The day's first order was to freshen up, don my clothes, and grab a bite, a typical morning routine if you ignore the vines being your towels.

My sharpening senses caught the sound of two distinct sets of footsteps. On a side note, these senses of mine were getting stronger constantly. The need to use them fully would have to come at some point. There were two elves; one was Verdenia, and the other was unexpected this time. The regal elf. Rel something? Relish? Whatever, he had earned my already easily given distrust, and I didn’t like him.

"Good morning, Falond. This is Grand Elder Relan, the second-in-command of our camp here. He's requested to oversee the remaining parts of our training together," Verdenia introduced.

A flicker of emotion crossed her face as she spoke. But like most men, I was at a loss to identify what it was. Meanwhile, as if I had shown some disrespect—which was entirely possible—Relan's scowl deepened as he looked at me.

"Well, boy, aren't you going to greet me? I'll oversee your guidance today, much like Saintess Verdenia said. Just to be sure that mana demon hasn't already taken you over," he echoed, with a tone reminiscent of portal master Edith. The two would make a good pair.

This elf was skilled at making himself disliked—quite a talent. Nevertheless, I knew the training wouldn't start until I adjusted to the elves' expectations. Moreover, I was eager to leave this cell as soon as possible.

"Hello, Elder Re- "

"Grand Elder, boy."

"Yes, Grand Elder Relan, hello, and thank you for your time today."

He still seemed unsatisfied, but ‘grand elder’ Relish here must’ve sensed he wouldn't get anything better from me and didn’t press further. Verdenia slid open the cell, and we were returning to the dome again.

This time, the symbols were a color I hadn’t seen before. A bright, almost crystal-clear green, while other signs were of a deep forest green. I wonder why that was? Before I could even ask, Verdenia began to explain some. The one-sided emotional sharing of the contract must help her often with things like this.

"The color green signifies a healing aura that will fill this chamber," Verdenia explained. "Your struggle with the mana demon yesterday took a toll on you. You probably couldn't sleep. Those battles can be incredibly draining and often leave one's mind spinning for a night or several. Your mana demon has too strong a potential, the strongest seen in decades, perhaps longer. It poses a serious threat, Falond. Today, we need to focus on healing the harm done to you."

Did that include all this mana I had forced into my body? These nasty blue veins were starting to bother me. However, I couldn't eliminate my desire to wield mana, even with the presence of that demon. I’d have to find another way.

“To start, these dark green symbols are particularly effective in cleansing; sit next to one and see.”

While doing as asked, I could feel the critical eye of Elder Relan, sorry, Grand Elder Relan, adding an undue influence on me. Sitting there, a strange feeling of suction began within me. It started subtly, but then the suction grew intense. Sweat trickled down my face. The day had barely started, and already discomfort was setting in.

Before I could acclimatize to the sensation, Relan appeared behind me. His hand resting on my shoulder immobilized me. He managed not to interfere with the work the symbols were doing, but he seemed to

Before I could acclimate, Relan appeared behind me. His hand rested on my shoulder to immobilize me. He managed not to interfere with what the symbols were doing to me, but he sure did know how to make my bones creak. That sly old elf. He suffused the power that most elves use, nature’s essence. Was it not just nature mana? What made it different?

With more force than necessary, he kept me in place. As much as I’d like to complain about it, I needed some help, and he provided some. Begrudgingly, gritting my teeth, I tersely managed a “thank you” as I dealt with the increasing suction.

His response was predictable. "That's thank you, grand elder."

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

This time, I didn't reply. The suction had grown unbearably intense, and I could feel my veins tearing apart. It hit me then - the symbol was draining all the mana I'd spent my life accumulating through rituals and gathering formations. I was torn. A part of me still wanted to use mana. I had this aura, but would it be enough for them? With that, a resistance mounted in me, trying to keep some in.

“I knew you’d be a fool,” Relan said with great disdain. He quashed my body's resistance, causing the stored, toxic mana to gush out like a waterfall. Of course, I knew it was for the best. This process could weaken the mana demon, heal my body, and allow me to tap into the aura from The Moth more effectively.

But, years of conditioning and habit were hard to shatter in such a short period. The thought that if I could use mana, everything would go back to how it was before exile was swirling around in the recesses of my mind. Returning to those I’d come to resent wouldn’t be so bad. The family I had in my youngest memories would return; I’d see my sister's smile again. The hug of my mom and the fun training with my dad. Those days have been gone for over twelve years, though. They only lasted for two or three years in the first place. Why did I hold on to them so tightly, then?

The mana was relentlessly taken from me while my mind wandered down memory lane. The glowing blue veins that once covered my body were slowly fading away.

"Just how much mana did you force into yourself, boy?" The tone suggested that Relan was asking rhetorically. "Even an archon doesn't possess such an amount in their body."

The implications were far-reaching. Even if the mana was raw, having that volume inside me should have been fatal hundreds of times over. No wonder my body became a mess from mana abuse, even with the “blessing” they mentioned. I wonder if there were any permanent positive or negative side effects from it? I’d find out real soon; the symbol struggled to pull out every remaining bit of mana from me.

As the final bits of mana were drawn from me, my body began to convulse violently. Grand Elder Relan was infusing even more of his nature essence into me, and sweat began to bead on his forehead. A petty part of me couldn't help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction that I wasn't the only one suffering here.

Verdenia had walked in front of me now, the palm of her hand landing on my forehead. That is precisely where the contract symbol was. Her eyes closed; it wasn’t clear what she was doing now.

"Are you sure about this, Saintess?" Grand Elder Relan asked. His question referred to something unsaid before.

Verdenia's brow furrowed slightly, but her eyes remained closed as she replied. "Yes, he's worth it, not just to me, but to the future of us elves."

“I hope you’re right. Otherwise, I’d never have bothered with this one.”

Getting a sense of what was going on, a slight foreboding came over me. That contract bond came in, or maybe it was just intuition. Verdenia smiled at me with her eyes still closed.

“That’s right, Falond, I’ll be sealing the remaining bits of mana, along with your mana demon. With this, it will be like all your side effects from mana injecting are gone for a while. For a while, it will be as though all the side effects of mana injection have vanished. But before you protest, understand that this is necessary. If you face that demon again now, as you are, you will lose your mind permanently."

With a whisper so low it was almost inaudible, she added, "And the world cannot afford to lose The Moth again."

Her words were immediately followed by a severe pulsating pain from my forehead, right where Verdenia's hand was. The symbols seemed invigorated by it, forcing a little more mana out of me. The resistance building up inside me started to wane. It must not have been just me but also the mana demon. A low roar that was not my own began to come out of my throat.

"Stubborn demon," remarked Relan. "It's good we decided to carry out this ritual now. The demon had gained far more control over The Moth than we'd anticipated. It's likely been manipulating his desire for mana." As he spoke, his other hand landed on my remaining shoulder. Then, in one swift motion, he positioned himself behind me, crisscrossing his hands on the middle of my back.

The strain on my body at this point was immense. Relan's move, necessary as it might have been, made it only worse. Blood began to stream from my mouth, tainted with shades of blue and black. The blue was likely mana-saturated on the surface of my blood, but what was the black?

Simultaneously, both Verdenia and Relan began to chant. I felt another layer of suppression pressing down on me. A symbol I hadn't noticed before started to form on Verdenia's forehead. Sweat was now streaming down her face as well. She hadn't said much, but her intense focus was unmistakable. She had taken up sealing my remaining raw mana and the mana demon, which was a complex feat. There was some cost; what could it be?

Suddenly, Verdenia raised her other hand and forcefully pressed it over the hand resting on my forehead. As she chanted in the Elvish language, the searing pain peaked, blazing like a white-hot fire. I couldn't decipher their words until the very end.

“Sianel!”

Suddenly, the tension disappeared, with it, the relentless, throbbing pain. A faint ghost of it lingered, however. I couldn't see but could sense something else had been etched into the contract symbol on my forehead. It felt as real and solid as the original marking, and then both faded into my skin.

Following the ritual, Verdenia collapsed onto me, clearly devoid of strength. Her complexion was pale, and her breathing was shallow yet steady. A slight smile graced her lips as if she was proud of her actions. Sealing the mana demon would be difficult; being proud was expected.

"I'll let her explain the real sacrifice she's made for you, Moth," Relan said.

I frowned. "My name is Falond. What do you mean by 'real sacrifice'?"

"To me, and most elves here, you're not just Falond; you are the bearer of the Moth," he answered. "Even among your human allies in the camp, it's the same. Few would have invested the time and resources we have without that. You are the Moth, Falond, the bearer of a certain destiny. We expect you to fulfill it."

His words were cryptic, so I focused on what he didn’t attempt to answer: what Verdenia had done for me.

“Call me what you want; I’m still me. What did Verdenia exactly do?” I asked again.

"As I've told you, Moth, it's her right to tell you. Not even our capricious Lady Elnara should say. I’ve overseen you for the day. If you have a shred of responsibility in you and any intention of repaying the substantial debts you've already incurred, then prepare yourself to be the weapon needed to combat the mages. Practice your sword skills until the Saintess awakens," he instructed.

With that, not even moving from his sitting position, he disappeared. It may have struck me with awe if I didn’t dislike the elf so much. Despite my feelings, I felt a begrudging respect for him. A phrase surfaced in my mind: "You don't need to be liked to be respected." Ability mattered more.