The next day after a morning of fruitless searching for the magical beast, Luzbel and Alistair sat down to eat a delicious meal prepared by Lilith. As they enjoyed the comforting flavors, Alistair took the opportunity to give Luzbel some lessons about mana.
Alistair, while chewing, began to explain. "Luzbel, do you know how we awakened ones produce spells?"
Luzbel shook his head and replied curiously. "I only know that when I use mana, I feel a power in my chest that spreads throughout my body."
Nodding, Alistair continued his explanation. "Well, boy, I'm going to explain to you how our body works as awakened. Every knight and mage has a coating of condensed mana in their heart that acts as a reservoir. This coating forms a sphere around the heart, and within that sphere the mana is held."
Luzbel closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on his chest. "Yes, I can feel something enveloping my heart."
Alistair listened intently and continued. "That sphere you feel is known as the Heart of Mana, and it appears once we awaken. With it, we can circulate mana through our arteries and absorb it from the outside through our veins."
Alistair paused, allowing Luzbel to assimilate the information, while he himself drank some water from his canteen. After a moment, he continued speaking. "Luzbel, do you know what the difference is between the power ranks of knights and mages?"
Luzbel answered quickly and confidently. "The difference lies in the power each possesses."
Alistair shook his head and smiled, "Sure, each class is stronger than the last, but what really determines power is the amount of layers surrounding the heart."
Luzbel asked an insightful question. "But what difference does it make whether you have more or fewer layers around the heart? Wouldn't the size of the sphere be more important?"
Alistair, impressed by Luzbel's astuteness, responded with a smile. "Boy, you're smarter than I thought. That's a good question."
Suddenly, Alistair created a sphere of water in his hands. "Just so you understand, think of the walls of this sphere as an animal bladder. If it swells too much, it explodes." As he spoke, the water sphere inflated and, at the end of the sentence, burst into droplets. "That is why we sought to add layers that would bolster the mana heart and allow us to handle more mana with greater intensity."
As Alistair continued his explanation, taking another bite of bread, Luzbel was eager to learn more. In the midst of his interest, he couldn't contain himself and quickly asked, "And the warriors, how do they work?"
Alistair scratched his head, frowning as he tried to remember the details. Then he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and replied, "As I recall, with each fold they add to their core, warriors enhance their body in a painful refinement. From what my buddies in the military tell me, every cell in the body goes through a rigorous transformation, and to tolerate it, they need to train their physique to the limit."
Luzbel was drawn to the warrior's path, intrigued by the idea of a physical transformation. However, the extreme pain Alistair was describing made him doubt whether it was the right path for him.
Alistair, shaking crumbs from his clothes and picking up the remains of the food, noticed the uncertainty in Luzbel's eyes. With a sympathetic expression, he said, "I understand that you are drawn to the warrior's path, but you must keep in mind that it is not an easy choice. It requires unwavering dedication and the ability to endure extreme pain. It is a path that not everyone can follow."
Luzbel nodded, taking in Alistair's words. The desire for power and fascination with transformation clashed with the fear of pain and the uncertainty of whether it was the right path for him.
Alistair, flashing a reassuring smile, added, "But remember, everyone has their own path in this world. You can explore mana and develop your skills as a mage. Mana has unlimited power and potential, and I am here to teach you and help you on that path."
The young Luzbel nodded once more, feeling comforted by Alistair's words. Though the temptation of the warrior's path was still present, he knew he had much to discover in the world of magic.
***
After picking up the leftover food and shaking off the crumbs, Alistair prepared to teach Luzbel a fundamental aspect of magic. Sitting in the lotus position, he looked at the young man and said, "Well, boy, now I will teach you something basic for magicians: the Circulation of Mana."
Alistair closed his eyes for a moment and shared with sincerity, "This process is different for every mage, as it depends on the element we have an affinity for. I cannot teach you the complete theory, as I am a simple soldier from a humble family who could not attend an academy. Were it not for the Captain, I would simply be cannon fodder in any conflict."
After a brief pause and a sigh, Alistair continued, "Pay attention to what I am about to do." At that instant, the vibration of water from a nearby stream and the dampness of the ground and air began to fill the atmosphere.
"You need to visualize in your mind the element you have an affinity for and make it an extension of yourself," Alistair explained as the water droplets began to surround him and swirl around him. "When you are connected with the element, you will be able to perceive the mana, which to the naked eye is invisible. Then, with the help of the element, you will cause the mana of the world to enter through your capillaries and reach your Mana Heart, coursing through your veins."
As he spoke, the moisture gathered and formed a sphere that enveloped Alistair. The tension in the air became palpable, and with the end of his words, the sphere exploded with a snap, releasing the pent-up energy.
Alistair looked at Luzbel with a smirk and said, "And that's how we get mana from outside to replenish our reservoir or build new layers around our Mana Heart."
Alistair stood up, shaking off the drops of water that still lingered on his clothes. Staring at him, Alistair challenged Luzbel, "Now I want you to try."
Luzbel got into a lotus position and concentrated on his attempt to feel the mana. However, he frowned as he realized that things were not going as he expected. Not only did he feel the element of fire spreading through the world, but he also sensed the element of plant in the plants around him, the element of earth in the soil, the element of water in the dampness and the stream, and the element of air in the wind that enveloped him. Each had its own distinctive essence: fire was rebellious and aggressive, plant was gentle and loving, earth was calm and tenacious, water was changeable and cold, and wind was playful and free.
Despite his bewilderment, Luzbel decided to follow the process Alistair had taught him. The mana began to gather around him, and small spheres of different colors began to orbit around him. The elements converged together, merging into a five-colored bubble around Luzbel. In an instant, the bubble burst with a flash of light.
Alistair, petrified as a lifeless statue, could finally hear Luzbel's voice calling out to him, "Alistair, Alistair, Alistair...". As he regained his senses, he stared at him and said earnestly, "Are you a Magical Beast of transcendent rank in human form and are you playing games with me? Or is this an illusion? Or are you a divine envoy to mortal earth?"
Luzbel, once again, was at a loss to understand and looked at the wizard expectantly, waiting for an explanation.
Alistair sighed again, understandably puzzled. "You really are a monster, one that history will remember for thousands of years," he stated. "Most people usually have an affinity for only one element, but you have surpassed the record of the Great Wizard, who was affinity to four elements. And with that, and you soon to awaken ... So, boy, you have trampled all the records of the most powerful wizard in history, tell me where do you think your future will take you?".
Luzbel gasped at Alistair's words. The magnitude of his potential and the possibilities that lay before him were overwhelming. He did not know what it meant to be a being of such power, nor did he have an ironclad motivation. It went no further than a curiosity and a childish dream.
This left Luzbel at a loss and not quite knowing what to think. What was clear was that he would need some time to assimilate all this. But even in his loss he still felt something pulling him forward. A thread that he had felt all his life linking him to a destiny he still did not understand.