The Rise Of Calamity

"There's no mana in this place..." She cried out completely horrified by what she was feeling and seeing.

To be precise, she wasn't seeing or feeling anything other than emotions, the breaths and warmth of the two people in front of her, and the walls that surrounded them and seemed to create tunnels that went on for miles.

"We should go back" Jacob suggested, yet Lea shook her head and spoke with a resolute voice.

"We've gotten this far, there is no way that we will just go back without checking anything and getting what we need."

"Come on Lea. You are better than this! I understand all the other times that you told us to go with you because there was an actual chance that we would survive but this time, the chances are way too low! We don't know what is beyond this darkness and neither do you! This is just reckless." Ronny tried to negotiate, yet he just received a stubborn shake of the head.

"We have gotten too far into this place for us to just go back! Just imagine how much your lives can change if we get that thing, whatever it is! We can live new lives! We can completely forget how weak we might have been and now become one of the most powerful people in the world!" Lea tried to explain, yet they both looked at her like she was crazy.

"If you don't want to come, don't come. Just know that I will go with or without you, it is up to you to decide if you will join me or not" She finally turned around, determination burning in her eyes like never before.

*Sigh*

After seeing that she wasn't going to listen to them, something that she did over and over again, they decided to follow her with defeated expressions.

"Just know that if I die and you live, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life" Ronny laughed to lighten the mood.

"Same here" Jacob smiled at Ronny before finally looking forwards, making sure to not look back so he would not lose his confidence.

After walking for another 30 minutes or so, Ronny could not help but ask "What do you think will happen if the mana actually completely runs out?"

"When they heard the question, they both glanced at him and began to think to themselves of the possibilities.

As the moment of silence passed, Lea finally turned around and looked at Ronny in the eyes before answering-

"There are a few possibilities... First, we won't be able to use anything that relies on mana for usage even if you have enough mana to use it. So basically this place is a mage's nightmare to say the least.-"

"What about your mana eyes?" Jacob asked nonchalantly, but this question seemed to be the same one that Ronny wanted to ask the moment he heard the first part of her answer.

Ronny wasn't stupid, he already had a few ideas on what would happen if the mana would completely run out. The only thing he wanted to ask was about the mana eyes that had been passed down to Lea by her father's genes, but they of course didn't know that since genetics weren't yet discovered, or at least not for humans.

"My mana eyes are more likely than not, going to stay working," she replied before shrugging.

"Really? I thought anything that functioned with mana wouldn't work" Jacob asked, making her glance back at him and retort-

"While my eyes use mana, they use my own mana to work... if that makes sense. Since there is no mana in the area, it also means that there are no elemental energies, something that I should have realized when I entered yet for some reason was too blinded to see until now. Anyway, What I wanted to say was that my eyes, rather than using the ambient mana and elemental energies in the area, actually use my own mana to do things. That's why while a mage might have problems fighting here, those problems will only stem from the fact that they can't use elemental energies nor can they replenish any of the mana they use when in here."

"What? Why would they need to replenish mana if they can't use it" Ronny asked

"Well, the problem doesn't stem from the fact that they can't use any elemental energies in here. It stems from the fact that most mages don't know, or refuse to learn how to use arcane magic. Arcane magic uses your own mana rather than the ones around you. And even though you can use it in its purest form, it is also a way for someone to create an elemental spell without having to use elemental energies. That's why everyone had a different affinity to a different element, and why their connection to the element decreases when they have two elements that share the same mana source"

Instantly, a look of realization appeared on both of their faces, causing them to exclaim "So we can use our elements in here?"

"Yes, you can use your elements in here if you actually knew arcane magic" She sneered, yet Ronny lifted his hand and pointed it forward, towards the endless darkness in front of him.

At the same time, he started to mutter a few words that seemed like chants and finally created a fireball in the palm of his hand before shooting it into the darkness, lighting up the hallway and showing everything in front of them.

"Well... we don't have much walking left to do, right?" He asked as the flame lit brightly, showing them the next room in advance even though everything around them so far seemed to have been pitch black.

As they moved their feet past what seemed to be the finishing line of the hallway that took them over an hour to get through, the area around them looked as if it had expanded while everything else had become as clear as day to see.

Looking back, they realized that there was this weird black mist that had been blocking their vision this entire time, making everyone but Lea chuckle at their own expense.

"Well, we should have seen that coming" Laughed Ronny

Suddenly, a voice devoid of any emotions spoke with a robotic monotone voice.

"Congratulations on completing the Trial of Resilience. You can choose your reward" The emotionless cold voice spoke into their minds, causing sharp spikes and shivers to go through their spines even though they knew that the voice meant them no harm... or, meant nothing in general.

Out of thin air, they watched as three items began to form in front of them...

Items that while considered small, could have probably changed their lives all on their own.

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If you liked this, check out my other novel

Immortality System: The Rise Of The Last Human

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