Present day Dominique's POV:
After reminiscing about this story, I came back to reality where it was still pouring outside and I have plenty of free time before the actual training with Marcus starts. But I still need to train my core to improve my magic. Although I can't practice magic in my room that much, I can still meditate.
And that's exactly what I decided to do to kill some time without wasting it. With no further ado I sit down in meditation pose, closed my eyes and tried to concentrate.
After a few minutes of calming down my mind and focusing my thoughts to "see" mana particles or better say spiritually feel them, I started doing the very thing I can do best now in magic – collecting them and focusing on mana flow in my body.
The first thing – collecting mana particles is important for two reasons:
Firstly, because by collecting them I can slowly but steadily increase mana in my body to breakthrough to another level.
And secondly, by collecting a certain type of particles I can't unlock an elemental magic of this type.
My teacher told me that a person can only have one type of element since if there would be a few elements in the body, they would conflict with each other. But it is possible to have two elements at the same time if the types are of the same kind.
For example, fire element cannot coexist with water or ice element, they will greatly harm the user, but if it is fire and wind, it is possible. That's why it is important to not have a random type of mana particles to dominate in your body, if you don't want this element, that is.
But in most cases the element isn't chosen, after some time it should awaken on its own depending on certain circumstances.
There also are exceptions when user isn't able to awaken element due to some reason and stay limited to pure mana only. It restricts in some way but also gives an advantage in another.
As for me breaking through to higher level, there are generally considered to be 9 realms and each realm have 9 layers. I am at the lowest realm – Earth realm at 9th layer. It is said that this division into 9 realms exists for thousands of years, but some realms are so high, that no one was able to achieve them in the last millennia. So nobody knows why there are exactly 9 realms but none dares to change it.
Anyway, returning to reality, after collecting mana particles I spent some time circulating mana in my body to refine mana veins and core circulation. It also helps to use magic faster and more efficiently.
Now, that my magic training was over for today, I had nothing to do for an hour or two and decided to go around the building and visit my Mum and Dad. After living my room, the first person I encountered was Chloe.
"Young master, are you done with your training already? I want to clean your room a bit."
"Yes, Chloe, you can go ahead. I probably won't come back to my room in a few hours. I have a training with Marcus as well."
"Understood, then I will get the bath ready for you after the training."
"Thanks, Chloe. Now I will get going."
"Of course, I won't hold you any longer, I wish you a successful training, young master."
After talking to Chloe, I headed to the living room, where we spent most of our time together. After walking through the spacious and decorated corridor for some time I finally arrived to the big doors of the room. After entering, as expected, I encountered my Mum, who were reading a book.
As soon as my Mum saw me, she put her book aside and asked me: "Honey, how are you doing? How is your training? Is everything alright?"
I took a sit on the sofa next to her and answered: "Everything is alright Mum, I just finished my magic training and I am just upset a bit that there is such a rain today and I can't go out and practice."
"Oh, so that's why you are looking so down. This is understandable, but things tend to always go wrong or just not the way you want it to be. Fortunately, or unfortunately, that's just how it works."
"Yeah, I know, but still…"
She leaned down, hugged me and said: "Don't worry, Sweetheart, I am sure that one day you will be able to do whatever you want without any restraint. But for this you have to train hard. Oh, and by the way. This is a secret, but we plan to go on a trip soon, you, me and Dad, but *shhh*"
"What?! Really?! We will go on a trip soon with Dad?! Hooray!" This changed my mood instantly, because it was a rare occasion for three of us to go somewhere together and I was always looking forward to going with both Mum and Dad.
"Yes, Honey, but remember, it's a secret. Your Dad wants to make a surprise for you."
"Oh, okay. I promise I won't say anything to Dad."
"Good, now that your mood is brightened up you can go, your training with Marcus is soon."
As I was going out I saw ever-warming smile on my Mum's face that she often displayed, it was so calming and beautiful, I am always stunned by it no matter how many times I have seen it.
As I continued through the corridor to my Dad's office, I met Clovis he was heading from there. He was as expressionless as always, yet I know that this is only a disguise and he has a very kind heart.
When he came closer to me, to an appropriate distance he stopped and greeted me: "Greetings, young lord Dominique. How is your day going?"
"Hi, Clovis. Not that good, actually."
"Oh, what may have happened? Is it the awful weather?"
"Yes, you are right, it's because of weather. How do you know?"
"Intuition, young lord, with all my years of experience."
"Wow, that's incredible."
"Nothing so incredible, young lord will be able to do it even better after a few decades."
"Eh…? Decades? Not very promising."
"That's how it is, I am sure you will be able to achieve this level of intuition way sooner than I did. Now, excuse me, young lord, but I have to make haste and prepare what lord William asked me to do. But we can continue that dialogue a bit later, if you want."
"Oh, okay, fine. We sure can continue a bit later. Then, good luck, Clovis."
"Thank you, young lord. I wish you the best of luck as well."
And after that Clovis continued of his way, while I continued on mine to my Dad. After a few more minutes of wondering through the fancy corridor I finally was close to my destination, but before reaching the office I started hearing the voice.
It was my Father's voice and he was probably talking to someone in the room but one of the doors where open and I could actually hear the words as well but not very well.
And so, I tried hiding my presence as well as I could and come a bit closer unnoticed to eavesdrop a bit. I know it's now right, but who in my age doesn't want to know the secrets?
After coming just close enough I was able to understand what they were talking about.
My Dad: "That's not very good, if the intel is true, then it is more than concerning."
???: "Yes, my Lord. And, unfortunately, I am sure that this intel is true and I strongly recommend to call for more people."
This voice was very familiar but it took me some time to realise who it was.
Dad: "I understand your concerns, Marcus, but you have to understand it as well, I cannot summon anyone else, they all have their own tasks and anyway, here are you and me as well as Cecilia, so what could be better than this."
Marcus: "Yes, my Lord, this is indeed the best it can be. Our best hope is to believe that it won't happen."
Dad: "You are right. And, by the way, we have a guest. Come on, you were caught, Domi. Come here."
Oh, that's bad, I was caught so soon. I guess know there is nowhere to run.
Caught, I started walking to the room, getting ready to be scolded for eavesdropping.
Marcus: "What?! It can't be. I am sorry, my Lord. I didn't sense young master, shame on me."
"Don't worry, Marcus. We were just too focused and he concealed his presence well. It's not your fault, relax. Anyway, Domi, did you want anything?"
"Sorry for eavesdropping, Dad. I just wanted to visit you since I had some free time." I felt guilty for doing it, but what bothers me more is what they were talking about. It sounds really serious.
"You know it's not right to do such thing if it is not needed to be done, but I also praise you for how you hid your presence and used our carelessness." He sounded neutral, yet his aura in the room was a bit pressing and he looks a bit... distant.
While there was an opening in our dialogue, Marcus said: "Milord, my apologies for interrupting you, but I think I should go and do what we discussed for I have to also prepare for the training with young lord as well."
"Yeah, okay, Marcus. You can go, you know what to do."
"Yes, my Lord." And so, Marcus was gone. There were only me and my Dad in the office and a few seconds of awkward silence. Until Dad finally asked me
"So, Domi, you wanted to visit me, right?"
"Yes."
"But what do you think about going for a walk around the mansion?"
"Hmm, okay, let's go."
So, we went for a short walk and talked a few minutes about everything and anything. Dad asked me about the weather, how was my day going, how I am doing overall and so on.
After that I went to my usual training with Marcus and we trained for a few hours. Marcus seemed somewhat different today, his movements were good but not great like always and overall, it felt a bit stiff.
Despite this, I was still nothing compared to him and in our real matches he won all anyway. After the training I went to get a bath and then had a dinner with Mum and Dad. Now Dad like always, as if nothing really happened and what I saw earlier today was a hallucination.
After dinner came back to my room and spent an hour or two reading a book, like I always did and then I went straight to bed. Although I fell asleep really fast, I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy for some reason. It was nothing, just a strange feeling in my chest. Though it didn't stop me from falling asleep.
…
I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night. At first, I was sleepy and thought that it was a random thing that happens rarely, but after a minute I realised, that I was feeling something strange.
It took me about a minute more to realise that I was feeling under some kind of pressure and it felt like there were a few different ones. It made my body heavier and dizzier. Also, it was hard for me to circulate my mana inside my body.
I had a bad feeling about this and so, I decided to get up and go look for someone, maybe Mum or Dad would know what's going on.
Suddenly, I felt that someone was coming to my room and it was very fast. Then, in an instant doors burst opened.
To be continued…