[Kael’s Perspective]

“Now that you know what you should be focusing on, it’s time to practice,” Vyra said as she pointed her finger up.

“I’m listening.”

“First, the thing you are going to practice is the ability to convey. Without it, using mana is impossible.” Vyra stepped closer to Kael and placed her hand on his chest. “Close your eyes and take a deep breath.”

He followed her order, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. A strange warmth spread across his chest and through his body. He recognized it as Vyra’s mana, something he had felt before.

“Despite Convey being about the transfer of mana, your first step is going to be to. Hold your mana close to your heart.” It wasn’t easy to do so; his eyebrows frowned, trying to keep his mana to his core.

It feels like balancing water in a cup that is shifting its balance. It’s moving to my legs and arms, leaking from my body even. But curiously, nothing seems to move up.

“Hold it there. I’m going to prepare something for you to eat; by the time I’m back, you should still have some mana left.”

After a few seconds, silence surrounded his mind, engulfing him in uncertainty. As if he was waiting in an endless elevator. The feeling of movement felt eerie yet gentle.

Is she still there? Why is everything so quiet?

Soon enough, Kael noticed the contradiction of it all. The mana in his body felt natural, like before, when it simply rushed through his body.

But if that happens. It will leak from my body and I won’t be able to use it; it feels so counterintuitive.

He was sure that the brief feeling of Mana could leave his body at any moment. That’s when he realized.

If both the breathing and the flowing of mana are tied, and they cause my leaking, then I just have to hold my breath.

Finally, it had happened; it was all tied down to his core. Unable to move, the relaxing sensation had disappeared however all he had to do now is to wait…

It didn’t take too much for Kael to realize why it wouldn’t work. He could only hold his breath for so long, and another problem came with such a strategy.

It feels like my lungs are burning. Dammit, if I keep holding my breath any longer, they might explode.

After about a minute of that painful pressure in his chest, he stopped fighting and began to breathe again. He kept breathing in deeply, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t feel his lungs filling up with air.

In seconds, his vision blurred. He fell to the ground, unable to move or breathe. He tried to call for help, but no words came out.

I’m going to die!

The next few seconds, he attempted to grasp life as much as he could. Taking deep breaths that felt short of relieving his pain.

“It’s funny how that always happens.” A hand pressed against his chest, bringing him energy once more. And letting him breathe properly. His sight turned back to normal, and above him, Vyra had a smile across her face. “That’s what happens when you don’t fully follow the instructions.”

She stood up and looked down at Kael, saying, “Don’t cheat your way out of struggle. If you are losing mana, then lose it. If you can’t practice until I’m back, so be it.”

“I’m sorry,” Kael replied, coughing on the grass.

“I don’t want to hear sorries anyway. I think it’s better that you come back with me. Now that you have managed to injure yourself, it doesn’t make sense to keep you here.”

“But I need to get strong, don’t I?” replied Kael in a loud tone.

“Yeah, I know, but you’re not strong enough.”

“Huh?”

“For now, all you need to do is control your mana. That doesn’t require any type of special place for this; you can do it anywhere, even in your bedroom.” Said Vyra, as she raised her finger towards Kael.

I get it. That’s good to know.

“Let’s get back then,” Kael replied, and then his body lifted into the air, like a balloon. “What? What’s happening?” He grasped at the air, trying to find something to hold on to.

“It’s my doing. Just relax, I will take you up in… now.” He heard a snap, and for one second, his world went black. In a matter of moments, Kael realized he was resting on the kitchen floor.

[Vyra’s Perspective.]

“Let me see, what do we have here?” Vyra stood beside Kael, looking around the kitchen. She picked up some vegetables and placed them on the counter. She picked up the knife and started cutting the vegetables. Sometimes, she looked at Kael, who was lying on the floor.

Barely conscious, he gazed back at her, asking, “Where are we?”

“The kitchen. Also, I don’t want to be mean, but you should take a shower. After you eat, you can continue your training.”

He felt a bit embarrassed once he smelled himself. The young man stood up and ran to the bathroom.

Having him around makes things more fun. When Miria won her prize for beating the annoying dragon a month ago, things got quieter. Elin hardly speaks, and Miria doesn’t trust me, so it’s been pretty silent.

Vyra rested her elbows on the counter and her hands on her face. She used magic to control the knife, cutting the vegetables.

Karin joined Miria before I did, but she quit soon after Elin arrived. It’s been over a year now. Now that I think about it. Is it possible that Karin is also part of Miria’s magic? I always avoid thinking about it because it’s so confusing. Why does the boy have it too? Shouldn’t I have it as well?

Wait. Someone else is inside the Inn?

Vyra left the sliced vegetables on the counter and rushed upstairs. She walked by the storage room and headed straight to the tavern. There, she opened the main door and saw a woman in bad shape. The woman’s clothes were torn, and her stare wandered.

A normal woman? She doesn’t have any source mana, nor any characteristics. What is she doing here?

“Hi.” The nervous woman said, looking down at her feet.

“Oh, hello. Do you need something?” Vyra replied. That’s right, now we are supposed to work as an inn. I didn’t expect to see anyone around here so quickly.

“Y-yes. A woman… told me I could work here.” She replied attempting not to make eye contact with Vyra.

“A woman?” Vyra questioned; in response, she extended her hand, trembling a bit, and showed a coin.

Hmmm, this is the coin Miria told me about. It looks too extravagant; the symbol of a serpent wrapping itself around a dead dragon.

“You can enter then. That checks.” Vyra stepped back for the girl to enter. But behind the girl, Elin stayed hidden. The simple woman likely didn’t notice her. Instead of entering, Elin stepped out of Vyra’s sight.

Sometimes I wonder when Elin is going to slice my neck when I’m not looking.