TBATE: Mirage

Awaken

LIAM
Today would be the day! I've been at the library more times than I can count on my little fingers. But I was confident to say that I had a lot of knowledge about Mana. I'd say, I would have an 8-year-old knowledge of Mana in this world.

I read every kid's book I could read in the kid's section on Mana in the library. I memorised everything as if it were like the bible. Anything about Mana I'd probably know. Well on a kid's level that is. My mother restricted me from being able to read anything of a higher level as a kid, probably because I wasn't ready for that type of reading.

It was a mother just trying to be a mother. She was certainly doing a good job at it though.

But with all the theory that I had learnt, it was time for the practicality of it all as well.

I was currently sitting in my crib, I had no idea how this would turn out but it was worth a shot. If my hypothesis was correct, it would be an easier way to awaken whatever that may be.

I sat there in silence, trying my best to attempt to channel in Mana. It was quite similar to my world with Ki being stored inside you.

Now to only get it out.

Hmm. White lights. That's interesting.

Oh. They turned colourful.  Wow, I can connect them like dots.

WHOOSH!

Mother's owl vanished.

That was strange. Mother's owl never leaves me. Oh well, where was I? Connecting dots!

Just one more colourful dot to connect to and then. . .

GABRIEL

"That's enough training for today!" I nodded to myself, satisfied with what I'd done today.

"That was amazing Gabriel." Aerilyn giggled, excitement in her voice.

I didn't even realise that she was here. I was so used to training by myself that I was just in my own space. But here Aerilyn was sitting on a tree that I had cut down recently. I smiled, walking over to her, and sitting beside her. She rested her head on my shoulder.

"You're training harder than usual."

"Well, we had our duel and you bested me once again. That's why I'm training hard again."

"Is that all?" She asked.

She knew me too well. That wasn't the whole reason why I was training so hard. I took a deep breath. "I guess you got me." I snickered. "I'm also training harder now so I can protect Liam."

"That's very fatherly of you." Aerilyn leaned in to kiss me on the cheek.

All I wanted to do now, was be the best father I could be to Liam. Something my father couldn't do. I wanted to be there when he was down, so I could help him even in his lowest moments in life. I'd be there aiding him back up.

I wanted Liam to feel welcomed and I wanted him to know that he wasn't alone. He had people around him, he had me to protect him.

I knew what it felt like to have a terrible father. A man who was greedy, angry and cruel. I was too young at the time to realise what kind of person my father truly was. But when I grew older I realised who he was as a person. 

My elder brother knew as much as I did how cruel of a father he was growing up. But unlike me, I had the confidence to speak my mind and when I challenged my father's authority, I was shunned and exiled away.

It was one of the punishments for doing something I thought was right. I never heard from them again or spoke to them again.

But it wasn't entirely bad. When I reminisce about those days, I've come to realise it was more of a blessing rather than a curse. And that I was grateful for what had happened.