Fael followed close behind Myne as they made their way toward an open grass field. The familiar silhouette of the towering Tursim Tree Library loomed in the distance. The sight tugged at Fael's memory.
"Sister, can we stop by the library first? I want to ask Mrs. Marie something about the spell."
Myne paused and tapped a finger to her chin, thinking it over. "Hmm… yeah, sure. I need to pick up a few scrolls anyway."
With that, they turned toward the moss-covered path veering left and reached the library. Myne pushed open the old wooden door, and a faint creak echoed through the quiet halls of the Tursim Library. Inside, Mrs. Marie sat nestled in her usual corner, a thick, weathered book open in her hands. Without wasting a moment, Myne made her way to the shelves and began climbing the wooden ladder. Meanwhile, Fael approached Mrs. Marie with tentative steps, half-wondering if he was interrupting her.
"What do you need?" she asked without looking up.
Guide to Creating Potent Potions.
Fael's eyes flicked to the book's title before he straightened himself and answered plainly.
"The butterfly spell failed when I tried it earlier today."
After a brief moment of silence, Mrs. Marie closed the book with one hand and reached for the teacup beside her, steam curling up from the rim. She took a slow sip, then exhaled.
"That is the effect of power suppression."
Power suppression...
The term stirred something faintly in Fael's memory. She had mentioned it once before—on the very first day.
Mrs. Marie adjusted her glasses with a small flick of her finger. "Magic affinity can be broadly categorized into three distinct families—red, blue, and yellow. Each comes with its own strengths and drawbacks." She looked over the rim of her cup as Fael listened intently. "Your affinity belongs to the blue family, which is associated with power suppression. It means your body instinctively resists the flow of Asyth if it senses corruption or potential harm. That's why the blue family is often considered the safest affinity—it protects the user, sometimes even from themselves."
Realizing that power suppression wasn't necessarily a flaw, Fael glanced down at his hands with a thoughtful expression.
"So… how do I make my spells work, then?"
Mrs. Marie met his gaze calmly. "Train your body and mind," she said. "You must learn to properly channel the flow of Asyth. Once your control improves, you'll be able to guide it into your spells with greater precision. Accuracy and efficiency—that's how you overcome the limits of suppression."
Fael gave a firm nod. "Understood!"
Just then, Myne returned with three scrolls tucked under one arm and a wand loosely held in the other. "Are you done, Fael?" she asked, adjusting the scrolls as they threatened to slip.
"Yeah, let's go," he replied, following her out of the quiet library.
***
Leaves fell like snow as the wind rustled through the trees. A few landed softly on Fael's light ash-blond, fluffy hair as he sat meditating beneath a tree, eyes closed in concentration. His fingers and toes twitched occasionally.
Why is staying silent and keeping my eyes closed so hard…?
Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, razor-sharp gusts of wind sliced through the grass. Myne adjusted her stance, wand pointed with precision at a wooden target she had set up earlier. Her posture was firm and focused.
Fael opened his eyes, determination in his gaze. One more try.
He stood up and began drawing the diagram in the air with focus. This time, he didn't blink. His voice was steady as he chanted.
"Durlef Chasca..."
A golden, shimmering circular rune materialized in front of his arm, pulsing faintly—then, all at once, it burst open.
Hundreds of glowing butterflies fluttered out of it, lighting the air like floating embers. Their delicate wings shimmered in hues of amber, ivory, and rose as they spiralled into the sky.
Myne, startled by the sudden magical bloom, turned sharply to look at him. She walked over with wide eyes and patted his shoulder.
"That was amazing! I wish my starter scroll gave me the butterfly too."
Fael blinked. "What do you mean?"
Myne chuckled. "That spell randomly gives you one of Viraeth's adored animals. When I tried it, I got three rabbits bouncing around. The one you summon becomes your permanent spell."
Fael's eyes sparkled as he watched the butterflies dance away.
"That is so cool!"
"Fael, want to learn another spell?" Myne asked with a smile.
Fael nodded. "Yes."
She raised her silver wand and aimed it at the wooden target. A sharp gust of wind burst forth, knocking the target flat. The wind rustled her lavender hair, which caught the light of the afternoon sun. Her emerald eyes gleamed, and the small mole beneath the right corner of her lips shone gently in the warmth.
"That's a handy one," she said. "You can blow things away from far off with it."
She bent down, picked up a twig, and began to draw a shape in the dirt. It was a simple spiral, like a squiggly little tornado, drawn in a single stroke.
"Draw this, and chant Yus Masgoh. It's all about sending force in the right direction. Focus and concentrate on the target."
Myne stepped ahead and reset the fallen target, then moved to the side and gave Fael a nod.
He took a breath, focused, and followed her instructions carefully. His palm extended toward the target, and his voice stayed steady through the chant. As he finished, a silvery-green rune formed in front of him—etched with the swirling symbol Myne had drawn. A gust of wind surged from it and shot toward the target. But midway, it veered off course and fizzled out into nothing.
Fael let out a sigh. "I need to train more..."
Myne walked over and gently patted his shoulder with a reassuring smile. "That's right. Don't worry too much—just keep learning at your own pace. It took me three whole months to get the hang of my first offensive spell."
Fael smiled slightly, but his brows were still tight. He closed his eyes and took in a breath. With his power suppression, he knew he'd have to train even harder than others.
Then a thought sparked and his eyes opened.
"That reminds me—what's the color of your affinity?"
"Shade seven of golden."
"What family does that belong to?"
"The yellow family," Myne answered. "It's tied to power exhaustion. Basically, it cuts off the Asyth flow if you're running too low. Stops you from overcasting or collapsing."
Fael nodded, intrigued.
She must've trained a lot to be able to cast so many spells... even with that limit.
Fael trained for another hour under Myne's guidance, his focus sharpened by each attempt. Finally, with one steady breath and a firm gesture, he cast the spell—and the target toppled over.
Myne clapped with a bright smile. "Good work!"
A spark of pride lit up in Fael's chest. "Thanks!"
Myne crossed her arms, her tone now more instructional. "Now all you need is a vessel. It'll make things much easier."
Fael tilted his head. "Hmm?"
She lifted her wand slightly, letting it catch the sunlight. "This is a vessel—or a weapon. With this you don't need to draw diagrams or chant out loud. Just focus and form the spell in your mind."
Fael's eyes widened. "That would definitely help—"
Grrrgle.
An audible grumble came from his stomach. He paused, then gave an awkward smile.
Myne chuckled and picked up the scrolls she had set down, slipping her wand back into its loop. "Let's go find brother and head home. I'm hungry too."
Fael followed Myne toward the training ground. It was a plain, open space with scattered training swords and a few druids chatting lazily near the edge. Myne scanned the area, but Lark was nowhere in sight.
With a sigh, she headed into the wooden cabin where all the training tools were stored. Fael trailed behind, glancing around at the racks of wooden staves and shields.
"Where did he go?" Myne muttered, rubbing her temple.
Just as they turned to leave—
"Boo!!"
A tall guy with tousled brown hair and a short ponytail popped out from behind the door, his amber eyes glinting with mischief.
"Aaah—!" Myne let out a sharp squeak and reflexively punched Lark in the gut.
"Oof—!"
Fael didn't even flinch. He just crossed his arms with a sigh.
You really need to get new material, brother.
Lark dropped to his knees, wheezing from the punch. Myne turned away with a furious pout, arms crossed and eyebrows twitching in irritation.
"What brings you… two… here…" Lark groaned, clutching his stomach.
Fael chuckled, hands behind his head. "Mother baked cookies. We're heading home together."
At that, Lark snapped upright like a puppet on strings. The pain vanished from his face as if it had never existed.
"Then what are we waiting for? Time is of the essence!" he declared dramatically, already striding out.
"Hmph." Myne scowled, still fuming, but followed anyway.
They took the path straight home, sunlight spilling through the leaves above. Several druids waved and greeted them along the way.
Once they reached the house, Lark swung open the wooden door.
All three of them called out in unison,
"I'm home!"
Inside, Sevah was preparing tea and gently smiled at them.
"Welcome back."
She prepared three plates with cookies on the small, polished table, then turned to the cabinet and took out a plate of shiny golden pudding.
Lark's eyes widened. "Crimson flower pudding!"
Myne and Fael beamed.
Sevah chuckled. "Share it with Myne and Fael too."
Lark grinned. "Of course."
After some quality family time and enjoying the snacks, the sun had begun to set. They chatted for a while, and eventually, Lark and Myne headed back. Fael remained, nibbling on the last few cookies. Sevah turned to him and gently placed a hand on his head. Fael looked up at her, a cookie still in his mouth.
"It's your birthday tomorrow. Do you want to make a wish?"
Fael's thoughts went into a frenzy.
What should I ask for? The pet cat I wished for last time? No, that won't work… Maybe a vessel, like the one Sister has?
He glanced around the room, searching for inspiration. After a moment, he munched on the cookie and swallowed. Then he turned to Sevah with a bright grin.
"I want a painting with all of us in it!"
Sevah put a finger below her mouth. "But then who would paint it?"
I didn't think about that...
Just as Fael was about to suggest something else, Sevah snapped her fingers. She gave him another pat on the head. "Don't worry, I know how to get this done."
Fael nodded, unsure of what to say.