A slow, subtle hum began to greet him during his meditations. A presence, light as smoke, brushing against his skin, teasing his senses. At first, he thought it was wind.
Then he realized—it moved with his breath, reacted to his thoughts.
It was mana.
Kael felt it for the first time—truly felt it. Not just seen through someone else's display, but around.
It took two full months from Leona's departure.
Two months of stubborn repetition, of staring at the sky and believing—just believing—that maybe he wasn't empty after all.
And on that morning, just as the mist began to lift and the first rays of sunlight touched the household, Kael opened his eyes mid-meditation.
Tears welled in his eyes, his chest swelling with something he hadn't felt in a long time.
Pride.
Not because it came easily—but because he had earned it.
**
More time passed.
Seasons began to shift and Kael no longer counted the days. As he devoted himself to mastering mana, a bittersweet truth began to settle into his bones.
He was not talented.
No matter how disciplined he became, no matter how deeply he meditated or how precisely he followed Leona's teachings, he could barely absorb any mana.
Its not like he couldn't, its just that the amount was so small that it could barely be considered as absorbing.
It was not enough to nurture his body, let alone cast a proper spell.
But Kael didn't despair this time.
He stared at his calloused hands, resting them gently on his knees. "At least I did something," he whispered to himself,.
There was no grand reward. No heaven shaking awakening. But this—this tiny foundation that he had carved from sheer will—was his.
Let others have talent, he thought, rising slowly. I'll have perseverance.
One day, as Kael trained like he always did, a memory surfaced suddenly in his mind.
He was four at the time, barely able to reach the shelves in their house. That day, Lyra and Alaric were busy in the garden, tending to crops while he had snuck into their room.
He didn't know what he had been searching for. Maybe treasure. Maybe secrets. Maybe just the thrill of sneaking around where he wasn't supposed to be.
And that's when he saw it.
A strange book.
Even back then, something about it made his heart race. But before he could even open it, the door slammed open.
"Kael!"
Alaric stood there in the doorway, his voice sharper than usual. He snatched it away instantly, holding it like it was something toxic, dangerous.
"You must never touch this again," Alaric said, eyes cold and distant in a way Kael had never seen. "Forget it exists. Do you understand?"
And he had nodded, frightened by a side of his father he didn't recognize.
But that was until today.
A mysterious glint appeared in his gaze as he stood and made his way towards the house. A small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as his feet turned toward a familiar room—his parents' chamber.
Lyra was still busy tending the garden. Alaric hadn't returned from the market.
Perfect, he thought.
With silent steps, Kael slipped through the door, closing it behind him without a sound. He crept toward the large wooden drawer near the bedside, opened it, and began rummaging through its contents.
Clothes, old notes, a pendant, a few empty mana bottles—until finally, his fingers brushed against the item he sought.
A book.
He pulled it out carefully and stared at the cover.
Now let's see what secrets you're hiding.
Kael had always tried to sneak this book out, but his parents never allowed it. No matter how many times he asked or begged, the answer was always the same—Not yet, Kael. You're not ready.
But now, here it was in his hands. Forbidden. Mysterious. Tempting.
His heart pounded in his chest as he gazed at the old, worn cover. The texture of the leather, the faint golden glow that it gave off—it all looked like something straight out of Harry Potter. The kind of book that would shout abracadabra! and shoot out a bolt of light, or maybe even float into the air, flipping its own pages.
This... this has to be magical, Kael thought, gripping it tighter.
His fingers itched to open it.
Wasting no more time, Kael opened the cover—and immediately, a burst of energy surged out from the book, surrounding him in a light-blue glow. He flinched, eyes darting around in panic, but the energy didn't burn or push him away. Instead, it felt warm, almost welcoming, like the book was recognizing him.
As the glow faded, Kael looked down. The first page was blank.
He tilted his head in confusion and flipped to the next one.
Finally—text.