As it had already become routine, at dawn we returned to the clearing of the sacred tree. Since Raidha was already quite well, she did not hesitate to join us. Having spent so long locked up, barely able to move, she seemed to be quite motivated. I was glad that she had come to help...
"No matter how hard I try, I can't feel mana in you. It's useless that you still try to use magic, without mana there is no way you can."
... Or maybe she just came to bother me.
"I don't lose anything by trying… Mirthia, could you teach me some basic spells?"
"Spells? Mnnnn yeah I guess you could call it that, meow."
"Don't you need to recite unintelligible words or embarrassing speeches to use magic?" I asked, confused.
"It's not that there aren't, they're just not necessary or concrete. Let me explain better how this works," Raidha answered.
'This girl really seems to enjoy speaking about magic… Well, it's a good way to cheer her up… I guess.'
"To use magic you must first materialize your mana," she began to explain, making strange movements with her hands.
"Thank you for such detailed and concrete information! You really made it very clear to me!" I answered, clapping my hands.
"Stupid, shut up and listen! Ahem… The mana itself is not visible and cannot be touched. To cast a spell you need to use your magic power to give it the base form and essence before materializing the magic. The steps to achieve that can differ a bit depending on the result you want to achieve. If you lose concentration and do not control the mana correctly, the result will be far from what is desired."
"I see… So there really aren't any embarrassing speeches," I said, relieved.
"As Mirthia said, it's not that there aren't, but that they don't work as you imagine. The real purpose is to focus your mind and speed up the casting process. For you to understand, they are words to which you attribute an action. By accustoming your body and mind to react in a specific way to that word, you are less likely to fail when using a specific magic."
"That saves you having to think and remember every step, meow." More complex magic requires more control and precision in each step, because of that it is easier to remember those steps with a simple chant. Anyway, in the end, it's a matter of practice and talent, meow," Mirthia chimed in.
"That's how it is. Using a spell at the end is basically following the pattern necessary to achieve the desired result. Prepare the required amount of mana, add the essence or element, take the mana out of the body, shape it, materialize it, and many other necessary things in the correct order. That's why it's useful to assign each action a word or set of words, so that when you recite them you don't have to think about each step," Raidha continued.
"Also clarify that because of that, each person has their own style, meow. The same magic can be recited completely differently depending on the person. The most optimal is to use the first thing that comes to your head and is easier for you to remember, but at least it should have a meaning behind it, not like what you were doing the other day, ha, ha, ha."
"Got it ... So what do I need to do?"
"The most essential thing to use any kind of magic is to learn to control your mana smoothly. Then you need to use your magic power to give it the necessary essence before releasing it from your body. Then, once the base is prepared, it is time to shape it. This is the most difficult step and you need to learn to control mana as if it were an extension of your own body."
Raidha reached out with both hands and pulled out a sphere of black light. Little by little, it became like a liquid mass that began to deform in her hands, creating all kinds of strange shapes under Raidha's absolute control. Even Mirthia stared at the show curiously. She certainly didn't seem to have seen the dark element before.
"You see? First I have changed the essence of my mana to darkness and then released it before giving physical form to it. Once that is done, I control it as if it were a part of my body, giving it the shape and consistency I want. Although I must admit that I can control dark magic so easily thanks to my kind. Dark energy reacts to my thoughts almost automatically."
Then she did the same with what became a small ball of fire that danced freely in her hands, although apparently, it could not take shape as freely as dark magic did.
"With other elements it is more complicated. Normally I would do better... but my magic power magic is…" Her gaze hardened.
"Don't worry, I understood it perfectly," I interrupted her before she got upset again.
"Okay, meow," Mirthia approached. "Then I will teach you the basics of earth magic. It doesn't have much offensive power, but it's the best to defend yourself, meow. Anyway, don't think it's harmless. Be clear that even a shield can do a lot of damage if used to strike. The simplest magic would be basically that, create a large earth shield. The concept is basically what Raidha has explained. The mana with the essence of the earth is used to materialize a large earth mass before you."
As soon as he said that, she turned to a clear place and raised her hands.
"I am the source and origin of power. The earth hears my call and fulfills my will: Earth wall!"
At the very moment that she finished reciting the chant, the earth rose up in front of her and formed a big wall.
"You saw, meow?"
Mirthia moved away from the place and the wall of earth disappeared a few seconds later as if never had been there. Apparently what is created with magic can not stay permanently... Logical... I guess...
"So this is a spell..."
"That's right, meow. In every sentence I do different actions: prepare the mana, give it the essence of the earth and materialize it in the form of a wall. This is a pretty simple spell, give it a try, meow."
"Well, let's do it."
I went to the same spot as her and raised my hands in front of me before taking a deep breath. As she said, I began to draw out that energy that flowed through those veins that I had created. At one point it started to rise on top of my palm. It was actually moving completely under my will. I stared at that energy that was nothing like the magic that pair had shown me.
'Raidha is right, the first step is easy… Change the mana essence in the element I want to use… I have no idea how to do that! Well… I have a feeling that this already has the essence of the earth on its own, so it should be fine as it is…'
In theory, I already had the steps done. It only remained to cast the spell. I directed the energy in front of me and once it took the form of a wall, I said the magic words...
"I am the source and origin of power. The earth hears my call and fulfills my will: Earth wall!"
… But nothing happened.
"Forget chants if you can't even prepare the mana! I've told you that you need to get your mana out of your body first!" Raidha yelled at me.
"I've done that!"
"I think that blond hair affected your head. I haven't seen you release any mana."
"Hell... Hey, you, whatever you are... you see it right?"
—Yes, I see a moron screaming.
"Don't screw me! At least answer something meaningful!" I yelled angrily.
"He's definitely gone crazy, he even talks to himself, meow," Mirthia said before sighing heavily.
I collapsed on the ground, dejected. Because of being the only one who could feel that energy I truly looked like a madman. Anyway, they both talked as if transforming mana into something physical was the most common thing in the world, but no matter how much they talked I could not even imagine how to do it.
I closed my eyes and began to crack my head trying to put together everything they had told me so far.
'Raidha feels no mana in my body…'
I got up a bit and again put the palm of my hand in front of me, releasing that energy as I before.
'Mana emulates natural energy…'
The energy danced back and forth in front of my eyes. I really had no problem controlling it at will. After thinking about it in detail, I began to realize the problem. I needed to face things from another perspective.
'This is not mana, it is natural energy, therefore it does not need to be emulated... So…'
The energy on top of my hand swayed from side to side.
"You should give up, it is very clear that you are null with magic. Do not take it the wrong way, although there is no Silphen who does not know how to use magic, you are not a Silphen," Raidha approached me when she saw how I was staring at my hand, trying to console me.
"Null with magic…" I murmured.
I kept turning the matter over in my head. Even if that was the case, I didn't want to give up.
'Everything in this world is made up of two parts: matter and essence. Manna is a special energy that has properties of both... Of both... Natural energy is the essence... Matter... '
At that moment I felt that I had been enlightened. Mana could become matter... but natural energy... I focused again on the energy rising from my hand.
'Then…'
I crouched down until I was almost on my knees against the ground. I took a deep breath and put both hands on the ground. As those two had said, the natural energy formed the essence, only the essence. The matter had to be taken from elsewhere.
'I have no mana, okay. In short, as much as I strive at it, I cannot create matter out of nothing, therefore… I must use existing matter!'
I was not capable of using magic... I accepted it reluctantly. Still, I could control natural energy in the same way that others controlled mana. I let out my natural energy through my hands and combined it with the earth at my feet. I controlled that energy carefully. I could clearly notice each of the energy strands that spread across the ground. I closed my eyes again, focusing solely on the sensation that was transmitted to me from those strands. The amount of information that came to my head was enormous, to the point that I felt like it was about to explode. I practically felt like I could notice every particle that made up the ground.
'This is…'
I shook my head and calmed my mind. I kept controlling the energy to the millimeter until I had completely surrounded those particles. At that moment I felt that the earth itself was like a part of my body and those threads were the nerves that connected me to it.
'Calm down... don't get distracted... be one with the earth... one with nature…'
Repeating that phrase endlessly, I continued with that hard task. Then, in the same way that I would do it with any limb of my body, I tried to lift the same ground. A huge roar began to echo through the clearing as everything began to shake with fury.
"Waaaa! Wait... Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh?!" I heard Raidha scream.
"What's going on, meoooooooooooooooooow?!" Mirthia's scream followed.
Cracks began to appear in front of me. The ground bulged slightly. Seeing it, I kept struggling to lift that heavy load. It was a huge effort. Sweat was starting to trickle down my forehead, watering the grass below me. The ground finally gave way and the earth moved of its own accord before our eyes. An area of about forty square meters was raised in front of me. Some trees were uprooted because of it. Inadvertently, I had just destroyed a part of the clearing. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer and, at the same time that the earth wall I lifted collapsed, I fell to the ground, breathing heavily. There was when I realized what a real mess I had caused.
"Ah! Shit…"
Those two couldn't even speak. They alternated their gaze between the disaster and me with their mouths open. They probably didn't quite believe that I had done it. Actually, I didn't even believe it myself.
"Did... did... did you really do that?!" Raidha asked, stunned.
"That looks like…" I replied, scratching my head.
"Impossible, meow!"
A faint smile of satisfaction crossed my face as I watched the energy still flowing around me. Finally, all my effort had been somehow rewarded.