The door they stopped in front of was one that Spera could immediately associate with Deli.
It was also a double-winged door, but on hers, every kind of skeleton could be seen, animals and humanoid, while one door was white and the other pitch black.
Standing in front of it for a moment, Spera didn’t understand why Wiju didn’t just enter. But since he didn’t she wouldn’t dare, too.
After a few moments, she finally figured out why.
It was to listen to the siren, or better to the lack of it.
Wiju looked down at her, seeing the realization in her eyes, he just smiled and went to knock on the door before pushing it open, after hearing a Deli’s voice call out with “Enter!”.
The room was still pristinely clear, but the mountains of papers around delis desks had easily doubled, while an exhausted Muwa lay before the desk and Deli reclined in the office chair behind it.
Both just inclined their heads to look at the visitors. Seeing that it was only Wiju and Spera, they lay back down again to relax after the hell they had just been through. Mass-Genocide was such a pain in the ass to work through … the one responsible would be sent to hell for the next few generations, and if Deli had to personally put him there.
“You two ... I have to say something important.” WIju started, which made them immediately give him all their attention. If Wiju says that it was important… It wasn’t something one could dismiss.
“You see, I scanned Spera’s soul right now and there seems to be another repercussion from the seal and our blessings.”
This caused Deli and Muwa to jump up and crowd around Spera, who shrunk into herself, making her appear almost like an ordinary soul again.
““What do you mean?”” Both of them asked at the same time.
“You see, the little one doesn’t only get injured when the seal loosens at her birthday … it seems like the stored mana is first pumped into her mana pool which then forcefully expands to minimize the damage to her mana veins. Only then, when the mana pool can’t expand anymore, the excess mana is released in her veins.”
“““How will that affect me? / What is going to happen to her?”””
“In my calculations, her Mana pool will expand with each seal release. And if the expansion size is proportional to the released mana that I already calculated … it could be possible that after her 11th birthday, the little one will have a mana pool almost as big as one of the old gods,” he expounded.
Spera, not understanding the dimensions he was talking about, looked at all three of them. But besides Wiju who was looking excited at the prospect of a new research subject, Deli and Muwa looked shellshocked.
“Urm … Wiju?”
“Yes, little one?”
“How big is that? I mean ... how powerful is an old God?”
“Well, ‘Old God’ is the title the Gods that were created after us three origin Gods got. Given their lifespan and the fact that their domain is very powerful, they are an existence that a normal mortal turned God could never achieve.”
“Oh…” Spera could only utter. Now totally understanding why Deli and Muwa hadn’t moved an inch since the revelation.
“Is that the reason why I can touch Daphne?” Spera asked, finally remembering what brought this topic on, to which Wiju only nodded.
“Yes, given your current Mana pool I find it astonishing that you can even touch other people except for those with big mana pools … maybe this has something to do with your core still being sealed … I will try and find that out till next time, all right? Please remind me of that. Sometimes I have too much on my plate, then it’s easy to forget a thing or two,” he said, to which Spera nodded.
“But back to the topic on hand, you see … a large mana pool is also very dangerous. At least for someone that is bound to be in a mortal form when they are casting their magic.”
“Why?”
“You see, invoking a magic is made out of different components. Mana release, Mana control and the image of the Magic you want to invoke are the key factors to using Magic.
Now if you have such a large Mana pool as you will be getting, it will make controlling that amount of Mana very hard. And any excess Mana that is poured into the spell you want to invoke, will cause the spell to become more powerful and in most cases more deadly, even to the caster since mortal bodies aren’t build to release godly amounts of mana. You might have a change if you survive your 11th birthday and your veins are strong enough through the mana explosions. But even then channeling too much Mana might cause serious damage to your body.”
He said, each word frightening Spera more and more. She could almost picture it, her being unable to control her Mana being torn apart from the inside out by her own power.
“But there could be a way to control it right? There has to be a way!” She cried out, desperation coloring her voice.
“Let’s see ...” Wiju said, making a motion with his hand, but nothing happened.
Turning to Deli who still stood in shock behind Spera, Wiju snapped at her.
“Deli get yourself together. You know I can’t summon my books into your room if you don’t allow it!” He said, causing her and Muwa to snap out of their daze.
“Ah yes ... Right! I allow it!” She said, clearly not knowing what she had just agreed to but not willing to admit it. Somehow Spera found the current Deli quite cute.
“There we go!” Wiju exclaimed as he once again motioned his hand, and an old looking brown leather-bound book with gold symbols all over it appeared in his hands.
“What is that?” Spera asked curiously, stepping closer, but still not able to see what was in the book.
“This is the record of the magic system that was erected on your planet … there were many created to try out which would be most successful and of course, we had to keep tabs on how they were built and affected the mortal life… let’s see… oh, here it is! … blah blah blah… alright, mana, image, control … Ah, here we go!...
The first time a humanoid is able to use magic is after their twelfth birthday. On that day they will have to undergo a ceremony to be found worthy of the gift of magic. This ceremony is commonly called awakening ceremony where the core of the mortal is unsealed and their potential and power is set free. After the rite of passage, the humanoid has to invoke a series of magics to showcase ist affinity with the elements.”
Wiju started reading, and Spera could hear Deli and Muwa breathe a sigh of relief.
“But what will happen? It said that I will have to invoke my first magic then. If anything happens and I use the wrong amount of mana …” She started, her feeling of helplessness at the situation becoming bigger and bigger. Was she just to survive her 11th birthday only to die at her 12th?
“Yeah, that wouldn’t be good …” WIju said, pondering the issue in silence.
Suddenly Muwa spoke up,” Then she just has to learn to control the mana right?”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Making Wiju exclaim with an “AH!”.
“Thank you, brother. I knew there has to be an upside for being simple! Why didn’t I think of that? You just have to learn superior mana control! We have almost ten years till then if you give your all you should be able to learn it!” He said starting to ramble on about her future training plan, ignoring Muwa’s shout of protest when he realized that his brother had just labeled him a ‘simple thinker’ or better known as ’idiot’.
“Of course …” Spera said, this conversation too important to her to try and pacify Muwa even if she found him very likable.
“But Wiju, before that, could you maybe explain to me what Mana is?”
“Ah right, we never got to that… You see Mana is in everything. It creates and it destroys. We will soon start with a meditation exercise where you will truly grasp the existence of Mana. Just understanding Mana by talking about it isn’t possible. You have to feel it. Now you see what is important to remember that Mana is in EVERYTHING this means it is even in yourself. Now in your last life, you lived an existence without Mana or Magic… but it wasn’t as if you didn’t have it. You see many mortals think that their Mana pool, the place where mana is stored to be used, to refine the mortal body, is situated in the mortal body. But why is it then that Godhood exists. I told you before when a mortal becomes a Demi-God he sheds his mortal body and manifests his soul in a physical form. And this is only possible because his Mana pool is in his soul,” he rambled on, Spera nodding her head while trying to wrap her head around this concept.
“You see, because of that, you have to allow the Mana from your Mana pool to be used by your body. The magic system of your world preventing that connection until your 12th birthday.”
“But if the connection isn’t open how could my situation happen?” Spera asked, still remembering the time she first touched one of the little lights in her mother's womb.
Wiju, remembering it glared at her, part fascination, part frustration at her past.
“Well, yes, normally a baby, whose soul hadn’t been anchored to the body yet, as it was still in her mother’s womb, so the barrier between soul and body hasn’t been erected yet, doesn't try and absorb a Mana-particle,” he declared, clearly placing all the blame on Spera.
“But enough of that … let’s try it out shall we?” He said, obviously happy with the next experiment.
“Alright, that is my cue to go …” Muwa’s deep voice suddenly sounded out.
“Yes, and I have to get back to my work … brother, you can gladly use my room for practice but please keep the noise down will you?” She said turning to her desk as Muwa left the room, the door snapping shut behind him.
“Alright!” He said, a transparent blue wall suddenly rose between them and deli.
“Now, she shouldn't hear us anymore. And we are still under her time zone …” He said while laughing.
“That was the only reason wasn’t it?” Spera asked, looking at Wiju like she stood in front of a child that had just successfully played a prank on somebody.
“... Well, let’s go on …” He immediately switched the topic, but the top of his ears turned slightly red.
“I will try to teach you the technique for mana control. Given that it will be more difficult to use this technique when you are in your mortal body, I can’t promise you anything but at least you will not release 100% of your Mana at the ceremony.”
“That is a relief …” Spera said sarcastically. But at least she now had hope.
“You remember your first birthday right?”
“Yeah ...” Spera said while a shiver ran down her spine.
“Given that it was the first release of the seal, it should be the smallest Mana release.
Do you remember feeling pain …”
“... everywhere?” Spera interrupted him, anger in her eyes. Why was he talking about that?
“... Yes, of course. But the most pain should have been just above your navel right?”
“Well, if you say so …” Spera answered, not very sure of herself.
“Maybe I am going at this wrong … alright! Do you know a meditative stance?”
“Like those from the monks and what I saw in animes in my previous life?”
“You didn’t see someone meditate in your current life?”
“No never …”
“Strange … but yes, like those. Now follow along. Sit down with your legs loosely crossed and both feet resting below the opposite knee. Yes, like that. Try to keep your back straight. Yes, like that, it is important to lift yourself up through your spine. Now drop your hands at your sides. Place your right hand on top of your left with your thumbs very lightly touching, resting them on your lap at your navel. This makes it easier for your Mana to circulate through your center. Your shoulders can be pushed back slightly while letting the muscles in your shoulders and back relax. Wonderful. Remember this posture and every time you meditate, try and recreate it like this.
For the next steps, it will be easier for you to close your eyes.
Now, try to feel the mana that is in your body,” he said, suddenly falling silent, letting Spera drown in her hectic mind that still hadn’t processed everything that she learned in her present visit.
Seeing that after a few moments she still made no progress, Wiju knelt down in front of her, his fingertips lightly touching hers. Opening her eyes she looked at him quizzically.
“Give me your hands,” he said making her palms face him, while he connected each fingertip with his own.
“Now close your eyes once again,” he continued.
Seeing her comply he didn’t waste any time, slowly infusing his own Mana into her fingertips. But only enough for her to feel the manaflow on her own.
“Do you have it?” He asked to which she hummed as a positive answer, too engrossed by the warm feeling that spread through her fingers.
“Now, slowly follow the current through your arms, up your shoulder, towards the middle of your collarbone and down to your navel …” and just as he said that and Spera followed his instruction closely, her consciousness was suddenly transported in front of a sea.
Looking around, there was nothing else other than the sea that enclosed the small island that Spera found herself on.
Confused at the scene and enchanted by it, Spera was startled as Wiju’s kind voice suddenly sounded next to her ear.
“Wow, little one, you surprise me every time,” he exclaimed in astonishment, and Spera could swear she heard a bit of affection in his tone.
“Where are you? “ She asked looking around and not seeing his figure anywhere.
“Right next to you, little one. But your consciousness is in your Mana pool right now, so you can’t see your surroundings. You have to make sure in the future, that you're either in a secure place or that somebody you trust with your life is with you. That is because you are defenseless when you are there.”
“How do I get back?” Spera asked uncomfortable at the idea to be so defenseless in front of someone she didn’t even really know.
“Close your eyes and relax. Try to feel your soul-form and think about the place where you entered from, meaning in our case Deli’s Main chamber.”
He patiently explained and after a few minutes, Spera found herself back on the ground of Deli’s room.
“Wonderful. Now, you know how to feel the Mana, it is time to try and release it. Remember your fingertips that became warm and comfortable when I released my Mana in them. Now concentrate on them and try to push the warmth outwards. Yes like that …” He said just as Spera lost her concentration for a second and an enormous wave of pressure spread out from her fingertips, making Wiju pull back his hand on instinct.
“Try to suppress it. That is too much…. think about a faucet, now try and slowly close it, yes like that …” He encouraged her.
But suddenly Deli appeared next to him. Surprised by her appearance he exclaimed, “How did you enter?” Which caused Spera to once again lose her concentration, giving way to her Mana to gush out again.
“Stop it!” Deli suddenly commands, seeing that even after many tries Spera couldn’t regulate her Mana-release.
Wiju immediately grabbed Spera’s hands, and from one moment to the other, she couldn’t release her Mana anymore, which caused her to stare at Wiju in shock.
Really these Gods weren’t good for her nerves ...
Coming back to them, Deli bought with her a round ball.
Flinging it at Spera she just uttered “Use this,” while turning around and walking a few steps before materializing a table with three chairs and a beautiful tea set in the middle.
In a cold voice, she spoke up once again.
“Make the pearl shine for ten seconds at the same intensity and you can take a break and go back home… If not I have no problem with making you stay here until you can accomplish it,” she commanded, her dark side in full view.
Wiju gave Spera a pitying smile but soon walked to his sister to sit down and observe her trying to overcome her new challenge.
At first, it was easy for her. Three to four seconds on the same intensity were no problem. It were the other six seconds that made her gnash her teeth and be on the verge of crying. Like Wiju said, she imagined a faucet, letting a small stream of mana flow into the ball. But even after a few hours of trying she could only get to nine seconds.
Defeated she sat down on the ground looking at the two Gods that sat on their chairs having a cup of tea with relish.
Her frustration making a tear slip from her eye.
“How far are you?” Deli’s cold voice suddenly sounded next to her ear, even if she could definitely see her sitting a few meters away drinking tea.
Gritting her teeth she pressed out “Nine seconds …” Which earned her a chuckle.
“Alright, I am not like that. Come over and get a cup of tea, then I will send you home.”
She said and Spera was sure that her good personality had just taken over, if not the ‘dark’ Deli would have let her try until she reached ten seconds.
“That you,” she whispered in exhaustion but she knew that the Goddess could hear her.
Drinking the tea that Deli gave her, she found her entire being relaxing, but even when asking Deli or Wiju what kind of tea that was they wouldn’t answer, drinking theirs in silence.
When they had finished, Spera had the sudden urge to talk to them again, feeling that even if she learned a lot about Wiju at her visit she still didn’t have a grasp on Deli, who was still very important to her.
But before she could even open her mouth, Deli’s face grimaced annoyance in her direction and with a sideways gesture of her hand, Spera’s soul flew out of the room once again, waking up on Prena with her whole body wrecking in pain once again.