In the North

ANSALON WAS A very diversified world, with many kingdoms and species. Each kingdom was easily accessible by any species – except the dark bloods like orcs, centaurs, giants e.t.c

The Northern part of the continent – all the land in Ansalon was referred to as the continent – was characterized by harsh atmospheres and little sunlight. It was on the extreme edge of the world, no one knew what was beyond.

The warriors and Northmen were said to be the toughest in Ansalon because they trained in such harsh conditions.

IN THE DEPTH of the woods, the heavy snowflakes were blown around by the heavy wind. The skies were gray and thick with clouds, and the ground was buried underneath a thick layer of snow.

Very few animals could stand this cold without suffering from frostbite, so the forest was silent and lifeless.

Suddenly, the air seemed to compress and swirl like it was turning into liquid. And then a white portal opened and a translucent being walked through.

It was Marzurk in his godly ethereal form.

He looked around where he was and saw nothing but snowy plains, mountains, and heavy blizzards. He raised his hand and saw that he was just in the form of pure energy. He did not have a physical body in this realm. It was a weird feeling as slowly, a bone marrow started to form from his core. A few minutes later, he was just a full, standing skeleton.

He stood still, enjoying the feeling of physicality. Then he took a step forward, absorbing the energy around him and creating moist muscle fibers to cover the bones and organs started to form slowly and painfully. He created himself as he imagined.

He walked into the thick woods, moving purely by sense of touch and feelings because he had not made his eyes yet. As he walked on, he slowly became more humanoid, his bones were now covered with skin and flesh. Long orange hair hung down to his shoulders and he opened his hazel eyes for the first time.

He brought his hand up to his face and touched it.

"The human skin is soft," He muttered. He realized that he did not have any demeaning feelings like he normally felt in Ethereal. "I don't have to bow to any god here," He said. "The exact opposite is the case," he could feel the magic in the air, and he was a celestial being so that would make him stronger than anybody in this world – including Kamizoel.

He did not feel the biting cold winds blowing around his naked body as he walked deeper into the woods.

Then he came upon a tent within a clearing. He looked inside the tent and saw the clothes which he put on. They were a tight fit but he did not mind.

"Hey!" A voice called. "Step out of my tent slowly,"

Marzurk stilled and turned to see a human standing a few feet away. He held a bow drawn with an arrow nocked in the string.

"I'm pretty good with this… don't let me use it," the man yelled higher than the angry wind blowing around. "And I'm not alone. Estel!"

Another younger man stepped out from behind the first man. He muttered something under his breath and suddenly, the head of the arrow burst into blue flames.

"You see," The first man yelled. "Estel here is a mage. And a powerful one at that. So I will ask one more time, who the hell are you and what do you want?"

Marzurk cocked his head. He had a smug smile on his lips. He opened his mouth to talk, but his voice barely came higher than a croak.

"What did you say?" The man called.

Marzurk took a step towards them and the man released the arrow. It went with dead-eye accuracy to Marzurk's chest. He caught it with one hand and looked at the blue flame.

The man gasped in shock. "Estel, do something!"

Estel stepped forward and yelled, "Flame explosion!"

The arrowhead burst out, spraying the blue flames all over Marzuk. His clothes caught fire. He tossed the arrow aside and turned to face the men.

He could feel the magic flowing in his veins and hanging around the air. He trusted his hands without saying anything, sharp ice spike came out from the floor and impaled the archer from his back.

Estel watched in horror as the blood of his uncle trailed down the icicle. He trembled in his boots and tried to walk backward but his legs caught on a twig and he fell backwards.

Marzurk smiled and walked towards the fallen mage. He patted the fire still burning on his clothes. There were holes in it now.

"Who are you?" Estel whispered as Marzurk crouched over him and stared into his eyes.

His loud scream rang across the woods, jolting animals and making birds fly away from their nests in fear.

MEANWHILE, IN THE CAPITAL…

"I see you came looking…" Norman said, still gripping Anakin by the collar.

Anakin nodded. "Here I am. And I'm stronger too."

"We will see about that," Norman said. He released Anakin from his grip and stepped back. "I see you have put on a little bit of muscle on your arms."

Anakin gleamed with pride. "I worked out for two hours every day since we met."

"And some fancy sword fighting too…" Norman sneered.

He did not seem to be much older than Anakin. He looked to be just a teenager, but other species do not age as humans. A 75-year-old elf will still be a teenager, as elves normally live until almost 300 years old. So Norman – whatever species he was – was older than he looked.

"Come," He said. "Aperra portae" He muttered. There was a bright flash as a portal opened and he walked through, pulling Anakin along. They appeared in a very large plain grassland.

"Where are we?" Anakin asked, looking around.

"We are in a place that we will not be disturbed," Norman said. "We are on the outskirts of the Capital. The Northeast area, look there," He pointed. "You can see your palace,"

Anakin followed his finger and nodded.

Norman sat on the floor and looked at Anakin, "You say you have been training your physical body,"

Anakin nodded enthusiastically. "I have." He removed his thick cloaks.

"Around this field, I have marked a lane," Norman said. "You are going to run around it 30 times now."

Anakin looked at the place. It was easily bigger than a standard football field. He was scared but he was not one to give up, so he nodded and started jogging.

He ran. And ran. And ran, until he fell exhausted on the 28th lap. Norman calmly walked up to his tired body and said. "You did good, you didn't complete the laps… but I am impressed." He touched Anakin's arm and suddenly, Anakin felt invigorated. Norman had used Life to fill up Anakin's body and strengthen his weak and tired muscles.

Anakin sat up. "Who are you?" He asked.

Norman shrugged. "Someone that is going to teach you the forbidden arts of wielding Life."

"I know, but –"

"Sshhh," Norman silenced and crept up to Anakin. "Someone is coming."

Anakin looked around and saw the shiny helmets of some of his father's guards marching by. "Oh they are not ene–" he started to say but Norman clamped his hand over Anakin's mouth.

After the soldiers passed by, Norman stood up and said, "We will begin our training tomorrow. Do not say a word about me." He waved his hand and a portal opened. "Go on."

Anakin walked through the portal, but his head was filled with thoughts on the secrecy of his new tutor. Who was he? Why did he live like an illegal person? Was he a criminal?

These thoughts bounced around in Anakin's head as he appeared at the back of a stable in the Capital's market and headed back home.