The situation taking place in this small room would be mysterious to any other average person, but to Raphael, it has long been accepted as a part of his daily life. Mediating, Raphael can feel the energy flowing within his body, and with some effort, he focuses on pulling on that energy in accordance with his will. Deep in concentration, he willed the droplets of water to merge into a large sphere of condensed water.
Yes. In this world, there are those capable of imposing their will upon the world itself through the means of using mana. Mana, the very source of life across the planet that can be manipulated by a few individuals to perform feats beyond the limits of humanity. The only way to describe such feats was to call it magic, and magic it was. As unbelievable as it sounds, Raphael was utilizing magic.
In rhythm with his breathing, the sphere of water dispersed into droplets and reformed once more. This was the most advanced level of control Raphael currently has with his mana. Not only was the water condensation and splitting method optimal for mana control, he found it really calming on his mind. In this state, nothing else matters but the smooth flow of mana within his body. The flow of mana seems to help make every other matter in his life seem smaller; Raphael would often spend countless hours in deep meditation trying to enjoy the feeling for as long as possible.
As compared to his first time with mana, Raphael would say he has come a long way since then. The fact that he has been able to achieve this current stage is praise-worthy already, especially since he has no official mentor to rely on. Orphans such as himself have little success in the art of magic. Who would take the time to teach a nameless orphan? This notion only made Raphael more determined to set himself apart from others. Taking in a deep breath, he attempted to increase the condensation speed, only to lose focus as he was startled by a noise from outside his room.
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"Sigh." With his focus now lost, Raphael opened his eyes and broke out of his meditative state. "It seems the others are awake. The twins must be in a hurry to get breakfast." Shaking his head, Raphael got off the comfortable bed and reluctantly made his way towards the door. He eyed his journal that still sat on his desk.
"I suppose I will write the new journal entry later." Stepping out of his room and into the hallway, he took a moment to catch his breath. It seems mana control still requires a bit more effort than he believes despite the number of times he has done it.
Making his way to the stairway on the left of the corridor, Raphael let his eyes roam the old wooden walls that made up the place he calls home. The orphanage was just like any other across the country. The number of orphans has severely increased over the last few years. Although this particular orphanage was small in size, it gave off the feeling of home and comfort. Raphael wouldn't imagine himself anywhere else.
Being an orphan, Raphael once pondered on the thoughts of his parents, but now it seems pretty useless to dwell on such matters. The fellow orphans and caregivers of the orphanage were his family and would always be regardless of anything else. He would admit that it took a while to let these people become close to his heart. With the genuine kindness of the matron mother and the hyperactive energy of the younger children, Raphael found it hard not to accept them. When his time comes, it will be a hard and teary goodbye.
Reaching the ground floor, Raphael can now clearly hear the loud commotions of the others. He instantly put a smile on his face as he entered the dining area, which is full of hungry kids and stressed caregivers. Taking a look around, he could see that everyone was already present, eagerly waiting to consume the first meal of the day.
"Good morning, everyone!" With that, Raphael made his way to the last available seat.