Zeph Malston: The Aether Mage

"Fly!" Zeph was staring at Rin. "Come on, pretty please." Ever since Eli was sneezed into a tree, Zeph had been watching his kitten. Today was the last day of training, and the kitten hadn't been able to fly. This morning, he once again urged the kitten to fly. After a motivational speech, pleading the kitten to think happy thoughts, Zeph still couldn't get the little fur ball to fly.

"Zeph, are you almost ready. Dinner is not going to catch itself." Bernard was shouting from the gazebo, not sure where his grandson had run off too.

"I'm on my way!" The boy sighed at his uncooperative kitten and walked out of his tent. He waved at his grandpa and joined him at the gazebo. Bernard had told his grandson about another family tradition. These traditions were rites of passage meant for Malston children at the ages of twelve and thirteen. Zeph had to go through these rites he was as developed as a child around that age. Today he had to hunt tonight's dinner. His grandfather would lead the hunting trip this time. The target, this time, was a crystal stag.

Bernard checked his pack and made sure he had enough supplies to deal with anything unexpected. When Zeph said he was ready, Bernard took the lead and walked out of camp. Zeph made a quick turn and looked at the three people they left behind. He gave them thumbs-up before he turned back around and followed the old mage into the woods. Alex, Bianca, and Eli waved goodbye as grandfather and grandson left.

"I see you're not worried." Alex glanced at Bianca.

"Well, ever since I saw him fight that wind weasel, I've been less afraid that he would get himself killed. It's also a lot easier to control my emotions when the full moons not around." Bianca turned around and headed for the cooking area. "Now I just gotta whip up something tasty for the feast later. I should probably also make a cake as an apology."

"Apology, for what?" Eli joined the conversation, as he began to help prepare for their last camping activity.

"I kind of urged Mr. Malston to put Zeph through the Trial of Perseverance." Bianca regretted asking her boss to do that when she saw the video of Zeph besieged by dozens of magical beasts. "I thought it was only a test of courage, I didn't know that he would actually get hurt." Her ears were flattened, and her tail drooped as she remembered the boy's ragged appearance when he returned to camp.

"Aaaah, I was wondering about that. I mean, I knew you were angry. I just didn't think you'd plan for the little dude to get thrashed. " Eli laughed a little as he began setting up kitchenware.

Alex was setting up a wide fire pit a short distance away, "No need to beat yourself up over it young lady, I'm sure Master Malston was going to make the poor boy do it with or without your opinion. By the way, did the crystal tea plant finally m.a.t.u.r.e?" Bernard looked at Eli as he finished his sentence.

The elf pulled out a bag full of small leaves, "Sure did, and they came out pretty good too. I have more stored for when we head home. It should be enough to last until next year."

"Good, make sure to prepare a pot of tea for young master Zeph. He'll most likely have slight magic exhaustion when he returns."

Crystal tea plants naturally refined mana while growing. The acc.u.mulated magic would gather in the plant's leaves. When the leaves fully m.a.t.u.r.e, they would become a crystal clear blue. If the leaves were crushed and powdered, they could be used to brew a tea that would help in the recovery of magic.

____________________________________________________________________

Bernard took Zeph further into the woods than the boy had ever been. They were here to hunt a very special type of deer. Its antlers could be used to create a spell focus for Zeph. Mages used a spell focus, like wands, staves, and other implements, to assist in spell casting. A mage could use his magic through a spell focus, instead of casting spells from a body part. This way, most of the damage caused by losing control of a spell would hit the tool instead of the mage. The more magic power a spell needed, the more dangerous the backlash would be if it went wild.

Once a mage started to cast spells of first rank or higher, the need for a spell focus increased. It was a family tradition for a young mage to gather the material for his first spell focus. Crystal stag antlers were the main ingredient of the first spell focus for every generation of the Malston family. The rest of the stag served for dinner later. There would be a celebratory feast for the young mages successful hunt and becoming a mage of the first rank.

It didn't take them long to find a crystal stag. Bernard knew the areas they frequented because he had hunted some in his youth. The old man ignored the first few that they encountered, saying that they were too young. Eventually, they found a beautiful pond surrounded by violet flowers. Willow trees created a curtain that one had to pass to enter. Inside, a large crystal stag could be seen resting at the banks of the pond formed by a natural spring.

Zeph was hiding with Bernard behind one of the willow trees. His grandfather told him that he must be cautious, because this was a High-tier rank one magic beast. Frost apes, wind weasels, and everything else the boy fought are low tier rank one beasts, so he needed to be prepared. The crystal stag had a much stronger defense, and the spells Zeph usually used wouldn't hurt it. Both of them would participate in taking the beast down. Bernard would hide Zeph's magic from the stag's senses, while the boy would prepare an attack that would kill the dear in one shot. This tradition was symbolic. The older generation would pass responsibility to the new, while still guiding and protecting them.

Bernard taught Zeph a new spell for this hunt. It was a spell taught to every generation when they hunted the crystal stag. The spell was designed as an all or nothing attack to be used when a hit was guaranteed. Zeph looked for a good vantage point so that he could line up a clear shot.

Zeph and Bernard climbed to a willow tree and perched on a branch. The stag was grazing on the violet flowers, unaware of the two hunters. Bernard whispered a few words and made a few gestures. No visible change could be seen in the area, but Zeph could sense a curtain of mana surround them. After seeing his grandfather nod, the boy began casting his new spell. It was a Malston family original, named Arturo's Gaze. Arturo Malston created a spell that focused the power of a magical explosion into a piercing beam, by using a barrel-shaped barrier with an opening facing the target. There was more to the spell than a magic gun barrel, like forming a rotating plasma ball as the beams power source. Also, a targeting function, that would direct the beam at the spot the caster was looking at, was built into the spell formula.

Zeph's hands pointed toward the stag, his left palm placed against the back of his right hand. Magic coursed through body towards his arms, and a rotating ball of plasma formed in front of his outstretched palm. When the spell started to approach the limits of his control, he knew that an eruption would happen soon. He wasn't worried though, because this was what the spell was designed to do. Right when he was about to lose control of the spell, Zeph smiled and poured all the magic he could into the spell. A bright light flashed in front of him, and a spiraling beam of plasma shot straight towards the stag's heart.

The stag didn't have time to react as the beam pierced through its naturally formed spell armor and thick hide. A smoking hole was left where its heart should be, and the stag slumped to the floor. It died instantly. Zeph was panting, as the spell put took a toll on his body. He was already starting to recover but needed a few moments to catch his breath. The boy looked to the side and saw his grandpa smiling widely at him.

Bernard helped Zeph down from the tree and led him to the stag. When Zeph got there, he was surprised at what he saw. The spell was so strong, a tree behind the stag was also hit and had a hole through it.

"Wow! That is one hell of an attack." Zeph said as he walked over to the tree and inspected the damage he caused.

"Of course it is. It's a Malston family secret." The old man showed his grandson a smug expression. "Now come on, float this thing up, we still have to take it back to camp."

_____________________________________________________