Chapter 13 The first lesson

Chapter 13 The first lesson

The study room on the second floor of Silas's building was filled with the quiet rustling of pages. Dim candlelight flickered, casting long shadows against the walls lined with ancient tomes and mystical artifacts.

At the grand wooden desk, Emma Blake sat hunched over a thick leather-bound book, her fingers absently tracing the arcane symbols on the pages. Her eyes flicked over the text, absorbing knowledge at an incredible pace.

Across from her, Silas, the enigmatic Merchant of Wonders, was doing something far less scholarly—watching cat videos on YouTube.

"Emma, look at this!" Silas suddenly grinned, holding out his phone. "This cat just yeeted itself off a bookshelf."

Emma's eye twitched. She slowly lifted her head, her irritation barely contained. She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and forced herself to calm down.

Silas, oblivious, chuckled to himself and returned to his phone, the faint sound of meowing chaos filling the room.

A minute passed. Then another.

SLAM!

Emma snapped the book shut forcefully, the sharp sound slicing through the quiet.

Silas blinked, finally looking up as he put his phone away. "You okay? Why'd you close the book?"

Emma's eye twitched harder. "Why? WHY?!" she nearly shouted, standing up so fast that her chair scraped against the floor.

"You said you'd teach me how to control my powers, but for the past three days, all you've done is sit here, laughing at stupid cat videos while making me read these!" She gestured to a towering pile of books on the side table. "And guess what? I've read them all!"

Silas raised an eyebrow. "Already? All of them?"

Emma crossed her arms. "Yes."

"Hmm." Silas leaned back in his chair, staring at her with unreadable amusement. "Alright then. If you've really learned everything, let's see if you can prove it."

Emma's frustration flickered, replaced by determination. "Fine."

Silas smirked. "First question. What type of energy do mages use?"

"Mana."

"Too easy," he mused. "Let's step it up. What schools of magic use soul magic?"

"Necromancy, spiritualism, and metamorphosis."

"Who was the first person to invent Soul Transfer Magic?"

"Ivan Long."

Silas's eyes gleamed with intrigue. "Alright, hard mode. A man is possessed by a demon's soul via a curse. What do you do?"

Emma didn't hesitate. "None of the usual methods work. Exorcism is useless because the demon's soul is fused with the human's. Holy Light would harm both souls—potentially killing the human. And if you break the curse, the demon will be set free and fully devour the host's soul, taking over their body permanently."

Silas leaned forward, genuinely impressed now. "And what would you do instead?"

Emma met his gaze, her voice steady. "I would have to sever the demon's soul from the human's. Then, I could either destroy it or seal it for later use."

For the first time, a slow, approving smile formed on Silas's face. "Well, color me impressed."

Emma let out a small satisfied huff.

"I figured it'd take you at least a few more days to memorize all that." Silas stretched his arms lazily. "But since you've proven yourself, I guess it's time to start your practical training."

Emma's eyes lit up with excitement.

"…Tomorrow," Silas added nonchalantly.

Emma's excitement died instantly. "What."

"It's getting late. You should go home and rest. Training starts tomorrow."

Emma stared at him in disbelief. "…You're messing with me."

Silas grinned, standing up. "Nope."

Emma groaned, rubbing her temples. "I hate you."

"You'll thank me later," Silas said smugly, walking past her toward the door. "See you in the morning, bookworm."

Emma glared at him but couldn't stop the small, reluctant smile that crept onto her lips.

----

Next day.

The next day, Emma arrived at Silas's shop, ready for her first real lesson.

The second-floor study room had been cleared out, the heavy oak table pushed to the side, and the stacks of books neatly arranged in corners. A soft, golden glow from the morning sun filtered through the tall windows, casting a serene atmosphere over the room.

Silas stood in the center, looking as effortlessly composed as ever. Today, however, he wasn't watching cat videos—which was a small miracle in itself.

Emma stepped forward, excitement bubbling in her chest. "Alright. No distractions today. Teach me."

Silas smirked. "Eager, are we?"

Emma crossed her arms. "I've been waiting three days for this."

"True. But today's lesson isn't about blasting fireballs or summoning spirits."

Emma's excitement dimmed slightly. "…Then what are we doing?"

Silas gestured for her to sit on the floor. "We're going to find your mana."

Emma hesitated. "You mean… like meditation?"

"Exactly."

She gave him a deadpan stare. "That's it?"

Silas chuckled. "Trust me, it's harder than it sounds. Your mana is always there, flowing through you, but most people never notice it. You have to become aware of it before you can ever hope to control it."

Emma sighed but sat down cross-legged. "Fine. What do I do?"

Silas sat across from her. "Close your eyes."

Emma shut them.

"Breathe. Slowly. Feel the air moving in and out of your lungs."

She took a deep breath, focusing on the rhythm.

Silence.

The distant ticking of a clock filled the room.

Silas's voice was calm, patient. "Now… pay attention to your body. The warmth in your chest, the tension in your muscles. Let everything fade away."

Emma relaxed slightly, exhaling slowly.

"Mana is like a river," Silas continued. "Most people never notice it because their minds are too noisy. You have to listen beyond the noise."

Emma furrowed her brows. The quiet was… frustrating. She was expecting something to happen, but all she felt was the same old nothingness.

Minutes passed.

Then more.

Her mind wandered.

'Did I leave my jacket downstairs?'

'Why is my nose itchy now of all times?'

'How long are we going to do this?'

Her fingers twitched impatiently. "This isn't working."

Silas didn't respond.

Emma peeked one eye open.

Silas was watching her with an amused expression. "Gave up already?"

Emma groaned. "I don't feel anything! Just… emptiness."

Silas tapped his fingers against the floor. "That's because you're looking for something obvious. Mana isn't a burst of energy—it's subtle. It's been with you since the day you were born. You just need to recognize it."

Emma frowned, but she closed her eyes again.

She focused. Breathe in. Breathe out.

This time, she let go of her expectations.

No forcing. No overthinking.

Just... being.

...

And then—

A faint sensation.

A warmth, deep inside her chest, like the slightest spark.

It wasn't fire. It wasn't electricity. It wasn't anything grand.

It was just there.

Gentle. Familiar.

Like something that had always been a part of her—but she had never truly noticed before.

Emma's lips parted slightly.

Silas's voice cut through the moment. "You feel it, don't you?"

Emma nodded slowly, as if speaking would make it vanish.

Silas grinned. "Good. That's your mana."

Emma opened her eyes, a quiet sense of awe settling over her. "It feels… different than I expected."

Silas leaned back. "Because most people think mana is something separate from them. But it's not. It's as much a part of you as your heartbeat."

Emma looked down at her hands. She didn't see anything different, but… she felt different.

For the first time, she realized—magic wasn't just some external force.

It was hers.

She smiled.

For the first time since discovering her abilities, she felt hopeful.

To Be Continued…

(A/N: Quick question, are guys liking the new oc emma? Do you think she is a good assistant. I have been thinking, they live in Gotham one of the most crime ridden and evil city in fiction. There hasn't been any tragedy.)