Mana existed as a fundamental force, an ambient energy that permeated the world like an unseen gas. It was neutral, inert, until it found a vessel. When it entered a living being or even an inanimate object, it stimulated the very atoms within, seeking to bond. This integration was the source of all power.
For some, the bond manifested as an affinity for an element, shaping the mana into fire or ice. For others, it was more esoteric, altering physical laws or granting insight. These countless variations were the special powers each person awakened, a unique expression of how their very essence reacted to the touch of mana.
This raw, untamed energy was what now raged inside Nox.
"You wanted a fight, mercenary?" he said, his voice a low growl that didn't quite sound like his own. "Looks like you're about to get one."
Lola's own smirk tightened at the edges. She shifted her weight from her right foot to her left, her daggers held loosely. 'This kid's not normal.'
