Hall of Paragons

"How was your fishing trip, dear? I thought you wanted to catch a dragon-koi? How did you end up with this handsome boy?" Aloisia, the madame of the household asked Horace. 

"I was waiting for the mating season of dragon-koi fishes when a creature much smaller but more concentrated dense mana form flowed down the river. I thought I was catching a mutated fish that may have been better. Alas, I got this charmer." Horace exhaled in feigned disappointment.

"Why does it sound like you're disappointed, master? Weren't you begging me to be your apprentice?" Kyrian replied.

Horace almost choked while eating as he coughed out his reply, "A charmer AND a liar."

"Kyrian isn't a liar!" a little voice protested during their squabble.

"And how do you know that, my sweet daughter?"

"I- uh…" Ace had a hard time coming up for an excuse to refute his father's claim. She just knew that Kyrian wasn't lying or, maybe it was just the musings of a little girl having her first big crush.

"Now, now. Then Kyrian, why don't you tell us how you ended up here?" Aloisia's calming voice soothed the chaotic dinner.

Kyrian narrated how he lost his memories and the only memory he had was his name. He retold the story of how he met the talking head and the countless smacking of his head he received during their short journey. He did not embellish nor overlook the strength that was displayed by his master. He told them how it was only a percent of his power to which the madame nodded in affirmation.

The boy was surprised that his master truly was strong beyond what he had expected. He was now looking forward to getting proper lessons and beginning his path towards greatness.

----

"President Aurelius Aurum, an escapee from the underworld tore the gates of hell and a herald of death was able to arrive in the material world." Barion Argentum, the vice president of the Republic reported to a man moving his hands in fast, seemingly random movements in the air. These movements seemed chaotic at first, but if one manages to take a proper glimpse at this movement, they will see that the president was like a conducting in an orchestra, waving his hands elegantly, albeit much faster than an average mage could perceive.

"Where did it manifest and how much damage did it inflict?"

"It was in Southern Thiodan. The encounter was immediately contained by Sentinel Shenghua, a legendary Qilin. There were thousands of casualties among the beasts, but the devil was contained and reported as killed."

"No human was near the location when it happened, I assume?"

"None sir, there were no human mana signatures in Southern Thiodan for the past hundred years."

"Call for an assembly. I want the Five Elden Houses and the Seven Senators to heed my call for an emergency meeting. This will take place tomorrow night at the Hall of the Paragons.

Barion Argentum opened twelve small portals and sent letters to the various houses of clans and senators to notify them of the meeting.

----

The morning dew fell from a leaf as it fell exactly on the golden eyes of a particular platinum-blonde haired kid lying down in a soft bed of grass. The early rays of sun gently shined on his face as if getting hit in the eye by a dew drop wasn't enough to wake him up.

'I hate sunrises, it reminds me of her death.'

"Hey kid, what are you doing here?"

"Habit. Mother and I used to wake up early to fetch water from the river. We would forage food in the forests. If we're lucky, some of the traps we made will have caught some deer or small animals we could eat for the day."

"Seems like some of your memories came back already."

"I remember bits and pieces, but there are some I want to forget."

Horace observed the boy with deep scrutiny and said, "Sometimes, I feel like I'm talking to a grown man who spent his life traveling the world instead of a four-year-old kid."

"Deal with it, master. Mother used to spank me when I spoke back to her like an adult. I can't help it; it just came naturally with me as soon as I was able to speak."

 "Get up from there. I'm going to teach you everything you should know about magic. Follow me to the arena."

----

Kyrian and Horace arrived at the arena after riding a floating boat. Again, he was able to marvel in awe during the construction of such a vehicle on the whim of his master. It was like Horace was showing off what he could do, instead of just bringing out one of his countless other finished products of his.

"What do you know about magic, Kyrian?"

"I know that to be able to use magic, you need mana."

The old man moved away from Kyrian and said, "Conventionally true. There are other ways in using magic, but we'll focus on mana for now."

"Mana is one of the building blocks of reality. It binds the laws of the universe to have a coherent language that could be interpreted, manipulated, and willed to an extent." Horace motioned his hands to a chop, then the ground parted ways as if the land moved in deference to his will.

"Mana responds to mana, and this interaction is what we call magic."

Kyrian's golden eyes glowed with fascination as he watched a miniscule amount mana from his master's hands flow outward and touch the ground. The various mana in the surroundings reacted, causing the earth to split apart.

"There are various studies which are more complex than what I said to explain this phenomenon, but demonstrating it this was the simplest way I could think of for you to comprehend magic."

Kyrian pondered on the various implications on how mana could be used. "If everything has mana, then why don't mages control the mana within another mage or creature and make them explode?"

"That's where the cultivation of mana cores become important, my dear disciple."

The boy felt pieces of puzzle slowly being pieced together.

"We'll get there later. For now, let's talk about the beginning." Horace guided his disciple from straying away from the lesson.

The bald old man continued, "The momentous event when a person senses mana is called [awakening]. It is called such since a person opened their path towards the infinite possibilities of the universe. It is the awakening of one's being."

'So I experienced my awakening when mother and I arrived at the waterfall. It was such a wondrous feeling.' Kyrian thought to himself.

"Everyone experiences [awakening] differently. The researchers in Arcana said that the usual awakening age of humans is around nine to twelve. This is because the souls of human beings need to adapt to mana to sense it. Souls take a lot of time to develop."

'The information I learned from mother checks out with master,' Kyrian nodded.

Without warning, a sliver of silver portal appeared in front of them and then a letter came out of it. Horace read the letter and let out a surprised gasp and said, "We'll have to end our session today; I have a meeting to attend in the capital. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but feel free to peruse the library while I'm gone. You don't have to start training your mana core at the moment since it needs careful guidance. My guidance."

At the same time, Kyrian was on his highest guard as he hated portals. A lot of bad things happened with Kyrian and portals.

As the little boy was about to say something, his master interrupted his thoughts by saying, "The youngest awakener recorded in the hundreds of thousands of years of the Republic was 6 years old. That man is now the President of the Republic. The council meeting I'm attending is led by him. He is also known as the strongest human alive."

----

The Hall of the Paragons was a grand, imposing chamber, its high ceilings adorned with intricate frescoes depicting legendary heroes and pivotal moments in the history of the republic. Tall, arched windows lined the walls, allowing beams of sunlight to filter in and illuminate the room with a golden glow. The air was thick with a sense of gravity and anticipation, a palpable tension hanging in the ornate space.

At the center of the hall stood a long, polished table made of dark mahogany, its surface gleaming under the light. Seated around it were fourteen of the most important figures in the land. At the head of the table, the President of the Republic, a man of stern demeanor and golden piercing eyes, presided over the gathering. Beside him sat the Vice President Barion, a figure of calm composure and strategic acumen.

Arrayed along one side of the table were the representatives of the five Elden Houses, each one embodying the ancient lineage and power of their respective families. Their attire was a blend of tradition and modernity, with intricate patterns and insignias that spoke of their long-standing heritage. Their faces were a mix of wisdom, pride, and an underlying competitiveness, each house vying for prominence in the republic's affairs.

On the opposite side sat the seven senators, each one a master of political maneuvering and governance. They were a diverse group, representing various regions and interests, yet united by their dedication to the republic's prosperity. Their expressions ranged from thoughtful contemplation to sharp attentiveness, ready to debate and deliberate the pressing matters at hand.

The ambiance of the hall was one of solemnity and power. The walls seemed to echo with the whispers of history, and the very air was charged with the weight of the decisions to be made. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft, diffused light that added to the room's majestic aura. The scent of polished wood and faint traces of incense lingered, adding to the hall's dignified atmosphere.

As President Aurelius rose to speak, a hushed silence fell over the gathering. All eyes turned to him, the collective attention of the republic's most influential leaders focused on his words. The future of their nation lay in the balance, and within the hallowed confines of the Hall of the Paragons, history was about to be shaped once more.

"The gates of hell broke loose."