Chapter 5 - Astra Spellcraft Commander
Once Maxmillan got home, Lenna and her two daughters were surprised that Maxmillan had quickly returned.
"Maxie, you didn't find your friends? Or why is it that you quickly returned?" Nailah, Maxmillan's older sister asked.
"Not really, big sister. It's just that I saw something. Then I returned home to inquire about it from you, instead of my friends." Maxmillan replied.
"Oh. Okay. So, what's it that you want to inquire about, dear son?" Lenna gently asked with a beautiful smile in her face.
"Mom, there is this old man I saw at the beginning of our street. He was performing magic. Who is he?" Maxmillan asked, while Lenna and her two daughters looked at one another with a bewildered expression in their faces before looking back at Maxmillan who fixated his gaze on them with an innocent look appearing in his face.
"Maxie, that old man is your favorite performer. You are always there to watch him perform. Have you forgotten?" Lenna asked with a smile in her face. She was however thinking how her son could forget something like that so soon.
"Oh! I actually can't remember that mom. There are certain things that I can't really remember again. Maybe you can help juggle my brain, mom. I promise not to forget next time." Maxmillan said with an adorably cute smile in his face which warmed his mom's heart.
"Alright son." Lenna said smilingly, after arriving at a conclusion that Maxmillan's memory loss was as a result of his death which he miraculously awakened from.
She then started, "Son, that old man is old man Garrett. He is a powerful Astra Spellcraft Commander. He was well famed for leading a small army of Astra Mystralis casters in battle against a group of baleful murderous pillagers who were also powerful users of Astra Mystralis and had the intention of wiping out an entire town to avenge an important member of theirs that was killed by a powerful Astra Spellcraft Commander from that town."
"Okay mom. But you said he was well famed. What about now? Is he no longer well famed? Or has he fallen from his glorious position to a position where he would be mocked everywhere he goes?" Maxmillan asked with a bright glow of curiosity emitting from his eyes.
"Yes, son. He has. We don't know details of what really happened. All I know is that he became a nobody that moved away from the city to this town to entertain kids with his powerful magic casting abilities."
"One time he was asked why he did such without being paid for it, he said that not only did he not do it for money, he did it to forget about the heavy sorrowful atmosphere that accompanied him wherever he went, filled him with loneliness and pressed down viciously upon him."
"So, seeing the kids laugh euphorically around him and being joyously happy, always warded off that particular atmosphere that encompassed him and replaced it with a light atmosphere that filled his heart with both delight and gladness."
"You know, a person that has been scornfully and derisively written off as valueless by his or her peers, will feel glad and important if they find themselves in a place where they are fully appreciated for their work and aren't chastised for anything." Lenna said while Maxmillan who perfectly understood all that his mom said, nodded his head in total comprehension to all that she mentioned.
"That's really sad for old man Garrett. I hope he returns back to his previous position of being a well-famed Astra Spellcraft Commander." Maxmillan said with both sympathy and empathy in his tone. While his mom looked at him amazingly and hopefully nodded her head.
"Yea, I recall mom. What is an Astral Spellcraft Commander? What do they do? Do they only lead an army of Astra Mystralis casters into battle with a foreign group comprising entirely of brutal barbaric brutes and invaders, or there are other things that they do within the society?" Maxmillan asked with his eyes which radiated intelligence gleaming in the light rays from the sun.
Lenna couldn't help but be amazed by the question that Maxmillan asked, since a five year old shouldn't be thinking such. The only things children at his age should be thinking was play, eat and sleep.
However, she was still going to give a response to his question and explain it in a way that he would understand and wouldn't need any more explanation from any other person.
"Dear son, you shouldn't be thinking too hard about these things. You are still growing. You haven't reached that stage yet for you to possess knowledge about these kind of things. However, to satisfy your curiosity, people that successfully graduate from institutes where Astra spellcasting is taught, become Astra Spellcraft commanders."
"Although it might sound easy to become that, it's however exceedingly difficult. Only a few hundred out of many thousands can possibly obtain this reverenced dignified position. While the remaining thousands that don't pass, are made to repeat classes over and over again till they are able to satisfy all requirements and obtain that title."
"But still, the conditions to be met, and criterias to be fulfilled, become much more harsher since one is repeating classes over and over again. So, because of these progressively harsh conditions and near-unfulfillable criterias, many drop out to leave a few stubborn-willed ones who will stop at nothing till they get what they want, or they die trying. What a tough world it is out there. But I believe my child will make us proud."
"So son, as you can see, this is way above your level. I don't want you to ask me any more question related to this again. The only time I will enlighten you further, is when you have reached the age requirement to learn about such things, okay?" Lenna asked and lovingly stroked Maxmillan soft silky hair, while Maxmillan quickly replied with the obedient nod of his head.
But with glittering eyes that his mother perceived as wanting to ask more questions, she sighed and gently asked when she knelt on one knee in front of him, "Maxie, do you still have any more question for me?"
"Yes, mom." Maxmillan said and naturally broke a smile in his dashing face.
He then quickly said further, "Sorry for disturbing you, mum. I just want to know about these things, or they will continue to disturb my mind. And I don't know anyone else that will answer me properly other than you. I am sure my two older sisters won't give me the time and attention you are giving me and will only brush me to a side to do their own thing. Two mean people. I will teach them a lesson when I am fully grown."
Maxmillan said, pouting his lips and trying his best to act like an innocent five year old child. While his mum, Lenna unexpectedly burst into a loud raucous laughter.
"Don't worry child, you can always come to me for whatsoever question you have bugging your mind." Lenna answered and kissed Maxmillan's forehead.
"Alright mom." Maxmillan said gladly, as he was close to understanding what kind of world his soul had transmigrated into, possibly under the influence of an invisible cosmic force.
Then he questioned, "Mom, can you also produce magical effects just like that old man, because you sounded so versed when explaining things to me earlier? And what really is Astra Mystralis?"
Chapter 6 - Magical Feats!Immediately Maxmillan asked that, Lenna couldn't help but look at him with surprise in her face, as he was speaking too intelligently for his age.Was this another miracle because he awakened? She pondered without revealing anything on her face.Before the real Maxmillan in this world died, all he cared about was play, eat and sleep. But now, she felt that things have changed monumentally, since her son was beginning to sound much more intelligent than his peers, and seemed deeply curious about things that he shouldn't be contemplating about at his age."Son, I can produce magical effects. But not up to the level of old man Garrett who is an Astra Spellcraft Commander. I am only an average caster of Astra Mystralis. So, comparing me to old man Garrett is like comparing a burning charcoal to the sun. We are worlds apart." Lenna said.She then continued with a slight smile in her face, "Everyone in this town are capable of producing magical effects. But many o
Chapter 7 - 13 Years LaterMaxmillan had grown into a fine young man with an admirably impressive physique. However, he had a problem that kept him awake most night since he was a child. And this was because of his inability to sense Astra Mystralis and enter into a state of harmony with it. So, not being able to harmonize with Astra Mystralis, greatly bothered him a lot that he couldn't leave home to go anywhere else, since almost all the kids in his particular neighborhood who had grown into good-looking adults, had become talented casters of Astra Mystralis. Besides, Maxmillan felt really bad that he couldn't make his parent in this world proud of him. Although they loved him deeply, regardless of whether he was a caster of Astra Mystralis or not, he still however felt bad and terrible. So, these thoughts filled him with nothing but sadness and caused him to feel very useless and worthless. One day while sitting outside in the verandah of their home, where he was lost in his ble
Chapter 8 - Worries and Fears"I understand mom." Maxmillan said with a smile in his face that made his mom develop a bleak feeling in her heart.He then said further, "Mom, I am going to my room to rest. We'll talk later." As soon as he said that, he left his mom's presence and headed for his room to ponder more about the next line of action that he planned to take.But not quite long, while seated on his bed and lost in deep thought, he suddenly heard gentle knocks rap against his door.Immediately understanding that this person could be anyone of his sisters, he produced a smile in his face and said, "Come in."The door creaked open to reveal Maxmillan's younger sister, Lylla. Then accompanying her into the room was Nailah with a mean look in her face, which caused Maxmillan to be befuddled.'Hope my older sister hasn't come to make trouble with me?' He asked himself internally."Sisters, what brings you to my room? Are you both here to grace this dashing majesty?" Maxmillan asked
Chapter 9 - Going for the entrance exam.In the early hours of a particular day in which the entrance exam was fixed at a venue in the Floating Lotus academy, Maxmillan, with the help of his sisters and mom, had finished packing all that he needed for his tiring journey to the faraway city."Maxie, remember. If anything goes wrong over there, immediately return home." Lenna said with a gloomy expression in her face, which anyone could tell that she was really worried."I understand mom." Maxmillan said with the nod of his head.Then he went forward to hug his mom who embraced him back with a tear bead rolling down her left cheek from her glistening left eye. She wished she could dissuade Maxmillan, her only son from going to the city. But since he had fully made up his mind, there was no point in doing so. Besides, she wanted him to be happy and didn't want to get in his way, or he might get furious at her as time goes on for causing him to be absent at the exam venue and therefore r
Chapter 10 - Exam Begins!'This is really amazing. How I wish I could sense Astra Mystralis and enter into harmony with it, I will surely do a million and twelve hugely amazing things with it.' Maxmillan said within himself and heaved a deep sigh.'Well, I am here now for the exam. Let me see the kind of fate that is waiting for me at the Floating Lotus Academy." He said further and deeply exhaled . Then he began to look around for where he would take a carriage that would convey him to the Floating Lotus Academy.Without needing to ask anyone, since he simply followed the kids that got into carriages that would convey them to the Floating Lotus Academy, he got into one which drove off after it was filled with passengers.As the carriage moved on the way at a high speed, along with many others that could number in the hundreds, Maxmillan was able to take in more sights of wondrous and marvelous things in the city. 'This is one hell of a grand city.' Maxmillan said within himself and
Chapter 11 - HumiliatedImmediately Maxmillan climbed up the floating square-shaped platform, he walked to a spot where he would exhibit his own ability.So, with his eyes closed and fully ignoring the cacophonous sounds of various magical effects manifesting around him, Maxmillan tried to sense Astra Mystralis.He had a theory that he wanted to test, which was that since about sixty people were on the platform and made use of their Astra Mystralis harmonization ability to produce astonishing magical effects around them, then him sensing Astra Mystralis should be much more easier. The energy which he felt was absolutely imperceivable by him because he wasn't from this world, should be made much more easier to detect because of the users of Astra Mystralis who surrounded him and continuously casted myriad magical effects. Therefore, that alone should have a great influence on his seemingly inexistent perception ability, so he thought. After ignoring the loud and disharmonious sounds
Chapter 12 - Attacked!A couple of days later, where Maxmillan had long arrived in the city by feet and drank from pools of water that he saw on the ground to quench his thirst, nearly everyone in Shining Lake City had known who he was. Details about him and the incident that surrounded him, had spread like ravaging wildfire to every home and institution within the city. And so, whenever any of them came across him while heading in certain directions or to a particular destination in mind, they immediately avoided him like he was a frightening monster that only his gaze alone would cause them to be filled with illness and bring about their instant perishing and immediate decay. At the moment, Maxmillan was really hungry that he could entirely devour a full bucket of rice and hot tasty soup. And this was because he hadn't eaten for days since he arrived at the city where nearly everyone did their utmost best to avoid him like he were a plague. He was so famished that mouth-watering
Chapter 13 - RevivedAs soon as the orb of light entered Maxmillan's body, it immediately produced an invisible energy field of accelerated bio-tissue proliferation.Once this bio-electric field of energy appeared and fully encompassed Maxmillan's withering body, it immediately diminished the effect of the spell by causing Maxmillan's dried and withering body tissues to immediately return, and at a speed that will awe people, as Maxmillan went from being a skeleton with little to no flesh to a really healthy individual with strong vitality. Also, the orb of light shielded Maxmillan's mind from the spell that wanted to eradicate his mind and put his body in a living-dead state.After a long while of the spell trying to destroy Maxmillan's mind and take over his body, the spell wore out and became less potent. While the fog that fully enshrouded Maxmillan's body, began to thin out with every passing second that after five minutes, it thinned out completely with nothing happening to Max