CHAPTER 1: DUALITY
The city was drowned in a veil of darkness, interrupted only by occasional flashes of lightning. Wind howled through the streets, rattling shutters and twirling leaves. Rain thrummed off the cobblestones, drowning other sounds. On the steps in front of a large stone building lay a basket. Inside, a baby slept peacefully, oblivious to the outside world.
Then, out of nowhere, a small, luminous sphere, a concentration of green and blue, emerged, tearing a rift in the darkness. It glided to the baby, hovered above it briefly, and then entered its tiny body.
Suddenly, the wind ceased its relentless onslaught, and the rain grew quiet, water droplets stopping in mid-air. Then there was only silence. Time itself had stopped.
That was, until a cheerful giggle broke through the silence. The air trembled and motion returned — water fell again, and wind carried on. The storm returned.
Soon, the doors of the building opened, and an older woman appeared. She paused to look at the baby, a faint glow in its chest pulsing briefly before fading away.
***
Fifteen years later.
"Aziel! Where are you?" Grimm's voice cut through the clang of metal. The smell of coal hung in the air. He leaned against the doorway, eyes scanning the outer reaches of the forest that surrounded the forge.
Aziel had been sitting on top of a large rock in the middle of the forest, a book resting in his lap, when Grimm's shout reached him.
His heart made a whole somersault. In a moment, the book was closed and under his armpit. The rock was three times the size of a normal human and almost vertical, but it didn't stop Aziel from practically running down its slope.
"Coming," shouted Aziel as he sprinted through the woods, arriving at the clearing.
There, at the entrance of the forge, stood a man of small stature but with a body many would be jealous of. The man had broad shoulders and well-built muscles that were glistening in the sun. This kind of physique was actually normal for blacksmiths since it required great strength to hammer metal.
Although his physique was impressive, it paled in comparison to his majestic orange braided beard, which covered half of his face.
Grimm studied Aziel quietly, noticing his panting before his eyes locked on the book Aziel carried under his armpit.
Aziel followed Grimm's gaze and quickly figured out what garnered his attention.
He knew that Grimm would notice the book, but that was what he wanted all along.
Aziel acted as if he was trying to salvage the situation by turning his body in order to conceal the book. Of course, it was too late for that, but it was what Aziel needed to do. He had to bring up this conversation.
Grimm locked eyes with Aziel, a concerned expression on his face.
"Where have you been?"
Aziel shifted on his feet, his fingers twisting the hem of his worn-out, brown tunic. He scratched his neck as he mumbled. He truly was nervous. Even though he wanted to have this conversation, it wasn't going to be easy on either of them.
"Uh… I have been… studying"
"Why can't you just stay and work with me in the forge?" Grimm asked with a sigh, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Aziel hesitated for a moment. He couldn't even look Grimm in the eyes, so he ended up staring at his leather boots.
"I just… I think it's time for me to venture outside. I am forever grateful that you took me out of the orphanage, and it has been great living here with you, but you know that I have always wanted to become a mage. Now I finally have a chance at making that happen and I don't want to let this golden opportunity go. Additionally, if I truly become a mage I might have a shot at finding more about my past, about my parents."
Grimm sighed.
"Okay," he spoke after a while. He had no heart to tell him that his parents must not have liked him much if they abandoned him.
"If you need my help with anything, you can ask anytime."
"What!?" Aziel was so startled that it slipped from his mouth. He didn't expect Grimm to offer his help like this.
"Yes, I will gladly help you."
Grimm took a deep breath before continuing.
"I'm not angry at you, Aziel. It's your life, and it's only right that you live it out, however you want.
It wasn't easy for these words to come out of Grimm's mouth. He only wanted the best for Aziel, but his heart ached when he thought of ending up alone again. After his dear wife contracted an incurable illness and died shortly after, Grimm ended up all alone. Those were the hardest times in his life. He didn't have a reason to continue living, which made his life utterly miserable. That was until he met Aziel, who was playing near his forge. They quickly became friends, and not long after, Grimm adopted him. It was like light had returned to his life once more.
Aziel lifted his head and locked eyes with Grimm.
"Thanks, Grimm."
Then a mischievous grin appeared on Aziel's face.
"So does that mean you will do all the work in the forge by yourself so I can study?"
Grimm's face suddenly turned a shade redder, and his nostrils flared.
"What!? Who do you think you are, you brat?! Come here so I can teach you some manners!"
Only then did Aziel realize that Grimm was holding a giant iron hammer in his hand.
Crap.
Aziel bolted past Grimm, making his way into the forge. He maneuvered his way through the clutter of equipment and weapons, went up the stairs, and vanished into his chamber.
It was a small room comprised only of a bed, a night cabinet, a wooden wardrobe, and a desk. The room was illuminated by a warm light, coming through a small window above the desk.
Aziel placed his books on the desk and sprawled on the bed. He stared at the ceiling, thinking about the future.
Will I make it to the Academy? What if I don't?
He didn't even want to think about that. The entrance exam to the most prestigious magic school — Elderymst Academy — was right around the corner. Everyone aged fifteen could attend the exam, and this year was finally Aziel's chance. He had been preparing his whole life for this exam. The exam consisted of three different tests: the written, the magic, and the physical. In the end, only a few of the best in the whole generation made it to the academy. It wasn't easy at all, especially so for commoners like Aziel. Contrary to nobles, he had no private tutors, not to mention that everything magic-related was only accessible to nobles.
Aziel sighed worriedly before turning around, stuffing his face into the mattress.
Then he thought about the past. His memory of the past was fragmented, most of it hidden deep in the shadows. He had almost no recollection of his time in the orphanage and none of the time before that.
Who are my parents? Why did they leave me?
The only thing his parents left him with was his name.
Lost in his thoughts, Aziel soon fell asleep.
In the weeks that followed, Aziel continued helping Grimm in the forge and also kept on preparing for the entrance exam. He spent a lot of time studying world history from materials he could get his hands on from the nearby library. Grimm's forge was rather isolated, located on the outskirts of Emberreach, one of the four districts of the Kingdom of Dravenor.
Aziel also made sure to work out since the entrance exam consisted of a written, magic, and physical test. He wasn't worried about it too much, though. Physical labor was a part of working in the forge after all.
And just like that, two months flew by.
***
Aziel woke up and got out of his modest bed on the second floor of the forge. He looked out the window.
The sun was shining in the blue sky with no clouds in sight.
What a beautiful day!
Although he was excited that the day he had waited for his whole life was finally here, Aziel couldn't shake off the feeling of sadness. After all, he would have to leave behind the only person he had cared for and the only person who always stood beside him and supported him.
Aziel was torn but had no choice. He didn't know much about magic, but he knew that mages lived luxuriously. Above all, he could use magic to find more about his past.
I have to do this. It's the only way, Aziel thought to himself as he entered the tiny bathroom, on the second floor, which only contained a small, old-looking ceramic sink and a toilet.
Aziel came down the stairs after brushing his teeth. Grimm had already set the table.
Aziel stood in place for a moment. He clenched his fists, his eyes watering, thinking that this might be their last breakfast together.
"Don't just stand there like a statue. Come and eat, you don't have all the time in the world, do you?" said Grimm, breaking Aziel out of his momentary stupor.
Aziel quickly sat down at the table. For breakfast was a slice of wholegrain bread and strawberry jam.
Aziel had no appetite but still made sure to get everything down his throat. That's when he noticed Grimm silently watching him from the corner of the room.
"What is it?"
"Ah… Nothing."
"You know, I might be coming back. After all, no commoner has passed the entrance exam before," said Aziel smugly.
After drinking his milk, Aziel stood up and headed for the door.
"Aziel." Grimm stopped him midway.
"I wanted to give you this." Grimm pulled out a visibly old-looking, yet elegant pocket watch. "I made it myself, out of black metal."
"Let this be something to remember me by."
"When you make it, make sure to come visit sometimes," said Grimm while just barely holding his tears back.
"I will," replied Aziel, tucking the watch in the pocket of his pants.
"Thank you for everything you have done for me all these years, truly," he added.
"Yeah, yeah. Go already, before I change my mind."
Aziel said his final goodbye, and after reassuring Grimm that he'll stop by, he left, tears covering his face.