The Fallen Light

# LEGENDARY ADVENTURE

## CHAPTER 1 — HELLO, CLARA

Percy Grant did not remember the night he fell from the sky. Everything he could remember began with Holar Jun. Holar waking him up. Holar feeding him. Holar picking him up when he fell. Holar sitting beside him when he was scared at night. Three years passed like this. To Percy, Holar Jun was not the most powerful mage in the world. He was not the First Awakened. Nor was he the founder of the Mage Academy. He was simply his grandfather.

”Grandpa!”

Percy was running after Holar with his tiny steps.

”Slow down.”

”I am slow.”

”You’re running.”

”I’m running slowly.”

Holar looked back. Percy clearly considered this a perfectly logical explanation.

”Look where you’re going.”

Percy turned forward. He tripped over a stone and fell flat on the ground. Holar stopped. Percy remained on the ground for a few seconds. Then he sat up, looking at his knees. He brushed off the dirt with his small hands and turned toward the stone with a scowl.

”Stone did it.”

”The stone didn’t move.”

”It tripped me.”

”You bumped into it.”

Percy looked at the stone. He pondered for a moment.

”Bad stone.”

Holar resumed walking. Percy ran after him, leaving the punishment of the stone for later.

Awakeners City seemed infinite in the eyes of three-year-old Percy. Towers stretching into the sky, vehicles hovering in the air, mages walking the streets, massive walls rising in the distance... Percy’s head spun right and left.

”What’s this?”

”A statue.”

”This?”

”A fountain.”

”This?”

”A man.”

Percy looked carefully at the man.

”Why is he green?”

Holar looked too. The man was indeed green.

”...I don’t know.”

Percy stared for a few more seconds. Then he nodded as if he had made a great discovery.

”Green man.”

”A brilliant deduction.”

”I’m smart.”

”Of course.”

Percy continued walking proudly.

After a while, a crowd formed ahead of them. A massive stone pillar had fallen, blocking part of the road. Several people were attempting to lift it. Percy peeked between them with curiosity.

”Very big.”

”Yes.”

”They can’t lift it.”

”Yes.”

Percy turned to Holar.

”You lift it.”

Holar raised an eyebrow.

”Why me?”

Percy pointed at the pillar.

”Because they can’t.”

Holar didn’t answer. He raised his hand slightly. Percy looked back at the pillar. The massive stone moved. The pillar slowly rose from the ground, rotated in midair, and settled back into its original place as if it had no weight at all. While the surrounding people thanked Holar, Percy was completely silent. First he looked at the pillar, then at Holar. Back to the pillar. Back to Holar. His mouth slowly opened.

”Wooooooah...”

Holar started walking. Percy was still standing in place. Then he ran to catch up with him.

”Grandpa! You did it!”

”Yes.”

”How did you do it?”

”Magic.”

Percy’s eyes widened again.

”Magic?”

”Yes.”

”Let me do it too.”

”No.”

”Why?”

”You’re three years old.”

Percy thought for a few seconds.

”Let me be four.”

”We’ll talk then.”

Percy’s face instantly lit up. Holar stopped.

”That wasn’t a promise.”

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Percy had already thrust both hands toward the pillar.

”HAAAA!”

Nothing happened. Percy scowled and tried once more.

”HAAAAAAAA!”

The pillar didn’t budge. Percy looked at his hands, then at Holar.

”Broken.”

”You’re broken.”

”I’m not.”

”Sure.”

Holar kept walking. Percy examined his hands for a few more seconds before running after him. When they entered one of the quieter streets of the city, Holar’s steps slowed. Two people were walking toward them. Percy noticed the woman first. She had long, light-colored hair. A gentle breeze seemed to swirl around her. A little girl was walking beside her. Percy’s gaze shifted to the girl. The girl looked back at him. The two children sized each other up for a few seconds. Percy scowled. The girl scowled back. They hadn’t spoken a single word yet, but the beginning didn’t look very promising.

”Eleanor.”

Holar’s voice caught Percy’s attention. The woman smiled.

”Holar.”

Percy immediately pressed closer to Holar’s leg. Eleanor noticed. Her smile grew wider. Holar looked at the little girl.

”Hello, Clara.”

Percy’s head snapped toward Holar. Clara waved weakly.

”Hello.”

Percy’s expression changed. His small hand tugged at Holar’s clothes. Holar looked down.

”What is it?”

Percy pointed at Clara.

”Why are you saying hello to her?”

Holar didn’t answer for a few seconds. Eleanor tilted her head slightly.

”Because I know Clara.”

Percy scowled.

”But you’re my grandpa.”

”I am.”

”Then don’t say hello to her.”

This time Eleanor laughed. Clara scowled.

”Why shouldn’t he?”

Percy turned to her.

”Because he’s my grandpa.”

Clara looked at Holar, then back at Percy.

”I didn’t say he was mine.”

Percy fell silent. He hadn’t expected that. Clara stuck her tongue out at him. Percy’s eyes widened. A second later, he stuck his tongue out too. Clara took a step forward. Percy took a step too. Holar looked down. Eleanor looked down as well.

”You’re mean.”

Clara’s mouth opened.

”You’re mean!”

”I didn’t say it first.”

”You said it now!”

”You stuck your tongue out.”

”You glared at me.”

”You glared too.”

”You glared first!”

”No!”

”Yes!”

”No!”

”Yes!”

Percy stepped out from in front of Holar. Clara also stepped away from Eleanor’s side. There were now only a few paces between them. Holar’s eyebrow raised slightly. Eleanor sighed.

”I think they like each other.”

”It seems so.”

”I don’t!”

”I don’t either!”

Both children shouted at the exact same time. They stared at each other for a second. Then both began walking forward. Holar caught Percy by the back of his clothes, and Eleanor grabbed Clara by her arm. Both children were left dangling in midair.

”Let go!”

”Let me go!”

Percy was swinging his legs in the air. Clara was trying to reach him as well.

”You started it!”

”You started it!”

”You stuck your tongue out!”

”You’re not sharing your grandpa!”

”I WON’T SHARE HIM!”

Holar’s eyes widened slightly. Eleanor was now laughing openly.

”Holar.”

”Hm?”

”I think it’s going to be a long day.”

Holar looked at Percy, who was flailing his arms, then at Clara, who was doing the same. He took a deep breath.

”I hope it’s only one day.”

It wasn’t.