Chapter 12: Breathing technique

Asher ran swiftly to Toni's house and a few minutes later, he saw Toni's house from afar, he smiled and he walked towards the house. He didn't want to approach the house too closely, Shawn was still vexed with him but he just wanted to come close to it then leave after ensuring their safety. Moving closer to Toni's house, he was suddenly flung away by an invisible force. Standing up quickly, his face showed alarm and he ran towards the house again but when he reached a point he was sent flying again. Sighing, he managed to stand on his feet as he stared at Toni's house, he didn't know what to do but his thoughts were interrupted when he saw Shawn slowly float towards him without any facial expression.

" What are you doing here?" Shawn asked.

" I thought our training starts tomorrow… which is a few hours from now." Shawn added.

" Yes, I know. I am here to check up on something." Asher responded, he didn't expect Shawn to see him, but he's a mage after all.

" Or someone?" Shawn replied.

" You could put it that way." Asher said slowly and the both of them didn't say anything for a full minute before Asher broke the silence.

" There's something here that keeps me from moving closer to your house." Asher informed Shawn.

" It's an array, a protection array."

" That's how you know I am out here?" Asher asked.

" Yes."

" Since I have confirmed what I came here to check, I will be leaving now. Good night." Asher said and he turned to leave without waiting for Shawn's response. After Asher walked away from Shawn, he flew towards him and silence reigned. Asher finally reached his house and he slept. Waking up the next morning, he quickly did his chores then he went over to Shawn's house, his magic training would start today. Getting to Shawn's house, he sat in the living room waiting for Shawn that was said to be sleeping, he didn't see Toni throughout the time he sat in the living room. Finally, Shawn came out, ate breakfast and he called Asher over to the backyard.

" Good morning." Shawn greeted Asher cheerfully after they got to the backyard.

" Good morning." Asher responded.

" I hope you are ready because I would be fast with teaching you, I have a whole village to protect." Shawn said as he led Asher to sit with him on a chair by the side of a small round table.

" So you know about magic basic information?" Shawn asked and Asher nodded affirmatively.

" Good, so now we move to the first thing quickly. That's the learning of a breathing technique which will enable you to draw mana, bend it to your will then use it."

" So there are a lot of breathing techniques available for you to learn but they have their pros and cons but based on my experience, I would teach you the breathing technique suitable for you. So this breathing technique is my custom made technique and I am the only mage using this technique on Earth, it's called, Frost Hale." Shawn explained.

" So I want you to stand up now, I don't want you to destroy my chairs. You are new to the technique and the mana might get chaotic around you which would destroy the things around you." Shawn said before stopping, he waited for seconds to see what he said was understood by Asher.

" What causes mana chaos and how does it happen?" Asher asked.

" Great question. You know that mana is around us just like air, available for everybody to use. Mana is a necessary force that ensures the existence of Earth, it's like Earth life force and Mana is naturally stable but when it is drawn and enough control is not exercised on it. It becomes unstable and it causes dangerous fluctuations which are capable of destroying or even killing those around. The chaos caused by instability is sometimes turned to chaos mana when it doesn't become stable for a long time. There are a lot of reasons for Mana chaos but this is the main reason. I hope you understand?"

" Yes I do." Asher responded.

" Great. Now stand up." Shawn instructed and Asher stood up, he led him a few metres away from the chairs. Asher took a deep breath as he stared at Shawn waiting for instructions, he knew that he had tried a breathing technique before but that it didn't work. Maybe this would work because he has Shawn guiding him.

" Before we start, there are different levels of this technique and I would put you through the first level. The last level is the one you saw me practising that day." Shawn said and Asher felt joy in his heart, if that breathing technique is that powerful then he must learn it.

" Now take a deep breath." Shawn instructed.

" Close your eyes, close your mind from any thoughts, they will only inhibit you." Shawn said and Asher did like he said.

" Now centre your mind on the mana around you. Can you see it?" Shawn said but Asher didn't respond, he didn't see any mana.

" I don't see anything." Asher finally said.

" Relax your body, feel the air touching your body then you will see the mana carrying that air." Few seconds later, Asher saw green strands of mana around him and he smiled.

" I see it already, what should I do?" Asher asked.

" Good, now imagine your mind is your fingers pulling the rope towards yourself. The mana you see is the rope." Shawn responded as Asher carried out what he said. Asher tried to pull the mana towards him but he couldn't do it, the mana didn't respond. Thirty minutes later with no progress, Asher stopped as he struggled to keep his breath.

" Something is wrong." Shawn said solemnly as he looked at Asher that sat on the ground, breathing heavily.

" Give me a minute." Shawn said and he walked into his house then he came out a few minutes later with a blue crystal that shone brightly.

" A magic crystal!" Asher exclaimed immediately he saw the crystal, magic crystals are crystals that contain pure mana which can be used by anybody without a breathing technique.

" Yes, but this is an artificial crystal." Shawn responded, artificial crystals are filled with pure mana just like the natural crystals but the mana in them are put in there by the mages or witches.

" So get up and absorb the mana in this crystal, I want to see what's wrong." Shawn instructed and Asher stood up, took the magic crystal then he closed his eyes as he held the magic crystal with both of his hands. He tried to absorb the mana in the crystal but he still couldn't do it after twenty minutes.

" I can't access mana." Asher finally said.

" It seems that's what is happening." Shawn agreed.

" There are not many reasons for Mana blockage, humans are capable of using mana but they can't become mages and witches because they don't have the resources."

" Unless you are a supernatural creature barred from using mana." Shawn said and Asher turned to face Shawn, curious.

" Creatures like Demons, shapeshifters or dwellers." Shawn said and he looked at Shawn with squinted eyes.

" It seems you are one of those creatures." Shawn added.

" I don't remember my past." Asher reminded but he thought about what Shawn said. Maybe he is really a strange supernatural being and he can't access magic.

" Shawn, you have a call." Sarah said as she appeared behind them.

" Give it to me." Shawn took the phone and Sarah walked away.

" Shawn!" Shawn heard a loud voice laced with fear over the phone.

" What's wrong James?" Shawn asked and he heard shouts over the phone.

" You are needed here now! There are some mages fighting here and they are destroying houses here."

" What?! Get the people out of there. I will be there in a few minutes." Shawn said and he ended the call.

" Training is over!" Shawn said and he ran out of the backyard.

" Let me come with you." Asher said before Shawn left.

" Then let's go!" Shawn immediately shouted back.

Shawn left his house flying with Asher also flying, he used a flying technique on Asher which made him fly. Getting to the site of the battle, Asher saw two men fighting viciously with different houses burning as stray spells hit them.

" God! It's this crazy dog again!" Shawn said as he got to the site of the battle. Asher saw a mage with fiery red hair dressed in a black robe with a long black staff in his hands use fire element against the other mage that looked strange, he didn't control any elements, he just kept dodging flames from the other mage. He had a blue robe on him and Asher didn't see his hair because he covered it with a cap.

" You mother fu*ker! I will kill you today!" The mage with red hair named Sten shouted loudly as he directed over fifty large fireballs at the other mage named Larry. But before the fireballs could hit Larry, they surprisingly disappeared and reappeared behind him.

" How did he do that?!" Asher shouted inwardly, before Larry could retaliate, Shawn landed in between them with a scary aura that stopped the two mages from fighting.

" Stop or I will stop you!" Shawn shouted.