Chapter 21: The aftermath

The sun is shining in through the open window, I'm in my bed. A blanket is draped over me

How did I get here? Wait, that's no window!

There was a large hole in the ceiling. I got out of bed, stumbled on wobbly legs and reached for the door only to fall. I felt so weak. With a few tested movements, my strength slowly returned, like my body wasn't used to moving so suddenly.

It's not like I was in a coma for months. My Sense Mana aura extends out far enough that I can see that the village is still damaged Unless that was caused by something else. With my perception extending out fifty meters, I can see the state that the house is in and it's not good. Many holes had been blasted in and the walls had been sliced open as if a giant blade had cut through it. I can only imagine what the rest of the village looks like but the neighbor's house hadn't fared any better.

Normally when at home I shrink my perception to only the house and shrink it to my room at night to give people privacy. However, I had not expected to wake up in my bed. I stood up and walked out to the village. People are hustling and bustling, fixing damage and I can already see many fixes on the walkways.

"Alysara is awake!" Someone shouted.

"Someone go tell her parents!"

I am shocked to see all the people know who I am, they crowded around me asking if I needed anything. It was all too much, the sudden and growing crowd of people I wanted to run and hide.

"Alysara!" Coming to my rescue mom swooped in and picked me up. Snuggling me tightly and purring. "Iwasworriedyou'dneverwakeupyou'vebeenasleepforthreewholedays!" She was talking all too fast and I understood none of it through her crushing embrace. "Common, let's take a bath!"

Mom shot off through the crowd and soon I am submersed in baths, a smiling Myrou overlooking me.

"You saved the whole village!" Mom said. "The outer villages survived with little damage, the middle ones did not fare as well but they are still standing..." Mom trailed off.

If the middle villages suffered a lot of damage then there is no way that the center and inner villages survived. Ours being a center village is probably the only one to have made it out. No wonder everyone is treating me like a hero, I pretty much am.

If I hadn't gotten that cursed skill... If I hadn't gotten any cursed skill, we'd probably all be dead. I only leveled [Sense Mana] so much because it's the only way I can see. I only got [Manipulate Mana] because my [Sense Mana] was so high.

How will other things I learn and do influence the future?

How had this event impacted my life?

Dad soon joined us.

"I am so proud of you!" She hugged me tightly.

As we bathed I checked the damage done to my future evolutions.

Myrou's Adorable Runalymo:(Adept)Requirements: Myrou Bless Runalymo, Have Charm at level 20 or higher, Age 5 or higher.

This Adorable blessed Runalymo can't possibly do any wrong. Mixed with cuteness essence no one could think anything bad of you.Note: No skills will be lost or merged

No change here, but I didn't expect it either.

Beauty Heroine Runalymo:(Adept)Requirements: Myrou Bless Runalymo, Have Bond at level 50 or higher, before the age of 5. Has saved the people of a village from mana toxicity. Age of 5 or higher

A master of beauty magic and her bond, this Runalymo has reached heights in power that some would be envious of at an age where the rest of her kin are still playing with toys and living carefree. The dedication to power will lead to untapped heights, for this Runalymo is bound for greatness. Her ability to save and destroy will earn her a place in history.Note: No skills will be lost or merged

A minor change for this one, I guess my slow healing did something after all.

Mana Master Runalymo:(Grand)Requirements: Myrou Blessed Runalymo, Have Sense Mana at level 60 or higher, before the age of 5. Have Sense Mana at 100 or higher before the age of 10, Have 10 breakthroughs in Sense Mana before the age of 10, Have the cursed skill Manipulate Mana at level 40 or higher, Have 6 breakthrough in the cursed skill Manipulate Mana, Have created 3 Nexus Mana Cores, Age of 5 or higher

This Runalymo has mana sensing capabilities beyond what most would consider possible, Able to see beyond her limits to places unknown and strike at the location through their use of Mana Manipulation. They care not for the survival of others as their ability to see and strike anywhere gives them the ultimate right to rule.Note: Skills may be replaced or merged

Yup, this one has been corrupted by my cursed skill. It was counted that I created the nexus mana cores, interesting. Being able to observe and attack anywhere, kinda seems like a god, no wonder it has the "right to rule" part in it.

Storm Warden Runalymo:(Heroic)Requirements: Myrou Blessed Runalymo, Have Sense Mana at level 60 or higher, before the age of 5. Have Sense Mana at 100 or higher before the age of 10, Have 10 breakthroughs in Sense Mana before the age of 10, Have the cursed skill Manipulate Mana at level 40 or higher, Have 6 breakthrough in your cursed skill Manipulate Mana, Have predicted numerous elemental storms and saved several people with your forewarning. Have survived a superstorm. Have created 3 Nexus Mana Cores, Have saved the peoples of a settlement from a superstorm. Age of 5 or higher

This Runalymo is one with the storms, their adaptation to a nexus has grown so keen as to instinctively know when storms will arrive days, even weeks in advance. Able to calm them by her very presence and able to conjure and enrage storms this Runalymo can rightfully claim her place as the true ruler of storms.Note: Skills may be replaced or merged

Heroic. That's the highest tier evolution yet, I wonder if it's because I saved my village? Still, this one too has been corrupted. It'd take it immediately otherwise, well, after capping my sense mana for the extra requirement.

Calm and conjure storms? That sounds ridiculously powerful, just how strong are heroic tier evolutions?

Whelp! Guess I just have to focus on my bond now.

The rest of the day I spent time with my parents. After work, Aunty and Nyam joined us. If Nyam respected me before then she downright idolized me now. It's strange to see how the jealous child who started off pulling my ears and tail to now looking at me with starry eyes.

"Cheers to Alysara! Our savior!"

I hid behind Mom and Dad as people cheered it was very strange and nerve-wracking for everybody to cheer for me. We are at the Lojyo, people are dancing, music is being played, and people are laughing, celebrating life, and living like there is no tomorrow.

We are the center of attention, the last thing I wanted. Once show and tell started an elderly woman started to tell the epic of Kayafe. It was a story about how the Runalymo, our people, came to these islands. It told of how there were great evils, earless and tailless, that killed and captured our ancestors. Forced them to work and turn away from Myrou's teachings, to worship them as gods instead. One day, after being beaten by one of the evils Kayafe started to train her water bond. If she had been found out she would have been killed. Against all odds, she trained and trained, day after day, year after year. She eventually escaped with several others, even one of the earless had helped her and joined her.

Kayafe then traveled the world, finding allies who would help her overthrow the evil ones. They fought powerful foes and great beings, becoming living legends. Once they had become powerful enough, Kayafe returned to the home of the evil ones to free her people. With her allys a battle of thousands raged until every last evil one was slain. With the battle won and many sacrifices made Kayafe split the ocean, leading her people to new lands. A place where no evil can commit atrocities on her people again. For years the Runalymo traveled, living nomadically beneath the waves. Protected by the power of Kayafe

This land was found but the Guardian had not welcomed them, demanding they leave. Kayafe fought the Guardian, and for three days and nights, they fought until Kayafe had lost. But the Guardian had come to respect Kayafe and eventually agreed to let the Runalymo stay here. There was just one last problem. There was too much mana here and it had to be reduced. With the help of the Guardian, Kayafe made her last sacrifice, she made the Mana Arc. The gem that rests upon the top of the temple. The stone that has allowed life to first blossom on these islands.

With life being brought to these now tamed lands and a protector the Runalymo found peace and sovereignty, but it was hard. Food was scarce and monsters stayed away from the territory of the Guardian. Life was hard for the generations that came but the first nurturers with high mana regeneration offered their milk for sustenance. Eventually, seeds of plants would occasionally find their way to the outer mountains. And with the mana now at a tolerable level, the first true source of food was found and planted across all the islands. Domrs began to spawn here, weak enough to avoid the Guardian's notice, and after several hundred years, the Runalymo can finally call this place their home.

The next day elder Tusile came early in the morning and asked for me to come to the village hall.

"I'm coming too!" Dad said.

Elder Tusile sighed. "Alright, you should come too," she said looking at mom.

Once I sat down in front of the three elders again they began to give me a report.

"Over fifty villages have been completely destroyed. Save for a survivor or two. Even our own village had casualties, especially after you fell unconscious"

"Elder Tusile!" Dad interrupted.

"She has a right to know. Although I don't think anyone will blame her, not openly at least."

I wasn't able to save everyone, maybe if I was a little stronger then no one would have to grieve.

"The point is'' Tusile continued. "We cannot remain ignorant to these events. Whatever happens elsewhere in the world will affect us; we have to acknowledge that! And the only way we can prevent a tragedy of this scale is to train protectors, most storms will be harmless but we may get bad years like this one."

"What are you suggesting?" Mom asked.

"Have Alysara train people to sense mana as she does" Yukika said.

"It's to unlock the [Manipulate Mana] skill. Our storm wardens will have to try to get the cursed skill" Guklaro said.

"You can't possibly-" Dad tried to interject but Elder Tusile cut her off

"Thousands are dead! Many infrastructures are gone and we'll lose many things we once came to enjoy. It will take decades if not centuries to recover! The Guardian could not protect us this time!" Tusile sighed and took a sip of tea. "We cannot always rely on the Guardian anymore. We must be able to protect ourselves"

Silence ruled the air until I spoke up.

"First, From what the Guardian said. Cursed skills are class skills, so it might be better to see if a class can be unlocked with the skill, that way it doesn't have to be cursed. Second, I just have to teach them [Sense Mana] and possibly the functioning of [Manipulate Mana], right? I don't have to actually show them the skill?" I ask.

"That is right," Yukika said.

"Then what's the harm?" I ask dad.

"I don't like it! My child is only five years old!" Dad crossed her arms.

Dad may have been the first one to pick up on the fact that I am not a normal child but she sure does like to protect me like I am one.

Tusile sighed again. "I know, and we are asking a lot of her but this is for the future of our peoples, or would you rather Alysara shoulder the burden of protecting us again should another of these storms come?"

Dad fell silent

"We will ask for people to volunteer to be trained to sense mana and possibly protect people from the storms. They will be sent to be trained on Temple Island a week from now."

The meeting ended with no further argument.

I spent the next few days practicing my music and bond. I tried playing with the other kids but me being too highly regarded now has made things awkward. The way the other kids defer to me, the way others feel like they are unworthy of me. I just want to be treated normally, like how it was a few months ago, before the storms.

Tana is the only one I can feel less idolized by. I helped him train his bond, which has gotten a lot better but we still feel distant. We've not hung out much lately and I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever truly have friends.

"I wish everyone would act normally around me" I complained as Tana is releasing a jet of flame. There is currently an adult nearby and we did ask him if we could train.

"But everybody wants to be like you!" Tana said, his eyes turning starry. "Super smart!" I never felt smart, it's just because of my past life influence. "Best at using your bond!" There are people better, but I suppose I'm best among the kids. "You even saved the village!" But I couldn't save everybody "You are good at everything you do! Netball, your flute..."

"You're better at netball and I practice a lot with my flute. I didn't start out good at anything!" I argued.

"That's the only thing I am good at but your team still beats mine a lot of the time" That's because I cooperate and set other players up for an advantage.

I sighed. I just want to be left alone for now.

"Just keep practicing like that, I have something to do at home" I gave a weak excuse and left before Tana could say anything else.

Everyone sees the end result of practice and not the struggle, the time invested, and the hours of contemplation and practice it takes to get good at something. I do have advantages in things, my past life influence helps a ton, but that's not because I am a genius or super talented.

I walked through the village, noting the people nailing boards to fix holes. Removing broken pieces not salvageable, and generally repairing the damage done by the storm. One person stood up on her roof at just the wrong time, a gust of wind and air mana blowing her off balance. I used [Manipulate Mana] to make the wind blow back from the other direction and prevent her from falling off. Doing that used most of my mana and a gust of air mana and wind surged from me as my mana transformed.

I got home to see Aunty talking with my parents in the lounge. Sometimes I wished I could hear through my Sense Mana.

Ting! Sense Mana has obtained level 110!