rlin couldn’t help but smile after being called a Master...
There was a sense of fulfillnt that he couldn’t explain. Though he couldn’t recall whether he had an apprentice before, this strange sensation brought him warmth.
rlin closed his eyes for a mont, letting the lingering wave of mana fade.
His body still ached, and his mana reserves were nearly drained, but his heart was lighter. He was even considering taking more apprentices, but as soon as he thought of his idea, he imdiately shook his head.
It was just too difficult to awaken untalented individuals.
Well, he found soone who didn’t have to be awakened, then he might actually consider it...
"Rest now," rlin said gently. "Tomorrow, we begin your training. Tonight, let the mana settle within you."
Alex nodded eagerly, his excitent barely contained.
As the chamber grew quiet again, rlin leaned back against the wall, smiling faintly.
The ritual had succeeded, and though he was weary, he felt a spark of joy.
For both master and apprentice, a new journey had begun.
***
On the next day, the morning sun filtered through the high windows of the Stronghold’s training chamber...
rlin stood with his staff in hand as he calmly looked at his apprentice...
He really wanted to go out right now since he wanted to see more of this world, but in the end, he felt that he was still too weak.
Awakening soone was just too difficult at his age.
With that in mind, he might as well teach this old apprentice how to use mana.
At this ti, Alex entered the training chamber... He had just finished his al and he was now excited to train with his master.
"Hoho... You’re filled with energy." rlin said as he saw the man’s eyes bright with anticipation. The spark of mana within him was faint, but it was alive, and today would be the first test of his control.
"Sit," rlin instructed, pointing to the center of the chamber.
Alex obeyed, settling cross‑legged on the floor.
"Yesterday, we awakened your mana. Today, you will learn to feel and control it... Do not think of spells or shields. Think only of the flow inside you."
Alex nodded, closing his eyes.
As a matter of fact, he had been doing so sort of ditation all day last night.
After all, using the Guild Chat, he learned from various mbers of the Clan that he need to feel the mana within his body.
Apparently, the elves taught them about this...
"I’m on it..."
Just like that, he tried to focus, but his excitent made his breathing uneven.
rlin noticed imdiately.
"Calm yourself. Mana is like water. If your mind is restless, the stream will scatter. Breathe slowly. Let it settle."
Alex inhaled deeply, then exhaled, repeating the rhythm until his shoulders relaxed.
Slowly, he began to sense the faint warmth within his chest.
Well, it was weak, like a candle flickering in the wind, but it was there.
"I can feel it," Alex whispered. "It’s small, but it’s moving."
rlin smiled faintly.
"Good. Now guide it. Imagine the warmth flowing down your arms, into your hands. Do not force it. Simply allow it to move..."
The instructions were clear. It wasn’t vague or difficult to understand, so Alex concentrated...
For a mont, nothing happened. Then, a faint tingle reached his fingertips.
His eyes shot open in surprise. "It worked! I felt it!"
rlin chuckled. "Barely. But yes, that is the beginning. Mana responds to patience, not excitent... at least when you’re a beginner. If you rush, it will scatter again."
Alex nodded, closing his eyes once more.
He tried again, slower this ti. The warmth spread more evenly, reaching his palms. He lifted his hands, hoping to see light or sparks, but nothing appeared...
"Oh well..."
"Do not expect fireworks," rlin said, amused. "You are not ready for spells. This is control training. You must learn to move mana through your body without losing it. That alone will take weeks."
Alex sighed, but his grin returned quickly. "Alright. I’ll keep practicing. Even if it’s just a spark, I’ll make it grow."
rlin’s gaze softened. "That determination is what matters. Magic is not about talent alone. It is about discipline. Even a weak fla can light the dark if tended carefully."
Alex paused as he heard this.
It sounded deep and philosophical, but he couldn’t really appreciate it. Still, he knew that his master trusted him.
For the next hour, Alex practiced guiding mana through his arms, his legs, and back to his chest.
Each attempt left him sweating since his body was unused to the strain.
rlin just watched closely, correcting his posture, reminding him to breathe, and urging him to slow down whenever he tried to rush.
By the end of the session, Alex collapsed backward, panting. "It’s harder than I thought..."
rlin nodded. "It always is. But you did well. You felt the flow, and you guided it. That is enough for today. You have to continue this for two weeks without my assistance.
Alex sat up, wiping sweat from his brow. "Thank you, Master rlin. Tomorrow, I’ll do better."
rlin smiled and finally left the chamber.
***
anwhile, inside the ditation chamber of Blue Haven Shelter, Fiona sat cross‑legged on a woven mat.
Currently, her eyes were closed... But in her mind, there were faint scratching of claws echoed in the walls, floors, and ground.
She had hundreds of rats already... They moved unseen as their tiny bodies carried her will across the land.
She had scattered them carefully.
Seventy rats in each of Shane’s shelters, three hundred more roaming outside Blue Haven, and even thirty hidden aboard Providence and Excellence, silently watching the seas. Her network was vast, a living web of eyes and ears.
Tonight, her focus was on a particular cluster.
Thirty kiloters away, her rats had stumbled upon sothing unusual.
At first, she thought it was another wandering horde, perhaps zombies or vampires. But as her senses sharpened, she realized it was sothing far more dangerous.
The Dragon Army.
"Interesting... I didn’t know that they’ve gathered around here."
Through the eyes of her vermin, Fiona saw their camp spread across the valley.
Wyverns perched on rocks... Fire salamanders slithered near the campfires.... Dragonkin warriors or humanoid dragons with lizard‑like heads and spears tipped with obsidian, marched in disciplined lines.
Furthermore, Manticores were also moving around while massive serpents coiled lazily, around the main camp.
Fiona’s brow furrowed.
Unlike the chaotic swarms of zombies or the packs of vampires, this army was organized. Tents were arranged in neat rows, patrols moved in patterns, and at the center stood a massive pavilion, its banners marked with symbols she did not recognize.
She whispered to herself, "Whoa... This isn’t so kind of mindless horde. This is a war camp."
Her rats scurried closer.
The Dragonkin ignored them, too focused on their drills.
Unlike vampires, who delighted in devouring her scouts, the draconic soldiers seed indifferent to vermin.
That indifference was her advantage.
"Great..."
She directed a dozen rats to circle the camp, mapping its defenses.
So of her rats slipped into shadows, listening to deep voices of the dragonkinds. The language was harsh, filled with growls and hisses, so obviously, she couldn’t understand it, but the tone was clear... They seed to be talking about orders and strategy.
Then, one rat dug beneath the pavilion, squeezing through a gap in the earth.
Fiona’s senses sharpened as she saw through its eyes.
Inside, the air was heavy with mana. It was sothing she had already expected.
Still, as she continued to observe, she saw figures around a large table with maps spread across its surface.
Then, she froze... Aside from the Dragonkin, there were actually so many elves among them!
They were tall, graceful, with their armor gleaming with runes. These elves carried themselves with authority.
Their eyes burned with draconic power, yet their faces were unmistakably elven.
Fiona’s heart raced. "Elves... commanding the Dragon Army?"
She strained to listen, but the language was foreign.
Still, she could sense the weight of their presence. These were leaders, strategists, commanders. The Dragon Army was not just a beastly force... it was guided by intellect!
Suddenly, one of the elves turned. His gaze locked onto the rat. Fiona froze as her connection trembled. Then, the elf raised a hand, and with a flick of his fingers, the rat burst apart in a flash of mana.
Fiona gasped, clutching her chest. The link severed instantly, leaving her breathless. S
he steadied herself, forcing calm back into her mind.
"They saw ," she whispered. "It’s fine... I should just order the retreat for now."
Her remaining rats scattered, retreating from the camp.
She pulled back her senses, withdrawing into the safety of her ditation chamber. Sweat dripped down her brow.
She didn’t expect that the Dragon Army was commanded by elves who wielded draconic power. And they were only thirty kiloters away.
Fiona opened her eyes... She exhaled slowly as she imdiately opened her Guild Chat to inform them of the situation.
This was faster than talking to others using her rats...
Soon, Shane heard the news... and thankfully, he seed to have a plan about it!
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