Chapter Twenty-Two

I have been in the Infirmary for three days, at least that I've been conscious. Today, the bird brains, ehm, sorry, the captains Raven and Sparrow had come to visit me. My mom was away so they had snuck in to see me, since I wasn't supposed to have visitors. I was grateful for the risk they were taking as my mom was scary... But just to keep me company? They really have bird for brains. Sorry I'll be more polite to them in my head~

"So how's training been?" I ask, and tilt my head as they both visibly sweat dropped at the thought.

"Ahhhh, the King decided we needed to shape up... It's been brutal..." They both were so visibly pained I had to laugh at them. I had always read them like a book.

"Hey, I have a question, I understand for war and stuff it's hard to find Magicans to build a full army, but why don't we have at least a regiment? I understand a group having a wizard in each Troup, but we would still have enough for a regiment now." I ask them, but they both stiffen and do a very forced and slow laugh.

"Well, it's actually really easy and simple to block mana, and without Mana..." I nodded in understanding. Mana is how you use magic, if you can't access it then you can't use magic. Not even if you want to.

"Ahhhh I see, is it like an rock that does it or something? How do they block it so easily?" I tilt my head as I ask and they laugh and explain.

"Well everyone has Mana, big or small. Too much and it's poisonous, too little and it's poisonous. People's natural lifespans are controlled by this. If you have too little then you will suffer deformations in your body, and weakening of strength slowly, until you simply cannot fight off illness. Most like that are still born." Raven explains and when he pauses Sparrow jumps in.

"Yeah, but way, way, waaaayyy too much is bad too though. No risk of still born like with low Mana, the spirits will protect you... Spirits are like Mana essence taking form, you don't see them often, and even rarer to have the ability to see them! They help support magic and steady Mana and they guard there Magican, but they don't leave 'Asphodel Plains' normally. 'Asphodel Plains' is the magic-y world I guess, there known for appearing to kidnap- I mean save, the children with high Mana, rumor has it the spirits are those children. Anyways symptoms for high Mana are extreme health during the first year, maybe even two, but after that a major tumble in strength. Apparently some can last up to eight years of age. Those that last that long usually die around sixteen. They say they burn bright on the fuel of there life's." Sparrow smiles wryly and I nod at the new information. Funny, I wonder why none are here if the royal families known for high Mana? The King is still alive, and he's like thirty? Hmm?