The Roots of Magic

"I've never heard of the Astar Kingdom," Chayil thought out loud. "What continent is that? Is it in Europe or Asia?"

They were still in the living room and his father, Rad, was confused by what he was saying. "Europe? Asia? Where is that? I don't understand those places you're talking about."

Confusion flashed through Chayil's face. "How about the demons that took over the Earth?" he continued asking

Rad shook his head and smiled at his son's words. "There are no demons here that have taken over us. The Astar Kingdom is peaceful, and no demons rule over it."

'What's happening here? Why aren't his answers matched with what God said when I was in heaven?' Chayil pondered inwardly. 

"I think you just dreamt those things while you're unconscious," Rad tried to clarify. 

"You should take your time or go out for a bit and breathe fresh air. You might still be adjusting to the events."

They went out of the house and took a walk. When Chayil's attention drew to the giant tower, disbelief crossed his face again. 

"What about that gigantic cliff? The one that reached above the sky," he asked. "What is that thing?"

"It's the Light Dungeon," Rad answered. "A lot of adventurers are going there to explore it and reach the top."

"Whoa," Chayil exclaimed, remembering how he couldn't even see the top of the tower because it was shrouded in clouds. 

"That must've been something, reaching all the way up there. I wonder what's on top of it."

His father shrugged his shoulders as he replied, "They believe that reaching the top would earn them blessings from the gods and make them powerful. But until now, no one has ever reached the top because of how powerful the monsters get once you reach the higher floors."

Feeling confused by everything he was saying, a lot came to Chayil's mind. 'Is this real? Is it still Earth as I know it?' he wondered.

The reality seemed too different from what he had imagined in the past 6,000 years. 

He had expected technological advancements like humanoid robots and flying cars, but apparently, that wasn't the case.

"But others go there to train their skills, magic, or strength," Rad continued. 

'Wait, magic?' Chayil echoed, his mind flashing back to the black-armored fighter who wielded blink and fire. "Can people use magic now?" 

"Yes, but not everyone has the ability to use magic."

'Wow, so some people can use magic now. Is it because of the demons' arrival?' Chayil mused. "How about you, Dad?" he asked. "Do you have magic?"

"Nah, I don't have any magic," Rad responded. "I only have this." He flexed his muscles to his son while proudly smiling, implying that his muscles were enough.

Chayil smiled. "Do I also have magic?" he curiously asked.

"We still don't know," Rad replied to his inquiry. "There's an age limit for Appraisal at the age of fourteen. You weren't eligible at that time, and you had an accident."

"Accident? What accident, Dad?"

Rad paused and thought about what to say. "When I took you hunting," he began. 

"You strayed away from me, and I just found you lying unconscious next to a tree. It looked like you were attacked by a wild animal that day."

Chayil looked into his father's eyes, observing, 'It seems he's hiding something from his son.' But then he looked away, 'Well, it's not really my concern what they're hiding from him.'

"But you can still catch up since you're sixteen now so we can see what the root of your magic is, if you have one," Rad continued.

'Magic root?' Chayil thought.

There are six kinds of magic roots. One is Ethereal magic. Through visualization and meditation, you can create anything using elements like Fire, Water, Earth, Air and more.

The second is Divine magic, given by the gods as blessings. 

This includes Enhancements of Healing, Agility, Strength, the five Senses, Immunity, Knowledge, and others. 

You can also use Wardcraft, focusing on different Barriers and effects.

The third is Dark magic, which is related to all Black magic, manipulation of void space and time, and some prohibited magic that the government bans.

The fourth is Nature magic, which enables control over nature.

The fifth is Domestic magic. It is practical magic used in everyday life for tasks related to home and living. 

This might include spells for cleaning, repairing, or even magically organizing spaces and others related to infrastructures.

Lastly, there is Summoning or Taming magic.

"When will that be?" Chayil inquired.

"It's coming up soon. I'll let you know after two days," Rad replied. "For now, you need to recover. You might not be able to handle the journey to town." 

Chayil nodded in agreement. 

'Magic huh? What really happened to Earth? Why does it seem peaceful and people here aren't worried?' 

Chayil continued to ponder. 

'There's only one way to find out about everything.' His gaze went to the Light Dungeon from the root up to the clouds.

Then he looked at his slender fists and arms. 'I need to regain my body and learn about this world,' he thought.

Shortly after, Rad excused himself as he headed to the crop fields to work.