My body trembled uncontrollably as a cold swept through me after being left alone in my room only a few minutes ago. I sat on the bed with knees pressed against my chest and arms wrapped around them tightly, covered with a blanket. The dull pain in my chest intensified with each passing moment, fueled by the cold leaking from my cracked core that was only amplified further by the everlasting frost conjured within my lower abdomen.

Draining Touch.

I gritted my teeth.

Draining Touch.

I dug my nails into my forearms.

Draining Touch!

Haunted by Fane’s horrifying voice, my head dropped helplessly as shuddering breaths echoed within the room. Vivid memories from my time in Tartarus that I kept pushing back began resurfacing ever since I suffered a panic attack.

I kept thinking, If only I could see my family, crawl into my bed, and pretend it was all a bad dream.

Why did it all have to happen to me? I kept asking myself. Why must I always be in pain?

Training with King Elwyn helped me build confidence and made me believe that if I trained hard enough, I wouldn’t have to worry about something like that happening again. But it was all wishful thinking.

Time and time again, I found myself faced with terror. We would’ve died on that mountain had I not awakened my gift.

My father used to say that luck played a pivotal role every time a soldier came back alive, and regardless of how skilled you were, defeat was always possible. It was what made it a fight in the first place. However, how much longer until my luck ran out?

I wouldn't have met Amon alone if it hadn’t been for Daniel dying. I wouldn’t have formed a frozen core hadn’t it been for Amon’s desire to help. Escaping Tartarus without Anna telling me about the secret passage would’ve been impossible, and even then, without her, I might’ve not made it out on my own, considering how many I had to fight. Hell, I would have likely starved on my way home.

It was a miracle the King of Thysa decided to take me under his wing, protecting me from those that wanted to snuff my life. Without everyone’s guidance, I would’ve still been lost in the forest, desperately trying to figure out how to control what little power I had. Maybe I would’ve killed myself by accident when I tried my hand at strengthening on my own.

Despite the hardship, I wanted desperately to move forward. To work hard and return home proudly. Instead, I found myself curled up like a child in need of soothing.

Had I not experienced the feeling of powerlessness back in Sylphena’s office, the shock of having a cracked core would’ve likely driven me insane. I knew I was safe, yet I felt vulnerable and weak.

Hearing a knock on my door, I raised my head and realized my eyes were watery.

Wiping them away and clearing my throat, I said, “Come in.”

When the door opened, I expected Asia and Alice but was surprised to see my mentor walk in.

“Heard you woke up,” Elwyn said, closing the door behind him. “You alright?”

“Perfect,” I said with a brave face, stretching my legs and taking a deep breath. “The cold is annoying, but I’ll push through it.”

“Once Asia is done with the checkup, I’ll teach you how to repair your core so that the Mana Freezing stops.” He approached, sitting on the edge of the bed. “However, I wanted to see you before they arrived.”

“Anything I can do for you?” I asked, hoping he wasn’t here to thank me for saving Alice. After all, it was my fault we went there in the first place.

“Alex.” Elwyn looked hesitant to speak, but after taking a deep breath, he turned to me. “As a father and a mentor, it’s my responsibility to keep the two of you safe. I should’ve never allowed you to leave without a proper escort, and had I listened to my wife, none of this would’ve–” Elwyn paused, letting out a sigh. “You wouldn’t have been hurt so badly.”

“Huh?” I was stunned.

“My poor judgment led me to believe nothing dangerous would happen, and it almost got you both killed. For that, I am deeply sorry. But Alex, as your mentor, I also wanted you to know how proud I am that you overcame such a challenge by yourself.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, catching myself with a soft smile. “But there’s no need to apologize. I’m sure my parents said the same thing every day. It’s not their fault that someone else wished us harm, nor would I ever dare blame them for it.”

“It’s not the same,” Elwyn argued.

“I think it is, though. I’m sure we can both agree when I say that it’s unlikely anyone from the Council conspired to get your daughter killed, so it’s not as if you overlooked an obvious threat. You might say that you shouldn’t have allowed us to go on our own, but you know why you did.” I glanced at my trembling hand before forming a fist. “If I ever want to move past what I experienced, I need to do things myself. I’m just troubled that Alice was dragged into it. Had she been injured, I wouldn’t have known how to face you.”

“She knew the risks when she decided to go with you and still chose to do so. Besides, you’re still a kid. Stop acting so mature all the time,” he joked, making us giggle. “You know, you remind me of an old friend of mine that was just like you. Always acting rational and, no matter what happened, never seemed to dwell on things. It took me decades to realize he kept his troubles to himself.”

“Where is he now?”

“Unfortunately, he died during the war.” Elwyn’s gaze traced back to me with a meek smile. “But the point I wanted to make is that if you ever feel the need to talk, don’t hold back. At least try and find that one person you can open up to since there’s only so much we mortals can endure on our own.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, wondering if my eyes were puffy or if he heard my gasps while standing outside.

“Well, that’s all I could ask for.” His meek smile turned into a smirk as he tapped my shoulder. “You’ll be okay.”

“Thanks.” I chuckled, taking a deep breath.

The door suddenly opened. Alice and Asia walked into the room but looked surprised to see Elwyn.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Dad?”

“Don’t worry. I’m just here to check up on my student and to congratulate him on his awakening.” He stood up and turned to me. “I’ll be back once they’re done.”

“You can stay if you want,” Asia said, furrowing her brows.

“Oh?” Elwyn looked around before taking a seat on a nearby chair. “Well, if you insist. . .”

“Right. . .” Asia shook her head before walking over to me. “How are you feeling?”

“A bit cold, but that’s about it,” I explained, but as soon as she touched my forehead, Asia sighed and began staring at me.

“Heal.” Mana fluttered around her before gathering within her and surging through me as all the pain I felt got swept away in an instant, making me gasp in relief. “That should ease the symptoms for a while. However, you need to work hard on fixing your core, or they’ll return.”

“Thank you,” I mumbled, closing my eyes while she still had her palm against my forehead.

“I’ve already fixed up all your injuries, but there were quite a few. If you happen to feel any unusual pain, come to me immediately, and don’t play tough. Understood?”

“I will. I promise.”

She sighed again. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.”

“Auntie really is a miracle worker,” Alice said proudly.

“Take care of him.” Asia turned to Alice. “And make sure he doesn’t get into any more trouble in the next few weeks.”

“Asking a troublemaker to look over someone else isn’t the best choice,” Elwyn joked.

“You’re the one to talk. . .” Asia cast her gaze on him. “I don’t want to hear a single word about physical training for at least two weeks.”

“Me? I’d never-”

“Beat him with a twig?” Asia tilted her head, crossing her arms.

“Fine, fine. . . Sheesh.”

Asia wasn’t having it even if we were there.

“I’ll leave the rest to you,” Asia said before turning back to me. “Once your core is fixed, we’ll begin the healing ritual. Remember, healing takes time.”

“I’ll get us some food, then we can get started,” Alice said.

“Oh, are you going to start strengthening?” I asked.

“Told you already that I’m waiting on you, so I’ll lend you a hand in fixing your core. It’s easier with help.”

“It’s true,” Elwyn cut in. “She can help you by infusing mana directly into your core, maintaining it full while you focus on restoration. It’s a useful skill for her to practice as well since it’s likely you’ll need it in the future. When you get the chance, you should do the same.”

“I have a better idea. How about avoiding falling victim to Mana Freezing? Just a thought, ” Asia said jokingly, making us laugh.

If only life were so simple.

----------------------------------------

“Alright, listen carefully, both of you. Repairing your core is different than strengthening. To strengthen, you need to use the mana within, while the opposite applies to fixing the cracks.”

“So it’s the same as making a mana core?” Alice asked, kneeling behind me with her hands resting on my shoulders while I sat shirtless with my legs crossed.

“Yes, but not quite,” Elwyn said, seated in a chair. “Forming a mana core is significantly harder as you have to gather mana to a specific spot while trying to maintain an orblike shape that doesn’t exist. Once a thin outer layer is formed, you refine it until you awaken what we call the first-circle core. However, when cracked, all you have to do is fill in the broken bits.”

“That. . . sounds awfully simple,” Alice said, furrowing her brows.

“I thought you knew all this?” I asked, glancing back at her.

“Me? Nah.” She shook her head. “I’ve never cracked my core, so this is a first for me too. Still can’t believe yours cracked before mine.”

Elwyn cleared his throat.

“Sorry. . .” We said simultaneously.

“Anyway. . . It’s harder than it sounds, but at the same time, it's easier than forming a core. If it were just as hard, we’d all die the first time Mana Freezing occurred since it would take too long to fix.”

“So why is it hard?” I asked.

“I was getting to that.” He chuckled. “To fix a crack, you must fill your core to the brim with mana, and once you do that, you focus on recreating the original barrier that kept it all in place. Of course, mana will be leaking out, so you must do your best to keep it in check.”

“But didn’t mana try and break shape while forming the core?” Alice asked, looking confused. “How is it any different?”

“You’re right. There’s no difference. If anything, it’s easier than forming a core because you already know how it’s shaped.”

“But then–”

“You’re forgetting the pain that comes with Mana Freezing,” Elwyn pointed out. “Gathering mana, keeping it controlled, and shaping it to your will requires tremendous concentration, and doing so while in pain is a hundred times harder. That’s why getting help makes it much easier since you don’t have to focus on gathering mana and can simply focus on controlling what is supplied to you. The shaping is also much easier since you’re just adding to what’s already there.”

“Does that mean the stronger the core, the harder it is to repair?” I asked.

“Precisely, but at the same time, the stronger the core, the harder it is to crack.”

“Dad, did your core ever crack?”

“Ha! If you only knew the trouble I’d gotten myself into when I was younger. Especially during the warring era.” Elwyn smirked with his hands crossed. “However, after I broke through the seventh circle, I haven’t suffered from Mana Freezing.”

“I never knew. . .” Alice mumbled.

“So, how long will it take me to fix my core?”

“It all depends on you,” Elwyn pointed out. “The better you are at control, the easier it’ll be. Considering your talent, I expect it to take less than a few hours since it’s your first time, and Alice still needs to learn how to control mana flow when infusing it into somebody else.”

“I’ll try my best,” Alice reassured me.

“I trust you,” I said, giving her a wink.

“Had you been experienced, I’d say half an hour would be enough. However, you have to consider that you’re just a first-circle mage, so your mana capacity is negligible.”

“It’s much better than before,” I said proudly, knowing I could finally cast more than four times. “But I have a question.”

“Ask away.”

“How will my ability to gather mana while moving affect my recovery speed?”

“You mean because you can gather mana without focusing too deeply on it?” He asked, to which I nodded. “It’ll make it easier getting over the pain, but it won’t speed it up by any means.”

“So what do I have to do?” Alice asked.

“Simple. You just have to infuse mana directly into Alex’s core while paying attention not to overflow it too much so as to not cause a loss of focus.”

“I can’t hurt him, right?”

“No. Channeling mana into someone is harmless, but if there’s too much of it, then you can break Alex’s concentration.”

“I see. . .” Alice mumbled.

“Don’t worry. You’re bound to mess up a few times before getting used to it. That’s why you’re training so that when it matters, you know what to do.” Elwyn stood up. “But remember, not everyone’s the same. The two of you are much better at control than others, which makes things much easier.”

“You’ll do fine,” I told her, confident that she’ll pull it off the second time around, if not outright.

Alice nodded as we both looked up at her father.

“Alright, are you ready to begin?”

“Yes!” We said in unison.

Chapter End.

Thank you for reading.