Between Dreams and Reality.

Chapter 9: The Paths of Mana

The sun shone softly through the window, illuminating the breakfast table where Tomas, his family, and Lumien were gathered. However, the atmosphere was unusually silent, with all eyes fixed on Lumien. He was different than usual, smiling nonstop while making a sound with his mouth that resembled a melody. The sight was so unusual and enchanting that everyone watched him, astonished. Lumien, with his radiant smile, seemed like a living work of art, radiating contagious happiness.

Mara finally broke the silence, curiosity etched on her face. "Did something good happen, Lumien?" she asked, trying to understand the reason for such joy.

Lumien looked at her, his smile widening. "Yes. I met... a girl... in dreams."

The mention of the girl made Marian's body stiffen, her eyes widening in surprise and jealousy. "A girl?" she asked, her voice coming out sharper than intended. "Who is she?"

Lumien, not noticing the aggressive tone, answered innocently. "Nyx. She is... special. Curious and... kind."

Marian couldn't contain her reaction, leaning forward with her eyes fixed on Lumien. "What else did she say? Where does she live? Did you meet just once?" The questions came in a barrage, each one more urgent than the last.

Mara and Tomas exchanged worried looks. "Calm down, Marian," Mara said, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Let Lumien answer."

Tomas nodded at Lumien, encouraging him to continue. "Yes, Lumien. Tell us more about this girl."

Lumien, still smiling, tried to explain. "We... talked. She likes... books. And wants to see... the world. It was... a good dream."

Marian bit her lip, trying to contain her emotions. "And you... will see her again?"

Lumien shrugged. "I... hope so."

Seeing Marian's discomfort, Tomas decided to change the subject. "Let's train, Lumien. We have more things to learn today."

***********

In the training field, Tomas observed Lumien as they prepared. The sky was clear, and the gentle breeze carried the scent of earth and grass. Tomas began to walk slowly around Lumien, watching him closely.

"So, you really meet this girl in your dreams?" Tomas asked, trying to understand better. "Tell me more about these dreams. How do they start?"

Lumien thought for a moment, trying to formulate his words. "I... fall asleep. Then... I am in another place. I see... people, places. But Nyx... she is different. First, I saw... her family. Now... just her."

Tomas frowned but decided to save his questions for later. "I see. Well, now let's talk about something important. Do you know what mana and magic are?"

Lumien's eyes lost focus for a moment, and he found himself in the middle of space, looking at a giant golden eye for a few milliseconds before returning to normal. He looked at Tomas and answered. "No."

Tomas, with his superhuman senses, noticed Lumien's unfocused look but decided not to comment. "Alright. I'll give you a brief introduction to mana and magic."

He began to explain, his voice firm and full of knowledge. "Basically, everything in the world has mana. From the smallest blade of grass to the largest of dragons. Mana is the vital energy that permeates all things. Can you feel the mana around you, Lumien?"

Lumien closed his eyes for a moment, trying to sense something. "I... think so. Like a... pulse."

Tomas nodded, satisfied with the response. "Exactly. What allows sentient beings to manipulate mana are called 'Magical Systems' for mages or 'Magical Veins' for martial artists."

Lumien looked at Tomas with curiosity. "How... do they work?"

Tomas paused, observing if Lumien was following. "Some races are born with these systems naturally. For example, elves have a very developed magical system, while orcs have extremely strong magical veins. Humans and some other races have learned to copy these methods and do the process artificially. This doesn't mean they are weaker, just that it's more complicated."

Lumien nodded, trying to process the information. "And... what else?"

"It's not necessary to use only the mages' system or the knights' veins," Tomas continued. "It's possible to use both. But only talented beings can combine the two methods and create their own system. This applies even to other races."

Lumien tilted his head, intrigued. "How... do they combine?"

"Combining the two methods requires a deep understanding of both magic and martial arts," Tomas explained. "You need to train both body and mind to make them work in harmony. Some achieve this naturally, while others spend their entire lives trying."

Tomas paused for a moment, remembering someone from his past. "Of course, there are always privileged and talented beings. Some people are born with unique lineages, physiques, mana, souls, among other things that differentiate their paths from others. These privileged beings have something called 'innate concept' or, in special cases, 'innate laws,' which open possibilities beyond common magic or martial arts."

Lumien was fascinated, absorbing every word. "Innate concept... innate laws..."

"I met someone like that a long time ago. A true prodigy. He had the power to manipulate space to a certain extent," Tomas continued.

Lumien became curious and asked, "Who is... he?"

Tomas responded with a distant look. "Someone very important and special in the world. Even I could only see him from afar."

Tomas continued. "What determines how far beings can go on the path of power are their talents and luck. Although preferable, it's not obligatory to follow the path of combat power. You can be an alchemist, artificer, blacksmith, scholar, scientist, among many other professions."

Lumien nodded, absorbing all the information. "And... how... to know?"

Tomas smiled, seeing the curiosity shining in Lumien's eyes. "That depends on you, Lumien. Everyone has a path to follow. The important thing is to discover what you want to do and how you want to use your power."

"Furthermore," Tomas continued, "there are some power methods, like Templars, who borrow power from the Gods, or cultists, who borrow from malignant beings. Malignant beings don't necessarily mean demons. There are many forces in the world, some good, some bad."

Tomas paused to catch his breath and then decided to demonstrate. He extended his hand and used mana to create a small flame on his fingertip. The flame danced gently, emitting a warm light.

Lumien stared at the flame, fascinated. "This... is amazing."

Tomas laughed, extinguishing the flame with a quick movement of his hand. "Since I followed only the path of mana veins," Tomas explained, "I can't cast significant spells like those who followed the system path. But that doesn't mean I'm weak."

Lumien looked away to his hand, and just as he was about to say something, a woman's loud scream was heard at the entrance of the village. Tomas immediately went on alert, his superhuman senses picking up the danger.

"Stay here, Lumien," said Tomas, his voice firm. "I'll go check what's happening."

Lumien, however, did not obey. He felt the urgency and concern in Tomas's voice and decided to follow him. The two of them ran towards the village entrance, where the scream had come from.

**********

When they reached the village entrance, they found a bloodied woman being carried by other villagers. Tomas immediately approached, a serious expression on his face. "What happened?" he asked, his voice firm and authoritative.

The woman, still groggy, looked at Tomas and tried to explain. "I was... gathering medicinal herbs... in the forest. Then I saw... two pairs of red eyes... in a shadow."

She paused, trying to control her labored breathing. "I dropped everything... and ran. When I was almost... reaching the village, a long, skeletal arm... attacked me. Even injured... I kept running. But for some reason... I wasn't attacked again... and I managed to reach here."

Tomas frowned, processing the information. He looked at Lumien for a moment, annoyed that he had come despite being told to stay. Then he turned his attention back to the woman. "It was probably a ghoul," he said. "Where exactly did this happen?"

The woman pointed in the direction of the forest. "Near... a clearing... to the south."

Tomas nodded, standing up. "We'll need to treat your injuries," he said, looking at the villagers around. "Someone take her to Mara's house so she can take care of her."

As the villagers helped the woman, Tomas turned to Lumien. "Looks like we have a hunt ahead of us. Do you want to come with me, Lumien?"

Lumien nodded, determined. "Yes. I want... to learn."

Tomas smiled slightly. "Very well, then let's go. But stay close to me and follow my instructions."

The two set off towards the forest, Tomas leading the way. During the walk, he continued to talk about the world of mana and magic, sharing his experiences and knowledge.

"I've experienced many things in the world of mana and magic," said Tomas, as they walked. "There are many creatures and phenomena that defy logic and reason. The ghoul is one of those creatures. It feeds on dead flesh and lives in the shadows."

Lumien looked around, trying to absorb the information. "And... how to defeat... ghoul?"

Tomas smiled, appreciating Lumien's curiosity. "Ghouls are vulnerable to sunlight and fire. Their skin is fragile, but their claws are sharp. We need to be quick and precise."

As they continued walking, Tomas stopped abruptly. "There," he said, pointing to a shadow in the clearing. "See those marks on the ground. That's where the woman was attacked."

Lumien observed carefully, noticing the footprints and scratch marks. "So... we're close?"

Tomas nodded. "Yes. Stay alert. It could be nearby."

Suddenly, a shadow moved quickly between the trees. Tomas positioned himself in front of Lumien, preparing for combat. "Stay behind me," he said firmly.

The creature emerged from the shadows, revealing a skeletal body and bright red eyes. Tomas frowned, preparing to attack. "I'm going to kill this little ghoul," he said confidently.

But then, the shadow grew, and the creature stepped out of the shadows, revealing an even more terrifying form. Tomas's face paled, and he shouted, "Shit, it's not a ghoul! It's a damn Wendigo!"