"Have you ever thought of the world and how fascinating it is? The way things work harmoniously and wonderfully? Do you feel the powers or should I say forces that push everything in the order they should be? That power that flows through this world incessantly."
"Mana..."
"Every person with their interpretation of the word. But, to state simply, it is the supernatural force embedded in us, allowing for the cultivation or possession of that special internal and external energy."
"With mana we humans are able to tap into the powers of this world as we wish. We are blessed with authority to command these fascinating powers."
"Mana is our deeper core, where what we call 'magic' stems from."
Agnar began his lecture with Lecter whom was still seriously sweating. Something about being in Agnar's presence gave him a sense of pressure as though he was staring at someone he shouldn't even be allowed to set eyes on.
All the while Agnar spoke to Lecter, he had his head down. To him, it felt right that way. He couldn't bring himself to look up at Agnar.
"Agnar Teferi... He still has his aura," Demas muttered watching the duo. He had a cup of tea in his hands. Behind him, the twins were pulling rocks while taking laps around the yard.
"These two can never get rest." he sighed.
"You know what? I think we should have stayed out a little longer." Kiyan said whilst painting. His clothes were completely drenched in sweat and he was out of breath. Raten wasn't faring any better.
"It's more aggravating that we can't complain because this is for our own good," Raten said, dragging the rocks tied to his body. He was also out of breath.
"Now you have an understanding of mana, let's move on to the first lesson, awakening your mana core." Agnar said with a grin.
He then placed his hand on Lecter's back. "You're so weak, I have to resort to this," he said.
Lecter wanted to pick offense, but sadly, it was true.
"I need you to focus on what you're about to feel." Agnar said softly to him. Lecter instinctively shut his eyelids.
"Breathe steadily," Agnar whispered and Lecter did just that.
It was as if the world went quiet for a while. Lecter could only hear his breathing. He felt alone in an endless abyss. No longer could he feel Agnar's palm on his back. He felt one, one with the world. One minute he was seated in the backyard, then he was in the sky.
He could feel the wind blow against his skin. Watch as the birds fly by.
From the sky his body dropped to the ocean. The cool liquid shook him suddenly. He opened his eyes in shock, and alas he was truly in water.
He couldn't even fight it. He sank deeper as fish swam past him.
From water where he struggled to breathe, to a storm. He coughed up bits of water from his lungs, but could now barely breathe as his body swayed in the rising hurricane.
"Is this a fancy way to kill me?" Lecter wondered.
"Focus Lecter. Don't be afraid, let it flow through you."
All the while he was being transported, he could hear Agnar's voice.
From the storm his body fell into an ocean of fire. It felt extremely hot, but he wasn't hurt in any way. Still, he couldn't stop himself from screaming.
"AAAAH!! Focus! Focus! What in the seven seas is this?!" He kept screaming.
His mind was clouded but he tried to keep his focus on the warm feeling that grew in his chest. It rose and dropped as if flowing with his beating heart as he was constantly being transported into the forces of earth.
With a loud gasp for air, Lecter fell onto the grass. His body was covered in sweat. He lay on his back panting but his mind focused on the feeling in his chest. It had risen and remained that way.
"This.. this.." he couldn't muster up the right words.
"Successful," Agnar said.
"How come he gets a shortcut!" Kiyan shouted from a distance.
"This is not fair in any way!" Raten backed him up.
"You still have ten more laps to run!" Agnar told them.
"Just grab a dagger and slit our necks open!" Kiyan shouted back. But then stopped in realization of what he said. His eyes widened and he began to sweat.
Suddenly, the motivation to run those laps rose. The twins moved with more zeal, deciding to make it twenty more.
"Lad.. I have helped you take a big step towards achieving your goal. Now, I want something in return," Agnar said with his arm stretched out and a scheming look on his face.
Lecter gulped his spit hard and resumed sweating even more than he already was.
"Didn't he voluntarily do this? What could he possibly want from me? What could I possibly offer?" He wondered.
********
Days later...
"Another day's session is over. Time to go see that animal and dasher person." Raten said with glee.
Lecter's legs were trembling behind them. All he did was cast a basic spell and he was this worn out.
"It's been a while, I don't think I can catch up to these two in magic. I still don't understand why they train that much to be fighters," Lecter thought, having flashbacks of the sessions they've had together.
His heart did a flip of joy when he found out he wouldn't be put through what the twins went through. He was only being taught magic.
"We're here!" Kiyan said when they got to the place where the children of the city had their annual spar.
"He's in a match," Raten said, watching Jarett fight someone else.
"Boy slasher seems to have just finished one. He looks a bit roughened up," Kiyan said, catching sight of the one called Chandrel standing at one corner watching the fight intently.
"At least, this will make the match fair," said Raten.
"And the winner, the beast, Jarett C'briel!" The little announcer said in a loud voice and the small crowd of adolescents and young teens clapped, cheered and whistled.
"Who else wants to go up against our current strongest, and one of the best fighters!" The announcer said issuing an open challenge.
The boy named Jarett stood in wait for anyone to take up the challenge.
"I will," Raten said loudly from the back.
"When you said we were coming to see them, you never mentioned fighting! You're in no shape for that," Lecter said to Raten but was unsurprisingly, and like most times, was absolutely ignored.
Everyone looked back to see who had accepted the challenge. The face they saw was not at all recognizable.
"Who is that?"
"Looks like he's new here."
"Does he know who he's going up against?"
Whispers came from the crowd as they looked at the twins and the awkwardly standing Lecter behind them.
Raten started making his way forward with his eyes fixed on Jarett.
"This should be fun."