The ashes before Strife

Episode 12 : mana nature ; 4

The forest was thick, lush, and wet from the constant downpour "we should think of looking for shelter. It's impossible to tell how much longer the rain will last master."

looking up through the canopy of trees letting droplets of rain fall on my face i replied, "yeah that's a good thought. You think you can sense around and find a cave Thorn?"

The tiny wyvern sunk its clawed wing into the earth sending out strong vibrations. I wandered about as I waited for him to finish, a yellow snake then jumped out to attack me however I was able to grab it and snap its neck "Alright I found a place. It should be a quick sprint, just follow me Cayde." I tossed the black dragon the dead snake's body as a reward and he quickly ate it "ugh banana flavor. Why couldn't it be yellow pepper flavor?" The wyvern then flew off into an unknown direction and I followed suit.

As I ran through the forest the wet leaves around me would give off hot steam from the fiery crimson aura keeping me warm "nearly there. Just a few more minutes!" I looked forward watching Thorn maneuver about the leaves and branches, several snakes attacked him, he ate a red one whole and clasped the other two blue ones in his talons digging into them making them bleed out as they tried to wriggle free but failed.

He stayed holding the two now-dead snakes as we arrived at a cliff face "over here!" He flew up heading to a ledge where a cave entrance was, I jumped up landing with ease, and headed inside taking off my black hood. "Should've brought a poncho. This coat is not very water-resistant." I took off my white coat making the two chains jingle as I rested it on an earth spike. No longer with glowing markings across my body disabling the ashreaver technique.

"Alright you two, you can come out. It's not raining in here." Lupra and Ronik both jumped out of my back and looked about cautiously. "Thank goodness. I wouldn't want my parts to get wood rot due to the rain. You have my thanks, master."

I turned around undoing my side ponytail letting my hair flow freely and saw Thorn eating the two dead blue snakes he had caught earlier slowly atop a ledge. Lupra was looking up at him on the ledge longing for one of the snakes "it's the blueberry flavor just so you know." Lupra nodded and Thorn sighed throwing down the uneaten snake which she quickly began to eat.

I made a small campfire and laid several mats down for each of us to rest on as we waited for the rain to stop.

I looked out the cave lit up by the fire warming my hands watching the rainfall annoyed at my ineptitude to control water mana, if I could control water mana this rain wouldn't be a problem and I wouldn't have to prolong my journey to Tyres.

"Papa... you alright?" I looked down realizing that Lupra was resting against my leg "just fine. I was just thinking it would be great if I could actually use water magic is all."

"Then practice now. What's the problem? We've basically got the perfect environment for it considering how hard it's pouring out there." Thorn looked down from his ledge still eating his blue snake.

"Unfortunately it's not that easy. Water mana's nature is the one I'm least compatible with along with wind." Thorn looked at me confused not understanding what I meant thinking I was speaking nonsense "okay... now say that in words that I can understand."

"Simply put, the four elements I can control are naturally resistant and stubborn but my dominance over them makes them do as I say. Darkness keeps trying to hide away, ice keeps stopping itself, thunder keeps trying to run away and connect with other lightning manas and fire is trying to create a backlash for me. They all have hardy personalities while water is basically slipping through my fingers. It's like trying to catch wind in a jar."

"Three of them except fire sound like cowards." Well, you're not wrong there, Thorn.

"It's not that they're cowards, it's that they don't want to be used. That's a reason for mana poisoning, it's them fighting you from the inside of your circuits trying to free themselves." Thorn nodded with understanding as Lupra began falling asleep "that's why I create multiple layers atop my circuits stopping that from happening."