From Mortal To Mystic

Damian's eyes fluttered open. His head was pounding, and every inch of his body felt like it had been dragged through gravel.

"Urgh…" He groaned, propping himself up against the cold, stone wall. His eyes darted to the window. It was nighttime, and the sky was illuminated with stars and a crescent moon.

"How long was I out?" He muttered under his breath.

He staggered to his feet and gritted his teeth as he reached for the door. Just touching the handle was enough to remind him of Lucian's spell.

ZAP!

The jolt shot through his arm, and Damian stumbled back, clenching his fist. His hand twitched uncontrollably, the sharp sting lingering for longer than before.

"Still… sealed," he muttered, frustration boiling inside him. He flexed his hand, trying to shake the tingling feeling away, and sat back down, his breathing ragged. What had happened? He thought back to his last encounter with Lucian, the feeling of his mana spiraling out of control, like a dam bursting.

"Focus your mana. Control it. That's the only way."

Those were Lucian's words. Damian had tried then—but he'd failed spectacularly.

"That's the only way out of here," he said under his breath, his voice filled with resolve.

He crossed his legs, resting his palms upward as he closed his eyes. His breathing slowed, steadying with each inhale. He needed to calm himself, to find the thread of his mana. It had been easier before when Lucian had stirred it up for him, though Damian hadn't truly realized how much of a burden that chaos would become.

For a few moments, there was silence.

Then—

WHOOSH!

Damian felt it. The mana surged to life, a roaring, violent presence deep within him, and it felt more alive than ever. His eyes twitched under his closed lids. This mana—it wasn't just strong; it was wild. Two mana natures swirled through him:

Fire.

Lightning.

The two natures clashed like raging beasts, unwilling to share the same space. They crashed and smashed into each other, fighting for dominance, tearing at his core. Just trying to control one sent the other flaring up like a raging inferno.

"What… is this…?" Damian grimaced, his teeth clenched. The pressure was unbearable. The violent mana flared again, spiraling out of his control.

He broke his focus, panting as he dropped his hands to his thighs. Sweat dripped from his brow, his shirt sticking to his back. His entire body felt like it had just run a marathon, his lungs screaming for air.

"This isn't working. Why can't I control it?"

He fell silent, his head tilting back against the wall. Why hadn't Lucian come to check on him? Something had clearly gone wrong—hadn't it? Or maybe Lucian expected him to solve this on his own.

His eyes narrowed. He wasn't about to fail here. His mind replayed the chaos of the mana over and over, searching for something—anything—that could help him.

That's when it hit him.

"What if I'm not supposed to separate them?"

Damian stared at his palms, the faint tingle of his mana still flowing beneath his skin.

"I've been trying to control one of the natures at a time. That's the problem." A faint smile crept onto his lips. "Maybe I need to take them together."

It was worth a shot.

Damian closed his eyes once more, this time feeling his heart beat steadily in his chest. He breathed in deeply, pulling the chaotic mana back to the forefront of his focus.

WHOOSH!

The mana roared again, violent and untamed. Fire burned fiercely, while lightning crackled with raw energy, fighting each other like titans. But this time, Damian didn't resist. He let the forces swirl naturally, like storm winds caught in a vortex.

The mana thrashed and screamed, fighting against his control—but Damian didn't falter.

He imagined the forces mixing, spiraling like water draining into a single, steady whirlpool. Instead of trying to force one nature to submit, he allowed them to swirl together. Slowly but surely, the chaos began to settle. The fire and lightning didn't disappear; they unified, becoming something greater than their parts.

Damian's breathing slowed further, the once-violent mana now moving in rhythm with his heartbeat. It felt larger now, stronger—and yet, entirely his.

His eyes snapped open as he gasped for air, his chest rising and falling heavily. A grin spread across his face.

"I… I did it."

He lifted his hand, palm upward. This time, he didn't hesitate. The mana swirled naturally within him, answering his call without resistance. With barely a thought, Damian summoned it into his palm.

A glowing sphere of raw energy materialized above his hand. The light it gave off reflected in his wide, astonished eyes.

"It's… so easy now."

The mana, once violent and uncontrollable, now bent to his will.

---

But Damian wasn't done.

"What if I…?"

His gaze sharpened as he focused harder on the energy in his palm. He knew his mana had two distinct natures—fire and lightning—and now, he was beginning to understand the fire more clearly.

Damian tried again, drawing on the fire's energy deep within him.

FWOOSH!

The ball flickered—but then it vanished in an instant.

"Tch… I need to focus."

He steadied his breathing and tried once more. His hands trembled slightly as he channeled the mana again, feeling the fire at its core.

A small spark ignited above his palm.

It was fragile, flickering weakly like a dying candle before sputtering out.

"Almost there…" Damian muttered, his jaw tightening. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his hands trembling with the strain.

Once more, he focused. His heart beat louder in his chest, his breathing even sharper.

WHOOSH.

The mana swirled perfectly now. Damian reached for the fire—and this time, the spark grew. A small flame burst to life in his hand, steady but wavering.

"Hold it…" Damian whispered to himself.

The flame flickered, ready to vanish at the first sign of weakness—but Damian wouldn't let it. He held his focus steady, locking the mana into place.

FWOOOM!

The flame steadied, burning bright and firm in his palm. It wasn't large—no bigger than his fist—but it burned brightly. Damian's lips curled into a grin.

"I… did it. I actually did it!"

The exhilaration surged through him as he stared at the flame, the warm glow dancing across his face. This wasn't just control—this was power.

"Just you wait, Valtos," Damian said, clenching his free hand into a fist. "I'll become stronger than you in no time."

---

Elsewhere within the house, Lucian sat in his chamber, his eyes closed as he sensed the shift. A faint smile tugged at his lips.

"Finally…"

Lucian leaned back, folding his arms as a mix of amusement and contemplation crossed his face.

"That's it, Damian. All we need sometimes is a little push and a little desire. But let's just hope Valtos doesn't kill the boy first."

His eyes opened, a faint glow of mana reflecting in them.

"Still… this is progress."

---

Daybreak came, and Damian was in high spirits. He paced back and forth in his small stone room, his excitement barely contained. He waited impatiently for Lucian to come and lift the spell.

"I can't wait to show him," Damian muttered to himself, his grin still plastered across his face.

Suddenly, his shadow contorted unnaturally, signaling the arrival of someone familiar.

Damian groaned.

"Ugh… him."

Out of the corner of his eye, a figure emerged. It was Valtos, his condescending grin as present as ever. The man stood tall with his arms crossed, his gaze dripping with arrogance.

"Good morning, princess. I trust you had a pleasant nap?"

Damian rolled his eyes, groaning louder than necessary. "What do you want?"

Valtos ignored the attitude and simply smirked. "Do tell me you didn't know?"

"Know what?" Damian shot back, glaring at him. There was something about Valtos's smugness that made his blood boil.

Valtos sighed dramatically, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That old man never tells you anything, does he?"

Damian frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Valtos took a step forward, his grin widening. "You're heading to Elyndor's Warrior Academy. Starting today."

The words hung in the air for a moment, Damian staring blankly as they sank in.

"What!?"

Valtos chuckled, clearly enjoying Damian's reaction. "You didn't think you'd get to sit around here all day, did you? You've got training to do, little mage."

"But he said I'm going to learn apothecary with him." Damian said in confusion.

"Don't worry boy, go with him." Lucian said as he had suddenly appeared in the roomm

"But how are you going to teach me."

" I'm a teacher in the Academy."

Damian was still confused but one thing was clear to him. His life was about to be a lot harder.