The next morning, the sun filtered through the trees and touched the small windows of the cabin, filling the inside with a pale light.When Lane opened his eyes, the day had already begun.Old Vaen had woken up early and prepared breakfast in the garden.On the table were warm milk, a few pieces of bread, honey, and herb cheese.Lane quietly stepped outside; his footsteps crackled softly as they pressed against the dew-covered soil.
When Old Vaen saw him, he lifted his head and set down the cup in his hand."Come, child," he said, "sit down. We have much to do today."
Lane sat silently in his place. In the morning chill, their breaths came out as mist.Birds were singing in the distance, and in the heart of the forest there was a calm yet mysterious sense of waiting.
Old Vaen took a quiet sip of his tea and then spoke:"After breakfast, go and clean the library. After that, we'll begin your mana practice."
Lane bowed his head and simply said, "Alright, Master."His eyes were determined.
After breakfast, Old Vaen picked up his cane and left the cabin."I need to go down to the village outside the forest," he said, "to get a few supplies." Then he disappeared into the distance.
When Lane was alone, he took a deep breath. He went inside the cabin, opened the chest in the corner, and pulled out his enchanted gloves.The gloves were dark gray, with thin blue runes moving along their surface. They weighed about five kilograms.He put them on, and they immediately warmed slightly; it felt as though energy was flowing through his veins.
He filled a bucket with water beside him and dipped a mop into it. "What kind of punishment is this," he muttered to himself, then got to work.
When he opened the library door, a wave of dust hit his face.The shelves were filled from top to bottom with books — some were ancient scrolls, some thickly bound magic tomes.The walls carried the scent of knowledge.Lane pressed the mop to the floor, the wooden planks creaked under each step.
As the cleaning went on, time seemed to stand still.While moving between the shelves, his eyes caught the titles of the books: "The Memory of Stars," "The Geometry of the Soul," "The Principles of Alchemy," "The Silent Breath of Nature."Each was like a key to a different world.
After two hours, Lane was still mopping. His arms were heavy, his back drenched in sweat.At last, he leaned the mop against the wall and took a deep breath."What kind of cleaning is this," he muttered. "Even sword training isn't this exhausting."
He poured the dirty water outside and removed the gloves. His fingertips were numb.He went to the small bathroom and took a cold shower. The water eased his fatigue slightly.
After the shower, he put on a clean tunic and sat at the small desk beside his bed.He picked up one of the books Old Vaen had given him.On the cover, in faded letters, it read: "How to Control Emotions – Teachings of a Sovereign."
Lane carefully turned the pages. The edges of the parchment were yellowed, and in some places, the ink had faded.On the first page were these words:
"At sunrise, remind yourself: today you will meet rude, selfish, jealous, or greedy people.Do not judge them. For what they do is not out of evil, but out of ignorance.They do not know, but you do. The essence of goodness belongs not to beauty, but to awareness.This difference does not make you superior — only more awake.Anger does not suit the wise. To be angry at someone is like one hand striking the other — why should parts of the same body fight?Remember, humans make mistakes; nature does not.So if someone hurts you today, stay silent; for silence is sometimes greater than justice."
Lane couldn't take his eyes off the text.There was an echo hidden between the lines; as if the wisdom of the past was reborn inside his mind.
"Indeed," he thought, "humans are connected. What one does, echoes in another.Good and evil are links in the same chain."
He continued reading. Every page touched the depths of his thoughts.Most of all, it spoke of patience.Lane whispered to himself,"Patience is like a seed planted in the soil. If you nurture it with patience, it grows into a tree. If you neglect it, it withers and becomes soil again."
Lane didn't close the book. As the pages turned, the words seemed to carve themselves into his mind.His eyes grew heavy, yet his mind stayed awake.
Then he came across a passage that carried a meaning far deeper than the rest:
"There was no beginning; there was only the silence of existence folding within itself.No command was given. No word was spoken.Silence could not bear its own weight — and it trembled.That tremor gave birth to light; light became the shadow of matter; shadow turned into consciousness.God did not create from nothing — for there was nothing to create from.He only allowed existence to become aware of itself.Existence was born from itself — multiplied within itself — and eventually became alien to itself.The soul is the memory of that alienation.Every soul seeks to remember the first silence.Man is not created — he is remembering.For the purpose of existence is not to be created, but to understand itself.And perhaps the greatest secret is this: God is not above existence — He is the awakening within it."
Lane's face froze as he read these lines.The words were so dense in meaning that his mind blurred for a moment."I don't understand this," he said to himself. "It's too deep."
Just then, the door creaked open and Old Vaen entered, holding a small pouch in his hand.When he saw Lane lost in thought, he smiled."Child, what are you thinking so deeply about?"
Lane flinched. "Master, I read this passage about the creation of existence, but I couldn't understand it. Can you explain it briefly to me?"
Old Vaen sat on the edge of the table. He took the book and examined the lines. Then he spoke calmly:"What this passage says is very simple, child. Existence was not created by an external power. It was born from its own silence, awakening into its own consciousness, and within that awakening, it created what we call God. It means that God is not separate from the universe. In other words, reaching the level of divinity is not impossible. Even the current gods — the Heavenly Dao of the East, the God of the Desert, the Gods of the Holy Faiths — were once human. They reached those levels through countless experiences of life."
Lane listened carefully. Every word the old man spoke echoed in his mind.
Vaen continued, "That's enough for today. You need to digest these things slowly. Understanding doesn't come with haste. Now come outside, we'll begin mana training."
Lane closed the book and stood up. He kissed the cover gently and set it on the table, then followed his master out into the garden.
In the backyard, a gentle breeze was blowing, the leaves of the trees brushing softly against each other.The sun was no longer at its peak; golden tones spilled over the earth.
Old Vaen stood before Lane. "Child," he said, "mana does not come from nature as people believe. Mana is the energy of the stars. It comes from the heavens. The mana found in nature is its residue. The purest energy lies in the sky. Now close your eyes and feel the presence of the stars above. Visualize them in your mind, choose the brightest among them, and then feel its energy flowing toward you."
Lane nodded and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath.He visualized the sky in his mind; he could feel the silent light of countless stars passing through him.He focused on the brightest one. At that moment, a warm stir appeared in his chest.The energy began rising through his veins.
Vaen was silent; only the wind could be heard.
Drops of sweat formed on Lane's forehead. The energy was growing, the vibration increasing.Then, the sentence he had just read came to mind:"If existence was born from itself, and I am part of that existence, why can't I create something out of nothing as well?"
With that thought, the energy surged. Blue and yellow lights began swirling around his body."This energy," he thought, "can make it possible."
Then — BAM!A shockwave spread across the ground. The earth trembled, and a burst of intense light struck the surroundings.The leaves of the trees scattered, the air flashed for a brief moment.
When Lane opened his eyes, he was on his knees. His chest was heaving, but he was smiling.
Old Vaen clapped his hands."Child," he said, "you are now a star. Congratulations. You have taken the first step in your mana journey. There are eleven more steps to climb to reach the highest."
Vaen's voice was proud but cautious."The mana system goes up to twelve stars. Each level is a layer of awareness. In the end, you become a being that transcends the boundaries of the universe."
Then he explained, counting on his fingers:
"First level: Spark of Thought.Second: Elemental Tone.Third: Core Alignment.Fourth: Luminous Core.Fifth: Radiant Domain.Sixth: Dual Horizon.Seventh: Living Script.Eighth: Stellar Conductor.Ninth: Cosmic Forge.Tenth: Astral Nexus.Eleventh: Infinite Recall.Twelfth: Godless Radiance."
Lane listened intently. Each of those words was a step in his future.
Old Vaen turned his eyes to the sky. "Child," he said, "right now, demonic creatures are invading this planet. Things are not good. We once had connections with the East, but for the past two hundred years, communication has been cut. In the lands where those vile creatures live, there is no such thing as life. They have split the continent in two. Seventy years ago, we fought them, but the result was ineffective. There are beings out there whose power we do not understand. Only those in high ranks know the truth. We didn't want the common people to understand — they would panic."
Lane listened silently. His lips moved."It's always been this way…"
Then he asked aloud, "Then why are you telling me this?"
Old Vaen looked into Lane's eyes. "Child, you will stop these creatures. On the path you walk, stopping them is your destiny."
Lane was silent for a moment. The weight of the words passed through him. Then he lowered his head."Alright," he said. "I will stop them."
Old Vaen smiled with satisfaction. "Now," he said, "it's time to learn your first spells."
The air darkened suddenly. Vaen raised his hands; sparks of light rose from his fingertips.Clouds covered the sky, the wind grew stronger. Then came a thunderclap — lightning struck the ground, the sound echoing through the forest.
"Child," said Vaen, "this is the power of lightning. Now it's your turn. You must form lightning in your hand."
Lane closed his eyes and activated his core. His hands trembled, and lightning began to form around him.The air changed its smell — a blend of ozone and something burnt.
"Now try to feel the lightning in your hand," said Vaen.
Blue sparks jumped from Lane's fingers. The lightning coiled around his wrists, trembling inside his palms. He was holding it — pure power.
"Now aim and fire!"
Lane failed on his first attempt. The lightning flickered but faded before it could strike.He frowned, steadied his breath. On the second try, lightning shot from his palm, tearing through the air and hitting a tree.
The tree burst into flames instantly, collapsing like ash.
Old Vaen shook his head. "Child, you couldn't find a better place to shoot? Why burn the tree?"
Then he lifted his hand and used water mana; a blue stream flowed from his fingers, a wave of water doused the burning tree.
"That's enough for today," he said with a tired smile. "Go, get some rest."
Vaen rested his cane on his shoulder and walked away slowly.
Lane stared at the black smoke left behind by the burning tree.In the sky, a single star shone — then quietly faded away.