Mischievous Alice: The Eyes Of Hermes

The next day came and Alice got up really early since she was too excited of what her first lesson would be. After getting up, she was helped to get ready by their maids and then ate breakfast with her family. Alex cheered him up before going on to his sword training and her father as well, before he went to deal with their business. Aquila was the one left to accompany her to the woods. They were all ready to go when suddenly, a black hole appeared in front of their house and a maid puppet came out of it.

"Good day, Ms. Alice.", the female-looking puppet greeted her. "I was tasked by Master Edward to accompany you today. If you may," she continued, then gestured her hands towards the black hole.

"What is that thing, my dear? Is that safe?" Aquila questioned her daughter.

"It's from my new mentor, I suppose it is. I came out of his house from that hole anyway."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, mom. Don't worry. I'll be fine.", she assured her mother.

Then, with no further a do, Alice stepped inside the black hole and disappeared instantly from sight. When Alice came to be, she was suddenly brought forth a place that looked like a meadow. The coast was so clear that no one seemed to live in that place. A few more moments and Edward arrived at the place as well via his black hole.

"Good morning, Alice." he greeted her.

"Good morning, teacher."

"It's a nice weather today, right?"

"Yes, it certainly is."

"And what a nice scenery…"

"Yeah…" Alice agreed. But in her mind she's thinking, "Enough with the rambling, come on and teach me already!"

"So Alice, in the books, we were taught that the world contains 'spirit energies' or 'mana'. And that mana flows everywhere...and that mana makes all things possible. But I say not. Why do you think is that so?"

"Hmm…that's a tough one." she thought. "Well ...what I know is that… mana comes from nature. But...since it comes from nature, then the magic it produces would be that of nature as well ...And if that's so, then...what of void magic? Where does it originate?"

"Brilliant! You're right!" he exclaimed. "And if not in nature, where do you think they originate? What else is there that is not nature?"

Alice shook her head. "I- I don't know."

"Think! What else? Look around you. What else is around you?"

Alice looked around. She could see nothing but grass, and the sky, and the two of them.

"Wait..is it..us? Humans?"

Edward raised one of his eyebrows. "You're almost there."

"Humans...what do humans have?", she continued pondering. "Ah!"

"Yes? What do you think?"

"Is it…. Life?"

"Bingo!" he congratulated her. Edward began striding as he talked, "Yes, if mana comes from nature in the form of spirit energies, so is life. Humans, they are filled with life energies they're not even aware of. And this life energy enables us, void specialists, to create an "ability" or a "skill" as some may know it. Somehow, they're like magic. The only difference is that nature is not its source but the man itself and his own energy. Do you understand?"

"I see… Yes, I think I understand."

"To be honest with you, I think us, void users are quite special."

"Why do you think so?"

"Just imagine, being able to do any skills or ability without the restriction of mana. Being able to invent ANY ability at all since we're not bounded by nature! Remember my black hole? That is an ability! And I call it "teleportation". Remember the maze in my house? It's not actually a maze to be honest, but merely an "illusion". The puppets I have, I call it "puppetry". Those are just to name a few, but imagine what vast things we can do!"

Edwards eyes were twinkling as he told Alice all of these things. And Alice in return got excited for what's to come.

"So does that mean, 'appraise' and 'refine' are void abilities,too? Somehow, I was able to use them before."

"Yes they are. Those are blacksmith's skills but that's not all. You can also 'upgrade' any items or weapon, or choose to 'engrave' an elemental material or crystal to it. Even the storage crystals operates by void ability. Basically, anything you can invent or think of. All you gotta do is materialize it on your mind...the same way as mages focuses and concentrates in controlling their mana to do their bidding."

"Wooowww… in that case, there's really a lot of things we can do. How about flying?"

"Yes, that, too."

"That's really great!... but… how exactly do we materialize it in our minds?"

"That's a great question." he answered. "Come, go on and close your eyes."

Alice closed her eyes shut.

A few moments passed and Alice started hearing the once faint noises as loud as they could be.

"Now, I want you to listen and feel your surroundings… keep still and quiet and feel everything around you."

Alice did what she was told. Then, she started envisioning the meadow in front of her, even though her eyes were closed. They all looked as if they were ...dust.. Or particles of some sort.

"Then, focus on one simple thing - your feet, floating in the grounds."

The moment Edward said those things, Alice imagined it on her head. Without noticing it, her small feet were indeed, little by little floating from the ground.

"Now, open your eyes."

When Alice opened her eyes, she was enthralled that she was floating!

"I'm..I-.. I'm flying!" , her eyes twinkled as she said that.

But after a few seconds, she fell back to the ground.

"Huh? Why did it stop? Was I lacking life energy?"

"No, you're not. That's what happens when you lose focus. Controlling life energy, you need more focus than when controlling mana. And that's what I'll train you on for this coming weeks, or maybe months. Depending on how fast you learn."

"Uhm! I look forward to it!" Alice nodded in enthusiasm.

Days passed and Edward continued teaching Alice on strengthening her focus and controlling her life energy. It wasn't an easy task. It's one thing to focus with your eyes closed, but it's another when you need your eyes open, or when you're being attacked and needs to react to a certain situation. Edward tested her with many distractions and thought her multiple theories and reasoning and many other things she would need in her life.

Anne was not exaggerating when she said Edward was a genius, for he really is. All the things that he has thought Alice were things that cannot be found in books but in years of experiment, and experience, and ingenious works. Soon, days of training turned into weeks, and weeks into months and months into years.

Without realizing it, four years have already passed and Alice has turned 7 years old. Her once short purplish silver hair was now very long and shiningly beautiful. Her eyes grew larger and still reflected those ruby pupils. Her skin was so fair and rosy like that of a porcelain doll. And her face reflects that of young goddess. Yes, she was so beautiful even at a very young age you cannot deny her beauty. And what are we to say with Alex? He grew up magnificently and very handsome as well. Like his sister, his beautiful face cannot be hidden away. He had that aloof and cool looking face that turns all warm whenever he's with his little sister. Cygnus and Aquila aged as well but oh well, age never reflects in their youthful faces anyway. They're still as beautiful as ever. The Caeles family does fit their surname very well. For their beauty rivals those of celestial beings.

And so, Alice has aged. Now, it's time to go to the academy!