Erin led me back into the village.
Now that the fighting had settled, I could finally take in the damage properly.
Collapsed roofs.
Broken walls.
Burned homes.
Entire sections of the village looked abandoned, as if people had simply given up trying to rebuild.
I pointed toward an open patch of land near the edge of town.
"You could build more homes there."
Erin sighed.
"It would not matter."
I looked at her.
"Why not?"
She kept walking.
"Because Compound City is too close. No one wants to move here, and no one can afford to leave."
I folded my arms.
"So if I beat their leader, this village can breathe again."
Erin laughed softly.
"You make everything sound simple."
I smiled.
"Sometimes it is."
We continued through the village until a strange building came into view.
Blue walls.
Purple trim.
Bright enough to stand out from every other broken structure around it.
I blinked.
"Well."
Erin looked at me.
"What?"
"That building practically screams for attention."
She elbowed my side.
"Be nice."
I laughed.
"I am being nice."
As we approached, she knocked softly on the door.
A rough voice answered from inside.
"Coming."
We waited.
I looked up and noticed a bird gliding overhead.
The first one I had seen since arriving here.
"Huh."
Erin tilted her head.
"What?"
"First bird I've seen in this world."
I smiled.
"Unless we count the bandits. I sent a few of them flying."
Erin stared at me.
"That was awful."
I laughed.
"Not my best work."
The door creaked open.
And immediately, I was hit with the smell.
Cigars.
Dust.
Old paper.
And something that reminded me of a flea market.
I coughed.
Erin smiled.
"You get used to it."
I doubted that.
We stepped inside.
An old man stood before us, slowly sizing me up.
His eyes were sharp.
Far sharper than I expected.
"So," he said.
"You are the boy my granddaughter has been spending time with."
I blinked.
"Your granddaughter?"
He looked at Erin.
She looked away.
I pointed between them.
"Wait."
The old man laughed.
"I am teasing you."
I exhaled.
"Good."
Erin rolled her eyes.
We both sat on the floor while the old man returned to his chair and lit another cigar.
Smoke curled around him as he leaned back.
"So."
He looked at both of us.
"What brings two young people to an old man like me?"
Erin sat up immediately.
"Grandpa, Ren wants to grow stronger."
The old man looked at me.
"He wants to challenge Compound City."
The old man's face remained unreadable.
Then he spoke.
"You are too weak."
Direct.
Blunt.
I almost respected it.
"Do you know your mana reserves?"
No.
"Do you understand the true nature of spellcasting?"
Not really.
"Do you know how to maximize magical output?"
Definitely not.
"Do you understand the connection between self and mana?"
I stopped listening.
At some point, I had simply started nodding.
The questions kept coming.
Eventually, he stopped.
"Erin."
He looked at her.
"Do you believe he has what it takes?"
She looked at me.
No hesitation.
"Yes."
Her answer surprised me.
"He can do it."
The old man smiled.
"She speaks highly of you."
I folded my arms.
"She is right."
He laughed.
"Confidence."
He stood and began digging through stacks of books and scattered scrolls.
The room looked like it had not been organized in decades.
Finally, he pulled out a dusty old book and tossed it at me.
I barely caught it.
I looked at the title.
Understand Magic and Yourself
I looked back up.
"You're serious?"
He narrowed his eyes.
"You start at the beginning."
I sighed.
"I really have to study?"
"If you wish to survive."
That was enough to shut me up.
I stepped outside with the book in hand and started reading as I walked.
"In order to wield magic, one must first understand mana. Without mana, true spellcasting cannot exist."
Basic.
Very basic.
Still, I kept reading.
Eventually, I reached the river.
The same quiet river where Erin and I had spoken earlier.
I sat down.
The water reflected the fading sunlight.
Calm.
Peaceful.
Then I saw it.
Something shining beneath the surface.
I stood immediately.
What now?
Without thinking too hard, I pulled off my shirt and stepped into the water.
Cold.
Deeper than expected.
I swam toward the light.
Then I heard it.
"Come to me."
I stopped.
Most people would probably turn around.
Leave.
Question their sanity.
I kept going.
Back at the house, Erin looked at her grandfather.
"What book did you give him?"
The old man smiled and lit another cigar.
"One that teaches more than words."
Erin frowned.
"You are not trying to kill him, are you?"
He laughed loudly.
"Of course not."
He exhaled smoke slowly.
"Legends say that those with a pure heart are guided by that book."
"Guided to what?"
He smiled.
"A gift."
Erin looked worried.
"I hope you know what you are doing."
"I do."
I reached a small underwater opening.
A cave.
The light was stronger here.
Blinding.
I swam inside and quickly found the source.
A ring.
I stared.
"All of this…"
I reached out.
"For a ring?"
The ring answered.
"Really?"
I froze.
"…Did you just talk?"
"For a weak-looking human, you ask obvious questions."
I blinked.
Then laughed.
"You're rude."
I picked it up.
It was old.
Green.
Simple.
Honestly disappointing.
"So what are you?"
"A ring."
I narrowed my eyes.
"You're not funny."
"Neither are you."
Wonderful.
I swam back to the surface.
Pulled myself onto shore.
Put my shirt back on.
And walked straight back to the old man's house.
I entered without knocking.
"I found something."
The old man immediately stood.
I held out the ring.
"And it talks."
His eyes widened.
He carefully took it from my hand.
For the first time, he looked genuinely surprised.
"…Impossible."
"What?"
He turned the ring over in his hands.
"This belonged to one of my ancestors."
I frowned.
"Your ancestor owned a talking ring?"
"He was a Guardian."
I blinked.
"A what?"
"A protector."
His voice grew quieter.
"One of the old ones. Warriors said to be as large as titans. Masters of many forms of magic."
I stared at the ring.
"This ugly little thing belonged to someone like that?"
The ring spoke.
"I heard that."
I ignored it.
I looked back at the old man.
"So the book…"
He smiled.
"Yes."
"You knew."
"Yes."
"You sent me there on purpose."
He laughed.
"Of course."
I sighed.
"That feels manipulative."
"It was necessary."
I folded my arms.
"You keep saying I'm pure of heart."
"You are."
"I've killed people."
"So have many good men."
His eyes met mine.
"The ring chose you."
I had no answer for that.
The old man stepped back.
"Now."
He pointed toward the center of the room.
"Summon your fire."
I stepped forward.
Raised my hand.
Traced the familiar magic circle.
Mana flowed.
Then I formed the fire.
A fireball appeared.
But this time…
It was enormous.
My eyes widened.
The entire room glowed orange.
Heat rushed outward.
I immediately canceled the spell before I burned the house down.
Silence.
Then the old man slapped my shoulder.
Hard.
"You see?"
I stared at my hand.
My mana felt different.
Stronger.
Sharper.
Alive.
The old man grinned.
"You may actually survive Compound City."
I walked to the window.
Far off in the distance, hidden beyond the hills, was the place waiting for me.
Compound City.
I tightened my fist.
They did not know it yet.
But their time was running out.