5 years later…
Damian Kade is now 10 years old. In the Kade family's training hall, sunlight streams in through the tall, wooden-framed windows. The stone floor glistens slightly, slippery with a thin layer of ice, remnants of the previous training. In the middle of the room, a straw doll stands leaning against a stack of logs, Damian's training target today.
Damian Kade stares at the doll with burning determination. His body is straight, his breathing is steady, and his eyes are sparkling with passion. He is wearing a training robe with the Frostvale emblem. His right hand is holding a wooden sword with a grip that is starting to be slippery with sweat. He realizes that in order to become a strong person, he must master the technique of mana flow and perfect sword movements.
With one steady step, Damian takes a deep breath. He imagines a cold current flowing from the center of his body to his fingertips. Slowly, he focuses his mind on the straw doll, imagining the solid ice crystals that will form in his hand. But at the last second, his mind is not focused because he is thinking about his old friends.
Damian swings his wooden sword towards the target. His movements looked fast and precise. However, because he was too enthusiastic, Damian's grip was released. The wooden sword flew fast, hit the wall near the door, and then bounced out of the room.
BANG!
A loud crash echoed in the hall. Damian was shocked, his heart pounding. He paused for a moment, then glanced at the door that suddenly opened. The wooden sword hit someone's head just as he stepped in. Standing there was Gairos 'Gai-san' Burakku — a former legendary swordsman who is now Damian's trainer.
BANG!
"ARGHH! DAMIAN!!" Gairos Burakku, or more familiarly called Gai-san, groaned in pain while squeezing his head while holding back the lump that was starting to appear. The rice ball he had just brought was hit by the wooden sword and scattered on the floor.
Damian paused for a few seconds, then bent his knees and held back laughter — a mixture of embarrassment and humor. He swallowed, then walked slowly.
"Sorry, Gai-san…" he said softly, bowing politely.
Gai-san blinked, then, in a tone that was half angry and half annoyed, said, "I was just about to eat lunch!" He pointed to his room.
Gai-san used to be a famous swordsman in Frostvale. It was said that he once fought a squad of fully armed bandits and came out without a scar. But in his retirement, the wounds left him with aches and fatigue that made him often complain and sleep anywhere—on the porch, in the garden, etc.
"Damian, I've told you many times," Gai-san complained while fixing his tangled hair tie. "Don't be too flashy during training. Focus on the basic techniques first. Hand movements must be stable. Breathing must be precise."
Damian scratched his head, his icy blue hair giving off a sheen. "I think if the ice technique was combined with cool movements, the result would be more impressive."
Gai-san let out a long breath, then leaned on the wooden stick he always carried—a support because his legs were still sore. "The only thing that's impressive in my head right now is this bump," he said while pointing to his red forehead.
Damian swallowed, looking at his teacher and trainer. Behind the jokes and protests, he knew that Gai-san cared deeply about him. Gai-san often slipped in advice between his words: how to read your opponent's movements, how to hold back the coldness within yourself, and most importantly, never give up even if you fail many times.
"Okay, Gai-san, I'll try again," Damian said.
He took a few steps back, took a deep breath, and began to concentrate his mana energy. In the world of Altareon, everyone has mana—a universal energy that flows in the blood. Damian was born with a special gift: Ice Affinity. He couldn't learn other elements—fire, wind, earth, or water.
But having Affinity didn't mean it was easy. In this world, there were many ways to become stronger. Affinity was just one of the advantages he had, but it didn't mean that just because he had ice affinity meant he was strong. Damian was still in the early stages. Every training session left him exhausted and often lost focus.
This time, he focused on Gai-san's words: "Feel the cold, not just in the air—feel it inside yourself." Damian closed his eyes, letting the flow of mana slowly spread from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. A pale blue hue appeared on his skin, and a thin, cold mist began to form around his hands.
With a smooth movement, he lifted the wooden sword from its holder and swung it again. This time, the sword seemed to shimmer faintly, as if covered in a thin layer of frost. He pointed the tip of the sword at the straw doll, and with a soft squeak, a drop of water from the floor turned into a small ice cube, hitting its target.
The straw doll shuddered, then slowly collapsed. Damian opened his eyes and smiled in satisfaction. The small achievement made his heart beat with emotion.
Gai-san raised his eyebrows, then nodded slowly. "Good, Damian. That's better. Remember, basic techniques lead to stronger moves. Don't forget to practice your breathing."
Damian nodded eagerly.
The trainer taught a summary of basic techniques, breathing steps, and light tricks: how to calm the mind when failing, and how to avoid overspill—a situation where the flow of mana is too much to the point of causing the body to break down.
Damian listened attentively, writing down everything Gai-san said in his little notebook. He knew that to become strong, he had to learn a lot.
A few moments later, the sun began to set and the sky turned orange, indicating that it was already evening. Damian and Gai-san ended today's training. Gai-san patted Damian's shoulder proudly, although his voice was hoarse: "That's enough for today. Get some rest. Remember to take care of your health, too."
Damian smiled, took off his handguard, and rolled up his wooden sword. In his heart, he promised: he would become stronger, and he would never stop learning. With that determination, he stepped out of the hall, gazing at the frozen horizon of Frostvale reflecting the last rays of the sun.
After training…
Damian walked into the hallway of the Kade family palace. The hallway was filled with green carpets and family tree paintings on the walls. From the backyard, the sound of horses galloping softly could be heard. Today, they were going to town to buy new equipment and attend the winter festival.
Arriving at the library door, Damian pulled the wooden handle and entered with a happy expression. The library was his favorite place after training. The wooden shelves were filled with books about magic and the history of this world. However, today, Damian only focuses on one book.
He walked to the nearest shelf and took out an old book titled "Affinity".
Damian sat on a wooden bench near the window. He opened the front page of the book, which explained the origin of affinity in Frostvale.
He read each chapter carefully. The book explained that affinity was a gift given by God to a few people He chose. So, one type of affinity can only be owned by one person. But for people who have affinity, it means they cannot use the 4 common magic powers in this world (water, wind, fire, and earth). In addition, Affinity has many types. Inside the book were many lists of affinity powers. And he found the one affinity he was looking for...
"Ice Affinity," Damian said softly.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard at the library door.
"Damian?" called his father, Darius Kade. He was wearing a thick white coat, and his eyes were looking at him softly.
His mother, Celia Kade, stood behind him with a smile.
"We're going to town now. Come with us before the snow starts to fall too soon," his father said.
Damian closed the book slowly and stood up.
"Sure, Dad," he replied.
He stared at the book on his lap for a moment. He wondered when he would actually master this ice technique. However, walking to town with his family sounded more interesting than thinking about training.
Then Damian and his family left in a horse-drawn carriage....
A cold wind blew against Damian's face, making his cheeks red. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Before him stretched a snowy plain and ice mountains in the distance.
Damian smiled. He realized this trip wasn't just about shopping or festivals. It's a chance to get together with family and recharge before the next practice.
A wooden cart pulled by a horse made its way through the snowy streets towards downtown Frostvale. Snow fell softly, sticking to the thick coats of pedestrians.
On the right side of the cart, Celia Kade gently held Damian's shawl, a warm smile adorning her face. Darius Kade walked beside them, his figure sturdy and his sharp eyes observing every corner of the city. Behind, Liam Ashveil jogged, shopping bags hanging from his arms. Liam Ashveil… Damian's childhood friend, who also lived in Damian's house because his mother worked as a maid in Damian's house. But Damian always considered him as his younger brother even though they were the same age. In contrast to Damian, Liam always considered himself as Damian's assistant and best friend.
"Master Damian, if we stop by that old man's shop, don't invite him to play cards again," Liam whispered while turning his head to the side.
Damian raised an eyebrow, adjusting the scarf that was almost blown away by the wind. "I just wanted to test my luck a little," he answered briefly.
"Last time you were there, you almost sold your shirt and pants," Liam shook his head with an amused smile.
"That's because I'm not serious," Damian added, his voice calm. Liam just laughed softly and resumed walking quickly.
Soon, they arrived at the town square.
In the center of town, a giant Magic Board stood tall. A bronze frame surrounded a light blue crystal screen that was initially dim. Slowly, the board lit up with a soft light, then the sound of magic chiming echoed out, signaling an announcement.
The crowd stopped moving. Merchants, shoppers, and residents alike stared in surprise for a moment, their eyes fixed on the large text that appeared.
"📜 Official Announcement from the Zephyrus Kingdom"
"Zephyrus Academy is now open for new student registration."
"🎓 Only 100 people will be accepted each year."
"🌍 Open to all."
"🏰 Zephyrus Academy is a gathering place for aspiring legends."
A sudden commotion erupted. Whispers filled the air; Some people looked happy, others looked anxious as they checked on their children.
Damian stood beside his family, his eyes staring intently at the screen.
"You will be reunited at the best school in the world when you turn 17." God's voice echoed in Damian's mind again, reminding him of their true purpose.
Darius turned his head, his eyes hardening. "If you are serious about getting in there, you have to train three times harder," he said firmly.
Celia nodded in agreement. "But don't forget to eat properly. A warrior can't be great on an empty stomach."
Liam looked Damian straight in the eye and said. "I'll come too. I won't let Master Damian face everything alone."
Damian turned his head, a faint smile appearing on his lips. "You don't have to come, okay…"
Liam shrugged. "I will. Because I am your assistant and best friend."
The cold wind fluttered Damian's scarf as the crowd moved again. Between the joy and hope, a new determination grew in Damian's heart—the determination to prove himself and earn a place at Zephyrus Academy.
That night, snow was still falling softly when Damian returned to his room. A candle in the corner cast a warm glow that danced on the wooden walls.
His father, Darius Kade, stepped inside carrying a long velvet-lined box. Carefully, he lifted the lid. Inside the box were: A long, slender sword with a sharp steel blade, a slender silver curved cross guard that is no more than a finger width wide, a golden leather wrapped hilt for a firm grip
"Setsu'ryū — Snow Dragon," Darius said softly.
"This sword was given to me after the Great Northern War by the Frostvale kingdom as a tribute after our kingdom won the war. It is yours now."
Damian felt his heart race. He reached out, grasping the hilt of the sword. Instantly, a gust of wind blew around him.
Darius looked at his son seriously. "Be strong," he said, holding back the warmth of his voice. "But remember, be wise and responsible."
Damian nodded. He pressed the words into his heart.
Just as Damian was about to savor the moment, the door slammed open. Liam hurried in, a small wooden box in his left hand. "Master Damian, I brought back the ice knife you dropped this morning. Maybe it can be used for practice."
Damian smiled and reached for the small box. "Thank you, Liam."
Liam closed the box, then sat in the corner of the room while opening his training notebook.
Damian looked down at the sword in his lap. Even though this journey had just begun, he already felt the burden and responsibility that awaited him. But he knew he was not on this journey alone...
Behind the window, snowflakes continued to fall, as if witnessing the determination that was born that night.