5 years later
Life has been… crazy. Russo, the baby I found in the forest, has grown up nicely under my tutelage if did say so myself. He is kind and compassionate, and has recently showed an interest in becoming an adventurer after hearing my stories.
I don't know what part about losing my leg made him want to become an adventurer, but he's taken to copying my movements while I train. I've tried to persuade him other wise but he seems to have gained my stubbornness despite not being my son by blood.
Well, I suppose if I can't steer him away from the path then I will teach him to the best of my ability. I was only a D-Rank adventurer, but surely the knowledge I've learned over the years will prove useful.
"Dad, I want a sword like you!" Russo looked at me with a pout as he held out his stick that he had been using.
"Only if you start joining me for morning meditation like you used too. It's very important for any future adventurer." I said matter of factly and he hesitated for only a moment before nodding his head resolutely.
"I'll do it, Dad!" He roared and I smiled as I toddled his silver hair that now reached his shoulders.
"Good, good. Now lets go on our hunt." Russo's eyes sparkled as he looked up at me and nodded his head rapidly and went to go get his boots. I can't believe it's already been 5 years and he already wants to become an adventurer… What am I going to do?
Our routine now began to consist of the 2 of us meditating each morning, morning sword practice, breakfast and then the scouting of the village perimeter and hunting. When that was finished I let Russo go play with the other kids of the village while I helped in the fields.
Russo was brilliant and I don't just say that as a doting parent. It usually only took one time for him to learn something and he never seemed to forget it. His eyesight and other senses were already better than mine if wasn't amplifying them with mana.
And he completed his training exercises without complaint, even when he got injured or bored. We sparred daily at the end of our training sessions and I could see that he was getting better at a rapid pace. Much quicker than I could have ever hoped to at his age.
[3 Years Later]
It was a warm summer morning so I had decided that we would do our meditation outside like we always do in the summer season. Personally I felt like the morning breeze helped me concentrate better. My own teaching to Russo popped in my head.
"Anything can be a sword in the hands of the right person, all it takes is the intent and will for it to be so." I had grabbed a stick and willed mana into it before slashing at the trunk of a tree, this resulted in me cleaving straight through the trunk and it falling over. Russo had been mesmerized ever since and had doubled his medication training, adding another session before bed.
He was now 8 and I was 38. I had formed my mana core at age 15 and everyone else I knew formed theirs around the same age. That's why when I felt the mana begin to coalesce around Russo I was shocked at first. Then when I realized what was about to happen I moved away as to not get caught up in whatever happened.
What ended up happening surprised me more than I could have ever imagined. The resulting expulsion of mana created a crater in the ground and sent debris flying causing me to reinforce myself with mana to prevent injuries. When everything calmed down, Russo was floating with a coating of mana floating and swirling around him and when I approached I was rebuffed as my hand was cut by the wind.
My eyes widened, he had the affinity for wind magic and seemed to be augmenter. I don't know if affinities have anything to do with desires, but Russo had told me many times that he wanted to have wind affinity since it was the one I liked the most. That wasn't the end though as spouts of flame flicked up around his body before dying out as he touched the ground.
His face was wide with a smile and brighter than I had ever seen it while holding his hands to his chest.
"Dad! I did it! I got my mana core, and even got Wind just like I wanted!" He yelled as he ran towards me and jumped into my arms. I gripped him tight as I congratulated him and we bounced around the yard the yard in happiness.
"You also have fire Russo! I saw flames rising up around you after the wind died down." I told him and Russo's eyes went wide and another smile formed on his face.
"This means I'll be able to become a really strong adventurer and make you proud!" He leaped from my arms and tried to bring the element to his hand but struggled. I laughed softly as I ruffled his hair and went down to one knee.
"You've already made me very proud Russo. Now how about we see if I can't help you figure out this magic business." His smile widened further and we sat in our meditating position and enjoyed each other's presence.
[4Years Later]
It was Russo's 12th birthday and the day he decided he was going to go and become an adventurer. I of course didn't want him to go so soon, but once he sets his mind to something there is no changing it. We were currently sparring.
I was a mid yellow stage on my core and Russo was already at dark orange in just 4 years. He truly was a prodigy compared to me, that why I had to do my best to keep him humble. Thankfully I seemed to raise him well enough, but good upbringing doesn't always keep you from getting cocky in the battlefield.
He charged toward me with his sword held close, boosting himself with wind magic while fire coated his blade. I still had yet to awaken my elemental affinity so all I had was the mana rushing through my body and reinforcing my sword. But my proficiency with it had increased a considerably degree.
I didn't have as much mana as Russo, but I was much more precise with my use. I fueled only specific spots and muscles to get the most of the mana with the least expenditure. Our blades met and I could feel the heat, but my strength won out and I parried his strike.
I didn't give him a chance to breathe as I pushed forward with rapid slashes mixed with stabs. Like me Russo was walking the path of dodging with the least amount of movement. Which was even deadlier in his arsenal since he had the mana capacity to overwhelm people if he needed too.
Eventually he pivoted on his right foot and pushed himself to the left with fire magic giving a boost. I brought my sword toward him in a diagonal arc and he was forced to bring his sword up to meet it, but he was off balance. Our swords connected and he pushed more mana into his arms to counter my strength.
However I took the opening I saw and sent my boot to his chest sending him rolling tail over head several times before laying flat on his back heaving great gasps of air. I grabbed a rock and tossed it at him he grabbed it but sat up and got in the position he knew he was supposed to be in.
"I-I know, Dad. Sorry." He huffed as he sat up straight and placed his palms on his knees taking deep steady breaths and quickly brought his breathing from erratic to calm measured breaths.
"You won't have the luxury of me knocking sense into you when you're adventuring. Neither will you be able to steady your breaths from that position, you need to get used to doing it subconsciously." He just nodded and I smiled as I walked toward him and held out my hand which he gripped and I pulled him up and into a hug.
I could feel the corners of my eyes heating up as I held Russo close and his grip tightened around me.
"I wanted to defeat you once before I left so you wouldn't have to worry about me while I was gone, but still after all this time I can't even score a single hit." He muttered sadly and I chuckled as I pat his head and pulled him back so I could see his face.
He had grown quite handsome through the years, his piercing green eyes had soften slightly and his silver hair now reached his mid back and he would pull it back into a queue so it wouldn't be in his face. He had the face of a young man already and it was stained much like mine by the sun.
He stood at my chin and I imagine he would pass me in height in a few years with his current growth.
"Be safe. Remember there's no such thing as a fair fight. All that matters is surviving. Don't trample the weak, protect them if you're able. Never become complacent, there's always someone stronger than you out there. Never let your guard down when adventuring. Never-…"
"I know Dad, I know." Russo's voice cut through and I realized I had begun to cry at some point and even he had some tears prickling the edges of his eyes as he looked up at me.
"I have all things you ever taught me stored away perfect right here and here." He said first pointing to his head before resting that same hand over his heart.
"I swear I'll become the greatest adventurer and make you proud, Dad! Then I'll come back and here and finally defeat you, so that you'll never have to worry about me again and I can protect like you did me!"
I smiled widely as I stared at Russo, rubbing away the tears that wouldn't stop flowing. I placed my hand on his head and nodded.
"I'll be waiting for that day Russo." We embraced again tightly until the rumbling of a wagon could be heard. It was a local peddler who would visit our village from Cam City, and they agreed to take Russo with them if he provided security.
"Good bye, Russo. I love you, son." With one final squeeze I separated from him and he nodded as he shouldered his pack and strapped his sword belt around his waist. Before he could run off I slipped off the ring on my finger and handed it to him and his eyes went wide.
"But dad, I can't take this! You got this as an adventurer." He shook his head as he waved his hands. But caught one of them and slipped it on his finger.
"You'll take it because I said so. Keep emergency rations and money inside and whatever you do don't lose it." I said sternly and he looked ready to protest, but eventually nodded his head in acceptance.
"Thank you, Dad. I'll keep it safe no matter what."
With that he took off to the wagon and loaded up beside Marcus the peddler and they both waved from the driver's bench. I waved back for as long as I could see him and could feel the tears returning.
"Good luck, son." I muttered to myself as the cover of the wagon disappeared over a hill.
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Couple of timeskips this chapter and there will be one more in the next chapter as that's how this story format sort of goes. I'll have some flashbacks of when Russo was a kid and I'll switch POVs between him and Stratton(the dad if you forgot.)
Hope you enjoyed.