Chapter 9: Stages and Elements
The soft light of the morning sun crept gently through the curtains, touching Aiden's face. A warm, golden glow filled his small, neat room. Aiden stirred in his bed, his eyelids fluttering open.
For a moment, he just lay there, listening. He could hear the cheerful chirping of birds outside his window and the soft, soothing sound of the wind rustling through the trees.
He yawned quietly and sat up, stretching his arms high above his head. His body felt light and full of energy. His mind was clear. All the tiredness from the last few days was completely gone.
He could feel a faint, warm energy humming in his limbs, and his heart beat steadily in his chest.
He swung his legs off the bed. The wooden floor creaked softly under his feet. The house was peaceful. From the kitchen, he could hear the quiet, familiar sounds of morning—the clink of dishes and the soft hum of a voice he knew well. Aiden smiled. It was his mother.
He changed into his everyday clothes—a simple light brown shirt and dark trousers—and went to the small washroom. He splashed cool water on his face, washing away the last bits of sleep. He dried his face with a cloth, ran his fingers through his messy black hair to smooth it down, and stepped out, ready for the day.
But when he walked into the kitchen for breakfast, he stopped dead in his tracks. He blinked, not sure if he was still dreaming.
There, sitting at the breakfast table, was Jonathan Scytes—his father.
Aiden blinked twice. His father, who on every single morning Aiden could remember, was always late to breakfast, was already there. He was sitting up straight in his chair, a steaming cup of tea in front of him.
It was the first time in Aiden's life that his father had ever been at the table before him.
For a second, Aiden just stared, too surprised to speak. Then he found his voice and smiled. "Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Dad."
Sara turned from the stove where she was cooking. The morning light made her silver-white hair seem to glow. She smiled warmly. "Good morning, dear."
Jonathan looked up from his tea. His deep, steady eyes softened when he saw his son. "Good morning, Aiden," he said, his voice calm and kind but also full of a father's quiet authority. "How are you feeling today?"
Aiden walked to the table and sat down. "I'm fine, Dad. How are you?"
Jonathan gave a light chuckle and set his cup down. "I'm doing well. Sit, eat."
Aiden sat, still curious about his father's unusual early arrival. "Dad," he asked after a moment, "when did you get back from the capital?"
Jonathan leaned back in his chair. "Just a little while ago," he replied calmly.
Aiden's voice grew softer. "Dad… I'm sorry for making you go all that way because of me."
Jonathan looked at him, then a teasing grin spread across his face. "Why are you apologizing? I went because I wanted to. How could I not be excited?" His eyes sparkled with a pride Aiden had never seen so clearly before. "My son is the youngest mana cultivator in history. I'm very proud of you."
A warm, happy feeling spread through Aiden's chest. He smiled. "Thank you, Dad."
Sara brought the food to the table—warm bread with butter, a pot of herbal tea that smelled like flowers and honey. The three of them ate together. For a while, the only sounds were the clinking of spoons and the gentle crackle from the stove.
After breakfast, Jonathan wiped his hands on a cloth and stood up. "Let's go to the garden," he said, his voice calm but carrying a thread of excitement. "I brought the instrument to check your elemental affinity. And I'll tell you about the different types of mages and how they grow stronger."
He walked outside, and Aiden followed closely. Sara came behind them, the hem of her light dress brushing softly against the grass.
The morning air in the garden was cool and fresh. Dew still clung to the blades of grass, sparkling like tiny diamonds in the sun. The garden behind their house was wide and open, surrounded by a short wooden fence. This was where Jonathan practiced his magic. The ground here had faint marks—scorched patches, small cracks, and grooves from old spells.
Jonathan stopped in the middle of the garden and turned to face Aiden. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a strange, beautiful instrument.
It was long and slender, made of polished silver that shone in the light. Along its length were ten small, bulb-shaped sections made of clear glass. Under each glass bulb, tiny ancient letters were engraved, naming the elements. At the very end of the instrument was a round crystal sphere, smooth and clear, about the size of Jonathan's palm.
Aiden looked at it with wide, awestruck eyes.
Jonathan held the instrument carefully. His tone shifted into that of a calm, serious teacher. "Before we test your affinity," he began, "you need to understand the different kinds of mana cultivators in this world—and how they grow stronger."
Aiden straightened his back, listening intently. "Yes, Dad."
Jonathan nodded. He looked up at the sky for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, then began to speak slowly and clearly. "Aiden, there are ten different types of mana cultivators. They are: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Lightning, Healer, Light, Puppeteer, Parasite, and Illusion."
He paused, letting the names hang in the quiet morning air. A soft breeze ruffled the grass.
"A person can have more than one element," Jonathan continued. "But that's very, very rare. The highest number ever recorded in history is four. Those few people are called Quadraelemental Cultivators."
Aiden's eyes widened. "Four elements…" he whispered.
"Yes," Jonathan said with a faint smile. "And those who have four are considered both blessed and cursed. Balancing four different powers inside one heart takes incredible control. If the balance breaks… the mana inside them becomes unstable and can destroy them."
A shadow passed behind Jonathan's eyes for a second, as if he remembered something sad, but it was gone quickly.
"When a person forms their Mana Heart, they enter Stage One," he explained, his voice firm. "There are seven stages in total. Each stage represents a huge leap in power and control."
He crouched down and picked up a small stick. He drew seven short lines in the soft dirt.
"A Stage One cultivator has a light green Mana Heart, just like yours," he said, pointing to the first line. "As they grow stronger, the color changes. Stage Two is sky blue. Stage Three is amethyst violet. Stage Four is golden yellow."
"Stage Five is radiant gold. Stage Six is silver. And Stage Seven…" He looked up, his gaze steady and deep. "…is pure white. A pure white heart is the peak. Those who reach it are no longer bound by the limits of normal people."
Aiden listened quietly, his face serious. "So… the color shows how strong someone is?"
"Exactly," Jonathan said. "Each new stage makes the cultivator's mana purer and stronger. It makes their body tougher, their senses sharper, and their connection to their element deeper. But advancing is not easy."
He tapped the ground with the stick. "A cultivator advances by absorbing mana from the world around them. They refine it slowly, filling their heart until they can't hold any more. Then it transforms, changing to the next color. The purer the mana you absorb, the faster you can grow. That's why places called 'high-density mana zones' are so important."
Sara, who had been standing quietly nearby, added in her soft voice, "Those are places where the world's mana is thickest, like a rich soup you can breathe in."
Jonathan nodded. "A person who cultivates in such a place can grow ten times faster. But it's also dangerous. Too much raw mana can flood your heart and shatter it."
Aiden thought about this. "So… the key is balance," he said slowly.
Jonathan smiled, a look of clear pride in his eyes. "Exactly. Balance is what makes a true cultivator."
He paused, letting the morning breeze flow between them again. Then he stood up straight and slipped the silver instrument back into his pocket. "You already have a Wind affinity," he said.
"And I think you might be a dual or even triple elemental mage. Your mother and I are both dual-element mages, so there's a good chance you are too."
Aiden listened, then asked, "Dad, I know you have Fire and Water. Mom has Healing. What's her other element?"
Sara, standing to the side, answered with a gentle smile. "My second element is Puppeteer, dear. I can create mana strings to control objects, or even the bodies of dead animals and plants, and make them move like puppets."
Aiden felt a thrill of understanding. It made sense now, the way she had fixed the house so perfectly.
"Alright," Jonathan said softly, pulling the instrument back out of his pocket. The silver gleamed in the sun. "Now, let's see what other elemental affinities you have."
Author's Note: Aiden's elemental affinities are going to be revealed soon. Guess inthe comments what elemental affinities he has.