Chapter 2: A New Dawn

“88, 99, 100! There, all done!” Mariana stretched to relax her weary arms. “Now what was I supposed to do again after this, Marcus?” Mariana called the man in front of her, who was currently writing on his ledger.

“Mariana!” Marcus yelled without turning around, then he sighed. He raised from his desk and approached Mariana. “Come on, Mariana. How many times should I tell you not to call me when I’m computing something? Now I have to count this again later...”

“Oh right! I’m sorry,” Mariana said guiltily.

Marcus complained about this all the time, but Mariana just couldn’t remember.

“You shouldn’t say sorry anymore if it’s going to happen again...” He sighed again. 

Mariana couldn’t say anything back, her eyes trying to evade Marcus’.

This is the thing that most people complain about Mariana. ‘They said I was forgetful, but I’m not!’ Mariana thought. She knew because she remembered tons about magic and not once did she forget about it.

‘Oh right, I guess I can only remember it clearly if it’s about magic.’

“I’m really sorry. To make it up to you, why don’t you eat at home? It’s mostly potatoes, but it’s still good!” Mariana said with glee.

“Again?!” Marcus said, his face crumpled. “Don’t you tire of potatoes?” 

“I do, but that’s our only option for now. You’re aware that the merchant only visits Pago twice a month,” Mariana explained. “Before you came, they never even visited at all. That’s also why the villagers have been thankful since your arrival ten years ago. Your potion-making business gave our village attention and made it better.” Mariana smiled, her lips almost touching her ears.

“I…” Marcus blushed, but he tried to hide it by facing away. “But I’m still mad!”

‘I don’t think so...’

Mariana only grinned slyly in return.

“So annoying!” Marcus stormed out, but quickly turned back. “Store those potions, then let’s go! I’m hungry! Your potatoes must be good or I will make you do my work, got it?” 

“Yes, Master!” Mariana said, standing upright, her right palm pressed on her left chest — a sign of respect Mariana learned from Marcus.

Marcus shook his head. “I’ll wait for you outside the building. Don’t make me wait long.”

And he disappeared.

Mariana immediately did as she was told. She sealed all the crates packed full of health potions with wooden lids. Then Mariana carried them one by one to the storage room at the back of the warehouse. 

The warehouse was filled with crates neatly stacked on top of each other. These crates contained health potions of three different sizes: lesser, normal, and greater potions. Mariana walked carefully so she wouldn’t drop the crates she was carrying. It took her ten trips to carry all of it. After Mariana finished, she headed straight to the main door which led outside.

The warehouse wasn’t that big. It was once a barn that got remodeled when Marcus Miller and his men came. At first, the villagers were anxious about their sudden arrival. Miller’s Alchemy Station was well known throughout Magna City, but not in our village. That’s why most of the elders thought these people were going to make them work without pay. Fortunately, that wasn’t their plan, but Mariana couldn’t help but wonder why Marcus never once left. Pago was a peaceful place, but Mariana thought it wouldn’t ever beat the City.

‘Maybe I should ask him? Yeah, it should be fine.’

***

The distance from the warehouse to Mariana’s home was only about five hundred steps, so she and Marcus decided to just walk there. They also preferred this, so Marcus could greet the villagers currently working in the fields.

Agriculture has drastically changed ever since Marcus’ arrival. The fields in the village used to be filled with potatoes, but now only less than ten of the almost a hundred plots were planted with it. They had all been replaced by sunblooms — a small yellow flower that was used for making potions. These flowers grew fast, but could only bloom during the day. They have also turned the empty pieces of land before into greenhouses that were planted by orange mushrooms — another ingredient for health potions.

The villagers became livelier too. The constant worry and depressed look that once painted their faces are now gone. Marcus has truly helped them a lot. Without him, the village might have been still worrying about how would they put food on their plates.

“Good afternoon Master Miller, and to you too, Mariana.” 

It was the villager currently tending the sunblooms who greeted the two. He stopped his work to approach them when Marcus spoke. 

“Please do not mind my presence and continue your work. Good afternoon to you, too,” Marcus said.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Roger! Keep up the good work!” Mariana waved at the farmer with a smile.

Mr. Roger and Mariana weren’t that close, but she still knew her name because he had been in Pago before Mariana was even born.

Roger nodded, smiled, and then went back to work. They then continued walking towards Mariana’s home, saying nothing.

Halfway through, Marcus broke the silence. 

“Why are you so quiet? That’s so unusual for you,” Marcus asked.

“So you noticed, huh? I was just thinking. Why did you come here?” Mariana asked.

“Do you want me to leave? That hurts, Mariana,” Marcus said, wiping his fake tears.

Mariana slapped Marcus on his shoulder to make him stop. He just chuckled.

“I’m serious!” yelled Mariana, which she quickly apologized for. “But really, why did you stay? It’s not like there is much to do here besides your business. Your family is rich enough for you to leave someone capable of manning this facility, right?”

“Yes, that is true,” he groaned. “I never wanted to come here at first. However, my family insisted that I man this place so I can be useful to them.” 

“Wait, useful? How much do they expect from you?” 

He stopped walking. “Mariana. Aside from having our business, the Miller family are also renowned mages. However, I’m still not one and you know that.”

“Isn’t that terrible?!” Mariana yelled, startling Marcus.

“Hey, calm down, Mariana.”

“How can I be calm?! They’re your family and they treated you like this?” Mariana could feel her nerves popping on her forehead.

“I will not be a non-mage forever, so don’t worry about it. Besides, I like it here,” he smiled, then continued to walk. Mariana followed immediately.

Mariana, feeling bad, thought of something that would change the atmosphere. “You know, smiling doesn’t suit you. You looked silly.” 

“Wa- what?! What’s wrong with my smile?” Marcus roared.

“There you go! That’s the expression that suits you,” Mariana chuckled, Marcus’ nose contorted.

 Mariana and Marcus kept bickering while strolling when it started to drizzle. They quickened their paces. Fortunately, Mariana’s house was already nearby, so they hadn’t been soaked for too long. As they arrived in front of Mariana’s fence gate, Mariana led Marcus inside and told him to ask her mother that they’d arrived. Mariana still needed to tend to her donkey and keep her away from the rain.

Mariana’s donkey, Star, was usually in the backyard, but when it rained, Mariana tied him to the tree next to her home. This allowed Star to walk around the area without getting wet. Star was currently seeking shelter in his shed. He neighed when he saw Mariana approach her.

“Hey Star, how’s your day?”

Mariana rubbed the star-shaped birthmark on Star’s forehead, which she got by his name. Star liked it when she did this.

Mariana grabbed the rope attached to Star’s neck and led him to the tree. She had to walk farther ever since she had their fence built (also courtesy of Marcus’ business) since its location made it so that the tree was now outside her yard. Mariana bolted as the rain was getting stronger. 

Before Mariana came close to the tree, Star suddenly struggled from her grip. This has never happened before. He then started trotting and raising his front legs violently;  Mariana almost got kicked. 

“He-hey! What’s the problem, hey!”

Star won from Mariana’s grip and ran back inside!

Mariana sighed in relief. Good thing Star didn’t venture somewhere else. She would’ve had to chase him and that would be unpleasant.

Mariana decided to just head back inside, since her stomach was growling.

‘H-help…’

Mariana crumpled her forehead. “What was that?”

‘Help m-me…’

Mariana heard it right. She knew, but couldn’t find where it was coming from. The heavy drops of rain hitting dirt and grass made it hard to discern where the voice was coming from.

Mariana, although unsure, answered back. “Hello? Where are you?” 

“Help, pl-please…”

‘Where are you?’ Now she was unsure. ‘Am I going crazy? Does this happen all of a sudden?’

Mariana brushed off the thought. Mariana could just forget about it if she were hallucinating, but if the owner of the voice died because she failed to give aid, it would eat her conscience. She knew it was nearby, since it didn’t sound like a yell coming from afar. However, all she saw was her house, the fence which she would have seen already if someone was behind it — plus she came from inside their yard, and the big tr—

“Behind the tree!” Mariana exclaimed.

Ignoring her stupidity, Mariana dashed to the tree to check what’s behind it, and there she saw an old man lying on the ground. He’s wearing a worn ragged leather hooded coat covering his entire body. His shoes, gone and nowhere nearby; his wrinkly face looked weary and dehydrated.

“Are you okay? What happened to you?!” Mariana asked, her voice shaking. The elderly appeared moments away from dying. 

“W-wa-ter. A glass f-full. Please.”

“I’ll be right back!”

As soon as Mariana answered, she ran as fast as she could back inside to grab what the man needed, paying no attention to the heavy rain. When Mariana entered, she saw Marcus seated next to her Mom at the dining table. Confusion painted their faces when she appeared heavily drenched, but she ignored and rushed past them, took what she needed, and went back to the man.

‘Please be okay.’

When Mariana came back, the man was still lying on the ground, pale and almost lifeless that she almost dropped the cup of water.

Mariana kneeled next to him and raised his head. Then, she told him to open his mouth so she could aid him to drink. Mariana was about to ask him more about anything he needed, but what happened next left her mouth wide open.

The moment the man drank all the liquid, his body started illuminating in bright blue. The light then divided into multiple particles and slowly floated to the sky. It finally disappeared one by one, leaving the cup of water in Mariana’s hand and… a ring?

‘Wait, is this… is he?’

Her Grandmother’s words flooded Mariana’s thoughts instantly. She told her how water mages received their powers. She said that they chose someone who met their criteria while raining and granted them their corresponding ring. Tears then trickled from her eyes and combined with the rainfall on her face. Mariana never thought this day would come. 

‘Grandma, I think I’m a mage now.’