Ananiel

The sound of stones clanking together brought upon a small campfire. Its comforting warmth contradicted the frigid winter air. The scent of boiling carrots, onions, and beef blooms into the air.

“Food’s ready!”

Lily exclaims to me while stirring a tiny pot full of stew. Reaching for the ladle, Lily starts portioning the meals for me and the Coachman.

“Thanks”

We both respond after receiving our bowls. After finding a seat around the campfire, we made ourselves comfortable and focused on the meal.

“Hmm… mmm! This is rather delicious! What’s the secret to it?”

The Coachman raises his spoon in the air and swirls it excitedly. I let out a chuckle and give a nod,

“Indeed, this is very good!”

A smug smile fills Lily’s face.

“I’m glad you like it! The secret is my pot, if you wanted to know.”

The Coachman gazes at the pot with a bewildered expression.

“How would that make sense…?”

He mutters, shrugs and finishes his food. I also gaze at the pot and come up with no conclusions. Soon, we all finished our food and sat around the campfire. A starry night slowly crept upon the hazy orange sky.

“Have you all heard the story of the fairies in the woods?”

The Coachman speaks up, noticing our boredom setting in.

“No, I have not?”

I answer as my curiosity sets in. The Coachman clears his throat and starts boiling some tea above the campfire.

“Once upon a time, there lived an old man who desperately desired the past. He was once a successful man, who had lived a life of corruption and sin. Frail and old, he now lived a life of solitude and regret. One fateful day, he decided to take a trail that led into the fairies forest. Here, he would set up camp and listen to the whispering winds of the trees. As day turned into night, his exhausted, wobbling eyes gazed into the campfire. Soon tiredness would overcome him. Before falling asleep, the sounds of innocent giggling tickled his aged ears.”

Taking a sip of warm water and putting the pot back above the fire, the Coachman continued.

““Go away! Leave me alone!”

He shouted and waved his frail arms against the cold night air. But the giggling did not stop. Anger started morphing his frowned face as he turned his head towards the obnoxious noise. A young boy was waving, gesturing the old man

“Follow me!”

The displaced child said aloud. It was as if a strange spell took over him as he mindlessly wobbled towards the fairy’s laughter.

“Hehehe! Why are you so slow? Hurry up.”

A strange lightness washed over the old man as balls of light started prancing around him.

“W-wait up! Where are you going anyway?”

The old man, drowned in the sounds of laughter, reaches out towards the young boy. But the boy kept moving forward, not a single care in the world. Before the old man knew it, the fairies’ light started vanishing one by one. Lost and alone in the woods, he could only weep in the darkness.”

The Coachman tosses some tea leaves onto the pot and looks up at our reactions.

“So, any thoughts?”

He asks, looking towards me and Lily.

“Interesting… Where did you learn of this folktale?”

Lily asks as she grabs a notebook.

“It’s something I picked up along with the many passengers that have taken this Carriage.”

Lily shrugs at this response and starts writing down some notes. I lean towards the Coachman and ask,

“Do these fairies target old people? Or does anyone count as their target?”

The coachman pours himself some tea,

“They target those who garner their interest. I personally have heard accounts of passengers attracting their interest at the dead of night. These could be young and old, but it’s never consistent.”

Nodding, I stare off at the darkness. Lily soon finishes writing down some stuff, and we all ponder around the campfire.

“Alright, I think it’s time to head to bed.”

Lily crawls back into the carriage, leaving me and the Coachman alone. Looking at each other, the Coachman pours a cup of tea and hands it to me.

“We have a long night ahead of us. You have already rested throughout the day so I think it’s far for you to stay up and keep watch.”

The Coachman lays down by the horses who fell asleep beside the campfire.

“Keep the fire going, and we will soon swap nightwatch. Goodnight!”

I let off a sigh and gazed up at the stars. It was as if the sky illuminated the darkness far beyond the campfire. Rubbing my hands together and looking around, I notice faint lights in the distant darkness. Shaking my head, I close my eyes and listen to the soft howl of the wind, the crackling of the fire, and the soft snoring of the Coachman.

“...Hehehehe…”

The faintest laughter tickled my ears and quickly vanished as I forcefully open my eyes.

“What was that?”

My eyes quickly dart around, catching glimpses of the surrounding area. However, there was nothing worth noting. I shrug

“Maybe the Coachman was sleep-talking?”

I glanced over at the Coachman, who had a very silly smile plastered over his face and was rubbing his belly. Chuckling, I shuffle my seat and gaze off into the campfire.

“I should read, I guess”

Reaching into my satchel, I pull out Flames, the power of invoking fire.

“I already read through a fundamental one, so I should read a practical one now!”

My hands brush on the red cover and I open up the book.

Fire is a primordial substance that festers on essences. It is one of the most destructive and uncontrollable elements. However, this does not mean it can’t be tamed by you. Firstly, you have to enter a trance. As you balance yourself on the thin line of consciousness, you have to imagine the flow of mana entering through every breath. After you find balance, you take control of your imagination and flare up an image of fire. Make sure you have a stable image, as this will allow the mana to morph into fire.

Through repeated practice and effort, you will be able to light a small flame. This is what fire mages call a Soul Flame, as it allows full manipulation of control from the caster. However, this small flame is not to be underestimated. If one leaks too much mana, or loses control while maintaining the mana flow, it will lose control and start seeking out your mana supply. Essentially, it will burn you if you are not careful. As your mana pool gets stronger, and your imagination expands, you can manipulate better and eventually split the Soul Flame in two. The maximum amount that we have recorded is 7 Soul Flames, which is the pinnacle of fire magic itself. To be considered an archmage in fire, you need at least 4 Soul Flames and full control of all 4 at once.

To achieve 2 Soul Flames, you have to essentially split your mana pathway into both your hands. A good comparison would be ambidextrousness, being able to write with both left and right hands. A suggested tip would be to learn how to multitask with both left and right hands. This is very difficult, and many stick to one Soul Flame.

Closing the book, I start focusing on my breath.

“1, 2, 3, 4”

I count and hold my breath, then release after counting to 7. Soon, my mind started to calm down as I let out an extended breath. The dancing campfire engrained its presence in my head as I felt breath thinning.

“Feel the flow of mana”

The soft winter wind gently brushes around me as my mind drifts into dreams.

The overbearing sun burned like a fire as I stood in a calm, yellowish orange meadow. It was a summer day, and beads of sweat were dripping off my chin.

“This isn’t right…”

I blinked twice and felt myself dragged back into reality. Smoke wafted into my nose, and my body felt feverish. Rubbing my strained eyes, I let out a groan and looked off into the darkness.

“It seems rest is a key component in casting magic.”

I sighed, leaned back, and looked up at the stars.

“How did one discover something so vast and beautiful?”

Suddenly, I hear my thoughtful ramblings seize as I hear the Coachman stirring awake.

“Mm…hmm…”

The Coachman covers his forehead and lets out a dreary groan. Glancing around, his eyes meet the orange light of the campfire, and he immediately gets up.

“I guess it's my turn to keep watch”

Nodding, I got up and sat down outside of the carriage. The Coachman tosses some firewood and waves at me.

“Have a good night”

I smile at his grin and slowly drift off to sleep.