The afternoon sun cast long shadows over the back alley as the four children sat in their small home, each lost in thought. The events of the past days still weighed heavily on them, but there was also a quiet sense of accomplishment. Yuna and Jin had survived a deadly encounter, and Lumine and Ludwig had taken their first steps in understanding mana.
Yuna absentmindedly rolled a small ball of water between her hands, trying to replicate the method she had used to boil it before. She could form the water easily now, but adding heat without dispersing the mana was proving to be difficult.
Jin, sitting nearby, stared at his palm, his brows furrowed. "That old man said I used aura... but I don't get it. It felt like magic when I did it."
Ludwig, who had been practicing mana sensing, looked up. "But isn't aura supposed to be different? Like... stronger?"
Before they could ponder further, the sound of footsteps approached. The door creaked open, and a familiar voice filled the room.
"Looks like you're all alive."
Zegion stepped inside, his eyes scanning them carefully. His usually calm face was unreadable, but there was a sharpness in his gaze. He set his luggage aside and, without another word, knelt down to examine Jin and Yuna first, checking their bandages and any lingering injuries. His fingers brushed lightly over their arms, his expression impassive.
"You got lucky," he finally said, his voice quiet but firm. "But that doesn't change the fact that you were reckless."
Jin flinched. "We—"
"It doesn't matter whether it was your fault or not," Zegion cut in, his tone carrying an uncharacteristic edge. "You were nearly killed. That's reality. And I won't have you making a habit of it."
The weight of his words settled over them, and for a moment, no one spoke.
Then, after a deep breath, Zegion's expression softened slightly. "That being said... you survived. And you learned. Now, tell me exactly what happened."
Zegion had already heard from Rhonda about the events when he went to the Rusty Axe Tavern to deliver the supplies they had ordered in advance. But he wanted to hear it from the kids themselves.
Jin and Yuna recounted the events, this time focusing on their own sensations and actions. As Jin explained how he instinctively used something that felt like magic but wasn't, Zegion closed his eyes, deep in thought.
"Jin, what you used was aura," he said after a pause. "Magic is flexible, like a stretchable band. It flows freely and can change form easily. Aura, on the other hand, is like a metal wire—malleable, but not as fluid. It has structure. You can shape it, but not use it like magic."
Jin frowned. "Then why did it feel so similar to magic when I used it?"
"Because you tried to use aura like magic." Zegion tapped the wooden floor with his knuckles. "Aura isn't about controlling external mana like magic. It's drawn from within and reinforced. You forced it into three projections, but since you were using it with a magic mindset, you struggled to maintain more than that. If you had used aura properly, you might have done something different."
Jin looked down at his hands, processing the information. "So... it's not that I don't have enough mana, but that I used it wrong?"
"Exactly."
Yuna, still holding her water ball, spoke up. "Then... what about what I did? I used the intent magic circle to make water, then added heat using Praxis."
Zegion glanced at her, then at the small sphere of water hovering between her palms. "You instinctively found a way to integrate both methods. Praxis helped you control non-elemental mana, while your water affinity let you shape it directly. By keeping the base magic stable and layering Praxis for additional effects, you avoided the usual instability of mixed casting."
Yuna blinked, only understanding half of what he said. Seeing her confusion, Zegion sighed. "For now, just keep practicing. You did well, but don't expect to master it overnight."
Lumine and Ludwig exchanged a look before Ludwig hesitantly said, "We managed to make water balls, but only using Praxis."
Zegion nodded. "That's good. Praxis is a foundation. Master it, and you'll be able to expand beyond simple spells. For now, focus on sensing mana properly and controlling the activation. You two are still at the starting line."
A comfortable silence settled in the room. The scolding had been sharp, but the praise, though subtle, was reassuring.
Zegion finally leaned back, rubbing his temples. "You've all done well. But remember, you're still kids. Learn, struggle, but don't throw yourselves into danger needlessly. Understood?"
But you are a kid too, Jin thought but didn't voice his concern.
The four nodded in unison, determination flickering in their eyes.
Zegion exhaled, then stood. "Good. Now, who's making dinner? I just got back, and I'm starving."
As the kids scrambled to prepare a meal, Zegion muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"A Titan Gaja, huh? That's interesting... I want to see one too."