Chapter 6 : Embers in the Grain

  The quiet village of Rynvale pulsed with life as midsummer arrived. Fields swayed golden in the wind, and the scent of ripe barley clung to the air. Merchants passed through more frequently now, bringing exotic fabrics, spices, and stories.But for Auren Vale, the only thing he noticed was the metal spoon in his hand—and the way it subtly twitched when he flooded it with mana.

  He was five and a half.

  And spoons weren’t supposed to twitch.

  The Resonance TestInside his secret study—a repurposed root cellar hidden behind their shed—Auren laid out his newest experiment.

  He arranged five objects:

  A copper coin

  A pine twig

  A dried Ashroot vein

  A cracked ceramic shard

  And the old metal spoon

  Each was a conductor in some form. Each had failed or succeeded differently when mana was pushed through it.He held his breath, released a thread of raw mana into the spoon...It vibrated. Not violently, but with subtle resonance. Almost like it was singing.

  His heart pounded.

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  “Metal amplifies feedback,” he muttered. “But without control, it destabilizes.”The copper coin had nearly exploded. The ceramic had simply crumbled. But the spoon iron alloy, tempered by years of use was uniquely stable.He scribbled notes on dried parchment."Conduction = Function of structure + mana density + surface memory.Organic memory (wood, root) absorbs.Metallic memory (iron, copper) reflects.Stone disrupts."He didn’t know if those terms were “correct.”But he didn’t need “correct.” He needed repeatable.

  The Grain Mill IdeaThe village’s old grain mill had broken a week ago. The wooden waterwheel had finally rotted through, and no one could afford a new one.

  Auren saw an opportunity.

  He waited until the villagers were busy preparing for the harvest festival. Then, late one afternoon, he crept into the abandoned mill with a small sack of tools and his makeshift “mana battery.”It was a flat plate filled with Ashroot gel and copper shavings. Primitive—but it could store mana.Auren tied a rope from the cracked millstone shaft to a system of pulleys he’d carved himself. He wrapped the iron spoon with rune-etched twine, then inserted it into the gel core and whispered:

  “Flow.”

  Mana pulsed.

  The spoon vibrated again—more powerfully this time—and the pulley system shifted.

  Creaking. Grinding.

  Then... the millstone turned.

  Once.

  Then twice.

  Then spun freely.

  Auren staggered back, laughing under his breath.It was crude. It was unstable. It wouldn’t last.But it worked.He had just reactivated an entire mill using raw mana and spare parts.A WitnessHe didn’t notice the boy watching him from the rafters.It was Kell the quiet kid from the well.He slipped down, eyes wide. “That was magic... but not like I’ve seen.”

  Auren froze.

  “You can’t tell anyone,” he said sharply.

  Kell tilted his head. “Why not?”

  “Because I don’t want people asking questions. Or trying to take it apart. Or hurt you. Or me.”Kell thought about that for a long while, then nodded solemnly.

  “I won’t tell. But... can I help?”

  Auren hesitated.

  Then, cautiously, he smiled.

  “Only if you don’t mind getting burned.”

  Kell grinned. “I’ve had worse.”

  And just like that, Auren had his first assistant.