Evan spent the rest of the day preparing for the capital trip pacing his room scribbling practice notes and rehearsing calls for demonstration spells. He was surrounded by open scrolls spread across the floor like fallen feathers each filled with his charts breathing patterns resonance diagrams rhythm lines sound placement arrows all the things he hoped would keep him alive in front of the king.

Serin knocked once before pushing the door open.

“You are pacing again” she said

“I am preparing” Evan corrected “There is a difference”

“You are preparing to panic”

“Maybe a little” Evan admitted “But your king is expecting a performance and I do not perform I teach”

Serin stepped inside crossing her arms “The king does not want performance He wants understanding He wants your clarity That is why the envoys came to see you”

Evan dropped onto the bed “What if he sees me as a threat What if he thinks I am destabilizing magic Instead of fixing it”

Myra arrived at the doorway holding three small packs “Then we convince him otherwise You are not a weapon Evan You are a scholar”

Arilon appeared behind Myra “And the king respects scholars more than warriors Evan He will not harm you But he will expect proof You must demonstrate the four rules clearly confidently and convincingly”

Evan buried his face in his hands “I can teach a room I can teach a class I can even teach your academy but a king That is a whole different level”

Myra set the packs on the table “Then consider this a larger classroom He wants knowledge not submission He wants order not chaos Your system brings order That will matter to him”

Arilon stepped forward “Tomorrow we ride for the capital You will be accompanied by guards and envoys No harm will reach you But you must be prepared to answer any question the king asks”

“He is very direct” Serin said “He does not like vague explanations”

Evan gave a weak laugh “Good I am incapable of vague explanations”

Myra smiled “That is why we trust you”

They spent the next several hours practicing demonstration sequences outside in the courtyard while evening light fell across the stone. Evan corrected Serin’s rhythm She corrected her own direction He adjusted Myra’s breath support They tested resonance combinations with Arilon monitoring mana stability.

At one point Serin said “Evan you realize you are building something that will outlast us all This is not just teaching This is legacy”

Evan stared at the sky turning orange and purple “Legacy is heavy I do not want to break under it”

Myra touched his shoulder lightly “You do not have to carry it alone That is why we are here”

Night fell by the time they finished The academy torches flickered across the courtyard casting long shadows across the stones The air held a strange stillness the quiet before a shift in the world.

Evan looked toward the main gates “So tomorrow we meet the king”

Serin nodded “Tomorrow you show him the first steps of the new magic”

Myra added “Tomorrow we speak with the world’s authority”

Arilon breathed deeply “And tomorrow the kingdom begins to change”

Evan exhaled slow steady controlled
He whispered to himself “I hope the king likes vowels”

Serin laughed gently “He will after you are done with him”

They each parted for the night But Evan stayed in the courtyard alone staring at the dark sky watching the silent stars shimmer like distant sparks of magic.

He whispered
“Four rules down
But I know there is more
Much more”

He knew tomorrow he would step into the capital
Into the king’s presence
Into the history of a world he did not belong to
Yet was becoming part of

And even though fear pressed against his ribs he breathed again slow steady
The breath of a teacher
The breath that shapes magic