Continuing my training, it didn’t take long before my immature body ached and was drenched in sweat. My arms shook from the effort of holding the sword. Elian was in a similar state, and even Ronan had a single line of sweat running down his forehead.

“You’ve got a knack for swinging that around,” Julius said, patting me on the back. Then, speaking loud enough for the others to hear, he added, “Let's call it a day—my stomach might eat itself if you don’t get to the kitchen soon, Ronan.”

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Ronan nodded, but Elian stood firm. “Can we keep going for just a bit longer? I want to do more.”

“I know I said to push yourself, but resting is also an important part of the process,” Ronan said.

I handed my sword to Julius and walked over to Elian as Ronan began to make his way back inside.

“Please, just a few more minutes,” Elian insisted. “I can feel myself making real progress, like there’s a knot of energy releasing in me. I’ve never felt the mana this strongly, no matter how hard I pushed myself.”

His words slowly filtered through my fatigued mind. Julius, Ronan, and I understood what his words meant a heartbeat too late. The wind shifted towards Elian as he suddenly doubled over in pain and wrapped his arms around himself.

Ronan and Julius turned towards us, their eyes wide and hands outstretched. I quickly pushed off the ground and leapt away from Elian as the air seemed to freeze. The mana that had been surging into Elian suddenly reversed course, bursting out of him in a powerful wave of earth element mana. The mana transformed as it moved, forming a spray of stone debris that exploded outward. My heart pounded as sharp grey shards rained down around me. The ground erupted between us, creating an earthen wall that shielded me from the stone fragments. 

I hit the ground behind the wall, and then it was over. Turning onto my back, I watched the wall melt away, revealing Elian lying unconscious on the ground, sharp stones and clumps of dirt scattered in a wide circle around him.

Ronan was beside me in an instant, checking me for injuries before moving to where Elian lay. 

“That was a close one,” Julius said, pulling me into a sitting position. 

If Ronan hadn’t created that wall, I likely would have died, I realised.

Behind me, the back door burst open, and the others came running out.

“Is everyone okay?” Freya gasped when she saw Elian’s unconscious body, but Ronan quickly reassured her.

“He’s just experiencing backlash after awakening. Over the past two hours, his core developed at an incredible rate. Elian is a mage now,” Ronan said, gently lifting his unconscious body in a bridal carry. “Are you alright, Kane?”

Pushing myself to my feet, I checked for injuries. “I think so.”

Chione approached me, her usual indifferent expression softening for a moment. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper—a rare show of concern that caught me off guard.

“I’m fine,” I repeated.

I picked up one of the stone shards and examined it. This power of creation, unique to mana, was astounding. I’d only seen Freya use her fire and water affinities for mundane daily tasks, and Ronan rarely used his earth affinity. I pricked my finger on the shard and watched the blood run, entranced. 

Trying and failing to suppress my growing desire, I felt the newfound hunger swell within me. I needed this power. With it, I could easily reclaim my old strength—or even far surpass it.

I flicked the stone aside as everyone finally relaxed and Julius guided us back inside. “Put the boy down in bed, Ronan. He’ll need some rest.”

After Elian was safely in his bed, we gathered in the living room. Chione, Laela and I sat in silence while Julius talked to Ronan and Freya.

“Elian should regain consciousness after an hour or two of rest,” Julius said, his tone calm but firm. He glanced at Ronan and Freya, who were both silent. “Ronan, you mentioned his core developed quickly. You both know how volatile the days before awakening can be. Next time, with Chione, be more cautious.”

He turned to Chione, who listened silently. “Don’t push yourself like your brother did. Awakening can be dangerous for those around you. Listen to your body; you’ll know when you’re close.” 

Chione nodded, accepting his advice.

“He’s like Dad, isn’t he?” I asked. They all looked at me curiously, so I continued, “Elian has the earth affinity.”

Julius nodded. “Yes, it seems he’ll take after Ronan. He probably doesn’t have any of my affinities, but he’ll do well regardless. Now, let’s cheer up—this is a cause for celebration!” Julius waved towards Ronan. “How about you whip up something special for our upcoming warrior?”

Julius’ jest lightened the mood, making Ronan smile. He stood up and headed to the kitchen. “We went shopping earlier, so we can celebrate Elian’s awakening with a real feast.”

As Ronan got to work in the kitchen, Freya stood up to light the candles around the house with her flame magic. Normally, Elian would have helped his father in the kitchen, but with him resting, Laela chose to assist instead.

After everything was lit, Chione, Julius, Freya, and I gathered around the roaring fireplace. Julius filled the silence with his stories, his voice lively and engaging. Freya’s mood brightened as she listened, and Chione watched the fire with a reserved look on her face.

“You’ve told that one before,” Freya teased.

“Not to Kane, I haven’t,” Julius replied, turning to me. “You know, I was rather strong back in the day—more powerful than either of your parents.”

“What happened?” I asked, leaning in.

“Well, you know how I used to be a bodyguard?” Julius began, his tone shifting. “One day, there was an attempted assassination on the person I was protecting. It would have succeeded had I not been there, but the price of victory was steep. I pushed myself well beyond my limit, and my core broke from the backlash. My body took a year to recover, but my core was beyond repair. Those assassins failed their mission but still managed to cripple me. The nerve of them!” He laughed, though I couldn’t find the humour in his words.

“Wow, they must’ve been strong,” I said, using it as a segue to my real question. “Out of all the mages, who’s the strongest?”

Julius thought for a moment. “It’d have to be one of the archmages.”

“Archmages?” I echoed.

“Someone who’s reached the highest known level of mana,” he explained. “There are three alive today—the most there have ever been at once in all of recorded history, but I couldn’t say which of them is the strongest.”

He paused, then added with a chuckle, “If we consider all the mages throughout history, it’d likely be Adaiah Raziel, the Promised Blade. Now, he was a powerful mage. I almost wish I’d been born early enough to meet him—if he hadn’t been a reincarnated psychopath.”

His relaxed words made me question if I’d heard him correctly, as the mention of reincarnation grabbed my undivided attention. I hadn’t found any information related to reincarnation since I was born, yet it was being brought up here? “Who is he?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. I couldn’t let this opportunity pass.

“One of, if not the most powerful mage in history,” Julius explained. “He died when my master was young, centuries ago. My master was an elf, so he mainly taught me about the history he’d lived through—including things about the war those reincarnates caused in his youth.”

My heart raced, but I kept my face impassive, letting him continue.

Julius leaned back in his chair, getting more comfortable. “One day, I found my master sitting by the ocean, deep in thought. I asked what was on his mind, and he told me about a war from centuries ago. Apparently, there was a group of powerful mages called reincarnates who started a disastrous war that killed thousands. These reincarnates were people who had died in another world and were reborn here with the memories of their past lives intact. They all had a screw loose. Combine that with their incredible power, and they became walking calamities. The war they started was one of the bloodiest tragedies of the last millennia.”

Freya frowned and crossed her arms but didn’t interrupt.

“Most of the reincarnates were pure evil, causing havoc until a group of powerful mages was able to take them down,” Julius continued. “But some were different, more docile. My master befriended one—a saintess of death, he called her, blessed with a kindness and selflessness greater than anyone else. But no matter how kind, evil or intelligent the reincarnates were, they brought only death, as though cursed. Even this saintess was no exception. The reincarnates sought each other out, fighting to the death, heedless of the destruction they caused. The saintess was hunted down and killed by Adaiah Raziel. Over time, people stopped seeing the reincarnates as people. They became monsters that were to be feared and defeated. When my master finished his tale, he warned me that if more appeared in the future, I was to kill them, no matter the cost.”

A thick silence settled over us. My instincts had been right—staying hidden was the correct choice.

“But if they’re so strong, how do you fight them?” I asked, keeping my tone as innocent as possible.

“That’s the trick,” Julius said, leaning forward in his chair. “They’re born as children, just like anyone else. The key is to eliminate them before they become a threat.”

“That’s enough,” Freya cut in, her tone sharp. “That really wasn’t a story suitable for children.”

I couldn’t let the topic go yet, so I ignored Freya’s scolding and pressed on. “Does everyone know about reincarnates?”

Was I being too obvious? No, it’s just a child’s curiosity. It’d be weirder if I didn’t ask.

“Most believe it’s just folklore,” Julius replied, earning a glare from Freya. “The war they started was well-documented, but people don’t take the time to educate themselves. It’s a shame how certain dangers are forgotten with time.”

Before I could ask more, Ronan called out, “Dinner’s ready! Come get it while it’s hot. I’ll check if Elian’s awake.”

We rose, leaving the story behind. The soft crackling of the fireplace took an ominous tone behind us as we walked away. A new understanding of my situation dawned on me as I recalled my killer’s final words: “I’ll see you on the other side, Zephyr. Although I’m sure you’ll go by another name when we next meet.” 

My reincarnation was part of his plan, and one day, I’d see him again. I could still have my revenge. There were others like me, and if history was any indication, we’d destroy the world trying to kill each other.