"Master, can you tell me everything? I mean, like - everything."

It's hard for me to understand if I'm left in the dark. What had happened to me actually? The black colour that swirls around my hands, were they emerge because of those chains back then? But I don't even know what I did back then. There were no incantations, formulae, or whatsoever. How could possibly a spell manifest without any of that?

"Do you know what they call me, Zama?"

"No, I don't. They didn't tell me anything about you."

"Close your eyes. I will show you again."

I closed my eyes, and suddenly I felt like something was approaching my head. It's as if my whole self is covered in a thin layer of sateen fabric, and at the part of my head, something is piercing through that layer, tearing the sateen apart. Although, I feel like that strange energy touched my head, nothing really happened. I don't feel anything else, not even pain.

"Open your eyes."

I heard Master's voice and heed her instruction.

When I open my eyes, I see a vast prosperous valley. Green terraced rice fields, a big waterfall in the afar, a running water mill with fishing ponds and small houses, humble enough to let everything and everyone bath in all the glorious sunlight, unlike the tall buildings in big cities where each heave of concrete is in a race to bereft the others of its right. The mountain blows its breeze as if it bestows an everlasting blessing, being content with the lives it sustained at its feet.

The animals are singing, and the fruits grow hearty. The children are running around, playing with each other while helping their parents. The young women crush spices and herbs in big mortar pestles while chatting, the men are ploughing the field with their buffalos, and the elders are weaving tapestries and clothes with looms for their grandchildren.

Yes. This is it.

"Paradise?"

"No, it's my homeland. Was, to be more precise. But I'm glad you find it to be so pleasant."

I suddenly heard my Master's voice. She sounds sad but also pleased at the same time. Now that she said that, I noticed that the buildings, the clothing of the people, and the landscape are entirely different from those in Seraina. So this is Andavida. The records about The Archipelago are so limited given the harsh nature of Bandau Ocean that keeps many sailors away. There aren't even enough explorers or traders' notes to draw an accurate map of the full extent of the entire islands.

However, it's not just the scenery that enchanted me, but also about how I sense this whole thing. I can feel everything clearly. The wind caresses my cheeks, the grass welcomes my feet, and the melody of nature sings to my ears. This is too real to be unreal. What did Master do?

"I feel like I'm really here, Master. But where are you?"

"I can't show up unless I'm sleeping too."

Sleep? Doesn't that mean-

"Is this a dream?"

"Yes, it is."

Then, suddenly, I heard a flick of a finger. When I opened my eyes, I returned to the real world, sitting on the bed where I was sitting all this time. I turn up my gaze and our eyes meet. Master Kinan's violet eyes meet mine, and we don't say a word for a moment. It seems that she is giving me time to process everything that happened.

"Tell me how you feel at the moment you close your eyes."

I told them how I previously felt, about how I felt like some abstract sateen fabrics were enveloping me, and how they were torn apart.

"That is your 'barrier'. Your Anima fortitude reflects directly on your resistance to others' magic, especially against Alana or Yarna."

"So that means I'm weak."

"In a sense, yes. But don't be sad, because only very few people could stand a chance against my magic in the first place. After all, I'm Kinan The Dream-Shaper," Master Kinan stands up and haughtily points at herself with a smug look on her face.

The Dream-shaper . . . that explains a lot. So that was a dream that she gave me. To see that she could make anyone dream of anything she wishes sounds so powerful. Moreover, the sensations in the dream that feel as if they were real, are even more fascinating. Wait, doesn't that mean-?

"That monster . . . are they just a dream too?"

"Yes!" Master Kinan answered excitedly.

"Why?!"

"To trick you!"

"WHAT?!"

IS SHE PLAYING GAMES WITH ME?! Did she think it was funny?! Didn't she know how hurtful it was?! This brat! I need to teach her a lesson, I don't care anymore even if she is a lecturer!

"You!"

Now that my body is somewhat recovered, and I can move all my limbs, I tackled her with my legs until she fell on the bed. Then I pull her legs and restrain her body.

"W-What are you doing?!"

"You little brat, do you know how painful and scary it was for me?!"

After that, I tickled her nonstop until she begged for mercy, and when she did, I tickled her even more. There's no way I could do anything more than this. Only when I saw her tears and gasping for air, did I stop.

"Why did you do that?"

"I-It was the fastest way!" She answered breathlessly.

The fastest way? For what? To awaken my dormant talent? I need more explanation. I sat her up and threw the pillow I used as my backrest to her. She hugged it and wiped her face on it. Again, I guess a kid is still a kid after all.

"Tell me more, why do I have to suffer all of that?"

Master Kinan took a deep breath and ended up laying down on the bed with the pillow on my leg and her head on the pillow. Well, there's no helping it. Even laughing and crying takes stamina. It gets tiring when you do it too much.

"Do you know how Yarna manifest?"

". . . No."

"Bad memories, especially from when you are little. That's how."

Bad memories from a young age? Did she mean childhood trauma? What's with this now?

"The experience is different from person to person, but anything that brings up that strong emotion when we were young, The Trigger - as Master Thanis would say - is the key to the awakening of the dormant Yarna. A near-death experience almost has a 100% success rate to it, that's why I resort to that method."

Strong emotion . . . Sadness . . . Anger . . . and Fear.  It's true that a near-death experience is full of this emotion. So that's why she did what she did. It's logical, but terribly unpleasant at all.

"Is there no other way?"

"There's another way, that is to appeal to certain bad memories. But I don't have the skill to do that, Sister Exuvia did." 

"Sister Exuvia?"

"Master Thanis's aide. She looked after me during my study in Sindris. She's an amazing Alana user! She can delve into your head!"

Delve into the head? Like prying into someone's memories? That's downright crazy.

"So? What did she do with her magic to help with someone's awakening?"

"She talked to me."

"Wait what? She just talked to you?"

"Yes!"

"That's it?"

"Yes!"

"And then you are suddenly able to use Yarna magic?"

"Yes! Well, it does take a little afterwards though. But I do feel my Yarna magic manifests when talking to her."

Sigh. It's a pity I had to take it the hard way. At least now I know that she never meant harm with it. She was just doing her job, and I have to respect that despite everything. It's frustrating, but certainly, I really shouldn't take it out on her.

Wait, there's one more thing that I want to confirm.

"So you are projecting your imagination in my dream to push me on edge so that I awaken my power. Great. But what's with the black scars on my abdomen?"

She sat back down and looked at me confused. 

"You are wrong about one thing. What you saw wasn't my imagination," Master Kinan said as she crossed her arms and tilted her head.

"Hmm . . . Master Thanis said that a mage shouldn't be spouting their secrets, but I'll tell you just this. So far, I can only project real objects that I have seen with my own eyes into dreams. In other words, Ruwa, The Weeping Witch, is real."

Fuck . . . Is Master for real? Did she see that creature with her own eyes? That monster is straight from a bedtime nightmare story for naughty kids!

"And, about your black scars, they are the proof of the power of the mind! Even though you only dreamed, if your mind thinks that your body is harmed, then harmed they will be!"

I thanked her for that interesting opinion but I don't know if she should said with with such an excited face. Can she at least feel a little bit remorse? Duh, what did they teach this kid back in Sindris?

.

.

.

Suddenly, the school bell rings fifteen times. It's 3 PM now, and as the formal school hours have ended long before then, it's only right for us to wrap things up for another day.

"Alright, times up."

Master Kinan got down from the bed and took her little stick with her. When I see the blackened end of that stick, it just makes me realize all the things that happened in such a short amount of time. Right now, I'm facing a little prodigy who will guide me on my learning journey of Yarna.

"Master, I'm sorry."

"Hm? For what?"

"I talked behind your back. I was doubtful about you since you are still a 13-year-old kid. But now I know I should be careful not to judge someone too soon."

"Damn right, you should!"

She smacks her stick on my hands playfully until she suddenly stops mid-air.

"But I think I should too. I thought you were an asshole just like Zevia told me about. But I guess you're not that bad either."

"Thank you, Master. I'll be in your guidance now. Please don't hesitate on me about anything."

"Mmhm. Let's take care of each other for now."

The small master of mine walks towards the door. She's half my height but when I look at her, I can tell that she can present herself rather well just by the way she walks. A kid at a glance, but something much more once you know her. Who knows that there would be someone as unique as her? Seeing her makes me think that it's the right choice for me to enrol in this place after all. This academy holds so much fun.

"Very well, until then, Zama."

"See you soon, Master Kinan."