"How was your day, Mav?" Emily asked as she turned from the sink, drying her hands on the apron she wore.
"Uh, not bad, I guess," Mav replied, the events of the day flashing through his mind. "Where's Dad?"
"Welcome home, Mav!" Nacht's voice called out from another room.
"I brought some firewood from the forest!" Mav shouted back.
"Thanks, Mav! Just leave it by the door, I'll take care of it later," Nacht responded.
Emily approached Mav, concern etched on her face. "How're you feeling? It's been a while since you've gone out. Did anything feel off?"
Mav chuckled. "Mom, I'm fine. You're worrying too much."
She ruffled his hair, but her eyes were still filled with concern. "I'm not joking, Mav. What if something happened to you out there?" She leaned in closer, taking a sniff. "And I can tell you were moving around a lot again. Don't overexert yourself. You just recovered."
Mav smiled as his mom pulled him into a hug, his face pressed against her chest. "Mom, I can't breathe," he mumbled.
Emily let go, chuckling softly. "Sorry, sweetie. I just can't help but worry."
"I know, Mom," Mav replied gently.
"Anyway, you smell like the forest. I'll heat up some water. Go take a bath before supper," Emily said, planting a kiss on his forehead before heading to the kitchen.
"Thanks, Mom," Mav called after her.
Later that evening, after supper, Mav lay in bed, staring up at the familiar ceiling of his room. A cold breeze drifted in from the slightly open window, sending a shiver through him. The moon and stars were faint, obscured by clouds.
His mind buzzed with thoughts—about his newly discovered power, what it meant for him and his family, and what the future might hold. He was filled with anticipation for what he might uncover tomorrow.
Ever since Emily had recovered, sleep had become elusive. The strain on his body from pushing too far, perhaps, or the anxiety of what lay ahead. Insomnia was now his nightly companion, along with the frequent wake-ups. He kept this from his parents; they had enough to worry about.
As the hours passed, he finally felt his eyes grow heavy. Eventually, sleep claimed him. That night, he didn't wake up as much—maybe just once or twice. Perhaps the exhaustion from using his new skill all day had finally caught up with him. When he woke again, it was morning, sunlight streaming through the window and warming his skin. The smell of breakfast wafted into his room, making his stomach growl.
After breakfast, Mav helped Emily in the garden. She thanked him with a smile, appreciating the extra set of hands. Then, saying goodbye to his parents, he felt a thrill of excitement for the day ahead—he couldn't wait to try out the new skill combination.
"Bye, Mom," he said with a grin. "If you need anything, just shout my name, and I'll come running."
Emily smiled and ruffled his hair. "Just be careful out there, okay?"
"I will, Mom," Mav assured her, before heading out, sprinting toward the forest.
He returned to his usual spot, a large rock surrounded by trees. The remnants of yesterday's experiment—splintered wood and disturbed earth—lay scattered around the clearing. The ground was scarred, imprints of his powerful steps cracking the soil beneath. The scent of fresh tree bark mingled with the earthy aroma of upturned soil, a reminder of the force he'd unleashed.
Mav felt the cool breeze brush against his skin as he stood in the clearing. The rustling leaves above whispered secrets only the forest knew. For a moment, he closed his eyes, grounding himself in the present, letting the natural sounds calm his racing thoughts before the test began.
"Display status," Mav said, watching his mana gauge return to full. Taking a deep breath, he activated his skill. "Dark Ascension," he commanded, and dark flames enveloped his body. He followed up with another skill, "Green Protection," watching as green flames intertwined with the dark, casting a strange, ethereal glow over the rock.
A familiar notification appeared before him:
Different Flame Type Detected.
Detecting Flame Type...
Green Flame Detected.
Dark Flame and Green Flame in Contact.
Dark Ascension Prerequisites Met.
Activate Dark Ascension?
Yes or No?
Mav steeled himself for the inevitable pain and selected "Yes."
Initiating Dark Ascension...
Combining Green Flame and Dark Flame...
High Affinity For Dark Flame Detected. Applying Privileges...
Privileges Applied.
Low Affinity For Green Flame Detected. Applying Penalties...
The pain was as excruciating as ever, ripping through him with a ferocity that made him grit his teeth. "I hope this is the last time I have to go through this," he thought, wincing. "No matter how many times I do it, I'll never get used to this."
Finally, the pain subsided, and a new message appeared:
Dark Ascension Successful.
Combination Successful.
New Skill Acquired: Dark Green Invincibility.
Mav quickly navigated to his skills and inspected the new addition:
Skill Name: Dark Green Invincibility (Maximum) lvl. 1/120
Description: Conjures a green flame that can be expanded to envelop its target/s, rendering anything within its glow completely invincible to all physical and magical attacks.
Duration: 1 second
Manacost: 1 per second used
Cooldown: 120 seconds
"It's got the same duration, mana cost, and cooldown as Dark Yellow Transcendence," he noted. "But again, how am I supposed to level this up too? What are the conditions?"
Pushing the questions aside, Mav jumped off the rock. Testing a skill with such a short duration would be tricky, but he had an idea. He scanned his surroundings until he spotted what he needed—a sharp rock. He picked it up and set it beside him. Timing would be crucial.
He practiced the sequence in his mind, over and over, until he was confident he wouldn't mess it up. Then, taking a deep breath, he held the sharp rock close to his skin, ready to test the new skill.
"Dark Green Invincibility!" he commanded, bracing himself for what would come next.