The expression on Kalli’s face was adorable when she crossed her arms and pretended to pout. How does giving you a massage teach me anything?

If the way she had reacted to my massages in the past was any indicator, I was counting on Kalli making me feel very good.

Because you are going to learn how to heal by doing it.

She stuck out her tongue and said, It sounds like you just want a massage.

Trust me.

Kalli sighed and sat back on the bed with her back to the wall. Okay, fine. How do you want it? The normal flame job?

Shaking my head, I gently place my legs across her lap.

No, not this time. Tonight, I am going to show you how to infuse my muscles with mana. Try not to use fire. Let’s see if you can change the aspect of your mana like I can. If you want to help heal people, you will need to do at least that much.

She furrowed her brow in concentration and held her hands over my leg but nothing came out. I could feel her holding her breath as she tried desperately to make her mana into anything that wasn’t a flame. Focusing on our connection, I felt for her mana that was boiling inside of her just beneath the surface.

I whispered in Kalli’s mind as I manipulated her mana from the inside.

Watch how I change only what I need.

Kalli’s flame converted into light mana when I sifted it through a filter in her hands. She gasped when she felt my influence on her mana. How are you doing that?

The truth was, I wasn’t entirely sure how other than that I just knew I could do it.

We are intertwined. I am you and you are me. It’s just an extension of how you can do what I can.

Then the mana came out of her hands, she immediately directed it to wash over the outside of my leg. Kalli wasn’t used to pushing mana into my body. I took control once again and guided her mana in through the many pores in my legs. It was my turn to gasp at the feeling of foreign mana flowing into my soft tissue.

If sweat and other things can get out then mana can find its way in.

Kalli locked eyes with me as I guided her to the muscles and bones in my body. We started by using the light mana to infuse my calf muscle. The cool soothing feeling was immensely satisfying. While I had infused my muscles with mana many times in the past, the feeling of someone else doing it to me was significantly more intense.

As Kalli grew more accustomed to her latest exercise, I slowly removed my influence from her mana to let her try it by herself. She turned to me with a self-satisfied look in her eyes and asked, Why did you choose the light element?

Light is my natural element. It’s what I get if I don’t change it into anything else. It seems to have healing properties.

Kalli nodded as she listened to my explanation. I laid back and relaxed as she worked her way around my body. About halfway through she stopped. I think I got the hang of this. What’s the next lesson?

Suddenly sitting up, I gaped at her.

You can’t just stop halfway through. That would be torture. Besides, you know what they say. Practice makes perfect.

She giggled as she started on the next muscle. Who exactly was it that said that? You just want a free massage.

Not wanting her to stop, I thought desperately.

If you want to learn something new, how about you try different elements and I’ll tell you how they feel.

Kalli stopped and had a thoughtful look on her face for a minute before she continued. I closed my eyes and focused on the flow of her mana to try and guess which element she chose.

Converting fire to other elements proved to be slightly more difficult than light.She went with water which I expected to make me shiver as it had done to her when I tried it back at the karaoke bar.

However, her fire wasn’t having it. The flame turned to steam inside of Kalli’s mana channel, causing her to yelp in surprise. I could tell that it didn’t burn her so much as cause her to lose control over it. Reaching in to try and help, I experimented with her mana to see what I could transform it into.

Kalli stopped to watch what I was doing. First, I tried to remove the natural traits of the flame. However, when the flame had no heat it quickly died.

Then I tried transforming it into an element other than water. Earth and electricity seemed to be easier but they still retained the heat from the flame. It was light that finally solved the problem. Turning the fire into light absorbed the elements of fire with no adverse effects.

From there, I could transform the light into anything else. Kalli pouted when she saw my solution. Do I have to transform my mana twice every time?

I thought about it and made a suggestion.

I suppose I could try changing your core to light. That might change who you are entirely though.

She shook her head immediately. I don’t know why but I kind of like my fire. It’s the first thing I ever owned. I’ll just change it twice if that’s what it takes.

Once she got the hang of changing the element of her mana, I was subject to all sorts of experiments as she prodded me with first one type of mana then another.

Thunder mana momentarily paralyzed me while at the same time making my body tingle in a very pleasant way. Water and ice were both very cold but I could see the numbing effect being very useful if I was injured or sore. Fire had the opposite effect but was also equally soothing. Earth made me feel dirty as though I had soiled myself. We both agreed that one wasn’t good for massages.

Kalli was able to feel how her mana made me feel through the connection even though she explained that it was much more intense for her when I massaged her. I agreed with her assessment.

Light was still the top choice for healing though. I couldn’t explain how it worked but everything the light touched healed up quickly. After going through all of the natural elements, Kalli asked, What would happen if we used dark mana?

Dark mana was something that I had done my best to stay away from. Wasn’t the darkness always evil in fairy tales? I wasn’t about to use darkness on my girlfriend. Was she proposing to use it on me? I replied.

I don’t know. I’ve never tried dark. Do you want to try it and see what happens?

She shook her head again and we moved on. Kalli was very curious when she got to my core. Wow, it’s so bright. Is this what my core looks like?

I laughed.

No, yours is a huge ball of fire kind of like the sun.

Kalli reached out with her mana toward my core. Is it okay if I touch it?

Remembering my past experience touching the cores of the awakened, I explained to her,

You might be pushed out of me if you do. Just keep your back against the wall and brace yourself.

Kalli nodded quietly and I held my breath as I watched her tiny wisp of orange mana slowly extend to my core. I was prepared to catch her if she got ejected but nothing happened. Instead, her mana penetrated my core, slowly bleeding into it, changing the color slightly.

She noticed the barbs from my oath at that point. Melvin, what are those? That looks painful.

Remembering my vow, I shook my head.

I can’t even feel it. That was my vow to never betray you. They would only hurt me if I broke the promise.

More of Kalli’s mana flowed into me as she attempted to put herself between me and my vow. I don’t want to let it hurt you. Do you think there’s a way to remove it?

My feelings for Kalli showed as a swell of energy in my core when I felt her concern for my well-being.

My bond to you can’t hurt me. I will never stop loving you so that oath is harmless.

Somehow, with her mana still embedded in my core, Kalli managed to lean forward and kiss me. It was a lazy kiss that lasted forever. Feeling comfortable in her grasp, I decided to push my mana into Kalli too.

After she managed to gain access to my core without being blown out, I wanted to experience the same with her. Kalli gasped when I found my way into the area containing her core. Wow. You were right, it does look like the sun.

I was surprised as well.

Its grown a lot since the last time I was here.

Tentatively inching my way forward, I poked my mana into her core. Just as mine hadn’t rejected her, Kalli’s core parted to allow me inside. The feeling of her life force flowed around me as I supplied my mana to Kalli’s core. The true meaning of the intertwined trait suddenly made sense to me as our cores became one, linked by an unbreakable tether of mana.

Kalli’s core surged and her thoughts made me panic. I also make the same vow to you. If this connection is ever broken, we will die together.

I wanted to push her away to prevent her from doing what she had planned but it was too late.

SELF-CONTRACT INITIATED. IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BOND, A SOLEMN OATH MUST BE OFFERED.

Even though the message wasn’t directed at me, I could see it as clear as day. Kalli swallowed and spoke out loud, “I made the same oath that Melvin did. If I break this bond I will pay with my life.”

THE FOLLOWING TRAITS HAVE BEEN ENHANCED: [Matechat[Melvin Murphy] (Edited)]

Inseperable[Melvin Murphy]

NEW TRAIT AQUIRED: Till Death Do You Part[Melvin Murphy]

I sighed and watched as the same barbed mana wrapped itself around Kalli’s beautiful core.

I really wish you hadn’t done that.

She stuck her tongue out at me. Now you know how I felt when you did it without telling me. We’re in this together, for better or worse.

Does this mean we’re married now?

Kalli giggled mischievously. You know we’re too young for that. How about we live a little first?

After we were finished playing around in each other’s cores, Kalli asked a question. How does all of that have anything to do with healing the plague? It can’t be that simple, can it?

Dreading what I had to do, I explained.

The next part of your training is going to be a little dangerous. I want you to practice healing my body from the effects of the plague. Only, to do that, I am going to have to remove my immunity and let myself get sick.

Kalli shuddered in my arms. No! I won’t let you do that. You don’t know how terrible that plague is.

I do, I had to rebuild your core when I got here. The plague was eating it.

Still, Kalli refused. Try something else. Anything else. If I can’t help you cure the plague because of it, that’s fine.

It took me a while to come up with something sufficient. In the end, I decided to have her try to sense my blood and organs using blood magic. She struggled but she did eventually manage to identify my organs. The problem was that the sun came out while we were practicing.

The two of us stared at each other in a panic. I sighed and scooted over to the edge of the bed.

I guess I’ll have to catch a nap later this afternoon.

Kalli yawned, which made me yawn in return. I don’t know if I can do that, Mel. I used up a lot of energy practicing.

I waved her off.

Take a nap. I’ll cover for you.

She stared at me in disbelief. Aren’t you exhausted too?

Sure but I just had the best massage in the world. Besides, I know a few tricks to give myself a boost.

A naughty smile crossed her lips as she replied, Not the best massage. Don’t forget that time in the makeout room. Also, you are going to have to show me how to give myself a boost later.

The thought of the massage she had given me so long ago put a smile on my face.

It’s pretty simple. Just infuse your heart with light mana. I can’t use it all the time but a little jolt right now should tide me over. Get some sleep. I’ll bring you breakfast in a bit.