Chapter 4: "The Master's Trial"
The Ashborne estate was quiet as dawn painted the sprawling gardens in soft shades of gold. Eight-year-old Arthur Ashborne rubbed the sleep from his eyes, the familiar weight of expectation pressing down on him like an invisible stone. Even as a child, he understood the unspoken rule: strength was not optional in the Ashborne family—it was demanded.
Today, however, was different. Today, he was to meet the instructor assigned to him personally. A Master of Primordial Affinity, the family had said. Someone who had reached a level few could even dream of. Someone who could bend the raw elements to their will effortlessly. Someone whose mere presence made the air hum with authority.
Arthur's small legs carried him across the polished stone corridors, past tapestries depicting Ashborne ancestors, each one posed in battle, each one exuding mana so potent it seemed almost tangible. His heart pounded with anticipation. This is it. This is where I start to grow—or fail.
At the courtyard, a figure waited. Tall, imposing, their aura coiled around them like visible strands of pure energy. The sunlight caught the edges of their flowing robes, revealing faint patterns of elemental symbols carved into the fabric. Even standing still, the instructor radiated control, precision, and power. This was someone who had mastered multiple Primordial elements and could likely manipulate them all simultaneously without effort. Arthur could feel it in his bones—the raw energy, the authority.
"Arthur Ashborne," the instructor said, voice low but commanding, each word vibrating through the air. "I am Kael Thorne. I will train you."
Arthur bowed deeply, the weight of Kael's presence almost overwhelming. "Y-yes, Master Thorne," he stammered, trying to steady his voice.
Kael's eyes, sharp as molten gold, studied him silently for a moment. "You are eight years old. You are weak. Your Primordial Affinity is chaotic, unstable. Yet, you survived the initial trial yesterday. That means… you have potential. But potential is meaningless without discipline. Follow me."
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The training grounds stretched before them, a massive expanse of stone terraces interwoven with ribbons of raw mana that pulsed visibly in the air. Floating platforms hovered above the ground, each infused with residual energy to test control, balance, and creativity. Kael motioned for Arthur to stand on the first platform.
"Today," Kael said, "you will learn to bend your Fledgling abilities. You will fail. You will stumble. But if you survive with your mind intact, you will learn. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master Thorne," Arthur replied, gripping his robes tightly.
The boy extended his small hands, attempting to draw a bridge of Creation energy between two platforms. The construct shivered violently, nearly collapsing before him. He could feel the faint pulse of Kael's observation pressing on him, waiting, testing.
"Focus," Kael's voice echoed in his mind as if woven into the air itself. "Control comes from understanding. Do not force. Guide. Do not push. Channel."
Arthur inhaled, letting his mind calm, recalling strategies from Wake of a Hero, strategies he had studied and memorized. With a subtle shift, he infused a small pulse of Destruction into the Creation construct to stabilize it. The bridge held, trembling, but functional.
Kael's lips curved into the faintest hint of approval. "Better. But not enough. Anticipate the unpredictable."
From above, small constructs—glowing spheres of raw mana—descended like meteors, launched by Kael's unseen control. Arthur didn't panic. Instead, he studied their movement, calculated their speed, and applied tiny pulses of Primordial Affinity to deflect and redirect them. One hit his shoulder, sending a jolt of pain through his small frame, but he did not fall.
"Again," Kael commanded, and this time, the constructs moved faster, weaving unpredictably, some splitting mid-air. Arthur's heart raced, his small hands weaving delicate patterns in the air to manipulate the flow of mana around him. The energy wobbled, almost refusing to obey, yet he pressed on, combining Creation and Life subtly to redirect attacks harmlessly to the platforms below.
After what felt like hours—but in reality was only moments—Arthur stood on the final platform, trembling, sweat clinging to his dark hair. The constructs lay shattered around him, bridges still holding. His small chest rose and fell with exhaustion, but his eyes burned with determination.
Kael approached, each step resonating with mastery and authority. "You survived. You failed to control perfectly, yet your observation and adaptability are… unusual for one so young. You are chaotic, unpredictable… and yet, that very chaos may become your strength."
Arthur bowed again, pride mingling with relief. "Thank you, Master Thorne. I will do better."
Kael studied him for a long moment. "Remember, Fledgling," he said, voice firm, "you are eight years old. You are weak. You have centuries of growth ahead. But even the smallest step, taken correctly, can place you on the path toward mastery. Today, you survived. Tomorrow, you must begin to thrive."
Arthur nodded silently, feeling the weight of Kael's words settle into his mind. The boy thought of his first life—the poverty, the betrayal, the fleeting joy of reading Wake of a Hero. He thought of his first reincarnation, the minor family, the sharp sting of betrayal and death. And now, he thought of the Ashborne estate, of the love and expectations, of the Master watching him closely.
I will survive. I will grow. I will rise.
Kael turned and gestured toward the platforms again. "One more round. Push your limits. Learn to anticipate, adapt, survive."
Arthur's small hands clenched. His chest burned with exertion, his legs trembling, yet he smiled faintly. He could feel the raw pulse of Primordial Affinity thrumming through him, chaotic and wild, yet brimming with potential.
And somewhere, carried on the invisible threads of mana that wove through the Ashborne estate, a whisper echoed:
"A human who has reincarnated a hundred times will come to doom the gods and become a Primordial God, saving the world."