Liam sat on his balcony, the cool night air brushing against his skin as the faint radiance of Luna bathed the world in silver. The crescent moon hung low in the sky — the month of Elden was drawing to a close.
Beside him, the soft glow of a mana lamp flickered gently, in comparison to the celestial glow above.
His mind wandered as he gazed into the distance, contemplating the strange reality he had begun to accept. He was capable of mana breathing now — not just capable, but excelling at it with a speed and ease that felt almost unnatural.
Each breath he took fed his mana heart, the flame within burning brighter and more vibrant with every moment of focus.
Liam exhaled sharply, breaking his focus. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stop. If he continued mana breathing now, the inevitable would happen — a breakthrough. His mana flame was on the edge, teetering at the cusp of evolution — again.
He wasn't ready. Not yet. Not until he understood why his progress defied the norms written in the very books he had spent hours studying. Not until he is capable of hiding his strength.
Leaning back in his chair, Liam stared at the crescent moon. His mind was locked on one task: Heart Frailty.
The memory of Graham's scroll echoed in his thoughts, recounting the steps of the technique, each one demanding precision and control. Liam recalled the warnings he had read, clear as if they were written before him now:
"This technique demands absolute focus. You must not use even a shred of any other mana art during the process. To do so will undo everything, as the mana heart, capable of high-realm adaptability, will revert to its true strength instantly."
. . .
"One can lower his realm by three stages. The stronger the mana flame, the harder it is to suppress its radiance."
. . .
"Should one encounter an individual three realms higher, if they try to peer through your mana heart, their sheer aura alone can distort your concentration and render the suppression technique useless. In such cases, the flame within will instinctively reignite to its true radiance, shattering the illusion of weakness."
However, the same passage also offered a glimmer of hope for mastery: "Yet, those with exceptional command over this skill, who can maintain unwavering focus and precision, may even fool individuals far beyond their own realm. "
He exhaled slowly, steadying his nerves. He had to try. If he could master this, he could appear to be in the Initiate Realm, Ninth Blaze— a guise that would provide him the element of surprise against any who underestimated him, but for now he wanted to avoid attention.
Liam began the first step: The Dying Breath
Each inhale grew shallower, each exhale softer, until his chest barely rose. His body resisted instinctively, urging him to take deeper breaths, but he fought the impulse. The air around him seemed heavier now, filled with mana he had to ignore.
The second step was harder, focusing on not utilizing the mana in the air: Mana Divergence
His mana heart, accustomed to drawing in and refining energy from his surroundings, pulsed faintly, almost irritated by his defiance. He concentrated harder, refusing to let his body instinctively absorb the mana. The strain made his muscles tense, his mind starving for relief.
Then came the third step, slowing the heart: The Faint Pulse
This was the most dangerous part so far. As Liam focused inward, his mana heart's rhythm began to change, beating slower with every second. His body rebelled, reacting violently to the unnatural pace. A surge of mana erupted from within him, his body retaliating to preserve itself.
Liam seized the opportunity, guiding the retaliatory mana to his skin, forcing it outward to perspire and lower his body temperature. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and the cool night air prickled his skin as his temperature dropped.
The mana flame within him flickered weakly now, its radiance dimming—but it was still too strong.
He reached the final step: Calming the flame.
Liam steadied his mind, his entire focus on the flame within. He needed to weaken it further, deliberately starving it of mana to dull its color and dim its presence. But each time he tried, the flame resisted, flaring brighter with every attempt.
The struggle was immense. His entire being seemed to rebel against the process, his mana heart fighting to maintain its strength. Liam's breathing grew erratic as frustration set in, and with it came the first misstep. Without realizing it, a flicker of his regular mana technique activated.
The moment was fleeting but catastrophic. His mana heart surged back to full strength, and the flame within roared to life, burning brighter than ever. Liam felt his chest tighten, a sharp ache spreading as his body reminded him of his failure.
"Damn it!" Liam muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. He had made it far but lost control at the crucial moment.
He fell back from his chair against the cool stone wall, panting. His mana flame radiated with its usual brilliance, far from the subdued light of a weakened heart. He had failed this time, but the process lingered vividly in his mind.
Liam couldn't give up. If he could master Heart Frailty, it would be a game-changer.
But the warning was clear: even the slightest misstep — any use of another technique — would undo the suppression. And once successful, if he attempted anything, even something as simple tempering by mana breathing, the mana flame would return instantly to its true power.
Liam closed his eyes, trying to refocus. "Next time," he murmured, "I'll get it right."
Liam sat down this time, cross-legged, the cool air brushing against his damp skin as he prepared himself for another attempt.
He reduced his breathing, his chest barely moving as his lungs fought for air. His heart slowed, but when the retaliatory mana surged, he couldn't control it. The energy flared chaotically, and his flame blazed brighter than ever. Another failure.
In his third attempt, he focused harder, determined to channel the retaliatory mana to perspire. But his body resisted, and instead of cooling, his skin flushed hot as the mana surged uncontrollably. The flame within him roared back to full strength.
It seems its going to be a long night, Liam thought to himself.
Fourth attempt:
His breathing was perfect, his focus sharp. He reached the final step, his flame dulling to a faint glow. But in his eagerness to finish, he unconsciously activated a mana technique to stabilize the process. The backlash undid everything, leaving him gasping in frustration.
Fifth attempt:
Liam made it further than before, his mana flame nearly dim enough to mimic the first blaze. But his body's natural resistance grew too intense, and his concentration broke. The flame flared back, burning brighter as it did.
Sixth attempt:
This time, his body trembled with strain as he pushed through the retaliatory mana and cooled his temperature. The flame flickered weakly, its radiance fading. Just as he was about to succeed, his mana heart rebelled, and he collapsed backward, panting heavily.
Seventh attempt:
Liam focused with laser-like precision, every movement deliberate. The flame dulled, its color faint. He was so close, but his impatience got the better of him. He tried to rush the final step, and the flame surged, undoing his progress.
Eighth attempt, ninth attempt, tenth . . .
It was midnight.
Eighteen times? No matter how many times I fail, I will master this, Liam made his resolve
Attempt Nineteen:
His entire body shook with exhaustion, but Liam refused to stop. He moved methodically through the steps, ignoring the strain. The retaliatory mana came, and he guided it to perspire. His body cooled, and his flame flickered weakly. This time, he kept calm. With every ounce of willpower, he dulled the radiance of his flame, suppressing its color until it mimicked a first-blaze initiate.
A wave of relief washed over him. He had done it. Liam exhaled shakily, staring inward at the faint, dim glow of his flame. This is it, he thought. First blaze. I finally did it.
But he wasn't done yet.
Encouraged by his success, Liam decided to test his control. This time, he attempted to suppress his realm by just one minor level. His heart burned faintly as he adjusted, focusing on slowly increasing the flow of mana — only slightly. But his control wavered. The retaliatory mana was weaker this time, but it was still enough to destabilize his focus.
The flame faltered and grew erratic. Liam gritted his teeth, trying to steady it. After a few agonizing moments, he finally succeeded in suppressing his realm by one minor level. His mimicked an Eighth Blaze Initiate.
The effort left him drained. "That's enough for today," he muttered, releasing his focus.
As soon as he stopped, his mana flame roared back to its true strength, burning brilliantly within him. The warmth spread through his chest, steady and familiar, but Liam couldn't help but feel pride. He had taken a step forward, even if it was small.
Exhausted, he climbed into bed, his body heavy with fatigue. The crescent moon cast its light through the window, and as Liam drifted to sleep, a faint smile touched his lips. I'll do better tomorrow. He closed the windows with Telekinesis.
*
The morning sun bathed the castle halls in a soft glow as Liam finished his breakfast, his thoughts already wandering to the library. The previous night's efforts with Heart Frailty and his experiments with realm suppression still weighed on his mind, but today, he intended to shift his focus to elemental studies.
As he made his way to the library, a small voice called out behind him.
"Wait for me, brother!"
Cecily came running after him, with traces of her hurried breakfast still present. Liam raised an eyebrow. "You're tagging along today?"
Cecily nodded enthusiastically, a grin lighting up her face. "Mother said I should accompany you. And I still need to finish reading the Stormcaller's Guide! You said you'd help me if I had questions."
Liam sighed but didn't argue. Together, they made their way to the Mana Arts - Restricted Section.
In the sitting area, Cecily immediately perched herself on one of the chairs, her feet barely touching the ground. She immediately buried herself in the Stormcaller's Guide, her attention unwavering.
Liam eyed the book, feeling a pang of envy. He wanted to finish reading it too, but he held back. Instead, he turned to Cecily and asked, "What basic elemental art would you recommend for someone starting out?"
Cecily looked up, puzzled. "Brother — you know you can't practice elemental magic until you're at least an apprentice, right?"
"I know," Liam replied, a small smirk playing on his lips. "It's just for reading. I'm a Ninth Blaze now. I'll be learning it sooner or later."
Cecily's eyes widened. "You broke through brother? When?"
"Yesterday," he said nonchalantly.
She blinked in surprise, trying to process the information. As young as she was, Cecily lacked the ability to peer into someone's strength like her mother could. She had no reason to doubt him, but his casual admission still amazed her. "That's… great."
Liam shrugged. "So? The book?"
Cecily shook her head, still processing his progress. "Fine. There's a book called Foundations of the Flame. It's one of the best for beginners."
Liam nodded and stood to retrieve it. As he walked past the towering shelves, a thought came to him. Glancing around to ensure Cecily couldn't see, he held out his hand and concentrated.
The faint hum of mana resonated within him as he willed it into action. A moment later, a spark of lightning flickered to life between his palm. It was brief but unmistakable. He quickly discharged it, a mix of pride and relief washing over him. So, it wasn't an anomaly yesterday.
Shaking off the thought, he located the book and returned to the sitting area. Cecily remained deeply engrossed in her reading, her focus sharp and unbroken. Liam watched her for a moment, noticing how much her control had improved since the previous day.
"You're doing really well," he said, breaking the silence.
Cecily looked up, startled. "Huh?"
"Your control. It's better than it was yesterday."
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she smiled. "Thank you, brother."
"You must come here often to practice," Liam added, settling into his seat and opening his book.
Cecily shook her head. "Not really."
He frowned. "But you're here with me always?"
"That's because of you," she said like stating a fact. "Mother has now told me to accompany you. I wanted to come once but you're… well, you're an excellent explainer. You make things easy to understand."
Liam blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Oh."
Turning back to his book, he let her words sink in, a small smile tugging at his lips. As he delved into Foundations of the Flame, he occasionally glanced at Cecily, still amazed at her dedication.
The book was straightforward but fascinating, detailing the basics of fire magic. Liam felt a spark of excitement as he read, eager to learn more. The fire element was as destructive as it was beautiful, and he couldn't help but wonder how long it would take before he could master it.