The Sword Mage Without A Path

The Meyer's family had gathered for one reason.

Today, Fred Meyer would know once and for all if he belonged among them.

The examination hall was quiet for a moment, as seven children stood before the long stone table with their parents behind them, and one transparent crystal ball called the Path Crystal, in the middle.

Every person on this world was born with a magical Path, defining the type of magic they would use, based on the mana they could control.

Seven types of magic existed in total. The Meyer's were known for the Red Path, as for generations their family produced highly skilled Red Path Mages, capable of controlling fire.

The examination only confirmed it, as from the crystal ball came a small flame hovering above the twelve-years old girl's hand.

"Red Path," the examiner said, retreating his hand from the crystal ball, and a proud smile appeared on Sarah's face.

"Well done, Narissa," she said.

The girl nodded and stepped aside, letting the next child, Nalia, go.

The nine-year old girl trembled in front of the crystal ball and looked at her mother before pressing her hand to the surface of the ball.

It glowed red at once, filling with a small flame at the center.

"Red path," the examiner said, glancing at Nalia.

Her anxious look vanished the moment she looked at the fireball hovering above her hand.

"I got Red!"

Derek clapped in excitement while the others laughed.

"Red! Red!"

The examiner smiled and gestured for the boy to come.

Derek rushed at the crystal ball, pressing both of his hands to the surface, filling the chamber with red light.

"Red Path," the examiner said, watching the boy in surprise.

Derek stared at his hands in disbelief.

"I got fire!"

His laughter made everyone laugh again, and Lord Alvin Meyer's proud gaze fell on his son, examining his youngest child.

Seven children. Seven Red Paths. It was exactly what the Meyer's family needed.

Only one person remained.

The examiner turned to Alvin.

"Lord Meyer, it is Fred's turn."

The room grew silent.

Fred had been standing near the wall the whole time.

At sixteen he was the oldest of the tested children, and unlike his brothers and sisters, he never had a Path.

He had taken the examination before, and the result had been the same.

No Brown, no Yellow, no Blue, no Red, no White, no Silver, and no Black Path.

His parents had accepted that at first, maybe his core would start working on time, maybe the crystal ball was broken, maybe they would take another examination.

None of that came to pass.

"Fred," Alvin finally said.

The boy took a deep breath, approaching the crystal ball and gazing at it for a moment before he pressed his hand to its surface.

Nothing happened.

The ball remained clear as glass.

The minutes passed, but nothing changed.

The examiner looked at the crystal ball and then at Fred.

"His core remains without a Path."

A heavy silence fell over the hall.

Fred slowly removed his hand, knowing the result, but not liking it any less.

His mother looked down while his father remained silent.

Then Axel laughed.

"So it's true."

Fred glanced at his older brother.

At nineteen Axel was already a powerful Red Path Mage, and his fingers flickered with red flames every time his emotions flared.

He looked at Fred with open disdain.

"Sixteen years old and still without a path. What exactly are you supposed to become?"

"Axel!" Theron growled, his arms crossed over his chest.

The oldest of the Meyer brothers, Theron remained quiet for a moment before he glanced at Fred.

"Enough," he simply said.

Axel looked at him and then at Fred.

"I'm only saying what everyone is thinking."

Fred didn't respond.

Theron gave him a long look before he turned away.

Something told Fred, this silence hurt more than Axel's words.

Useless. Defective. Pathless. Different. None of those words changed anything.

He looked at his younger siblings. Salia was quiet behind them while Narissa watched him with worry.

Nalia eventually approached and gently grabbed his sleeve.

"Brother Fred, are you sad?"

Fred gave a small smile.

"I'm fine."

Nalia studied his face before giving a small frown.

"You don't look fine."

Fred's smile became more natural.

"I'm fine. Don't worry."

She watched him for another moment before she finally nodded.

"Can you still play with me later?"

"Of course."

Derek ran over at once.

"Me too!"

Fred chuckled.

"You too."

For a moment, the examination lost its importance.

His younger siblings didn't care about paths or the Meyer's family.

They saw him as an older brother.

Fred smiled at them before looking back at the crystal ball.

It was clear as glass.

No path, no magic.

Nothing.

He clenched his fist and walked out of the examination hall.

_______________

That afternoon, the Meyer's training yard was filled with explosions.

"Fireball!"

A ball of fire flew over the yard, hitting a wooden target and scattering splinters over the ground.

Fred stood a few meters away, watching as Axel practiced.

Another fireball formed above his hand before flying at another target, and Fred focused on the mage, trying to see how he gathered mana and turned it into fire.

Magic was powerful.

He couldn't deny that.

But he couldn't use it.

His gaze shifted to the weapon rack next to the training yard.

Axes, spears, swords, and daggers laid against the wall.

Fred had always been fascinated by the sword.

Maybe it was because a sword didn't care about his path.

It didn't matter if its wielder was a Red or a Blue Mage, or if they didn't have a Path at all.

Anyone could wield a sword.

Fred walked up to the rack and picked a wooden training sword. It was heavier than he expected, so he adjusted his grip before making the first move.

Whoosh!

The wooden blade sliced through the air.

Fred looked at his stance and made the second move.

It was not better than the first, but he didn't stop.

After a few minutes his arms ached, his palms were sore, and he was breathing heavily, but he still didn't put the sword away.

"What are you doing?"

Fred stopped and turned around.

Axel stood a few meters behind him.

"Training."

"With a sword?"

"Yes."

Axel glanced at the wooden training sword before looking back at Fred.

"You're a Meyer. Our family uses fire magic. Everyone in this family has a Red Path."

"I know."

"Then stop wasting your time."

Fred tightened his grip around the sword.

Axel stepped closer.

"You can't use magic, and you can't become a mage. Accept it."

Those words had followed Fred for years.

He was supposed to accept that he was different, accept that he was weaker, and accept that there was nothing he could do about it.

Fred looked at Axel.

"What if I don't?"

Axel frowned.

"What?"

"What if I don't accept it?"

Axel scoffed.

"Then you'll spend the rest of your life swinging that wooden sword and pretending you're something you're not."

He turned around and walked away.

Fred watched him leave before looking down at the sword in his hands.

It was nothing special, only a wooden training sword, but unlike magic, it was something he could actually use.

Fred raised the sword again.

He knew little about swordsmanship.

He had no master and no training, and he didn't even know if a person without a Path could become a great swordsman.

But he could learn.

He could train.

He could become stronger.

Maybe he would fail, maybe he would lose to every mage he would fight, maybe the world really had no place for people like him.

Fred looked at the examination hall.

Seven Paths were available to everyone.

Everyone except him.

He had spent sixteen years wishing for something that would never come.

A Path.

Today, he stopped.

Fred turned to the training dummy and raised his sword.

"If I don't have a Path, then I'll find another way."

He attacked, and the wooden blade hit the dummy with a dull thud. His arms ached, but he tightened his grip and attacked again.

Then again.

Each move was not perfect, but he didn't stop.

He had no Path, and he couldn't change that.

However, maybe he didn't need to.

Fred looked at the sword in his hands and smiled.

If the world had given him no path, then he would walk forward without one.

He would have his sword.