The monster squek its last as I return the stone formation to its former shape. My hands tighten by the release of mana control over it, retrieving a small ounce of residual. My brows burrow, my face redden in pain as the residual slowly envelop my axis. I collapse to my knee, surrendering myself to the temporal pain.
The residual is a painful process that I have come to live by as soon as I received a lethal injury from my Heart. It almost killed me, yes. But my fortunate self was just in time to meet few nearby mages that partook the expedition meant to annihilate the Arco Beast that inhabits the mountain near my village. They healed me, and took no exchange from saving my life except a warmth welcome from my village.
Mages are rare to say the least, powerful. A single mage could protect an entire village from beasts that lurks the uncharted fortress, or sometimes, one that found itself loss near our settlements.
Mages have this small, azure sphere that revolves around the heart in uniform state. I cannot explain it deeper that I know since I have never had the means to directly observe it but I can say for sure that the more sphere that revolves around one's heart, the stronger and more efficient they are.
As for the axis, it is both physical and metaphysical structure. I've heard from traveling mages that it was the bridge that connects the person's soul to his body, and the more sphere they had in their axis, the better capacity and doors they have for mana.
As for my case... well, mine's partially broken. A debris struck my chest, nearly hitting my heart. The mages were able to pull me from death's embrace but they couldn't remove the debris that has gotten stuck at the path of my axis. Doing so brings risk of me not being able to cast spell.
Thus, the residual effect. To which when I use spells, it leaves contaminated mana in my axis. This contaminated mana cannot be blended with the pure, or else, it will turn my body into a vessel of contamination overtime. A beast, with no rainbow and sunshines. In other words, I lose myself.
The contaminated mana are useless. They cannot be used, as far as I know, and yes, I've tried. They are merely stuck within the axis until I replenish, then they blend with the pure mana.
The mages offered help. Saying something about taking me to the city for further examination, and perhaps they could remove the debris in my axis. But... I think I have heard enough conspiracy from travelers that pass by our village to believe certain truth to them. Mages in cities are known to be somewhat morally... questionnable.
They offered to at least appraise my axis, to know how many sphere I have so they could at least find a way to remove it with less risk, but I decline. They were adamant on leaving without me being appraised, but was forced to do so after a few weeks later when a messenger came for their immediate return.
In the end, they promised to come back.
So now, here I am. In a forest, a few kilometers away from home, dealing with loss beasts. Hoping they don't. The least I need right now is to deal with persistent people who destroys my peace.
For all I know, I only have one sphere in my axis. I can only use Earth magic. Being able to manipulate rocks or throw boulders to enemies. I would sculpt or carve walls, put a few spikes on them and crush beasts with it. Only challenge I face is their strength but it can easily be bypassed if I use multiple walls in different angle. I also learned not to underestimate them, going as far as overkilling unnecessarily just to assure their death even though I know they aren't smart enough to play death.
I sculpted a rock formation, a blade with hair-thin edges and let it fall to the beast's neck, decapitating its hippo-like head from its body. Blood ooze from the severed neck as I grab its head and attach it to my waistband.
I tap the head before leaving the carcass for other smaller beasts to feast and run towards the dense forestry. I navigated across it, with landmarks I made for easy traversal.
I brush my forehead with my arm as sweat builds up. I look up above to see the sun a little down to the west. I left the village when it was high up, which means I have been here for about four hours already and the village gate is about to close.
However, I decided to only walk this time since the village is a little closer now and I was getting tired both mentally and physically after four hours of hunting beasts. If only I could use Vitae magic, I could've just healed this off my body and even spare another few hours before dusk so I could hunt a few more beasts.
Beasts, after all, are good source of food here. Their brains taste good, its tender brain matter, with a little bit of juiciness from the brain's liquid. Being the only part of their body that are not enhanced by magic. Seeing few heads attach to me, it would gather few attentions and perhaps make sudden feasts just to eat these all in one night before it rot.
My hopes and dreams is erased from my head when I saw Helen up the gate of the village after leaving the forest line, looking all worried as if something bad had occured.
"Ludwig," When I heard Helen's tone, I immediately halt my advance.
Helen is a beaut, she is your natural village girl, wearing brown tunic dress that blends with dirt and stones, and a clothing that protects her hair from whatever duty she does. Except she isn't, she has this natural white, silvery hair, paired with her silver moon eyes and porcelain skin. Her brows well groomed, with soft curves on the edges. Cheeks perfectly aligned but slightly reddish, connected to her soft jaw towards her narrow chin. A well defined cheekbone that are not too hard, not too soft, it perfectly blends with her delicate, yet mature face. Her lips flat, mainly because she lacks cosmetic the city dwellers have, but that ultimately enhanced her facial expression.
She wore a striking blend of gold and maroon, her clothing layered with deliberate flair. The outer garment resembled a suit—but hers carried a more suggestive design. The fabric dipped just enough at the chest to outline the shape of her breasts, subtle but intentional. Her shoulders were adorned with structured, almost flat-looking pads, wrapped in golden braided straps that added an ornamental touch.
Beneath the suit, a white shirt peeked through—warm-looking, buttoned straight down the center. It softened the boldness of the outer layer, hinting at both utility and comfort.
Her lower half mirrored the same maroon-and-gold motif. Tight leather pants, fitted to form, were trimmed with intricate floral patterns at the edges—golden embroidery that drew the eye along every curve. The boots, though more modest, matched the ensemble in color—maroon, likely standard in make, but elevated by the overall composition.
Perhaps these mages are truly... questionnable in moral compass, but I must admit, their fashion sense is incredible. If they are here to recruit me, I'd definitely be swayed by those two juggernauts that are in full display. Not to mention, those tight leather pants... a small spin and it would rack my world.
Oh, did I forgot something else? Perhaps I was too dazed from the beaut in front of me that I almost forgot that this lady left me five years ago for her—our dreams, leaving me behind.
But who am I to kid? I refused to go with them so I could be fixed, instead I remained a broken man! Yeah! It's my fault to leave such opportunity hanging, unlike her who decided to leave without a second thought. But unlike me, she's can't be blamed. She, after all, found her calling.
"The fuck do you want?" Emotions get the better of me.