ACT I
The Failed Prodigy
Sierra stopped Rudolf from laughing and thought, getting caught like this, must have embarrassed this little man. It was not something that a growing boy could stop by himself, but her thought returned upside down when Hans mentioned the colours entering her heart.
She asked him,
What do you see Hans, say it clearly?
These strands seeping in your heart.
Sierra urged him to answer after observing more clearly, so he replied after concentrating more,
It's like you are the centre and these strands move spirally inward to it, and after a while, the motion reversed as these things released from your heart.
Sierra nodded and asked again,
Now tell me the difference between the colours entered and exited.
Hans focussed more and answered.
Not colour, but it loose some brightness after the release.
Sierra released some of her mana and Hans commented fast,
Now it is like before.
Sierra smiled and said,
Your Gramps is right. You have a knack for surprising others.
She continued,
That's how a mana heart of mage collects mana. It is like a cycle. The raw mana outside contains every mana property like a mixture, that's why you see many colours together. The mage's heart acts like a filter and stores the compatible mana and releases the residue out. In my case, I store the golden strands and let out the rest. That's why you see it dimmed down after release.
Hans asked,
then if mage stores the compatible mana inside, doesn't that create imbalance outside?
Sierra felt proud of his observation and answered him,
Being a mana user is going against the very nature, my child, and not everyone can do it. Mages kept releasing the mana bound inside through spells, returning it to the nature again. That is the cycle of mana and you have to be at least a world mage (Eight Circle) to see these things.
Instead of Hans, Rudolf said in surprise,
Are you serious?
Yes, I am. This is called ManaVision, an upgrade to the ability of ManaSense that you knights use. Instead of sensing the mana, Hans could detect what mana others possess just like me, a world mage.
Rudolf said in frustration,
I know what ManaVision is, dear, but this brat is using it. Are you sure?
Before she could respond to Rudolf, Hans intervene and asked in surprise,
It's a good thing, right?
Sierra responded to him in a cheerful voice.
Of course it is. A world mage uses this to create sanctuary.
Rudolf, who was still in dazed, and said,
The boy is learning to run before toddling.
Hans responded to Rudolf with a sneer and added,
That's human standards, old man. I am born a better like I said before,
Rudolf felt another itch to knuckle Hans in the head. He already asked him not to behave like the condescending elves priding over their superior lineage, but the brat already ran towards Sierra, teasing him for his unsuccessful attempt. Sierra dragged him in front of her and told him.
This is ManaVision, the ability of a mage that is hard to master. We need to see if it's a fluke or you could do it willingly. Close your eyes and imagine the warmth on your eyes dissipating from corners, then open it.
Hans did as he was told and opened the eyes to see everything was back to normal. Sierra asked him how he was seeing things and he told her the truth. Now Sierra said,
Start concentrating. You want to see more, focus and…
Hans interrupted her and enthusiastically replied to her,
I could see the strands of mana again.
Rudolf replied in disappointment,
So it was not a fluke.
Hans responded to him,
See Gramps, I am better than humans, right?
Yeah yah, show off.
Hans asked Sierra,
Then does that mean I can create Sanctuary too, whatever it is?
Rudolf intervened and asked him,
Do you even know what are you saying, squeaky?
Yeah, it's not a thing to eat, old man, just stay quiet for a moment.
Rudolf controlled another one of his urges to beat him once more, and Sierra replied to Hans,
I know you defy common sense, but that would be too terrifying Hans. a mage has to grow to the eighth circle to create a sanctuary.
Hans continued,
What is a sanctuary?
A world mage’s most powerful spell or safe to say an ability, in which the mage establishes an area of high mana which only listens to him. Mostly every mage sanctuary behaves differently. Mine heals everyone who comes under the area.
Cool, I knew you were awesome, grandma.
She ignored his buttering words and asked her,
You are okay, right?
Yes, I was just tired. Soon I will grow strong enough to protect you, grandma.
She pinched Hans’ cheek and said to him,
You just started today, squeaky. Say these words to me when you are stronger than my husband.
This was the first time she took Rudolf’s side in front of Hans, which made the old man feel butterflies but Hans’ next words ruined it.
Don't worry, gramps will be biting dust soon.
Sierra laughed and dragged the grumpy Rudolf out of Hans’ chambers and the boy slept after playing with ManaVision until his exhaustion. His control was growing over the raw mana without him knowing like he was regaining his lost abilities.
Next day, Rudolf didn't have to wake the boy up. He was sitting beside the window, controlling a lump of raw mana to force it to move around him. He discovered that the longer he practised with ManaVision, the stronger and longer its control became over the raw mana.
The concept of having unlimited mana was not far for him at this rate. He couldn't wait to learn what more the book could offer him. He opened up and started reading the next page.
PAGE 7
If you are on this page, it means that you have successfully grown the seed into a plant, well congratulations first on succeeding. You might have realised the growth of the seed depends on how much mana you can control...
Hans, once again astonished by the predictive power of Sam, he was stating the things that he himself was thinking. It was like the book was alive and answering everything that Hans could think of. He continued the reading.
But there are limitations to everything. If it was not, then Ghost Isle could have conquered the whole world by now. That is the concentration or mental strength required to manipulate raw mana. But fear not, the beauty of the human brain is that if you keep repeating a task, it eventually becomes your second nature. This is what a beast lacks and the thing holding them back to reach the point where I am planning to send you.
“I think we need to devise a spell that will be suitable for you to practice the manipulation of mana.”
END OF PAGE 7
This page was short. Hans got excited to learn his first spell and hurriedly flipped the page and read the words in bold letters. It was the name of his first to be spell,
PAGE 8
SPROUT
An ability to create or grow any plant you desire with nothing.
You have grown a plant from the seed right, but have you seen a treant using seeds,no right? I bet you didn't because they didn't need a starting point like a seed.
Hans paused the reading and remembered his first encounter with Treants. They really grow a flower bed without the seeds. Nature behaved as they wanted. Hans picked up where he left off and continued,
In this we will imitate what they did. Just as you connected with treant, try to do the same with the seed. They might not respond to you like them, but you will understand how it comes to existence. For this lesson to be completed, you have to achieve two things. First, create a seed with just raw mana and second thing is to grow it. There is a limitation in the seeds found in nature, but your creations will be superior as it focuses not on survival but the task intended. You might not understand my words clearly now, but you will soon. You could even grow a tree indefinitely.
Hint- for creation, study the seed structure and try layering the mana as its structure
Now start what I said and I will see you on the next page.
End of page 8
Hans closed the book and ran to find some of the seeds that remained in his possession after his backyard garden incident. He found a floral seed which could grow into a flower plant of almost of his size.
He did as Sam wrote, but when he tried to make a connection with the seed, it did not respond like the treants, but Hans could feel how the small strands of mana were making the seed. It was an arrangement in a particular pattern. Hans tried to produce the seed by combining the fine strands of raw mana in the same pattern.
In his first tries, he made something, but his efforts lead him to create something disgusting rather than the intended seed. He failed many attempts, but finally produced an exact copy of the floral seed. with the feeling of achievement, he ran towards the elders for compliments like any other kid in his age. At times like these, Hans felt like a normal child in front of Rudolf and Sierra.
proxybaba Sanctuary is an ability to make a dome filled with compatible mana for the mage, turning the time consuming spell into a quick cast or transforming a single point spell into a wide area one.
ACT I
The Failed Prodigy
Sierra stopped Rudolf from laughing and thought, getting caught like this, must have embarrassed this little man. It was not something that a growing boy could stop by himself, but her thought returned upside down when Hans mentioned the colours entering her heart.
She asked him,
What do you see Hans, say it clearly?
These strands seeping in your heart.
Sierra urged him to answer after observing more clearly, so he replied after concentrating more,
It's like you are the centre and these strands move spirally inward to it, and after a while, the motion reversed as these things released from your heart.
Sierra nodded and asked again,
Now tell me the difference between the colours entered and exited.
Hans focussed more and answered.
Not colour, but it loose some brightness after the release.
Sierra released some of her mana and Hans commented fast,
Now it is like before.
Sierra smiled and said,
Your Gramps is right. You have a knack for surprising others.
She continued,
That's how a mana heart of mage collects mana. It is like a cycle. The raw mana outside contains every mana property like a mixture, that's why you see many colours together. The mage's heart acts like a filter and stores the compatible mana and releases the residue out. In my case, I store the golden strands and let out the rest. That's why you see it dimmed down after release.
Hans asked,
then if mage stores the compatible mana inside, doesn't that create imbalance outside?
Sierra felt proud of his observation and answered him,
Being a mana user is going against the very nature, my child, and not everyone can do it. Mages kept releasing the mana bound inside through spells, returning it to the nature again. That is the cycle of mana and you have to be at least a world mage (Eight Circle) to see these things.
Instead of Hans, Rudolf said in surprise,
Are you serious?
Yes, I am. This is called ManaVision, an upgrade to the ability of ManaSense that you knights use. Instead of sensing the mana, Hans could detect what mana others possess just like me, a world mage.
Rudolf said in frustration,
I know what ManaVision is, dear, but this brat is using it. Are you sure?
Before she could respond to Rudolf, Hans intervene and asked in surprise,
It's a good thing, right?
Sierra responded to him in a cheerful voice.
Of course it is. A world mage uses this to create sanctuary.
Rudolf, who was still in dazed, and said,
The boy is learning to run before toddling.
Hans responded to Rudolf with a sneer and added,
That's human standards, old man. I am born a better like I said before,
Rudolf felt another itch to knuckle Hans in the head. He already asked him not to behave like the condescending elves priding over their superior lineage, but the brat already ran towards Sierra, teasing him for his unsuccessful attempt. Sierra dragged him in front of her and told him.
This is ManaVision, the ability of a mage that is hard to master. We need to see if it's a fluke or you could do it willingly. Close your eyes and imagine the warmth on your eyes dissipating from corners, then open it.
Hans did as he was told and opened the eyes to see everything was back to normal. Sierra asked him how he was seeing things and he told her the truth. Now Sierra said,
Start concentrating. You want to see more, focus and…
Hans interrupted her and enthusiastically replied to her,
I could see the strands of mana again.
Rudolf replied in disappointment,
So it was not a fluke.
Hans responded to him,
See Gramps, I am better than humans, right?
Yeah yah, show off.
Hans asked Sierra,
Then does that mean I can create Sanctuary too, whatever it is?
Rudolf intervened and asked him,
Do you even know what are you saying, squeaky?
Yeah, it's not a thing to eat, old man, just stay quiet for a moment.
Rudolf controlled another one of his urges to beat him once more, and Sierra replied to Hans,
I know you defy common sense, but that would be too terrifying Hans. a mage has to grow to the eighth circle to create a sanctuary.
Hans continued,
What is a sanctuary?
A world mage’s most powerful spell or safe to say an ability, in which the mage establishes an area of high mana which only listens to him. Mostly every mage sanctuary behaves differently. Mine heals everyone who comes under the area.
Cool, I knew you were awesome, grandma.
She ignored his buttering words and asked her,
You are okay, right?
Yes, I was just tired. Soon I will grow strong enough to protect you, grandma.
She pinched Hans’ cheek and said to him,
You just started today, squeaky. Say these words to me when you are stronger than my husband.
This was the first time she took Rudolf’s side in front of Hans, which made the old man feel butterflies but Hans’ next words ruined it.
Don't worry, gramps will be biting dust soon.
Sierra laughed and dragged the grumpy Rudolf out of Hans’ chambers and the boy slept after playing with ManaVision until his exhaustion. His control was growing over the raw mana without him knowing like he was regaining his lost abilities.
Next day, Rudolf didn't have to wake the boy up. He was sitting beside the window, controlling a lump of raw mana to force it to move around him. He discovered that the longer he practised with ManaVision, the stronger and longer its control became over the raw mana.
The concept of having unlimited mana was not far for him at this rate. He couldn't wait to learn what more the book could offer him. He opened up and started reading the next page.
PAGE 7
If you are on this page, it means that you have successfully grown the seed into a plant, well congratulations first on succeeding. You might have realised the growth of the seed depends on how much mana you can control...
Hans, once again astonished by the predictive power of Sam, he was stating the things that he himself was thinking. It was like the book was alive and answering everything that Hans could think of. He continued the reading.
But there are limitations to everything. If it was not, then Ghost Isle could have conquered the whole world by now. That is the concentration or mental strength required to manipulate raw mana. But fear not, the beauty of the human brain is that if you keep repeating a task, it eventually becomes your second nature. This is what a beast lacks and the thing holding them back to reach the point where I am planning to send you.
“I think we need to devise a spell that will be suitable for you to practice the manipulation of mana.”
END OF PAGE 7
This page was short. Hans got excited to learn his first spell and hurriedly flipped the page and read the words in bold letters. It was the name of his first to be spell,
PAGE 8
SPROUT
An ability to create or grow any plant you desire with nothing.
You have grown a plant from the seed right, but have you seen a treant using seeds,no right? I bet you didn't because they didn't need a starting point like a seed.
Hans paused the reading and remembered his first encounter with Treants. They really grow a flower bed without the seeds. Nature behaved as they wanted. Hans picked up where he left off and continued,
In this we will imitate what they did. Just as you connected with treant, try to do the same with the seed. They might not respond to you like them, but you will understand how it comes to existence. For this lesson to be completed, you have to achieve two things. First, create a seed with just raw mana and second thing is to grow it. There is a limitation in the seeds found in nature, but your creations will be superior as it focuses not on survival but the task intended. You might not understand my words clearly now, but you will soon. You could even grow a tree indefinitely.
Hint- for creation, study the seed structure and try layering the mana as its structure
Now start what I said and I will see you on the next page.
End of page 8
Hans closed the book and ran to find some of the seeds that remained in his possession after his backyard garden incident. He found a floral seed which could grow into a flower plant of almost of his size.
He did as Sam wrote, but when he tried to make a connection with the seed, it did not respond like the treants, but Hans could feel how the small strands of mana were making the seed. It was an arrangement in a particular pattern. Hans tried to produce the seed by combining the fine strands of raw mana in the same pattern.
In his first tries, he made something, but his efforts lead him to create something disgusting rather than the intended seed. He failed many attempts, but finally produced an exact copy of the floral seed. with the feeling of achievement, he ran towards the elders for compliments like any other kid in his age. At times like these, Hans felt like a normal child in front of Rudolf and Sierra.
proxybaba Sanctuary is an ability to make a dome filled with compatible mana for the mage, turning the time consuming spell into a quick cast or transforming a single point spell into a wide area one.
