Traverse The Fog

Great. Not even the first day on the job, and I'm already disappointing people. Despite his self-deprecating thoughts, Cyrus maintained a friendly facade against O'Kane's souring expression. "I may be new, Miss O'Kane, but I'm determined to climb the ranks as quickly as possible."

Her gaze barely rested on his face before she returned her gaze to Dílis; her enthusiasm had long disappeared. "Right, the awakening room, is it?"

"If you please." Dílis lightly smiled. "We want to awaken his mana sense as quickly as possible."

"Alright." O'Kane sighed. "Your father approved of this without the director's input?"

Dílis nodded, to which the instructor simply sighed in defeat and weakly gestured them to follow. The two remaining silently glanced at each other before following in her wake. On they went. Yet, Cyrus found it strange. He'd assumed that a new member, regardless of their tenure as a mage or not, would be easily welcomed into a dying organization. Evidently not.

Lone echoes of footsteps bounced off the silent halls on their journey. Meanwhile, O'Kane remained muted, only occasionally glancing back at him as if a question pressed against her tongue. After a few minutes, her curiosity took hold.

"First time?" She asked, holding back a yawn.

It was a rhetorical question, for she could see him for what he truly was. Cyrus' stance, demeanor, and expressions more than revealed that he was not a fighter in any sense of the word. Another nod elicited an annoyed groan before she completely removed her attention from the two.

"This is going to take weeks," she muttered, distaste dripping off her tongue.

Are all instructors like this? Cyrus frowned, flickering his gaze onto Dílis, who returned the gesture.

"I'm sorry," she silently mouthed.

He shrugged, hoping to make light of the situation. There was no point in being angry, as O'Kane's opinion of him did not matter—nobody's did.

Dílis smiled gratefully in response. She opened her palm and once again revealed a life rune.

"As I've mentioned before," She began after a momentary silence. "All life is born within the life domain and, in turn, bears an origin life rune. It is the most essential rune you carry as it holds your very life essence and makes you who you are."

Before she could continue, a scoff from the front stopped her. The two turned their attention to O'Kane, who already had turned to them with a face so incredulous that Cyrus assumed she was witnessing a monster lunging toward them from behind.

"Excuse me?" she asked, voice unbelieving and curt. The instructor scanned Cyrus's form again, and her brows slowly arched upward as realization dawned on her. "Just for how long have you studied?" O'Kane searched his face. "Do you know that your origin life rune harbors your mana sense, mana pool, and all of the laws you're born with?" Her final question was thick with foreboding. "What do you truly understand about magic?"

"Uh."

At that moment, it was as if O'Kane had aged another decade. Her sharpened gaze flickered to Dílis, searching for answers, and when she received none, she made some of her own. Years and resources would be wasted on a newbie when they needed experienced help now. Did The Steward approve of this? Why?

Silence hung in the air as her expression shifted between anger, anxiety, and incredulity. Dílis and Cyrus prepared themselves for a tirade about how Cyrus did not belong here. Yet, to their surprise, O'Kane simply closed her mouth and retook the lead.

Feeling awkward, Cyrus scratched his scruffy beard. "So, about this awakening room?"

Dílis kept her tired gaze on the veteran Wayfarer in front. "Yes," She sighed. "The awakening room is full of dense mana that your body will unconsciously absorb. And hopefully, there will be quick changes. We're hoping to jump-start your mana sense and, with it, allow you to absorb mana on your own."

"What am I supposed to be feeling at the time?"

Dìlis hummed. "It'll be like a numb arms slowly circulating blood. When it activates, you'll know." She smiled at him, hoping to lighten the mood. "Once your mana sense awakens, we'll strengthen your control over it. Baby steps."

That... sounds oddly straightforward. In all honesty, Cyrus expected her to say something more esoteric, like, "You must drink the mana with your very being! Feel the very earth will your mind to the beyond!" Or some other nonsense. He preferred this instead.

"I'll then learn to harvest mana, " Cyrus mumbled, tracing his fingers to his camera's edges. "Then, I'll uncover my domains."

He could see it now: Cyrus, the mage, born to sift through the shadows and control the tides. Meanwhile, O'Kane nearly scoffed while Dílis silently smiled, holding her tongue and ruining his fun.

"I know. I know." Cyrus playfully waved Dílis off while ignoring the former. "I might only carry the law of life, but even then... From what you told me, the life domain is powerful."

Even if Cyrus couldn't control the elements, he could at least temper his body or find some other avenue of power like the Dílis Family.

Maybe I'll become a grandmaster at running away. He chuckled at the thought. If Cyrus was good at anything, it was the ability to run away.

"What's so funny?"

"No, nothing... I'm just making fun of myself."

The conversation lulled until the three passed a pair of doors. There, Cyrus looked around, frowning at the sight.

"It's empty," he said.

The three stood within an enormous room laden with pristine marble flooring. But that's all it was—well, save for the towering black-metallic square patterns that outlined the white walls at measured intervals.

Yet, O'Kane did not respond. Instead, she strode to one of the metallic squares, her appearance dwarfing the closer she drew by its sheer size. Disgruntled yet quiet, O'Kane reached into her pocket, pulling out an unassuming silver key. Once she stood before the metallic, flat, and smooth surface, she began pressing onto seemingly random and unassuming points on its cold material. Each press left a glowing gray point in its wake. Moreover, they stretched out like snakes, curving and coiling outward. And it didn't take long for Cyrus to realize that he was looking at a sigil.

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Then, the flat surface—no. The vault door opened, revealing a room brimming with clear crystals, some even as large as carriages. Meanwhile, Cyrus was shocked. His skin tingled in their presence. They radiated that same rejuvenation he had felt long ago, but had become faded in the backdrop of his senses. Now, it was as if Cyrus stood under a light waterfall of something pouring onto him. And it was incredible.

Click

Meanwhile, O'Kane rolled her eyes at him. What a newbie. She then leaned onto the wall and pulled out her revolver, twirling it with a finger.

On the other hand, Dílis placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You'll be on your own on this one, but all you need to do is calm your nerves and breathe. And it will be alright. Just feel your body respond to the mana." She smiled reassuringly, pointing into the vault. "It'll only be for an hour before we check up on you. And don't be disappointed if you can't feel anything on the first try. You'll be on the introspection stage in no time."

"There goes my mornings for the next few months," O'Kane muttered at the side, scoffing in annoyance.

Ignoring her, Cyrus breathed deeply.

"Wish me luck," he muttered.

With heavy expectations, Cyrus strode into the vault, waving a backhand goodbye.

"Good luck," Dílis cheered.

Yet, her smile disappeared once only the two Wayfarers remained. For minutes on end, silence hung in the air, save for the spinning of O'Kane's revolver's cylinder.

"So," O'Kane eventually muttered, glancing at the Half-elf whose gaze never left the vault door. "Did a failing noble line pull in a favor on The Steward to parasite off our stuff?"

It was a decent assumption in her view. Maybe Cyrus was a sort of 'secret bastard child' of some family, hidden away until today. After all, any schlub could press a mana crystal on their chest and 'feel out' the mana. Sure, it could take months, years even, but it would work... eventually.

Meanwhile, the mana chamber was one of the swiftest ways to awaken the mana sense, but it also had other advantageous properties. But every time it was used to awaken someone's domain, there was a heavy price of mana as a cost. Cyrus being unawakened here will waste resources, but more importantly, it will waste her precious sleeping time.

"We're in desperate need of new Wayfarers, Deirdre," Dílis responded, her viridian gaze flickering onto the older woman. "What's wrong with making some of our own?"

The veteran Wayfarer shook her head dismissively. "That vault could hold up to fifteen mages. We could use the chamber to better control their techniques, strengthening the Wayfarers we have now." She spun her cylinder one last time before closing it with an audible click. "At least they're one of our own and committed."

Both of them understood the truth. Experience was a finite resource, with time and opportunity being the cost. A mage's mana reserves were similarly limited; casting glamour would deplete their reserves, which had to be replenished by absorbing the ambient mana from the air.

However, the amount of mana available varied greatly by location, with recovery rates plummeting in low-density areas. And that was without even considering the taint outside the city walls, where absorbing mana could be deadly. This was why everyone, from rogue mages to esteemed Wayfarers, carried mana crystals as portable batteries to keep them going. But a mana chamber? That was a game-changer. Inside, mages could absorb vast amounts of mana, practicing their craft for hours as they drank in its dense energy. So why waste time awakening new mages when they could reward the ones we already have?

At least they've faced the fog. The death.

Regardless, O'Kane knew this would be a futile conversation. Slowly, impetuously, she glanced down the exit before abruptly separating from the wall. "I've got stuff to take care of, so I'll return in thirty minutes. See you later."

Dílis kept her eyes on the vault door but remained polite enough to offer a silent wave goodbye. Once she was alone, she sighed.

"Father," she muttered, gaze shimmering and confused. "Just what are you thinking?"

***

Meanwhile, Cyrus stood in awe within the vault. Excited, he took in the spectacle of glowing crystals coating the walls.

"It feels like I'm standing inside a massive geode," He said, striding closer to the mana crystals for a closer look.

They ranged in size from small stumps that clung to the floors, walls, and ceiling to towering shards. Some of the larger crystals branched outward like trees with growing limbs, leading Cyrus to wonder if he had a large stockpile of mana crystals, would they, in turn, develop over time like living organisms? This is a sound theory he would love to test if he weren't so dirt-poor. Hence, it was delegated to be another question for Dílis.

Click

"Right, mana sense," Cyrus mumbled.

Shaking his head, he walked toward the center of the room, each step leaving squelching sounds on the unknown, clear liquid coating the floor. Then, Cyrus looked around before kneeling, uncaring of the dampness soaking into his pants.

Calm with closed eyes, allowing the revitalizing pressures to seep into his body, coursing through it and reaching his torso. So he waited as his mind stilled for several minutes.

At least, it was until a thought appeared.

Was it Osmosis? Cyrus pondered. Diffusion of mana?

Having hailed from a world devoid of mana, he could not help but wonder if he was now a massive sponge soaking in the mana around him. Wait, he almost forgot about the orange sigil—Focus…

Time passed, and nothing happened. Nevertheless, Cyrus persisted, sensing the mana well toward his heart. Yet still, nothing happened.

He waited and waited. Nothing.

With it came a frustration that loomed in Cyrus' thoughts. He had wished for some sort of progress—A tingle or change. Anything. Nothing.

And yet, just when Cyrus was about to let it go and give up, a sudden shift arose within him. More and more mana abruptly poured into him, deeper and deeper into his heart, like it was swallowing gulps of water after a lifetime of dehydration.

And such a change it was. Slowly, carefully, Cyrus leaned backward on his arms. He could feel it in his chest, building and building. There and then, a flicker—a spark of life and vitality—awoke, and within, a faint, verdant glimmer flickered within his heart. All of a sudden, it clicked on him. With it came an ethereal limb that resided within him. One that felt atrophied but twitched with life nonetheless.

Is this my mana sense?! Cyrus hopped up and stretched out his arms as if the action would make his new limb suddenly spring into action. Yet, nothing happened save for a few twitches. A few seconds later, he sighed.

"Well, at least something happened," He muttered, rubbing his chin. "Just... be patient, Cyrus."

Yet, such as his very being, the green glimmer wished for more. It desperately drank more and more mana, glowing brighter and brighter until it suddenly burst into light.

Cyrus clutched at his chest as he felt something that had been part of him all his life awaken—his life rune. And in his shock came his mana sense bursting into full awakening within the verdant sigil.

"That... was easy?"

Wasn't it supposed to take weeks and weeks of mana saturation? Yet, Cyrus did not complain. Who would? Now, it was time to explore. Closing his eyes, a single thought brought it out of his heart, nimbly moving around with the dexterity of his fingers while sifting through his organs like a ghost.

Crawling? I'm basically sprinting! Cyrus smiled. What about outside?

Closing his eyes again, he felt his mana sense effortlessly phase through his skin, reaching about half a meter and into the dense mana around it.

Cyrus could feel mana in its entirety. It was intangible and invisible before, but it felt more akin to a visible wind or gas to his mana sense. Chest heaving in excitement, he reached out, grasped a 'handful' of mana, and drew it into his body. There, it swam towards his life rune and vanished into it.

"Glorious."