Late that night under a full moon that glowed with crystalline radiance...

 

 

The hunched figure of Lukas snuck to the window in his family cabin. Careful to not wake his slumbering parents he crept out the window into the night. Clutching a knapsack in his hand and an eggshell beneath his blue longsleeved cloths, he headed to a section of the Great Woods near the far right of his house. Lukas knew this path with his eyes closed as it led to his greatest friend and his greatest secret.

 

Standing in a small meadow, unseeable to the naked eye unless you knew where to look, stood the lone figure of a young girl dressed in grey. 

 

She appeared to be the age of 11/12 and had an ethereal almost otherworldly countenance about her. Around her head was a delicate circlet with a mystical looking emerald inlaid in the center. Long silky silver hair cascaded down her back and shoulders. Her creamy unblemished skin seemed to sparkle in the moonlight, hanging from her pointed ears amethyst jewels sparkled as well. Her pair of round emerald eyes opened in happiness at hearing the familiar rustling of an approaching figure.

‘He looks different’ she thought to herself .

Lukas ran into the meadow and made a beeline straight for the nymph-like young girl

“Selene, how‘ve you been? Fuck! You got taller”,Lukas excitedly exclaimed.

‘He’s still as loud and energetic as always’ she smiled to herself .

“Hey there sapling, are you sure it’s not you who’s gotten shorter” Selene joked

“Laugh now Selene I’ll soon overtake you in height and strength, I can even do that move you taught me now” Lukas retorted “ooh speaking of that I got the last razorwinged owl you needed,” he said pulling a carcass from a knapsack at his waist.

‘Weirdly cute and crude’ Selene thought 

“I thank you, my friend,” she said putting the bird body away

“What did you need all those for anyway? That’s like the 7th one right?” Lukas questioned

“It’s a surprise, you’ll find out the next full moon,” she said cheekily.

“Mn” nodding his head he grabbed the piece of eggshell tucked in his clothes 

“Say, Selene, do you know anything about magic beasts?” He asked

“I know a bit, as a Moon Elf I’ve seen many types in the depths of the forest,” said Selene “what’s that you got there?” She motioned to the eggshell.

“....”

Fidgeting with the shell in his hands, Lukas shifted as the silence continued. After internally struggling with telling this new big secret of his, Lukas thought about it and decided to tell Selene about his magic beast bloodline. He recounted the story of what happened five years ago and just a couple of hours ago tonight.

Throughout his story, the emotions of shock, disbelief, and wonder flashed across Selenes face.

“...” 

“Yeah now that I’m a magic beast I’ll be old and strong enough to go to training school like you,” he said confidently 

‘This sapling... just became a lot more interesting’ thought Selene

“I don’t know of any magic beast that can take human form so early,”Selene said trailing a thin finger along her jawline 

“Yeah, I figured” sighed Lukas

‘Aw..ooh but maybe’ an idea flashed to mind

Rummaging in her clothes she revealed a smooth and round slate gray stone.

“What’s that” asked Lukas

“An affinity stone,” said Selene “it’s used to test what magical affinity someone has, you just hold it and concentrate on it, whatever color it turns is your corresponding affinity” Selene explained

“ see watch” Selene grasped the stone in her hands and focused. Soon it turned a dark color, suddenly resembling coal

“Woah, does that mean your affinity is coal?” Asked an amazed Lukas

“Hahaha” she chirped “no my affinity is darkness, coal isn’t an affinity 

The only possible affinities are water, nature, fire, air, earth, electricity, darkness, light, ice, and space. Usually, at birth, we’re tested for our affinity. I think human mages do it at the age of five.” Selene further explained as the pair observed the stone 

“Ooh perfect I wanna try, gimme, gimme” Lukas grasped his hands out

“Go for it! we can use this to at least narrow down what type of magic beast you are“ Selene said handing Lukas the stone 

Grasping the stone in his palms Lukas closed his eyes and focused intently

“...”

“...”

After a few moments of nothing changing, he tried again 

“...”

“...”

“I think it’s broken,” he said while staring quizzically at the stone

“No that’s impossible. You’re probably holding it wrong sapling” Selene replied

 

After Rotating the stone in a new position and firmly grasping it in his small hands Lukas sat down in the grass resolutely. Closing his eyes and focusing on the cold, smooth, slightly heavy stone in his hands Lukas waited, and waited, and waited.

 

After two hours of nothing happening, lines appeared on both the youth’s brows.

‘This doesn’t make sense, it should have done something by now. Even if he sucks at concentrating, the scant elemental energy he accumulated should have reached the stone five times over by now. Unless...’ Selene thought grimly

Sighing heavily Lukas stood up and stretched his legs 

“Ok I’m pretty sure it’s broken,” he said glancing at Selene

Quickly snatching the stone out of his hands Selene held the stone in hand. Concentration lines appeared on her forehead as she stared at the stone. After observing the stone Slowly turning a dark color she put it away with a light sigh. 

 

“Lukas I don’t know how to tell you this but.,” she said turning to Lukas with a complicated look upon her face 

‘Uh oh this can’t be good, my parents had that same look earlier’ he thought

“What is it?” he said swallowing the nonexistent saliva in his mouth

Taking a fast breath of the fresh forest air, Selene quickly centered herself.

“Lukas you’re unable to use magic,” she said all at once

“...” silence hung between the two

“Huh?”  a dumbfounded Lukas asked

“More specifically I’m 70% sure your body doesn’t appear to store mana in your meridians or have an elemental affinity” She explained earnestly

“Huh? How is that even possible? I just told you I’m a MAGIC beast” said Lukas with a twisted face

“Think about it. It’s the most logical answer for why the attribute stone didn’t respond. Stranger things have happened in our world of Arreia sapling. Just like how there are some humans born without magic capability perhaps there are some magic beasts who are the same” said Selene straightforwardly 

“But there’s a 30% difference in your certainty. What about that?” Lukas asked

“There’s always a chance I could be wrong. as well as the chance you’re a late bloomer, some exotic magic beast species, or under a seal of some sort. But those cases are rare and far in between.” Said Selene while tucking a strand of her silver hair behind her ear.

 

Relieved Lukas let out an  audible breath

‘Whew! As long as there’s a chance, I can still be a mage. I’m probably a late bloomer or something ha’ he thought to himself

“However,” said Selene interrupting his mental merriment  “I happen to have a foolproof method of determining if you can use magic or not...” 

“W-What is it?” Lukas asked timidly

“Give me your hand.” She said while elegantly extending a slender hand to Lukas.

 

Lukas looked deep into the intelligent emerald eyes of Selene. He remembered back when he first noticed those eyes staring at him from the treeline as a little kid. He couldn’t have been more than 2 and 1/2 years old. Lukas didn’t know who or what those eyes belonged to but as he stared at them he somehow felt they wouldn't hurt him. And just like any inquisitive only child his age his next decision was to chase after the eyes. While shouting “be my friend!”. And throwing rocks. Surprised by his athleticism for his age he was able to corner Selene in this meadow that would become their meeting place every full moon. Fast forward to now as he stared at those green orbs he still Knew they had no ill will towards him.

 

Extending his hand palm-side up he nodded at Selene.

“Let’s begin,” Selene said nodding back “I’m just going to extend a strand of my mana into your meridian. If I’m met with opposition by your body’s elemental mana (as I naturally should be) then you can wield magic. If not then I’m afraid I was right.” Selene explained

“Will it hurt?” Lukas asked with a sigh.

“Not at all, I’m only a beginner-level mage after all.”

With that confirmation, Lukas closed his eyes ready.

 

Selene carefully summoned a wisp of dark-colored mana from within her. She expertly maneuvered the fluid-like energy through her meridians to her palm as it hovered over Lukas’s. 

 While Focusing the energy to congeal into a thin thread Selene began to sweat a bit. However, soon a thin dark-colored thread appeared from her palm. Slowly inching forward under Selene’s control the thread of mana slowly began to traverse the short distance between the two palms. After a breath of time, it began to penetrate Lukas’s palm. 

‘This is the moment of truth, at the first sign of obstruction I have to retract my energy or else...’ thought Selene 

“Is it over yet?” Asked Lukas peeking through his shut eyes.

“Almost, this is the final step,” said Selene through clenched teeth.

Like a needle into a patient, the thread of mana seemed to seamlessly pass through Lukas's skin into his palm. 

‘It’s as I feared...’ a disappointed Selene thought while expertly retracting her mana.

“I’m done sapling,” Selene said barely audible.

 

Lukas opened his eyes and searched Selenes face for an answer. 

‘Please don’t make me ask’ he thought to himself

 

Selene didn’t make him wait for an answer long. Feeling his searching eyes on her face, with downcast eyes she gently shook her head.

“...”

Lukas felt like his world had just exploded. Not one but two life-changing confessions in one day is a lot for anyone to handle, let alone a 10-year-old. Lukas's face was unreadable, almost like he hadn’t heard her at all. A gentle night breeze blew the curtain of velvet hair in front of Selene’s face, forcing her to lift her gaze. For a moment in that meadow, time seemed to stand still as Selene looked upon the shellshocked figure of Lukas.

“Sapling...I-I’m sorry it wasn’t my place...”

“No it’s okay I’m the one who asked for help right?” said Lukas with a grin

“Still...” Selene said with a helpless look upon her face

“It’s getting late,” Lukas said cutting her off “I have to get back before my parents get up, but I’ll see you here next moon,” he said turning to depart

‘He would have found out eventually but still...’ Selene’s thoughts trailed

“Wait for Sapling” she called out suddenly “Do you have more  pieces of the shell you hatched from?”

Lukas turned to look back at Selene with a quizzical look. “Yeah, a whole chest,” he said

“Most magic beasts offspring eat their shell upon birth. It can provide valuable nutrients and energy for their growth. Some even have bloodline abilities imprinted on them” Selene slowly revealed “Since I doubt you’d eat eggshells I suggest breaking them down, and boiling them in Spirit Essence to extract and enhance any remaining beneficial properties”

This piece of news greatly shook Lukas. Trying to control his emotions he asked hesitantly “I-I can still be a mage then?”

“No,” Selene said with a deadpan expression “but it’ll still be beneficial to your maturation. And who knows maybe you can still become a knight instead of a mage? They’re both trained at the Academy of Defense Studies in the capital, so if you’re good enough you can still accompany me.” Selene said consolingly 

Nodding his head he made a mental note of everything his friend said. After thanking Selene again for the help he headed off

‘Oh! Wait!’ He thought suddenly

“Selene! How do you get Spirit Essence?!” he screamed across the meadow.

Mentally cursing Lukas for such a public display she reluctantly screamed back “crush and boil lots of Spirit Grass!” 

“Oh... What’s that?!” He yelled back 

Unable to resist the urge to slap her forehead Selene bellowed back “Its blue grass, just look in the forest. You can't miss it!”

Fed up with screaming back and forth Selene dashed away into the night. Lukas seeing his friend had left finally departed the meadow for his home.

To Be Continued...