~ Hello! Welcome to my first novel (and rough draft) in the making of the "Young Wise Man." I hope you can enjoy and follow me. if there are any ideas or problems please free feel to say. - nEoQuIcKsiLvEr ~

Chapter 1 - Nero

A young boy was sleeping with a book over his face under the shade of a massive tree. The boy who had a face of a prepubescent wore a red hooded cloak that dragged down. Although the boy's face told you he was fairly young, he seemed relatively tall for someone his age. He had on a clean white shirt and blue trousers with a belt tied around his waist. The wind blew the trees above gently and the shade provided the youth with an absolute serene atmosphere. Slowly his eyes opened and his fingers ran through his black disheveled hair. He let out a sigh, stretching his arms and body around while laying on the ground.

Casually reaching for the book on his face and tossing it aside. The boy stood up with a leap and his eyes looked up into the crystal blue skyline. Only two colors stood out for his vision to feast on. Green for the almost endless sea of trees below and blue for the vast sky above. It was no wonder how this boy could nap here without a worry. The gentle wind and picture perfect scenery would make anyone want to take a nap right there.

'Mystic creatures of the world', What a boring book! the boy thought to himself as his eyes glanced over the book's cover. Picking up the book again, the boy flipped through the pages before putting it down. As he looked about his surroundings, he found a bag next to his side and put the book into it.

Quickly checking over his clothes, dusted off his cloak. Carefully inspecting it to make sure any dirt wasn't on it. After he was satisfied, he picked up the bag and placed it over his shoulder. He started walking away from the tree and into a huge clearing. In the middle of the clearing, there was a massive stone tower. A voice could be heard echoing through the clearing. It was an old man shouting at the youth from the Tower.

"Nero! Boy, get yourself over here!" the old man yelled.

The youth perked up his ears as he heard his name called and picked up his pace towards the tower. This boy actually had quite a sturdy physique so he really didn't exert too much energy in getting there.

"Father, I'm here," Nero shouted to the old man at the Tower window.

While the boy had called the old man father, they looked nothing alike. The boy's complexion was more lightly tanned than the old man who was pale in comparison. The youth's eyes were also a dark brown compared to the bright blue eyes the old man had. Though there was no doubt to the boy that he called this old man his "Father", who in return, calls him "Son".

The old man's eyes gave off the adage that 'with age comes heavy experience'. His gray beard and long hair hid his appearance quite well. With his face filled with many lines of wrinkles. Although one could tell that perhaps in his youth the old man was quite handsome.

The old man was wearing a rather shabby brown cloak with a beige shirt underneath and blue trousers. Still, the old man gave off a noble presence as he stood tall and firm relative to the clothes he was wearing. Just from his appearance and figure, you might tell he was someone of importance. No one would have known, this old man in the middle of the forest, was lauded throughout the land as one of the wisest men, Gregor the Great!

"Enough of your break, head to the third floor and start solving the formula. We are behind on three weeks of your education because you are stuck on this problem!" Gregor gave Nero a stern look.

"But didn't you take months to solve this!?" Nero sighed and held his hands up in bewilderment.

"That's me, this is you. You're very smart for someone your age. I know you can do this!" quipped Gregor with a chuckle.

"Why!? I still can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Why can't you just tell me?" Nero whined as he let out a yawn after.

Nero's yawn was followed by a grunt as he stretched himself out walking towards the tower. A tired expression flowed through Gregor as he leaned out more on the window ledge.

"My son, you'll never know what you need out there in the world. Knowledge is better gained through experience and trials. The fun is figuring it out my boy. What father will I be if I can't even part any wisdom to my only son?" Gregor spoke succinctly before folding his arms behind his back.

Gregor gave Nero only a slight smile as he disappeared from the window. Nero could only scratch his head, he knew this was the type of person his father was. He never gave an easy answer and always expected two things. Heavy amounts of hard work and unbridled dedication. Though Nero came to understand this was the only way of life under his father. While there is a huge relief when Nero could solve his own problems, he always suffered when he becomes stuck on them. It was like a huge thorn never wanting to leave his side.

Nero quietly walked to the tower doors with his shoulders drooped down low. Scanning the huge metal doors in front of the Tower. He touched the runes in a specific sequence, each lighting up in a faint blue glow and slowly the doors opened. Inside the Tower were exquisite wooden furniture decorated around. A large fireplace was burning brightly while magical lanterns that hung on the walls glowed faintly. He walked inside and was welcomed by the heat from the nearby fireplace.

Gregor soon appeared closing the tower doors, not before watching his son and calling out to him.

"It's better to prepare yourself than rushing into things, one day you will leave and see the world like it is. Out there the world is much worse and they won't give you any solutions. Don't be so hasty my son." Gregor calmly walked to Nero and patted him on the back.

Nero expressed a faint smile as he ascended up the stairwell to the third floor. Gregor only watched as his son disappeared from his sight. With a sense of relief, Gregor walked towards a nearby table when a piercing pain came over him. A headache attacked him so fiercely he felt as if his skull had been split into two. He toppled over in pain and as it began to subside he was in a fit of coughing. Covering his mouth with his hand, red blood appeared and fear filled his eyes.

"Not yet, not yet…" Gregor muttered wiping the fresh blood from his mouth. The pain was almost unbearable for him.

Gregor grabbing a chair sat down holding his hands over his face. Ever since he came to the Tower, he had been getting migraines. While they use to be far and few between, now they've come with a force of fury Gregor had never felt before. His mind was racing and he tried to gather his thoughts. Then clearly he began to realize. Some of his memories had disappeared. Gone, all gone he thought.

On the third floor of the tower, it had become a place of learning and experimentation for Nero. This floor had much fine alchemy and scientific instruments neatly organized on various tables. Finely detailed notes with varying formulas were written on boards scattered about. Here is where Nero spent most of his days, learning in seclusion. His father always told him how he was an 'Academic' of a renowned kingdom and chose to live his life far away from the problems of the city.

Taking it to heart that since his father was a teacher and fairly educated, Nero believed he should be as well. Nero begged and pleaded with his father to teach him the ways of alchemy and science. Growing up under the tutelage of his father, he was given many tasks from simple games to magical formulas. Right now he was stuck on a major problem and had gone outside to cool his mind. When Nero came to the third floor he quickly went towards a particular table.

This table was scorched black and some of the instruments were broken with glass and metal pieces spewed on top. There was a beaker, a metal container, and many ingredients on the table. Nero throwing his cloak back sat on a nearby stool and with his eyes looked at what laid on the table. Picking up a journal and pen that was next to the broken instruments, he started writing.

'Experiment # 43, Invisibility stabilization'

Nero had been stuck on this problem for weeks and had been racking his brain for how to solve this. While his father Gregor was stuck on this problem for months he did eventually solve it. The problem was how to stabilize an invisibility potion. An invisibility potion, when poured over an object, would cloak it in a mirror-like veil that would let anyone see through the object. If it was used on an object standing perfectly still, one would not be able to find it. Therein lies the problem, when the object is moved the invisibility potion loses its stability and disperses. So rather than people using the potion to hide and do nefarious schemes with it, it's rather useless. It can only be used to hide treasure and various things of importance that cannot be moved. Even then the potion would only last up to a couple hours at most.

Given the problem on how to solve this stability and allow things covered in the potion to be moved. If Nero can solve this, he can follow in his father's footsteps and gain knowledge that few have. Not only that but being able to create a stable invisibility potion will have its uses. He started writing down possible formulas and the amount of ingredients needed for each one.

"What to do...what to do..." Nero said. "Maybe Mist Root?" After many years of living in seclusion with his father, Nero had gained the quirks of Gregor and often spoke aloud to himself.

Mist root was a type of plants that only grew in very wetlands, like how it's aptly named, it would only appear in dense mists and fogs. Mist root also happens to be saturated in power that help enhances magic. Since mists have a natural ability to hide things, many predators and things not wanting to be found, live in them. Making Mist root a rare type of magical plant being allowed to grow undisturbed and protected.

Nero got up off the stool and headed towards a nearby shelf. On the shelf were varying bins that contained numerous amount of ingredients. He looked for one bin marked 'Westfield Mists', in it laid plants, shells and about eight lightly covered roots. These roots looked unnaturally long and seemed bathed in mud. Nero touched the roots and carefully inspected them over. Light cyan in color and wet to the touch, these were indeed Mist roots.

One mist root was rare itself but this bin contained eight! After confirming what it was, he picked up the Mist root and headed back to his table. Placing the Mist root into a glass beaker and putting it on top of a metal container. Underneath the container laid four crystals arranged in a square.

Nero started rubbing his fingers and touched the crystals to test the temperature. A spark came out from one of the crystals and he retracted his finger quickly. Yet nothing else happened so Nero did it again. This time, there was no spark so Nero furiously rubbed his fingers again. After feeling slight rub burn from his fingers he touched the crystal, this time, it sparked and began to light up with fire. Quickly the other crystals also sparked and ignited with fire. These crystals were named fire crystals, they had the ability to steal heat from sources. When enough energy is stolen, the energy bounces around the crystals producing friction and lighting on fire.

As the fire started underneath the beaker and metal container. Grabbing another beaker, Nero poured some purple liquid with a fine aroma into the beaker containing the Mist root. When it was filled halfway, he stopped and pinched some herbs into it. Taking out a silvery scale from his pocket he held it with the tips of his fingers while he gauged the beaker heating up. The silvery scale was nearly the size of his palm and looked to have been a part of a creature.

As the liquid began to bubble and boil, Nero watched closely not wanting to miss any detail. When a fine purple smoke began to seep out of the beaker, he placed the silvery scale on top closing it off. The purple smoke soaked inside the beaker as if it was trying to take up all space and started dissolving the Mist root. Unable to see anything besides the purple smoke inside. Nero blew at the fire crystals and the fire stopped almost immediately. Using some metal tongs, he picked up the beaker and moved it in a back and forth motion.

The purple smoke inside the beaker calmed down and dissipated. A smile plastered over Nero's face as he saw the smoke subsiding and the liquid turning into a clear substance. Excitedly he placed the beaker down and took the silvery scale back. He burned himself a little from the touch of the scale but wrapped it in a cloth and placed it back inside his pocket. Now he grabbed the beaker and slowly poured some of its substance onto a metal sheet. The metal sheet started to disappear with Nero staring at it through the whole process.

When the liquid substance enveloped the sheet and vanished completely he stopped and placed the beaker down. His eyes showed excitement and his body tensed up. Did he finally solve the problem he thought? He poked at where the metal sheet was before and felt the hard sheet still there. Though his eyes told him otherwise. Then slowly his mouth started to upturn.

Giddy with joy with what happened, the potion had finally worked! He was on this problem for weeks and solved it much sooner than his father. A mischievous grin came across his face, he was going to show his father his hard work and progress. Taking off his cloak and shirt, he grabbed the beaker and slowly poured it over himself. The potion drizzled down, covering him from head to toe. Warm liquid dripped from his hair down to the trousers he was still wearing.

When it fell almost to the last drop, he looked around to make sure nothing was amiss. Assured that everything was covered and viewed in plain sight. Slowly the substance soaked into his body and clothes, he began to vanish. His hands that were in front of his face disappeared in an instant and he couldn't see his body anymore. He jumped up and down, making sure the potion was still viable. Success! he thought, as his body didn't reappear from all the movement he made. He finally made an invisibility potion that was stable and would last even when moved!

Now Nero thought to show his father, so he moved downstairs to see him. Approaching ever so carefully, so his father wouldn't hear his footsteps. The sound would easily carry through the Tower and its many corridors. The Tower was big and fairly large inside, this was multiplied by the fact that only two of them really lived here. Nero crept around the hallways and descended down the steps like a thief. Trying to hide in the shadows but there was an abundance of light. Magical lanterns were scattered all around inside the Tower, lighting everything seen and beyond. Nero then noticed while he was still not visible, his shadow was nowhere to be seen.

Excitement and wonder could only be felt as Nero admired the work of his invisibility potion. Of course, he knew this potion would not last forever and eventually like all things, fade away. Constantly studying and working on his magical craft, Nero did dream to one day leave. Only when you are "knowledgeable enough", his father had always told him when talking matters of leaving. Nero couldn't wait to show off his progress and ability to his father. Maybe then he would finally be able to leave the Tower. The only thing Nero really wanted other than traveling the world was his father's praise.

So when he reached his destination, disappointment replaced his excitement as his father was nowhere to be found. The favorite chair and table that his father frequently habits were neatly placed without a hint of use. Papers and reading materials were arranged in order, organized in great detail. Nero searched all around the first floor but still could not find him. Where could his father be in the Tower if not reading in his study? he thought.

Gregor was not one to leave the confines of the Tower throughout the years. With the exception of meat, everything was provided here in the Tower. There were bedrooms on the second floor, a heat source on the first floor, a healthy water supply pooled underneath the Tower and even a small greenhouse on the third floor. Gregor had grown crops and many of his own ingredients on the third floor without rarely having to leave. The Tower was more magical in a sense that it was self-sufficient, it was likely created this way by its builders.

Going on the second floor he headed towards his father's bedroom chamber. If his father wasn't working on magic formulas, making potions or reading a great many books of the Tower, he was sleeping soundly. Thinking his father was perhaps sound asleep, Nero went to his father's bedroom chamber. With a slow inhale, he swung open the door and shrieked loudly as if to scare him. But the bedroom was empty and no one was in there. Nero thought it was strange that he couldn't find his father who usually has never left the Tower before. Since his father wasn't sleeping and Nero didn't know where he was. He thought that perhaps perfecting the invisibility potion had become a waste.

Nero took this time to explore the rest of the floors looking for his father. Still, he couldn't find his father anywhere on the first nine floors. When the first floor of the Tower was a common area, the second a living area, the third a classroom of sorts, the fourth through nine floors above it was a grand library. The only conclusion left was perhaps Gregor was on the last floor of the Tower, a place that his father forbade him from entering.

The tenth and final floor were always an unknown to Nero. He never dared disobey his father because of the strict consequences that were usually given to him. Whether it was sleeping outside with nothing but his robe or tons and tons of physical labor. His body in good physical condition is the result of the many punishments given to him. From running laps around the tower, hauling magical ingredients from place to place or sprinting up and down the Tower floors.

Nero had lived his life in the Tower for a good fifteen years and was always told never to go beyond the last library floor. So he had no idea what laid above on the tenth floor. In case the pain of punishment wasn't enough, a magical protective seal was created to prevent entry. Only his father the creator of the seal was allowed to freely walk through uninhibited. Seals were made for two things, to keep things out or to prevent things from leaving.

Magical seals would act as an invisible wall of sorts. There were many forms of magical seals and the most common are the traditional Sphere magic seal. This magical seal creates a bubble around the sealed object or area, blocking the path of those who try to enter while trapping anything inside. Only a strong magician with knowledge of the seal would be able to break it. Almost all physical attacks to the seal would do it no good.

Maybe now in his father's absence and with him still cloaked with the invisibility potion he can try cracking the seal. It was a thought that came to his mind. Even if he were to find his father on the final floor, he might still go unnoticed. Thanks to the invisibility potion and his father not knowing he had succeeded in its completion. There was too much upside in trying to break in on the final floor. Curiosity had always driven Nero throughout his life and Gregor did well in nurturing it.

Not wanting to waste a good opportunity, Nero ascended up the floors. Like a mouse scurrying about, Nero stealthily crept towards the tenth floor. The stairs leading up to the tenth floor stopped midway. A huge metal door with what looked like a gate occupied the area. There were no magical lanterns here but only a blue glow was coming from the door. The light did not seem to want to occupy the area and Nero could barely see as he stepped towards the door.

There on the center of the door a glowing sphere could be seen. Inscriptions and energy seem to bounce off the glowing sphere. Reading its inscriptions and feeling the energy being thrown at him, Nero's face was calm as can be. Looking closely, Nero could tell this was the magical sphere for the tenth floor. His eyes moved around and he lightly licked his lips as he inspected the magical seal. Nero understood quite well that this was a magical seal created by his father.

"Only a two-lock system?" Nero mumbled as a frown appeared on his face.

The magical seal that prevented him from entering the tenth floor was only a simple two lock system. He never came so close to look at it clearly before now. This two lock seal meant that you would need two fusions of the certain magic type to undo the lock. It was fairly simple, easy to make and really easy to break into. Gregor had probably created it when he was a little boy. There was no fear of a little boy breaking a magical seal, even a simple two lock one.

Nero had far outgrown his childhood and his young uneducated self. Just recently he was learning about ten lock magical seals and power sealing techniques. His education in science was superb, so this might be far too easy than he thought. If only a simple two lock seal was hiding what's on the tenth floor then what really was on the tenth floor? The importance and excitement that he thought from before almost vanished. Only mild curiosity peaked from his mind now.

Well since I'm here Nero thought. Slowly he rubbed his hands together while inspecting that the invisibility potion was still in effect. He glanced over at the seal again and then understood the mechanics of the seal. The insignias on the seal were written by earth magic while the energy was powered by water magic. Only by combining the powers of earth and water magic was needed to open this two lock seal. With a slight sigh, he stood up straight, facing the door he stretched out his hands.

Nero decided with a simple magic lock, he was going to use simple magic as well. In this world, the power of magic was created through words, power, and understanding. Every being born in the world had a magical power that could be cultivated. What was once known as magic, has now been identified with science. Scientists had unlocked the knowledge of using those abilities and many have always sought greater and greater heights. Like most things, some are naturally more gifted than others. Though if you didn't have enough magical power from birth, you were still able to cultivate and learn through knowledge. Magical chants were powerful, written words on scrolls were good too, but the easiest and weakest of magic were simply written in the air.

Nero with his left hand he began writing a simple water magic art in the air. His left hand started glowing a faint blue and a slight chill gathered around it. Water droplets appeared and condensed together over his left hand. A full bubble of water slowly came together. Nero moved his face over to the bubble of water and tasted it in the air. Refreshing his mouth with water as he stopped writing in the air, making a fist with his left hand. Keeping his fist clenched, inscriptions appeared over it glowing in a bright blue.

With his right hand, Nero wrote using an earth magic art. The air swirled beneath his right hand, picking up dirt and dust from the floor. He quickly finished writing and made a fist with his right hand. The dirt beneath his hand settled back down to the floor. A yellow glow with inscriptions appeared on his right hand this time. Looking at both fists clenched, a smile turned up on Nero's lips. No matter what, he always enjoyed operating with magic and breaking locks. Here both were combined as he just needed to activate spells to open up a magical seal.

Moving both arms in front of him, Nero opened his fists and the energy started dazzling around them. Quickly he opened both palms as he clapped his hands. The energy that danced around each fist was now tightly sealed between both hands. Glowing auras of the blue from his left hand and the yellow from his right swirled around together.

Raising his hands grasped in front of him, Nero saw the two magic arts merge together. Inscriptions covered both hands in a band of blue and yellow words. Finally, he opened both palms and pressed onto the magical sphere seal. The magical seal began to reverberate against the door and the invisible protective layer. With that, a noise pinged and the protective layer broke apart. The sphere seal rotated into nothing.

Light reached towards the door and the darkness disappeared. The door opened revealing stairs to the final floor. With a smirk, Nero walked up the stairs toward the top floor. While light before reached the door, this time, it felt like there was too much darkness covering the stairs. When Nero reached the step to the floor, it was a complete pitch black room.

Nero couldn't be certain that he could see what was in front of him even with light. He slowly walked and stepped around. Clumsily moving his hands back and forth in front of him. He didn't bring any fire crystals. Nor could he see the letters he wrote in the air with magic. As if the darkness was a complete defensive mechanism to all. Nero couldn't be sure there was anything here in the room at all.

He fumbled around in the dark quite pathetically. Walking around he could not feel there was anything here. Nero kept one foot down to make sure he didn't fall into a dark void of any sort. He knew he couldn't see anything and couldn't touch anything, maybe there was just nothing here at all.

Then he felt something next to his foot and he poked it. Crouching down, he touched it with his hands. As he started thinking what it was, a moan would echo throughout the floor. Instinctively he moved away and assumed a defensive stance. He turned around and tried looking for an exit.

Anxiety hit him like a wave, what exactly did he touch? Whatever he touched was alive! Suddenly an eerie red glow appeared in the ceiling of the room, and his eyes moved to see a huge red crystal begin to light up. It was a magnificent blood red and his eyes focused on it. A dragon crystal? A huge one at that he thought. He had never seen one before with his own eyes other than the crudely drawn illustrations in textbooks. Nero stood up almost mesmerized by it.

Then he saw what hid beneath the blood red dragon crystal. There was a golden book sprawled on a pedestal. It almost seemed as if it were floating in the air. The Golden book gave off a powerful and immense feeling. There was something strange about this book and it attracted Nero like a moth to a flame.

Just as he was about to approach the book another moan echoed. His body turned towards the direction and there he saw the source of the noise. Gregor was collapsed on the floor wincing in a great deal of pain. Shock jolted at Nero and he rushed to his father's side. He looked at his father and noticed blood was dripping down Gregor's nose and mouth.

"The book, the book, you must….leave…the book." Gregor's eyes rolled back and forth as he mumbled incoherently.

Nero had never seen his father in such a state. It was almost like the ramblings of a dead man. Nero touched his father on the forehead and felt him burning hot. Gregor was sick and near death. Quickly he lifted his father up and felt that this was not his father anymore but just a frail old man. His eyes wandered back to the book and he stood there staring at it.

Only when he noticed his body begin to reappear as he looked back did Nero move. The red glow lit the room showing Nero the exit from the floor. Without any more hesitation, he quickly descended the stairs. The red glow in the room grew brightly but as Nero disappeared from the room so did the glow which slowly vanishes.

Only the golden book shined throughout the darkness in the floor. Its light was bright but the darkness never disappeared around it. Now more than ever did it seem like it floated in the air. It was as if it was the only thing trapped in the deepest darkest abyss. Floating in space but never going anywhere. Slowly the faint light disappeared from the book. Now only darkness remained and filled the room.