The nanites within Alexander worked minimally to lessen the strain on Alexander, using his own mana to power themselves and function as best as they could, without constantly draining Alexander of mana. They moved in shifts to minimize power usage, but the damage done to him activated their emergency protocols, using nearly every ounce of mana in his core to power every nanite to repair the damage.
The others stood by helplessly as other people's mana couldn't help him with his mana deficiency, as other's mana poisoned others when sharing; causing intolerable pain and death. The only exception to this rule was of the Guardians' pure elemental mana, used to share with their Arkons; warriors directly under Guardians command.
Kahawai and Kalani, watched after Alexander, by the command of the elder. He left quickly to find a solution. He had a wide array of experts and high ranked Hunters to help.
Max held himself in his workshop in the basement, with a plan. He worked for ³hours straight, exclaiming he had a solution.
"You think he's going to make it? I don't sense any mana from him, but he's still breathing? We'll need to find a seventh for the trial in a month." Kahawai nervously paces in the team room. The wood had already indented lightly from his uncontrolled mana, while he bit his fingernails in distress and scowling.
"Would you please stop. Your are giving me a headache, everytime you bump that chair. He trained to hard last night, that is it. He's are family, our O'hana, and Akamai's don't die easily. Expect him to pull through and become stronger than he was." She shifted on the couch closer to hear Alexanders breathing.
"He's gotten so much stronger in the past few months at an amazing rate. Combat, magic, and even strategy has become his in days. If a little hard training was enough to kill him, he wouldn't have had enough strength to crawl in here. There's something special about him, even before all the training. At the docks when a normal person would have run, he stayed and took the shot."
"Are you falling in love at a time like this, cousin? I will remind you, he's family now, and you are in a difficult situation, eh. We need this win at the trial to secure our futures, and save your brother. If he's as special as you say he is, then why is he still like this?" Kahawai grumbled in front of Alexander.
"Could you two stop bickering infront of my patient." Max rushed to Alexander's side, placing a mechanical armed band on his arm. The device injected nutrients into his bloodstream like a magical IV. Soon Alexander breathing and color returned to a normal hue. The amount of mana he absorbed dubbled with the relief the band gave the nanites, their ability to heal and cycle mana for Alexander trippled.
Alexanders core had increased in size but the healing he needed form the shadow creature was more than he could absorb, and store. The lack of nutrients hindered it even more as he struggled just to stay alive. With enough nutrients now his core started filling up with the lessened strain of the nanites.
"You can feel his mana surging, he's close to another breakthrough!" Kahawai exclaimed, his anxiety
Alexanders mind at the time was dark, void of light or anything that could resemble foundations. Magic raced around him in swirling archs, as he floated in darkness. His eyes closed to the turmoil around him, he closed himself off, trying to buffet the power within him. Flashes of traumatic moments flashed in the darkness, terrible and without mercy. He sank deeper and deeper into his own mind as the flood of mana came crashing into him like a tsunami. Tossing and toiling, he fell far from himself, nearly becoming catatonic.
Heat in his chest, like burning coals, exploded, ravaging his body as the mana in his mind gouged his core.
'You are losing control of your mana. I can not help control the influx without putting you in danger as I fix your physical body. Please, hold on.' A warm bright light shone in his darkest time, a familiar voice echoed to him, reminding him of the greatest memories that were blocked out.
'I'm not weak anymore! Why should I bow down to anyone, cower before anything? I have clawed my way from nothing, to this point, D***it! This is my body, and I am in control here!' Alexander stopped his decent and took the blows of the wild magic. Hut after hit, bruise on bruise, scrape and cuts he took as he rose back to the light!
The mana grew weaker as he rose higher, stealing the power back that the power had taken, assimilated them into himself. The energy condensed into a swirling vortex that he grabbed and with the light next to him, absorbed it.
Alexander opened his eyes as a blast of powerful mana exploded from his body, blocked by formations that surrounded him. The green energy swirled and shot back into Alexander, rebounding him to the floor.
"OUCH! Who did that?" Alexander groaned. His eyes slightly illuminated with mana growing inside him.
"Where did you go last night? How did you end up like this? When you walked in you looked nearly dead."
"Yes, I.. I was training in the forest when a monster apeared and attacked me. It nearly killed me but I got to it first. No big deal. What's this thing on my arm?"
"Don't change the subject, family. What attacked you. Are there more?" Kelani the elder, asked in all seriousness. His haughty exterior dropping for the fatherly one. His experience with children was second to none among the elders, taking time but never forgetting to be stern.
Alexander was stuck between an impossible explanation of a strange creature that he, as a Guardian, must combat. In the end he told them about the creature, leaving out the Guardian and A'rathèl parts.
"This has gotten out of hand. First gates not getting taken care of by the Association, and now demons haunting the area my family lives on. This has gone to far."
"Elder, please do not act to rash because of this. Alexander is safe, and the monster has allowed him to nearly rise to (C) rank." Kalani reasoned well, and made a case for her elder to not step in on their behalf. Doing so could have adverse effects on their Hunters trial.
Ignoring all of the commotion, Alexander went through his system window that he couldn't while fight for his life.
'What is this?'
//Mission: Defeat the enemy:Completed!! Rewards given.
*10×(D)Mana crystals
*Scroll of Darkness
*Ring of the Firstborne Upgrade