Ember Ascension: Rise of the broken mage

Chapter 2

"I would like an order of black coffee with a muffin by the side, if you don’t mind.”

“Coming right up.”

Mike gave a small nod before walking to his usual seat by the window, the quiet corner he always chose because it kept him away from people and unnecessary conversations.

Back then, his life had been simple, quiet, and almost invisible.

He had not been a student at the prestigious Kite Magical University, and he had not known anything about magic, power, or training halls filled with fire and explosions, because he had simply been an ordinary young man who preferred staying inside his small apartment and only stepped out to visit his favorite coffee shop before returning home again.

He never questioned that life.

He never tried to change it.

He simply accepted it.

That day had been a calm Thursday afternoon, and he had chosen a time when the shop would have fewer customers so he would not have to stand in a long line or deal with too many people, and everything had gone exactly the way he wanted as he placed his order and quietly waited for it to arrive.

However, life did not always follow the path people expected.

Instead of the rich and comforting smell of black coffee reaching his nose, something sharp and unpleasant filled the air, and it was not long before he realized that it was the thick, choking scent of smoke.

At first, he frowned and glanced around, thinking that maybe something small had burned in the kitchen, but within seconds, the situation changed in a way no one could control.

A voice suddenly screamed, “Fire!”

The word spread through the shop like a storm, and panic followed immediately as people jumped out of their seats and rushed toward the exit, their faces filled with fear as they pushed and shoved without caring who they knocked aside.

Mike stood up quickly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor as his heart began to race, and he turned toward the door, ready to escape along with everyone else before things got worse.

Unfortunately, he never made it far.

In the middle of the chaos, someone slammed into him with full force, and before he could react, his body lost balance and he crashed to the ground, his ankle twisting painfully beneath him in a way that made it impossible for him to stand again.

A sharp cry escaped his lips, and he tried to push himself up, but his leg refused to cooperate, leaving him stuck on the floor while the crowd rushed past him like he did not exist.

“Somebody… please… help me…” he called out, his voice filled with fear as he stretched out his hand toward anyone who might notice him.

However, no one stopped.

No one even looked back.

The flames spread faster than he could understand, rising along the walls and reaching toward the ceiling as if they were alive, and within moments, they began to surround him from every side, trapping him in a circle of burning heat.

The air grew thick with smoke, making it harder for him to breathe, and each breath he took felt heavier than the last as his vision slowly began to blur.

Tears rolled down his cheeks, not just from the smoke, but from the painful realization that settled deep inside his heart.

He was alone.

He had lived a life where no one truly noticed him, and now he was about to die in the same way, without leaving anything behind for anyone to remember.

“I… I don’t want to die like this…” he whispered weakly.

As the fire closed in and his strength faded, a single thought filled his mind.

If only he could have another chance.

Even if it was not in this world.

Even if everything had to change.

He wanted to be someone different.

Someone strong.

Someone people would remember.

“Please… just one more chance…” he murmured as darkness slowly swallowed his vision.

And then, everything disappeared.

…

When Mike’s eyes finally opened again, the first thing he felt was warmth, but it was not the painful heat of flames, and instead it was soft and gentle, like sunlight resting on his skin.

He blinked slowly, his mind struggling to catch up with what was happening as his vision cleared, and when he looked up, he found himself staring at a bright blue sky that looked unfamiliar in a way he could not explain.

Confusion filled his face as he pushed himself up, his body moving without pain, and he looked around slowly, trying to understand where he was and how he had gotten there.

“What… is this…” he muttered under his breath, his voice shaky.

Memories rushed back into his mind all at once, bringing with them the image of the fire, the suffocating smoke, and the moment he thought his life had ended.

He quickly looked down at his hands, turning them over as if to confirm that he was still real, and his breathing grew uneven as the truth began to settle in.

“I’m… alive?” he said quietly, unable to hide the disbelief in his voice.

The world around him felt different, this was not the same place he had once lived in.

Everything had changed.

A small smile slowly formed on his lips, weak but filled with a new kind of hope.

“I can’t believe this… I guess I got another chance after all.”

He placed a hand on his chest and felt it clearly, his heart pounding hard and fast, beating against his ribs like a drum that refused to slow down.

“And this time, I’m going to give it my all!” he said with determination, his voice filled with a kind of excitement he had never felt before.

He threw his fist into the air, and a wide smile stretched across his face, so big that it reached all the way to his ears, making him look like someone who had just found a new reason to live.

That was how his new life began.

Not long after, Mike found himself sitting in a large classroom inside Kite Magical University, surrounded by students who all looked confident, talented, and far more experienced than he was, yet he remained focused, refusing to let the difference between them shake his resolve.

Their first lesson was about gathering energy.

At the front of the class stood their professor, a slim and lanky man whose long coat moved slightly as he raised his hand, his expression calm but sharp, as if he could see through every student in the room.

“Pay close attention,” the professor said, his voice steady and clear.

The room fell silent.

Mike leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed on the man as he watched carefully, not wanting to miss even the smallest detail.

A faint movement began around the professor’s hand.

At first, it looked like nothing more than a small breeze, but within seconds, the air began to twist and gather, forming a visible current of wind that spun faster and faster, growing stronger with each passing moment.

The students stared in shock.

The wind suddenly surged forward.

WHOOSH!

A powerful gust burst out from the professor’s hand, sweeping across the classroom and nearly knocking several students off their seats, forcing them to grab onto their desks to stay steady.

Mike held onto his chair, his eyes wide with amazement.

“I knew you people were not expecting that,” the professor said with a faint smile as the wind died down, “but that is the point of excelling in this university. We are exceptional, and we always do the unexpected.”

“Or maybe you’re just crazy…”

The voice came out softly, almost like a whisper, but in the sudden silence of the classroom, it was loud enough to be heard.

Mike blinked and turned his head slightly.

The girl sitting next to him casually adjusted her hair, brushing it back as if she had said nothing at all, her face calm and completely unbothered.

Mike stared at her, unsure if he had really heard her or if he was just imagining things.

Unfortunately, the professor had heard it too.

“Did I hear something over there?” he asked sharply, his eyes narrowing as he stepped down from the front and began walking toward their row.

Each step he took made the atmosphere heavier.

“Yes… I think I heard something about me being crazy?” he added, stopping right in front of Mike.

Mike froze.

Before he could even think of a way to explain or avoid the situation, the girl beside him suddenly raised her hand and pointed straight at him without hesitation.

“It was him,” she said calmly.

Mike turned to her in complete shock, his eyes wide as he stared at her, unable to believe how easily she had pushed the blame onto him without even a hint of guilt.

“Me?” he said under his breath, still stunned.

“Oh, you think I’m crazy?” the professor said, his expression shifting into something that looked almost amused. “My dear boy, you haven’t seen anything crazy yet. Now come down here.”

Mike knew arguing would only make things worse, so he slowly stood up, his movements stiff as he walked toward the front of the class, feeling every pair of eyes on him.

When he finally stood before the professor, he tried to keep his composure, even though his heart had started racing again.

“What is your name, young man?” the professor asked, looking down at him with interest.

Even though the professor was clearly furious, he kept a wide, cheerful smile on his face.

“M-my name is Mike, sir!” Mike answered quickly, trying to keep his voice steady even though he could feel the tension in the air.

The man gave a slow nod, “alright, Mike,” he said in a light tone, clasping his hands behind his back as he began to pace slowly. “I have a feeling that not everyone is truly following this lesson, so perhaps you can explain it a little better to your classmates.”

Mike froze for a second.

He was not the kind of person who liked speaking in front of others, and standing there with dozens of eyes staring at him made his throat feel dry, but he still straightened his back and tried to do what he was asked.

“Y-yes, sir,” he said, forcing himself to focus.

He began to speak, explaining what he understood about gathering magical energy, choosing his words carefully as he tried to make sense of it in a way others could follow, and even though his voice was not very strong, he did his best to remain calm and clear.

However, before he could finish, the professor suddenly raised a hand and stopped him.

“Young man,” he said, his tone still light but carrying a sharp edge beneath it, “I still don’t think the class is following you, so maybe… you can show them instead?”

A wave of shock passed through the lecture hall.

Several students gasped quietly, and some exchanged nervous looks, because everyone in that room was still a beginner, and the closest they had ever come to gathering energy was reading about it in books, not actually doing it.

Mike’s eyes widened slightly.

“Sir?” he said, unsure if he had heard correctly.

The professor’s smile remained, but his eyes grew colder.

“If you cannot do something as simple as gathering energy at your stage,” he said slowly, “then I will have no choice but to help you prepare the materials for an expulsion letter.”

The words hit Mike like a heavy weight.

At that moment, everything became clear to him.

This place was not kind.

This place was not forgiving.

This place would throw him out without hesitation if he failed.

He suddenly understood why so many students dropped out.

But he also knew one thing.

He was not leaving.

Not after everything he had gone through.

Not after being given a second chance.

“I’m not going anywhere…” he muttered under his breath.

The murmurs of the class faded in his ears as he closed his eyes briefly and tried to focus, shutting out every voice, every doubt, and every fear that tried to creep into his mind.

Instead, he reached out with his senses.

He tried to feel it.

The energy around him.

At first, there was nothing.

Then slowly… something answered.

A faint warmth.

A small, almost invisible presence.

Mike lifted his hand, his fingers slightly trembling as he guided that feeling toward his palm, not forcing it, but calling it, like he had seen the professor do.

Then—

Something appeared.

A tiny flame.

It flickered weakly above his palm, no bigger than the flame of a candle, and for a moment, the entire room went silent.

The professor’s eyes widened in shock.

This was Mike’s first class.

And yet… he had already gathered energy.

The small flame continued to dance, growing stronger as Mike focused, feeding it with steady control, and within moments, it expanded, its light becoming brighter until it reached the size of a torch.

The heat spread gently through the air.

Students leaned forward in disbelief.

No one spoke.

“Alright,” the professor said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence, though there was clear excitement in it now, “that is enough. Dispel it.”

Mike nodded quickly and exhaled, allowing the flame to fade until it disappeared completely from his palm.

For a moment, no one moved.

Then the professor stepped forward, his eyes still fixed on Mike as if he had just discovered something rare.

“This is incredible!” he exclaimed. “Not even the greatest wizards in history have been able to grasp a new magic this quickly in their very first lesson!”

Whispers filled the room.

The same students who had doubted him moments ago now stared at him with a mix of shock and disbelief.

And just like that, everything changed.

From that day onward, Mike was no longer just another student.

He became something else entirely.

The wonder of the first year at Kite Magical University.