Unfathomable & beyond

Within the ancient confines of a timeless facility, a decade slipped away unnoticed. In the solitude of an empty chamber, Lisa was sitting on the floor in lotus position, her closed eyes revealing unwavering concentration. Multiple beads of sweat adorned her forehead, evident of her intense dedication.

In the midst of profound silence, suddenly an unseen force stirred, and a gust of wind enveloped Lisa from all directions. It felt as though an invisible vortex had materialized out of the stillness. Undeterred, Lisa maintained her focus amidst the emerging tempest.

Soon the wind intensified, swirling around her like a majestic tornado, as if it sought to disrupt her concentration. Yet, Lisa held firm. After a few moments, the tempest around her became even more fierce, causing her hair to dance freely in the air. The tranquility shattered, and tiny cuts appeared on her cheeks as the struggle became more palpable.

Breathing became a challenge, the air thick with resistance. But Lisa pressed on, locked in a battle of wills within the swirling chaos, embodying an epic resilience against the forces that sought to break her concentration.

Before the wind could inflict further harm, the ground beneath Lisa quivered for a fleeting second. In the next instant, a colossal shockwave surged through the very foundation of the room, shattering the swirling tornado of wind like fragile glass. The aftermath rendered the space silent once more.

As Lisa drew a deep breath, her eyes opened, momentarily aglow with a resplendent brown light before fading into the depths of her gaze. Rising gracefully from her meditative stance, she casually flicked her hand. A triumphant smile adorned her face as she marveled at the newfound ease with which she commanded the wind.

In that pivotal moment, it became evident – Lisa had transcended into the silver stage of the mana core. The formidable forces of two elements now bowed to her mastery, as she had finally succeeded in overcoming the rage of her two elemental affinities.

She had overcome the earth element two months ago, before her grandfather had departed for some important matter. Ever since, she was meditating daily, focusing to take control of her wind affinity ever since. But in the end, she had to rely on her earth element to overcome the wind, instead of her own will, leaving her wind magic less potent than her earth magic.

Amidst the ongoing exploration of her newfound control over the wind, a thunderous blast resonated from the adjacent room. Unperturbed, Lisa maintained her composure, well aware of the origin of the explosion. The cause was no mystery to her, yet the reverberations still stirred a disquiet within. Another training chamber succumbed to the explosive prowess of her younger brother.

From the very inception of his existence, her younger brother bore the mark of a Red mana core—an innate power that intrigued and confounded Lisa. What astounded her even more was his extraordinary prowess with swords, a talent that manifested at the tender age of five, when most were still finding their footing.

Understanding the fundamentals of the swordsmanship at very young age was merely the inception; as he swiftly delved into the intricacies of advanced level. In a little more than half year time, he had grasped the basics of swordplay that had taken Lisa a dedicated one and half years to conquer, even earning praise from their grandfather for her astonishing progress.

It was a revelation that echoed in her mind—the admonition of her grandfather. "Don't measure yourself against him. He is human just by his birth. What he will become is something no one can predict. His potential is beyond common sense. It's... unfathomable." In that moment, Lisa comprehended the boundless trajectory her brother's journey would carve, a path beyond the ordinary, guided by a potential that defied predictions.

With the relentless march of time, the prophetic words of her grandfather only became clearer to her. Resigned to these contemplations, Lisa moved toward the adjoining room, an unconventional entrance awaiting her in the form of a sizable hole in the wall.

Stepping through, she was greeted by a scene of chaos—a tumult of smoke and dust veiled the room, shrouding everything in an enigmatic haze. The aftermath was an eerie silence that clung to the disrupted surroundings.

"Huff...huff..," Yet, the stillness was abruptly shattered by the weighty resonance of labored breaths, echoing through the aftermath of the upheaval.

Lisa moved with deliberate steps, her presence clearing the air with a gentle sweep of wind. As she approached the source of the sound, she uncovered her younger brother. His long crimson hair cascading over his face, obscuring his features as he lay on one knee, using his sword as a crutch to prevent a complete collapse to the ground.

With her mana sense, she probed him for any injuries, but what she discovered instead left her in complete shock.

Many years had passed since Diana's death, and lisa had witnessed monstrous progress of her brother ever since. But the current revelation surpassed all expectations.

In a moment that belied the years that had slipped by since Diana's demise, Lisa beheld her brother breaking through into the coveted stage of a yellow mana core. Mere minutes ago, she herself had ascended from a radiant yellow core mage to the revered silver stage. Astonishingly, he now stood just two stages away from bridging the gap that separated them.

Her stunned visage did not escape orions notice. As he finally raised his gaze, his crystal red eyes shimmering with confidence, a satisfied smile graced his countenance in response to his sister's surprise. With a touch of wit, he remarked, "Now, you're going to tell me, right? The secrets to attain the silver core."

"By the way, Congratulations on your own progression," he added, a smug smirk etched on face.

Meeting his gaze, Lisa couldn't resist responding in kind. "Alright, smarty pants let's talk about it then." She declared with same smirk, "But let's cleanse ourselves first," she added, as both remained adorned with the evidence of their exertion—sweat and dirt clinging to them like badges of their shared endeavor.