Late at night, Annan woke from meditation.
The Mana Vortex in his Sea of Consciousness had grown fuller, leaving his soul feeling almost swollen. He seemed only a hair's breadth from becoming an Elite.
Lily lay beside Silly Cat on the windowsill. A thin layer of snow had gathered outside.
The Spider Bottle sat on a nearby table.
Annan recalled asking several people about advancement that day. Faster said he had suddenly felt his spirits soar after a battle and become an Elite. The learned Mr. Victor said advancing as a Spellcaster also meant deepening one's connection with Magic Power. Dean Breichim said that during advancement, your consciousness would seem to drift out of your body and intertwine with Magic Power until it felt like part of you. A gifted Mage might glimpse a mystery then—perhaps knowledge, perhaps a secret, perhaps a Spell.
But preparation before becoming an Elite was essential. A reckless attempt could fail, and in severe cases, cost someone their Magic Affinity.
Becoming an Elite had another benefit: meditation gradually replaced sleep. Archmages no longer needed to sleep at all. Meditation was both necessary rest and a path to growth.
Mr. Swaro was an exception. He was searching for a path to the Legendary realm.
But those were all paths of advancement for Mages. What Annan knew about Elite Sorcerers came only from books.
The only people Annan could think of who truly understood Sorcerers belonged to Witch Hunt. But asking them was a one-way trip.
In any case, Sorcerers and Mages were both Spellcasters. At Annan's current pace, he should advance within days.
Having gone five days without sleep, Annan held the Dream Princess Magic Stone and entered a dream.
Annan first appeared beside the Lava Lake. The moment he set down the Magic Stone, he