Your best eye

Chapter SixMagic, the study and manipulation of mana otherwise known as cast energy. Mana is believed to exist in everything, living and non-living. Magic is practiced by making constructions through the manipulation of cast. In Ocxas theory on elemental magic, he believed and proved that Fire magic is formed by the friction of moving mana particles closely together. Water is formed by putting enough particles so they are visible but not bringing them too close. Earth by bringing close enough just to prevent friction. He called this scientific magic, pseudo magic. Though the traditional theories are still correct, his uses scientific studies to explain magic. Those who practice magic are called mages or casters and the exhale-controlled mana, a thicker purer form of mana. – Arcanism and magic, by Luther Ashville The previous night…As the rains began to fall, a lone figure hovered above the clouds, veiled by mist and moonlight. Her cloak shimmered with strange patterns—runes that shifted like waves on water. Her gaze pierced the layers of space between her and the boy beneath her.“What the heck…” Old Lue muttered, squinting down at Adrian. He stood there like he didn’t even feel the rain—his clothes soaked, hair plastered to his face, and yet… he smiled up at the stars like they were whispering his secrets back.She clenched her staff, its crystal humming with unease.That… thing isn’t normal.She had seen a lot in her two hundred years of wandering through magical zones, cursed cities, and war zones—but something about him made her teeth itch. His presence warped things. Even from up here, he looked... still, like the world moved around him, not the other way around.“I told Sue to only contact me when she was absolutely sure, I guess it's good I advised her otherwise, I’m sure I’d have marched in…” Lue groaned, dragging a hand through her braids. “And now look what I’ve got...”She closed her eyes, letting her senses spread, feeling the echoes of shattered aura below. No beast remained. Only silence. The kind of silence that followed extinction.“...I need to talk to this kid. Or kill him. Maybe both.”------Current dayLater That Night…Adrian sat by the fountain behind the manor, legs crossed, a half-eaten apple in his hand. The stars above blinked lazily, and the air was still. Too still.He didn’t turn when the old woman walked into the garden.“You’ve been watching me since last night,” he said casually, tossing the apple core behind him.Old Lue didn’t answer immediately. Her glamour flickered like candlelight for a second—just enough for him to catch the truth. Silver eyes. Wrinkled skin. Power hidden behind the guise of a harmless grandma.“You don’t sleep much, huh?” she said, stepping forward with her cane tapping on the stones.Adrian shrugged. “What’s the point?”“Hmph. Typical broody boy answer.”She stood across from him now. Not threatening. Just… curious.“You don’t breathe magic. You don’t move like a mage. And yet… you ripple through the realms like someone who’s been here longer than the stars.”“You’re poetic. That’s dangerous,” Adrian said with a grin.Old Lue raised a brow. “And you’re cocky. That’s worse.”A beat of silence.Then she asked, “What are you?”Adrian looked up at her, eyes cold and ancient.“I’m a reader.”She frowned. “You’re more than that.”“I didn’t say I wasn’t.”Lue narrowed her eyes. “You’re not the threat I expected… but you’re still a threat, aren’t you?”Adrian’s smile faded just a little. “Only if someone tries to write my story for me.”The wind picked up. Her cane glowed faintly. The garden groaned with tension. Then—she chuckled.“You’re fun. Dangerous, but fun.”She turned to walk away.“I’ll be keeping an eye on you, boy.”Adrian watched her go. “Make sure it’s your best one.”