Mana and Magi. Both of them are inseparable.

A Magi uses mana to cast a spell, in turn mana gets released into another dimension after it was casted into a spell. It was a common knowledge among Magi.

Some say it was not an equal exchange, some debate that it was not the case at all.

Spells can be classified as Magispel, Diaspel, Triaspel, in the low-level. Tetraspel, Pentaspel, Hexaspel, in the mid-level. Septaspel, Oktaspel, and Demispel in the high-level.

To cast a spell one need to communicate with mana. Usually it was spoken into a chant or written in symbols. The caster’s body acts as a media for the moving mana.

For example when a Magi cast a Magispel fire, they will chant a chain of words if it was spoken or draw a continuous chain of symbol. Then the caster will gather the ambient mana using their body, usually in the palm of their hand, acting as a bridge between the spell and mana.

The fire will only float in the hand of the caster, as it was only a Magispel.

They weave words in one unbroken line to initiate the mana on their body, which then draw more mana from the ambience. This process is called The Initiation.

A Magi’s body will contain it to a certain degree before they weave it into a spell. The Initiation is the most natural part of casting a spell to a Magi, as their body and mind is all they need to draw mana.

The next is Aspect Channeling. It is a process to concentrate the mana and imbuing it with Aspects. Let’s use the Air Combustion Aspect, which is the Aspect used to turn air into smoldering flame.

After using Air Combustion Aspect, The concentrated mana will be the center of the process so the caster needs to move the mana from out of their body.

The last process is to maintain the spell with enough mana so that it will continue to exist, so the Magi called it Mana Conservation.

Someone can only be called a Magi when they learn to properly master a Magic Aspects. There are all kinds of Magic Aspects but all of them fall into categories of Amplification, Enchantment, Transformation, and Manipulation.

The fire from earlier can only float because a Magispel is a result from the caster applying only the Transformation Aspects. When the caster learns to fuse one or more Magic Aspects into a spell, the spell can now be classified as a Tetraspel or mid-level spell.

So if the previous caster learns to fuse a kind of Manipulation Aspect into the spell, he/she will now be able to for example move the fire.

Let us look at the Aegis for example.

The flaming inferno subsides. A huge hole can be seen on the tunnel’s wall. It overshadowed the previous tear significantly.

“So this is the power of the Aegis? Magnificent!” Agris said. She can still feel the residual heat from the wave of dancing flame.

She didn’t actually casted a high level spell, she only wants to threaten them with a mid-level spell.

The Aegis didn’t give Agris the power of controlling all of the mana it produces. It acts as a bridge between Agris and the mana—a very strong one. She also didn’t need to put her focus on gathering mana.

In turn, this made Agris’ mid-level spell become disaster-like capable of tearing a huge hole in the wall in the instant it was casted and disappeared.

“Can you walk?” Tasha said in a quiet voice.

“I can’t move very w..ell” Louis replied in stutters. His injury hasn’t gotten any better.

“I can support you from the rear Helmer…”

Tasha shook his head.

“In case things got worse, go somewhere safe with Elle, take that girl too” Tasha said in a calm voice.

“Listen! Don’t use the Aegis or your kingdom will be in danger!”

“What nonsense are you spouting? I’d be afraid of the Aegis too I were you. But I’m confident to put you down alone,” she paused.

“Afraid huh?” Tasha lightly smiles; his expression is lackadaisical as ever.

“I will not tolerate any further defiance! Hand over the thief or-”

Agris words were cut short by what she witnessed.

A vile Aura surges from Tasha. The pale aura distorts everything it touches with haze.

The Aura’s stenches of despair infected Agris mind. She felt dizzy the moment it crept close, her senses of time became off. She saw the color drained from the surrounding and it messes up her balance so bad that she have to land.

It creeps to every nooks and corner of the field.

‘Just what is this Aura? It’s Terrifying! Just what did he do to obtain this chaotic Aura? Kill thousands of Beasts? Devour Abyssal Demon? Endure hundreds of years of torture? Wretched... In fact I don’t think all of that will be enough to gain this twisted Aura’ Agris thought to herself.

Her brimming confidence was no more. It evaporated faster than the moist air; facing with the previous inferno.

The Aura continues to burst. Tasha face became distorted as he walks towards Agris.

Ovelia too was affected. She felt her knees become weak the moments the Aura approached. Even Elle broke a cold sweat.

Aura serves more than just identity. It is a manifestation of your acts and will. It can be felt and understood. Aura aspire people who could sense the underlying meaning behind it.

It is a reflection of a person’s character and virtue. Aura has a deep connection with your soul as it is a reflection the mind too.

There are many uses regarding Aura besides identity. In the world of Trebüshka, Aura can be used to impose one’s image and intent upon another. Imagine the mind as a colorful light-source with the ability of projecting its light unto another object, and receive light from another

In this case we can see Tasha using his “light” to affect Agris.

Tasha’s Aura continues to debilitate Agris. At this point her breathing becomes rough.

Agris is currently hesitating. She is dwelling in the primal feeling that every human have, which is fear.

Her chest constricts, but she didn’t know if it was by the response of her fear or otherwise. Her sensory become distorted, blurry lines was all she can make out of the repeating line of tiles. She is deciding whether she should fight or flee, which is a natural response when one is exposed to danger.

She finds it quite silly actually. A Hexamagi who fears a Tetramagi.

Although her experience of battle is lacking, she holds confidence in her skills of casting and her arsenal of knowledge of magic.

Agris didn’t become the superintendent of TROI for no reason. Her knowledge over magic and Runes granted her power to become a person respected by the whole community of researcher. When in a raid, Agris is always trusted to be the mind of the group, providing insights over the conflicts.

She is one of the gifted children with a talent of grasping the knowledge of multiple Aspects before she entered academy of magic. Praises come not only from her talent but also in her wisdom of using her knowledge. Be it in spell creation, or Runes in an Artifact.

So although she didn’t excel in combat—she had confidence in her casting skills. At least before the Aura planted seed of doubt and grew into a tree of despair.

‘Why? Why!? There is absolutely nothing that can stop me from beating him! I have all the odds with me no matter it is mana, ability, or spell!’

Agris looks at her vacant hand. It was trembling from the struggle of her trying to cast a spell. All her struggles only make ‘the tree’ grow taller and taller. Her train of thought was in discord.

The spell ingrained in her mind since she was adolescent was like her secondary habit. Casting it was easier than breathing, she wouldn’t a second at all. The mana too moves in excited manner as if was influenced by Agris’ anticipation of casting a spell. She didn’t need to channel her mana as the Aegis is the ultimate catalyst of mana—she was ready.

All she needs to do is to raise her hand and aim it towards that person.

She grits her teeth in anguish but eventually her hand returns to its previous place. Without her realizing it, the guy called Tasha was already standing in front of her. From witnessing the spell from afar, she knew for a fact that there is no way she can handle the spell.

And yet with this distance, she was certain that there is no escape.

She failed. The seed has already grown beyond mature.

She couldn’t accomplish even a simple raise of a hand. The tree had consumed her.

‘It’s as if I had become someone who has the strength of achieving something…yet still fail nonetheless’ She lamented.

Agris’ immersion in her struggle to deal with her irrational fear made her forget that she was in a middle of a battle.

And with the saying “Ignorance is bliss.” Her irrational fear only intensifies the moment she realized she was standing in front of the source of the Aura.

“Give it to me.”

Agris’ hand starts moving.

‘What’s the point of struggling…There’s no way I can defeat that monster. At this distance, he could kill me at any moment’ she thought.

Agris’ act of submission solidified Tasha’s belief. She gave the crystal to him.

‘Cowards die many times before their death,

Those who doubt and worry fail many times before they try,

Yet once you despair; it’s as if the world is against you.’

And with that Tasha gained another favor over the flow of Fate.

“Stop!”

He heard. It was young woman’s voice. Clear and “tegas” can it be heard. The voice abruptly stole the attention of everyone.