It was an ordinary sunny day.

A bead of sweat fell to the ground as Nero continued to run around the hill. This was another exercise the old man gave him. He had to make at least fifty circles.

The old man just explained how to breathe and sent him away, prohibiting him to stop for rest. So, Nero was now gasping and running his 30th circle. At the top of the hill, some distance away, and below the green tree, Tiona and Gustav were watching after the purple-eyed boy who had so many common features with his father.

“Have you decided what to do with him, my lady?” asked the old man as he smoked his tube.

“I still don’t know. His father lost and died in battle. Besides, I abdicated from my family when I left with him. My father wouldn’t help us,” said the black-haired woman with a clear sorrow in her voice. The old man also seemed to darken when he heard the 1st part of her phrase. However, he quickly changed the tobacco into his tube and turned to look at her.

“That was many years ago. You were the only daughter Baron Claus had, and I doubt he would refuse you if you return with his grandchild,”

“That’s not an option! Gustav, you don’t know him. I escaped because I hated his approach. Back then, I was his puppet and won’t return to marry the man he finds for me. My son won’t pass through so much crap in his childhood,” said Tiona with metal in her voice as she narrowed her eyes.

“You have your points, but we both know whose son he is. Nero is growing, he has already proved his talents. He has already replaced me as the village’s herbalist, knows as much as know many mortal scholars. But you can see it yourself. His father’s blood is thicker than you wished for. Even though he learns everything I teach, he is mainly interested in physical training and his sword. I also notice how birds sometimes approach him and act as if he is their friend. It’s his destiny. It’s imminent, my lady. Your son will soon show more interest in magic and martial arts,” said the old man with a clear clue in his words.

Tiona only clenched her fists as a helpless glint appeared in her eyes.

“I know it, Gustav. It’s imminent, but, for now, when his source is not awake, he can still be a normal child and have a normal childhood. The one I never had,” said Tiona as she calmed down. “You know better than anyone how an outside world can change people, especially right now. His talents might cause more harm for him than good. That’s why at least for now, I - his mother will give him a calm and peaceful life, which he will remember with a smile.”

The old man only sighed and put away his tube. Nero was already finishing his last circles, and soon he would need to give new instructions.

“Anyway, my lady, griffon can’t be caged like a bird. His instincts and reasoning will grow. He will eventually start seeking who was his father and it won’t take long for him to learn the truth. Even now he looks strangely at the village kids who play with their fathers. He is a clever boy and can understand many things. When that time comes, please tell him he has a right to know. It would be better for him to learn from you than from other people.”

“Don’t worry, Gustav. I will tell him, but I doubt he would be happy with the truth,” said Tiona as she sighed and a helpless glint reappeared in her eyes.

...

..

.

“Control your breath,” said Gustav as he watched how a boy was swinging a training sword. Tiona had already left to hunt and Nero finished his warm-up.

Gustav released a sigh as he watched how the effects of the alchemical pills have already ended.

“You know how hard it is for me to make those small pills you use. I won’t give it to you each time you get tired. You should have used them only after training. I am already old, and mountain walks are as difficult for me as these training sessions for you.”

“But there are so many of them and I take them every evening since my 3rd birthday,” said Nero.

“So what? These pills help you strengthen your body. Getting exhausted is also part of your training. You can’t cheat by recovering your stamina with the help of those pills. Mastery over own movements and stamina is vital. Do you get it?” asked the old man in a stern voice.

“Yes, teacher,” said Nero as a glint of guild appeared in his eyes. He found his small trick out. Plus another defeat in his attempt to trick his teacher.

“If you do, add a hundred thrusts into your current training,” said Gustav with a delighted nod.

Nero only made a sound similar to growling, and continued to hit an imaginary target.

...

..

.

Several hours later. Sun already disappeared as the skies darkened. Villagers were preparing for the incoming night while Nero was lying limp in front of Gustav on the ground.

He was tired and dirty and could barely move his hands, but a smile never left his lips. He finally made it, and now his teacher would tell him things he always wished to know. Many similar days spent on training will finally give some results. Now, his teacher will tell him about the inner energy he always craved to learn.

Gustav also watched the young boy with a delighted smile. Even though Nero started making different tricks to cheat his training and check if he would notice, the old man was glad about his current progress and believed some knowledge about martial arts or magic won’t harm him but would give him a bigger pointer and motivate him.

Looking at the small boy, a certain long-forgotten feeling appeared in his heart. Nero was just so like his father and even exceeded him in his young years. Gustav, one of his teachers, was sure of it. Boy’s destiny laid in the world of martial arts and magic. It was imminent before a young warrior would leave his nest and he would provide everything he knows before that moment.

“Let’s start with inner energy,” said Gustav as he cleared his tube and approached the boy, and put his hand on his shoulder. “I can spend hours trying to explain to you what it is, but it will be faster if I make you feel it.”

At first, nothing happened, but several minutes later Nero widened his eyes.

“You feel it right?” asked the old man with a smile.

Nero felt how something was slowly entering his body and moving through it. With each new moment, he felt how the pain from recent training was slowly disappearing. Still shocked, Nero didn’t notice how Gustav raised his brows. But the old man quickly recovered from the surprise.

“In short, the thing which passed through your body was the inner energy. Nobody knows when it appeared, but we humans always had it sealed inside us. It’s our natural power,” said the old man, taking his hand from Nero’s shoulder. The boy instantly felt how pain returned as soon as Gustav took away his hand.

“Right now, your body is not ready yet, and you can’t begin your martial arts or magic path,” said the old man.

“Why?” asked Nero.

“Your energy source is still sealed. That’s why I give you more exercise with each new day and make you eat those pills. In theory, you would feel it in your 12th birthday, but thanks to training and many exercises together with those pills, it’s possible to unseal it earlier,” explained Gustav as he looked at his disciple. A certain realization struck the boy when he heard him.

“Now I see why my training becomes only harder with each day,” the boy with an understanding expression on his face.

“As your mother told you, this world is not the best place to live. It’s not safe, it’s not fair, it’s a place where strong rule the weak. It’s a place where you fight or die! Of course, if you don’t want to give your fate into the hands of others.”

Nero attentively listened to his teacher because he already knew his tone when he wanted to share something interesting or important.

“Look there,” said Gustav, turning and pointing at the village below. “What do you see?”

“A village,” said the boy, while Gustav only nodded.

“That’s a village of mortals. There are almost no knights or mages there. Those people are weak, and they are lucky they survived before I moved here. If not for my appearance, monsters, bandits, beasts would have long ago destroyed them.”

“Mages and knights differ from mortals. We are bigger than simple humans, with more abilities and possibilities. We can live five times, six times, and even ten times longer than could live the eldest mortal.”

“Take me, for example. I am 673 and look just like any old elder in this village,” said Gustav, pointing below while Nero widened his eyes in shock. Of course, he knew that his teacher was old, but not this old. Besides, he looked as if he was a per with 70-year elders of the village.

But soon Nero recovered from the shock and clenched his small fists.

“What about magic, teacher?” asked the purple-eyed boy as he looked at him.

“Well, it’s a bit early for you to learn about it. It would be clear on your 12th birthday whether you have a talent for magic. But, a small knowledge wouldn’t harm you,” said the old man as he started saying unique words.

Several moments later, an icicle appeared in front of him. Nero widened his eyes as he saw a thing called a spell for real for the 1st time in his life.

“Is this that thing that you used to freeze the meat?” Gustav only smiled at his question.

“It is.” said the old man as he nodded. “Since you already understand what is inner energy, it would be easier for me to explain what magic is,”

“Imagine that similar energy flows in the surrounding world. It’s in the air, can be inside the plants, animals, or beasts,”

“You mean that it’s everywhere around us?” asked Nero, with curious flames in his purple eyes.

“Yes,” said the old man. “It’s called ‘Mana’ and unlike inner energy, only a few people among the hundreds can use it just like inner energy and even I don’t know if you can use it. Only fate knows that.”

“I see. But when will I be able to use the inner energy?” asked the boy. Gustav only smiled and caressed his head.

“At first, unseal your source and on that day, you will become a squire. It would be your start. Then you will have to train and pass through 5 ranks when your energy reserve and body would get stronger, only when you make a breakthrough to the next realm of the knight, you will choose a technique and you will use your inner energy just like me,” explained to the old man while the boy attentively listened to him.

“Anyway, it’s still too early for that in your current state,” said the old man as he prepared his tube.

As soon as he said that, a woman with a boar on her shoulder appeared below the hill.

“That’s it for today,” said Gustav, as he smiled and caressed Nero’s hair. “Go, help your mother. Ability to live a normal life and be adaptable is also part of your training.”