When Clifford got home, it was already past ten. He found his Mother in the living room, she was worried of why Clifford had not been back from wherever he was.
"Clifford! Where have you been? I've been worried about you, come let me check your swollen eye." She said worriedly. She walked up to him to check the wounds he had before he left in the morning.
"I'm fine Mom." Cliff answered. He did not bother to hide his face which had suffered more bruise from the beatings he took earlier.
"You've gotten more bruises Clifford! I told you not to get into trouble. You're so unruly, you don't listen to what I say." She complained.
"I'm sorry Mom, it won't happen anymore." Clifford signed.
"It won't happen anymore? You've always said that and yet you come home with more bruises."
"Believe me Mom, it won't happen anymore." Clifford said. He knew he's certainly no pushover anymore with his breakthrough to the basic rank. He just needed to get more stronger.
"You'll get into more troubles if you don't heed my words." Clifford's mother said.
"Alright Mom," I'll listen to you from now onward."
"Hmph..." She snorted. She clearly doesn't believe him.
Clifford didn't reply, he looked at his Mother and started to wonder how bitter she would feel when he told her he would be leaving. He had to tell her anyways, he's got no choice. He decided to get a part time job after school hours and save the money he earned there. When the money is enough to get a small apartment, he would tell his Mom and Lyla to stay with him there.
"Mom!"
"Yes?" She answered.
"I'll be leaving for Sun City in a few weeks."
"Leaving for Sun City? To do what?" She asked.
"I'm a Basic ranked mage now Mom. I had my breakthrough earlier today." He replied.
"Basic ranked mage? Oh my dear! How did you made it? She didn't notice the Mana fluctuations coming from Clifford's body because she was an ordinary human. She was happy he had advanced to the basic rank but also having mixed feelings about it.
"I was just lucky." He lied. He had to keep the purpose of him of going to the Mage academy in Sun City a secret from her. So it was better if she didn't know how he really had the breakthrough.
"The heavens has smiled on you my sweetheart." She replied with a warm smile. "But I don't understand why you would leave."
"Mom, there's an upcoming Mage academy recruitment tournament coming up in about a month in Sun City. I've got to go and try if I could get admitted."
"Clifford! I wish you could go but I don't have funds to pay for the fee, it's too costly son. She said sadly.
"It's free Mom, and they'll cover for our expenses too.
"Really?"
"Yeah Mom."
"That's good then." She said with a lightened mood. 'How long does it take to study there?" She asked Clifford.
"Three years Mom."
"Oh my dear! I'll miss you so much." Tears started to cloud her eyes. She felt bitter that Clifford would be leaving. Clifford has never been away from her for an entire day before, now she would only see him in months.
"Don't get into trouble sweetheart, Sun City is another world entire compared to this small city. You've got to be very careful there." She said while she went to hug him.
"I won't get into trouble there Mom, I promise you. I'll get a part time job there and save some money that would be enough to get us an apartment."
"You want us to get Join you there too? She asked.
"Yeah Mom, I'm now a mage, life would be better for us there."
"I'll save as much as I can too," she said with a smile.
"Everything will be okay Mom." Clifford said while he threw himself into her warm embrace.
"Yeah, everything will okay. Go to bed, we'll talk tomorrow. Good night." She rubbed his hair and kissed him on his left cheek.
"Good night Mom."
She replied with a sweet smile and a nod before she left for her bedroom. Clifford watched her as she left, thinking of why she the old man warned him not to tell her about his mission and about his father.
He brought out the bracelet, played with it for a few seconds before clutching it tightly.
"Dad, if you're still alive, please hold on a bit longer. I'm coming for you." He thought to himself resolutely.
He left for his room but he didn't sleep. Instead, he sat down on the floor, crossed his legs and started meditating.
He focused on stabilizing his Mana whirlpool. His Mana whirlpool was bigger and stronger than that of a basic mage, almost as strong as that of an intermediate mage. It holds a very large amount of Mana, all thanks to the meditation law and the magic bracelet. The bracelet collected pure Mana for him and stored it in his Mana whirlpool.
Although his Mana whirlpool is strong, it appeared to be unstable which made it a bit difficult for him to control. He continued stabilize it and by morning, he was done stabilizing it, not fully but much more stable than it was.
He then proceeded to prevent the Mana within his whirlpool from fluctuating. He must be able to command the Mana within his whirlpool to do his biddings. Mana fluctuations emitting from a mage means the mage does not have absolute control over the Mana in the mage's whirlpool.
He continued to force his will on the Mana in his Whirlpool and when he was starting to calm them, Lyla barged into the room. This made the Mana that was almost calm to flare up and started to fluctuate again. Clifford was stunned and angry, he was interrupted at a crucial moment again.
"Wake up sleepy head!" She shouted as she barged through the door. She didn't know she had made things complicated for Clifford. She just did what she does every morning. It has become a daily routine for her to wake Clifford up by barging and yelling into his room.
Lyla was surprised to see Clifford sitting crossed with crossed legs. She was expecting to see him on the bed, snoring loudly like he does every morning.
"What is it you are doing?" She asked with crossed arms.
Clifford almost bursted into anger. Was she seriously asking him that after she just interrupted him at a crucial stage? He calmed himself since she only did what she does every morning. She has always been a naive little girl, he couldn't fault her.
"You don't have to know." He sighed.
She noticed the bruises on Clifford's body."You've got more bruises, I'll tell Mom."
Clifford new there's no point in her telling Mom since she already knew about it. But he decided to scare her a bit.
"Don't you try it!" Clifford said with a wicked look.
Lyla made a dash for the door but Clifford sank into the shadows since his room is dimly lit due to the closed windows. He came out of the shadow in front of Lyla and grabbed her.
"Uh-oh! Not this time girl." He grinned.