2 Perception (1/2)
Five years earlier
”Master I beg you, I need it! Teach me the Mana Concentration Skill, I need it to regenerate Mana more quickly and use the Construction Skills!”
In the time he had spent living in the village, Helial had learnt various Production Class Skills, such as Cooking, Fishing, Snares and Agriculture. He used them to get food for himself and his sister. But he was unable to use them repeatedly, since the consumption of Mana was quite high.
”Nothing's free in this world, boy. You should pass a test in order to get that skill, a test that you must pay for”, declared the Master.
Tens of thousands of years earlier, a completely impartial association had been founded by the major Mana experts in the continent, whose roots ran deeper than the same planet on which they lived. They gathered all the most terrifying Skills and mysterious Techniques, laying the foundation for the future Mana Congregation, the biggest organization on that continent.
Despite the incredible powers mastered by the people at the top, the members of the Congregation never got mixed up in any conflict, enjoying complete freedom of choice. Killing a fellow brother was strictly prohibited, except in unique circumstances, but it was possible to exile members that had committed a disgraceful crime. By letting the new generations compete, they fostered new fighting talents.
Their impartiality, together with their mysterious origins, had helped them survive the changes of different Eras and Empires.
Mana Concentration Skill was one of the basic Skills. It was open to the public and available in many Clans, Sects and Guilds, so it was easy to learn. Nonetheless, it was one of the Skills required to become Mana Warrior, Magician, Archer and any other class that had some connection to Mana, so basically all of them.
People who were not part of the Congregation could also learn some of the Skills, but one needed to pay a dear price and show to be worthy. The Congregation had never given away its resources for free, but even though it was possible for non-members to acquire only some basic Skills, it was more than enough to set one apart from the common crowd.
”Let me see the money first”, snorted the Master, who was sure the boy was there just to waste his time.
The Master had ended up in that forsaken little village because of his incurable love for women; he had always been a handsome man, and now that he was a charming forty-year-old, more than ever he felt the need of pretty girls by his side.
For a twist of fate, one of the girls that ended in his clutch was the daughter of one of the Elders of the National Council. Even though the Elder did not have enough power to have him beheaded, he managed to banish him to the fringes of the Nation.
Let's see if you have the money, little brat, thought the Master, sniggering. Helial fished out of his torn pockets three golden coins. The corners of his mouth curled up into a complacent smile. He had worked hard to earn that money and it was time his efforts were repaid. He had to scrub the floor of the tavern in the village for months, besides running some Missions, that rarely had let him sleep more than a couple of hours per night.
”Alright. Follow me”, said the Master, taking the money from his hand.
They were inside the building of the Congregation of Floralivory City, a big three-story building. Right now they were in the main hall opposite the entrance. Helial had waited almost five hours before being received by one of the Masters to learn the basic Skill that he needed.
”You can call me Master Vidio, boy”, sighed the middle-aged man, fed up with those boring tasks. He wasn't just any member of the Mana Congregation: he had been the first person under twenty-five years old to reach the degree of First Level Master in the entire Nation. Despite all his talent, lust and his love for women had brought him there, where day after day a piece of himself was vanishing into oblivion.
He could only blame himself. Since young, he had wreaked havoc in the Congregation by creating a Skill that, according to the top Masters, was against all their beliefs.
He sighed again for the hundredth time, while walking that young bumpkin to the Private Training Hall. In Love, the bitterest venom is hidden underneath the sweetest honey.
”Master Vidio, what kind of exam is this?” asked suddenly Helial, disrupting the melancholic thoughts of the man won over by Love's passions.
He doesn't even know what it is… is this a joke? How does he plan to pass it? Money down the drain… thought Master Vidio.
”Every Mana Warrior bases their Skills on the Condensation of a Mana Seed inside their Soul. The Mana Seed is the first step to the top. A common person has Mana scattered in every Meridian in the body, Mana that flows free and unconstrained. Even though this might not seem a problem, it is an uncouth and barbaric way to use one's Mana.”
”That's why people with a bit of brains choose to attempt the Condensation of a Mana Seed. It's a mass of pure and dense Mana Energy inside the body. All the energy that is usually flowing freely is gathered and condensed in the Soul and from there it can circulate and fortify the body. Once condensed, the energy will be much more powerful than in an individual at the same level but with no Seed. Anyway, it's easier said than done. One needs to be extremely focused and proceed under supervision, so as to avoid getting killed by forcing one's Meridians beyond their limits.”
Helial nodded, not shocked in the least. He blushed a little, because he knew to be very ignorant on the topic. Since his brother had left five years earlier to become successful, he had not been able to read any books in the village. His brother had never talked to him about the test required to become a member of the Congregation or how to gain Skills.
They forbade him to access any kind of studying material and what could a boy of five learn without any resources? The years went by and obviously Helial had lived in complete ignorance, always hoping to learn something more, one day.
”You also have to know that Mana Seeds go by degrees”, continued Master Vidio, ”Black, Brown, Red, Green, Blue, Cyan and White. There are more, but these are the most common. Black is the easiest to Condense and the weakest, while White, that represent utmost purity, is the highest existing degree. In our Nation, the strongest Mana Seed ever Condensed is the Cyan Mana Seed, produced by some top members of the Congregation, some bigwigs in the military and a couple of roaming hermits.”
”Only the Cyan one? But wasn't White the highest?” asked Helial, perplexed.
”Do you really think there is someone able to condense a White Mana Seed? Hahaha, it would be great, but physically impossible. I don't think they exist, not even in the whole continent. Some people, in order to achieve better results, wait until their eighteenth year of age to condense a Mana Seed. Even though it is a very common practice, it is a rookie mistake: the younger the person the less the Mana Energy has been tainted by the human body,” explained the Master, glad to show off his vast knowledge.
”As far as White Mana Seeds are concerned, only the greatest legendary Saints have one.” Vidio stroked his nose and continued: ”Boy, now you are at the perfect age to condense your Mana Seed, but I believe you are way too… how can I say this, inexperienced. Are you sure you don't want to wait a little longer? You should first get some Breathing Technique, try to sense your Mana… Listen, I can even give you your money back and pretend nothing happened”, suggested the Master that, admittedly, was not a bad person. He was indeed full of himself, but did not rejoice at others' misfortune, nor he tried to take advantage of it.
Helial stayed silent for a moment, then he said: ”I'm sure, let's proceed.”
Vidio kept quiet, surprised at the boy's resolution. Although in front of him was just a ten-year-old boy, he could only stay silent and respect the courage that had taken to make such an important decision.
Boy, are you too ignorant or too self-assured? Bah, at least I can prevent you from killing yourself, if anything should go wrong.
”How can you know what kind of Seed you have developed?” asked Helial, with curiosity.
”You'll know as soon as you've condensed it. You have to look at it with the eyes of the Soul, focusing on the Mana Energy inside your body. No one can look inside your body, unless they force their way in. But don't you worry, no one is here to hurt you”, Master Vidio laughed at Helial's concerned look.