The Elestar: Zero

It could only mean one thing—Master Valorant had consented to instruct me in the ways of magic.

Joyfully, I rose and ran out.

"Sir Valorant, where do we go from here?"

After a moment's reflection, he turned to me and answered.

"Call me Master Valorant."

"Understood, Master Valorant."

"I'm not going to teach you magic—it's Elestar styles I'll be teaching you. And for those ones, mana's key.

So I'll tell you, first of all, what mana is—

Then how to feel it, contain it, control it."

The way he said it, it sounded intriguing.

"What should I do first?" I asked, excited.

Master Valorant looked at me, then at a log outside the cabin.

I followed his gaze.

"You're going to plop down on that log and look at the sky. That's your first lesson."

I blinked.

That was… unexpected.

"You're telling me I'm just supposed to sit there and watch birds fly by?"

"No. Focus your attention. Observe the sky. Nothing else."

"And that's it? Nothing more?"

"That's it.

Do it."

"What's the point—?"

"I said DO IT!" he barked with a sharp, loud voice.

The expression of his anger had, in itself, stiffened me.

Pissy, I walked over to the log and plopped down.

He returned to what he was doing, and I stayed and listened.

At first, I did anything but focus—my eyes darted to every bird, every rustling sound.

But I stayed seated. I didn't move from the log.

At noon, even Master Valorant brought me something to eat and ordered me to eat without having to get up.

So I ate right there—still seated, still with the sky at my back.

I stayed that way until the sun went down.

It was only when Master Valorant had arrived that I lifted myself up.

"All right, Attu. You can get up now."

"Yes, sir."

I went to get up and when I tried to, something horrible cracked in my back.

And then, the jerk: It was as if my spine were glued; for a split second, I felt movement flow through my back.

Valorant, glowering next to me, even perked an eyebrow at the noise.

I shuffled over to him. He was serving our dinner as we sat around the hearth.

When I drew near him, he gave me a bowl.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"The food?"

"I'm talking about the whole sit-on-a-log-and-stare-at-the-sky thing!"

"Oh. That."

"You made me do NOTHING all day!"

"If sitting around bored you so bad," he chuckled, "then tomorrow you can lie down instead."

"What's so funny?! I asked you to teach me one thing!"

"It's only they who've been hurt by stillness… who can understand the value of motion," he said, tossing a few sticks on the fire and stirring the coals.

"What's that supposed to mean?! "

I didn't get it.

All day, I'd done nothing—

And now he was mocking me?

My temper flared.

"You don't even know a damn thing! Or are you just lucky to be alive after killing that demon?"

That crossed a line.

His face hardened instantly.

Wordlessly, he pressed a white-hot piece of iron to my throat.

I hadn't even seen him move.

I blinked—and instantly, I sensed something searing just inches from my flesh.

My face went pale.

His words were ice and horror.

"Never forget this: Whatever the sort of teacher a man is— If he's a real teacher,

He will never attempt to educate based on what he does not know."

"Y-yes, master, I understand," I stuttered, heart racing.

I had way underestimated how fast he could get pissed off.

"Good. Now sit down and eat."

I obeyed.

He flung the hot iron away and spoke again, cool once more.

"The mana was to see if your mana would flow if I made you sit there.

You are carrying too much of it—and one kind is unstable.

I needed to know one thing."

"What?"

"Whether it's natural for the mana in you… Or just out of emotions."

"What's the difference?"

"Humans are strange creatures.

We live around others, love around others… and lose others.

When we lose someone we love, we feel a mixture of emotions—grief, anger, sorrow, guilt.

These emotions could have an impact on our mana."

"Meaning…?"

"I began to suspect that your huge mana was something that surfaced due to your mother's death.

A reaction to your pain."

"But what does this have to do with anything?"

"If someone gets emotional, then their body can begin to produce more mana than necessary.

Or they can fail to expend that mana or expend more than they generate…

They die."

"Die…? But how?"

"Imagine different types of glasses. Tall, short, wide, narrow—all unique. Now imagine both of them filled with water—at different levels, with different capacities. That water is mana."

"So the glasses represent people?"

"Exactly. They drink the water, have mana; they can utilize magic. If they don't, those with empty glasses are the regular humans."

"I see."

"You're one of those glasses that has water in it.

When you cast magic, you pour some water away.

But your body wants to get refilled naturally.

Now picture a glass that continually gets refilled but never once emptied…"

"It would overflow."

"Or worse—it would crack.

When you can't contain your feelings, you burst with mana.

You can't get it off fast enough, you die."

"And you believe mine isn't the byproduct of emotions?"

"I know it's not.

If that were so… you wouldn't have even lived to tell it. Or screaming in agony."

"So, that whole time I was sitting on the log …

You were trying to see whether I'd live or die?!"

"Pretty much," he said casually.

"But hey—you're alive. So don't worry."

"…You're insane."

He grinned.

"There was another reason too.

In making you sit still, your mind and body started to settle down.

Your mana flow leveled out.

I had to be sure.

There's no sense in training a dead student, is there? Haha!"

His laugh was enough to make me choke on my food.

Was this… fate?

Or dumb luck?

"Relax. You're fine.

You're not ready for physical conditioning just yet, but starting tomorrow…

We'll begin mana practice."

"Okay… What now?"

"Give me your hand."

I held out my hand, and he put a tiny black rock on it.

It wasn't especially pretty looking.

Just an ordinary rock.

…But a mage would never bring a rock for nothing.

"Close your eyes. Focus on the stone. Picture it in your mind."

I closed my eyes.

I focused.

And then—

Darkness.

From that darkness… a light emerged.

It grew, surrounding me.

It went all the way around me.

Then I heard his voice.

"Open your eyes."

I did.

And looked down.

The stone had changed color—

From black… to glowing blue.

I stared in shock.

And even Master Valorant seemed… surprised.

He gazed at the stone I held.

He stared at the stone in silent awe.