Mana core

"It feels as light as if my body is floating," Lucius whispered with a mixture of awe and wonder, his voice barely audible over the rush of sensations coursing through him. With eyes closed, he surrendered to the profound experience, allowing himself to be enveloped by the ethereal energy surrounding him.

"Even with my eyes closed, I can see everything around me," Lucius murmured, his voice trembling with a blend of excitement and trepidation. "Now, let's try to see inside myself, to feel the warmth of mana," he declared, his determination cutting through the uncertainty.

Lucius concentrated on his breathing, his chest rising and falling in rhythm with the ebb and flow of his emotions. Suddenly, his consciousness was transported to a realm beyond the confines of his physical body. In the vast expanse of space, he beheld a dazzling sight—a white sphere, radiant and pulsating with an otherworldly glow.

"It's my mana core," Lucius gasped, his voice filled with awe and disbelief. He reached out tentatively, his fingertips tingling with anticipation as they made contact with the shimmering surface. Waves of warmth washed over him, rejuvenating his weary spirit and igniting a spark of hope within.

As realization dawned upon him, Lucius's heart swelled with a profound sense of accomplishment. "I finally found it," he whispered, his voice tinged with a mixture of relief and euphoria. "My mana core."

Drawing closer to the luminous sphere, Lucius felt a profound connection stirring within him—a bond forged from the depths of his being. With trembling hands, he reached out and gently cupped the radiant orb, his soul resonating with its pulsating energy.

But as swiftly as he had ventured into this transcendent realm, Lucius found himself drawn back to the confines of his physical form. "What happened? Why am I suddenly back in my body?" he exclaimed, his voice betraying a hint of confusion and concern.

Fear gnawed at the edges of his consciousness as he struggled to comprehend the magnitude of what had transpired. "Did I fail?" he wondered aloud, his voice laced with self-doubt.

Desperation clawed at his senses as Lucius attempted to retrace his steps, to recapture the elusive warmth that had eluded him. Yet, as he closed his eyes once more, a familiar sensation washed over him—a gentle caress, emanating from the depths of his being.

"That's it," Lucius breathed, his voice trembling with a mixture of relief and wonder. "I didn't fail. My body has a mana core."

Tears of joy welled in his eyes as he basked in the realization of his newfound power. "But what should I do next?" he pondered, his thoughts racing as he grappled with the weight of his newfound destiny.

"I wasted two years just to awaken my mana," he lamented, his voice tinged with regret. "Now, I must learn how to wield it."

As the magnitude of his awakening sank in, Lucius felt a surge of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. "I should think about how to use mana," he resolved, his voice trembling with determination.

But even as he sought to chart a course forward, exhaustion swept over him like a tidal wave, dragging him into the depths of unconsciousness.

"Brother, come downstairs! Mama is calling for you," Leona's voice echoed through the chamber, breaking through the haze of Lucius's dreams.

"Mama! Mama! Brother has fallen from the bed!" Leona's panicked cries pierced the air, igniting a frenzy of activity as Elina and Noir rushed to his side.

" Lucius, Lucius" Elina murmured, her voice thick with worry as she cradled his limp form in her arms.

"Baby, wake up! Maids, call the priestess, hurry!" Elina's voice trembled with urgency as she desperately tried to rouse him from his slumber.

As Noir knelt beside him, a sense of foreboding gripped her heart. "Can't you feel it, Elina?" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "The mana core inside him—it's real."

"How can that be possible?" Elina's voice wavered with disbelief, but she reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing against the warmth emanating from Lucius's chest.

And in that moment, as their hands met, a spark ignited—a flicker of recognition, of understanding, of acceptance.

"There is a mana core," Elina gasped, her voice filled with wonder as she gazed down at her son's sleeping form. "And it's stronger than anything I've ever felt before."

As the gravity of their discovery settled upon them, the room fell silent, save for the rhythmic rise and fall of Lucius's chest.

"My lady, the priestess is here, and the duke will be here in a minute," the maid's voice broke through the stillness, jolting them back to reality.

"Greetings, Lady Noir and Lady Elina. Can you lay Lucius on the bed so I can check on him?" the priestess's voice was calm and reassuring, a beacon of hope in the darkness.

Elina nodded silently, her heart heavy with worry as she carefully laid her son unconscious form upon the bed.

As the priestess began her examination, a sense of unease settled over the room, overshadowing the flickering candles and casting long shadows upon the walls.

"There's nothing to worry about," the priestess declared, her voice ringing with authority as she finished her examination. "He simply fell unconscious due to the sudden awakening of his mana core. But I have healed him, and he will be fine."

Relief washed over Elina and Noir as they listened to the priestess's words, their fears slowly melting away like snow in the warmth of spring.

"But why is there suddenly a mana core inside his body?" Noir asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"Lady Noir, even I do not know," the priestess admitted, her brow furrowed with concern. "But perhaps Lucius himself can shed some light on the matter."

And with that, the priestess departed, leaving Elina and Noir to keep vigil over sleeping Lucius, their hearts heavy with unanswered questions.

"Let's ask him when he wakes up," Noir suggested, her voice soft and gentle. "But for now, let him rest."