Cultivating Magic

It all began with a tragedy..... That was how the story went for most protagonists anyways so why should his story be any different.

These were the thought's of a young boy as he stared at the casket being lowered into the ground by hand, this was Feras. Son of what some would call a brave man but in the eyes of the majority he was the son of a mass murderer, Feras's father was a mage of the military specializing in lightning magic. He was considered a war hero because of his debut in the midst of the bloodiest battle in the midst of the War of Valdan, where he reigned supreme because of the ferocity of his spells and the speed he could cast. He was able to cast spells without charging his Mana which had given him the edge over the enemy, it was his brightest and darkest day but he never showed any regret for his actions.

This was the man Feras had looked up the most in the world and now he watched as his hero, his father was laid to rest.

'Why.... why did you have to go and leave me like this.' thought Feras as he watched the casket begin to get covered with dirt.

"He was taken before his time" sighed an older man to the side wearing a military uniform

"What do you mean, this murderer robbed hundreds of their loved ones" responded a civilian causing the Older man to cast a piercing glance at them.

"Watch your mouth, it is bad to speak of the dead. Especially when his child is standing before you." stated the man motioning to Feras who couldn't seem to hear them.

His father had been in the midst of teaching him the ways of magic and how to use it, but he didn't want him learning his own personal magic for some reason. He had found out when he had displayed his talent for the lightning Mage's fabled spells by demonstrating a few bolts of static which only seemed to make the man upset. Feras received a long lecture about finding his own path and his father allowed him to glimpse into his personal library where he had accumulated several books of obscure teachings that would have been frowned upon in this modern day and age.

His father had told him that this was the proper way to find a path that truly belonged to him but Feras could never make sense of the man as he would find him in the library murmuring about the 'cure' but he never found any medicine in his hands when he spoke of it.

'Magic is the key to getting whatever you want Feras, that is why you must study hard and find your own way' came the sudden memory of his Father's words the day before his death.

Feras seemed to sink into a deep trance as he digested those words that seemed like another encouraging speech but he ruminated over them before he came to his decision.

'I want father back' thought the boy as he clenched his fists and grit his teeth as he stared at the grave.

The old man at the side saw this and couldn't help but smile as he saw a fire burning in the youth's eyes, he could see these things because it reminded him of the boy's father when he had been trying to learn magic. He decided he would make his relation known to the child as he walked up and began to introduce himself.

"Hello Feras, it is nice to finally meet Roan's boy." started the old man.

"Who are you" asked Feras without a hint of the fear that child should have upon meeting a stranger.

"I was Roan's teacher before he became the legend he is known as, the name is Tullani. It is regrettable that Roan has passed but I am sure he has begun to teach you the ways of a Magus, if you would like I can help you continue your studies in his stead" offered Tullani but Feras just looked at him as if he was strange.

"I don't need help, Father wanted me to find my own way" stated Feras turning away from Tullani as the service ended.

He returned to his home and to his Father's library where magic of just about every nature could be found alongside those more obscure secrets and he set to studying with fervor. He didn't need to worry because of the saving's Roan had in place allowing for his retirement from the military life, this is how Feras continued to thrive and eat without the care of his parent.

Feras had never known his mother but his father had said that she was a lovely woman but she couldn't come to bare the knowledge of what he had done in the war and had thus left leaving only Feras and his father behind while she took his brother. These were thing's that he couldn't remember as he had only been a small child at the time, shaking his head Feras reaffirmed his mindset before diving back into the subjects of the different elements of magic even memorizing them alongside the obscurities written in the other books until one day he left that room with books strewn about.

His frame looked emaciated and frail and his eyes carried heavy bags underneath them, however despite his poor looking figure light and hope shined in his eyes as he set a trap in the woods and waited. It didn't take long before a rabbit had wandered into his trap causing the door to shut firmly and Feras to smirk in success once again.

The boy's excitement could be seen as he ran back to his family home desperately as if him wasting a single second would prove catastrophic to his deed's, the people who had seen him running so excitedly with a rabbit in a cage couldn't help but think he was starving causing them to feel some pity for the child.

However what was going on in that house was far from something pitiable, in fact it could be said the work of the Devil himself as Feras stabbed the rabbit in the cage repeatedly until it stopped moving. He made sure the creature was dead thoroughly before he began.

He started by channeling his Mana before slicing his finger and speaking a small incantation before letting the blood drop hit the rabbit and watching as the little critter began to have it's wounds healed and started to stir before it jumped to it's feet frightened as it looked at the boy causing him to smile broadly.

"It worked, ha ha ha ha. I did it, dad I really did it" laughed Feras as he took the rabbit from the cage petting it causing the creature to calm down a bit before he released outside allowing it to run off which it did.

'Now I wait til night, don't worry father. Soon you'll be back and everything will be how it was' thought Feras as he rested his eyes in preparation for the things to come.

However in a field near Feras's house the rabbit was running when suddenly it began to convulse and the creature lurched before it began to rapidly decay and attacked the nearest animal it saw. A poor lamb, the rabbit in it's zombie like state feasted on the animals body like a wolf.