Magic in Anterthon: The Awakening Fire

An elderly man in his seventies knocked on the door of Headmaster Nero’s office. Professor Winraus, one of the academy’s most respected professors in the Practical Division, oversaw the Magic Spell class. Though Headmaster Nero appeared to be in his mid-twenties, Winraus still treated him with the utmost respect. Their history stretched back far beyond the academy walls.

Nero glanced up from his desk as the door creaked open. “Winraus, you’re here.”

“Headmaster,” Winraus greeted with a slight bow, his tone respectful yet familiar. His weathered face showed the weight of many years, but his eyes still gleamed with curiosity. He paused, hesitant. “I wanted to ask about the Fireon successor. Is that why you recalled the other successors from the mortal world?”

Nero leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlocking as his gaze became more thoughtful. “You’ve got it wrong. It’s true I brought them back, but finding Kenneth was merely a coincidence.”

Winraus’s brow furrowed, the skepticism clear in his tone. “I’ve known you all my life, Headmaster Nero. Your decisions tend to cause ripples, often leading to storms. Is there something dangerous coming?”

For a moment, a shadow of nostalgia crossed Nero’s usually unreadable expression. “You really do know me well, considering I’ve raised you since you were born,” he said, his voice soft, almost wistful.

Winraus’s sharp eyes searched Nero’s face. He lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “Is your power sealed?”

Nero’s demeanor shifted, a brief flicker of vulnerability passing through his calm exterior. “Yes,” he admitted quietly. “I don’t know how long it will stay that way.”

There was a brief silence. Winraus, despite his years of wisdom, knew better than to push Nero too hard. He respected the mystery that surrounded the Headmaster, though that didn’t stop the concern gnawing at him. “You’ve always kept your cards close, Headmaster, but if there’s something I should prepare for—”

Nero cut him off, shaking his head slightly. “I can’t tell you everything. You know how dangerous it can be to interfere with time and the threads of fate. Too much knowledge could lead to paradoxes, unraveling everything. But,” he added after a pause, “I’ve already set certain events in motion. Bringing important figures, ensuring they’re where they need to be.”

Winraus frowned, sensing the weight in Nero’s words. “Including Kenneth?”

Nero’s gaze grew distant, a mixture of worry and determination swirling in his eyes. “He doesn’t realize it yet,” Nero said quietly. “But his fire awakening… that’s just the beginning.”

＊＊＊

After days at the academy, Kenneth’s life had settled into a routine of classes, practice, and study. Yet, despite his efforts, his fire magic remained weak. No matter how hard he tried, he could only produce a faint, flickering flame from his hand—a far cry from the legendary fire he was supposed to wield.

One afternoon, as Kenneth sat in the courtyard, the small flame dancing in his palm, he heard footsteps approaching.

“Wow, is that the famous fire magic everyone’s talking about?” Rika asked, leaning over with a bright smile as she peered at the flickering flame.

Kenneth sighed, waving his hand to extinguish it. “If this is ‘famous,’ then it’s for all the wrong reasons. I don’t understand. No matter how much I try, it never grows stronger.”

Rika sat down beside him, her eyes still filled with curiosity. “Have you looked into any books about it? Maybe there’s a key detail you’re missing.”

“I’ve read every book I could find,” Kenneth replied, his voice edged with frustration. “But being a mortal just weeks ago… maybe I’m not grasping it the way I’m supposed to.”

Rika tilted her head, considering his words. Then, with a cheerful grin, she said, “Maybe you’re overthinking it. Magic isn’t just about reading or theory—it’s about feeling. When you get it right, something inside will just click and boom! Your magic will become powerful.”

Kenneth couldn’t help but smile slightly at her enthusiasm, despite his own frustration. “You make it sound so easy.”

Rika blushed, realizing how naive she might have sounded. “I know, I’m terrible at explaining things like this. How about asking Joash?”

Kenneth blinked, surprised. “Joash? You know Joash?”

“Yeah, of course,” Rika replied, a little confused by his reaction. “He’s kind of famous around here, especially for his research on Elemental Revival. He focuses a lot on fire magic. I met him a while back.”

Kenneth’s mind raced at the mention of Joash. They don’t know… The hidden connection between Joash and the Fireon family stirred something uneasy within him. There was so much left unspoken between them, especially with his role as Fireon’s supposed successor.

But he quickly pushed those thoughts aside. Keeping his voice steady, he nodded. “Let’s go find him.”

＊＊＊

They headed toward the Theory Division building, which felt different from the rest of the academy. Unlike the neat and orderly Practical and Special Divisions, this building was cluttered with research papers, ancient weapons, and runes etched into walls and tables. It felt like the center of arcane research, where knowledge was treated like a living thing to be dissected and understood.

As they walked through the hallway, Kenneth couldn’t help but notice how each room had a plaque indicating the student’s research. They passed rooms labeled “Rune Studies,” “Magical Artifact Restoration,” and even “Ancient Magic Theory.” Finally, they stopped in front of a door marked “Elemental Revival.”

Rika knocked softly. “Joash, are you in there?”

A voice came from the other side. “Yes? Come in.”

Rika pushed the door open, revealing Joash standing by a desk covered in scrolls and books. He glanced at Kenneth, and an awkward silence settled over the room.

“How can I help you, Rika?” Joash asked, avoiding Kenneth’s gaze.

“This is Kenneth,” Rika introduced with a cheerful smile. “He’s the successor of Fireon.”

Joash froze for a moment before awkwardly nodding. “Nice to meet you.”

“We were hoping you might have some advice for him,” Rika continued. “He’s struggling with his fire magic, and since you’ve been researching Fire and Elemental Revival, we thought you could help.”

Joash hesitated, his eyes flitting toward the scrolls scattered across his desk. There was a brief flash of something—resentment? Regret?—before he masked it with a neutral expression. “I’m… kind of busy at the moment,” he said, his voice a little too controlled. He began shuffling through papers as if to underscore his point. “Maybe come back later?”

Rika blinked, taken aback by the sudden coldness in his tone. “Oh, right. Sorry to bother you. We’ll ask someone else.”

She ushered Kenneth out of the room, leaving Joash behind in his sea of papers. But before the door fully closed, Kenneth caught a glimpse of Joash’s face, a mix of unease and something deeper—something unspoken between them.

Outside, Rika tried to lift Kenneth’s spirits. “We’ll just ask another student,” she said, misreading his silence as disappointment over not getting help.

Just then, a familiar voice interrupted them. “Is something wrong with Joash?”

They turned to see Professor Rowan walking toward them, his long robes rustling against the stone floor.

“Professor Rowan!” Rika exclaimed, clearly relieved. “We were hoping Joash could help Kenneth with his fire magic, but it looks like he’s too busy.”

Professor Rowan nodded thoughtfully. “Joash does get deeply involved in his research, but it seems odd he wouldn’t offer to help. Regardless, I was on my way to see him, but since he’s occupied, perhaps I could assist you instead?”

Kenneth hesitated, but Rika immediately jumped at the offer. “That would be wonderful, Professor!”

Professor Rowan smiled kindly and led them to his office. His workspace was cozy, filled with bookshelves packed with ancient tomes, charts pinned to the walls, and magical artifacts arranged carefully on every surface. The air smelled faintly of old parchment and incense, giving the room a scholarly warmth.

Once they were seated, Kenneth explained his struggle with his fire magic while Rika added in some details. Professor Rowan listened patiently, nodding every so often.

“I see,” he said after a moment of silence. “I think I understand the problem. My current research is about pnevma. Your problem is likely tied to the flow of your pnevma.”

Rowan stood and walked over to a cabinet, retrieving a small crystal ball. “Let’s start by checking the amount of pnevma inside you. Place your hand on this.”

Kenneth pressed his hand against the crystal, but it only glowed dimly, the light weak and unremarkable.

“That’s strange,” Rowan murmured. “It’s lower than I expected.”

Kenneth glanced down at the bracelet Nero had given him and frowned. He unlatched it from his wrist and placed his hand on the crystal again. This time, the ball blazed with light, growing so bright that it became blinding. Before anyone could react, the crystal cracked with a sharp sound, and the light vanished.

Both Rowan and Rika stared in shock.

“Well,” Rowan said, recovering quickly, “that explains it. The bracelet you’ve been wearing seems to be limiting your pnevma output. You’ll need to learn how to control it properly and force the bracelet to adjust its limit.”

“Can you teach me how to control it?” Kenneth asked, eager to understand this newfound power.

Rowan smiled and rummaged through a box, pulling out a simple candle. “Let’s start with this. Light the candle using your magic.”

Kenneth stared at the candle, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Isn’t that a little basic?”

“For someone like Rika, yes,” Rowan chuckled. “But this will challenge you.”

Kenneth focused and summoned a flame in his palm, the fire flickering and swirling. Rowan watched intently. “That’s a good start. Now, instead of producing the flame in your hand, try channeling the energy directly into the candle. Think of your hand as a gateway, transferring pnevma from within to the world outside.”

Kenneth nodded, concentrating as he extended his hand toward the candle. After a moment, the wick flickered, igniting briefly before the flame sputtered out.

Rowan smiled. “That’s your assignment. You need to feed the candle steadily with your magic, like opening a valve and controlling the flow. Once you’ve mastered that, you can try lighting these.” He gestured to several other candles, each a different size and complexity.

Kenneth’s frustration began to fade, and for the first time, he felt like he was truly starting to understand his magic. “Thank you, Professor. I think I’m finally getting it.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Rowan replied, nodding. “This technique was actually mentioned in a book by the Third Fire Guardian. He used this method to refine his control over pnevma.”

After leaving Professor Rowan’s office, Kenneth and Rika stepped back into the hallway, the echo of their footsteps reverberating off the stone walls of the Theory Division. Kenneth clutched the candles Professor Rowan had given him, his mind racing with thoughts about pnevma, his magic, and the surprising revelation regarding the bracelet.

Noticing his silence, Rika gently nudged him. “You okay?”

Kenneth glanced at her and offered a weak smile. “Yeah, I just have a lot on my mind. That bracelet was holding me back, and I didn’t even realize it.”

Rika nodded as they walked side by side. “It’s strange that Headmaster Nero would give you something like that without explaining it. Maybe it’s meant for your protection?”

Kenneth sighed, his brow furrowing. “He only said it would keep me from losing control of my fire magic,” he replied, but uncertainty gnawed at him.