The morning forest was wrapped in mist.
Leo was sitting cross-legged on a flat stone, yawning and rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"So," Leo said, scratching his neck, "what's on the agenda today? Push-ups? Jogging laps? Or are you going to hand me a stick and suggest I go fight a bear?"
Anos Kaelion stood tall and straight in front of him, eyes carrying the weight of ages. His voice was calm, yet there was an unmistakable steeliness in it.
"Strength is meaningless if you don't have mana. Your body might be weak, but your blood has potential. If you are truly Kaelion, the very world will respond to you."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Mana? You mean like fairy dust?"
Anos didn't answer. He simply lifted his hand.
The air quivered.
A flame sparked to life in his palm, blue as a clear morning sky, burning without smoke or heat. With a flick of his fingers, the flame elongated and morphed into a phoenix, every feather glowing with a light that illuminated the forest floor.
Leo whistled. "Alright… that's definitely cooler than card tricks."
Anos was just getting started. He turned his hand downward, pressing it against the ground. The earth quaked. Roots wriggled like snakes, breaking through the soil. Around him, flowers bloomed in a perfect circle, their petals glowing softly in the dim light.
Leo gaped. "Now you're just showing off."
Anos's voice remained steady. "Brat..! This is mana—the essence of the world. With it, mountains crumble. With it, seas divide. With it, men rise as kings or become dust. Without it, you're just prey."
Leo leaned back on his hands. "And here I thought caffeine was the essence of the world."
Anos ignored the jab. His arms lifted, and the river responded. Water surged high, twisting into a giant serpent, coiling and sparkling in the sunlight. The commotion was deafening as the serpent rose and then crashed back into the river with a roar that rattled the trees.
For once, Leo's smirk faded. His eyes widened. "…Okay. That's pretty impressive. Ten out of ten for showmanship."
Anos stepped closer. "Now it's your turn. Sit. Close your eyes. Listen to the river. Feel the ground beneath you. Mana isn't something you conjure up. It's everywhere. You have to open yourself to it."
Leo sighed and dropped his head into his hands. "Fantastic. A breathing exercise. Just what I needed."
"Be quiet."
Leo closed his eyes. He tried to calm his breathing. The forest was buzzing—the sound of water, rustling branches, and the distant cry of a beast.
"Breathe deeply," Anos instructed. "Mana is the rhythm beneath everything. Find it. Draw it in."
Leo inhaled. The air was moist, rich, heavy with the smell of earth. He exhaled slowly.
Nothing.
He cracked one eye open. "…So, when's the cool part happening?"
Anos frowned. "Focus, brat. Mana flows in veins deeper than blood. You need to listen. Don't rush."
Leo shut his eyes again, reluctantly. He made an effort, but all he felt was the gnawing emptiness in his stomach.
A loud growl escaped him.
He opened his eyes. "…Okay, that wasn't mana. That was hunger."
Anos pinched the bridge of his nose. "You mock the art that flows in your bloodline."
"Not mocking," Leo shrugged lazily. "Just saying, maybe my blood runs on coffee instead of sorcery."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, surprisingly, Anos chuckled—a rare sound, low and rough, but genuine.
"You really are his son," the old man said. "The Executioner always had a knack for turning seriousness into jest."
Leo smirked slightly, hiding his discomfort. Still playing the part of the grandson. Let's hope I don't end up being asked to chop someone's head off.
Anos's tone sharpened again. "No more games. Try again. Clear your mind. Breathe with the forest."
Leo groaned but complied. He sat up straighter, resting his hands on his knees.
The river hummed softly. The air was still.
Then—something flickered.
It was faint, like static brushing against his skin. A spark at the edge of his senses. It vanished just as quickly, but it was there.
His eyes shot open. "Wait. Did you see that? Or did I just imagine it?"
Anos's eyes sparkled. "No. You touched it. Brief, but real. The current responded to you."
Leo scrutinized his hands. They looked unchanged, but the memory of that flicker lingered—small, yet real.
"So you're saying," Leo said slowly, "that wasn't just me zoning out?"
"It was mana," Anos confirmed. "The first step. And once you take one step, the path is boundless."
Leo slumped back, rubbing his temples. "Great. A boundless path. Just what I always wanted."
But even as he complained, he couldn't shake that feeling. That flicker had been genuine. The world had touched him, if only for a moment.
Anos stood tall, watching him with an unreadable expression. "You are Kaelion. No matter how much you deny it, the blood won't lie."
Leo lay back on the rock, one arm shielding his eyes. "Great. So I'm a Kaelion with the magical prowess of a sparkler. At this rate, I might as well be able to make campfires and impress girls."
The old man didn't respond. His gaze lingered, a mix of pride and worry.
Because he understood—the boy's spark, though small, carried the weight of an unwritten future.
Leo, on the other hand, muttered under his breath, "Ugh… this is going to be exhausting."
And deep down, though he'd never admit it, his heart raced.
Because for the first time since waking up in this strange world, he had proof—
He was not powerless.