My arms strained under a purple sky peppered with stars. My boots balanced on top of the stone battlements of my castle. My sword danced in the cool morning air. Sweat steamed from me, flowing around me with every movement. My shining greatsword was a swallow, swooping low, and a falcon rising. My blade kept its momentum, moulineting into a figure eight. My pedant bounced on my pale chest. Like lighting, my greatsword broke the air with a cut from ten o’clock. A deep stab pierced a hole into nothing, and then my sword of Osberg was swung around my head for a two o’clock cut. With my left hand off my sword, I drew an infinity from left to right. A storm raged through my steel as I spun faster. As my sword bashed against the air, my mind was calm. No thoughts of yesterday. Of the people I failed to save. No thoughts of the Horn’s ass-eating grin. Just me, my sword, and my mana. I twirled, swinging my blade wide, causing the air to crack. Gasping steam, I look over the city. On my first day in this world, I came here to this same wall. An exciting new world has become my everyday. A little cold wind could push me away, but now I caused the storms.

But it is not enough. The Spider cursed. Taking all of my power and will to defeat. Killed with a single cut from the seventh circle. The human cursed. I was lucky that a young boy of little experience or real strength took on the curse.

Status.

It was only by the grace of this system, that I am alive. I touched the four scars I earned yesterday. Points allotted to Body could allow me to heal from nearly fatal injuries in a day. All my points in Mana capacity brought devastation from the heavens. If I reach seventh, or, dare I say ninth, how stronger could I be? As strong as the highest tier cursed? As strong as the prince? I felt my four circles spinning.

Too far away. I need to hurry.

I swung again, venting all the thoughts out of my mind.

“Brother…” I paused mid-swing and saw my brother Charles, Jen, Jurt, and Vanessa running up the courtyard to me, wearing officer uniforms that suited none of them. “Two…laps…around…the…Castle.”

“Fall in.”

They looked at one another, confused. I dropped from the battlement, receiving a towel from Beatrice. “Line up,” Kurt said. And they do so in a rush. Kurt stood with Beatrice. Not a strand of hair misplaced, not one bead of sweat.

I met with the new recruits on the grass, hands behind my back, examining them. Charles's breathing is shallow. Used to hard work and he has the stamina needed. He could start weapons practice that day. Jen and Joshua. Taking in the air as if drowning. Exercise for them for two weeks. Then, last but never least, Vanessa. Sweat dripped down from her brow to her soft pink lips. Her chest heaved but her face stayed focused, with an occasional glance at me.

"Okay, with the warmup done, we will now begin with Mana Meditation. Everyone, sit down on the ground, crosslegged.” They followed my instructions while I gave my wet towel back in exchange for a shirt. I saw my uncle arrive in simple breeches and a shirt showing his hairy chest.

“When you said early, I didn't think you meant before the sun rose. You make a military man such as myself look undisciplined.” He went to lean against the battlements with crossed arms. “Go on. Don’t let me hold you back.” I nodded, bringing my attention to my trainees.

Don’t be nervous. I am just relaying what he taught me.

“The first thing to learn about mana is that it is everywhere. In the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. In those ways, we consume the mana our body can use to do extraordinary things. As oxygen travels in our blood, mana courses through us using meridians.”

“What is oxygen?” Joshua asked.

“Shut up. Normally, mana excretes the same way other waste products like air, shit, and piss do, but using meditation, we collect the mana and store it for use. But the only way to make the mana viable is to create a conduit. Which is-”

“A Mana circle. Everybody knows that, brother.” I walked over to Joshua and flicked his head. "Ow!"

“Shut up. To create one you will need move the ambient mana you have gathered from around the body to the heart, where you form it. Place your palms upward on your knees, and close your eyes.” A breeze blew in the silence as they close their eyes. I went behind and kneeled behind Charles. My palm on his back made Charles flinch. “Stay calm. Feel the energy within.” Slowly, my circles spun, and mana flowed from my arm to the big guy's back.

“Woah, WOAH. Is that what you feel every day, Tar- Your grace?”

“Every minute. Calm down, feel it, and learn.” Like feedback, mana pulsed back from him. I feel it moving through his large body.

Is it his size? There is so much mana.

“Well done. Now visualise the energy moulding into the shape of a ring around your heart.” I took my hand and walked over to Jen.

“What about me?!”

“You’re the know-it-all. Do it yourself.” I messed with his hair as I passed by and kneeled behind Jen.

“If you would excuse me.” Jen put her long braided hair on her shoulder, allowing me to put my hand on her skinny, shivering back.

“Calm.” I injected mana and felt weak feedback. Second Circle could be her limit. First circle will be hard to gain. But if it could increase Vanessa's survival by 0.001 per cent then it's worth it. “There, slowly. No need to rush. I am here to guide.”

I saw Vanessa's gaze on me, frowning with her eyes narrowing. “It will be your turn soon. Please be patient.” I said, smiling. She closed her eyes again.

Did I see her…pout?

Feeling Jen move her mana on her own, I scooted over to the Duchess. Blonde curls moved away. I felt her heart. Our mana intertwined.

Monsters consume the land. Bodies ripped apart. Men, women, and children ran from beasts of obsidian. A city fell. A civilization was destroyed.

With my hand still on her back, I regained my awareness. “Tarion... Tarion! I am doing it!” I focused, seeing mana spinning around her heart. She turned to me, putting her arms around me. “I made a circle!”

“That fast?! How?!” my brother exclaimed, jumping to his feet

“Some people are just born for it.” My uncle leaned off the battlements and walked towards me with a worried look. “Keep still, nephew.” A hairy hand on my chest and I am drowning. I struggled to breathe in the waves of mana pelting me. In an instant, the tempest was over and I stumbled.

“Oh dear… When did you make your first circle?”

“A little over two months ago.” I stood straight, the earlier vision still in my thoughts.

“When you are still sick… lands above!”

What was that? The vision...

“What's wrong with Tarion, Uncle...?”

My uncle's eyes darkened, looking into mine with pity and rage.

“Don't fight anymore, Tarion. Dont train. Don't even meditate. Unless you want a worthless death.”