Arthur; Entering Mana Core

Arthur Leywin

I laid comfortable in my bed with Sylvie sleeping just above me. I thought back to my earlier conversation with Caelus. He said when I fall asleep my consciousness will be dragged into my mana core. In my mana core I would finally be able to see him manipulate elemental mana.

Eventually I dozed off and as soon as I did I felt the same sensation as I did when I reincarnated expect this time the light at the end of the tunnel was blinding. When the light passed I was met with an astonishing sight.

The area inside the mana core was much bigger than I could ever imagined. There was a giant sun high in the sky which spread its radiant light over two large and extremely different ecosystems.

The first and most noticeable was a giant tundra which was blanketed in pure, thick snow. In the tundra there was a countless number of cedar trees. Each tree was sheltered in the same pure snow which enclosed everything in that biome.

In the centre of the tundra was an colossal lake which had been completely frozen over. Everything was veiled in snow apart from the ice on the lake which was a beautiful sky blue colour. I then noticed that clouds were gracefully dropping snow on every part of the biome except for the lake.

To the left of the tundra biome was a vast field it was full of flowers all different types and colour each brimming with life and energy. The grass was a purest emerald green which reflected its vitality.

I look towards the sky above the field, unlike the tundra there was not a cloud in the sky. This explains why the plants were overflowing in their longevity.

I look back down towards the field specifically to the centre. There was a momentous Oak tree which towered over the centre ring of the field. It was divine protector of this beautiful land.

I took a step forwards and felt the familiar crunch of sand. Then I noticed it. The familiar sound of waves crashing gently. I turn around and my jaw dropped.

I was standing on a beach inside of of mana core. The sand was perfectly golden and I ran some through my fingers and it was hot from the heat on the sun.

What I found most shocking was the artificial ocean. The water was crystal clear and had a gently momentum, back and forth. I look towards the horizon and was awestruck. This didn't feel like an 'artificial ocean' this felt real. I couldn't see where the water ended and I wasn't sure if it did.

"Enjoying the view are me." Spoke a familiar voice. I turn and saw Caelus and Sylvia slowly walking towards me.

"How is this possible!?" Sylvia chuckled awkwardly as if she had the same reaction but Caelus just look confused.

"It's not that hard, I just used water mana to make water..?" He said as if it was supposed to be the easiest thing in the world.

"You'll get used to it, maybe..." Sylvia said with a small smile.

"I don't think I will."

"So, before I help train you are you ready to tell us all about your past life." Caelus asked as he tilted his head.

"Caelus!" Sylvia scolded him and punched his arm.

"It's okay Sylvia I said I would tell him and you all about my past." I said as gave them both a gentle smile.

I begun telling them about everything in my past life in as much detail as I could so they knew I wasn't making up certain information. It got a bit hard talking about headmaster Wilbeck, Nico and Cecillia but Sylvia held comfort me. I told them about Headmaster Wilbeck's death and how I had killed Cecilia causing my best friend Nico to hate me.

It wasn't all bad though, I told them about all the good times I did have and all the marvellous inventions the humans of my world had created. I also told them about Ki centres and how I used my knowledge of them to prematurely awaken my mana core.

By the end of our talk Sylvia had sat down on the sand next to me in a way to comfort me she had a soft expression as if she was thankful for me having told her. Caelus had also taken a seat on the sand. During my talk his expression stayed the same, apathetic. But I could tell he listened the whole way through and I was thankful.

"If you ever need to talk about anything me and Caelus will be here." Sylvia said while smiling softly. Caelus stood and then spoke.

"Sylvia is right, but for now, your training." The colour drained from my face as I recalled the reason I was here in the first place.

"Uh-huh." I spat out reluctantly not really sure if I was actually ready.

"Go easy on him today Caelus.." Sylvia said as she walked away towards the giant oak tree in the field ecosystem.

"Fine... Okay Arthur what forms of magic are you able to use right now." Without thinking too much about his question I answered truthfully.

"So far its, Fire, Lightning, Water, Ice, Earth and Wind." It turns out in this world have even 2 elements is considered lucky but I felt this wouldn't be enough for Caelus.

"You still have not been able to use Gravity and Sound?" he said seeming a little disappointed which for some reason made me feel a little disappointed.

"I'm trying but I struggle a bit with the control and such." He nodded before speaking.

"It's fine just keep on trying as they are two powerful forms of magic that can be used in many interesting ways." He was right with sound magic I could increase me stealth and do much more and with gravity I could make myself light, heavier and more.

"For today I just wish for you to practice your ice magic" he said as he begun walking towards the 'ocean'.

"so how will I be practicing." He ignored me and begun to use magic from the looks of it wind and water magic.

In an instant I watched air pressure drop, forming a group of clouds over the ocean. A high pressure area was formed in the centre and the air begun spin rapidly. a small but deadly hurricane formed in the ocean. It instantly begun traveling with the waves towards the coast where we were. My jaw dropped at how easily Caelus created what my world had classified a natural disaster.

"It's quite small, you should be fine."

"What's the goal?"

"isn't it obvious? Freeze it..?"

I stared blankly at him, how does he expect me to freeze a hurricane no matter how small it is...

Seeing how he wasn't joking I eventually gave in and begun to focus on my magic. Before I tried to freeze it I tried using some wind magic rotating in the opposite direction to try and lower the spin. Lowering the spin would make it easier to focus on the moving water and affect the rate which the particles move. Basically when it's spinning this fast I find it hard to focus...

For ice magic to work one just had to slow down the particles of water it was simple really but slowing down particles is much harder then speeding them up. To speed up particles all you have to do is give them energy but to slow them down you have to take energy away.

I tried many times and spent what I think is hours, since a moon was out now, trying to freeze the hurricane but to no avail. Eventually Caelus came up to me noticing my struggle and offered some words of advice.

"Remember this world is different to yours while science is important in using magic you also need a strong imagination and will." I got confused mainly because he knew I was thinking of science. But also because he's telling me I need a strong imagination.

"How do you mean, imagination?"

"You're most likely thinking about the molecular structure of water and how to turn it from liquid to solid but magic isn't a about science. If you try to picture the hurricane moving in your head you can also picture the hurricane freezing in your head." His explanation was rather confusing and I wasn't sure if it would work. It just doesn't feel right.

"So your saying I just need to imagine the water in the hurricane turning into ice..?"

"Precisely but remember while picturing it to channel mana through your mana veins and out towards the hurricane don't just imagine it turning to ice because nothing will happen."

He went back over to where he was seated on the sand and I slowly took in the information he had given me.

I closed my eyes and picturing the oceans movement and the hurricane's rotation I held my hands out and felt the cold mana leave my core and travel through my veins down to my hands at the same time I pictured the mana reacting with the water and freezing it. Opening my eyes I watched as the hurricane slowed down and solidified into an icy statue. A monument of my work.

From behind my I heard an applause from Caelus as he walked to my side.

"See it wasn't that hard." He said while smiling at me mischievously. I let out a quick breathe and look towards him.

"You're telling me all that time you could've given me that insight?"

"Obviously I could but you were going on the right track. For more advanced spells you may have to think of molecular structure."

"How do you even know about molecular structure." He lightly chuckled before speaking.

"Secret"

"Whatever... Do you have anything else to teach me today."

He put his hand on his chin and looked to the sky for a while, his expression thoughtful.

"I suppose you could work on freezing a giant wave, its the same principle as the hurricane but might be useful in blocking any water projectile attacks that are shot at you." I nodded in agreement not only would it help block water projectile attacks it would just overall help with my mastery of ice magic.

"but the tide is out right now?"

"No worries"

He held is hand out towards the moon and I watched dumbstruck as he used gravity magic to move the moon into a more suitable position. The tide was instantly dragged in and then he used wind magic to give the waves an extra push. Each wave was about 8 metres high.

"Before you ask no I can not do that to the actual moon." A wave of relief washed over me. It would be too horrifying if he could move actual moons.

I took in a deep breathe and then look back towards the ocean where the once calm waves were thrashing against the coast creating loud crashes and bangs when they hit the rocks and sand.

I waited for the right wave and when one was forming I ran through the same steps Caelus had told me to do for the hurricane except this time I tried keeping my eyes open because I can't just shut my eyes in combat to cast a spell.

Picturing things with my eyes open was for some reason much harder than I thought it would be but it's nothing compared to learning mana rotation.

I was able to fully freeze the wave after just four attempts.

"Well done, you even did it with your eyes open. Which shouldn't be too hard and it wasn't."

"Yeah I was able to get the hang of it really easily thanks to you guidance of telling me not to over think."

"Good it seems you will become very strong in the future. I will be sending you back now it should about morning in the real world." While we were talking Sylvia had come back from the tree.

"Oh good you remembered to send him back I was thinking I would have to remind you." She said with a giggle.

"I'm not that forgetful..." Caelus said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, Yeah. Anyway, Goodbye art we will see you again soon." Sylvia said with a small as she waved me off. Caelus waved me off as well.

"Goodbye grandma Sylvia, Goodbye Caelus."

Caelus

A small portal appeared and Arthur walked through it afterwards it disappeared into nothing.

"How can you stand being called Grandma." I asked as I looked towards Sylvia

"I asked him to call me when I thought I was going to die, I think its a rather sweet nickname." She said with a somewhat sad smile.

"Sweet..? It would just make me feel old." I said thinking about if someone called me grandpa, I didn't like it...

"Well I am a few thousand years old..."