Morning came with the sound of wagon wheels and a crow arguing with the sky.
Lucius woke before the sun fully cleared the horizon.
For a moment he didn’t move.
His eyes stayed fixed on his right hand.
The same hand that had held the spark the night before.
He slowly sat up on the cold ground beside the dying campfire and stared at his palm again.
Nothing happened.
He turned the hand over.
Still nothing.
Behind him, Aelius was already awake.
Lucius hadn’t heard him move.
He was sitting cross-legged a few steps away, eyes half closed, the wooden staff resting across his knees.
Lucius took a slow breath and tried the same thing he had done the night before.
Breathe in.
Hold.
Release.
Nothing.
He frowned and tried again.
Still nothing.
After the third attempt he muttered under his breath.
“That’s irritating.”
Aelius opened one eye.
“You’re rushing.”
Lucius looked up.
“I’m breathing.”
“Not the right way.”
Lucius scowled slightly.
“That’s helpful.”
Aelius stood and walked over.
He tapped Lucius lightly between the shoulder blades.
“You’re forcing it.”
Lucius looked confused.
“You told me to focus.”
“Focus doesn’t mean squeeze.”
Lucius exhaled through his nose.
“Alright, then what does it mean?”
Aelius crouched beside him.
“Try again.”
Lucius rolled his shoulders once and took another breath.
In.
Hold.
This time Aelius placed two fingers lightly against Lucius’s back.
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“Let it settle before you push it forward.”
Lucius frowned.
“I’m not pushing anything.”
“You are. You just don’t notice it.”
Lucius tried again.
This time he slowed down.
The breath came in smoother.
For a moment nothing happened.
Then the heat returned.
A faint warmth gathered in his chest before sliding down his arm.
Lucius’s eyes widened.
“I feel it.”
“Don’t chase it,” Aelius said calmly.
Lucius held his breath for a moment longer.
A tiny spark flickered in his palm.
Small.
Barely more than a glowing ember.
But it stayed.
Lucius stared at it.
“That’s it again!”
The spark flickered and vanished.
Lucius looked up immediately.
“That was real.”
“Yes.”
Lucius looked back at his hand.
“So I can actually do magic.”
“You have an affinity,” Aelius said.
Lucius tilted his head.
“What’s that mean?”
“It means your body naturally aligns with a type of mana.”
Lucius thought about that.
“And mine is fire.”
“Yes.”
Lucius stared at his hand again, half expecting another flame to appear just because he wanted it to.
Nothing happened.
“So how do I make it stronger?”
“Practice.”
Lucius sighed.
“That sounds like something you’d say.”
“It’s still correct.”
Behind them Doran was already hitching the mules back to the wagon.
He glanced over his shoulder.
“You two done whispering about secrets yet?”
Aelius stood.
“Almost.”
Doran snorted.
“Good. Road’s long and I’d rather not meet another one of those beasts before breakfast.”
They broke camp quickly.
Lucius walked beside the wagon again, though this time his eyes kept drifting back to his own hands.
After a while he tried the breathing again while walking.
In.
Hold.
Release.
Nothing.
He kept walking.
Aelius noticed the tension in his shoulders.
“Relax.”
“I am relaxed.”
“You’re gripping your own fingers like you’re trying to strangle them.”
Lucius loosened his hand.
“Better?”
“Better.”
They walked another half mile.
Lucius tried again.
This time the heat returned faster.
The spark appeared again, small but steady, dancing above the center of his palm for two full seconds before fading.
Lucius let out a quiet laugh.
“I did it again.”
Doran twisted around on the wagon bench.
“What did you do?”
Lucius lifted his hand.
A small flame appeared.
Not impressive.
But definitely fire.
Doran stared for a moment.
“Well Damn.”
The flame vanished.
Lucius rubbed the back of his neck.
“I’m still figuring it out.”
Doran looked at Aelius.
“You teaching him that?”
“Yes.”
Doran grunted.
“Fire mages earn good coin on the frontier.”
Lucius perked up slightly.
“Really?”
“Oh yes,” Doran said. “Anything that scares beasts away before they chew my wagon apart is worth paying.”
Aelius glanced at Lucius.
“Don’t rush it.”
Lucius nodded, though the excitement still showed in his eyes.
They continued down the road.
The sun climbed higher.
Lucius practiced while they walked.
Sometimes nothing happened.
Sometimes a tiny spark appeared and disappeared again.
Each time he adjusted his breathing the way Aelius had shown him.
By midday the flame came easier.
Not stronger.
But steadier.
They stopped briefly near a shallow stream so the mules could drink.
Lucius crouched beside the water and tried again.
The flame appeared cleanly in his palm.
He held it there.
Three seconds.
Four.
Then it faded.
Lucius grinned.
“I think I’m getting it.”
Aelius watched quietly.
For a moment the flame had shifted.
Just for a fraction of a second.
The color had deepened slightly before returning to normal orange.
Lucius didn’t notice.
Aelius did.
Interesting.
He said nothing.
Lucius wiped his hands on his pants and stood.
“So how long before I can throw fireballs?”
Aelius started walking again.
“Years.”
Lucius groaned.
“That long?”
“Yes.”
Lucius followed him.
“Seems unfair.”
Aelius shrugged.
“Fire grows fast.”
Lucius brightened slightly.
“See, that sounds better.”
Aelius glanced at him.
“And burns faster.”
Lucius thought about that and nodded slowly.
“Alright. That part sounds less good.”
They reached the frontier town again in the late afternoon.
Doran paid them outside the trading yard.
He handed Aelius a small pouch of coins.
“Wagon arrived. Mules alive. No complaints.”
He nodded toward Lucius.
“And the boy didn’t burn anything down.”
Lucius grinned slightly.
“I’m working on it.”
Doran chuckled.
“I figured.”
He climbed back onto the wagon.
“If you’re still around when I need another run, I know where to look.”
The wagon rolled away.
Lucius watched it go before turning back to Aelius.
“Can we practice again tonight?”
Aelius looked at him.
“You’re tired.”
“I know.”
“And?”
Lucius shrugged.
“I still want to.”
Aelius nodded once.
“Good.”
They walked back into town.
Lucius practiced the breathing again as they went.
A small flame appeared briefly in his palm.
Then vanished.
Aelius watched the motion carefully.
Fire.
Exactly as expected.
And if things unfolded the way he remembered…
Ordinary fire would only be the beginning.
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