AN: From now and until the end of October I'll mass release on Sunday for every 10th powerstone. So, for instance if we got 50 votes by the end of the week I'll post 5 extra chapters!
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*Clang*
*Clang*
*Clang*
The sound of metal clashing reverberated throughout the room as two figures engaged in a heavy spar. Sparks, and small explosions also lit up the room as the figures clashed against each other. Scorch marks and small patches of fire was also seen all over the room indicating that this was a battle between fire mages!
And the two mages were none other than Kayn and Thomas Gaillon.
*** Kayn POV ***
I inwardly sighed as I parried his thrust and followed up with a roundhouse kick only to be blocked by his shield. Feeling the heat radiating from his shield I immediately used my other leg to push myself against the shield and gain some distance.
However, he immediately charged towards me as he covered the shield in flames. At the moment he resembled a raging bull.
As his flaming figure quickly accelerated, it seemed like this would be the final clash.
And so, to his surprise I decided to charge towards him as well. I channeled mana to my feet and immediately pushed of the ground. With great speed we reached each other in the blink of an eye.
However, just before his shield collided with my body I leaped over him and did a spin mid air.
With the momentum from my run and spin I swung my sword as I now faced his back.
With no way turn around as a result of his reckless charge I slashed his back as blood splurted out leaving a diagonal cut on his back.
I lightly landed on my feet as I turned around with a stoic and aloof expression.
Without showing the slightest hint of pain or discomfort he turned towards me as he sighed.
I could see a mixture of emotions on his face and eyes.
Embarrassment, anger, rage, bitterness and irritation, but also a slight sense of unwillingness.
"I won. You'll keep your word right?" I asked, but it sounded more like a statement which further fueled his anger.
Men like him, easily gets provoked when their ego is hurt and I could see and feel the heat in his eyes as he stared at me with a fierce look. Small strands of flames flickered around him as the mana in the surrounding mana responded to his fury.
"Just know I went easy on you brat. Without the restrictions you would have been beaten to a pulp, so you better not get any wild ideas out there." He stated as he used his mana to suppress me.
However, without showing the slightest hint of discomfort or uneasiness I only rolled my eyes and said "Don't worry. You'll send a guard to keep an eye on me either way right? It's not like there's much for me to do when an early master rank mage is watching."
His eyes slowly widened as he opened his mouth to ask: "How did you kn-"
"I have my ways. Just prepare the caravan as we agreed upon."
Without even giving him a glance I said that as I turned my back to leave.
A grin grew on my face as a slight feeling of anticipation washed over me.
Finally I won't have to see these b*stards anymore. I've held it in for too long, and now my patience will finally bear fruit. At last... I will gain freedom!
I happily walked towards my mothers room to prepare for tomorrow. Finally we'll be able to leave this manor. Everything I've done was for this single moment. The day where I can leave the grasps of Thomas Gaillon.
Seeing all my efforts bearing fruit, I couldn't help but reminisce about the past years on this world as I was walking.
2 more years went by since I awakened. Meaning I'm currently 7 years old, and not only that, but I've even advanced a stage as a mage. I've started off as an initiate mage and only after a year did I I have my first breakthrough to the novice stage. After novice comes adept, followed up by elite and finally master, the stage Thomas is currently on.
However even though my breakthrough was unbelievable to the normal eye, it was no walk in the park. For a mage to break through they have to refine their mana core. This is done both unconsciously and consciously.
The moment a mage forms their core and awaken, your body will continuously absorb the surrounding mana. In some sense, it's like breathing. To live you have to breath, and to be a mage you have to absorb mana. The moment your core is void of mana you'll die. That's why the mana core can also be considered a weakness even though it's the strongest tool.
And so, when your core absorbs mana as you live your life it'll slowly refine itself. It's like how the sea wave slowly through hundreds of year smooth out the stones and pebbles as the water continuously clash against the rocks.
However, for most mages waiting for your core to refine itself takes too long and that's why you have to actively help it by using magic and meditating.
By continuously using magic whether it's for fighting or just practice you 'workout' your core. As you repeatedly use the refined mana in you core you forces it to replenish itself. It's a lot like how your muscles develops through training. As you workout you tear down your muscles and this forces your body to repair and replace the damaged muscle fibers with new ones which ends up being thicker and stronger. Furthermore, you familiarize yourself with mana the more you use it and it'll be easier for you to absorb it and utilize it.
However, the method which is by far the most effective is meditating, yet for some reason I seem to be the only one aware of this.
Out of habit, one day after my training session with Thomas I decided to meditate in my room. Just like how I did when I first formed my mana core I crossed my legs in a lotus positions. I entered a meditative state as I focused on my breathing pattern. However, unlike before where I had a particular aim whether it was to awaken my mana core or learn new affinities, this time I let my mind wander. I completely cleared my thoughts and emotions. I didn't think, nor did I feel. I completely immersed myself as I became one with the world.
However, unknowingly my absorption rate increased tremendously. Mana continuously surged towards my body as my core greedily absorbed everything. Only when my core was completely full did I notice a stinging pain which slightly disrupted my meditative state, and it was then that I noticed and felt the tremendous amount of mana inside of me. My core felt like a bubble about to explode. Nonetheless, that caused a crazy idea to take root in my head.
Without stopping the crazy amount of mana my core was absorbing I instead tried to control the flow of mana. I imagined the incoming mana to circle around my core slowly replicating the sphere like shape as I trapped my core inside this 'mana sphere'. As I successfully created an outer layer of mana around my sphere I compressed it, shrinking it to the point where it was clashing against my mana core!
It was stinging slightly, but something told me to keep going. It was as if my mana core was a masochist finding pleasure in the pain.
As I compressed it more and more the pain correspondingly increased, and in the end it became to much to bear, even for me.
I immediately let go of my meditative state as mana stopped flowing towards me, and only when I opened my eyes did I notice that I was completely drenched in sweat and panting heavily.
My eyes were bloodshot and I wanted to go take a shower, but suddenly my eyelids felt heavy and my body unwillingly drowsed off.
However, as soon as I woke up the next day what I saw baffled me. My core which had a dark red color was now slightly lighter in shade. And even though it was nearly inconspicuous I could feel my control of mana had improved. And from that day on I decided to repeat this process every night before I went to bed.
When I first discovered it I was speechless and thus I tried to find any book or documents related to the refining process of the mana core, and surprisingly as you progress as a mage, your core will change color, and although it's theorized that it's associated with the purity of your mana no one knows the reason for certain. However, no matter what I did, I found nothing about meditation or what I decided to call "refining technique" and that lead me to two conclusions.
(1) I'm the first to discover such a technique or (2), the top echelon of mages, more particularly the higher nobles or royals are keeping this a secret to maintain their status and position.
And It's only obvious which one is more sensible. I've never thought of myself as special or extraordinary. As a matter of fact I've always thought of myself as quite ordinary which ultimately gives me another view on cases like this, for better or worse.
But, rationally it makes sense doesn't it? I've educated myself on the history of Echealia and what struck me the most was that there has never been an opposition or kind of rebellion against the social hierarchy of the kingdom.
And why is that? Obviously not because that the commoners are content and satisfied with how the nobles and royals govern the kingdom, but because no matter how talented and hardworking mages are born among the commoners there's a big gap between them. A gap that can't be reduced with talent and dedication alone, and that is knowledge.
If the royals and higher nobles are keeping techniques like this a secret there will never be a way for the commoners to catch up. And thus, it will be impossible for them to fight back.
However, as I reached the door to my room I stopped in my tracks. A lightbulb inwardly lit up in my head as a plan started taking root in my head, and unknowingly a mischievous smile grew on my face.
I will soon turn this world upside down... And when I do, I'll-
Nononono. I shouldn't get ahead of myself.
I shook my head vigorously from side to side as I casted the idea aside. At least for now.
The most important thing at hand is to prepare for tomorrow! If things don't go well everything will be for naught. If I can't even gain freedom then I'll never be able to live the life I aspire to live.
Moreover, this second life I've been given will go to waste. What's the point of living a new life without learning from your mistakes and regrets?
With those thoughts in mind, I steeled my resolve as I entered my room and started preparing for tomorrow.