Since the duel yesterday, Kor had done nothing but study and practise. His mana sphere had achieved a level of stability, though he still struggled to adjust his power output. Part of the problem seemed to stem from his unusually large reservoir of mana. While he had asked no one else what they’d scored on the testing crystal, it was becoming obvious that his reserves exceeded those of most students.
Attempting to form various geometric shapes with his mana had helped refine his control. Spheres, however, seemed resistant to his will. He wondered if he shouldn’t be throwing cubes of mana at people instead of spheres. The mental picture made him chuckle. Then he caught sight of the empty path, a reminder of why he was standing alone.
It was Nethday, and he was waiting for Lena to arrive. She’d struck him as punctual and polite in class, yet here he was, twenty minutes past their agreed meeting time, with no sign of her. He glanced at the clock-tower and sighed. ‘Is she avoiding me, or just nervous?’ He tried to convince himself it was just nerves on her part, yet an uneasy tightness coiled in his stomach.
His musings dissolved as Lena came into view, dashing toward him with a determined expression that sent his heart into a flutter. With unconscious grace, she deftly weaved between other students, although her usually composed appearance was dishevelled. Her long black hair fell loose across her face, a stray lock obscuring one of her violet eyes that seemed to catch the shadows. Faint creases marked her dark, understated clothing, and exertion flushed her pale skin.
“Darkness fend.” She stopped before him, breath escaping in quick bursts. “I’m so sorry. I lost track of time.”
Kor shook his head, fumbling for a reply. “It’s no worry. I… was enjoying the sunshine.” He winced at how awkward he sounded.
Lena’s head tilted slightly, her lips twitching into what might have been a smirk. She pushed a loose strand of hair back behind her ear, her delicate features softening. “Is everything okay?” Kor asked, watching her recover her composure.
“Yes,” she said curtly, then, as if catching herself, added more gently, “We shouldn’t waste any time.”
“Should we use one of the study rooms in Ether’s?” Kor said. “I’ve seen a few big enough for multiple people.”
“Better than out here,” Lena cast a brief glance upward toward the twin suns. Her shoulders seemed to shiver almost imperceptibly.
Together, they headed inside the unassuming building. The reception desk came into view, manned by a pair of librarians whose attention darted between the stream of students. Around them, countless others were busy at the tables, scrawling furiously into notebooks or pouring over stacks of tomes, the indistinct murmur of concentrated effort filling the air. A subtle ripple in the air brushed against Kor’s senses, almost like a silent greeting from Ether’s living essence. He found himself smiling before he even realised it. Ether’s enigmatic presence lingered for a moment before flitting away, leaving him to guide Lena to one of the study rooms he’d used before.
Inside, the room was simple yet inviting, furnished with several well-cushioned chairs and a sturdy oak desk. The faint hum of magic hung in the air, a constant reminder of the Archive’s living nature. Kor held the door open for Lena, stepping in after her.
“So, how are we going to start this? I don’t have much experience with mana sensing,” Kor said, his nerves showing in the slight tremor of his voice.
Lena nodded, her fingers brushing the edge of the desk as she seemed to collect her thoughts. “Let’s start by seeing just how close we need to be to feel each other’s mana.” A faint blush crept across her cheeks.
Kor hesitated, his weight shifting from one foot to the other. “Is everything alright?”
“It’s fine.” She spoke a little too quickly, glancing down as her voice softened. “I just… haven’t done anything like this before.”
Kor chuckled, finding some comfort in her honesty. “I know how you feel.”
They pulled their chairs closer, arranging them until their knees were only a short distance apart. Kor’s heart raced at the proximity, but he forced himself to focus. Lena took the lead, her voice steady despite her earlier hesitation. “Close your eyes and focus on feeling your own mana. Then work outwards. Try to sense mine, and I’ll do the same.”
Kor shut his eyes, drawing his attention inward as he followed her instructions. The mana flowing through his body had become more familiar during his week at Conflux, though it already seemed different—stronger, perhaps? He dismissed the thought, attributing it to the planet’s dense mana environment. Concentrating, he quested outward, his senses brushing against the ambient energy in the room. Faint emanations came from his badge and robe, but he pushed past them, searching for Lena’s mana.
Time stretched as he reached out, his brow furrowed in concentration. He detected the faint signatures of her robe and badge but couldn’t isolate her unique mana. Frustration mounted as he failed to make progress. Opening his eyes halfway, he glanced at Lena. Intense focus etched her features, her lips pressed into a faint pout. A thought flitted through his mind—how cute she looked—before his heart jolted, and he forced himself to look away.
“Having any luck?” he asked, his voice tremulous.
Lena’s eyes flew open, and she exhaled a sigh. “No,” she said, glancing away as though embarrassed.
Kor’s heart started beating double time as he said, “We might have to get our chairs closer.”
She nodded, and they awkwardly adjusted their seats until their knees were nearly touching. Trying again, Kor focused on his mana, reaching outward even as their proximity heightened his awareness of her presence. The faintest hint of her perfume, a delicate note of exotic flowers, drifted toward him. The unexpected stimulus washed over him, pulling his thoughts astray before he shook his head and forced himself back to focus.
The professor had mentioned that a person’s unique mana signature was unmistakable from anything else, but as he quested out, he could only get a sense of her badge and robes. Perhaps if her robes weren’t in the way—his heart palpitated at the errant thought as he cast it away. Focus, Kor!
His knee brushed against hers, and his entire body went rigid. Alarm bells clanged in his mind as heat crawled up his neck. He jerked back so quickly he nearly toppled sideways, his words tumbling out in a jumbled mess. “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to—I mean, that wasn’t—sorry.” He fixed his gaze on a suddenly fascinating spot on the floor, wishing it would swallow him whole.
“It’s fine,” Lena assured him, her tone calm but her cheeks slightly pink. “Did you manage to succeed?”
“No.” Kor’s voice was subdued. “I can’t seem to get past the mana from our student robes and badges.”
She nodded in agreement, her face screwing up in a look of frustration before suggesting, “We might have to get closer still.”
This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.
Kor’s throat went dry. He was certain she could hear his heart pounding. “What, uh… what did you have in mind?”
“Perhaps we should sit back to back.” Lena gestured toward the floor, resolve in her eyes.
“Okay,” he agreed, his voice barely steady as they awkwardly arranged themselves on the floor. Turning around, they shuffled backward until their shoulders collided, the contact sending a jolt through Kor.
“Sorry,” he apologised reflexively.
His heart raced like a runaway engine as he bemoaned Terra Firefall, uncertain whether this exercise was a blessing or a curse. The warmth of Lena’s back pressed against his made him acutely conscious of his own weight. Even the faint floral perfume lingered, further pulling his thoughts away from mana sensing.
Snap out of it, Kor! Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself, diving into the familiar flow of his own mana to quiet his thoughts. Reaching outward with his mana sense, he strained to ignore the warmth at his back that threatened to snag his concentration.
At first, the attempt seemed futile, but slowly, a new sensation emerged. It was unmistakably mana, yet fundamentally different from his own. Tentatively, he reached further, exploring the presence. The shape of it was odd, not conforming to the contours of a body as he had expected. Instead, it was a nebulous impression—a faint pulse of energy that felt deeply personal.
Dark but warming, like the soothing embrace of a blanket on a winter’s night, Lena’s mana seemed to resonate with a gentle strength. It pulsed in time with an almost instinctive rhythm, enveloping his senses in a way that made him reluctant to pull away. The connection felt comforting, a stark contrast to the nervous energy still buzzing in his chest.
He’d succeeded! Yet, instead of retreating, he found himself wanting to remain immersed in the sensation. The unique warmth of her mana was unlike anything he had known before. Was she able to sense his mana? What must it feel like to her, he wondered, but he had no way of knowing.
“I’ve done it!” Lena’s voice broke through the quiet, the relief in her tone unmistakable.
“Me too!” Kor exclaimed, his excitement carrying him as she shifted away, breaking the fragile connection. The absence left a strange hollowness in its wake, but he pushed it aside, a small smile forming as he looked at her.
A question rose in his mind—what did his energy feel like to her? Yearning to compare notes, he opened his mouth to speak, but Lena beat him to it, “Let’s try just moving further apart now,” entirely glossing over the strangely intimate sensation of feeling each other’s personal mana.
Kor nodded, and they set about rearranging themselves again. Sitting with a bit more space between them, they resumed their practice, focusing intently on their mana. Despite the growing proficiency they achieved over the next two hours, the intense, intimate connection they’d experienced when back-to-back seemed to dissipate with the added distance. Kor could still sense her unique mana, but without the same nuance, and he found himself missing the closeness.
Lena’s expression lit up, her energy unmistakable. “We’ve got this down! The professor said two feet away, and we’ve managed three now.”
“You’re right.” Her smile sent a thrill through him, his heart beating faster despite his attempts to stay composed.
“Thanks for the help, Kor.” Lena’s violet eyes caught the light, her smile lingering—soft yet radiant.
Kor’s chest tightened. He scratched the back of his neck, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “No, thank you, Lena. I’ve not had much practice with anything like this before.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “I have, but not quite like this.” A shadow passed across her face. “My parents never let me train my mana until I turned sixteen—family tradition. They believed starting too early could force your potential down the wrong path.”
“On Lexica, most of us never even think about magic. I hadn’t considered it at all until the testing.” Kor’s tone carried a hint of self-reflection.
Lena’s expression softened, understanding flickering in her eyes.
“Thanks for helping today. Nice knowing I’m not the only one finding my feet here.” He offered her a small, almost shy smile.
As she gathered her bag, he spoke again, more hopeful this time. “If we get another assignment like this, want to partner up again?”
“I’d like that. Next time I won’t be late” Her smile warmed as she slung the strap of her bag over her shoulder. “See you in class, Kor. Darkness fend.”
“Darkness fend,” he echoed softly, his gaze following her until she disappeared through the doorway.
Kor lingered in the room for a moment, a faint sense of satisfaction blooming in his chest. The study session with Lena had deepened his curiosity about magic; he’d never experienced anything like her unique mana before. It was a sensation that defied words, and he wondered if all magic felt that personal.
A librarian poked their head through the open door, snapping him out of his daydream. “Are you finished here?” The question was polite, but the firmness in their tone left no room for delay.
“Oh! Sorry. Yes, I’ll be off now.” Kor fumbled with his belongings. The librarian gave a brief nod and disappeared, leaving Kor to follow shortly after.
Marcus had mentioned meeting up for training tomorrow, and the thought of it sobered him. He needed to prove to the others that he was a worthy ally. His frown deepened as he wished they could just get along as friends. Either way, practice was necessary.
He returned to the same training field he always used. While he had since learned about the countless other fields scattered across the campus, this one had become his personal spot. With thousands of students residing here, it was no surprise that the academy boasted so many facilities.
As he approached, he spotted the familiar shade of his favourite tree. Nearby, Viree and another girl with vibrant green hair—a Verdanian, like Talen—were duelling, exchanging mana spheres in quick succession. Their spells shimmered brightly in the afternoon light. She seemed to like training about as much as Talen liked his plants.
He shook his head lightly, turning his focus to conjuring a mana sphere. He no longer needed to close his eyes; an effort of will was enough to coalesce the energy in his hand. Slowly, the sphere stabilised as he fed it mana. Still too slow, he critiqued himself, throwing the sphere upward. It soared several yards before dissipating into the air.
“Not enough power. Not enough control.” He stared at the wake of his sphere. Hitting moving targets at a distance felt like a far cry from what he could manage now.
Drawing on his mana again, Kor formed a fresh sphere and hurled it skyward, then conjured a second in quick succession. He focused on trying to condense his spheres as he tossed one after another up into the air. His neck beginning to ache from the upward angle as he tried to gauge if he was getting more distance or not. A cheerful voice interrupted his practice.
“Hey Kor! Good to see you making progress.”
He turned to see Viree approaching, her usual energy on full display. Her smile was impossible not to reciprocate.
“Uh, hi Viree. Thanks for the advice from before; it really helped.”
“Don’t sweat it!” She practically bounced over, her excitement contagious. Behind her, her green-haired companion lingered at a distance, arms crossed. “So, what did you think of the match between Eliventa and Tharos? Awesome, right?”
Kor gave up on his mana sphere attempts, nodding. “I’ve never seen a summoner fight before. She was really impressive.”
“I know, right? But Tharos wasn’t bad either. He might’ve even won if he’d come up with a better plan. Though blowing up the sand for cover was clever.”
Kor shifted his weight, unsure how to respond. Viree studied him, her gaze keen.
“I meant to tell you, the academy has training rooms for spell practise. Lots of students have pets, and some of the faculty even fly around campus. I’m surprised nobody’s warned you about firing spells into the sky like that.”
“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t know.” Kor’s cheeks burned as he looked away, fumbling for something else to say.
She laughed, the sound bright and unbothered. “No worries. It’s just safer to use the rooms. Surprised you didn’t read about them in the introductory booklet.”
“I, uh, thought the school reserved those for the top students,” Kor admitted.
“Nah, anyone can use the basic ones. Not like we can do much damage at our level. Cultivation chambers and the advanced training rooms are meant for second and third years, or even the professor’s chosen. They cost chips to use, though.”
“Chips? I haven’t seen any money here.”
Viree pulled out a few crystal shards the size of fingernail clippings from her pocket. “These. Though you’ll need to get your own.”
Before Kor could ask more, her green-haired friend called out. “Viree, are we training or chatting all day?”
“Oh, yeah, sorry! Keep up the progress, Kor!” She gave a quick wave, then spun on her heel and darted off, her steps light and hurried.
Kor shook his head, bemused. Chips? How were students supposed to earn money here? He ought to have asked. Still, she’d given him another avenue to explore. Pulling the introductory booklet from his pack, he scanned the map. Spire Alpha housed one of the basic training rooms, only a five-minute walk away.
Turning toward the towering structure, he marvelled at its resemblance to a miniature Nexus. The crystalline spire caught the sunlight, refracting a dazzling array of colours as he set off, eager to test his skills further. Perhaps they even had training dummies—it would be nice to see the effect of his spells.