Chapter 12 — The magic lessons (4)
A faint flame hovered above Rowan's palm.
It wavered slightly, swaying like a candle in the wind—but it didn't go out.
Rowan's jaw was clenched, sweat trickling down his temple as he focused with everything he had.
From a distance, Eldric watched him.
Leaning against a wooden post, arms crossed, a half-empty gourd hanging from his fingers.
His eyes narrowed—not in mockery this time, but in quiet assessment.
'He's finally maintaining it…
Huh.'
The image blurred—
---
The Night Before
The familiar inn smelled of alcohol, grease, and regret.
Rowan placed a bottle on the table.
Eldric's hand shot out like lightning.
Pop.
The cork flew.
He tilted the bottle and gulped the wine down in one go.
"Aaahhh—yeah," Eldric sighed, slumping forward and resting his chin on the table. "This is the life."
Rowan stared at him.
'I can never understand how someone like this even became a teacher.'
Eldric squinted at him.
"What?"
Rowan blinked. "W-What?"
"You've got that face," Eldric said. "The I-want-to-ask-something-but-I'm-afraid face."
Rowan coughed. "Ah—yeah. I mean… how did you even become a vice master at that dojo?"
Eldric leaned back dramatically.
"Well," he said, "it's a very long story. A long time ago—"
"If it's that long," Rowan cut in quickly, "then never mind."
Eldric's eyes widened in exaggerated offense.
"…Huh."
He stared at Rowan for a moment, then sighed. "Ahh, Fine. Your lose."
Rowan hesitated, then asked, "So… when am I actually going to do magic?"
Eldric raised an eyebrow. "You are doing magic. Maintaining fire is magic."
"No, I meant—" Rowan gestured wildly. "Spells. Like… fire dragon burst! Or—uh— somethig like The fire smash!"
Eldric looked at him like he'd just spoken an alien language.
"…What the hell kind of nonsense spells are those?"
Rowan blinked. "Wait, there aren't spells like that? I thought spells are named like this."
"Magic's barely two centuries old," Eldric said flatly. "You think we've got fancy poetry for everything already?"
Rowan's eyes widened. "Magic is that... New?"
"About 180 to 200 years since it was discovered," Eldric shrugged
"Huh..." Rowan looked at Eldric with a face that clearly meant liar."you are saying a 200 year old thing is new?"
Eldric looked at Rowan with narrow eyes,"Magic is not your neighborhood grandpa you idiot that 200 year would make it old or ancient."
Rowan sighed," Uhh... ok so there are no spells like that."
"Yes. And even if spells like that did exist," Eldric added, "they wouldn't be taught in some backwater dojo. Those belong to Elemental houses or mage sanctums."
Rowan slumped. "Ahh… and here I thought I'd be throwing fire dragons around."
Eldric snorted. ""You should only dream as far as your limits,"
---
Present
The memory faded.
Eldric watched Rowan's flame finally stabilize.
"…Huh," he muttered. "Looks like you can maintain it now."
Then his expression dulled.
'Still slow though.
No way this kid gets a recommendation letter at this pace.'
"Hey, dolt," Eldric called.
The flame faded.
Rowan turned. "Yes, Master."
Eldric raised his own hand.
Fire ignited instantly—smooth, controlled.
"Now that you can maintain fire," he said, "it's time to learn an actual spell."
Rowan's eyes lit up.
"Really?!"
Eldric nodded. The fire compressed, shaping itself into a sphere.
He extended his hand toward a wooden dummy.
"Fireball."
The flame shot forward and slammed into the dummy with a thump, charring the surface.
Rowan stared.
Eldric turned. "Now you. Do the Same thing. Make it into a ball."
Rowan nodded furiously.
He focused.
Mana gathered.
The fire formed.
"…Ah?" Rowan stared at the ball hovering over his palm.
He looked at Eldric.
Eldric smirked. "Well, look at that. Not bad for a dolt."
"I did it!" Rowan beamed.
"Now shoot it."
Rowan's eyes blinked twice. "Shoot it?"
"Yeah. Throw it forward."
"…Alright!"
Rowan wound back—
—and threw it like a baseball.
The fireball floated forward a few inches… then fizzled out.
"..."
Eldric stared.
Then—
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
He doubled over, clutching his stomach.
"What the hell was that?! I told you to shoot it not throw it hahah.. Were you playing catch with it?! Hahaha!"
"I did shoot it!" Rowan protested.
"No, you pitched it!"
Rowan scratched his head, face burning red.
Eldric wiped a tear. "Alright—okay—try again. But this time, do what I did."
---
The Fireball Training
Day 1
Rowan tries, closing his eyes and channeling mana like he's told. A small puff of smoke appears—followed by an unimpressive pop.
Puff.
Pop.
Eldric claps slowly, pretending to be amazed
"Incredible. You almost cooked a mosquito."
By sunset, scorch marks littered the yard.
Throughout the day, Rowan keeps trying until the grass of the backyard is littered with faint scorch marks and burnt leaves.
By sunset. his palms ache and his shirt is soaked with sweat."Isn't there an easier way?"
"Yeah. Be born a genius."
That night, they sit at the inn. Rowan drops a few silver coins on the table to buy the Eldric his favorite drink.
"You know, lad, this city used to be full of people who thought magic was everything. Turns out, half of 'em couldn't even pay their rent."
"Sounds like me soon."
---
Day 2
Rowan practiced with his eyes closed trying to shape the fire into a ball.
"Open your eyes!" Eldric shouted.
Rowan startled—
FWOOSH.
His sleeve caught fire as he kept slapping the place where fire has caught to put out the fire.
"That was my shirt!"
"That's what happens when you try to cast a spell while keeping your eyes closed."
Boom... boom... boom...
By afternoon, Rowan's patience wears thin.
He chops wood nearby to calm down — his axe swings boom, boom, boom — echoing across the dojo grounds.
Eldric watches quietly from a distance, sipping from his cup.'He's got more control swinging that axe than casting spells… maybe that's where his strength lies.'
Eldric took a sip from his cup then suddenly he realised something. "Hey! you dolt— those trees are not for you to cut."
That night, Rowan brings more drinks.
Eldric tells him about the mage academies while drinking — how students there study theories for years before ever casting a single spell.
"So, what do they do all day?"
"Mostly complain about formulas and their grades."
"Glad I never went."
---
Day 3
Rowan finally manages to form a small fire ball at his fingertip — not much, but it burns steady.
The fireball shot forward but it died down reaching halfway before vanishing.
Eldric grins proudly.
"See? Told you effort pays off."
"Yeah, but it's so small."
"So is your brain. Yet somehow it works."
Rowan smiles, brushing off the insult. He practices all afternoon, improving little by little.
That evening, he brought drinks again. Eldric drunkenly starts talking about the capital, the mage tournaments, and the sanctums and houses who hoard magical knowledge.
"You… you know, those bastards think magic belongs only to them. Magic's for everyone… even lumberjacks like you, lad."
Rowan just listened to drunk Eldric with an awkward face.
---
Day 4
Rowan practices alone, again and again. Smoke fills the yard. He doesn't stop even when his hands blister.
By noon, he successfully launches a small fireball that hits a wooden dummy dead center. He can't help but cheer.
Eldric, pretending he wasn't watching, grins behind his gourd and muttered in a tired voice.
"Ahh ! Finally.. i thought I would become an old grandpa before seeing him cast a fireball properly."
---
Day 5
The sky was blue.
Chirp.. chirp.. tweet... tweet.. chirp...
The sound of Birds chirping filled the air.
Rowan stood alone, arm extended—
Fire forming steadily.
---
Chapter Ends.