From Rock Bottom To Hero

Morning breaks, and there is a palpable tension in the air. While Shiro begins his sword training with our father, I will take my first steps into magic with Reina.

"Alright, Sota." Reina stands before me with her arms crossed. "Before you learn how to use magic, you must first understand how it works."

I nod slowly.

"Magic comes from mana. An energy that exists in the world and within living beings. But not everyone has it. Mages possess this mana and the ability to sense, control, and shape it."

She raises a hand, and before my eyes, a gentle blue light begins to flicker in her palm. It pulses as if it were alive.

"This is mana in its purest form. Your first task is to sense your own mana and channel it outward."

I swallow. "And how do I do that?"

Reina gives a small smile. "Sit down and close your eyes."

I sink into the grass and shut my eyes.

"Breathe deeply. In and out. Feel inside yourself. Your mana is there. You just need to find it."

I concentrate, searching for something I have never felt before. At first, nothing happens. Nothing at all.

I try again, but it's as if I'm reaching into emptiness.

"I don't feel anything." I mumble, frustrated.

"That's because you're searching as if it were something tangible." Reina says calmly. "Mana is not a muscle you tense. It is a flow you must guide."

I take a deep breath and try to feel it. But there is only silence within me.

Seconds pass. Then minutes. My back begins to ache, my hands tremble slightly.

"Maybe I don't have it after all." I finally whisper.

Reina narrows her eyes. "Nonsense. You have mana. I can sense it. It's there, but you've never tried using it before. Your body doesn't know how. So we'll help it."

I look at her questioningly, but before I can say anything, she steps closer.

"Give me your hands." she says.

I reach out, and she takes my hands in hers. A warm, tingling sensation spreads through me, and suddenly. I feel it.

A tiny, barely perceptible flicker deep in my chest.

A smile spreads across my face. "I feel something!"

"That is your mana." Reina confirms. "Now you know what you're looking for. Try it on your own."

She releases my hands, and the sensation fades again. But now I know, that it's there.

I concentrate. I imagine my mana flowing out of my body, gathering in my palm.

I wait for the warmth, for the light.

But nothing happens.

"Damn it." I mutter, clenching my fists.

"It takes time." Reina says. "Do you remember when you took your first steps as a child? Did you succeed immediately?"

I shake my head. "I don't remember, but I don't think so."

"Magic is the same. Try again."

I take a deep breath. I close my eyes, trying to relax. Once more, I imagine my mana. Once more, I try to release it.