A few days later

“Here I come Gli, prepare yourself for my almighty wind crusher!”

“I deflect it with a water barrier! Varlaf you will taste defeat today.”

My friends were in another group for their mana tests. They learned that Varlaf had the wind attribute. Which was kinda expected from what his family says with him being an air oni. I also learned the marks on his face would grow with him so when he is an adult he could have markings like that man at the gate.

Gli is a nickname for Gliacon as it’s hard to pronounce that name so we decided to call her gli which she agreed with. She had the water attribute. I was curious because of varlaf got wind from his family. That apparently one of her ancestors from generations ago apparently was a tomb siren. As for her race not even she knew. Her parents wouldn’t go into detail and that she would find out when she was older. Kind of the same with me when I asked what I was classified as.

Since learning about our magic we have been playing a game of heroes vs the necromancer. The bedtime story that we are told and the one I adore.

“Why must I always be the necromancer? I want to be a hero too, I don’t want to be the villain all the time.”

“We don’t know what attribute necromancy is part of and you are the biggest out of all of us varlaf.”

“Why don’t we just alternate roles then? Except we can’t have silas play the necromacer because his magic is light and healing. It wouldn’t be right to have him controlling the dead right.”

With that proclamation from Gli. Varlaf who looked on the verge of tears perked up and agreed. Then resumed playing games a while.

“What do you think your instructor is going to be like Silas?”

“I don’t know all I know is they are an old friend of my mother. She says she could teach me but being as she hasn’t traveled and experience all the empires. She thought they would be better as they traveled since they graduated from school.”

It was unusual for someone from this village to have a private instructor. It was usually was a parent that began teaching the child. As magic is generally passed down you would learn the customs of the area you would go study magic from.

We decided that was enough playing today. When I arrived back home at the house on the edge of the village. Mother greeted me and asked if I had fun playing to which I nodded. she told me to go wash my hands as they were dirty. The sink in the house was apparently a magic system that drew water from the ground.

“Your instructor will be arriving tomorrow. So I want you to behave when meeting them as they will be judging if they want to teach you. They have a wandering so keeping them held down for 6 years is very big personal favor to ask. They said if you showed promise they would do it.”

I nodded that I understood and spent the night watching the moonlight through the window.

The next day

There was a knock at the door and when I answered it there was a man with fin like ears and a scar running across his nose. He looked intimidating to say the least. He asked if this was the Scoshrina residence. I nodded my head and this man started looking over thoroughly.

Mother who was in another room finally walked into the room and saw the man. She then smiled and asked how his travels getting here were.

“You should know that better than most people. You are the one that decided to hide away in this village that not many come to.”

You would have thought it was winter with how quickly the air froze. The man seemed to realize what he said and decided to retract his words. Which now made me curious on what he meant what he said. My mother was always kind and gently but seeing her react that way there must be another side to her.

“Well don’t just stand outside all day come on in.”

The man stepped inside the house and behind him was a woman about the height of mother. She didn’t say a word but her gaze was cutting like daggers at me and my mother.

“Ahem, I guess introductions are in order. First off my name is Ramire Rosswave and this is my wife sustra.”

“Well I never expected you marry let alone marry a human.”

I just looked at her and couldn’t help but wonder what they meant. My staring seems to have made the woman uncomfortable. She was looking like she wanted to say something but she bit her tongue to prevent herself from saying anything. I decided to not look in her direction for the time being and asked what a human was.

“They are a race of people that are a bit unique. They mostly live in a domain in the east that govern their own land. It’s very small so they can hardly be called a kingdom. Yet despite being under the empire and hardly participate in world matters they seem to think they are superior to other races. Which in turn they rarely leave their domain as to not taint their blood. Although there are exceptions of all kinds.”

Ramire went into lecture mood all suddenly. My mother just chuckled and said apparently he agreed to be the instructor after all.

“How could I not he has the curiosity and even after hearing the explanation didn’t look hostile or view her differently.”

“He is only six and also he doesn’t know so how could he hold any type of hostility.”

“Fair point, but that aside he really seems like listening and learning new things. Most of the younger people don’t like listening.”

Mrs. Rosswave seems to be more relaxed after Ramire agreed to teach me. It seems she was a bit nervous on the way here because humans are not favorably in many places from their attitude towards the other nations. They were tired from their journey so they wanted to rest early for the night so we decided to have their welcome party and my first study lesson together.

Laying down in my bed for the night looking at the ceiling. I thought to myself there are so many things I don’t know and I was getting excited at learning new things.