Everyday, I Fight!

My sisters and I have each settled our differences. After the burglar break-in incident, a lot has changed at home. Helen and Carmine still argue sometimes, but they don"t fight against me, rather it would be safe to say that they fight over me.

Helen insists that I should train with her. While Carmine becomes teary eyed and begs me to play with her... like a puppy. They bicker with each other and challenge each other to new games. Whoever wins, gets to spend time with me.

Even though I do get annoyed at times, I act cute, "cause this is much better than how they were previously like...

On the other hand, the outside door/main entrance to the house has been upgraded with a metal door which requires mana to automatically slide open and and close. It"s a pain because neither me, nor Carmine can get past it without Helen"s help.

A back "wooden" door, with a double lock, had also been prepared between the backyard and the kitchen. Kinda like the houses on Earth.

I guess it is a means of escape if the situation came. Plus, the metal door had certain qualities that made it perfect for a main entrance double door. Mana implanted on the metal, lasts longer. Kind of like the length of time it takes for a warm spoon to slowly cool off. Or how long it takes to fill a big bucket with water if a single drop falls individually.

Whatever the case, the mana implanted on the door will have its essence oozing out for an amount of time before vanishing. Time limit is 15 minutes. So it"s easier to identify anybody"s essence. This time Helen won"t have much problems.

I still remember how heavily scolded we were. Mom was furious and her lecture didn"t end for half a day. Dad wasn"t home, but once he got this message, he was quite upset and seriously reprimanded us for 2 whole hours, through the telephone. He was so angry with the theif that once, he left directly in the middle of the work, to the prison centre and thrashed that guy black and blue.

Speaking of which, Dad has yet to come back home this entire month... and he"s gonna be back today! So, since early dawn, mom has been very busy. She is practically leaping with joy!

"Let me tell you girls the first time I encountered you father." Mom suggested as the three of us stared at her with keen eyes.

She chuckled after putting me down on the carpet in the baby room. I was able to sit down now and could crawl fast enough on top of the carpet, so she did not put me into the cradle.

Though they were happy at first that I was able to crawl, they were still worried about my speaking habits. I often heard mom speaking to my father on phone. Looks like the limit of hiding this is over...

"We were still in University at that time-" mom was interrupted by the gasps of the two girls sitting beside me. She smiled at us very rea.s.suringly as she caressed my hair gently.

"Mom, you went to THAT University, didn"t you?" Helen questioned with gleeful eyes as if she was on cloud nine.

"B.U.C.M," Mom nodded in agreement, "Board University of Central Magic, yes."

"So papa they wa gone too?" Carmine p.r.o.nounced childishly.

"Affirmative," Mom replied with a wink, "The Windstorm Clan was there for security check ups and by coincidence..." Mom paused a moment and then smiled at us, "or fate, your dad was a.s.signed to me. Each student had their own guard. This insured our safety."

Mom"s face produced a speck of sadness that disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived. "The Windstorm Clan was huge. So many that apart from securing the entire University grounds, there were still enough workforce to guard an individual student"s life..."

"Is that why you married him?" Helen asked abruptly, "For life insurance?"

Mom scoffed and then burst out laughing. I giggled a little too. THAT HELEN, asked this question.

"No," Mom replied regaining her composure, "I married him because I fell in love with his bravery," Mom blushed, "You know?"

"So you fall in love before getting married...?" Helen asked with sparkly eyes filled with curiosity.

"Wuv?" Carmine asked.

"Yes." Mom answered.

"I"m mawiied too!" Carmine replied quite delighted, "To Mama, and papa, and Hewem, and Go, and....!"

"No, this is special." Mom said with a mischevious laugh, "you"ll know when you grow up." She shuffled Carmine"s hair and got up.

"Where you going, mom?" Helen asked.

"Somewhere for something. Behave when I"m gone, "kay?" Mom leisurely spoke, humming as she left.

"Yeah..." Helen managed to bring out a reply. Her face gave an expression like - "Is she going to be fine?"

"Yay," Carmine cheered, "Cami can use lam mine!"

"Yes, yes," Helen sighed in exhalation, being bossy, "I"ll connect your line, but no more than 30 minutes, okay?"

"Yes~~" Carmine replied, delighted.

"Then, I"m off to the back yard to train. Call me if you need anything. Otherwise I"ll grind your necks. Got it?" Helen casually commented, as she left through the unlocked backdoor.

"I see... So now that I"m all alone with no bother, might as well study!" this thought came to my mind.

I glanced back at Carmine who was engulfed by the phone, chatting non-stop, without a care to the world. With a casual smirk, I crawled my way to the study room door, which was open half way.

I sneaked in as quick as a flash and pushed the door a bit more so that I won"t be caught again. Technically, this was the first time I actually viewed the room, rather than the first book I found sprawled on the floor.

Staring up at the gigantic cemented roof above me, felt strange. Everything was huge in my eyes. Was there a reason for my eyes to feel more restrained in this room, apart from being baby size? Yes... in fact, this room was magically charmed by my parents to be bigger than it"s actual size. From outside the house, this room would look like a tiny closet s.p.a.ce or storage, but inside was a different story.

There were no cracks on the ceiling, which appeared oddly clean. No bugs, no spider nests, and definitely no dust. Apart from magic, what else could it be...? Nothing. Mom had her hands full with us and her daily ch.o.r.es so she didn"t have the time. Dad was mostly out on journeys or hunts.

The room was floored with a white carpet that shimmered every time the clock stroke 9. It was a really beautiful sight... boy was I startled the first time it happened! Apparently the sparkles had another function. The carpet would go back to how it used to be, all white and no stains, when it shimmered like that. Pretty handy, right?

The wallpaper around had the light orange hue of the sunset. The candle lights that looked like candles, but were magically charmed to glow when someone enters, always flashed a yellow light that covered the entire room with an aura of mystery. Everything would seem to be alive. As if the room, in and of itself, was a living being.

My heart would always beat louder than ever before whenever I stepped into the room. I"d always, like now, clench my little hand towards my heart; to hold it from exploding in exhilaration.

Wriggling my way towards the lower half of the bookshelf, I took out the book I had been studying before. There were three bookshelves in this room altogether. Two were stationed at the top half of the room (One: a long invisible bookshelf, Two: a tree shaped bookshelf), whereas one (The Barrister bookshelf) remained down.

The bookshelves were also built with cement-plastic like materials that glued themselves tightly to the wall. Their stay there was permanent.

The book had the colour of emerald, but smelled like a freshly plucked rose. Pretty feminine, I"d say. So anyway, I opened the book to page #157.

To summarize what I had read so far: "There are recorded four basic elements in this world. Fire, Water, Earth and Wind. Only 25% of people can become mages. n.o.bles especially require to be a mage and if three generations cannot produce a single mage, then they will be stripped of their rank. If a commoner family has obtained a child by the age of 15 who can is at Gold cla.s.s, 3rd stage, Mana colour Yellow; then they have the right of obtaining a n.o.ble rank.

A child can obtain their first mana break-through at the age of ten. In a family of mages, it is considered normal if the child can make a break through by the age of 8. Only the Great King Warnaveer- I, was able to completely break-through by the age of 6. He used his own break through method and had immense knowledge from a very young age... n.o.body in history has ever gotten this close to a break-through, even now."

This book was written by Stern Wilberhowl, three years ago. An author who had "disappeared" from the face of this world without notice. This was his last book and research.

So I"m guessing with valid reason, that the Great King Warnaveer- I, was also an another worldly traveler. However, was he from Earth as well? If so, then this dead man who was 2000 years old at his death bed in this world... which era from Earth did he come from? I"d rather not think about it... gives be the creeps!

I turn back to page no # 67 where cultivation was written at its raw stage and try to grasp hold of the concepts: "Although mana is formed naturally and purely based on singular talent, in some rare cases, it is possible for one to obtain it much earlier on. Training in meditation and regular exercises would be an example. However, The Great King Warnaveer- I, had never informed anybody about his progress and therefore this remains an exquisite mystery.

From the age of 6 though, as some experts say, it is possible to manoeuvre or nurture this talent; thus, being able to make complete breakthroughs. In the Great King Warnaveer"s case, it was registered that he had suddenly made his breakthrough directly to Scarlet cla.s.s, 1st stage, Ruby Red Colour, at the age of 6. Early life history of the world"s greatest king still remains an unknown fact.

The four elements of Earth, Water, Wind and Fire are very unique skills to obtain. Basically, almost 4% amongst the mages, manage to obtain at least one particular element. Therefore, Mana level is detected on children when they turn 10 years of age, to affirm whether they are natural mages or not.

Those mages who have not obtained theirs through their birth rights, but by other means, must be wiped out by official law. One reason is because these Turned-Over mages consume the life of ordinary people to obtain their "required" magic. Their frenzy is noted to be limitless. Another name for these mages would be, Dark Mages."

Whoa~ scary! So there really are people who are like that? Who knew! It would be terrible luck if I somehow encounter them...

Continuing on, I flip a few pages and arrive at the page I had actually yearned for, page no #285: " First process, is to unlock the mental state of mind, concentrating to a singular point of your body. Second, take large breaths, but do not suffocate."

Seems easy enough.

"Usually the place to acquire all of the concentration together takes time and complete focus with the psychological state being normal. Sometimes the concentration is produced at the heart, or near the lungs, or at the pit of your stomach.The time taken can range from 72 hours ~ 5 years."

"Ah, so this was the land mine..." I said to myself as I scratched my head and peered into the writing for more details.

"Always remember, cultivation, must need an essence as strong as yourself. So if the cultivater lacks the will power then the training and capabilities are fruitless." It read.

How annoying, the same old boring speech, again...!

I closed the book, tired of reading and my head filled with more memories. I close my eyes in slow motion as I stretched my neck upwards as a giraffe and viewed the cealing once more, before I faded into old times...

"There is nothing the body is incapable of doing, just concentrate, little Grade..." My benefactor says with confidence.

"But," I hesitated for a moment, "Isn"t it impossible?! I mean, this only works in manga or stories or television... fighting is one thing, but... but..."

"You"re not backing out are you?" He chuckled mysteriously.

"Close your eyes, take a breath as wide as your lungs and..." He paused, "... concentrate. As if a dark fog has enveloped you."

"Vel, can I ask you something?" I questioned with uncertainty.

"Go on," he smiled back.

"Why are you so confident? How can you be sure that I won"t betray you?" I blurted out my inner thoughts.

For a moment, the smile disappeared and Velenort seemed to be thinking, then he finally replied me with a sly smirk-

Suddenly, I was pulled out of reminiscing. Somebody tightly squeezed me by the arm, derranging me from my thoughts.

"...!"

I flinched to look behind too see Carmine all happy and cheery with eyes, wide and shiny.

"Let"s play!" she said and dragged me away, slamming the door shut.

"Relax, relax," I thought repet.i.tively to myself, "Let it go."

__________

___

Finally pulling myself away from the Sleeping beauty next to me, and snuggling away until quite a distance, I began to concentrate all my mana.

... Nothing.

I sighed with depression, beginning to think that perhaps I might not have mana, in this world. I try to close my eyes to concentrate, but the memories rebound into my thoughts again.

"Keep your focus!" Vel would always shout every five minutes while he watched me meditate, "Keep that form."

"Easy for you to say..." I"d often grumble after sometime.

"The more the mana, the better capable, you are to fighting. Remember, Mana exists all around us, like oxygen or other gases." He would often preach me, "Concentrate as if you are connecting the dots and ease your breathing slowly. Limit your thoughts..."

It was a mystery that even in Earth, as much ridiculous as it sounds, mana existed. Just that it was deemed "unbelievable" or "ridiculous."

Yet, like hidden secrets, mana did exist. It was there. Only under people"s noses. Most of the pract.i.tioners would hide their ident.i.ties while they roamed around the world.

Ordinary people were just too busy to grasp this. Nothing more. Nothing less.

...

Then it suddenly hit me, "That"s it!" I thought.

I closed my eyes one more time, focusing to one point and connecting the dots, trying to be in limited range of thought. It was ironic that the one who wanted me dead the most, gave me the most of everything in life... before and after reincarnation.

"Now!" I whisper to myself, opening my eyes in one fell swoop as a swirl of wind flushes out of my body. I free myself, feeling ever so light hearted and my mind, complete. Then, as if I was a rocket prepared for lift off, my crouched down body, flew up... for a few moments, I almost floated and by the time I"m down on the ground, I"m standing!?

I close my eyes again, feeling the surge of overflowing mana, rushing all around my body. Circulating and connecting.

I sit down in the meditating position and remain as so, until I"m sure that I"ve connected all the dots... totally losing the sight of the real world.

When I"m sure that I"ve finally clammed all the dots into a pitch black round shape, I open my eyes and... Helen.

"Go on," she mutters to me, "I won"t blabber unless you blabber first."

I nod in astonishment and concentrate further down myself.

There is a black hole swirling faster than ever, as if it"s trying to eat me up, but I try to remain intact. With time, I maintain the vortex, but though it has gotten shorter, there is a pitch black hole that just doesn"t disappear.

"That"s not gonna go away," I hear Helen"s voice inside my head, "it"s the black hole, right?" She seemed to guess, so I nod with a "yes."

"Then you"re at the beginning of basic stage," she says, as I feel a flick on my forehead and tumble down with this tiny body, ruining my concentration in the process.

"Oh," I manage to blurt out, before tears begin to automatically spring out of my eye lids.

"You"ve got a long~ long way to go, baby." Helen remarked with her usual expressionless face.

"Whatever," I thought to myself, a little upbeat although still dripping in tears, "at least... I can finally manage to manipulate mana! What"s more, there"s a chance that I can become not just a mage, but a dual mage... how cool would that be!"