Magic.
A topic he'd been curious about ever since Eliza first mentioned it — something deep within him had always whispered that he needed to grow stronger.
He opened his first magic-related book, titled "Magic for Beginners," and began to read.
What he learned was that magic is in everything around us — in the air, the soil, the water, and even the smallest blade of grass. This invisible energy was called mana, and it flowed endlessly through the world, linking all living things together.
The book explained that humans had discovered three main ways to harness it — three paths that shaped the foundations of civilization.
The first were Magicians — those who drew mana from the atmosphere into their mana cores, learning to shape it into spells through will and understanding. They used incantations to focus their intent and intricate mana circles to ensure perfect control and efficiency. Even the weakest magician could bend the elements in small ways, while the greatest among them were said to split mountains with a word.
The second were Augmentors — those who turned mana inward, refining the energy within their bodies until it became a tangible force known as aura. They could strengthen their limbs, harden their skin, or move faster than the eye could follow. A skilled augmentor could even channel aura into their weapons, making steel sing with lethal power.
And lastly, there were the Enchanters — craftsmen of mana, who lacked cores or aura, yet could weave magic into objects and materials themselves. By inscribing patterns or etchings that guided the flow of mana, they could create enchanted gear — weapons that never dulled, armor that mended itself, or trinkets that glowed with stored light. Though rare, a single master enchanter could change the course of a war.
Isfrid read on for hours, turning each page as if it held the key to something ancient and forgotten.
Days turned to weeks, and weeks to months. He devoured every text he could find, from old tomes on elemental theory to the few advanced scrolls hidden behind locked shelves.
After nearly half a year of research, he began piecing together what he had learned about the three paths.
Each path, though distinct, shared the same foundation — understanding and control of mana. The greater one's control, the stronger the connection to the world became.
Some even walked both paths — magicians who learned to refine their aura, or augmentors who learned to cast spells. Yet the difficulty of mastering both was said to be almost impossible. Splitting one's training between inner and outer focus slowed progress to a crawl, and few ever reached far before their bodies and minds gave out.
Even so, those who reached Rank Seven or higher on either path were said to transcend the limits of men. Their mana became so refined that their bodies ceased to age, their lifespans stretching far beyond that of ordinary humans — rivaling even elves. And beyond that point, legends claimed they could live forever.
There was a simple test for each path to see if you have an affinity for it. For mages, it's meditating and trying to feel the mana around you. For augmentors, it's feeling the mana within yourself and trying to move it around.
As for enchanters, their abilities are usually passed person to person, often from parent to child. While some might have affinities with enchanting, it only blooms when they begin learning from another enchanter; this is why very few pursue this path.
Isfrid was determined to figure out which path he would pursue.