Chapter 3: The New Beginnings 02
13 years later.
"Hey, Arthur..." Uncle Martin softly spoke with Arthur. His expression is a bit worried and kinda sad as it is.
"Yeah?" Arthur noticed the serious tone. He knew that something is bothering Martin for a while. The two of them are assigned to guard the outpost near the town to monitor any kind of negative schemes and potential crimes. Ever since King Yama conquered the division, the Captains of each divisions placed down more security and casted a wide scale of magic barrier to protect the capital.
It's not an easy job, monitoring the whole town for 24 hours without any break, and they they have been doing it for more than 12 years now. It really is an arduous responsibility to bear but they have no choice because the people are depending on them to save them.
A small pause occured, Martin made a long sigh...
"You know, I'm not really sure if I can still keep this up. Thanks to this job, I've raised Nile perfectly and healthy just as what I promised to Linda. But still, it's been 13 years, do you think Yama will ever show up?" Martin asked while wearing a soft smile. Arthur closed his eyes and smiled as well.
"Well, we don't hold the time. We're just asked to guard this place. If the premonition of the leader of the strongest zodiac clan might be true, then we have no choice but to follow the standard measures to keep these people alive. Especially the Queen of Aqua's child. I'm guessing that you want to retire now, but even though we want to, we can't because it is an alarming catastrophe." Arthur explained.
When Linda died, Martin hosted a mourning service and a memorial to give Linda a proper goodbye. It's sad that Nile didn't get to meet his own mother. Her death had a major impact for the whole world and the leaders were also alerted and worried that King Yama's return will bring an end to this world.
"Oh by the way, how's Nile's progress?" Arthur asked.
"Ah well, I'm really confused about him. Linda is a powerful magician and she easily controlled her elemental magic easily when she's the same age as Nile. I don't know why, but Nile's elemental magic is kinda abrupt and low." Martin answered with a slight confusion.
"Low? What do you mean?" A follow up question regarding about his powers.
"Like, I'm not really sure, but he cannot really create a basic shape and flow of water at all. His aptitude is seemingly low even though he inherited it from his mother. It takes a long time for him to be able to manipulate water." Martin said.
"What? That's impossible." Arthur was shocked for a moment. Knowing that Nile's power came from Linda, it is really unnatural for Nile to have a small aptitude for his main elemental power.
There are 4 different kinds of main Elements, each of these elements have a sub category indirectly based on thier respective zodiac clans.
Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind are the main elements. They're what they call the leading elements that supports the world. Without these elemental magic, earth won't be reaching its core equilibrium that the 12 zodiac clans wanted. Other than these 4 elements, there are 8 more kinds of sub elements that are connected in each region:
Lightning/Electricity, Wood/Flower, Energy/Force, Light/Solar, Time, Ice, Moon, and Shadow Elements, these are very important as well. Each of these elements are key factors for each zodiac clans as well.
Fire Element allows someone to perform Pyrokinesis, the ability to manipulate and create fire. Fire Element tends to be the most destructive of all elements, with very few defensive properties. Fire Magic can be affected by the weather. When it's sunny and arid, the potency of Fire is enhanced while when it's raining, humid, or underwater, Fire Magic becomes difficult/impossible to use.
Water Element allows someone to perform Hydrokinesis, the ability to manipulate water at will. Water Magic can be considered to be the most adaptable of all element. Having the ability to transform into various states, like Ice and Vapor. Water Magic can also be affected by environment, mostly depending on the humidity and weather.
Wind Element allows someone to perform Aerokinesis, the abiltiy to manipulate air and create wind at will. Unlike other element, Wind Magic is invisible, and can be considered the deadliest element. Wind Magic make up for the lack of physical defense capability with deflective and evasive moves. Wind Magic, can also be destructive depending on the someone's potential. And unlike other element, Wind Magic can directly affect weather, creating hurricanes or other wind based phenomenon.
Earth Element allows someone to perform Geokinesis, the ability to manipulate earth at will. While it's not necessarily earth, Earth magic elementals allows the user to manipulate most earthen minerals or any form of earth, such as rocks, sands, minerals like gemstones and crystals, and even Mud. Boasting raw physical power and great mass, Earth magic is strong in both defensive and offensive capability, as well as pure destructive potential at the cost of the magician's mobility, because Earth Magic is often accompanied with sturdy strong movement to be accomplished.
The other elements also have their own respective uses and skills.
"I know right? I might be crazy into jumping conclusions but I think Nile has a different aptitude other than being a Water element user." Martin's speculation made Arthur confused but somehow gave an expression that agreed with his reasoning.
"I mean, if he cannot manipulate his main elements, then maybe he's bound to use something else. Well, there's no reason for us to be judging him though, he's still young to perform magic. We may be able to see him control an element if he grows up." Arthur gave a lively statement to calm Martin.
"You're right..." Martin said.
After a while, Arthur and Martin decided to take go home, while walking back, Martin saw Nile.
"Splash! Hahaha!" a group of kids were making fun of Nile for his inability to control an element. They are charging a small amount of element and then casually throwing them at Nile.
"Urgh!" Nile were cornered, he doesn't have a choice but to endure the bullying.
"Those, bastards..." Uncle Martin frowned as he saw Nile getting hurt, he walked silently to approach the clique.
"Hey, brats..." A low tone came from Uncle Martin as he glared at them. He raised his arm forward and casted a strong intimidating spell that made them back down. The kids were very scared as they ran away from Uncle Martin. He stopped casting the spell and approached Nile.
"Ow ow ow..." Nile seems to be bearing the pain.
"Water Magic Skill: Force Heal!" A medical spell were casted upon Nile's body to heal him. The burnt marks he recieved gradually dissipated and the amount of bruises in his arms caused by them throwing rocks at him also disappeared.
"Are you okay, Nile? I'm sorry that I'm late, it's been getting busy nowadays." Uncle Martin apologized to Nile.
"H-Hey... Uncle Martin... Am I? Am I really unlucky and powerless? Every time I wanted to hang out with someone other than Stell, those people and other kids always call me powerless and weak. I'm so sick of getting hurt! I want to become stronger so I can protect myself and prove to them that I'm not someone to belittle." Nile's statement shooked Uncle Martin as he made a gasp.
He wore a smile and patted Nile in the head.
"Nile, don't listen to them... Did you know? That your mother is one of the most strongest magician in the entire world?" Uncle Martin joyfully said.
"Really?" Nile asked.
"Yeah! She slayed a lot of enemies and thugs back in the days..."
"But, where is she now? I want to meet my mother! Maybe she can tell me how to activate my power." Nile gradually became excited as he knew about his mother. Uncle Martin never really told Nile much about his own mother and how Linda died. For Nile, his Uncle Martin were his only family, he doesn't know who his father is either.
"Well, your mother is... She uhh... She's currently helping the other soldiers in the frontline! Yes that's right! Uhh, she's been capturing more enemies so she might not get back home for a long time..." regardless of its perfect veracity, Uncle Martin knows that he cannot tell that Linda is already gone. He thought that lying to him will give Nile a better encouragement to stay strong knowing that he has mother who's currently saving the world even if it is not true.
"Well, that's unfortunate... Anyway! What should we eat for today, Uncle Martin?" Nile were once again brought back to his own joyful and calm expression. They walked together until they reach their home that is located not so far away from the vast field near the capital. Their own house is not that really fancy looking, Martin's profit from being a royal guard were saved inside his own secret vault. He doesn't have a plan on spending too much money, he is saving it so he and Nile can survive.
"Whew! That was long day, let's see here... Uh... Whoops! I forgot something!" As Uncle Martin were prepping, he noticed that he didn't brought Ice with to preserve their ingredients.
"Hmm? What is it?" Nile contentedly asked.
"I need Ice! I forgot to bring one! Without it, we won't be able to preserve the extra ingredients for te next few days." Uncle Martin said.
"Oh you need Ice? I think I can get it for you!" Nile suggested.
"What do you mean? Where will you get it?" Uncle Martin asked.
"There's a nearby cave here, just beneath the river, me and Stell always scavenge some minerals and rare treasures there. Oh there's also an Ice there, when we venture the cave, some of its area are cold and shiny. Maybe I can go there again to gather some..." Nile explained.
"Sure... But uh, are you sure that cave is not harmful and dangerous at all?"
"Yep! I'm sure of it. Well alright then, I'll be right back as soon as possible Uncle Martin!" As Nile get out of the table he picked up the bag he used for scavenging some stuff.
"Be careful out there, Nile!" Uncle Martin waved.
Nile left the house and rushed joyfully outside. The cave is not that far away from their home, it's easy for Nile to navigate the field since he had already memorized the area because of his expedition with Stell.
After walking for a while, Nile reached the peak near the river, it is definitely a deep cavern. He moved the boulder and pushed it on the side to gain access, since the ground is a bit shallow in the entrance, he didn't walked in on the bridge but instead, he took a different path. As he goes down the path, the entrance for the cave were in view.
He stopped and then grabbed the branch to climb. The steepness of the track made it difficult but Nile is pretty much already used in these kinds of stuff. Even though he is lacking power, his body is not that weak or frail. He gained a little muscle just by climbing the rocks everyday and carrying a lot of minerals and metals.
As soon as he reached the ground, he entered the cavern.
"Let's see, this is where we found the ice room, I guess I should create a torch first to see." Nile grabbed a bunch of sticks and branches laying in the ground and started creating a fire with the use of the stones. He crumpled the sticks and made his own torch and decided to enter the cavern.
"Hmm... Weird, I'm pretty sure we found an ice area here the last time we came in..." He whispered softly. The structure of the cave is pretty narrow at the entrance, after he crossed that area, Nile managed to get in. A sound of water droplet can be heard, it is a silent cave. There are weird marks on the wall but Nile didn't seem to pay attention to it.
As soon as he ventured the front, a crying sound can be heard.
"Huh? What is that?" Nile gasped with a confused expression. He continued to walk to follow the crying sound and as soon as he entered the 2nd entrance, he saw a girl at about the same age as him.
"Ah! A girl!" Nile became agitated, he dropped the bag and rushed in to approach the girl.
"Hey! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Nile asked with a nervous tone.
"H-Help me! I'm stuck here... I don't know which way to go." The girl stopped sobbing as she saw Nile.
"It's okay! I'm here now..." Nile extended a hand and helped her stood up. He gazed around for a while and found out that there's so many entrances and exits that leads to something he hadn't came across.
"Okay, listen, I know this place, if you follow me, I can get you out of here, okay?" Nile's expression and tone managed to calm the girl.
"Okay..." She responded. Nile took a piece of cloth to wipe her tears and to scrub her face, it looks like she ventured here with someone and parted ways.
"Alright! Let's go!" Both of them walked back. But as soon as Nile reached the 2nd exit from where came from, a growling monster appeared in their sight. They were agitated and Nile was feeling scared, he knows that he cannot use magic powers to save himself and the girl.
The monster dived in and it blocked off the entrance, it was a 2nd level species of Drake, a dragon-like duck that suppose to inhabit caves. Both of them didn't expected something like this to came in.
"Get ready to run! 1... 2... 3... Go!" Nile yelled and they both ran through the vast area with many exits and entrances.
The drake smeared something from its mouth, as soon as they reached the peak, it gave a super loud roar that trembled the whole cave.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone