Chapter 11
This is a fictional story by realTensai
Alvis wiped away the sweat on his forehead while gathering his last bit of concentration for the last try. He glanced at his watch, sighing as he realized how many hours he had spent doing this. He was close to finally grasping it on the last try, though he still failed in the end. Just looking at his wet clothes, which he had by the way already changed twice, had him grimacing. Yet he clenched his fist, exhaling. Closing his eyes, he tapped into his mana.
There's still enough for one more try.
"Then let's do it."
After one more deep breath in and out, Alvis gathered the remaining mana in his mana core. With one mental command, he opened its gates, letting free the violent force. However, this was something he had to do instinctively, or else he would mess up the spells by not concentrating on them enough.
First, he created a mental image of the spell. Its structure, texture, characteristics, and abilities were vivid in his mind, as if it were already alive. If he messed up one of those, the spell wouldn't work.
That was why he would use an incantation to help him cast the spell. Thanks to that, Alvis only had to have a clear image of the spell and had to know how much mana input was necessary and the timing he had to supply it.
After Alvis released the correct amount of mana, what just happened to be the last bit he had left, he started reciting the incantation.
"Mana bent to my will. Obey me and grant me your strength. Water ball!"
Alvis held his hand out and blue mana particles fused together, morphing into a water ball. It floated over his hand, stable and calm. However, this was the simple part. Creating a water ball was as simple as drawing one. He probably could even do it without the incantation. But the thing he wanted to do afterward was what he messed up the entire time.
"Mana, you are the essence of everything. Grant me insight into your vast power. Forming the nature with your will. Altering the course you took. Changing reality to how I want it. Cool down what is not cool. Stop what is still moving. Take away the power and bring it to zero. Freeze!"
Alvis uttered the second incantation, his concentration at an all-time high. Sweat trickled down his forehead, his breathing never the less stable. An icy wave cooled down Alvis' skin, the sound of crackling ice reaching his ears. His breathing became visible as the water ball in his hand slowly changed its shape.
Almost there!
Alvis couldn't afford to lose focus on it, even for a moment. If he did, everything would fall apart, just like in the last try. Alvis envisioned how every single water molecule turned into ice.
Seconds went by, or was it years? The water ball was now more than halfway ice, which was the furthest he had ever gotten. Sweat now dripped down his chin and Alvis almost instinctively tried to turn into ice, too.
The water ball's color changed, and only a few molecules were still fluid. But then, with a mental battle cry, even those last few molecules turned into ice. The water ball that was hovering over his palm dropped into his hand as a solid ice ball.
Alvis had done it!
"Finally!!!"
Exhausted and depleted of mana, Alvis fell onto his bed, while still holding on to the ice ball he had created. With a grin that hardly fit on his face, he just looked at the white orb.
"So this is my first advanced spell. Gonna hang you up like a trophy."
Turning water into ice was harder than he had expected. It looked effortless in the HoloTube video, but when Alvis tried it, it was the complete opposite. But in the end, he made it and with that, had another spell under his belt.
Alvis had used his time since awakening as a mage solely for learning spells and creating mana items. With his mana now under control, he could even use the mana items he had created. However, he would still sell most of them like he always did. It was a significant income source, after all.
The spells he had learned were all beginner spells. They weren't the fanciest ones, but Alvis had to make sure that his foundation was solid. Also, the power of a spell was determined by the amount of mana put into it. So even a basic spell could become as powerful as a worldly spell.
By learning these spells, he even leveled up his basic mana manipulation skill. It was the first time he leveled up a skill without having to die first. A refreshing change.
Alvis had learned these spells on his own by watching HoloTube videos or researching on the internet. This method was a good one for him because it was easily accessible and he could train at home where nobody would see him. However, he still looked forward to browsing his school library for more spells.
Only one week left.
The summer break would end in one week and Alvis then had to go back. Normal guys his age would hate going back to school. However, Alvis already counted the days until he could finally go again. Shit, he even marked the day on his calendar. Not attending school for most of his life had him appreciate it more than his peers ever could. Though maybe this would change now in his third year.
There were a lot of things that would change now in his third year. This school year would already be a part of their final diploma. Moreover, they would now be paired with mentors, something that Alvis was eagerly anticipating.
Just a few days ago, he received the letter that he got the mentor he wanted. He still remembered how he had prayed for it to happen. However, he could only blush now, remembering the joyful dances he did after reading the letter. Even though he knew his mentor was a bit crazy, he still was the best in his field.
Together with this letter was the list of subjects he could choose from. Alvis chose the subjects he liked the most, but he also chose some mana classes. He wanted to learn more about mana, so he hoped these classes would help him. Of course, the other students would wonder why a human was in a mana class, though Alvis would try not to let that bother him. Yet his stomach twisted just thinking about the incoming headache.
However, no matter what would happen, Alvis would never show that he could control his mana now.
They already think that I'm a freak and I'm not going to reinforce this impression.
A human with white hair that could use mana. There was no way they would not think he had a connection to the Devil.
Alvis had to be careful about his secret.
——
Alvis' body shook, a higher might forcing it to move. He was in his comfort zone, fully at peace, yet his peace was getting interrupted. The higher might shook stronger and stronger and Alvis knew he would leave his comfort zone soon. He started hearing a voice, and before he knew it, he woke up.
"Wake up Alvis, you got school!" his mother said, looking impatient.
"Just one more second," Alvis pleaded.
But it was in vain. His mother grabbed his blanket and pulled it away, exposing Alvis to the bitter cold.
"Noooo~!"
His mom grinned, obviously enjoying herself.
She took better care of me when she still thought I would die. Alvis joked in his head.
"Get up. Breakfast is ready."
"Yes, yes."
His mother left the room when she saw Alvis getting out of his bed. Yawning, he just stood there for a few seconds, taking in reality.
I should get ready now.
——
"Have a nice day!"
Alvis smiled at his mom before then leaving.
Normally, Alvis would take the hyper-train to get to his school. However, he would be a fool to do that on the first day of school. Over the summer break, the students who lived in the dorms went back home, but that meant that they all had to take the hyper-train on the first day of school again. Alvis' face darkened, remembering the grave mistake he had made last year.
Nope, I'm not doing this again.
It typically took him about thirty minutes to walk from his home to school, but if he walked at a faster pace, he could make it in twenty minutes. And now that his condition was better, he didn't have to worry about collapsing halfway through.
It was convenient that his home was so close to his school. Because of that, he didn't have to live in the dorms like most other students. They came from all around the continent, if not even the world, just to study at this school.
Well, this school was founded by the World Race Organisation, so I guess I'm lucky that they even admitted me.
Thinking about school, Alvis remembered his new level. He had hoped he would get a hint about it at school. One more time, he looked at it.
LEVEL 2: A lone girl
Mission: Save the girl
Alvis scratched his head, his brain unable to decipher those simple words. Technically, he knew what he had to do. He had to save the girl.
"But what the hell does that mean?"
Alvis already racked his brain about this, yet still didn't come to a satisfying answer, which had him click his tongue a bit too often. In the end, Alvis had no idea who the girl even was. That was why he had put the matter aside.
However, now that school started again, he had a significantly better chance of finding the girl. Alvis already figured out that the girl had to be going to his school. She just had to. It wasn't something Alvis was proud to admit, but outside of school, he didn't have contact with girls.
But Alvis didn't see himself as some nerd who couldn't interact with girls. Even though it was kinda the truth, Alvis had good reasons he didn't focus too much on the opposite sex. For his entire life, Alvis thought he would die soon, so he didn't want to be so selfish as to get into a relationship with a girl, knowing he would leave her behind soon.
Yeah, that is a valid reason! Alvis deluded himself.
But now that Alvis knew he would survive, this was not an excuse anymore. His skills would soon be tested with the new level he got.
Alvis just sighed in defeat.
Me saving a girl? This is gonna be a looong level.