5 - Between Eidolons, Mana, and Spells

The next time Valrion woke, he didn’t cry. His body was stiff, every inch prickling with discomfort like he’d been lying in the wrong position for too long. Instead of panicking, he remained still, staring at the ceiling. A beam of sunlight cut through the room, illuminating the room thoroughly as compared to the scattered lanterns from the night before. The colder weather and the mellifluous chirping of birds signaled that morning had arrived.

He moved his fingers and toes absentmindedly, feeling how delicate they were. He was, after all, still a baby. His stomach growled, empty and unsettled. He recognized the hunger for what it was—an irritation he could endure. This awareness must be what kept him from overreacting as he had before.

Carefully, he observed the room. Besides the furniture he was already familiar with, nightstands were on each side of the bed. Across from it stood a fireplace, above which mounted a stag’s head, encircled by brown wreaths that clearly needed replacing. Next to the fireplace was a two-door wardrobe, while the door to the room was on the opposite side. Behind the cradle, a window sat with a shelf underneath—likely the source of the morning sun.

Handbook, he called, and the image appeared effortlessly.

[Level: 1]

[EXP: 0/105]

[Health: 264/276]

[Mana: 23/23]

[Wednesday, March 10, 5723]

[07:02]

Thankfully, only one night had passed, not a few thousand more.

Aside from another [Status: Hungry] and his health that had decreased by a dozen points because of the obvious, nothing seemed to have changed from last time. He navigated to [Quests] and read through all the same descriptions. The [Eidolons] tab was empty, and he still couldn’t access [Spells] or [Blessings].

Now that his chain of thoughts was clearer, his eyes fixated on the twenty-three mana points he had gained. He didn’t know the value of each number, but it wasn’t the main problem.

Mana was primordial energy that had coexisted with the twelve elemental powers since the dawn of Eru’s creation, allowing chosen humans to harness one element each. Every elemental wielder had a mana reserve that would drain with consumption and recharge during rest. The exact amount, like the figure he saw in the Handbook, was something they couldn’t know. Lethargy would be the clearest indicator of depletion.

It typically manifested when humans first discovered their elemental abilities after the age of thirteen. Usually, it occurred through accidents, such as using the power in an emergency or when emotions clouded their judgment. The process often caught them off guard, leaving them struggling to control their newfound abilities during the first few months.

While eidolons were more adept at mastering their respective elements, gods who weren’t bound by any mortal laws were also capable of wielding them to some degree. Valrion would not forget what it felt like to possess those powers, especially his own divinity—the knowing was just there, like the warmth of his beating heart or the certainty that he would be alive tomorrow.

Back in Heaven, as a young child who could barely run, he woke up one day and felt something had changed within him. Throughout the day, his palms itched, urging him to act, though he wasn’t sure how. While playing with his friends by the lake near the Assembly Hall, where all the workshops were located, he felt compelled to lift all the fish from the water. He did so without hesitation, startling his friends and making half of them cry, including Asterra.

He was terrified when so many gods rushed out of the hall, fearing he would be taken to his father and punished severely. At that time, he had heard of one of his friends being shown Hell, and he hadn’t been there, so his paranoia was reasonable. Confident of his impending doom, he was shocked when they instead congratulated him.

“Of course, the Son of God would awaken his power so early,” one of them had said.

There was always an elemental power when there was mana, so why couldn’t he sense anything within himself? Was it because he had just woken up? Was he too young and not supposed to have it yet? Or had a thousand years altered Eru so much that it disrupted a rule that had existed since the beginning of time? Regardless of the cause, mana had to exist for a reason.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Spells were debatable. If eidolons hadn’t been involved, he wouldn’t have gotten the idea of what they could possibly mean: words spoken between eidolons to invoke greater elemental powers. Many who had heard of spells had chanted them out of curiosity, but none had produced any effect. This suggested that only eidolons were capable of using them.

Most gods, including him, never gave them much thought. They were nothing more than fancy words, perhaps meant to make eidolons seem more daunting in battle. Even celestial children could create their own spells and chant them for fun, but his disdain had no room here. Just like mana, spells wouldn’t be in the Handbook without serving a purpose.

His best guess was simple: since he was tasked with capturing the Twelve Eidolons, he would, in one way or another, be allowed to borrow their powers, including their spells. That would be too convenient for a fallen god, so his second guess was eidolons had changed Eru so much that all elemental wielders could now use spells based on their elemental powers.

[Blessings] remained the biggest mystery, but he must focus on what he was more certain of: that mana, [Spells], and [Eidolons] were connected to one another.

As far back as he could remember, humans had never gained their elemental power through other means, such as dreams, meditation, or constant prayers. Many had spent years wishing to be bestowed with one, but it would never happen unless they were meant to have it. It could be different for him since the seed—the mana in his core—had already been planted.

So, what would be his next move?

He could do nothing and wait for future guidance, or he could stop theorizing, start taking action, and get immediate results, whether he would like them or not.

In the process, he might break objects around him. He didn’t know the state of this world or if his conduct would raise undesirable suspicion. Injuring himself was also a risk, but it was a price he was willing to pay. He might even lose the Handbook, but he wouldn’t know the exact consequences unless he tried.

This would have been much easier if he had been aware three years later when he could already walk and speak fluently. He could have simply interrogated his parents or the next person he met. There would be a million what-ifs if he kept searching for them, so there was no point in mourning his fate without taking action to change it.

He closed his eyes, and an element came to mind: ice. It was one of the most common powers, though he must be honest—his choice was likely influenced by the fact that it had been one of his most frequently used elements in the past.

“The reason you like using ice is because you enjoy seeing people get frozen,” Asterra had called him out on that a few times when they were young, and she was pretty much right. Watching his sparring partners freeze mid-swing, powerless to break free from his superior skills, had always been one of the highlights of his childhood.

Back then, he would cackle, sometimes even ignoring those who begged him to free their friends until his juvenile mind was satisfied. Now, in this mortal body, he was limited, so he resorted to using his imagination. First, he imagined the tips of his fingers growing cold and numb.

He didn’t expect to instantly freeze an object nearby and melt it at will—even a newborn go wasn’t able to do that—but at the very least, he hoped to sense some proof that an element was present. Perhaps a wispy mist would form around him, leaving a palpable trail.

A second passed, then two, and a dozen more, yet he felt nothing—not even the slightest tickle from a passing breeze. He opened his eyes, observing the unchanged surroundings, and heaved a sigh.

He might as well try a spell, but he needed to play it safe. He recalled a low-tier healing one. If it worked, his mana would decrease—perhaps a lot, considering his age—while his overall health would increase. Maybe his growth would even accelerate, causing his hair and teeth to suddenly sprout.

Nesu, he began.

[Proceed with Main Quests to unlock Spells.]

For once, he hit the mark, or was it more like half it? It detected an eidolon spell as part of [Spells], but he should try it again once he discovered his elemental power.

His mana point didn’t budge, signifying that the spell had no impact on anything other than triggering the message. However, the fact that it showed up after saying an eidolon spell should mean that they were indeed dependent on one another. He must capture his first eidolon before being able to use their respective elemental spells.

“Good morning, Valrion!”

It startled him when a woman, younger and more petite than his mother with a golden-brown complexion, appeared beside him with a grin. As if they were the best of friends, she waved her hands toward him before poking his cheek. The sudden touch of a stranger made him squirm—something that didn’t happen with his mother, likely due to their maternal bond. Alas, his protests amounted to nothing more than weak gurgles.

“Your mother was worried since you didn’t wake up at all during the night. You’re also incredibly calm today. Did you have a nice dream?” the woman asked. Quickly after, she picked him up and hummed a slow melody with a voice deeper than his mother’s.

In Heaven, there was a golden roundabout that connected the many abodes of gods. At its center stood a pavement of clouds, where a never-ending choir played, accompanied by unseen instruments. Everyone took turns singing, and he often sat on the stone benches around the area, savoring the harmony. The highlights were when they adapted human-made arrangements and put their own spin on them, creating something unique and, oftentimes, amusing.

He might have enjoyed her voice just as much if the woman hadn’t suddenly brought him over to the area next to the cradle, laid him down on a surface firmer than his mattress, and started undressing him.