Aira anticipated a storm at home and a storm she encountered. One of beatings and insults, of course. Did she expect to be received with smiles and cheers, or with applause, knowing she ran away from home for days? Not at all.

The baron had never shown any concern for her well-being. He valued her as much he valued a rat in a dumpster, his only concern being his image, afraid that people in his circle might find out that a young unmarried woman in his family eloped to who knows where and with who knows who.

Lady Hestia and Adriel, on the other hand, barely slept at night, not knowing whether Aira was alive or she was hurt, cold or hungry somewhere. They both breathed relieved as soon as she walked through the door in one piece, although barefoot, her hair disheveled, sweating all over and her clothes decorated with dirt and leaves.

The baron asked her why and where she went, and he received a few answers he did not like, including news about her awakened core and her admission into the academy along with her brothers, which Aira delivered in a proud tone to spite him.

And she succeeded because his blood was brought to a boil and his veins started to pop out here and there on his forehead. Thus, another round of slaps followed. Aira wished she could blow him away along with the annoying baroness and rude son. Unfortunately, she had not yet learned how to use her mana.

Nonetheless, baron Windbloom could not go against royal orders, thus allowed her to join her brothers. Hearing about the news, Hestia became anxious. She spent that entire night begging the baron to let her go to the capital to one of their residences so she could be close to her children, which he allowed in the end.

A sea of people gathered, some out of curiosity, to see the lucky future mages of the empire, and others to see their children off. Tears of pride but also of grief fell down the parents’ cheeks.

Their children brought them honor only by being selected, yet their future was uncertain. The empire was threatened by the most dangerous enemy of all time, and mages, young and old had to fight against it in the front lines.

A shadow fell over the people’s heads. There were no clouds in the sky, but a very large flying ship waiting afloat. Aiden and Elian activated multiple magic circles on the ground. All those who possessed an awakened core were swept away, brought instantly on the deck.

Adriel was holding Aira’s hand, which he quickly grabbed once the magic circles appeared under their feet. He only let it go as soon as they were safe.

“Your mana is unstable. In the future, you should always make sure to hold an experienced mage’s hand when using a teleportation rune, otherwise you might be blown away.”, he said. “At least until you learn how to control your mana flow.”

“I will keep that in mind.”, Aira replied, then she kept looking down, hitting the wooden floor with her feet.

“It’s not going to break.”, Adriel said, smiling as gently as usual. “This is a warship. It can withstand the power of a thousand arcas.”

“I just wanted to make sure. You never know.”, she frowned, remembering the times when the ground collapsed under her feet in the cave and in the dungeon. “And what are arcas?”, she asked.

“They are demonic creatures. The power of an arca is equal to that of a four circle mage, a Paladin.”

“Is that so? How many circles are you?”, she asked, intrigued.

“I just recently managed to create my first circle.”

“Hm! I see. Wait! If you are at only one circle, how many do I have?”

“You do not have one yet. Your core had just been awakened. You need to build a foundation first .”

“So, I cannot use my powers, yet?”, she fussed.

“You can, but only spells that do not require a circle, which are only a few, like floating in the air, move objects or people or brew low level potions. Once you have built a foundation you will be able to use elemental magic of lower level, like manipulating wind or water, depending on the attribute you were blessed with. Then, on the first circle, you could use medium level spells, which can be applied in battles as well.”, Adriel said, removing Aira’s hands from her own hair, which she grabbed in frustration. “You developed quite an  unusual habit.”

“How long does it take to build a foundation and create a circle?”

“It depends on your will and the amount of work you are going to put in. It might take you a year to build a foundation and another year to create a circle or it might take you a year to do both. Only a select few manage to create a circle in a shorter period of time.”

“That long? What should I do? Where should I begin. I want to start now.”, Aira worried.

“There is no need to rush.”, Aiden said. “I apologize. I did not mean to eavesdrop. I was passing by and overheard your conversation.”

“No need to apologize.”, Adriel replied.

“I am glad, then. I understand where your enthusiasm is coming from.” Aiden said, looking at Aira. “But if you wish to see results at the end of your mana elevation journey, you need to take things slowly. If it is done in a rush, you might build a weak foundation that could crumble before creating a ring. Your core just awakened and you have yet to build knowledge. But you have your brothers by your side and the teachers at the academy. You will also receive help and advice from your seniors. You will not be alone, so take things slowly and you will see the results you wish for.”

“I understand.”, Aira replied. “Thank you for the advice.”

Aiden felt the disappointment in her voice.

“Attention, everyone!”, Elian called on everyone on the deck. “We will set off soon. You will fell a sudden shake as we depart. Do not panic as it will end as quickly as it starts. We will make multiple stops before we arrive to our final destination. Until then, please refrain from using any amount of mana unless it is truly necessary. For any questions, please refer to the attendants on board.”

Author notes:

QUIZ:

What would you do if your adoptive father who is your uncle and also a baron, would scold you because you ran away from home?

A. Run away a second time to show him you are not intimidated by him.

B. Shove hot peppers in his nostrils while he’s asleep.

C. Bring your martial art teacher you found on a lonely mountain to teach him a lesson.