Ascension Of The Archmage

Two days passed, and the rabbit laid on the grass, her ears folded back, and her eyes closed. The warm sun seeped into her furs, soothing her muscles as she inhaled the gentle scent of the fresh grass. Images flashed in her mind's eye, memories she thought she'd long buried.

Blood and fire danced across her vision, the acrid smell of smoke and sweat filling her nostrils. Even still, she saw faces - so many faces. But one face stood out, a face that made her heart ache.

It was a face with shoulder length blond hair, large blue eyes that sparkled like the clearest summer sky, and pale lips that curved into a smile. The face was framed by arched ears, a feature that made Yukino's heart skip a beat...despite being a rabbit.

She saw this face smiling at her, the blue eyes shining with warmth and kindness. But then, everything turned red. Blood, pure blood, flooded her vision, and the face contorted in agony.

The rabbit's eyes snapped open, and she sat upright, her heart racing. A pang of sorrow stabbed at her chest, and she felt a lump form in her throat. She hadn't thought about that face in years, hadn't allowed herself to remember—not after she became a slave.

But now, the memory lingered, refusing to be buried again. She could have cried, she could have shed a tear but she didn't. She stood strong, or at least that's what she told herself. Beneath her breath, she mumbled, "I'm coming...."

For the past two days in the woods, she had been encouraging him to engage into combat and she was quite pleased with what she was seeing. For someone so young, she didn't expect him to be so enthusiastic when it came to becoming the strongest. An Archmage? She bit her lower lip, her teeth digging into her skin gently. It was a stupid idea, she wished she could tell him. But if it was the only thing motivating, she knew she had to keep the graph rising.

She wanted him for other purposes, she wanted him to be at his best, to be as powerful as he could become for the war to come. In her past life, before she was turned into a slave, she had seen things, fought against things she couldn't defeat. She had seen wars, terrible wars that killed many of her kind. But now, now that she had someone who was so eager to become strong, maybe she could train him to become what she wanted him to be.

The rabbit hopped through bushes, her paws barely making a sound on the forest floor. As she squeezed her way past the branches and leaves, her last leg got caught up. She pulled it free, but the force sent her rolling. She landed on her belly on the ground, her eyes staring up at Karl.

Karl stood before her, holding the blunt sword, his tawny blond hair tied back in a small bun. His small arched ears were visible, and sweat glistened down his bare back. The muscles in his back rippled beneath his skin, which was glossy with sweat. He wore only his pants and boots, and her eyes widened as she took in the sight.

Heat swirled beneath her cheeks, and she quickly cleared her throat, attracting his attention. He turned around, facing her, and the rabbit's gaze shifted to his slightly toned belly. She noticed the scar marks where he had been stabbed, and her eyes lingered on them. She gulped before shaking her head sideways, trying to clear her thoughts.

"Are you free?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant despite the flutter in her chest.

He grinned, his emerald green eyes sparkling. "Do you want me to fight against slimes again? Cuz I'm up for it."

The rabbit's expression turned serious, and she nodded. "Not slimes this time. Something different."

"Something different?" His eyes lit up. "What do you mean by different?"

"I want you to show me something..." the rabbit said. "...what do you know about Mana?"

"Mana? I have no idea." He said.

"You've got to be kidding me." The rabbit said.

The rabbit's eyes narrowed, her expression incredulous. "You've never heard of Mana? How is that possible?"

He shrugged, his grin sheepish. "I don't know, I just haven't, okay?"

"Do I always have to tell you everything?" the rabbit sighed, shaking her head. "Mana is the lifeblood of magic. It's an energy that exists everywhere, in every living thing, and even in the air we breathe."

His eyes widened, his fascination evident. "Whoa, that sounds amazing! How does it work?"

The rabbit settled into a more comfortable position, her tail twitching occasionally. "Mages can absorb Mana into their bodies through something known as a Mana Heart. It's like a... a magical organ that allows us to tap into the Mana around us."

His eyes sparkled with excitement. "That's so cool! What happens when you use this Mana?"

"That's a stupid question." The rabbit smiled, a hint of mischief in her voice. "When a mage uses Mana to create an array of effects, it becomes magic. Simple as that."

He nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I think I get it. But what about people who aren't mages? Do they have Mana too?"

The rabbit nodded. "Everyone has Mana, but the amount varies from person to person. It's known as Magical Pressure. Some people have a high Magical Pressure, while others have very little."

His eyes lit up. "I bet I have a high Magical Pressure! I can feel it, I'm meant to be a great mage!"

The rabbit chuckled, a dry, amused sound. "I wouldn't count on that just yet, Karl. Magical Pressure isn't the only factor that determines a mage's strength. But we'll get to that later."

He grinned, undeterred. "I'm going to be the greatest mage ever! Just you wait and see!"

The rabbit rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile on her lips. "I'm shaking with anticipation."

"If I may ask, why are we having this conversation again?" He asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

The rabbit's expression turned serious, her eyes gleaming with intensity. "I want to start teaching you how to cast powerful spells, Karl. But I need to know if you have the potential to manipulate your magical aptitude."

His face lit up with excitement. "I'd love that! I've been looking for a master, and yet here I am."

The rabbit chuckled, a warm, husky sound. She hopped towards a stick lying on the ground and managed to hold it with both her paws. "I noticed something about you, Karl," she said, her eyes glinting with interest. "You have potential, and I want to hone that potential....and turn you into a living blade!" With a swift motion, she hopped into the air and slashed her stick through the air, chanting "Wind Cutter!"

As quickly as she had chanted, a crescent of powerful wind pierced through the air in a straight line, slicing through the leaves and branches of a nearby tree like a knife through butter. The rabbit landed gracefully, tossing the stick down.

His eyes widened in awe. "How did you do that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "And wait, you can still use magic?"

"Being turned into a rabbit doesn't mean I'm no longer a mage, does it?" The rabbit asked. "And besides, I've just recently discovered that I can still use magic, though it's a little limited compared to what I'm used to having."

He grinned. "Can you show me how you did that spell?"

"I was just demonstrating something," the rabbit said with a sly smile. "It's a spell based on wind magic. Simple, yet effective."

His eyes sparkled with excitement. "I still wanna know how you did it."

The rabbit chuckled. "It's not that easy, y'know. But I'll teach you... eventually."

"Eventually?" He repeated.

The rabbit nodded. "First, you need to understand the basics. This spell, for instance, is a low-ranked spell. Probably D-ranked, if not mistaken."

His eyes widened. "Spells have ranks?"

The rabbit raised an eyebrow. "Most obviously! The same goes with mages. Ranked from D to SS... but it's normally done in guilds."

He smiled. "This is amazing! So, what rank is an Archmage?"

The rabbit's smile turned enigmatic. "They don't have a rank, Karl. They've gone beyond measurements."

His eyes sparkled with determination. "How do I reach that stage?"

The rabbit's expression turned serious. "We can start by making you stronger. But first, I want to teach you that spell I just showed you."

He grinned. "Wind Cutter!"

"Exactly..." The rabbit said. "However, I still feel like there's more I should be teaching you...."

"More like what?" He cocked an eyebrow, a little confused.

"More like what?" He cocked an eyebrow, a little confused.

"Like being able to collect enough mana for the spell," the rabbit explained.

He narrowed his eyes. "Why must I collect Mana when it already flows through me?"

The rabbit cocked a brow. "Judging from how you're right now, you're beyond weak. Maybe an E rank. I'm teaching you a way to fight by collecting the Mana around you to enhance your spells instead of relying on what's already flowing inside of you."

"Oh, you could have said that in the first place..." His hand rested on his hip, the other holding a firm grip on the blunt sword. "...I guess I can try to do that."

The rabbit smiled. "Good. Now, Wind Cutter is a very simple spell. All you need to do is allow your mana to flow through you, into the blade, and then release it as a powerful blade of wind."

His eyes widened. "That simple?"

The rabbit nodded. "Yes, that simple. But, of course, it's not just about simplicity. You need to be able to control your mana, to focus it into a single point."

*

'You can do this...' Karl thought as he stood, his eyes closed and fingers wrapping gently around the cold hilt of his blade. He had strapped it back on his hip for a dramatic effect. He took a deep breath, fighting for a clear mind. He wanted to perfect the spell, to make the best out of it. He could already see the potential that it held, the endless ways he could use it for long distance fights if he ever managed to get any. 'Feel the wind....follow your heart...' he tried to encourage himself, but it only increased his anxiety.

"Clear your mind...." The rabbit said, her voice almost human as she spoke. ".... visualize your Mana flowing through you...."

With another deep breath, he fought for a clear mind...brushing off the thoughts that swirled in his mind's eye like vivid images. All he could see was the darkness that lingered, darkness so thick it could drive you into madness.

He kept staring.

From the tips of his fingers, he felt an electrifying sensation that jolted into the blade, heating up the iron. The jolts were a strong thrum, making the blade vibrate slightly under his touch. His bones rattled, his fingers trembling with hesitation as he hoped for the best.

She stared at him from a little distance: His stood tall, his eyes closed, and his fingers wrapped gently around the his blade. His muscles glistened under the sun, tense with anticipation. His stance was firm, his feet shoulder width apart, and his weight evenly distributed between both legs, just as she had instructed him.

Suddenly, she felt am overwhelming sensation wash over her—almost as if it was escaping him. The air around him seemed to vibrate, and her heart skipped a beat as she felt the intensity of his magic. It was nothing compared to hers, but she couldn't dare deny the intensity that radiated from him.

Her mouth agape, she noticed his aura for the first time, as it slowly started emanating from his body. It was like a living flame, weak.yet thriving to be alive. The aura pulsed with a soft, blue light, and she felt herself drawn to it, as if it was calling to her. The string holding his hair in a bun loosened, leaving his loose strands to dance in the air as if they were under water.

As quickly as it had all started, he chanted, "Wind Cutter!" whilst drawing the blade, creating an upward slash. She watched, mesmerized, as a crescent of wind tore through the air like a strange line, driving a small trench on the ground towards the trees and bushes.

The wind sliced through the leaves and branches, creating a soft whooshing sound that filled the air. Her eyes widened as she realized that he had actually managed to imitate the spell. She felt a surge of pride and excitement, seeing how he was quite the fast learner.

As the wind died down, he snapped his eyes open, panting slightly. "I did it!" he exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air. "Hit me with another spell!"

"No." The rabbit said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "You can't be a mage without discipline!"

He pouted, his face falling. "Aww, come on! Just one more spell?"

The rabbit chuckled, shaking her head. "No, no, no. You need to learn control, Karl. Magic isn't just about waving a wand and chanting spells."

He sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine. But why are you so eager to train me? Apart from binding me to you, that is."

"I can't believe I'm telling you this," The rabbit hopped a little closer to him, her eyes sparkling with a hint of sadness. "When my mother died, she left me with my twin sister... and as the oldest, I was the one who was supposed to look after her."

His curiosity was piqued. "And then what happened?"

The rabbit sighed again, her voice barely above a whisper. "We made a promise to always be together... but one day, everything changed... when she met a certain boy. He was half-elf, like you... pretty, and he spoke about the world outside and its many wonders."

His eyes widened. "Wait, you were in Woodhalla when this happened?"

The rabbit nodded, her ears folding back in a sad gesture. "Yes... I was. And that boy... he was magical in every way. He had a way of persuading people with his tongue... and before long, he stole my sister's heart. She fell in love with him..."

His face softened, his eyes filled with empathy. "I'm sorry... that must have been tough for you."

The rabbit's voice cracked, but she continued. "He started teaching her magic... and about the Rifts and the great powers they posed. He wanted her to come with him... to explore the world beyond Woodhalla....to break the promise she had made to be....and I wasn't willing to let her go."

"What did you do?" He asked.

She smirked, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "When I got the chance, I attacked him. I wasn't very good at magic by then. I only knew the few spells that I had seen my sister perform when we were home. So I wasn't very powerful."

His eyes were glued to hers, his face rapt with attention.

"I remember him," she continued, her voice dripping with venom. "He was... mesmerizing. His eyes seemed to see right through me, and his smile could charm the birds from the trees." She could almost picture him, from his mane of ashen hair, his arched ears and even the smile that was always accompanied with dimples. "I wasn't sure if he was a god from another world, or just a monster in disguise. His power was unlike anything I had ever seen before....for a moment, I used to think he was someone from a fairytale."

His eyes widened, wondering if she was even telling the truth.

"And yet," she spat, her voice trembling with anger, "my sister still ended up choosing him over me. She abandoned our promise, our bond, everything we had shared as sisters. She chose him, and I was left with nothing but ashes and regret."

The rabbit's eyes flashed with tears, but she blinked them back, her jaw clenched. "I watched him," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "tear a Rift with just his bare hand." She could almost recall the image: she pictured him, standing with her sister, his free hand holding hers as he slid a finger through the air, like a knife going through paper before leaving a pillar of cinders and smoke. "A Rift so powerful, it created a window for demons to start entering into Woodhalla, nearly destroying it. And before I knew it, he left with my sister into the Rift, leaving me behind to pick up the pieces."

He was silent for a moment, just staring at her blond furs as they glistened under the sun. There was something about her words that he couldn't quite understand. When she mentioned demons, he wasn't sure what she meant and he had a feeling that these Rifts were just portals to another world. But which world? "I guess this means you want to find your sister and you want me for help?"

The rabbit's grin grew wider, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. "Oh, I don't want your help, little elf," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness. "You're not helping me out of the goodness of your heart. You're helping me because... well, you're entitled to me, aren't you?"

Karl's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Entitled to you?"

The rabbit chuckled, her tail twitching behind her. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten that you're bound to me, which makes you mine by default!"