Chapter 3
Trevor sat on the floor of his assigned room. A tiny rustle of movement coming from his lap. Picking one of his hands off the floor, he gently placed it on the head of his newborn companion, eliciting the ball of fur to stir in its sleep. Smiling, he marveled at the tiny creature. He had been told after the ritual was complete that he was now bonded with a member of the Ursa. A species of bear that would grow well passed the size of bears found on Earth. He hadn’t been told to come up with a name for his companion, but felt it was prudent to do so. There were a couple that stood out to him, but the one that he finally settled on was Koda. It just felt right, to him and his bond.
He wasn’t sure how long they had been aboard the ship, but with how many times they ate and slept, he could only guess it had been a little over a week. Trevor had been quite depressed to hear that Erik had been sent home after being found incompatible and unable to form a bond. At least his friend would be safe and away from and danger. And danger there would be, with the monsters currently living on the planet. The reality of the situation hadn’t hit him yet, and he was sure that it wouldn’t really until he was there. A situation where he would have to struggle and fight for his life daily. He and the others taken from Earth had little choice in the matter, he would learn all he could to increase his chances for survival so he could live and be returned to Earth.
Every day, they all would get together and have a lesson. That lesson’s subject had mostly been on the local language and infrastructure. According to Alice, the people of Terra were as advanced as Earths earlier civilizations, somewhere between the Bronze and Iron Ages with bits of magic thrown in the mix due to the other Manaborn on the surface.
Planet Terra’s language reminded Trevor of the European languages back on Earth, and for the most part everyone had shown a decent ability to grasp the concept. After they had shown that they had a base understanding of the language, her lesson plan would vary depending on what Alice had deemed important.
Which is what brought him to being on the floor. Alice had given everyone homework, so to speak. Trevor was currently looking for his mana. Using the innate ability to sense energy, something that all Manaborn could.
Starting with the bonding process as Alice had, she was making subsequent lessons on mana and magic far easier. The reason being that when a person becomes bonded, their mana pool becomes larger as their companion grows in strength and thus easier to find and get in tune with. Trevor had come to realize that he was either quite good at sensing mana or he had a very large pool to begin with because as soon as he had sat down to focus, there it was blazing like a sun to his mind’s eye. The radiant brown and green mana, flowed off in rivers around his body before returning to the core like a circulatory system.
Alice had explained during their lesson that, as soon as they could find their mana, the next step would be to access it. All that was required was to bring forth the mana, not to actually form spell work. While it sounded easy enough, Trevor found it to be substantially more difficult. Willing the mass of energy to move was as impossible as trying to move a mountain. After struggling with it and building up a visible layer of sweat, he pumped his fist in triumph. After about an hour of trying, he was able to bring some mana out and into his hand.
With the task complete, he let go of the mana, too tired to continue with his experiments. He scooped up the Ursa and deposited him into a nest of blankets towards the edge of the bed. Getting himself settled, Trevor smiled to himself. Proud of what he accomplished and eager for what awaited him the next day.
Every morning was the same. Wake up, brush teeth, get dressed in the clothes provided, and head to the mess hall for breakfast with Koda. The mess hall was comprised of 3 tables and a counter from where they got their trays and food. Breakfast consisted of a hot grain slop and fruit on the side. For his bond and the other baby mammals, an infant formula of sorts from a bottle.
He and the others had been separated into two teams of five. He and his party members sat over on the table to the right. Katrin and Yuki, the only girls in the party had already arrived before him this morning and were already eating. Katrin had bonded with a gryphon and Yuki, a stag.
“Morning.” Trevor spoke as he approached
“Good morning.” They said together before continuing their conversation.
This suited him just fine, he still had to grab his and Koda’s food.
Jaque and Calos arrived a few minutes later with their drake and mishipesu, respectively. Trevor was familiar with drakes and how they would look like a wingless dragon. Something like a lizard and a wolf fused to make something entirely new and was usually associated with fire or earth. Calos’ bond however, was something new to him. Supposedly when it was full grown it would look like a panther with horns and a long acuatic tail meant for swiftly cutting through the water. Definitely water affinity.
The other team was the inverse of theirs, with 2 guys and 3 girls. The boys, Leon who bonded with saber tooth, and Adam with his dire wolf. Out of the girls, both Sofie and Ari bonded with kutabes, and Mika with a pegasus. He was very curios on what everyone’s affinities were and how they compared to his. Both tables filled to capacity as each member of the teams had brought their companions for breakfast each day.
Today was special however, today they would be having their regular language studies with Alice followed by their first combat lesson from Commander Stuval. Trevor had mulled the idea of combat and how he would fight the terrors of humanity. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about it, or how he himself would fight. What style would fit him best, he had no clue due to never taking any martial arts growing up.
The mixture of brown and green mana that he had felt within himself gave him pause as well. How would his fighting style change based on the type of mana he had. Was he suited for combat at all. These and more were the questions that assaulted his mind throughout breakfast, making him lose focus on feeding Koda. The ball of fur started fussing and squealing when Trevor’s hand slipped, and the milk bottle was out of reach for his tiny mouth.
“Sorry little buddy.” He said, readjusting the bottle back into his companions’ tiny mouth.
They all finished breakfast and moved towards Alice’s classroom for their lesson. Trevor had a tough time paying attention to the language lesson, as he was still lost in thought. That soon changed when Alice changed the topic of discussion.
“I would like to go over the mana exercise I assigned for last night.” She began “I would like to hear a little of the success or struggles that each of you experienced”
A few of the others seemed to have had similar problems to Trevor in the fact that they too had difficulty getting the mass of energy to move all at once. But according to Alice, that was normal. And even the most experienced would have trouble moving all their energy at once. Most Manaborn siphoned their mana from the core into spells for specific tasks and the exercise that she asked of them was supposed to be difficult, as there was no task or spell being performed. Just moving their free-flowing mana from the core to a designated point.
“Now that most of you have been able to feel and move your mana,” She began. “You should have been able to sense the colors and shades within. We will go around the room and discuss what the different colors could mean. There are many elements and concepts within our universe that your mana could reflect. Remember, your affinities and the color of your core doesn’t mean you won't be able to access different elements. Only that you will have a much easier time manipulating the elements that are for a lack of a better term familiar to you and your companion. Concepts however, if you have an affinity with a concept that will make it much more difficult to perform spells containing anything else besides your concept. They are powerful and focus the Manaborn down a path.”
Trevor’s ears perked up even more than before. This is something he wanted to hear all about. His mana core gave off distinct feeling of deep browns and greens slowly swirling together, and he couldn’t wait to hear what the others could feel and how that correlated to their companions.
Alice indicated that she wanted the other team to start and would go in a clockwise pattern around the room. The girls of the other team started as they were on the far right of the classroom. Mika stood up and explained “My mana feels like a mixture of grey and white all spinning around like a tornado.” Before she sat back down and waited for an explanation.
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Alice nodded and addressed everyone, not just Mika when she stated, “We can tell from the colors and the rapid rotation of mana within her core says to me that she has an affinity with the element of air. Her bond being a pegasus and has the capability of flight solidifies that postulation. However, that does not mean I am not incorrect, and she has a concept affinity revolving around that element. We will know until spell work can be performed.”
Moving on to the other two girls, Ari and Sofie, that had the same kutabe companions; both described their mana core as a swirl of black and purple fog, confirming that it was more than just the affinities, and a much more intricate process. Alice had said before that the bonding ritual required the human and animal companions to share affinities, but Trevor had been unsure at the time as to what was really required. As for what the fog meant, it had been described as maybe the element of darkness or the concept of shadow and she couldn’t be sure, as guessing one’s affinities based on how they describe them is never an exact science.
Adam, who had bonded with a dire wolf, put on a big show when his turn came. He waved his arms, moving them back and then forward in a rush emphasizing how his mana moved in big pulses of energy.
Trevor stopped paying any attention to the others and focused inward. He wanted to describe his mana as best he could so Alice would be able to pinpoint his affinities. The slow-moving undulating mass of brown and green flowed and circulated through his body, giving strength and vitality to his muscles and limbs.
Alice called his name. He had been zoned out and too focused on himself to realize the others of his team had already taken their turns. Embarrassed, he stood and recounted his findings from the previous night and what he had gleaned from today.
“Wonderful!” She exclaimed. “Your affinity description matches records of those who have the ability to influence nature and life energies. They often are able to cure illness and heal wounds. We are very fortunate to have you with us Trevor.”
He had always felt at peace while in the woods back home. So, her explanation of his affinities made sense. Does this mean I am some sort of druid? He mused, wondering if that fit him and the way he envisioned his fighting style. Rather, would they expect him to fight, now that they knew he could fill a supporting role. Alice released them for lunch, and afterwards they would finally be having combat lessons.
They entered the training hall and found Commander Stuval waiting; his hands clasped together and resting on the small of his back. The hall was one of the bottom most layers of the ship and reminded Trevor of a school gymnasium. It had a tall ceiling and unlike a wooden floor like an actual gymnasium, the floor was padded. Lining the wall to either side of the entrance were racks of wooden training weapons.
“Welcome.” The Commander began in a gruff deep voice. “Since this might be your first combat lesson ever, we will begin with familiarizing you with different weapons. I will give you all a few moments to select one from the racks behind you.”
Trevor turned around and walked back over to the racks. At first, he picked up a sword and swung it a few times. The wood felt good in his hands, but the shape was wrong and didn’t feel natural. Next, he walked over to the axes and repeated his actions of taking a few practice swings. It was better, but not quite right. Again, the wood was natural for him, but the axe didn’t feel right either. He walked over towards the spears and halberds before stopping halfway and looking over at the maces. He selected one of the long-hafted hammers that had a spike opposite of the hammer’s head. The weapon was as tall as he was, and after swinging it around a few times, he could say it felt the most natural out of the ones he had sampled. With his selection made, he joined the others in front of the Commander.
The members of his team had all chosen a different weapon than each other, which was either a good sign or a bad one. With his limited knowledge on weapons and battle in general, he couldn’t be sure if having a variety would help or hinder the overall effectiveness of the team. He was relieved that Katrin had picked up a spear and shield and that Calos had decided on using a bow. Based on his experience with video games, they would have the holy trinity covered at least. Jaque had picked an axe, while Yuki had grabbed a pair of daggers. Their team seemed to be very melee heavy, but there were other factors to consider, Magic.
Magic was the unknown variable in this situation. Depending on how a person used their magic, they could fill any of the roles. However, the individual’s stamina and overall mana pool would affect how long they could fight in a role that didn’t fit their weapon and combat style.
Looking to the other team, Trevor noticed how Adam had chosen a two-handed sword while Leon went with the sword and shield combo. Mika had chosen a bow while Ari and Sofie again were the same in their choice and picked daggers. They were also melee heavy; he couldn’t help but notice the uncomfortable feeling tugging at him. Hoping to have his worries assuaged, he listened eagerly to what the Commander had to say.
“Now. I trust everyone has picked something that feels somewhat comfortable.” He waited, scanning everyone's faces before continuing. “I want you to separate into weapon types. Bows off to my right, longer weapons to my left and everyone else stay.”
They moved according to direction and Trevor found himself with Katrin and Adam, both having weapons close to their body lengths.
“You. With the axe. Head over with the longer weapons.” Stuval said with an air of mild annoyance.
Jaque moved quickly, nodding to the others as he arrived.
“Good!” Stuval brought his large hands together in a clap. “Even numbers are always best.” He walked over and procured a two-handed sword even bigger than the one Adam had selected, before turning back to the groups. “Bows, I will come and talk to you a little later. Go off to the side and get familiar with the draw of those practice pieces.” Calos and Mika moved over to the far side and began testing the draw strength of their equipment. “The rest of you will be getting used to the weight and feel of your weapons.” The Commander said while taking a ready stance in front of them, demonstrating what he wanted them to do. From there, he led the group in proper striking form. Trevor was confused as to how following forms for a giant weapon would help the girls that were using daggers.
He lost track of time while following the Commander in the different forms. He could vaguely feel his arms and shoulders becoming fatigued through the haze that covered his mind. Singular in focus, expelling breath to the rhythm of swinging his hammer down and stopping it just before the floor. Hands taught on the shaft, sweat dripped down from his brow, he could feel every grain. Not just with his hands but he could sense them. Deep down, he could feel the grains throughout his practice weapon.
Unconsciously, he explored the grains and in doing so, let his mana flow in as well. Easy as breathing, his mana flowed. A stark contrast to the mana practice from the night before where it was a struggle just to touch the swirling energy within. He delved deeper into the wood, mana flooding in behind him. There was no reaction until... CRACK
The weapon sprouted. Wood growths exploded out in all directions from the hammer, causing everyone around him to flinch and shy away. Overflowing with mana and life energy it was wildly growing without direction. Alarmed to the event that was happening within his grip, Trevor dropped the weapon, cutting the flow of mana.
He looked down incredulously, he had struggled last night getting his mana to flow in a direction of his choosing. Now though, it came without him even telling it to. So much in fact, he felt as if he had sprinted up a hill. Breathing heavy, hands on hips, he looked up, trying to get some air in his lungs.
Commander Stuval appeared, a dangerous look on his face. “What the HELL do you think you’re doing?! I did not instruct you to infuse your weapons with mana!” He turned to address everyone. “Listen up! I expect you to follow instructions. NOT to do your own exercise.” Eyes like fiery slits, he turned his glare back towards Trevor and with a quiet voice with enough venom it was palpable, breathed out, “Do I make myself clear?” Carefully enunciating every syllable.
Shrinking down, Trevor nodded up and down as fast as he could.
“Good.” Turning on his heel, the Commander resumed his position in front of the groups. “Now, continue with the previous form.” Pointing his sword over at Trevor, the Commander barked, “Get another weapon and set that aside.” Lowering the tip at the miniature tree that was once his hammer.
First day training with the Commander and already on his bad side, just great. Was the first thing that came to mind after Trevor had recovered from being the target of so much malice. Picking up the monstrosity his mana created, he deposited it before grabbing a similar hammer.
Training ended soon after, and after a quick rinse off, they were all heading up for dinner. Only stopping to collect the companions they had left sleeping.
Katrin was the one to break the silence, asking the question that everyone had been wanting to. “Trevor, what was that today during practice?”
“I’m really not sure.” He answered truthfully. “My mana had never been that easy to manipulate. And then it started to go wild without me even trying?” Shaking his head, he continued. “I was able to feel the grains within the structure and even sense them throughout. But I’m guessing that wasn’t the case for anyone else?” He asked, scanning the faces of his teammates. To which they confirmed they could not.
“What did it feel like?” Yuki asked
“Well, exhausting for one. But in the moment, it was as natural as breathing, and I didn’t really feel it happening. I was exploring a sense I didn’t know was there and got a little lost.” Trevor recounted. “I’m interested in hearing why everyone chose the weapon they did. Mine just felt right. I had tried a few others but ended up settling with a hammer.”
Jaque answered first. “Oh, that’s easy. My family immigrated to France from the Congo before I was born. Settling down next to a forest, my father took up logging. I had been using an axe since I could walk.” A giant smile on his face as he recounted his family’s story.
“Same as you.” Katrin said. “I had picked up a spear which felt correct, but I was missing something. So, I searched around and ended up with the spear and shield combo.”
The same had been true for Calos but, apparently Alice had deduced his affinities to be a combination of water and darkness. Knowing this had affected his choice, and according to him. “I have an idea of how I might be able to incorporate the two.” Was the only other thing he said all dinner.
Yuki was a little different. She apparently picked the knives because, “They are light and I’m not too strong.” She said before blushing and averting her gaze.
Instinct or preference. He would have to talk to the other team to see if that held true for them as well.
His uncertainty about the future sitting like a brick in his gut, Trevor’s face hardened, and his jaw clenched. He would practice and be able to control this new ability. He and his team’s future depended on it.