"Watch your step, Mohr! Wouldn't want you kissing the ground again!" Laughter erupted as four boys stood together, sneering at the lone figure before them.Ezra was fifteen, brown-haired, brown-eyed, and standing at almost six feet tall.He turned around to look at the boy that mocked him."Hey Quentin! Damn you!" Ezra said as he lifted his middle finger."You worthless piece of trash, how dare you!" Quentin shouted. With a flick of his wrist, his fingers traced the air. The wind howled, a sharp gust slamming into Ezra's chest.BOOM!Ezra flew backward, crashing onto the hard cobbled street. Pain shot through his body and a metallic taste filled his mouth."You should be grateful to me for still letting you live. Even though we both know you're not worth it. Next time you talk back to me, I won't be so kind." Quentin said as he walked away with his friends. Their laughter faded down the street, leaving Ezra sprawled on the ground, staring at the sky, his breathing ragged.This was nor

Ezra looked down at his rough hands. Magic did not just appear out of nowhere."That makes no sense," Ezra said, shaking his head. "Neither of my parents were mages. How could I possibly have an affinity?""It doesn't necessarily work like that," the First Mage countered smoothly.The old mage sighed softly. He rose from his floating chair and stepped closer. His golden gaze bore down on Ezra with immense weight, making the boy tremble where he stood."It is not a requirement that your parents must be active mages before you can become one," the elder explained. "Yet, you are also correct about the nature of power. To become a mage, the spark must run in your blood.""So am I a mage or not?" Ezra asked, his frustration boiling over."Did I say you were a mage yet?" the elder asked with a calm smile. "I only asked a question. What if you possessed an affinity?"Ezra felt as if his head were about to burst. A thick vein throbbed on the side of his temple. He clenched his fists, grinding

Ezra's head felt heavy."Damn that old geezer," Ezra groaned, his voice a weak rasp.Next came the sound of quiet, desperate sobbing.A soft, trembling voice broke through the thick fog in his mind."Ezra? Oh, gods! you're awake.""Mom?" Ezra whispered, his throat dry."Oh, Ezra! My sweet boy!" Elise Mohr cried out.Guilt crashed down on him like a heavy rock.Elise continued to sob against his shoulder for several minutes. Slowly, the heavy weeping turned into quiet sniffles. She finally pulled back, wiping her wet cheeks with the back of her sleeve.She looked down at him with a mix of fierce love and rising anger."Why did you go into the woods?" Elise demanded. Her voice cracked with raw pain. "Were you trying to get yourself killed, Ezra?"That was exactly the plan, Ezra thought bitterly."I'm so sorry, Mom," Ezra said softly, looking directly into her eyes. "It will never happen again."Elise let out a long, shaky breath. Fresh tears pooled in her eyes, but she blinked them back

Chapter 7: The Library EncounterEzra Mohr stepped out into the bright morning sunlight, a new fire burning in his chest.Ezra could not stop his mind from racing."Which elemental affinity will show itself first?" he wondered.After ten minutes of brisk walking, Ezra arrived at the heavy wooden doors of the town library.He took a deep breath, pushed the doors open, and stepped inside.The air inside the library smelled of aged paper, dried ink, and polished cedar. Sunlight filtered through the tall stained-glass windows, casting long beams across towering shelves.Ezra walked deeper into the back aisles where the magic manuals were kept.He skimmed his fingers along the dusty spines of the books, reading titles in quick succession. Most volumes covered standard theory.Finally, two thick tomes caught his eye.The first was titled Introduction to the Use of Fire Magic. The second was a thin, leather-bound volume titled Basic Pyromancy Incantations.Ezra pulled both books from the she

The plan was fairly simple.All Ezra had to do was venture deep into the Volcano Forest, concentrate hard to cultivate and awake a fire affinity. Everything had been going smoothly until a Level 4 Magic beast with both Earth and Fire attributes appeared."How is this even possible? How did a level 4 beast find its way here and how can it actually wield two attributes? This is absurd! Why am I always stuck with the worst kind of luck?" Ezra felt like crying inwardly but the magic beast in front of him would not give him that leisure.The beast wasted no time to get in the offensive again, launching a powerful attack that sent Ezra flying. It then stood still, eyes locked on, watching as its target slowly pushed himself off the ground, clutching his stomach in pain. As if to taunt him.Now standing barely five feet away from the elemental wolf, Ezra took deep, controlled breaths, circulating his mana in an attempt to steady himself."Damn it! How am I supposed to fight such a crazy beas