Chapter 1: Roots of Mana

"Focus... focus... it's just like a flower, growing through the soil, and if I just think hard enough..."

Ikora tightly shut her eyes as she sat down in the field for red and blue flowers, and the staff lay before her.

The staff was made of wood and adorned with blue wrappings. At the top, it arched into a crescent shape, and a blue orb seemed to contain a miniature snowstorm.

"Focus..."

Over the past 12 years, Elaine has been mentoring Ikora and sharing her extensive knowledge of the arcane. During their training, Elaine focused on honing Ikora's mastery of mana control.

Dalben and Elaine stood by the window, looking towards the yard where Ikora was sitting.

"And she's still at it..." Dalben stated as he crossed his arms while leaning against the counter.

Elaine nodded. "She's been eager to master refining her Mana. After all, it is the most important skill for becoming a mage."

"Also, you know how our daughter is. Once she sets her mind to something, she will not rest until she has achieved it."

"Just the spirit she'll need to get where she wants to be, reminds me of myself."

"You think so?" Dalben questioned. "Are you sure this is the right path for her?"

"Hm, are we, Dalben?" Elaine glanced over at him as she sat her mug on the table. "You know who you're talking to; don't you trust our judgment?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Silence hung over the two as they stared at one another before Elaine spoke.

"As I thought," she said as she stood up, running her hand along Dalben's face before she walked past him. "Well we can't sit around all day now; we have work to do."

"That's true, but I have another question." He said, "Are you planning on teaching some advanced spells like she has been asking?"

"Oh, Dalben," Elaine turned, her smile knowing. "I taught her all the spells she needs to know for now."

"Ikora expects complex incantations-flames, lightning, illusions, summons, lights and shadows."

"But true power? That all starts with control."

"A simple light from a staff, a simple floating pencil, or just a simple well-timed blast..."

"These aren't 'basic' tricks or anything of that sort-they're the very roots of every great mage."

She tapped her temple. "Less is more as I say. Master the foundation, and the flashiness will come."

"I see... but what about spells?" He asked.

"Ah right, spells." Elaine rubbed chin. "Not sure, I don't think I'm ready to teach her complex aspects of that yet."

Two hours passed, and Ikora remained outside. But soon, a bird caught sight of her and landed on her head, snapping her out of focus.

She flailed her arms around, causing the bird to fly away. Ikora exhaled before brushing off fallen leaves from her head. Then, she held her hand towards her staff, causing it to dematerialize.

Getting up from her spot, Ikora returned to the house and searched for her mother. She found her sitting comfortably in a chair, sipping some tea while reading a book.

"Mom?" Ikora called out.

Elaine raised her hand from the couch and waved it in the air. "Over here, love."

"Do you have a minute? I have a quick question."

There was no response. Instead, Elaine continued reading through her book. She sat with her legs on the table and her face buried in the pages.

"Mom!" Ikora walked up to Elaine and stopped before her.

"Hmm?" She looked up from her book. "Well, what is it?"

"I was trying to ask you if my letter from the academy had come yet, but you seem too busy to pay any attention," Ikora mumbled while crossing her arms.

Elaine looked at her daughter before shutting the book and resting it on the table. "I apologize, love, but I haven't seen it anywhere. But I'm sure it'll turn up eventually."

"Mom, it's been several months since we submitted my application. I... I don't think they accepted me."

"I beg to differ. If that were the case, the school would've sent us a letter instead of saying nothing.

"Look, Ikora," Elaine said as she got up and wrapped her arms around Ikora, pulling her in from a warm embrace while rubbing her head. "I'm sure it'll turn up eventually; just don't be all sulky, okay?"

Ikora mumbled under her breath as she pushed her face into her mother's clothes.

"I hope you know I don't understand what you're saying."

"I asked when you would teach me some actual spells."

"Ah, you see, I already did, didn't I? I taught you some basic spells a couple of months back; that should be enough."

"But it's not as cool as what Esmeralda and other mages do... all you taught me was how to produce light from my staff, fly, fire blasts, summon my staff, control my output, and other boring things. I want to learn more complex spells like summoning, elements, and illusions,"

Elaine nodded. "While that is true, it is a step in the right direction. Do you think Esmeralda started with all her fancy tricks?"

Ikora stood silent before burying her face back in her mother's clothes as she continued.

"You can't rush progress, Ikora. To be a mage, you must work up from the bottom." Elaine's words carried the weight of her wisdom, enlightening Ikora about the journey she was embarking on.

"A Hero, Mom." Ikora's muffled voice said. "A Hero."

"Point is, you can't rush Ikora."

"Moving on, we have things to do."

Pulling away from her daughter, Elaine grabbed a list from a nearby table, then grabbed a bag and handed them to Ikora.

"I need you to take these into town for me. Everywhere you have to stop will be listed on the paper."

Ikora took the list and scanned it before looking back at Elaine.

"Mom, when can I do something fun like a hero? I don't want to do basic chores," Ikora expressed.

Elaine raised an eyebrow and sat down. "Well, Ikora Elora Blackhart. A mage doesn't always-"

"Hero, Mom," Ikora interjected.

She sat up straight and crossed her legs. "Alright then, Hero. You won't always get to do the fun, adventurous things you imagine. They often have to run around doing mundane everyday tasks like the rest of us."

"Also," Elaine crossed her legs while glaring at Ikora, looking her straight. "While you're under my roof, you will not tell me what chores you do and don't want to do. Understood, yes or no?"

"Yes, ma'am..." Ikora peeped. "Could you at least drive me into town?"

"You have a staff, don't you?" Elaine opened her book, crossed her legs, and continued reading. "If you want to be a Hero, you might as well get used to traveling independently from place to place."

Ikora let out a slight growl as she picked up the bag and went to the door.

"What was that?" Elaine shouted out.

"Nothing, ma'am!" Tucking the list in her pocket, Ikora ran out of the house. Once outside, she took a deep breath and looked at the list again.

"If I get this done quickly, it shouldn't be too bad, right?" she thought as she held her hand out and summoned her staff. Ikora then hopped onto the bus and took off towards the city.

A few minutes later, Ikora spotted several tall stone buildings. A massive clock tower, glowing with light blue lights, stood against the wooden roofs of houses and shops, now blanketed with fallen brown leaves.

As she flew over the bustling city on her staff, she saw the crowds below, strolling along the winding stone paths. People paused at cafes, browsed gift shops, and chatted, filling the town with life.

Glancing at the list, Ikora noted her first task: returning the borrowed tools Dalben used for smithing.

"Easy enough," she muttered as the staff increased its speed; a thunderous boom echoed through the air, ripping a large hole in a cloud she flew through.

Descending towards the blacksmith's shop, her staff floated behind her as she approached the open-fronted building. Inside, a man hammered away at a glowing blade, sparks flying with each strike.

"Excuse me!" Ikora called out.

The hammering ceased as the blacksmith glanced up, wiping his brow with a cloth. The smith sported black spiky hair and wore a protective apron.

"Ah, Dalben's daughter, right?" He said with a grin.

She nodded and placed the bag on the table. "My dad wanted to return these but got caught up with something else."

"As always, huh?" He peered into the bag, nodding in approval. "Just as good as when he took them. Thanks, little lady!"

Ikora waved and made her way back through the streets. After passing a couple of alleyways, she summoned her staff, hopped back on, and it shot her into the sky.

She double-checked the list: her next stop was the bakery to pick up some desserts.

"Of course, she always had a sweet tooth," she sighed, rolling her eyes before heading to the bakery. The scent of fresh bread and pastries hit her as soon as she entered.

Rows of sweet rolls and pies lined the shelves, each more tempting than the last. Ikora rubbed her chin as she gazed through the glass, trying to make a decision.

"Excuse me, miss?" the woman behind the counter asked. "You've been eyeing those rolls for almost an hour. Do you want them or not?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, yes, please!"

The worker grabbed a few and carefully tucked them in a box. "That'll be 15 Lumie."

Ikora searched in her sweater pockets for her wallet but only found her ID. "Give me a minute," she said.

"Got the payment ready?" the woman asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, no, just give me a sec." Ikora flipped her wallet upside down and aggressively shook it.

Dust, old receipts, rocks, and a bunny fell out. Finally, a bundle of purple bills tumbled onto the counter. The bunny hopped off the counter and ran out of the store.

"There we go!" She said triumphantly.

The woman blinked. Her mouth hung open as Ikora counted out the Lumie and shoved the mess back into her wallet.

"Here's your 15 Lumie," Ikora said with a grin as she slid the money over.

"Thanks..." The woman said, handing her the box of rolls.

Ikora skipped out of the bakery and hopped onto her staff, soaring into the sky with a loud boom that caused a cloud of dust and a few nearby civilians to cover their ears.

The scent of the pastries made her hungry, and she opened the box as the staff kept moving. "I wonder if Mom would notice if I ate one..." She reached for a roll but stopped, shaking her head. "Nope, no, no... control yourself, Ikora."

As she landed in the front yard, she made her staff vanish in a puff of blue smoke before stepping inside. The house was warm, and the aroma of cooking filled the air as she walked to the kitchen and placed the box on the table.

Elaine welcomed Ikora back with a warm smile while washing the dishes. "Hello, thanks for taking care of those errands, love!"

"No problem. Do you have anything new for me?"

"I do." Elaine dried her hands. "I received the mail while you were gone. There's an envelope addressed to you-I left it on your desk."

Ikora momentarily froze, a rush going through her body before she bolted from the kitchen and sprinted up the stairs.

She swung around the railing, dashed into her room, and frantically searched through the clutter of action figures, magazines, and old letters scattered across her desk.

Before finally, she found it.

The envelope was a deep blue, trimmed with gold, and sealed with a trident-shaped pin. Her heart raced as she carefully opened it, her eyes scanning the letter inside.