The mana or elemental crystal is a mineral deposit commonly found

in places rich in energy. Its composition his highly fragile and strong

force or a physical trauma can shatter it with ease. Doing so is dangerous

for these crystals contain condensed energy of their surrounding area.

They can be enchanted or can hold magical formations for secondary use.

A charged crystal will hold its energy until released or destroyed. An

empty crystal can be recharged, but it cannot be allowed to fall

completely empty otherwise it starts to decay. With help of an enchanted

crystal even people with zero affinity can release previous enchanted spells.

Only the rarity and effort to create said spell crystals prevents a wide

military use. Influential people or adventurers often carry a few of these

crystals charged with healing magic for emergency use.

-Extract from Minerals and you! Author unknown.

POV Mare

The pain is gone, I feel so light everything is so quiet, the stream

is everything. I do not know how long it has been since I entered the

waters and if not for that little nagging voice in the back of my skull

I would have let go long ago.

I feel myself dissolving, losing my form, is it really needed to stay

myself? The warm embrace of the stream is so inviting.....

A single picture comes into my mind, Rineska with her long pipe telling

me of the wonders the world contains. The great falls of the north, the

endless deserts in the iron mountains. But not a single emotion arises.

Then another picture, my limbs on a chain, the pain... ANGER!!!!

How could I forget? Clawing at the peaceful stream, I will KILL that

bastard! I will make him PAY!!!!

I could not see, but it was not necessary, for my ANGER was my guide.

Everything trembled the stream started to reject me, like a splinter in

a palm. In a giant blob of condensed energy it spat me out.

I could only watch from my ethereal view as what remained of my body

fused with the dissolving chain and the pure energy. With all my anger

I lashed out against everything in range, rocks liquefied into raw energy

and the earth trembled under my fury.

Then the ceiling came down and sealed me deep under the earth. But I kept

lashing out against that what had ruined my life! If I cannot live, so I will

take everything with me!

At the same time on the highest level of the shaking tower.

POV Ymo Umbra

I barely got away from the cave in, two of my guards were not so lucky,

but I will get a replacement soon. Just a few men I can replace them at my

leisure.

The tremors were getting worse, even in the tower level fine fissures started

to appear in the walls.

I rounded a corner and stood face to face with the man that owned my life.

I nearly broke my knee as I threw myself into a kneeling posture.

“Master!” In front of me stood the man I revered and hated the most the

Grand Magus Jarin Euvrouin. His piercing gaze penetrated my very

being.

Before i could say anymore a single question made me freeze up.

"What did you do Umbra? Do not dare to lie i smell the energy and blood on you!"

"Oh great master those tremors are but a small side effect of an experiment.

They should subside soon as the Ley line deals with the impurity."

His left eye twitched, not a good sign. "What did you throw in the stream...?"

I humbled myself in front of him, "just a lowly slave that turned traitor my lord"

His eyes widened, a small bead of sweat ran down his face. “Please by the great

elementals, tell me it was not a female Rancar around 12 years old.”

“How do you know Master? It was but a lowly slave.”

Anger and fear switched places on his face. He reached for his staff activating the central

runestone of the tower. His voice thundered through the whole tower.

“Evacuate the lower levels, clear the outer floors, we have an emergency the tower

will activate its flight crystals. I repeat get everything you can we are going

airborne!”

“But master its but a few tremors they should subside soon.”

That was the biggest mistake I could have made, his rage barely contained,

he thundered at me:

“You senile fool do you have any idea WHAT you just threw into concentrated world

energy? A freaking half-blood that I acquired under extreme personal sacrifice,

that slave is worth more than half the tower!”

I could only sit in silence as he shouted me in the ground.

“It is a damn ELEMENTAL halfling you blind toad and you just had to throw

one of the most unstable creatures on this plane into a quagmire of energy.

We are lucky if we get far enough from the stream before she becomes unstable

and everything here blows up!”

Then he stormed off, a small warm puddle formed under me, there was but one

question I had for myself “What have I done?”