Manke, ever the astute steward, approached Elisha and Nerion, who were sitting apart, mending Nerion's trousers. He carried a large, carefully carved piece of the Boar's haunch.
“This cut, young Elisha, is called the Secreto,” Manke explained, his voice low enough to avoid the other guards' ears. “It rests close to the heart and absorbs the most ambient energy. A small reward for the orphans' vigilance today.”
Manke’s reward was met with grudging silence from Lykos and Kael, who sat across the fire. The Legate’s eyes were cold, and the Centurion, now bandaged but awake, stared daggers at the two boys.
Elisha, recognizing the gesture of both genuine thanks and veiled patronage, bowed his head. “Thank you, Lord Manke. We are grateful.”
Nerion, catching the scent of the richly cooked meat, immediately reached for it.
“Not so fast, pipsqueak,” Elisha chuckled, pulling the plate away. “This is a Rank 3 beast. Its energy is potent. You are only Level 6; eat too much, and it will burn out your developing Qi. A single bite, no more.”
Nerion whined but obeyed, gnawing a piece the size of his thumbnail. A faint, almost dizzying warmth spread through his stomach. He was astonished to feel his body vibrate. The minute, almost impossible amount of Natural Energy he had just consumed settled instantly into his tissues. His Qi advanced from Level 6 to Level 7.
Nerion’s eyes were wide with elation. “Big Brother! Did you feel that? I advanced a whole level! Just from that tiny bite!”
Elisha smiled knowingly, then took the remaining, generous portion of the Secreto. He closed his eyes, focusing his Grandmaster Qi inward. For weeks, he had been struggling against the final, taut membrane separating him from the Praetorian rank. The potent, high-level energy from the Boar meat provided the necessary push.
A white serpent of Qi, thicker and more vibrant than his previous energy, momentarily coiled around Elisha's arm. His Qi surged from Level 29 to Level 30. He opened his eyes, feeling the qualitative leap in power—the first stirrings of a new tier.
The surrounding guards, monitoring their Qi levels closely, erupted in genuine congratulations.
“Praetorian! At twelve! Congratulations, young Elisha!” one said.
Manke offered a respectful nod, while Lykos offered tight, brittle congratulations, their resentment barely contained.
Nerion, his initial excitement fading, kept his gaze fixed on Manke, his wide eyes full of questions. Manke, sensing the child’s profound curiosity, excused himself from the fire.
“You have many questions, child,” Manke said kindly, kneeling beside Nerion. “Ask them.”
Nerion blurted out, “Was that a Magic Spell you used? To freeze the pig?”
Julieta, who had approached with Elisha, smiled, a bit show-offy. “Of course it was, you beggar! Manke is a powerful Arch-Magus, and I am a full TIMBER Adept! He teaches me!”
Nerion called her a liar instantly. “You’re just a spoiled noble girl! You can’t do magic!”
Julieta’s aristocratic poise snapped. Her deep blue eyes flashed. She raised her hand, a faint, almost invisible wisp of Mana condensing around her fingers as she attempted to summon a simple air pressure spell.
Manke chuckled, placing a gentle hand on her wrist, stopping the spell before it could form. “Careful, Lady Julieta. Spells in a volatile area like this can be unpredictable.”
Julieta immediately settled, pouting but no longer angry.
Elisha was genuinely surprised. “Lady Julieta is a TIMBER userTAO warriors.”
“It is indeed rare, young Elisha,” Manke confirmed. “But Lady Julieta is talented and quite hard-working. She will be a formidable Magus one day.”
Nerion, fascinated by the concept of communing with the World's Will, asked Manke, “How does it work? How did you make the world listen to you?”
Julieta, seizing the chance to show off her academic knowledge, jumped in. “It’s about Heavenly Gates and Mana flow! We speak to the world, and it answers! Magic isn't crude strength; it's elegance!”
Manke smiled, interjecting to correct and clarify. “Lady Julieta speaks truthfully. Mana users—Adepts—cultivate the spirit and mind, absorbing the Natural Energy into their Heavenly Gates instead of the TAO Core Meridians. However, what determines if someone is talented in the use of Mana is the Mind Palace,” said Manke while touching his head. “Without a Mind Palace, Mana can’t be accumulated in the body, unlike Warriors that naturally accumulate it in their tissues. Furthermore, a warrior's strength lies in their Will, forcing their command onto the world. A Magus’s power lies in their Understanding—listening to the world’s true Will, interpreting it through meditation techniques, and offering a suggestion the world accepts”.
Seeing that Nerion’s attention was fully on him, Manke continued, “For instance, like this”.
He raised a hand, energy lines surrounding it forming very small runes tied together in a wonderful display of nature’s artistry.
“Παγοκ?νο? (Pagokonos - Ice Spike)”.
A beautiful Ice Spike, a foot in length, formed right above his finger, floating gently. The Spike wasn’t only beautiful, but it had runic marks shimmering on it. Both Nerion and Elisha could feel its power, easily able to skewer any of them with ease. Manke waved his hand, and the Spike disappeared, the falling frost the only remaining proof of its existence.
Manke paused, offering a final, guarded insight. "The precise techniques and pathways of communication are secrets carefully guarded by the Great Families and Northern Territories, as they dictate the strength of a Magus. But the core principle is simple: Listen first. Understand deeply. Only then may you command—if the world allows it."
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Elisha, recognising the advanced nature of the lesson, changed the subject. "Lord Manke, if you don't mind the impertinence, where are you from? You don't sound like you grew up in Ansara."
Manke's smile faded slightly. "A keen observation, Elisha. I hail from Brindisi, the Central Archipelago. But I grew up in Ansara. I served in the Royal Army's Magic Brigade over thirty years ago. I was already serving Marquis Corina at that time, and after a certain event twenty-five years ago, a quiet tragedy where we lost a very dear friend, I retired to live a simpler life as his steward. Currently, I’m honoured to mentor Lady Julieta. It's a life of service, but far safer than the Royal Guard.”
The conversation drifted to an end. The guards, energized by the boar meat, maintained their vigil, while the rest of the convoy found their sleep.
Nerion, however, felt a restless energy. His Qi hummed at its new level, but his mind buzzed with Manke's words.
The boy woke early, the lingering Qi boost from the Iron-Skin Boar making sleep difficult. He slipped quietly from the camp and found a small clearing a few hundred feet from the glowing stream. He adopted the stance Mikael had shown him, slowly beginning the circular motions of the Revolution of Qi. He was determined to succeed, the memory of his failure with the boulder still stinging.
He fell into a rhythm, regulating his breath with the fluid, spiralling movements.
He felt the ambient Natural Energy responding, his internal Qi reaching out to it. This time he wasn’t just pushing Qi; he was trying to listen to the Mana Manke described. A faint vibration began to hum in the air around his hands. He was closer than ever to completing the first cycle—to achieving that impossible balance—when a sound interrupted his focus.
“What are all those strange movements, child?”
Nerion spun around, instantly deflating with irritation. Julieta stood there, freshly dressed in comfortable, specially-made traveler’s silks, her eyes still a little red and puffy from the previous night's terror.
“It's a martial art, Ugly Girl! And you interrupted me!” Nerion snapped, instantly abandoning his serene focus.
“You were interrupting my rest with your bizarre pagan dancing,” Julieta countered, though her voice lacked its usual snap. She looked down, a tiny tear welling in her eye. "I didn't sleep well. I honestly didn't want to come here. But I wanted to give Papa something special..." Her lip trembled, hiding her fear of failing her father.
As Julieta began to unload her emotional burden, revealing her vulnerability, Nerion found his anger dissolving into sympathy. He was about to offer an awkward comfort when a low, soft growl sounded from the trees.
A striking silhouette emerged: a lean, muscular wolf nearly a meter and a half tall, its dense fur the colour of bright blue twilight, accented by a distinctive white tuft of hair on its forehead.
Julieta gasped, raising a trembling hand to her mouth. The wolf was a magnificent, dangerous predator.
Nerion’s face, however, lit up. “Leo!” he shouted, running forward and embracing the wolf’s neck.
The wolf, Leo, the Silverback Wolf, was only a Rank 1 Magical Beast pup, but it was massive for its age, its eyes holding an unusual, deep intelligence. Leo responded with a friendly lick to Nerion’s face.
“You’re alive! I’m glad you didn’t run away, My Leo,” Nerion cheered.
Julieta, recovering, lowered her hand. “You—you know that beast?”
“He’s my friend, Ugly Girl,” Nerion said proudly, rubbing Leo’s ears. “Leo taught me how to walk in the Woods.”
Julieta was mesmerised by the creature’s elegant beauty. She approached cautiously. “He’s magnificent. V—V-V-Vend him to me, child. I will give you a good price. More money than your orphanage will see in a year!”
Nerion became instantly enraged, his small body vibrating. “He is not for sale! He is my friend. You don’t sell your friends, you silly noble!”
Julieta recoiled, startled by the boy’s pure fury, then looked at the ground. She took a deep breath, her earlier haughtiness replaced by genuine humility. “I… I am sorry, Nerion. That was rude of me. And… I am sorry, Leo,” she said, directing a small, formal bow toward the wolf. “That was unkind. Please forgive me.”
Leo’s head tilted, his intelligent eyes fixed on her face. After a moment, he gave a soft, thoughtful huff of air—a sound that was neither a growl nor a bark. Nerion smiled. "He says it's okay, Ugly Girl! He knows you're sorry!"
“Could you please stop calling me Ugly Girl this, Ugly Girl that? Am I truly so Ugly in your eyes?” said Julieta, her brow frowned.
“No, I, I mean, you’re quite pretty yourself”, said Nerion. This time, he was the one getting flustered. “I’m sorry. I won’t call you like that anymore, Ug… M’Lady,”
“Hehehe, just call me Julieta. You don’t look like the type to keep formalities anyway. I already have enough of those that call me my lady or young miss, back home”, said Julieta with a smile, the bond between the two children growing silently.
Their truce, however, was broken by the sound of approaching boots.
Elisha and Captain Lykos, swords drawn, burst into the clearing, alerted by the scent of the magical beast.
“Nerion! What in the Abyss is that creature? Kill it!” Lykos roared, his Qi flaring.
Nerion quickly put an arm around Leo. "He's my friend, Leo! He's harmless!"
Lykos sheathed his blade, his Legate's instinct overriding his anger. "Harmless? That is a Magical Beast, boy! Do you know the liability you pose to Lady Julieta? If anything happened to her because of your wild pets, your entire orphanage couldn't pay the price!" The final threat was clear, and a new idea was forming in Lykos's mind.
Just as the argument intensified, a cry rang out from the main trail. "Captain! Quickly! We've found something!"
Lykos's fury was instantly replaced by predatory focus. He looked back at the main trail, then back at Nerion, his suspicion and anger boiling. "We will settle this later, boy. Keep your animal under control."
As the soldiers and Elisha rushed off, Nerion turned to Leo. "Go, my Leo. Go to our spot! It's too dangerous here now!" Leo vanished silently into the trees.
Julieta clutched Nerion's hand. "Nerion, what's happening?"
Nerion shook his head, his face determined. "I don't know, but Big Brother is there. We have to follow."
They hurried back to the main camp just as the commotion began.
Nerion and Julieta found the Corina retinue clustered in a tight defensive knot. The guards were staring up at a stretch of ancient, gnarled vine that had detached from the canopy, revealing itself to be a massive Chameleon Serpent. It was a lethal Rank 3 Magical Beast, its camouflage provided by iridescent, shifting scales.
"Captain, it swallowed Francis!" Kael yelled. "We can't see it! The Natural Energy is too thick! I can’t even detect it with my Will", the bruised Centurion continued, his Qi flickering nervously.
Lykos barked orders, but the Serpent's agility made his sight useless. The Serpent moved, searching for the next target. Manke, protecting Julieta, wasn’t able to provide necessary guidance. Nerion, seeing Elisha near the chaos, felt pure, paralyzing fear from the idea of losing his brother. He had to help.
He recalled Mikael's training on the Acupoints. He closed his eyes and forced his nascent Qi into the sensitive Ocular Acupoints, a route he was physically too young to manage.
Nerion screamed internally as the raw, uncontained Qi ripped through his delicate veins. Small, visible blood vessels burst around his eyes, marking the heavy price of the influx. But his vision snapped open, granting him the enhanced perception needed. He focused, finding the infinitesimal distortion left by the Serpent’s camouflage.
"The head! Above the tall rock!" Nerion screamed, pointing a trembling finger.
Elisha, trusting his younger brother implicitly, reacted instantly.
CRACK!
Elisha's foot struck the Serpent's head with shocking force, shattering its camouflage and sending it flying backwards. The Rank 3 beast, stunned and exposed, was now a visible target. The might of the Chameleon Serpent came not from its toughness, but from its camouflage abilities and agility. Without them, it was nothing more than prey for the experienced warriors.
Lykos, recognising the tactical opportunity, roared with renewed fury. He focused his entire Legate-level Qi into a single, devastating punch, channelling his Will to impose its violent form upon the world. The anterior half of an untangible-looking bull of energy exploded from his fist, striking the Serpent mid-air, snapping its neck, and sending its lifeless body crashing through several trees.
Lykos turned, his gaze intense, fixed on Nerion. "How did the boy see it?" he murmured, his voice shaking with suspicion.
The pace is ramping up... The climax to Nerion's first adventure in Radon Woods is coming fast. Please comment, vote and let me hear your thoughts. Is the Magic System to your liking?
TIMBER Ranks: Adept (10-19), Arch-Magus (50-59), Arch-Sage (90-95).