Ciar shook himself as he got out of bed, trying to wake himself up. Looking to the full body mirror in the corner of the room, he inspected the boy that stared back at him. Straight, dark gray hair that fell down to just above his shoulders. Gray, lifeless eyes peaked at him from underneath the strands of hair. Two gray horns, each about a centimeter long, extended from just above his ears. They were perfectly smooth, their cool gray surface reflecting his surroundings. Prominent cheekbones, thin lips, and a angular nose adorned his face. The skin on his face was flawless, save for a jagged scar traveling from the corner of his right eye to the lobe of his right ear. A small body with slightly defined muscles, a product of his training, was below the head.

Smiling at himself, revealing perfectly white teeth, Ciar at last moved to get dressed. Then he quietly exited his room, heading out to the small courtyard behind his family's house. A wall surrounded the small estate, blocking off the view of other citizens in Communia. A single tree inhabited the courtyard, its buds just beginning to open. Moving to beside the tree, Ciar put his body through a series of stretches, preparing himself for the workout that was to come. He stretched down, keeping his legs straight as he pressed his palms against the ground. He had begun training his body four years ago, and he was quite proud of his progress.

Finished with his stretches, he moved onto a series of strength exercises. Grasping a low hanging branch of the tree, Ciar raised his body till his chin was above the branch. Slowly, Ciar let his body lower to its previous position, before pulling himself back up again. A series of push-ups, lunges, and core exercises followed. 30 minutes later, finished with the first portion of his training, Ciar made his way to a small fountain positioned just to the right of the door to the house. Drinking deeply, Ciar rested his body before once again returning to the tree. Circling around it, Ciar grabbed a small, wooden sword from a alcove behind the tree. Returning to his original position, Ciar pictured his father in his mind, imagining him as he swung his sword. Mimicking the movements, Ciar unleashed a left-handed cut at the tree. The crack of wood on wood soon resounding throughout the courtyard, accompanied by grunts of exertion from Ciar.

Ciar knew the importance of physical training, so he had asked his father to train him with the sword. He had started at age 6, as his mother had refused his request before then. Ever since, he had been training himself every morning in the back courtyard. He knew he could rely on his Void Power to defeat a lot of enemies, but he did not want to be a simple mage. Battle mages, while much less specialized, were highly valued in the Fellnor Kingdom. It took a lot of effort and dedication to train one' s body and mind simultaneously, so battle mages were a rare sight. Finished with his training, Ciar glanced over the wall at the rising sun, reflecting on the past years.

It had been 7 years since they had arrived in Osarith, and he had just turned 8 years old. Ciar had spent the last 7 years absorbing all the information he could. He had requested books from his parents at the age of 3, wanting to learn more of the world he was now in. To his surprise, his parents had readily accepted his proposal, as if they expected him to ask. At 4, Ciar's father had managed to get a promotion at his job. He had worked as a guard at a blacksmith shop for the past 3 years, and after the head guard retired, his position had risen. With the new salary, the Sycer family had moved into a two story house deeper in the Communia district. The house was made of cut stone, and had a wall around the premises, hiding a courtyard in the back. Ciar had begun basic physical training at the point. He would get up everyday before dawn, head to the courtyard, and train his body to get stronger. During the day, he would practice basic control of his Void Power, and read any book he could get his hands on. Books were an issue, as libraries were rare in the Communia district. His father's salary did not allow them to spend needlessly, so he cherished any book he could read.

When he had turned 5, he had requested sword training from his father, who had readily accepted, delighted in his son's interest. His mother, however, had vetoed the idea, claiming that he was to young to train with deadly weapons. After enough pestering, she had finally conceded to allow training after he turned 6. The following year, Mariam finally got a job of her own helping an alchemist that had a small shop in the commercial sub-section of the district. As she had prior experience, it was quite easy to get the job. Knowing his maturity level, his parents had agreed to let him stay home alone as long as he did not leave house or courtyard. Ciar had agreed, and ended up using the time to meditate and grow his Void Power, the silence around the house extremely beneficial.

As he had matured, his horns had continued to grow. He had learned from seeing other children in the streets that his horns were abnormally large for his age. When he asked his mother, she had told him that Fellites usually only gained enough mana for 1 centimeter horns at age 15. Ciar was, of course, happy with this knowledge. A Fellite's horns signified his mana control and capacity. If his was larger, he was well above his age group. Ciar had trained vigorously because he knew that at age 8 he could enroll in an academy. If he were to enter an academy at age 8, Ciar would have to be extremely powerful for his age. While the age requirement was 8, most children did not enter until age 11, as the requirements were simply to high. As he might be subject to bullying due to his age and appearance, Ciar had decided becoming stronger was a must. It fit his overall goal as well, since he could not explore the world as he wished if he was weak.

His 8th birthday had finally arrived two weeks ago, and Ciar had wanted to immediately apply for the most prestigious school in the Scholae district, Lunaris. Lunaris was one of the few schools that taught both magic, physical combat, and engineering. Most schools focused on only one of these subjects, but Lunaris was different. It was said that the director of the school was over level 500, and that he was over 200 years old. Of course, these were just rumors, but just the mystique surrounding the director was enough to attract people. The academy, while having the largest grounds, was also the smallest. They accepted only a total of 100 students a year. These students would attend the traditional four years, and from that point on could continue to attend as long as they wished, granted they paid the additional fee. Lunaris won almost every inter-school competition the city hosted. Its students were the most brilliant in every subject, and oftentimes, went on to have successful careers in their respective fields. Lunaris also made a point of not discriminating due to sex or social class. While the majority of students were still nobles, it was not uncommon for a student from the Communia to appear. Ciar, of course, wished to attend this academy as soon as possible. He was sure that not only would he get the training necessary, but the school would also have a large library for him to read in.

Ciar's parents, however, had cautioned him to have high hopes, despite his void-touched status. The school probably got thousands of false applications every year claiming that they were void-touched. Applications to the school took several weeks to process, and in the end, more than 99% of them were denied. Ciar was not to worried however. The body scan they were required to turn in with the application had shown his horns. He knew he had an amazing amount of potential for his age, even without being "void-touched." He doubted the school would pass up on the chance, despite his young age.

A sound from the doorway woke him from his daydream. He turned to see his mother smiling at him, already dressed in her work clothes.

"Come inside now Ciar, breakfast is ready." She said, her voice gentle.

Ciar smiled back and hurried inside. He made his way to the dining room and sat the table. Fried Keest, a domestic animal bred for its meat, along with cheese were on the table. This was a typical breakfast for the family. Keest and cheese were cheap, but quality foods, so they did not have to waste much money on food. Ciar just had time to say goodbye to his father has he left. Isaac rarely had time to eat breakfast with the family, as he was required to be at the smithy by 7:00 A.M.. His mother sat opposite him, and they began to eat.

Over the past several years, Ciar had drawn closer and closer to his mother. He had spent a lot of time with her as a child, and due to his father's job, she was the main parental figure in his life. Despite his knowledge about his true origin, he had even begun to see her as more of a parent than the Progenitor. He smiled at her as they chatted, the conversation ranging from market prices yesterday to his training. Shortly after his father had left, a knock on the door brought both his and his mother's heads around. Wiping her hands, Mariam quickly moved to answer, one hand grasping a dagger that was hidden in her dress.

When the door opened, she was greeting by a tall, formally dressed man with a cane. He slightly to Mariam, his voice deep and commanding.

"Mrs. Mariam Sycer, the Academy of Lunaris has appraised Ciar Sycer's application and would like to meet with him for continued assessment. Please note, this is not normal protocol, but due to Ciar's special circumstances, Lunaris would like to assess him further."

Mariam's eyes widened in shock. The look was quickly replaced by a flurry of emotions, ranging from excitement and joy to sadness and worry. She looked the man up and down carefully before responding, her voice guarded.

"How do I know you won't hurt my son, due to his, as you put it, special circumstances. Furthermore, how do I even know that you are from Lunaris? Officials visiting homes is unheard of!"

The man smiled at her, before reaching into his overcoat and removing a letter.

"This is a letter penned by the director himself. I assume the seal inside will be more than enough to convince you. The director wishes to meet personally with Ciar, and has promised that no harm will come to him, no matter the result."

Ciar could see the uncertainty in Mariam, so he decided to take action. Standing up, he moved behind her, rubbing her shoulders gently.

"I want to go mother. It will be fine, Lunaris has a reputation to uphold. Besides, the seal inside that envelope is impossible to replicate without the director's unique mana. He is telling the truth. I can't miss this chance, mom. Its Lunaris!" He pleaded with her.

The man smiled in surprise at Ciar, before clearing his throat and speaking.

"Your knowledge of seals is quite impressive, Ciar. Tell me, how did you know the seal could not be replicated?"

"The seal is a Penta-triangle Lunar Seal. This seal was created solely for the director of Lunaris, and it cannot be replicated without his mana. Nobody knows why, but all attempts have ended with the caster dying. I learned it from reading a book about your academy several years ago."

The man quirked an eyebrow when Ciar said 'several years ago,' but quickly regained his composure. He smiled at Ciar, before turning back to Mariam.

"I know this is sudden, but the director would like to meet with the boy today. He leaves for the Director's Conference tomorrow, so your decision must be made immediately."

Mariam frowned, glancing at her son before nodding her head.

"Fine, fine. But I insist that I accompany him." She said.

"Of course that is acceptable, Mrs. Sycer. I would like to leave in half an hour, if that is alright."

"Alright, that should give me just enough time to gather my things and send a message to Ralia." Mariam said, her demeanor all business. "Ciar, go get washed up and into your formal attire, you're still sweaty from your training. Hurry up now."

Ciar turned and dashed up stairs. Running water was something that had been developed in Osarith several decades before, though it was only just making its way into the outer Communia district. Turning the handle, Ciar undressed as he waited for the tub to fill. Cleaning himself as quickly as possible, Ciar got dressed in his formal attire - a plain, dark gray overcoat, dark gray pants, and dark grey shoes. He brushed his hair back behind his horns and went back downstairs.

The carriage ride to Lunaris took several hours. Osarith was a big city, and the streets were often crowded, making passage slow. The wall between the the Communia district and the Scholae district was passed through without incident. Ciar noticed that while most carriages had to pay a fee, the Lunaris carriage passed straight through.

'The power of prestige and money, I guess.'

Some time after entering the Scholae district, the Academy of Lunaris finally came into view. All the was currently visible from the carriage was silver plated wall with a large, ornate gate as the only visible entrance. Suddenly, shutters fell down on the carriage windows, blocking Ciar's view. Ciar tensed and looked at the guide. The man seated across from him and his mother spoke, as if reciting a speech from memory.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience, but only students and faculty of Lunaris are allowed to see what is inside the wall. If Ciar is accepted into the academy, he will be able to explore the interior without limit. This is to ensure that potential threats do not know the layout of our buildings. I hope you can understand."

Ciar nodded, leaned back, and closed his eyes. If he could not see the interior of the academy until he was accepted, he would simply have to pass the examination. The carriage finally slowed to a halt, and Ciar's eyes snapped back open. He couldn't help but be more excited than nervous. He was about to meet the person who was considered the strongest in Osarith. To top it off, the man was the director of Lunaris. Ciar could just picture him, an old man with a long, white beard and hair to match.

After exiting the carriage, Ciar found himself inside a small room. The door through which the carriage had entered was already closed, blocking his last chance of seeing the academy grounds early. The guide, who had still not given his name, escorted Ciar and Mariam through a series of confusing hallways and stairwells. After several minutes of walking, they finally came to a stop before a set of modest oak doors.

"The director is waiting for you inside. I hope for your success, Ciar." The man said, before spinning on his heel and leaving.

Ciar looked briefly at his mother before steeling himself and pushing open the door. Inside was a an office that had no floor. Scrolls, piles of books, writing utensils, and other random objects were scattered about the room haphazardly. The only clear spot was a small section of the room that housed an oak desk and three chairs. Behind the desk sat a clean shaven young man with messy red hair. Two horns, each a fiery red, extended 15 centimeters above his head. His feet were propped on the desk and he was reading a scroll that trailed all the way down to the floor. He glanced up upon hearing the door open, and when he Ciar and his mother, he smiled widely.

"Welcome! If you'd please excuse the mess. I feel as if I'm just about to make a great discovery on the applications of magic when applied to raising mice! Its fascinating really, you see, with just the right amount of magic interference, a mouse's growth rate is accelerated by..." He launched into an explanation of the influence of magic on mice, completely losing Ciar and his mother.

'So that is why the guide left so quickly, he didn't want to get caught up in this mess. How can this young man be over level 500? Surely he's not the strongest in Osarith. If he is, I fear for the city!'

Suddenly, the man stopped talking about mice and sat up straight, his expression immediately becoming serious.

"Ah, excuse my earlier rant, I let my excitement get the best of me. Now you must be Ciar, the "void-touched." Now, due to your appearance, I am inclined to believe it. However, I must be certain. It would be amazing to truly have a "void-touched" attend Lunaris, but I will need to administer a status and affinity check first to make sure. I assume you are alright with this?"

Ciar nodded, glad he had already made use of his Conceal Status skill to change his status to fit his current race and abilities. The man nodded happily, and muttered something under his breath. Suddenly, Ciar felt a slight discomfort. Then, as quickly as it started, it was gone. The director whistled as he read the status that appeared in front of him.

Status Name: Ciar Sycer Race: Fellite (void-touched) Age: 8 years 15 days Sex: male Fame: 0 Currency: 0G,0S,0C Class: none Subclass: none Subclass: none Subclass: none Level: 1 (0/20) Skill Points: 0 Titles none Attributes Health: 80/80 Void Power: 200/200 Health Regen: 1.0/min Void Power Regen: 2.0/min Strength: 5 Constitution: 5 Dexterity: 5 Perception: 5 Intelligence: 30 Wisdom: 25 Willpower: 25 Spirit: NA (sub)Physical Resistance: 5 (sub)Magic Resistance: 25 Skills Void Power (MAX) Void Control (MAX) Void Mind (MAX) none Spells none

"It really is true! You really are a void-touched. Fascinating! Absolutely fascinating! To think mana really is replaced by Void Power, and these other skills, Void Control and Void Mind, I can't begin to fathom what they do! Such high wisdom, intelligence, willpower, and magic resistance attributes. Furthermore, your physical stats aren't bad for your age and level! Absolutely Incredible!" He rambled, now appraising Ciar in a new light.

"Now, while the status is certainly interesting, I am very excited to see your affinities. I have heard a lot of conflicting reports about "void-touched" during my lifetime, but now I finally get to see what is true! Quickly, come over here, I need to touch you for this one."

Ciar complied, making his way through the pile of books and research materials. His mother stayed at the door, still trying to wrap her mind around the appearance and personality of the director. As he approached, the director suddenly disappeared, Ciar stopped, then nearly jumped backwards when the man appeared right in front of him. He reached out his hand and laid it on Ciar's forehead.

"Stay still, Ciar. You will feel a slight discomfort, but you should not feel to much pain." He stated before he once again mumbled under his breath. A slight tugging sensation appeared at the root of Ciar's horns. Just like the previous feeling, it was gone almost as soon as it appeared. A box appeared in front of Ciar, one he had never seen before.

Affinity Fire: none Earth: none Water: none Wind: none Dark: none Light: none Blood: none Conjuration: none Enchanting: 80% Alchemy: 80% Psionic: 100% Reality: 100% Time: 100% Space: 100% Gravity: 100% Void: infinite

Ciar stared at it, not really understanding it. He had seen his affinities before in the void, but he had never understood what they meant. Making things even more confusing was the addition of nearly 8 types of magic. He had never seen things such as Psionic, Alchemy, and Enchanting magic. While he understood what they probably meant, he was still unsure. The director's reaction was much different. He stumbled backwards, a look of disbelief on his face.

"By Helena! I have never seen affinities such as these. 100% in any element is considered incredibly rare, but you have 100% in 5 elements, and 80% two others! What's even more amazing is your talents lie exclusively in the most complicated and powerful forms of magic. And you void affinity is infinite? I don't even know what that means! I would assume it means void magic will come to you without practice at all. That's completely unfair!" He shouted, suddenly animated, fire flickering around his horns.

Ciar stepped back, avoiding the blistering heat emanating from the director.

"Uhhhh, does that mean I could be really powerful?" Ciar asked.

"YES, boy! Your potential is limitless! 100% affinity means you learn spells and concepts multiple times faster than the average mage. What would take a normal mage years, will take you days, if not less! You are basically an expert in every form of advanced magic known to this world! Granted, you cannot use any basic kinds of magic in the slightest, which is a bit of a disadvantage. But, compared to the advantages, it's negligible!"

Ciar blanked. He had figured he would be powerful in this world, but he had always assumed he would just be above average. After all, this was supposed to be his punishment! It seemed that the Progenitor had let him retain a bigger part of his 'power' than he assumed.

"Does this mean I passed your test? Do I get to join Lunaris?" Ciar inquired, the thought suddenly crossing his mind.

The fire around the director's horns disappeared, and his excited face instantly calmed again. He took a step towards Ciar and stuck out his hand.

"Of course Ciar. It would be my honor to have a void-touched in my school. My name is Hendricks. I believe you have already met our Psionic Grandmaster, Felix. He will show you around the premises after you get settled."

Ciar shook the mans hand, then turned excitedly to his mother, hurrying back through the papers to hug her. Tears of joy crawled down his cheeks, dripping on a piece of parchment on the floor. His mother hugged him back, a broad smile on her face.

"You did it Ciar! You made it into Lunaris! I am so proud of you son. Mom and Dad will miss you at home, but you can't worry about us. Focus on your future, become a brilliant person. Change the world for me, alright?"

"I will, mom. I love you." Ciar said, before finally releasing his mother. He turned back to the director, who was waiting patiently for the show to end.

"When do I move in?" He asked.

"I would like it if you could do so immediately. Your father will be informed of your acceptance and you will be able to visit him on holiday, which is in ten months."

Ciar nodded slowly. He had wanted to spend a bit of time with his family before leaving, but it seemed he would not get the chance. He understood the director's decision. Lunaris was a top school. Just because he wanted some personal time did not mean that Lunaris would give it to him.

"If that is all, I believe I would like to go get settled." Ciar said. Upon seeing the director nod, he turned to leave. Just as he put his hand on the knob, the director spoke.

"A few more things Ciar. First, your identity as a void-touched will be a secret held only be you, your family, and the advanced faculty at Lunaris. I have my reasons for this, and your safety is one of them. Second, you are the youngest student the academy has ever accepted. While he do not discriminate age, sex, and social status when selecting students, the same cannot be said for the students here. You may be subject to bullying do to your age, class, and appearance. I would advise you to not retaliate, as it will only lead to consequences for both parties. Report the bullying to faculty or solve it in some other manner. I have already sent a telepathic message for Felix, and he should arrive presently to escort you to your lodging. I expect hard work and good results out of you, Ciar. Please, enjoy your stay at Lunaris."

Ciar simply nodded, and exited with his mother. The moment the door closed behind them, Hendricks's horns lit up and his eyes began to glow. A smile spread across his face for a moment before it returned to its impassive expression. He motioned to the shadows in the back of the room. A man walked out of them, his body completely shrouded in shadow.

"Track the boy. Keep tabs on his family and make sure nothing happens. Word cannot get out about him, or he'll have more than just bullying on his hands. Treat his mission as a code red."

The shadow grunted in response before disappearing from sight.