Several years passed and Astra was now eight years old. He would frequently accompany Roussel to the woods because all the other kids were scared of him. Everyone in the village knew that Darcy was unable to have a child due to an accident and figured that their new child had something to do with the lightning storm. Thus, all the parents would tell their children to not get too close to Astra or they might be struck by lightning.

Astra didn’t mind though, he had lots of fun exploring the woods by himself while Roussel was cutting down trees. Darcy and Roussel had treated him like he was their real son and Astra was grateful for that.

The burly man would gather firewood from dawn until dusk because in addition to providing the village with wood, they also had to pay taxes to a nearby noble who was in charge of their land.

Every week, a group of men who looked like bandits would come to the village and demand a variety of things. The village wasn’t highly populated and had a lack of mages to boot yet the noble imposed a ridiculously high amount of taxes.

The group of men would beat up anyone who couldn’t pay their taxes. No one could fight back because the group of men would always bring a mage with them. A single mage could single handedly deal with thirty ordinary humans nevertheless a weak village like this one.

One day, the villagers couldn’t take it anymore and formed a party consisting of the strongest men. Of course, Roussel was included since he was a burly man and was decently strong due to cutting trees all day.

The rest of the villagers stayed inside their homes while the party confronted the group of men. Astra climbed to the rooftop and laid low.

Surprisingly the party managed to beat back the group of men, and only one man was standing. The mage didn’t do anything because he knew that he could wipe them all out without much effort.

Even though the villagers knew he was a mage, it was too late to turn back. Ten men ran right at him and the mage extended his arms towards them.

The mage shouted, “Come to me!”

A white aura surrounded the mage, and Astra saw slivers of blue strings gathering in front of the mage’s palm and a ball of wind was formed. The ball was released from the mage’s hands and slammed into the men.

Everyone fell backward and passed out.

The mage sneered, “This was your first rebellion, so I went easy on you guys. Next time, I’ll break your arms.”

Astra stared at the mage intensely. Darcy had told him that mages were the strongest beings and had the power to do anything they wanted. Astra had believed that all mages were good people and that magic was used to help people. This abuse of power should not exist, someone had to stop this.

The mage felt a slight killing intent and looked at a rooftop. He saw that a child was glaring at him.

The mage threatened Astra, “You keep staring at me, and I’ll gouge your eyes out.”

Astra looked at him for a few more seconds before climbing down the rooftop.

“Hmph, silly child,” The mage woke his men up and walked away.

Even though Astra was an outcast in the village, it was still the place that he lived in. He felt the desire to protect his home.

Astra immediately ran up to Darcy and asked, “Mother, please teach me magic.”

“You want to learn magic? What for?” Darcy pulled up a seat and signaled for Astra to sit.

“I want to become strong,” Astra said with determination. “I want to protect this village, and I want to protect our family.”

Darcy sighed. “Not many people can become mages just because they want to. You have to be born with a body suitable for absorbing mana.”

She looked at Astra’s disappointed face. “Astra, see if you can do this.”

Darcy held her palm out. Astra saw a single strand of blue string condensed into a ball of wind the size of a pebble.

“Astra, this ball of wind is condensed from mana. Listen carefully to me,” She said.

Darcy instructed, “Calm your mind and breathe in and out. Hold out your palm. Imagine an empty sphere laying on top of your hand. Envision the air filling up the sphere.”

Astra looked at Darcy’s palm. So that means these blue strings around me is mana. Her ball of wind was only made from one strand, if I could gather more, wouldn’t mine be bigger?

He held out his hand and breathed in and out. The air around him….gathering into a ball…within his palms…

She looked at Astra’s palm. Nothing was happening. Darcy sighed, she had hoped that Astra would have some sort of talent but it seemed like that was wishful thinking.

Astra was still breathing in and out. He felt the blue strings coming closer and closer.

Darcy consoled him, “Astra if you can’t do it, it’s okay to give up.”