Chapter 3: Magic

Zhyler keeps giggling while eating his soup, swinging his feet in his seat. He can't hold back his excitement thinking of all the spells he'll cast and all the cool stuff he's gonna do as a mage. In The midst of daydreaming he keeps forgetting to eat. "Zhyler if you keep forgetting to eat we're never gonna start our training." Ursa reminds him before finishing off her own dish, the bowl is completely empty and smooth as if there was no soup in it to begin with. Ursa gets up to leave the dining room going to the kitchen to go and wash her own bowl. Zhyler gives his attention back to his food quickly stuffing his mouth with it, the food spills all over the table. Once he finishes, Gina hits him hard on the head thereafter scolding him and telling him to clean the table properly before coming outside. Gina heads outside leaving him to it. While he scrubs the table trying to get the stain off Ursa walks over and starts helping him clean showing him how to properly clean it. "You don't have to help you know. It's my mess after all." "Don't worry about it too much, I'm just helping since you're not very good at it. Also you're not the only one excited to learn some magic, if you take your time it will take us even longer to start, I just keep wondering if we'll even be able to cast a spell." They finish cleaning the stains on the table. "Well, we're about to find out. Let's go learn some magic." Following that they head outside smiles on there faces ready to learn, Gina sits in a beach chair made of clouds in the field. "Come now kiddos it's time for your first lesson. Please take a sit." Saying that she forms cloud chairs for them aswell, seeing that Zhyler and Ursa quickly take place. "You mentioned that you studied magic and runes all your life till now but never could use magic or runes. The reason why that is, is because your mana gates are still closed." "Mana gates? I've never once read about that in any of the books I had." "Exactly, I Checked the books and none of them talked one bit about mana gates, so I'll be teaching you how to open them today. There are many types and forms of mana but the ones you need to know for now are world mana and soul mana. World mana is the mana that surrounds us inhabiting all none living things and the world itself, and soul mana rest within the mana gate of all living creatures, that mana helps to keep the body working properly and brings world mana into it. Watch closely." Her stomach starts to glow a bright white before it spreads across her whole body before returning to her stomach. "What I just showed you was my soul mana. Since my mana gate is open I can freely move it around in my body and even out of my body." She demonstrates moving the mana to her hand forming a small ball before making it vanish. "I'll be teaching you an incantation that will be used to open your mana gate, please do as I do." Gina sits on the ground going Into Lotus position placing on o symbol infront of her stomach before speaking a strange incantation. "Corpus animusque meus a mundo clausi sunt, sed illud sigillum frango, amplexum mundi excipiens." Zhyler and Ursa start to repeat after her, chanting the incantation over and over again. "Close your eyes, feel your soul mana, focus on the world around you be one with it, let your mana be free and feel true freedom." Gina gets up from the ground after the demonstration, walking around the two of them correcting there position. "Good keep going till something happens if it gets too late just come back inside." Gina yawns and leaves towards the house, leaving Zhyler and Ursa alone outside on the ground repeating the incantation. Around an hour passes of them repeating the incantation now, but nothing has happened at all yet and after sitting in this position for this long Zhyler's feet start to hurt allot. He opens his eyes and looks over at Ursa who is saying the incantation as if she's in a trance. While amidst speaking the incantation he keeps thinking about what Gina said to them. Whilst saying the incantation he focuses on himself trying to feel the mana within him. After a minute or two he finds himself within a space of absolute darkness, he starts walking around before he sees a spark of light in the distance, he starts running towards it immediately. As soon as he reaches the light he touches it and instantly opens his eyes his body covered in sweat the sun already set, he gasps falling onto his back. He looks to his Side to find that Ursa has already left, he gets up and heads towards the castle opening the door to see Ursa sweeping the house and Gina quietly reading a book with her reading glasses on. Gina hearing the door open looks up at Zhyler her eyes widening in shock while they glow a light white when she sees him. Ursa rushes over to him bringing him a cupcake. "Have a bite, Gina made some while we were opening our gates." He hesitantly takes the cupcake from her bitting into it slowly. "Umm what the Flop happened i just remember saying the incantation and all of a sudden it's dark out, and my head is killing me, also it's so hot then It gets freezing in seconds. What the flop is happening to me?" While he complains Ursa keeps stuffing cupcakes in his mouth one after the other. Gina sips on a cup of tea putting down her book before answering him. "Calm Down you're not dying, your Body is simply reacting to the mana spreading throughout it now thanks to your opened mana gate. The cupcakes have something in them to help calm your body down" "Open Mana gate? But isn't my mana gate closed unless." "Yup, congrats kid you managed to open your mana gate." "Congrats Zhyler i just knew you had it in you." Zhyler jumps into air running around the house celebrating then stops abruptly. "Wait Ursa did you open your mana gate?" "Yup i did it a few hours before you did it was pretty easy for me. Gina said it's because I'm a beastwoman race or whatever making me more intuned with mana and some stuff like that." Ursa says casually while dining on one of the cupcakes her face beaming with joy. "I'm just surprised you got it this fast, I expected it from Ursa since she's a beast men and all but not from you a normal human. Normally It takes days even weeks For a human to open there mana gates, even i needed a few days to open mine." Zhyler blushes while eating a cupcake scratching his head. "Well of course I opened mine quickly, I am a genius after all." He boast proudly, he turns to look at Ursa with a look of superiority. "Oh shut up, i opened mine quickly too, and it was long before you did. You don't see me bragging about it." "Didn't you hear Gina? Beastwoman and beastmen do It easily but I a normal human did it so easily. Just admit I'm a genius already." They keep bantering going back and forth for who knows how long now, while Gina is in the kitchen preparing dinner. She cuts up some strange looking vegetables that grip to her fingers fighting back against her, she also adds some fruits. Adding all kinds of seasoning to a odd type of meat with small purple crystals spread though the meat, she slices and dices adding it to the pot while humming a soft tone that would be able to calm the most aggressive of beasts. Gina gives the kids a table cloth along with the plates and spoons for them to set up the table. "What's that tone you're humming aunty, it sounds oddly familiar." "Yeah I've been wondering the same ma'am. It has such a beautiful tone or maybe it's just the person humming it." Gina pats them both on the head then heads to the kitchen door to leave. "It's just something special from my hometown." She smiles but it feels off, almost as If it's forced. "Just take you seats please I have something to do real quick." She leaves humming along her way to the only door in the house that stays locked all the time, the door opens leading to an empty abyss Gina steps in vanishing into the darkness the door closing and locking behind her. Zhyler and Ursa take there seats, after a bit of time Gina returns looking drained, Ursa notices a difference in heart beat now beating faster than before she doesn't say anything however simply taking the dish Gina gives to her, Gina gives her a strange look but keeping the smile on her face. "Is there somethingwrong Ursa?" "Nope nothingat all ma'am." She says giving a wode smile. They start dinner eating the well cooked and delicious meal. "So umm aunty when do we start magic training? I can't wait anymore I wanna shoot lightning out of my hand like a storm eel." "Yeah Zhyler has a point although I prefer to cast a spell allowing me to me to be stronger than the mightiest of warriors." "We'll be starting in about a week or two." "A WEEK?! Why can't we just start right now?" "Unless you wanna explode i advice against using any type of magic." She says calmly chewing on the tough meat. "What do you mean by that Ma'am? How could we explode from just simply casting A few spells." "It's because your bodies are still adapting to the mana rushing throughout it. The only thing keeping you from going unconscious is the cupcakes. While your bodies are in the adaptation process you can do some study in the library and meditate using the incantation. It will greatly help your mana calm down." "YOU HAVE A LIBRARY!?!" Zhyler yelps eyes sparkling at the idea of more books to read, he hasn't read a new book ever since he finished all the books back at his village and that was 3 years ago. He shakes Ursa pulling and pushing on her dress. "Did you hear that Ursa? MORE BOOKS!" "Yes Zhyler I'm sitting right next to you, I'm pretty sure I heard her." Zhyler keeps shaking her his face beaming with excitement. Gina finishes her food getting up to go to bed. "Geez I never thought a kid could be this much into books. Well as long as you're willing to learn makes it easier for me anyway." While yawning she pulls a purple key made of a strange crystal like material with a book shaped end handing it to Zhyler, Zhyler stops shaking Ursa accepting the key gratefully. "Do we really have to read and study?? I thought we just had to wave her hand around to cast magic. I really don't like reading." Ursa says with a heavy sigh leaning her head on the table, eyebrows lowerd frowning. "Sadly for you yes. Most spells require a great understanding of how it happens to make it stronger and more efficient and some don't work at all without the Proper know how, take healing magic for example even the most basic form takes a great understanding." Ursa let's out a tired scream, Gina pats her on the head. "Don't worry too much Ursa. I know you have it in you. I'm gonna head to bed now kids if you'd like to start your study now the library is the door at the end of the hall way purple crystal door can't miss it. Also be nice to the bookkeeper" With that she vanishes to her room without looking back her last sentence unclear. Afterwards Zhyler immediately turns his attention to the library grinning from ear to ear he basically flies towards the library at the speed that he's going, Ursa tries to keep up with him falling behind. Zhyler stands at the door waiting for her so he can finally go in and read some fresh new books. "OK let's see how good these books could possibly be." Zhyler inserts the key into the strange purple door with runic symbols carved all over it, it along with the key glow a bright blinding light revealing a short brick road extending to a tower like building in a liminal like space with no up or down . It is however surrounded by stars, galaxies, and much more making it look like the night skies. Ursa takes a step putting one foot forwards onto the path, Zhyler grabs her shoulder stopping her. "Are you sure we should be going in there? What if something strange happens?" She twirls around to look him in the eyes calmly taking his arm off her shoulder. "Aren't you the one who wanted to come here? Now your getting cold feet on me because its a little weird when we're gonna learn literal MAGIC." "I'm just being cautious, we don't wanna take any chances." "Don't worry my trusty nose and ear haven't picked up anything bad and they've never failed me before, also i think you're forgetting that this is Gina's library." She stretches out her hand to him, Zhyler looks away taking a step back from the entrance. "What are You waiting for dummy? A beauty is offering to hold hands with you and your just gonna ignore her." He turns back to her to find those beautiful eyes that shine like stars gazing into his with a tantalizing smile on her face. He slowly reaches out placing his hand into hers. When he does he instantly notices the warmth of her palms, the firm yet soft skin of her hand in his. Meanwhile Ursa notices his palm is cold to the touch yet very welcoming at the same time, his hands really thick calluses cover his palm what would disgust many others but for her it's just proof of his hard work. She pulls him onto the path, they start walking completely silent both refusing to even look at echother. Let's take a quick look in there heads to see what there thinking about. ""I can't believe I'm actually holding hands with Zhyler. WHAT WAS I THINKING!! I even called myself a beauty acting all cool I feel so silly."" Ursa's face is taking on a red pinkish shade. ""I just realized I'm holding hands with Ursa. Maybe I rushed things now were gonna have to start dating. Is that how it works? Gosh dang I really wish there was someone to teach me This stuff."" Zhyler keeps a calm look on his face trying to act cool panicking inside. "Hey Ursa, thanks For helping me back there i don't even know what I was worried about. You're the best and you really are a beauty." Zhyler voice is but a whisper, If not for her exceptional hearing she would have never heard him, she gets a smug look on her face. "What's that now? Would You mind speaking up i think I heard You call me the best." Ursa playfully states cupping her hand behind her ear, seeing this Zhyler's face starts going dark shade of red. "I just said that you're the best." "Come on one more time for the people in The back." "I know dang well You heard me I'm not saying it again!" "Aww is the little boy embarrassed you're even blushing that's so adorable." She pinches his cheek giggling at the sight of his now red colored cheeks. "Look who's talking your practically a tomato with how red you are." Starts pinching her ears covered in fur and soft to The touch, she flinches at the sudden contact and pinches him harder as her face quickly gets bright red. They keep jovially pinching echother walking into the library. "Oh my gosh, it's a pair of love birds." they look up right away at the sound of an unfamiliar and rough voice, there sits a lanky man at a desk with papers and books scattered all over it, his features seem stretched, his glasses shine keeping his eyes hidden from sight. "We're not love birds what gave you that idea." Zhyler quickly retorts in shock. "Then explain why you're holding her hand so tight while playing with her ear then? And you caressing his cheek like any lover would there love." They both look at echother realizing how anyone could misunderstand the situation with said realization the instantly pull away from echother. "It's not at all like That were just friends who says friends can't hold hands." "Yeah exactly me and him are just some really good friends and i was obviously pinching him NOT caressing. Wait a minute... WHO THE HELL ARE YOU??!" The man gets up from his chair and starts to walk towards them they quickly notices his height as a towers over them atleast twice there size. "I am bookkeeper of the sixth fragment of the daedanhan jisik library. I AM LOGISTIS!"