"Daryl?" Karen called out looking at me worriedly.
I gave her a smile then grimaced as another wave washed over me causing me to grit my teeth as the heat seemed to burn me from the inside. It wasn't the same as the first time when I felt like something was trying to force its way out of my stomach. This time it was like fire was flowing through my veins instead of blood. It didn't last for long, but it didn't need to.
I wasn't sure it would help but I sat down on the couch, closed my eyes then let my consciousness slip down into my mana core. It helped with the pain last time, I hoped it would again this time. Besides, I wanted to see what was going on with all the mana as it was absorbed into me. While I couldn't see it like I could when I was looking into my mana core, I could feel it being drawn into me.
Peeking into my mana core all I saw was chaos, at least initially. The thick fog I remembered from my initial awakening was present, but it swirled around in a chaotic fashion. After a few moments I was able to discern what was really going on. The mana was flooding my core just like it had before, but this time it was being absorbed into each of my abilities creating whirlpools which in turn formed currents and eddies.
Another wave of heat passed through me causing me to groan in pain. Remembering what I did to reduce the pain the last time I actively started trying to pull the mana in from the walls of my mana core. As soon as I did the flow into my mana core significantly increased and it was all I could do to keep pulling it in so that my abilities could suck it up. Even then it wasn't enough to stave off the waves of fire. My rate of dragging the mana in was faster than my abilities, and mana heart's absorption level. Patches of denser mana appeared within my mana core. Unfortunately I had no idea what to do about it except leave there for after this wave was over. I considered forming a dense ball of dense mana as I had done before, but that would keep the mana from my abilities so I grit my teeth and kept pulling the mana away from the walls of my core.
As thrilled as I was to see that my skills were absorbing more mana. Which I was sure would cause them to become stronger. The whole process was just as mind numbing as the first time. Pull in the mana, then do it again, and again, and again. At least it was until my first ability flashed a bright golden color then began to pull in even more mana than it had previously easing some of the pain that came with each wave. I couldn't tell which ability it was through the fog, but I was sure it had increased in strength. Which gave me a sense of satisfaction and reminded me that there was another reason to do this, other than to relieve the pain. After that each of my abilities flashed a golden light before the first flashed again. Then the fog pouring into my core slowed until it finally stopped.
I was sure everything was over until I noticed the denser areas of mana fog that my abilities hadn't absorbed. I fully expected it to be pulled in and absorbed by my abilities or mana heart now that the mana fog wasn't flooding into my core, but again I was wrong, proving that I had no idea how any of this mana shit worked. Instead of thinning out and being absorbed by my abilities, the denser mana areas all seemed to flow towards the largest area of concentrated mana which seemed to contract in on itself which seemed to draw the other mana to it.
As the mana all pooled in one place there was one final contraction as the mana seemed to shrink in on itself. Then a bright golden light illuminated my core followed quickly by two more bright flashes of golden light. By the time my inner sight cleared all the mana fog had disappeared to be replaced by a brand new ability.
Before I had a chance to see what the ability was and absorb what knowledge I could from it, I felt a pair of hands on my shoulder shaking me.
I pulled my vision out of my mana core then opened my eyes to see the three ladies in the room staring at me worriedly.
"I'm fine." I reassured them.
"What the hell was that?" Karen asked. She still looked scared despite my reassurance.
"There was another mana wave, just like the one from yesterday. I was concentrating on… Um… Well I am not sure what to call it." I told them. "I had to focus on drawing the mana in so it didn't hurt so much." I told them.
"What are you talking about?" Heather asked as she bounced Bryan on her hip.
Looking at her and Bryan reminded me of Micheal. I pulled my phone out and called him quickly.
"Does that mean you got stronger?" Megan asked.
I nodded but didn't reply aloud as I listened to my phone ring.
"Hello?" a female voice answered the phone sounding worried.
"Hey Courtney, how is Micheal?" I asked, having recognized the voice.
"He isn't moving." Courtney told me the worry apparent in her voice.
"Is he breathing?" I asked.
"Yes." she replied.
"Then he should be fine, just give him time." I told her.
"What happened?" she asked me.
"Same thing as yesterday." I replied.
Courtney breathed out a loud sigh of relief. "Oh good, that scared the shit out of me!" she said.
"It's fine, just give him some time." I told her.
"Are you sure? There isn't anything else I can do?" Courtney asked.
"Not that I know of." I replied. "Oh and Heather and Bryan are here." I told her.
"Alright, I can do that. Oh, wait shit! Micheal is supposed to spend time with Bryan today." she groaned. "Is she pissed?"
I glanced over at Heather who was watching me like a hawk. "Not anymore. Though I think it would be a good idea to have Micheal call once he can." I told her.
Courtney cursed again. "Alright, I will have Micheal call her once he wakes up. We can make some plans then." she told me.
"Alright sounds good." I told her then she hung up on me.
I stared at my phone for a moment as my mind raced. Had I made a mistake when I came to the conclusion that he was dealing with the military or someone like them? Then who did I hear over the phone? I didn't recognize the guy, but that didn't mean much. I wasn't friends with all of Micheal's friends.
"Problem?" Megan asked me, looking worried.
"No, same issue I was having. Though I might have assumed something a bit too quickly." I told her.
"Wait, what?" Heather asked.
I looked at the raven haired woman wondering if I should tell her or leave it for Micheal. She wasn't my girl so I didn't see the need to be the one to tell her. "Ask Micheal later when he calls. Courtney told me she would have him call as soon as he is able to." I told her.
"Is he alright?" Heather asked worriedly as she held onto Bryan tighter.
"He is fine." I reassured her.
"So?" Megan asked.
I shrugged, "I need to look, you interrupted before I had a chance to see what the changes were." I told her.
"Oh, sorry, I was just worried, and you relaxed so I thought that…" Megan told me, looking a bit uncomfortable.
I smiled at her then wrapped an arm around her waist then pulled her down next to me and hugged her before placing a kiss on the top of her head. "It's fine." I told her.
"You also tried to grope Heather when she sat next to you." Karen informed me.
I rolled my eyes at her. Both her and Megan should have remembered how my body responded when I was focused on my mana core. Then again I don't remember making and movements that resembled trying to grope someone.
Deciding to ignore that comment I closed my eyes and focused on my mana core. I wanted to see how much I had grown.
Once I spotted my abilities I smiled to myself.
Bond-3
Fire-4
Mental-2
Physical-2
Spatial Storage-3
Shadow-3
So my new ability which resembled a crescent moon, was another element. Only after I received the information from the new ability did I understand that it was meant to portray the darkness. I had played games where shadow was an element that could be used, but I didn't understand how it could actually work as it was just an absence of light. The information I received still didn't explain it very well except as the antithesis of light. It could be used to travel and create illusions like light, but beside that it was best for debuffs, life draining attacks, and animating inanimate objects. Though not necessarily skeletons like a necromancer would. Golems made of non living material like, rock, sand, metal, and other such things would count as well.
It was a difficult concept for me to understand since it didn't have any kind of science I could relate it to. It just worked. Which was exactly the kind of thing I hated the most. Instead I wished I had someone who could explain it to me in a manner I would be able to understand.
Wait! Wasn't there someone I could get to do just that? An elemental like Enya would be able to explain how their own element worked. I just needed to create a link between shadow and bond like I had with fire and bond.