Magic Potential

After Sean collapsed and wasn't breathing anymore, Seren immediately started to panic. I kept my calmness and got into action right away, scrolling through the archive of my mind when I was reading that book.

There it is, the "Testing Phase".

The Testing Phase rarely happens, but I had one example right in front of me. To get the person in question through the Testing Phase, I need to pour and bathe the person in extremely cold water for twenty seconds, after that, I immediately have to use Regulating Magic –a Transcendent spell I could only use for small things. This time, I'm going to regulate the flow of his nerves, lungs, and heart.

"Calm down, Seren... I got this!" I said and I immediately started the process. I gathered and moved the blue particles of mana through my body and up to my brain as fast as I could, I then started to pour it over his rune on his nape, face, and chest.

I did it like that because the amount of water particles was low, but that did its work. After that, I concentrated the most I've ever done before and placed my hand at the back of his head, from where the nerves start to spread around the body, and commenced my Regulating Magic.

With that, I sent impulses to his brain, nerves, and heart to start functioning again. Buckets of sweat were already trickling down my face, probably because of how hard this operation was, but I did my best to not let my concentration waver.

After ten other seconds of using the Regulating Magic, his eyes whipped open, and he bolted up with a gasp and many pants following. After I saw him moving and breathing again, my body lost its tension and finally let itself be embraced by the darkness of sleep.

***

Ah, it's a ceiling. It was the white and blank ceiling of the living room. I was laying down on the couch, resting my head on a pillow. I shifted my neck to the right since I noticed a presence close to my face.

"Good morning sleepyhead." Seren with her wide and raven eyes, close to mine said calmly.

"Pff, good morning my ass, it's the middle of the night already. Ah, what about Sean, is he alright?" I asked.

She sighed and then said, "Stop worrying about others when you were unconscious just minutes ago. Also, Sean is well, I'll call him right now!" She stood up and went out of the room.

I guess Sean was in his room again. After twenty-seven seconds, Sean came running into the living room where I was now sitting comfortably on the sofa.

"Thank you, if it wasn't for your rationality, I would be gone right now. I am thankful to you for not letting me die!" He said all formally, fidgeting with his fingers.

I replied, "Well, that was the obvious thing to do. In the first place, it was my fault that you almost died… Oh, I just remembered, let me see you guys' magic potential and what affinity you have."

When they heard me, both became impatient and Seren questioned me with a new tone of happiness, excitement, and confusion mixed together "Yes, and how do you do that?"

"I will tell you right now. First, get into the position you did earlier today for me to give you the Runes," I said and they sat obediently.

"Runes?" She tilted her head in confusion… Cute.

To answer her, I voiced, "To give you the ability to absorb and utilize mana or magic, you may call it as you wish, you awakened through the Runes I imbued in you, but since they tell your potential, they hide under the surface of your skin."

"Ew, hide? That sounds like what a bug would do… disgusting!" She furrowed her brows while touching her nape.

After sitting the same way they did earlier, I once again, put my hands on their napes and used Regulating Magic again.

The spell was extremely difficult to use since the amount of mana was still lacking.

After about four seconds of concentrating my magic on their napes, the runes started to resurface again, and not with the same basic pattern as earlier but with more branches, texts, and complicated forms now.

"Oh, I can feel it on my neck now!" Said Sean, experiencing it for the first time.

"Ahh, it feels warm... like I'm in the bath, it makes me sleepy… I like it." Seren nodded in pleasure, trying to not sleep.

"Okay you guys, I will look into your potential now!" I notified them.

The results were jaw-slackening.

Seren had a 'Queen Potential' rune while Sean had a stronger one, the 'Peculiar Potential' one.

The Queen Potential rune means that you may be able to control two of the four main elements which are: Fire, Earth, Wind, and Water, you should also be able to create one Transcendent spell.

The Peculiar Potential rune means that you can reach the point to control all 4 elements while being able to create two Transcendent spells, basically, the closest potential to become a Transcendent.

I clutched my heart, such a shock, these two weak sons of mothers had higher potential for magic than I do… I wiped a tear comically.

"Ahem," I cleared my throat and continued, "I am done appraising you, and it left me shocked. Seren, the crystal at the base of your rune is shining purple, informing that you have the Queen Potential, while Sean…" I acted as if I had disappointing news for him.

"I'm not an Beginner-Stage… am I? I must be so weak and incompatible with mana, right? Since I also collapsed from it, knocking on death's door." He said with a sullen look, staring at the ground.

"Sean, if magic meant so much to you, you should've told me. I wouldn't tease you about it." A smirk spread on my face and I broke the news to him, "The crystal on your rune is--"

"Ah, Sean! The crystal on your rune is shining green!" Seren said with a loud and surprising look at his shining neck.

This idiot. I face-palmed.

Hahaha, why did she have to go and spoil the fun like that… How can I scold her when she has such an earnest face?

Sean whipped his head towards me, eyes wide-eyed.

"Yes, Sean. Your neck is shining Emerald. Which has only one meaning, that you already seem to know." I scoffed.

"Peculiar Potential…haha… and here I thought… I was never going to be able to use magic properly." Sean brought a hand to the face he raised.

"Ah, there seems to be some dust in this room. We need to clean, but later, because I can't look down right now, since more dust will enter my eyes." Sean tried playing off his happy tears like that.

His sniff was audible to both me and Seren.

"Yeah, we need to clean a little, don't we?" A gentle smile was drawn on my face at his reaction.

"Congratulations Sean, Seren," I said in my normal tone, "Well then, get ready for tomorrow. Since our Magic Training will begin then.

"Yes…" Sean agreed and inhaled loudly.

"Well, you've been quiet for a while, Seren. Is something bothering you?" I asked the girl who seemed to ponder over some things.

"Hmm, well since Sean is a Peculiar Potential, and I am a Queen Potential… Does that mean I am weaker than him?" She asked with a frown.

"Sadly, yes. Though if you put in enough effort and have a knack for it, you may be able to raise your potential."

"Tch, Sean, quit getting in my way over and over again!" She yelled at him.

"What did I even do?!" he replied back to her in a raised tone.

"Ah nothing, I'm going to sleep!" She went rushing to her room and slammed the door shut.

"Aha, she's mad now," Sean said with a frown.

"Hm… why I wonder?" I voiced my thoughts.

"Probably because I've been getting the better out of her lately." He explained.

"I see. So envy it is, huh...?"

***

I knocked on the door of her room and said quietly, "Can I come in?"

I received no answer, was she really that mad?

Just in case, I'll enter the room.

I pressed the handle down and pushed it forward slowly.

The room was dark, and in the bed, with rhythmic breaths, Seren was sleeping.

I approached her and sat beside on the bed. I looked down at her face, so peaceful it seemed. I couldn't help caressing her face.

The luminescent moonlight, shining upon this room made her look even more beautiful. She had black hair and black eyes, and yet she seemed so bright for my closed-off world.

I couldn't help caressing her, "I'm sorry Seren…" I whispered as I touched her soft lips with my rough thumb.

*Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump*

"Both for not giving you attention, and for making a move on you while you're sleeping…"

My heart is beating like crazy, being conscious of my breath, smell, and looks. I slowly lowered, our noses almost touching now, I could feel her breath on my lips now…

And then… I noticed movement beyond the door which was opened by someone, it was Sean who seems to have come to apologize to Seren. Thank God I whipped my body away.

"Ah, were you doing something?" He asked me.

"Hm, no. I just noticed she was asleep. Now I am just thinking about stuff." I didn't really hear what he said. My heart is deafening me.

"Ah, I see… I guess I'll apologize tomorrow. Good night!"

He closed the door and I just threw myself on the floor bed, bringing a hand to cover my burning face.