The magical journey of a countryside boy

​After another hour, every single student completes the awakening ceremony. Not a single person among them manages to manifest a rare element, and unfortunately for Tye, he remains the only student in the cohort who awakens with a single affinity.

​Shortly after the last student returns to the main hall, Evelyn enters the chamber and gathers the group. She instructs them to follow her through the central halls toward the temporary student residence.

​Once they arrive at the dormitory entrance, she turns back to address them, her face stern and serious.

​“Even though the Soul Soothing Potion gets rid of the immediate pain, none of you should attempt any exercises today,” Evelyn warns, her voice cutting through the quiet hallway. “Go directly to your rooms and sleep. You probably haven’t realized it yet, but it is your soul that is exhausted rather than your physical body. It will require rest for your spirit to return to normal.”

​With those parting words, Evelyn turns and vanishes down the corridor, leaving the students to disperse into their respective rooms.

​All the students enter their rooms in order. Even though William physically feels fine, he has no intention of taking unnecessary risks with things he doesn’t fully understand. Pausing at his doorway, he takes a final glance back at the warm afternoon sun streaming through the hallway windows before stepping inside.

​He removes his robe and collapses onto his bed. As he lies staring at the ceiling, replaying the strange sensory lingering of heavy rain and wet earth in his mind, a sudden tiredness settles over his bones. His eyelids grow heavy.

​She was right, William realizes, the darkness gently closing in over his vision. We really didn’t notice how drained we were.

​Within moments, he drifts off into a deep, dreamless sleep—joining the rest of his exhausted peers as the temporary residence falls completely silent for the rest of the day.

​An insistent knocking at the door forces William out of his heavy sleep. Groggily rubbing his eyes, he pulls himself off the bed and swings the door open, only to find an overwhelmingly excited Caleb standing in the doorway.

​“William, you’re finally awake! Look, the sun is already up!” Caleb blurts out, pointing toward the corridor windows.

​William squints against the light, taking in the gentle, golden glow streaming into the hallway. “Yeah... what about it?”

​“You don’t get it!” Caleb replies hurriedly, bouncing slightly on his feet. “We went to sleep yesterday afternoon, and it’s morning now!”

​Every trace of lingering sleepiness vanishes instantly from William’s mind as the reality hits him.

​“You mean we slept straight through the entire day and night?” William asks, his eyes wide.

​Caleb nods eagerly. “Right? I couldn’t believe it either, but it’s true!”

​“What about the others?” William asks, looking down the quiet corridor.

​“Some of them are still fast asleep,” Caleb replies, stepping back from the doorway. “However, you should hurry up and get ready for classes. Maybe today we’ll learn something more about our affinities.”

​A short while later, the entire cohort gathers in the classroom. Unsurprisingly, the strange realization of having slept through an entire day remains the central, hot topic of discussion among the students.

​“How come we don’t feel hungry at all, even after sleeping for so long?” one student muses aloud, rubbing his stomach in confusion.

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​“Maybe it’s because of that potion we drank after the ceremony,” another student replies, looking thoughtful.

​“Hey... what if the awakening ceremony wasn’t actually yesterday?” Caleb speaks up, crossing his arms.

​“What do you mean?” Arya asks, her voice sharp with annoyance.

​“I mean... what if we didn’t just sleep for one day, but more than one?” Caleb mutters.

​Edward frowns, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. “Surely... that’s not... the case, right, William?” he asks, turning toward William with an uncertain look.

​Before William can formulate an answer, the heavy classroom door swings open. Mark walks inside, a familiar, amusing smile playing on his lips as he takes in the nervous energy filling the room.

​“It looks like all of you had a good night’s sleep, right?” Mark speaks with a knowing look, stepping up to the lectern. He pauses, letting the quiet settle before continuing, “I know every single one of you has questions about your affinities and how magic actually functions, so today’s lecture is going to address exactly that.”

​Mark scans the room, taking in the cohort’s eager, wide-eyed expressions. “So, first: what is an affinity? In short, affinity represents the element you are most attuned to. Using an element you have an affinity for comes as naturally as moving your own limbs.”

​Edward raises his hand, leaning forward. “So... can a mage use an element they don’t have an affinity for?”

​“Theoretically, yes,” Mark replies. “But practically, almost no one does, because it is wasteful and utterly useless in real application.”

​Mark extends his right palm. Instantly, a bright burst of fire erupts from his skin. “I have a dual affinity for Fire and Wind, and I can shape both with nothing more than a stray thought.”

​With a quick flick of his wrist, the flames surge upward, stretching toward the vaulted stone ceiling. A wave of dry heat washes over the students sitting in the front row, forcing Caleb to lean back. Just as quickly, the fire snuffs out.

​“However, that is not the case for magic outside your innate nature,” Mark says, extending his left hand.

​He pauses, staring intently at the empty air above his palm. Seconds tick by in complete silence as Mark concentrates heavily. Slowly, a faint, glowing geometric pattern begins tracing itself directly into the air. Only after several tense moments does an unstable blob of water materialize above his fingers.

​“As you can see, constructing that simple ball of water took time, strict focus, and a precise spell formula,” Mark explains, holding the sloshing sphere steady. “Someone with a Water affinity can manifest the exact same spell as easily as breathing—in a fraction of the time and at a tiny fraction of the mana cost. Without an affinity, magic cannot be directed by your mere thought or will. It requires a hardcoded spell formula drawn into the air, and even a slight variation in the desired spell effect demands an entirely new formula.”

​Mark closes his left hand, letting the floating water dissipate into harmless vapor.

​“So, attempting to use magic without an affinity requires far more time, grueling concentration, excessive mana, and a distinct spell formula which you would have to remember for every single outcome you want to produce.”

William raises his hand. “If using magic you have no affinity for has no practical use, then why do spell formulas even exist?”

​Mark smiles, looking genuinely pleased by the question. “A clever question. First, it’s not that magic outside your affinity is completely useless. For example, the basic water formula I just used conjures a small amount of drinkable water directly from the surrounding air—which is exceptionally useful for an apprentice if you ever find yourself stranded without a water source.”

​Mark steps away from the lectern and paces slowly in front of the chalkboard.

​“Now, as for why spell formulas exist in the first place: they serve as the foundational blueprints for arrays and magical artifacts,” Mark explains. “Take the awakening ceremony you experienced yesterday—the Soul Shock Ceremony. Performing that ritual naturally would require a mage with a legendary Soul affinity, an affinity so rare that I doubt a single living person possesses it today. Because of that, the spell formula for the Soul Shock is permanently carved into the floor of the array chamber to replicate the effect.”

​Mark reaches into his satchel and pulls out a sleek, metallic flask, holding it up for the class to see.

​“This is another example—a Tier 1 artifact,” Mark says, tapping the side of the container. “It is etched with the exact same water-conjuring spell formula I demonstrated earlier. Because the formula is built directly into the item, I don’t need to waste time or concentration reciting the spell in my head. It draws far less mana, activates almost instantly, and allows anyone to produce clean water. That is the true purpose of spell formulas.”