armor shop," Lucian laughed.


    Eridas shrugged, "What can I say? Sitting around at home was driving me crazy." He looked at Lucian curiously, "Speaking of work, how is everything?"


    "It''s going good," Lucian said. "Hector just recently retired, and Maurus took his place."


    "Maurus, huh?" Eridas said, scratching his chin. "I guess there are worse choices."


    Lucian chuckled, "He''s still learning his new position but doing well." Lucian curiously grabbed his chin, looking in thought. "That reminds me. I need to meet him tomorrow at the palace. The three kings are having their council meeting soon."


    Eridas rolled his eyes, "Don''t miss those."


    "The palace?!" Elianna interrupted, looking at her father with wonder. "That''s so cool! Can I come?!"


    Lucian smiled at Elianna, "I''m afraid I''ll be busy inspecting the security measures. So if you did come, you might be bored."


    "I can show her around," Katarina suggested with a smile. "I used to be a part of the royal guard unit, remember? I know the castle like the back of my hand. Plus, it''s my day off."


    "Be a part of it," Eridas chuckled. "Modest way of saying the royal guard''s former leader."


    Elianna looked at Katarina with surprise, as she never knew that. Katarina merely smiled and shrugged.


    Lucian looked down and thought for a moment about his wife''s idea before he smiled and nodded, "That''s fine." His eyes flicked to his daughter, "But first, we need to give Elianna her surprise."


    Eridas nodded, "I have it back here."


    Eridas turned and walked back toward the counter. Elianna eagerly followed her parents as they approached the counter as well. Eridas walked behind the counter before he reached down and picked up an object wrapped in thick cloth. He placed the object on the counter and began to unwrap it.


    Elianna''s eyes were fixed on the object and widened in surprise and awe as Eridas moved the last bit of the cloth out of the way. Elianna beamed with excitement, seeing the object: a short sword with a silver blade and a dark gray hilt with a crossguard. In the center of the crossguard was a white oval-shaped gem.


    Elianna''s eyes were fixated on the object, watching as her father picked it up. Lucian smiled contently, nodding in approval.


    "It is well made," Lucian commented and looked at Eridas. "With a durability enchantment, I take it?"


    Eridas looked at Lucian with a deadpan expression, "Of course. What do you take me for?"


    "Durability enchantment?" Elianna asked curiously, her eyes still fixed on the sword.


    Lucian looked at his daughter and smiled humorously, seeing the excitement in her eyes. "Yes, a durability enchantment is the most common and reliable enchantment for a knight''s weapon and armor. It makes their weapons and armor stronger and harder to break. It''s why the knights in our order can wear sleeveless leather armor. It''s lightweight, making it easier for knights to move, and doesn''t restrict their movement. The enchantment makes the leather armor as hard as, I would say, maybe iron. The mana guard also helps the knights protect their exposed skin."


    "Not only that," Katarina cut in. "But the enchantment acts like the mana guard. The enchantments bind the object to its form, preventing mages from directly manipulating it."


    "Uh-huh," Elianna nodded, her gaze fixed on the sword, half listening.


    Lucian laughed, seeing Elianna was distracted by the sword. But his smile faded, and he looked at his daughter seriously, "Elianna." Elianna''s gaze flicked to her father''s, and she straightened, seeing his serious gaze. "You''ve done well with your sword training and shown proficiency in the basic skills. Now, we will move on to more advanced techniques, hence why I''m giving you this sword."


    Lucian approached his daughter, keeping his profound gaze. He knelt before her, meeting her at eye level. "I know you''ve treated your wooden sword as if it is real, but this," he held up the real sword, "is real. You will treat this weapon with respect and show caution with it. Understood."


    Elianna nodded, "Understood."


    "Good," Lucian stood, held out the sword to Elianna, and smiled. "This is yours now. Keep it on you."


    Taking a deep breath, Elianna reached out and grasped the sword by the hilt. Lucian let go of the sword, and Elianna noticed how it was heavier than the wooden sword, but not significantly so.


    "Give it a swing," Eridas said.


    Lucian and Katarina stepped back, and Elianna carefully swung the sword around. Elianna''s heart was beating rapidly in her chest, and her eyes were beaming with excitement as she was finally wielding a real sword. It almost felt like a dream had come true to her.


    Curiously, wanting to feel the difference between using magic with a real sword and a wooden sword, Elianna stopped swinging the sword and held it out. She pushed mana into her elemental core and directed the water magic to her sword arm, as she usually did with her wooden sword. As soon as the elemental mana hit the sword, Elianna''s eyes widened in surprise as water magic burst out around the sword, swirling around it faster and stronger than she meant to.


    "Careful," Lucian advised, and Elianna looked at him. Lucian gestured to the sword, "Unlike the wooden sword, this sword has a mana gem. The white gem on the cross guard." Elianna looked at the mana gem, seeing it glowing saphire with water mana. Lucian continued, "The mana gem is used to amplify the output of one''s mana. It''s designed so the augmentor or mage doesn''t need to use as much mana during their attacks, but also to make their attacks and spells stronger."


    "So, I don''t need to use as much mana with a mana gem?" Elianna confirmed.


    "Correct," Lucian said.


    Elianna nodded and simmered down the amount of water magic she was pushing into her sword. The water magic that was swirling rapidly around the sword slowed down, calmly coating the blade. Her lips curved in pleasant surprise, seeing she used significantly less mana to coat this sword in water magic than with the wooden sword, thanks to the mana gem.


    Katarina approached Lucian and stood beside him. She smiled, seeing how happy her daughter was, as Elianna watched the water magic dance along her sword.


    Katarina chuckled, "She grasped the concept of the mana gem quickly."


    Lucian smiled with pride and nodded, "Yes, she did."


    "Nine years old," Eridas whispered, staring at Elianna with awe, seeing her mana core. Lucian and Katarina looked at him. Eridas chuckled and shook his head in disbelief, "Nine years old, with two stars in the bright stage and a sapphire core." Erdias'' eyes flicked between Katarina and Lucian, "Your daughter is quite remarkable."


    Lucian and Katarina shared a gaze before looking at their daughter.


    Katarina smiled, watching Elianna manipulate the water magic safely, "Yes."


    Lucian smiled affectionately, glad to see his daughter''s cheerful smile, "Yes, she is."

 Chapter 12

    It was an exciting day for Elianna. She had never been to the palace before but always wondered what it looked like inside whenever she traveled to the garrison with her father. However, today would be different. Her father was supposed to be at the palace today for his work; all the while, Elianna was excited to explore the castle with her mother. But before that, she decided to go on her morning run.


    Elianna was completing her morning stretches in the driveway of her mansion. She would often alternate between running in the gym inside the mansion and running outside around the cul-de-sac. Her parents weren''t fans of her running around outside when she was younger, but that changed when she turned nine. Her parents had decided she was old enough to make common sense decisions, and the neighborhood was generally safe. The only two rules were that Elianna was not to speak with strangers and she was not to leave the cul-de-sac.


    Elianna reached down between her feet, stretching her legs well. Once she felt limber, she stood straight and walked to the end of her driveway. Once she passed the gates, Elianna began her morning run, going at a smooth and steady pace.


    A blissful smile was plastered on Elianna''s lips as she ran, enjoying the crisp morning air. The sun was just rising over the horizon, giving the clouds a beautiful red coloration. Elianna loved her morning runs; they gave her time to be alone, and she always felt good afterward. She especially loved running outside more than in the gym since she felt freer outside than confined within the gym walls.


    Elianna''s breathing was rhythmic, keeping her at a steady pace and matching her footsteps as she ran along the sidewalk. She made sure to run on the balls of her feet like her father taught her. He told her it was to reduce the impact on her joints, whatever that meant. She sometimes didn''t understand half the things her father said.


    The end of the cul-de-sac came in sight, and Elianna knew she was nearing the halfway mark. Living in the center house at the end of the cul-de-sac was beneficial since it helped Elianna keep track of how far she had run and how much farther she still had to go. Passing the last mansion on her right, Elianna stayed focused on the end of the road, with the community park coming into view out of her right peripheral vision.


    "Elle?"


    Elianna went wide-eyed at the sudden familiar voice and slowed her pace, coming to a stop. Her head whirled to her right, and a wave of surprise washed over her. Her gaze fell on Sarah, who was casually standing near the swings, looking at Elianna with shock. Elianna didn''t expect to run into anyone during her run, not this early in the morning. She had gone on this run plenty of times in the cul-de-sac and never had contact with anyone before. Sure, she had seen her old friends out and about once in a while, but she hadn''t had contact with them ever since that day they called her a freak.


    Sarah stared at Elianna for a moment before a look of remorse crossed her face, and her gaze fell. "It''s uh... It''s been a while."


    Elianna''s eyes looked her up and down, still processing that Sarah was standing before her. After a moment of silence, with Sarah not looking at her, Elianna finally spoke. "Yeah. Four years."


    Sarah slowly looked up, her gaze settling on Elianna. She noticed Elianna wasn''t looking at her angrily but seemed a little confused. Sarah awkwardly cleared her throat, "How have you been?"


    Elianna''s brows furrowed, surprised and confused about why Sarah was talking with her, "Good. What brings you here?"


    Sarah shrugged, "Tyler, Dylan, and I were going to meet early today at the park."


    Elianna nodded slightly, "I see."


    Elianna and Sarah fell silent, with an awkward breeze blowing between them. Sarah cleared her throat, wanting to break the silence, "So-"


    "Well, look who it is."


    Elianna''s stomach dropped at the voice, and she looked to her right. Her gaze fell on Dylan, who was walking toward her, and Tyler was two steps behind him.


    Dylan gave Elianna a not-so-friendly smile, "Been a while, Elle."


    Elianna''s eyes narrowed on Dylan, and she spoke in a cold and distant voice, "Only my friends call me Elle."


    Dylan scoffed, "Friends? What friends? From what I hear, you do nothing but hang out at your dad''s work and stay in your mansion. You''re just a freak and a loser."


    Elianna''s hands balled into fists, her blood beginning to simmer, "I''m not a freak."


    Tyler raised a brow, "Why are you even here?"


    Elianna''s cold eyes flicked to Tyler, "I live here too, obviously. I''m just going on my morning run."


    Tyler crossed his arms, "Then why don''t you run off before you blow up again."


    Elianna rolled her eyes, "Really? That was four years ago, and everyone awakens."


    "Not like that," Dylan argued. "When I awoke, a wave of mana just washed over me, forming a small barrier." He gestured to Elianna, "But you, you actually blew up. It was weird."


    "Plus, my mom heard the rumors about you reaching two stars," Tyler said. "She said it''s unheard of and freaky for someone to progress that fast at such a young age. She said she wouldn''t be surprised if you blew up again like the freak you are."


    Elianna shook her head and looked to the side. Her blood began to boil now, hearing Tyler and Dylan not only call her a freak again but denigrate her accomplishment of reaching two stars, which she felt proud of. "Yeah? Sounds to me like your mom is just stupid."


    "Don''t talk about my mom like that!" Tyler spat, looking at Elianna lividly.


    Elianna''s angered-filled gaze flicked to Tyler, "Then don''t call me a freak."


    Tyler just sneered, shaking his head at Elianna. Elianna''s eyes flicked to Sarah, seeing she was just looking down, awkwardly holding her left arm with her right hand, not saying anything.


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    Dylan scoffed, "But you are a freak. And you always will be."


    Frustrated tears filled Elianna''s eyes, and she looked away, "Whatever. Think whatever you want."


    "Ah, look, the freak is going to cry," Dylan belittled.


    "Shut up," Elianna whispered.


    Dylan laughed, cupping his hand around his ear, "What was that? I couldn''t hear y-"


    "I said..." Elianna''s body shook, emotions of anger and frustration building inside her. Warmth washed through her channels, her core thrumming with power. Elianna''s closed her eyelids tightly, clenched her fists, and yelled. "SHUT UP!!"


    A surge of mana erupted from Elianna, wrapping around her like a white flame dancing around her body. Dylan and Tyler stepped back, eyes wide, seeing Elianna''s tear-filled eyes now glaring at them. Elianna''s eyes darted to Sarah, seeing her standing there with a shocked expression. When Elianna looked back at Dylan and Tyler, she could see the fear in their eyes.


    Tyler slowly shook his head, backing away another step, "You really are a freak."


    Elianna''s lips wobbled, feeling angry and frustrated. Having had enough, she whirled and ran across the street, tears falling from her eyes. She ran as fast as she could, heading back toward her family''s mansion, with the mana around her dying out. She could feel the warmth inside her body subside, and the thrumming power of her mana core quieted down.


    Elianna didn''t know how fast she was running, but she felt relief when she entered the driveway of her mansion. She ran up the mansion steps and burst through the front doors, wanting to head upstairs and jump into bed.


    "Lady Elianna?"


    Elianna stopped and looked toward the voice, seeing Agustus approaching her with a concerned expression.


    Agustus knelt before her, meeting Elianna''s eyes, seeing she was obviously distraught, "Are you alright?"


    Elianna''s lips wobbled, and she shook her head. Augustus looked at her sympathetically. He held his arms out, and the dam Elianna had been holding broke. She burst into tears and walked into Augustus'' arms, where he took her into a comforting hug.


    Augustus patted Elianna''s back comfortingly, shushing her reassuringly. "It''s alright, My Lady. Just let it out."


    Augustus stayed there, holding Elianna reassuringly, feeling his coat becoming wet with Elianna''s tears. After a few moments, Elianna''s body began to stop shaking, and her cries subsided. Augustus gingerly grabbed Elianna by her shoulders and pushed her off slightly. He looked into her eyes, seeing them downcast, red, and watery.


    "My Lady," Augustus said gently. He took a napkin out of his jacket pocket and carefully wiped away Elianna''s tears. "What happened?"


    Elianna sniffled, "I ran into Tyler, Dylan, and Sarah."


    Augustus'' eyes narrowed, "What did they do?"


    Elianna''s lips trembled, "They called me a freak again, and I just got so upset."


    Augustus was filled with anger, but he kept a calm mind. He smiled at Elianna, raising her chin so her glimmering, tear-filled eyes met his. "Don''t you give them another thought. They are not worth the tears. You are a wonderful, special young lady, and they are just mean."


    Elianna nodded and looked away, her gaze downcast.


    Augustus eyed Elianna, seeing her dejected expression and mood. He hated seeing her like this but soon smiled warmly as an idea to cheer her up came to mind. "Tell you what, why don''t you go upstairs to your room and get changed? I''ll have the staff prepare pancakes for you."


    Elianna''s eyes flicked and met Augustus'', and her lips curved into a small smile. "With chocolate chips?"


    Augustus chuckled and nodded, "Of course."


    Elianna smiled brightly, "Okay!" She gave Augustus a tight hug. "Thank you, Augustus."


    Augustus smiled and patted Elianna on the back, "Of course."


    They broke the hug, and Elianna dashed for the right staircase, heading upstairs. She ran to her room and got a lovely dark green dress out of her closet. She wanted to look good for when she and her parents went to the palace today. Augustus'' words rang inside her head lifting her spirits, and she wouldn''t let her old friends ruin her day. She was set on having a good time at the palace, and she would do just that.


    Elianna laid her fresh clothes on the bed before she got undressed and bathed in her extravagantly large marble bathtub. Once washed up, she quickly got dressed and sat at her vanity, where she began combing her hair. She was mid-stroke with the comb when her eyes flicked to her door, hearing a knock.


    "Come in!" Elianna said.


    The door opened, and Elianna smiled through the mirror, seeing her mother peek her head in.


    Katarina''s eyes met her daughters through the mirror, and she returned her daughter''s smile. She looked into the hallway and said, "She''s decent. You can come in."


    Katarina opened the door more and walked in, with Lucian walking in behind her. Lucian smiled at his daughter, "Good morning, Munchkin."


    "Good morning," Elianna said, finishing the brush stroke.


    Katarina looked at her daughter affectionately as she approached her and grabbed the brush. Elianna let go of the brush, allowing her mom to take over. She smiled brightly as Katarina began to brush her hair, loving it whenever she did so.


    Taking a seat on the corner of Elianna''s bed and watching his wife brush his daughter''s hair, Lucian curiously asked, "Are you excited about today, Munchkin?"


    Elianna''s eyes flicked to her dad through the mirror, "Yeah."


    Lucian nodded, "That''s good." His eyes flicked to Katarina, and they shared a quick gaze.


    Katarina cleared her throat and looked back at her daughter as she continued to brush her hair. "So, how was your run today?"


    Elianna''s smile faded, and her eyes fell to her desk, "It was fine."


    Katarina nodded, "Oh? Did anything happen?"


    Elianna shrugged, "I ran into Tyler, Dylan, and Sarah."


    Katarina hummed, "Did anything happen with them?"


    Elianna''s eyes flicked to her mother, staring at her through the mirror, "Augustus told you. Didn''t he?"


    Katarina''s eyes flicked up, meeting her daughter''s gaze through the mirror. She smiled softly and nodded, "He did."


    Elianna sighed and looked down, "Tyler and Dylan called me a freak again. I haven''t seen them in so long, and they still think I''m a freak."


    Katarina gave her daughter a consoling smile, "Don''t listen to them, Sweetie. You''re not a freak. You''re just special."


    "People tend to be afraid of things they don''t understand," Lucian said. "Tyler and Dylan were just listening to their narrow-minded parents. Pay them no mind, Munchkin."


    Elianna nodded and twiddled her thumbs, recollecting the encounter, "I just got so mad. I didn''t mean to."


    Lucian looked at Elianna, confused, "Didn''t mean to what?"


    Elianna shrugged, "I exploded with mana again."


    "What do you mean?" Katarina inquired.


    "I don''t know. It was weird. I felt a lot of mana going through my channels, like when I push mana through my body, and my mana core felt strange. Then, mana just blew up and wrapped around me. It was like my mana guard, but there was a lot more mana, and it almost looked like white fire."


    Silence fell in the room, and Elianna sat there, contemplating the event. But a moment later, she noticed her mother''s hand had fallen still, with the comb mid-stroke. Elianna looked at her mother through the mirror, observing her mother looking at Lucian as they were sharing a gaze.


    Elianna looked at her parents curiously, "Mom? Dad?"


    Katarina''s eyes darted to Elianna''s, and she smiled reassuringly at her daughter through the mirror, "You just got upset, Sweetie. That''s all." Katarina finished the last few strokes of brushing Elianna''s hair and placed the brush on the vanity. "Now, come on. Breakfast should be ready."


    Elianna nodded, and she and Lucian stood up. Elianna smiled excitedly, knowing the staff would be making pancakes. Lucian and Katarina smiled warmly at their daughter as they followed her out of her room, closing her door behind them.


    Lucian and Katarina followed Elianna down the hallway, heading toward the grand staircase, when Katarina whispered to her husband. "Lucian."


    "I know," Lucian whispered back.


    "What should we do?" Katarina asked, looking at Lucian a little worriedly.


    Lucian looked at his wife and smiled reassuringly, "What we''ve been doing¡ªkeeping an eye on her and showing her love and affection. Everything will be fine."


    Katarina nodded, returning his smile, "Alright."


    Lucian chuckled, "Now, let''s go enjoy our breakfast and show Elianna a palace."

 Chapter 13

    Elianna couldn''t sit still, even if her life depended on it. She looked through the carriage window with anticipation, watching as the pedestrians walked on the sidewalk and people entered or exited buildings. This morning''s events no longer weighed on her mind, as she was only focused on one thing: seeing the palace. She had seen the palace from a distance on several occasions, but she had never been inside. In fact, she had never gotten close to it.


    "Excited?"


    Elianna looked across from her, seeing her father sitting nonchalantly, smiling at her. Elianna returned her father''s smile and nodded excitedly, "Very! I want to see all the rooms!"


    Katarina chuckled, smiling warmly, "Maybe not all the rooms."


    Elianna looked at her mother disapointedly, who was sitting beside her, "Why not?"


    "Because there are over six hundred rooms inside the palace," Katarina said.


    Elianna''s eyes widened in surprise and awe, "Woah... That''s so many."


    Katarina nodded, "It is indeed. So, I will show you around the main parts of the palace. But we may not be able to see everything."


    Elianna smiled and nodded with excitement, "Okay!"


    Elianna looked outside when she felt the carriage begin to slow down and noticed they were nearing the front gates. Lucian shifted in his seat, scooting closer to the carriage''s right window, and rolled the window down with the window crank. Several soldiers in Tri-Union combat uniforms and a mage in mage apparel came into view as their carriage came to a stop in front of the gate. A human female with orange hair and brown eyes, who looked to be in her thirties, with two gold discs on her collar, approached the carriage.


    The female looked into the carriage from the window and immediately saluted when she noticed Lucian, "Good morning, Commander. We''ve been expecting you."


    Lucian returned the female''s salute, "Good morning, Sergeant." Lucian dropped his salute, "I hope everything has been going well."


    The sergeant dropped her salute and nodded, "It has, Commander. Also, Lieutenant Commander Maurus wanted me to inform you that he will be waiting at the palace."


    "Good. Keep up the good work, Sergeant."


    The sergeant nodded before she stepped back. Lucian rolled up the window, and Elianna could hear the sergeant yell something at the soldiers before they opened the front gates. The carriage jerked slightly as they began moving again, riding past the front gates.


    "Lieutenant Commander Maurus," Katarina chuckled. "I still have to get used to that."


    Lucian nodded, his lips curving into a small smile, "It''s definitely different without Hector around." He looked at Katarina, and his smile widened, "He''s doing well, though. He sent a letter to the garrison the other day. He''s enjoying adventuring and seeing the country with his son."


    Katarina smiled warmly, "I''m glad. Hopefully, he will come and visit soon."


    "We''re almost there."


    Katarina and Lucian looked toward Elianna, seeing her pressing her face and hands against the window. She was looking out intently with a wide, excited smile as condensation formed on the window from her breath.


    Katarina chortled humorously, "Elianna." Elianna removed her face from the window and looked at her mother curiously. "Sit up straight, Sweetie."


    Elianna nodded and sat up elegantly, as she had been taught. However, internally, she was wiggling with enthusiasm, ready to see the inside of the palace.


    Looking out the window, Elianna could see the garrison in the distance. She thought that seeing the garrison from so far away was a little strange since she was so used to hanging around the area. She wondered what the knights were up to, but her thoughts were cut short when she felt as the carriage slowed to a halt. Footsteps sounded from outside the carriage, and a dwarf with short black hair and dark eyes, wearing a Tri-Union combat uniform with two gold disks on the collar, came into view.


    The dwarf opened the door and stood to the side, standing at attention, saluting, "Good morning, Commander."


    "Good morning, Sergeant," Lucian said, returning his salute. Lucian and the dwarf dropped their salutes, and Lucian exited the carriage first.


    Katarina exited the carriage next, then turned around and offered her hand to her daughter, "Come on, Sweetie. Stay close to me."


    Elianna took her mother''s hand and hopped out of the carriage, landing on the white stoned path beneath her, her eyes widening at the spectacular view before her. The palace towered above Elianna and was made of beautiful white stone accented with gold trim. Although she thought the palace was a sight to see from a distance, from up close, it was like nothing she had ever seen. Her family''s mansion didn''t even come close to being as big as the palace.


    Two rows of soldiers stood at attention in front of the palace, with three mages in the rear of the formation and two figures standing in the front, all facing the Vail''s. The first figure standing in the front of the formation was Maurus, while the other standing beside him was a female with blue hair and yellow eyes who looked to be in her thirties. The two rows of soldiers were all dressed in Tri-Union combat uniforms; the mages were adorned in their opulent mage apparel, while Maurus and the female wore formal military attire. Maurus had three stars on his uniform collar, signifying his new rank as lieutenant commander. In contrast, the female had a single gold triangle on her collar, indicating she was a lieutenant.


    Elianna''s eyes darted around, mesmerized by her surroundings, but then her eyes flicked to her mother when she knelt beside her. Katarina smiled lovingly at her daughter as she smoothed out Elianna''s blue dress and fixed her hair.


    "Mom," Elianna lightly complained.


    Katarina chuckled, "We have to make sure we look nice. It''s not every day we come to the palace, after all."


    Lucian looked at his wife and daughter and smiled, "Ready?"


    Katarina returned his smile and nodded, "Ready."


    Katarina stood up, smoothed out her black and blue dress, and stood beside Elianna, with Elianna''s parents standing on either side of her. Lucian began to walk toward the formation of soldiers, with Elianna and Katarina walking in line with him. As they neared the soldiers, they all raised their arms to salute.


    "Good morning, Commander!" Maurus shouted.


    Lucian returned the salute, "Good morning." He dropped the salute, and the soldiers followed suit. Lucian looked at the soldiers in the formation and, in a commanding tone, yelled, "At ease!"


    The soldiers immediately relaxed, separating their feet and placing their hands on the small of their backs. Elianna''s eyes widened in awe at the discipline of the soldiers and seeing them following her father''s command. She had seen him command soldiers before but was always amazed by his commanding presence and the respect the soldiers showed him.


    Lucian approached Maurus, looking around, "Is everything ready for inspection?"


    Maurus nodded, "It is, Commander."


    "Good," Lucian said before he looked at the female lieutenant and smiled. "Hello, Kassandra."


    Kassandra returned Lucian''s smile, "Good morning, Commander." Kassandra''s gaze flicked to Katarina, and her smile widened, "Hey, Kat."


    "Hello, Kassy," Katarina greeted with a warm, friendly smile. "It''s been a while. How has everything been?"


    Kassandra shrugged, "It''s been good. A lot more simple when you were in charge, though."


    Katarina chuckled, "Yes, well, I hear you''re doing a great job."


    "Thanks," Kassandra said appreciatingly. Her gaze flicked to Elianna, and she smiled comically, seeing she was looking around with an amazed expression. Kassandra tilted her head slightly to the right, "And what might your name be?"


    Katarina smiled and looked down at Elianna, who was still looking around, not paying attention. "Sweetie," Katarina said, and Elianna looked at her curiously. Katarina gestured to Kassandra, "Kassandra here asked what your name is."


    Elianna looked at Kassandra, stood straight with elegance, and smiled, "Good morning. I am Elianna Vail, and I am nine years old."


    Lucian, Katarina, Kassandra, and Maurus chuckled slightly, and even a few chuckles could be heard from the soldiers in formation, thinking how cute Elianna was.


    Kassandra smiled and playfully gasped, "Nine years old? That''s so big!" Kassandra reached her hand out, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Elianna. I am Kassandra."


    Elianna shook Kassandra''s hand, saying, "Nice to meet you."


    "Kassandra here is the commanding officer of the royal guard," Katarina pointed out as they broke the handshake.


    Elianna''s eyes widened in wonderment, remembering Eridas'' words. "Wait, so you took my mom''s spot!"


    Kassandra''s brows rose in surprise before she smiled and laughed, "Yes, I guess I did."


    Katarina gestured to her daughter, "Elianna was hoping to get a small tour of the palace, so I was going to show her around."


    Kassandra nodded, "That''s perfectly fine. Everything has been secured for the council meeting as well."


    "Speaking of," Lucian began, looking at Kassandra. "Are you ready to begin the inspection?"


    Kassandra''s smile faded, showing a more professional demeanor, "Yes, Commander."


    Lucian nodded, "Good, then let''s begin."


    Kassandra nodded and turned around to face the soldiers in formation. "Royal guard! Break formation and return to your stations!"


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    The soldiers in formation turned around and started to move toward the palace, a few of them speaking with each other.


    Kassandra''s eyes flicked around the soldiers, landing on two before she yelled, "Privates Golding and Pierce! Report!"


    Two young soldiers, one male and one female, in their early twenties, the male with blonde hair and brown eyes and the female with black hair and crimson eyes, stopped dead in their tracks. They whirled around and dashed toward Kassandra, hearing the names she called. They quickly approached Kassandra and stood at attention in front of her.


    "Golding reporting, Lieutenant," The male said.


    "Pierce reporting, Lieutenant," The female said.


    "Pierce, Golding," Kassandra began and gestured to Katarina and Elianna. "You''re new here, so you probably don''t recognize former Lieutenant Katarina Vail." Pierce and Golding looked at Katarina, their gazes thick with admiration. "Well, she is visiting today and will be showing her daughter Elianna around the palace. Your job is to stay close and ensure nothing happens to either of them. Understood?"


    "Yes, Ma''am!" They both yelled in unison.


    Katarina smiled, "We don''t need protection. It''s the palace, after all."


    Lucian looked at Katarina, "Just have them with you. For my peace of mind."


    "Plus, this way, the newer royal guard members won''t think you snuck into the palace somehow," Kassandra pointed out.


    "Okay," Katarina shrugged before pointing to the palace. "Shall we, then?"


    Maurus nodded, "Follow me."


    Maurus turned around and began walking toward the palace entrance. Lucian walked beside him while Kassandra walked behind them. Katarina and Elianna walked side by side behind Kassandra while Pierce and Golding walked behind them.


    As they neared the palace entrance, Elianna''s heart began to beat faster and excitedly in her chest. She stared at the large double-polished white doors, seeing how beautiful they looked with their golden intricate designs.


    "Elianna," Katarina began and leaned close to her daughter. "I want you to stay close to me the entire time we''re here. The palace is very large, and it''s easy to get lost."


    Elianna smiled and nodded at her mother, "Okay."


    Elianna looked forward, and her smile faded, replaced with a look of wonderment, as they entered the palace. The entrance hall was enormous and elegant. White polished marble covered the floor, matching beautifully with the white walls lined with gold and having a golden intricate design. White crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, with the sun''s light reflecting beautifully off them, emitting a rainbow color against the walls. The grand staircase was much larger than the one at Elianna''s mansion, with three sets of stairs instead of two leading to the second floor. The base of the stairs was made of polished white wood, while the steps and support railing were made of gold.


    Elianna''s eyes darted around the room, stunned by its beauty, "Woah."


    Katarina chuckled, seeing her daughter''s expression, "This is just the beginning, Sweetie."


    Lucian smiled at his wife and daughter, "Why don''t you two go look around? I''ll catch up with you later."


    Katarina nodded and looked at Elianna, "Ready?" Elianna slowly nodded, looking around the room, still admiring its beauty. Katarina jerked her chin toward the entrance to the right hallway, "Come on, we''ll start this way."


    "Have fun," Lucian said with a wave as his wife and daughter walked off.


    Katarina and Elianna walked through the entrance into the right hallway, with Pierce and Golding following close behind them. The hallway''s flooring was made of polished brown wood, which went nicely with the white walls lined with gold. Paintings of different beautiful landscapes were hung on the walls between the large oval-shaped windows. The hallway itself was vast and long, so long that Elianna thought she could use it for her morning runs. Several brown wooden doors were built into the walls on the left side of the hall, each leading into different rooms.


    "It''s so large!" Elianna chirped and was immediately startled by her echo.


    Katarina chuckled, "Large indeed. And this is just a hallway."


    Elianna looked at her mother curiously, "Does the palace have a gym?"


    "It does, as well as its own chapel, dining room, ballroom, theatre, and more." Katarina smirked at her daughter, "And the castle even has secret hallways."


    Elianna''s eyes widened in excitement, "It does?! I wanna see!"


    Katarina smiled humorously, knowing that would pique her daughter''s interest. She nodded, jerking her chin forward, "I''ll show you once we go near this corner."


    Elianna nodded excitedly and looked around at the paintings as they walked down the hallway. They approached the corner of the hallway, and Elianna expected to go around it but was surprised when Katarina stopped. Elianna looked at her mother curiously, watching her as she approached the blank corner of the wall.


    Katarina placed her hand flat against the blank wall before she looked at her daughter with a grin, "Watch this."


    Elianna''s eyes grew wide in shock as Katarina pushed on the wall, and It swung open, revealing a small hidden door.


    "Woah!" Elianna yelled in astonishment, quickly approaching the hidden entrance.


    Elianna peeked inside, seeing the secret passage, which was much different from the hallway. The passage was considerably smaller than the hallway but big enough to walk around unhindered. The walls and the floor were painted a dark brown, and lumous stones were built into the wall, emitting light.


    "Where does it go?" Elianna asked inquisitively.


    "Everywhere," A voice said.


    Elianna and Katarina looked toward the voice and saw a woman who looked to be in her sixties approaching them. She wore an elegant emerald green dress that had white gems embroidered on the chest area. Her gray hair was tied elegantly in the back, and she had a set of warm, loving brown eyes. Though, the most notable thing about her was the golden crown situated on top of her head. Walking behind her were five guards in Tri-Union combat uniforms and one mage in mage apparel, who stood protectively close to her.


    Pierce and Golding stiffened at the sight of the woman and immediately bowed.


    The woman smiled, gesturing to the secret passage, "The palace is full of secret passages that go everywhere in the palace." Her eyes flicked to Katarina, "Your mother knew them all by heart."


    "And still do," Katarina said with a friendly smile and respectively curtised. "Good morning, Regent Raina."


    Elianna''s brows rose, remembering how her father told her the regent was in charge of Tri-Union City. Her eyes flicked to her mom, seeing her subtly gesturing to her to follow her lead.


    Elianna elegantly curtsied, "Good morning, Regent Raina."


    Raina chuckled and waved her hand, "There''s no need for formalities. I had heard my former royal guard commanding officer was here, so I had to come and see her."


    Katarina stood up and smiled, "I was planning to stop by later and say hi. If you were not busy, that is." Seeing her mother stand up, Elianna followed suit, smoothing out her dress.


    "I''m never too busy to say hello to a friend," Raina said warmly. Her eyes flicked to Elianna, and her smile widened. "And you must be Elianna. I heard your mother is giving you a tour of the palace today."


    Elianna smiled and nodded, "Yeah. Though, we may not see everything since the palace is so big."


    Raina chuckled, "That it is." Looking back at Katarina curiously, Raina asked, "How much have you shown her?"


    "We have just started."


    Raina nodded, "I see. Well, I will let you get back to your tour. I''m going to go to the courtyard for some tea. Will you two join me later?"


    Katarina smiled, "Of course."


    "Splendid, I will see you later then," Raina said before looking at Elianna. "Enjoy your tour, Elianna."


    Elianna smiled, "I will. Thank you!"


    Raina gave one last nod before she turned and walked off, with her guards following her.


    Katarina looked at Elianna and smiled, "Ready to continue?"


    Looking back at her mother, Elianna nodded excitedly, "Yes."


    And so they continued. Elianna followed her mother, her eyes wide with wonder and her chest warm and thrumming with excitement as they made their way through the palace. Each room was different but was vast and elegant. Even some downstairs bedrooms Katarina showed Elianna were significantly more prominent than hers. However, even with the elegance of the rooms, the one thing that Elianna found the most intriguing was the secret passageways her mother kept showing her, and she even took Elianna through a few.


    When they entered the theater room, Elianna noticed it was large and luxurious. Several rows of brown leather recliner chairs sat together, facing a pedal stool where the illusionaire would be placed.


    Next was the gym, which was much larger than the one at Elianna''s family''s mansion. Weightlifting supplies were situated on the far side of the room, with a running track on the right side of the room and a large pool on the left.


    Then there was the ballroom. It was one of the largest rooms Elianna had ever seen. The floors were a beautiful shining brown wood, and white curtains hung on the enormous windows. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, reflecting a beautiful rainbow light across the room.


    The dining room was similar to the one at Elianna''s mansion but more prominent, with gold accents. The table itself was incredibly large, large enough to seat fifty people.


    "And this," Katarina began as she pushed open the double brown doors, and they walked into another room, "Is the chapel."


    Elianna stepped into the room, standing beside her mother at the entrance. She looked around the chapel in awe, amazed at its beauty.


    A golden carpet with a sheen was laid out, running down the central aisle of the room. On either side of the carpet were rows of beautiful brown wooden benches. On the walls to Elianna''s left and right were portraits of beings with glorious white feathered wings, covered in a golden hue, who flew in a white cloudy sky. At the end of the room was a white altar with a golden cross erected on top and four smaller golden crosses welded on each side of its grooves.


    "This room is so pretty!" Elianna exclaimed.


    Katarina smiled and nodded, "Raina has always been a devout worshiper of the divine. So she takes great care of this place."


    Elianna looked at her mother curiously. "The divine?"


    "They''re higher beings," Katarina said and looked at her daughter. "They''re beings of great power who watch over and protect us."


    Elianna''s eyes widened with wonder, "I wanna meet them!"


    Katarina chuckled, "Only a few have ever met a divine being. And those who do are usually given divine tasks and rewarded with blessings should they succeed."


    Elianna looked confused, "Blessings?"


    Katarina nodded, "Yes. To be honest, I don''t know much about blessings. However, I do know that divine blessings bestow great power upon people, allowing individuals to become nine stars or ninth circles."


    Elianna''s eyes widened, "Daddy is a nine star! Did he get a blessing?!"


    Katarina''s eyes fell briefly before she looked back at her daughter and smiled, "I''ll let your father tell that story." She turned around, "For now, come on. I think we''ve kept Raina waiting long enough."


    Elianna nodded and followed her mother out of the chapel, closing the doors behind them. They made their way through the palace, eventually reaching a set of white double doors accented in gold. Before Katarina could even touch the doors, Pierce and Golding quickened their paces, opening them and holding them open for Katarina and Elianna.


    Katarina thanked both of them, and Elianna''s mouth went agape, her eyes widening with awe as she stepped through the entrance.


    They entered a vast and beautiful courtyard surrounded by the palace''s buildings on all sides, indicating that it was in the center of the palace. Lush green grass covered the ground, with a light gray stone path spreading out in all directions throughout the courtyard. Large trees grew around the area, covering the courtyard in a comfortable shade. A pond was in the center of the courtyard, with a small white table beside it. Sitting at the table was Raina, who sat elegantly, reading a piece of paper in her right hand while sipping from the teacup in her left. Standing around Raina, a comfortable distance away, were her guards and maids, and on the far side of the courtyard was a mage looking around like a sentry.


    Katarina began walking toward Raina, and Elianna followed. Hearing the sound of footsteps on the gray-stoned path, Raina looked up. She smiled warmly when her eyes fell on Katarina and Elianna.


    Pierce and Golding went and stood beside the other guards as Katarina and Elianna approached the table.


    Raina gestured to the empty chairs, offering Katarina and Elianna a seat, "How was the tour?"


    Katarina pulled out a chair for Elianna and smiled at her daughter, "Did you have fun, Sweetie?"


    Elianna nodded happily as she sat in her chair, and her mother pushed her closer to the table. "Yeah! I got to see so many rooms!"


    Raina smiled, seeing how excited and cute Elianna was, "What was your favorite part?"


    Elianna hummed before she said, "The secret passageways."


    "Oh?" Raina said and looked at Katarina as she took her seat beside her. "Did you take her through any?"


    Katarina nodded, "I did."


    One of the maids approached the table, placed tea cups on the table in front of Katarina and Elianna, and filled both cups with tea. Katarina thanked the maid, who curtsied and backed away.


    Katarina sipped her tea and hummed at the pleasant taste, "She even began trying to guess where the secret entrances were."


    Raina chuckled, "Did she find any?"


    Katarina nodded and smiled at her daughter, "She got one right."


    Elianna looked up proudly, "Yes, I did."


    Katarina and Raina chuckled, and Katarina gestured to the cup of tea in front of Elianna, "Try the tea, Sweetie. It''s very good."


    Elianna looked at the tea curiously before picking it up and taking a sip. Her brows raised in pleasant surprise, tasting how warm and good it was.


    Raina smiled, seeing Elianna''s pleasant expression. "So, Elianna." Elianna looked at Raina curiously. "Many whispers have reached my ears on the commander''s prodigious daughter, and I must say I''m intrigued. Why don''t you tell me about yourself?"


    "Prodigious?" Elianna asked, sounding confused.


    Katarina chuckled, "It means impressive. Go ahead, tell Raina a little about yourself."


    Elianna smiled at the compliment before she nodded and began. She told Raina about her, her core status, and the element she chose. All the while, Raina smiled warmly, listening to the little girl before her who was remarkable in her eyes. Raina was amazed as Elianna''s story unfolded from a child''s eyes and how advanced her communication skills were.


    As Elianna spoke, Katarina and Raina shared a friendly glance before looking back at Elianna. Raina had always been kind and trustworthy, a true friend, so Katarina felt completely comfortable with Elianna telling Raina about herself.


    Once Elianna finished, Raina, Katarina, and Elianna continued to chat, enjoying their time and tea together as good friends.

 Chapter 14

    Elianna stood poised as the sun beamed down on her. She held her sword in her right hand, with her left foot in front of her right, ready to move at a moment''s notice. She blinked as a gentle breeze blew past her, but her eyes remained locked on her target before her. Her grip on her sword tightened; she pushed mana through her body and, in one quick movement, burst forward.


    Elianna was fast as she closed in on the target dummy, pushing mana into her sapphire core. Water magic rushed through her body, moving through her arm before moving to her sword. The mana gem on her sword glowed brightly with a sapphire hue as Elianna coated her sword in water magic. Elianna skidded to a halt with the target before her and slashed up with her sword vertically, slicing the dummy up its torso.


    Elianna followed up by spinning on her feet, moving to her left, and moving her sword in three quick jabs, stabbing the dummy twice in the torso and once in the face. She spun on her feet again, this time moving to her right, and she fell to her knees, practicing her dodging. She gathered water magic in her empty left hand and, with her intent and willpower, thrust her hand forward, shooting a pressurized beam of water at the dummy, knocking some of its wood off.


    Elianna quickly rolled over her shoulder before getting to her feet, stumbling a little before jumping back, getting some distance between the dummy and herself. She got back into her attack stance, wrapping water around her sword. With her intent of wanting to use a ranged attack as her father showed her, Elianna swirled the water around on her blade before swinging it horizontally. The water quickly flew off her blade like an arc of sharpened water before slicing into the dummy''s torso.


    Elianna followed up with her ranged attack by pivoting on her feet, spinning left and right while simultaneously swinging her sword. She released several water arcs toward the dummy, which all sliced the target on the torso or head, meeting their marks with lethal accuracy. Her father taught her that she needed to be as good at ranged combat as she was at close combat, as there would be instances where you could not get close to your opponent.


    Pivoting to her left and releasing another arc, Elianna got into another fight stance, placing her left foot in front of her right. She gathered water magic to her blade, swirling it around, before she stepped forward with her right foot, thrusting her sword toward her target. The water shot out from her sword like a whip that clashed with the dummy''s torso with highly pressurized water, splintering off some wood. With the water whip attached to her sword, Elianna moved her sword horizontally and vertically, delivering five more whip strikes before canceling the spell.


    The water whip burst apart, raining harmlessly on the lush green grass beneath Elianna''s feet. Elianna took a calming breath before she stood straight, wiping the sweat from her brow. Her head whipped to the right, surprised by hearing someone clapping, and she smiled warmly as her eyes fell on her father, who was standing close by.


    Lucian smiled proudly, seeing how far his daughter had come with her sword skills this past year. "Well done, Munchkin!"


    "Thanks, Dad," Elianna said, returning his smile and storing her sword into her spatial ring. She let out a small, frustrated sigh, "I stumbled a little after my roll, though."


    Lucian chuckled, approaching his daughter, "Perhaps, but you quickly recovered and executed a follow-up attack without hesitation."


    Elianna nodded and looked back at her target, "That''s true, I guess. But I would''ve been faster if I didn''t stumble."


    Lucian smiled, shaking his head lightheartedly. He knew his daughter would sometimes scold herself whenever she made a mistake during training, putting herself in a sour mood. "Most ten-year-olds aren''t even close to being as skilled as you. Don''t be so hard on yourself."


    Elianna smiled and looked at her father, "I''m only this skilled because I have a great teacher." She tilted her head, looking at her father curiously, "So, are you done with your meeting now?"


    Lucian''s smile faded as he sighed and shook his head, "No. We are taking a small break for the moment. So, I decided to see what you were up to."


    Elianna slumped a little, as her father had been meeting with the leaders of the knight and mage orders all morning. She thoroughly enjoyed spending time training with her father, so she was eager for him to be done with this meeting soon.


    "How much longer do you think it will take?"


    Lucian shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck, "I''m not sure. There are still some important things to discuss regarding the outposts."


    Elianna looked at her father inquisitively, "Is it about the Infernal Cult and the orcs?"


    Lucian''s brows raised with surprise before he looked suspiciously at his daughter, "Did you read the papers on my desk?"


    Elianna flinched slightly before she looked down and nodded guiltily. She knew she wasn''t supposed to read those papers, as her father told her not to in the past on multiple occasions. But curiosity got the best of her a few days ago, and she looked over their contents. She read how there has been an increase in orc sightings around Zaraemar, which has the three kingdoms scouring the orc kingdom of Calignar, trying to find out how they''re slipping through its borders.


    However, the orcs weren''t the only concern. There has been a rise in activity with a group called the Infernal Cult. Several adventurer groups have reported seeing the Infernal Cult and having run-ins with them, which resulted in skirmishes. As of now, no one knew what the cult was up to.


    Lucian sighed, seeing his daughter nod and looking down remorsefully. "You know better than to read those documents, Munchkin. They''re confidential. Secret."


    Elianna nodded, shamefaced, "I''m sorry."


    Lucian smiled slightly and patted her head. "It''s fine. Just don''t do it again." Lucian looked over his shoulder at the headquarters building, "I should be getting back."


    Elianna looked at her father with a saddened gaze, "Already? You just got here."


    Lucian looked at his daughter and smiled, "Yeah. Sorry, Munchkin, but I do have a job to do. Don''t push yourself too hard while I''m gone."


    Elianna smiled a little, trying to hide her disappointment, and nodded, "Okay. See you later."


    Lucian gave his daughter one more head pat before he turned and walked back toward the headquarters building. Elianna watched her father as he climbed the steps of the building and walked through the double doors, leaving her view.


    Alone again, Elianna sighed before she looked at the target. She didn''t feel like practicing at the moment, so she decided to relax and do what she usually did: watch the knights train.


    Elianna left the headquarters area, walking toward the first battalion building. Outside the building, she observed several knights and mages practicing their magic and sword skills. There was one group of knights and a mage who were gathered around each other in a circle, with one person in the middle speaking to all of them. Curious about what they were talking about, Elianna began walking toward them.


    The man in the center of the formation looked to be in his mid-thirties. He had short green hair and blue eyes and wore the knight combat uniform. He had two golden discs on his collar, signifying he was a sergeant.


    The sergeant looked at one of the men with a deadpan look, "No, Cutts, you cannot take a pudding break."


    The other knights in the formation began laughing while Cutts, who had short dark blue hair and brown eyes, looked down with a saddened gaze. "Yes, Sergeant."


    The sergeant looked around the group, "Now, are there any more ques-" The sergeant stopped, and his brows raised with surprise, seeing Elianna standing a few feet away. He smiled warmly, peering at her through the group, "Good afternoon, Lady Elianna."


    The knights all turned, following the sergeant''s gaze, seeing Elianna standing there calmly.


    Elianna smiled and waved, "Good afternoon, Sergeant. I was just wondering what you were doing."


    The sergeant smiled and gestured to the group, "We were just about to have a little gauntlet. Sparring one on one until one is champion."


    Elianna''s eyes widened with interest, "Woah, that sounds awesome!"


    The knights and mage chuckled a little. The knights and mages in the area had become accustomed to Elianna''s presence and always found it a little humorous when she showed excitement in their training.


    The sergeant smiled, "You are more than welcome to watch. I only ask that you stand at a safe distance away."


    "Cool!" Elianna chirped and looked at the trees a few feet away. "Is it okay if I stand by the trees?"


    The sergeant followed Elianna''s gaze, smiled, and nodded, "Yes, that is fine."


    Elianna nodded and quickly made her way over to the trees. Once at the trees, she turned to watch the knights, eager to see their competition. The sergeant exchanged a few more words with the knights before they broke apart, and all stood in a line, facing Elianna so she had a clear view of the competition.


    The sergeant stood in front of the line and yelled, "Alright! Now, let''s have the squad leaders show everyone how it''s done! Corporal''s Havasar and Kulins, report!"


    Two individuals in the line stepped forward. The first individual was a male dwarf who looked to be in his mid-twenties. He had short black hair and dark eyes. The second individual was a female elf with purple hair and dark blue eyes.


    The sergeant looked at the dwarf, "Havasar," and then looked at the elf, "Kulins." He gestured to the area in front of him, "Take your starting positions."


    Havasar and Kulins nodded before taking the field. They stood several feet apart and turned to face each other. Havasar pulled a large black two-handed battle axe out of his spatial ring while Kulins produced two small silver daggers.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The sergeant looked at the elven mage, "Dreason. Barrier, please."


    Dreason nodded, and he took a wand out of his spatial ring. He raised his wand and the mana gem on the wand''s handle, and the wand''s tip began to glow white with pure mana. A white light formed in the air above Havasar and Kulins before spreading out, creating a dome of pure white mana around them. Elianna looked at the barrier in awe, seeing the display of magic.


    Seeing the barrier was set and the on-lookers were protected, the sergeant raised his arm, "Ready!" Havasar and Kulins got into attack stances, forming mana guards around themselves. "Begin!"


    Wind magic swirled around Kulins before she dashed toward Havasar at incredible speeds. Elianna went wide-eyed in wonderment, barely able to keep track of Kulins'' movement. Kulins swiftly moved past Havasar, with her now standing behind him. Kulins quickly turned to face Havasar, coating her daggers in wind magic. The wind magic swirled around her blades and extended, making two short wind swords.


    Kulins dashed toward Havasar, preparing to strike him in the back. However, using earth magic, Havasar quickly covered his back in an earth-like armor. Kulins waved her arms horizontally, striking the earth-like armor with her wind blades, barely slicing the surface of the earthen armor.


    Earth magic swirled around Havasar''s battle axe like particles of dust, and he whirled around, swinging his battle axe horizontally. Kulins swiftly jumped back, distancing herself several feet from Havasar as his battle axe met nothing but air. Havasar raised his axe, earth magic swirling around it, and swung it down vertically. The particles of dust gathered together, and Havasar released an earth spike the size of an icicle at Kulins. Kulins dashed to the side, dodging the earth spike, as Havasar continued to swing his axe, shooting several earth spikes at her.


    Kulins was swift on her feet as she moved with elegance, dodging every earth spike Havasar hurled at her. Kulins moved to the side one last time before she dashed toward Havasar, closing on him rapidly. Havasar narrowed his eyes and raised his battle axe into the air. The earth magic swirling around his axe dispersed, and Havasar coated his axe in lava magic as he swung it down vertically, striking the earth before him.


    Kulins went wide as she closed in on Havasar, and glowing bright orange veins of magma spread out throughout the ground before him. She stomped her front foot on the ground, barely skidding to a halt before jumping back just as a wall of lava rose from the earth in front of Havasar.


    Kulins skidded to a halt, and ice magic began to swirl around her daggers. Kulins simultaneously swung her daggers horizontally, releasing a small cyclone of icy wind that struck the lava wall. The lava wall hissed as it cooled, turning into harmless rock.


    With the rock cooled, Kulins returned to an attack stance and smirked at Havasar, "Not bad."


    Havasar smiled as he walked around the lava rock wall, "You''ll have to do better than that to break my defense."


    Kulins chuckled, "Challange accepted."


    Kulins dashed toward Havasar again, and Elianna stood on the sidelines, leaning against the tree, with her eyes wide and shining with admiration for the two knights battling before her. Kulins'' movements were swift and elegant, while Havasar was strong and poised. Their displays of magic had Elianna''s heart racing with amazement, and she wanted to be in their positions one day.


    As Elianna watched Havasar and Kulins duel, her eyes narrowed slightly, noticing a scribbling sound from nearby. Elianna curiously looked around, trying to see where the sound was coming from. She looked around the tree and found the source of the sound.


    Sitting at the next tree over was a boy who looked about Elianna''s age. He had medium-length blonde hair and was wearing a green t-shirt and brown pants. The boy seemed to be drawing on a sketch pad in his hands and would occasionally look up with a focused gaze.


    Elianna''s brows raised, finding the boy being here curious, as she didn''t know anyone else around her age came to the garrison, and she had never seen the boy before. Inquisitively, Elianna quietly walked to where the boy was sitting, approaching him from behind. As she neared him, she could hear him humming softly to himself.


    Elianna approached and stood behind the boy, looking over his shoulder. Her eyes fell on his sketchpad, seeing he was using a pencil to sketch the first battalion building. Elianna''s brows raised, seeing how beautiful and intricate his sketch was. The boy stopped humming and looked at the building again with a narrowed gaze before he smiled. He returned to humming, looked at his sketch pad, and continued drawing.


    Elianna took another step and leaned forward slightly to get a closer look at the boy''s sketch when she snapped a branch beneath her feet. The boy stiffened, his head whirled around, and his deep sea-green eyes fell on Elianna.


    Elianna flinched slightly, startled at the boy''s sudden movement, but managed to smile, "S-Sorry. I didn''t mean to scare you."


    The boy blinked with surprise, eyeing her for a moment, before he returned her smile, "No, it''s okay."


    Elianna stood there a little awkwardly, not knowing what to say. She didn''t usually have conversations with kids her age, not after her falling out with her old friends. Finally, wanting to break the awkward silence, she looked at the boy''s sketch and pointed to it, "I like your drawing."


    The boy looked at his sketchbook and smiled brightly, "Thanks!" He looked up at the first battalion building. "I thought the building looked cool, so I decided to draw it."


    "D-Do you draw a lot?"


    The boy looked at her and nodded, "Yep!" He closed his sketchbook and held it out to her, "Wanna see?"


    Elianna''s brows rose with surprise at the sudden offer, and she stood there motionlessly as she was caught off guard.


    The boy''s smile faded a little as he sat there extending the notebook to her, and she didn''t grab it or say anything. He retracted his arm slightly, thinking that maybe she wasn''t that interested in his drawings. "You don''t have to look at them if you don''t want to."


    Elianna blinked, and her eyes widened slightly, realizing she hadn''t answered. Eyeing his sketchbook, she remembered how good his battalion drawing was and felt a sense of intrigue, wondering what else he had drawn. So, she smiled a little, slowly nodded, and said, "S-Sure."


    Feeling reassured, the boy''s smile returned, and he held his sketchbook out to her, "Here you go."


    She grabbed the sketchbook and began to look through it, with her eyes periodically flicking to the boy, who was still sitting against the tree and looking around at his surroundings. Flipping through the sketchbook, Elianna soon found herself smiling, seeing the beautifully detailed penciled drawings of flowers, trees, animals, and buildings.


    "These are really good," Elianna complimented.


    The boy''s eyes shot to her, and he smiled appreciatingly, "Thanks!" He chuckled, "I like drawing things that catch my eye."


    Elianna closed the sketchbook and held it out to him, "Thanks for letting me look at your drawings."


    "You''re welcome!" The boy chirped, taking the sketchbook. The sketchbook disappeared in a flash of green light, and Elianna''s eyes flicked to the boy''s fingers, seeing a spatial ring on his right ring finger. The boy followed her gaze and raised his hand, showing the ring, "It''s my spatial ring. It''s used to hold items, like my sketchbook."


    Elianna smiled and held up her right hand, revealing her own spatial ring, "I know. I have one, too. It''s where I hold my sword."


    The boy looked surprised before he chuckled, "Nice!" The boy looked at her curiously, "Sword, huh? Does that mean you''re an augmentor?"


    Elianna nodded, "Yeah. What about you?"


    The boy smiled proudly, "I''m a first circle mage."


    Elianna''s eyes raised with surprise, knowing it was difficult to become a mage from what her father told her, "Oh, congrats."


    "Thanks! I''m actually here to train with my cousin under my aunt, who are both mages." The boy pointed to the first battalion building, "They''re finishing their lunch."


    Elianna looked at the building, "Are you not eating?"


    The boy smiled, "I already ate. I wanted to come out and draw for a bit." He looked at Elianna curiously, "What about you? Are you training here, too?"


    Elianna looked at him and nodded, "Yeah, I''m training with my Dad. Though, he''s busy at the moment. We were supposed to work on my advanced elemental skills."


    "Elemental?" The boy asked, sounding confused.


    Elianna stiffened, and her eyes widened, realizing her mistake and seeing the boy''s confused gaze.


    "You already have elemental magic?" The boy asked, and Elianna hesitantly nodded. The boy furrowed his brows, "What''s your mana core level?"


    Elianna''s stomach dropped, and her body subconsciously shook, "T-Two stars, at the bright stage."


    The boy tilted his head slightly to the right, "How old are you?"


    "T-Ten."


    The boy smiled, "Oh, me too!" His eyes narrowed slightly, "But when did you awaken?"


    Elianna flinched at the question. Memories of Dylan, Tyer, and Sarah flooded her mind. The word freak rang inside her head like a bell, and thoughts of her friends abandoning her swirled around her like a rolling wave of water, making her feel like she was drowning.


    Elianna''s body shook a little, and she felt slightly sick as she hesitantly said, "F-Four."


    The boy''s eyes widened with surprise, and Elianna quickly looked away. She steeled herself, closing her eyes, waiting for the boy to call her a freak. After all, everyone her age called her a freak, so why shouldn''t he?


    "That''s so cool!!"


    Elianna''s eyes shot open, and her head snapped toward him. She saw the boy looking at her with amazement, his smile wide and eyes gleaming.


    "I''ve never heard of anyone awakening that young!" The boy chirped. "How did you do it?!"


    Elianna stood there, frozen, with her eyes feeling warm and growing watery. She had fully expected the boy to call her a freak, but instead, he was looking at her with wonderment. She couldn''t explain it, but it felt like a relief to have someone her age look at her like that.


    The boy''s smile faded upon seeing Elianna''s expression, and he looked at her, slightly concerned. "Are you okay?"


    Elianna flinched and quickly wiped her eyes before she smiled genuinely, "Y-Yeah. And, thank you..." Her eyes narrowed slightly, "um..."


    The boy looked at her with confusion before his eyes widened with realization. "Oh, where are my manners?!" The boy stood up, smiled, and held his hand out. "It''s nice to meet you. I''m Nicholas, but I go by Nick for short."


    Elianna returned his smile and shook his hand, "It''s nice to meet you, Nick. I''m Elianna."


    Nicholas tilted his head slightly to the right, "Elianna, huh? Do you go by Lia for short?"


    Elianna''s brows furrowed, and she shook her head, "No. I don''t care for that name. My fr-" She hesitated for a second before she continued. "My friends call me Elle."


    They broke the handshake, and Nicholas chuckled, "Elle, huh? I like Lia better. It has a nice ring to it."


    Elianna was about to respond but stopped when she heard a voice.


    "Elianna, there you are."


    Elianna and Nicholas looked toward the voice, seeing Lucian approaching them. Nicholas eyed the man, and his eyes fell to his collar, seeing the four golden stars, signifying his rank. Nicholas'' eyes widened to the size of moons as he immediately realized who Lucian was.


    Lucian smiled as he looked at his daughter. "I was getting worried; I didn''t see you near the headquarters building."


    Elianna returned her father''s smile, "Sorry, Dad. I went to see the knights'' training session."


    Nicholas'' astonishment grew, hearing Elianna call Lucian ''Dad.''


    Lucian nodded, "I see." His eyes flicked behind her, and a curious expression fell upon his face as he eyed Nicholas. "And who is this?"


    Elianna looked at Nicholas, and her brows raised in surprise. She saw Nicholas looking at her father with admiration, his eyes wide and gleaming.


    Elianna looked at Nicholas inquisitively, "You okay?"


    Nicholas looked at her with shock, like he had been knocked out of a daze. He quickly looked back at Lucian, placed his feet together, put his left arm at the small of his back, put his right hand over his heart, and bowed at the waist slightly.


    Elianna''s brows raised at the elegance and formality of Nicholas'' bow.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Sir," Nicholas said formally. "I am Nicholas."


    Elianna eyed Nicholas curiously before looking at her father, who seemed to be trying to hide a comical smile.


    "It''s nice to meet you, Nicholas," Lucian replied, speaking friendly. "I am Lucian Vail."


    Nicholas stood straight and nodded, "Yes, Sir, The White Wolf."


    Elianna looked at Nicholas, confused, before she looked at her father.


    Lucian raised his brows in astoundment, "I have not been called that in some time, and it''s usually outside of Tri-Union City. Where are you from?"


    "Zasaly, Sir."


    "Ah, the capital of Gavaria," Lucian nodded. "What brings you here?"


    "I''m training to become a mage with my aunt, Sir."


    Lucian chuckled, "I see. And, you don''t need to call me sir, young man." He looked at his daughter, "Speaking of training, our meeting is done. I came to see if you still wanted to train."


    Elianna smiled excitedly and nodded, "Yeah!" She looked at Nicholas, "It was nice to meet you!"


    Nicolas broke his admiring stare from Lucian and looked at Elianna with a friendly smile, "You too!"


    Elianna gave Nicholas a small wave goodbye before she followed her father, heading toward the headquarters building.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting," Lucian said.


    Elianna looked at her father and smiled, "It''s okay. I know you''re busy."


    Lucian looked at his daughter, returning her smile before eyeing her curiously, "So, what did you and Nicholas talk about?"


    Elianna shrugged, "Not much, just about his drawings." Elianna looked to the side, and her lips curved slightly, looking content, "And our mana cores. He said it was cool that I''m a second star."


    Lucian genuinely smiled, seeing his daughter''s expression, "I''m glad."

 Chapter 15

    It was a beautiful morning at the garrison. The slight overcast provided a comfortable amount of shade from the morning sun. A slight cool breeze blew throughout the area, carrying a few strands of Elianna''s hair that fluttered on her face. Elianna''s lips curved into a small, content smile as she closed her eyes and raised her head, enjoying the cool early morning temperature and the sounds of the birds chirping nearby.


    A rattling knocked Elianna out of her thoughts, and she looked to the side toward the sound. She observed as her father was carrying three small silver disc-shaped targets tied to straps, dangling from his hand and hitting each other like chimes. Lucian approached one of the target dummies to the side of the headquarters building and started attaching the targets. He placed two targets on the dummy''s torso, one on each side and another on its head.


    Elianna tilted her head slightly, looking at the targets curiously, "What are those for?"


    Lucian finished securing the last target before he turned and smiled at his daughter. "Accuracy training." He pointed to the small discs. "While you''ve been doing well with your ranged attacks, it is good to practice your accuracy. When you tend to practice on a smaller target, your accuracy increases; as you aim small, you miss small."


    Elianna nodded, studying the three small discs, "So I just knock down all three from a distance?" She confidently smiled, "That''s easy enough."


    Lucian chuckled, "We''ll see. You will also be dashing side to side as you release your magic. You do well moving, stopping, and then attacking from a distance. But, for this training, you will be attacking while on the move. As you will soon discover, it''s a different concept than just standing still and throwing a ranged attack."


    Elianna nodded, looking at the target, before she looked at her father curiously, "What about hitting a moving target?"


    Lucian smiled, "That, we will save for after you master this training. Hitting a moving target is also a different concept, especially hitting a moving target as you''re moving as well."


    Elianna scratched her head, staring at the targets, "Sounds complicated."


    Lucian let out a small laugh, "It''s not as complicated as you might think, Munchkin. Now, go ahead and get stretched out. You will be moving a lot for this training."


    Elianna nodded and began stretching her arms, extending them across her chest and over her head. Next, she worked on stretching her legs and her back, wanting to ensure she was nice and limber. She didn''t listen to her father once about the importance of stretching and came to regret it, as she was sore for the next few days.


    Lucian adjusted the targets, making sure they weren''t too close to each other. Once he was finished, he looked at his daughter curiously, "Ready?"


    "Almost," Elianna said as she leaned to her right, getting a deep stretch to her legs. She stood straight, rolling her neck, "I''m going to do a small warm-up run if that''s okay."


    Lucian smiled, "Of course that''s okay. I''ll wait here."


    Elianna nodded, smiled, and quickly waved to her father, "I''ll be back!"


    Elianna turned and began to run off just as her father yelled he would be timing her. Elianna chuckled, knowing her father was aware of how competitive she was and how she was always trying to beat her run times. She ran her usual path, heading towards the first battalion building. Normally, she would run approximately two miles for her regular runs; however, for her warm-up runs, she would run about half a mile since she didn''t want to tire herself out before training.


    Noises of metal clashing against metal and explosions filled Elianna''s ears as she began to run past the first battalion building. Looking toward the noise, she observed several knights and mages outside the building, either doing their morning physical exercise or training. Elianna smiled with admiration, watching the knights dash around, striking each other or their dummies as they trained.


    Elianna watched as one female elven knight dashed toward a target while dual-wielding one-handed axes. The female knight jumped into the air and spun horizontally, coating her axes with fire magic. She descended toward the target before her, swung her axes down vertically, and struck the dummy down its torso.


    Elianna eyed the female with praise before she continued to look around at the other soldiers. As she looked around, Elianna''s running pace began to slow as her eyes fell on a familiar figure with blonde hair. It had been three days since she last saw Nicholas by the tree. The day after, she had her lesson with Justine, and then the next two days were the weekend, which she usually spent with her family.


    Adorned in a short-sleeved brown and gold v-neck shirt, black pants, and boots, Nicholas seemed to be listening closely as the figure in front of him spoke. The figure standing before him was an astonishingly beautiful woman with a flawless porcelain complexion, red hair, and icy blue eyes, who looked to be in her early forties. She was wearing Tri-Union mage apparel, minus the white cloak. Standing beside Nicholas in similar apparel to him, also listening to the female mage, was another female who looked similar to the mage, with red hair and sapphire blue eyes, and who looked a few years older than Nicholas.


    The female mage raised her hands, and Elianna watched as a bright white light the size of a chicken egg formed above her hands. Nicholas'' eyes widened with amazement, while the younger female seemed to laugh lightheartedly and smile at him. The female mage dispersed the white light, gestured to Nicholas, and said something.


    Elianna''s eyes settled on Nicholas, watching him intently as he raised his hands. She began wondering what he was doing and if he was going to make a white light of his own. She felt intrigued, wanting to watch Nicholas perform magic. Nicholas stared at his hands, seeming to concentrate, when all of a sudden, his eyes flicked toward Elianna, meeting her gaze. Elianna flinched, suddenly realizing she had stopped running and was standing there, staring directly at Nicholas.


    Nicholas smiled wide and waved at Elianna, "Hey! Lia!"


    Elianna raised a brow as she vividly remembered telling Nicholas she didn''t care for the name Lia. The two red-haired females looked surprised before following Nicholas'' gaze, eyeing Elianna curiously. Elianna started slightly as the two females suddenly looked at her, but she quickly composed herself as she smiled and gave a small wave to Nicholas.


    Elianna turned and was about to continue her run, not wanting to interrupt Nicholas'' training, when Nicholas motioned at her, "Come here!"


    Elianna froze, surprised by the sudden invitation. She contemplated for a second, knowing she had training with her father. However, she still felt a little intrigued about wanting to see Nicholas perform magic. Deciding that a slight detour wouldn''t hurt, she began to walk toward Nicholas and the other two.


    Nicholas smiled at Elianna as she approached, "Hey, Lia! Good to see you again!" He gestured to the female mage, "This is my aunt that I told you about." He then gestured to the younger female beside him, "And this is my cousin, Celine."


    Celine gave Elianna a friendly smile and waved, "Hello."


    Elianna returned Celine''s smile, "Hi."


    The female mage gave Elianna a warm smile, "Lia, is it? I''m Freya; it''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "It''s Elianna, actually," Elianna said sheepishly, not wanting to correct someone she just met. "I usually go by Elle for short. I don''t really care for the name Lia."


    Freya raised a brow, her eyes darting to Nicholas, who just shrugged. Freya looked back at Elianna with a curious expression, "Elianna?" Her eyes soon widened with realization, recognizing the name, and she smiled, "Ah, so you must be Commander Vail''s daughter."


    Elianna smiled and nodded, "Yes, Ma''am."


    Freya chuckled, "You don''t need to call me ma''am. Freya is fine, and it''s a pleasure to meet you."


    Elianna smiled and nodded, relaxing a little, seeing Freya was kind, "Nice to meet you too."


    "Nick told us about you a few days ago," Celine began, giving Nicholas a teasing smile. Nicholas'' smile faded, and his cheeks reddened with embarrassment as he looked at the ground. "He said you liked his drawings."


    Elianna''s eyes flicked to Nicholas, seeing him standing there with reddened cheeks. She smiled and nodded, "Yeah, they were really good."


    Nicholas'' eyes shot up, looking at Elianna, and he smiled brightly at her compliment. This didn''t go unnoticed by Freya, whose lips curved slightly.


    With a smile, Freya looked at Elianna curiously, "So, what brings you around the first battalion?"


    "I was on my warm-up run, preparing for training with my dad," Elianna responded. "But I spotted Nick, and then I got distracted by the magic, the white light you made."


    "Ah," Freya began and raised her hand. "You mean mana bolt."


    Elianna''s and Nicholas'' eyes widened with wonder as Freya conjured a small ball of pure mana in her hand that was the size of a chicken egg. Freya and Celine both chuckled, seeing Nicholas'' and Elianna''s similar reactions.


    "As I was telling Nicholas, this is a combat spell," Freya began. "It''s a simple spell that has a low cast time and doesn''t use much mana."


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    Elianna looked at Freya, confused, "Cast time?"


    Freya nodded, "It''s what we call the amount of time it takes to create a spell. You see, we mages project our mana into the atmosphere and control the ambient nature and elemental mana. We gather the mana together with our willpower and intent to create a desired effect, known as spells. The larger or stronger the spell, the more mana it needs and the longer it takes to form. That''s why sometimes you will see mages use smaller spells in combat instead of larger ones."


    Elianna nodded, listening intently, "So bigger and stronger spells take more time and mana to make?"


    Freya chuckled, "Precisely. However, there are also mana-based spells like this one," Freya motioned to the mana bolt hovering in her hand, "which have low cast times since it''s made purely of our own mana, and we don''t need to focus on gathering ambient mana."


    Elianna nodded and looked at the mana bolt with intrigue, "So, what does this spell do?"


    Freya smiled and looked at the target a few feet away from her, "This."


    Freya flicked her wrist, releasing the mana bolt. The mana bolt flew toward the target at an alarming speed and struck it in its torso, leaving a small hole.


    "Woah," Elianna expressed.


    "Cool, right?!" Nicholas chirped.


    Elianna looked at him and excitedly nodded, "Very!"


    Freya and Celine smiled and shared a quick glance. Freya looked at Nicholas, "Alright, Nicholas. Now it is your turn."


    Nicholas nodded and raised his right hand. Elianna watched Nicholas with interest as he stared intently at his hand. Nicholas pushed mana out from his core and through his arm, projecting it into the atmosphere. Pure white mana began to glow and swirl above Nicholas'' hand and through his intent and willpower, he began to form it together. Elianna''s eyes widened in awe, and Freya and Celine smiled proudly as the mana came together, forming into a ball as Nicholas successfully conjured a mana bolt.


    "Nice job!" Elianna expressed, looking at the spell in awe.


    Nicholas looked at Elianna and smiled contently, "Thank you!"


    "Now," Freya began and looked at the training dummy. "Release the spell at the dummy."


    Nicholas nodded and moved just like his aunt did a few moments ago. He flicked his wrist, releasing the mana bolt, which went flying and struck the dummy in the chest, leaving a small hole.


    "Very good, Nicholas," Freya complimented proudly. "Now, try it with the wand I gave you and see the difference."


    Nicholas nodded, and Elianna watched with interest as he pulled a small black wooden wand out of his spatial ring in a flash of green light. She noticed that at the handle of the wand was a small mana gem embedded into it.


    Nicholas raised his wand and focused. The mana gem at the base of the wand began to glow white with mana as he projected his mana into the atmosphere. Nicholas'' eyes widened in surprise as the mana bolt quickly formed at the tip of his wand.


    Freya smiled, seeing Nicholas'' reaction, "What did you notice?"


    "I-It formed faster," Nicholas said, astonished, and looked at his aunt. "And I used less mana to form the spell."


    Elianna chuckled, "I had that same reaction when I first used the mana gem on my sword."


    "Mana gem?" Nicholas asked, looking at Elianna with confusion.


    Celine pointed to Nicholas'' wand, "It''s the small gem on the handle of your wand."


    Nicholas curiously looked at the handle of his wand, eying the glowing mana gem. He thought it was for decoration before, not knowing it had an actual purpose.


    Freya looked at Elianna and smiled, "Seeing that you know about it, would you like to explain about the mana gem?"


    Elianna looked surprised at the offer before she excitedly nodded, "Sure! The mana gem is used to amplify the output of one''s mana. It''s designed so the augmentor or mage doesn''t need to use as much mana during their attacks, but also to make their attacks and spells stronger."


    Freya smiled and nodded, impressed by her accurate explanation, "Correct. It also lowers the cast time for mages. Now," Freya looked at the dummy, "hit the dummy with your spell, Nicholas."


    Nicholas nodded and waved his wand. He released the mana bolt, which went flying and struck the dummy in the torso again, leaving a slightly bigger hole this time.


    "Nicely done," Freya complimented.


    "Nice job, cousin," Celine chirped, pulling her white wooden wand out of her spacial ring. "Soon, you''ll be able to do this."


    Celine pointed her wand toward the dummy, and the mana gem on her wand handle began to glow. Ruby mana swirled around the tip of her wand, congregating together to form a chicken egg-sized ball of fire. Celine flicked her wrist, releasing the ball of fire and striking the dummy on the torso, which left a small burned hole.


    "Show off," Nicholas grumbled, looking at his cousin with a playful, narrowed gaze.


    Celine looked at him, lowered her wand, and smiled as she warmly ruffled his hair.


    "That was so cool!" Elianna chirped, wide-eyed with wonder at Celine''s display of magic.


    Elianna looked at Nicholas curiously and excitedly, "Can you use fire magic like that?!"


    Nicholas shook his head, "No, I''m only first circle."


    Elianna looked at Nicholas, confused, "I don''t understand."


    "You''re an augmentor, right?" Freya asked, looking at Elianna.


    Elianna nodded, "Yep, I have two radiant stars."


    Freya and Celine looked at Elianna, surprised. Celine and Freya thought that being at the second level at her age was remarkable in itself, but the fact that she was near the third level had them checking her mana core themselves for confirmation, as they were stricken with disbelief.


    "And, you''re Nicholas'' age?" Freya confirmed.


    Elianna nodded, her eyes flicking to Nicholas before looking at Freya again.


    "Wow," Celine began, looking at Elianna, awestruck. "I didn''t even get my second circle until I was eleven."


    Elianna looked at Celine curiously, "How old are you?"


    Celine smiled, "Fourteen."


    "Well," Freya said, composing herself. "With your mana core level, you know that augmenters unlock their elemental cores at the second star, as that''s when their mana cores and channels become strong enough to handle it." Elianna nodded, and Freya continued. "Well, it''s similar for us mages. You see, the more circles we have, the stronger we become. It takes a certain amount of strength to control the ambient elemental and nature mana. At the first circle, we aren''t strong enough to do so and can only project our mana to create mana-based spells. Once we reach the second circle, we can manipulate the elemental mana. We can also manipulate nature mana at the second circle, but only to a certain degree. At the third circle, we can utilize the ambient mana even more."


    "And I''m almost third circle," Celine said proudly.


    "So," Elianna looked at Nicholas, "you can only use mana-based spells right now?"


    Nicholas gave a small smile and shrugged, "Yeah."


    "That''s still really cool," Elianna expressed, and Nicholas'' smile grew.


    Freya smiled contently, seeing Nicholas'' expression, and looked at Elianna curiously, "Would you like to see more magic?"


    Elianna nodded excitedly, "Sure!"


    "Okay, watch closely," Freya began and raised her wand. White mana flashed before her wand, forming a large white rectangular barrier in front of her.


    "Woah," Elianna and Nicholas said simultaneously, eyes wide with excitement.


    Freya chuckled, "This is called a ward. It acts as a magic shield. It''s used to block enemy spells and attacks."


    Elianna looked at Freya curiously, "Can it block a sword?"


    Freya grinned at Elianna, "Would you like to strike it and find out?"


    Elianna''s eyes widened, and she nodded energetically, thinking this was an exciting opportunity.


    Freya looked at Nicholas and Celine, "Please step back a bit, a safe distance." Nicholas and Celine nodded, taking a few steps back.


    Elianna smiled wide as she took her hair band out of her spatial ring. She pulled her hair back, as she usually does before sword training, and tied it back into a ponytail. As she did this, her eyes flicked to Nicholas, seeing his brows were slightly raised and his cheeks were a little red. His eyes met hers, and he quickly looked away, the red color of his cheeks deepening. For a moment, she wondered if he was okay before she looked at Freya.


    Elianna pulled her sword out of her spatial ring and got into an attack stance, "Ready?"


    Freya smiled, "I''m ready."


    Elianna pushed mana through her body and burst toward Freya at tremendous speeds. She coated her sword in water magic as she closed in on Freya and thrust her sword forward. Elianna''s sword struck the ward, her water magic bursting apart in a watery explosion.


    Freya flinched as her ward vibrated harshly from the clash, and glowing spider cracks of mana formed on her spell. Her eyes widened as she did not expect Elianna to be that fast or strong, and she had only put in enough mana to put the ward''s strength at third level. She projected more mana into her spell, making it stronger, and watched as the spider cracks disappeared, with the spell integrity returning. Freya looked at Elianna curiously, wondering how she could be that strong for someone so young and thin. She knew augmenters became stronger whenever they pushed mana through their bodies, but to show this type of strength at ten years old was peculiar.


    Elianna stopped her attack, dispersing the water magic, and stood straight with a smile, "So it does block it!"


    Freya smiled, composing herself, and nodded, "Y-Yep." She canceled her spell and lowered her wand. "It does."


    "That was so cool!" Nicholas chirped and ran up to Elianna.


    Elianna looked at him, initially surprised by his excitement, before she smiled and stored her sword back in her spatial ring. "Thanks."


    "You were, like, so fast!" Nicholas expressed and mimicked her stabbing with the sword.


    Elianna giggled, feeling gleeful at Nicholas'' admiration, "Yeah, I''ve done a lot of training."


    "Ah, there you are."


    Elianna, Nicholas, Freya, and Celine looked toward the voice, seeing Lucian approaching.


    Lucian smiled warmly at his daughter, "I was getting a little concerned when you didn''t return."


    Elianna returned her father''s smile, "Sorry, Dad! I was hanging out with Nicholas, Freya, and Celine."


    Lucian nodded and looked at Nicholas, "We meet again, young man."


    Nicholas respectfully nodded to Lucian, "Hello, Sir."


    Lucian chuckled, "I told you you don''t need to call me sir." He looked at Celine, "Good morning."


    Celine smiled in return, "Good morning, Mr. Vail."


    Lucian looked at Freya, "Good to see you again, Freya."


    Freya smiled and saluted Lucian, "You as well, Commander."


    Lucian quickly returned her salute, and they dropped their hands. He looked at Elianna curiously, "So, what were you up to?"


    "Freya was showing me a ward!" Elianna chirped. "It was so cool! It blocked my sword!"


    "Oh, did it?" Lucian chuckled, smiling warmly from seeing his daughter''s excitement.


    "She moved so fast, too! And she used water magic!" Nicholas chimed in. "She looked amazing!"


    Feeling flattered, Elianna blushed a little and looked at Nicholas with a smile, "T-Thanks."


    "You''re welcome!" Nicholas said, returning her smile. "What else can you do with water magic?"


    Elianna''s smile widened, and she raised her hand, coating it in water magic. Nicholas'' eyes widened in awe, watching her manipulate the water, forming different shapes. Celine walked over, also watching Elianna with interest.


    "I see they''re getting along well," Freya chuckled, coming to stand beside Lucian.


    Lucian smiled, loving the sight before him, seeing the warm, happy smile on Elianna''s lips as she spoke with Nicholas and Celine.


    "I''m glad," Lucian said genuinely. "Elianna was always treated horribly by her friends for awakening early. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen her smile with anyone her age."


    Freya watched Elianna curiously as she made different shapes with her water magic, "She is definitely interesting." She looked at Nicholas, seeing his jovial expression, and she smiled. "I''m glad Nicholas is happy as well. He didn''t have many friends growing up."


    Lucian nodded, his eyes falling curiously on Nicholas, "When I first met him, he said his aunt was training him." He looked at Freya, "I assume that''s you?" Freya looked at Lucian and nodded. Lucian looked at Freya inquisitively, "Is he your nephew on your side, or Mathew''s?"


    Freya sighed, "Mine."


    Lucian nodded in understanding, "So. That means he''s-"


    "Please," Freya pleaded, pressing her lips into a thin line. "Don''t treat him differently. He had enough of that back home."


    "Never," Lucian reassured with conviction. "I will never treat him differently." He looked at Nicholas, seeing him and Elianna laughing cheerfully together as she burst her water magic into the air, while Celine jestfully avoided the water with a ward.


    "Thank you," Freya said, looking at Nicholas and Elianna with a warm smile. "And Elianna is always welcome to spend time with us."


    "And thank you," Lucian said, watching his daughter and how she blissfully laughed and spoke with Nicholas and Celine. "I''m sure she will take you up on that offer."

 Chapter 16

    Lucian chuckled, "You alright, Munchkin?"


    Elianna lay there, staring at the clear blue sky, feeling the afternoon sun beating down on her. The grass beneath her felt comfortably soft yet also warm. The gentle breeze felt lovely as it caressed her, giving her a slight reprieve from the heat.


    "I''m fine," Elianna said, taking a deep breath and trying to slow her rapid breathing. She looked to the side, eyeing her father as he stood there with a humourous grin, leaning on his wooden longsword. "Are we almost done with training for the day?"


    Lucian raised a brow, "Eager to be done today, are we?" He gave a knowing smile, "I wonder why. You''re usually determined to train all day."


    Elianna sat up, looked to the side, and sheepishly shrugged, "I don''t know."


    Lucian laughed a little, "How about this? We do one more defense training drill, then we''ll call it a day."


    Elianna looked at her father excitedly, "Really?!"


    Lucian nodded, "Yep." He smirked a little, "Then you''ll be free to go hang out with Nick."


    Elianna blushed slightly and looked to the side, "I-I never said I was going to hang out with Nick."


    Lucian playfully rolled his eyes. "Oh, so you haven''t been cutting our training sessions short these past few weeks just so you can hang out with your friend?"


    Elianna looked at her father curiously, "Is that bad?"


    Lucian looked at his daughter, surprised at the question, before he smiled and shook his head, "Not at all. In fact, I''m very glad you and Nick get along."


    Elianna looked down, and she genuinely smiled, "Me too." She looked at her father curiously, "D-Do you think he will come if I ask him?"


    Lucian chuckled and nodded, "I do." He stored his wooden longsword in his spatial ring and gestured for Elianna to stand up, which she did. "Now, let''s go ahead and finish your training for the day. This time, we will be using real swords."


    Elianna nodded, stored her wooden sword in her spatial ring, and pulled her real sword out. "Why?"


    "I wanted to start with wooden swords because they''re safer," Lucian explained. "Now that you have a basic understanding of the defensive movements, we are going to use real swords so you can feel the difference. However, we will slow our movements this time to be on the safe side. Understood?"


    "Understood."


    "Good," Lucian said, pulling a longsword out of his spatial ring that made Elianna''s eyes widen with awe.


    The longsword''s golden metal glimmered in the sun, and decorative blue gems adorned the center and base of the blade. The cross guard resembled two small golden wings with a mana gem embedded in the center. The longsword had a smooth white handle long enough to be gripped with both hands.


    "T-That," Elianna stuttered, mesmerized by the sword. "That sword is beautiful."


    Lucian looked at his daughter curiously, "Have I never shown you this sword before?"


    Elianna shook her head, staring at the blades shining golden metal, "N-No. You''ve always used your wooden training sword."


    Lucian hummed and raised his sword, gripping the handle with both hands, "Well, I don''t usually draw my blade unless I absolutely need to. I keep it safely in my ring."


    "Where did you get it?" Elianna asked, looking at her father in awe. "Could I get one like it?"


    Lucian smiled at his daughter and shook his head, "I''m afraid not. This sword was a gift given to me by the divine."


    "The divine?" Elianna said, surprised. "Mom and Raina told me about them. They''re the beings of pure spirit who watch over us, right?"


    Lucian nodded, "Correct, Munchkin."


    Elianna looked at her father curiously, "Why did they give you a sword?"


    Lucian looked down for a moment, contemplating his answer, before he looked at his daughter and smiled, "A story for another time. For now, take your stance."


    Elianna nodded, got into her ready stance, and activated her mana guard. She stood there motionlessly, watching her father as he got into an attack stance and surrounded himself with his mana guard.


    "Now, block my attacks," Lucian said, and Elianna nodded.


    Elianna watched her father intently, waiting for him to move and analyzing him for the slightest movement. When she blinked, her eyes widened as she saw he was now gone. A shuffling sound behind her had her rapidly twirling around, and her eyes fell on her father, who was standing there casually.


    As her eyes met her father''s, he moved and dashed to the side. Her father was quick, and Elianna had trouble tracking his movements. Still, even with him exerting this much speed, she knew he was holding back, which always made Elianna wonder just how powerful her father was. Her father was always careful when training her, making sure not to hurt her, which is why Elianna was never afraid of being injured.


    As Lucian moved around Elianna, she ensured to keep him in front of her, not wanting him to get behind her again. Lucian planted his front foot on the ground, stopping his movement, and quickly, but not too fast, swung his sword horizontally at Elianna. Seeing the attack, Elianna raised her blade and blocked it. The sound of metal hitting metal rang in Elianna''s ears, and she winced slightly from the impact as it vibrated through her arms. That single impact made Elianna realize that a collision with metal swords had more of an impact on her arms than the wooden ones.


    Lucian quickly pulled his sword back and twirled to the side. Using her footwork, Elianna swiveled, keeping her father in front of her. Lucian continued to twirl and dash around her, with Elianna keeping him in front of her when he suddenly raised his sword and brought it down in a vertical strike. Elianna swiftly blocked the attack, her hands throbbing from the force of the impact, before Lucian pulled his sword back and dashed around again.


    Elianna watched him closely, waiting, concentrating on her footwork and her father''s movements. She tensed as her father suddenly stopped and moved to dash in the opposite direction. She quickly adjusted her footwork, preparing to follow her father, when he suddenly twirled in the direction he was moving before.


    Elianna''s eyes widened, seeing her father had pulled a feint movement. He pretended to begin to head in the opposite direction and ended up successfully deceiving her. Out of her peripherals, she observed him prepare a vertical strike to her left side. She knew she didn''t have time to fix her footwork and block the attack, giving her one option.


    Elianna quickly jumped to the right, letting herself fall to the ground, and combat rolled, giving herself more distance. After she rolled, she quickly got to her feet, faced her father, and returned to her fighting stance.


    Lucian stood there, surprised, before he smiled wide, "Very good, Munchkin." He stood straight, storing his longsword in his spatial ring.


    Elianna relaxed and smiled, seeing the training drill was over. She stored her sword in her spatial ring and stood straight, "Thanks, Dad."


    Lucian approached his daughter, giving her a complimentary pat on her shoulders, "Good footwork and good blocks. You did a good job keeping me in front of you, as well."


    Elianna shrugged, "You fooled me that last time."


    Lucian chuckled and nodded, "Perhaps. However, your recovery was brilliant. You made a good decision. If you don''t have time to block, gain some distance."


    "Understood," Elianna said, then looked at her father curiously. "So, that was the end of the session, right?"


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    Lucian smiled, "Yes. Go have fun with Nick."


    Elianna smiled wide, "Thanks, Dad!"


    Elianna wrapped her arms around her father in a hug, and Lucian chuckled as he hugged her back. They broke the hug, and with a warm smile, Lucian watched as his daughter ran off toward the first battalion area.


    "Going to hang out with her friend?"


    Lucian turned around, seeing Maurus standing there, looking in the direction Elianna ran off with a smile. Lucian nodded, "She is. I think she''s more excited to spend time with him than me nowadays."


    Maurus looked at Lucian and chuckled, "They grow up fast."


    Lucian sighed, "Too fast." He looked at Maurus inquisitively, "Out for a walk to stretch your legs?"


    Maurus'' smile faded, "I''m afraid not. We have had a development."


    Lucian looked at Maurus seriously, "What is it?"


    Maurus sighed, "A detachment of Tri-Union soldiers was sent from Khison Outpost to investigate some infernal cult activity spotted in Ehomire forest. However, we lost communication with them last night."


    "What?!" Lucian said, alarmed. "We need to backtrack their movements and try to find-"


    "They''ve already been located," Maurus said gravely. "Another detachment was sent out to find them. We just received word from Khison that they were located."


    Lucian sensed the darkness in Maurus'' tone and asked, "Any survivors?"


    Maurus shook his head, "No. All bodies accounted for."


    Lucian looked at Maurus sternly, "I want a full report."


    Maurus nodded, "Khison Lieutenant Commander Quarak is preparing a debrief as we speak."


    Lucian jerked his chin toward the headquarters building, "Let''s go, then."


    Maurus nodded, turned, and began to walk back toward the headquarters building. Lucian spared one last glance in the direction Elianna ran off before he followed Maurus.


    ***


    Elianna ran toward the first battalion area, scanning the dozens of mages and knights training in front of the building. When her eyes finally settled on the three figures she was looking for, her lips curved into a smile. She undid her ponytail, knowing she was done with training for the day, and began to walk toward them.


    Nicholas stood in front of Fryea, looking at her intently as she spoke, while Celine stood to the side, manipulating the ambient elemental mana with her wand. Celine''s eyes flicked to Elianna, seeing her approach.


    Celine canceled her elemental magic and smiled, "Hey, Elle!" Nicholas and Freya looked at Celine before following her gaze, and they smiled when they noticed Elianna.


    Elianna returned Celine''s smile and waved, "Hey, Celine." Her eyes flicked to Nicholas, "Hey, Nick."


    "Hey Lia!" Nicholas chirped, excited to see her. "How''re you?"


    Elianna''s smile widened a little as she had become accustomed to Nick calling her Lia. She had constantly reminded him she didn''t care for the name at first, but over time, she had gotten used to it and even started to like it.


    "I''m good," Elianna responded. "What about you?"


    "Same. Training as usual," Nicholas said and looked at Elianna curiously, "Are you done with your training for the day?"


    "Yeah. I wanted to come see what you were up to."


    "I was just explaining dispel to Nicholas," Freya advised and smiled at Elianna. "Would you like to see?"


    Elianna nodded excitedly. Over the past few weeks, she had witnessed Freya teach Nicholas magic a few times and loved every moment of it. "Sure!"


    "Perfect," Freya began and motioned to Elianna. "In fact, it''s a good thing you are here. Our dispel is similar to how your mana guard works. Could you please explain that?"


    Elianna hummed, recollecting her father''s explanation, and nodded, "Yeah. The mana guard serves several purposes and acts like a second skin. It surrounds our body and acts like armor. The mana guard will also protect you from being directly manipulated by mage spells or even cancel an active spell effect, such as transformation spells."


    Freya smiled and nodded, always impressed by Elianna''s knowledge, "That''s correct. However, transformation spells are not usually practiced as offensive magic."


    Elianna looked at Freya inquisitively, "Why?"


    "Transformations are complicated as the mage needs to have a familiarization with the shape they want to turn into," Freya began. "A living being can only be turned into another living being, and vice versa for inanimate or non-living objects. You see, a mage is constantly using magic to maintain the transformation, and it takes a great deal of concentration. We can''t focus on transforming someone else, as they would have our full attention, and we can''t concentrate on anything else, putting us in danger."


    "So, a mage can''t turn into anything they want?" Elianna asked.


    Freya shook her head, "No, not unless they are familiar with the shape they want to take." She gestured to Nicholas, "Or, if they have an enchanted item. Like Nicholas'' necklace."


    Elianna inquisitively looked at Nicholas, who smiled and grabbed the chain around his neck. He pulled at the chain, pulling a beautiful pendant out from his shirt. The pendant was silver and intricately designed in the shape of a crescent moon, with what looked like a bird sitting on it. Two triangular emerald gems were embedded at the tips of the pendant, with a mana gem in its center.


    "Woah," Elianna whispered, mesmerized by how beautiful the pendant was. "That''s beautiful."


    "Thanks," Nicholas said, looking down at the pendant. His lips curved into a small smile, but Elianna thought Nicholas looked a little sad as he eyed it. "It lets me turn into a falcon."


    "A falcon?" Elianna looked at the pendant in wonder. "That''s so cool!"


    "Enchanted objects have benefits but also drawbacks," Freya said, looking at the pendant with a small emotion-filled smile. "While objects like Nicholas'' necklace allow one to cast complicated magic, like a transformation spell, which is fourth circle magic, it is limited to one spell. His necklace can let him turn into a falcon, and a falcon only. The mana gem also helps, making it so he doesn''t need to use much magic to activate the enchantment. Now, the same goes for other enchanted objects as they can only cast one single spell or have one effect." She gestured to her mage robes, "Like our mage robes, which help us absorb mana faster when we activate the enchantment. Or the knight''s apparel, weapons, or mage''s wands and staves, which have durability enchantments."


    Elianna look a little confused, "But my sword''s durability enchantment doesn''t need to be activated."


    Freya nodded, "There are two types of enchantments. Ones that have abilities, and the second which has permanent effects. The enchantments with abilities require activation with magic, while the enchantments affecting the object do not, like the durability enchantment. Makes sense?"


    Elianna nodded, "Makes sense."


    "Good," Freya said and looked at Nicholas, "you understand as well, Nick?"


    Nicholas smiled and nodded, tucking his medallion back into his shirt, "Yeah."


    "Perfect. Now, let''s get back to our lesson," Freya said. "As Elianna explained, the mana guard can be used to negate the effect of a spell. This occurs when Elianna uses the mana from the mana guard to push out the foreign mana from her body. Our dispel works similarly. We push our mana into an object or person or even push mana out from our mana core to expel the foreign mana, canceling the effect."


    Nicholas looked at Freya quizzically, "Can I just form a mana guard around me like Elianna does?"


    Freya nodded, "You could, which is how we dispel magic effects from us. But we call it our dispel since it''s unreliable as a defensive spell." Freya gestures to Elianna, "You see, Elianna''s body augments or enhances itself as her mana guard is active thanks to her mana veins. Our bodies cannot, as we don''t have internal cores or mana veins that enhance our muscles. This is why if a mage gets hit even with their dispel active, our bodies will feel the full force, and we can sustain internal damage. Understood?"


    Nicholas nodded, "Yeah."


    "Good," Freya said and looked at Celine. "Celine, dear, would you be okay with demonstrating self-dispel from the paralyze spell?"


    Celine smiled and nodded, "Sure, Mom." Celine stood straight and rolled her shoulders and neck before giving her mother a nod. "Ready with you are."


    Freya looked at Nicholas and Elianna, "Pay attention, and see how Celine quickly dispels the effect." Nicholas and Elianna nodded before looking at Celine.


    Freya pulled her wand out of her spatial ring and pointed it toward Celine. Emerald mana began to swirl around Celine before quickly closing in and surrounding her body like a second emerald skin. Celine immediately stiffened, her body seeming frozen and unable to move. Elianna and Nicholas grew wide-eyed with concern, seeing Celine begin to fall back.


    However, their concern was quickly washed away as a blast of pure white mana burst out from Celine, blowing apart the emerald energy that was surrounding her. Celine stumbled back for a moment before she stood straight and smiled.


    "Ta-da," Celine chuckled at Elianna and Nicholas, gesturing to herself. "I''m fine."


    "Woah!" Nicholas exclaimed." "That was so cool!"


    Freya chuckled, "This is the power of the dispel. It''s a simple yet effective spell."


    Nicholas nodded, "Gotcha. Are we going to practice now?"


    Freya hummed, pulled her pocket watch out of her spatial ring, and looked at it. "Not today. We will continue this lesson next time." She stored the pocket watch and smiled at her daughter, "It''s time for Celine''s lessons." She looked back at Nicholas and Elianna with a knowing grin, "You two don''t mind, do you?"


    Elianna and Nicholas shared a glance and smiled, knowing this meant they were now free to spend time and play together. They simultaneously looked back at Freya and shook their heads.


    Freya chuckled, "I thought not. Go ahead and go have fun, you two."


    Nicholas nodded and began to walk off but stopped when he noticed Elianna was still standing there.


    "Um, Mrs. Argyle?" Elianna asked, sounding a little nervous.


    Freya looked at Elianna curiously, "What is it, Dear?"


    "Um," Elianna began, twiddling her thumbs, looking incredibly nervous. She looked at Nicholas and then back at Freya. "Would you, Nick, and Celine be able to attend my birthday next weekend?"


    Freya looked surprised for a second before she smiled warmly. She looked at Celine, who was also smiling, and nodded to her mother. Freya then looked at Nicholas, "What do you say, Nick? Do you want to go?"


    Elianna whipped her head toward Nicholas, looking wide-eyed and nervous about his response.


    Nicholas smiled brightly and nodded, "Yeah!"


    Elianna smiled blissfully, eyes shimmering with delight.


    Freya looked at Elianna and nodded, "We would love to be there." Elianna looked at her with a gleeful expression. "Just have your father send me the information."


    Elianna excitedly nodded, "Okay!" She happily whirled around, hearing Freya chuckle behind her as she ran toward Nicholas. "Come on, let''s go play!"


    Nicholas nodded excitedly and began following Elianna with a happy smile. "What do you want to play today?"


    Elianna looked at Nicholas with a jovial smile, "I brought a frisbee today. Want to play that?"


    Nicholas nodded excitedly, "Sure!"


    "Cool!" Elianna said, taking her hair tie out of her spatial ring. She tied her hair back into her ponytail, knowing she would be running around. She looked at Nicholas and competitively smiled, "Just don''t drop the frisbee."


    Nicholas returned her smile, "I don''t plan to."


    Elianna giggled with a blissful smile and began to run toward the tree line where they usually play, "Come on!"


    Nicholas smiled gleefully and ran after Elianna to have fun and play together.

 Chapter 17

    The day Elianna was looking forward to had finally arrived. She felt excited but also nervous. While she was excited to celebrate her birthday and spend it with her friends and family, she couldn''t help but be a little nervous about Nicholas. Elianna sat on her vanity chair, staring at her own reflection, with core memories of her fifth birthday coming to mind.


    Elianna remembered vividly how alone she felt and how her former friends never came over to spend time with her. Since that birthday, she didn''t bother sending invitations to her former friends, and invited only the people she was close to. But today, that was different. She had invited Nicholas and his family, and it would be the first time in years that someone her age had celebrated with her.


    "You okay, Sweetie?"


    Elianna looked toward the door, seeing her mother walk in, looking at her daughter curiously. Elianna eyed her mother''s apparel, a beautiful casual light blue blouse with a sheen that was complimented by her black pants. She had a gorgeous silver necklace around her neck, accompanied by two silver earrings. Her silvery hair was elegantly combed, with a braid on the side. As Elianna gazed at her mother, she thought about how she had always admired how beautiful her mother was.


    Elianna''s sundress was similar to her mother''s: blue with a sheen. A silver silk sash wrapped around Elianna''s waist, and she had a small silver necklace clasped around her neck. Her hair remained undone and was a little darker than usual, as she had just recently gotten out of the shower.


    Katarina stepped up to stand behind her daughter, noticing her daughter hadn''t answered, "Elianna?"


    Elianna''s eyes flicked up, meeting her mother''s gaze, "Hmm?"


    "I asked if you''re okay?"


    "Oh," Elianna said and turned around, looking at her reflection again with a distant gaze. "I''m fine."


    Katarina raised a brow, knowing something was bothering her daughter. Her eyes flicked to the side of the vanity, where she saw a hairbrush and Elianna''s hair clip. Katarina smiled a little, as she thought of a way to comfort her daughter.


    Elianna watched her mother through the mirror as Katarina grabbed the hair brush and gently began to brush Elianna''s hair. Elianna smiled a little, as she loved the feeling of her mother helping her with her hair.


    As she straightened her daughter''s hair, Katarina began to hum a soothing tune she knew her daughter loved, giving the room a peaceful ambiance. "So," Katarina started in a gentle voice. Her eyes flicked up, meeting her daughter''s gaze through the mirror. "What''s bothering you?"


    Elianna looked at her mother for a moment before her eyes fell to her vanity, and she shrugged. "Nothing is bothering me. I''m just a little nervous."


    "Nervous about what?"


    Elianna was silent for a moment before she spoke, her voice soft, "What if Nick doesn''t come?"


    Katarina''s hand stilled, and her brows raised. She stared at her daughter through the vanity mirror, seeing her downcast gaze. "Why do you think he wouldn''t come?"


    Elianna shrugged slightly, "I don''t know."


    Katarina stood there, thinking about what had brought on Elianna''s current train of thought. "Is it because of Sarah, Tyler, and Dylan?" Elianna nodded slightly, and Katarina''s lips curved in a warm, reassuring smile as she continued to brush her daughter''s hair. "Sweetie, look at me." Elianna''s eyes flicked up and met her mother''s gaze through the mirror. "From what you and your father have told me about Nicholas, he seems like a nice boy. I have no doubts that he will be here. You have nothing to worry about."


    Elianna smiled a little, feeling a little better, and nodded. Her smile faded a little, and she looked at her mother inquisitively, "You and Dad talk about Nick?"


    Katarina chuckled, "Oh yes." She laid the hairbrush on the vanity before she began manipulating Elianna''s hair, creating a small braid on the side of her head. "Your father talks about Nicholas almost as much as you. He''s very happy that you two are friends."


    "What about you?" Elianna asked. "Are you happy that Nicholas and I are friends?"


    Katarina looked at her daughter and smiled. She held her daughter''s hair together with one hand while grabbing the hair clip with the other. She placed the hair clip in the braid, keeping it together.


    Katarina leaned down, giving her daughter a loving kiss on the top of her head, "I am. And I''m very much looking forward to meeting him." Katarina stepped back and gestured to Elianna to stand up, "Now, come on, your guests should be arriving soon."


    Elianna nodded and excitedly stood up from her seat. She closed her bedroom door as she followed her mother into the hallway, and they began to make their way to the entrance hall. As they neared the entrance hall, Elianna and Katarina began to hear a few voices and cheerful laughter.


    Elianna and Katarina exited the hallway and entered the upper sitting area above the entrance hall. Elianna looked down over the railing, and her eyes widened with pleasant surprise.


    "Uncle Hector!" Elianna chirped.


    Lucian, Justine, Hector, and another man Elianna had never met before were standing in the entrance hall and talking in a circle. The four individuals standing in the entrance hall looked up and smiled as their eyes fell on Elianna.


    "Hello, little Elle," Hector said with a warm smile.


    Elianna cheerfully began to run down the stairs, practically jumping over the last step. She ran up to Hector, and he chuckled as she slammed into him, bringing each other into a hug.


    They broke the hug, and Elianna looked at Hector blissfully, "You''re here!"


    Hector chuckled, "You didn''t think I''d miss your birthday, did you?"


    Elianna shrugged, "Dad said you''ve been really busy lately."


    Hector nodded, "Perhaps, but we''re not too busy to come and celebrate with you."


    Elianna beamed with happiness before she looked at Hector curiously, "We?"


    Hector smiled and gestured to the man standing beside him, the one Elianna had never seen before, "Elianna, meet my son, Oscar."


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Elianna curiously looked at Oscar, who was tall and muscular. Like his father, Oscar had black hair and brown eyes, but his hair had none of the grayness.


    Hector gestured to Elianna, "And Oscar, this is Elianna. Or, Elle, as she likes to be called."


    Oscar gave Elianna a friendly smile, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Elle."


    Elianna returned his smile, "It''s a pleasure to meet you as well."


    "I''m glad you could make it, Hector," Katarina said and looked at Oscar. "And it''s good to see you again, Oscar."


    Oscar smiled and nodded to Katarina, "It''s always a delight to see you, Lady Katarina."


    "Careful, Oscar," Katarina jestfully said and smirked at Lucian. "My husband might think you''re flirting with me and get jealous."


    Lucian chuckled, looking at his wife affectionately, "He wouldn''t dare." He playfully narrowed his eyes on Oscar, "Right?"


    Oscar laughed and shook his head, "Definitely not. I don''t have a death wish."


    They all chuckled when a knock at the door gained everyone''s attention, and they all looked toward it. Augustus casually walked into the room, and Elianna''s eyes were eagerly locked on the door as he approached it.


    Augustus opened the door and stood to the side, "Greetings, and welcome to the Vail mansion."


    Elianna''s eyes widened, and her lips curved into a blissful smile as she observed Nicholas standing there in front of his family, with Celine beside him.


    Standing behind the two of them was Freya and another figure who had Elianna''s eyes widen a little with surprise: Mathew.


    Mathew smiled, "Good afternoon; I hope we aren''t late."


    "Not at all," Lucian greeted, returning Mathew''s smile. "Please, come in."


    The four of them walked in, and Augustus closed the door behind them.


    Hector nodded, "Hello, Mathew, Freya, it''s good to see you again."


    Mathew and Freya looked at Hector with a little surprise before they smiled. "It''s good to see you too, Lieutenant Commander," Mathew said.


    "We didn''t know you were coming!" Freya said, glad to see Hector. "I thought you''d be busy adventuring."


    Hector chuckled, "I''m retired, remember Mathew? It''s just Hector now." He looked at Freya, "And Nope." He gestured to Elianna, "I took a break for this little one''s birthday."


    Mathew, Freya, Celine, and Nicholas followed Hector''s gesture, which was when Nicholas noticed Elianna was staring at him with a bright smile.


    Nicholas returned her smile and waved, "Hey, Lia. Happy birth-" Nicholas'' eyes widened in surprise as Elianna ran up and brought him into a tight hug. Nicholas smiled as he returned the hug, "-day."


    Elianna broke the hug, her cheeks a little red, and her lips curved into a jovial smile, "You''re here!"


    Nicholas chuckled, "Yeah, you did invite me, remember?"


    Hector''s lips curved into a smile, his eyes darting between Nicholas and Elianna. Of all the years he knew Elianna, he had never seen her smile in such a way with someone her age. He curiously asked, "And who is this?"


    Nicholas and Elianna looked up, noticing everyone was looking at them, smiling warmly. The redness on Elianna''s cheeks deepened, and she stepped back a little.


    Katarina eyed her daughter, seeing she was practically glowing with happiness. And not only that, but she had noticed how her daughter''s nervousness and worries had quickly washed away at the mere sight of Nicholas.


    Nicholas smiled and gave a slight bow to Hector, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, sir. I''m Nicholas."


    Hector smiled a little humorously, "Well, aren''t you well-mannered. I''m Hector, and you don''t need to call me sir."


    "Hello, Nicholas," Katarina began, giving him a friendly smile. "I''m Katarina, Elianna''s mother. But you can just call me Katarina."


    Nicholas smiled and gave a slight bow, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Vail."


    Katarina''s smile widened a little humorously, seeing Nicholas retain his manners with her.


    Nicholas then looked at Lucian and nodded, "It''s a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Vail."


    Lucian also smiled at Nicholas'' manners and shared a comical glance with his wife. Mathew and Freya also smiled and shared a glance, seeing how proper their nephew was.


    "So," Lucian began, gesturing behind him. "Shall we take this to the dining hall?"


    "Please," Celine grumbled, looking down at the white sandals strapped to her feet. She lifted her right foot and rotated her ankle. "It was a horrible idea to wear my new shoes today. They''re not broken in yet, and my feet are killing me."


    "We best not delay then in order to spare your feet," Lucian chortled and began to make his way to the dining hall.


    Everyone chuckled humorously and began to follow Lucian. However, as Nicholas took a step, he was suddenly stopped by someone pulling on the back of his shirt. He curiously looked over his shoulder, seeing Elianna standing there with a smile.


    "Everything okay?" Nicholas asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.


    Elianna nodded and looked at her mother, "Hey, Mom?"


    Katarina stopped and looked at her daughter curiously. Freya had also stopped as everyone else went to the dining room.


    "Would it be okay if I showed Nick around the mansion?" Elianna asked.


    Nicholas'' eyes widened with delight at the idea.


    Katarina smiled, "Yes, that''s fine." She looked at Freya, "Are you alright with that as well?"


    Freya looked at Nicholas, seeing his pleading gaze, and nodded, "Yes, that''s okay." She smiled warmly at Nicholas and Elianna, "Have fun."


    Elianna beamed with excitement and looked at Nicholas, "We have so many rooms! A Gym! A Game room! A Library! Which one do you want to see first?!"


    Nicholas thought for a second before he casually shrugged, "Why don''t you pick?"


    Elianna hummed for a moment, seeming in thought, before she smiled brightly, "Wanna see the theater? We have a lot of illusionaires!"


    Nicholas returned her smile and nodded, "Sure, lead the way!"


    "Come on!" Elianna chirped with glee, as she hurried out of the room, and Nicholas followed her.


    Katarina smiled warmly, watching Elianna run off. It had felt like ages since she had seen her daughter that cheerful. Lucian had told her how he had noticed how excited and joyful she was to play with Nicholas, but seeing it was different from merely hearing it.


    "It''s been a long time since I''ve seen her that happy," Katarina said, warmth in her voice. "Ever since her former friends rejected her, I never thought I would see her smile that brightly again."


    Freya nodded, a small smile gracing her lips, and looked at Katarina, "Nicholas didn''t have many friends growing up either. I was afraid of how he would fit in when he first arrived here in Tri-Union City."


    Katarina looked at Freya inquisitively, "Lucian tells me he is your nephew on your side." Freya''s face tightened, and she nodded. Katarina looked in the direction Elianna and Nicholas ran off in, "I''m surprised his father let him come here."


    Freya sighed, "He almost didn''t. One day, Nicholas reached out to me via telemirror, asking for my help. I was initially surprised since I had no idea he managed to form his core into a circle. So I went to Zasaly and got into a little argument with my brother. He eventually relented and allowed me to bring his son here to train."


    Katarina looked at Freya, surprised, "You won an argument against him?"


    Freya simply shrugged, "I can put up a good argument when I need to." She smiled humorously, "Plus, I''m still the older sibling, and that''ll never change."


    Katarina chuckled before she curiously asked, "And has Nicholas adjusted well?"


    Freya smiled happily, "He has. Especially thanks to Elianna." Freya chuckled, "I still remember when he told us how she liked his drawings. He was very happy to have met her and made a new friend."


    Katarina returned her smile, "Yes, Lucian and I are happy they get along as well. Nicholas is always welcome to come over and spend time with Elianna whenever he wants."


    Freya smiled gratefully, "I''m sure he will greatly appreciate that and take you up on that offer."


    "Are you coming?"


    Freya and Katarina looked toward the voice, seeing Mathew walk in, holding a glass of amber liquid.


    Katarina humorously raised a brow, "Lucian already opened the liquor cabinet, I see."


    Mathew looked at the glass in his hand and shrugged, "Who am I to deny a good glass of whiskey."


    Freya sighed and smiled at Katarina, "Shall we go and make sure the boys aren''t getting into trouble."


    Katarina returned Freya''s smile, "We shall."


    "Trouble?" Mathew scoffed. "What kind of trouble can we get into?"


    Freya and Katarina gave Mathew a deadpanned look.


    "Boys can become quite rowdy," Freya stated.


    "Which always leads to us babysitting them," Katarina chuckled.


    Mathew rolled his eyes, "You make us sound like children."


    Freya and Katarina laughed a little. Freya approached her husband and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.


    Freya smiled lightheartedly, "That''s because you boys are children."


    Mathew playfully narrowed his eyes on his wife before looking around inquisitively, "Where is Nicholas?"


    Freya gestured to where Nicholas and Elianna ran out, "Elianna took Nicholas to explore the mansion."


    Mathew nodded, following their gesture, "I hope they''re having fun."


    Katarina chuckled and smiled, "I''m sure they are."

 Chapter 18

    The theater was as elegant and refined as Nicholas had imagined. His eyes darted around the room as he and Elianna walked inside. The room was spacious, with dark brown painted walls and light brown wooden flooring. Brown wooden shelves with glass doors were lined against the walls. Inside the shelves were spherical objects with what looked like a white mist floating inside them, which Nicholas knew were illusionaires. Against the left side of the room was a large bar area with a rack of bottles hanging on the wall. In the middle of the room were four rows of brown leather reclinable seats, with ten chairs in each row, all facing a brown pedestal used to hold the illusionaire while it was activated.


    "Told you we have a lot of illusionaires," Elianna chirped, gesturing to shelves around the room.


    Nicholas nodded and looked at Elianna with a curious gaze, "Which one is your favorite?"


    Elianna hummed, looking at the illusionaires around the room, "I used to love watching Wendy''s adventure growing up. But I haven''t seen it in a while."


    Nicholas walked further into the room, looking at the brown leather chairs, "I don''t think I''ve seen that one." He playfully plopped himself into one of the chairs and chuckled before looking back at Elianna, "What''s it about?"


    Elianna smiled humorously at Nicholas'' playfulness before she looked up, recollecting her favorite childhood movie, "It''s about a girl who becomes friends with a dragon, and he shows her around the world."


    Nicholas hummed and smiled, "That sounds pretty cool. Maybe I''ll watch it one day."


    Elianna beamed, "I can watch it with you if you want!"


    Nicholas nodded happily, "I''d like that. Maybe when I''m over another time."


    The words another time rang loudly in Elianna''s head, and her smile widened a little. She had been nervous about whether Nicholas would show up today, but now, here he was, talking about coming over again.


    Elianna gestured to Nicholas, "What about you? What''s your favorite?"


    Nicholas looked up, scratching his head, thinking. A moment later, he smiled and looked at Elianna again, "The Valiant Five."


    Elianna looked at Nicholas curiously, "I''ve never heard of it. What''s it about?"


    Nicholas leaned back into the chair and looked up, remembering the illusionaire. "It''s about five members of a noble king''s personal guard. One day, they discover a plot to assassinate the king and are framed for the idea. So..." Nicholas stopped himself and smiled before he looked at Elianna, "Well, I don''t want to ruin it. Maybe we could watch that together as well."


    Elianna smiled jovially, "Sure!" She excitedly looked toward the door, then back to Nicholas, "Do you want to continue looking around?"


    Nicholas smiled, nodded, stood up from the chair, and gestured to Elianna, "Lead the way."


    Elianna nodded gleefully and walked out of the room, with Nicholas following her. Nicholas'' eyes traced the walls of the white hallways as they made their way through the mansion, observing the various paintings. They made a right turn, and Nicholas looked forward, seeing they were approaching a set of double brown wooden doors.


    "And this," Elianna began as she approached the double doors and pushed them open. "Is the library."


    Nicholas walked inside and saw that the library was vast and beautiful. Dark gray carpet made up the flooring, and mahogany bookshelves were lined up across the walls. In the middle of the library were multiple mahogany tables with books lying on top of some of them.


    Nicholas'' brows raised in amazement, looking around the room, "This is nice." He walked further into the room, curiously looking at the bookshelves. "Do you read a lot in here?"


    Elianna grumbled, "Studying mostly with my teacher, Justine."


    Nicholas looked at Elianna over his shoulder and smiled, "I had a private teacher in Gavaria. I know how boring it can get."


    "You did?" Elianna asked, looking at Nicholas curiously. "Is your family nobility as well?"


    Nicholas'' smile faded, and he flinched a little at the question. Elianna looked at Nicholas a little worriedly, but before she could ask anything, Nicholas smiled and said, "My family is well off. My uncle Mathew is nobility, and my aunt married into his family before moving to Tri-Union City."


    Elianna''s brows raised with surprise, "Mathew is your uncle?"


    Nicholas looked at Elianna, confused, "Did you not know that?"


    Elianna shook her head, "No. I was actually surprised to see him. I''ve met and spoken with him several times at the headquarters building."


    Nicholas smiled and nodded, "My uncle told me he''d spoken to you a few times when I first told him about you."


    Elianna grinned slightly, "You mean when you told them I liked your drawings?"


    Nicholas looked to the side, and his cheeks reddened a little, "Y-Yeah."


    "I told my parents about you, too," Elianna said, her voice soft, and Nicholas looked at her surprised. "They were happy I made a friend." Elianna''s smile faded, and her gaze fell, her expression turning dejected. "I didn''t really have friends growing up."


    Nicholas gave Elianna a small smile and shrugged, "Neither did I."


    "I used to," Elianna whispered.


    Nicholas''s smile faded, and he looked at Elianna confused, "Used to what?"


    "Have friends," Elianna began. Nicholas looked at Elianna a little worriedly, seeing her shake slightly and her eyes become a little watery. She grabbed her left arm with her right hand, trying to comfort herself with a self-hug. "When I awakened when I was four, my friends called me a freak. After that, they didn''t show up at my fifth birthday party and have always been rude to me."


    Nicholas looked at Elianna sympathetically, "I''m sorry."


    Elianna shrugged, "It''s fine."


    The library fell silent as Elianna and Nicholas stood there. Nicholas''s expression was compassionate as he looked at Elianna, who had a downcast, tear-filled gaze. Nicholas was mentally scrambling, trying to find some words to comfort her before looking at her earnestly.


    "They''re stupid," Nicholas declared, and Elianna''s eyes snapped to him with a look of shock. "You''re not a freak, Lia. So what if you awakened at four? I think that''s amazing, and they''re just jealous of how cool you are." Nicholas sincerely smiled at Elianna, "I, for one, am happy to be your friend."


    Elianna stood there motionlessly with a tear-filled, wide-eyed gaze. Nicholas'' words swirled in her head: ''Not a freak,'' ''Another time,'' ''Amazing,'' ''Happy to be your friend.'' Elianna stared at Nicholas, and it felt like everything her former friends said to her in the past didn''t matter anymore. It felt like a door that she didn''t realize she had closed had opened, feeling a sense of trust toward Nicholas.


    Nicholas'' brows furrowed, wondering if he said the wrong thing, "Are you o-"


    Nicholas didn''t finish his sentence as Elianna leaped forward, taking him into a tight hug. Nicholas was frozen with surprise before he smiled and hugged her back.


    "Thank you," Elianna sniffled, her embrace tightening. "I''m happy you''re my friend too."


    Not saying anything, Nicholas smiled as he patted Elianna on the back, keeping her in a comforting hug. They held the hug for a few moments before they broke apart, and Elianna quickly wiped her eyes.


    Elianna smiled genuinely, "Want to continue? How about we go see the game room?"


    Nichols nodded happily, "I''d like that." He gestured to her, "Lead the way."


    Elianna beamed as she reached out and took Nicholas'' hand, whose eyes widened with surprise. He nearly stumbled as Elianna whirled around and quickly pulled him, but he regained his footing and chuckled as they made their way out of the library.


    Elianna and Nicholas happily smiled as they ran down the hallways of the mansion. They made multiple turns, passing several rooms, but Elianna was set on their destination. Elianna''s pace began to slow as they neared a set of closed double brown wooden doors.


    Elianna let go of Nicholas'' hand and approached the double doors. She pressed both of her hands flat against the doors and looked over her shoulders at Nicholas with an excited smile before she pushed them open. She turned around to face Nicholas and stepped backward into the room, "Welcome to the game room."


    Nicholas smiled at Elianna and followed her into the room. His smile soon faded, and his eyes widened in wonder as he looked around, studying his surroundings. The game room was far more impressive than Nicholas imagined. On the right side of the room was a small eating area with white tile flooring. The eating area was filled with three small black square tables, with four chairs each. A black ice box that was shaped like a large rectangular object was placed in the corner and was used to contain drinks with a chilling enchantment.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Black carpeting covered the majority of the room, with multiple gaming tables scattered throughout. There were tables for ping pong, foosball, pool, and even smaller tables for individuals to sit at and play card and board games. At the end of the room were three small bowling alleys made of beautiful light brown wood. On the left side of the room, hanging on the wall, were dart boards and small hoops to toss a ball through.


    Elianna giggled, and Nicholas'' eyes shifted to her, noticing her smiling as she said, "You should see your face."


    Nicholas smiled and excitedly said, "The room is really cool!"


    "Yeah, I like to play in here a lot!" Elianna chirped.


    "Are you two hungry?"


    Nicholas and Elianna curiously looked at the entrance and saw Agustus standing there with a smile. Their eyes fell to his hands, seeing him holding a tray with two glasses of milk and a plate that contained four triangle-cut sandwiches.


    "Hello, Augustus," Elianna said kindly. She looked at him curiously, "Are those for us?"


    Augustus nodded, "They are, My Lady." Augustus walked into the room, toward the eating area, and placed the tray on the table. "Lady Katarina didn''t think you would be returning soon, so she requested I find you two and bring you food." He turned toward Nicholas and Elianna, smiled, and gestured to the plate, "Two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into triangles." He looked at Nicholas, "I was informed by Lady Freya that you have no allergies, Lord Nicholas. Correct?"


    Nicholas smiled and nodded, "Correct, and thank you for the sandwiches."


    "Of course," Augustus nodded and made his way to the door. He smiled at them, "Enjoy, and have fun."


    "Thank you," Elianna chirped as Augustus walked out of the room. Elianna smiled at Nicholas and gestured to the table, "Wanna eat before we play?"


    Nicholas nodded, "Yeah." He rubbed his stomach, "I am getting a little hungry."


    "Me too," Elianna said and began to walk toward the table. "Come on."


    Elianna and Nicholas walked toward the eating area, where they sat at the table and happily enjoyed their sandwiches.


    Nicholas drank his milk before putting the glass back onto the tray. He looked at Elianna, seeing she had finished her sandwiches and was now drinking the rest of her milk. He looked at her curiously and asked, "Want to play one of the games."


    Elianna excitedly nodded as she finished her milk and placed her glass beside the empty plate, "Yeah! What game would you like to play?"


    Nicholas hummed, looking into the room, his eyes darting between the games, wondering which one he wanted to play. After a moment, he smiled and looked at Elianna, "Why don''t you pick? It''s your birthday, after all."


    Elianna tilted her head slightly to the right. "You sure?"


    Nicholas nodded happily, "Yep."


    Elianna smiled and looked at the games. She thought for a second before she looked at Nicholas, "Have you ever played foosball?"


    Nicholas looked toward the foosball table and smiled, "Yeah." He looked back at Elianna, "You wanna play that?"


    Elianna smiled competitively, "More like I''m going to beat you at it."


    Nicholas returned her smile, "Oh, we will see about that."


    Elianna giggled with glee as she got up from the table and ran toward the foosball table with Nicholas following her with a bright smile. They took their places on either side of the table, and Elianna grabbed one of the balls sitting on a side table.


    Elianna held up the ball with a confident smirk, "First to five points wins."


    Nicholas nodded in agreement and grabbed two of the rods, staring intently at the ball. Elianna smiled happily, seeing Nicholas becoming just as competitive as she was. Elianna quickly dropped the ball onto the table, and she and Nicholas burst into action. They each spun the rods rapidly, hitting the ball towards each other. With a swift motion, Nicholas spun one of the rods and made a goal.


    "Hah!" Nicholas yelled. "Goal!"


    Elianna pouted, "That''s just one point."


    Nicholas smirked, "Then let''s keep going, and I''ll make the other four."


    Elianna competitively narrowed her eyes on Nicholas, "We shall see."


    Elianna grabbed the ball from the slot at the end of the table and threw the ball back onto the table. Yet again, Elianna and Nicholas rapidly rotated the rods, hitting the ball aggressively toward each other. This time, it was Elianna who cheered as she made a goal.


    "Whatcha got to say now, Nick?"


    Nicholas chuckled, "The game isn''t over yet, Lia."


    Nicholas and Elianna began another round and continued this cycle until they both had four points each. Now, it came down to this last round, and they were both staring each other down as Nicholas held the ball in his hand.


    "Last round," Nicholas chuckled. "Think you''re gonna win?"


    Elianna had a determined expression and narrowed her eyes on the ball, "Just drop the ball already."


    Nicholas smiled before he, too, turned serious. He prepared himself and dropped the ball onto the table. Elianna was quick as she struck the ball, sending it skidding across the table toward Nicholas'' goal. Nicholas barely grabbed the rod and blocked the ball in time before hitting back toward Elianna''s side.


    "That was a cheap shot!" Nicholas expressed.


    Elianna smirked, hitting the ball back toward Nicholas'' side, "Not my fault you weren''t ready for it."


    Nicholas hit the ball back toward Elianna''s side, and the two of them fell silent. The room was filled with the sound of the foosball table as Elianna and Nicholas hit the ball back and forth. Though neither of them were physically smiling as they looked at the table determinedly, they were both beaming internally with joy, loving every moment they were playing the game.


    The ball zipped to Nicholas'' side of the table, and he spun the rod, hitting the ball toward the opposite goal. Elianna quickly blocked the ball, but Nicholas was quick as he struck the ball again. Elianna tried to block the ball once more, but her eyes widened with despair as the ball rolled past her goalie and went into the goal.


    Nicholas raised his arms into the air and cheered, "Yeah! Winner!"


    Elianna pouted and looked at Nicholas, "Best two out of three!"


    Nicholas lowered his arms and smirked at Elianna, "You''re so on."


    "Maybe later."


    Elianna and Nicholas looked toward the door, seeing Katarina leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed, smiling warmly. She hadn''t announced her presence when she first walked into the room, as she was enjoying watching Elianna and Nicholas playing together and how competitive and happy they were.


    Elianna smiled, "Hey, Mom!" She looked at her mother curiously, "What do you mean later? Why can''t we play again now?"


    Katarina chuckled, glad to see her daughter was excited to play with Nicholas. She stood straight and gestured to her daughter, "I came to get you because it''s time for your cake and presents."


    Elianna beamed, "It is?!"


    Katarina nodded, "Yep." She gave her daughter a teasing grin, "Unless you want me to tell Augustus that you don''t want any cake."


    "No!" Elianna practically yelled, and Katarina laughed a little. Elianna looked at Nicholas and smiled, "Want to continue this game later?"


    Nicholas returned her smile and nodded, "Sure. Only if you don''t mind losing again."


    Elianna narrowed her eyes competitively on Nicholas, "Oh, we are so playing again."


    Elianna and Nicholas stared at each other before they both laughed cheerfully.


    Katarina smiled happily at the two of them, her heart full of warmth at the sight before her, "Come on, you two. We best not keep the others waiting."


    Elianna and Nicholas looked at Katarina and nodded. Katarina walked out of the room, with Elianna and Nicholas following her. They made their way through the mansion and began to hear several voices and laughter emanating from the dining room.


    Katarina entered the room first, with Elianna and Nicholas following them in. As they entered, everyone at the table stopped talking, looked, and smiled at them.


    "Ah, there they are," Mathew chuckled, taking another sip of his drink.


    "We were beginning to think you weren''t ever going to come back," Celine jested.


    "Lia was showing me around the mansion," Nicholas chirped. "We even played foosball."


    Lucian looked at his daughter, "Did you win?"


    Elianna pouted and looked to the side, "No."


    "Nicholas," Freya playfully scolded. "Don''t you know you''re supposed to let a lady win on her birthday?"


    "Oh no, don''t do that," Lucian chuckled. "Elianna hates it when you let her win."


    Elianna nodded and smiled at Nick, "Yep. So don''t let me win."


    Nicholas laughed a little, "Noted."


    As Elianna looked at Nicholas, her eyes flicked to the end of the table. There, she saw a figure sitting there with a warm smile, who was adorned in an elegant blue and silver dress. Elianna''s brows raised with pleasant surprise, "Raina?" Elianna looked at the individual sitting beside Raina, adorned in a Tri-Union combat uniform. "Kassandra?"


    Raina gave Elianna a little wave, "Happy birthday, Elle. I would''ve been here earlier," She gestured to Kassandra beside her, "but it took her a lot of convincing to come here with only her."


    Kassandra gave Raina a deadpan look, "It''s my job to keep you safe." She looked at Elianna and smiled, "Happy birthday, Elle."


    Elianna smiled at both of them, "Thanks! And thanks for coming!"


    "So, you''re saying you didn''t come here to see me," Hector said, giving Raina a playful, hurt expression.


    "No," Raina said flatly, and everyone at the table burst into laughter. Raina smiled, "But it is good to see you, Hector."


    "It''s okay, Regent," Oscar said, giving his father a teasing smile. "You don''t need to lie to him."


    The doors to the kitchen opened, and Augustus stepped through, "Excuse my interruption, but are we ready for the cake?"


    Lucian smiled and nodded, "Yes, we are." Lucian looked at Elianna, Katarina, and Nicholas, gesturing to the table, "Go ahead and take your seats."


    Augustus walked back into the kitchen while Katarina, Nicholas, and Elianna walked around the table. Katarina sat beside her husband, while Nicholas sat beside his aunt, and Elianna sat between her mother and her father.


    Raina''s eyes flicked to Nicholas, and she gave him a friendly smile, "Hello, Nicholas. Freya informed me you were here. How are you liking Tri-Union City?"


    Nicholas smiled at Raina and gave her a respectful nod, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Regent Raina. I like Tri-Union City very much, thank you."


    Raina nodded, "That''s good." She tilted her head slightly to the right, looking at Nicholas curiously, and she chuckled warmly. "Has anyone ever told you that you have your mother''s eyes?"


    Nicholas raised his brows in surprise before his lips curved in a small smile. "I''ve been told before," he said, his voice soft.


    Elianna looked at Raina curiously, "You know Nick''s mom?"


    Nicholas stiffened a little, and his eyes fell to the table. Raina''s eyes flicked to Freya, who subtly shook her head.


    Raina subtly nodded before smiling at Elianna, "I did. She and I often went to sermons together whenever she visited the city."


    "Sermon?" Elianna said, confused.


    Raina nodded, "It''s where the minister of the cathedral speaks about the divine."


    "My Mom told me about the divine," Elianna chirped. "She said they are beings of pure spirit who watch over us."


    Raina smiled a little, her eyes flicking to Katarina and then back to Elianna, "That is true. But there is more to them." She looked around the table at everyone inquisitively, "Actually, the minister is honoring the divine tomorrow at the cathedral with a sermon. Would you all like to join me?"


    Mathew raised a brow, obviously not keen on the idea, "Err, uh, n-"


    Freya elbowed him in the side, silencing him, and kindly smiled, "We would love to."


    Lucian smiled and nodded, "We would love to as well."


    Raina returned their smiles, "Perfect." Her eyes flicked to the kitchen doors as they opened, "I''ll give you the details later."


    Everyone looked at the doors, and Elianna beamed with happiness as she watched Augustus walk out with the cake in his hands and other staff members walking beside him. The staff members walked around the room while Augustus approached the table and placed the cake in front of Elianna. Katarina reached over, igniting her finger in fire magic, and lit the candles one by one. Once the candles were lit, Elianna smiled happily as everyone began to sing Happy Birthday.


    The voices from everyone singing filled the air and Elianna''s heart with joy. She couldn''t remember the last time she felt this happy on her birthday, and surrounded by people she cherished. She stared at the candles, thinking about the wish she wanted to make. She remembered her fifth birthday wish, how she wanted friends, and her eyes flicked to Nicholas. They both smiled as their eyes met, and Elianna felt joyful, knowing Nicholas was her friend and her wish had come true.


    The voices died down as everyone stopped singing, and Lucian said, "Alright, Munchkin. Make a wish."


    Elianna looked at the candles and knew what she wanted: for Nicholas to be her friend forever and to stay this happy. Elianna smiled and jovially blew out her candles, having a fantastic birthday.

 Chapter 19

    Elianna was excited as she sat on the bench inside her family carriage. She had never been to the cathedral before, and her parents told her yesterday about how beautiful and elegant it was. They also told her she needed to dress nicely when attending a sermon at the cathedral, as it was considered a sign of respect.


    Elianna looked over to her parents, who were sitting across from her, talking to each other. Her mother was dressed in a beautiful short-sleeved dark green dress that fell to her ankles. Elianna''s green dress was similar to her mother''s, but it fell just below her knees. Her father wore a black suit with a green vest and tie.


    Katarina''s eyes flicked to Elianna, seeing her daughter looking at her and Lucian, and she smiled, "Are you nervous about seeing the cathedral?"


    Elianna shook her head, "No. I''m actually excited!"


    Lucian chuckled, "That''s good." Lucian looked at Elianna seriously, "Now, Munchkin. I know Nicholas will be there, but I need you both to be on your best behavior and not play around."


    Elianna curiously tilted her head slightly to the right, "Why?"


    "The cathedral is a place highly revered by many, including Raina," Katarina said. "Many might take offense to children running around and playing. So just stay close to your father and me."


    Elianna felt a little bummed out since she was hoping to play with Nicholas a little, but perhaps she could do that later. "Could we still look around the Cathedral?" Elianna curiously asked.


    Lucian smiled and nodded, "Of course." Lucian looked toward the window and leaned forward, "Elianna, look."


    Elianna followed her father''s gaze, and her eyes widened in awe as a towering building surrounded by rod iron fencing and lush green grass came into view. The building was made of white stone and was absolutely beautiful. The stained glass windows reflected the light from the morning sun, making the building seem to glow. The central part of the building was large and rectangular with a gable roof. Four large rectangular towers were built onto the central building, one on each corner. A large golden cross shone brightly from the morning sunlight at the very top of the building.


    The building was at the end of a wide cobblestone road with sidewalks and buildings on either side of the road. Individuals of all three races currently occupied both sidewalks, all dressed in refined clothing and walking toward the large building. The building went out of Elianna''s view as the carriage turned down the street and began to head toward it.


    Elianna''s head snapped toward her parents, who were smiling warmly, seeing her reaction. "W-Was that the cathedral?"


    Lucian nodded, "It was."


    "It was so cool and pretty!" Elianna expressed. "It looked like it was glowing!"


    Katarina chuckled, "Just wait until we get there. The cathedral is far more beautiful when standing up close."


    Elianna smiled with excitement and pressed her face and hands against the window. Condensation formed on the window from Elianna''s breath as she stared outside the carriage toward the direction they were heading. The window felt cool as she pressed her head against it, and her smile widened as the cathedral soon came into view once more. Her excitement increased as they passed the rod iron fencing, noticing several Tri-Union City guards standing along the fence.


    The carriage entered the cathedral''s grounds, consisting of large grassy areas with large trees planted all around, with the areas separated by stone walking paths. Elianna observed several individuals walking around on the stone paths, all dressed nicely and speaking with one another.


    The carriage soon came to a stop, and it wobbled as the coachman dismounted his driver''s seat. The door to the carriage opened, and a dwarf with long orange hair and an orange beard came into view as he held the door ajar.


    The dwarf nodded respectfully, "We have arrived, Lord and Lady Vail."


    "Thank you, Usuf," Lucian said as he got up from his seat.


    Elianna waited as her parents exited the carriage, then turned to face her. Elianna got up, and Katarina held her hand out to her daughter. Taking her mother''s hand, Elianna descended the carriage''s steps and immediately looked up, going wide-eyed with wonder.


    Elianna thought about how her mother had been right; the cathedral looked far more beautiful up close. Elianna had to tilt her head all the way back just to see the top of the cathedral. The white stone that made up the building was flawless and smooth, glimmering in the morning sun. The windows were stained, each with a different design. Some of the windows depicted strange humanoid beings with a golden hue and white feathered wings. Other windows had depictions of various colors, like a kaleidoscope.


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?"


    Elianna looked at her mother, who was smiling at her. Elianna returned her mother''s smile and nodded, "Yeah! I really like the windows!"


    Katarina looked at the stained glass, seeing the winged humanoids, "They''re visuals of the divine beings who watch over us."


    Elianna looked at her mother curiously, "The divine race has wings?"


    "According to their depictions in scripture, some do, but not all," Lucian answered, and Katarina and Elianna looked at him. He jerked his chin, "Follow me; I think I spotted them."


    Katarina nodded and looked at Elianna, "Keep holding my hand and stay close to me, Sweetie."


    Elianna nodded and followed her mother and father as they began to walk away from their carriage. Elianna looked around and saw dozens of individuals dressed nicely, standing outside the cathedral and speaking to one another. Some of the individuals, like Elianna, were looking and pointing at the cathedral in awe, admiring its beauty.


    Elianna looked forward, seeing she and her parents were approaching a group of Tri-Union City soldiers, who were standing around in a circle, their backs to the center. One of the soldiers, a young human male with short lime green hair and orange eyes, looked in their direction. His gaze flicked to them and narrowed before immediately going wide-eyed with recognition.


    The young human guard quickly sidestepped, making room for the Vail''s to pass by, and saluted, "Good morning, Commander."


    The other guards beside the man heard what he said and followed his gaze, seeing Lucian and his family approaching. They also snapped to attention and saluted, wishing Lucian a good morning.


    Lucian returned their salute, "Carry on." He dropped his salute, and the guards followed suit as Lucian and his family walked past the guards, entering the circle formation.


    Elianna''s eyes flicked to the center of the circle formation, and she smiled as her gaze fell on several individuals standing beside each other. The first individual was Raina, dressed in a beautiful golden long-sleeve dress that had a sheen and glimmered in the morning sun, which matched the golden tiara atop her head. Standing beside her was Kassandra, dressed in formal military attire and looking around protectively.


    Standing with Raina, facing her, were Mathew, Freya, Celine, and Nicholas. Mathew was dressed in a black suit, complimented by his light blue tie. Freya was dressed in a light blue short-sleeve dress that matched Mathew''s tie and fell to her shins. Celine was adorned in a light blue dress similar to her mother''s, but she had a white sash around her waist. Nicholas wore a black suit like Mathew''s, also with a light blue tie.


    Raina''s eyes flicked to the Vail''s, and she smiled warmly as they approached, "Good morning. I''m glad you could make it."


    Mathew, Freya, Celine, and Nicholas followed Raina''s gaze, noticing the Vails. Elianna smiled and waved as she met Nicholas'' gaze, and he returned her smile, waving back.


    Katarina looked at her daughter curiously, noticing her waving, and followed her gaze. She smiled, seeing her daughter and Nicholas were non-verbally greeting each other.


    "I hope we aren''t late," Lucian greeted with a pleasant smile.


    Raina shook her head, "Nope, you are right on time. We were just discussing going inside." Raina looked behind Lucian before curiously meeting his gaze, "I take it that Hector and Oscar didn''t change their minds?"


    "No," Lucian replied. "They stayed the night but left early this morning."


    "We tried to convince them to come, but they''re stubborn," Katarina jested.


    "Just like my sons and their families," Raina sighed dejectedly.


    "They''re not here?" Katarina asked.


    Raina shook her head, "No, unfortunately. They would rather sleep in, or so they said."


    Kassandra looked at Raina sympathetically. She knew worshipping the divine was important to her, and she would''ve thought Raina''s sons would''ve at least joined her because of that if nothing else.


    "Well, don''t worry," Freya said, giving Raina a reassuring smile. "We are all here to spend time with you and enjoy this sermon."


    "Yeah," Mathew said lowly but immediately flinched as Freya subtly and lightly elbowed him in the side. Mathew cleared his throat and spoke loudly and jovially, "Yeah. We are all happy to be here."


    Raina smiled, appreciatingly, "I''m glad." She gestured to the cathedral, "Shall we go take our seats?"


    Katarina nodded, "Yes, let''s."


    Raina turned, and in unison, the Tri-Union City guards around her began to move toward the cathedral as she did.


    Lucian looked at Kassandra as they approached the cathedral entrance, "I take it the area has already been secured?"


    Kassandra nodded, "Yes, Commander. I placed knights on the perimeter and mages on the roof." She smiled at him, "Plus, it helps to know we have you with us. No one would dare to try anything with you here."


    Lucian chuckled, "There may be some who are foolish enough to try."


    Elianna, who was still holding her mother''s hand, looked to the side, seeing Nicholas walking beside his aunt on the other side of Katarina. Elianna looked up at her mom, "Hey, Mom?" Katarina curiously looked at her daughter. "Can I switch sides?"


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Katarina looked at Elianna, confused, before looking to her right. Katarina''s brows rose, and she smiled, seeing Nicholas close to her and realizing why her daughter asked her question. Katarina looked at Elianna and nodded.


    Elianna excitedly let go of her mother''s hand, moved to the other side, took her other hand, and smiled at Nicholas, "Hey, Nick!"


    Nicholas'' head snapped to his left, a little surprised by the sudden greeting, but he returned Elianna''s smile as soon as he realized it was her, "Hey, Lia!"


    "Are you excited about the sermon?" Elianna asked.


    Nicholas shrugged, "I guess. I used to go to them all the time with my dad."


    Elianna looked at Nicholas curiously, "What about your mom? Raina said she and your mom used to go together."


    Nicholas flinched, and his eyes fell. Nicholas'' expression changed to something Elianna couldn''t read, and she looked at him a little worried.


    Noticing her nephew''s expression and hearing Elianna''s question, Freya placed her hand on Nicholas'' shoulder. Nicholas looked up, feeling his aunt''s reassuring grasp, and they shared a smile.


    Wanting to change the subject, Freya jerked her chin forward, "Excited to see the inside?"


    Elianna and Nicholas looked forward, seeing they were approaching the entrance. Elianna smiled, feeling elated about seeing the inside. After seeing how beautiful the outside of the cathedral was, she couldn''t help but wonder how beautiful the inside was.


    The guards began to enter the cathedral first, filling in together. The cathedral''s entrance was large, giving enough room for several people to enter simultaneously. Soon enough, Elianna and the others approached the cathedral entrance, passing under the archway and through the dark brown opened double doors. As they entered the cathedral, Nicholas'' and Elianna''s eyes widened in amazement.


    The inside of the cathedral looked a lot bigger than the outside. The room was incredibly large, with a bright red carpet running down the middle and dozens of long, dark brown wooden benches on either side of the rug. The cathedral''s flooring was also made of white stone, which seemed just as pristine as the stone on the outside. Beautiful crystal chandeliers adorned with lumous stones hung from the ceiling, illuminating the cathedral. Thick stone support pillars were scattered throughout the cathedral, connecting the floor to the ceiling. Murals covered the walls and even the ceiling of the cathedral, depicting different images of the divine race. At the end of the cathedral was a white and golden altar, with a golden cross erected in the center. But what caught Elianna''s eye the most wasn''t the altar but the object above it.


    Hovering above the altar was a large stone that was bigger than a carriage. The stone seemed to be made out of crystal and radiated a bright, warm, golden glow. As Elianna stared at the stone, she felt her heartbeat increase a little, and a warmth began to fill her heart... no... her mana core. The golden energy from the stone was absolutely beautiful and comforting, and Elianna was utterly mesmerized. She was so mesmerized that Elianna began to feel a sense of walking forward as if the energy was pulling her in.


    "That''s a world stone."


    Elianna started as if she were knocked out of a daze before she looked at her mother, who was smiling at her after catching her daughter''s gaze.


    Elianna looked back at the world stone and said softly, "It''s so beautiful."


    "It was a gift," Lucian said, and Elianna looked at her father. Lucian smiled at his daughter, "The divine scripture states that the world stones were given to us by the divine. The golden glow you see is their divine radiance."


    "Radiance?" Elianna asked, confused.


    "Their light, or power," Lucian clarified.


    "There is a stone just like it in Zasaly," Nicholas expressed, also admiring the world stone.


    Lucian nodded, "There are four world stones in total. Each kingdom has one and is sworn to protect them."


    Elianna eyed the stone peculiarly, "I-I can almost feel it... It''s warmth."


    Nicholas looked at Elianna curiously, "You can?"


    Elianna slowly nodded, "Yeah, in my mana core."


    Lucian''s smile faded, and he and Katarina shared a gaze.


    "I often think the same," Raina said, and everyone looked at her. She smiled warmly at the world stone, "I can just imagine the divine power flowing through us from the stone. It''s extraordinary." Raina looked at the others, "So, shall we go take our seats?"


    "Could we look at the paintings first?" Nicholas asked, looking at the murals around the cathedral in awe.


    Freya chuckled, knowing Nicholas loved to look at artwork. She nodded at Nicholas and looked at the others, "You all go ahead. I''ll show Nicholas the murals."


    Elianna looked at her mother excitedly, "Can we join them?!"


    Katarina looked at Freya, who smiled and nodded, welcoming their company. Katarina smiled at her daughter, "Sure."


    "Would it be okay if I sat with Regent Raina?" Celine asked. "My feet still hurt a little."


    Mathew chuckled, "Yeah, I''ll go with you." Mathew looked at his wife, "We''ll see you later."


    "I''ll make sure to get us front seats," Raina said. "So, meet us up there."


    Freya nodded, and Mathew and Celine walked off with Raina and the other guards, heading toward the front of the cathedral.


    Freya looked at Nicholas and smiled, "Ready?"


    Nichols nodded excitedly, "Yeah!"


    Freya jerked her chin, "Come on."


    Freya and Nicholas began to walk off, heading toward the side of the cathedral. Elianna began to follow them but was stopped by her mother, who was holding her hand.


    "Hey, Sweetie," Katarina began softly, and Elianna looked at her mother curiously. "Do me a favor. Don''t ask Nicholas about his mom again, okay?"


    Elianna looked confused, "Why not?"


    Lucian smiled, "Just don''t, Munchkin."


    Elianna felt a little bewildered by her parent''s request but nodded in agreement.


    "Good," Katarina said. "Come on."


    Elianna followed her parents as they began to walk toward Freya and Nicholas, who were standing in front of one of the murals. Elianna and her parents approached them, and Nicholas smiled at Elianna as she came to stand beside him.


    "Isn''t this painting cool!" Nicholas said, excitement in his voice.


    Nicholas looked back at the mural, and Elianna followed his gaze. The mural was beautifully painted, depicting beings wrapped in a golden aura, with white feathered wings, descending from the sky, with a variety of weapons in their hands. On the desolate ground were humans, elves, and dwarves, who seemed to be fighting creatures veiled in darkness and gray-skinned humanoids.


    "This is a very famous painting that depicts the divine''s descent. It''s based on the chapter known as Liberation, written in the divine scripture," Lucian began, his eyes tracing the painting. "The beings coming down from the sky are the divine race, coming to aid the mortal races, us, in their fight against the infernal race and the orcs."


    "Infernal race?" Nicholas asked, looking at Lucian curiously. "What is that? I''m sure I''ve heard about it before."


    Lucian''s expression darkened, and he looked down, trying to think how to answer.


    "They''re not good," Freya said carefully, stepping in for Lucian. "They''re the opposite of the divine."


    "Infernal race," Elianna whispered before looking at her dad inquisitively. "Are they like the infernal cult?"


    Lucian went wide-eyed, and Freya''s brows raised in surprise before looking at Lucian. She didn''t expect Elianna to know about them since they weren''t public knowledge to prevent people from worrying.


    "Don''t talk about that here," Lucian said sternly. Elianna flinched a little at her father''s tone. Lucian sighed, and his expression softened when he saw his daughter flinch. He gestured to the next mural, "Sorry. Come on, let''s continue."


    The five of them walked to the next mural, which was more significant than the last and had multiple sections. In one section, divine beings, some with a pair of wings, some without, and some with multiple pairs of wings could be seen hovering over the mortal races. The divine beings had their arms outstretched, giving the mortal races what looked like a golden ball of energy. In another section, several elves, humans, and dwarves alike were wrapped in what looked like a golden flame and led the mortal armies against the infernal race in a valiant battle. In the third and final section, the mortal races seemed to be cheering, with no members of the infernal race in sight. Hovering above the mortal races were the beings of the divine race and what looked like seven large spheres of light. A golden lightning emerged from the seven lights, converging together, forming four stones.


    "This painting is massive," Nicholas expressed, his eyes darting all around it.


    Lucian nodded, "This is another famous painting, also based on the chapter known as Liberation, and there is a lot that goes into it." He gestured to the first section, "This part depicts the hierarchy of the divine race gifting the mortal races."


    "Hierarchy?" Elianna asked.


    "In scripture, it''s written how there is a hierarchy, or rank structure, among the divine," Lucian answered.


    "Like how people have different ranks?" Nicholas asked curiously.


    "Exactly," Lucian chuckled before he continued. "The scripture states that from the lowest to the highest tiers, it goes spirits, angels, archangels, seraphs, and then the principles. The ones we are most common with are the spirits, who are described as divine beings without wings. It is written that they watch over us like messengers. There have been instances where people have reported or claimed to have met a spirit. In fact, it is known that every so often, a spirit will even give a mortal a divine task to perform a great deed, and for a reward, they would receive a blessing."


    "Blessing?" Elianna asked, vaguely remembering her mother had mentioned it before. "What is that?"


    Lucian pointed to the first section of the mural, "The golden balls of energy being gifted to the mortals are called divine blessings. It''s divine energy that allows a mortal to reach the ninth level of their mana core."


    Elianna looked at her father curiously and asked, "You have nine stars. So, did you receive a blessing?"


    Lucian''s eyes fell for a moment before he smiled at his daughter, "I did achieve my ninth star thanks to the divine."


    Elianna looked at her father inquisitively, "Is it hard to get the ninth star?"


    Lucian nodded, "Yes. Reaching the ninth level of a mana core is incredibly rare."


    "More rare than becoming a mage?" Elianna quizically asked.


    Lucian chuckled and nodded, "Yes, very much so. In fact, many believe reaching the ninth level is breaking the mortal limits of their mana core, as it''s near impossible to reach the ninth level on your own. As it stands, all the ninth-level mana users are known to have reached their current level thanks to the divine." Lucian placed his hand flat on his chest, "Currently, there are four known ninth-level mana core users, including myself."


    Nicholas beamed in admiration, "You: the White Wolf, the Black Hammer, the Witch of Annihilation, and the Berserker."


    Elianna looked at Nicholas with bewilderment, "What are those?"


    Freya chuckled, "Those are the nicknames of the four ninth-level users." Freya looked at Elianna, "Nicholas has always admired them. He was very excited when he met your father."


    Nicholas blushed a little in embarrassment and looked to the side.


    Lucian nodded and smiled, "Well, I appreciate that, Nicholas." Lucian looked at his daughter and continued, "Ninth-level users are incredibly powerful. It''s why the four of us are respected by many."


    "So," Elianna began, looking at her father curiously, then looking at the mural. "The people with the golden fire, are they ninth-level mana core users?"


    Lucian followed his daughter''s gaze and shook his head, "No. If I remember correctly, those are Nephilim."


    "Nephilim?" Nicholas asked.


    "They were beings of incredible power who could wield both mortal and divine magic, or so it''s written," Katarina answered. "They were half mortal, half divine."


    Elianna looked at her mom quizically, "Did they get blessings as well?"


    Katarina smiled a little humorously and shook her head, "Not exactly. They were born with their power?"


    Elianna looked confused, "How?"


    Lucian cleared his throat awkwardly, "That''s a conversation for when you''re much, much older."


    Elianna''s expression contorted in bewilderment, and she looked at Nicholas, who seemed just as confused as she was.


    "Anyway," Lucian began, wanting to change the subject. "The last part depicts the seven principles."


    "The seven principles?" Nicholas asked.


    Lucian nodded, "It is written that the seven principles are the ones who rule over the divine in the ethereal realm. They are beings of pure divine power and the strongest of all." He pointed to the painting, "As you can see, they''re the ones who made the world stones and gifted them to us."


    "You seem to know a lot about the divine and the paintings, Lucian," Freya commented and looked at him with a curious smile. "Did you study theology?"


    Lucian smiled and nodded, "Yes, my father worshiped the divine greatly, and I always attended sermons with him. Then, I also studied theology while at Tri-Union Academy."


    Elianna eyed the seven spheres of light curiously, seeing them making the world stones with the golden lightning. "Why did they give us the world stones?" Elianna asked. "What are they for?"


    Lucian looked at his daughter and was about to answer when a bell chimed.


    "We should go take our seats," Freya said, looking toward the altar. "It''s almost time for the sermon."


    Nicholas slumped a little, looking around and seeing there were still many murals to look at, "Can we look at the rest of the paintings later?"


    Freya chuckled and nodded, "Sure. Afterward, we can go get something to eat." Freya looked at Lucian and Katarina, "Would you like to join us?"


    Elianna grew excited at the idea, as it meant she could spend more time with Nicholas. She looked at her mother eagerly.


    Katarina smiled and nodded, "We would love to. How about you come over to our place? We can have the staff make something." She looked at Nicholas and Elianna, "Plus, this way, these two can hang out a little."


    Freya smiled and looked at Nicholas, "Are you okay with that?"


    Nicholas excitedly nodded at the idea of playing with Elianna, "Yeah!" Nicholas looked at Elianna, and they shared an excited, friendly smile.


    "That sounds like a plan," Lucian said, jerking his chin. "Now, let''s go join the others."


    Freya and Katarina nodded, and the five of them began to walk off.


    As they walked, Elianna subtly leaned over and whispered to Nicholas, "I hope you know we are having a foosball rematch."


    Nicholas looked at Elianna and grinned competitively, "Looking forward to losing again?"


    Elianna narrowed her eyes on Nicholas and returned his competitive grin, "The only person going to lose is you."


    Nicholas smiled, loving this competitiveness between them, "We shall see."

 Chapter 20

    Elianna sat properly in her seat, just as she had been taught. However, it was no easy task for her since she hated sitting still. She clasped her hands tightly on the table, her eyes fixed on Justine, who sat across from her on the other side of the table. The continuous clicking from the mounted clock in the library was the only sound in the room, and it was beginning to drive Elianna insane.


    Elianna looked at the clock, seeing it was currently three o''clock in the afternoon. She was eager, as that meant two things. The first was that her lessons were done soon, and the second was that Nicholas'' training lessons would also be finished shortly. Before, Elianna hated the days when she would be at home studying with Justine since she loved being at the garrison and training with her father. Now, she hated them even more ever since she met Nicholas since she didn''t get to spend as much time with him on these days.


    Elianna sat there, pondering how Nicholas was doing. Ever since they went to the cathedral together, they had been spending almost every day together, either at Elianna''s house or at the garrison. Sure, she had gone to his aunt and uncle''s mansion a few times, the first time being on Nicholas'' eleventh birthday. She was initially surprised by how close they lived, and her mother informed her it was about a ten-minute carriage ride.


    Elianna smiled slightly, remembering Nicholas'' birthday party. He had a small get-together with just his aunt, uncle, cousin, and Elianna and her parents. Their mansion was just as extravagant as her family''s, and Nicholas gave her a tour, just like she did for him. And like her family''s mansion, they had a gaming room, too. Just like at Elianna''s party, she and Nicholas had a little competition, this time playing table tennis. However, Elianna was sure Nicholas was cheating since he had won three out of four times.


    "Elianna."


    Elianna flinched a little in surprise and realized she had been lost in thought. She pried her eyes away from the clock and looked at Justine. "Yes, Teacher?"


    Justine smiled and looked up from the booklet she was writing in, meeting Elianna''s gaze. "Staring at the clock will not make it go faster."


    Elianna smiled a little humorously and nodded, "Sorry, Teacher."


    Justine chuckled and looked back at her booklet, "Don''t worry, we are on the last lesson for the day." Justine scribbled one more thing before she looked up at Elianna, "Geography."


    Elianna nodded, her eyes flicking to the book, then back to Justine, "Is it another test?"


    "Sort of," Justine replied and propped the booklet up so the book covers were facing Elianna, and only Justine could read its contents. "Here is what we are going to do. I''m going to give you a question or a prompt, and you are verbally going to answer."


    Elianna''s brows furrowed slightly, "That''s it? I''m not writing anything?"


    Justine shook her head, "Nope." She tapped the booklet in front of her. "I have the answers right here. So, if you get something wrong, we will review it. Ready?"


    Elianna felt confident in her geography skills and gave Justine a nod, "I''m ready."


    "Good," Justine began and looked at her booklet. "What is the name of the continent we live on?"


    "Zaraemar."


    Justine nodded, "Good. Now, how many kingdoms reside on the continent of Zaraemar?"


    "Four."


    "What is the name of the kingdom to the northwest?"


    "The human kingdom of Gavaria."


    Justine pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes for a moment. "Hmmm. I''ll give it to you, but it''s technically just called the Kingdom of Gavaria."


    Elianna looked confused, "But I thought it was the home of the humans?"


    Justine looked up from her booklet, meeting Elianna''s eyes, and smiled, "While a human king rules the kingdom, and the majority of the population is human, elves and dwarves can live there as well if they wish."


    Elianna looked curiously at Justine, tilting her head slightly to the right, "Is it the same with the other kingdoms?"


    Justine nodded, "It is. There was a time when all the kingdom''s borders were closed, and each race was segregated into its own kingdoms. However, that all changed when the kingdoms came together and formed the Tri-Union Alliance. The kingdoms opened their borders to the other races, but if you wanted to move, you needed to swear loyalty to your new kingdom. Tri-Union City was also built as a symbol of the new peace."


    Elianna''s eyes fell to the table, contemplating, before she nodded, "I understand."


    "Good," Justine said and looked at the booklet again. "Then let''s continue. How many cities are in Gavaira, what are their names, and which one is the capital?"


    "There are three cities in Gavaria," Elianna began. "There is Ostria, Cildious, and Zasaly. Zasaly is the capital."


    "Very good," Justine commended and continued. "What is the kingdom to the northeast? How many cities are in the kingdom, and what is the kingdom''s capital?"


    "The kingdom to the northeast is Thearyah. There are three cities in the kingdom: Anthyr, Valion, and the capital of Leulume."


    "Good," Justine said. "Same questions, but for the kingdom in the southeast."


    "That would be the kingdom of Duridie. Three cities are in the kingdom: Darulgar, Mogarum, and the capital of Kholgalir."


    Justine nodded, "Now, there are also outposts in the continent of Zaraemar. The outposts are under the jurisdiction of Tri-Union City and have several purposes, which include trading and lodging for adventurers. How many outposts are there? And, where are they?"


    "There are five outposts. Arynard and Denxyr are in neutral territory. Olkar is in Duride. Khison is in Ehomire forest, near the kingdom of Thearyah. And, Zaltham is in Gavaria."


    Justine smiled proudly and looked at her student, "Very good, Elianna. You didn''t miss a single question."


    Elianna smiled happily; however, her smile slowly faded, and she looked at Justine curiously, "But, Teacher. You didn''t ask me about the fourth kingdom."


    Justine''s smile faded, and she looked a little uncomfortable, "That''s because we don''t discuss the orc kingdom."


    Elianna looked confused, "I thought we didn''t describe the kingdoms by their races."


    Justine cleared her throat, uncomfortably adjusting in her seat. She closed the booklet, placing it on the table before her. Justine eyed the table for a moment, contemplating, before looking up, meeting Elianna''s gaze. Justine saw the confusion and curiosity in her student''s eyes and sighed.


    "The orc kingdom of Calignar is different," Justine began, and Elianna looked at her intently. "You went to the cathedral recently. Do you remember how you told me about the paintings you saw and the infernal race?"


    Elianna nodded, "Yes."


    "Well, the orcs were created by the infernal race," Justina continued, and Elianna looked a little confused. "During the holy war, the infernal race did terrible things, my dear. One of the things they did was... tests, so to speak, on the mortal races. Through these tests, they turned the humans, elves, and dwarves alike into different creatures known as the orcs. The orcs are vicious beings, and they''re all that''s now left of the infernal race."


    Elianna looked down, processing what Justine told her, before she looked at Justine curiously, "So, the orcs are bad?"


    Justine''s jaw tightened, and she nodded, "Very bad. The three kingdoms came together, deciding they couldn''t just ki-..." Justine cleared her throat, "They couldn''t just get rid of the orcs. So, they contained them into their own lands, separating their kingdom from the rest of the continent by a great wall. The three kingdoms work together to secure the orc border. The kingdom of Thearyah covers the sea, while the kingdoms of Gavaria and Duridie cover the wall."


    Elianna sat there, contemplating this information, before looking at Justine inquisitively again, "But, I remember my parents talking about how orcs have been spotted around the continent. How do they get out of their kingdom them?"


    Justine''s eyes fell on the table, not knowing how to answer, as she didn''t know. The room fell silent, and Justine looked up, seeing Elianna''s eyes were still on her. Justine curiously looked toward the clock and smiled with relief, "Oh, look at the time."


    Elianna followed Justine''s gaze, and her eyes widened with glee, seeing it was now three-thirty. She looked back at Justine, "So, are we done for the day?"


    Justine smiled and nodded. She got up from her seat and began to gather her items. "We are. You did very well today, Elianna." Justine grabbed a piece of paper and started writing on it, "I''ll leave your parents a good review."


    Elianna smiled happily, "Thank you, Teacher!"


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    Elianna whirled around and ran out of the library, hearing Justine chuckle behind her. She ran straight for the front doors and stopped beside them, staring out the window. She stared at the clear blue sky, searching for any movement.


    "I''m sure he will be here soon."


    Elianna looked over her shoulder and saw Justine approaching the doors with her bag in her hands. Elianna turned toward her and smiled, "I hope so. Have a safe trip home, Teacher."


    Justine returned her smile, "Thank you." Justine approached and opened the door, "I''ll see you next time."


    Elianna gave her teacher one last wave as she closed the door. Looking back out the window, Elianna watched Justine as she approached and got into her carriage in the driveway. A moment later, the carriage driver whipped the reins, and the carriage began to leave. Elianna watched the carriage leave the Vail driveway, and eventually, it left the cul-de-sac.


    With the cul-de-sac now empty, Elianna looked back toward the blue sky, waiting with anticipation. The seconds she stood there began to feel like minutes, and she was begging to become restless. That was until her eyes noticed a flicker of movement, and her gaze darted to a small object in the sky, flying toward the mansion. Elianna focused on the object, watching as it flew closer. Slowly, Elianna''s lips curved into a gleeful smile, watching as the object became bigger, yielding it to be a beautiful hawk with brown feathers on its body and silver feathers on its head and wings.


    Elianna opened the door and stepped outside the mansion, watching the hawk as it flew down and landed on the ground before her. There was a flash of green light, and Elianna smiled wide at the person who now stood in the hawk''s place.


    "Nick!" Elianna chirped and lunged forward.


    Nicholas stiffened a little in surprise as Elianna took him into a hug. But he soon smiled and relaxed, returning the hug. "Sorry if I''m a little late. Our training session went longer today."


    "That''s okay," Elianna said, a blissful wave washing over her as she tightened the hug. "I''m glad you''re here."


    They held the hug briefly before breaking it, and Nicholas curiously asked, "How did your studying go?"


    Elianna grumbled and slumped, "Boring as usual." She smiled and looked at Nicholas excitedly, "What about you? How was training? Did you learn anything new?"


    Nicholas smiled proudly and held his head high, "Yep. It''s why training went on longer today." He gestured to himself, "I managed to reach the second circle today."


    Elianna''s eyes widened in surprise before she pushed mana into her eyes and looked at Nicholas'' core, seeing two shimmering circles around his heart. Elianna smiled happily at Nicholas, "Congrats! Having two circles is so cool!"


    Nicholas jestfully chuckled, "Says the person with three stars."


    Elianna smiled modestly and scratched the back of her head. She achieved her third star last week, and her parents and those close to her congratulated her. However, her father had also told her not to be surprised if her core began progressing slower. Her father informed her that reaching the third star could be relatively fast if you continuously trained, as you are only strengthening two stars. Once you reach your third, your progress will slow as you have more stars to train. Her father said that the more stars you had, the longer it would take to reach the next level.


    "Lady Elianna, Lord Nicholas."


    Elianna and Nicholas looked toward the mansion, seeing Augustus approaching the entrance. Elianna smiled, "Hello, Augustus."


    Augustus stopped and stood in the mansion''s doorway, "Please come inside the mansion so I may lock the doors."


    Elianna and Nicholas nodded and walked into the mansion. Augustus closed and locked the doors behind them before turning to look at the both of them.


    "Good to see you, Lord Nicholas," Augustus greeted with a proper bow. "How''re you today."


    "I''m good, thank you," Nicholas responded with a smile.


    "Augustus, guess what!" Elianna said excitedly, and Augustus looked at her curiously. "Nick reached the second circle today!"


    Augustus raised his brows before looking at Nicholas. "Congratulations, Lord Nicholas."


    Nicholas smiled, "Thank you! My aunt was introducing me to elemental magic today!"


    "Really?" Elianna asked, both surprised and eagerly. "Want to go to the gym, and you can show me what you learned?"


    Nicholas smiled and nodded, "Sure!"


    Elianna looked at Augustus, "Bye, Augustus!"


    Augustus chuckled as he watched Elianna and Nicholas run off, "Goodbye, and have fun."


    Nicholas and Elianna ran through the mansion before they arrived and entered the gym.


    "So, did you learn a lot?" Elianna asked as they approached the target dummies.


    Nicholas shrugged, "Not much¡ªonly the basics. I only learned four spells today. And," He raised his hand, and a brown leather-bound book appeared in his hand in a flash of green light, "there is a lot more to learn."


    "What is that?" Elianna asked, tilting her head slightly to the right.


    Nicholas smiled, "This is my grimoire. It''s a spell book my aunt gave me today." Nicholas held the book out to her, "Wanna look?"


    Elianna smiled and nodded as she took the book. She opened the grimoire and was amazed by the intricate text. The top of each page had the name of the spell, while the rest of the page explained how to cast the spell. At the corner of each page was a number indicating each spell''s level.


    "My aunt said this is a generic grimoire," Nicholas said, watching Elianna flip through the pages. "It has all the basic spells for people to learn."


    Elianna nodded and began to flip through the book quickly. Once she got near the end of the book, her brows furrowed in confusion, seeing the pages were blank.


    "Those are pages where I can write my own spells," Nicholas explained.


    Elianna looked at him, confused, "Your own spells?"


    Nicholas nodded, "As my aunt explained, magic is based on willpower and intent. Through our intent, we can create our own spells, which is why no grimoire is the same."


    "That''s so cool!" Elianna expressed. She smiled and handed Nicholas his grimoire back, "So, what spells did you learn today?"


    Nicholas stored his grimoire in his ring and took out his wand. He smiled excitedly, "Let me show you."


    Elianna smiled, her cheeks turning a little red, as she watched Nicholas point his wand at the training dummy with a wide smile on his face. She always loved seeing how happy he was about magic and felt it was something they both shared a love for.


    "This spell is called wind pellet," Nicholas said.


    Elianna''s eyes widened in awe as she watched wind magic swirl in front of Nicholas'' wand before he conjured a ball of wind the size of a chicken''s egg. Nicholas flicked his wrist, shooting the spell forward. The spell struck the target, creating a small hole in its chest.


    "Woah!" Elianna expressed. "That was cool!"


    Nicholas smiled, "Thanks! Now, this one is called water bolt."


    Holding out his wand, water magic began to swirl as he conjured a ball of water the size of a chicken''s egg. Nicholas flicked his wrist, and the spell flew forward, again striking the target, creating another small hole.


    Elianna smiled, seeing Nicholas use water magic, "I guess we are now going to have to compete on who the better water user is."


    Nicholas looked at her and smirked, "Well, if it''s anything like how we play games, we know I''ll win."


    Elianna narrowed her eyes competitively on Nicholas, "Is that a challenge, my dear Nick?"


    Nicholas simply shrugged, "I don''t know. Is it?"


    Elianna grumbled, and Nicholas chuckled, knowing she was competitive. He always thought it was humourous to rile her up this way, and he loved their little competitions.


    "Would you like to see the other two?" Nicholas eagerly asked.


    Elianna pouted, "Yes. But we will settle this challenge later with foosball."


    Nicholas laughed and nodded, "You sure do like to lose."


    Elianna rolled her eyes before watching Nicholas point his wand at the dummy.


    Nicholas concentrated, projecting his mana into the atmosphere. He wrapped his mana around the ambient water and wind mana and gathered them together.


    Elianna''s eyes widened in wonder as she watched ice magic begin to swirl in front of Nicholas'' wand before he conjured an icicle the size of a knife. Nicholas flicked his wrist, and the icicle flew forward, striking the dummy in its chest.


    Nicholas smiled, "That spell was called icicle."


    "Y-" Elianna stuttered and looked at Nicholas wide-eyed in shock. "You can use ice magic?"


    Nicholas looked at Elianna and nodded, "Yep. It takes fusion magic."


    Elianna''s eyes flicked to the floor, remembering her father had mentioned that before, "Fusion magic..."


    "Yep," Nicholas said, and Elianna curiously looked back at him. "It''s where I combine water and wind mana to make ice mana. I take half the mana from the wind pellet spell, and half the mana from the water bolt spell to make the icicle spell."


    Elianna tilted her head slightly to the right, "So that''s what fusion magic is? A combination of two elements?"


    "That''s precisely what it is," A voice said.


    Elianna and Nicholas looked toward the entrance, seeing Katarina approaching them with a warm smile.


    Elianna smiled happily at her mother, "Hey, Mom."


    Nicholas waved, "Hello, Mrs. Vail."


    "Hello, you two," Katarina greeted warmly. She looked at Nicholas with praise, "Nicholas, I see you have reached your second star; congrats!"


    Nicholas smiled gleefully, "Thank you. I was showing what I learned to Lia."


    Katarina nodded, "I saw. Well, I at least saw you cast the icicle spell."


    "That was the third spell I learned," Nicholas said, looking toward the icicle sticking out of the dummy.


    Elianna looked at Nicholas curiously, "You learned four, right? What was the fourth?"


    "It''s a healing spell," Nicholas said, looking back at her.


    Nicholas pointed his wand to the ground and narrowed his eyes in concentration. Taking a breath, he pushed his mana out into the atmosphere, wrapping it around the ambient emerald nature mana. He mentally grumbled as he felt the resistance of the nature mana, as it took more strength to control the nature mana than elemental mana.


    Elianna watched Nicholas eagerly with a smile, excited to see his final spell. The emerald light of nature magic began to flicker at the tip of Nicholas'' wand, and Elianna noticed the spell wasn''t forming as fast as the others. A moment later, a ray of emerald light shot out from his wand, illuminating the floor.


    "Woah," Elianna expressed, staring at the beam with a gleam in her eyes. "That''s so pretty."


    Nicholas held the spell for a few seconds before canceling it and taking a deep breath as he released the mental and physical tension from holding the spell. He looked at Elianna and smiled, "That spell is called healing hands. It''s a basic healing spell."


    "Yes," Katarina began and looked at Nicholas seriously. "But I''m sure Freya told you that the healing spell you just used works over time and isn''t instant. Some injuries require more healing than others. So you must be careful with how much magic you use."


    Nicholas nodded, "Yeah, she told me. She said I could go into mana exhaustion if I use too much magic."


    "Mana exhaustion?" Elianna curiously asked.


    Katarina looked at her daughter, "It''s where if you overwork your body and use all of your mana, you can pass out from being tired."


    Elianna flinched, "That doesn''t sound good."


    Katarina chuckled, "No, it does not." She looked at Nicholas and smiled, "So, Nicholas, will you be staying for dinner?"


    Nicholas returned her smile and shrugged, "If that''s okay." He raised his right arm, revealing the brown bracelet around his wrist. "My aunt knows I''m here and hasn''t alerted me yet."


    Elianna looked at the bracelet, recognizing it from when Nicholas got it on his eleventh birthday. His aunt gave it to him and said it was imbued with a tracking enchantment. This way, Nicholas'' aunt could keep tabs on him with the bracelets each of them wore and know if he was okay. Plus, if either of them needed to get the other''s attention, then they need only grab their bracelet and think of that person, and the bracelet would grow warm. It was the reason Nicholas'' aunt felt comfortable with Nicholas traveling alone as a falcon; she could always know if he was okay and where he was.


    Katarina smiled, "Sounds good. I''ll let the staff know to make you a plate."


    "Thank you."


    "Of course," Katarina said warmly and began to walk toward the exit. "Have fun, you two!" Katarina said as she walked out of the room.


    With Katarina gone, Nicholas looked at Elianna, "So, what do you want to do now?"


    Elianna smirked at Nicholas, "We have a challenge to settle, remember?"


    Nicholas looked confused before his brows raised, and he smiled, "Ah, yes, you wanted to lose again in foosball."


    Elianna''s eyes narrowed, and she pouted, "We''ll see who loses."


    Nicholas chuckled and stored his wand away, gesturing to the exit, "After you."


    Elianna smiled, "Okay." She smiled as she turned toward Nicholas and began to walk backward. "But our first game starts now!" Elianna turned and ran toward the exit, "The last one to the game room loses!"


    Nicholas went wide-eyed before he smiled blissfully and chased after her, "That''s not fair!"


    Elianna giggled with glee as Nicholas chased her, and their hearts were filled with happiness as they went to play together.

 Chapter 21

    The crisp winter wind felt delightful against Elianna''s skin as she crossed the garrison grounds. She was still breathing a little heavily, with sweat clinging to her skin, after just completing another training session with her father. Now that her father was going to return to his usual duties as the knight commander, Elianna was going to take this opportunity to hang out with Nicholas, like usual.


    Approaching the first battalion area, Elianna''s lips curved into a smile when her eyes settled on Nicholas. Nicholas looked deep in concentration as he manipulated a small ball of lava the size of a chicken egg. Standing before Nicholas was Freya, who smiled proudly as she watched her nephew manipulate the lava magic. However, Elianna''s smile faded a little when she noticed Celine wasn''t standing with Nicholas and Freya.


    Elianna''s eyes darted around the area when she noticed Celine standing not too far away from Nicholas and Freya. Curiosity filled Elianna as she observed Celine wasn''t alone. Standing beside Celine was a beautiful elven woman with long teal hair and bright purple eyes. Elianna''s eyes looked the woman up and down, seeing she wasn''t in Tri-Union knight or mage apparel, but she was wearing teal mage robes that complimented her hair and fit her slender body nicely.


    Elianna watched as Celine nodded to what the woman had told her before forming a mana barrier around her, which looked like a dome of pure white magic. A moment later, the elven woman took a staff out of her spacial ring. The staff was made out of light brown wood, with an intricate design running along its shaft. A mana gem was situated at the tip of the staff, secured by the wood of the staff, holding it in place like a snake coiled around a stone.


    The elven woman raised her staff into the air, and several swirls of fire magic formed above her before a barrage of firebolts shot out toward Celine. The firebolts struck the mana barrier repeatedly, and Celine grunted a little but held strong. Once the last firebolt struck the mana barrier, the elven woman smiled, lowered her staff, and said something to Celine. Celine returned the woman''s smile before dispersing the mana barrier and approaching her.


    "Lia!"


    Elianna jolted with surprise, and her eyes darted to Nicholas and Freya, seeing that they were both looking at her. Nicholas gave Elianna a friendly smile and waved her over. Elianna returned his smile before walking toward him.


    "What were you just standing there for?" Nicholas asked as Elianna approached them.


    "I was on my way to see you," Elianna said before she looked toward Celine and the elven woman. "But, I got distracted by what they were doing."


    Nicholas and Freya curiously followed her gaze. "Ah," Freya said and looked back at Elianna. "That would be Zera; she''s an old friend of mine."


    "Is she a part of the mage order?" Elianna asked.


    Freya shook her head, "No. She''s actually an adventurer. I invited her here to train with Celine a little since she will be taking Celine on her field training soon."


    Elianna looked at Freya, a little confused, "Field training?"


    Freya nodded and gestured around her, "We can only learn so much in a controlled environment. That''s why it''s good to go out into the open world and train as well." Freya looked toward Celine and smiled warmly. "Seeing that Celine will be sixteen soon enough, Matthew and I decided that after her birthday, she will be old enough to go out and train. I asked Zera to escort her, and she was more than happy to accept."


    "Training in the open world," Elianna said, feeling a little excited just thinking about it. "That sounds so cool!"


    Freya chuckled, "Zera thinks so too. It''s why she became an adventurer. She loves exploring and fighting magic beasts."


    Elianna watched Zera, watching as she spoke with Celine, who nodded to whatever Zera had told her. Zera then placed the end of her staff on the ground, and particles of earth swirled around like a cyclone before conjuring three stone torsos that looked like training dummies. A moment later, the ground beneath the stone dummies began to radiate teal energy, and vines shot up from the ground, wrapping around the dummies. With the torsos now entangled, Zera waved her staff, firing three crescent-shaped arcs of water that sliced through the dummies and the vines, with the top halves of the torsos falling to the ground. Zera then looked at Celine and spoke with her again.


    "Woah," Elianna said, her eyes wide in awe at Freya''s display of magic. "That was pretty cool."


    Freya nodded, "She was demonstrating how to trap an opponent before striking them."


    "That plant spell. That was entangling vines, right?" Nicholas curiously asked.


    "Yep," Freya smiled. "Nicely done recognizing the spell. Have you been studying your grimoire?"


    Nicholas nodded, "Yeah. I didn''t realize there are so many spells to learn."


    Freya chuckled, "Magic opens up many possibilities. The amount of spells one could think of is almost endless. Just remember not to try to cast multiple spells at once."


    Nicholas smiled and nodded, "I remember."


    Elianna looked puzzled, "Why not?"


    "Because it is mentally impossible for us to multitask," Freya began. "Spells take a certain amount of concentration and mental focus. If we split our focus, the spells can collide, and the result could be chaotic."


    "Kind of like trying to do math and reading at the same time?" Elianna curiously asked.


    Freya chuckled humorously at the analogy, "Kinda, yeah."


    Elianna nodded in understanding, "Got it."


    Nicholas looked at his aunt inquisitively, "Besides casting multiple spells at once, is there anything else we can''t do with magic?"


    Freya hummed for a second, thinking before she nodded, "There is some. Controlling someone''s free will or manipulating another''s emotions comes to mind. Many have tried through magic and potions, and all have failed, thankfully. Manipulating time is another example."


    "Time?" Elianna said with a curious look.


    "Time is a complicated concept and a fundamental force to existence," Freya explained. "All who have tried to manipulate this fundamental force failed or became obsessed with the idea and lost their mind. It is a power beyond our control."


    "So, in other words, don''t try it," A voice said.


    Elianna, Nicholas, and Freya looked toward the voice, seeing Zera and Celine approaching them.


    Celine smiled at Elianna and gave her a small wave, "Hey, Elle. How''re you?"


    Elianna returned Celine''s smile, "I''m good, thanks! What about you?"


    "I''m doing good." Celine gestured to Zera, "Zera is showing me a few combat techniques."


    Elianna looked at Zera and politely smiled, "Hello."


    Zera returned her smile, "Hello there."


    "Zera, this is Elianna," Freya said, gesturing to Elianna.


    "Ah, yes," Zera said with a look of realization before she grinned a little. "Your nephew''s friend you were telling me about."


    Nicholas looked at Zera curiously, "Aunt Freya told you about Lia?"


    Zera simply shrugged, "A little. Just that you two are always hanging out together, and I shouldn''t be surprised if she showed up." Her grin grew a little, "Oh, and she told me how you''re the only one who calls her Lia. How cute."


    Nicholas'' and Elianna''s cheeks both turned a little red, and they shared a quick gaze before looking to the side.


    "Zera," Freya said in a flippant scolding tone. "You''re embarrassing them."


    Zera chuckled lightly, with a lighthearted smile, "It''s all in good fun."


    Freya playfully shook her head before looking at Zera curiously, "So, how is training going?"


    "It''s going good," Zera said and smiled at Celine. "Celine is very receptive and catches on to training well." Zera looked away from Celine, her eyes skimming over the knights training around the area. She smirked a little, "Even with the distractions."


    Freya looked a little confused and followed Zera''s gaze. Her brows raised once she realized what Zera was talking about. She sighed and looked at her with a lighthearted, narrowed gaze. "Zera."


    "What?" Zera chuckled and innocently shrugged. "It''s not every day I get to be surrounded by young muscular men in uniform."


    Celine hummed in agreement, her eyes tracing over the knights, watching them dash around and swing their weapons at each other or at training dummies. "They can definitely be a distraction sometimes."


    "Celine!" Freya said in shock.


    Zera chuckled, "She is fifteen." She grinned a little, "And girls do love muscular men."


    "They do?" Nicholas asked.


    Freya, Celine, and Zera looked at Nicholas, seeing him looking at them innocently and confused. Nicholas looked at his skinny arm, pondering. Elianna''s brows furrowed in bewilderment as she watched Nicholas poke his arm a few times.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "What are you doing?" Elianna asked, confused.


    Nicholas looked at her, brows raised high before he looked away, and his cheeks turned a little red, "N-Nothing."


    Celine and Zera grinned humorously, knowing precisely what he was doing. Freya smiled a little, thinking Nicholas'' actions were a little cute.


    "You know, my dad exercises every morning," Celine simply shrugged. "I''m sure if you ask him, he would let you join him."


    Nicholas looked at her for a moment before his eyes fell to the ground, seeming to think, "Maybe I''ll ask him."


    Zera grinned a little humorously before she looked at Celine, "Anyway, are you ready to continue training?"


    Celine nodded to Zera, "Yeah. What are we doing next?"


    "We''re going to practice channeling. This way, we will be used to channeling each other."


    "Channeling?" Nicholas asked, looking confused. "What''s that?"


    Zera looked at Nicholas before looking at Freya, "Have you not gone over channeling with him?"


    Freya shook her head, "No, not yet. He only recently got his second circle." Freya looked at Nicholas, "Channeling is when a mage uses the power from another magic user to make themselves stronger."


    "But there are limits," Zera cut in. "Our mana channels grow with our mana core and can only conduct so much magical power at once. Because of this, we can only achieve a power two levels past our own when channeling."


    Nicholas looked at Zera bewildered, "I don''t understand."


    Zera hummed for a moment, "Hmmm. Well, for example. You are currently a second-circle mage. When you channel someone, you can achieve fourth-circle magic at most. If you try to use more power than that, you risk destroying your core and mana channels."


    "Oh," Nicholas said, turning a little pale, finally understanding. "That doesn''t sound good."


    Zera chuckled a little, "No. Not at all."


    Nicholas looked down for a moment before looking at Freya inquisitively again, "Wait. You said we could channel a magic user. Does that mean they don''t need to be another mage?"


    Freya smirked, "Nice catch. No, it doesn''t. We can channel the power of another person''s core, be it mage or augmenter." Freya''s eyes flicked to Elianna, and she smiled, "Elianna, dear. Would you like to assist in a demonstration?"


    "Me?" Elianna said curiously before smiling with excitement. "I''d love to!"


    "Splendid," Freya smiled. Freya looked to the side, took her wand out of her spacial ring, and waved it, conjuring a target out of earth magic a few feet away. Freya looked at Nicholas, "Alright, Nicholas. First step, I want you to see the difference between second and fourth circle magic. So, I want you to cast the spell blaze."


    Nicholas nodded and looked toward the target. He raised his wand, pointing it at the target. He projected his mana into the atmosphere, taking hold of the ambient ruby fire mana around him, and started to draw it in. Fire magic began to swirl in front of Nicholas'' wand, and suddenly, a small stream of fire shot out of his wand.


    Elianna flinched slightly and stepped back a little in surprise at the sudden release of the spell. But she soon relaxed, and her eyes widened in awe as she watched the stream of fire strike the target on its chest.


    After a few moments passed, and seeing Nicholas was still holding the spell, Freya said, "That''s enough, Nicholas."


    Nicholas nodded while looking at the target. He canceled his flow of magic, and the stream of fire slowly died out. Once the fire dispersed, he observed that the target still remained, but a small part of its chest glowed red hot from the fire.


    "Remember, Nicholas," Freya began and smiled at Nicholas. "We must be careful with continuous spells. We can end up expending more mana than we intend to if we are not careful."


    Nicholas smiled and nodded, "Understood."


    "Continuous spell?" Elianna said, looking curious. "What is that?"


    "It''s a spell that requires a constant flow of magic," Celine answered. "The spell Nick just used is a continuous spell because those types of spells require a constant flow of mana to maintain the effect or function of the spell. Mana barrier and shield are more examples of a continuous spell. Then, there are finite spells. These are spells that only require a specific amount of magic to take form, like firebolt or illuminate, for example."


    "Continuous spells also consume more magic since they''re a constant flow, which is why they can be dangerous," Zera added. "That''s why using them all the time isn''t a good idea. Whereas finite spells use a fixed amount of mana. Plus, some finite spells have a lasting effect, like illuminate. Meaning the spell will hold until the effect eventually cancels out or is dispelled, needing little to no mental focus."


    "Does that Make sense?" Freya asked. Elianna smiled and nodded. "Good," Freya said and looked at Nicholas. "Alright, now we will practice channeling. So, take a hold of Elianna."


    Nicholas flinched a little at the instruction, and his cheeks grew a little red. He hesitated for a moment before reaching out and taking Elianna''s hand. Elianna''s cheeks turned red in an instant as soon as Nicholas took her hand, and her eyes widened in surprise.


    Freya''s brows rose in mild astonishment at Nicholas taking Elianna''s hand, as she expected him just to grab her by the shoulder. However, she, Zera, and Celine couldn''t help but smile a little at the development.


    Freya cleared her throat, trying to keep herself from laughing, "Okay, now, first things first." Freya looked at Zera. "Can you please stand behind the target and form a shield to prevent the fire from escaping."


    Zera nodded, "Of course." Zera moved and stood behind the target, creating a small rectangular mana shield.


    Freya looked at Nicholas and Elianna, "Now, here comes the tricky part. Nicholas, what you need to do is cast the spell incinerate. It''s a level four fire spell, the next level up from blaze. So, act like you''re casting blaze, but use more mana. Understood?"


    Nicholas nodded, "Understood."


    "Good," Freya said, and her eyes flicked to Elianna. "Elianna, while he is focused on the spell, what I need you to do is push your mana into Nicholas, just like how you push mana into an item or your sword. Once you reach his core with your mana, you will be able to absorb the mana from his core to yours, forming a connection, or link, with each other. Nicholas, when you feel Elianna begin to pull at your mana, don''t resist. Do you both understand?"


    Nicholas and Elianna both nodded.


    Freya smiled, "Good. Now, give it a try. Don''t be surprised if it doesn''t work the first time, as it can be complicated."


    Nicholas took a breath and looked at Elianna. His cheeks were still red, and he felt a little weird holding her hand, but he managed a smile, "Ready?"


    Elianna looked at him, returned his smile, and nodded, "Ready."


    Nicholas and Elianna looked forward, both determined to successfully channel their power. Concentrating, Nicholas began to project his mana into the atmosphere, taking hold of the ambient ruby mana. He began to gather the ruby mana together, and a swirl of fire magic started to form in front of his wand.


    Gripping Nicholas'' hand, Elianna began to push mana from her core through her arm, directing it to Nicholas. Nicholas felt the warmth of mana in Elianna''s hand, and his grip tightened as he flinched a little, feeling the electrifying warmth of her mana flow into his left arm. Elianna pushed her mana through Nicholas, eventually reaching his core. She felt her mana touch his core and latched onto it like a tether, feeling the radiating power of his mana core. Feeling the power of Nicholas'' mana core, she began to absorb it through the tether back to her.


    It was a strange sensation for Nicholas, feeling mana being pushed and pulled from his mana core by someone else. It was almost like a tickling sensation. But, taking his aunt''s advice, he focused on the spell and didn''t resist as Elianna pulled his mana from his core.


    Elianna smiled a little, feeling the warmth of Nicholas'' mana flow into her arm. She found it to be a strange yet comforting sensation. The mana flowed through Nicholas'' and Elianna''s channels, and the moment Nicholas'' mana reached Elianna''s mana core, forming the connection, they breathed in sharply.


    In an instant, it felt like they were attached to each other, almost like they could feel each other''s very presence. The feeling blasted through them, and their eyes glowed brightly with pure white mana.


    "W-Woah," Nicholas and Elianna breathed out at the same time.


    Freya''s smile immediately faded, Celine looked a little concerned, and Zera''s eyes widened in surprise as a flame of pure white mana engulfed both of them. The swirl of fire magic in front of Nicholas grew tremendously, and a significantly large beam of fire shot out but was directed to the right of the target.


    Freya, Celine, and Zera flinched from the powerful, searing spell and looked in horror toward where it was directed. Knights dashed around and struck the training dummies to the side of the first battalion building, unaware of the spell heading toward them.


    "Incoming!!!" Freya yelled desperately, amplifying her voice.


    The knights immediately looked toward Freya, and their eyes widened in fear at the oncoming enormous beam of fire.


    Zera quickly composed herself, narrowing her eyes with determination to protect the knights. She slammed her staff on the ground and conjured a gigantic mana shield in front of the knights as fire closed in on them. Zera grunted as the spell hit the shield, erupting in a powerful explosion. Zera''s jaw clenched as she desperately held the shield, feeling the intensity of the fire spell constantly beating against her spell.


    The blast from the explosion shot out in all directions, and Freya quickly raised her wand, conjuring a tunnel of icy wind around the fire to contain the raging inferno. Freya and Zera gritted their teeth, focusing intently on holding their spells.


    "Nicholas! Elianna! Stop!!!" Celine shouted in horror.


    Elianna and Nicholas flinched, snapping out of a daze, and let go of each other, breaking their connection. Nicholas'' spell was immediately canceled, the white flame around them died out, and the glow in their eyes subsided.


    Freya and Zera both shook but began to relax as the fire slowly subsided. Once the fire died down, Zera and Freya let out breaths of relief, canceling their spells, and fell to their knees in reprieve.


    The noise around the garrison had died out, and everyone looked toward the area of the spell with surprise, seeing that the once grassy area was nothing but black scorched earth.


    Elianna and Nicholas shared a confused glance, looking around. "W-What happened?" Nicholas asked.


    "D-Did we do that?" Elianna asked, a little shaken.


    Nicholas and Elianna looked between Freya and Zera, seeing they were looking at them in bewilderment.


    "N-Nick? Elle?" Celine said, approaching them cautiously.


    "Is everyone okay?!!"


    Everyone looked toward the voice, seeing several people running toward them. In front of the group were Lucian, Maurus, Matilda, and Mathew.


    Lucian looked at the scorched earth in confusion and worry before looking at his daughter and feeling relieved to see that she was okay.


    They slowed their approach, and Matilda looked at the area curiously, "H-How?" Matilda looked at Freya intently, "Experitor Argyle. Explain. What happened?"


    Freya shook her head, snapping out of her daze, and slowly stood up, "T-Training accident gone bad, Arch-Mage."


    Mathew approached his wife, smiling at his daughter and nephew, seeing they were unharmed. Mathew looked at Freya and reassuringly grabbed her shoulder, "What do you mean?"


    "S-Sorry," Nicholas began, and everyone''s eyes shot to him. He looked down, his expression downcast, "W-We did that. I think."


    Matilda grew confused, "We?"


    "Nick and I," Elianna said, also looking down. "W-We didn''t mean to?"


    Matilda shook her head in confusion, "I don''t understand."


    Freya looked at Celine. "Celine, please take Nicholas and Elianna to the tree line to relax." She looked at Nicholas and Elianna, smiling, trying to show them everything was okay. "We''re done training for today."


    Nicholas and Elianna, both a little shaken, shared a gaze before looking at Freya and nodded.


    Celine approached them and smiled, "Come on."


    Nicholas and Elianna followed Celine as she started to head toward the tree line, away from the first battalion.


    "Why don''t you have Celine take them inside the battalion building?" Lucian asked, looking at Freya, a little confused.


    "Because," Freya said and looked at Lucian. "I don''t want them being bombarded with questions about what happened."


    "What did happen?" Zera said, approaching them and looking at Freya in confusion. "What they did is impossible."


    "What do you mean?" Matilda asked, looking at Zera. "And, who are you?"


    "A friend of mine who I invited," Freya said. "And what she means is this. Nicholas and Elianna were practicing channeling on each other. Nicholas was supposed to cast incinerate but ended up casting solar flare," Freya gestured to the scorched earth, "Resulting in this damage."


    "What?!" Matilda said, going wide-eyed in shock. "What core level is Nicholas at?"


    "Two," Freya said.


    Matilda shook her head in disbelief, "T-That''s impossible. Even with channeling Elianna, there is no way he could have cast a sixth-level spell." She looked at Lucian, "Right, Lucian?"


    Lucian didn''t answer and stood there with his eyes fixed on the scorched earth. He had a thousand-yard stare, seeming deep in thought.


    "Lucian?" Matilda asked again.


    Lucian flinched with surprise, being knocked out of his thoughts. "Right," He looked toward Nicholas and his daughter. "It is impossible."


    "Well, it happened," Zera said, looking toward Nicholas and Elianna as they approached the tree line. "How they did it, I have no idea."