Feeling the energy

The next day comes, and as Legion dashes his way to the potion store, his feet feel lighter than before, having finished his final daily quest. However, the system has left him with a cryptic countdown of two hours that won't leave the side of his vision. He needs to make it there on time.

9 p.m.

"You're so late," Cinder says between each agonizing breath. "So it wouldn't matter if you're already late, so take your time." His wings flap rapidly, but he still can't reach him.

It's now 9:30 p.m.

The task he was given is a continuation of yesterday's version, but with more numbers added: 150 push-ups, 130 squats, a run around the entire village (twice), 20 sit-ups, and 30 air slashes. His body aches, yes, but not as much as yesterday, as if it is adjusting to the task. Nevertheless, after yesterday's conversation, he knows that he has until he reaches level 10, and since he's still on level 2, he has limited time but a decent amount of it.

Ever since that conversation, he's been on edge. No matter how hard he tries to remember the name, he can't. But he knows it's someone close to him, so he's been more cautious, paying attention to every little detail around the people he thinks are important to him at this moment.

I wonder if they all made it there safely. If not, then everything would fall apart.

As a reward for his efforts, he gains another mana-replenishing potion, which he desperately needs, along with skill points. He distributes them and now feels ready to explore what magic abilities they possess, or if they can even figure it out.

Just as he arrives at the potion store and enters, he sees both of them waiting patiently. Instantly, all his worry dissipates with a relieved exhale. "Are you okay, Legion?" Noctis tilts her head past Blaise's body.

"Yeah," he replies, fixing his clothes as he walks forward to meet them at the desk. "Sorry for the late arrival; I had to drop my siblings off." He speaks in a gentle tone.

"It's fine; Blaise arrived just a few moments ago," she answers with a pleasant smile.

"Yeah, it's all good here," Blaise says, tapping Legion's shoulder with a smile. "Shall we begin?" The cheerful mood drops at once.

"Alright." Legion digs into his pocket and places the mana potions, filled with a glowing blue substance, on the table. "The mana-replenishing potion."

"So this is it," Noctis picks it up, surprised since she has never seen anything like it before. It's new to her, and she doesn't recall any of her potions having such a substance inside them.

"I know," Blaise eyes it as well, holding it up in front of his face.

"You might only have one chance to use your abilities. You may not know what they are yet, but you'll have to wait until you truly need it, and when the time comes, trust your instincts," Legion instructs, and they both nod.

"How will I know how to use it, though?" Blaise inquires.

In my first life, I learned my abilities through gut feelings; when I truly needed them, they came to me, and I knew every aspect of them and how to wield them in that moment. But the rest, like skills and such, comes from you—you'll have to create and define them.

"It's a feeling; you'll know when the time comes," he replies, giving a shortened version. "Now, take them."

"Okay," they both answer.

Flicking the covers off, they both take a deep breath and drink it down, trusting Legion not to poison them or kill them—just for the moment, believing in his words.

"It tastes…" Noctis opens her eyes, as if she just drank thick water. "Nothing…" She looks at the bottle. "I don't feel anything…"

"Same here—" Blaise seems to stop in his tracks as he suddenly feels a spark of energy in his core. His skin prickles, and his eyes glow softly, just like Noctis's. "I feel it." He stares at his calloused hands, amazed.

"Me too," Noctis follows. "I don't know my power, but I feel the energy."

"Is this your first time ever feeling mana inside your mana cores?" Legion can't help himself from asking. They shake their heads, their eyes still glued to their hands. "Now I'm planning."

Setting their gaze back on Legion, he begins. Their plan isn't to rally the whole village—just those they trust implicitly. They need people who understand the stakes and are as determined to escape as they are. Legion's mind drifts to Blaise's father and his past attempts, the people who stood by him—the same ones who still aid Blaise and his mother to this day. These are the allies they need, alongside Morgan and her husband, Jaxon, who seem like they would protect this place at any cost. Right now, it's better that they escape.

Each of them has a role to play.

Legion's job is clear: he will level up as fast as possible, seeking out the ingredients they need to craft the power-boosting potion. Every drop of strength will count, and the potion could tip the scales when they need it most.

Blaise, who works as a miner, will handle the collection of crystals. He will also need to contact his father's old allies; they know this place like the back of their hands. They are aware of safe spots where people can hide while fighting off the orcs and possess crucial knowledge of how the orcs act during an attack, making them vital in constructing a fighting plan.

Meanwhile, Noctis will visit her brother, gathering whatever information he has about the barrier and anything else that might help them dismantle it while snooping around. She knows she'll have to tread carefully, as any insight into the barrier's construction could make the difference between success and failure. Afterward, she'll make the potions and store them away until the right moment to fight back.

"Alright, we each know what we have to do," Legion says, his voice steady. "We move forward with caution, but we don't stop until every piece is in place."

"Agreed," Blaise replies, determination gleaming in his eyes. "I'll make contact as quietly as possible. They'll understand why we need their help."

"I'll make sure we have the potions ready," Noctis adds. "Once I know what my brother has found out and what the orc base hides, we should know more about what we're up against, also with the help of Blaise's allies."

Legion nods, his mind already turning to the tasks ahead. They can't afford any missteps; this is their final and only way to survive.