Henrry woke up to the golden rays of the morning sun streaming through the wooden windows. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Something felt off. Glancing around the room, he realized Ronnie wasn't in his bed. Even Conrad's bed was empty. Frowning, Henrry got to his feet, stretching the stiffness from his limbs.
He made his way to Mia's room and gently pushed the door open. Inside, Mia was still fast asleep, her breathing soft and steady. Henrry smiled slightly, reassured that at least someone was still inside. He quietly closed the door and headed outside.
Stepping onto the porch, Henrry scanned the surroundings. His gaze quickly found Conrad standing silently in the open field, just beyond the house. But what caught Henrry's attention was Conrad's posture — he was looking upward, his body stiff and alert. Curious, Henrry followed his gaze.
High up, balanced precariously on a thin branch of an old tree, stood Ronnie.
Henrry's heart jumped. The branch looked way too fragile to hold Ronnie's weight. Before Henrry could call out, Conrad gave a slight hand signal, a sharp downward gesture. Ronnie didn't hesitate. In one swift motion, he leapt off the branch, plunging down towards the ground.
Acting purely on instinct, Henrry dashed forward, arms outstretched to catch his friend. But just as he jumped to grab Ronnie mid-air, something strange happened. Henrry's hands passed straight through Ronnie's falling figure, touching nothing but cold air. Off-balance, Henrry crashed into the trunk of the tree with a heavy thud.
Groaning, he sat up, rubbing his sore shoulder, utterly confused. From behind the tree, the real Ronnie appeared, laughing so hard he could barely stand straight. Even Conrad was chuckling heartily, covering his mouth with his hand to muffle his laughter.
Henrry stared at them, dazed. "What… what just happened?" he muttered, still holding his aching head.
Still giggling, Ronnie walked over, offering a playful bow. "Thank you, Henrry!" he said dramatically. "If it wasn't for you, I might not have survived today!"
Conrad burst into another round of laughter, clutching his stomach. Henrry scowled at them both but couldn't help the corners of his mouth twitching upward slightly.
"But seriously!" Henrry protested. "I saw you falling from the tree! I felt you in my hands when I tried to catch you! And then… then you were suddenly behind the tree! How?!" His voice was filled with disbelief.
Conrad, still smiling, stepped closer. "It's called Mirror Magic," he explained patiently. "It creates an illusion, a reflection of yourself. It's used to confuse the opponent, especially during long-distance fights or in complex terrains like forests, mountains, or war zones. The opponent can't tell where the real you is."
Henrry's eyes widened as understanding slowly dawned on him. Magic like that was something he had only heard about in stories until now.
Ronnie ruffled Henrry's hair affectionately, grinning. "Didn't hit your head too hard, Chosen One?" he teased.
Annoyed, Henrry slapped Ronnie's hand away and stood up straighter. "I'm fine!" he declared stubbornly, though he couldn't entirely hide the slight wince from the impact.
Conrad chuckled. "Anyway, George left early this morning."
Henrry's face lit up immediately. "Can I start training with you guys now?" he asked eagerly.
Conrad smiled and nodded. "Of course. You're more than ready."
Excited, Henrry ran back inside the house.
The noise of Harray looking for Something woke Mia up and she saw Henrry rush to the main gate.
A few moments later, he emerged, holding his wand, Noxumbra . The wand fit perfectly in his hand, feeling almost like an extension of himself.
Conrad folded his arms, looking at him seriously. "Tell me, Henrry, what have you learned so far?"
Henrry took a deep breath. "I've been practicing storing my mana into a single point," he said confidently.
Ronnie, who had been leaning casually against the tree, burst out laughing. "Mana control, huh?" he teased. "Come on then, show us! Impress us, oh mighty Chosen!"
Henrry rolled his eyes but smiled. "Fine. What do you want me to hit?" he asked.
Ronnie pointed towards a large leaf dangling from a low branch. "That one," he said, trying to hold back another grin.
Henrry nodded. He tightened his grip on Noxumbra, focusing his energy. Closing his eyes for a brief second, he concentrated, feeling the familiar hum of power gathering in the core of the wand. A soft blue glow appeared at its tip.
Opening his eyes, Henrry aimed at the leaf. With a sharp, fluid motion, he flicked his wrist downward. A thin, invisible blade of mana shot through the air, slicing the leaf cleanly into two perfect halves. The pieces fluttered down slowly, dancing in the breeze.
For a moment, there was complete silence.
Ronnie's mouth hung open in shock. Conrad raised an impressed eyebrow. Even Mia, who had quietly stepped outside to watch, clapped her hands in delight. "Amazing, Henrry!" she called out happily.
Ronnie rushed forward, disbelief written all over his face. "When… when did you learn to do that?" he demanded.
Before Henrry could answer, Mia spoke up proudly. "Whenever he had free time, he practiced. Even when the rest of us were resting."
Conrad nodded approvingly. "That technique isn't easy, especially for beginners," he said seriously. "But you've mastered it already. That's impressive, Henrry."
Henrry couldn't hide the wide smile spreading across his face. He turned to Ronnie and winked. "Guess I'm chosen one after all"
Ronnie said "showoff "under his breath but smiled back, clapping Henrry on the back in congratulations.
Conrad stepped forward. "Now that you've proven yourself," he said, "it's time to begin the real training."
Henrry's heart pounded with excitement.