But I have no intention of censoring anything from you guys! I will completely let out all my emotions and thoughts of the time!

Seventeen years ago, I was born in a small town in the center of a vast forest named the Town of Lore. It was located in the continent of Aore, once the home of elves from the ancient past before the demons drove them out. The once gorgeous and magical forest became old and barren but it was the perfect place for humans who had no home.

My family was commoners, while we weren't dirt poor we definitely not rich. We got by thanks to the pawn shop my mother and father opened up. They sold old antiques and valuable magical items.

With my home fully explained I will now tell you about my parents. My father, Elisha Ale, sadly passed away due to an illness while I was still a toddler. I never met the guy and only ever saw his face in pictures. I was raised by my mother, Ava Ale a loving woman who continued to run the pawn shop after her husband's death. She was also a mage with the ability to manipulate water.

I was very young at the time and it wasn't like I witnessed my mother doing millions of cool water spells. The one time I remember seeing her using magic was when I was four. There was a pool in the neighborhood and I decided to try and swim in the deep end. I almost drowned and nearly met my end, but the one who saved me was my mother. Using a simple spell she had in her arsenal, my mother used the very water of the pool to lift me out.

In the Town of Lore, I only had one friend who would always play with me. She was my next-door neighbor and her parents were close with mine back in the old days. Her name was Iris Brimstone, the toughest and most happy-go-lucky girl I have ever met. The first time I met her, I could remember as clear as day her scarlet red hair that flew in the air and her golden eyes that even put coins to shame.

Any day we could, me and Iris would go down to the playground and pretend to be Holy Knights on a mission. We would swing our wooden swords around while we fought the scary monsters we were able to conjure from our imagination. Iris would pretend like she had fire magic while pretending that I had water magic, like my mother. 

"I am Iris of the Unending Flame!"

"And I am Baxter of the Raging Ocean!"

Being a Holy Knight was a dream that I always desired. The reason why was thanks to my mother who would always read me "The Tale of the Hero of Light" before I went to bed. I idolized Philip and wished to be a hero like him. A swordsman with powerful magic, slaying monsters, and saving the day. 

Iris also wanted to be a Holy Knight but her reason was because of her grandfather, Ivan Brimstone. He was a legendary Holy Knight who was famous for slaying two metal dragons and defending an entire city against an army of orcs singlehandedly. I could recall seeing the fire in Iris's eyes whenever she told the stories about her grandfather.

"I want to be a great Holy Knight like Grand Pappy Ivan! I want to embed my name into the legends of Ocaleveth!"

"Let's both do it then!"

I remember boldly declaring as I grasped Iris's hands into my own.

"When the Blessing comes and we get our magic, let's work hard to become Holy Knights! You and I will be the strongest heroes in the entire world!"

Iris smiled widely and captured me in a hug that I felt could crush my spine.

"Yes! This is going to be awesome!"

The Blessing is an ancient ceremony where the priest of a church would reveal the magical prowess of a young child during their coming of age. Humans usually awakened their magical power at the age of twelve however there have been some who were just born with their magical talent. These humans are called "The Gifted" and always end up being influential people who will impact the world in some way.

Some humans would awaken their magic late in life, those people would be called "Late Bloomers". According to my mother, my father was a late bloomer when he was young. Originally he was the son of a traveling merchant who came to Lore for business and he couldn't use any magic to help him out at the time. But when he turned sixteen, he was able to conjure fire from his palms.

And the third result for a human, which none would ever want, was to be a Null or One Forsaken by Mana. At the time, the possibility of either me or Iris being Nulls didn't even register in our brains. We truly believed that once the Blessing was finished the start of the next great stage in our lives would begin.

Well, the Blessing was the beginning of the next stage in my life. And it was great! Greatly terrible.