That night Ran returned home. After dinner, while Madi was picking up the plates, and Lan was looking with bored eyes for the best time to leave.

Lucius fervently avoided talking to Alden about sword techniques, Freesia, and Gabrielle gossiped about the new happenings in town.

Apparently, Paul got himself caught red-handed, pants down, with Rob’s daughter, Ilsa, near the stables. Pandemonium ensued.

He asked for everyone’s attention and excitedly told his father and mother about his future as a magic practitioner.

“Grandpa said I’m going to be a mage!

He was going to learn all kinds of spells and be a powerful magician. For Alden the words that came out of his son’s mouth, gave him a sense of Déjà vu, it reminded him of the night he told Raanan about teaching him the sword, that time, he had also gotten all excited “I’m going to be the new sword god” he proclaimed, and while he did give it his all for a good week or so of practice, as soon as he saw his brother’s raw talent, he started to lose interest.

Alden wasn’t the only one that remembered such things.

“Ran, magic is an extremely complicated art. Everyone can do it, but not everyone will, you understand?”

The words came from a long-eared, blonde-haired beauty with striking yellow eyes, even now, when she was well past her forties, she looked like she was barely reaching her thirties this was thanks to her mixed-race blood, even though her life span wasn’t that much greater than a normal human, she would remain young for almost all of it.

“Yes, I know, but if everyone can do it, then how hard can it be?”

She sighed. “I guess it’s better if you learn that yourself the hard way”

“If you are ten times as good with sorcery as you are with swords, then I still don’t think you have any future there. Why not just stick to the books?” Lucius, the one that talked, his words rife with vile intent, struck at Edwin’s heart, his eyes filled at the edges, tears he wasn’t ready to release.

“Shut up I can do it!” He barked back

“Sure, you can jus-”

“Luc, stop, don’t say anything else, and go to your room” Before he could say anything, Freesia stopped him. He showed a shocked expression, Lucius's eyes shone with all manner of emotions, shock, hurt anger.

As always, he stopped at anger.

“Fine! you are going to take his side? He isn’t good for anything. He’s useless!” the eldest stormed out of the. room, it almost seemed like steam was coming from his ears.

The one family member that had yet to speak, the same blue-haired elf wearing a bored expression, had figured something out.

After the scene in the dining room, Ran just went back to his room and dreamed about how cool it must be to throw fireballs and fight dragons.

For the youngest of the Donn, the days went by fast in between halfhearted sword practice, reading adventure books while hiding from Baul, math, among other studies.

Some days, he would go for a walk with Amos.

He would exploit these moments to pester the old man.

“When will he arrive?” “Is he far away?” “How much more will it take?!” “Is he strong?” “Is he, like, very old?” “Will he teach me how to cast rain?” “How about a firestorm?” “Am I going to get a staff?” “Does this mean I don’t have to go with Baul as much?”

it got to the point on which Amos had to threaten him.

“Edwin, you have to learn patience. It’s a most vital thing for a leader to remain calm, so if you speak about this magic business again I will all things off to teach you a lesson,”

“Okay grandad”

that shut him up only for a few days.

Raanan told all of his friends. now he was going to be the leader on their excursions to the woods since.

“It’s only natural. I’m going to be the strongest around!”

He’s a powerful wizard to be. Ran the power, the mage that would have his enemies pulverized with stones. No one could stop him now.

Raanan the great Lord Edwin the dragun bane, Death king of mass desctruction, King grey the exmaminous, Quagamire.

He also spent some time thinking of titles for when he was a famous magician. Not all were bangers.