Chapter 5: Birth of a Mage

Master Yuki and Bjorn slipped out of the inn quietly before dawn, vanishing into the shadows as the city still slept. By the time the first light touched the sky, they were already far from the city gates.

They had a cart pulled by two sturdy horses, but Master Yuki insisted that Bjorn walk alongside it. The journey took them through dense forests, steering clear of the main roads and avoiding settlements. It was a good way to stay out of sight and throw off anyone trying to track them.

The travel was relentless, with only a short break for a quick lunch. By evening, they reached a wide clearing with a bubbling creek running through it. Bjorn took care of the horses, letting them drink and feeding them while Master Yuki set up camp.

By the time Bjorn returned, Master Yuki had dinner nearly ready. They ate well, and after the long day, Bjorn felt his exhaustion catching up with him. He was looking forward to some rest when he heard Master Yuki's sharp voice.

"Get up," Master Yuki ordered.

Bjorn groaned as he stood, his muscles aching from the day’s hike. A wooden sword landed at his feet with a thud—it was heavier than it looked, probably filled with lead.

"Time to begin your training," Master Yuki said, his eyes hard as flint. There would be no rest for Bjorn just yet.

"Come, hit me. I want to taste your power," Yuki said, taking a fighting stance, ready to strike.

Master Yuki didn't even shift his position. He held his sword loosely by his side, his expression calm and unflinching.

Bjorn lunged forward with a series of swings, feints, and thrusts, but Master Yuki barely moved. He blocked, dodged, and deflected with minimal effort, barely stepping to avoid Bjorn's attacks.

This went on for a few minutes, then Master Yuki began to counterattack. He didn't let Bjorn strike freely anymore. The sound of clashing swords echoed across the clearing. It continued for almost an hour, and by the end, Bjorn was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion with his body bruised all over.

"Not bad, kid. I can work with this," Master Yuki commented, seeing the raw potential in Bjorn's form. He lacked finesse but had a natural instinct for combat.

"Where did you learn to fight?" Yuki asked, curious about Bjorn's background.

"I learned from a hunter in my village. I was his apprentice for a couple of years," Bjorn replied, breathing heavily.

Yuki nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Go clean up. We'll continue tomorrow morning," he said, waving Bjorn off. Bjorn went to the nearby creek to wash away the grime and sweat from the intense training.

After a few minutes, he returned, exhausted, and fell asleep almost instantly.

The next morning, Master Yuki resumed their training, but this time, he showed Bjorn a series of forms—precise, and aggressive movements designed to harness explosive power and speed. Bjorn practiced these forms for an hour each morning and an hour of sparring before they set off. They trained again whenever they made camp in the evening.

This routine continued for two months as they journeyed through the wilderness, with Bjorn making steady improvements. They started visiting nearby towns for supplies and the comfort of inns. Bjorn, always exhausted, preferred to rest rather than explore.

By the third month, Bjorn felt he could defeat his former self in just three moves. Yet something bothered him—whenever he asked Master Yuki to teach him magic, he always replied, "You're not ready." This made Bjorn even more dedicated to his training.

One morning, as he prepared to start his daily practice, Master Yuki stopped him.

"I think you're ready to advance in your training. It's time for you to become a mage," he said, his eyes gleaming with approval.

"First, you have to understand what a source is," Master Yuki explained. "A magic source is a wellspring of concentrated magical energy that corresponds to a particular element or essence. These sources are often linked to natural or mystical elements, each with unique properties and powers. When a mage connects to a specific source, they gain control over that element, allowing them to do incredible things."

"There are all kinds of sources," he continued. "Fire, water, lightning, shadow, poison, death—you name it. Some pretty weird sources out there."

Bjorn listened intently, absorbing the information like a sponge. He could hardly believe he was actually learning magic.

Master Yuki produced two scrolls, each with intricate patterns that seemed to shift and shimmer. "These are source scrolls," he said, handing them to Bjorn. "They'll give you access to the lightning and shadow sources. Study them."

Bjorn took the scrolls and examined them, but the writing was like nothing he'd ever seen before. "I can't read this," he muttered, confused by the strange symbols.

"It's magic," Master Yuki replied with a patient smile. "You don't read it—you feel it. Just focus on the scroll."

Bjorn closed his eyes and concentrated. After a few minutes, the first scroll crumbled into dust in his hands. He glanced at Master Yuki, who nodded in approval. He moved on to the second scroll, concentrating until it also disintegrated.

"Now, take this," Master Yuki said, handing him a marble-white pill. "It's an essence pill. It breaks down the barrier between the source and the mage." Before Master Yuki could finish explaining, Bjorn swallowed the pill.

Master Yuki chuckled, his smile knowing. "You'll feel a slight discomfort," he said.

Suddenly, Bjorn felt a rush of warmth spreading through his body, quickly turning into a raging fire. It was like molten lava coursing through his veins. The pain was intense, searing his insides.

"Slight discomfort?!" he exclaimed in agony, his eyes wide as he screamed in pain. It was so overwhelming that he eventually passed out, the world going dark.

When he awoke a few hours later, he felt different but wasn't sure how. He got up slowly, feeling a bit shaky.

"Sit down and focus inward," Master Yuki advised.

Bjorn did as he was told, closing his eyes and searching within himself. It took a few moments, but then he felt it—three distinct sources of energy. One was charged and violent, like lightning. The other was dark and elusive, probably shadow. But the third was oppressive, a blackness that seemed to swallow everything around it.