《Fire Lord Seti》 Prologue and Chapter 1: The Elder Twin (Author: The experiment of Death Knight is over. I got many ideas and feedbacks which I will incorporate into my main story: The Necromancer King. Now on to the next story. Again, The Necromancer King short hiatus ends at the end of the week. Enjoy this new story.) -----------Chapter 1: The Twins of Fate------------- Outside the room, a group of twenty people waited anxiously as they heard the screams. They were members of the royal family of the Moria Kingdom. The sun in the sky was going to be blocked by the moon as they once heard in the prophecy. The queen was giving birth to twins and they were sure one of them was a hero of a millennia old prophecy. The light dimmed from the window as the solar eclipse had begun. Almost immediately, they heard a high pitched scream, followed by the wailing of a baby. "Congratulations! Your Highness, you''ve given birth to a son!" one of the nurses cried. "HAHAHA!" the king laughed outside with his family. "A son! I have a third son. Glorious!" "Hang in there my queen," another nurse said from within the room. "The second baby will come out soon. Push!" "AUGH!" the queen yelled and eight minutes later, a daughter was born before the solar eclipse ended. "It''s a girl!" the nurse cried as the king burst into the room, knowing his wife''s labors were over. The two rulers were in their mid-twenties. King Marcus was a handsome man with blonde hair and piercing green eyes while Queen Snow had raven black hair and bright blue eyes. They stared at their third and fourth child, their eyes widening as a light shined from the body of their daughter and a magical tattoo of a white, winged unicorn appeared on the girl''s back. "Her magic has awakened at birth?" the nurse gasped as she held the daughter. "The light! It''s blinding!" The monarchs, nurses, and the rest of the royal family and other important nobles covered their eyes as a radiant light shined from the girl. Slowly, the light dimmed, but the magical tattoo remained on her back. The magical tattoo represented an image of a mage''s magical spirit. It was practically unheard of to awaken one''s magic at birth. "The daughter is the one of the prophecy!" one of the nurses cried as she gently took the daughter and gave her to the king while the queen was given the elder twin boy. "Will she have my hair and eye color?" the king mused as he held his daughter. "Rebecca, that was the name I promised my lovely queen to name our first daughter. Back then, I wondered how many children would be born before I had a son, but I should have been asking how many before I had a daughter! Even more, she is the hero of the prophecy. Magic awakening at birth, a feat I thought the prophecy lied about. How happy I am to know I was wrong. I must quickly find the best light mages to teach her." "This one will be named Seti, after my great grandfather," Snow said softly as she held her son. "He''s already fallen to sleep. I hope he grows up healthy." "Logan! Adam! Come here and greet your new siblings," the king ordered and two boys, ages seven and six, entered the room, each of them having the same blonde hair and green eyes as the king. Logan was the first born son and was a naturally gifted warrior as well as a mage. He had a dark brown magical tattoo of a bear on his back. Adam was the second son and was more gifted at magic than his elder brother and had the same magical tattoo of a white blue dragon on his back like his mother. He was already learning intermediate ice magic and was considered a genius. Adam gazed more warmly at his new brother as his father kept talking excitedly about his new daughter being one of the heroes of the prophecy. He sympathized with his little brother as he too would not have the throne or be someone special like a hero. Adam was considered a genius mage, but his elder brother was gifted with the sword and his magic was almost at the intermediate level as well. "She''ll be a great hero dad," Logan grinned as he stood beside his father and stared at the newborn baby, taking out a napkin and gently removing some blood from her arms. Snow looked between her other two sons and back at her husband and Logan. She knew the struggles of Adam and Seti but was powerless to stop her husband from favoring his more talented children. In a flash, seven years had passed. Rebecca was doted on by King Marcus as Logan and Adam went to the Royal Academy to continue their studies when they turned ten, Logan leaving three years after the twins were born, Adam a year later. In the last four years, the king rarely saw his son as he strived to teach his daughter and help her control her light magic. The queen was busy handling political affairs as her husband neglected them to raise their daughter to be a hero as soon as she could talk and was teaching her how to read when she was four. Seti was practically non-existent due to his talented sister doted on by his father while his mother was forced to handle his affairs and duties. Seti had already learned how to walk at age two and was able to read and write at age three. Seti spent most of his days at the library, reading books on ancient wars and runes. He only ever spent time with his mother during dinner and with Adam and Logan before they left. Seti was reading his books when a knight walked up to him. The knight paused as he saw a young boy with raven black hair and blue eyes stare up at him. He looked like his mother, a big contrast compared to his other siblings. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Third prince," the knight bowed. "Her Highness, Queen Snow, will be unable to attend dinner tonight as she has many papers to sign. She apologizes and wishes she could have done so in person." "Thank you," Seti said. "Tell my mother I am going out for a stroll to the lake behind the palace." "Yes Third Prince," the knight said and left. "Mother is busy again," Seti sighed as he closed his book and hopped onto the floor. "Well, time to continue building my little boat." Seti left the library, accompanied by two elite knights as he headed for the lake. Beside it was a small boat he had been building. Books were his friends as he was someone of royalty and seldom had any friends due to his powerful background and his parents with the belief that his new friends would try to take advantage of him. Seti spent most of the day building his boat according to the instructions in the book. As night fell, he completed his boat and was about to have his knights push it onto the lake when a large flash appeared in the sky. Seti looked up and saw a meteor crash down on the other side of the lake, a huge wave and gust of sand sending him and the knights flying back, the boat capsizing as it crashed on the lake and sunk. Seti groaned as he gained consciousness, minor scratches on his arms and legs. He struggled to get up and checked on the knights who had crashed into the trees while defending him with their bodies. He was relieved that they were alright and lifted them up to let them rest against the trunk of the trees. Seti looked around, upset as he saw that his boat was gone. He sighed with frustration as he recalled the boat landing on the lake and knew that it had sunk. Curious, he began walking around the lake. He had read about meteors and knew them to be rocks from space. He slowly slid down a crater as he arrived on the other side of the lake forty minutes later. In the middle of the lake, a small meteor was embedded in the ground. It was burnt black due to the intensity of the fire that trailed it. Seti, overcome by curiosity, stretched out his hand to touch the smoking meteor. As his hand touched the meteor, he felt that the meteor was unnaturally cool. Then he cried out in alarm as his hand was seemingly stuck to the meteor. A large, red and orange energy rose from the meteor and entered Seti''s mouth and eyes. His body convulsed as the seemingly never-ending amount of red and orange energy went into his body. Seti fell to the ground as the energy was depleted, his hand mysteriously released. The knights who were with him panicked as they could not find the third prince. They finally found Third Prince Seti laying unconscious by the meteor, a blazing red and orange phoenix on his back. They shook the prince awake, relieved he was alright. They concluded that Seti must have awakened his magic and fell down the crater as he gazed on the meteor. Seti ordered them to keep silent about the matter and to take the meteor to his room in small boxes. He used the excuse that his mother would be distracted from her duties and the knights complied as they knew the queen was currently running the country ever since the king became obsessed with the talented Logan, becoming worse when Rebecca was born as one of the five heroes of the prophecy. Seti and the knights spent the next five days to finish the task, destroying the evidence around the lake. Seti thanked the knights and said that they could leave as he would spend the next few days in his room to study the meteor. As a member of the royal family, it was easy for him to acquire a magic bag to store the small boxes of meteorites. He sighed as he took off his shirt and admired the magical red and orange tattoo of a phoenix on his back. The moment passed and Seti replaced his shirt and laid on his bed. He took out a book on war strategies and began reading how fire mages used their magic on the battlefield, coming up with strategies of his own as he began writing them on a scroll. He finally got his magical tattoo when he was seven. Logan and Adam both awakened their magic at the age of three while his sister was just overflowing with potential and awakened it at birth. He wasn''t as strong as they were in magic, but he decided to come up with strategies to overcome his lack of strength and experience. Later that night, the knights reported what occurred to the queen. They told her about the boat and about the meteor. The queen was pleased that her son finally awakened his magic and grew concerned when her son decided to hide it, heading to his room immediately. "Seti Moria," Snow said, waking Seti up from his sleep as she barged in. "Why are you keeping your magic a secret? It is a great gift. A wonderful gift." "Mother?" Seti groaned as he rubbed his eyes. "Starting tomorrow, you''re going to learn about magic," Snow said, looking at her son in the eye. "You awakened your magic but you have no idea how to control it. If you carry on this way without an expert to guide you, you''ll only burn yourself instead of your target when you need to use your fire magic when the time comes. You will learn and prepare for the magic academy like your sister. You''re a smart little boy. I know you''ll work hard." Chapter 2: Starting the Lessons (Author: Hello all. Someone hoped I wouldn''t give Seti too many abilities. As far as the elements are concerned, only a hero may develop more than one magical tattoo. Any tattoo is allowed to evolve upon certain levels of mastery and expand its application. An example would be an earth mage who becomes able to control sand or wood. An ice mage could also learn to control wind or water. It all depends on gaining an insight and applying it so long as the new element contains traces of the element they can currently use. This chapter will revolve around the introduction to magic and how the meteor energy affected Seti. As you can tell, he won''t start out OP but he will have the potential like Adam, but not on the level of Logan and Rebecca and other geniuses among geniuses and the remaining four heroes. Enjoy.) ----------Chapter 2: Starting the Lessons------------------- Seti woke up with his body feeling light. He reached for his covered clay cup and accidentally shattered it. Time seemed to stand still and Seti''s mind became curious as the shards and water seemed to slow down as he retracted his arm and tried to stop the mess. Time continued to flow again and the shards of clay and water spilled on his dresser and the floor. Seti stared at his right hand, his eyes widening as it regenerated the scratches caused upon breaking the cup. "What happened to me?" Seti asked. "Is this an effect caused by awakening my magic? It couldn''t be. Eldest brother was naturally gifted physically, but big brother, Adam, was not and seemed ordinary. Could this be an effect caused by the meteor''s energy when it entered my body? Enhanced strength, regeneration, and reflexes. According to my studies, those who obtain magical tattoos gain a separate gift besides magic. Bear tattoos, like the one Logan has, grants enhanced physical strength, while the dragon tattoos enhanced one''s magic power and decreased the amount of mana required to cast spells. The magical tattoo of my sister is an anomaly and there is no record of a winged unicorn tattoo. Why do I have enhanced strength and reflexes? How strange." Seti tore of his shirt and stared at the reflection of his back on the mirror. It was indeed an ordinary phoenix tattoo as they always had two colors. For magical phoenix tattoos of fire, it was ordinary for it to be red and orange. Seti concluded that the meteor was the cause and took a bath before changing into new clothes. His mother was no doubt waiting for him in the dining hall to eat breakfast and begin learning about magic. He took some time to begin regulating his application of his profound strength and reflexes before he was able to decrease it to the output he had prior to the meteor crash. "You woke up late today Seti," his mother noted as Seti entered the dining hall two hours after he usually began eating breakfast. "Were you reading a book again? Today you will learn about magic. You must study well under the tutor I have for you. He is one of the mage guards in the palace and is also a magus of the fifth rank. You remember the three levels of magic and their ranks are right?" "Yes mother," Seti said as he sat across from her on the table as the maid gave him a plate of sliced hash browns, sausage, and eggs. "As soon as you awaken your magic, you are become a mage. There are three levels of magic. They are beginner, intermediate, and advanced. You are a magus if you awaken your magic and gain a magical tattoo. They are the pride of any nation as they can manifest and manipulate a single element in any shape they choose with a variety of effects. However, they can only use magic pertaining to that element while a mage is more diverse but will is constrained due to the parameter of a spell like a fire ball or a ice javelin. I don''t know much about ranks save for that most mages can master four elements while a magus has his tattoo evolve on the eighth rank. As for warrior ranks, I do not know. They use mana, but it is more like an enchantment for their armor and weapons as well as a tool to augment their physical capabilities. A talented warrior is born with a magical tattoo at birth, but cannot use mana other than to augment their bodies until the fifth rank. Then, they can develop blade auras and enchant their armor and weapons with their element based on the tattoo." "You really love reading. It makes me wonder if you''re really seven years old," his mother sighed. "Do you know about the characteristics of a magical tattoo?" "Yes mother," Seti answered. "Magical tattoos are manifestations of a mage''s inner spirit that takes the form of a magical tattoo, turning them into a magus. Each magical tattoo represents and animal or mythical creature and grants the owner a gift. My magical tattoo was that of a red and orange phoenix. Not only can I manifest and manipulate fire, I also received the gift of regeneration. A magus is usually identified with his element and tattoo and only has one tattoo." "That was true except for two things. One happened yesterday. Your sister developed a second tattoo. This time a gold winged unicorn magical tattoo and now wields both light and lightning. The second is the evolution of tattoos. Once you gain a sudden insight, the beast of your tattoo changes and you can control another element with an attribute synergetic with fire. An example would be wind, lava, and even water. Fire devours wind and wind makes it stronger. Fire combines with lava and is the essence of the world. Fire and water create steam while an intense increase in heat in the atmosphere, can create clouds that bring rain," Queen Snow said. "Most people with fire gain insights and choose to control wind to increase their power. Lava is a rare element that is rarely seen, while fire users capable of fire and water are the most powerful as they can control their own elemental weakness. Your tutor will tell you more. Quickly eat your food and join him by the lake." Seti ate his food and waited a few minutes for it to digest before heading to the lake. As he walked by, he could already see several magus in the forest, repairing the damage caused by the meteor. He saw wood magus regrow trees, earth magus restore the ground and crater, and even several water magus who restored the lake and even made it purer and bigger. Seti saw a wooden cabin built where the crater had been. No one lived in the forest as it was both protected by the knights and guards as well as a hunting ground further in towards the mountains. His tutor was a magus of the fifth rank, that meant his teacher controlled two elements. He wondered how the magus was categorized under the three levels as they could manipulate their element to take any shape. A young man appeared from the cottage wearing the azure robe of a water magus with silver seams and cuffs. He had vibrant red hair and brown eyes and was nearly six feet tall. He smiled as he saw Seti approach him. He gestured at the camp fire in front of his cabin with various long rocks where they could sit and chat. Seti sat down and waited as he felt the rank 5 magus study him. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "Well now. A phoenix fire magus. Very good. Those with dragon and phoenix tattoos can''t be harmed by their own element. Her Highness must have told you about me. I will now tutor you on the path of a magus. My name is Flint Wills," the magus said. "Your mother said you were an intelligent kid. I am a fire magus whose tattoo evolved into tiger and gained the water element. Tell me. Do you know why your brothers went to the Royal Academy?" "Because they were both a magus?" Seti answered. "Indeed. The Royal Academy only accepts magus as well as those extraordinarily gifted mages and naturally talented young warriors," Flint nodded. "I''m just letting you know now, it will be a hard life for you if you go to the Royal Academy. Most magus awakened and got their tattoos before they turned six, your brothers and sister half the normal age and at birth! You awakened your magic at age seven and it is one of the four basic elements. Tell me Seti. Do you know how elements are categorized?" "The four basic elements are earth, fire water, and air. The variant elements are lightning, wood, sand, ice, lava, and metal. Finally, there are the two celestial elements of darkness and light," Seti said as he remembered reading them in one of his books. "Light is the supreme element but cannot evolve and has the greatest power over healing. Darkness is the most versatile element and a magus of the darkness element could learn any of the other elements save for light. Lightning is the fastest and most destructive element after light and could only evolve to darkness. Earth and water are the most strategic elements while sand and lava are the most mysterious as people rarely choose to use their insight and gain those elements." "As well-read as Her Highness claimed," Flint said with a smile. "This is good. Now, a magus and mage are different. Mages can use all the elements but cannot shape it at will. Mages can use two elements at the most except for the heroes. For example, your sister has light and lightning. Once your sister gets an insight on fusing lightning with darkness, she''ll gain a third element and could use both separately or together as she wishes. Mages are determined by the three levels of magic which determine what spells they can use. Magus are different. We are measured by our understanding of our element and the scale upon which we can control it. A magus of fire can shape fire at will, but making it too big and unable to control it, the mana in your body will run rampant and will spontaneously combust. In other words, you burst in flame-like mana and explode. It''s not actual fire as it is mana and all the mana bursts from your body at once. Many a magus and mage died trying to perform magic on a scale beyond their capabilities. The three levels of magic do not apply to us as they pertain to mastery and use of magic spells. Our beginner, intermediate, and advanced level magic are determined at how versatile we are at using our element. An example would be comparing someone who can fight using daggers of fire compared to someone fighting with two long swords of fire as well as using a whip or even teleportation. Teleportation is a rare ability among magus as only those with the fire, light, air, and lightning element can use it." "So it is like that," Seti muttered as he committed the words to memory. "I see." "Fire magus increase their capabilities by absorbing fire essence. This means meditating and emptying your mind to become one with the environment. This will allow you to increase your focus and see the fire essence. Fire is on of the four basic elements. It is easy to learn the essence of fire. Fire is what allowed man to be warm. Fire allowed us to fight back against the dangerous beasts and monsters. It is through fire, that the sun is made and how we gain obtain light, even in the darkest of caves," Flint began. "Sit down and meditate. First keep your eyes open as you need to stare at a medium of fire and sense the fire essence. Stare at the sun and look for the violet essence. It is a fire essence of the highest order. Most fire mages say that you should meditate surrounded in a circle of lit candles. They are wrong. A fire mage must meditate under the sun during the day. It is the greatest medium of light and fire. Violet essence is also the purest and most powerful for a fire and light magus." "Won''t I be blinded by the rays of the sun?" Seti asked. "You have a magical tattoo of fire and the sun is just a large ball of fire and earth, spinning at its core. You can see upon it without fear," Flint said. "When you decided to ascend to the Immortal Plane at the eighth or ninth rank, best to ascend at the ninth, you can venture to other planets and galaxies. In the Mortal Realm, we all live in a single galaxy with many universes. At the eighth rank, you can venture into space but only immortals can leave the known universe. Mages and non-talented warriors are considered weak once you reach the eighth and ninth rank and truly realize the difference between talent. They are restricted to learning spells and using magical items and treasures to increase their rank as they cannot cultivate mana essence. You will spend the next fifteen days absorbing violet fire essence. We must have your body used to fire essence before starting any type of magic. Heroes are the exception for reasons, you and I will never understand. They are like the next phase in an evolutionary chain and only look like us. You have much to learn to catch up with the geniuses in Royal Academy. The more work you put in your lessons, the easier it will be to cope in the Royal Academy where Her Highness will send you when you become ten. As instructed by Her Highness, I will teach you teleportation. You are the son of the king. Royal academy accepts talents from all over the world, but that does not mean they will not try to kill you. Your two elder brothers have already learned escaping magic using their element and your sister can teleport with either element. For now we start small and then see which branches of fire magic studies you''ll learn. You don''t need to learn healing like I did as you can instantly regenerate. The phoenix magical beast is a rare tattoo, but it is not among the most powerful. It is more suited to survivability. You will never be as strong as your siblings but you have a better chance at surviving and that is the best one could hope for in this dangerous life of ours. I''ve talked too much already. Begin sensing and absorbing fire essence. I will teach you after fifteen days and prepare you." "Yes teacher," Seti said and began staring at the sun. Chapter 3: Torn Family (Author: Hello. Last chapter introduced you to how mages and magus differentiated and their respective strengths and weaknesses. Seti now starts his path as a magus and begins absorbing and cultivating fire essence due to his new teacher''s instructions. There will be a few chapters that will represent the three years of Seti''s instruction under Flint. There will be a school arc as he will be ten years old after the three years. Enjoy.) ---------Chapter 3: Torn Family---------- Seti stared silently at the sun as he meditated. His eyes were wide open as he began searching for the violet fire essence. If it was the regular red fire essence, he could have immediately begun absorbing it from the campfire. Flint wanted Seti to absorb violet essence as it was rarer and purer. Absorbing violet essence increased one''s foundations. While it did make it harder to break through to the next rank, he would have more mana at his disposal. He would be able to use more of his power than if he decided to absorb red fire essence. Slowly, Seti began to see red fire essence from the rays of the sun. He kept searching until the sunset, pausing only to eat and relieve himself in a ditch. He was not a magus yet and still needed to use a chamber pot to do his business. The body of a magus or mage would convert all the excess nutrients from food and liquid into mana while the body only accepted the nutrients it needed. That was why there were no secluded areas in the house of a mage or magus as they did not need to excrete any waste. Seti spent the next few days repeating his process of fire essence searching until he finally saw the violet fire essence on the fourth day. On the seventh day, Seti was finally able to sense and absorb the violet fire essence in his body. Now he had to keep absorbing fire essence until he created a seed made of fire essence within his mind. His books said that mages and magus had the ability to use magic due to a normally unused part of their brain. If was as if mana was the missing portion of the brain normal people could not use. It made sense as the brain was the organ that housed the bodies memories and thought process. Normally, the body would undergo physical changes as it would adapt to absorbing foreign energy into the body. Flint was an example of a very strong change as he had vibrant red hair. Seti''s body was also changing. His skin was excreting a black fluid from his body while his skin began to shine and covered itself in a red and orange light. Due to absorbing violet fire essence, Seti had some of his black hair turned into a dark violet near the front part of the top of his head above the forehead. His bones began to become richer and his blood his nerves began to be filled with fire essence as it spread through his nervous system, most of it residing in his spinal column and brain. The tattoo of the phoenix on his back began to shine, a normal sign that a magus was cultivating elemental essence. His body grew three inches and a small red and orange seed began forming within his mind as Seti closed his eyes, no longer needing to stare at the sun as he could sense and absorb it easily now. As the seed was forming, his blood, bones, cartilage, arteries, veins, and organs began to enrich themselves with mana emitting from the seed. Seti didn''t dare stop and kept on meditating, cultivating more to form the seed. Suddenly, a red and orange energy began to flow through his body toward the seed as it followed the violet fire essence. As the red and orange energy went into the seed, the seed no started to grow a weird white and violet pattern as if it was enhancing the violet fire essence and refusing it to become red and orange. It made no sense to Seti but the seed continued to form in his mind. Some of the red and orange energy went into his bones, veins, arteries, and organs. Seti felt as if his body was slowly starting to burn but didn''t physically feel as if it was. It was as if the red and orange energy from the meteor was like water that finally burst forth from a dam, pouring rapidly into the seed. After seven continuous days, the energy finally disappeared. Seti, freed from the involuntary cultivation of the meteor energy, closed his hands into a fist and stretched them as he tilt his head back and roared. A small ember appeared from his mouth before Seti fell back and lost consciousness. A magus could only use violet flames if he created his seed using violet fire essence. As an ordinary flame was red and orange, his was a violet flame. It also limited him as he could only cultivate violet fire essence. As he created the seed, he no longer needed to be outside when the sun was up and could sense the violet fire essence at night as well. Violet flames were not powerful compared to ordinary flames, but they were easier to manipulate. This was the goal Flint had for Seti. Seti did not have the talent of his siblings, but he was smart and it would be easier for him to understand the laws of fire when he started using his flames. Seti awoke after five hours and realized the night was very late. He could see the lake shimmer under the moon light and wondered why he lost consciousness. "Was it because I used my magic for the first time?" Seti wondered as he got up. Seti imagined a small ember appearing on his fingertips of his right hand and saw a violet flame form and did not burn him. He spent the next few seconds twisting around his fingers before it disappeared. "I did it," Seti grinned as he closed his hands in a fist and shook them in triumph at the night sky. "I broke through and became an early stage magus of the first rank! I''M A MAGUS!" Seti remembered all the times he saw his brothers and sister creating and manipulating their elements before they became busy with their training. After awakening his magic a year after the norm, he had finally become a magus. Tears fell down his eyes as he fell to his knees and remembered his father completely ignoring him after he turned six and did not awaken for three months. He seldom saw his father before, but after those three months, he never saw his father or little sister. Logan also never paid much attention to him when he and Adam came back on their breaks and vacations. Now he was a magus and could stand tall. He washed off the black liquid and headed back to his room in the palace. The knights smiled as he walked past him, knowing he had finally become a magus as he was taller and saw his dark violet hair. Seti entered his room and laid down on his bed. Seti stared silently at a lit candle by his bed as a maid placed the usual covered clay cup of water by his bed. He flicked his finger through the candle several times as he imagined and the applications he could use with fire. Seti suddenly stopped his finger on the fire and was about to control it to not burn him when he realized something: his finger didn''t burn. Seti immediately pulled his finger away and studied it. As far as he knew, the only fire that could not burn him without using his mana to control it was fire that he, himself, created. He hand not even begun experimenting controlling the ember on the candle and he did not burn. Seti stared silently at his spatial ring that housed the small boxes of meteorites. The red and orange energy awakened his magic, enhanced his strength and reflexes, enlarged the side of his seed in his mind along with a strange white and violet pattern which should not have appeared, and now he was invulnerable to fire. If he was a warrior, he was definitely blessed. However, he was a mage and he did not need enhanced reflexes or strength because he could simply be overwhelmed with a very powerful wide area attack. "Why did it do all that?" Seti wondered as he gazed out the window. "Were all meteors like that?" Seti spent the next day experimenting with his strength and reflexes. He had small cups of water tied on strings to a tree. He hit one of the pots, which hid another. Soon all the pots were swinging as Seti dodged and weaved, seeing them move in slow motion. Seti also began stacking pots and experimenting on how many he could carry. Whatever the meteor did, it gave him gifts he would have received if he had gotten a magical tattoo of a beast that granted enhanced strength and reflexes like how his phoenix tattoo granted him regeneration. So far, no one knew of his extra abilities and Seti decided to keep those a secret. It would give a rather unpleasant surprise to people who might seek to harm him in the future. He failed to hide his magic and his regeneration was obvious as it was the gift of magical phoenix tattoos. Seti read in a book on warfare that said, "The more you know about yourself and the less your enemy knows about you, the better off you are. Only a foolish commander would show his hand and a wise one would always keep a trump card in case he under estimated his enemy. Never assume that you''ll always win. There will come a day when you will lose and there won''t be a way out as the enemy knows what to expect." Seti decided to head to the royal armory and see if they had any spears he could use. A spear excelled in medium range combat and he could rely on his strength and reflexes to dodge and push back anyone who got close. After his forced attendance in the Royal Academy, Seti wanted to roam the world. The Royal Academy was a minor setback, but he could learn a lot as well as access their library. As Seti entered the palace and headed to the royal armory, he saw his little sister as he walked before the entrance to the throne room. His eyes widened as his sister was already a peak stage magus of the second rank. She was already a magus with two elements and there was no doubt she would be a fourth rank upon entering the academy. She was accompanied by two boys and another girl. Most likely, they were also being tutored by his father and other powerful mages. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Seti," Rebecca said as she saw her elder brother. "Daddy said that you became awakened. I can sense mana in you. You must have created a seed of fire essence in your mind." "Rebecca," Seti nodded and attempted to walk past her before a son of a noble stood on his path. "The princess is still speaking to you," the boy said and put his hand on Seti''s shoulder. Seti grit his teeth and grabbed the boy''s wrist, crushing it, and said, "Did you forget that being her brother also meant I was a prince? Guards, what is the penalty for threatening a prince?" "Thirty lashes as well as a heavy fine, my lord," one of the knights guarding the throne room said. "So be it. Punish this brat and make sure his family know s what he did. If I see him near my little sister again, double the whipping and triple the fine," Seti said and turned to his sister. "It''s not good to make friends with these kinds of people as an aspiring hero. You need to remember the laws of a country you visit as you save the people. You need respectful people who can aid you without using you for their own end. This noble was," Seti warned and saw his little sister stare at him, shocked. "Lots of people think you''re spoiled due to father''s doting. Don''t let them think you''ve become arrogant and rotten. Assess your friends and decide for yourself if the friendship is real or an illusion." "You don''t know what you''re talking about Seti," Rebecca said, glaring at him. "Take back what you said about punishing Gerald. He was just stopping you from leaving. Don''t be mean! You just became a magus. You''re not special." "You''re right. I''m not.I lack talent compared to Adam, Logan, and you most of all," Seti shrugged. "Dad gave up on me three months after our last birthday a few months ago. I''m not a genius mage like Adam with his magical dragon tattoo. I''m not as talented in the sword and magic like Logan. Furthermore, my accomplishments are next to nothing compared to you, little sister. However, I am your elder brother and prince of this kingdom. You''re powerful, I''ll give you that, but you are na?ve. Father is blind when it comes to you and Logan, but at least Logan is wiser and a better person than you are now and should have been. Right now, you''re only getting so much because of being called a hero. You''re not a hero yet." "Shut up!" Rebecca shouted and attempted to slap him with lightning crackling on her hand. Seti sighed and moved out of the way without excess movement. He didn''t need to dodge as his reflexes were just too superior to a seven year old. He grabbed her wrist to stop her from losing her balance and falling as she leaned too far forward at the unexpected movement. "You should be more careful," Seti said as he released her and watched her regain her balance. "You could have fallen. You''re only seven years old, physically and mentally. Try to control your rash behavior before you hurt yourself and others." "Don''t lecture me!" Rebecca roared and knocked Seti back with a barrier of light. Seti spat blood on the impact and crashed on the floor. "A lost cause," Seti muttered as he wiped his mouth and stood up. "Big brother! I didn''t mean it. I-" Rebecca said but Seti ignored her and walked past her as he was humiliated in front of the knights and the nobles. The damage done was healed instantly and Seti coughed the last of the blood stuck in his throat before he left the hall as if he had never been hurt. He paused to look back at them and said, "I expect the whipping to be done within the hour. I better receive that fine before sun down or you will spend the rest of your life in the dungeon. As for you, sister, I have already said what needed to be said. Father won''t open your eyes and you choose to avert your ears from the harsh truth. Good luck with your studies and congratulations on obtaining another spirit." Seti had his fists clenched as he left and dismissed what had happened from his mind. He had expected his sister to act that way. She was spoiled because she was a hero. He read from books and matured quickly as he learned. If his sister chose to ignore him, he pitied those she would attempt to save in the future. If the other four heroes were raised as she was, the planet was doomed. He might as well focus on his training and ascend to the Immortal Realm before the world got screwed over because of a few fanatics fawning over some stupid prophecy and blindly dependent on it. If he was a general, he would be strengthening his forces and establishing connections for supplies and reinforcements from other countries .He would have his scouts inspect the enemy and make formations and assign security detail based on their findings. He wasn''t in charge though and his mother was forced to takeover her husband''s responsibilities. He knew, in the eyes of other nations, that the Moria Kingdom appeared soft and that many don''t respect a female monarch in charge. "Why hello Prince Seti," the royal blacksmith said as he saw Seti. "You must be on your way to the armory. Finally interested in weapons are you? What do you fancy? A sword? A mace? Perhaps a great sword like His Majesty, perhaps?" "I''d like a spear," Seti said, surprising the blacksmith. "That''s a soldier''s weapon. It''s not the weapon of a knight or noble," the blacksmith said as he scratched his head. "I''ll never be a knight as I''m a mage, and I am the third prince and not a hero," Seti shrugged. "A spear is similar to a staff anyway. I don''t want to depend on my magic all the time and aim to use it at opportune moments to control the flow of battle. My father will probably make me the baron of our ancestor''s former territory anyway. It will be easier getting closer to the soldiers if I use a spear and I think it rather suites me." "Let me get your measurements and see who you hold the spear as you demonstrate some motions," the blacksmith said as he beckoned the prince to him. "You have a little blood on your sleeve and shirt though. You alright?" "Just a little spat between me an kid my age who is mentally my age," Seti laughed. "It seems I made an error in judgment. Sir Trey, knight of the royal guard and head blacksmith of the armory and smithy, what do you think I should do?" "You shouldn''t associate with those kinds of kids. They''re trouble Prince Seti. A lot of trouble when they''re older," the blacksmith sighed. "I saw a lot of potential smiths who got arrogant and wouldn''t listen. Who knows where they are now." "She''s a lost cause. I don''t expect much from the kid now," Seti said and entered the smithy. "No offense, young prince, but sometimes, I don''t know if you''re seven or seven and ten years," Trey laughed. An hour later, Seti left the royal armory and smithy with a spear just a little heavier than it should be. Trey said that it would help strengthen his muscles to get used to carrying a heavier spear in the future. Seti struggled little with the heavy spear due to his enhanced strength and left to talk with his mother to have one of the generals of the army teach him the spear. "A spear?" Queen Snow asked as her son entered her office while she dealt with important papers. "Why would you want to learn the spear?" "I wish to roam the world," Seti said, looking his mother in the eye. "Once I am done learning at the Royal Academy, I''m leaving to roam the world. A spear is similar actually a better weapon than people think. It''s just not as fluid and complex as swords are. I won''t be a king or a hero." "Snow stared long and hard at her son before she said, "Very well. I know how much you want to leave this place. Many people wish to be here but you feel as if it is your prison. You can leave the academy only when you become a magus of the fifth rank and obtained a second element after your tattoo''s evolution." "Thank you," Seti bowed and left the room. "You see what you''ve done?" Snow snarled as her husband appeared from the shadows. "You''ve driven out our son! He hates it here and you know very well that it''s all your fault. Maybe if you acted more of a father to him, he would have hesitated and not made his declaration so soon." "Our daughter is destined to be a hero," Marcus began. "DESTINED!" Snow roared, trying to reason with her king''s stubbornness. "She is not a hero yet! If our son truly leaves us when he attains the fifth rank of magus, you can handle the kingdom''s affairs yourself!" Marcus stared at his wife and then at the door his son left through. He knew both his wife and third son were disappointed in him like Adam was. He managed to make amends with Adam, but it was already too late with Seti. He was just so worried for his daughter as heroes faced the deadliest and cruelest of enemies. Perhaps his worry had developed into an obsession. He walked to his son''s door and opened it. He saw Seti look up at him, indifferently, before closing his eyes and turning his back to face the wall as he slept. Seti no doubt knew his father only came after being scolded by his wife. "What do you want?" Seti asked as he stared at the wall. "I''ve already made up my mind." "Is it too late for me to still be a father to you?" Marcus asked softly. Seti pulled the blankets higher on his body and said, "Yes." "I see. I''m sorry to hear that," Marcus said as he slowly closed the door. "I''m sorry Seti. I''m so sorry." Chapter 4: Mana Backlash (Author: Hello all. The heat wave sure sucks. Had a massive headache and slight fever. Drink plenty of water and stay indoors. Anyway, Seti goes out of his way to try to talk sense into his sister, hoping that things would change as he became a magus. He was wrong and she remains blinded and arrogant. Seti makes his resolve to close himself from his family and quickly endure the three years learning under Flint before going to the Royal Academy and leaving upon reaching the fifth rank. He studies diligently, but faces a trial. Writing this story and my new story,Star Dragon as side projects as they are not my main story. My main story, The Necromancer King, will have a more regular release schedule in my mind. Enjoy.) --------Chapter 4: Mana Backlash------------- Seti awoke the next day as if a large burden was gone. He had given up on his father and sister. He only cared about two people now: his mother and Adam. The rest of the world can burn for all he cared. Seti gave out a series of orders so that a cabin. He would have less distractions away from the palace. He also collected books on strategy, records of fire magus, and books on the history of the magus. He had a lot to learn and wanted to know more about the world. Seti also had another cabin built for when a general of the army would come and teach him the spear. His mother said the general would arrive in a few months and to focus on learning from Flint first until he arrived. It did not take long for a wood magus to build him the two cabins and for the servants to organize the rooms. Flint arrived, surprised to see two more cabins and learned all of what transpired over the last few days from when Seti started searching and cultivating violet fire essence, to his declaration of exploring the world. "What is the extent of your ability to manifest and control fire?" Flint asked. "I can create a small ember on my hands and control the heat of that small ember and the heat of a fire on a lit candle," Seti answered. "I''m not able to create fire bigger than the size of a thumb, but I can''t be burned by fire." "It must be because of the meteor," Flint said. "How did you know?" Seti asked. "You don''t think I had my cabin built where the crater was for no reason did you? Your mother also told me about the meteor. The meteor must have been the reason you awakened your magic in the first place," Flint answered. "It had to have some profound energy to externally awaken your magic. What else it did, is your business Seti. It would be wise not to tell anyone else about the meteor and how you awakened your magic. Where is the meteor now?" "In small boxes in my spatial ring," Seti answered. "Good. You can make very powerful weapons. Meteors are not from this world. Perhaps you can make a spear with it one day. Now, for your training. You can make an ember. That is good. That means that you are indeed a rank 1 magus," Flint said. "That seed of fire essence will develop as you increase in power and rank. It is the source of your mana. To be a fire magus, one must learn about fire in order to learn how to control it." "What must I do?" Seti asked. "Fire burns material and devours the wind to continue to burn and expand. Your body is the catalyst for the fire. Your mana, the object the fire burns and devours to grow and incinerate. Most magus choose not to learn how to fight barehanded or learn how to use a weapon. They are fools. A magus is not a mage and limited to chanting to cast spells. Our magic takes form in our imagination. Mana is energy. How can a magus not combine his magic with martial arts to become even stronger than both?" Flint laughed. "What is more powerful? A fireball? A simple fist with no mana? No. A fist that is wrapped in fire is more lethal and more versatile. You can continue to grow the fire around your fist, even throwing it to cast an even larger, more powerful fire ball if you can''t hit your foe. You can fight from afar as most mage do, or fight in close combat like a warrior. Why study just one path when both increases your potential far more than either. A spear would not be my first choice, but hardly any magus uses a spear so I cannot judge for certain. I can''t teach you how to fight, but I can teach you how to strengthen your body and learn to wield fire." "There''s a chance I can defeat others if I learn this?" Seti asked. "Yes," Flint said as he stared back at Seti. "If you can''t defeat your enemy with the pure power of your fire, you can defeat them by controlling fire above their own capabilities. Those who become rank 8 and 9 magus are not all necessarily the most powerful, but the ones who truly understand their elements. Those who fight with power, win battles. Those who fight with control, win wars. Your first lesson is to strengthen your fire and shape it. Fire always starts at an ember. Make that ember truly ignite and become fire." Flint began training Seti. Everyday, Seti would swim five laps around the lake. If he ever stopped before the laps, Flint would fling Seti up in the sky using water magic as Flint was both a fire and water magus. After a ten minute interval, Seti would beginning jogging ten times around the lake. Seti was given weights on his wrists and ankles which were five pounds each. It didn''t feel like nothing at first, but the weight would seem heavier as he got tired. He would then spend the afternoon learning about magic and try to create fire and control it. As Seti had enhanced strength and reflexes, his body naturally got used to the training very easily. Flint always increased the weights whenever Seti seemed to have it easy. Seti was already very knowledgeable and he was able to ignite the ember and create a small, violet flame on his hands. As the weeks flew by, Seti began creating small orbs of fire that levitated around him in a circle, each the size of a child''s fist. One night, Seti was meditating under the full moon when three dark shadows crept to him from the shadows. Seti opened his eyes in alarm as he sensed unknown mana heading to him. He looked back in time to see a golden flash. Seti felt as if needles were poking all over his body as he was sent flying. He groaned in pain as he landed on the wet soil next to the lake. His muscles strained as Seti tried to push himself to his feet. He shook his head as his vision was blurry and made out three figures emerging from the tree. His eyes widened as he recognized one of them to be that brat noble he had whipped from before. "So it''s you then," Seti said coldly as he created small orbs of violet fire. "You''ll be sentenced to a slow death for this." "You two, distract his master. I''ll deal with this princeling myself," Trey snarled. The two other men rushed at the other cabin and threw large spears of lightning and a wave of earth. Flint burst out of his cabin as it was destroyed and stared at the two men. Both were magus of the fourth rank and had elements to counter his fire and water magic. "You''re gonna pay for having me whipped and fining my family," Trey snarled as lightning crackles his arms. "I am a magus of the second rank! I''m more powerful than you. I will whip you with my lightning before I kill you and your master. No one will know how you died." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ''You''re around my age but you''ve already fallen so low. Just because you''re powerful, doesn''t mean you''ll win," Seti said coldly. "Enough talk whipped dog. Come and get a beating from your master. In front of royalty, you''re nothing but a b*tch." "YOU--!" Trey roared and charged at Seti. Seti grinned as he successively broke the boy into a rage. The air grew warm as Seti had his fireballs blast at the ground around Trey. Trey just threw spears of lightning in his rage, destroying the fireballs and striking at Seti. However, Seti was ready this time. Seti saw the lightning move in slow motion and dodged and back flipped over some of the lightning and landing on his feet. He created tiny flames below his feet and spread fire wherever he walked. His mana was depleting rapidly due to the constant use, but Seti could not waver. "What''s wrong princeling?" Trey laughed as he kept running at Seti. "If you had ordinary fire, this might have been fun. This is just too easy!" The fire slowly rose until a giant wall of violet flames appeared around Seti. The soil turned black and Trey started to sweat as he approached the fire. Snorting, Trey covered himself in lightning and jumped through the fire, unharmed. His eyes widened as he saw the lake so close behind the wall of fire. "This is way you fight with a calm mind. Too bad it''s too late for you," Seti said as he grabbed a large chunk of wet soil and used his enhanced strength to throw it at Trey. Trey screamed as he felt his back bruise under the impact and then screamed even louder as the wet soil and his lightning combined, hurting him. Seti saw a large steam rise from where Trey crashed into the lake, head first, due to his lightning and the lake making contact with his body wrapped around the lightning. The lake glistened as Seti heard a few crackles of lightning before the sound ceased. Trey''s body slowly rose to the surface, badly burned but still breathing. Seti watched as Trey painfully made his way to shore. Seti could smell something akin to burnt meat coming from Trey''s body. "And now you die a dog''s death," Seti said as he created three orbs of fire. "This is the price to pay for underestimating your opponent. A lightning magus should never fight near a body of water. Water conducts lightning and thunder. Why do you think books said that a water magus is superior to a lightning magus near a body of water? It''s hard for a water magus to create his own water, but very easy to manipulate water that already exists." "Not again. Not again. Not again. NOT AGAIN!" Trey screamed and went berserk. Lightning crackled all over his body and his body seemed to glow. Seti covered his eyes and immediately covered his body in violet flames. Trey screamed once more before he exploded into a powerful blast of fire. Seti shouted in agony as the blast easily broke through his wall of fire and knocked him back several yards and through the door of his cabin. Splinters flew everywhere and Seti crashed into the wall, the wooden wall caving in a little upon impact. Seti groaned as he lost all his mana and felt drained. He thought it was all over, before he felt a burning in his chest. Seti looked down as he felt pain emerge and expand over his body as a purple energy seemed to come from his body and burn him. Fire couldn''t burn him so Seti knew what it was: mana fire. It only happened when a magus or mage used to much mana and would simultaneously combust if they used more mana than the body could handle. Seti struggled to his feet and slowly walked to the lake. The pain was beyond belief as he felt his insides were burning. Small wisps of purple flames broke through his skin as Seti panted with effort with every breath, his regenerative ability the only reason he was still alive. Seti felt his knees crack as he bent down and focused all his energy into his legs. Using his enhanced strength, Seti pushed off the ground and flew toward the lake, the cold water soothing his pain as he crashed into it. Steam rose from his body and Seti held his head in agony as the mana fire continued. He had to endure it until his mana stabilized and returned. Seti washed up on shore minutes later, unconscious as the mana calmed. Purple fire burned all over his body before dimming and disappearing. Flint had defeated the other two mages, with numerous craters, fissures, and burned or uprooted trees as evidence of his struggles. He was relieved to see the third prince still living and proceeded to use healing magic on the boy. He injected his own mana into the boy to stabilize and return the mana levels to normal levels. "Ugh," Seti groaned as he slowly opened his eyes and shut them tightly again. It was morning when he awoke and his body ached all over. "Try not to move Seti," Flint warned. "You barely survived the mana backlash. Most don''t die, but there are some residual effects. I forbid you from even cultivating fire essence for a whole week. Let your body rest at this time. You''re in your room right now and I left a few books here that should help you as you like to read. Your mother was here often, but your sister and father never showed." "I cut ties with my father and my sister never listened to me and even injured me on our last encounter," Seti said weakly as he leaned up. "Will I be alright?" "Yes. You''ll be fine so long as you rest a week. The Trey boy''s mostly dead but his instructions and orders were found in the spatial ring of the two men he hired to primarily distract me. He even ordered them to kill me if they were able. Truly pathetic and a disgrace in human flesh," Flint spat. "His family is being sentenced to death as we speak and their belongings, titles, and lands will henceforth be yours. Prince Adam''s letter arrived earlier today expressing his concern and gratitude that you''re alright. You''ve been unconscious for about three weeks. You''re body is mostly healed which is why I said you only need one more week. This is just a precautionary measure." "Thank you master," Seti said and bowed his head. "HAHAHAHAHA! That''s right! I am your master. Well then, rest well," Flint laughed and left Seti alone in his room. "I was able to beat that noble until he actually blew himself up. I should make a note of this. Using the environment to neutralize the opponent is good, but I need a method to control my fire and make it bigger faster with less mana drainage. I should also avoid getting close to the enemy in case they also use an extreme measure and sacrifice their own life to kill me," Seti muttered. "At least I know I can defeat someone more powerful than me. However, I can''t include those with battle experience." Seti stared silently and saw new books on his bookshelf. He groaned as and felt his body creak as he got off his bed. As soon as he tried to stand up, he fell to the ground. After not using his legs for so long, rehabilitation would be necessary to be able to use them normally again. He used the walls as leverage as he leaned against the wall and slowly hobbled to the bookshelf. He got the books and sat down heavily on the chair next to it. He sighed from the effort and began to read. He had a lot of free time now and it would be best to read the books now and put them to practice at a later time. Chapter 5: Sibling Trouble (Author: Hello! The Necromancer King is back, but I am still writing this story so no worries guys. Just be aware that my main story is back so there won''t be as many quick updates as before. Trey is dead, sacrificing his life, but Seti still lives (what kind of MC gets replaced in 4 chapters? MC replacements are never good). Rebecca finds out and is enraged and goes to see Seti. Enjoy.) ------Chapter 5: Sibling Trouble----------- Seti yawned as he finished reading another book before picking up a new one. He had been reading non-stop for days as he read and re-read the books Flint gave him before storing it in his spatial ring. it wasn''t that he was tired of reading. He was irritated because his little sister started throwing a fit when she heard Trey died. Trey tried to kill him and Rebecca was concerned about the a*shole who nearly succeeded? Rebecca disappointed him more and more. "Open the door! You owe me an explanation!" Rebecca shouted. "Why don''t you just knock it down already?" Seti sighed. "Mother already warned you not to disturb me. Go away before I call the guards to take you away by force." "Why don''t you come out and fight me?" Rebecca shouted. "You just won by luck. Trey was a good person! He didn''t deserve to die nor have his family executed." "Trey...yeah. That is my fault and I could care less if he didn''t die as I would have killed him anyway," Seti sighed as he put his book in the spatial ring. "As for his family, I really thank mom for doing that. Saved me the trouble of doing it myself when I''m older." "YOU MONSTER!" Rebecca roared and blasted the door open with a flash of light. "Ah, I have to trouble the servants to get it replaced and the maids to clean the mess," Seti sighed as the door fragments littered the floor. Rebecca''s face was contorted with rage with her face a bright red. SHe glared at him as if to try to kill him by glaring at his very soul. "You know we''re related right? Sorry, but I''m not interested in dating my own sister," Seti said, startling Rebecca. "If someone saw those eyes staring at me so intently, they''d think you would commit a crime of passion. I would hate for the world to associate me as the brother of a hero with a sibling fetish. It would really be too embarrassing." "I don''t love you!" she roared. "That breaks my heart," Seti mocked as if he were about to cry as he had his hands over his chest. "Aren''t siblings supposed to love each other? Ah, how painful. Truly, my heart has never been so disappointed. Then again, I already cut ties with you. I''ll never acknowledge being your brother. I gave up on you long ago. You lack integrity, humility, compassion, honesty to yourself, and so many more qualities a hero should have. The knights, servants, and maids all like me because I''m nice to them. You think yourself above such people. You won''t get far in the long run as a hero." "You and me, in the battleground in weeks! I don''t care if I''m lowering myself, as a rank 2 magus, to fight you. You will be punished!" Rebecca shouted as she threw a lightning bolt at him. Seti sighed as he easily dodged the lightning bolt and slapped his sister, sending her flying out of his room. The loud smack brought all the guards, servants, and maids as they saw Rebecca outside. They saw Seti walked silently and lean on the doorway. A large red mark the size of a hand was prominent on her right cheek. "How did you...?" Rebecca asked, shocked. "See you in two weeks little sister. You may be powerful, but you''re a fool to only rely on your power," Seti sighed. "You are too dependent on your magic and did not train your body. I heard you''re learning a weapon. Seems to me that you''re not really learning how to use it but how to substitute using it instead of a staff. Tell you what, my spear instructor is coming soon. We''ll fight in a month. Savvy?" "Savvy?" she snarled. "Fine! A month then! I''ll show you who is stronger!" "Yeah, but why end the fun there," Seti smirked. "Guards, my sister has violated Her Majesty''s orders and bothered me as I am still in recovery. Sentence her to solitary confinement in her room. Only her masters and my father and mother are allowed to see her." "What are you doing? Unhand me!" Rebecca cried as she was lifted up by the guards. "Her Majesty''s orders are absolute," one knight said and the two dragged Rebecca away, her screams turning into curses of revenge as she kicked and twisted her body in the air while trying to escape. Seti laughed and spent the rest of his resting period reading in relaxation. After the week was over, he began meditating and cultivating violet fire essence as he listed to lectures from Flint. He didn''t know when the general would come so he devoted his time learning magic seriously. -------------------------- A few days later. "How could he? How could he?" she thought as she was trapped in her own room. It had been days since she was punished by her mother for disobeying her. She wasn''t upset about that. She was upset because she was supposed to be more powerful than her brother and she was! The only problem was that he dodged her lightning bolt and even slapped her out of his room! He slapped her! Sure, Trey did a bad thing trying to kill him, but Seti drove him to a suicide attack! He shouldn''t have put so much pressure on Trey! Not only that, Trey often gave her pointers as she was new to using lightning. How could Trey have lost? Not only that, Trey''s family was executed and all their belongings and land were given to Seti. She didn''t even own her own room as it belonged to her parents. Everything she had, was given to her, but Seti owned land and items that did not belong to her parents and was free to do what he wished with them. She never hated her brother before, but now she did. He humiliated her in front of guards, knights, servants, and maids. No doubt, rumors of the event would spread and she would become the hero who was defeated by a upcoming magus who barely awakened of the first rank. Utter humiliation! She banged her fists on her bed and thrashed her pillows everywhere, the feathers flying all over her room. It was unfair! Her mother loved him more than her. Her mother only looked at her in disgust, no matter how great her achievements and looked favorably at Seti and Adam. She knew she was just like Seti, having the love and affection of only one parent. Adam and Logan had the love and affection of normal parents with one as close to them as they were to Seti and Rebecca. Her father loved her and Logan and her mother loved Adam and Seti. She wished she was like Logan with the adoration and love of their dad and a normal, motherly, affection from their mom. "It''s not fair! It''s not!" she screamed and light flashed from her body, incinerating everything in her room to a pitch black ash. "I have to beat Seti in a month. I have to get justice for Trey and my honor back," Rebecca muttered. "Mom will see how worthless Seti is and love me as she does Logan. She has to. She has to...." As she yelled her frustration, two people stood a few dozen feet from her door. They could hear her incessant complaints and screams. They had ordered the guards, servants, and maids not to come near her for the time being. They were King Marcus and Queen Snow, her parents. "Now look whose wrong?" Marcus asked Snow. "She wants your love too." "She is a spoiled brat and refused to listen to me before and now she regrets it," Snow said coldly. "She won''t listen if she''s told she''s wrong. She is not like Seti. She does not know hardship. No one ever tried to kill her and she has many friends, some of them real despite her status as a future hero. I heard the words from both of their encounters. Seti tried to teach her and warn her and she would not listen. She is no hero and you made her that way." Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "I....I know. I was just so proud I had a talented son and now a hero..." Marcus began. "What of Adam? Is he not a gifted magus? What about Seti? Sure, he is weak, but he is very cunning and defeated someone more powerful than him using his wits. Are they not your sons? Are they not talented? Don''t be a hypocrite Marcus. You know you''re in the wrong," Snow snarled and left to do her duties. "I never do anything right when it comes to the kids," Marcus sighed. "Everything else, she is happy and well satisfied, but we both value the kids more than our kingdom. I divided our family and only healed the rift between me and Adam. I have to teach Rebecca better and hope my wife loves her again. As for Seti......I know I''m too late to be a father to him. He always had hope like Rebecca has now, but it disappeared and only hate or indifference remains. I must prevent Rebecca from having the same feelings to my wife." Marcus breathed deeply as he steeled his resolve and headed inside his daughter''s room. She screamed at him at first when he talked to her, but he was a king and did not allow her to speak rudely to him for long. It was a long overdue session to teach his daughter the right path. He only had a month before the siblings fought and many nobles and knights would be there to see it. They could take advantage of the rift between them and begin their attempt to control the throne in the future. If there was one thing about the life of a noble, it was that you could not trust anyone completely. In the end, people always vied for the throne and those who had it always struggled to keep it and those who serve it in check. --------------------------------- Seti sat in a circle of candles as he sat before the campfire. With every breath, the candle flames went up and down. If one looked closely, they could see a glow on his back as his body emanated a violet aura as he absorbed violet fire essence. It felt good absorbing the violet fire essence. It gave him a warm feeling in his body and his muscles always seemed to relax and become richer due to the mana flowing from the seed in his mind. Flint called it the Mind Realm. Warriors, and magic practitioners alike, could develop a Mind Realm and convert the absorbed element essence into mana. Warriors and mages who don''t have magical tattoos don''t absorb a specific elemental essence and just absorb the essence around them. Seti tried to control the size of the campfire. Occasionally, he could change the shape of the campfire into a tree. However, he wasn''t skilled enough to create leaves for the trees and struggled just to make branches and roots form. Flint said that it was an exercise of control. Seti had to create the individual stems, branches, and details of the leaves. It had to look like a real tree, but one made of fire. Making an orb was easy as it was a simple sphere without requiring any details. "You can make a detailed tree with roots, trunk, and branches," Flint smiled as he approached Seti. "This is good. You might be a mid-rank 1 magus now. Fights with your life on the line, or fighting stronger opponents, stimulates your thinking process and your growth as you invent new ways to use your fire and unconsciously succeed. It also becomes easier after the fight." "How can I manipulate the fight with my sister? She uses light and lightning," Seti asked. "Her light magic won''t affect you much as you absorb violet fire essence which comes from the same source as she uses to obtain light essence: the sun. However, her lightning is the main problem. It is much faster and more destructive as it is, her personality. The main problem of lightning users is that they have tremendous power with huge mana usage to accompany it. Light is even more powerful and has the least mana requirement which makes all magus and mages fearful of a combative light magic user," Flint said. "Try to influence her to use her lightning. Drag out the battle and don''t fight her directly. In facing a more powerful foe, it is better to show a moment of inferiority to a power they want to use and barely escape. Let her spells brush against you and she will become overconfident and kepp using her lightning magic." "It won''t be me beating her physically. It will be me defeating her strategically and mentally," Seti nodded in agreement as his master left him alone to train. "To use my enemy''s own strength against herself. Truly a wicked strategy. It''s certainly my style. I can''t let the future hero lose much face. She needs some confidence and for people to depend on her as they know her abilities. I should use my reflexes to the fullest against her light magic and react more slowly against her lightning. Luckily, she focuses on power for her light magic. Otherwise, it would be harder to dodge it and pretend to barely escape the lightning as light is faster than lightning. I wonder if a guy named Ning came up the name of that element. What''s wrong with thunder?" Seti formed the tree of fire, it''s length being three feet in height. He couldn''t make it any bigger as he kept shaping the fire into leaves. Right now, his main priority was control. If he could control the fire and suddenly expand it, he could use it as a trump card to take his sister unawares. That was why he had a circle of candles made around him. He was simultaneously training in both control and magnitude manipulation over fire. It was a strict training taught to him by Flint, but would definitely increase his chances of victory for the fated battle against his sister. "Control and magnitude. Increase and decrease of heat," Seti muttered over and over as leaves started to form on one branch while he tried controlling the fire on the candles when they became bigger and smaller. "Power in moderation and control in guidance. Application of knowledge and manipulating the opponent. Observing elemental qualities and using the surroundings." Flint watched silently from the trees as Seti continued the difficult training. He saw the king and queen arrive next to him moments later. They heard a small laugh from Seti as he accomplished his task of making a small, detailed tree of flames. The queen was well pleased while the king had mixed feelings. "Your Majesties,'' Flint bowed. "Third Prince Seti is doing marvelously in his training. When it comes to power, it is only in that regard that he is behind his peers." "He is doing well. Thank you Flint," the queen said before looking at Marcus. "Shouldn''t you be with Rebecca?" "I lectured her for a bit. I need to give her time to adjust and change," Marcus replied. "So this is how Seti is as a magus. I have truly wronged Seti for calling him worthless three months after his seventh birthday and devoting all my time on Rebecca. Can he become stronger?" "Yes, Your Majesty," Flint agreed. "Save for heroes, I believe he will be a better magus than they are. Power is not everything but it does end a match between magic practitioners almost immediately. Power is a major factor, but many only depend on power over another aspect. It is only a matter of time before Seti proves them wrong. Many don''t know it, Your Majesties, but the true experts are ones who specialize in control. The magus who has more control over his element almost always wins among the peak of the magus. Even a warrior of the highest skill would prefer fighting a group of overpowered magus than a single magus with ultimate control over his element or elements if he is a fifth rank or above."