Turning six should have been a milestone of small achievements: walking without wobbling, speaking in full sentences, maybe even helping with simple magic spells.
But my life had never been ordinary.
This morning, Clara stood before me, arms crossed, eyes sharp with determination. "Zackie, today you will begin your first combat magic training. No floating toys. No soft pillows. Real spells."
I blinked. Combat magic? At six?
Lina, visiting briefly from AM, snickered. "This is going to be so fun! Chaos meets combat!"
Even Elena appeared in the doorway, notebook in hand. "…Promising," she murmured, her calm gaze more intimidating than Clara's sharp one.
---
The training started with simple spells—levitating objects in controlled patterns, dodging magical orbs, and striking targets with bursts of light.
"Not bad, Zackie," Clara said, levitating a target above my head. "But now… it's time to learn Earth Magic."
I blinked. "Earth… magic?"
"Yes," Clara said. "Water, earth, fire. All require focus, control, and enormous mana. At your age, it's extremely difficult… even for seasoned magicians."
I felt a spark of excitement. Mana? Fire? Water? Real magic?!
Hootle perched on my shoulder, blinking as if to say, You got this, tiny human.
---
Clara began the demonstration. With a flick of her wand, she conjured a small rock. It hovered, spinning, then crumbled into dust with a soft puff of smoke.
"Now, you try," she said.
I took a deep breath. Tiny hands raised, I concentrated on a pebble nearby. My arms trembled as I whispered the incantation Clara had taught me.
Whoosh!
The pebble lifted… then spun wildly, sending dust and a small stream of dirt across the floor.
"ZACKIEEE!!" Clara shouted, dodging the flying dirt.
I squeaked in panic. Hootle flapped his wings, startled by the sudden debris. Lina laughed hysterically.
"Chaos genius meets Earth Magic!" she cried.
Even the maids peeked in nervously. "This child… I don't understand him," one muttered.
The butler pinched his nose. "Survival probability… low."
---
I refused to give up. Tiny fists clenched, I focused harder. Water rose from a small puddle on the floor. Fire flickered from the tiny candle nearby. Earth trembled beneath my hands.
The room filled with swirling elements—dirt, water droplets, tiny flames dancing carefully on the carpet.
Clara's eyes widened. "Zackie… you're using… all three elements… at once!"
I blinked, tiny chest heaving. The combination of water, fire, and earth magic was draining my mana faster than anything I had tried before. My arms shook, sweat forming on my forehead, but I refused to let go.
Hootle hooted loudly, flying in a circle around me, encouraging me.
Finally, the spinning elements settled. Pebbles floated calmly, water sparkled without spilling, and the tiny flame hovered steadily above my hands.
Clara's jaw dropped. "I… I didn't think you could do it at your age. Zackie… you're incredible!"
I squeaked, tiny legs wobbling from exhaustion. "I… I did it?"
"You did!" Clara exclaimed. Even Elena nodded quietly. "…Promising," she said, her single word carrying more weight than any praise.
Lina clapped, still laughing. "Tiny tornado of chaos… now a master of elements!"
---
By evening, I collapsed in my crib, Hootle perched nearby, feathers fluffed with pride.
Mana drained, arms trembling, I realized something important:
Magic wasn't just floating toys or minor spells. It was power, control, and responsibility. And even as a toddler, I had begun to grasp what it meant to wield it.
One pebble, one spark of fire, one tiny wave of water at a time.
Because my journey… had only just begun.
And someday, I would become strong enough to face the real world, explore AM, and uncover every magical mystery waiting for me.
Even as a six-year-old, I felt ready.