From Mortal To Mystic

Damian lay on the bed, staring at the wooden ceiling, his mind racing. He turned to one side, then the other, restless. His heart pounded with excitement as he replayed Lucian's words over and over.

"Magic," he whispered to himself, grinning like a child. "I'm really going to learn magic."

The very thought sent a thrill through his veins. Who wouldn't want to live out a fantasy like this? But excitement soon turned to impatience. He had waited long enough for morning, and it was nowhere near dawn.

"Ahhh, I can't sleep! Maybe I should check this place out," he muttered, swinging his legs off the bed. "What's the worst that could happen?"

The wooden floor creaked beneath his steps as Damian quietly opened the door and peeked outside. The room he entered was dimly lit, but even in the faint glow, its details caught his attention.

Old, wooden walls were lined with bookshelves stuffed with tomes, scrolls, and strange instruments. Faintly glowing orbs hung in midair, casting a warm, flickering light. Damian felt like he had stepped onto the set of a fantasy movie.

His eyes swept the room, taking it all in. Near one corner, a cauldron bubbled with golden liquid, emitting a faint, sweet aroma. "That's probably the healing potion," Damian guessed, remembering what Lucian had given him earlier.

But something else drew his attention—a single white orb resting above the fireplace. Unlike the others, which gave off soft, ambient light, this one shone with an intense, almost blinding purity. Damian couldn't explain it, but he felt a pull toward it.

His curiosity got the better of him. Slowly, he approached the orb, his heart thumping harder with every step. Reaching out, he hesitated, his hand trembling in midair.

"This is probably a bad idea…" he muttered but pushed the thought aside. He picked it up.

The orb was smooth and unnaturally light, like it was hollow inside. He turned it in his hands, examining its surface. No markings, no imperfections—just endless, flawless white.

"What's so special about this thing?"

As if in response, the orb began to glow brighter. Its color shifted from white to fiery red, and a sudden wave of heat washed over the room.

"What the—" Damian's words were cut off as flames erupted from the orb, engulfing his entire body.

"HELP! I'M ON FIRE!" Damian screamed, stumbling back and flailing his arms. But then he stopped. The flames weren't burning him. They wrapped around him like a warm blanket, harmless yet alive.

Lucian burst into the room, his eyes widening at the sight. "By the gods... What great power in his awakening!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling.

The flames surrounding Damian grew brighter, twisting and curling around his body like living creatures. Lucian could feel the raw magical energy radiating from him—it was overwhelming.

But then, the orb changed again. Its fiery hue shifted to a dark, stormy purple, and the air grew heavy with static. Lightning crackled inside the orb, lighting up the room with flashes of violet.

"Damian, put it down!" Lucian shouted, but it was too late.

A bolt of lightning shot out from the orb, striking the ground with a deafening crack. The shockwave sent books and bottles flying, and Lucian had to shield his face from the blinding light.

"My word… A dual awakening!" Lucian whispered in disbelief.

Damian stood frozen, flames and lightning coiling around him in a chaotic dance. He could feel it now—something inside him had changed. It wasn't just fire. It wasn't just lightning. It was power, pure and raw, surging through his veins.

When the chaos finally subsided, Damian staggered back, his breathing ragged. The orb returned to its original white hue, as if nothing had happened.

He placed it back on the mantle with shaking hands and mumbled, "I… I need to lie down." Without waiting for Lucian to respond, Damian stumbled back to his room and collapsed onto the bed.

Lucian stood in the doorway, his expression a mix of fear and awe. "A dual awakening… The mana itself has favored this boy," he muttered.

But he knew what this meant. The surge of magical energy Damian had just unleashed wouldn't go unnoticed. Others—mages, rulers, and worse—would come looking for him.

"For his sake, I need to keep this hidden," Lucian said to himself. With a wave of his hand, he cast a spell. A faint, dark veil enveloped Damian's room, cloaking his presence. "My Veil of Obscurity should buy us time... but not much."

---

Morning came too quickly for Damian. He sat up, rubbing his eyes as the events of the previous night replayed in his mind. "That... wasn't a dream, was it? What the heck am I saying I'm stuck here in this book."

Before he could dwell on it further, Lucian entered the room, his expression grim. "Good, you're awake. There's much to discuss, and we don't have the luxury of time."

Damian frowned. "What's the rush? I thought we were just going to start learning magic today."

Lucian's gaze hardened. "After what happened last night, there's no such thing as 'just' learning magic for you, boy. Your awakening was far from ordinary. If we don't prepare you, you won't survive what's coming."

The weight of Lucian's words hit Damian like a hammer. "What do you mean, 'what's coming'?"

Lucian sighed, placing a hand on Damian's shoulder. "The power you displayed last night… it's not something the world will ignore. You're a beacon now, whether you like it or not. There are those who would kill to control you—or destroy you."

Damian's stomach churned. The excitement he had felt before was gone, replaced by a cold, gnawing fear.

"Then I guess we better get started," Damian said, forcing steadiness into his voice.

Lucian nodded. "Follow me."

---

Stepping outside for the first time, Damian's breath caught in his throat. The world before him was nothing like the one he knew. Towering trees with golden leaves stretched toward the sky, their branches glowing faintly. Fields of strange, luminous plants swayed in the breeze, and two suns hung in the sky, casting an otherworldly light over the landscape.

"This is… incredible," Damian whispered, unable to take his eyes off the surreal beauty surrounding him.

But Lucian's expression was far from calm. His eyes darted across the horizon, scanning the distant trees and hills.

"Keep your guard up," Lucian said, his voice tense.

Damian frowned, glancing around nervously. "Why? What's wrong?"

Lucian's reply sent a chill down his spine.

"We're being watched."

---