Mages And Magic

"That's enough for now," Andrea stopped Rina from asking any more questions. They had been seated for as long as ten hours and Rina's nerdiness got the better of her.

"No! He hasn't told me what rank he is,, I also want to write down the sequence.." Rina complained.

"Like I said, you must start as a Beginner Apprentice then you'll find out on your own," the old man stood up, signaling Andrea he's ready to go.

Andrea just had to think the word 'out' while focused on the person she wanted to release. A while before, they had given it several tries.

Andrea left the dark room or the Soul Space, as the old man had told them.

According to Old Man Zen, any sentient living thing had such a room. Inside there, one could practice their fighting skills and also view the martial souls they have.

Martial souls were a new concept to both Rina And Andrea. If old man Zen had not shown them his collection she would think it was a mere fantasy. After all, it's only in stories that a human being gain stupefying powers.

Andrea woke up and felt like she was fully healed. The old man had said she had something called mana sickness, a really odd disease in this world. Any living organism in this world I had a body that is compatible with mana.

Mana sickness is caused by the body's rejection of the energy causing the person a weakened state. It is in such a state that other diseases may attack the body.

For Andrea, she was never a native of this planet. When she entered its atmosphere, the energy immediately entered her body and started causing chaos.

"There is no other treatment for such but practicing using the energy," Old Man had said.

This, before leaving, Old man Zen showed Andrea how to channel mana through her body. He also promised to help help her learn the Star dust language.

Apparently, there is a single language known all over the continent.

After Andrea sent the old man outside, she had quickly followed and sat down in the bed. Surprisingly, she didn't feel the extreme pressure she felt the other day. Although it was still there, it was no longer tht heavy

She could bet she felt a tad bit stronger. She quickly recollected herself then tried a method old Man Zen had taught her.

Old Man Zen had not moved from his chair but was observing Andrea as she tried to collect mana from the air. It wasn't really a complicated thing but considering she just suffered mana sickness, he wagered it might be painful.

At first, Andrea felt nothing. The air was just the same as in earth so she didn't feel any difference. Thinking about the method the old man had taught her, she closed her eyes and decided to give it a try.

For the method to work, she had to get a feel of all her mana channels. Andrea thought she'd have none since she was an alien here but was shocked.

As soon as she closed her eyes, a newer vision filled her eyes. It was not really a vision but more of a feeling.

It was similar to watching your own body in 3D. The only bug was that she could only see herself and nothing else. Even the bed was gone and it was like she was seated on air.

After her curiosity was sated, she now concentrated on her body. To say Andrea was shocked would be an understatement.

All along her body frame were numerous pores and within her body was an.. emptiness?!

'What the hell is going on?!' she wondered. 'The human body shouldn't have any cavities on the limbs.. Heck! Even my head has an empty cavity!' the surprise was too much for her and she lost her concentration.

GASP!

She opened her eyes along with a deep breathe. She saw the old man stand up and walk towards her bed. She opened her mouth to say she's okay but remembered he wouldn't understand.

She quickly gestured him to seat down then pulled him into the soul room immediately.

"Hey! Why didn't you tell me I might get such a shock!" She said while he summoned his clothes.

"What?" Old Man Zen asked carelessly. "You don't look shocked to me.. only the Heavenly Retribution can get you shocked in the first place, so why bring me here again?"

"I didn't mean that?!" Andrea stomped, her black hair floating about her head for a brief moment. "That aside, why didn't I see the so called mana?"

"Hahaha!" The old man laughed. "You lost your concentration in less than a minute and you expect to see mana?! Hahaha! You humor me!"

"Less than a minute? I was.. like that for more than half an hour!" Andrea mumbled.

"Hehe," old man Zen chuckled. "Time is sped up when you start practicing so don't fret."

This whole time Rina was standing in her favourite corner, unusually silent. While Andrea was outside the soul room, everything she saw or felt with her senses would be conveyed to Rina.

As such, she was yet to recover from the initial shock, right before the old man brought the concept of slowed time. She ess currently gobsmacked.

Old Man Zen seemed to expect this and was cool. "Just go back outside and continue practicing, don't bother with other things," he added.

Andrea again closed her eyes after sending the old man outside.

This time, the feeling manifested as soon as she concentrated. Taking a closer look at her skin, she saw some dark substance, almost like wax, blocking her pores.

'This must be what is keeping me from harnessing this energy,' she theorized. 'Now how do I remove it?' She knew she was no longer physical when she concentrated this using hands was out of the question.

Suddenly, Andrea remembered s she was yet to do in this form. All this time, she had never tried to move her body. It is explainable since she wasn't physical and, her concept of science kept her from doing so. After all, she was almost none-existent.

Back in the black soul room, Old Man Zen had said this form was a manifestation of will. If she had enough, she could even use it to battle others in some continental championship ring.

At that time, Andrea and Rina thought it is insane. Science had been unable to prove the existence of human souls, not to say will.

Right now she felt her whole idea of the world being turned upside down.

There is magic, the fantasy of all men.. and some mysterious mages fly freely like birds, no mechanical support needed. It felt too good to be true.