Lightning. Huh. Yeah that’s probably the best thing to start with, given how fast it is, not to mention potent. Should make short work of a buncha soldiers in metal armor too!
I continued my breathing exercises, but I felt no change, no sudden revelation, or alteration in my awareness or in the image of flowing blood that I maintained in my mind.
But I’m not giving up! It doesn’t matter how long it takes, I’ve got to learn magic in order to make use of all these abilities I’ve been handed by the system!
Something like an hour, or maybe two, passed before I finally felt something. But it wasn’t from me. No. Letta got to the answer first.
Like a sudden rush of excitement, or a wave of shock rolling through a crowd, I felt her sudden epiphany. I glanced over at her, but she was completely still and looked more than a little nervous, so I turned to the instructors, and smiled when I saw their sparkling eyes and raised eyebrows.
Craig bellowed. “You’ve done it! Creator bless this day! Letta’s learned an ability!”
Then I frowned. Wait a minute. Why would he know before her? It’s her ability, shouldn’t she have gotten a system notification? I checked her status, then cocked my head because it hadn’t changed. What gives? If she has the ability now, then why is it still marked as dormant? Oh! I know! This is about how most people only get abilities when they sleep, right? But if that’s the case, shouldn’t the system at least give you a heads up first?
Then, without fail, the system smugly stated.
Oh. I guess that’s fair, especially if everybody already knows how it works… But hold on a sec! You inform me every time I get an ability, so just what are you implying?
To no one’s surprise, the system didn’t respond.
Despite being in the midst of my inner turmoil, I didn’t lose track of Letta, and was ready to scoop her up when she jumped at me in her sudden rush of relief and excitement.
She giggled. “Anon! Anon! I did it! I did it! I felt mana! It was only for a little bit, but I did it!”
I held her up for all to see and then spun her around. “Congratulations! You’ve gotten your first ability!”
Craig and the other teachers gathered around us, all smiles and compliments. Letta looked a little wary, but I set her down and pushed her lightly toward them so that she could confront this obstacle in her growth. The teachers noticed her tension, and paused the celebration to exchange their joy for worry and shared looks of regret.
No point waiting around. Time to rip the ol’ bandage off, or so the saying goes.
I kept my hand on Letta’s shoulder, and after a moment of awkward silence, the first of the teachers, a human woman by all appearances, who was dressed in snug leather armor and green and gray clothes, knelt before Letta.
I might’ve had my eyes closed at the time, but odds are that she’s the chatty teacher who professed to have body empowerment and sensory magic.
She swept some of her short brown hair aside before she said. “Letta, I’m sorry. No. We’re sorry. We’ve all treated you poorly. We failed to notice what you needed, and failed to explain our line of thinking. We thought we were helping you, but all we did was make you feel alone and unwanted. No one deserves that. Especially not you.” She glanced over her shoulder at Craig and the other teachers, and they nodded. Then she turned back around, and quickly swiped a tear from one of her olive colored eyes. “We can’t apologize enough for what we put you through, but if you’re willing, can we start over?”
Letta didn’t answer. I felt her tremble, so I gently squeezed her shoulder, but the hunter took her silence a bit differently and continued.
“We’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you! We want to see you grow and flourish! I’m sorry it took a near tragedy to figure things out but–”
I leaned forward and put a finger on the hunter’s lips. “Hush now. Let her think.”
Then I crouched behind Letta and wrapped her up as my strangely parental instinct demanded. She’s undoubtedly been overwhelmed since yesterday. Sure, she found some relief in being told she was forgiven, but now she’s being asked to forgive… And why do I feel like I’m mediating between a bunch of kids after one got excluded? Where the heck did all these memories and impulses come from! God knows I’m not wise enough for this! Right? Crap! I can’t remember!
I swallowed my own confusion, and whispered. “Take your time. You don’t have to answer now, and certainly not all at once.”
She sniffled, and shook her head. Her voice came out shaky and soft, but it was more than loud enough for them to hear. “T-they forgave… me… but I-I hurt them. Almost– A-almost… .”
The hunter didn’t let her finish and joined the embrace. It wasn’t long before the other teachers and Craig weighed in too, along with a few other villagers who happened to have noticed the commotion.
Really happy for you all, but I’m kinda working through some things myself, sooo why am I enjoying this? This heartfelt moment has basically nothing to do with me?!
It took a hot minute for everyone to disentangle themselves from Letta and me, and by that time Letta, the hunter, and to my surprise, Craig, had all stopped crying. The worst part was that the majority of the teachers and villagers were staring at me as if I was some sort of saint, and by the time I got over that, Letta had started to hold my hand.
She looked up at me with her puffy, but still adorable, green eyes, and muttered. “A-Anon, it’s your turn. You need to learn to sense mana too.”
I grinned. “Right you are. So why don’t you remind me how it goes?”
Her face lit up, and she took my hand in both of hers. “Well… It, um… . It’s like what Alder-Craig said, but um… imagine the breath flowing out of your hands? Maybe it was more like water?”
Alder-Craig, huh? Yeah! We’re gonna call him Alder-Craig from now on! My grin only widened. But back to business. I contemplated Letta’s instructions, added them to Alder-Craig’s and then it hit me. Flowing out of my hands? Like when I used my staff? Wait! Was that mana?
I recalled the sensation, and before I knew it I was aware of that same energy in my fingertips. I traced it back through my body, and before long I found the source. A veritable wellspring centered around my heart.
The system announced.
There I go again, not only breaking the rules for ability acquisition, but straight up being mocked by the system… . Hold on. If God made the system, then… I-Is God mocking me?!
Suddenly, I was aware of my mana, in a sort of passive, peripheral, way. If I focused I could sense the mana in the world and people around me, though I couldn’t quite tell how much anyone or anything had. Probably because I only just gained the ability. Not that that detail matters all too much since Uriel gives exact values anyway… Well, for everyone except me.
Alder-Craig, Letta, and the teachers watched me in anticipation and befuddlement at my sudden stop, because apparently I didn’t release the same pulse that Letta did when I got the ability. Maybe because I just straight-up unlocked it and don’t need to nap first?
“Well, that was a big help, Letta. I think I’ve got it down now.”
She blinked, her confusion all too obvious. “But you didn’t go all wow like I did?”
I chuckled, and waved a hand dismissively. “Nah, I’m just discreet is all.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
She nodded several times, eating up everything I said despite it being utter hogwash. The teachers looked more than a little skeptical, but Alder-Craig, ever the perceptive one, read the metaphorical room and continued the lesson. “Then let us move on to mana manipulation. Now that you have an idea of what mana feels like, picture yourself changing its flow within yourself. Slow it, stop it, reverse it, accelerate it, and repeat. Once you get a grasp on that, you should eventually gain the ability.”
Letta furrowed her brows, set her jaw in determination, and plopped down into the soft greener grass in order to better concentrate.
Based on her expression, this part might be harder. Well, maybe normally, given that they apparently start practice without either ability under their belt. But since I just got mana sense, and have felt my mana’s flow change when I used Witness, this should be a cinch.
I took a deep breath, shut my eyes, and did as Alder-Craig instructed. The churning spring of mana within me slowed, then stopped, then reversed, and accelerated without issue, however I didn’t get either a notification or a ‘wave of wow’ as Letta called it, so I repeated the process several times, going faster and faster with each.
Strangely, the sounds around me, mainly of the villagers working, birds chirping, and teachers muttering came to a gradual stop as my focus grew and effort increased.
Then Alder-Craig shouted. “Y-your grace! P-please restrain yourself! This is too much!”
I snapped my eyes open only to sense the literal storm of mana raging around me. I guess at some point my internal churning spilled over and started to affect the mana in the world around me, because everyone had moved back, largely due to the strong winds and metaphysical pressure that the moving mana generated.
Yet despite this, Letta was still seated at my side, gazing up at me in awe, totally unfazed and unaffected by the phenomenon I’d unwittingly created. “Wow Anon! You did it right away this time! And now! And now I can learn from you!
I smiled awkwardly, and patted her head as I attempted to grab hold of the mana around me with my internal supply. “That’s right! You helped me sense mana, now it’s my turn to help you manipulate it.”
Is she just brave or really trusting of me? I mean, she did lure away monsters at the risk of her own life, but maybe it's a combination of the two? I mean, it’s not like I was trying to hurt anyone… . And why haven’t I gotten the ability yet?!
With the raging mana back under control, the system declared. Conditions met, ability acquired: Mana Control.
Hold up… Wat?
The heck’s mana control? I was shooting for manipulation!
Uriel dutifully buzzed in my brain and a side panel opened.
Mana Control is the advanced version of mana manipulation. Not only does it allow for the use of internal mana, but can even be used to access and affect external mana too. However, mana in another living being can't be affected unless physical contact is made, this limiter is slowly lifted as the ability levels up.
This ability can be upgraded.
Holy crap! I reached the finish line and kept running! But I guess I really shouldn’t complain, this ability seems way o.p.
At that, Letta shut her eyes and returned to her training like the good little girl she is, while Alder-Craig ambleled over and pulled me aside.
He whispered. “Y-your grace, I had no idea you were such a prolific master of magic! But it all makes sense now! You know what Letta’s dormant abilities are and sought to discreetly help her learn them so that she wouldn’t feel alone or put on the spot! Truly you are wise! Truly you are a Godsend!”
I blinked twice. Uhhhhhh… . But I really was just trying to learn too? Not that anyone’s ever going to believe me now though. Especially not after they dug up those Grandour I buried.
“Right, right… Uhh–.”
Just then, another wave of wow passed through the air and Letta cried. “I did it! I really did it! Just like you Anon!”
Oh sweet mercy! Slow down! There’s too much happening all at once! Can’t I just have a second to think?
I congratulated her with several pats on the head, and muttered to Alder-Craig. “Just continue with the lessons please. Start with lightning magic, and then let’s work our way around, I’ll see if Letta picks anything up.”
He nodded fervently, and went over to the other teachers, presumably to explain my request.
At least I’ve gotten that all too adoring gaze of his off of me. I shuddered. I mean, I know I saved them, but I’ve barely done anything else! I don’t deserve that level of respect! I’m not the saint you think I am! …Am I?
Alder-Craig then stepped forward, held out his hand toward a nearby tree, and said. “Spark shot!” I watched the mana flow out of his arm, condense into a blue ring of runes, then from that ring, came a crackling ball of electricity that flew toward the tree where it burst.
A slightly charred mark remained on the trunk, but it otherwise looked unharmed.
So that’s magic, huh? Guess this part is led by example, so I should follow suit and give it a try too! Though I gotta admit, his spell was a little lackluster, I was kinda hoping for something more… I dunno, lightning-like? Like an actual bolt and not… whatever that was. I mean it was so slow I could see someone dodging it if they had to!
I held out my hand, all too eager to finally get my magic on, and stopped. Wait. I was too busy watching the mana! What was the incantation? Spark… spark shower?
I felt my mana flow out of me, and I panicked. The blue runes appeared in the air around my hand, and I quickly aimed upward as I felt the mana release.
The words spark shower brought to mind a spray of well, sparks, but after Alder-Craig’s demonstration, and my own fantasy about shooting lightning, I ended up picturing something more extreme.
And extreme is what I got.
Around three full-on bolts of lightning exploded from my fingers in a cone that soared off into the brighter blue sky and shimmering clouds, never to be seen again.
At this point, I was all too aware that everyone in the village was staring at me. I kinda earned it, being a massive dunce and unleashing something so unexpectedly excessive.
Alder-Craig dropped to his knees. “Such power! And without the incantation! Incredible!”
And then the hunter crossed her arms, tilted her head, and hit me with the left hook of my life. “But why wasn’t there any mana in that spell? It’s like Anon generated a natural phenomenon instead of using magic?”
My jaw dropped. Pardon? I did what? I know it all happened suddenly, but doesn’t every lightning spell use positive and negative ions to generate a charge, and then direct it with magic? That’s how lightning works! What did I do wrong?
Letta bounced in excitement beside me. “Anon! You’re really, really, really, really Amazing! I’ve never seen Alder-Craig use magic like that before!”
One of the other teachers muttered. “None of us have.”
Great! Now I’m a freak too! An Ugly Freak!
I scratched the back of my head, and muttered. “Sorry, I kinda got the wrong picture in my head when I cast that. Could you go over the process step by step?”
Alder-Craig got up and nodded fervently. “Yes, of course! Now Letta, remember, mana is the base ingredient. By combining it with the mental image you attach to the incantation, you can channel your mana into the form of a spell. We use spells, for the very reason Anon so kindly demonstrated! Because if you flagrantly release your mana however you imagine then you will only arrive at disaster, or a loss of control, so it’s best to stick to the well traveled road until you’ve learned more! Like Anon!”
I grimaced. Ouch… So he thinks I did that intentionally. Man it’s gonna be hard to just accept that he’s going to take everything I do in the most positive way possible.
I watched Letta get to practicing spark shot, which was accompanied by Alder-Craig giving a few more demonstrations. And the other teachers were right. His blasts all had mana in them from start to finish, not just at the beginning like mine did. And as an added bonus from Uriel, I noted that each casting took approximately four mana from his pool of thirty-five, and he regenerated roughly one per minute.
It’s good to have a bit more information, maybe I can use it to feel out my own mana pool sometime? But for now I should practice too. So all I have to do is say spark shot and aim at the tree? Simple.
As I was thinking that, mana once again moved to my fingertips, generated the circle of blue runes, and I quickly pointed at the tree just as the spell released.
A similarly sized ball of crackling electricity left my hand and headed from the spot Alder-Craig had been targeting. Only mine was about ten times faster and punched a deep hole into the trunk with enough force that it ultimately toppled the tree away from the village with a loud crash.
Geez… Why are my spells going off whenever I think of the incantation? It’s not like I have an ability for that. Unless it’s an effect of one of the ones hidden behind question marks.
Again, everyone was staring at me, but I played this one off more confidently. “Just like that, Letta. But remember, there’s no rush. So take your time, and you’ll get there.”
Alder-Craig and Letta nodded even more, and they returned to their practice.
I sighed, and turned my eyes toward the heavens and the anomaly that lurked up there alongside the midday sun. At least I got a spell to work normally. But why was mine stronger than Alder-Craig’s? Uriel buzzed, and I got my answer.
Notice: The power of a spell is affected by several factors. The first is how much mana is supplied, the second is the spirit stat of the caster, the third is the strength of the image, and the fourth would be any titles that the individual has.
In the individual Craig's case he bears the old fart title, and thus suffers from a drop in everything from which abilities he has, to the levels of his abilities, to his stats, to the amount of magic he can output.
Dang. So old age really did a number on him, but it’s good to know that there are purely negative titles too… . Not that any of that helps me decide what to do next.
I glanced over at Letta, the very picture of youthful determination and childish excitement. So, what do I do? Settle in and focus on training magic? Or should I explore the traits of my equipment? Since I know they’re magic now… Either way, I’ll have to do both at some point, cause Imma need all the magic I can get if I’m going to figure out what the heck that thing in the sky is.