The Tale of Our Love

Chapter 5: Everything about Mana

Chapter 5:

In a big mansion someone knock at the door and a tall man opened it. The man was shock when he saw who was knocking, he gulps hard and smile at the man.

“Hi, James.” The man greets with a smile.

“Prof. Ains what a surprise.” James let Prof. Ains inside the house. “Never thought you would visit me.”

 “Well, something amazing happen at the campus.” Prof. Ains said and sat at the couch. James then offered him a cup of tea.

“So, you met my son Andrew.” James said while pouring the tea and gave it to Prof. Ains.

“Indeed, I met your son.” He took a sip and look at James seriously. “You produce a monster; James and I like it.”

“I don’t know what to react. Should I be happy or be angry at what you said Prof. Ains.” James then sat in front of him.

“You should be happy, what I said was a compliment. I have never been this excited to teach a child ever since you entered the academy.” Prof. Ains answered him with a smile. James knew that Prof. Ains is genuine in what he said.

“Well, thank you. Didn’t know my son would catch your attention.” James said as he sips the tea that he serves.

“Did you teach your son about mana shield? Or about mana? On what age did you teach him?” Prof. Ains ask continuously.

“Mana?” James was puzzled at the question then he remembers a certain day.

“I actually don’t have the time to teach him about mana but I did teach him martial art.” James said to him then he talks at himself. “I shouldn’t tell him about me teaching Andrew how to harness his powers.”

 “Then how did the child learned to use mana shield?” Prof. Ains asked him and put down the cup.

“I remember giving him a book about mana. I gave it to him before going to war.” James answered.

“The book, that you gave him it’s from Prof. Levy, right?” Prof. Ains said with a teasing smile.

“Yes, it is.” James answered but he’s doubtful if he should answer with the truth.

“The book that you stole from Prof. Levy.” Prof. Ains said in a teasing tone.

“Well, in my defense. I forgot to return it. It’s not stolen just borrowed.” James said while pointing his finger to Prof. Ains.

“Right, borrowed. Wonder when will Prof. Levy notice that one of his books is missing.” He said to James as if threatening him.

“I think he’ll notice now, if my son brought it with him.” James said while scratching his head. Prof. Ains laugh at what James said to him.

“Did you know that your son is already in rank B while using mana shield and he’s at the hard level 5 of Lions roar.” Prof. Ains told him which made him shock.

“Hard level 5! How many minutes did he endure?” James ask Prof. Ains with amusement in his voice. 

“Not a minute. He’s already enduring for 3 hours.” Prof. Ains answered him with a wide smile.

“Yeah, 3 hours.” He pauses and look at Prof. Ains with a widen eyes. “Wait, 3 hours. Is he alright? You sicko. You’re giving him a hard time, right?” he added.

“Hard time? When did I gave him a hard time?” Prof. Ains shrug at the question and he made himself look innocent.

“Don’t make that innocent look cause you’re not innocent and it’s sickening to watch an old man making a baby face look.” James said as he points at Prof. Ains.

“I can still remember the time that you increase the Lions roar to hard level 3, the time when you made me sit at the cold forest for 1 week without foods and clothes. After that day, you immediately said to Prof. Lone to give me a weapon and fight with him for 3 days straight. I didn’t have a bit rest at that time. So, don’t you dare say that you haven’t done giving your students a hard time.” James angrily said to him while recalling all the hellish memories he made at the academy.

“Don’t blame me. You should be grateful to what I did, right now you have the highest resistance to cold which is unique in the Fire Kingdom. You and the king are the only one who can withstand a cold weather.” Prof. Ains said to James.

“Besides, it made you the best General of all time. Aren’t I brilliant?” He added proudly.

“Yeah. Your brilliant alright.” James said nonchalantly to Prof. Ains.

“I wish, I have complained to your wife at that time. She would take my side.” James added.

“Yeah, she might take your side.” After Prof. Ains replied to James silence completely covered the place.

“Sorry.” James sadly said to him. “But how did she die?” James asked him.

“It’s okay.” Prof. Ains sigh deeply then answered him. “Let’s just say that she save the wrong person.” After he said that James can clearly see that the Prof. is in pain and angry. He doesn’t know who is the guy but if he even knew who it was, he will avenge the Prof. wife. After all he became the father figure for him.

 “Is the guy still alive?” James ask out of curiosity and the professor nodded.

“I know where he is but I can’t go there because of the King’s restriction.” Prof. Ains said to James which made him puzzled.

“The King? As in King Jake? Why would he restrict you from getting revenge?” James continued to ask.

“It’s not King Jake but his father, the late King John. The current king doesn’t know about it.” Prof. Ains explained to him.

“Okay but I need to know why the late king restrict you from killing the person who killed your wife?” James said to him.

“Don’t tell this to anyone. If you do, I’ll kill you.” Prof. Ains said to James and he nodded in response. “The late king knew who killed my wife, he said that I shouldn’t kill that person because he’s part of the great war. Killing him would lead me to my death, I told the king that I’m ready to die anytime and if I kill him it would lessen the evil people who initiated the war. He said my death will be meaningless and that our Fire kingdom might vanish, If I did what I like.”

“Why would the kingdom vanish?” James asked and Prof. Ains stood up at the couch and smack and the of James.

“Let me finish first.” Prof. Ains said and sat down at the couch while James scratches the part where Prof. Ains smack.

“The guy whom I’m trying to kill is Jasper, if I died while trying to kill him the kingdom might fall into ruin because I didn’t teach the future generation the technique that I know. You do know that I’m one of the people who teaches our military, without me we’ll be in ruin.” While Prof. Ains is explaining James keep on nodding in agreement.

“The King knew that I will die while seeking revenge so instead of dying, he wants me to live and teach. He imprisons me for 1 month in the dungeon because I can’t give up my revenge, he only freed me when I said I’ll abide to what he wishes. Still, I’m waiting for the right moment for Jasper to die. Jasper master is said to be the master mind behind the second war between the Elves Kingdom and Metal Kingdom, luckily his master die. We didn’t know who killed him, we just found the body. The findings said he was stabbed to death. This intel was given to us by the Air Kingdom.” Prof. Ains said to James.

“Don’t worry professor if I find Jasper, I will kill him and avenge your wife.” James said to Prof. Ains, he just smiled lightly.

“You don’t have too someone will do it.” Prof. Ains said to James and stood up while fixing his clothes. Although James is puzzled at what the professor said he didn’t dwell in that matter long.

“I better go, it’s getting late.” Prof. Ains. said to James as he grabs his hat.

“Yes.” James hurriedly open the front door. “Please, be gentle with my son.” James plead to the professor but he knew that the professor will ignore his plead.

“Then see you at the graduation.” Prof. Ains bid goodbye to James. As he walks away from the house of the General, he recalled what the late King John told him the night he was freed.

“Don’t worry my friend, one of your students will kill him and you’ll know who will do it.”

“You better be right John or else even in death I’ll haunt you.” He said then opened the portal to the Academy.

While all the students are resting in their quarters. Two shadows slowly walk towards the gym while carrying a bag of foods as they tried to open the door, someone suddenly touch their shoulder which gave them shiver.

“Well, what a nice friendship. Trying to break the rules just to help the other should I applaud you guys?” said the man who grab the shoulder of the two students.

“Um.. We, well..” Both students are trying to find an excuse to say to the man who grab their shoulder.

“Face me, Jayce and Prince Lucas.” The man said to them as he stomps his feet.

“Yes, sir Ains.” Both of them said as they face him with a smile.

“I didn’t know that the kingdom crown prince knew how to professionally sneak.” Ains. said to Prince Lucas while looking at him intently, while Lucas gulp hard.

“Prof. Ains. since when did you know that I’m the prince? I didn’t sneak all the time and I’m not professional at sneaking, certainly I didn’t sneak at any occasion. So, I’m not used at sneaking.” Lucas said to Prof. Ains. while his eyes keep on looking sideways.

“Luke just stop speaking you really look guilty at the sneaking part.” Jayce said to his mind while looking at Luke aka Prince Lucas.

“Certainly, you’re not good at sneaking, then why are you here even though I said to go back at your quarter?” Prof. Ains. said to them and they both can see that the professor is mad.

“I know that we broke the rule professor but Andrew is our friend, we just wanna be sure that he is fine beside he didn’t get to eat lunch or dinner sir. That is why we are here; we want to give Andrew some food he can eat.” Jayce explained to Prof. Ains. why they are there.

The professor looks at them for a minute and then walk away from them, they also heard the door being unlock. As they look at the unlock door their eyes widen and look back at the professor.

“I’ll take this as I didn’t saw you two.” The professor said to them.

They immediately open the door and saw Andrew and a few bloods around the floor and on his shirt. Luke run towards Andrew and smack his head to wake the young lad.

“Who dare…” Andrew didn’t finish the word he’s about to say when he saw Luke and Jayce face. “What are you doing here? Where is the lion figure? How did you enter the gym?” he continued to ask them

“It was a b****y fight. We fought Prof. Ains. just to enter here luckily I won and he opened the door for us he even took the figure with him.” Luke proudly said to Andrew while making stance as a hero.

“If you want to lie Luke please lie better or make it more believable.” Andrew said to Luke as he smacks his head. “It’s my payback.” He added while Luke pat his head as he silently said ouch.

 “Truth be told Prof. Ains caught us while forcing to unlock the door but then he didn’t punish us instead he opens the door and said that he will turn a blind eye about this matter, we didn’t even know that he removes the Lion roar here.” Jayce told Andrew what happen.

“But Andrew you look weird like something change in you.” Luke said to him as he looks all over Andrew body.

“Stop it Luke.” Andrew push Luke away from him. “I do think I’ve become strong my mana it advances while doing this.” He said to them, the two of them didn’t understand what he said.

“I’ll explain everything at the dorm. Let’s leave this place, I want to change clothes now.” Andrew said to them. They all walk out of the room as they walk away at the gym all the blood that Andrew cough disappear as if it never there.

Meanwhile at the edge of the gym there are two shadows standing while watching the three lads walk away.

“I know that you took a liking at the General son Ains.” A man wearing a pajama said to Prof. Ains. while looking at Andrew and his friends.

“What’s not like? Beside don’t talk to me about liking him when you’re the same as me Kean and who’s in their right mind walking in school while wearing their pajama. You’re the Principal mind your manners!” Ains. said to Kean while the man just smiled at him.

“We have free will and I can wear what I like, beside you’re the only one who can see me anyway, but its look like Andrew advance again. He’s now in rank A level 2 such a genius.” He said to him while fixing his shirt that Prof. Ains. pulled.

“Yes, he did.” Prof. Ains answered him. “I better go now, don’t want to see your attire anymore. It’s a miracle that you’re my pupil before, I should have fixed your taste in fashion when your still my student. That really is my regret as your mentor.” Prof. Ains. said to Kean and disappear in front of him.

“Your no fun Ains. such a cold-hearted mentor leaving his student/ Principal here alone. I’m glad that Andrew is like his father a genius, he just lacks something but I’ll just have to watch him and see what’s new entertaining things he’ll do.” He said then walk away from the gym.

“Before that what should I wear tomorrow? Should I go Count Dracula style or Beast like?” while blabbering these words someone smack his head so hard that he kneels the ground and when he looks up, he saw Ains.

“Just wear casual attire that a normal person wear!” The professor yelled at him then disappear again.

“Seriously do you have to smack head to say something.” He said while touching his head and teleported to his bedroom.

At the room of Andrew and his friends he threw a book at them which shocked the two guys.

“What is this for?” Luke asked him while he is preparing his clothes.

“That’s the book that my father gave me it contains about the Mana. You should read it and practice I can’t always shield you using mine.” He said then go inside the bathroom. Both Jayce and Luke immediately read the book that he gave.

“At the beginning mana didn’t exist, still the people can use their power freely they can cultivate and use it freely without worries that it might run out of juice. But everything changes when the great war happened because of this the Gods got angry to its people giving them punishment. The punishment took their immortality the people begin to age and die, and their power were restrained by the Gods. They can no longer use their power freely in order to use it they must cultivate or practice their own power, thus giving birth to mana. Mana is everywhere you can find it in every living being in the world but its not visible in n***d eyes it can only be felt.

Mana can be used as shield, healing, or enhancement, it can even improve the cultivation of one person. It can be drawn by absorbing the surrounding mana but first you must clear your mind then feel your surroundings and envision that your gathering small particles towards your body and form it into a circle inside your body. This method is called meditating but this method should be use in a safe place because once you start meditating your body will be guard less. All the senses will be block leaving the body completely prone to danger.

Once the mana is formed inside your body you can freely use your power but it must always be replenish the person can know if its mana has runout, once its runout sat down and absorb the mana surrounding you. Mana can be rank base on its color. The mana color can only be seen in its aura, the aura envelops the person body once its fully form as a circle in the person’s body. But the person must strengthen its body and must be in the age of 4 to practice in forming its own mana to its body.

Rank E is the lowest its color is Brown, Rank D is color Yellow, Rank C is color Green, Rank B is color Black, Rank A is color Red, rank S is color Blue, while the highest rank SA is color Orange  each rank can be level as 1 to 5. Level 1 is the beginning while level 5 is the highest once you exceed level 5 you can jump to another rank.”

“So, this is the reason why I always felt that I can’t use my powers fully.” Jayce said to his self after reading the book.

“I always heard my father telling me to form my mana and I just ignore him, but I didn’t know that its important. That is why he always scold me.” Luke blabber and laugh a little when he recalled the day his father got mad at him knowing he didn’t practice forming its own mana.

After Andrew finish bathing, he saw Jayce and Luke meditating and forming their mana, he just smiled and head towards their bedroom to change.

The dorm bell rung which indicate that all students to wake up but before the bell rung Andrew is already awake and it doing his routine of exercise. After doing his exercise he wonders where the two went.

“Don’t tell me they are still meditating. Its already morning.” He immediately rushes outside the bedroom and see Jayce and Luke meditating. He tried to see their aura and he’s shock.

“Can’t believe they are in rank B level 3 and its only a day passed by. Such fast cultivation.” He said to himself and go to the kitchen to cook food for his friends.

While cooking Luke smelled the food and opened his eyes then rush to Andrew side.

“Didn’t know you can cook Andrew and such a nice odor its so yummy looking.” Luke said to him while wiping his drool.

“Its just a normal sunny side up and bacon. Your just hungry that’s why your saying those things. Congrats achieving rank B level 4.” Andrew said to Luke while placing the foods at the table.

“Thanks, it’s my first-time doing meditation and I achieve the rank B level 4 in my first try. I’m such a genius.” Luke said while praising his self.

“Yeah such a genius.” Andrew sarcastically said to Luke and eat the food he cooks, Jayce joined them and tasted the food he cooks.

“Sorry, Andrew you’re the one who cook today.” Jayce told him as he keeps on eating. It looks like he is hungry.

 “It’s okay, you can just cook next time by the way congrats in achieving rank B level 4 now both of you can form mana shield.” Andrew praise them both and Luke cried while eating.

“Why are you crying Luke and it looks so fake.” Andrew asked him.

“I’m not faking my tears, its just this is the first time you praise Jayce especially me. Does this mean I’m special to you now?” Luke said to Andrew while making puppy eyes he just rolled his eyes and focus on eating.