Chapter 5 - Travel

The mana around me was used to purify my core as all colors of mana swirled around me and was being channeled as a hammer and chisel. I was chipping away at my core with a good speed making a lot of progress out of my black core I saw some very cloudy looking orange.

I kept going until I felt a force flow through my body, I had made it to the Orange core stage. Once my body let out all of my impurities in a less explosive way I tested my body.

I felt more in tune with myself and the surroundings, I felt agile and stronger than my previous self. By the time I was done testing my body it was already time to go. It was noon and we had to leave in another hour.

I sat and waited for another few minutes then decided on messing with magic. I used the same method of just thinking about what makes the magic happen. I used this to make Air waves and picked up a few things around the room. It was way easier to control the air waves then it would have been hours ago.

I had to stop as Helen walked to my door and knocked. I let her in with Hera, they both helped me pack and didn't hear me honing my core. I was moved downstairs with my things and said my goodbyes to the staff there.

We loaded our things into the carriages and started our one week journey to Drathion. The first day was mostly spent with the sounds of wildlife and stories from my parents adventuring days and us being on the border of the main elf country Haerth, we had to fight some monsters here and there.

The monsters showing up allowed me to witness my mother and father's skills in fighting. I enjoyed the amount of experience I was getting just by studying their movements. We had the same steady movement keeping the same pace for the next two days.

Until we came across a very closed in mountain which had me on edge. I kept myself on guard for a reason as we hit the top of the mountain getting ready to pass through the split in the mountain I heard a arrow whizz by.

A fight was breaking out and I wasn't going to stand by and have my family killed. Another whizz of a magic arrow and the rumbling of Roy and Frey fighting the bandits. I heard an explosion near the main carriage area where my mother and father were fighting. Surprisingly my mom and dad had wrapped up their area, and Roy was finishing off the bandits near him.

After a few more minutes we were clear but most of our things were wrecked. Going towards my mom I saw a glow of a flame infused arrow, and behind it a smiling bandit with three mages. My time flow was almost stopped as thousands of thoughts went through my mind.

I thought of making a blast of air that would shoot me off but it would save my mom. That was the only option as I couldn't stop the arrow or the movement of my body. So I did the best I could and pray that I don't break my fall with my skull.

I used enough air to move her to my father and hit prepared to start falling. Time caught up with my thoughts and I knew I was falling but could only pray for my families safety and was prepared for a impact.

It was hard to breath while falling so I exerted some air magic to slow my fall as I passed out. The last thing I saw was a bunch of vines and branches. The second chance at life and it was gone but I can rest easy knowing my family is alive.

I was either dead or out cold as my consciousness has not left my body.

But it seemed I got my answer when I woke up disoriented and confused. Looking up I can see a fine clearing in the fauna from where I had fallen.

Next to me were dead bandits so I picked up one of their knives. Not my style but if I want to live then I will have to use this. I think I left unbothered by the wildlife while being unconscious. Which is good I don't think I would have lived long if I was hunted.

It is very silent for a centerpiece of animal's population around here. The sounds of water lead me to a small stream where I washed the gashes from falling. I observed my surroundings and realized I can only walk in on direction and hopefully hit a village.

I was ready with some makeshift water provisions and walked upwards as I might find a village near the bigger bodies of water. The stream was winding and getting bigger as it lead me to a open body of water that had a small water fall of to the side.

The hissing of the water falling is soothing so much that I rested in a tree next to it. Resting my body while I could was important but I felt no even close to tired before I got here.

Not thinking much of it I stopped resisting my body's will and fell fully asleep. The cool air was disturbed suddenly as I felt a tap on my head. When I woke up I was in a warm cabin not far from the waterfall as I could still hear it.

The one who had woke me up had a very jarring appearance, their wrinkled hands moved and they stepped back a bit . I got a full view of the old woman standing in front of me.

"Hello little one, hopefully I didn't disturb your sleep." The woman's voice despite her age was very soothing.

"No it was about time I woke up." I said popping my neck and sitting upwards.

My dream wasn't that great either being reminded of my past life left a sour taste in my mouth. Just another flashback of my past life but this time it was my life under royalty. But nows not the time, for both this life and the past life of Laurence I must move forward.

The woman brought me some home made clothing that fit really nice. The warmth in the orange and black clothes never really seemed to go away.

"Thank you -" I said only for the woman to continue.

"Your welcome and its Meredith, so how did you find your way to my little lake." The woman walked over to a small fireplace and lit it.

"I got separated from family on the way to Drathion." I looked over to the woman who was cooking what seemed to be a stew of some sort.

"Oh dear, you are in quite the pickle huh? That makes two of us I guess, I'm no longer allowed in my own home." She chuckled through a stifled cough.

"I don't need pity or anything, the most I can ask for is some company." Meredith tended to the stew adding some herbs that were completely foreign to me.

"Sure I can stay for a few, I can always use a secluded training ground." I said as I was handed a bowl of very sweet smelling soup. Hesitant I took a small bite, despite this world not having basic cooking spices or techniques this stew was amazing.

"You are one interesting child, I can tell your mana channels and core have already been awakened." Meredith looked at me examining the flow of mana through my body in some visual technique.

"I was just focusing on little lights that I saw." I said as she focused the palm of my hand. Her own magic was powerful enough to be felt but not sensed.

"I don't want to interfere with your natural growth but you are too great of a disciple to pass down." She said through a smirk, which was a little off putting.

"Disciple?" I asked her as she walked back to a shelf and picked a book up full of notes and foreign languages.

"Yes, I will teach you. Your powers are too crude for someone your talent, I can also in the meantime get you a way to a human civilization." Flipping through the book she found what she was looking for, yet I couldn't tell what the book was about.

The book was made from old leather with a difficult to understand language written on the side. Meredith flipped through the first few pages then handed the book to me.

"No need to read this but please try following the movements of the people shown on this book." Meredith smiled as she shuffled away to tend to other areas of her home.

The paper had images of a person doing weird poses that could only be a type of training stances. This book also had other things but I rather not bother with unknown practices.

Standing up and studying the book I did the first stance, a lighter breath of wind filled my lungs. Flowing into the second stance lightened my body and smoothed my movements. Exhaling while leading into the third stance I could feel a warmth through my fingertips. Leading into the end stance left me in a fist locked position, defensive yet strong.

A watching Meredith had given me a round of applause, I gave a stunned smile as my body felt aligned.

"You figured that out faster than I expected, such a small body using [Mana Alignment]" Meredith had a look of a approving parent.

"I guess I am a natural at these things. The drawings really helped." I replied with a smile, the first time I felt truly relaxed in a while. The cool air and the coziness of the cabin makes for a nice training atmosphere.

"The art that you had just learned is something of my own making, its use has been limited as the mana of a person effects its use." Meredith says while handing me a few more books and puts paper tabs in the pages I need to study.

The books had other creations of Meredith, each are very specific. As if she was analyzing my talents as soon as I had woken up. Her genius is frightening, but I decide to let it go as I flip through the pages of one of the books given to me.

More pictures of stances, and some are readable as a few sentences explain meditation practices. I look to Meredith but she just gives me a thumbs up and returns to her kitchen.

The first out of the seven books had a explanation written in that read,

"Imagine mana gathering at your fingertips, as this step is finished follow the steps below."

The five steps in the page had the first of touching your fingertips together, next it was to flow mana together through your fingertips. The third was to drag your fingertips away, forth was to try to hold your hands together with the mana. Fifth was the finished product of a type of mana connection with my hands.

As useless as this seems it cant hurt to try right? Gathering mana at my core was one thing but to push it to a single condensed area was more than difficult. As soon as I had found how to do the step before it had already been night.

The exhaustion of pushing your mana to its limits was immense. I ate a small meal left by Meredith and made my way to bed for the night.