Today was a rough day...After doing my normal mana manipulation exercises.I started feeling an unusual coldness spreading through my body.There could be many reasons,because of the lack of sleep I had yesterday or because of my man-
Before I could finish my thoughts,my mind shut down.
"Hey!Hey!Wake up Someone yelled in my ear.
My eyes half closed took a glimpse of the person yelling and as expected from that ridiculous voice,it was Alex.Alex,a blonde boy with piercing blue eyes,he was another kid besides me that could manipulate mana at such age.
From what I could barely see,was Alex's worried expression as he got up and started yelling for an adult to hear.
I wanted to slap him but my body was kind of paralyzed.Anyway,these symptoms confirm that I am sick,more specifically Mana Sick.Mana sickness is usually a condition which is caused by overusing mana but in this case I'm afraid it's because I haven't formed a mana body yet.
That's what I have to do now,so this doesn't happen again and at that moment I lost consciousness.
---
I awoke the next morning with a dull ache pounding in my head.The remnants of this mana sickness were still around,annoying me and making hurry the mana body process even more.Although,it was partly my mistake for foolishly thinking I could freely use mana without creating a foundation.
"How did I let myself get so reckless?"I muttered,running a hand through my white hair.My mind was still foggy,but I knew I had to push past it.
While staring at the ceiling,I remember the words of the book I had read,"The Foundation Of Mana".I recalled the section that explained the importance of developing a mana body,something necessary if I wanted to utilize mana effectively.
"No more mistakes" I said,rising to my feet."I'm going to start the development of the mana body".
Before proceeding with the plan I thought it would be a good idea if I helped Alex aswell once I'm done.And that's what I'll do.
I spent the day focused on my training.Starting with meditaton,i settled in a comfortable position,taking slow deep breaths.As I inhaled,I envisioned the mana around me,the invinsible currents flowing through the air.I pictured it entering my body,filling me with the required energy.
"Come on",I whispered.
And I stopped,this entire process got me hungry.
---
Hours passed as I sat in the orphanage's courtyard.The sun,hung high in the sky,casting a warm glow on my skin.I could feel the mana around me,swirling,but I needed to focus.
Just as I began to feel the familiar stirring within me I sensed a shift in the air.It was as if the world itself held its breath.Suddenly,a surge of energy shot through my core,causing me to gasp.
"What the?" I exclaimed,the mana rising in response to my emotions.I clenched my tiny fists,feeling the power pulse beneath my skin.It was both frightening and exhilarating,I had never felt like this,not in this life,at least.
I spent the next few days immersed in my training as always,pushing myself harder.I ran through the training grounds,sweat dropping from my brow.
It was during one particularly training session that I finally began to understand the concept of the mana body.
"You need to mold it,shape it",I murmured to myself,"It's not about tapping into mana but...becoming one with it".
Day by day,the same training all over again but each day I was getting closer.
One evening,I stood in my secluded training spot,no kids around,no caretakers,just me.The air was thick with mana.I closed my eyes and extended my hands,palms facing upwards.
"I can feel it",I murmured.
I envisioned the awakening of the mana body as a radiant sphere of light waiting to be unlocked.As I called forth the mana within me,I felt it shape as I wanted to.The familiar warmth blossomed within my chest,spreading like wildfire throughout my body.
The mana began to take shape,with determination I pushed harder and harder,letting it build.
Suddenly,a jolt of power surged through me,knocking me off balance.I staggered back but quickly steadied myself.The sensation was overwhelming,almost intoxicating,as if the world lit up around me....ah yes,I missed this feeling.
I had just crossed a Threshold,the overwhelming amount of mana pumping through my veins.I could feel the difference.My body felt lighter,more agile.
Filled with excitement,I tried use mana until I heard steps.
The steps where light...familiar.
As I turned around I saw,
Mira.
"Thaddeus,its time for dinner."She said with her cheerful voice.
"Go first and I'm coming."I said as I slowly stood up.
Mira's presence snapped him back to his new reality.He was a kid now,he had all the time in the world,achieving the first tier of the mana body was proof of it.
As I made my way back to the building,I felt a lightness in my heart...but this uneasy feeling never left...
---
As days went by,nothing unusual happened.Its strange,feeling at peace in a place like this.The orphanage bustled with excitement today,the Festival of Winds finally arrived.The other kids running around,shouting and laughing like they'd never known the harshness of the world outside these walls.Maybe they hadn't.For them,this festival was a rare moment of hapiness.Is this how humans find hapiness?
When I was a demon,we used to kill ruthlessly and then dance at their bodies,that was our hapiness,their hapiness.
I watched as Lily struggled to hang some kind of colorful banner,her small frame no match for the massive thing.She looked my way,her braids bouncing as she called,"Thaddeus!Help me with this."
I sighed.100,000 years ago,I would have been dead if they caught me helping a human.But here I am,walking over to help.At least she was thankful.That was the only Trait I was jealous of as a demon,how humans showed love.
"Thanks!",she said,flashing me with a bright smile.I shrugged it off but I couldn't shake the weird feeling in the air around me.The wind seemed to follow me,messing with me.
Then,suddenly,a gust whipped around us,almost knocking Lily off her feet.
"Whoa",she yelped,grabbing onto the banner for balance.
I looked at her confused but brushed it off like it was just a strong wind.
The festival went on,the air filled with laughter and cheers of children.A strange world for me to be honest.Yet here I was,a kid,a boy who just wants to get out of here and live free for once.But first,I had to make it through this celebration without drawing too much attention.
As the day wore on, the headmaster gave his usual speech about hope and dreams, something about the wind carrying our wishes. I tuned most of it out, but I made a quiet wish of my own.Freedom.
The festival was fun, I guess. Archery, games, dancing none of which I cared about, but I went along with it anyway. It's not like there was much else to do. When I wasn't being dragged into one thing or another, I sat back and observed, always scanning the crowd. Old habits die hard.
Then, I saw them,the rough men at the edge of the celebration. They didn't belong here. Something about their presence made the hair on my neck stand up. They were watching us too closely, especially the younger kids.
Just as I started moving toward them, a scream cut through the air. Mia, one of the smaller girls, was being dragged away by one of those men.No one seemed to notice.
My instincts kicked in. "Hey!" I shouted, breaking into a sprint. There's no way I'm letting this happen.
"Let her go!" I demanded,my voice sharp.
The man holding Mia sneered at me. "And what are you gonna do,little brat?"
I clenched my fists, feeling the wind around me intensify. I wasn't afraid, ive gone throught these type of situations countless times. "I'll stop you," I said, the words coming out colder than I expected. I focused, willing the air to bend to my will. It responded, whipping into a gust strong enough to knock the kidnapper off balance.
"Mia,run!" I ordered.
She didn't need to be told twice. She bolted, slipping from the man's grasp as he stumbled back, confusion flashing in his eyes.
"You little—" The man recovered, lunging toward me, but he was too slow. The wind wrapped around me like armor, and I sidestepped easily.
With another flick of my hand, a powerful gust sent the man crashing into a nearby tree. He groaned, struggling to get up.
"Leave," I said, my voice low but firm. "And don't come back."
The man looked at me, eyes wide with fear, before scrambling to his feet and running off into the woods. Coward.
For some reason I spared this man...was this humanity.Demon's never had such a thing for themselves,they only knew one thing,destruction.
As the other kids crowded around, their faces filled with surprise, I tried to brush off the attention.Great.Now they think I'm some kind of hero. I caught Lily's eye, and she grinned at me like I'd just saved the world.
"You were amazing, Thaddeus!" she beamed.
I shrugged, trying to downplay it. "It was nothing. I just acted."
Maybe this wind thing wasn't such a fluke after all…