Max sat cross-legged on the cold, dusty floor of his temporary stay at the Leaky Cauldron, his eyes closed as he focused on his breathing. The air was still, except for the occasional flicker of candlelight that cast long, shifting shadows across the walls. His mind, however, was anything but still. He had been meditating for hours, feeling the energy within him slowly becoming more in his control like it was part of his own body, more responsive to his will.
Echo had told him that constant meditation would expand his mana reserves, and also allow him to use his mana freely without his wand in the future. Hearing this Max was determined to make progress, not many wizards were capable of wand-less magic in the first place only the highly gifted and skilled wizards have that ability. If he could use that skill then he would be on a whole other level.
At first, it felt like he was trying to grasp water with his bare hands, an almost impossible task for him. Every time he attempted to grab it ,he felt a hint of warmth, a trickle of energy, it would slip away before he could do anything with it. But he persisted, pushing past the frustration. He had no time for self-doubt. If he wanted to master magic, he had to be disciplined.
"Breathe in . . . focus on the mana . . . guide it through your body," Echo's voice resonated in his mind, steady and patient. As Max followed Echo's instructions he continued trying to get a hold of the mysterious energy within him called Mana.
Max followed the instructions carefully, inhaling deeply and visualizing the mana flowing through him like a network of glowing threads. His mana veins had been formed when he first wielded his wand, and now, through rigorous training, they were growing stronger. It was subtle at first a mere flicker of warmth in his chest—but gradually, the feeling intensified, spreading through his limbs.
As he continued training on through the night, Echo also started to meditate and get used to the divine energy he gained from the goddess, also correcting Max when he was doing something wrong. Then, suddenly, Mx felt a pulse of energy forming at his fingertips. It was small, almost imperceptible, but it was real. His heart raced with excitement. He opened his eyes, a triumphant grin on his face.
"I think I did it!, let me check my status first [Status]!", Max said loudly.
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[Name]: Max Benz
[Age]: 13
[STR]: 5
[INT]: 6
[STA]: 5
[MANA]: 7
[Artifact]: The Traveller [Divine] A divine artifact that allows the user to travel between worlds in this vast cosmos. Created by the God of Time, it holds unimaginable power.
---
"Woah my [MANA] stat increased by 4 points that's awesome. I can now know by which method my strength is increasing and can plan on which method to use to increase my efficiency. It is also very motivating to look at my progress like this!!", Max spoke excitedly.
Echo opened his eyes nodding approvingly. "Good. You're getting there. But meditation alone won't make you battle-ready. Now, let's try an offensive spell."
Max stood, stretching his stiff limbs from the meditation before gripping his wand tightly. "What spell should I try? Something flashy? like [Flipindo] or [Expecto Patronum] or maybe some other spell. What do you think?"
Echo chuckled. "Those spells are way out of your league and the Patronus charm is way to advance . Harry also learned that spell in this year but that was also an exception, students don't learn that spell this early on. Also you are way to behind in your magic studies, other students already have a 3-4 year head start, you need to start at the very bottom of the ladder and climb your way up slowly and steadily. Let's start simple. Try [Expulso]. It creates a small burst of force, which is good for knocking things back, also it is perfect for you since dragons have a natural affinity towards fire and you have the MANA to cast it as well."
Max nodded, turning toward a medium-sized rock in the corner of the room. He took a deep breath, feeling the mana course through him. He focused on guiding the mana in his body, letting the energy gather at the tip of his wand, and then spoke the incantation with determination.
"Expulso!"
Nothing happened, the entire room was filled with a dead silence. Max's face started to turn red with embarrassment. Echo looked over to where Max was standing and sighed, "It's your first new spell you can't expect it to work that easily did you."
"I will try again then, it will work this time!", said Max.
"Expulso!"
"Expulso!"
"Expulso!"
"Why is it not working at all?? I did all the steps you asked me to do then why am I still the same.", Max complained slouching down on the floor. Echo walked towards the exhausted Max and slapped him across his face.
"You Idiot, did you not understand my warnings I said before. Every time you try to cast a spell or failed to cast a spell a small amount of MANA will be lost. If you continue doing that you might exhaust all your spells or worst make the spell circle break, which can lead to worst scenarios. You are also way to hyped up, you need to calm down, I know that this is all fun for you but there are evil beings out there who will not stop until they destroy your friend 'Harry' and if you want to protect him and also yourself then stop acting like that, understand that YOU ARE WEAK but you need to get strong.", Echo shouted while looking Max dead in his eyes.
"I..I am sorry. I got to amped up by all this and lost focus. I am sorry Echo, I will to it properly this time.", Max understood that Echo was only telling him all of this for his sake, because he cared about him. Max again focused on his Mana and waited for it to get regenerated. After the had sufficient Mana. He stood up and again guided the Mana to the tip of his wand and spoke,
"Expulso!"
A burst of energy shot forward, but instead of blasting the rock away, it merely nudged it, causing a slight scrape against the floor. Max frowned, lowering his wand. "That was weak."
"Your control needs work," Echo pointed out. "You're channeling mana, but you're not directing it properly. Try again. This time, visualize the force being concentrated before releasing it."
Max realised that this much was not enough he was already behind the other students and 'You Know Who' will be returning soon, so he needs to buck down and train like crazy. Max exhaled, adjusting his stance. He tried again, this time focusing on the spell's intent as well as its execution. He pictured the energy coiling tightly at the tip of his wand before exploding outward.
"Expulso!"
This time, the force was stronger. The rock skidded several feet across the floor, stopping just short of the wall. Max felt a jolt of satisfaction but knew he could do better.
Hours passed as he practiced, refining his technique with each attempt and stopping between each casting session to meditate and regaining his Mana. By continuously using his Mana and reabsorbing it he could increase his Mana capacity. Sweat dripped from his brow, his muscles ached, and his mana reserves felt strained, but he persisted. With every repetition, his control improved and his Mana capacity increased by a little. The force behind the spell grew stronger, more precise. By the end of the day, the once-immovable rock was now riddled with cracks, evidence of his progress.
Echo observed silently before giving a small nod. "You've improved. Your mana control is noticeably stronger. Also your Mana capacity has increased by leaps and bounds. You need to learn a defensive spell after this to protect yourself from other. But for now rejoice in your progress, you have truly worked hard and get some rest."
Max let out a breath, wiping sweat from his forehead. He could feel it too. His mana reserves had expanded, and the spells were starting to feel more natural. He wasn't just casting magic, he was beginning to understand it.
Despite the exhaustion, a grin spread across his face. This was only the beginning.