Congratulations for making it through 9000 words of this story, I thank those of you who have chosen to read this far and can only hope you'll enjoy this latest chapter of mine exploring a little more into the world of Azura Grace
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Placed on a bed at the side of the room Mrs. Prima congratulated me on my quick thinking that allowed me to stay awake, even with steadily absorbing mana it took me over an hour to recover.
Once I was at the point where I could again function normally Mrs. Prima allowed me to join the class, the rest of the class was silently meditating drawing in chi and mana.
Having missed school it was decided I would forgo meditation for today and be taught the basics of mathematics, reading, and writing.
After having learnt the number system it simple became a contest of who's better, in the end I won out and had to tell Prima the answer to my own question ([4x6]^2 x4^3)/6 = (576 x 64)/6 = 36864/6 = 6144
To start with I had to explain to her exponents and the process of B-E-DM-AS, having to explain to my own teacher is understandable considering the only concept of plumbing they have is a drain.
Mrs. Prima told me instead of her teaching me math from now on I'd have to teach her, I guess I could throw in some tricks to help kids learn math easier making her a better teacher at the same time.
Not wanting to waste to much of my time I simple told her to get enough paper for me to write a book, I can just write out all the lower level math I know with extremely detailed examples write big, use arrows for where numbers end up, etc.
After that was the alphabet surprisingly enough Mrs. Prima just asked me to tell it to her rather than teaching me, although it's flattering I know nothing more than math…
"Mrs. Prima Mom and Dad never taught me the alphabet, Mommy said my new teacher would show me how to read and write."
Oh god please don't kill me for having said that with those killer puppy dog eyes little kids have!
Slightly looking up to watch out for lightning I ruined the look of a pleading little girl but I probably didn’t even need to use it, Mrs. Prima was actually quite happy to have something to actually teach me.
The alphabet was english with different symbols I'm actually a bit disappointed having been taught lost languages by jade, ancient egyptian hieroglyphics oh please I could read them in a breeze, latin no sweat Jade had a tendency to not use the same language within ten words.
She'd always change it up engligh, latin, spanish, egyptian, greek, anchient chinese dialects, you name it she'd speak it just to confuse me.
If she spoke a language I didn’t know she'd teach me the entire thing by only speaking it for the next week, she'd name everything and use basic sentences for me to translate.
By the end of it you'd have learnt every word in the language, at least those that could possibly be used to refer to things still existing in modern magical society.
After being taught the letters I stumbled my way through reading and have Mrs. Prima correct some of my "mistakes," during these times Emily would pipe in that I shouldn't bother as it'll be a hassle in the future.
Next up on the schedule was meditation what particularly interested me was mana and chi stone absorption methods, sadly in the middle of her explanation Selena broke her meditation and needed to be taken to the washroom.
Soon after they left Emily broke into my thoughts 'Master I don’t think you should start to absorb the crystals just quite yet.'
'Why not Emily? Wouldn’t it increase my power if I gained control over the chi and mana gifted to this body?' Why would Emily want to hinder my powers? Didn't she just tell me I shouldn't hide my capabilities?
'You should separate both your elemental chi and mana before trying to gain control over more, in the short term it would be better gain a larger energy pool but long term it would be harder to separate and control.'
Better for the long term? I'm just a five year old right now, well protected loved and nurtured why should I think about the short term gains?
'Thank you for telling me Emily, could you show me how to separate them once I begin meditating?'
'Yes master it would be my honor, but if you're going to meditate I'd like to take advantage of your life affinity.'
'My life affinity? What exactly do you mean by that?'
'Natural energy is life itself master, I explained before that within your soul it will take the form of plants and once pure enough animals.'
'So you mean the Life affinity is like the Mana and Chi affinities? Why isn't it called life energy?' This was great even if I was weaker with magic I could make up for it by learning natural energy techniques!
Not giving Emily a chance to answer my earlier questions 'How do I absorb natural energy?'
'During meditation instead of casting your senses out for mana or chi search for something similar to the cabin I've created, be careful not to absorb it from the bodies of others or the surrounding plants.'
So it's the same as increasing the amount of chi and mana one has you simply meditate and pull the energies into your body, with mana and chi it's already a subconscious action.
Without waiting for Mrs. Prima and Selena to return I immediately began to meditate, searching the surrounding air I could feel the natural energy flowing through my classmates giving them life.
Concentrating harder I could feel minute traces of it flowing through the air being naturally absorbed through the skin to sustain us all, slowly I began to draw it towards myself with each breath.
Breathing it in together with mana and chi I slowly began to learn how to control it more efficiently, slowly I could begin to concentrate less and less losing myself in endless breathing.
Feeling the energy flowing into my soul I slowly began to let it flow throughout my veins, unlike mana and chi the natural energy began to make my skin slightly glow.
Strengthening my body similar to the other energies I now produced a small amount of light from my skin 'Master you've become a level one beginner, although only because you've already been given energy from my own natural crystal.'
Beginner level one! I was now a beginner practitioner in three of the energies, upon mastering them all I'd be a peak level angel!
'Master I've only temporarily granted you this power, it's still my own but since my residence is inside your soul it counts as yours.' So what she's saying is I've got to get enough life energy myself before she no longer hides inside me.
Sensing the two lives approaching I left my meditative position and returned back to my chair, shortly afterwards Mrs. Prima and Selena returned from the bathroom.
Returning to her meditation Selena waved at me as she passed by to the location I'd previously been, sitting in the sunlight she seemed to absorb the very light itself.
Mrs. Prima sat down beside me and once again began to explain the concept of absorbing crystals, only one method existed by for two different crystals.
The crystals produced inside one's own body would have to be washed over with the souls energy, Mana crystals are present in the brain, Life crystals in the heart, and Chi crystals in the chest.
The reason my chi crystal was absorbed was because of all the times I've flows in and out of my chest, the mana crystal could easily be brought into my soul with this method rather than over time with the little energy most people can channel through their body to it.
Thanking Mrs. Prima I asked if the meditative posture the other kids were using was the old one, she kindly answered my question with a 'yes' and sent me off to try absorbing energy and accessing my soul.
Entering my soul leaving my body to meditate I was greeted by the floating sight of the naked Emily, giving her solidified body some clothes made from my mana I quickly did the same for myself.
"What's wrong master we're both girls aren't we why the need for clothing inside one's own soul?"
"I'd prefer to be a gentleman rather than a lady young miss" Leaving it at that I flew down to the island, already I could see grass nothing besides grass…
Looking over at Emily's cabin she'd added a flower box and vegetable garden, from what I could hear she'd even created a cow.
Walking over with a grin on her face Emily said nothing but I could tell she was mocking me, walking over to the chi beach I finally asked "How do you separate mana and chi?"
"Simple pull each essence out of it I suggest you try air first since you have an affinity for it, but not only mana and chi even natural energy will need to be separated later on."
Ugh great more work, how is it people ever advance in their training? "Don't worry master you're already able to live over seven hundred and fifty years, without factoring the normal lifespan of your race."
"So you're telling me not to worry and just train myself to become an angel?"
"No master an angel would not be worthy of being my master, even with my father's deal if you didn’t have the potential to be a worthwhile master I would have simply killed you both and moved on with my life."
"Thanks I guess, at least having you around has made training easier and life less lonely." Truthfully even without her help her companionship as someone who truly knows me will be enough.
"I'm glad you think that way master but the only reason I know you is due to having access to your mind, if not for your lack of telepathic control I'd know almost nothing about you besides what I witness day to day."
So that means I can control what you hear me think? 'Do you hear ever though I've had?! Have you really thought I was too stupid to think a majority of the time?!'
"Looking at it that way you've got a point nobody can be that thoughtless" Looking a little less angry Emily took a deep breath before speaking.
"Separate your mana" With that she turned and walked away back to her cabin, slamming the door on her way in.
Pulling the wind element out from my mana it turned into a murky dark green water, at first only a drop formed but then it became easier the more it came apart.
After I'd gathered a handful I forced an impression in my chi and started creating a swampy pool, after gathering enough mana to take a bath I was interrupted by Mrs. Prima.
Already it was far past the end of school all the other parents had come collect their children, Aura having taken into account how I'd started school late arranged for Sam to pick me up an hour later.
Having blow away all expectation Mrs. Prima left me to meditate when the other students went home, when Sam had arrived they called out to wake me only to realize I'd entered my soul.
Meditating well inside of one's own soul! Most would have to constantly worry about how long one left their body, knowing how to sustain my body with magic and now chi and natural energy I'd not need to worry for at least a week at my current level.
Sam being a practitioner of natural energy herself could sense me drawing it in, and Emily adding into it showed me gaining at a substantial rate.
By the time I'd woken up Sam had already long ago been shown the high level math I'd demonstrated, both of them view me as exceptional having entered my soul on the first day normally a five year old was expected to take over a month.
Only Selena had accomplished this feat one week into her meditation, and only through diligent training from the moment she got home until the moment she went to sleep.
Taking me home we arrived after a five minute walk, the second we got through the door my father started to scold Sam no doubt as revenge for this morning and whatever may have happened after.
When Aura walked in I immediately ran over to her and grabbed onto and pulled at her skirt, "Mommy guess what, guess what."
Picking my up of the ground with a smile she quickly quieted my father and Sam with a single glance in their direction, "What is it sweetheart, everyone wants to hear you're exiting news."
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"Emily guided me into my soul during meditation!" Hearing this her eyes bulged and Magnus's jaw dropped as though no longer attached except by his skin, Sam however had a look of understanding like some profound mystery of the universe had finally been solved.
Just like that we began to have a party, since it was spur of the moment it was just a celebratory atmosphere well we ate dinner.
After dinner Sam went into the kitchen to prepare a special desert and do the dishes afterwards, I on the other hand was forced by my parents to demonstrate.
Sitting down I slowly slipped away from reality well feeling their power observing me, slowing my rate of entry I finally arrived in front of Emily about ten times later than usual.
"Took ya" It seems she's still upset with me sadly I'll have to make amends with her later, for now I'll return to my parents taking about the same amount of time.
"A little slow but with practice she'll get faster and no longer need her familiars help" Not even speaking to me my mother was directing her attention entirely towards my father.
"If you're sure, I don’t want her grown stunted because she had help though." Aw the big lug is worried about me, well I'll give his some emotional support.
"Daddy Emily says she'll teach me how to separate my chi, do you know what that means?" Play dumb and make him feel better about Emily after all she had nothing to do with it.
Looking at me entirely surprised my dad had no idea what I was talking about, Aura on the other hand had a shocked look telling me she completely understood.
"Sweetheart" Coming closer she rested one hand on my shoulder the other on my father's "When someone reaches the rank of emperor the way they increase their level is by mastering other elements within mana or chi, and then finally separating and purifying these different elemental mana."
My father's look of surprise far outdid my own, although I hadn't known this at first I'd already heard the way to become a god so it wasn’t too much of a surprise.
"My little girl is going to be an emperor!" My father was ecstatic he got up and started running laps around the room, when he approached near me again mother tripped him.
"Simply mastering one element of mana you'd reach the beginnings of the emperor rank, mastering, separating, and purifying all the different elemental mana you'd reach the peak of the ninth level."
Hearing the earlier explanation it was fairly simple to understand master six elements and reach peak emperor level six, after that you'd have to separate mana itself into the six different elements.
Separating the mana you'd reach the peak of the seventh rank but this was an incredible hurdle at the point where you had such enormous mana, at my level it was still fairly simple.
Until now I'd always absorbed mana equally never seeing it's different parts, others with higher affinity for it would only absorb their own element reaching the emperor rank one element at a time making the first six levels simple absorbing enough of the other elements.
After separating the mana you'd reach the peak of the eighth level afterwards one would normally be at the people of the ninth level, the ninth level is simple mana control.
For magicians it would be moving up from circles to spells to shortened incantations, until finally one could simply gesture to cast their magic at the very peak you'd need nothing more than a thought.
Finally something Jade had taught me being an immortal she was one with multiple different energies, teaching me to cast magic with a gesture was easy for her to do.
More or less she just put me into life threatening situations where I had to rely on my instincts to live, if my chant was too long or my reaction to slow I'd have been pierced, slashed, hacked, or shot.
Each of these wounds was of course inflicted by Jade herself, more than twelve times she'd nearly killed me only holding her power back enough so I couldn’t instantly die.
Even stabbing me through the heart once all she had to do was wave her hand and my wounds would almost instantly heal, what that happened I'd usually register the pain after my body was already fully healed.
After calming my father down Sam came in carrying cookies and milk, desert was being made but I guess it's pretty close to my bedtime.
Graciously accepting the milk I found my assumptions to be correct, setting the warm milk down on the table in front of me I grabbed one of the freshly baked cookies.
Breaking part of it off I dipped it into my milk and heartily enjoyed the treat, it tasted exactly like chocolate chip cookies from my old world.
Finishing off a second cookie well sipping at my milk I began to feel sleepy, walking over to Sam I was quickly running out of energy.
Without even having to speak Sam scooped me up and we made our way towards my bedroom, stopping by my on-suite washroom Sam stripped me wiped me down forgoing a bath and changed me into my night gown.
Being treated like a princess has its benefits, like when you stay up late and you're body can't keep up with you anymore.
Laying down in bed tonight I was mentally exhausted so I simply laid down and stopped resisting my urge to sleep.
Chapter 5: Emily and Pocket Money
New year's eve 1995, a fairly extraordinary night as the clouds covering the skies were alight in celebration, and sitting atop these clouds visible only to the birds flying through the skies is an ordinary mountain peak.
Covered with ever changing magical lights flickering as they float around the skies constantly changing, millions of lights dotting the sky creating incredible patterns overtop this island like mountain..
"Congratulations Jade! With this Kean has been officially decided as the Warlock for next century" Dressed in a slimming pinstripe suit a repulsive pig like man stood next to a beauty.
Wearing a bright red strapless dress together with an emerald necklace matching with her hair the woman looked towards the man with an expression clearly showing her dislike of the man, "Indeed, only it's such a shame that he won't be eligible to fight over the position with you next century Malloy."
Revealing a cold smile the man Malloy immediately tried to suppress an intense killing intent from leaking out as he replied "I entirely agree the experience of competing with Kean has truly been a thrilling fight, might I offer you a glass of champagne in congratulations?"
Looking Malloy over with her eyes Jade used to dealing with the man over the last few years silently sighed before revealing a stunning smile of her own, "red wine please."
"You always drink wine Jade are you sure you wouldn't like something a little more celebratory?" Still smiling Jade merely slightly shaking her head caused Malloy to turn away as a genuine smile graced his lips for the first time all evening.
...
Meanwhile elsewhere two handsome young adult men currently engaged in conversation with an elderly man wearing a black robe unlike the rest of the guests in suits.
All of a sudden the larger of the two's face darkened as he spoke out "Young Master I smell blood, although it's not exceptionally fresh."
The other smaller lanky man turned towards the other "Shane it's probably just the kitchen, and could you quit calling me young master you're MY familiar."
With an apologetic look on his face the man turned towards the black robed elder, with an apologetic tone he quickly spoke out "My sincere apologies Lord Warlock, thank you for allowing me the honour of speaking with you but I regrettably have to leave to check on the young miss."
Watching Shane disembark the old man quickly hid the slight smirk on his face as he turned back to his remaining conversation partner, "You really should listen to the words of a dragon god who's older than the earth, I still don't understand what your ancestor did to deserve his loyalty in return but I'd love to find out.. haa. if only."
Hearing the words of the old man Shane shook his head shaking away an unpleasant memory as he made his way through the crowd, quickly arriving at his destination.
Although he'd gone as a precautionary measure to check on the "young miss" Kean's wife Jade, Shane had never expected that the smell would actually be related to her.
However as he neared the smell of blood became stronger and stronger causing him to increase his pace only to arrive as Jade was finishing her wine.
Only a few breaths later and the smell entirely disappeared as she fell to the ground it's poison taking affect, Malloy standing off to the side still struggling to cover his smile with masked grief as he noticed Shane's presence.
Shane simultaneously picked up another even fainter scent of blood causing him to take notice of Malloy, as their eyes locked Malloy quickly turned away fleeing as an indescribable fear surged up from deep in his heart.. instinctively he could feel the threat of a predator coming for his life.
In merely three steps Shane'd already caught up and on the fourth his heart stopped beating, on the fifth his head fell to the floor, and the sixth his body collapsed as his soul began to dissipate only to be greeted by Shane's foot shattering it into pieces.
The surrounding crowd having witnessed the horrific sight of Malloy's death and the stomping of his corpse and soul remained entirely engrossed in their conversations aside from those currently checking on the fallen Jade.
Returning to her side with a small flask in hand Shane perched overtop her prone body releasing the mana within his body only causing him to pull back in fright, "Milord Warlock she'd been poisoned with Demigod essence blood."
Hearing this the previously lively room finally quieted down, Demigod essence blood is the life, body, and soul of a Demigod!! Above those of regular immortals a demigod cannot be killed unless this blood is destroyed otherwise no matter how long it takes it'll eventually absorb enough mana to reform its body!
"Young master the young miss also appears to be with child, however I regrettably have to inform you that the child itself seems to be absorbing the majority of the essence blood mistaking it as nutrients." Hearing this the already distraught Kean seamed to fall into a waking coma as he was unable to register anything from then on.
The Warlock however seemed to have fallen into a meditative trance incoherently mumbling to himself as he walked towards Jade, Shane sensing him approach quickly lifted Jade up moving towards the old man.
Jade in reality having fallen just mere moments ago had her stomach grabbed by the old man as he completed the chant underneath his breath, ignoring everything else in the world he closed his eyes seeming having fallen asleep as he focused his entire concentration on the poison in Jades body.
...
Hours later after a majority of the guests had long since left the mountain top heading to their respective homes scattered across the globe Shade together with Kean silently await word from the warlock standing off to the side.
Finally having awoken from his work his eyes seemed far older as they looked towards the two young men eagerly awaiting good new and desperately dreading what they know to be reality, "She only has one drop of blood left in her, alas the power of this blood will require constant monitoring on her part."
His appearance turning far more solemn then before he continued on while watching Kean and Shane's expressions lighten as a load was taken off their hearts, she'd live!
"Unfortunately without her being able to monitor it constantly she'll be unable to live a long life, most likely it'll entirely drain her magic in a few of years.. I'm sorry Kean."