Tyura could see it all now. It flowed from the trees, from the plants, from the air itself.

So this was mana. 

Tyura blinked, feeling himself get dizzy. He could only concentrate on the flow for a few seconds before his eyes began to burned. Instead he focused on the mana inside himself.

He closed his eyes and breathed out. 

After nearly dying from “mana overload”, as Nave had explained it, it took two weeks for him to fully recover. Now he could do what Fade did, except with sticks instead of an axe.

Tyura picked up a stick the size of his hand and focused on pouring energy around it.

This was different from his powers in the other world. There, it was like the power was on top of him covering him, but not actually in him. Like a puppet on strings there was no power in the puppet only in the strings that controlled it.

This mana ability was…difficult. Yes it was difficult because he actually had to learn it, but he could feel it’s potential to grow and become stronger. 

Tyura was sure once he got a little stronger, he could use this ability to kill Fade and Nave.

Tyura threw the thin stick and it cut through the air like a real blade and embedded itself into the tree. 

Not deep enough.

“Hey!”

Tyura turned in the direction of Fades' voice, wondering if he should try throwing a stick at him now, but all those thoughts left when he saw his face.

His eyes were wide with terror and he was breathing heavily. Fade marched briskly past Tyura to the house and banged on the door.

Nave opened it shortly after, her eyes wide with confusion.

“Get the money, leave everything else. We have to go.”

Nave disappeared back into the house without asking any questions.

Tyura had plenty of questions but he didn’t ask. He just watched Fade pace outside the door as he stared nervously at the tree line. 

Tyura looked in the direction he was looking and tried to use mana sight, as he called it, to search for signs of a threat. Unfortunately, he had already used up most of the mana he possessed earlier.

He blinked rapidly to ease the pain.

Soon Nave opened the door  again carrying a small brown sack.

“I said just the-whatever let’s go. Quickly now!” Fade gestured to Tyura who followed closely behind the both of them.

Tyura watched them but also his surroundings. As soon as they entered the forest the air seemed to change. There was something strange nearby. Something dangerous.

Fade suddenly gasped and a hand was smacked over Tyura’s mouth so hard it stung. His wounds from the beating Fade gave him hadn’t fully healed yet, and he felt that the cut from his busted lip reopen.

By the time Tyura recovered from the pain in his face, they were already squatting in some bushes. He glanced at Fade who was peering out of the bush with glowing green eyes. He was using his mana eyes.

Even Tyura who was a beginner in feeling mana could sense there was something approaching. Much more dangerous than Nave and Fade.

And then he smelt it. The stench of the creature was so foul, it was indescribable.

Tyura wanted to hold his breath but since his nose was the only thing not covered he had no choice but to breathe it in. 

His eyes watered and fell past his eyes. Nave had her eyes squeezed shut with her hands covering her mouth and nose and Fade was so tense that a vein protruded from his jaw and neck.

It felt like forever before the heavy sound of squelching flesh passed.

After that even the merciless murders were left afraid. Tyura wondered what exactly that thing was. Perhaps this world also had demons. Actual demons.

Fade wiped the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve.

“They’re migrating closer.” 

Nave said as she stood from her spot on the ground.

“And… that means we have to migrate closer.”

Nave scoffed. “We can’t go into the city.”

Tyura’s ear perked up at the word city and he made sure to show special attention to the next few words they said.

“We’re not going to the city.”

“Then…”

“…”

“Fade, don't tell me...”

Fade sighed and Nave stomped her foot.

“Not Hawkin!”

Tyura looked between them. What’s Hawkin?