Chapter 3 - The Awakening flames part 1

Asher's hands burned with eerie black flames, a sight that sent shockwaves through the observers. The old man acted swiftly, recognizing the nature of the magical mishap. "Lose your focus, Asher! Your magic is causing these flames!" he urged urgently.

Struggling to regain control, Asher lost focus, and the flames slowly extinguished. However, the damage was done – his shoulders and arms bore severe burns. The group rushed him inside, laying him gently on a bed to tend to his injuries. The old man turned to Henry, with a grave but determined expression.

"Now it's time to use your magic, Henry. Follow me closely. I'm going to heal Asher's right arm, which is in a more severe condition than the left."

Nervously, Henry nodded, his heart pounding with the weight of responsibility. "Okay, sir."

With great care, the old man guided Henry through the healing process. "Focus your magic in your hands, and when you feel it there, place them over the infected area. It will start healing," he instructed.

Both of them dedicated themselves to the task, channelling their magic to mend Asher's wounds. After an hour of focused efforts, almost 90 percent of Asher's injuries were healed, but some traces remained. The old man gently applied bandages to the remaining wounds, advising Asher to rest and recover.

Two days later,

Asher's wounds had nearly healed, and Henry's arm was also showing signs of significant progress after the awakening of his magic. A wound that would have taken a month to heal had now mended in just two weeks. As the trio sat together at the dining table for lunch, the old man inquired about Asher's well-being.

"How are you feeling now, Asher?" he asked with a warm smile.

"I'm feeling much better, sensei. The pain is gone, and I can move my arms," Asher replied, gratitude evident in his tone.

"Good. It means you've recovered," the old man acknowledged.

"Yes, I think so."

"Okay, then we'll start training again," the old man declared.

With renewed determination, they both responded energetically, "Yes, sensei."

The old man then turned to Henry, inquiring about his magical progress, "How's your progress, Henry? Are you able to control your magic?"

"Yes, sensei. I can use it easily now, and it requires less focus than before," Henry replied, his confidence growing.

As Asher's curiosity piqued, he interjected, "As for my magic, what kind is it?"

The old man's tone grew suspicious, "Well, I can't believe that you possess Black Flames, also known as demonic flames."

Amazement filled Asher's expression, "Wow, that sounds cool. But why can't you believe it?"

"I said that because only a few people in history have possessed this magic. It is considered to be the second most destructive magic after lightning magic. That's why I don't know much about it."

Henry chimed in, "Yes, its destructiveness can be seen in the fact that it burns its user."

Asher's excitement waned, "So, does that mean I can't use it?"

The old man reassured, "You can, but first, we need to determine at which stage your magic belongs."

Both friends expressed curiosity, "We don't understand the concept of stages."

The old man elucidated, "Magic staging is an ancient technique used to assess the power of magic. There are 7 stages, ranging from 1 to 7, with 1 being the weakest and 7 being the strongest. Only 3 to 4 people in history have reached level 7 magic. In this technique, a leaf from a special tree called the Tree of the Solstice is used. If a person has stage 1 magic, nothing happens to the leaf. If a person has stage 2 magic, the leaf gets slightly burned, and if a person has stage 7 magic, the leaf turns to ash."

He added, "Luckily, I have some leaves from that tree. I obtained them when I wanted to check the stage of my magic. We have that tree in our town, but we don't have to go there now."

Asher inquired further, "What stage does your magic belong to?"

"My magic is in stage 3," the old man answered.

Henry concluded after listening attentively, "If yours is in stage 3, then I must be in stage 2 because there's a huge difference between your magic and mine."

Intrigued by the potential of their magical abilities, Asher and Henry prepared themselves for the journey of discovering their true magical stages. The prospect of unlocking the mysteries of their powers filled them with both excitement and trepidation.

With renewed purpose, they gathered in Asher's room for the magical test. The old man retrieved a small box from his cupboard, containing the precious leaves from the Tree of the Solstice. These leaves held the key to revealing the stage of their magic.

"Let's see," the old man replied calmly, intrigued by Asher's excitement to discover his magical stage.

Walking toward the old cupboard in the corner of his room, the old man retrieved some leaves and began explaining their purpose. "Just place them between the palms of your hands and concentrate your magic there. But be careful, Asher, and only focus your magic for a fraction of a second, okay?"

Following the old man's guidance, Henry and Asher placed the leaves between their hands and concentrated their magic. As Henry focused his power, more than half of the leaf burned, leading the old man to determine that Henry possessed stage 5 magic.

However, when Asher concentrated his magic for just an instant, the whole leaf burned, much to everyone's astonishment. This particular leaf was highly resistant to flames and only burned from the presence of strong magic power, or mana.

"I can't convince myself that you possess stage 7 magic," the old man expressed with surprise.

Excitement danced in Asher's eyes as he confidently declared, "I want to master it and take revenge on those devils."

"Okay, this week, I'll train you on how to control your magic," the old man agreed, recognizing the potential in Asher's extraordinary power.

Their lunchtime conversation continued, filled with dreams of mastering their newfound abilities and seeking revenge on those who had caused the destruction in Mist Haven. The days ahead held the promise of rigorous training and the unveiling of their true magical potential...

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