Extra's Magic



Crack...

The Islands behind me were plummeting straight down into the Lava Ocean, their rocky peaks disappearing into the fiery abyss below.

One by one, they pulled each other toward destruction, the Obsidian Chains connecting them creaking under the pressure but holding strong, for now.

Clang...

Running onto the last chain, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, my breath coming in short gasps.

How could I keep calm, when everything around me was collapsing into chaos?

Tap... Tap...

As soon as my feet touched the smoldered ground of the Island, I instantly dashed toward the Void in the distance.

My eyes traced its glowing outlines and myriad of colors swirling within, mesmerizing and terrifying at the same time.

Crackle...

Cracks spread all around the ground like spiderwebs, as the immense pressure from the collapsing Islands continued to reverberate through the earth.

The ground beneath my feet was trembling, threatening to give way at any moment.

"..."

Standing before the Edge of the Void, I looked back at the once majestic Islands that were now falling from the sky, like fiery meteors hurtling toward oblivion.

Boom...

Seeing the Islands disappearing into oblivion, I took a deep breath and turned toward the Void.

Thud...

I stepped closer to the lip of the Void, the pulsating energy from within buzzing against my skin like a million minuscule electric shocks.

It was a bizarre mix of danger and allure.

Whoosh…

Sparing a glance at hell one last time, I jumped into the Void. The world blurred around me as I plunged into a whirlwind of colors, like diving into an artist's palette gone wild.

Rumble...

The last thing I heard before the silence engulfed me was the thunderous crash of the remaining Island into the Lava Ocean. A rear-view mirror to my past, to a world now lost to the fiery abyss.

As the noise faded off into the distance, my world became silent, filled only with the flashing colors of the Void.

***

Whoosh...

This time I wasn't pulled into another realm against my will and wasn't shown some weird future that would irk my existence even more.

I had the additional Fallen Angel to worry about...

Tap...

As I stepped out of the Void, my surroundings transformed into a lush and vibrant forest with tall trees that reached toward the sky.

Sun was already in its afternoon descent, painting the canopy of leaves with golden hues that danced in the gentle breeze.

"Phew... I'm finally back!"

Stretching my back, I briefed a sigh of relief as the weight of the Void lifted from my shoulders.

Now all that was left to do...

Glancing behind my back, I saw the Rift slowly closing, sealing the pathway between the realms.

Dark Mana was oozing around it, but I quickly used my Mana to create a barrier around the closing Void to ensure that nothing could escape or enter through it.

Click...

With the clicking sound, the Rift was sealed shut and vanished from existence, leaving only a cloud of Dark Mana that was suppressed by my Mana.

My golden eyes gazed at the Dark murky energy trying to seep through my Mana and a wicked smile played on my lips.

All Serpent guild members are instructed to destroy the Dark Mana after the Void is closed to ensure that no remnants of darkness linger and to maintain the safety and balance of our world.

However, I had a different plan in mind...

Whoosh...

Approaching the Energy cloud without hesitation, I dove headfirst into the depths of the Dark Mana.

"Ughh..."

Instantly the Dark Mana began to swirl and stick onto my skin like a viscous tar, its noxious energy imbued with malevolence and chaos.

I could feel its corrupting tendrils slithering through my veins, seeking to taint and consume me.

But I wouldn't let it.

Swish...

My own Mana began to circulate through my body with intense vigor, pushing back against the invading Dark Mana and purging it from within me.

As soon as it was forced out, I allowed my Mana to retreat back to its dormant state within me.

Then the Dark Mana attacked again...

I repeated this process until all the Dark Mana in the cloud was completely eradicated, or rather absorbed into my body in small doses.

Although Dark Mana is like poison to Humans and corrupts their minds and souls, I am no ordinary human.

In Leclentia Dark and Light Mana are the most sought-after and powerful sources of energy.

That's incorrect.

While it is said that Mana makes up the entire fabric of the universe it is also incorrect.

There is an energy far beyond Mana, an energy that existed before the universe itself.

Aether.

It's the primordial energy from which everything originates.

Time, Space, People, Plants...

Everything is connected to the Aether.

Even the Timekeeper's Watch I have is actually an Artifact that harnesses the power of Aether to manipulate time.

Although I have to supply Mana to the Timekeeper's Watch in order to activate its Aether abilities, it is the Aether itself that holds the true power.

This begs the question...

How does one harness the power of the Aether?

Well...

It is impossible.

At least with the Mana Core that is!

This is probably the prime Reason why I didn't rush to break through the Ranks in my Mana Core.

I will have to shatter it anyway.

"That sounds like a lot of pain..."

I giggled under my breath as I recalled the time I reincarnated in this world. There was probably no experience more painful than that.

Well, anyways, to create an Aether Core, I must shatter my Original Mana Core and glue its fragments back together with Dark Mana.

Since both of these energies are direct opposites of each other, they will clash which will make the Aether, the fabric of reality, react to this disturbance.

The collision of Dark and Original Mana would send ripples through the Aether, causing it to ripple and shimmer like a vast cosmic ocean. It would respond to the disturbance, its currents shifting and swirling with otherworldly energy.

The Aether would recognize the discordant fusion, perceiving it as a unique opportunity to recalibrate the balance of energies within the universe.

As the fragments of the shattered Original Mana Core would mingle with the Dark Mana, the Aether's influence would grow more pronounced. Threads of luminous energy would begin to weave through the chaotic amalgamation, attempting to restore harmony amidst the clash of opposing forces.

The Aether would act as a binding agent, interweaving its ethereal tendrils into the fragmented Mana, seeking to unify the disparate energies. It would bridge the gap between the opposing polarities, merging them in a delicate dance of balance and harmony. The Aether's touch would be like that of an invisible hand, guiding and shaping the nascent Aether Core.

With each passing moment, the Aether's presence would grow more palpable, suffusing the newly forming Aether Core with its intrinsic power. It would resonate with the deepest aspects of reality, becoming a vessel for the primordial energy that existed before the birth of the universe.

In the end, some amount of Aether in the Core would be trapped within the fractures of the once-shattered Mana Core, creating a fusion of opposing forces that would give birth to extraordinary power.

The process is truly complicated...

Well, first I need to get used to the Dark Mana, so it wouldn't kill me during the initial fusion.

So... the forming of Aether's core was nowhere close.

At least until I finish the First Year of the mage academy.

"This will be a fun year~"

***

Thud... Thud...

Rose stood before a wooden door leading to an apartment. This was obviously not her apartment since she was knocking on the door.

However, even after a few moments, no one responded.

'Maybe he's asleep?'

Rose decided to try again, knocking a little louder this time, but still, there was no response.

"..."

Pouting her lips, Rose looked at the door for a few seconds before sighing.

Tess was probably deep in slumber or somewhere out in the city, hence she had nothing to do.

She had already trained and her Mana was depleted, so she needed to recharge but her body was full of energy.

For the past hour, she has been trying to find a way to occupy her time, but it seemed like every option she considered was met with some kind of obstacle or unavailability.

A princess had nothing to do...

Tap... Tap...

Walking through the academy campus, she garnered quite a few looks from the students but merely ignored most of them, while waving to some of her acquaintances.

One of the girls she knew even invited her to the city and since Rose had nothing better to do, she quickly agreed.

As busy as she was usually, the weekend was that time of the week when Rose finally had some free time to relax and enjoy herself.

And she kind of disliked it...