CH 6 Forest Training
On the 15th day of the month, Orion's adventure began just like any other day in the perilous, wild forest. The first light of dawn filtered through the canopy as he awoke, gathered his meager supplies, and embarked on another day in the dense, unforgiving wilderness. However, he soon realized that fate had other plans when he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. Turning around in fear, Orion found himself face to face with a massive grizzly bear charging toward him at full speed.
Panic seized him as Orion tried to run as fast as he could, but the bear was relentless, and its razor-sharp claws seemed to be mere inches away from him. In a moment of sheer desperation, Orion's innate magic suddenly surged forth as a burst of raw energy erupted from his hands, striking the bear.
The result was as catastrophic as he had feared but hoped against. The bear exploded into a pool of blood and shredded flesh, showering Orion with gore and bits of mangled fur. Had it been the first time such an event occurred, Orion would have stumbled back in shock and horror.
After cleaning himself in a nearby water source, Orion's footsteps grew heavier as he made his way back to his tiny, makeshift shelter. The journey seemed longer and more arduous than ever before, and he could feel the weight of the day's events bearing down on him. His once carefree and risqué demeanor was now swallowed by a serious and attentive tone, and yet again, like countless prior instances in this forest, he was reminded that there was so much more to learn before he could harness his formidable magical abilities.
Trudging through the forest, Orion managed to gather just enough berries to last the day, all the while setting up a rudimentary trap for tomorrow's unsuspecting prey. He knew that his survival depended on his ability to adapt and thrive in this hostile environment, and he was determined to prove that he could do so.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternal trek, Orion reached his modest shelter deep in the forest. He collapsed onto the ground, exhausted and covered in dirt and grass. As he breathed raggedly in an attempt to steady his nerves and calm his racing heart, Orion examined the wounds that covered his battered body. Scratches and bruises marked his skin, but he knew they would only heal with time and patience. For once, he felt grateful that he had read his potion and herbology books.
Orion rested by the small fire he had built, feeling the warmth against his bruised skin. Though the flames flickered low, the thoughts that filled his head burned brightly with fears, doubts, and questions about his latent magic. He had tried to use it before, with disastrous and unintended results, and now he was terrified of even attempting to wield it again.
As the night grew darker, Orion devoured the meager meal of berries he had collected and couldn't help but become consumed by introspection. Initially, when he had found himself in this fantastical world, he thought he had been given the opportunity of a lifetime; a chance to truly fulfill his purpose and achieve unimaginable power. He had believed that he could use his knowledge from books and fanfictions, that his studies would grant him mastery over the world around him. But that dream soon shattered, revealing the stark and brutal reality of his situation.
Determined to figure things out on his own, Orion had sworn to navigate this treacherous world with nothing more than his knowledge. But as the days turned into weeks, the weeks into months, he became increasingly aware that the overpowered protagonist troupe did not exist between these pages of his life. He felt as if he was stuck, paralyzed, and unable to move forward, trapped by his inability to harness the magic that coursed through his veins. It was in that moment of vulnerability that he encountered the mysterious man who he believe would change his fate.
Confusion and doubt clouded Orion's psyche when he recalled the strange man in the shop. When he asked if the man could help him learn more about magic, he was scrutinised and then offered a unique contract. At the time, Orion didn't think too much about it; he was a desperate youth craving guidance and growing impatiently frustrated with his lack of progress. This stranger, the bearer of an intense, and seemingly boundless magical power, appeared before him with a more realistic path forward. Unable to resist his possible greatness's call, Orion had sealed the contract; but now, in the solitude of his fire-lit shelter, doubt seized him. Had sealing this pact been his most monumental mistake?
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The old man's point of view.
As the autumn leaves rustled in the gentle breeze, the old man could not help but reminisce as he looked down at his old friend's brat. It had been a lifetime ago, or so it felt when his path was forever altered by the fated encounter with Nero Eveningshade and Ambrose Eveningshade. They had saved him from a lifetime of torment and torture in the eternal depths of Hades, at the sadistic whims of the ruthless Algos.
Nero had always been someone extraordinary, someone, who had transcended what many considered possible while still remaining a mortal. Everything about him had radiated with eternal confidence, calmness, and alertness. The old man had considered it an immense privilege to have known him, and his heart always clenched painfully when he remembered that faithful day when the world had lost one of its greatest protectors.
On that fateful day, he had borne witness to the fall of one of the most powerful families to ever grace the mortal world. The Eveningshades had been a symbol of strength and determination, and their downfall had filled the world with a sense of intricacy and challenge that still resonated in the very air.
The mortal world had witnessed its most spectacular battle, one that would go down in the annals of history as a testament to the indomitable spirit of humans. Nero, a mere mortal, had fought against a God. It was something that had seemed impossible, but as the old man had observed Nero through the years, he had learned that 'impossible' was a word that simply did not exist for the man.
That battle had been the stuff of legends. He had seen feats of magic that had left him completely awestruck, movements of such precision and beauty that they had seemed almost like an intricate dance. The world had never seen the likes of Nero and, perhaps, it never would again.
And now, as the old man roused himself from his memories, he found himself looking at the young boy who now stood before him. The child, a direct descendant of the great Nero Eveningshade, had moments ago effortlessly decimated a bear with raw, untrained magic. The power within him was evident, a blazing and tangible force that whispered of his noble heritage.
"Well," the old man mused, "he at least has the intense magic of Nero."
"It had been a source of great disappointment, however, when the old man had first laid eyes on the boy. He had not inherited the eternal confidence, the divine calmness, and the absolute alertness that had been the very essence of Nero. Those qualities had made the man seem untouchable, unreachable, and almost god-like.
When he saw the boy's cowardly stance, the fear in his eyes, and how quickly he had agreed to the preposterous contract, it was near impossible to believe that this was the child for whom he had wasted 20 years waiting.
"I couldn't just kill my friend and savior's last remaining blood," the old man thought as he gazed at the hesitant boy walking on the forest trail. "But to take him as an apprentice… that is another matter altogether."
And as the old man mulled over his options, he recalled the moment when he had performed a destiny-foreseeing ritual that had cost him years of his own life force. He had willingly sacrificed his life force in the hopes of seeing a glimpse into the child's future, a peek into the path that lay before them.
It was that hope that drove him and added a burden to his already weary heart. Yet the outcome had left him utterly confounded because it had revealed nothing. The future was shrouded in mystery, giving way to a terrifying thought that the boy might either become someone incredibly powerful or inconceivably fortunate. That very thought haunted the old man, and as he turned his attention back to the boy before him, he wondered which of these futures would ultimately come to pass.
As the autumn leaves rustled, the old man was faced with a daunting decision that would shape the course of not only his own destiny but that of the young boy whom he watched from afar.
By the 31st day of the month , Orion's journey had found its footing, albeit with a sense of uneasiness. Every day, besides hunting and eating he practiced tirelessly with his magic, driving himself to exhaustion in the hopes of mastering the torrential power that raged within him. Gradually, he learned how to wield his magic with a certain fluidity, like a river current finding the path of least resistance. It was as if the magic had awakened within him a hidden artistry, demanding precision and careful control to be fully utilized.
However, the sheer amount of magical energy that coursed through him remained a significant obstacle to his progress. Although he could now, through immense concentration, control the amount of magic he released to some degree, it was still far from perfect. And Orion couldn't help but question if this was enough, whether this level of control would suffice within the halls of Hogwarts or among his magical peers.
His fears were stoked by the knowledge that most mages struggled with the opposite problem: the crippling limitation of having, not much magic, but rather too little. He remembered the first manga he ever read, Naruto, who possessed an immense well of energy, yet struggled with his control over it. And while the power that Naruto held was enviable, the burden of control that came with it was daunting.
In desperation, Orion wondered whether the curriculum he would undoubtedly face in a magical institution would cater to those with more modest amounts of power. He feared being that outlier among his peers, the powerful maverick unable to properly harness his strength. The inadequacies he felt weighed heavily on his heart.
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