I waited in the spot where I first met the stranger named Jax. I hope he isn't tricking me. If we meet again, I can't guarantee his safety for my own sake.
I climbed up the tree where I had waited before. Luckily, the branch was large and strong enough for me to rest comfortably for a while. I could hear birds chirping and water flowing nearby.
I don't know how I dozed off, but I woke up to the sound of someone whistling. I yawned before climbing down the tree. Jax greeted me, along with an unfamiliar old man. The man had long white hair, likely from his old age.
"Greetings, Sire," I said, bowing slightly before looking at Jax. "I'm glad you kept your promise." He smirked.
"How could I not when we both stand to gain from this? I just hope you're not wasting my time making our tower lord come this far." I ignored him and focused on the old man beside him.
"Sire, I'm Lara. I don't know much about magic since I was forbidden from entering the palace library, but my mother said I have power that could be awakened someday. I hope to be your student."
"I am Zabbas. Yes, I can feel a small presence of mana connected to you." Jax's loud laugh interrupted, prompting me to shoot him a death glare. Sir Zabbas looked taken aback by Jax's reaction, as if he hadn't seen anything like it before.
"Sorry, sorry. Could my trip here be a waste after all? How can a small amount of mana help either of us? If this is all there is, we can leave, and our deal is finished."
How did this happen before? How did they awaken my power? I began to dig into my memory of what happened in my past life before my death.
Everything seemed fine then. My father treated me kindly and looked at me as his child for the first time. He even gave me rare gems, something he had never done before. Merrideth and her mother were unusually nice to me, not doing anything hurtful or shameful. I brushed it off, thinking maybe they had changed their minds.
That day, I was in my room when I heard a knock on the door. When I opened it, my father was smiling in a way that was unusual, with someone I didn't recognize standing behind him.
"Father, is there something you need?"
He went on to explain that my mother was a magician and said I needed to awaken my power to help him in his upcoming battle with the Tavrin. I was too naive to trust him and his words.
From what I remember, the mage had me sit cross-legged. He stood behind me and told me to visualize an open space. Then, I felt a liquid fire rushing through my veins. My skin felt tight, and my bones vibrated, forcing a grunt from me. Everything overwhelmed me. When he pulled his hand away, I collapsed onto my bed, feeling weak and drained. Later, guards dragged me to the dungeon. That's how it ended. It was pitiful to die so easily.
"You can't just leave like that. Sir Zabbas, have you ever tried to awaken someone before?" Jax looked at me and then at Jax, waiting for approval before he could respond. Jax shrugged his shoulders. Sir Zabbas slowly nodded.
"I have, but only with a few people. Miss, awakening someone is very dangerous and not something to take lightly. Some people have died because of it," he said, warning me. I shrugged it off.
If I die today because of this, then it wasn't really my fate. Of course, for the things I want to achieve, I must take risks. The things I have been doing so far are already risky. And I've been lucky.
"I'm willing to take the risk, Sir Zabbas," I replied seriously. I wanted him to know I'm not just bluffing. He had seen a bit of mana in me; it's safe to assume he thought I was just a crazy woman asking for a death wish.
"I hope you understand the consequences of your choice, young miss."
With my consent, he had me turn my back to him. I closed my eyes and tried to think of an open space, just like before. But I didn't feel my skin tightening or my bones vibrating. It was different. I pictured a wide open grassy field under a bright blue sky—nothing but endless green and clean air. I could hear a little bird chirping somewhere nearby, cheerful and carefree. Then came the soft sound of a river flowing gently. Everything felt light and easy, surrounded by pleasant sounds and open space.
Then I felt a warm sensation spreading from my heart through my blood, filling every part of me. It was as if something inside me was awakening. I felt more relaxed, almost as if I were floating. The sounds around me became clearer.
When I sensed everything was complete, I opened my eyes. Everything felt normal except for the calmness and the warm feeling within me that had been cold for so long.
"What are you?" Jax said incredulously, as if he had seen something strange. Sir Zabbas looked equally shocked.
"Sir Zabbas, I think it worked. I didn't die!" I smiled broadly, but their expressions didn't change.
"Young Miss, y-your hair and eyes..." My brows furrowed, but I chose to run toward the river to see my reflection.
My mouth dropped open when I saw myself. My black hair had turned silver-white, and my blue eyes were now bright red. What just happened? After a moment of shock, I returned to ask Sir Zabbas for an explanation.
"Even if I want to answer you, young miss, I can't. Everyone I've helped awaken ends up unconscious for days at least. I'm shocked to see you still standing in front of me as if nothing happened."
"Other than this overwhelming feeling, I think I'm fine," I replied, puzzled by his words. Unconscious? I felt healthier than ever.
"Lor—Sir Jax! You were lucky to meet this young lady. She is truly a descendant of a powerful magician. Our journey is not in vain!" he said excitedly, as if he had won the lottery.
So it was true—my plan was slowly coming together. Taking risks was the key to my success. The right pieces for the right people lead to the right moves.
"So you weren't bluffing all along. I'm glad I trusted my instincts," Jax said, but I glared at him. He had the nerve to say that after almost abandoning me earlier.
"Wait! What about my hair and eyes? I can't go back to the palace looking like this!" That would be a death wish for me.
"Right now, your mana is overflowing, and you must control it to return to your old appearance," Sir Zabbas explained.
He instructed me on how to control my mana and even agreed to be my teacher when I asked. I would really need his guidance. He mentioned that having too much mana was dangerous if not handled correctly.
"Thank you so much, Master Zabbas," I said, bowing slightly. He was now my teacher since I was his student.
I turned to Jax. "Thank you for your help." Even if the only good thing he did was bring me Master Zabbas, without his help, I wouldn't have awakened this early.
"I did my part. I hope you honor our agreement."
"Certainly." He might also be useful in the future.