The next day, after a long morning of training with Eldric, Ren found himself seated at a wooden table in the study hall, a pencil in hand and a thick book open before him. Beside him sat Liora, her long silver hair tied back as she tapped the book's cover gently.
"Starting today," she said with a gentle smile, "I'll teach you about magic, abilities, and the history of this world."
Ren nodded eagerly, pencil ready.
"Let's begin with the basics. There are three main branches of power: Magic, Weapon Abilities, and Ancient Arts."
She pointed to a diagram in the book—three circles overlapping slightly.
"Magic is the most common. Weapon abilities are usually awakened through combat experience. And Ancient Arts... are rare, powerful, and often forgotten by time."
She turned the page.
"Now, about magic. There are seven primary elemental attributes:
Water, Fire, Earth, Lightning, Wind, Light, and Dark."
As she spoke, she drew small symbols on a parchment:
A drop for Water
A flame for Fire
A stone for Earth
A bolt for Lightning
A swirl for Wind
A star for Light
A crescent for Dark
"Each attribute has strengths and weaknesses—except Light and Dark. Those two are neutral in terms of direct countering; neither is especially strong or weak against the others."
She paused, letting that sink in before continuing:
"Here's how the interactions generally work:
Water beats Fire, but it's weak to Lightning
Lightning defeats Water
Earth beats Lightning and Water
Wind can overpower Earth by erosion
Fire can burn Wind-based spells if strong enough
Fire and Earth can form Magma
Water and Fire mixed carefully can create Mist
Fire and Wind combine into Blaze"
Ren's eyes widened as she continued.
"A person is usually born with one primary attribute. However, some gifted individuals can awaken two or more. These people can combine elements to form powerful hybrid spells.
As Liora continued explaining the deeper theory of elemental harmony and spell layering, Ren's brain quietly... shut off.
He stared blankly at the page in front of him, eyes drifting from one hand-drawn symbol to the next. A swirl. A star. A crescent moon.So many pretty pictures.
"…and when casting from opposing cores, you must align the incantation with a stabilizing runic focus or risk elemental backlash—"
Ren nodded.
Liora paused mid-sentence. "…Ren?"
Another slow, empty nod.
She narrowed her eyes. He'd been nodding in the exact same rhythm for a while now. Not blinking. Not reacting. Just... nodding.
Suspicious, she leaned forward—and without warning, gave him a light smack to the back of the head.
"Hey—!" Ren yelped, his face falling forward into the open book with a soft thump.
He groaned and rubbed the spot she'd hit. "Ow! What was that for?!"
Liora folded her arms. "Are you even hearing a single word I've said?"
Ren looked up, guilty. "Uhh... yes? Something about... backlash and focus and crescent moons?"
She sighed and rolled her eyes. Then her gaze drifted to the small hourglass sitting on the table in front of them.
The sand in the top half had completely run out.
Her expression softened. "It's already been three hours…"
Ren blinked. "Really?"
"You've studied enough for today," she said, closing the book with a gentle thud. "Go. Thalira is waiting for you—you're supposed to accompany her to the nearby village."
Ren perked up at that. "Wait, seriously? I get to go outside?"
Liora gave him a tired smile. "Yes. Just try not to set anything on fire."
At the Stable
Ren came sprinting across the courtyard, waving wildly as he neared the stable.
"Captain! I've arrived!"
Just as he stepped into the stable, his foot caught the edge of the doorframe.
"Whoa—!"
He tumbled forward and landed face-first in a soft hay bale with a puff of golden dust.
Muffled, he groaned, "Can you pull me out…?"
Thalira Flameborne, already saddling a horse, turned toward the sound. With a sigh, she walked over, grabbed the back of his tunic with one hand, and effortlessly lifted him out like a sack of potatoes.
"Ren," she said calmly, "don't run in the stable."
She set him down gently on his feet and dusted off a bit of straw from his shoulder.
"We'll be riding this horse today. Her name is Velvet."
Ren turned to look—and froze.
Velvet stood tall and proud, her coat shimmering a pure white, her mane flowing like liquid silver. Her deep, intelligent eyes seemed to glow faintly in the sunlight.
"She's… incredible…" Ren whispered, awestruck.
Thalira gave a small smile, then mounted Velvet in a swift motion. Reaching down, she grabbed Ren by the arm and easily pulled him up into the saddle, placing him in front of her.
"Hold on," she said, her voice firm but kind.
They trotted slowly out of the stable and began moving toward the mansion's grand entrance. As they passed through the arched gate, the gatekeeper bowed deeply in respect, hand over his chest.
Velvet picked up speed.
Ren clenched his eyes shut.
Then—
Whoosh!
The world blurred past as Velvet dashed down the stone road, her hooves striking the ground with powerful rhythm.
Wind rushed through Ren's hair, tugging at his clothes. A brilliant light appeared ahead—sunlight pouring through a gap between the trees.
As they passed through it, Ren's eyes fluttered open.
Before him stretched a wide-open plain, bathed in golden sun.
On either side of the road, red flowers blanketed the fields like fire dancing on the earth. The petals shimmered in the breeze, stretching all the way to the distant hills
Through the Village
As they continued their ride, Velvet trotted gracefully over a small stone bridge spanning a crystal-clear river, the sunlight making the water shimmer like diamonds.
Further ahead, they passed a sprawling farm, where villagers worked with steady rhythm—hoeing, planting, and harvesting under the golden sun. When they saw Thalira riding in, they paused, lifted their heads, and waved.
"Lady Thalira!" one of the older farmers called out. "Thank you for everything the Radiant Crusade has done!"
She smiled and gave them a respectful nod as they passed.
Soon, they entered the heart of the village, a cozy square lined with stone cottages and busy shops. The moment Velvet stepped into the open plaza, a wave of energy rolled through the streets.
Shopkeepers, children, and townsfolk rushed out to greet them, their faces lit with excitement.
"It's her!"
"Lady Thalira's here!"
"Our guardian knight!"
Thalira gently lifted Ren down from the saddle and then dismounted herself. As she turned to greet the crowd, Ren took a quiet step back, then another, trying to sneak away from the growing group of admirers.
But just as he reached the edge of the crowd, an old woman with sharp eyes and a warm smile spotted him. She stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"And who is this young one?" she asked, looking over at Thalira. "Is this your child, dear?"
The crowd went silent.
Then—all eyes turned toward Ren, then toward Thalira.
Thalira blinked, caught off guard. She opened her mouth—but no words came out.
Ren glanced at her, then at the crowd, then gave a nervous grin.
"Yeah," he said casually, "she's my mom."
A wave of excited chatter erupted.
"Your child?!"
"Why didn't you tell us?!"
"Who's the father?!"
Thalira froze, her cheeks flushing bright red. She looked down at Ren, her expression turning slowly from stunned to furious.
Ren gulped.
At that moment, he knew one thing for certain:
He was absolutely going to get scolded later.
Evening Return
As the sun dipped below the hills, casting golden light across the plains, Velvet trotted calmly back toward the mansion.
Ren sat in front, a visible bump rising on the side of his head.
He rubbed it miserably. "Ow…"
Thalira didn't say a word. She just sighed, steering Velvet silently through the gates.
That Night, by the Fire
Later that evening, the warm glow of the hearth lit the common room. Liora, Eldric, and Thalira sat around the fire as usual, cups of warm tea in hand.
"So," Eldric said with a smirk, "you were mistaken for a mom?"
Liora laughed, almost choking on her drink. "His mom?"
Thalira groaned and covered her face. "He said it with such confidence... I couldn't even speak."
"And the crowd just believed it?" Eldric asked, chuckling.
"They even started asking who the father was," Thalira mumbled, face red.
That sent Eldric into a fit of laughter. He clutched his stomach. "Gods, I should've gone with you!"
Liora leaned back, giggling. "We really need to bring a scribe next time."
Thalira shot a glare toward the fire—but couldn't help the faint smile tugging at her lips.
Ren, meanwhile, stayed far from the fire, holding an ice pack to his head
As days passed into months, and months into years—six full years slipped quietly by.
In that time, Ren trained every single day under the watchful eyes of Eldric, Liora, and Thalira. His body grew stronger, leaner, and taller—thanks to both rigorous training and proper meals. He could now complete three full circuits of the mansion grounds in a single sprint, and carry four sacks of grain at once without breaking a sweat.
He no longer looked like the small, frightened boy who had once arrived at the gates.
He stood taller. Straighter.
There was steel in his gaze now.
One sunny afternoon, Eldric tossed him a wooden sword.
"Let's have a friendly match," he said with a grin.
Ren caught the weapon with one hand, spinning it once before resting it on his shoulder.
"Let me show you how far I've come."
The two faced each other in the courtyard. In an instant, they both lunged forward, wooden blades crashing together with a loud crack—a shockwave of wind bursting from the impact, strong enough to rustle the hair and dresses of Liora and Thalira, who sat nearby sipping tea.
As the spar continued, Thalira watched, a soft smile on her face.
"Ren has grown so much before our eyes," she said.
Liora nodded. Her eyes, however, were more thoughtful.
Thalira glanced at her. "How are his mana pathways? Any change?"
Liora's smile faded. "They're not healing anymore," she said quietly. "He won't ever be able to use mana again."
Thalira looked toward the courtyard where Ren swung his blade fiercely. "Does he know?"
"He knows," Liora replied, her voice tinged with sadness.
In the courtyard, Ren moved fast, landing blow after blow—but Eldric blocked each one with ease. Then, in a flash, Eldric aimed for Ren's legs.
Ren leapt into the air, flipping his blade downward, aiming for a clean strike—
But Eldric caught his leg mid-air, and slammed him to the ground with a thud.
"You still haven't learned not to drop your guard," Eldric said, standing over him.
Ren groaned as he sat up, rubbing his back. "Yeah, yeah... but you could let me win once, you know?"
Before Eldric could respond, something caught his eye—a horse approaching from the mansion gates, staggering toward them.
Thalira and Liora stood up instantly, concern darkening their expressions.
The horse was covered in scars, its breath ragged, legs trembling. On its back was a slumped figure clad in royal armor.
The horse reached them—and collapsed to the ground with a final breath.
The armored man fell with it, crashing beside the beast.
Thalira rushed forward, kneeling by the man and quickly removing his helmet.
Her breath caught.
"…Alric Vaelthorn."
The proud commander of the Royal Knights—his face pale, covered in dirt and dried blood. He coughed harshly, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
In a ragged voice, he gasped,
"D-demon… attack… in the south…"
And then—his eyes rolled back. His body went limp.
He was gone