Chapter 4: The First Spark of Magic
The wind rustled gently through the amber fields surrounding Velmira, Aether’s quiet hometown. He sat cross-legged on the grassy hill behind his house—the same hill where his father once practiced sword swings, and where his mother had taught him to trace mana lines in the air.
Today, he sat alone.
Or so it seemed.
Deep within him, something stirred—mana, raw and untamed, dense beyond reason. He extended his hand, fingers steady despite the nervous thrum in his chest. Faint blue threads began to gather in his palm, curling into a flickering sphere of light.
“[Mana Orb],” he whispered.
It shimmered for a heartbeat… then popped like a bubble. Aether frowned, but didn’t stop. Again. And again. By the fifth failure, he no longer even flinched. His control was lacking—not due to ignorance, but because the mana itself was overwhelming.
His mother’s voice echoed in memory.
"Your mana is too rich, Aether. Normal techniques won’t work until your body matures more. It’s like trying to pour a river into a teacup."
But Aether didn’t feel discouraged. Not really.
Not when he had Eidheria.
He closed his eyes, letting his awareness drift. His consciousness sank into the world he’d created, and the change was immediate. Here, magic flowed like breath—intuitive, seamless.
He stood beside the freshwater stream that cut through Eidheria’s central valley. The air shimmered with mana. He raised his hand again, this time summoning a flickering flame.
It held steady. No tremor. No collapse.
[Elemental Affinity – Fire: Recognized]
[Efficiency: 100%]
[Mana Cost: Reduced (Eidheria Bonus)]
Grinning, Aether tried water next. Then wind. Then earth. All obeyed. Not one spell failed.
It wasn’t him that was flawed—it was the world outside. Too dull, too constricting for his brilliance.
[Elemental Compatibility: Universal]
[Magic Class Level: 2 → 3]
[Passive Skill Unlocked – Multicasting (Lv.1)]
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A pulse echoed through his chest. A shift. A subtle, internal resonance that told him something had changed.
He opened his eyes.
And for the first time in his life, the world recognized him not as a boy—but as a mage.
That night, during dinner, he was quieter than usual. He picked at his food, deep in thought. His mother noticed first.
“Aether?” she asked gently.
He looked up. “Mother… when you first awakened, what did it feel like?”
She paused, then smiled. “Like my soul could finally breathe.”
Aether nodded slowly. “I think I understand that now.”
His father’s brows furrowed. “Did something happen?”
Instead of answering, Aether closed his eyes. A faint glow radiated from beneath his skin—soft, pale blue lines tracing his veins.
His mother’s fork clattered onto her plate.
“You’re ten,” she said quietly. “No one awakens this early…”
Thorne was already moving, crouching beside his son, checking his pulse, inspecting the glow with calloused fingers.
“His flow is stable,” he muttered. “Strong. Controlled.”
“I think I’m ready to start formal training,” Aether said softly.
[Achievement Unlocked: Natural Awakening (Age < 12)]
[Reward: +3 Domain Points, Passive Skill – Mana Harmony (Lv.1)]
Somewhere, deep in Eidheria, the trees swayed in agreement.
Aether’s journey had truly begun.
Later that night…
The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow over Eidheria. The fields shimmered beneath its light, and the wind carried the quiet hum of crickets. Aether stood on a cliff, his cloak rustling softly behind him, eyes narrowed as he gazed across the valley he’d crafted.
His mana core pulsed with growing heat—he was close to something new.
Weeks had passed since his awakening. While the outside world saw a quiet boy training diligently, Eidheria told a different story.
Inside his domain, time moved twice as slow. One hour outside gave him two to master, to learn, to grow.
He had built the Sanctum of Flow, a crystalline dome perched on a stone platform near his residence. It amplified spellcasting, sharpening both clarity and control. Within its glowing walls, he practiced relentlessly.
[Firebolt]
[Stone Lance]
[Wind Cutter]
[Ice Needles]
Each spell became crisper, each cast more precise.
But tonight, he was pushing further.
Standing in the moonlight, he raised both hands. Fire crackled in his left palm. Water spiraled in his right.
“[Elemental Fusion: Steam Blade],” he whispered.
The elements collided, not in chaos—but in harmony. A scalding blade of pressurized steam formed between his hands, vibrating with lethal heat. The control required was intense—balancing opposites, maintaining flow.
He slashed at a nearby boulder.
It hissed, cracked, and melted down the center.
[New Composite Spell: Steam Blade (Rank C)]
[Mana Efficiency: 96%]
[+50 EXP]
[Achievement: Spellcrafter I – Combine two base elements]
[Reward: Rare Spell Core (x1), +50 Domain Points]
Aether grinned, breath heavy with exhilaration.
He stepped back into the Sanctum and opened the shimmering chest he’d earned earlier.
[Domain Chest: Silver Tier – Opened]
? Mana-Infused Lake Seed
? Crystalwood Sapling
? Spellbook: [Lightning Net]
? +75 Domain Points
? 3x Arcane Slates
He got to work immediately.
The Crystalwood Sapling was planted near his home—it would boost mana recovery for anyone nearby. The Mana Lake was placed at the valley’s heart. Misty blue mana drifted over the grass, invigorating wildlife and plant growth.
The Arcane Slates were embedded into the training ground. They pulsed to life, projecting illusionary enemies and movement patterns—perfect for advanced drills.
As Aether studied the [Lightning Net] spellbook beneath the moonlight, a rustle came from behind him. He turned.
A few creature’s stood there—elegant and calm. A shimmering silver stag with spiral antlers tipped in glowing white. Its eyes were intelligent, curious.
It stepped forward, pausing just shy of him. Aether reached out to one, and it didn’t flinch. The creature lowered its head, touching his hand gently.
[Spirit Creature – Spirit Deer]
[Bond Forming… 79%]
[Passive Resonance Detected: Creator Link (Lv.1)]
The stag bowed once, then vanished into mist.
Aether smiled.
His world… was beginning to speak back.
He turned to the spellbook again.
[Lightning Net] was a Rank B spell, and even with his affinity bonuses, it required precision. He spent the rest of the night internalizing its form, tracing its flow again and again until, finally—
He cast it. Once. Perfectly.
[You have learned Lightning Net (Rank B)]
[Magic Class: 3rd-Class Mage]
[Achievement: Lightning Struck – Learn a Lightning-class spell]
[Reward: Thunderseed Crystal, Spell Amplifier Rune, +100 Domain Points]
His hands trembled—not from exhaustion, but from sheer joy.
He took the Thunderseed Crystal and embedded it into the highest hill. Storm clouds gathered immediately, swirling above as static charge danced through the air.
The terrain began to shift—dark soil, jagged rocks, faint hums of thunder.
A new biome was born.
Aether stood at the edge, watching the storm swirl and build.
The world he was crafting wasn’t just magical.
It was alive. And it had begun to recognize him as its god.
