Awakening the Bloodline

Chapter: 7

"What is a bloodline ability?" I asked.

"Well, to put it simply, it's an ability or parts of abilities that can be passed down through blood and sometimes can mutate into something else. But there are many ways for a bloodline ability to manifest or be created," Yuuri explained.

"I see… so do you have one?"

"Yes, I do have one, but my bloodline ability is more of a special case. Instead of getting it through blood, I was the one that made it through my mastery over lightning magic and natural energy."

"What does it do?" I asked curiously.

"Hmm, well, I haven't given it a name yet since I only managed to create it recently, but what it does is allow me to create, shape, manipulate, and even become natural lightning."

"Natural lightning?"

"Confused?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, so something you don't know is that elements made by magic are 7/10 times weaker than natural elements by 40-50%."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Ok, so tomorrow meet me back here so I can help you unlock yours."

Yuuri then got up and stretched. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

The next day, I arrived at the park, eager to see what the day had in store. I found Yuuri already waiting, her teal hair shimmering in the morning light.

"Ready to get started?" she asked with a smile.

"Absolutely," I replied.

Yuuri nodded. "Alright, let's begin with a demonstration of my bloodline ability." She stepped back and closed her eyes, focusing. Slowly, her body began to crackle with electricity, sparks dancing around her form. The air around her shimmered as the temperature dropped, and suddenly, her body transformed into a brilliant flash of lightning.

I watched in awe as Yuuri's lightning form moved with incredible speed, striking a nearby tree. In an instant, she reappeared beside me, her form returning to normal. The tree was now shattered and burnt.

"That was amazing," I said, my eyes wide with wonder. "You really became lightning."

"Yeah, but it drains stamina and has a lot of flaws because it was recently made, but so far it's good."

"Wait, stamina, not mana?"

"Well, my bloodline ability doesn't require mana; instead, it takes up my stamina."

"That means you can use mana to amplify it."

"You know, I never thought of that. After I gain a decent mastery, I'll try. Anyway, back to you. Let's try to unlock yours."

"Right, so what am I supposed to do?"

"First, you need to reach a state of deep focus. Your bloodline ability is a part of you, so you need to connect with your very essence. Close your eyes and try to feel the energy that lies dormant within you."

I nodded and closed my eyes, taking deep breaths. I focused inward, trying to reach the core of my being. I felt the familiar flow of mana within me, but I dug deeper, searching for something more intrinsic.

"Good, now concentrate on the feeling you get when you use your mana. It should be a similar sensation, but more primal, more instinctual," Yuuri instructed.

I continued to focus, and after a few moments, I felt a faint stirring deep within me. It was a different kind of energy, raw and powerful. I tried to grasp it, but it slipped away, elusive and distant.

"I can feel something, but it's hard to reach," I said, frustration creeping into my voice.

"That's normal. Bloodline abilities are often deeply buried. Try to remember the times when you used it unconsciously. What did you feel?"

I thought back to the two times I had activated my ability. The first was during my confrontation with the deformed man, and the second was when I fought in the park. Both times, I had been in extreme danger and felt an overwhelming surge of power.

"I felt… desperate. Like I had no choice but to use it," I said, opening my eyes.

"Desperation can be a strong trigger. Let's try to recreate that feeling, but in a controlled way," Yuuri suggested.

"How do we do that?"

"Simple. I'm going to attack you."

"What?"

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. But I need to push you to your limits to help you unlock your ability. Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be to get lightning shot at me," I said with a deadpan expression.

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry, I won't kill you."

"...Anyway."

Yuuri stepped back, her eyes narrowing as she focused. Sparks of electricity began to dance around her fingers. "Get ready, Ethen. Remember, focus on that feeling of desperation, but control it."

I nodded, taking a deep breath and bracing myself. In a flash, Yuuri launched a bolt of lightning at me. I barely managed to dodge, feeling the static charge prickle my skin.

"Come on, Ethen, you can do better than that!" Yuuri taunted, sending another bolt my way.

My heart pounded as I evaded the attacks, each one coming closer than the last. I could feel the pressure building, the familiar sensation of mana swirling within me. But it wasn't enough.

"Focus, Ethen!" Yuuri shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Find that power inside you!"

I closed my eyes for a split second, trying to center myself. Another bolt of lightning grazed my shoulder, and pain flared, but I held on to that feeling. I reached deeper, past the mana, seeking the primal energy within.

Suddenly, I felt it—a surge of raw, untamed power. My eyes snapped open, revealing my pitch-black silver octagram with a vertical slit pupil in the center with four dots at each corner of the eye. I raised my hand towards a bolt of lightning that was coming towards me. I could see the outline of the lightning, but instead of the orbs I would regularly see, there were streams of energy. I reached out to the main stream and destroyed it. As I did, the lightning vanished.

Yuuri's eyes widened in surprise. "You did it, Ethen! You activated your bloodline ability."

I stood there, panting heavily. "I... I did it," I said, a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration in my voice.

"Good, now the real training can begin," Yuuri said with a sweet smile that was anything but.

"Mercy?"

"No."

Chapter 7: End