Eziel watched in disbelief as the giant serpent vanished into the distance. The moment it was gone, Aether lurched forward, a violent cough wracking his body. Reacting instinctively, Eziel caught his friend before he could hit the ground. "Aether!" he cried, his voice thick with concern. "What just happened?" The question hung heavy in the air, a chilling counterpoint to their narrow escape.
****
Aether stirred, blinking at the inky blackness that surrounded him. "It's so dark," he murmured, the words thick with grogginess. Then, a jolt of panic shot through him. "Wait! I'm dead!" The darkness, once familiar, now felt suffocating. Just as despair threatened to consume him, a single brilliant sun blazed into existence in the distance, bathing the vast space in its light.
From the heart of the sun, a figure materialized. Its voice boomed, "Sdcvdskl!" but the words were gibberish to Aether's ears. He squinted, trying to pierce the blinding light, but the figure remained blurry, its true form hidden. An overwhelming sense of power emanated from it, a power that inexplicably felt familiar. As the figure reached out a hand, Aether jerked awake, sweat drenching his body. It had all been a dream, a vivid, terrifying dream.
A familiar voice cut through the haze. "Aether!" It was his mother, Mary. Her voice, thick with relief, sent a jolt of recognition through him. She rushed to him, engulfing him in a tearful hug. "My son," she choked out, the only word needed to convey the depth of her joy.
Aether, however, struggled for breath. "Mother, I can't…" he wheezed, her embrace a little too tight.
Mary, in her overwhelming relief, held him even closer. "I'm not letting go," she declared. And somehow, Aether didn't mind. This warmth, this fierce love, was where he belonged – safe at home.
Then, his memories came flooding back. Fear flickered in his eyes as he gently pushed his mother away. "Mama, where's Eziel?" He barely remembered anything after the world's will took over. A fog clouded those moments.
Mary's smile softened with understanding. "Eziel is safe, dear. I'll call him once you've had some rest. Now lie down, and don't you dare wake up, alright?" She gently guided him back down. "Oh, and before I forget," she added, a hint of pride in her voice, "congratulations, my son, for becoming an Awakened!" Mary patted his head, her smile warm and beautiful, a beacon of comfort in the storm of his awakening.
"Mama, what did you just say?!" Aether sputtered, disbelief etched on his face. The word "Awakened" hung heavy in the air.
Mary chuckled softly, urging him to rest. "Aether, you need to sleep."
"But Mama, you don't understand!" he insisted, his voice brimming with nervous energy. "What do you mean I…"
Seeing his agitation, Mary soothed, "Alright, alright. Don't get yourself worked up. When Eziel brought you home unconscious, I felt it. A faint hum of mana emanating from your body. Though subtle, it was definitely mana."
Aether stared wide-eyed, the words sinking in. "I… I did it?" A wave of disbelief washed over him. He had awakened, defied the impossible.
A warm smile graced Mary's face as she leaned down and kissed his forehead. "My little mage," she whispered, pride lacing her voice. "Welcome to the path of magic, dear."
The weight of those words lifted a heavy burden from Aether's heart. Finally, a path towards curing his mother lay before him. He was no longer powerless, but a fledgling mage, ready to embark on a journey fueled by love and newfound purpose.
Mary gave Aether a final pat on the shoulder. "Now get some rest," she instructed. "I'll be off to gather some wild herbs to speed up your recovery." leaving Aether to rest.
Aether longed to obey. Sleep was calling, but his mind was a whirlwind of excitement. Years of devouring manga, anime, and light novels – his entire past life – had prepared him for this moment. Now, he had a chance to step into that fantastical world.
As he lay in bed, his mind raced with the theories he'd absorbed. Magic, he knew, relied on visualization, emotion, and understanding. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and focused on the faint hum of mana within him. Yes, there it was, a tiny spark waiting to be nurtured.
"Let's gather it," he muttered, picturing the mana pooling in his hand. He raised his palm, concentrating on forming a small light source. A warm tingle spread through him as a speck of light materialized, illuminating his fingertips. Excitement bubbled within him – his first attempt, a success!
But as he attempted to intensify the brightness, an invisible wall slammed into his efforts. A strange voice echoed in his head, a harsh whisper: [Hosts' mana vessels are incapable of channeling adequate mana for the attribute: light].
Aether's smile faltered. A limitation? Here, at the very beginning? Disappointment threatened to engulf him, but then a flicker of determination ignited in his eyes. He wouldn't let this setback dampen his spirits. There were other powers to explore, other spells to master. This was just the first step on his magical journey, and he wouldn't let anything stop him now, however,
A chill crept down Aether's spine. The enigmatic voice, the one that had explained his limitations with light magic, had behaved differently this time. Before, it had spoken only twice, offering cryptic pronouncements without prompting. But now.
He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Curiosity gnawed at him. "Hello?" he called out tentatively, addressing the empty air. "Is anyone there?" A wry chuckle escaped his lips. "Like that would work."
But before he could form any conclusions, another message blazed through his mind, delivered in that same unfamiliar voice: [Is host attempting to covertly communicate with the world's will?]
Aether's breath hitched. The voice knew his thoughts. Was this the world's will, the entity that had awakened within him? And if so, what did it want? This unexpected development sent a shiver down his spine, adding a layer of mystery.