The road stretched before them like a grey ribbon swallowed by the horizon, endless and without a clear landmark. Celia and Theo walked in silence, occasionally broken by the rustling of the wind through the dense trees on either side, or the sound of their footsteps on the gravel.
There was no map, no specific destination, just a random direction Celia had chosen. Theo knew this well, he realized that every step they took was a step into the unknown, and every day that passed was a new day in this strange, seemingly aimless journey.
Theo walked beside his aunt, his steps steady but his mind was not. His thoughts crashed like raging waves inside his head. He thought of his element, that mysterious energy flowing through his veins, which had now become more powerful and brutal. Celia had previously explained to him the basics of mana, how it gathers in "rings" around the heart, and how it interacts with different elements in the world. But what was inside him was not ordinary. It wasn't just darkness. It was something deeper, something born from pain, ignited by absolute hatred.
A feeling of guilt crept into his heart, like a cold shadow clinging to him. He felt guilty because he was still breathing, while his mother Elena, Kyle, and Ryan had died.
He felt guilty because he wasn't strong enough to protect them. Whenever he saw an ancient tree or rocks eroded by time, he remembered his mother's fallen face, Ryan's face that would never smile at him again. He saw their shadows lingering in every corner, their voices whispering in his ears with every breeze. The pain of loss was so heavy that his hand would sometimes tremble despite his attempts to remain steady.
"Mana, Theo, is not just power." Celia suddenly began to speak, interrupting Theo's trance, her deep voice echoing in the quiet air. Her gaze was focused on the road ahead, but her words were directed straight at him, as if she knew exactly what was on his mind. "It's an extension of your soul. A mirror of who you are, and what you aspire to be. The more you understand yourself, the more you understand your mana. The more you understand your being, the more you understand how to use mana."
Theo listened intently, trying to connect Celia's abstract words to the raw, violent energy he felt within him. How could this spiritual concept apply to a mysterious power born of hatred?
"There are 7 elements, Theo." Celia continued, her voice taking on a teaching tone, as if she were giving a lecture in a classroom instead of walking on a deserted road. "Fire, water, air, earth, light, darkness, and spirit. Most mages are connected to one or two elements at most. You, Theo, have a unique ability to naturally handle the element of darkness, which pairs well with fire."
"I already know I haven't mentioned the spirit element before," Celia said, looking at Theo from the corner of her eye, "but now things have changed a lot and now I must teach you everything I know."
"Darkness is not just the absence of light, Theo." Celia continued, her voice lowering slightly, as if revealing a secret. "Darkness is an entity in itself. It is the abyss that devours everything, but it is also the protection that hides secrets. It is the source of terror, but it is also the source of hidden power that pulsates in the depths of the universe. Some mages think they understand darkness, but they only see its superficial side, the absence of light. You, Theo, seem destined to delve into the depths of this element more than anyone else."
Theo froze for a moment, Celia thought he was surprised, but in fact, he was stunned by the truth of her knowledge of that information.
She was describing something he felt. This wasn't ordinary darkness, but a deep darkness, a darkness that absorbed everything, even hope. He felt a strange attraction to this energy, as if it were a part of him.
And at the same time, it was almost the same words his future self had said!
"The first ring is the gateway to the world of mana." Celia continued, extending her hand and touching the trunk of an old tree as they passed. "It allows you to collect mana from the external environment and store it. The second ring is a higher level. It allows you to use mana more efficiently, and opens up wider horizons for spells and abilities. But most importantly, it allows you to form a foundation for your own element. Your unique element."
Celia stopped talking for a moment, as if allowing Theo to absorb the words. Theo gritted his teeth. A unique element? Was she talking about that power that erupted within him amidst the hatred? How could something born of anger and guilt be part of this noble magic?
"You, Theo, have the element of darkness, but in an unusual way. It is deeply connected to your repressed emotions, your pain, your anger."
Theo felt a pang in his heart. His repressed emotions? His pain? His anger? Does this mean that the more pain in his soul, the stronger he becomes? Must he delve into despair to become stronger? This idea disgusted him, but it also gave him a sense of harsh realism. This was the world he lived in now.
"Your true strength, Theo, lies in your ability to transform these raw emotions into mana." Celia completed, her voice now more serious. "This is what happened in the village. You unleashed immense power because you were at the peak of despair and anger. But this power was chaotic, unstable. And now, it seems to have found stability in a way I would not have expected."
Celia looked at Theo with a look that held many questions, but she did not ask them aloud. She was thinking of the unknown mage who hunted her. Did he know about this type of darkness? Are there others with this ability?
"That's why your training won't be traditional." Celia said, her eyes fixed on a dense forest ahead of them. "We won't follow ancient magic books verbatim. I will teach you how to control mana in general, but the most important thing is for you to learn how to control yourself, these emotions that ignite your element. This is the secret of your strength and weakness at the same time."
Theo listened, but he did not speak. He felt that Celia's words described him with terrifying accuracy. He feared this power, but he also craved it. He felt guilty, but he also felt an overwhelming desire for revenge.
"The second ring, which formed within you, was a miracle by all standards, Theo." Celia said, her face holding mixed expressions of amazement and concern. "Normally, it requires years of meditation and hard practice to form it. But you... you formed it in a moment of absolute despair. This indicates that you possess incredible talent. But it also indicates that your soul has been subjected to immense pressure, to the point that it broke the barrier between worlds."
"Now our mission is to make this ring completely stable, and to control the source of your power." Celia completed, stopping and looking at Theo directly in his eyes. "We will learn how to direct this hatred, this pain, not to destroy yourself, but to destroy your enemies. We will turn the darkness within you into an unbreakable sword, and an impenetrable shield."
Theo felt a strange coldness spread through his body. He was a sword. And a shield. The darkness within him. He was not just a mage. He was not just a child. He was something else. Something new.
"I will teach you how to use shadows to penetrate places, to be invisible, to steal the lives of your enemies without them feeling your presence." Celia said, her voice becoming faint, as if she was whispering in the darkness itself. "I will teach you how to turn despair into fuel, and how to draw strength from hatred itself."
"Of course, emotions are just a part of it, and our basic method of meditation will remain the most stable for forming rings."
Celia paused for a moment, then continued, "This is the path of darkness you chose yourself, Theo, in your moment of despair. And now, we must master it. You must become the master of this darkness, not its slave."
Celia stopped again, then pointed to a huge tree in front of them. "Let's start here, Theo. Forget everything you learned about traditional magic. Now, I will teach you how to speak the language of shadows. I will teach you how to be darkness itself."
Theo did not respond, but he looked at the tree, then at his hands, then at the shadows that began to dance as the sun dipped towards sunset. He felt guilt mixed with a harsh determination. He would not run from this darkness. He would not run from this power. It was born from his deepest pain, and it was the only way to get revenge.
'So be it.'
Theo thought slowly, as if words were forming in the depths of his broken soul.
'If this world is merciless, and if the only power available to me is darkness itself, then I will be darker than darkness.'