Nathan – POV

  That morning, after breakfast, I trudged toward the outhouse with grim determination. The smell was as foul as ever...an unholy mix of rot, damp wood, and human waste...but I endured it. I had more important things to do than gag at the stench. I needed privacy, and this was the only place where no one would bother me.

  I pulled up my status screen, the familiar translucent panel flickering into existence before my eyes. But this time, something was different. A small flashing light pulsed in the upper-left corner, demanding my attention.

  Curious, I mentally clicked it.

  A new prompt appeared:

  Would you like to consolidate the skills Demon Skin and Demon Armor?

  That was new. My heart skipped. Consolidation? Fusion? I didn’t hesitate. Yes.

  Another prompt followed immediately:

  Congratulations!

  You have successfully merged two skills into a new one!

  You now have Demon Armored Skin I!

  I blinked. An upgrade? My pulse quickened. I cast the new spell at once.

  Shing!

  A faint shimmer rippled across my skin, like a second layer of hardened shadow.

  Congratulations!

  You have successfully cast a new spell! +5 Intelligence

  I laughed out loud, the sound echoing awkwardly in the cramped outhouse. “This is too good to be true.”

  At this rate, by the time I reached mid-level rank, I’d have a mountain of MP to burn through, and I was still only three years old. Three. Years. Old.

  But the same problem gnawed at me: training. How was I supposed to practice destructive magic in a village where even sneezing too loudly drew Mother’s suspicion? The forest was the only option, but slipping away from her watchful eyes was nearly impossible. Unless… Serena. If I could rope her into my schemes, maybe I could stretch the leash a little.

  I’d just have to test her limits.

  Later that morning, while Mother busied herself with her new vegetable garden, I tugged Serena toward the trees at the edge of our property.

  She frowned, her little hands on her hips. “What’s with you, little brother? Why are we hiding here? Did you do something wrong? I’ll tell Mom, you know.”

  I rolled my eyes. “No, I didn’t do anything wrong. I just want to show you something.”

  She eyed me suspiciously, lips pursed. “Okay… show me.”

  I grinned. Perfect.

  Stretching out my arms with as much drama as I could muster, I began casting Shadow Tendrils. Black mist coiled from my hands, seeping into the ground. A moment later, a shadowy coil erupted upward, wrapping itself around a nearby tree trunk like a living serpent.

  “Eeeek!” Serena squealed, stumbling back.

  “Don’t yell, sister. It’s me. I’m the one doing it.”

  Her eyes widened. “You? You summoned that… that thing?”

  “Yes. And it’s not a thing. It’s a spell.”

  “A spell? You’re a mage?”

  “A shadow mage,” I corrected, puffing my chest out.

  “I don’t know what that is, but… wow.”

  I facepalmed. “Listen, Serena. Would you like to learn magic?”

  Her eyes lit up instantly. “Of course, Nathan! But Mother and Father said classes only unlock during the advancement ceremony.”

  “I know. But I may have found a way to unlock yours much earlier.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not joking, are you?”

  “Look at me.” I cast Shadow Tendrils again, this time at another tree, canceling the first. The shadows writhed and snapped like living ropes.

  Her jaw dropped. “So cool! Teach me, teach me!” She bounced on her toes, clapping her hands.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “Settle down first. I need you to promise me something.”

  “Anything.”

  “You can’t tell anyone. Not Mother, not Father, not Jack. Not yet.”

  “Done.”

  I nodded. Then I explained how I had started by sensing mana. Of course, I left out the part where I’d managed it as a one-year-old. No need to crush her spirit. I didn’t promise immediate success either; instead, I encouraged her to meditate, to feel the flow of energy around us. I described what mana looked like to me, like faint threads of light woven through the air, shimmering just beyond sight.

  She tried. Again and again. Each time she scrunched her face in concentration, only to sigh in frustration. I patted her head gently. “Don’t worry. Keep meditating. It’ll come.”

  While she sat cross-legged, eyes closed, I summoned Krizek.

  “Yes, Master,” the imp’s voice echoed telepathically. He appeared before me, cloaked in lesser invisibility. His jagged grin gleamed faintly in the shadows.

  I resisted the urge to show him off. Serena isn’t ready yet. Not until she could sense mana.

  Krizek, I thought, teach me how to enter the pocket dimension.

  “Of course, Master. Simply say Nolak Kiazowt while infusing your mana into it.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “The same way you cast a spell. Know the name, pour your intent into it. You don’t need to speak aloud.”

  I nodded. Closing my eyes, I focused. Nolak Kiazowt. I imagined a portal opening, a tear in reality itself. Mana surged through me, and a few seconds later, a dark purple rift shimmered into existence before us.

  My jaw dropped. “I’ll be damned…”

  Congratulations!

  You have successfully cast a new spell! +5 Intelligence

  “What’s that, Nathan?” Serena’s voice piped up behind me.

  Oh, shit. “Err… it’s one of my spells. This will take us to a special place.”

  Her eyes sparkled. “Wow, brother! You’re amazing. Can we go in?”

  I hesitated, then asked Krizek mentally.

  “Yes, Master. You may bring her. But do not let go of her hand. If you do, she will be expelled.”

  “And living things other than us?”

  “Cast out instantly. Only non-living objects may remain stored.”

  I turned to Serena. “We can go in, but you must never let go of me. Understand?”

  She nodded eagerly. I took her hand, and together we stepped through.

  The world shifted. Suddenly, we stood in a vast chamber glittering with gold. Coins piled high, reflecting the dim violet glow of the pocket dimension. Behind us, the portal snapped shut.

  Serena gasped. “Wow! There’s so much gold! Whose is it?”

  “Mine.”

  Her eyes widened. “This is where the pouch of gold came from!”

  “Yes, sister.”

  “How did you...?”

  “Never mind the how or why. Just know this: the gold is ours. Our family’s. We’ll never go hungry again. But you mustn’t tell Mother, Father, or Jack. Not yet.”

  She bit her lip, then nodded. “Okay, brother. Can I take a few coins?”

  “Sure. Just don’t let go of me.”

  She bent down, scooping coins into her pockets, her small hand clutching mine tightly.

  I asked Krizek how to leave. “Cast the same spell, Master.”

  I did, and the portal reopened. We stepped out, and the rift sealed behind us.

  Now was the time.

  “Serena,” I said carefully, “I want you to meet someone. But you mustn’t scream.”

  She eyed me warily. “Okay…”

  I commanded Krizek to reveal himself. He appeared, his grin sharp and wicked.

  Serena’s mouth opened in a scream, but I clamped my hand over it. “Shh! Don’t scream. Mother will hear. He’s a friend.”

  She trembled, staring at the imp.

  “You’re not helping, Krizek,” I muttered.

  “I told you, Master. Humans are finicky,” he replied dryly.

  “I know. Give her time.”

  Serena finally wriggled free. “Master?” she whispered, eyes darting between us.

  “Yeah… he’s my summon.”

  Her eyes widened further. “It was you! You summoned this demon when Mother was attacked!”

  “Yeah. That was me.”

  “But you were still a baby!”

  “Err… I did it instinctively,” I said. Not entirely a lie.

  “Listen, Serena. There are things I can do, and things I can’t. But everything I do, I do for us. For our family.”

  “But… it’s a demon, brother.”

  “Demon, shmeemon. Doesn’t matter, as long as he works for us. I’m still your brother. Just… a brother who can summon demons.” I grinned.

  She still looked unconvinced, her brows furrowed, and lips pressed tight. But after a long moment she drew in a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and said, “Okay. I understand. I’ll help you keep it a secret… but you have to promise you’ll tell our family soon. All right?”

  “Deal,” I said without hesitation.

  We sealed it with a solemn handshake, two children conspiring in the shadows like seasoned plotters. Then I turned to Krizek. “By the way, Krizek, this is my sister Serena. Serena, this is Krizek...my summoned imp.”

  Serena, to her credit, managed a shaky curtsy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  Krizek’s grin widened, sharp teeth glinting. “And it is a pleasure to meet my master’s sister.”

  “Now, Krizek, I’ll see you later,” I said, dismissing him with a thought. His form dissolved into smoke and vanished.

  Serena gasped. “Where did he go?”

  “I unsummoned him,” I explained casually, as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

  She gave me a long, searching look. “You know, Nathan… you don’t talk or act like this when you’re with Mother.”

  I scratched the back of my head. “Err… yeah. Because she might get weirded out.”

  Serena tilted her head, then nodded slowly. “Fair point.” Her expression brightened with sudden determination. “Now I have to meditate, so I can become a mage like you.”

  And just like that, she dropped the absurdity of the entire encounter: the imp, the gold, the secret pact. Children had a way of accepting the impossible and moving on without hesitation.

  I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Thank God for children.