The morning sun filtered through the windows as Lyra quietly watched Arin eat his breakfast. A thoughtful expression settled on her face. Perhaps a trip to the library would help keep his mind distracted —from the whispers… from the pressure.
"Arin," she asked gently, "have the whispers returned? Did anything strange happen again?"
Arin shook his head, chewing the last bite of his bread. "No, Mama. Everything was fine yesterday —and even during practice at school."
A soft sigh of relief escaped Lyra's lips. She smiled and changed the topic with a hint of playful teasing. "So, will he be joining you again at the library today?"
Arin grinned. "Yes, Mama. Kael's really eager to learn about the kingdoms —and stuff about the continent."
"Oh?" Lyra raised an eyebrow. "So you already know about the continent, huh, little storm? Even if you didn't, Elder Marn would've taught you eventually. Still, no harm in learning early. You'll be a step ahead of your peers."
Arin chuckled. "That's what I thought too."
After breakfast, he left for school with the rest of the village children. The news of Arin and Kael's recent library visits had spread among their classmates. On the way, Mirelle and Daren caught up with them, curiosity gleaming in their eyes.
"So," Mirelle asked, "what's the library like? What kind of stuff is in there?"
Kael shrugged. "Nothing new. Same things Elder Marn teaches us. We're mostly looking for anything about Arin's father, actually. You know he disappeared, right?"
Mirelle nodded solemnly. "Yeah. My father told me Darian was a good man… and Arin, you look a lot like him." She looked at Arin. "Sorry about your father."
Arin smiled gently. "Don't worry about it, Mirelle."
Soon, they reached the school, where groans filled the air as the students realized today's lesson was… math.
"Magic is better than math," someone mumbled.
"…Yeah," another added with a sigh.
Even Elder Marn seemed to sympathize with their suffering, keeping the session shorter than usual. Hidden amidst the arithmetic grumbles, a new topic emerged: currency. One silver was worth 100 copper. One gold equaled 100 silver. Beyond gold lay the rare and mysterious mana crystals.
After school, Arin and Kael made their usual trip to the library. Surprisingly, Mirelle showed up too, clutching a small notebook.
"Shall we continue where we left off? The book about the kingdoms?" Arin asked.
"I can't wait," Kael said, eyes sparkling.
---
The Three Pillar Kingdoms of Aerthalein
Formed after the War of the Heavens, when the gods vanished from the world, each kingdom embodies a unique ideology regarding power and control.
1. Kingdom of Caelgard (Central)
Capital: Solmere
Affinity: Balanced (houses all affinities, leans toward Light, Wind, Earth)
Ideals: Knowledge, Order, Controlled Growth
Known For: The Tower of Archives —the largest library on the continent
Royal Lineage: Chosen by "Soul Flare" rituals. Candidates must show exceptional affinity and possess a unique Soul Mark trait.
2. Kingdom of Pyravelle (Southern volcanic mountains)
Affinity: Fire, Earth, Lightning
Ideals: Strength, Conquest, Pride
Known For: Powerful warrior clans and mana-forged weapons
Culture: Gladiator-style battles for noble titles; Soul Marks are displayed proudly on skin
3. Kingdom of Lunareth (Northern frostlands and lakes)
Affinity: Ice, Water, Wind
Ideals: Survival, Secrets, Quiet Resilience
Known For: The Moonlight Monastery —an ancient observatory —and their bond with beasts
Culture: Spiritual festivals, mana-painted skin rituals, night duels over frozen lakes
---
"So… we're near the border of Pyravelle, huh?" Arin murmured. "What should we check next?"
"Wait," Kael said suddenly, flipping to the last page. "What if this book was from your father too?"
Arin froze.
Kael leaned over and examined the page. "Same handwriting as the others… You think your dad stole these books from the academy library?"
Arin's eyes narrowed. "My father wouldn't do that."
"How do you know?"
"Because I just know! Mama said he studied at the Academy too!"
"Alright, alright, I was just joking," Kael said quickly, raising his hands. Inwardly, he scolded himself: Maybe I shouldn't joke about his father again.
To change the subject, he grabbed a different book. "Hey Arin, look at this —this one's about the Mortal Power Stages. Elder Marn talked about it recently, right?"
The two boys opened the book and began reading.
---
Mortal Stage (Tier 1)
Theme: The awakening of the Soul Mark and mastery over mana and elemental affinity.
---
1. Sparked – Affinity Awakens
Spark Initiate – First contact with elemental mana.
Flickering Soul – Begins passively absorbing ambient mana.
First Flame – Experiences natural mana resonance.
Soul Glimmer – Soul Mark glows faintly during high emotion.
---
2. Etched – Basic Spell Use
Rune Learner – Starts learning structured spellforms.
Vein Toucher – Unlocks the first internal mana vein.
Mana Threader – Begins forming internal mana threads.
Mark Stabilizer – Soul Mark stabilizes with basic spells.
---
3. Burned – Combat-Ready Magic
Flow Adept – Can chain basic spells.
Pulse Fighter – Reinforces body with elemental energy.
Resonant Spark – Elemental traits become physically visible.
Dual Focus – Can maintain offense and defense simultaneously.
---
4. Forged – Environmental Influence
Ambient Touch – Elemental energy leaks passively.
Lesser Domain Sense – Animals and plants react to user.
Elemental Heartbeat – Mana and heartbeat sync, enhancing spell control.
Willed Effect – Can influence light, wind, or temperature in small radius.
---
Arin noticed torn edges at the end. "Looks like some pages are missing," he muttered.
Kael leaned closer. "Weird… What do you think, which level are we in?"
Arin tapped the page. "We're probably at First Flame, under Sparked."
"So many stages to go," Kael sighed. "You think we'll reach those higher ones someday?"
Arin smirked. "You planning to burn down academies already?"
"Haha! You read my mind, buddy! Someday we'll be dueling powerful warriors, ruling the world!"
Arin shook his head, laughing. "It's a long road ahead."
His eyes drifted to another nearby book. "Wait, is this… about Affinity Grades? Elder Marn mentioned them once."
Kael yawned. The earlier excitement had faded fast.
Arin raised an eyebrow. "Really? You were just fired up about ruling the world, and now you're sleepy?"
Kael shrugged. "Brain's tired."
"Alright, we'll continue tomorrow," Arin said, chuckling.
As they turned to leave, Arin paused. A cold whisper stirred in his mind.
> Learn… more…
Kael noticed the sudden stillness. "Arin? What is it?"
Arin quickly recovered. "Just… checking if Mirelle left already. Looks like she did."
"Maybe she found it boring," Kael guessed.
Arin shook his head. "Mirelle? No way. She probably took the books home to study."
The boys exchanged goodbyes and walked off into the dusk.