Chapter 10: A Flame

After crossing a small hill and following a tree-lined path between two slopes, Roy quickly ran towards the wooden cabin by the stream, which was now in sight.

"Old man, I'm back," Roy called out, running down the slope. His lively blue eyes and the joy on his face made him look like a mischievous and clever teenager.

The young boy lightly stepped through the small yard surrounded by a fence and entered the wooden cabin, whose exterior was covered with vines and moss.

The room was dimly lit and empty, with only the homemade furniture, rough and simple in appearance but with a rustic charm, quietly placed inside.

"Come to the backyard," an old voice echoed.

Roy crossed the room and headed to the backyard, where a fat dog named Oliver had already darted ahead.

The backyard was a small hill covered with tall trees. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the treetops, breaking into beams of varying thickness, casting a patchwork of golden light on the ground.

Under an ancient tree covered with green vines, a tall and robust old man with white hair sat quietly in a wicker chair.

Roy sat down on a small tree stump in front of the old man, pulled out a small knife, and waved the rabbit in his hand at the old man.

"We'll have rabbit for lunch."

"Hmm," the old man, with his eyes half-closed, nodded in response, then suddenly opened his eyes, "Did Oliver catch the rabbit or did you?"

Oliver, the fat dog, lying at the old man's feet, rolled over at the sound of his name.

"Oliver caught it," Roy laughed, knowing what the old man was worried about, "But I got there quickly, so the rabbit didn't get dirty."

"Rotten dog!" The old man also laughed and kicked Oliver.

Oliver's body trembled, and he struggled to get up from the ground. He looked at Roy and the old man with a mournful gaze, licked his nose, and moved to the doghouse, lying down and closing his eyes.

"Damn it!" The old man cursed, glaring at Roy with a mischievous smile, "Still laughing? This is all your fault!"

"It's in my nature!" Roy grinned.

The old man patted Roy's back of the head, then lay back in the wicker rocking chair, rocking and squinting at the sunlight filtering through the tree shadows.

"How have the past few days been? Did you find it?"

The forest was quiet. Two flame moths flew out from under the trees. A squirrel with a bushy tail, full of collected nuts, quickly climbed up a tree outside the fence and disappeared into a tree hole.

Roy cleaned the skinned rabbit, skewered it on a trimmed stick, and placed it over the fire. He then sat down next to the old man, looking into his eyes and shaking his head dejectedly.

"No."

"Oh..." The old man's voice was filled with disappointment.

"Grandpa, we've been here for five years, and you don't even know what you're looking for..." Roy scratched his head, "To be honest, I think you're wasting time."

"You know nothing, you little rascal..." The old man, angry and frustrated, sat up and knocked Roy's forehead, "That's a legendary artifact. Whether your condition can be cured depends on it!"

"It's not just me who can't cultivate斗气 (martial qi), and it doesn't matter anyway," Roy rubbed his forehead,不服气 (unconvinced), "Besides, what I have is much better than martial qi!"

As he spoke, Roy snapped his fingers.

A flame sprang from his fingertips.

The quiet, lush forest was silent as the flame danced on Roy's slender, clean fingers, like a small red demon.

This was Roy's biggest secret.

Apart from his grandfather William, even Tom didn't know.

In the Avalon continent, those who can sense elements and instinctively control them are called magic awakeners.

Such people are extremely rare, one in ten thousand.

Usually, awakeners are discovered during the infant baptism ceremony. The Holy Church then records them and, when they turn six, recruits them into the Church's magic academy as potential apprentices.

After a period of training, when they reach the required level, they are granted a formal magic robe and become a Church-recognized "Awakened Mage."

"Awakened Mage" is the lowest rank of mages, aside from potential apprentices.

The ranks above are "Luminous Star Mage," "Dragon Moon Mage," "Proud Sun Mage," "Azure Sky Sage," and "Legendary God Mage."

Before the Final Battle, the human magic world was much more prosperous.

Whether it was the deceased Fire and Water Twin Towers—Prometheus, the Fire God Mage, and Poseidon, the Water God Mage; or the first elder of the Magic Temple, Pharaoh Khufu, the Lightning God Mage Thor, and the Necromancer God Mage Hades, all were legendary mages whose names shook the heavens.

Unfortunately, with the death of many God Mages in the Final Battle, the human magic world rapidly declined. To resist the demon race's attacks, humans had to focus on martial qi, which more people could cultivate.

In the following decades, legendary heroes like the Holy Knight Alexander, known as the Emperor; the Holy Knight Arthur, known as King Arthur; and the Holy Knight Charles, the Lionheart, leader of the Lionheart Knights, emerged, forming the current human world dominated by martial qi and knights.

The flame danced between Roy's fingers. The boy and the old man sat in silence, separated by the flame.

The dancing flame moths were attracted by the fire, fluttering closer. As they neared the flame, they burst into a shower of sparks, then reformed in the nearby space and flew back again.

After a long while, the old man, looking tired, stood up from the chair and walked into the wooden cabin.

"I'm old, and my energy is low. I want to sleep for a while."

"Why can't I be a mage?"

"Just put the roasted rabbit on my table when it's done. Take Oliver out hunting when you have time. A Rampage Bear, a level three monster, has appeared in the northeast. You and Oliver can handle it."

"Old man, you always do this! Can you give me a reason? Mages are more popular than knights!"

Watching the old man's retreating back, Roy dejectedly threw the flame into the pile of firewood. The flames immediately rose, casting a red glow on the young boy's sad face.

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