Chapter 56: A Step Beyond
Nero stood before Rowena, his sharp blue eyes reflecting the flickering torchlight of the chamber. The atmosphere was calm yet charged with an unspoken intensity.
"Nero," Rowena began, folding her hands together, "before we start your training, I need to amend a statement I made earlier."
Nero tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean?"
Each of the other founders had taken their heir aside for individual training.
She exhaled. "We told you all that it was too soon to explore the laws and principles of magic, that your foundations were still lacking. That remains true, for most of you."
Nero frowned. "And I'm the exception?"
Rowena gave him a small, knowing smile. "Yes. Though your understanding of fundamental magic still needs some work, your body is a different matter entirely. Thanks to Melina's sacrifice, you are already attuned to space itself. You may not realize it yet, but your body is practically immune to basic space manipulations."
Nero's eyes widened. "Meaning?"
Rowena's expression turned serious. "Meaning that you are uniquely suited to start learning a spell that most wizards don't attempt until adulthood: Apparition."
He blinked. "Apparition? But... I thought it required precise magical control and carried a high risk of injuring oneself, if learned too early?"
Rowena nodded. "That is exactly why most wizards struggle with it. It's not taught until they reach seventeen, when their magic is more stable and they can handle the risks. But for you, the barriers that hinder others: the risk of Splinching, the difficulty in stabilizing movement through space, are non-existent. Your body can withstand the distortions. You still need to learn the mechanics and refine your control, but you will have a head start. Keep in mind that you should not try to touch another Principle than space at this moment. Your focus should be on mastering basic elements, then advanced ones, and fusing seamlessly their application with transfiguration, or charms for instance."