"Argh! I will never forgive you! I will never ever forgive you all!" a fifteen-year-old boy roared in rage along the edge of the cliff. He was soaked in blood and his right arm was missing.
He has fiery red hair and valiant brows. He has ruby-like eyes like no other but it was smeared with a mixed emotion of pain, frustration, and anger.
As time passes by, he felt a growing weakness and numb all over his body.
It's cold! My body feels so cold!
Is this the end?
Is this really my fate?
These thoughts sprouted in his mind but it slowly fades aways together with his consciousness
For his final moment, he just closed his eyes and let his body freely fall over the cliff.
---
---
Three days ago...
The Ceres Arcane City is one of the city under the Morgande Empire. It was known as one of the frontier cities and their Arcane Sanctum where the knights became an official Arcane Knights.
In one of the training grounds, clanging sounds and explosions reverberated in the air. Many aspiring arcane knights are practicing their weapon techniques and magic arts in this place. Some of them used their swords to slash the stone puppets while others chanted magics spells to destroy it.
Among those who practice weapon techniques, Aster was the youngest one with only fifteen years of age. He swings his sword fast and sharp, comparable to any seasoned sword users. This is the result of his eight years of rigorous training since his fifth birthday.
Despite his high sword mastery, his brows knitted and his ruby eyes squinted in worry and anxiety.
"No! This can't be done. Why I can't still use my magic?" Aster was bothered by it. But he continuously concentrates to perform magic arts with his sword.
He delved in the depth of his mind and visualized his core. Then he saw a ball of flickering dark red light with multiple of runic lines around it. He concentrated to gush out the power inside his core towards his sword.
A minute has passed by, yet there's no magical power manifested in every swing of his sword. He can't even feel the flow of energy inside his body. For the past two weeks, he has trained like this without any positive results.
"Hey, Aster! How's your training? It's a long time so see right?" A pretty girl shouted and waved her slender hands towards Aster in a distance.
But Aster pretended he didn't hear nor see her and continuously concentrate on his training.
Knowing the personality of Aster, Alice reappeared beside him and stared closely with her emerald green eyes.
"Hey, don't get too close. I'm training with my sword here. I could accidentally harm you.." Aster berated while putting down his worn-out sword beside him.
"That's impossible. I'm the youngest Arcane Knight who enrolled in the Star Chaser Academy. So I'm very strong!" Alice said boastfully while flicking her pink hair tied in green ribbon.
"Blowing your own trumpet huh? You are just a petite girl in front of me." Aster smiled while patting her head.
He was very fond of Alice since they trained together for years. For him, she is like a sister and a best friend.
"Hey stop it. I'm the same age as you!" Alice said while pouting in annoyance.
"Yet your height doesn't look like it," Aster answered back while grinning.
Alice blushed and stomped her feet like a kid. She stopped his hands from tousling her hair and held it down. Although she looks annoyed, her eyes showed indiscreet happiness.
If others see them in this state, they would guess that they are couples having a romantic moment.
"I should go home now. I just arrived from my one-month long hunting mission outside the city. My father will arrive tomorrow so I better prepare." Alice said while looking at his ruby-like eyes.
"Ahm, would you like to have dinner with me? It's been a long time since we ate together ." Alice turned red in shame.
"Sorry, but I will decline your offer. Two days from now is the entrance examination of the Star Chaser Academy this year. I need to prepare." Aster was still bothered by his current situation.
His inability to use magic was a great burden on his mind. He has unlocked his magic seed two weeks ago and yet he can't cast any magic at all
"But you have done enough for eight years of training. And also you should already unlock your magic seed this month. Why not --" Before Alice finishes her words, Aster looked at her with his sharp eyes which made Alice flinch in fear.
Aster didn't say anything and just left with his back facing her. He just raised his hand and waved without looking back.
She didn't dare to stop him nor follow him as it was her first time to encounter Aster like this.
---
Aster went home in frustration. He wanted to accept the offer but can't do so. Until he can use his magic, he is nothing more than a trash of the capital.
"I can't pass the exam if I can't use my magic. What is wrong with me? It can't be that I don't have the potential in using magic?" Aster pondered but he can't accept this idea.
His father was one of the strongest knights in the city. While his mother was the famous space-magic user of the whole Capital. Although they have died in defending the kingdom from the monster invasion, their names are well known in their city.
"No. I can't just give up now. I hadn't reached my dreams yet." Aster flared up in determination.
His house may be smaller compared to another noble family, but it was filled with hundreds of books about history, monster, weapon techniques, and magic arts. These books are the things that his parents left for him together with the sparing armors and swords he used for years
He grabs a few stacks of magic books from the bookcase and started browsing them without blinking. He reads more about magic manipulation, magic formation, magic seed, and spiritual control.
Time flew swiftly and the entire night has passed. Aster didn't even have a wink of sleep as he was too focused on reading. But after all of his hard work, he didn't learn anything about his problem.
"I have browsed a hundred of books now yet I can't find anything that can't help me at all." Aster was slowly losing his composure and his irritation is started to creep in him. He stomped in anger and threw the book down he was holding.
"My goodness, what happened? " Aster heard a familiar voice and made him regret what he just did.
A pretty woman was standing behind Aster with her arms crossed. She has long golden hair and fair skin. Despite her very young and fresh look, she is already in her mid-thirties.
"Aunt Serina, you came early," Aster replied while scratching his head. He looks around and saw that the room is filled with books littered on the floor. He can only smile warily to his aunt.
Aunt Serina is the half-sister of his late father. After he was given birth, her aunt raised him up with just herself. She has taught him everything he needs to know to become a person he is now.
"This is not so like you. What's the problem?" Serina crossed her arms in vexation. This is the first time she saw Aster throwing tantrum. Aster has always been a composed boy but today, it just broke this image.
"Nothing. Let's have breakfast first. It's such a long time since we ever had one together." Aster shook his head went downstairs.
"Maybe he just stressed out for the examination tomorrow?" Serina was a little bit skeptical about his actions but she brushed it off instantly. She believes that Aster can pass the exam easily, after all, he trained so much for many years.
Serina followed Aster downstairs and help him to cook. It's very rare for them to eat together since Aster always leaves the house for training. While she only visits to bring food and arrange the house since she is got married two years ago.
"Aunt Serina, can you give me some pointers about how to control the magic?" Aster asks nonchalantly while eating. But he was very anticipated with her reply.
"Oh, you wanted some pointers? Alright then." Serina raised her hand and a small ball of water appeared just above her hand.
"Magic is the manipulation of Origin Energy from the world using our magic seed. And this origin energy is the power that created our world and every being on it."
Then the small ball of water rotated slowly and grew in size.
"Magic seed is inborn in every one of us. We can control and manipulate the origin energy by absorbing them towards our energy seed. Then our seed turns the untamed Origin energy into our own."
"With the energy stored within and the proper energy path of execution, we can perform the magic art."
"The time you unlock your magic seed, it signifies that you are already in the beginner stage. In this stage, you can now visualize the seed you have, absorb the Origin energy, and cast simple magic according to your type of seed." Serina explained carefully.
"But why some people can't use magic?" Aster asked with curiosity. This was a chance for him to know why he can't use magic.
"Simple, they have an incomplete pathway of Energy path."
Serina waved her hands and the globe of water was divided into much small water ball and floated into different parts of her body.
"Our body is consists of extremely complex energy paths with different points of intersection. Through these intersections, our energy transforms and form the magic arts we release." Serina formed a complex interconnected energy path using her water lines and balls.
"But an incomplete energy path cannot complete the formation of energy, therefore, they crumble and disappeared," Serina said forwardly. She clenched her hand and the small water balls disappeared like a popped bubbles.
But Aster, who was listening carefully, was frozen in fear. He was slowly drowned in anxiety when he heard what she just said.
"People who cannot perform magic are discriminated in our city. Because they can only be common people, without a chance to rise in status." Serina looked at the eyes of Aster and then smiled.
"You don't have a problem with that right?" She asked plainly.
"Of course I don't. Why would I, hehe." Aster faked his smile and started to eat up fast.
"Good. Take this box. It is your parent's gift for you when you unlocked your magic seed. They set it aside before they died in the monster invasion." She handed a small wooden box to Aster. This wooden box was deep red in color with magic linings all over.
"Thanks, Aunt Serina. I'm done eating so I should get going." Aster left immediately together with the box. He can't stay calm now that he knew his dire situation.
When Aster was nowhere to be seen, the smiling Serina showed a worried look.
"Oh brother, you were right," Serina whispered as she looks at the distance.
---
Aster didn't arrive at the training ground as he usually did. Instead, he went on top of the mountain, behind the Arcane Sanctum of Arcane Knights. This is where he always trains his mind and calms his heart.
"Damn it, I'm in a grave crisis. Did I really have a crippled energy path? I just can't accept this!" Aster was panicking since he heard what Serina said to him. He was full of indignation and frustration.
Aster looked at the red box on his hand. He was pondering if his parents have predicted his current circumstances.
"But how can I open this? Looks like I have seen this before." He tried to observe thoroughly and yet all he can see are intricate lines of octagram magic formation.
"Right! I remembered it now." Aster bit his finger and smeared the blood on top of the magic formation.
The blood was absorbed and the magic formation glowed in red. The glow lasted for a moment until the box burned into nothingness. Then two things appeared on his hand.