The throne hall felt colder than Evan expected not because the air lacked warmth but because everything inside was perfectly still. Every guard every advisor every robed court mage stood frozen like carved stone waiting for the king’s first command. And the king himself radiated a quiet authority that felt heavy like gravity he could bend the room just by breathing.

Evan forced his shoulders down dropped his breath into his ribs and kept his eyes level. Serin had taught him that posture was everything here. Myra stood behind him to the left Arilon behind him to the right both silent both trusting him more than he trusted himself.

The king studied him calmly “You carry no mana and yet the academy reports that spells increase under your guidance Explain this”

Evan nodded “Magic here depends on spoken language Your people cast spells instinctively but without structure I teach articulation structure I fix the sounds that shape mana so spells become stable stronger and more accurate”

The king’s expression remained unreadable “Magic is divine It is the birthright of our kingdom You claim to sharpen divine power with mundane technique”

“Not sharpen” Evan said softly “Clarify”

Whispers rippled through the court.

Evan continued “Magic is a voice Your world speaks a language older than any kingdom When your mages mispronounce they misunderstand that language I help them speak it correctly”

Several advisors exchanged unsettled looks.

The king leaned slightly forward “The academy claims you have established four rules They claim your voice reshapes magic Demonstrate”

Evan breathed slow steady grounding himself.

“I will Your Majesty Serin please step forward”

Serin moved with controlled confidence her boots tapping lightly against the polished floor.

Evan spoke loud enough for the hall to hear “Demonstration one Airflow regulates magic power Serin cast a light flare with collapsed breath then with steady breath”

Serin nodded and deliberately inhaled poorly letting her shoulders rise. She spoke “Luma therin kal”

A tiny flicker appeared barely glowing.

Court mages snickered under their breath.

Then Serin inhaled deeply low and steady “Luma therin kal”

A sphere of brilliant white light exploded from her palm scattering color through the stained glass windows.

Several guards stumbled backward. A few advisors gasped.

Evan continued “This is not new magic This is correct breathing Your Majesty Every spell responds to airflow”

The king’s eyes narrowed slightly as if filing the information away.

“Demonstration two Sound placement controls mana direction Serin cast Gale Slice as you normally would”

She raised her hand “Sar vel tharan”

The wind blade veered left striking a column.

“Now tongue forward on ‘thar’ place the sound against the teeth”

Serin adjusted her posture and spoke “Sar vel thaa ran”

The blade shot straight through a target dummy sending its upper half sliding off.

More whispers. Some fearful.

“Demonstration three Rhythm stabilizes mana flow”

Serin cast a short chant uneven rhythm first weak and stuttering then she cast it again in smooth consistent pacing producing a clean powerful wave of wind.

“Demonstration four Body resonance increases mana capacity Serin please chest resonance”

She placed her hand on her chest and spoke “Sar vel thaa ran”

The wind burst shattered a stone block clean through.

Shock filled the hall no one spoke for several seconds.

Finally the king raised a hand signaling silence “Your method improves magic so drastically that even trained battlemages cannot match these results Explain the source of this knowledge”

Evan inhaled “I come from a place where speech training is my profession My world has no magic but our voices follow the same rules Your spells obey the same patterns as human speech because they are speech They are language Extremely old language But still language”

The king’s eyes sharpened “Ancient language You believe magic comes from a primeval tongue”

“Yes” Evan said “The world speaks a language through resonance rhythm and sound The spells your people use are fragments pieces of that language I believe we can restore more of it by studying vocal structures”

Fear flickered through the audience Some mages whispered urgently others stepped back.

The king stood slowly His voice dropped lower heavier vibrating through the hall “You speak boldly outsider And the truth often offends boldness even more But you have convinced me that your method is real”

Evan swallowed nervously.

The king continued “You will remain under royal protection You will assist the academy in restructuring magical education And you will meet with my Royal Arcanists for deeper investigation But hear this clearly Evan Hartley”

The hall fell silent
Breathless

The king’s eyes pierced through him

“If you reshape magic you reshape the kingdom If you reshape the kingdom you reshape the world And anyone who reshapes the world carries the burden of its consequences”

Evan felt his heartbeat slow and deepen the same way it did when facing overwhelming students He lifted his chin slightly “I accept that burden Your Majesty”

Serin whispered behind him “Evan what are you doing”

But Evan kept his eyes on the king.

The king lowered himself onto the throne again “Then let the world listen to you Teach my kingdom how to speak again”

Evan bowed deeply
For the first time fully aware
His voice was becoming a force larger than him