In The Aftermath

Chapter 3

Eldreth. A small town nestled near the corner of the Federation of Ascalon. It's where I spent most of my childhood, the place I once called home.

 I walked aimlessly around the streets, passing by food vendors and stalls selling trinkets and handmade goods. 

Stalls crowded the market square, offering trinkets that glittered under the morning sun and handmade goods crafted with care—woven baskets, carved wooden figures, and vibrant textiles draped in neat rows. Laughter and chatter rose around me as merchants haggled with customers, their voices mingling with the clatter of cartwheels against cobblestones.

Everything looks exactly the same as I remembered. I really did go back, I still can't believe it. I suddenly recall the ominous sound of a clock ticking back when I lost my consciousness.

"Could the cause of my regression be related to that?" I tried to rack my brain,but my memories were hazy. 

"Ahhhh, whatever," I muttered, shaking my head. "I don't have time to worry about that right now."

There was a bigger immediate issue at hand. The Ascension RIte that is being held today. My hand instinctively reached down to my lower abdomen, resting on the spot where my once-destroyed mana core had been. 

Unsurprisingly and to my relief, it was the same as when I was 16 in my previous life. Inactive but whole.

I decided to walk further out the town until I stumbled upon a secluded spot—a quiet clearing surrounded by tall trees, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. 

Mana. Some say it's the remnants of the gods who once inhabited this world, their divine essence scattered into the air, the earth, and even our very bodies. Others believe it's simply a natural force, as intrinsic to existence as light or gravity. But I honestly don't care. 

I sat cross-legged, straightening my back and closing my eyes. To awaken the core, one must allow the mana around them to naturally flow into their body. However, that didn't mean everyone could become a mage. Far from it.

The truth is, it's more a matter of luck than anything else. A body's ability to accept mana isn't something that can be trained or forced—it either happens or it doesn't. If your body rejects it, over. A strong rejection can lead to excruciating pain and, in the most severe cases, permanent injuries.

Normally, a member of the Arcane Council or another experienced mage would assess an aspiring mage's potential before they attempted to create their core. But that wasn't necessary now. Not when I already knew exactly how my body would respond.

I took a deep breath as I sensed the surrounding mana slowly integrating into my body. It felt like a gentle ripple in the air, an invisible current brushing against my skin before slowly seeping into my body. 

The sensation was faint at first, like tiny sparks drifting through my veins, but gradually it grew stronger. I felt the mana weaving its way toward my empty core, swirling and gathering into a concentrated mass.

I felt a sudden, sharp surge of pain at my core, as if the swirling mana were trying to tear through me from the inside. I grit my teeth and pushed myself to endure the pain. This was the most critical moment—if I failed here, forget about becoming a mage. 

The image of Aldric's disgusting grin on the night where he ambushed me surfaced again. The thought of meeting him once again fueled my determination, my rage and my concentration deepens. And then, suddenly—

BOOM

I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, sweat dripping down my face as my hands clenched at my abdomen. A strange pulsation throbbed deep inside. 

"Hah… I did it!" I let out a weak laugh. My entire body ached as overwhelming exhaustion overcame me, but I knew it was just my body that isn't accustomed to holding mana struggling to adjust to its presence for the first time. 

"As of right now, I'm in the Awakened Realm"

After some time on the ground, my body settled, and I started to think.

Mages are usually classified under 6 stages which are the awakened, apprentice, master, grandmaster, arch mage, and transcendent. Each one, leagues above the rest. 

Then there are the 4 great techniques permitted by the Arcane council: Inferno Mastery, Hydrosphere Enhancement, Geo Convergence, and Vortex Surge. Each technique offers a unique path up each stage, and switching between techniques is nigh impossible.

Outside the council jurisdiction, there exists rogue mages. Extremely rare and far and between, rogue mages create and practice techniques of their own creation and could wield unpredictable powers. 

Most of the time, when people talk about mages, they are referring to the 4 set by the council. In my past life, I too walked the same road, an Inferno Mastery mage.

"I could pick one… follow the same path as before," I mused to myself. "It's not like there's anything wrong with that."

The thought settled in, solid and reasonable. But something about it didn't sit right.

I closed my eyes for a moment. "There's no rush. The council's paths worked just fine for me last time."

I pushed myself upright, brushing the dirt off my hands.

"I'll leave it for now," I said quietly. "No harm in waiting a little longer."

Some decisions didn't need to be made today.

I managed to make it back to town with an hour to spare before the ceremony officially commenced. I spotted my sister amidst the crowd and made my way toward her. She definitely wasn't pleased to see my disheveled appearance. 

"Where in the world have you been, Caelith?! I've been looking all over for you!"

"U-uh, I was p-playing out in the wo— OW!"

My sister, clearly not buying my pathetic excuse, promptly smacked me upside the head.

"Really?" she deadpanned. "The woods? You expect me to believe that?"

"Sorry sis…" I muttered a small apology, rubbing my head.

My sister sighed once again. "What would I do without you, my idiot little brother?" A faint, almost warm smile played on her lips as she shook her head, turning back to the crowd.

I laugh inwardly to myself, knowing that my sister truly cares for me. It was then, in a corner of my mind appeared a memory that made my blood run cold.

How did my older sister die in my previous life?