Estimated read time: 8 min
[This story is entirely fictional and has no relation to real events.]
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The surroundings were eerily silent. Nothing could be heard except the clatter of the horse's hooves and the wheels of the carriage. At first, the sound was irritating, but it soon faded into the background. The Demon Forest was a terrifying place. It was astonishing that Elmond and Maria were navigating it safely. Perhaps the barrier was the reason they did not need to fear the Demon Beasts.
The carriage crossed the barrier, and Elmond immediately scanned the surroundings sharply. They left behind their small, carefully built house, taking only the essential items with them and leaving the rest behind as memories.
Elmond sat at the front of the carriage, keeping a vigilant eye around. After all, they were in the middle of the Demon Forest. The Demon Beasts here were deadly. If they were spotted, they would have faced terrifying consequences. Thanks to Elmond's experience, they hadn't encountered any beasts so far, which was fortunate. They did not want Alex to see any Demon Beasts yet—he might be frightened.
Maria sat inside the carriage with Alex, explaining various types of magic to him. Alex had never dared to ask about magic before, though curiosity had sparked in his mind from day one. Before heading to the capital, Maria thought it necessary for Alex to understand magic, so she patiently explained it to him.
According to Maria, the origin of magic lay in energy. There were different types of energy in this world that humans could not use directly. Yet, all living beings needed these energies for their lives. A person's age, breathing, and even food depended on these energies. Though humans could not directly harness these energies in the past, thousands of years ago, they suddenly discovered how to use three specific energies. Eventually, humans began using Aura, Mana, and Pran. However, the number of users remained very limited.
Among the three, Aura energy was the most common. Currently, there were more Aura users than Mana users. Aura primarily strengthened the body and any weapons. Anyone wishing to join a kingdom's army had to be an Aura user. Although common, Aura was stronger than most imagined. While Mana was more powerful, not everyone could use Aura effectively, as mastering it required extreme training. Without reaching the highest physical condition, Aura could not achieve its full potential—something most people avoided.
Mana energy was often called magical energy. Unlike Aura, which strengthened externally, Mana entered a person's body. Aura had no limits—its strength depended on the environment and one's stamina. Mana, however, had a limit. It was stored in a specific point called the Mana Core, and once depleted, it could not be used again without replenishing. Mana could take various forms like Fire, Water, Earth, or Air and could be used for both offense and defense.
Pran energy was similar to Mana in nature but entirely different in use. It was primarily used to heal wounds but could also create deadly poisons (which, in some ways, were like medicines). Though Mana could occasionally heal, it was rare.
Users of Aura were called Knights, Mana users were Mages, and Pran users were Healers. These three types of people were highly valued in every kingdom.
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(From Alex's perspective)
From what my mother (Maria) explained, this world had three types of energy users. Aura users fought with swords, spears, bows, and the like—they were called Knights. Knights could join the armies of all kingdoms and even participate in the Knight Council, which included the most renowned knights from kingdoms and empires.
Mana users could cast various spells, such as Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. They were called Mages, and most kingdoms had a Mage Council for their training and governance.
Finally, Pran users, or Healers, like my mother, were rare but incredibly important, even more than Knights or Mages. They were organized under the Healer Council in every empire and kingdom.
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After passing through three cities, Alex, Elmond, and Maria finally arrived at the Royal Capital of Mefas. For Elmond and Maria, this was just another trip, but for Alex, it had been tedious and boring. Although he had seen many new things along the way, even that could not keep him interested during the fifteen-day journey. Slowly, however, his curiosity began to awaken as they reached the outskirts of the Royal Capital.
The city was enormous—perhaps ten times the size of the three cities they had passed combined. Massive walls surrounded it, built to withstand invasions from other kingdoms. Countless soldiers stood atop the walls, holding bows, while tall towers provided vantage points. The city's activity could be seen even from a distance. According to Elmond and Maria, Mefas' Royal Capital was the most fortified city in the Fire Empire. Its defenses were even stronger than the empire's capital, though Mefas rarely needed to launch attacks. Alex realized why—its walls were massive, possibly even a Titan would struggle to break them.
There were four main gates to enter the capital: north, south, east, and west. Their carriage entered through the north gate.
Every day, thousands of people entered the capital, undergoing strict checks. Separate roads were assigned for entry and exit, each with multiple lanes: one for carriages or vehicles, one for pedestrians, and one for high-ranking individuals. Alex's carriage waited in line with the others. Beside them stood an elderly woman with a young girl of Alex's age. As they waited, a man pushed the elderly woman aside to take her place, which angered Alex.
Maria sat in the carriage with Alex and Elmond, while Elmond noticed his son's reaction and tried to gauge it. Though he could have punished the rude man, doing so would have caused trouble with the city guards. Alex felt frustrated—he had wanted to see something good happen, but he understood that this world, like his own, was full of inequalities between the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak.
Alex stepped out of the carriage and extended his hand to help the elderly woman. The young girl, who had stumbled, was also assisted.
"Some people don't know how to respect the elderly," Alex said with a warm smile. "If I were king, these people would be punished first."
The elderly woman smiled, touched by Alex's words, and gently patted his head in gratitude.
"Both of you are hurt. We have some medicine in our carriage. Come, my mother will help you," Alex added, still smiling. Both the elderly woman and the young girl accepted. Elmond was impressed—he had not expected his son to step forward on his own. Maria, being a healer, also noticed Alex's thoughtfulness. Elmond smiled softly and quietly to his wife inside the carriage.
Alex assisted the two inside the carriage, where Maria bandaged their wounds and healed them using magic. They wanted to leave, but Maria and Alex insisted they stay a little longer, escorting them safely into the city.
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Meanwhile, in a massive chariot, a young girl sipped her tea. Her butler, dressed in black blazer and pants, stood before her.
"Gather information on the boy and his family," she ordered, placing her cup down on a small plate.
The butler bowed slightly and responded, "Yes, my lady."
"Also, send him an invitation to the academy. I do not want anyone kinder than me," she added, gazing out the chariot window. Observing the dirt-filled capital, she contemplated the city's future. Thousands of thieves and outsiders entered the capital daily—something that had never been allowed before. Thinking of the impending challenges, she exhaled deeply.
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To Be Continued…