Elias Leywin POV
The stairs faintly creaked underfoot as I made my way down. A hand trailing along the smooth wood of the bannister. The soft golden morning light spilt through the windows, painting the floorboards in warm stripes.
Muffled voices from the kitchen drew me forward.
"–he's my brother," Arthur's voice was sharp and indignant. "I should be the one to train him!"
"Oh come on," Dad countered, just as firmly. "You're eight."
"And your point is?" Art stated back flatly.
"My point is, I've fought mana beasts and bandits. Whilst I'm his Dad and you're an eight-year-old child."
"I'm a Light red cored Quadra-elemental mage with two deviants, who just happens to be an eight-year-old boy!" he retorted, his annoyance and frustration only seeming to grow with our Dad.
I stepped into the kitchen just as Arthur threw his hands up in emphasis, his azure eyes bright with figurative fire.
"Lias?" Mum was already halfway out of her chair the moment she saw me.
Arthur's eyes widened, his mouth still half open from whatever comeback he had been about to hurl.
"Morning," I murmured, rubbing my eyes. "Food smells good."
Mum rushed over, placing a steadying hand on my shoulder. Her other brushed against my cheek as if to make sure I was there. "You should still be in bed."
"I didn't want to stay upstairs alone," I said as I looked up at her.
She sighed but didn't argue. Sighing, she guided me gently to a chair next to her and fussed with my hair a little more than necessary before letting go of me.
Aunt Tabitha gave me a warm smile from across the table, her hands folded in her lap. "It's good to see you up, Elias. You made all of us worried."
Vincent nodded, more reserved. "You've given your family quite the scare, young man."
"I didn't mean to," I said quickly, unsure why I felt the need to apologise.
Arthur pulled out the chair beside me and plopped down with a huff. "How are you feeling, Lias?" he said with a slight knowing smirk.
I shrugged, my feet dangling above the floor. "Floaty," I mumbled. "Like I'm still dreaming."
Arthur leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms as he watched me with that annoying look he got when he thought he knew something no one else did. "That thing that happened to you was caused by something called mana exhaustion."
"Mana exhaustion?" I repeated, confused, tilting my head slightly.
"Your Mana core awoke after you began to gather all those little lights," he said, poking the right side of my chest lightly. "You burned through a lot of mana all at once. Probably more than you had. You drew out so much that you began to drain it from the world around you."
My eyebrows scrunched. "But... I didn't do anything."
"That's kind of the point," he said, his tone just a little too pleased. "It happened on its own," he smiled, nodding his head. "Oh, you probably don't remember that. Well, it shook the entire house. You nearly overloaded your own mana channels. If I hadn't been there-"
"If you hadn't panicked and started to scream," Dad interjected dryly, sipping his tea without looking up.
"I did not panic," Arthur shot back. "I was just worried about my baby brother," he said, hugging me whilst staring daggers at our Dad.
Mum sighed as she stood beside me, still brushing her fingers gently through my hair. "Let's not do this again. Not this early."
"But he's fine now," Arthur said, softer, his attention turning back to me. "That's what matters."
I nodded slowly, though I wasn't sure if I felt fine. My chest still felt strange. And the world felt different.
"I didn't mean to scare everyone," I mumbled.
"You gave your poor sister a heart attack," Dad said with a chuckle. "She refused to leave your side for hours."
Arthur's brow arched. "Speaking of her..."
As if he had summoned her, there was a sudden thump against the wooden floorboards of the hallway.
"...that'll be her," he finished.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway, growing louder with each second.
"Li!" The door burst open.
Eleanor flew into the kitchen like she'd been shot from a cannon, her light brown mop bounced wildly as she held her arms outstretched.
"Li!" she cried again.
I barely had time to open my arms before she collided into me, throwing both of us halfway across the chair.
Her small arms clung tightly around my neck. "You idiot," she hiccupped against my shoulder. "You didn't wake up. You didn't move for so long, Mama and Papa were..."
"I'm sorry," I whispered, cutting her off as I hugged her back just as tightly. "I didn't mean to scare you, El."
"You're not allowed to do that again," she sniffled, voice cracking. "Ever."
"Okay," I said as I stroked her hair.
My sister clung to me for a few moments longer before she eventually loosened her grip. Her arms fell to her sides as she sank into the seat next to me. Her eyes continued to flicker between me and her lap.
---
After the house had settled and everyone had returned to their routines, Arthur led me out to the back garden.
The sun had risen higher, casting soft light across the grass and trees. A breeze fluttered through the leaves, gently rustling like whispers. I wordlessly followed him, still feeling like a ghost drifting through my own limbs, but something about his quiet purpose kept me tethered.
Arthur finally stopped near the edge of the clearing and turned to face me, hands on his hips. "Alright," he said, his voice lighter then, though his eyes were serious. "Time to teach you how to breathe."
I blinked at him. "I already know how to breathe."
"Not like this," he grinned. "Come on, sit."
I did as my brother commanded and sat in the still-damp grass. He kept pacing in front of me, running a hand through his messy hair like he was trying to untangle his thoughts before saying them out loud.
"Alright, Lias," he finally said, planting himself in front of me and squatting down so we were eye-level. "I've... never really shown anyone how to do this before. So, uh, bear with me, okay?"
I nodded quickly, trying not to bounce where I sat.
He poked my forehead gently but firmly. "First rule, don't lose focus. If you feel weird or dizzy, stop right away and tell me. Got it?"
"Got it," I said, swallowing my excitement.
"Okay. So... you have that little warm spot in your chest now, right? That's your core. It's like a tiny cup. Right now, it's almost empty because you used up everything before."
"So, how do I fill it?" I frowned with a tilt of my head.
Arthur mirrored me, crossing his legs.
"You have to... sort of invite mana in. It's all around you in the air, in the ground, even in the trees. Close your eyes and take slow breaths. When you breathe in, think about tiny sparks floating toward your chest. Don't force them. Just... imagine it likes you and wants to help."
"Like what we did yesterday with the lights?" I asked, peaking with one eye.
"Yes!" he said excitedly, before he recomposed himself with a cough.
His explanation was clumsy, but it made sense. I think. I shut my eyes tight.
"Good," he murmured. "Nice and slow. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Feel the warmth behind your ribs, then picture those tiny little lights drifting closer every time you breathe in."
I felt nothing. I sat there like an idiot until a single speck revealed itself to me. It drifted towards my apex and joined it with a pop. I released a breath as my eyes snapped open.
Arthur grinned so wide it made my chest flutter again. "You felt it, didn't you?"
"It tickles."
"Yes. That's good. That means your core's drinking it in. Alright, keep doing that, slow and steady, until it feels warm but not too heavy. Tell me if you get tired."
He watched me closely while I did it again.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
The little fizz built up bit by bit.
My shoulders relaxed.
Arthur laughed under his breath. "Okay, that's enough for now. You don't want to overdo it on your first try."
I peeked at him. "What now?"
Arthur stood up and brushed a leaf off my shoulder. He offered his hand and pulled me up. My legs wobbled as the warmth still buzzed inside my chest.
"Alright," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "You've got mana in your core. That's usually the hard part done. Now let's see what suits you best. I want you to focus on your core and tell me what colour lights you see."
I looked at him, my confusion evident.
Noticing how I kept staring at him, he let out a quiet breath before he began to speak.
"Alright, Lias. Listen carefully now. I'll tell you what each colour of light means and what element they are."
I nodded quickly.
Arthur held up one finger. "Green is wind. Wind magic is all about speed and freedom. It helps you move faster, jump higher, and even guide air currents. It's usually light and quick."
He held his spare hand palm-up, causing a light swirl of wind, making it appear as if a miniature tornado were forming.
He raised a second finger as he continued. "Blue means water. Water magic is calm and steady. It lets you control streams, make mist, or even heal small wounds. It's gentle, but strong when you need it to be."
He did the same as he had done with the wind. He formed a sphere of water in his palm, which eventually burst at its own surface tension.
He raised a third finger. "Yellow is earth. Earth magic is sturdy and protective. It's good for making barriers, shaping rocks or soil, and standing your ground. It's very reliable for defence due to its innate toughness."
As if by tradition, Art formed a clump of dirt in his palm that crumbled under little to no pressure.
He lifted his pinky. "Red is fire. Fire is powerful, but harder to control. It's strong for attacking and burning through obstacles. It can be warm and inviting, but also dangerous if you push too hard. It also happens to be my favourite."
Flames gathered in his palm, starting as a deep crimson, it grew into a rich indigo as the fire increased in size.
'Show off.'
He curled his fingers into a loose fist, extinguishing the flame.
"Most mages have one main element they're naturally good at. Some rare people can learn two." He gave me a small, smug smile.
"Whilst you can use all 4..." I let out a tired sigh.
"Does that matter?" he asked, placing his hand on my shoulder.
I looked up at him, tilting my head slightly.
"I might have more variety than you and most other mages," he smiled, "But over each individual element, any other mage would have a far greater mastery over it."
I shifted in the grass. "So it's... green for wind, blue for water, yellow for earth, red for fire..." I repeated slowly.
Arthur nodded. "Exactly. And now we need to see which of those colours is calling your core home. That's where we'll begin, with little steps."
I closed my eyes again, shutting out the garden and the rustle of leaves, listening only to my breathing and the steady hum behind my ribs.
'Green for wind... Blue for water... Yellow for earth... Red for fire...'
Clinging to Arthur's words, I began my plunge back into the sea of darkness.
At first, I felt nothing but the warm fizz. Little by little, shapes bloomed in the darkness behind my eyelids. Wisps of brilliant gold orbited a calendar seep within the seal of my core.
I sucked in a sharp breath, and my eyes flew open, wide as the sky. "Arthur! I saw them! I really saw them!"
Arthur's face lit up with a grin so bright it made my chest flutter all over again. He laughed in an easy tone that echoed across the garden. He leaned forward to squeeze my shoulder. "What colours did you see?"
"Gold!" I smiled
"Gold?" He questioned. "Are you sure it wasn't yellow?"
"It looked like gold to me, Big Bro... Is that bad?"
He stroked his chin in thought before he suddenly snapped out of his mind at my follow-up question. "No, no, of course not." He held my shoulders as he smiled at me.
"But why isn't my mana one of the colours?" I asked as I looked to the floor.
"The gold's not hurting you, right?"
I hesitated. It wasn't hurting. It just was. A warm, quiet presence curled deep within me.
"No... it didn't hurt," I murmured, fiddling with the hem of my sleeve. "It just..."
"It means you're special."
My eyes flicked up to him.
"Special?" I tilted my head aside.
"Sometimes people can have mana that isn't like that of normal mages."
'Normal...'
"Those people are called deviants." He wagged a finger at me. "You already know a deviant."
"I-I do?"
"Our Mother." He smiled.
"Mum?!" I shouted louder than I had intended.
He reached out and tugged my sleeve away from my fidgeting fingers, folding my hands together in my lap. "She's a Deviant who can use healing magic that is far stronger than that of elemental spells." He reached a hand out and rubbed the top of my head.
"She can?"
"Of course, like her, I'm sure you'll also be super strong!"
I smiled at his words. I sprang up from where I sat and entrapped him with a hug. "Thank you, Big Bro"
He held the back of my head and stroked my hair. "You did really well, Lias. I'm proud of you," he said steadily. "Tomorrow, we'll begin to practice shaping your mana and find out what it does. Deal?"
"Okay, Art," I whispered. "I'll try my best."
---
Nimue POV
"So what do you make of the young prince?"
My Brother's voice drifted lazily down from the old stone wall he perched himself atop. His boots dangled loosely as they tapped out some idle rhythm only he knew. He looked more like a bored cat than Avalon's ancient keeper, his hair tousled by the breeze, eyes half-lidded, but they glinted with mischief.
I pressed my palm flat against the sun-warmed stone, grounding myself in its hush. The warmth hummed through my skin.
"He's not a prince," I said, but a smile tugged at my mouth before I could stop it. I kept my gaze fixed away from him as I pretended not to notice his widening grin above me.
"Mm. Titles are stubborn things, Nimue," he drawled, leaning forward so his shadow fell over my hair. "Sometimes they crown you long before your head is ready to bear the weight. But you didn't answer me. What do you make of him?"
I pulled my hand back from the stone and crossed my arms. He watched me like a fox preying upon a fledgling bird. He was patient and far too entertained.
"He's..." I started, but the words tumbled over each other. "He's not what I expected. There's a softness to him, but something fierce underneath it, too. He was..."
"Charming?" He smirked, his eyes glittering.
"No!" I shot him a sharp look, which only made him grin wider. "He was... unshaped. Still new. Like a bud that didn't know it was meant to bloom yet."
Brother leaned his elbows on his knees, propping his chin in his hand. "So. Unshaped. Soft. Fierce. You do realise you're listing the sort of things that make someone dangerously appealing to troublesome little fae, don't you?"
I swatted at his leg, but he pulled it just out of reach, laughing.
"You're insufferable," I muttered, though I couldn't hide the warmth creeping into my voice. The truth came out in a breath before I could stop it. "It was just... hard not to admire someone who shone that brightly. Even when he didn't know how to hold it yet."
He quieted for half a heartbeat. "Careful now, little lake-heart. Fly too close to that sun, and you'll scorch your pretty wings." He said in an overly playful tone.
I rolled my eyes so hard it nearly hurt. "Don't be dramatic. I wasn't falling for anyone. I just..." I pressed my palms together, grounding myself. "I want to see what he will become. I want to see if he could keep that light alive."
My Brother's smile softened, the mischief folding into something older and sadder behind his eyes. He nudged my shoulder with his knee.
"Then keep watching him. Be the mirror he needs, when he forgets who he is."
---
Hello everyone, Rius here,
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. See you tomorrow for Chapter 6.
Thank you to Lancelot Dragonroad for beta-reading and editing.
Rius Out.