Chapter 3
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For the month postcedeing Michael's realization that his family would never allow him and his Mana to bloom, he had been barely getting any sleep. Not out of depression or general insomnia, but because every night Michael would stay awake practicing his Mana. For the first few days he would simply write his ideas down on a piece of paper and then practice them the next day, with his teacher during recess. However, after about a week of much deliberation, Michael had decided he could practice a little bit in his room. 

At first he started off with him just messing around with the feel of his bed and sheets. He wanted to make his bed feel like a cloud, but it ended up feeling like a water bed, but squishier. Even though his bed hadn't transformed into a cloud, the experiment had gotten Michael thinking. 

What if he could change the physical properties of an object, from solid to gas/ liquid and vice versa. The second time he tried that experiment, after the bed, he used a pencil he had on his desk. He wanted to change the wood into water. Unfortunately, it didn't work. All that happened was the pencil became slightly damp. 

That was one of multiple experiments Michael had tested during his month of practicing. Some of them were failures, most helped him develop his understanding of his Mana. 

For instance, he can't change one state of matter into another directly. However, he can use his Mana to cause a reaction, i.e. he can give water the concept of boiling so that it turns into steam. He could also give it the concept of freezing to make ice. Unfortunately, Michael doesn't have a deep grasp of physics so he can't make full use of his Mana for science. He can however, do more supernatural things. For instance, telekinesis. Something that was only fantasy before Mana, and after Mana they were considered rare and powerful Mana.

Michael, however, could replicate the effects to an extent. He was able to imbue the concepts of push and pull into a stick. The first time he tried it, the stick was able to only push/pull things as well as Michael could. Later on though, under the recommendation of his teacher, Michael studied people with powerful telekinetic Mana and other Mana that allow people to exert large amounts of force. Eventually, Michael was able to imbue multiple Mana capable of pushing and pulling powerfully into one stick. It was with this stick that Michael was able to literally split the lake on his family's property. Keep in mind, this lake was 1000 acres squared, and had a maximum depth of 76 feet. This was thousands of gallons of water the Michael was manipulating, with only a stick. 

The beautiful thing is, Michael was likely only scratching the surface of his Mana. 


Michael hadn't just been practicing his Mana over the month. He had basically became apprenticed with his school teacher Cassandra. Turns out, Cassandra was a veteran adventurer. She wasn't quite as famous as his mother for her power, however she was well known for crusading extremely deep into the No Man's Land. Matter of fact, she held the record for diving deepest into No Man's Land solo. 

Cassandra and Michael had always been close, however, after Michael's family's betrayal, the two became much more connected. Cassandra had given Michael much advice about adventuring, and she had pointed him to specialty books that he could read about various subjects. From theoretical science, to autobiography, to historical fiction. All of them aided Michael in some way or another. 


It was another day like any other for Michael: he stayed up most of the night practicing his Mana, went to his family's kitchen at 4:30 A.M. (before even the servants wake), made an energy solution (another successful experiment of his, making a drink with the concept of a full nights sleep), finally he would go back to his room until 5:50 A.M. From there he would go downstairs, and straight out the main entrance where he met his personal driver. Finally, around 6:30 A.M.  Michael would meet with Cassandra and talk with her until 7:00 A.M. 

" Morning Cassandra! How was your morning? "

Cassandra smiled, showing off her dimples and and radiant white teeth. 

" Great, ever since you gave me that keg that produces an infinite amount of your energy juice my mornings have been great. I can wake up early and start my exercises without feeling groggy. I swear, thanks to this juice I have been able to practice so much I feel like I am young again. "

Michael smiled charmingly at his teachers energy.

" What are you saying Ms.Cassandra, of course you're still young. You don't even have any wrinkles. "

The young woman smiled and pinched his cheek. 

" Well, aren't you just the sweetest. "


The school day was a fairly average one for Michael. He exceeded his class in the core subjects (math, science, literature, and history), He did fairly well in Physical Education, it was mostly stretches and then sprints/ stamina running, it varies day to day. His lunch and recess he spent with Cassandra, mainly they talked about one of the books she recommend he read, or they talked about his Mana. Occasionally, Cassandra would talk about her past as an adventurer. 

Apparently, her Mana is called Shadow Manipulation. It was a fairly powerful Mana, allowing her to sneak through the "shadows" or run in guns blazing and destroy anything. Apparently, on her record breaking solo run she had utilized the sneak aspects of her Mana. 

Truthfully, Cassandra, like most veteran adventurers doesn't like to talk about traveling into No Man's Land. Whether it be the PTSD or something else. 

After recess, Michael once again spends a few hours learning the core subjects. Usually at the end of the day Michael would once again be picked up by his driver to be taken home. However, that day was different, that day he was followed out by Cassandra. 

" Michael wait! I have an appointment with your parents so I am to be the one to drive you home. "

The young boy gasped, he seemingly knew why she would be the one driving him. 

"Did they finally respond?"

"Yep, now all we have to do is convince your parents."

Unlike the past month, Michael was looking forward to getting home early. 


The entire ride home Michael felt nervous. It got even worse when he got home, and saw his parents waiting for him in the family room. 

"Hello Mister and Misses Lillith. I am Cassandra Ocean, I am Michael's homeroom teacher. "

It was Gabriel who spoke first. 

" Hello Miss Ocean, I am Gabriel and this is my wife Rose. When you originally scheduled this appointment you mentioned something about a camp for Michael. Could you please clarify? "

" It would be my pleasure. You see, in my years of being a certified Mana Teacher I have come across many children who have experienced Michael's, affliction. "

Which was true, she had had many students whose parents abandoned or mentally/ physically abused their children for having weak Mana. Truthfully, it was very rare that a kid was like Michael and had an unexpectedly powerful Mana. When she did encounter such a situation, it would usually lead to where she currently was. 

"When I do run into such a situation I will usually give a suggestion to the parents. " 

With that, she pulled a pamphlet out of her purse and handed it to Gabriel and Rose. 

The cover read "Concealed Records" "World Class Training" and "Hidden Training Center". Under the words was a picture of a dozen children all doing some form of Mana exercises. 

When the parents opened the pamphlet it described a bootcamp for a "certain kind of child who needs special kinds of training". Gabriel and Rose could read between the words and realized that it was a bootcamp for children who had powerful families and weak Mana. The bootcamp was completely hidden, even the parents couldn't know where it was. The children were taught school subjects as well as how to use their Mana best. Finally, it gave a few consenting examples of their past participants. Actors, politicians, and even famous adventurers were supposedly in this boot camp.

Finally, the husband and wife returned their attention to Cassandra.

"Why are you showing this to us? "

"Well ma'am, Michael is a very special student to me, and when he informed me of his Mana status, I recalled my time working as a teacher at that very bootcamp. Even though I left, I still have some pull with the faculty there. The training there is wonderful, they give every single child their full undivided attention and push them, and their Mana, beyond their perceived limits. "

While Rose contemplated what she was told, Michael continued the conversation.

"Why did you leave the camp, and why do you think we should our son there?"

"Well, the camp and I had different teaching philosophies. Also, they wanted me to teach Mana usage, while I wanted to teach the school subjects. I think the camp would be good for Michael because it would allow him to receive the full schooling he needs without dealing with stress at home or from other . . . Outside sources. I have already contacted the head instructor in charge of the boot camp, they have allowed Michael to attend, all we need is your written permission, and Michael will be there within the week. "

Gabriel deliberated for a moment before grabbing his wife's hand.

" Please allow my wife and I to discuss this for a minute or two. In the mean time, feel free to enjoy any of our snacks. If you need anything simply ask Michael. "

With that, Gabriel and Rose exited the room, leaving Michael and Cassandra to whisper with each other, hopeful at the outcome of Michael's parent's decision. 


A few minutes later Gabriel and Rose walked back into the room. That sat down and looked at Michael, who seemed to have a hopeful glint in his eye.  

"Michael, how do you feel about this boot camp? Do you want to go?"

Michael didn't see it, but Rose had a similar glint for Michael to say no to what she asked. Unfortunately for her, Michael's answer was different than what she wanted. 

" Yes! Ms.Cassandra told me a little about the camp, and I think it would be good for me. "

Cassandra noticed the flash of pain in the eyes of Michael's parents. It did make her slightly pity the two, though considering the pain that they had put Michael through in recent times, she felt that they deserved it. 

"Well then, I see no reason to why you shouldn't be allowed to go. "

"Yes!" 

Rose and Gabriel were both surprised, they hadn't seen such an outburst from Michael in awhile. This was their first hint to the neglect they had given their son. Unfortunately, the damage was done. 


As Cassandra had said, Michael was ready to move with in the week. Michael hadn't really needed to do much packing. Most of his clothes wouldn't be suited to the boot camp, according to Cassandra. Instead Michael had mainly been doing some final tests for his schooling. The boot camp required a certain level of education, usually they would provide students that education in the camp. However. Cassandra mentioned to Michael that if he tested at or above that education level he would be allowed to get into his training quicker. 

Michael's family had also been trying to spend more time with him, including his siblings. However, he was having none of it. Unless he was literally forced to spend time with them, which he had been, then Michael would usually be in his room.

Finally, the day came. Michael was waiting outside his house, holding his black leather suitcase, containing the few clothes that would withstand time in the bootcamp. They were waiting for the escort sent by the bootcamp. Due to the secretive nature of the bootcamp new people are generally picked up a dozen at a time and sent to the bootcamp all together. Michael would be the sixth child to be picked up. 

As he was thinking that, a large black 18 Wheeler truck pulled up. It wasn't exactly subtle, however the bootcamp certainly had some way of remaining anonymous. 

The truck pulled up in front of Michael and a woman walked out. Her clothes were about average for what you would expect an office lady to wear, the only exception being the black sunglasses she was wearing which hid her eyes completely. She didn't speak, and only nodded at Michael, signaling for him to get onto the truck. 

While Michael was loading, the woman stared at his family and suddenly her hair flashed brightly. Gabriel, Rose, Miriam, and Benjamin all suddenly passed out. When they came to Michael was gone, and they couldn't remember how he left. That day, they gained a smidgen of fear in their heart, and they seriously regretted letting Michael leave. An organization, so powerful that they can control Gabriel and Rose, is not one to be messed with. 

 

 

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