Mana flame was the source or heart of a person's mana that was usually seen and depicted as a burning flame located at the center of the chest area it's colour indicated your level of mana control and just how much you can use, lower level mana flames ranged in the blue spectrum to the green spectrum, mid level mana flames ranged in the red spectrum to yellow and lastly high level mana flames ranged in the purple spectrum.
There wasn't a single record in the countless books I buried myself in that spoke of a person's mana flame being able to die,the only route you could take to inhibit someone of mana usage was destroying their mana veins and not even that was said to be possible but mere theory.
'this can't be backlash from using Guildreiner right? I'd tested the spell or at least a less destructive version of it dozens of times, the only thing I changed when I used it against that lunatic was pour a little more mana into it'
my worried and contemplating thoughts soon made an expression on my face causing Cale to drop his head once more in the same guilty and apologetic manner as if I'd scold him for my current state.
"I'm not going to lose my ability to use magic besides you should be ready for surprising circumstances such as this when being a knight of Loridea"
I said with a wide grin contrary to the swirling thoughts and feelings behind it as Cale raised his head once more however my words and expression still failed in lifting his mood.
"the injuries will take a while to heal especially with the current state of your...mana flame"
turning around to face the door Cale took a last sympathetic glance at me before leaving the room, I sighed in relief as the door closed shut behind him and turned my attention to my wounds that were wrapped neatly in a clean white bandage across my left arm and leg including my chest however the rest of my body seemed fine and only baring light burn marks, thankfully my body was clothed with the same outfit from before as I remembered the time I'd been oblivious of my own nudity.
'Cale looked calm anyway so I guess that should've been an indicator'
throwing my legs over the bed I attempted testing just how bad the injuries were and bent my arm a bit only to be met with an unbearable burning pain that caused me to retreat back to the comfort of my bed not even daring to try and bend my leg after,I rolled around in a pained fit while cursing at myself for even trying the idea.
'GAHH am I just going to be bedridden by just any monster?'
*3 hours later*
staggering as trying not to bend my left leg or arm in any way I left the confines of my room and took a seat for dinner, switching my eyes between Gilferd and Cale I noticed a bruise across Cale's cheek that wasn't there when I last saw him along with the fact the two were no longer sitting next to each other and instead Cale opted for a seat at the end of the table, it clicked to me that the two had been in a fight but over what had caused it I could only worry that it was me.
Dinner went on in a tense silence that made eating the food a challenge as one word or small mistake could act as a catalyst to a horrific fight that I didn't want apart of, finishing my meal Helen stood and stole the plate of the table as she shook her head signalling she'd do the cleaning on her own.
sighing I left the dining area feeling a little useless and burdensome as I closed the door behind me falling face flat on my temporary bed.
'what even caused so much tension it couldn't have been just from me right?'
lifting my head to stare at the window of light that slowly dimmed as evening drue near I hear a loud slam of a door from the other end of the cottage accompanied by fast and angered footsteps that soon reached my window and caught sight of Cale walking past on his way somewhere.
[CALE'S POV]
my emotions were like a whirlwind angry, regretful,desperate I wasn't able to choose one and go with it after seeing the burned and charred mess off Yelaine's left side and chest my heart seemed to stop in dread and despair I couldn't handle, I couldn't handle the scene being shown in front of me she'd thrown herself at the beast after my nerves had got the better of me and almost cost my life with near zero hesitation or second thought of her own safety.
was I supposed to be like that? jumping and leaping towards beasts without a care of the consequences like some hero?,my mother had the gifting ability of both water and healing it was through her that I was able to learn of the state that Yelaine's mana flame was in yet even through knowing her own condition she still saved me....
"what kind of selfless idiot is she, do knights not worry about their lives is that what it's all about?, don't care for your life before you've saved another or some other crappy oath!!"
I shouted while kicking a few rocks as I made my way through the trees to a open clearing with a convenient hollow log in the middle,blue glowing moss and mushrooms blanketed the knee height grass always mesmerizing me as I took a seat on the log letting out a huff of air trying to let out the stress and complicated thoughts fleeting through my mind.
"aha a thinking area huh, I had one back at Loridea but I must say yours Is alot more serene and silent"
I jolted my head to the direction of the familiar voice,pearl white hair and eyes made of a mixture of orange and red with the same black pants and white shirt that finished off with a brown coat starting to fit her oddly well.
"selfless idiot is quite accurate honestly as much as I wouldn't want to admit it"
"w-wait I didn't mean it like that you're not an idiot or anything....."
my voice trailed off as Yelaine crouched to pluck out one of the blue glowing mushrooms from the ground.
"I'm not going to kill you or anything geeze"
Yelaine laughed taking a few leaves and tying the mushrooms to make a sort of blue glowing mushroom crown that I couldn't help but chuckle at it's ridiculous look as she placed it on her head.
"I apologize I was just surprised about you....it doesn't seem like you really care for your life except others,you saved me knowing your condition.....i can't do that,I care for my life Yelaine.....god that's so selfish"
I said sighing as I dropped my gaze to my feet for some reason I just couldn't look her in the eyes after the events with the Flair rat.
"its not selfish its natural, everyone feels it even knights"
"you mean knights actually fear death?"
"more than anyone else I mean you could be on deaths door at any time on any mission"
"you mean they fight with all that fear in them.....i can't even begin to do that"
bang!!
I rolled back of the log and onto the blue mushroom filled ground rubbing my head that Yelaine had so abruptly flicked.
"why are you even trying to become a knight anyway?"
"w-what...well it's because...its because of....my older sister!!"
I shouted at the abrupt question with tears starting to well up in my eyes as Yelaine's orange and red mixture of eyes widened in shock to my words as if she wasn't expecting such a response,frowning a bit she looked as if she was about to apologize for asking a question I could only assume felt insensitive to her now however I stopped her.
"it's fine you don't have to apologize you wouldn't have known anyway"
I shot a wry smile as i helped myself back up and took a seat on the hollow log once more,silence echoed around us till I opened my mouth again mustering the courage to continue.
"it was an attack during the chaotic period of the 3rd calamity,our house would've been burned down by those black hooded devils had it not been.....for my sister.."
"....."
"she tried fighting a few of them herself after she'd been training to become a mana beast hunter like our father but after that failed she offered her life in turn of ours, no matter how gruesome or torturing it would be..."
"I see..."
I watched my hands turn white as I clenched them into tight fists while reminiscing on the painful memory.
"they were about to kill her till a hooded figure along with a demi human woman decided on kidnapping her instead, I tried to search for them but there's only so much you can do with little resources.....not even my fathers reputation as a mana beast hunter could help"
"you want to become a knight to find her?"
"of course I do even i-"
"and what'll you do if you find out she's dead....."
I contemplated on Yelain's question for a moment and clenched my hands even tighter to the point that they started dripping with blood as my nails dug into the palms of my skin.
"then I'll kill those two bastards myself and serve whatever cruel treatment my sister was given right back at them"
"if that's the case"
I looked up to see Yelaine placing the same mushroom crown onto my head with a thumbs up.
"you've got quite the reason to become stronger and treat your life like a toy remind yourself of your sister or the delight of killing those devils yourself, keep it as a thought that's constantly in clear view in your head as you fight trust me it helps with the nerves and don't even think of dying before that, no knight does this job to give away their life"
"really?"
"of course, we don't just do this job for some righteous goal like a bunch of heroes in a story were human and just like any human we're a little selfish,we're not some suicidal maniacs"
I let out a chuckle of relief and fixed the mushroom crown before staring back at yelaine who'd now taken a seat with me, even after her speech and explanation about why knights were so brave and somewhat selfless I couldn't help but feel something different about her she'd thrown herself to save me even in her injured state knowing she might die, if the reason a knight fought and saved others was to achieve some selfish goal someday then what was Yelaine's that caused her to actually act like some suicidal maniac.
"is there a reason why you became a knight?"
Yelaine stared at me blankly for a few minutes before projecting a wide grin.
"well since every knight is fighting with selfish goals in mind there has to be one person at least with the heroic,idiotic and selfless attitude for them to look up to and keep fighting to achieve those goals of theirs"
"soo you're reason for becoming a knight was..."
"helping everyone else stay alive to achieve their selfish goals"
said yelaine with a heroic like pose while holding back the obvious pain from bending her left arm that caused me to burst out laughing, time flowed in fast forward as we sat there laughing at the hilarious poses and reenactments of Yelaine's battles while my fears slowly melted away through every minute.