The joyful laughs of a youth echo throughout a section of a dense forest. North of the forest sits a quaint village with a homey atmosphere. The forest’s surrounding landscape displayed rolling mountains, with magnificent trees, that stretched mightily toward the sky. It would be no exaggeration to say that these trees would require four human men being hand to hand to wrap around the trunk. In one of these very trees, a youth is clutching his sides at the scene before him.

“Haha Father, that’s not how you skin a Speckled Razorwinged Owl” he laughed at the scene below him.

“Hehe, and how would you know? I don’t recall taking you into this neck of the Great Forest to hunt for RazorWinged Owls?” James said while kneeling over the carcass of an owl with sharp metallic looking feathers.

“Uhhhh, I think we should be getting back soon, mom will be worried”, the youth nervously replied

James looked up at the pinkish-orange sky before nodding.

“Mhm maybe you’re right plus it’s almost time for supper, let’s start heading back”, James stood up and put away the sharp daggers he was struggling to skin the owl with.

While watching his father gather his tools for their departure from the Great Forest, the youth flipped majestically out of the 4-meter tall tree. Landing gracefully on his feet, he displayed a countenance and poise befitting royalty.

“Ahh! Be careful Lukas! Are you hurt? Let me see your ankle?” James worriedly questioned the boy

Lukas’ crimson eyes displayed a playful glint that accentuated a cute youthful face. Curly fiery hairy framed his face like a halo of flames. Making him seem like the cherubic offspring of some flame seraph.

“Haha no, no, I’m okay father I swear that jump and landing felt like nothing”, Lukas explained

Standing at 4’10 he had the athletic build of a human youth well on his way to the age of 11 or 12. Though his skin didn’t have the usual ruddiness or tan usually seen on adventurous boys his age, there was no denying the signs of a growing musculature that betrayed the history of an active lifestyle.

  Making his way over to Lukas, James visually searched his body for wounds. ‘Strange, I don’t even know many men (besides knights and the elven folk) who could accomplish such a feat’ James scratched his growing russet beard while wondering. ‘Now that I think about it I’m not sure how he got up there...he just took off and when I got here he was up there and the owl was on the ground ...‘ his mind trailed off

Noting his father standing in front of him but staring into space, Lukas took it upon himself to store the owl carcass in a knapsack hanging from his waist.

After preserving the spoils Lukas jumps on to his father’s shoulder. “Ready when you are,” he says

“Oof” James snaps out of his thoughts as his 6’0 toned build accommodates to the sudden addition of weight to his right shoulder. Quickly gaining his balance while stabilizing the boys’ position with his hands, James starts toward a knotty section of the underbrush.

“Welp let’s get a move one, I hope your mom made..”

“That’s the way home dad”, Lukas interrupted while pointing a long finger toward a relatively more tamed path in the opposite direction

“Hehe Of course...” James smiles awkwardly “ Your great and wise father was just testing you”, he explained

*snap snap snap*

  The light underbush of Lukas’s path crackled beneath James’s feet. As they walked through the Great Forest of Noat, to their left and right were even more of the magnificent trees and colorful fauna bearing strange and fantastical colors and markings. Most of these plants were treasures and could be sold for quite a few gold coins. Pink-Violent Haze Breath, Amethyst Queen Berries, and even Yellow Monarch Crown flowers. However, trying to obtain these plants could result in death. The Great Forest of Noat was a jungle where fortune and misfortune were closely interweaved. Under the Pink-Violet Haze Breath lived a colony of purple-gold killer ants. And hidden in the canopy of the Amethyst Queen Tree was a family of Disaster Hornets.

   Both were rank 2 magic beasts that weren’t easy to kill in a swarm. A swarm of rank 2 magic beasts may require an intermediate mage to act. In the world of Arreia mage ranks were divided into novice mage, elementary rank mage, intermediate mage, advanced mage, great mage, Half-Magi, Magi, and the legendary Archon. The magic beasts of this world were divided into ranks 1-8. Also ranks for mages and magic beasts were further subdivided into the early, middle, and peak stages.

 

After traveling for an hour the father/son pair approached their home near the edge of the woods.

 

“Oof, we’re finally back,” Lukas said while hopping off James’ shoulder.

“Hehe it would’ve been quicker without your heavy load on my shoulders,” James said with a smile

“I’m telling Mom!” said Lukas feigning offense

“Not if I tell her first” James runs off screaming

Seeing his father make a run for the little home ten meters away Lukas closed his eyes and assumed a runners’ pose.

*Whoosh*

With one smooth movement, the boys’ figure dashed across the small green pasture towards the house.

Lukas’ was covering ground at an amazing speed and soon flew past his father’s running figure into the front yard of the house.

Hunched over-breathing slightly heavily Lukas gazed at the approaching figure of his father

Suddenly he smelt the familiar scent of jasmine and lilies before he had a chance to perk up he was in the arms of his mother.

“Ohhh my sweet boy how mommy has missed you”, she said squeezing tightly.

“Boy? Hehe, that’s a man right there.” Said James running up to his wife and son

“Mabel, did you see how fast he flew across the clearing” he added with wide eyes.

“Oh really? Our little boy is growing up to be strong” Mabel said still cradling the boy.

“Does this mean I can start training now?” Lukas interjected. Struggling out of his mother’s embrace he stood to face his parents.

James and Mabel shared a knowing glance as Mabel began to speak.

“Settle down now, we can discuss it over supper, she says ushering him into the house

“Hehe, I hope you made roasted pork again,” James said drooling.

Creaking slightly the door to the wooden house opened to reveal a homey environment

  The unmistakable aroma of a hot meal wafted over from the hearth in front of a small fireplace across the room. There was a square wooden table complete with chairs in the center of the room with various utensils and polished stone plates upon it. To the far right was a small bed and cot with various books and a toy sword under it. To the left of the room appeared to be a heavy chest with an iron lock as well as several closets and wardrobes. The house had two doors at the very back that led to a small bath area and the bedroom of James and Mabel.

 

“Well don’t just stand their boys let’s eat,” Mabel said

Tripping over themselves the pair of father and son ran rapidly to the hearth.

In an iron black cauldron boiling over a fire was a stew made of beef, various vegetables, and herbs/seasonings. The mouthwatering smell coming out of the cauldron made it impossible to wait any longer, grab a ladle James dug in first.

“Ahem What about your son,” said Mabel

Looking down James made eye contact with the hungry eyes of Lukas. To make matters worse his stomach rumbles at the same time.

"Out of the way" said Mabel grabbing a ladle and several stoneware bowls as she began preparing portions for everyone.

Eventually the family of three finally sat down and to enjoy their meal. During which, frequent sounds of mmms and ahhhs accompanied their chewing.

 

Laying against their chair with full bellies and satisfied faces everyone looked about ready to nap.

Suddenly perking up Lukas stood up to face his lethargic parents.

“Now can we talk about me starting training?” Lukas exclaimed

Mabel and James glanced around  with a somber look upon their face.

No longer lethargic the two made their way over to Lukas.

“Uh son we have to tell you something,” said James.

"What is it?" He asked.

Mabel sighed heavily and paced around the room with a complicated look upon her face.

“Lukas honey everything we did was to protect you just know that this doesn’t change how much we love you at all,” said Mabel while nervously moving her hands.

Lukas now subtly afraid had a twisting feeling in his gut and felt that his life would change drastically after tonight.

"W-what is it? No matter what we’ll still be a family" said Lukas puffing his little chest out.

“Lukas, son, I’m afraid we’re not your real parents James said facing the boy.

“B-but how? This can’t be true...” They must be joking he thought to himself, hands clenched at his sides Lukas shakes his head in denial.

Seeing Lukas not taking the news too well Mabel rushes forward to embrace him.

“I'm so sorry, we should have told you sooner, but I couldn’t bear the thought of you hating or leaving us” she cried to the boy.

“ I will never you're my mom,” he said hugging her fiercely.

Releasing his arms and regaining composure Lukas asks “If this is true then where are my real parents? Did they give me away?”

“No, no, son sadly we don’t even know where your birth parents are. You kinda fell out of the sky into our lives hehe” said James.

“Out of the sky...” said Lukas with a perplexed expression upon his face.

“Five years ago, during a terrible thunderstorm I awoke to the screech of what I could have sworn was a devil bird...” explained Mabel.

“Yeah I was in town getting supper ingredients when all this was happening” added James.

“I went outside into the rain to make sure no damned devil birds were stealing our livestock, when out of the blue or black sky haha an egg fell into my lap...” she continued her story.

Putting the pieces together Lukas expression turned from perplexed to utter disbelief.

“I came... from an egg... like a bird?” He slowly questioned.

“Well to be honest son...Yeah basically. We expected you to be some sort of magic beast so I wanted to cook you at first hehe” chortled James.

Slightly uncomfortable with the fact he could’ve been eaten Lukas gulped nervously.

“We would’ve gotten some experts from the town to “appraise” you so we could at least find out what species you were, but your mum was too afraid of them taking you from us” James added.

"A few months later, after keeping you wrapped in furs near the hearth, you hatched” said Mabel

“ I’ll never forget it hehe Mabel was tending her garden while I was napping then all of a sudden I wake up to a crying baby near the fireplace hehe. You should’ve seen our surprise that you were human!” James laughed.

Mabel having silently made her way over to the left side of the house begins dragging a heavy chest to the center of the room.

“Oof” she sighs wiping sweat from her brow.

“We kept the eggshell fragments after you hatched, I thought you’d want to see them when you’re older,” said Mabel.

Lukas walks up to the aged chest and runs his hand over its rough leather exterior.

Sighing greatly, he pushes the lid up with one movement.

Inside, huge opal fragments of an eggshell greeted his eyes. There were a few smaller fragments, at most 10 but 7 huge fragments that hadn’t broken apart stood out.

Lukas picked up the largest fragment and stared at the milky white surface.

Caressing the shell in his hands Lukas knew his parents' story, though weird, had to be true...

‘I came ... from an egg’ he mentally grappled with the news.

Mabel and James kneeled next to Lukas, “Son the reason we’re telling you this is that if you’re serious about training to become a mage, you need to know you may not be fully human” James added gently.

"Mhm your growth rate alone is 2x that of a human, son, right now you’re the human equivalent of 5 years old yet you look and have the strength of a 10-year-old” said Mabel.

  Understanding began to dawn on Lukas, there was no way he could advance along his path as a mage if he was following the wrong steps. For human mages, advancement depended on reaching particular magical energy thresholds and control. This was achieved primarily through meditation, tempering, and ingesting substantial mana-rich treasures. Through gradually introducing magical energy into the body human mages steadily progressed along the path of magic, if they were to ingest too much mana for their body to handle at the moment then they’d quite often explode.

  Magic beasts, on the other hand, had an edge over humans. They had no real thresholds, given time they could digest almost any amount of energy and use it to grow. From the moment they were born they’d be crazily absorbing magical energy, this was primarily through eating, fighting, meditating, even sleeping magical beasts absorbed energy around them. Only once fully grown would this slow down.

“But above all we want you to be happy and if becoming a top expert is your dream then we’ll support you” Mabel added in a motherly tone.

“On one condition. You hold off on leaving for the capital for one year. Remember, your peers will be those elite sons and daughters of nobles and clans. Train and condition yourself in this time, just don’t go overboard” said James sternly

“Mn I will father, does this mean I can train in the forest too?" Asked Lukas eagerly.

“Yes if it’s in the shallow brush, if you want to approach the areas with Great Trees then I must be with you, after all, we’re in this together,” said James while ruffling Lukas's hair.

“Just wait and see I’ll become the first Archon level mage from Noat” gloated Lukas cutely.

“Haha I hope so you have to make us proud,” said Mabel hugging Lukas.

At this moment Lukas felt reaching his goals was just a matter of time, everything was falling into place...