Chapter 9: Light, Shadow, and the Name of Calamity
Daniel: "Sensei. Teach me the basics of light magic."
Sensei: "Understood."
Sensei: "Light is not fire."
Sensei: "It does not burn."
Sensei: "Light is awareness, clarity, inner truth, and purity."
Sensei: "Your goal is simple."
Sensei: "Make the lamp beside your bed shine brighter."
Sensei: "Or dim it."
Sensei: "Control, not force."
I focused on the small oil lamp near my bed, its flame steady, casting a warm glow across the room.
Sensei: "First, close your eyes."
Sensei: "Find calmness."
Sensei: "When your thoughts settle, open your eyes."
Sensei: "Look directly at the light."
Sensei: "Meditate while keeping your eyes open."
Sensei: "Erase negative thoughts."
Sensei: "Then, connect with the light by recalling happy memories."
Sensei: "Light grows from hope and love."
Daniel: "Sounds simple enough."
I closed my eyes.
I slowed my breathing.
I waited for calm.
Then I opened my eyes and stared at the flame.
Daniel: Happy memories…
Nothing came.
I searched.
Again.
And again.
My thoughts began to race.
Daniel: Think.
Daniel: Anything.
But there was nothing.
No joy.
No sadness.
No warmth.
Only emptiness.
Panic crept in.
The flame flickered.
Then—
Darkness.
Daniel: "Sensei?"
I opened my eyes fully.
Every light in the room was gone.
The lamp.
The hallway torches.
The entire mansion.
Daniel: "What happened?"
Sensei: "That is what I should be asking you."
Sensei: "All lights in the mansion flickered simultaneously."
Sensei: "Then shut down."
Daniel: "I didn't do anything."
Sensei: "Incorrect."
Sensei: "You were doing very well."
Sensei: "Then you became conflicted."
Sensei: "Light cannot exist within inner chaos."
Daniel clenched his fists.
Daniel: "I tried to recall happy memories."
Daniel: "But I don't have any."
Daniel: "Not happy."
Daniel: "Not sad."
Daniel: "In my past life… I felt nothing."
Daniel: "I was empty."
Silence followed.
Then—
Sensei: "Daniel."
Sensei: "Try a different method."
Sensei: "Close your eyes."
I did.
Sensei: "Imagine warmth."
Sensei: "Not memory."
Sensei: "Not emotion."
Sensei: "Imagine sunlight resting on your palms."
Daniel: Sunlight… warmth…
A faint sensation appeared.
Like gentle heat.
Sensei: "Open your eyes."
I did.
Light bloomed in my hands.
Soft.
Pure.
Steady.
Daniel: "…It's there."
Sensei: "Congratulations."
Sensei: "You have activated light magic."
I froze.
Sensei: "You exceeded human expectations."
Sensei: "Light magic is difficult."
Sensei: "It requires mental purity."
Sensei: "Most children fail because their minds are chaotic."
Sensei: "I assumed you would struggle."
Sensei: "But your past emotional emptiness… worked in your favor."
Sensei: "You were reborn with a clean slate."
Sensei: "Light cannot grow in a heart full of chaos."
Daniel stared at my glowing palm.
Daniel: "Sensei… I think I just formed my first happy memory."
Sensei: "You deserve every word of praise, Daniel."
The light faded gently.
The room remained dark.
Sensei: "Now… let us move to darkness."
Daniel: "Darkness?"
Sensei: "Yes."
Sensei: "Close your eyes."
Sensei: "Do not fear it."
Sensei: "Darkness is not evil."
Sensei: "It is where truth hides."
Sensei: "Embrace it."
I closed my eyes.
The dark felt… familiar.
Comforting.
Safe.
Daniel: Darkness was my ally.
Daniel: It hid me.
Daniel: Protected me.
Daniel: Let me exist unseen.
Sensei: "Daniel?"
Daniel: "Yes."
Sensei: "Congratulations."
Daniel: "For what?"
Sensei: "You activated dark magic."
Daniel: "I didn't feel anything."
Sensei: "Exactly."
Sensei: "You vanished."
Sensei: "Your presence was erased."
Sensei: "Try again."
I opened my eyes.
The shadows clung to me.
Wrapped around my body.
I looked like a living silhouette.
Daniel: "Whoa…"
Sensei: "Daniel…"
Sensei: "There is a high probability you may exceed two elemental affinities."
Daniel: "You said that was impossible."
Sensei: "It is."
Sensei: "Except for one."
Daniel: "Who?"
Sensei: "Information restricted."
Daniel sighed.
Daniel: "Useless blessing."
Sensei: "Daniel."
Sensei: "Let us skip the basics."
Sensei: "Attempt what you did with light."
Sensei: "But imagine the other elements."
Sensei: "Fire—passion."
Sensei: "Water—adaptation."
Sensei: "Earth—stability."
Sensei: "Air—freedom."
Daniel: "Alright."
I focused.
Fire flickered.
Water condensed.
Air stirred.
Dust lifted.
Small.
Weak.
But real.
Daniel: "…All of them?"
Sensei: "Yes."
Daniel: "God's gift?"
Sensei: "No."
Sensei: "God's only option."
Daniel: "Explain."
Sensei: "Permission granted by God."
The atmosphere shifted.
Sensei: "There was once a woman."
Sensei: "She possessed affinity for every element."
Sensei: "Every form of magic."
Sensei: "She lived peacefully."
Sensei: "She built a family."
Sensei: "Her son inherited everything."
Sensei: "The kingdoms feared her."
Sensei: "When they learned her power could pass to her children…"
Sensei: "All four kingdoms united."
Sensei: "They slaughtered her family."
Daniel's chest tightened.
Sensei: "She survived."
Sensei: "Through necromancy."
Sensei: "Using the souls of her husband and son."
Sensei: "She became a lich."
Sensei: "Raised an undead army."
Sensei: "The more people died, the stronger she became."
Sensei: "That is why necromancy is forbidden."
Sensei: "Her name…"
Sensei: "Seraphina."
Sensei: "She is known as Calamity."
Sensei: "A prophecy remains."
Sensei: "She will rise again."
Sensei: "And end the world."
Daniel exhaled slowly.
Daniel: "So God brought me here to kill her."
Sensei: "No."
Sensei: "Your power comes from royal blood."
Sensei: "God merely expanded your potential."
Sensei: "You are still weak."
Sensei: "Others could destroy this mansion with ease."
Sensei: "You are on your own."
Daniel smiled faintly.
Daniel: "Honestly…"
Daniel: "What she did sounds justified."
Sensei: "We are not here to judge."
Sensei: "Innocents died."
Sensei: "That matters."
Sensei: "One more thing."
Sensei: "Hide your affinities."
Sensei: "Show only one."
Sensei: "If people learn the truth…"
Sensei: "They will fear you."
Sensei: "Hate you."
Sensei: "And repeat history."
Daniel's eyes hardened.
Daniel: "I want to burn this world."
Daniel: "But I won't."
Daniel: "I'll protect it."
Daniel: "By becoming strong enough that no one can take what matters to me."
Daniel: "Sensei."
Sensei: "Yes."
Daniel: "Let's train."
Sensei: "Then let us begin."
The shadows deepened.
The light returned.
And the world unknowingly took its first step toward change.