the beginning after the end perfect duo

Two Nameless Mages

Why was I born with such blessings? I never truly understood the reason, but what I did know was that these blessings often felt like a heavy burden—a curse disguised in fortune. Especially for someone so young, the weight of these gifts became unbearable after losing my mother. Her absence left a void, one that these so-called blessings could never fill.

But that's the past, a chapter closed, and now I have a new life to live. A life that could be much better if only I knew how to wield the gifts I've been given.

I stirred from my bedroll, moving with deliberate care to avoid waking Lilia, who lay peacefully beside me. Her breathing was steady, soft, a reminder of the brief tranquility that mornings sometimes offered. The room was dim, the faint light of dawn barely seeping through the cracks in the wooden walls of the hut.

I rose silently, my feet making barely a whisper on the cold, rough floor. The hut was small, modest, but it had a warmth that came from shared struggles and quiet camaraderie. I padded toward the tiny kitchen, a nook in the corner with just enough space for the essentials. My hands found the loaf of bread on the worn wooden counter, and I sliced a piece, spreading a thin layer of butter over it. The simple act of making breakfast felt grounding, a moment of normalcy before the chaos of the day.

As I chewed the bread, my thoughts wandered to the mission ahead. Today, we would embark on another mission, one that Jasmine had signed us up for the day before. She hadn't gone into all the details, but from what she mentioned, it would be another dungeon-clearing raid. This time, though, we wouldn't be doing it alone. Another party had already registered for the same mission.

The identity of this other party was still unknown, but I could only assume they were random adventurers. Cooperation would be crucial, but if things went awry, Arthur and I would have to step in. Sylvia, too, if the situation became dire. Though, truth be told, my trust in her was shaky at best. She had her strengths, but relying on her was something I hesitated to do.

With the bread now gone, I stepped outside, heading toward the hills that stretched beyond the hut. The cool morning air greeted me as I walked, a gentle breeze rustling through the grass. This quiet time before the day's mission was precious, and I intended to use it to hone my skills, particularly my mastery over Sound magic—one branch I still struggled with. Truth be told, I hadn't fully mastered any element yet, but every small improvement counted.

I found a spot where the hills sloped gently, a flat rock embedded in the earth providing a suitable surface for my practice. I placed a single leaf on the rock, its delicate form motionless in the calm air. Closing my eyes, I focused on the mana around me, particularly the wind mana particles. In my mind's eye, I visualized them as tiny green particles, swirling and dancing freely in the environment, much like gas particles.

I imagined a motor, steadily pushing these particles in rhythmic pulses. The motor's initial pace was slow, and as the air flowed toward the leaf, it began to tremble slightly, reacting to the gentle gusts. I maintained the rhythm, feeling the subtle interplay between the mana and the physical world.

Gradually, I increased the motor's speed, pushing the particles faster and faster. This adjustment increased the frequency of the sound waves produced, and soon, the faint sound of a whistle emerged, just at the edge of my hearing. The leaf's movements grew more erratic, responding to the higher frequency.

I continued to raise the frequency, the whistle sharpening into a high-pitched tone. Eventually, it reached a point where I could no longer hear it—the frequency had surpassed the audible range for humans, which I knew to be between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz.

This discovery was fascinating. It meant I had gained a degree of control over the frequencies I generated, a significant step forward. Previously, my Sound magic was limited to simple muffling spells, where I would either dampen incoming vibrations or reduce their amplitude. Now, with control over higher frequency values, the potential applications expanded considerably.