Erik stood frozen in place, the energy from Thrain's Mana blast still reverberating through him.
The dwarf's powerful attack had sent a shockwave of energy across the training hall, but it was the tingling sensation within Erik that held him captive. It surged through his body like a living thing, awakening something deep inside him—something he couldn't yet comprehend.
The remnants of the blast faded, leaving behind a silence that enveloped Erik. He could feel the eyes of his classmates on him, their curious glances probing, questioning. Why wasn’t he moving? Why wasn’t he reacting? The thought of their scrutiny made his heart race, but he was caught in the whirlpool of this new feeling.
“Hey, Erik! You alright?” Thrain’s voice broke through the haze, concern lacing his words.
Erik blinked, breaking free from the spell that held him. “Yeah, I—” he stammered, shaking his head to clear the fog. “I’m fine. Just… surprised, I guess.”
The dwarf grinned, clapping him on the back with a hearty laugh.
“You’ll get used to it! That’s just the way of Mana. It can be overwhelming at first, but it’s all part of the training.”
Erik nodded, forcing a smile, though inside he felt anything but fine. He had experienced Ki manipulation before, but this was different. It was as if he had touched a different realm of power, one that both excited and frightened him. He took a deep breath, trying to anchor himself amidst the whirlwind of emotions.
As the sparring session continued around him, Erik couldn't shake the feeling that something significant was happening within him. After the match ended, he stepped back from the mat, trying to focus on the conversations buzzing around him. But his mind kept drifting back to the feeling—the energy that pulsed through him, igniting a spark of curiosity about the shiny rock he kept.
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Later that evening, Erik returned to his dorm, the excitement of training still lingering in the air. He shared the space with a few other first-year students, but as he entered the small room, it felt empty. The walls were bare, save for a few posters of famous fighters and a small corkboard cluttered with notes and reminders.
He dropped his bag onto his bed and glanced around, taking in the quiet.
Pulling out the shiny rock he had found, Erik sat on his bed and turned it over in his palm.
It gleamed in the dim light, and he could feel a faint warmth radiating from it. The sensation he had felt during Thrain's attack echoed in his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder about its significance. What did it mean? Why did it feel different?
“Hey, Erik, you okay?” one of his dormmates, a tall human named Jonas, asked from his own bed across the room. He was busy fiddling with a training sword, but his gaze shifted to Erik.
“You’ve been quiet since training.”
“Yeah, just thinking,” Erik replied, trying to sound casual. He didn’t want to share the depth of his thoughts, the swirling mix of curiosity and confusion that consumed him.
Jonas shrugged, returning his focus to his sword. “You should be excited! You’re in a good class, and you’ve got a solid chance to make a name for yourself. Just don’t let it get to your head.”
Erik forced a smile, but his thoughts drifted back to his family, especially Claire. She was thriving in her training, and the contrast between their paths weighed heavily on him. He pulled his knees to his chest, feeling the familiar knot of envy and frustration tighten in his stomach.
His thoughts flickered back to his father, a former army commander. He could still remember the stern looks and the weight of expectations that hung over him like a storm cloud.
“You need to aim higher,” his father had often said, pushing him to live up to the family name. Erik’s heart ached with the weight of those expectations. How could he prove himself when he felt like he was always in Claire’s shadow?
As he sat on his bed, the rock in his hand began to pulse gently, and Erik felt a new sensation wash over him—a spark of determination igniting within. This was his chance to carve out his own identity, to discover the potential he had always sensed but never fully understood.
Tomorrow, he would seek answers about the fragment and what it truly meant. He would uncover the truth about the energy within him and find a way to make his mark, not just as Claire’s brother but as Erik Miller, a force to be reckoned with in his own right.
As he lay back against his pillow, the last remnants of the day faded, and he drifted into a restless sleep, his dreams filled with flickers of power and possibilities yet to come.