Colin's Holy Light energy brushed over Lynn like a thin veil, its purifying warmth making the hairs on Lynn's neck stand on end. He could feel the energy probing his internal magic properties; a single misstep would expose the secret of Ashen Magic.
The Forbidden Codex in his arms vibrated more faintly, its black patterns resonating with his bloodline to wrap layers around the ashen energy, leaking only a faint, inferior fire-element fluctuation on the surface. The disguise was ingenious: it lacked the intense energy response of a true fire-element attuned individual, yet just barely qualified as "weak magical potential" – a perfect match for his identity as a handyman who "picked up fire-element residue while sorting scrolls."
Colin's brow furrowed deeper. He withdrew his Holy Light energy, his eyes tinged with doubt: "Only a faint, muddled fire-element fluctuation in your body. You don't even meet the lowest magic affinity standard… You really are just a common handyman."
The town mayor hurried over, smiling apologetically: "Mage Colin, this boy is an orphan the magic tutor took in three years ago. He was born with zero magic affinity, so he can only do odd jobs in the workshop. Don't mind him – let's look at the other apprentices' progress. Gray's a real talent here; he can already cast Intermediate Fireball proficiently."
Colin nodded noncommittally, his gaze shifting from Lynn to the open area at the workshop's center. Gray, who'd changed into clean clothes after his robe was burned, now held a new short staff, putting on a show of practicing Fireball to impress the inspector.
Lynn exhaled silently, his back soaked in cold sweat. He bowed his head, pretending to sort scroll fragments, but his peripheral vision locked onto Colin's silver wand at his waist. The wand was pure white, topped with a pigeon-egg-sized clear crystal swirling with faint golden light – a high-purity Holy Light Crystal, its energy a hundred times denser than the fire-element crystal on Gray's staff.
The Forbidden Codex seemed to sense this energy, growing warm in Lynn's arms. A faint suction extended from the parchment, creeping toward Colin along Lynn's arm. Lynn's heart stirred: absorbing Gray's Fireball energy had strengthened his Ashen Spark. If he could siphon the Holy Light Crystal's energy, he might unlock new abilities.
But he dared not act rashly. Colin was a formal Holy Light Council mage, far stronger than an apprentice like Gray. Discovery would mean disaster. Lynn suppressed his urge, maintaining the suction at a barely perceptible level – an invisible thread brushing the Holy Light Crystal on Colin's wand.
Colin was focused on Gray's demonstration, oblivious to the anomaly. To curry favor, Gray cast a larger-than-usual Fireball; the red orb exploded mid-air, drawing gasps from the apprentices. Colin nodded, a faint smile on his lips, and flicked a wisp of golden Holy Light energy at Gray's staff – instantly repairing the crack the Ashen Fireball had left in the fire-element crystal.
This is my chance!
As Colin released Holy Light and his attention wavered, Lynn amplified the Forbidden Codex's suction. The invisible thread tightened like a greedy snake, coiling around Colin's silver wand along the path of the released Holy Light.
A stream of pure Holy Light energy was torn from the crystal, flowing along the thread into Lynn's body. This energy was gentler yet more domineering than fire-element power; once it entered his dantian, the Ashen Spark devoured it instantly. The rice-grain-sized spark brightened, its black patterns sharpening.
"Hmm?" Colin frowned, gripping his wand subconsciously. "What's this? Why's there less Holy Light energy in the wand?"
He glanced at the crystal – its golden glow was still dense, the siphoned energy a drop in the ocean, nearly undetectable. Assuming it was just normal consumption from his earlier spell, Colin pulled a Holy Light晶石 from his pocket and replenished the wand's energy.
Lynn's heart raced; the risk had drained his focus. He feigned tripping over a scroll, crouching to hide the Forbidden Codex behind his body.
The parchment vibrated wildly, its black patterns spinning rapidly in his palm. A new message flooded his mind: "Ashen Disguise: Mimic the energy fluctuation of any magic you contact. Maximum mimicry: Intermediate Mage level. Duration depends on Ashen Energy strength."
A new ability! Lynn suppressed his excitement, running his fingers over the Forbidden Codex as he absorbed the fuller Ashen Energy and the instructions for Ashen Disguise. With this, he needn't fear exposure when facing the Holy Light Council.
After inspecting the apprentices, Colin said to the mayor: "Overall, things are decent. Gray has real talent – I'll put his name forward to the senior magic academy for a recommendation spot. The others need more practice."
The mayor thanked him profusely and invited Colin to rest at the town tavern. As Colin walked past Lynn toward the door, he glanced at him again, his brow twitching faintly. The faint energy anomaly was gone, but the unremarkable handyman felt off – though he couldn't say why.
"Work hard, don't slack off." Colin left the words and followed the mayor out.
Only when Colin's hoofbeats faded down the street did Lynn relax, collapsing to the ground and gasping. The minutes of disguise and theft had drained him more than fighting Gray; the constant tension had left him on edge.
"Lynn, are you okay? I was terrified when Colin looked at you earlier." A timid voice came. Lynn looked up to see Andy, the workshop's quietest apprentice. Andy was often bullied by Gray too, a kindred spirit who'd refrained from mocking Lynn earlier.
Lynn shook his head, forcing a smile: "I'm fine, thanks for asking."
Andy squatted to help pick up scroll fragments, whispering: "Earlier… you burned Gray's robe, right? I saw gray fire on your finger. What kind of magic is that? It was so cool."
Lynn hesitated, then evaded the question – the secret of Ashen Magic was too critical to share, even with Andy. "I… I accidentally knocked over sulfur in the workshop, and it caught Gray's robe. It wasn't magic."
Andy didn't press, just nodded: "I see. Be careful, Lynn – Gray won't let this go, and Colin seemed suspicious of you."
"I will." Lynn nodded, already planning ahead. Colin's visit had made Fallen Dust Town unsafe; the Holy Light Council could return at any time. Staying in the workshop would also stunt his growth now that he wielded Ashen Magic. He needed more energy, a broader world, answers about the Forbidden Codex and his origins.
"Thanks, Andy." Lynn stood, tucking the fragments into his bag and touching the Forbidden Codex in his arms. "I might leave the town."
Andy froze: "Leave? Where will you go?"
"I don't know," Lynn said, gazing at the darkening sky outside the workshop – his eyes held confusion, but unshakable resolve. "But I can't stay here. I need to find a place to grow stronger, to see the world beyond."
He thought of the "senior magic academy" Gray had mentioned, of Colin's "recommendation spot" – maybe that was his first step away. No matter the danger, he had to go; he'd never be the bullied "magic good-for-nothing" again. He'd take control of his fate.
That night, while the apprentices slept, Lynn packed his few belongings: tattered clothes, a hand-copied magic theory notebook, and the Forbidden Codex. He told no one, not even Andy – only leaving a small gray fire mark (condensed from Ashen Energy) under his bed, a final farewell to the place he'd called home for three years.
Moonlight spilled over him through the window. Lynn took one last look at the workshop, then vanished into the night. The streets of Fallen Dust were silent, his footsteps echoing softly on the stone, leading him away from the town.
He didn't know that soon after he left, an oil lamp flickered on in Gray's room. Gray stared at the direction Lynn had gone, a malicious smile curling his lips as he clutched a note he'd secretly written to Colin: "Lynn is suspicious. He has unknown magic fluctuations – possibly linked to forbidden magic…"