Location - Pilgrims Forest
A vast expanse of towering trees, moss-covered rocks, and the distant sound of rustling leaves. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the canopy, casting golden beams across the undergrowth. Amid this quiet beauty, a lone figure walked along the narrow path, a backpack slung over his shoulder.
Azad stepped forward with measured calm, his eyes scanning the surroundings until they stopped at a breathtaking sight — a towering cliff, the highest point in the forest. It stood like a natural monument, its base wide and open, surrounded by grass, wind-swept boulders, and silence.
He took a deep breath, then smiled faintly.
"Ha... finally," he exhaled. "I found a place to train myself."
Unzipping his bag, Azad pulled out a black t-shirt and track pants, changing swiftly and tying back his hair. With the wind brushing across his face, he stood still for a moment. Then, with a sharp snap of his fingers, he closed his eyes.
He focused. Deeply. Silently. Centering his thoughts like his professor once taught him.
A sudden warmth surged from within. In an instant, a golden aura flared around his body, crackling like a living flame. It danced in the air, radiant and wild.
Azad opened his eyes, feeling the energy ripple across his skin. A wide grin spread across his face.
"Yeah... I got a power…"
But just as the aura began to settle, it flickered — and vanished.
His smile faded.
"Huh? What happened? Why's it gone?"
He tried again, grounding his thoughts, breathing steadily. The golden light returned, surrounding him once more — only to flicker out after a few seconds.
Frustration crept in.
"Dammit... It's hard to control. If I can't stabilize my Aki energy, I won't be able to use magical chants or elemental powers…" He clenched his fists. "There's no other way... I have to master it."
Hours passed.
Azad trained relentlessly — snapping, breathing, focusing. His clothes were soaked in sweat, his limbs aching, but his spirit unbroken. Time and again, he summoned the energy, only for it to fade. But he didn't stop.
And then… a breakthrough.
Golden aura flared to life and didn't vanish. It clung to him like a second skin, stable, strong, and warm. Ten minutes passed before it gently dissolved.
Azad collapsed to his knees, breathing hard — but a faint smile returned to his face.
"Finally... I've learned a little bit of control," he muttered. "It's not much, but it's something. A good start."
He looked at his hands.
"Now... I want to know what my elemental power is." His eyes clouded with doubt. "But how am I even supposed to find that out…"
He rubbed his head, frustrated — until a sharp realization struck him like a spark.
"Wait... That day... Harry brook" His eyes widened. "He told in the class how to sense it!" The classroom scene flashed in his mind.
Azad sat cross-legged on the ground and closed his eyes once more. His golden aura returned as he focused deeper. Slowly, he placed a hand over his chest, then extended his palm outward. He steadied his Aki energy and flowing rapidly on his palm.
A bright golden light formed in his hand — and then, suddenly, it burst into fire.
Azad stared, awestruck.
"So… my elemental power is fire."
But the flame began to change. It crackled sharply, flickering with energy — and then transformed into lightning, snapping and crackling in his palm.
"What?" he muttered, blinking. Then the memory surfaced again — another lesson from class:
"Only a rare few sorcerers can awaken more than one elemental power."
Azad looked at his hand, amazed.
"This means… I have two, two elemental powers.... Hmmm.... Amazing...."
Time slowed as he sat still, letting the moment sink in. After some time, he grabbed his bottle from the backpack and sat on a nearby rock, taking a long drink. But even as the water cooled his throat, his thoughts began racing again.
"The next step... I need to learn magical chants. Without them, my elemental power is useless in real combat."
He stared into the distance, lost in thought.
"But… How in the world am I supposed to learn them?"
A pause. Then, as if remembering a forgotten treasure, his eyes lit up.
"Tomorrow's my lucky day," he whispered, a smirk forming. "The college is holding special classes — training sessions for new students on elemental techniques… fire, water, thunder…"
He stood up, energy returning to his body.
"I'll go. I'll learn everything. Secretly if I have to, If someone caught me, they would suddenly be suspicious about my Powers."
And with that, Azad tightened the straps of his backpack, golden light still flickering faintly in his eyes.
---
Location - Laconis City College
Azad stood on the veranda, his sharp gaze locked onto the college courtyard below. The air was buzzing — hundreds of students had lined up in perfect formation, rows of hopeful faces staring at the stage.
Three powerful figures stood before them — their long coats fluttering slightly in the wind, marked with the unmistakable symbol of the Red Dragon Guild.
Azad's eyes narrowed as he focused on the center figure.
"Ohh... I know them. Those three sorcerers are members of the Red Dragon Guild. But I'm really familiar with only one. The one in the center… His name's Leon. He's the leader of the Grade 2 sorcerers in the guild. He's popular for a reason. So… they're the ones teaching today? Interesting..."
He folded his arms as a subtle smirk crept onto his face.
Minutes later, the students were being guided into the training wing. Azad watched from behind the glass pane of his classroom window — a storm of desire rising in his chest.
He wanted to be there.
"I needed to be there."
But just then, the professor began the lesson. Azad gritted his teeth, then made a snap decision. He stood abruptly, clutched his stomach, and staggered forward with a strained expression.
"Sir, excuse me... My stomach's really hurting. I need to go to the restroom."
His voice was low, tight with fake pain — convincing.
The professor's face went pale.
"What? Oh no — okay, Azad. Go, go! Hurry!"
Azad forced a pained smile.
"Thank you, sir..."
And just like that, he darted out of the classroom — no limp, no hesitation. He sprinted across the corridor like a shadow, weaving through the crowd with one goal in mind.
He reached the training hall, slipping through the doors unnoticed. Rows of students had already taken their seats, their attention fixed on the massive screen up front. A heavy-duty projector hummed overhead.
Azad exhaled in relief.
"I think I came at the right time."
He quietly slid into a chair in the last row, staying low.
Suddenly, the room shifted. The air sharpened.
A man stepped forward to the center — tall, confident, carrying the presence of someone who had faced death and walked away stronger.
It was Leon.
He addressed the room, his voice bold and charismatic:
"Hello. Good morning, students. I'm Leon. Most of you probably already know me, so I won't waste time with introductions — let's jump straight into the real matter."
A wave of focus swept the room.
"Today, you're here to learn about magical chants and elemental power techniques. And do you know why now is the right time to learn it? Because all of you are 18. This is the age of maturity — the moment when your energy stabilizes, when your connection to Aki becomes real."
Students leaned forward in their seats.
"You carry a massive responsibility — to protect humanity. Demons are attacking from every direction. They want to wipe out everything we are."
His voice darkened slightly, more serious now.
"But what they don't know... is that we've got fearless warriors standing in their way. And soon — you'll be one of them. So embrace your duty. Understand your power. And fight for humanity until your last breath."
The final words echoed like thunder against the walls.
The room burst into applause.
Leon nodded firmly.
"Now — let's get into the real training. I'm a fire-element user. So I'll be teaching only fire. Water and thunder will be taught by my fellow guild members."
He paced slightly as the screen changed, glowing with detailed diagrams and symbols.
"Each element has its own uniqueness. But among them... fire is the most destructive. If you don't control it — it will consume you."
He paused, letting the warning land.
"Today, I'll show you the magical chants, attack motions, and energy control for fire-based techniques. Write everything down in your notes."
The screen lit up as chant scripts and stances flickered into view. Leon began explaining each one with expert clarity.
Azad's hand flew across his notebook, jotting down every line. Every motion. Every chant. His heart was pounding with purpose.
After a while, Leon closed his portion with power.
"Okay, students. My portion for today is done. We'll start practical training in the upcoming days. Don't forget — training makes warriors. Goodbye."
The room broke into applause again.
Then, the remaining two sorcerers stepped forward. They followed the same method, teaching thunder and water in turn. Azad wrote furiously, his mind locked in.
When the thunder chants appeared on screen, something stirred inside him. A strange connection. A flicker of something more.
He didn't understand it yet — but he wrote every word.
---
Location - Streets of Laconis City
The streets buzzed softly with end-of-day traffic as Azad walked home, backpack slung over one shoulder. The golden light of evening casts a glow across the cobbled path.
But his mind wasn't in the scenery.
"The training is going to happen in the upcoming days. But... how am I going to attend it? If someone catches me, it'll cause a huge problem."
His fists clenched slightly.
"But I already have all the useful information. So... why should I risk going there? I'll train myself."
A flicker of confidence returned to his eyes.
"I have faith in myself."
---
Location - Pilgrims Forest – Highest Cliff
One Week Later
A cold wind swept over the cliff, whistling between the rocks. Mist curled low across the grass, and the trees far below looked like an ocean of leaves.
Azad stood at the edge, alone.
His breath slowed.
His focus sharpened.
Both katanas were drawn, gleaming in the morning light.
Suddenly — a surge of energy burst from within him. A radiant golden aura exploded around his body, swirling like living fire. The energy coiled around his swords, illuminating the steel with a fierce glow.
Drawing his twin katanas, he closed his eyes and focused his Aki energy. With a commanding voice, he chanted:
"Power of fire, Dancing Fire God!"
A fiery aura enveloped his blades as he twirled them in a mesmerizing display of skill, flames dancing with every swing. Smiling at his progress, Azad moved on to his next fire-based attack. Pointing his blade skyward, he declared:
"Power of fire, Blazing Crescent Strike!"
With a single swing, a blazing arc of fire shot through the forest, carving a crescent-shaped path into the ground. Satisfied, Azad shifted his focus to the power of thunder.
Holding his katanas aloft, he felt the static crackle around him. With thunder in his voice, he called:
"Power of thunder, Dancing Thunder God!"
Lightning surged through his weapons, creating an electrifying display as he danced through the forest with swift, precise movements. Finally, he raised his weapon high, channeling the energy into a focused point.
"Power of thunder, thunder bolt slash"
He unleashed a vertical strike and a massive bolt of lightning strike from his blade, splitting a nearby boulder into half. Azad muttered, impressed by the raw strength of his attacks. "Finally I learned it. But, i have long way to master it. I hope i will do it soon..." Azad's face turned into serious.
Chapter 3 - TO BE CONTINUED....