“Th-, that can’t be!”

Hm? What can’t be?

“I just can’t accept that my mother would just leave me for dead!! You barely even saw her!”

No, I, I know I barely saw her, but that was definitely her, the mana was just the right colour, and-,

“And nothing! Do you even have any proof for what you’re saying?! No, you don’t! You just suddenly appear out of thin air and expect me to believe everything you say?? Well, I won’t! I hate you for even suggesting that my mother would do such a thing!!”

A-, Allan-, don’t say that! You can’t possibly mean it-,

“Well, I do!”

Allan, you’re crying! I would never lie to you, no matter the situation!

Don’t… Don’t glare at me like that.

“Good grief, Allan, I sense no hostility from him.”

“You’re only saying that to cover for him!”

“Now why would I ever do that, Allan? You know I have a psychic sensor to pick up emotions. And all I feel from Magnus is sadness and grief. Now apologize to him, before he starts crying. Although, if that would result in some mana-elixir, I wouldn’t mind too much~”

“I don’t care he’s lying or not! How do expect me to believe such a thing!? I hate you both!!”

Allan…!

Allan, even you should know that if you run off crying like that I’ll eventually be forced to come alo-,

Wheeeeee

It hurts inside, but it’s a little fun to be flung around like a slingshot-

“Good grief. I’m sure he’ll come ‘round, Magnus!”

I sure hope so, Mrs. Cromwell!

Ah, he dropped the horn…

“Stupid kid better fix this himself…”

Eh? Did I hear something?

Must have been the wind.

“Stupid Mistress. Stupid Magnus. Stupid orb! In fact, I hate Magnus so much, I’ll just call him straight up “Mana” from now on! He doesn’t deserve a name. Hmpf.”

...I’m right here, y’know.

Where is this, anyways?

He ran through the whole house/hut, and before I knew it, we were here.

It’s a rather small room, containing only a hammock to sleep in, a desk to work at, a jewel-encrusted sack hanging from the ceiling(boxing-sack-thing maybe?), and, oh?

Did I mention the thousands upon thousands of little gadgets and jeweled items and stuffs lying on the floor and desk? In fact, the hammock is filled to the brim with them!

Each and every one has one or a few little jewels in them.

Allan sternly stomped over to the said hammock and roughly shoved everything out of it.

H-, hey! Those things looked expensive!!

“Tch. I can’t believe it. I finally have mana of my own, and I can’t even use it. The mistress even said I had a really rare orb, but… What’s even the use of having some rare orb if I can’t use it? The mistress said that this orb isn’t even my own. My real orb must be super-common. I should just shatter this “rare” and build a couple magical items with it. Just as well.”

H-, hey! That’s my soul you idiot!!

He wouldn’t dare shatter it.

...Right?...

Let’s not think about it.

Ah, is he already asleep?

Aren’t you even going to take off your robe?...

I guess not.

Well, I’ve slept for quite a while now, so I’m not really tired.

I don’t have too much mana, so I doubt I could leave the room, but…

Might as well explore, right?

Let’s see…

Weird little knife, weird bell thing, big rock with smaller rocks in it, candle with a rock on it, a rock in a pot, pen with jewel on it(real fancy), a pair of brass knuckles encrusted with jewels(where do all these jewels come from? That Mary Cromwell lady must be loaded… n-, not that I plan on stealing anything, of course!), a sword with jewels, a goblet with jewels, a stuffed cat plushie with jewels for eyes, a scythe with jewels, a stuffed rat plushie with a jewel on its tail, a book with jewels on it, a red plush elephant with two jewels on its head, a single coin with a jewel, a pair of katanas(I think?) with jewels on them…

A lot of weapons.

And a lot of stuffed animals.

Now that I think about it, there's a whole pile of plushies over there…

Not very manly, are you, Allan?

Ah, but then again, the weapons kind of make up for it?...

But! Regardless, why does he have any of this?!

Kids shouldn’t have swords!

Or plushies!!

Well, the second one is only applicable to boys, but…

Anyhow!

Mrs. Cromwell, what is this supposed to mean!?

Hm.

Most of the jewels are black.

The mana surrounding the objects are also black, so…

Most likely, the jewel effects the mana?

Hm.

Very interesting.

My guess would be that the jewels create the mana?

Maybe?

But, then again, if we look at the gems that aren’t black…

All of them are entirely transparent.

But, unlike my fat-, ehem, Allan's father’s gem, no mana surrounds these.

None at all.

By the way, Allan’s father - Arthur - had a milkish white coloured mana, so completely transparent is out of the picture.

So, what does that mean?...

Hm.

Hmmm.

Could it be…

You need to use your own mana to activate the jewel?

Well, I mean…

Allan can’t use magic, right?

So, then, only Mrs. Cromwell could activate them?

Maybe?

Well, it can’t hurt to try.

Alright, so…

Which one…?

Hmm, this one’ll do.

It’s a little carving knife(seriously, why does she let him have these?), with a red handle and probably an iron blade. It seems pretty dull.

It has a single gem(most items have one or two at most) on the end of its sheath.

Well, let’s try it!

Alright.

Step one: seperate a single point of mana from my own body.

I have no idea weather it will evaporate or something after it’s left me, so…

Alright, here goes!

Hnnng!

Hrmmmm…!

Hushahahahaha!

Wolololo!

Kamehame(removed for copyright-reasons)!!

Nope.

I can’t do it.

Sorry knife-kun, it’s impossible.

Wait.

Knife.

Knives are sharp, right?

Can they…

I experimentally cut off my own finger.

Ow fuck that hurt!

Wait, I’m not getting a “you lost 1 mana” message?

Hm??

Wait, my finger…

Is floating!!?

Whoa.

Whoahwoahowa.

C-, can I move it?

I better be able to, right?

I mean, this could be telekinesis, right…?

Well well well!

Finger, move to the right!

…

It didn’t do it…

Maybe it’s more of a psychic thing?...

Hrmmm…..-da!

I moved my whole hand slowly to the right, aiming it in the general direction of my silently floating finger.

In response, the finger floated ever so gently to the right, as if following the breeze.

It-, it moved!!!

There it is!!

Telekinesis!

Every kid’s dream, accomplished!

Especially mine, since I was so weak I could barely move a chair, and constantly dreamed I could just move it with the flick of my wrist.

Hm?

Now that I thing about it, isn’t my life much better now?

I can move freely, and before, I could even lift an entire baby!

It’s like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders!

It’s so-, oh, right, my finger.

Now…

Do I just insert it into the jewel, then?...

Hmmm…

Come over here…

Alright, it follows my directions!

Closer, closer, closer… that’s enough!

And now, to the left, just a little more…

And now…

Right down!

“Slurp”

Ueee, what sound, did you have to slurp up my mana?...

“Nomnomnomnomnom”

Look, I know this is supposed to be a magical fantasy world and all, but does the gem really have to make eating noises?

That’s part of me, you know?!

My body!

My soul!!

- You have sacrificed 1 mana and are now down to 20/70(+70). -

“Nomnomnomnomnom… more.”

Eeeeeehhh??

I am so gracious as to give you my blood, my flesh, and you ask for more??

Who do I look like, Je*us Ch*ist?!

“Feed me.”

Now what’s that supposed to mean??!?

“Feed me, Magnus.”

Why do you know my name!?!?!?!

Where are your eating manners!?!??!?!?!

“Feed me. Please.”

Well, there you go, that wasn't too hard, now was it?~

Sure sure here you go~

*shlitt*

OW FUCK RIGHT THAT HURTS

“Slurp”

D-, don’t you dare enjoy that.

“Mmmm~”

Goddamnit.

- You have sacrificed 1 mana. -

“More.”

What, you want my whole hand?!?

“Feed me.”

…

*SchLiTT*

OH FUCK ME IN THE ARSSESSSEEEE

Well, here you go! Come on, eat it!!

“Chop it up.”

Wh-, what?...

“I’m starving!”

Alright alright!

Sheesh!

What a spoiled brat!

Hnnn, this is going to hurt me more mentally than physically…

*snitt*

OW FUCK WHY DOES IT STILL HURT

*chop chop chop*

I THOUGHT ONLY ONIONS MADE CHEFS CRY ARGHH

JUST TAKE IT ALREADY

“Slurp~~”

…

“Munch munch munch~”

- You have sacrificed 8 mana. -

That better be enough.

If you start singing, so help me god…

Oho?

Well would you look at that, it’s starting to change colours!

I wonder why…

Oh, right, I was trying to infuse it with mana!

Haha, I forgot!

Well, if I atleast get a cool magical knife, the trauma is worth it.

The gem quickly took on a sky-blue colour, even having those little clouds shroud some parts.

Hm.

No dark-blue wisp thing to speak of, though…

Interesting.

Anyhow, I think I better sleep.

Even beings made of pure mana need some rest, you know.

Eh?

I’ve been sleeping for a decennia, I shouldn’t be tired, you say?

Well, when you’ve slept for twelve hours, don’t you feel much more tired than if you slept for seven or eight?

Exactly!

So, good night everybody~