The Burning Fiend

The next year passed almost in a mechanical way for Reynolds, he was absorbed by his training and was happy whenever he felt he had progress. He managed to reach the first rank as a mage but was not able to release a spell as old man Lomu was an earth mage and did not know fire attribute spells.

His proficiency with the spear increased and was able to last for a full five minutes agains old Frey, still ended black and blue as it had been the case for an entire year. He felt his body been improved as the qi nurtured his body twice a day, but he felt he will have to wait for a while to reach the first rank as a warrior.

His father took him to the magic test and as expected he received the invitation to attend the Ernst institute, Reynolds thought that he had never seen his father smile so much and was happy to be rewarded with his favorite food for dinner and a two piece spear for his training. He was still to young to carry a normal spear so half of the spear could be used for his current size, he was explained that this spear was divided in two parts to facilitate transportation as long spear could be bulky while traveling.

It was decided that he would attend the Ernst institute next year as an entire year was needed to get there. Old Frey and Grandpa Lomu will travel with him to continue his training along the way. Reynolds was happy to be able to attend the Ernst institute but felt a little apprehension at the thought of not seeing his parents for decades as he knew that he would only allowed to graduate and come back when he became a rank 6 mage and that was a lengthy road.

For the travel to the Holy Union they joined a caravan that would move avoiding the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts, Reynolds was curious about it but old man Frey and Grandpa Lomu explained how dangerous that place was and avoiding it was what they should do.

His training was not affected by the life on the caravan, as his warrior training took part at the fist and last light of the day, the spear training continued during the meal breaks and meditation and reading was enforced on the car as the caravan moved.

Still Reynolds was able to take time to witness different sceneries, there was one time when they were attacked by bandits but the caravan guards was able to repel them with minimal loses. He had been scare that time, if was the first time that he felt danger around him and the disgusting feeling to be in the hands of others, he did not want to feel that way again.

With his reaffirmed determination he continued his training and asked many question to the pair of old men, his hard work was rewarded as he became a first rank warrior half way through their travel. Old man Frey was very happy and rewarded him with a specially painful beating to teach him humility and avoiding unnecessary dangers that pride could bring.

Reynolds understood his intention but it did not keep him for muttering and abuse him under his breath. "Stinky old man, one day I would teach you...".

During their travel they did not found attacks of even sightings of magical beasts, Reynolds was disappointed but old man Frey and Grandpa Lomu seemed to be very happy about it and smiled while muttering as they saw him sulking. "Naive..." "The happiness of ignorance...".

The day when the caravan reached their destination finally arrived and it was time for the three of them to travel alone, this would take another 2 months that were spent in their normal training routine.

Reynolds felt he was nearing the peak for the rank 1 mage level but he was still far from the breakthrough to the second rank. He still kept his usual meditation and Grandpa Lomu advised that calm and patience were the daily bread for a mage and things could not be rushed. Reynold knew that reaching the rank 2 warrior level would be even harder so he could only brainwashed himself that training was fun.

He was beginning to worry on how would he manage to keep his determination when old man Frey and grandpa Lomu will no longer be by his side to force him into training, he worked hard but he knew that he was easily distracted. He could only sigh and hope that his determination will hold, it must hold! He would become strong and needed to train with discipline to achieve it.

His 8th birthday came during their last month of travel and he could feel his own anticipation and anxiety grow the nearer they came to the Ernst institute. One night the finally arrived at the Fenlai Kingdom and spend the night on an elegant inn to enjoy a hearth dinner, tomorrow the will reach the Ernst institute and a new chapter of his life will start. He was reluctant to part ways with old man Frey and grandpa Lomu as he had already consider them as family members after a whole year of traveling together.

The next morning he had a last sparring match with old Frey who for once seemed to go easy on him resulting on a happy time, he finally found that a sparring match was not such a terrible thing if you are not been beaten black and blue.

The three of them made their way to the Ernst institute and parted ways after paying the tuition and advising Reynolds to work hard but also to take time to enjoy life, old man Frey put special emphasis in getting a beautiful girlfriend by the time he turn 15 years old, he repeated that these things were important and life needed to be enjoyed, Grandpa Lomu seemed reluctant but he chose to make no comment while shaking his head.

After saying goodbye he received his key and started his way to the dorm 1987 with a smile thinking of meeting the people he would spend the next decade.