20 – Wielding Mana and Deciding Weapons
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“Mana should work the same way as divine power then? Only that it’s a lot more strict?” Amara asked as they entered the training room. Although all the empty rooms looked the same, Amara always chose to go to the same one. 

“Yes. You can’t create new skills with it, only unlock existing ones.” Ezme replied.

“What should I start off with, you think?” Amara wondered.

“Probably body strengthening. It’s normally the first that mortals unlock, and they do it subconsciously.” Ezme suggested as she tapped her chin with her finger.

“Alright.” (Amara)

Amara clenched her fist. The divine power in her body woke up from it’s dormancy as usual, but the mana she had felt swirling around instead faded back into the background.

Amara frowned. “When I use the divine body strengthening I can’t feel my mana.”

“Then focus on your mana before your divine power flares up?” Ezme shrugged. “Nobody really knows how this works in practice. The strengths and limits.”

Amara relaxed and felt her divine power fade back into dormancy, while her mana began swirling around again. 

Focusing the feeling of mana swirling around, she clenched her fists again, but once again the mana came to a halt and the divine power activated.

“Slow learner, aren’t we?” Ezme’s taunting voice came from beside her.

“I thought you just said that nobody knows how it works in practice.” Amara retorted.

“That I did.” Ezme flung her hair back.

“In that case you should praise me for the pioneer that I am, making my own path through the unknown.” Amara argued with a wry smile.

“Only successful pioneers get praised. Those that fail are forever forgotten, treated as fools or losers. More often than not, rightfully so.” Ezme grinned.

“But we know that it’s possible for me to wield mana. So I’m not doing something that is completely out of the blue.” Amara retorted.

“Which makes you a loser.” Ezme grinned.

Amara sighed. “Fair. But failure is the key to success, as we mortals say.”

“And why fail when you can simply succeed? I’ll never understand mortals.” Ezme cocked her head.

Amara raised an eyebrow as she looked at Ezme. “Because we don’t know everything there is, and learn from each mistake until we have the knowledge needed to succeed. But I guess angels know everything from the beginning?”

“That's…” Ezme frowned and looked away. “We don’t.”

After all, relying on divine power to solve your problems negates the need for any knowledge. Snap your fingers and whatever you wish to happen happens, all you need is a large enough pool of divine power. 

Understanding can come afterwards to increase the efficiency.

Maybe it’s a bit of a touchy subject. Is she upset?

“Did that upset you?” Amara asked.

“No. I just never realized that the things you mortals create would require such...great effort.” Ezme responded quietly.

Is she pitying us now?

Amara thought before answering. “Development is slow for us. I suppose the greatest hindrance to development is the difficulty to get the knowledge required to realize an idea. Once mortals become able to more easily share knowledge, that knowledge doesn’t have to be relearnt. And with each generation the amount of knowledge increases, giving rise to new ideas and allowing old ones to be improved upon.”

“...I see.” Ezme responded thoughtfully. “Then it must be sad if you have an idea that you can’t realize because the knowledge is lacking.”

“I suppose that’s how it is for most people in history, never seeing your idea get realized. But if they are passionate enough about their idea, they lay down the groundwork for it so it one day will be.” (Amara)

“That’s...admirable.” (Ezme)

Nawh, look at her. She’s completely forgotten about the lowliness of mortals.

“Curious about the ways of mortals, aren’t you?” Amara asked with a wry smile.

“I...h-hey! I’m not curious about mortals! Hmpf!” Ezme suddenly exclaimed and pouted with a flushing face as she snorted. “Now get back to it!”

Amara grinned. Whatever. She’s right, we came here so I’d learn how to use mana, not have philosophical discussions. 

Amara thought back to the experience she felt when trying to activate her mana. It was like a fork in the road, the road automatically guiding her to take a right when she wanted to go left.

The mana seems to come to a standstill when the divine power activates. Maybe I just need to force it to move.

Amara began moving her mana through her, making it circulate faster as her body began tingling.

Amara focused her mana to her fists as she began clenching them. Immediately she felt that the circulating mana tried to come to a halt, but forced it to move with mana manipulation.

[Ding!]

Spoiler

Mana Manipulation has reached lvl 2.

[collapse]

 

As Amara had gently clenched her fists and ensured that the mana was circulating as fast as possible, she clenched her fists harder while pushing the mana.

[Ding!]

A sudden jolt of pain went through Amara, almost making her fall to her knees as her heart began pounding in her chest, but she managed to keep the mana circulating. Suddenly the mana wasn’t trying to come to a halt anymore as she clenched her fists.

Spoiler

You have learned a new general skill: Body Strengthening lvl 1!

[collapse]

Amara took a deep breath as she let her body relax and felt the mana slow down.

“Looks like you’re not a complete failure after all. Just a slow one.” Ezme grinned.

 

_______________

 

[Phieoom!]

[Ding!]

Spoiler

You have gained a level!

Attributes have been increased. You have an attribute point to spend.

[collapse]

[Phieoom!]

[Phieoom!]

[Ding!]

Spoiler

Strength has increased by 1.

[collapse]

[Phieoom!]

[Ding!]

Spoiler

Dexterity has increased by 1.

[collapse]

[Phieoom!]

Amara was pounding the wall, this time strengthening her body with mana instead of divine power. She felt that the level of strength it provided compared to divine power was a lot weaker, a result of the difference in her pools of mana and divine power.

[Phieoom!]

Her fist, covered in a blue hue struck the mirror-wall again, making the sound travel along the walls and echo in the chamber. There was one large difference between her use of mana and divine power when hitting the wall.

[Phieoom!]

No matter how much mana she put into her fist, she didn’t unlock a new ability. Instead it leveled her general skills. But the rate it was leveling had increased dramatically.

[Phieoom!]

[Ding!]

Spoiler

Punching has reached lvl 13!

[collapse]

At this rate, she would likely unlock a combat class soon. But she had to think hard about what kind of combat class she wanted. Amara hadn’t decided what kind of fighting style suited her.

I suppose it comes down to what kind of weapon I should use.

Once I’ve leveled my Realm Gate and managed to improve my accuracy with Filch, I’ll get some modern weapons. But I should probably learn to use some melee weapons too, just in case. 

If I can’t succeed in learning how to enchant modern weapons and end up having to fight in close combat, I need to be skilled enough to survive at least. 

Status.

Spoiler

Status

 

Name: Amara

Race: Human (Ascended)

Age: 19 (Earth)

Level: 10 (New!)

Class: None (Classes available.)

Titles: 

the Ascended

Learner of Forbidden Knowledge

 

Divine Power:

295 132 / 295 132  (100%) 

+ 17478 / h (5%)

+ approx. 11 254 000 000 / h (3813209%)

 

Mana:

3/13 (23%)

+ 1 / h (7%)

 

Remaining points: 7 (New!)

Strength: 220 (+2)

Agility: 284 (+1)

Dexterity: 244 (+2)

Vitality: 257 (+1)

Stamina: 236 (+1)

Willpower: 317 (+1)       

 

Divine Skills:

Spoiler

Angelic Language lvl 4

Appraisal lvl 7 

Telepathy lvl 7

Creation lvl 2

Realm Gate lvl 3

Open Sesame lvl 2

Select Mouthpiece lvl 1

Divine Body Strengthening lvl 7 

Divine Punch lvl 6

Divine Kick lvl 6

Divine Headbutt lvl 1

Farsight lvl 6 

Mana Sight lvl 2 

Mana Funnel lvl 4

Levitation lvl 3

Explosive Decompression lvl 2

Filch

Make A Call

[collapse]

Class Skills: 

None

 

General Skills: 

Spoiler

Punching lvl 13 (New!)

Kicking lvl 11

Headbutting lvl 2

Mana Manipulation lvl 2

Sense Mana lvl 2

Selective Hearing lvl 12

Pain Tolerance lvl 3

Body Strengthening lvl 3

[collapse]
[collapse]

I can go on for a little longer before I need to get mana again.

Things are looking a bit more up though. I can’t tell for certain yet, but I feel like the rate at which my pool of divine power grows has increased. 

That’s probably what Sophelia meant with that divine power and mana isn’t additive. I wonder if there are other things involved as well. 

I guess time will tell for certain. 

For now, I suppose the question is, how will I fight? What weapons should I focus on learning?

Amara faced the wall again, taking a stance as she felt the tingling in her body as it was strengthened by her mana.

[Phieoom!]

[Phieoom!]

[Phieoom!]

Announcement

Help Amara choose!

Help Amara choose what weapons she should learn to use.

Results of poll will affect Amara's path moving forward!

Poll is restricted to personal melee weapons to carry on her person into battle. Ranged/Modern weapons will come at a later poll.

Every voter should have two votes, one for each of Amara's hands. I don't know if you can vote the same thing twice, but this will be taken into account, so vote your first and second option in that case.

Don't find what you're looking for? Add it in the comments! Like the comment if you agree with it.

If the story reaches the point where Amara has to choose a weapon before the poll is closed, a desicion will be made based on cast votes at that point in time.

 

What melee weapon should Amara use?
  • Greatsword (Twohanded) Votes: 4 15.4%
  • Warhammer (Twohanded) Votes: 2 7.7%
  • Waraxe (Twohanded) Votes: 2 7.7%
  • Halberd (Twohanded) Votes: 10 38.5%
  • Spear (Twohanded) Votes: 7 26.9%
  • Spear (Dual Wielding) Votes: 1 3.8%
  • Sword (Dual Wielding) Votes: 8 30.8%
  • Axe (Dual WIelding) Votes: 2 7.7%
  • Mace (Dual Wielding) Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Shield (Dual Wielding) Votes: 2 7.7%
  • Dagger (Dual Wielding) Votes: 3 11.5%
  • Unarmed (Punching, Kicking and Chopping) Votes: 5 19.2%
Total voters: 26 · This poll was closed on Feb 26, 2021 09:49 AM.
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