I can still hear my father's voice. "Elias, with your academic accomplishments, you bring honor to the Moreau household. You will be a fine help to your brother."
Those words followed me everywhere. I wasn't a warrior like him. No, my older brother had been born with a natural sense of mana flow, a gift from the heavens. He quickly became one of Dracovenia's proud knights, a hero the kingdom paraded before the people. And me? I had no such gift. I clawed my way up through books and theories, dragging my average body through endless study until I carved out a place in Dravovenia's academic world.
My name is Elias Moreau. At twenty years old, I was already buried in the study of mana, just as all youths outside of the battlefield were. Though my ambition cut deep enough to make the kingdom notice. Within two years, I published my first thesis. It shook the world. Up until that point, everyone believed mana could not be replenished quickly but I proved there was a way. The body wastes tons of mana when converting it into Vis, the diluted force we actually wield. What if we could reclaim that waste? I experimented on prisoners, on slaves—studying their flows, pushing them to their limits. The kingdom didn't bat an eye, they actually provided the subjects of our experiments. Anything for the advancement of power. The conclusion I came to is now widely known as Vis Transfer. If one person willingly expelled their vis, directing it towards specific receptive areas of the receivers body, the receiver could draw it in. A crude solution honestly, inefficient… but undeniable. A hundred weak lives for the recovery of one Knight. The king's military faction was delighted. My brother, of course, was among the first to benefit.
From there, our household rank rose swiftly. The Moreaus, a noble family of both sword and science. And I—Elias— began to believe I was a genius without equal. But fame is a dangerous amenity. After feeling as though I had conquered mana research, I set my sights on the human mind. Psychology. Manipulation. If mana could be bent, why not people? I thought. With our households new found status and the kingdom's resources at my disposal, I opened my own private practice. Slaves and prisoners again became my test subjects. I learned how far words could twist a man, how gestures alone could plant chains in someone's heart. It was exhilaratingly terrifying, the power to bend not just bodies, but entire kingdoms. "Why should I submit my genius to a king? With this intellect, should I not rule myself?" I began thinking. That was the creed of Dracovenia, after all—Strength above all, intellect or might, so long as it dominates. I was young, arrogant and I reached too far.
"So you have plenty of knowledge on mana, right? Perfect. Let's begin training right away." Reed's voice snapped me back to the present. The boy was staring at me like a child unwrapping a gift, eyes sparkling. I narrowed my gaze, studying him in silence. That confidence… No, it was more than confidence. It was arrogance. Still, the feeling was amusing. The boy reminded me of my youthful self. "Very well," I said at last, letting a smirk tug at my lips. "Let's begin with the basics." Mana flows through everything," I explained. My voice automatically shifted into lecture mode. I couldn't help it—years of academia had drilled the tone into me. "But it is raw, it is overwhelming, infinite. For most humans, using it directly would tear the body apart. That's why we instinctively convert it into Vis." "Vis…" Reed repeated, eyes sharp, as though memorizing every word. "Yes. Vis is force—power. This internal conversion is our strength. Without it, you are like a child gasping for air in a storm." I raised a hand. The air shifted. Heavy. Still. For a moment, time itself seemed to hesitate. "There is not a single person with the same Vis patterns, everybody has a tempo unique to them. Mine favoring wind." Then—whum—a ripple distorted the air, bursting outward. Reed stumbled back, eyes wide. "W-Woah! That's exactly what I saw before! Back when that adventurer captured me!" His excitement burst out like a flood. "Though she seemed to chant a phrase beforehand… eh we can get to that later. Alright—show me how to do that! NOW!" I exhaled slowly, letting the ripple fade. "That was Vis Externalization," I said. "It has been some time since I used it in that form. Normally, I simply channel it through my body. That is why I can work longer than you without fatigue." His jaw dropped. "So that's how you move like it's nothing during labor…" Finally, realization crossed his face. Good. At least he wasn't entirely blind. "This conversion, although instinctual, does come at a cost. There is another essential compound naturally produced in all living beings. Vos. Vos is a neutral compound in your body," I explained as though lecturing an infant. "It does nothing on its own, but when mana touches it, there is a reaction–the reaction being Vis." Reed frowned. "So it's just a middleman?" He asked in a dissatisfied tone. "A middleman that decides whether you live long enough to cast again tomorrow. Conversion is inefficient. For every thread of Vis you manage, your mana burns away several times over. The stronger you force it, the more you waste. And if you push too far…" I leaned in, voice dropping. "Vos scars. Once it's gone, it never returns. You'll be left with all the arrogance of a mage and none of the power." Reed swallowed, seemingly shaken by the information."The first step," I said firmly, "is to feel it. Mana flows within you constantly, like a stream beneath the surface. Sit. Close your eyes. Try to grasp it."
Reed: "Got it. Easy." I dropped to the ground, shut my eyes and waited. …And waited. This is it. This is my chance. If I can master this, I'll climb back to the top and regain my former dignity. Except… nothing was happening. I clenched my fists. I'd dealt with backstabbers, criminals, manipulators in my past life. This should be nothing. So why couldn't I feel it? Ten minutes passed. My chest tightened with irritation. "Tch. I don't feel anything! Isn't there a more efficient way?" I exclaimed. "There is," Elias said flatly. "But you don't have the luxury of a royal academy while in confinement." I snapped my eyes open, glaring at him. "Then explain it better! You've got the knowledge, don't you? Use it!" His expression hardened, brows furrowing. "Reed. Clear your thoughts and try again. This is not something you can rush." Elias was downplaying my resolve, and I wouldn't stand for it. "I know I can do this!" My teeth ground together. "I've done harder things before!" But still—still I felt nothing. My body was hollow. Empty. No stream, no surge, no whisper of power. Nothing! My frustration boiled over. "You're just holding back! Aren't you? If you really wanted to, you could make me feel it right now!" Elias's eyes sharpened, the faintest flash of anger breaking through his scholarly calm. "You think power comes just because you demand it? Mana is not some obedient servant to your whims!" "Then what's the point of a teacher who can't teach?!" I shot back. The air between us grew heavy. For a moment, I thought Elias might actually strike me. Instead, he leaned forward, voice low and dangerous. "You arrogant brat. I've broken men twice your age for less insolence. You think you are owed power because of your past life? Because you believe you are strong? No. Until you learn humility, mana will never answer you." I bit my lip, but the words only fanned my anger. "I don't need humility. I need results!" "Then fail," Elias said coldly. "Fail again. Fail until you learn why men like me exist. You will not skip the steps. Not under my watch." The silence that followed was deafening.
I turned away, fists trembling. Damn him. Damn his condescending tone, damn his calm, damn his certainty. But… the worst part? He was right. I couldn't feel it. And no matter how much I raged, that fact didn't change. For the first time since waking in this world, I felt truly powerless. Elias watched me quietly, then sighed. His voice softened—just a little. "Tomorrow, we try again." I said nothing. But deep inside, something burned hotter than ever. Fine.
If it's humility the flow demands, I'll choke it down. One way or another, I'll make this power mine.