Crawling wasn’t necessarily a big milestone, but still, it’s a rather joyous feeling.

  Anyways…

  The house I now called home was rather peaceful,

  Often silent save for the occasional creak of wood or whisper of wind outside our windows.

  Both my arms and legs have grown stronger, steadier— and moving can be done with a purpose now.

  Our house was largely a two-story wooden home, filled with rooms that were all well maintained.

  The tranquil view of the immense landscape of smaller homes and farming plots was a sure sight to behold.

  There was a sense of peace here, especially from prying eyes.

  But… something was bothering me.

  Yeah, things were clean, the food was great, and my parents seemed to be able to afford most necessities, but still…

  There were cracks that became noticeably visible the longer I prowled. Father’s quiet frustrations, Mother’s firm grip on the household, and even the way visitors would come, but never stay too long.

  We were Astreas— a name with weight I would think.

  Still… it felt ours was the branch the world had forgotten to water.

  I was content to continue to observe. Always smiling, laughing, and crying when appropriate.

  A perfect child for my family’s expectations, but I was watching.

  Going back to my baby phase, crawling was a constant source of discomfort,

  and even though it became easier as time flew by,

  I never imagined it was this tiresome.

  My coordination was scuffled at best,

  short baby strides, awkward tumbles, crashing out with my face planted on the floor.

  This…

  This’ll take some time to get used to.

  A few more anguish weeks had passed,

  and my body began to cooperate with me on standing and walking—

  albeit a bit fidgety to be honest.

  Coordination is key and this body of mine is slowly but surely capable of doing such feats.

  The more effort that was made, the better the results with being able to stand for longer periods and take wider strides around this gigantic house

  My body was quickly adapting much faster than normal babies,

  which was a good telling of my future or at least I hope so.

  There was a reason behind all this effort that I was making, and it put it bluntly—

  my family has a reading library.

  If I am to survive in this new world,

  I had to learn fast.

  There was a sensation of worry and uneasiness in Mother’s expression, but she was supportive and helpful in finding some books for me to read.

  Of course I couldn’t directly tell her, but the nudging and pushing got her to realize what my intentions were.

  “At such a young age and eager to learn…”

  Priscilla’s voice trailed off as she rummaged through her collection of books to find the perfect one for me.

  She smiled as if the perfect book had just been discovered.

  “Well, here’s a beginner’s guide on magic and monsters, hope you can understand the wordings, Ash.”

  Mother gave me a kiss on the forehead, leaving me alone with nothing but time.

  To live life to the utmost fullest,

  there were things that had to be done differently.

  My previous life was nothing but regret and impotence with no goals set forward.

  This time it’s different,

  it has to be.

  Magic Book for Dummies and World of Kaelyndar

  A fitting start to a new chapter in life.

  Scanning through the first few pages, I was struck by the fact that this world was still in its early stages in growth and development.

  Magic was the source of this world’s technological feats.

  Despite its lack of sophistication,

  there was something undeniably appealing about this world.

  Magic made everything seem possible.

  Just reading a bit gave me the urge to start venturing into this brand-new world made me all the more thrilled.

  Though the book mentioned magic,

  it briefly explains some laws and basic fundamentals—

  things like weapons being carried by just about anyone.

  It wasn’t like my previous life where to own a weapon or weapons’, one must get a permit and have no criminal record.

  Weapons here felt like a common place.

  Still… there seems to be some rules in this barbaric-like world: no weapons inside royal halls, no entry prohibited while in the obsession of being armed into noble estates, and no duels without a witness.

  Makes sense.

  There were even topics on beginner magic theory—

  The thing you’d read in comics like “mana cores,” and warning of “overextended use.”

  This is getting really exciting!

  This wasn’t just magic.

  This was freedom.

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  There seemed to be some technological advancements within this world—

  Ships and ones powered with magic for sailing, and flying carriages.

  This wasn’t your typical horse-and-cart carriage either.

  It was hard to fathom just how the aerial carriages looked like when picturing it.

  The idea alone made me want to see it for myself.

  There were even topics of things like portals in this world.

  Portals!

  One’s that transfer people across kingdoms.

  It sounded really cool to move from one place to another in an instant.

  So cool…

  This world was dominated by a monarchy system of sorts. The continent of Kaelyndar had four major kingdoms:

  Blutara, the human race;

  Minyth, the elven kingdom;

  Kagrhia, land of the dwarves;

  and Rosian, the demon kingdom.

  It goes without saying that while I have not been in this world for long—

  a part of me disliked Blutara for its outdated system of primogeniture— which dictated that the eldest son would inherit the throne, regardless of his qualifications.

  Where is the voting system?

  Why should birth alone decide everything?

  This feeling of being tied down by blood sickens me.

  I would never wish to rule others, but live equally with others.

  Sigh…

  just thinking about paperwork and documentation, especially in this world’s non-existent computers, gives me a headache.

  Looking over more of the book, there wasn’t much detail about the other kingdoms.

  Which was a shame, because I would have loved to understand and learn of their cultures.

  Whether or not they had similar hierarchies like Blutura, the main importance was to focus on magic.

  Pushing aside the continent book,

  I reeled in the other book to answer the few questions I had.

  “Mana cores are formed and refined during gestation, but the extent of the core depends on genetics.

  Children typically awaken to their mana cores within the first few years of life, but the development varies based on bloodline and training.

  The first signs to be wary of awakening are a sudden surge of heat and difficulty breathing, as the core breaks out of its incubation stage.

  At this point, mana elements may become more visible to the child.”

  Seeing that I’m nearing my first birthday,

  I have not felt that sudden surge described in the book.

  No heat.

  No heavy breathing.

  No magical epiphany.

  It did say it takes a couple of years.

  Maybe I was overcomplicating things and being impatient will lead to nowhere.

  …Okay back to reading.

  “There are two known primary disciplines of combat: augmentation and conjuration. but neither is mutually exclusive as the principles differ between mana use.”

  “Augmentation is the act of enhancing the body through internal methods. Strength, resilience, and speed are all major factors that are favored by knights, soldiers, mercenaries, and physical combat fanatics. The downturn is a less explosive of power; however, it allows for greater control and endurance.

  “Conjuration is the polar opposite being that it draws mana from the environment. This includes elements such as fire, wind, water, earth, or other rarer constructs. This allows the user for greater destructive capabilities, but it demands concentration and leaves the user more vulnerable during casting.”

  “Some advanced practitioners learn to balance both— though premature methods of learning can result in mana sickness and often times death when overdone.

  When one’s core fully awakens and adapts, it is advised to focus on one method that suits one’s needs and develop a natural affinity for it.”

  Well… it sort of tells me to pick my choice of poison.

  Why not become a battlemage?

  The thought of relying on close range until my core awakens further sounds like a hassle.

  I’d rather not be forced into either close-quarters or long-range battles before I figure out what my body is capable of doing.

  “flip”

  Oh… this is interesting.

  “Conjurers must carefully coordinate their mana and thoughts to form an ability aligned with their affinities. While it is an early start advantage to harness the powers of the elements seeping around us, unless proficient in absorbing the mana during combat can be very daunting and difficult to manage.”

  “Once the mana core awakens to further stages, the two classes become intertwined, making efficiency on both lessen in difficulty. However, awakening is a difficult journey, and in order to reach new heights, one must continue to train and push the boundaries of the body’s limits.”

  It would be wise to learn both augmentation and conjuration.

  Just in case.

  Easier said than done, however.

  “flip”

  The book continues to discuss about the four basic elements, but what I’m looking for is something else…

  “flip”

  Aha!

  There it is!

  “There are rare cases where children are born with affinities beyond the common four elements. These individuals are roughly one in a thousand that have shown control over lightning, ice, metal, and other elements that are beyond human capabilities.

  It remains unknown whether these anomalies of higher elements are due to environmental factors or bloodline heritage; the exact cause is still being researched to further understand the conditions required to become a special individual.”

  Further reading mentioned healing and other properties of similar concept. Chances of such a rare trait are often passed down through selective bloodlines.

  This was Mother’s gift. I was sure of it.

  Phew… I think I understand the gist of it.

  It sure is a lot to handle.

  To be able to comprehend how a conjurer must practically stand there with a clear mind,

  calculating magic formulas in their damn head and casting spells mid-combat is time consuming and a sure way to the afterlife.

  On the other hand…

  a warrior can close the distance and finish off the enemy, especially if versed in combat and some forms of magic.

  The issue is prolonged fights and what the book called it…

  mana rebound when the core overloads and damages the body.

  Shitty way to go I tell ya.

  It needs to be brought up once more that my Father is currently an inactive Silver-Knight augmenter.

  Mother is in-between Bronze and Silver in terms of capabilities— not excluding her healing capabilities.

  I really wish father would show off his abilities, even just a little, but mother sure is amazing.

  I hope to be as resourceful as her.

  Suddenly and without warning, a rather large book dropped from the shelf. I was startled, but confined myself not to panic over the simplest things.

  Hmm… what can you be?

  “Kaelyndar Monsters, Dragons, and Great Disasters”

  Holy shit… Dragons!?

  Aside from the wonders of magic and its unique properties,

  a little child booming with energy and interest emerged within me.

  There was so much information being held out and this book pops up about the creatures of this world.

  Let’s see…

  the book has a category of creatures and their rankings. Most creatures are in dungeons, however, some venture out onto the forbidden zone and prey on unprepared adventures.

  “The Forbidden Zone is a vast, uninhabited region of land that humanity is unable to conquer. It comprises thirty percent of Kaelyndar’s unused land, and it’s difficult to estimate the variety of creatures that lurk.

  It is widely speculated before the fall of the Great Disasters, each one the catastrophes created a land for creatures to coexists against the remanence of all other species.”

  Strange,

  there isn’t much information about these so-called ‘disasters.’

  This could be before a time when recordings were commonly used that this is a far-fetched legend story or myth passed down over generations.

  “flip”

  Woah! My eyes widened with excitement.

  “Dragons in today’s world are still a mystery—however— they have the capabilities to blend in with any race. They are notorious for meddling with affairs and skewering off to the high skies, where their floating island— called the Highrealm— resides.

  Previous attempts to venture into these unknown parts have all failed due to the pressure of mana.”

  The author of this book with the initial R.B. may have an unfavorable tone against Dragons— but it makes sense when a being that is superior would enjoy meddling with the hearts of humans.

  If I were to ever come across one, I hope it treats me fairly.

  My eyes caught something important, a childlike visual of something that piqued my interest.

  What’s this?

  “All monsters have the capability to form bonds with humans. Bonding is in the form of a contract, thus, once bound, it is impossible to shackle.

  If a creature recognizes the person as an equal, it will attempt to form a contract.”

  This sounds beneficial, right?

  “flip”

  “Although there are immense benefits to this, you must be wary of the creature when it no longer sees you as its equal, it can remove the contract bindingthe two and kill its partner as it sees fit.

  The rewards of bonding with a powerful creature outweigh the risks. For example, if a bond was made with a wyvern, the person may harness the skills and strength of that wyvern— whether it be a fiery breath, incredible speeds, or increased senses.

  The longer one bonds with a familiar, the more those perks become a part of you.”

  That was an interesting read to say the least, it certainly got the baby arms pumped after that.

  Sitting around and waiting like all the other newborn children to get a core working will make me feel always behind.

  The book mentioned training numerous times…

  so…

  maybe I just need to start.

  Now.

  The thought occurred to me— the book briefly mentioned how augmentation users enhance the body through internal channels, so maybe… just maybe…

  I can move my mana channels outward, bit by bit.

  It’s a little risky when considering all options, but I’ll circulate it myself.

  Just enough to get it flowing.

  Putting extra force to push myself off the cold floor, I sat cross-legged and began to steady my breath.

  The sensational feeling didn’t take long to arrive.

  It tickled at first.

  Then, a light hum beneath the skin.

  Then… it began to burn.

  The feeling of sharpened molten threads was dragging through all my muscles and bones.

  Breathing became hitched.

  My teeth clenched.

  The entirety of my body began to shiver— feeling as if the veins were like dry riverbeds that flooded—

  crackling as if they just had been forced to open.

  The shivering became more immense as the mana veins lit up, slowly crawling throughout my limbs like frostbite spreading in reverse.

  The more this continued, the more it felt I would succumb to the pressure.

  So close… so close…

  The final remnants of mana completed their circuit through my entire body—

  I felt an urge to regurgitate and receded backwards hitting my occiput.

  The room spun, and my vision began to cave inward.

  Darkness claimed me.

  …Worth it.