Elias Leywin POV
Morning came bright and slow, commanding golden light that swept through the curtains and tempted you to roll over and stay in bed just a little longer. I was somewhere between awake and asleep, the air warm and still, my blanket cocooned snugly around me, like a dragon with wings wrapped around me.
And then the world ended.
Or at least, that's what it sounded like.
A deafening "BOOM" ripped through the air, rattling and subsequently shattering the windowpanes and slamming into my chest like a physical blow. The shock jolted me upright before I even knew what I was doing, my heart pounding wildly. The sound of birds chirping outside suddenly felt hollow.
"What-?!" I gasped, shoving the blanket aside.
Another faint crackle followed, like the lingering growl of a storm far too close for comfort. My ears rang. The sharp smell of dust—or rather smoke—reached me a moment later.
Whatever it was, it was close.
I scrambled to my feet and made a beeline for the hook by the wall. Where my robe hung, I pulled it on in a rush, fumbling with the sash before abandoning any attempt to tie it neatly.
It wasn't like I was dressing for tea.
The moment I was covered enough not to scandalise anyone, I began to gather mana towards my feet.
The air in the room stirred instantly, swirling in tight, controlled currents. My hair lifted slightly, and the loose ends of my robe fluttered as the pressure built. With a single breath to steady myself, I kicked the window open.
Shards of glass crunched underfoot from the earlier blast. Beyond the frame, the morning sun blazed against a perfect blue sky, broken only by the faint haze of smoke twisting upward in the distance. The scent of it was stronger now, sharp and dry in my nose.
I vaulted through the opening, landing lightly on the grass below as the wind caught my fall.
The garden blurred past, dew scattering in glinting arcs with each step. I skimmed over the gravel path, barely touching down before the next gust carried me forward. The quiet of the morning was gone, replaced by the hiss of wind in my ears and the pounding rhythm of my pulse.
Closer now. The acrid tang of scorched stone reached me, and with it came the faint, metallic taste of magic in the air.
I rounded the last hedge and skidded to a halt.
The courtyard lay ahead, its centre marred by a perfect ring of blackened stone and earth. Smoke curled lazily from the edges, and the ground inside the circle was fractured, spiderweb cracks radiating outward.
And in the middle of it all stood Lilia.
She was perfectly still, framed by the wreckage, her gaze lowered toward her hands. Around her, the air shimmered faintly, like heat over a sunbaked road—only it was laced with drifting motes of light, each one pulsing in time with her breathing.
"Big Sis Lilia!" I called, my voice carrying easily in the charged air.
Her head turned slightly, and for the first time, I saw her eyes. A mix of bewilderment and happiness lit them.
"What happened?" I asked, stepping forward but keeping the wind alive around my legs, just in case.
Her lips trembled, and before she could even form words, the first tear slipped down her cheek, then another.
"I... I think it happened," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Lias, my mana core-" She broke off with a choked laugh, covering her mouth with one trembling hand as fresh tears welled up.
The patter of distant footsteps drew me from my stunned silence. Uncle Vincent appeared first, his robe thrown on hastily, eyes scanning the courtyard in sharp, calculating sweeps. Auntie Tabitha was right behind him, hair loose over her shoulders, the tension on her face mirroring his.
"What in the world-" Uncle Vincent's voice cut off as he took in the sight of Lilia standing amid the destruction, shimmering with that strange, beautiful light. His expression shifted from alarm to something far softer, to almost pride.
Auntie Tabitha immediately closed the distance and knelt before her teary-eyed daughter. She placed a hand on Lilia's cheek, brushing away the damp trails running down her face before looking up at me.
"Elias, could you..." she said hesitantly, her voice gentle but edged with urgency.
I swallowed, then nodded. My steps were careful as I approached, the last remnants of smoke curling around my ankles before vanishing in the morning breeze. Lilia's gaze locked onto mine, wide and shining, and she gave the faintest of nods, as if to say she was ready.
I exhaled slowly and placed my palm lightly against her sternum. At once, I let my awareness sink inward, guiding threads of my mana to brush against hers.
Her mana surged like a fresh spring breaking through stone, turbulent but brimming with power. At its heart, nestled deep within, was the unmistakable presence of a newly-formed mana core.
My throat almost tightened as I looked to the wide-eyed trio, "Congratulations, big sis"
Auntie Tabitha's expression softened, relief washing across her face. Uncle Vincent, standing just behind, drew in a long breath and let it out slowly. His lips twitched with the beginnings of a proud smile, though he tried to temper it with composure.
"She did it," he rasped quietly, almost to himself.
Lilia looked between the three of us, her tears flowing freely, her smile radiant.
~~~
The underground training chamber hummed with quiet life. The soft grass bent under my boots, rippling in the conjured breeze that blew across the wide, open expanse. A stream burbled nearby, its sound quickly swallowed by the sharp shriek of my conjured blade as I slashed through another of Tess' conjured roots.
The elf princess moved like a storm. Her silver sword staff gleamed as she flung motes of green mana. She struck with practised precision, arcs of wind wrapping around her blade, leaves from the trees at the chamber's edge swirling in her wake.
I met her head-on. My wand pulsing in my grip, the invisible edge of compressed sound cutting through her gales as if it were a hot knife through butter. Each strike shrieked, sharp enough to set the air vibrating in my teeth. The dome above carried the echoes and hurled them back at us, until it felt like the fight filled the whole world.
Tess pressed forward. The grass under her boots was bursting apart as roots speared upwards, elongating in an attempt to twist around my legs. I carved them down, but she was already there, staff flashing and sword slashing.
The trees at the chamber's edge trembled, and from their trunks, thick vines unfurled like serpents awakening from slumber. They lashed out with startling speed, writhing across the grass to seize my arms and legs. One coiled around my ankle, jerking me off balance. Another whipped toward my wand arm, its thorns glistening.
I swung my blade of sound in a vicious arc, the shriek cleaving the vine clean in two. The pieces writhed a moment before shrivelling into harmless husks. But more followed, tearing across the field in a tide of green.
"Tch." I vaulted backwards, wind mana propelling me into the air just as a dozen vines snapped shut where I had stood moments ago. They tore furrows into the grass, digging deep gouges in the soil.
Tess's eyes gleamed, her lips set in a thin smile. "You can't cut them all."
"Watch me," I shot back.
I reorganised the wind mana that formed my blade, gathering it into a ball as I continued to compress the sphere until it glowed with a soft green.
I swept my wand in a broad horizontal slash. The sound ripped across the chamber, shredding a swathe of vines in a single motion. Leaves and fragments rained down, the echo ringing against the crystal dome above. The stream rippled violently as the shockwave rolled across it.
But Tess was already weaving more. From the ground beneath me, smaller tendrils coiled upward, twisting like snakes. They caught my boots mid-landing, snapping tight around my shins. The pull was sudden and fierce, dragging me toward the earth.
I gritted my teeth, slamming my free hand to the ground. Earth mana surged, and the soil cracked outward in a shockwave. The vines loosened for just an instant, enough for me to twist free and roll clear.
Tess was there again when I rose, her sword-staff cutting a gleaming arc.
Shit
I reformed my blade instantaneously, forcing the wind mana to compress into a razor's edge. The shriek of it split the chamber air again, clashing against the sweep of Tess's staff. Her strike hammered into mine, the impact cracking through the soil beneath our feet. A spray of dirt and grass burst outward, carried by the shockwave.
My opponent took this opportunity to create some distance between us. Roots burst from the ground in her wake, racing toward me like hunting beasts.
I pivoted, my wand a blur of pale green light. Each slash sang out, cutting vine after vine, the edges of sound so sharp they left faint scars etched in the stone beneath the soil. Still, the vines kept coming, weaving together into a net that threatened to close me in.
"You're too slow," Tess called over the roar, her eyes sharp, her mana flaring like a second sun.
"Am I?" I shot back, letting my next swing overshoot deliberately. The compressed air detonated with the strike, the shockwave collapsing her net before it could close. The vines disintegrated into leaves and fragments, hurled across the chamber in a green storm.
The stream nearby thrashed against its banks, waves surging under the invisible weight of our spells colliding. The scent of torn grass and sap filled the air.
Tess didn't falter. Even as her vines dissolved around her, she pressed forward, sword-staff flashing in a blur of silver and green. Her strikes came faster now, driven by the force of wind magic, each one whistling through the air like a gale given form.
I tightened my grip on my wand, the hum of compressed sound vibrating through my palm. The next clash rattled the chamber walls. My blade of sound screamed as it met her steel, shockwaves rippling outward with every impact. She struck high, and I deflected. Low, I parried. A strike to the side, I followed through to block before she changed course. I nearly took the bait before twisting my wand to catch the strike.
Her precision was flawless, but I could feel it now. The tempo of her breathing, the stiffness creeping into her swings. She was running out of room to push me back.
I forced her onto the defensive; each slash of compressed mana was followed by a shriek that threatened to split the air apart. She stumbled once, then again, her roots failing to keep pace with my advance. One last surge of wind mana propelled me forward, my wand-blade cutting past her guard.
The point of my blade stopped just shy of her throat.
My opponent stood there frozen, her sword-staff hung at her side, trembling faintly under the weight of her own exhaustion. A bead of sweat slid down the side of her face.
Silence fell over the chamber, broken only by the fading echoes of our clash and the restless ripple of the stream.
At last, she let out a sharp breath and stepped back, lowering her sword-staff. "You win." The words were clipped, reluctant, but not bitter. She brushed damp strands of gunmetal hair from her face, her expression torn between annoyance and respect.
I dropped my wand, the blade of sound dissipating into silence. My lungs burned, but I grinned anyway. "That was close. You nearly had me"
Her eyes narrowed, but the corner of her mouth twitched. "Almost." She paused, studying me for a moment. Then her gaze flicked down to the wand in my hand. "Did Art teach you how to use a sword?"
I nodded enthusiastically at the teenage elf, "Yup, he did. But I train mostly with Dad due to Big bro being away."
Her brows lifted slightly at my answer, though her sword-staff remained loosely in her hand. "That explains it. Your movements... they're too clean for someone who only ever trained with a wand."
I smirked, a little proud despite the sting in my arms, which slowly faded, awash with golden light. "Guess Big Bro's teaching rubbed off on me more than I realised."
"Then why stick with that?" She gestured toward my wand, her tone sharpening. "If you already move like a swordsman, why not wield an actual sword?"
I blinked at her, caught off guard by the directness. "A sword?"
"Yes," she said firmly, stepping closer. Her gunmetal hair clung to her cheeks with sweat, but her turquoise eyes burned with curiosity. "A proper blade. Your style already mimics one with that thing you conjure," her chin dipped toward my fading blade of sound, "is clever, but it looks fragile. Wouldn't an actual sword serve you better?"
I couldn't help but laugh, though it came out tired and a little rough. "Been there, done that. Plenty of times, actually."
Her head tilted. "And?"
"They broke." I explained while shrugging.
The words hung in the air between us, simple yet blunt. Tess's frown deepened. "Broke?"
"Yup." I tapped the wand against my shoulder, as if to punctuate the point. "Steel or even enchanted practice swords. Doesn't matter, the moment I channel my mana into them, they shatter."
Her grip on her staff tightened. "That's impossible. A well-forged sword doesn't just-"
"Explode in your hand?" I cut in, grinning wryly. "Tell that to the Helsteas' training hall's armoury. Dad wasn't thrilled when I went through three blades in a week. They all splintered the same way. Vibrations don't play nice with solid metal. My magic tears them apart from the inside out.".
"I see." Tess raised a hand to her chin, thoughtful, eyes narrowing slightly as though she were fitting puzzle pieces together in her mind. "So that's why you fashioned that... blade of sound instead. It's the only thing that doesn't break."
"Exactly." I let out a breath, rolling my shoulders as the tension bled from them. "It took me a long time to figure out, but it works. No risk of snapping in half mid-swing."
Her lips curved faintly, almost into a smile. "Practical. Adaptable. Very much like you."
The faint compliment caught me off guard. My face warmed a little, though I did my best to play it off with a shrug. "Hey, when you break enough practice swords, you get creative."
Tess gave a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Well, I'll admit, it suits you. However, I can't help but wonder if you'll eventually need something sturdier."
"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it," I said with another shrug as I let the silence of the room take over the both of us.
I exhaled, sliding the wand back into its loop on my belt. "Well, that's enough sparring for today. I think I was officially sore in places I didn't know existed."
Her eyes glinted with amusement. "You'll survive."
"Already did."
We both chuckled, the sharp edge of the duel fading into something softer, more familiar. Turning, I gestured toward the exit. "Come on. Let's get out of here."
Together, we made our way across the grassy floor of the training chamber. The stream whispered beside us, its sound a faint backdrop against our footsteps. By the time we reached the far wall, natural stone gave way to smooth marble, creating a contrasting view that looked beautifully out of place.
The enchanted double doors swung open at our approach, a soft sigh of magic parting the air.
As we stepped into the hallway beyond, the training chamber's sounds fell away, replaced by the steady hum of enchantments woven through the academy's stone walls.
We walked in silence for a while, and I debated whether to speak. Then the thought slipped free before I could stop it.
"Tess... do you want to meet my family?"
Her stride slowed a fraction, her gaze flicking toward me. "Your family?"
"Yeah, well, you already know big bro really well. So I thought..." I rubbed at the back of my neck, suddenly aware of how impulsive the question sounded.
She tilted her head, her expression softening. She gave a quiet nod. "Alright. I'd like that."
Relief flooded through me, loosening the tight knot in my chest. "Great! Then let's go."
We left the academy's training wing behind, the corridors gradually giving way to broader halls lined with tall windows. Sunlight spilt through, warm and golden, chasing away the dim coolness of the underground chamber. Outside, the afternoon air was crisp, the distant clatter of carriages mingling with the bustle of the city.
We made our way to the Carriage that the Helsteas had arranged for my school pick up, and soon Tess and I were settled inside. The carriage rocked gently as the horses set off, wheels clattering against cobblestone streets.
I leaned back against the cushioned seat, watching Xyrus roll past. Market stalls clustered at corners, banners fluttered in the breeze, and the smell of baked bread drifted faintly through the open window.
The princess opposite me spoke up after a few moments of peace, "So," she said at last, breaking the silence. "What are your parents like?"
I blinked, then chuckled. "You'll see soon enough. But... Well, Father's the kind of person who could talk to anyone about anything. And Mother... She's protective, but she always means well. You'll like them."
Her lips curved faintly. "You sound confident."
"I am." I leaned back, folding my arms with a grin. "Plus, it's only fair you get to meet my parents even if big bro isn't here"
"Oh? How so?" the elf questioned, giving me a quiet laugh.
"Well, he met yours", I elaborated, tilting my head slightly.
"He did," she stated, confused.
"Never mind, then", a sigh escaped my mouth, not wanting to explain myself to the teen before me.
The ride continued, the streets gradually giving way to quieter roads lined with tall hedges and wrought-iron gates. The carriages thinned out, replaced by the occasional mounted guard or noble family strolling with attendants in tow.
At last, the coach slowed. The familiar sight of the Helstea estate came into view through the window.
The carriage rolled forward until it came to a smooth stop before the front steps.
I rolled my shoulders as a girl my age shouted down to me, "Li, who's the girl?"
"Big Bro's girlfriend!", I exclaimed, looking up to the girl who's now sporting the same maniacal grin as I am.
"LIAS!" squeaked the elf in embarrassment.
My sister closed the distance between us at a speed that should normally be impossible for a non-mage. She began to inspect the elven princess with an intensity that I've never seen from her before.
"Um, Elias, who is this girl?" my fellow disciple questioned me, looking at me with confusion, reddening her cheeks.
My sister took a step back and gripped the corners of her skirt, "This is my Twin sister, Eleanor Leywin." I introduced, pointing to her with my arm.
"El, this is-"
As I begin my introduction, my mother's voice begins to call from above, "Lias, stop messing about-" she stopped speaking as her eyes settled on the girl to my left.
"Afternoon, Mother", I greeted, waving at the woman who was now descending the steps towards us, "I hope it's okay that I brought a friend over for dinner tonight".
"Yes, of course it is, sweetie", she said with a smile growing on her face "Who is she, though?"
"Big Bro's girlfriend", I repeated as my mother stood before us.
"Huh?"
"This is Princess Tessia Eralith of the Kingdom of Elenoir", I stated blankly, smiling as my mother's face only continued to distort in both horror and embarrassment.
WC - 3357
Thanks for reading this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. 😊
All Criticism and feedback are welcome. Any suggestions for the story or plot are also more than welcome.
Apologies about the late upload everything has been ready its just I kind forgot to schedule it...
Special Thanks to LancelotDragonroad for editing this Chapter.
If there are any questions, feel free to message my Discord - Navarius13
If we're all still alive, the next chapter will be released on Sunday.
Rius out.