LIAM
Today would be the day! I've been at the library more times than I can count on my little fingers. But I was confident to say that I had a lot of knowledge about Mana. I'd say, I would have an 8-year-old knowledge of Mana in this world.
I read every kid's book I could read in the kid's section on Mana in the library. I memorised everything as if it were like the bible. Anything about Mana I'd probably know. Well on a kid's level that is. My mother restricted me from being able to read anything of a higher level as a kid, probably because I wasn't ready for that type of reading.
It was a mother just trying to be a mother. She was certainly doing a good job at it though.
But with all the theory that I had learnt, it was time for the practicality of it all as well.
I was currently sitting in my crib, I had no idea how this would turn out but it was worth a shot. If my hypothesis was correct, it would be an easier way to awaken whatever that may be.
I sat there in silence, trying my best to attempt to channel in Mana. It was quite similar to my world with Ki being stored inside you.
Now to only get it out.
Hmm. White lights. That's interesting.
Oh. They turned colourful. Wow, I can connect them like dots.
WHOOSH!
Mother's owl vanished.
That was strange. Mother's owl never leaves me. Oh well, where was I? Connecting dots!
Just one more colourful dot to connect to and then. . .
GABRIEL
"That's enough training for today!" I nodded to myself, satisfied with what I'd done today.
"That was amazing Gabriel." Aerilyn giggled,
excitement in her voice.
I didn't even realise that she was here. I was so used to training by myself that I was just in my own space. But here Aerilyn was sitting on a tree that I had cut down recently. I smiled, walking over to her, and sitting beside her. She rested her head on my shoulder.
"You're training harder than usual."
"Well, we had our duel and you bested me once again. That's why I'm training hard again."
"Is that all?" She asked.
She knew me too well. That wasn't the whole reason why I was training so hard. I took a deep breath. "I guess you got me." I snickered. "I'm also training harder now so I can protect Liam."
"That's very fatherly of you." Aerilyn leaned in to kiss me on the cheek.
All I wanted to do now, was be the best father I could be to Liam. Something my father couldn't do. I wanted to be there when he was down, so I could help him even in his lowest moments in life. I'd be there aiding him back up.
I wanted Liam to feel welcomed and I wanted him to know that he wasn't alone. He had people around him, he had me to protect him.
I knew what it felt like to have a terrible father. A man who was greedy, angry and cruel. I was too young at the time to realise what kind of person my father truly was. But when I grew older I realised who he was as a person.
My elder brother knew as much as I did how cruel of a father he was growing up. But unlike me, I had the confidence to speak my mind and when I challenged my father's authority, I was shunned and exiled away.
It was one of the punishments for doing something I thought was right. I never heard from them again or spoke to them again.
But it wasn't entirely bad. When I reminisce about those days, I've come to realise it was more of a blessing rather than a curse. And that I was grateful for what had happened.
It had allowed me to connect both emotionally and physically towards Aerilyn and that wasn't even the best thing.
Liam. When I first saw him the first thing that came into my head, was that I did that.
I had brought another life into this world with
someone I love. I've seen many babies before when I was younger but none could match the cuteness of my own.
He rose above the ranks. I felt like I was going to explode with happiness and joy every time I took a glimpse of him. I knew he was going to be a lady's man like his dear dad.
But I was also scared to be a father. I had been raised in such a hellish and negative environment that sometimes I wondered if I got any traits from my father. That was the one thing I wished I did not get.
I knew to be a good father for Liam, I would be the exact opposite of what my father was. I'd be there for Liam. I would do my best.
WHOOSH!
Fine swooped down, landing on Aerilyn's shoulder. It was as though he was in a hurry.
At that very moment, I could Aerilyn's skin turn pale, as if it was draining away. Her hands shaking and trembling in fear. I had never seen this look of her's before.
"What's wrong!" I asked in frantic.
BOOM!
The noise deafening to my ears. Fire erupted from the house, coming towards us in rapid time. Aerilyn stood frozen to the ground, I picked her up, jumping in time so we didn't nearly get affected by the fire.
When we were far enough, I let out a deep sigh,
wiping the sweat off my forehead.
"L-Liam," Aerilyn muttered. "Liam!" She shrieked, almost fainting.
My face distorted as I had just realised what had unfolded. Liam was at the impact of it all.
I rushed as quickly as could back to the house. Had I already failed as a father?
Damn it all, why was I thinking about this now?!
The house was in rubble, everything had been destroyed. I channelled all the Mana within throwing the rubble away in a frantic. I didn't care how much Mana I was using up as long as Liam was alive.
And there he was alive. I dropped to my knees, not knowing whether to cry or laugh at the scene unfolding.
"You're not even three years old yet, kiddo."
"He's awakened," Aerilyn said behind me. We continued to watch as Liam was in the air. His legs crossed. His arms folded.
But that wasn't the only thing, that was unheard of.
"How is that possible?" Aerilyn asked.
What we were seeing was unfathomable. Not only did he have a pushing force of Mana around himself, but he had also formed a vacuum of Mana around him, it was so powerful, that even both me and Aerilyn were having trouble remaining upright on our feet to the point where Aerilyn had to cast a spell on us to remain stable for the time being.
Was he both an Augmenter and Conjurer? That shouldn't be possible, right? That shouldn't be a thing at all.
This was unheard of. Both I and Aerlyin knew that he was going to be a prodigy of some sort because both of us were powerful individuals. We've talked about time and time again in bed, but we never expected it to be so soon and to be like this.
He was a truly special child. He was our child.
Liam landed on the ground safely, opening his arms as he stretched his little body out, looking at the both of us with blank stares.
"Did I do something wrong. . . Mummy and daddy?"
We both rushed towards Liam, hugging him.
"No Liam. . . It's just that you surprised us, that's all." Aerilyn's voice broke down, as tears began dropping down onto the ground.
"Yeah kiddo, you did a number on this house." I looked at the destruction that, Liam had caused. Some danger.
LIAM
It's been a couple of months since what I,
unfortunately, did to the house. But luckily for us, we rebuilt in time. Thankfully, God knows how but the library managed to stay in one piece so that was pretty good news to hear.
Not only that but there was even more good news. Mother had begun teaching me how to read and write at the library. The way she taught me was fairly easy to understand. My mother was assigned to the theory part of my studies.
She was patient and gentle when it came to my studies, though she did her best to push me to my limits. If I had to be honest I believed I knew far superior to the average person when it came to Mana. Mother had told me things about Mana that were also once restricted to me, but now that I had awakened my core, she had told me things that even I was surprised about. But only a glimpse of it, never telling me the full story of it all.
Mother would bring down food in the library, feeding me even though I could do it myself. That was just the motherly love within her. Some lessons would take hours on end and as a 2-year-old, I could get pretty tired so my mother would be me in her arms and we would sleep in the library sometimes.
But of course, when there is a theory, there is
homework. Mother had written up some review questions for me to answer, while she was busy upstairs for me to do right now.
1. What are the two types of mages?
That was easy enough, the type of mages was Augmenters and Conjurers, I wrote down on a piece of paper. Though my writing wasn't the neatest, as long as it was readable, it was good enough.
2. What are the pros and cons of both Augmenters and Conjurers?
Now the questions were getting a bit harder. But it wasn't a match for me!
Augmenters improve their bodies by using Mana. It makes them able to possess incredible strength, defence and agility just like a father would have. However their weakness lies in their limited range, the depletion of Mana is much more heavier and intense.
While Conjurers emit mana to the outside world allowing them to build and create different things in their surroundings to their will. However, their weakness is that they must have their own Mana core with Mana from their outside world, to exert mana into their surroundings in the form of spells.
Well, my answer wasn't exactly like this, as it would be too much writing and it would hurt my little hand. So I draw little fun pictures that a 2-year-old would draw, doing my best to explain it with my messy kid handwriting. Hopefully, Mother would be able to understand what I was trying to say.
3. What is Mana Beast?
This is a pretty interesting question, way to go mum!
Well, Mana Beast are different types of animals in all shapes and forms that are born with the ability to absorb and create their own Mana. They normally live in the Beast Glades.
4. What is a Beast Core?
A Beast Core is a Mana beast's Mana core. They have unlimited amounts of uses. But are rare to get. Only the nobles get them.
I wrote my final answer down on the paper, showing it to Fine. He hooted, taking the piece of paper by the claws and flying off with it, probably to give it to Mother. Now it was time for my next lesson with my father.
The practical side of using my Mana core. It would be interesting to see what he had in store for me this time because normally we would spar. Spar as in I would watch him fight.
But it didn't matter to me right now as I still couldn't believe that I had...
Awaken.