After a short while, the two lumberjacks reached a small hut, which only differed from the other village houses in that it had a green cross painted on its door. Just as they opened the entrance, a bell softly rang, and shortly both of them stepped into the home.

Arilia was sitting in her chair at the table, but after she saw Peryl, she immediately hurried to the injured man and helped him sat down on the patient bed. She listened carefully to her son's explanation of how the old man has gotten his injury, and after hearing the story, she looked at Zan. "Go and buy two loaves of bread, one for Uncle Peryl and one for us. By the time you return, his injuries will be already healed."

"All right," Zan nodded. He was about to head out of the hut when the old woodcutter grabbed his arm.

"Here is forty copper, it is for the bread. After all, I've worked for it," Peryl said with a forced smile.

Zan nodded again, and after he took the coins, he ran straight to the bakery. However, even though he arrived there quickly, he still needed to wait until the loaves of bread were baked. Fortunately, he didn't need to spend too much time in the hot room and could quickly buy what he came for. After he paid for the two loaves of bread and said goodbye, he went outside to the street. He was just about to rush back home, but his path was suddenly blocked by an unpleasant fellow, whose smile almost reached his ears while he was twirling his mustache.

"What is it? Are you only brave to talk, when there is someone to protect you?" asked the man.

"What do you want?" Zan asked while having a bad feeling.

The man, who stood in front of Zan, was no other than Mylk. The lumberjack who mocked Peryl and who was made a laughing stock by the boy. In the forest, Mylk couldn't do anything to the boy, because Gan stopped him. But now only the two of them were on the street, and since most of the villagers were having their lunch under the Giant Tree, he was sure that no one would disturb them. This time there wasn't anyone who could get in his way, so he wanted to give the youth a good lesson.

"Well, to teach you some manners," Mylk said. "Was it funny mocking me in front of the others? You were so brave then, but look at you right now. You are so scared that you could piss your pants at any moment." He then pushed the boy. He expected Zan to fall down on his back and immediately start begging for his life. However, that didn't happen because Zan only took a step back from the thrust. This annoyed Mylk so much that he wanted to push Zan again, however, before he could do that, the boy caught his hand and squeezed it hard.

"Stop it! You know that you were the one who started the mocking, and I only ended it," Zan said.

"Oh, really?! You think you can screw around with me, you damned pip-squeak," Mylk said with anger in his voice and took his hand out of Zan's grip. "Now, I will give you a good beating, and later I will play around with your wench mother."

Many people hurt Zan because of his height, which one way or another he could endure. But even he had a line, which if someone dared to cross, he would immediately go into a rage. And that line was his mother. No one should ever talk badly of his mom in front of him, because the consequences will be dreadful.

Zan looked at Mylk with eyes filled with anger, and before the man could even do anything, he punched the tall fellow in his side.

Zan's left fist was so hard and carried such strength that Mylk felt pain like never before, and he quickly held both of his hands at his right ribcage. He could even say that he heard a crack when he received the blow, and suddenly fear emerged in his heart.

Zan, however, didn't see his fellow worker's suffering face because he seized the opportunity in the heat of the moment and ran away. He didn't wish to fight with someone who was a lot older and taller than him. Zan thought that he was only lucky that he could actually land a hit in Mylk's side and that this sort of chance would only happen once in a lifetime. Yesterday he chose to fight instead of escaping, and because of that, he was beaten to the ground. Since his blue and green spots reminded him of what could happen if he continued fighting, he decided that running away is the best option he had.

By the time Mylk raised his head from looking at his injury, Zan was already long gone. 'This pip-squeak is too damn strong.' He thought to himself.

...

Zan was rushing home with all of his strength, not even daring to look back. Only after he finally reached their hut did he glance back, and since no one was chasing him, he immediately began to calm down. He took a few deep breaths, and after his heartbeat slowed down, he went inside the hut. 

Soon he saw Peryl, who looked already in good health sitting on the bed and talking to his mother. "I brought the two loaves of bread."

"Thanks. You have a nice kid, Arilia," said Peryl.

"Yes, but he always gets into trouble." Arilia smiled while looking at her child.

"Well then, thank you again for your help. I'll pay for the medicine as soon as I get some more coins," said the old man while getting on his feet.

"No need, the tea leaves were not expensive."

"Then, thank you, and see you soon."

Zan said goodbye to his fellow worker and watched his back for a while, then headed into the hut's kitchen.

"What happened on the road?" Arilia asked.

"Nothing," he shook his head.

"You know that you cannot lie to me... but whatever it was, it helped you. You are close to awakening."

"But I am wide awake since the morning," Zan said without understanding his mother's words.

She looked at her child with a smiling face. "When someone can use his mana consciously for the first time in his life, we call it awakening. You wake up from your dream world and start to see the real one where you can achieve all of your dreams."

Zan's jaw dropped after hearing these sentences. He felt goosebumps upon his skin, and endless joy filled his heart. If he knew that the only thing he needed to do was to punch Mylk to control his mana, he would have hit him a long ago.

"But do not be so happy about it. You are only close to awakening and cannot really use or control your mana yet," Arilia explained. "But for now, let us eat, and later, you will continue your training."

"All right," Zan said with a cheerful voice. 'Today, I'll awaken.'