When Raid woke for the second time, it was to the sound of movement in the house and the clear light streaming through the curtain. He blinked, feeling disoriented for a moment, until he remembered where he was. Trapped in another world.
Keiko was already sitting up, rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands. Her hair was a dark, tangled mass that she was trying to smooth down without much success.
"I slept terribly," she grumbled, her voice hoarse. "I dreamed I was home and when I woke up..." She gestured vaguely at the room, clear frustration on her face.
Raid just nodded slightly, never knowing what to say at times like these.
Constant was already sitting on the edge of his mattress, running his hands through his hair in a futile attempt to tidy it. His eyes were slightly red, but his expression was neutral. Calm. As if nothing had happened.
If Raid hadn't seen him crying in the early hours, he would never have known.
"Good morning," Constant said. "I think Aldric is already awake. I heard movement downstairs."
"Downstairs?" Keiko frowned.
"The kitchen is on the lower floor."
"Should we go down?" Keiko was already on her feet, hastily braiding her hair just to get it out of her face. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
It was true. The previous night's dinner had been too light.
The three of them went out together naturally staying close and descended the narrow stairs.
The kitchen was small but functional, with a wood-burning stove, shelves full of ceramic pots, and a solid table in the center. The smell coming from a large pot was interesting, not bad, but definitely unfamiliar.
Aldric was by the stove, stirring something. He turned when he heard the footsteps on the stairs, and it was at that moment, seeing the three children descending in a hesitant line as their figures appeared in the daylight.
The first to descend was the girl, and even with her disheveled hair and stained shirt, there was something about her that spoke of another world. Her tense posture, the thin fabric of her clothes now irrevocably dirty. Her eyes scanned the environment, but instead of curiosity, there was a contained panic under a fragile layer of control.
Right behind her, the taller boy moved with a quietness that contrasted with the girl's energy. His shoulders were not broad, but they carried an invisible weight. His brown skin and worn clothes told stories of days spent outdoors, while his observant eyes seemed to catalog every detail of the kitchen.
And at the end, almost hiding behind the others, the third boy descended with hunched shoulders. His movements were restrained, his hands restless, but his black eyes captured everything in the blink of an eye.
Three completely displaced children. Three different stories that had brought them here.
"Sit," Aldric said, pointing to the benches around the table. "The food is almost ready."
They obeyed in silence, with Raid naturally positioning himself between the other two, as if seeking protection. Aldric brought the pot and began serving its contents into simple ceramic bowls. It was a thick, beige-gray porridge, substantial and hot, releasing steam laden with an earthy, unknown aroma.
"Not what you're used to, I imagine," he said as he distributed the portions. "But it's nutritious."
Keiko looked at the bowl with obvious suspicion until her stomach growled loudly. She blushed and picked up the spoon, hunger overcoming caution.
They ate in silence for the first few minutes, only the sound of spoons scraping against ceramic breaking the quiet. Aldric served himself and sat down with them, discreetly observing as he ate. They are adapting, he noted how they accepted the strange food without much complaint. Faster than he expected that was a good sign.
Constant broke the silence. "Thank you. For the food and for letting us stay."
Aldric waved off the thanks. "You are guests of this village now. But there are practical matters to discuss. About what you will do here."
Keiko set down her wooden spoon. The movement was deliberate, and the dull sound of the utensil resting on the ceramic bowl filled the brief silence. Her eyes, now free from the haze of sleep, fixed on Aldric with renewed intensity.
"Work, you said," she repeated, her voice firmer than it had been minutes before. "Agriculture. Hunting."
"Yes. But first I need to know do any of you have specific skills? Useful experiences?"
The three looked at each other. Keiko spoke first, clear irony in her voice. "I can play the piano. And I had etiquette lessons three times a week." She rolled her eyes. "That won't help much here, will it?"
Raid just shook his head slightly, looking at his own hands.
Constant took a deep breath. "I know a bit about hunting. Basic survival. Making simple traps, tracking, some things like that." He paused. "But I agree with Keiko. What I know probably doesn't apply here. Everything is different."
Aldric was quiet for a moment, then smiled a small, but genuine smile.
"You are partially correct," he said finally. "Many things are different. You will have to learn a lot from scratch." A deliberate pause. "But you are also wrong."
"Wrong how?" Keiko frowned.
Aldric stood up, going to the window. The morning light strange and bluish from the solar ring entered at soft angles.
"You come from another world. You have different perspectives, unique ways of thinking. That can be a considerable advantage." He turned to Constant. "You mentioned traps. The basic mechanics are universal. Gravity works the same here. Levers work the same. The concept is identical."
Constant blinked, considering. "I suppose so."
"And Keiko," Aldric continued. "You may not know how to cook or sew, but you clearly received an education. You can read and write, I presume?"
"Of course," she replied, somewhat defensively. "In two languages."
"However," Aldric raised a finger, "the Blessing of Comprehension you received, which allows you to understand our speech, does not work for writing. If I show you a book from here, it will just be meaningless symbols. And there is another important detail." He made a significant pause. "The blessing does not translate words literally. It takes what I say and searches your minds for the closest concept you know, and vice versa. That's why the meaning can sometimes arrive... a bit distorted."
Keiko blinked, processing this. "So... I would have to learn to read everything all over again? From scratch?"
"Yes. And eventually, the language as well," Aldric confirmed. "But that is for later, when you are more adapted to the daily routine. For now, the blessing is enough." He smiled. "The important thing is that you already know what it is to learn to read. You understand the concept of symbols representing sounds and meanings. That puts you far ahead of someone who has never held a book. Literacy is rare here outside the cities."
That clearly surprised her. "But... how do people live without..."
"Oral tradition. Memory. Knowledge passed from father to son, from master to apprentice." Aldric shrugged. "It works, just differently from what you know."
He then looked at Raid, who immediately lowered his eyes. "And you, young Raid. Your eyes never stop observing. How you notice details others ignore. In the forest, that saves lives. In the fields, it feeds families."
Raid felt his face grow warm, the spoon trembling slightly in his hand.
"My point," Aldric returned to the bench, "is that you are not useless. Far from it. Your world prepared you, just for different challenges."
He tapped softly on the table. "Is this wood the same as in your world? Hard, burns, can be shaped? The basic concepts are the same."
Constant nodded slowly. "The laws of physics... are they the same?"
"Many of them. Water still wets. Fire still burns. Stones are heavy. The night is still cold." Aldric gestured. "The fundamentals of the physical world are shared. What changes are the rules you didn't learn in school..."
"Magic," Keiko finished, her voice softer now, full of real curiosity. "That woman... the floating water. How is that possible? Can everyone here do it?"
Aldric leaned forward, his eyes serious. "That is not a simple question. In Excelsior, power has many faces..."
He paused, organizing his thoughts. "It is not just 'magic' as a single concept. There are different systems, different paths. Some are born with innate power. Others study for years to learn to manipulate mystical energies. Others still channel forces through prepared objects."
"What do you mean?" Constant leaned forward slightly, clearly interested.
"I will use practical examples," Aldric said. "The woman you saw yesterday, Elara, she uses what we call the Arcane Art. Studied magic. But even this magic requires an innate talent. She wasn't born knowing how to move water, but she was born with the necessary spark to learn. The training, the study, the practice... all of that shapes a talent that already existed within her. She understood the laws governing water and air, but first she needed to have the capacity to feel them."
"So it's... science?" Keiko asked. "Like, rules that can be learned?"
Aldric seemed to consider the word for a moment, as if it didn't fit perfectly. "In a way, yes. The Arcane Art has principles, formulas, methods. Entire books are written about it. Academies exist to teach it." He paused. "But the comparison is not perfect. It requires natural talent as well. Not everyone can do it, even with study. One needs the capacity to feel and manipulate what we call mana the mystical energy that permeates everything."
"And the other systems?" Constant asked.
"There is enhanced Martial Combat warriors who channel power through specially prepared weapons, marked with runes. Or monks who use internal energy from their own bodies. Trackers who sharpen their senses beyond the normal." Aldric looked at each of them. "And then there is Mysticism innate power, born from a connection to the divine or primordial forces. That one..."
He paused significantly, lightly touching his own neck where a mark would be hidden if he were a Mystic.
"That is what you have."
Silence fell over the table.
"The marks," Raid whispered.
"Yes. You did not study to have power. You did not train. You simply... have it. Fragments of something greater inside you. That makes you Mystics rare, powerful, and..." he hesitated, "dangerous. To yourselves and others, if you do not learn control."
"But we haven't done anything yet," Keiko said. "We haven't felt any power. How do we know we really have it?"
"Because the marks do not lie. And because..." Aldric stood up, going to a shelf. He picked up a small kitchen knife and, before anyone could protest, made a quick cut on his own palm.
"What" Keiko began, half rising.
But Aldric was already raising his hand, showing the blood trickling down. And then... he murmured something too low to hear, and a soft, bluish light emanated from his palm. The cut began to close, the skin slowly reforming until, within seconds, there was no more wound. Only dried blood as evidence.
"This," he said calmly, "is basic Arcane Art. Minor healing. It took me three years of study to learn to do this reliably."
The three were speechless.
"You," Aldric continued, wiping his hand on a cloth, "will eventually do things much more impressive than this. Not in the same way Mysticism works differently, more instinctive, more linked to pure emotion and will. But with similar or greater power." His expression became serious. "That is why you need training. Power without control is a disaster waiting to happen."
Constant was looking at his own hands as if seeing them for the first time. Keiko had automatically touched her own neck, where the mark was hidden. Raid just went very quiet, processing.
"But that is for later," Aldric said, returning to the previous subject. "For now, we need to focus on the immediate finding places for you in the village, work you can do, families who can shelter you. Mystical training..." he gestured vaguely, "will come eventually. When the inspector comes, if you are accepted into Aethérion. For now, you need to learn to live here. To survive. To become part of the community."
He looked at each of them. "So. Questions? Doubts? Fears you want to share?"
Raid wanted to ask a thousand things. How does it work exactly? What are we going to do? Will it hurt? Are we dangerous now? Will we hurt someone by accident? But the words wouldn't come, stuck somewhere between his brain and his mouth as always.
It was Keiko who spoke. "How long... how long until we learn to control this? The powers?"
"It depends," Aldric said honestly. "Some Mystics take years. Others manifest abilities faster, especially under pressure. But real, refined control? That takes time, practice, proper guidance."
"And if... if something happens before? If we lose control?" Her voice was lower now, vulnerable in a way it hadn't been before.
Aldric looked at her with understanding. "That is why you will be under supervision. That is why the village has protections. And," he added gently, "that is why you have each other. Three Mystics together can support each other, balance each other, help each other maintain control when one is failing." He paused, noticing the anxiety on their faces. "But that is a worry for another day. You only need to think about that after you awaken."
"When will that happen?" Constant asked, his voice more urgent than he intended.
Aldric opened his hands in a gesture of uncertainty. "I cannot say. The truth is, I know little about Mystics like you. The accounts I've heard say that the awakening comes through emotions moments of great anger, fear, joy, or despair. But the timing... that varies for each one."
He let that settle for a moment, then clapped his hands once, breaking the heavy mood.
"But enough theory for now. Finish eating. Afterwards, we will find your appropriate places in the village. Constant you will come with me to meet Gareth, our head hunter. Keiko there is an apothecary who needs help. Raid a farming family that could use extra hands in the fields."
He looked at the three of them. "Today your new life in Thornhaven begins. Do your best. It is all I can ask."