Having Minor talent seemed impossible. I had been reborn. I had somehow shifted the sands of time. There had to be some mistake. This was not the path. I was to be a conqueror. Destined to be an archmage. That had been a truth I held, however small, all my life.

With one simple sentence. My chances of ever achieving those lofty heights evaporated.

The world came back into focus slowly. The attendant was calling out to me. He wanted us to move on, as other customers were waiting for their turn.

He began leading us out before I could ask for another try.

“All results are guaranteed to be correct. No matter how many times you try. They will stay the same. You should feel lucky. Not many have a connection to two elements. Especially ones that can be so complimentary in more advanced spells.”

He must have noticed my demeanor. His inane prattling didn’t lift my sullenness. I would prefer a singular affinity even if it were only a medium affinity. The minor affinity, even if I had two, would nearly be a hindrance. Not a huge gain with those elements but still a noticeable loss when trying to use others. Water and Air, the two opposing schools, would be all but inaccessible, even with my tiny amount of power.

I was brought back out to the main store. I was left alone by the attendant. I didn’t know how long I was staring at one spot in the wall before another customer bumping into me broke me out of my stupor. It reminded me of my other purpose for coming here. I would need spells. Fire and earth spells. The most common affinities in the Capital. That meant although the spells of those elements were easy to get, they still charged a premium for it. None of the 1st circle spells cost the same. Still, they were affordable, apart from a very few spells of rare affinities or power.

I would not be looking for any of those today as I wandered over to the basic tomes. All 1st circle spells were on display pretty openly—worth nowhere close to even 2nd circle spells. Finding anything in the 4th circle would be all but impossible in a store in the middle ring.

That still left quite the selection. I couldn’t focus on all the spells. So I bought five for the moment. Three earth and two fire. Even those I wouldn’t be able to learn before the gang fight tomorrow. I decided to focus on the simple firebolt spell and earthen shield to give myself a balanced force. Focusing too much on anything in the first circle could be disastrous in later practice. An imbalance of power early on could force you into a particular direction for the rest of your life.

That would not be my path. I wouldn’t allow it. Balance was key. I wouldn’t end up a glass cannon that so many of our mages had been when the Capital fell.

The shop was happy to take even more money from me. One first circle spell cost a platinum. So the spells ripped away all the money I had earned in the Scar as well as the little bit of physical cash that had been within the Grandmasters ring.

I walked in there with my head held high. It was a little more challenging to do that on the way back.

The walk back brought me little peace. I had always comforted myself that I would be better than other people, as long as I had the chance. My lack of magic was the only thing holding me back from ruling the world.

I had someone and something to blame for any further injustices that occurred in my life.

I could no longer do that. It was a startling discovery. The feeling of my whole life being in my own hands. I would have to come to terms with my natural inadequacy and fight beyond that. Anything less would waste this second chance I had been given.

The house was empty when I returned. My father was on a run for one of his several vices, no doubt. It was only through placing some bets for him when he felt ill that I learned about the scar after all.

My room stayed unchanged. My father hadn’t reached the stage where he was stealing from me just yet.

Locking the room behind me, I got my head in the right place, getting back into a meditative state was extremely difficult. The nodes of light that had been so incredible to me before now seemed to laugh at me. The hope of power long since left their light.

Becoming an elemental master was no longer a possibility. They didn’t like me.

Well, if the world were against me, then I would have to outsmart the world. There were many spells of neutral types that would be able to get me far in life. Those would have to be my focus when I got past the second circle. Up until that point, my minor affinities wouldn’t hold me back. Beyond that, however, every single one of my spells would be weaker and more expensive than any of the specialists I might face. They would be able to hit harder and last longer. At the same time, I would be a sitting duck.

So I would have to find more outside the box ways of fighting. Ways that would require far more study than simple meditation and convening with the elements.

The easy path never seemed to be an option for me. Non-attuned spells were well known for their versatility. Power meanwhile, was quite lacking. There had never been a battle mage in the empire that has had less than a greater affinity with an element. Most having far more.

There had been a few archmages that had managed to reach lofty heights without a great affinity. Even those, however, were stronger than a minor affinity.

No, unfortunately, Fire and Earth spells would be little more than support spells in the future.

For now, they had their uses.

I wouldn’t have any time to practice the spells before night fell. All I could do was internalize them. Something many people claimed helped greatly in spell usage. Beyond the simple visualization exercises, I couldn’t see how they would be too much help.

With that, a simple night passed in silent meditation.

The next day brought nerves. For the first time, I would be able to create a real change for someone I cared about. Making Sammy one of the leaders of the outer ring would also help me in the future. Having an underlord of the slums on your side was always a useful teammate.

He could make changes that would at least slow down the fall of the Capital. At this point in time, that was all I could hope for.

I went on my way down to the docks, the meeting point wasn’t far from my house, but I felt like reminiscing. The outer docks had become a home to me in my past life. I had worked there. Helping the local community as much as I could while still researching how I would be able to overcome my difficulties. It was with a sad heart I left the Docks only a year before the fall of the Capital. That had been the one lucky break of my previous life. Even my escape was mixed with the knowledge that everyone I had ever loved had been killed.

That had riddled even my survival with huge pangs of guilt. I had just been lucky in my survival. I had escaped where many others hadn’t.

Now was my chance to change it all.

It would start with the change of the outer ring. Once I gained enough strength to be a real backer in the outer ring, we could start expanding into a position of absolute power.

Moving to the waterside, I gazed out at the expanse before me. The vast power of the elements would never be under my control. That was a harsh blow. Yet there was hope. I could still gain power. I would have to. There was little chance for someone with a minor affinity to get into the Forpus academy without immense talent in other areas.

I would have two weeks to establish myself as a talent in magical combat and theory. That, along with a skill for some occupations, would be the only path for me to enter the prestigious academy.

That path would begin with a bloody battle for a simple street in the outer ring.

With that thought in mind, I turned away from the ocean and made my way back into the dirty streets.