Chapter 9
1231 Words
Xavier stood in the silent chamber, catching his breath after the intense battle with the stone golem. His body ached, but the small puppet doll on his shoulder felt warm, almost alive. He stared at the faintly glowing blue flame on the eyes of his little companion puppet, a mixture of awe and confusion bubbling within him.
Before he could process further, two clocked figure teleported infornt of him. Xavier looked up to see Master Orion return, this time accompanied by another figure—an older man with a long silver beard, cloaked in a deep, dark black robe embroidered with symbols that seemed to shift under the dim light. His presence alone felt like the room had suddenly lost temperature.
"Impressive," Master Orion praised, his usually cold voice tinged with surprise. "You’ve managed to control your element, even if just a little."
Xavier straightened up, taking the little puppet from his shoulder into his hand. "I... I don’t really know what happened. It just... clicked."
Master Darius stepped forward, his icy blue eyes examining Xavier like a puzzle waiting to be solved. There was a lingering power around him, something almost ancient. "That ‘click’ was your first step in awakening your true potential. Good," he said, his voice low and commanding. "You didn’t disappoint me."
Xavier swallowed, feeling a sudden weight behind Darius's words. "You expected me to do this?"
Master Orion nodded, but his expression remained unreadable. "Master Darius will teach you from here on. He knows more about controlling ancient elements like puppetry than anyone alive."
Xavier's eyes widened as he glanced at Darius, unsure if he should feel honored or intimidated. "You mean you’ll really teach me?"
Master Darius folded his arms, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "You have a rare gift, Xavier. Puppetry isn’t just magic—it’s an art, a craft that very few can master. But your mana is weaker than others because your true potential hasn’t awakened fully yet."
Xavier frowned, the frustration bubbling up again. "But why? Why do I have such low mana compared to the other students?"
Master Darius glanced at Master Orion briefly before answering. His voice dropped, as if speaking a dangerous secret. "Your power is tied to something greater. Something deeper. A bloodline that hasn’t fully awakened." He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing. "Your father, the 'Saint of the Lost Realm,' knew this from the very beginning."
Xavier’s heart skipped a beat. His father... the one figure in his life he knew so little about, yet felt constantly overshadowed by. "My father?"
Master Darius nodded slowly, his voice lowering into a more somber tone. "He foresaw your future from the start and left you this bracelet to help guide your growth. It was crafted long before your birth, crafted with the very magic that flows through your veins. It’s meant to unlock your abilities to fullest and uncover your true potential."
The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Xavier’s mind raced with questions, his pulse quickening. "But how do you know all this? You knew my father?"
Master Darius's expression darkened, his eyes clouded with memories that seemed too old to comprehend. "Let’s just say... our paths crossed on the Meisha Continent. Your father was more than just a saint—he was a protector, a guide for those who’d lost their way." He paused, his tone growing heavier. "Including me."
Xavier stepped forward, desperate for answers. "Tell me more about him. What was he like? Why did he leave me and my mom behind? Why—"
Master Darius raised a hand, silencing him. "That’s not for you to know yet, Xavier. Your father left you something far more important than answers. He left you a legacy, one that’s beginning to awaken now."
Frustration gnawed at Xavier. He wanted to shout, to demand more, but the weight of Master Darius’s words pressed down on him like a boulder. He knew there was no forcing the truth—not yet.
"Fine," Xavier muttered, feeling the tension in his chest. "What should I do next?"
Master Darius motioned for Xavier to sit. "First, check your mana crystal. Focus on it. Tell me what you see."
Xavier obeyed, sitting in a cross-legged position. Closing his eyes, he took a slow, deep breath and directed his focus inward. The familiar void greeted him—cold and empty. For a moment, he feared he’d see nothing, just like all the other times he tried to sense his mana. But then, something shifted. A faint flicker appeared, like a dying flame engulfing a little crystal in the distance.
"I see it," he murmured. "A bluish-black glow... It’s small, but it’s there."
"Good," Master Darius’s voice was soft but stern. "That’s your mana core. Has it grown?"
Xavier focused harder, noticing the crystal at the center of the glow had indeed changed. "It’s grown. Just a little. Maybe an inch or so."
Master Darius exchanged a look with Orion, who nodded approvingly. "That’s a sign your element is starting to awaken. Your control over mana will improve with time and training."
Master Orion’s gaze sharpened as he gestured to the bracelet on Xavier's wrist. "Now, look at the bracelet."
Xavier opened his eyes and glanced at the bracelet. The faint blue flame flickered steadily, no longer just a soft glow—it pulsed, as if alive with the same energy he’d seen in his mana crystal. He could feel it now, almost like the bracelet was an extension of himself.
"That bracelet," Master Darius explained, his voice taking on a more mystical tone, "isn’t just a tool. It’s your key. Your father crafted it from the essence of the Lost Realm itself, designed to sync with your mana and element. Right now, it’s helping you control your power, but in time, it will become a part of you. A vessel for your magic and the way to use mana without reservation."
Xavier swallowed, his thoughts messy. Everything—the bracelet, the battle with the golem, his father’s legacy—it was all part of some grand plan that had been set in motion long before he was born. "So, everything... all of this... was planned by my father?"
Master Darius’s eyes glinted mysteriously. "In a way. But you can say it was just your destiny. Your father just got a few visions. Your father knew you’d face challenges, that you’d need help uncovering your potential. But make no mistake—this journey is yours alone. The bracelet can guide you, but the strength you need will come from within. From your heart, your will."
Xavier clenched his fist, staring at the bracelet. He could feel the power beneath his skin, the energy coursing through him. His father had left him a path to follow, but the burden of unlocking that power rested on his shoulders.
Master Darius rose to his feet, his movements graceful but commanding. "Tomorrow, your real training begins. You’ll learn to master your element, control your puppet, harness the true depth of your nama and using your bracelet to fullest till your nama core grows. But beware, Xavie, every growth will come at a price."
Xavier met his gaze, a fire of determination sparking in his chest. "I’m ready."
Master Darius’s expression softened, just for a moment, before hardening again. "We’ll see."
- Writer
