Ren’s eyes slowly peaked open and for a moment his mind showed him the white ceiling of an old bedroom. It was cracked, the paint chipped, and the room likely stood for generations before. Wear and tear left paint flaking off, containing God knows what floating down into the dark stained wooden panels of an electric fan. Four bulbs stood out like the petals of a flower around the spinning contraption. The lights of the fan turned off the room was dark around him, only the slight peak of dawn in through an unseen window.

As he turned his head to look into the familiar yet unknown room the world around him changed. Again, he was looking into the unknown expanse of trees that led into the boundless world of Aethra. His mind ached at the remembrance, something he should have never remembered even for his own sake.

Among the trees were the same strange wildflowers, tree rats, and insects buzzing around. They felt familiar yet so odd to him. Glancing up he saw the sun rising in the east. Faint rays of dawn piercing the trees and scattering in haphazard shapes around him.

Hollwin’s face appeared blocking the refreshing light. Above him, the old cleric looked worried yet angry in a far-off way.

“Enjoying the morning breeze? You should be glad to ever feel it again, you really should not be alive.”

“Oh, you mean last night, yeah.” In a bit of a haze, he averted his eyes.

“I would expect so, those beings are no common sight. I am truly amazed at how you were able to get out of its illusion and mental trickery.”

Tayin chimed in quickly. “We have more of those kinds of creatures in our lands. The atmospheric mana sources are much greater.”

Hollwin side eyed her. “What she means to say, is those are not something that should be here, in time an investigation should be launched by the Monastery.”

“Alright, so what does that mean for us?” Ren’s brows drew down as he thought. Even more attention, I just want to be away from all of this.

“It means we should tread carefully, over a half a day’s journey ahead is a small village. It is vital to inform them of the possibility of strange and unusual beings lurking about.” Hollwin offered Ren a hand.

Being pulled to his feet by the oddly powerful grip of the elderly man, Ren glanced at Tayin, a small look of concern playing in her eyes. She turned and spoke. “It’s time to move on, don’t you think?”

Following behind the two he moved to return to the path they had been traveling down. Before the sun’s face had entirely shown itself, Ren thought of the world he was within. The story of their Goddess, the history of the land, and the meaning of mana in daily lives. Skills and classes, how do they affect the daily lives of the destitute and downtrodden?

“I have some questions. While we’re on the road I figured it would be a good time.” As he spoke, he felt a small headache forming, the damage done to him was not yet gone, lingering, it flared up in small aches and pains.

“Ah, so now that you’re not trying to hunt down everything, we see to gain strength, now you would like to talk.” Tayin smiled slightly, turning her head to hide it.

“I- you’re right, I’ll keep quiet, it’s only fair for you to practice as we travel as I did.” Ren felt a deal embarrassed, a small hint of rose coming to his face.

“No, this is a good time for you to learn, I have been disappointed in your lack of interest thus far, to be honest.” Hollwin looked joyed to speak about what he enjoyed. History, religion, politics, and the inner matrix of magic.

“Well then, can you tell me about what I did and why it was so wrong? How do I use mana without… the affinity that seeks me out.”

Hollwin’s joy left his face. “What you did was part of you being sent here, whatever deity placed their hand on you has a terrible power, one that nearly destroyed you in using it. Not only does it leave a sort of point- no -necrosis within the victim, but it also destroys you, not in any typical manner but in a way that was extraordinarily difficult for even me to heal. With our power difference, I should be able to bring you back from the brink of death several times before your body begins to wear out and lose its shape, causing longer-term damage. If you were only taking minor damage, I could sustain you for nearly an hour, constantly regenerating, though you would not be able to last that long if using mana and stamina.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“So, will I never heal? What is soul damage anyway?” Ren's eyes were downcast at the concept of these pains becoming permanent.

“No, it’s not permanent damage unless it is constantly accumulated, and you never continue ascending. If you remain ascendant only in the first stage for long enough and keep encountering soul damage it would become permanent though dampen slowly. The same is true with all levels of ascension we can comprehend. Once past the basic physical ascensions, every individual may vary in some way.”

“How does ascension work exactly? I ascended very quickly after coming here.”

“That would be the work of your patron I do not doubt. The loss of your memory is quite inconvenient, all worlds have ascension, it is universal. A world starved of mana for some reason, I suppose would have none. Ascended beings such as the Silver Goddess could starve the world of mana if willing, though if such a thing was necessary, she could travel to a hub world and meet with other Gods where mana is so plentiful mortal men would die.”

“So, then why do people get up into other worlds when they are so weak. It sounds counterintuitive to send me when I could so easily be killed by the native inhabitants.”

“That’s why true, being able to be slain by the odd creature or two does make one fairly weak. I believe it must be a fledgling God; I mean no disrespect as they have ascended to such a high degree. The mind of a God is unknowable for we do not know the information that they would. To think about it is as useless as to wonder why the ocean has tides.”

“Huh, the ocean has tides due to the gravitational pull of the moon…”

Hollwin stared blankly at him. “What are you talking about, wait… Do you know why the ocean has tides? You cannot be from some primitive world then. A level of magical understanding and education would mean otherwise. I will ask around between my brethren at the Monastery to see if anyone can verify such knowledge.”

“I’m not really sure how I know, but it seems pretty obvious when I think of it. Like how I know the world is a sphere or that we spin around the sun in a yearly orbit. Some knowledge is retained yet my life is gone…”

“Well, it will not aid you to dwell on such things, for now, is there anything else I can clear up for you?”

“Can you teach me to manipulate mana as she does? I tried swirling mana around my shot, I activated an ability of mine to empower it.”

“That is their key, purpose, mana is an extension of the mental over the physical. Intelligence is the guiding force to shape it. Formulate mana in different ways through conscious intent, shape it, and give will to it.”

“Thank you, I will try to see what I can do while we walk.” Ren nodded his head as he slowly closed his eyes.

Intent, will, purpose. The fire burning between his hands at the very beginning of this journey. The intent to create fire, to burn, and to cook.

With conscious focus he shaped a small pellet of mana floating above his hand, he willed it to become fire. His increased stats allowed him to far more easily manipulate and give will to the fire. The intelligence to understand how he shaped it, the focus to see it as a construct forming before him. Willpower gave it shape as his very will gave it being, its will was his.

A small flame floated above his hand as it slowly burned away, consuming the mana as a lantern ate at oil. As minutes passed by the flame diminished and went out. Nothing left behind to ever show its small burning life was ever there.

Trying again he created a dart and again willed it to life. His affinity for fire glared as warm orange flames licked the air. The will, the intent within his creation was that of a burning dart, and thus it bloomed alive. This was not the only intent though. Shaped as a dart, the willful intent of its creation had more concept behind it than just the shape of the flaming line above his hand. The intent of being a dart, or bolt to launch was also included as thus held energy within it.

As all motion requires the input of energy and the stopping of motion requires an opposing force, so did the concept of motion within it. The concept of motion required an investment of mana that intrinsically increased the cost of the firebolt.

Feeling the intent of his will upon the flaming bolt, his eldritch eyes showed him his lingering mana, untouched yet by the flames that give it the energy of flight.

Activating this energy, he felt the mana dormant within the bolt come alive as it traveled forward and slammed into a tree beyond. The flaming bolt dissipated on impact in a small plume of flames wafting in a circle around the place of impact.

Tayin glanced over at the tree. “Well, that’s a fast start, what, did you stare at your hand for only a half hour before the little flame spit away?” She smiled.

“Well, how long did it take you to first call the winds?” Ren side-eyed her.

“My soul is marked by my ascendant ancestors; the winds have always come to me. Whether it was a glass on a table falling off, the winds pushed it away as I will for it to not shatter on my foot.”

“Marked by ancestors that have ascended?” Ren turned his head sideways and looked at her perplexed.”

She tucked her hood closer to the sides of her head, her golden braid tightly around her head as well.

Hollwin glanced at her and spoke. “Do you really think it is in our best interest to play games, you one?”

She averted her gaze and replied. “In due time.” Smiling gently, “I believe my game can go a little longer.”

“I really don’t understand, I know nothing of your world, and I feel like a fool.” Ren’s brows drew down as he thought. What is she hiding?