Dark. Cold. Familiar.

Jake’s eyes opened to a large black chasm. It wasn’t the Ravine but it certainly felt like it. The biting chill cut to his bones. The hardness of the rock floor beneath him. The heavy air weighing down on his chest. The presence of a large creature looming over him. Jake knew this feeling and place quite well. It was comforting to be here, especially with the sight of the silhouette standing just a dozen paces ahead of him.

The boy slowly stood up, brushed himself off, and gazed up towards the round eyes staring back at him. As much as he wanted to smile, Jake felt frozen. His heart thumped in his chest. His stomach twisted. Questions flooded his mind. He was uncertain of what he was truly looking at. No amount of logic would make him believe that what he was seeing was real. It felt like a dream to see him there, breathing, his fangs tapping lightly, his eyes looking back. It was as if he was alive again.

“Chul-” Jake took a single step before a heavy leg came down from the dark. It slammed into the floor, shattering the rock. The reinforced limb cut through the stone, drawing a deep and thick line in the floor. Jake recoiled, retracting his forward leg as he avoided being struck by any of the loose rocks.

“Do not cross this line, boy.” The heavy voice rumbled in the dark. “You understand what will happen should you do so, yes?”

While the world around him didn’t feel real, the implications of that question were. Jake frowned and lowered his head. He nodded softly. The shadow shifted, lowering to the floor as their fangs chittered. After a short silence, they let out a sigh.

“Speak. Why have you come?”

“To see you,” Jake muttered. A heavy limb slammed into the floor.

“Speak up!” The shout thunder through the chasm. Jake flinched. “The boy I met was scared and feeble. The man I watch grow is far from that. Have you grown so weak in the short time we have been apart?” The sixteen eyes narrowed as the shadow snarled. Jake’s hands curled into fists.

The boy took in a long, deep breath. Collecting himself, he looked up and met those eyes again. “No,” he said firmly. Both to the shadow and himself.

“Then tell me. Why have you come?” The shadow asked. Jake’s jaw tensed for a moment.

“For you, Chul E’tana. I’ve come to bind your soul to mine.” Jake spoke loudly and clearly, his voice echoing a bit in the empty air. He felt his body shake as he said those words, unsure of what Chul would choose to do.

The tapping of the Arachkin’s fangs stopped. He stared through the veil and let out a long huff of air. A weighted exhale. “Who sent you?”

“Yir,” Jake answered without hesitation. The Arachkin let out a second sigh and leaned forward. Just enough for the front of his fangs to come into view.

“So, you found my gift to you,” the Arachkin hummed. “Having trouble handling the power of a Guardian, boy?”

Jake smirked and the tension in his hands eased. He shrugged and held up a hand. He tried to conjure some magic but the world seemed to have some kind of restriction against it. He couldn’t even feel his mana flow.

“You can say that. I found your crystal in the cave and…” Jake’s voice went soft as he felt himself choke up. Swallowing the lump, Jake suppressed those emotions. Chul’s gaze was heavy on him but the Arachkin remained patient. “...I brought it with me to an Oryk village. I accepted your gift shortly after.”

Chul hummed again as he retreated into the dark. “You have found the Oryks, then. They are kind people. Weak but their warriors are steel in heart. They will prove to be good allies for you.”

Jake let out a little chuckle and nodded. “Yea, they are. You knew they were there?”

“I did. I hoped that we would meet them in the future. When I pushed you into that mana, I prayed that they would find you before the Maedra.” Chul leaned forward again and let out a gentle chuckle. “To see you now, my prayers were answered. I must thank Lady Rastua when I see her again.”

Jake let out a sigh and silently cursed that same God. Moreso, he cursed them all. While he was thankful for the opportunity to travel and become an Adventurer he hated that they had taken his friend away. Though, it likely was not their intent for such an event to happen. Lady Rastua had spoken as though the two would be together for a long time. Jake doubted she would cause a rift in the boy so early on.

Seeing Jake standing there silent, Chul’s fangs tapped together briefly. “Time is short, boy. You came due to your struggles with my Mana Source. But, that was done on purpose.” Chul pulled away and his body rose from the floor a bit.

Jake’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked up at the Guardian. “What? Why?”

Chul chuckled. “I wished to challenge you. The world is not to be taken lightly and though I gifted you power, you must earn it.” One of Chul’s limbs stretched forward and tapped into the ground on his side of the line. A magic sigil appeared around Jake’s feet. Intricate in design. One of an element he was unfamiliar with but it looked close to Dark magic. The color was a soft red.

“I was uncertain if you would come this far but it seems someone is not as patient as I.” Chul retracted his limb back behind the veil. “From what you tried earlier, you understand that magic does not work here, yes?”

Jake nodded.

“That is by design. My own. However, within that small circle, you now stand in is a direct connection to my soul. If you wish to earn my power. You will first cultivate your mana to be capable of sustaining it.”

Jake looked down at the sigil below him again. “That’s quite a gap between us, Chul. You said time is short. How will I make up for it that quick?” Jake wasn’t sure what Chul was planning. If the Arachkin was trying to turn Jake into a proper vessel or something, then that may explain this choice. Yet, wasn’t there an easier method? A quicker one?

“Tick-tock, my boy. Cultivate.” Chul then receded into the veil, showing that the conversation was over. He would offer no further guidance. Jake took that as Chul giving all the information Jake would need to succeed. Always helpful but never so much to give Jake the answer.

The boy sighed and lowered down onto his butt again. He assumed his meditative seat and placed his hands firmly on his knees. Closing his eyes, the boy reached for his mana flow. The time he could feel it. The mana within him was calm, a stark difference compared to how it was constantly wrestling for control in the Overworld. In Chul’s presence, the mana source was docile. Jake took in a deep breath and began to do his work.

The first step was to generate enough of his mana to cultivate. He created a pocket for it and siphoned off the flow feeding Chul’s source. He didn’t cut the flow off entirely, as doing so would have agitated the rest of the mana in him. Instead, he diverted just a fraction of it. Slowly, Jake created a large enough pool within him to being to mend and mold it. He kept the flow open, adding more and more of his mana into the pool to increase the amount over time and consistently add in fresh mana.

The biggest key that Jake noticed was that the mana he cultivated was truly his own. There was no Dragon’s Blood. Here, in Chul’s world, there was no secondary mana to feed his mana source to aid in the creation of the thicker type. Thus, his mana source pumped out only Jake’s natural type, which helped quite a bit. Too many tasks at once would slow the process. This way Jake only needed to maintain the outflow and focus on his cultivation.

Yet, this also heightened the disparity between his mana and Chul’s. Chul was a Guardian. A creature of near absolute power within the Overworld. A creature that required hundreds of powerful, coordinated Adventurers or Soldiers to defeat. Developing his mana to be on par with Chul’s would take a lot of dedicated time. Time Jake was certain he did not have.

“Difficult, isn’t it?” Chul spoke up from behind Jake’s eyes. The boy grimaced. “There are powerful people and creatures you will face in the future. Ones even strong than the Maudrake we battled.” Chul let out a long exhale, his fangs tapping stiffly. “You must be ready for them.”

Jake’s lips pressed firmly together as he continued his cultivation. He struggled to hasten the process as he tried to understand the weight of Chul’s words.

“I am not as strong as you think I am, boy. Not in the scheme of all life. I was the lowest of the Guardians. The Ravine was merely a training space for me. You have heard of the Titans, yes?” Jake nodded. “They are leagues beyond me. The other Guardians are also far stronger and far scarier. You may not face them all but in your travels, you must be ready to.”

The Arachkin paused, giving Jake a few moments to steady his mind. “You spoke of traveling and seeing the world. It will not be easy. The burden of the gifts on your shoulders will guide you to many challenges. You must be ready for them.”

Suddenly, Jake felt a heat beneath him. Beyond his eyelids, the dark world became brighter. His mana flow reacted to the light. He felt his mana warm up and he felt Chul’s mana within him similarly become hot. His skin began to burn as the mana inside of him collided. Jake grit his teeth, struggling to keep the two apart as he increased the density of his own.

“Those who wish to kill you are already out there, waiting. They care not for your dreams or your goals. Your existence is nothing to them. You must be resilient in the face of their strength. Adapt and overcome such threats.”

The pressure increased. Jake gripped onto his knees and stole more mana from the flow, gradually cutting off Chul’s mana source as he strained to hold off the assault on his mana. The boy coiled it into a thick ball and created a massive womb for it to culture within. The protective walls were thick and each time his mana increased in strength, he reinforced that wall. Chul’s mana continued to press and sought weakness. Bulges in the protective wall emerged, forcing Jake to react.

“As a mage, your magic is your life. If you cannot withstand the strength before you now. You will never succeed in the future. Struggle, boy.” Chul’s leg smashed the floor. “Show me your mettle.”

Jake took in a long breath through his clamped teeth, sucking in the cold air directly into his lungs. He held it tight, tensing up his chest before letting out a hot exhale through his nose. He relaxed his body as he sunk into the rhythm of his breath. Chul’s assault on his mana continue, ever persistent as it sought to break through. Yet, this was not the first time Jake had dealt with such an attack. When Jake dealt with the rana trapped in his body, it had done the same. Except Chul’s mana did not disrupt the inflow. Chul allowed Jake to continue his cultivation but the threat was always there. At any moment, Chul could take away that luxury.

“For what do you fight? Is your resolve strong enough to carry the weight of that decision? Can you stand against the world for it? Do you have the grit to stand against those who think you are wrong? Can you carry the burden of your mistakes?” Chul’s voice continued to thump at Jake’s ears as the Arachkin spoke to him. “And should you be wrong, should you become the villain of the world…” Chul paused and Jake felt his throat squeeze.

“...Will you dare to go against the flow of life for the betterment of the Overworld?”

Suddenly, Chul’s assault stopped. Jake opened his eyes and stared at Chul. The Arachkin was immobile, staring back at him. This was a question Chul desired an answer to. Jake opened his mouth to answer but the words failed to come out. A villain? Would Jake become that if he followed this path? All he wanted was to see the world. Why would he turn on it for such a reason? Even if he fought all of those Guardians, the Titans. Even if he made enemies along the way. Why would that make him the bad guy for wanting to just live his life?

“I… I don’t understand, Chul.”

The Arachkin huffed. “Cultivate.” With that heavy word, Chul returned to attacking his mana. Jake barely had time to react. He returned to his mana flow and continued to resist. “Your decisions will not always be liked. There will be many enemies. Both in front of you, behind you, beside you, and in the shadows. They will see your power and your strength, and they will hate it. They will hate you. Even if you are kind to them, they will seek your failure and will revel in the aftermath of your defeat. They will hunt you. They will stand in your way because to them, their way is right. Their way is correct.”

Chul leaned forward and approached the line he drew. He stood at its edge, staring at the boy’s tense expression. Jake’s eyes were closed but he could feel Chul getting close to him. “Power. Money. Lovers. Land. Sins of those who desire prosperity. They will guide your enemies and even if you have well intentions, they will do everything in their power to see you fail. In such times, you must carry the burden of wrong. Can you? Can you withstand that weight?”

Jake frowned and gripped his knees again. “If I must.”

Chul scoffed. “If you must? Words spoken lightly without understanding their meaning, but that is fine.” Chul pulled away from the line. “Soon you will understand these words and questions. A time will come when you will need to choose. I have told you before. Do not be a hero. Survive. That is what matters above all.”

“I won’t let people die if I can help it.” Jake gripped his knees even tighter. The thought of running from the Maedra and letting them kill his friends made his stomach lurch. It was the reason he continued to train within the village.

“Then you must be strong enough to make that choice. Otherwise, you will only add to the tally of the dead.” The pressure on Jake’s mana increased. The boy felt his lungs squeeze and the air became light around him. The disruption to his breathing caused his focus to waver and his control stumbled.

Letting out a long exhale, the boy steadied himself. He took deeper breaths and exhaled curtly, quick to refill his body with fresh oxygen as he kept himself from fainting. He felt his muscles tense up and sweat beaded on his forehead. Chul was wearing him down and increasing the discomfort little by little. All Jake could do was focus on refining his mana. Chul had never been so aggressive with his teaching before. With the current circumstances, Jake understood his forward stance now.

“Time will always be your enemy.” Chul reached forward and hovered his hand over the floor. Beneath the sharp leg, a red hourglass appeared. The sand had already begun to fall. Half of the sand had already moved to the lower section. “You will always be short on it. The choices put before you will not wait for careful thought. Yet the decisions you make will have lasting consequences. The burden of your ill results will weigh on your heels. So you must be quick. Quick to know what is right, what is wrong, and what is best. For there will never be a clean line to cut. What is best for the world, for you, for your friends and family. For the innocent that you will fight for. It will never always be the right choice.”

Chul narrowed his eyes on the sweating, struggling child. “And yet you will still be asked to carry out what is placed before you. Do not hesitate at such a moment. Do you know why?”

Jake swallowed a lump in his throat. His mouth wasn’t dry but it was sticky. Without water, he was feeling the heat. “Hesitation means death.” Chul asked that question knowing Jake had already experienced such a choice. The Maedra were the perfect example of death not waiting. It would come swiftly, angrily, hungrily. There would be no time to think nor the time to turn and run to by more time. Jake would need to be swift on his feet and in his mind. Split-second decisions would be the factor deciding between life and death. While the outcome would never be set in stone until the very last moment, there was always one constant fact that would always be there.

Should Jake fight- there would always be an opportunity to survive. Running, hiding. Cowering. Turning his back on the enemy. Those were absolutes. Those were choices with no other outcome than death or grave agony. But standing in the way of the enemy, giving others time, buying himself precious seconds. That was an option that would always amount to something.

“Hesitation means obliteration,” Chul changed the final word but the meaning was the same. Only, it carried more weight. Death was an individual thing. Obliteration meant everything. “The enemies you will face will not be so minor that a defeat can be corrected. You will only get one opportunity. With it, you must be decisive. There will be no second chances. Fail and many will die. Do you understand?” Chul’s eyes narrowed and he pressed down on Jake’s small mana wall with even more intensity. Jake’s tongue caught against the roof of his mouth as he strained to resist.

The boy could only nod his head.

Chul took in a long breath, and then let out a cold exhale. The heat covering Jake’s body was washed away in an instant. The pressure around his mana buckled as Chul’s suddenly broke through the wall in several places. Jake couldn’t hold that power off any longer and he felt the rush of it all collapsing on the small pocket he had formed. Jake released the tension in his body, frowning and slumping his shoulders forward as he witnessed defeat. Chul’s mana overtook his own, swallowing it in seconds.

He’d lost.

“I gave you the gift of my mana source, one given to me by Lady Rastua when I was designated as the Guardian of the Ravine and Protector of the God’s Circle. It enhanced my magic greatly, allowing me to achieve great feats I once thought impossible. I grew both in size and in power. It gave me the courage to perform my duties and I remained resolute for hundreds of years.” As Chul spoke, Jake watched as Chul’s mana began to absorb his own. The process was slow, yet it was different. Though his mana was surrounded, he could still feel it.

“I stood within those rock walls and crushed the Maedra. I developed dozens of spells and a fighting style fit for the foul place I now called home. Merciless, I ravaged my enemies until they were nearly eradicated. I crawled through every tunnel. Turned every stone. The Maedra in the Ravine were nearly extinct.” Chul paused, releasing a soft breath.

“But then, the Adventurers began to come. Humans. Elves. Dwarves. They all came to the Ravine in search of things buried within the dark. Attracted by the mystery of its basin, they entered my domain. I let many live and pass through so long as they did not find the God’s Circle. I allowed them to enter the lower tunnels and allowed the Oryks to prosper. I killed many who dared challenge me and who tried to enter the Gate of Judgement.

After many centuries and after coating those stones with blood, Lady Rastua changed her orders for me. She and the other Gods wished to speak with their Kin on the Overworld. Those who entered the Ravine were to be left alone and given passage to the Gates. If Judged and allowed entrance, I was not to intervene. I understood and did as told. However, only one ever passed that test. A young man who came from the lands of green who simply wished to learn all he could of the world. Similar to you who wishes to see it all. He was kind to me, same as you, and very determined to try the test.” Chul paused once more, taking in another breath.

In that pause, Jake opened his eyes. He stared through the veil towards the sixteen glowing eyes. The mana within him began to change once more. He was beginning to understand what Chul had done and what he was now doing as the second mana source within him slowly dislodged itself from where it lay.

“He walked with me through the Ravine, speaking to me of great wonders he had already seen. He had heard of the Ravine only through rumors and tales, much like you. He came to see what lay within the dark. He knew there was something, but not what. When he set his eyes upon the Gate I was awestruck by how… delicate he was. He knew of the runes and the magic involved. He recognized much of the structure and was careful with how he touched and admired all that was before him. When he stepped onto the pedestal, the Judgement was swift and silent. The Jury merely spoke to give him entrance, that was all.

Yet unlike you, he did not attempt to bring me in. He understood my task and knew that it was time to bid farewell. Like a friend passing through, he left and I never saw him again. I can only imagine the conversation he must have had when he met the Gods beyond. It was not long after that the number of Adventurers increased, with many of them now seeking the God’s Circle. I killed hundreds and fought off even more, forcing many to return to the surface out of mercy.”

Chul leaned out of the dark and his fangs chitter. “I was able to do so because of the gifts Lady Rastua had given me. The gift of life. The gift of power. The gift of direction. And the gift of unwavering, unending love from her. She trusted me when all others had cast me aside. I gave her my all and I still do now. I can only imagine what she may have in store for you, my boy, but I feel it is not just an obligation as your Guardian but a duty as your friend to help you. To guide you was my order, to help you was my choice.”

The second mana source snapped free, finally tearing itself from Jake’s flow. The boy winced and his flow quaked from the damage. Chul’s mana, however, quickly repaired the injury and reestablished the tubes which had been snapped. The second mana source then moved up, colliding with Jake’s. The two pressed together firmly which caused discomfort in Jake’s abdomen. It felt like someone was pressing on his diaphragm. It was hard to breathe and even harder to remain sitting.

“Even in death, I will give you everything I have. All I ask is this one thing.” Chul paused, his eyes locking with Jake’s.

“Become what I could never be for Lady Rastua. An Apostle she can place her faith in. A Guardian worthy of the title that she can give any order to and know it will be done. Travel the Overworld, see your sights and live your life, but you must promise me…”

“...Never let the dark of the Ravine eat away at who you are. I lost myself in its maw for many years, focused entirely on my duty. I became a husk of an Arachkin. A Guardian who only killed to kill. I lost all sense of myself in the face of those many adventurers and I cannot remember any of theirs. I do not remember names. I do not remember even the faces of my sisters. My mother’s face is foggy in my mind. Though I hear her voice, I can no longer feel her warmth. It pains me to say so but I must.” Chul reached out and placed his leg atop the red hourglass. The last few grains fell and so did his leg, shattering the hourglass.

“Because I refuse to see the same become of you.”

A moment after Chul’s voice hit his ears, Jake felt an immense pain rip through him. His mana source was swallowed up by Chul’s as it split in half. Like a mouth crunching down on a hardened shell, Chul’s mana source devoured and shattered the boy’s. Jake felt his mana flow crack and his body crumbled as the sheering pain tore through his very being. He couldn’t even scream, the noise lost in the dryness of his throat. Tears rained from his eyes. Snot dribbled from his nose. His vision wavered as Chul remained just beyond the fog of the water flowing out of his eyes.

“I know not what she saw in you, boy, but in the short time that I spent with you, I learned more about myself than I had in the hundreds of years I spent alone in that cave. I lacked the kindness in your smile. I lacked the courage in your eyes. I lacked the grit in your teeth. I lacked the grip in your hands which clings to the slimmest of chances. I lacked the unyielding strength in your legs that never quit striving toward the next challenge. And most of all I lacked the will in your heart to chase that which I loved. You showed me much in those few months we spent together. Enough for me to know that Lady Rastua did not make the wrong choice.”

Chul leaned forward as the pain began to subside. Jake could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel his mana flow still rage with heat as the two mana sourced converged into one, with Chul’s now encapsulating his own. The mana produced was far stronger and thick. It made Jake sick just touching it. His body quivered and his throat clenched as he gagged. The boy clawed at the ground, gripping the dark stone as he began to try and regain control.

“...There it is. That will to never die.” Chul’s fangs tapped together as he chuckled softly, watching as Jake fought to calm the storm within him. The old mana in his body remained docile and ready to be devoured by the fresh replacement. Jake simply needed to direct the new mana through his flow tubes. Jake coughed and wheezed, taking in air carefully as he closed his eyes. “The will to adapt to any adversity. The Human desire to never be bested, no matter the height of the challenge placed before you. I always admired that of your Race, boy. Above all the others, even my own, Humans were known for their perseverance. Even in the direst of moments, your kind had always found a way to survive.”

Jake focused on the feeling within him. The connection with the new mana was stronger than he had ever felt. There was no resistance to his call. There was no attitude nor any threat that it might poison him. It was even more obedient than his original mana. Jake guided the new mana through his system, collected the remnants of Chul’s, and cultivated the flow tubes to accommodate the new strength. He expanded the tubes, repaired and thickened its walls, and created several more passageways that the mana could use. The amount being produced was significantly increased, forcing the boy to even adapt his mana tails. He retracted all of them, replaced the mana, and then produced four. While he could have done more, the changes and increased loops within his internal flow allowed for more mana to be contained inside of his body.

Chul chuckled as Jake’s breathing steadied. In a short time, the boy was able to finish his work. The pain in his body subsided and he was able to slowly sit back up. He wiped off his face and wiped the sweat from his brow. When he looked beyond the veil towards Chul, the Arachkin was standing tall.

“Time is up,” Chul said with a curt tap of his fangs. The world quaked and the sigil beneath Jake faded. The connection with his mana was cut. “I have given you the last of me. I can no longer help you, boy, but know that I will always be watching. From beyond this veil, I will witness all of the achievements you will make. If you ever need to remind yourself of me, you need only look to your mana. I will be there for you.”

The large body shifted as Chul began to turn. Jake’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak. Once again, his voice failed him. Chul paused and looked back.

“...I am proud of you, Jake. It made me happy to see such a fight in you when we first met. With how young you were when you stood before me, I knew you were more than just an ordinary boy. In the days following, I was happy to see you grow so much in such a short time. After seeing you struggle in the Ravine and after you saved me from it, I wished for nothing less. Even now, I am happy to see that you have grown in my absence. Continue to become better. Strive to be the greatest man you can be. Do not chase the shadow of your father that you sometimes spoke of. There is more to you than his mistakes.”

Chul turned away, pausing again before he left. “If there is anything that I regret…” He paused, raising his head. “...it is that I will not be there for the moment the World etches your very name into its memory.”

The Arachkin began to walk, his large body fading into the dark. Jake felt the tears return as he struggled to his knees. He opened his mouth, struggling to say something. Anything.

“Chul!” He finally screamed, his hand crossing the line Chul had dug. With a slap, his hand hit the rock. The boy looked down. He felt the stone, the coldness to it. It felt the same as the rock beneath him. At that moment, he knew what Chul had done.

“This is not goodbye, Jake. We will see each other again another time. You humans may be grand in life but…” Chul paused to chuckle, his voice distant and echoing through the air. “...your kind is not blessed with such a long lifespan as mine are. Be well, my friend.”

The body of the Arachkin vanished as the veil grew too thick to see through. Jake’s fingers dug into the floor as he stared into the dark, unable to move. Unable to speak. His heart rolled with emotion as he felt the tears drip from his chin. Unlike before there was no doubt. All of the lingering feelings in the back of his mind were gone. The heat in the mana source was unified. There was no sensation of someone watching him anymore.

Chul was gone.

The boy lowered his head and his lips pressed together. In that brief moment, he remembered the time he had spent with the Arachkin all over again. However, unlike when those moments flashed before him when he found the crystal. This time the memories came with a soft warmth to them. Chul had truly given Jake everything, it was only right that he send him off with the same. Wasn’t it?

“You’re supposed to say ‘see you later’, you idiot.” Jake’s lips curled into a trembling smile as he stared at the line in the rock.

The world fell apart around the boy as he cried. His eyes closed and his consciousness once again felt light as the floor fell away beneath him. The Library reappeared in front of him, as did the sight of Yir sitting on the casting platform. The fairy was picking at her nails, her feet swinging as she occupied herself. When Jake’s eyes reopened and the boy let out a slow breath, Yir looked up at him.

The fairy stared at him, hard. The boy met those eyes for only a few seconds before he closed his. He sought out his mana flow and reached for the power within him. Chul’s mana source was indeed gone. Left behind was the combination of the two. It was large, denser, and radiated a strength that Jake could not fully comprehend at first. The mana within his flow was calm but Jake could feel the coiled power in it as well. Just the thought of a spell caused it to spark with energy. The mana cracked with lightning, the voltage sending shivers down Jake’s spine as he felt out the overwhelming weight of the new tool at his disposal.

“I see that you were successful.” Jake opened his eyes again to see Yir still staring at him. The boy smiled.

“I was.” He felt tempted to speak of what he had experienced. However, part of him also wished to keep it a secret. The last moment with his friend felt precious.

Yir nodded and hopped off the small step. She landed gracefully and walked the short distance toward him. “I can feel the strength of the mana from here. It is quite something and I am glad to see the procedure complete without an issue. I must warn you, though. You have a dangerous power in you now. You must train to control it, understand?” Yir stopped in front of him and planted her hands firmly on her hips.

“Yes, Miss Yir.” Jake bowed his head deeply and gripped onto his knees. “Thank you.” He said firmly.

Yir raised her eyebrows. “For?”

“For letting me see him one more time.” Jake kept his head lowered and his eyes closed as he paid the respect owed. He was unsure of why Yir had decided to bring up the Binding Ritual. He didn’t know if she intended on such a result or for him to have such a chat with Chul. Either way, he was thankful for the opportunity. The heat now burning in his chest was alone enough to make Jake wish to continue with his journey. Chul was right. It wouldn’t be easy. Yet, Jake felt rejuvenated to continue.

Yir smiled and turned away. “Do not thank me, boy. It was not my decision.” The fairy’s wings fluttered as she lifted away from the floor. Jake opened his eyes and looked up at her as she began to dismantle the protective barriers.

“What does that mean?” Jake asked, slowly getting to his feet. He felt a bit dizzy at first. The blood trapped in his legs from sitting for so long rushed to his head. He must have been sitting for much longer than he originally thought.

Yir did not answer him. She tore away the barrier and then called for Fena. “We’re finished. You are fine to return to your duties.”

“Yir-” Jake called out to Yir, but the fairy held up a hand to him.

“Take some time here to acquaint yourself with your new mana. Practice some spells, cultivate, and then come find me. There is something I wish to discuss with you.” Without another word, Yir flew out of the room.

The temptation to chase her pulled at Jake’s legs. What kept him grounded was that she was right. He needed to familiarize himself with the new power in his body and he needed to calm the nerves tickling at his neck. He felt off still and his body wasn’t fully adapted to the new mana. If Jake left things alone, he would feel those growing pains probably at a far more inconvenient time. Right now would be the best moment to handle those issues.

On top of that, Yir wanted to see him. There were likely things she wanted to prepare for their chat. By telling Jake to sit down and wait for a little while, she would have the time to do so. While eager and a bit impatient, Jake didn’t want to push her buttons.

The boy let out a sigh and sat down on the floor again. He neatly folded his legs again and directed his mind inwards, cultivating. The first thing he noticed was what he had seen a few moments earlier. A calmness to his mana flow. The mana answered him readily and responded swiftly to his touch. As he began to mold and mend it, the mana reacted pleasantly. Work on the mana tubes was smooth, allowing for him to further develop them. He created new tubes and bridges, connected passageways to increase movement, and created additional pathways stemming out from his mana source. Doing so increased the volume of space available for mana to move through and also would increase his internal capacity. Along with work on the flow tubes, Jake mended the mana itself. Jake worked to increase the density of his mana while also furthering his control over it.

He spent a long time working through his mana flow and developing a bond with the mana. When he was satisfied for the moment, Jake held out his hand and gathered some of it into his fingertips. With just a little bit of coaxing, he drew it out. It flowed from his fingers like blood, the ruby color of the mana swirling into a sphere in his palm as he collected it into one spot. Normally when he brought it out and spread it through the air to cast spells with, the mana was invisible or very difficult to see without a keen enough eye for magic. In such a density though, it looked like red wine.

“...Wow,” Jake mumbled. It was a beautiful color.

Jake stood up and held his hand out to his side. He aimed at a target, pulled the mana back into himself, and then generated a Fire Cone spell. The fire appeared with a roar, the flame easily outsizing his hand. The typical orange flame was blue without any tampering from Jake, and he could feel the heat wash over his skin and face. The spinning of the cone was also accelerated, to the point that Jake could see lines in the flame as the pressure squeezed down on it.

With little effort, Jake activated the spell. The pressure in the air-popped, his ears compressed, and he felt the power push against his body as the cone snapped forward. The target vanished beneath the swirling maw of the flame. Upon impacting the wall, the fire spread and coiled over itself, rumbling with power as it melted the target and scorched the white stone. All that remained was a burn mark and a slight indentation around the impact point of the spell.

The boy curled his outstretched hand into a fist and lowered it to his side. He stared at the black mark, his eyes searching it for an answer to a question he didn’t have. It wasn’t with admiration that he stared. It wasn’t with uncertainty nor with pride. Jake felt oddly numb. From what he felt in terms of the mana’s strength, the result was everything Jake had expected. The spell’s creation felt natural and happened with hardly any effort. The spell’s strength, fueled by the new mana, was well beyond the level of ordinary that Jake was used to. Again, all things he had expected. With a more premium level of fuel, Jake knew the spell would come out to be stronger.

However, after becoming so comfortable with such a change and having that expectation, the result was unsurprising. He didn’t feel giddy or joyful. He wasn’t excited or frothing to see what else he could do with the new mana. Instead, it felt normal. Rather than waste time on meaningless casts, Jake stepped up to the casting platform and began to refine his casting further. He tested each of the spells and sought to find the baseline increase in each of them. Then, he began to tinker with the variables to them all, seeking for the most efficient variations of each. He checked to see how much each spell cost in both mana, and physical stamina, and the effects they all had on him negatively. From the strain on his muscles to the level of exhaustion he felt after casting them all.

There was no fanfare this time. While he was excited and proud of his advancement, his experience within the Ravine kept him focused. He had failed against the Maedra and had come to sate the gutted feeling he had. Until he faced them again and settled the score, there was no reason to cheer.

He had work to do.