Spring, age 6.

I've been in this world six years now.

It was my sixth birthday a few months ago, so I got a few presents. Not a lot, mostly a cape, boots, and other useful stuff. It's spring now, and the snow is melting.

It gets cold during the winter, but not so much that the sea freeze over.

It was enough that the daily training my mother put me though was even more of a living hell.

I never liked the winter, now I actively hate it.

But enough of my daily nightmare, referred to as training by my mother.

I'm accompanying my father to treat Emelia today. We enter the shop, where Alfred is sitting in his usual spot. He is staring into space, and move his head slowly in greeting, clearly focusing heavily on imprinting the crystal.

``I can see that you are busy, we will go to Emelia's room Alfred.'' [Shale]

Alfred nods slowly.

We walk past him and continue into Emelia's room. She's sitting on her bed, staring out the window as usual.

She's grown.

A lot.

When I first meet her, she was ten years old. She's thirteen now. She's not a women yet, not even close, but you can already see how beautiful she's going to look.

She's definitely not a child anymore though. The small bulges that can be hinted through her robe is a testament of that.

She has a lot more vigor now. Last I saw her, she almost looked grey. Her eyes were sunken, and her hair was falling out.

She cut it since then. It's a bit past shoulder length, and with the renewed look on her face it makes her look absolutely stunning. She looks like she was pulled out of a movie, with her emerald eyes and and fair skin that's covered in a fine layer of short soft-looking fur. She has a look of confident optimism, in contrast to the sullen look of sadness that always decorated her face before.

She smiles warmly as we enter the door and greet us.

``Hello Doctor Shale, hello Nathan. I'm happy you're here.'' [Emelia]

``Hello Emelia. I see the new treatment has done wonders for you. It was the Earthclaws that made it right? Nathan, the Earthclaws are Andrew's parents. They are both herbalists.'' [Shale]

``Yes I know, Andrew often talks of herbs when we wonder the woods.'' [Nathan]

I never listen though. Chemistry and biology were never my subjects, and I couldn't care less.

``Yes it has truly helped me a lot. I'm still not well enough to be taken outside, but with some luck, maybe someday..'' [Emelia]

My father takes a seat and gently smiles at her.

``Let us hope so. Now, if you would kindly.'' [Shale]

``Yes of course Doctor Shale..'' [Emelia]

She turns around and undoes her robe. She then slowly slides it down her shoulders to reveal her back, then slightly turn to pull her hair over her shoulders.

I quickly avert my gaze and feel my cheeks turn vermilion.

``I- I am going to go see if Alfred is done with his crystal.''

I have no intention of getting attracted to someone that young.

I really should stop visiting her with my father. Next time I'll come in after he's done, this makes me feel like a dirty old man. Ugh.

When I re-enter the shop, Alfred is still sitting at his table, concentrating on his crystal.

I slowly walk around him so I don't enter his field of vision too suddenly. Don't want to break his concentration.

``Alfred, I am just gonna sit over here, let me know when you are done.'' [Nathan]

He nods slowly.

I take a seat in the corner where I can see him. He's taking quite some time, it must be a complex magic.

Several minutes later, he slowly puts down the crystal. and exhales slowly.

``Haaaahh... That was a long one. Say, what can I do for you Nathan?'' [Alfred]

``Not much, just wanted to talk.'' [Nathan]

``Don't you usually stay with your father? You know, as he heals Emelia?'' [Alfred]

``Yes, but lately it feels like it's a bit too private for me to just stay and watch..'' [Nathan]

``If you say so?'' [Alfred]

He says with a puzzled look.

``So what do you want to talk about?'' [Alfred]

``Well for starters, what were you making just now? It seemed rather complicated, going by how long it took you.''

``Oh this? No it was just a standard spell, a piece of earth magic called "shield". It creates a crystal shield. It's one of the fortes of earth magic, because only earth magic can make solid objects. Would have taken me a lot longer if I hadn't mastered the time dilation technique, that's why I nodded so slowly.`` [Alfred]

``Time dilation technique?'' [Nathan]

``Yes, some people can slow down their own time when they imprint a crystal, but it takes a lot of practice to do it, and not everyone can do it.'' [Alfred]

``But time always slow down when you touch a crystal, doesn't it?'' [Nathan]

Alfred looks at me surprised

``No. No it doesn't. Not at all.'' [Alfred]

Uh oh.

``Does time slow down when you touch a crystal, Nathan?'' [Alfred]

``Eh, no.'' [Nathan]

Crap.

He grabs onto my shoulders.

``Nathan, tell me the truth, does time slow down when you touch a crystal?'' [Alfred]

He says, with a fierce look in his eyes.

``Ehm.. Yes...'' [Nathan]

Alfred slowly takes a deep breath. He then grabs me by the shoulders.

``Nathan..'' [Alfred]

``.. Yes?.. '' [Nathan]

``Become my apprentice.'' [Alfred]

``... Huh?..'' [Nathan]

``You have to become my apprentice.'' [Alfred]

``Eh, s-sure? Bu-but why?'' [Nathan]

``Nathan, slowing down time when you touch a crystal is a very advanced skill. I mean, it takes enormous concentration and years of practice. If you can do it at this age, that alone means you have supreme talent in imprinting mana crystals.'' [Alfred]

His eyes are glimmering, like a kid that's about to open a new toy.

``But to be honest, it's just a bother? It's hard to move, and I have to concentrate a lot to breathe.'' [Nathan]

``I know. But Nathan, some magics take weeks to imbue, if you don't know how to do this you can't possibly complete those.''

Weeks? Really?

``What kind of magic takes that long?'' [Nathan]

``"The Aegis". It's an earth magic that creates a bubble around you where it creates earthen shields for a fraction of a second to intercept projectiles, and then fire back automatically. A mana crystal imbued with "The Aegis" is worth more than this house. The only thing that can penetrate it is a steel tip.'' [Alfred]

... Really?

``..Why a steel tip?'' [Nathan]

``Steel is incredibly rare. It cancels magic, and only the steelmakers guild knows how to forge it. I mean, it's a secret they guard with their lives, and no one else can get a mana crystal hot enough to heat the metal.'' [Alfred]

... Ahhh.. No fire huh?

``Why does it cancel magic?'' [Nathan]

``Made of iron, which absorbs magic. Now iron in itself isn't all that rare, but no one know how to work it, except for the steelmakers guild. They have a complete monopoly on both iron and steel, which are some of the most costly materials in the world.'' [Alfred]

``Why does it absorb magic?'' [Nathan]

``Why is water wet? Iron absorbs magic because it does, you know. But that's besides the point. Nathan, do you want to become my apprentice?'' [Alfred]

``.. Yes. Yes I do.'' [Nathan]