The shelter was almost completely silent, broken only by the whistling of the wind that filtered through the cavern's cracks. Richard sat on the cold stone floor, his legs crossed, the knowledge fragment resting in front of him. The faint blue light emitted by the fragment danced across his face, reflecting the mixture of determination and growing frustration that gnawed at him.
Three days had passed since Elyndra had returned from the brink of death after her confrontation with the organization's mage. Although Richard had managed to stabilize her using the shelter's supplies, her recovery was painfully slow. Every weak cough, every grimace of pain on her face as she slept, increased Richard's worry and fueled his sense of helplessness.
"I have to do something... something else," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the fragment, as if waiting for it to offer an answer. Just then, the system activated, projecting a familiar message before his eyes:
[New quest in progress.]
[Objective: Develop a magical ability of your own.]
[Progress: 0%]
Richard gritted his teeth. The quest had been active since Elyndra fell, but every attempt had been a failure. He had tried focusing on the flow of mana, visualizing shields, air swords, anything that might be useful. He had tried replicating the fluid movements he had seen Elyndra make, feeling clumsy and uncoordinated. He had even tried forcing the combination of "Wind Steps" and "Echo Vision," but the result was only a throbbing headache and a feeling of wasted mana.
"What am I doing wrong?" he wondered aloud, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, inhaling the cold, dusty air of the cavern. The scent of the medicinal herbs he had used on Elyndra wafted faintly.
---
"You're trying to force it," Elyndra's voice, though faint, echoed from her makeshift bed. She had been watching him silently.
Richard opened his eyes and turned to her. Despite his pallor and the bandages covering part of his torso, his silver eyes held a spark of lucidity.
"Mana isn't just energy, Richard. It's an extension of yourself, of your will, of your essence. If you don't understand who you are, what drives you, you can never truly control it."
Richard stood and walked over to her, frustration evident on his face.
"And how am I supposed to do that? I barely understand what's happening. You're hurt because of me! I need to be able to protect you, protect us."
Elyndra sighed, the sound barely audible. She gestured for him to come closer.
"Think about that, then. That need to protect. What does it mean to you?" What form would that protection take if you could give it substance with your mana? Think about what makes you unique. The system you have, your abilities… your affinity with air… all of that is connected to you. Don't try to be me. Don't try to be what you think you *should* be. Let the mana flow through that intention, that truth of yours, and find your own path.
As she spoke, she coughed slightly, and Richard instinctively offered her some water. Seeing her so vulnerable strengthened his resolve.
Richard nodded slowly, returning to his place on the floor. He closed his eyes again. This time, he didn't try to visualize complex shapes or replicate other people's movements. He focused on the warm feeling in his chest, the river of mana the system provided. He thought of Elyndra, the danger the organization represented, his desperate desire to keep her safe. He let that emotion, that raw need to protect, guide the flow of mana toward its natural affinity: air. He didn't try to shape it into a specific form, just let the energy respond to his will. He felt a tingling in his hands, a subtle vibration, and a light breeze forming around him. He opened his eyes and saw a small vortex of air swirling in front of him. It was unstable, barely visible like a distortion in the air, but it was *his*.
"I did it!" he exclaimed, a genuine smile lighting his face for the first time in days. He looked at Elyndra.
She nodded, a hint of a smile on her lips, though her eyes showed a mixture of pride and concern.
"That's a good start, Richard. But you'll need a lot more than a breeze if you want to face what's coming."
---
In the following days, as Elyndra regained some strength, she insisted on continuing the training, even if it was from her bed. Using her own magic, she projected illusions into the cavern: humanoid figures made of light and shadow that moved with alarming speed and aggression.
"Use what you've got!" Elyndra instructed, her voice still weak but firm. "Combine your skills! Don't think, react!"
Richard activated "Wind Steps," the air whirring around him as he dodged the ghostly attacks. He tried using his newfound control over the air, concentrating a blast and launching it toward one of the figures. The blast impacted with a whooshing sound, and the illusion flickered before disintegrating. It worked!
"That's it!" Elyndra shouted, with a flash of enthusiasm. "Keep going! Find the rhythm!"
Richard continued, moving with increasing precision, using Wind Steps to flank the illusions and Echo Vision to anticipate their movements. He launched blasts of compressed air, each a little stronger, a little more focused than the last. He felt his connection to mana and his affinity with air strengthen with each successful attack, with each precise dodge. The air in the cavern felt charged, vibrant.
After several minutes that seemed like an eternity, the illusions shattered. Richard fell to his knees, panting, sweat soaking his clothes. The stone floor felt cold beneath his hands.
"This is... tiring."
Elyndra smiled slightly.
"Magic always comes at a price, Richard. But you're getting better. You're finding your way."
---
That evening, as they shared a simple meal made from the shelter's provisions, Elyndra decided to share more about her past. The flickering light of an oil lamp illuminated her features, making her silver eyes seem even deeper.
"My race... we called ourselves the Sylvans. We were the guardians of the gates between the worlds. Our task was to maintain the balance, ensuring that the Veil, the barrier between the Other Side and this world, remained unbroken."
Richard listened to her intently, absorbing every word. The scent of dried herbs and dust filled the air.
"What happened? Why are you here alone?"
Elyndra stared up at the dark cavern ceiling, as if seeing scenes from a distant and painful past.
"There was a war. A faction from the Other Side, led by someone known only as the Usurper, attempted to breach the Veil and open all the gates at once." They sought to conquer this world, to absorb its lifeblood. We managed to stop them, sealing the main gates from both sides, but at a terrible cost. My race was nearly wiped out. I am one of the few trapped on this side when the Veil strengthened.
Richard frowned, connecting the pieces.
"And now the organization is trying to finish what the Usurper started?"
Elyndra nodded, her expression grim.
"The organization hunting you… they are not mere humans. They have been corrupted or deluded by the remnants of the Usurper. They have found a way to use the magic of the Other Side, a twisted, dark version of it. They are seeking the fragments, like the one you have, because they believe they hold the key to breaking the Veil and unleashing the power of the Other Side."
Richard clutched the fragment in his hand, feeling its faint vibration, a new, heavy determination settling in his chest.
"Then we must stop them." We have to find the other fragments before they do.
---
The next day, while Elyndra rested, Richard explored the shelter again. Among the ancient maps and dusty artifacts, he found a journal bound in worn leather. It belonged to a previous Sylvan guardian. It described rituals, meditation techniques, and, most importantly, how Sylvan magic interacted with the energies of this world.
One of the maps marked the location of a temple in a distant mountainous region, detailing its possible defenses. The idea of going there was tempting, but looking at the still-convalescing Elyndra, he dismissed the thought immediately.
"First, I need to make sure you're okay," he told her later, as he changed her bandages. The antiseptic scent of the herbs was strong. "And I need to get stronger."
Elyndra looked at him, her eyes reflecting a mixture of gratitude and frustration.
"You can't stay here forever, Richard. Time is not on our side." Every day that passes, they get closer.
"I know. But I'm not leaving you behind. We'll find a way."
---
Inspired by the Sylvan journal and Elyndra's words, Richard dedicated himself to studying and practicing with a new perspective. The scrolls described magic not as a set of spells, but as the manipulation of ambient energy and one's own life force (mana).
"If the system gives me mana... is it the same kind of energy?" he murmured, closing his eyes and comparing the feel of the system's mana with the descriptions in the journal. It was similar, but he felt the system's mana was more... structured, easier to access, though perhaps less flexible than the natural energy described by the Sylvans.
He decided to focus his intention to protect, using his affinity with air. He visualized a barrier, not of light, but of compressed air, a wall of wind controlled by his pure will, fueled by his mana. He tried again and again, feeling the flow of energy, the air swirling around him, the whistling sound of the wind being held back. He failed dozens of times, the energy dissipating in uncontrolled bursts or forming weak shields that crumbled instantly. But he remembered the vortex. He started small, visualizing a shield the size of his hand, a dense layer of swirling air, pouring his desire to protect Elyndra into it.
Finally, after hours of concentration, he felt something click. A translucent barrier, visible only through the distortion of the air and the dust that danced at its edges, appeared in front of him, vibrating with suppressed force and emitting a low hum. It was small, barely covering his torso, but it was solid. He could feel the air pressure, he could maintain it.
"This might work..." he whispered, a smile of exhaustion and triumph on his face.
---
Just then, the system, which had been silent during his self-directed practice, activated:
[New Skill Unlocked: Wind Shield.]
[Description: Creates a personal shield of compressed, swirling air that deflects or absorbs physical and magical attacks. Consumes mana while active. Strength and size depend on concentration and mana invested.]
Richard smiled, feeling a surge of accomplishment. He was finally moving forward, finding his own power, one that suited him. But his joy was short-lived. A dull sound, a thud against rock in the distance, broke the silence of the cavern. It wasn't the natural wind.
A chill ran down his spine. He activated "Echo Vision" instinctively. Points of hostile energy, several of them, were moving rapidly toward the shelter's hidden entrance. They were more numerous than before.
"It can't be..." he muttered, icy fear replacing his triumph. He ran to Elyndra and shook her gently. "Elyndra, wake up!"
She opened her eyes, the initial confusion giving way to alarm at Richard's expression.
"What is it?"
"It's the organization. They found us. They're here."
Elyndra tried to sit up, her face twisted with pain and urgency.
"We have to…"
"No," Richard interrupted, his voice firm. "You stay here. Recover. I'll take care of it."
He clenched his fists, feeling the mana of the system and the energy he had learned to shape surging within him. He activated his new ability. The Wind Shield roared to life in front of him, larger this time, the air visibly distorted and hissing with suppressed power, defiant in the gloom of the cavern.
"This time, I'm not running."
Elyndra looked at him, her silver eyes filled with a mixture of fear and pride. He nodded slowly.
"Be careful, Richard. Don't underestimate them. Use the wind to your advantage."
With the shield whirring in front of him, raising small wisps of dust from the ground, Richard turned and walked toward the entrance, ready to face the approaching shadows. Their fates rested on his shoulders.