“Now!” Zeff clapped once we settled in our seats, prompting a few to nearly jump out of them. “What is mana?”
A few people rose their hands with the obvious answers. A type of energy found in all things, the power source of spells and magic, as well as others. But whatever they were, he listened with an amiable smile before taking a dramatic nod. “All good answers. But frankly, the answer is that we don’t know. And by ‘we,’ I mean everyone but the Fae.” He paused to chuckle to himself before continuing. “What we know is that Mana is a type of radiation with material properties that both acts and reacts with matter, life, and conscious will; in that order; giving rise to magical materials, evolved creatures, and magic. Whatever it’s used for, it is what allows us to manipulate the very laws of reality. With it, we can make the impossible, possible. We can create mountains and oceans from nothing and create life where there is none.
“That is what we call mana.” He beamed fanatically. “And its study continues to this day. Thus, as far as we know, it could be something else entirely. Through years of both conflict and study, however, we’ve managed to learn how mana interacts with the sentient species of these realms- the topic of today’s lecture.
“It begins with the most basic component of all, besides mana itself of course. The Spiritual Body.” He pointed his stick to two outlines of a human offset on top of one another. “The ‘second body’ many people speak of when describing the residence of their Mana Well is more apt than they realize. It is; at its core, a second body. One of a half-spiritual, half-magical nature. But it is not to be confused with the soul. The Spiritual Body is an echo on top of the flesh. Much like the dimensions layered onto this physical plane. The process happens thusly: as mana flows through all living things, those living things are copied, in a sense, to create the spirit. Subsequent mana is then concentrated within that spirit, growing into a mana well. This process happens during gestation or the species equivalent.
“While this Mana Well occupies a relatively small portion of this Spiritual Body, it is through this immaterial flesh; echoed onto the physical, that mana travels through our bodies to amass in our Wells and conversely be released as magical energy. Thus our physical bodies are unable to interact with mana on their own. It is our Spiritual Bodies that truly interact with mana and gives us a hold over the energy. And its core is the Mana Well.
"They are known to have four components.” Zeff held up his stout fingers. “Pores, or the surface, is the first of them. Commonly known for being a porous shell responsible for regulating the circulation of mana in and out of the Well. But what’s commonly unknown is that the Pores are responsible for an individual’s mana signature. As it happens in nature, a gas would flow more freely through a mesh while a solid like ice or diamond would not flow at all. The same principle applies to those with higher densities of mana. Wherein little-to-no mana could be sensed from one of such caliber. And wouldn’t until they withdrew mana from their Well.
“What we know regarding the other components is as you know them.” He waved his hand aside. “Wells are classified by density and size. Mana Tolerance consists of how well an individual can remain comfortable in a high-density environment. Mana Fatigue is the feeling of nausea and fatigue one feels after expending too much magic. But you know that!” He clapped in his usual fasion. “I’m here to tell you about the unknown. I’m here to tell you about mana. How it can be used and how it affects us all. But first, I would like to share a secret among the scholars of Arcana. A scale, of sorts. One agreed upon by the renowned academics of the realms. It is a way to visualize the differences between various Mana Wells.
“If we were to equate mana with money.” He held a silver coin above his head. “We could say that one silver is equal to the energy needed to make a hand-sized fireball. Someone with a 12th Grade Mist Well would be able to cast around ten before their Well tinkered out. Or once they’ve spent ten coins if we were to follow our analogy. Someone with a Water Well of the same grade could cast up to a hundred. A thousand for a Slush Well. Ten thousand for Ice. And a hundred thousand or more for those with Diamond Wells.
But!” He clapped. “Keep in mind that these are generalizations. Not to mention, those with high-density Wells would innately pack a heavier punch. In this case, the flames would be both denser and hotter.
“Now! Moving on!” He clapped again. Twice this time. “Among humans, the second object to reside in the Spiritual Body are Affinity Cores. For you non-humans present, one can only be granted a magical affinity by birth or the Core Awakening Ceremony. It is, by all rights, a magical gland capable of changing the raw mana in one's Well into mana of a different nature. On our level, they are classified in three ways based on the type of effect it produces. A Transmutation Affinity is one that changes mana into another type of energy. This includes electricity, or lightning, as well as light, heat, mechanical, kinetic, and potential energies. A Conjuration Affinity is one that changes mana into a type of matter, be it a solid, liquid, or gas. And the last and rarest type is Alteration Affinities. By definition, these entail anything that falls under neither the Transmutation nor Conjuration classifications. But it is uncommonly agreed that these are the rare abilities that are capable of altering reality at its core.
‘Ah.’ I nodded. ‘Like mine. Kind of.’
“Additionally!” He clapped. “The nature of how one receives their affinities has an influence on their physiology. Ones gained from birth, called Genetic Cores, will imbue the holder with physical aspects relating to that affinity. Often to a small or moderate extent. But rarely to a great one. Someone with an affinity for fire or ice would be hot or cool to the touch, for example. While someone with an Evolved Core would simply have immunity to fire or ice. However!” He added with a raised finger. “The often unspoken side effect that all Cores have on our physiologies are known as Magical Marks.
“Colloquially known as Markers or simply Marks, they are the result of the link between our Spiritual Bodies and flesh. Their visual appearance is dependent on the positioning of the Affinity Cores and the nature of the core itself. Some Cores may not leave a Mark at all while others may take up a large portion of one’s body. Before I move on.” He added. “Keep in mind that the general location of Marks and their range of appearance makes it quite rude to ask about people's marks. So keep that in mind.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Now” He clapped. “Auras. This is a term used to describe the side effects of one charging their mana or preparing to cast a spell. The first and most obvious effect is a change in the caster’s eyes. Often they will glow in a different color, but not always. The influx of more power would bring about changes to one's immediate environment. Finally, a visible aura of mana would appear around them. But you will see that for yourselves in due time.” He smiled knowingly at us before he once again held up four fingers. “Before I begin closing the lecture, I want to share four advanced techniques regarding Mana and your Spiritual Bodies.
“Alright.” He centered himself before the desks and made a pass over us with his eyes. “The first one is a basic spell. But I’ll describe it anyway. The Infusion of attributed mana enables the flesh to take on the properties of that Affinity. That is known. What’s unknown is the fact that it’s the Spiritual Body that makes this possible. Through the spirit, the flesh is changed. Morphed to take on the properties of the energy or force in question or become encased in a material or element. Known to us as Infusion.
“Moving on!” He clapped. “It is commonly known that ‘friendly fire’ upon oneself is an impossibility. In turn, it is commonly believed that the nature of this is due to the immunity to any damage of the same type as their affinity. Someone with a fire affinity can never be burned. Someone with a lightning affinity can never be shocked. And so on. While that is the case for external harm, the impossibility of magical suicide is due to the Mana Signature that comes from the energy being altered by the Mana Well, Cores, and Spirit Body. It’s akin to a code that denotes one of oneself. A Magical Identification Signature; unique to every individual. It is this very signature that is being absorbed by the Bodhi Tree and used as nourishment for the fruits of your labors. On its own, this gives each spell the same frequency as the caster, causing a self-inflected spell to behave like a ghost moving through a wall. That said, it is possible to let your spell hit you consciously. If you were to do so, you wouldn’t take damage. Instead, it would be reabsorbed into the Spiritual Body to be; for example, cast again at a later time or turned into a different spell. A technique known as Redirection.
“The relatively small stature of the Wells and Cores, however, leaves unclaimed real estate within the rest of the Spiritual Body.” He continued without pause. “Within its core lies our Mana Wells, but that leaves the upper and lower torso; the arms, legs, or any other appendages, and undoubtedly the head of our ethereal statures. Much like the whole, these individual parts may be infused with either raw mana or any or all of an individual’s affinities. But that’s hardly the surface of possibilities.” He knowingly grinned. “Mana can be continuously channeled through the entire body. Through every bone, muscle, and organ, in a continuous circuit- a process known as Circulation and the foundation of the monastic paths. In using this technique, your flesh will undergo a semi-permanent change. As a result, you can achieve the same effect as Infusion. But with less effort to yield a greater effect. With the right affinity, Circulation can lessen the need for sleep, increase your natural healing factor, or even slow down the aging process significantly. Still, though!” He added with a loud clap. “It is not to be confused with Ki!
“The last and most notable technique is an amalgamation of the previous three,” Zeff said. “Like Redirection, it begins with casting a spell and allowing it to be reabsorbed into the Spiritual Body. Like Circulation, it is then sent throughout the Spiritual Body in a circuit, granting you the same benefits as the technique if you so wish. But the focus here is to store and accumulate the energy instead of using it to empower yourself.
“You see.” He took a step forward with frenzied eyes. “The benefit of this is that your spell remains undetectable. Ready to be cast instantaneously, at a moment’s notice. Dormancy is the name. Like enchantments for the spirit, in a sense.”
Following his explanation of some particularly interesting skills, Zeff permitted a long moment of murmurs and scribbles to resound through the classroom while he waddled to his desk for a sip of ... something that smelled sweet. Then waddled back to gather everyone’s attention with a loud clap that still shook the majority to their core.
“In closing, I have three points.” He held up his fingers. “One of them is the knowledge given to us by the Iron Magus and the Necro King. Spirit Assimilation. While natural for some creatures, it is said that sentient creatures can will their Spiritual Bodies into their Mana Wells upon the moment of their death. In doing so, their Well remains after the body has perished. This has two known uses. The first is as the centerpiece for an External Well. A self-explanatory device. But the method given to us by the elves involves assimilating such a Well with our own.
“Through potions or enchanted items, one can force either their Mana Tolerance, Pores, or Wells to moderately, and often temporarily, increase at little-to-no risk, but at tremendous cost," Zeff explained. "All three can be acclimatized over time by spending months or perhaps years in areas with high concentrations of mana such as the Bodhi Tree. Which is the natural, cheapest, and safest way; albeit the slowest. But through great risk and the Well of another, one can forcefully expand their Mana Well and make its contents denser. The caveat to this is, as I’ve said, not every creature leaves its Well intact after being slain. And even if they did, the Well would be unusable in both regards without the necessary potion.
“And, it’s dangerous!” He clapped. “Attempting to Assimilate with a Well that’s too large and dense will give you an extreme case of mana fatigue. If not death!
"Now then.” Zeff settled beside his desk with a long sigh. “I’ll close by explaining the relation between the Spiritual Body and its relation between the object of everyone’s eye, Class Evolution.”
Much to his visible delight, most of the class erupted in excited murmurs upon hearing the mention of Classes. And like a parent seeing their kid walk for the first time, he sat back and watched us talk amongst ourselves with an ear-splitting grin.
“Let me explain.” He beamed wider, causing an immediate silence to spread through the room. “The completion of the ritual brings about a change in the Spiritual Body. An evolution, if you will. As I explained before, it is the Spiritual Body that enables our flesh to interact with the mana around us. Consequently, evolution enables mana to react with our Spiritual Bodies on its own accord. These reactions are what the evolved colloquially refer to as Perks.” He triumphantly declared. “And these Perks are unique to the fourteen different Classes you know of. The nature of these Classes, as well as a continuation of this lecture, will be the focus of our next lesson.
“For now, however, you are dismissed!”