Lately I had started studying at night. Besides magic, I was also interested in history and geography. On one such sleepless night, Alak looked into my room.

  — Aeron, are you not asleep?

  — No, I’m reading about the history of the First Era.

  — You have school tomorrow. Why aren’t you sleeping?

  — I can’t fall asleep.

  Alak closed the door behind him and walked into the room. He sat down on the chair near my desk. Apparently he wanted to talk about something. We didn’t speak very often. I was either at school or reading books, so we barely talked.

  — So… you’ve already started studying destruction magic?

  — How do you know?

  — Lyra told me. She said she followed you when you left the house. She caught you on the hill trying to create a fireball.

  — I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to wait until the end of the year, so I started learning it earlier.

  — You have nothing to apologize for. I never forbade you from studying destruction. Honestly, I thought you had already realized that spells can be learned even without reading the incantation first.

  Alak smiled.

  — From what Lyra told me, you’ve achieved quite a lot in magic for your age. But at school you won’t reach the mastery you need. Even a fire magic textbook doesn’t guarantee you’ll reach the intermediate level.

  He raised a finger, and a tiny, stable red flame ignited in his hand.

  — This is destruction fire. But in my hands it’s perfect. Years of practice and hundreds of books. I only reached the advanced level myself — but I still have much I can teach you.

  He extinguished the flame and looked straight into my eyes.

  — So here is our agreement, Aeron. If you finish your first year with top marks — if your grades are flawless… — He paused to make sure I was listening. — …I will personally begin teaching you fire magic.

  My heart started beating faster. With a teacher like Alak, I’d advance quickly in this magic.

  — And that’s not all. If your results are good, I’ll take you with me to work at the Mages Guild twice a week. You’ll have free access to the guild library during hours when it isn’t crowded.

  I jumped up from my chair, nearly knocking over my book. Access to the library? Thousands of magic books were kept there.

  — You’ll gain access to knowledge worth decades of study. You won’t need to hide anymore. But it’s conditional, Aeron. No perfect grades — no access. Do you agree?

  — Yes! Yes, Father! Thank you so much!

  — Then go to sleep. And remember: knowledge is power. Use it wisely.

  He stood, extinguished the candle near my desk with a gesture, and left — leaving me in the darkness, overflowing with determination and joy.

  Spring had arrived. The air was still cool, but it carried the scent of thawed earth and swelling buds. The sun shone brighter than in winter, and its rays no longer just warmed — they filled everything with life. The sky was high and clear, and the clouds, when they appeared, were light and fluffy like cotton. Birds sang everywhere as they returned home, and the cheerful murmur of streams could be heard. It felt as though nature itself was waking, shedding winter’s chains.

  The school year ended in spring. I had waited so long for this moment. Finally, Alak would teach me magic.

  Since I began practicing destruction silently, my progress hadn’t advanced much. I could only create a fireball slightly larger than my fist and hold it for about ten seconds. But I still hadn’t figured out how to launch it.

  Aria, on the other hand, had much to boast about. She could already create a fireball the size of her head and freely shoot them dozens of meters. On top of that, she confidently used water magic. I had a lot to learn from her.

  I stood in line with my classmates. We had something like an assembly. It didn’t last long — the headmaster gave a speech, and together with the teachers began handing out report cards.

  As expected, I had the highest marks in every subject.

  — Aeron, what grades did you get this year? — Aria suddenly asked.

  — Highest in everything. What about you?

  — Same.

  — You worked really hard for those grades. Well done.

  — I only did so well because of you, Aeron. You motivated me more than anyone.

  A gentle, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips. She didn’t laugh loudly — just slightly lifted the corners of her mouth, and there was so much charm in it that it felt like the whole world around her started smiling too.

  The school event ended quickly. Soon I was already home when Alak came into my room.

  — Aeron, are you busy right now?

  — Not really.

  — Good. Then change your clothes and come to the yard. Today will be our first lesson.

  I immediately set my book aside. Certificate. Lesson. Guild. Everything I had worked toward for a year was starting right now.

  I pulled on a simple but clean shirt and trousers and ran outside.

  Alak was already waiting on the grassy lawn. He wasn’t casting anything. He just stood there with a serious, focused look.

  — Are you ready? — Alak asked.

  — Yes.

  — Excellent. Then we’ll begin with theory. Destruction magic is divided into five primary subtypes. The first and most popular is fire magic. This is pure explosive damage and heat control — fire strikes, hellflame, raw thermal force. Next is water magic. It controls not water itself, but its states and motion — streams, ice attacks, water shields.

  Alak stomped his foot, and the ground several meters away cracked.

  — Then comes earth magic. The most physical branch — earth attacks, stone bullets, and stone barriers.

  He waved his hand through the air, and a faint vortex quietly spun around us.

  — After that — air magic. Pure control of pressure and wind — air jets, vacuum shockwaves. It can also allow flight, though gravity magic is better suited for that.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Finally, Alak raised both hands, and the air between them crackled.

  — And the last subtype: lightning magic. The purest and most unpredictable energy — lightning strikes and chain lightning. Electrical attacks are known for precision and speed, but require the most mana.

  Alak lowered his hands.

  — Now show me your most powerful fireball.

  I nodded. I was overwhelmed by information about the five branches of destruction, but now I had to focus on my own. I closed my eyes.

  My arm extended forward. I began concentrating, slowly filling my hand with mana.

  — Stronger, Aeron! — Alak ordered.

  I bit my lip. A flame formed in my palm. It was the size of my fist — the largest sphere I had ever created.

  But I couldn’t hold it.

  For five seconds the sphere remained perfect, demonstrating flawless shape calibration.

  On the sixth second the form began to distort. On the seventh, the orange fire instantly went out, leaving only residual heat in my palm.

  Alak stepped forward and lightly touched my shoulder.

  — Five seconds. You lost it on the seventh. And it didn’t launch anywhere. That’s a good result, but you have room to grow, — Alak concluded calmly, showing neither disappointment nor excessive praise.

  He stepped back.

  — First you must learn to quickly create a perfectly round fireball. Then learn to hold it for over twenty seconds. Only after that will we figure out how to make you launch it.

  — Understood.

  I tried several more times. Alak kept telling me to pour in more mana. But after the fifth attempt, I felt a headache coming on.

  — That’s enough for today. Tomorrow, when I return from work, we’ll try again.

  From that day on, my constant training began. We trained almost every day — except weekends — for an entire year.

  Alak was relentless. Several times a day he made me train. But his training was different. When I practiced alone, I tried to squeeze the maximum out of myself in one short session. Alak had other methods. He made me train five times a day, sometimes more — but each session lasted no longer than ten minutes. And somehow, with this approach, my skills grew noticeably compared to how I had trained before.

  With this method, my headaches almost disappeared — but I began sleeping longer than usual. Now, to feel rested, I slept twelve hours a day. Alak said that was normal, though he never explained it in detail.

  One evening, after several months of training, when the sun had already set, we stood in the yard. I was nearly exhausted.

  — One last attempt, Aeron, — said Alak, and there was fatigue in his voice.

  I closed my eyes, ignoring the pain. I didn’t think about technique. I remembered how Aria had “just poured in as much mana as she could.” I did the same — letting go of control and channeling all my mana into the sphere.

  A bright, powerful orange Fireball formed in my palm. It was incredibly hot, but this time I felt that I could hold it.

  I held it.

  10 seconds.

  15.

  My body trembled.

  18…

  Twenty seconds.

  — Enough! — Alak exclaimed. For the first time, pure astonishment rang in his voice.

  The sphere vanished. I could barely stand, but my head didn’t hurt.

  Alak walked up to me, his eyes filled with pride.

  — You did it, Aeron. You didn’t just master Destruction. You tempered your will.

  The next morning I woke up on my own — without a headache or fatigue — even though I had slept exactly twelve hours. The success of the previous night felt as if it had lifted the physical burden of three months of exhausting training off my shoulders.

  I quickly changed into my cleanest, though still simple, clothes and sat at my desk to read another chapter from the book on Destruction.

  The door opened, and Alak walked in. He was dressed in his long Special-Tier Healer robe — the robe of the Guild. He looked serious, but a faint, proud smile played on his lips.

  — Are you ready, Aeron?

  — Yes, father.

  He nodded, and I immediately jumped up from my chair.

  — Let’s go.

  We stepped outside. Lorelin, bathed in the morning sun, seemed even more fairy-tale-like than usual. Alak led me to a small, elegant carriage made of light wood and decorated with fine Aurion patterns.

  I climbed inside. The carriage was comfortable; its wheels made almost no sound as they glided over the cobblestone streets.

  — Tomorrow I return to work, — Alak said as we slowly rode through the morning streets. — You’ll sit in the library and study the materials I told you about.

  — I understand.

  At last he had taken me with him to the Guild. Before, because of training, I was constantly exhausted and never had the strength to go with him. I was glad he brought me — though in a week my vacation would end and I’d have to return to that cursed school again. Just like in my previous life, I didn’t like school here either.

  We rode along wide streets where buildings of white marble were buried in greenery. Other Aurions passed by, dressed in robes of different colors. I felt a strange aura around them. Over the past few months this hadn’t happened for the first time. A strange feeling… but whatever.

  The carriage rolled into a vast square, and my gaze locked onto the Mage Guild of Lorelin.

  My breath caught in awe.

  It was the widest building I had ever seen in this world.

  The structure had multiple wings stretching outward, all surrounded by an enormous, meticulously kept courtyard. It wasn’t just a lawn — it was a true garden with fountains, sculptures, and an elegant low fence of white stone clearly separating Guild grounds from the rest of the city.

  At the top of the central section stood a massive observatory — a hemisphere of blue glass.

  — There it is, Aeron, — Alak said, looking at the building with pride. — The heart of Lorelin and the source of all knowledge.

  He stopped the carriage.

  Alak nodded to two tall Aurions in pale matte robes guarding the gates. They let us pass.

  As soon as we entered the courtyard, the hum of Mana I had felt outside intensified. For me it wasn’t just a sound but a sensation of weight — as if the air had grown dense from thousands of active spells. What the hell is happening to me? I’d never felt anything like this before.

  We crossed the courtyard, where older students — teenagers — trained in magical gardens, creating streams of water and clumps of earth.

  We entered the main hall.

  Inside, the Guild was even more impressive. It was a vast space with high, wide arches supporting the ceiling. In the center of the hall floated enormous crystals emitting a warm glow — apparently the primary source of light.

  Aurions in robes of every color and rank moved through the hall. Alak, noticing my awe, gently nudged me forward.

  — Stay close.

  We passed a group of mages in heavy robes. Alak nodded to a light-haired Aurion with a rune tattoo on his cheek.

  — Good day, Conductor Faelion. How go the Wind experiments?

  — Alak. Greetings. The cyclones refuse to cooperate. But I see you’ve brought reinforcement? — Faelion glanced at me indifferently.

  — This is my son, Aeron. He’s here to begin his path, — Alak replied with quiet pride.

  — Isn’t it a bit early at his age? — Faelion raised a brow. — Well, good luck to him in mastering magic.

  Alak didn’t continue the conversation and led me further — past training halls and laboratories where I saw flashes of fire and the glow of ice shards.

  Finally, we approached one of the widest sections of the Guild. Behind rune-carved double doors lay the library.

  When we entered, the hum of mana that filled the rest of the Guild almost completely disappeared. Silence ruled here.

  The library was built like a labyrinth of curved marble shelves stretching upward as far as the eye could see.

  The smell of ancient paper was the most beautiful scent in the world to me.

  Alak led me to a smaller section where the books were marked with the symbol of Fire.

  — Here’s your starting point. You’ll find everything you need here.

  I nodded, already reaching for the first scroll written on parchment that looked older than my father.

  — I have to go to work now — I’m on admissions duty today. You can stay here until noon. No one will disturb you. But under no circumstances are you to leave this library. You’re here as my guest, and you’re still too young to wander the Guild alone. I’ll come back for you as soon as I finish. Agreed?

  — Agreed. I’ll wait.

  Alak smiled and left, quietly closing the heavy door behind him.

  I was left alone among a thousand ancient books.