Chapter 1

  The morning sun, a gentle warmth against his closed eyes, filtered through the gaps in the dusty curtains. In his sleep, Zeldris chased a fleeting dream – a vision of a world where the gnawing fear of hunger didn't haunt his family's every meal, where the shadow of war didn't stretch its long, grasping fingers towards their quiet farm. A world where he could freely manipulate the aether, without his father's worried frown.

  A soft creak of the door hinges broke the silence, followed by a series of light, insistent knocks. "Big Brother? Time to rise and shine, sleepyhead!" Sophia's voice, bright and cheerful as always, chirped from the doorway. Before he could fully register the sound, a small, insistent weight landed squarely on his chest, followed by increasingly enthusiastic bounces. The scent of his mother's baking bread, a comforting aroma of cinnamon and yeast, drifted faintly from downstairs.

  A soft groan, muffled by the worn pillow, escaped him. "Sophia… you do this every morning," he mumbled, his eyes still stubbornly closed. "I'm fifteen now. I can wake myself."

  Sophia landed with a final, decisive thump, her small hands planted firmly on his chest. Her lower lip lowered into a cute pout. "Hmph! You should be grateful that I even bothered! Papa said if you're not out helping with the sowing soon, your allowance is gone! Vanished! And it's practically noon!"

  Zeldris's eyes snapped open, a jolt of panic finally waking him up completely.. "Noon?" He scrambled to sit up, nearly sending Sophia tumbling backwards. "Dammit, the fields!"

  "Ohohoho? Looks like someone needed their little sister's help after all!" Sophia smirked, a mischievous glint sparkling in her bright blue eyes.

  A sigh, laced with exasperated affection, escaped Zeldris. He reached out and gently pinched her rosy cheeks. "Yes, yes. You were… surprisingly helpful, for once."

  "Hey!"

  "Now shoo, little princess. I'll play with you later, after the fields are done. You should be practicing your aether manipulation – wouldn't want to fall behind your amazing big brother, would you?" He ruffled her hair, a small smile playing on his lips.

  A small cute pout crossed Sophia's face, a fleeting hint of sadness beneath her usual excitement. "Awwww… I wanted to spend time with you before you went. We haven't played in ages. Promise me you'll spend time with me later? Please? I… I miss you."

  Zeldris's smile softened. He reached out and took her small hand in his. "Of course, I promise you. And if I break that promise… I'll buy you whatever magic tome you want when we go to the city next time. Deal?"

  Sophia's eyes widened, sparkling with delight. "Yayyyyy!!! Really, big brother? Really? Okay! It's a deal! You better keep your promise! I'll be really sad if you break it!"

  Zeldris chuckled, the sound warm and reassuring. "Don't worry, Sophia. Has your big brother ever broken his promise? Mother and Father wouldn’t let me hear the bottom of it for weeks if I went back on my word, especially to their favourite child."

  "Hehehehe, yeahhhh, that's right! Mama and Papa are on my side, 'cause I'm the bestest!" She puffed out her chest, a picture of childish pride.

  "Yeah, yeah, now go on, little monster. Help Mother with lunch. I need to change and head out to help Father." He gently nudged her towards the door.

  Her shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment, but she quickly bounced back. "Okay, okay! But don't forget your promise! I'll be waiting for you all day if I have to!" She scampered out of the room, her laughter echoing down the hallway.

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  Zeldris sighed, his gaze drifting towards the window. The morning sun bathed the rolling fields in a golden light, a stark contrast to the shadows that sometimes crept into his dreams. He dreamed of a world beyond the farm, a place where people lived without the constant fear of war, where magic wasn't met with suspicion and fear. A world where his father didn't look at him with such worry in his eyes every time he practiced manipulating his aether.

  "If only Father could see the future I see," he thought, a familiar ache in his heart.

  He pushed himself out of bed, the cool floorboards grounding him. "Well, no time for daydreaming. Time to get to work."

  Quickly, he shed his sleeping clothes and pulled on his worn farming attire: a long-sleeved shirt, patched and faded, a pair of sturdy jeans, and his well-worn boots. They were hand-me-downs from his father, a symbol of the hard work and resilience he so admired, and a reminder of the debt he longed to repay.

  Once dressed, he headed downstairs, glancing around for his sister and mother. They were in the kitchen, already bustling with activity, the air filled with the delicious aroma of cooking.

  Walking towards the kitchen, he offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry I'm late. I stayed up a bit too late last night, studying some new aetheric theories and trying to refine my sword stances."

  A soft chuckle, warm and familiar, echoed from the kitchen. "You still have time to make up for it with your father. Now hurry outside and go. Sophia and I will have lunch ready for you both, won't we, Sophia?" His mother, Anisa, leaned against the doorway, a gentle smile gracing her lips. Her eyes, the same warm brown as his, held a mixture of fondness and concern.

  "Hehehe, yes, Mama! We'll cook up a big lunch for Papa and big brother! You better be hungry!" Sophia declared, brandishing a wooden spoon like a tiny warrior.

  A warm smile spread across Zeldris's face. "I'll get going now, Mother. See you soon, Sophia!" He grabbed a slice of bread from the table, the crust still warm, and turned to leave.

  "Be careful, Zeldris. Don't let your father do any heavy lifting. Have a good day." Anisa called after him, her voice filled with a mother's quiet worry.

  "Bye, big brother!" Sophia shouted, jumping up and down with excitement.

  As he stepped out of the house and closed the door behind him, a gentle breeze swept across his face, carrying the scent of wildflowers and freshly turned earth. He sighed, a sense of calm washing over him, tinged with a slight chill that raised the hairs on his arms. "Guess I should hurry. Hopefully, Father hasn't been waiting too long."

  "Rieltz!" The word, a silent incantation, slipped from his lips. A strange lightness filled his limbs, and he felt himself lift gently off the ground. Another incantation followed, whispered on the wind: "Aerys!" A gust of wind, cool and invigorating, surged beneath him, propelling him forward, lifting him higher into the morning sky. He adjusted his course, gliding smoothly towards their farm, the fields stretching out below him like a patchwork quilt.

  "Okay, my aether feels stable enough for now," he thought, relieved, still feeling a bit shaky after pushing his limits last night.

  As he soared through the air, he passed over the nearby town of Yasi. People stopped in their tracks, pointing up at him with a mixture of awe and apprehension.

  "Hey, isn't that Zeldris again? What's he up to now?"

  "Mommy, look, look! He's flying!" A small child squealed, tugging on her mother's skirt.

  "That boy will be the death of us all," a gruff voice muttered. "He knows the Imperial Army is looking for aether casters to conscript into their war, and he's openly flaunting his magic like that?"

  A ripple of unease spread through the town, a low murmur of concern that Zeldris couldn't quite hear, but could feel in the air.

  "Well, looks like I'm causing trouble again," he thought, a familiar sense of guilt washing over him. "Hope Master Isolde doesn't get wind of this. She'll give me an earful, as usual." He shuddered at the thought of her stern lectures.

  Continuing his flight towards the farm, he couldn't help but think, "Why did Mother and Father have to buy land so far from town? It takes forever to get anywhere."

  As he increased his distance from Yasi, a plume of dark smoke rose in the distance, a stark contrast to the clear blue sky. He slowed his flight, his brow furrowing with concern. He couldn't make out the source clearly, but it seemed to be coming from the direction of Oakhaven. "What is that? Isn't that the town where Master Isolde was heading to for her magic supplies? Maybe they're having a festival… lucky them…" But even as he tried to convince himself, a knot of unease tightened in his stomach. The smoke looked too dark, too thick, for a celebration.