The moment Bryn’s mind focused on his core. His visualization of a mitochondrion processing the mana on the cellular level had created a scene from Gabriel's perspective that had never been seen before.
He had been there when others awakened Magical Bodies before; mainly, the royal family was responsible for such episodes in the kingdom. The kingdom had recorded the different methods to help absorb and temper the body with the mana leaking from the core. Naturally, after generations, the technique from the royal family was considered among the best on the records. Still, it allowed the untrained to absorb between 50 and 70% of the mana leaving the core. It was appointed as the limit a body could absorb, pending on the inner talent the individual had been born with by the heavens.
Gabriel’s mouth gasped for air as his body leaned back, observing the mana behavior inside and around Bryn. The moment Bryn’s technique entered into effect, it felt like an unimaginable number of mana vortexes came into effect at the same time. Combined, they generated a suction force that, unlike any other technique, helped pull mana out of Bryn’s core. Gabriel squinted at the event, worried that Bryn would experience another mana backlash. The minimal amount of mana inside Bryn’s core reached a critical point in a second. Swallowing dry, Gabriel let out a cry for Bryn.
“Bryn, that is enough!” he ordered.
Bryn instantly stopped the process, both his cells and the force he was exerting on his core for the mana to be sent all over the body. Gabriel felt himself coldly sweating after a long time. The speed at which Bryn’s absorption style was turned on and off was off the charts.
He kept silent for another two seconds as Bryn recovered.
Regaining his focus, Gabriel decided not to press the issue for now. Continuing the lesson about magical theory, he asked Bryn about his knowledge of blessings and titles.
Bryn’s answer was among the simplest of them all. He repeated what Kwame had told him before, even the part about the different classes of blessings.
Gabriel knew that Bryn was being serious about his answer. His mind hadn’t lost focus on replenishing his core for a second; his head moved around a bit as he searched for the answer, but no other indicator pointed towards a deception on his part.
“Bryn, that is a simple interpretation about both blessings and titles. What is hard to believe is that both Blessings and Titles are even simpler than that. What I am about to tell you is not written in any book, so pay close attention…”
Bryn nodded his head up and down, agreeing to engrave the following sentences on his heart.
“Every time I experienced a new or increased blessing, I did something that challenged a current world norm or first. On the other hand, titles increased or appeared as I got recognized by an entire society. This means that when I trained alone and developed my techniques, I received another round of blessings, but titles only came through war, hunting, and political means. With this, our class on magical theory is almost over. How about we try depleting your core another time?”
Bryn was still digesting what Gabriel pointed out. It matched the moments and notifications in front of Bryn as he got his blessings and when they improved. But blessings and titles are much simpler than I think! How could it be? I need to experiment more… I have many things to test… I’ll start writing a memoir. Now let's imagine it again: the mana leaving my core, traveling in microscopic particles to my entire body, entering every single cell, and being processed by a cellular equivalent of the mitochondria, but one focused on processing mana—Thought Bryn before starting to push mana out of his core.
This time, Gabriel wouldn’t be caught by surprise over the technique. He had approached Bryn and increased the energy around his eyes. As the process started, Gabriel noticed that the small vortex pulling the mana from the core was much higher than he believed. They combined and fought among themselves for the mana coming from the core. The practical effect of Bryn’s visualization was something Gabriel never thought possible. In his mind, the energy would go to muscles, bones, and tendons, and as it arrived there, time would make them absorb it. Nothing pointed towards a way for them to suck the energy around them as if they were alive. Like the previous time, in a second, Bryn had drained himself. Gabriel was less worried this time, with Bryn telling him when to pause the process with a mere “Stop.”
Bryn closed the gates on his core and stopped the visualization around his body.
“Open your eyes, Bryn…”
“Mr. Gabriel, is everything alright?”
“Yes, it is, but I have to ask you something.”
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“Sure, whatever you need.”
“Would you be willing to share your technique of absorbing mana with me? I would reward you, of course.”
At that moment, Bryn’s fur raised as all his senses alerted him of an opportunity. When he looked at Gabriel, he had a similar expression to the one displayed when he had learned the taekwondo skill. Bryn noticed that whatever he had done called the man's attention. Bryn’s lip edges curled upwards as he opened his eyes.
That time, my request was weak. I lacked the information to demand something worthy of someone as strong as Mr. Gabriel. After his display with the magical beast, he has individual strength and some backing. Matching emblems on his armor and Jonas’s put them probably at a high level inside the kingdom's current forces or as veterans. I’ll not make the same mistake again. Let’s use my age as leverage to overplay my hand as much as possible and then negotiate backward. May the negotiations begin.
“I’m more than willing, Mr. Gabriel. You have been helping me a lot. Could you explain to me why you wish my technique?”
“I’ll be honest with you. You have a magical body, meaning the world's energy tempers your body and your core. The process of tempering your body demands two things. The first part is to convert world energy into your mana. That is why your body absorbs the leakage from your core instead of draining the mana geyser we are on top of.”
I need more information about magic. I should attend a proper academy as soon as possible. Thought Bryn as he listened to Gabriel's explanation.
“The second step is for the body to absorb the energy, which is related to visualizing the energy being absorbed and strengthening your body. There are many techniques, but you seemed to develop a new one, and that had its value.”
Though a warrior, he didn’t disclose important information about the negotiation!
“Mr. Gabriel, is my technique any good?” asked Bryn, eyebrows raised, eyes wide open, trying to demonstrate surprise about the information.
Gabriel was prompt to answer. “Yes, it is, and I wish to write down its information.”
“I have a price in mind, but it might be too steep.”
Gabriel's expression calmed as Bryn's words made him realize the faun understood that there were things impossible even in this situation. “Name it, I’ll tell you if you asked for too much…”
“I wish you to locate my parents and help them get safe passage towards a city near the harbor where Kwame and I will depart. After the winter, I wish to meet with them before going to Astronia!”
“That seems easy enough; I can accep…”
Before he could finish, Bryn’s expression changed from the naive faun he had known so far to a grim smile. The atmosphere changed entirely as the snow finally made Gabriel feel cold. Bryn’s eyes sharpened as if a hunter realized his prey's weakness. It had been a long time since anyone demonstrated such expression towards Gabriel. The young faun created a moment of worry in Gabriel’s mind, though it was only a moment. The warrior had exchanged and negotiated with various people but never expected to encounter such a sharp glare. At the moment, Gabriel had abdicated his actual status; he was a strong village leader in front of a faun who lacked information about the world.
Bryn took the opportunity and interrupted his line of thought.
“My family and I suffered enough at the hands of humans. I trust you, and you showed generosity towards me and everyone in the caravan. But for this, I would need you to vow that you will do whatever possible to bring them to me, alive and well, from the moment you find them until we leave for Astronia.”
Gabriel felt he was dealing with the most seasoned merchant on the continent. The faun in front of him had played his hand. Even without realizing how important what he held was, he had the upper hand. Increasing the speed at which all magical body users upgraded their bodies was vital for expanding the kingdom's strengths. Also, his method could inspire more experienced people to improve his technique.
Gabriel paced around for a bit before making his decision.
“I accept your terms.”
I can’t believe he accepted it without a rebuttal! THERE IS HOPE! Thought Bryn, answering before Gabriel changed his mind. “As soon as the vow is formalized and I can inspect it with appraisal, I’ll give all the details I have on my parents as well as the first part of the technique, the second part only when my parents are with me.”
“Fine, let us do it right away.” Said Gabriel as he conjured incredible amounts of mana around him, and he repeated all of Bryn’s demands word for word.”.
The air surrounding Bryn lit up, much more than when Kwame performed a vow before him. Still, this time, Bryn wasn’t worried about the phenomenon. He instead appreciated that Gabriel was so quick to resolve the situation.
“It is done. You can confirm your status if you wish.”
Bryn confirmed his status before continuing with the first part of his technique. Unlike his skill methodology and description, he only opened some absorption visualizations. It was already sufficient to have benefits for anyone who could absorb mana.
Then, he went into details of timelines regarding his and his parents' experiences under the Wycliffes.
Gabriel knew that even after the truce negotiations between humans and demi-humans, many still believed in being above the other.
He noted Aric, Isolde, and Eamon’s name on his mind. The trip to Valorheaven worried him, but he didn’t open that to Bryn.
After exchanging the information, things went back to normal, Gabriel oriented Bryn to perform his water skills repeatedly, changing the amount of mana output into the skill.
During that session, Bryn was told to do a similar process than before when depleting his core. But now, instead of using the mana on his body, he should use repeated water ball skills. This time, Gabriel told him to try and manipulate the size and strength of the technique. The objective was for Bryn to have another way to learn how to control his mana in a way directly related to magic. Also, understand that the same technique could be used in different ways. One could use any technique as an attack, defense, or support, depending on their objective and creativity.
Bryn first created small and faster water balls with less mana; they were less powerful but strong enough to make noise on impact. They would be amazing tools to scare a small animal into a good striking position.
On the opposite side, he started to create his first personal technique when using as much mana as he could muster without fainting. It took him more time to condense the entirety of his core into a water ball with his visualization characteristics. The more energy and water, strengthening and tightening the hydrogen bonds took much more energy and concentration. He had reached the point when the projectile was ready to be launched, but his energy and concentration were still unable to send it flying toward a target.
“Bryn, it is already late. We can put up tomorrow from here.”
“Wait! One more time, I know my mistakes now!”
“Fine, one last time. Aim it at this rock right here,” said Gabriel as he pointed to a boulder about a man's height.
Bryn breathed until his core was full, looked at the boulder, and started his technique.