The First Mana Gate

Ronan's question didn't really need an answer—but both Elion and Jordan nodded anyway. They were in.

"Let's do this, Elion," Jordan said, practically bouncing like a kid about to unlock his final form in a video game.

But Elion didn't answer right away. He wasn't bouncing. He wasn't even breathing all that steadily. Because the truth was—he was actually considering saying no. Not because he didn't care. But because of what he'd just seen.

The First Slayer had saved humanity. Give them hope. Power. A fighting chance. And what did he get in return?

Betrayal.

Elion rubbed his hands together, trying to shake the cold settling in his chest. What if that was his future, too? What if he gave everything to protect Earth, only to be cast aside once the job was done? Or worse—what if he didn't do anything at all? What if he walked away, and Earth burned because he hadn't stepped up? He didn't know which was worse—dying a hero or living long enough to become the reason everything fell apart.

Jordan clapped him on the back, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Dude. Why are you thinking so hard? We're about to unlock superpowers. This is peak awesome."

Elion let out a shaky breath. "I just… what if we're not ready? What if we end up like—" He cut himself off, not finishing the thought.

Jordan blinked, caught off guard by the seriousness. Then, in classic Jordan fashion, he smiled anyway. "Then we don't die. We become the strongest."

Elion stared at him. "That's your plan?"

"Pretty much."

Elion sighed. "Why do I even ask?" He looked at Ronan, still leaning against the wall, arms crossed, waiting with that frustrating cowboy patience.

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Elion asked Ronan.

Ronan's smirk was small but certain. "Not if you want to live. Or save your world."

Elion groaned. "Great. Just wanted to hear it out loud." He took a deep breath and stood up straight. "Alright. I'm ready, Ronan."

Ronan, clearly amused by their enthusiasm (or, in Elion's case, lack of enthusiasm), reached into his 'dimensional storage'—which was still a complete mystery to Jordan. Every time Ronan produced something from that storage, Jordan felt more and more confused. He took out two small white crystals that were glowing lightly. Without warning, he suddenly threw one crystal at each of them.

Elion caught his with ease, holding it up to the firelight. "What is this?"

Jordan almost dropped his crystal because his thought had drifted far away, but he caught it just in time. He looked at it closely as if it might harm him. "Wait. Why do I feel like it's going to explode in my hands?"

Ronan stood against the cave wall with his arms crossed. He looked very relaxed despite the situation that they were in. "Grip it. As hard as you can."

Elion frowned. "That's it?"

"That's it," Ronan confirmed.

Elion and Jordan exchanged glances. They did not believe that it would be that simple. Jordan especially. He was hoping for something magical. He was somehow dissappointed after that was all the intruction coming from Ronan.

No chants.

No weird magic circles.

No life-threatening side effects.

Jordan shrugged. "Well, either this brings out my hidden talent, or I might just blow up. Either way, it's going to be a fun night."

He tightly held the crystal in his fist. Elion sighed and did the same. The moment they did, the crystals reacted. A soft humming sound filled the air as the white light grew stronger. It wasn't very hot, but it made their palms feel strange. They felt a mix of warmth and something deeper, like an unseen energy flowing into them. Jordan was ready to say something when—

A holographic display suddenly appeared in front of them.

Elion was surprised. His eyes widened. "What in the—"

Jordan nearly dropped his crystal. "Wait, nobody mentioned we were in a sci-fi movie."

In front of them was a clear screen floating in the air, filled with text. A few texts, actually. About themselves. Elion's name was displayed at the top, followed by details he didn't quite understand.

=====

Name: Elion Hayes

Race: Human

Mana Gates Opened: 0

Beast Ring: None

Attributes:

Strength: 14

Speed: 16

Stamina: 14

Wisdom: 16

Mana: 0

=====

Jordan had his own display with similar stats. He whistled.

"Well, would you look at that? I got an official power stat sheet. What's next? Do I get a rank and a cool title?"

While Elion, still reading his stats, muttered, "Wow. My numbers are depressing."

Jordan leaned over to glance at his screen. "Yeah, man. No offense, but your strength stat is tragic. I'm pretty sure my grandma lifts heavier grocery bags."

"Yeah. Funny. Says the one who's slower and dumber," Elion replied without holding back.

That was when Jordan realized it. He compared his stats to Ethan's.

=====

Name: Jordan Walker

Race: Human

Mana Gates Opened: 0

Beast Ring: None

Attributes:

Strength: 17

Speed: 10

Stamina: 16

Wisdom: 8

Mana: 0

=====

Jordan frowned at his hologram stats, mumbling under his breath. "You're right. Why the hell am I so slow?"

Elion smirked, not missing the opportunity. "I mean, if you're gonna ask that, you might as well throw in 'why am I pretty dumb' too."

Jordan chuckled and stretched his arms behind his head. "Never mind. I'll just finish everything with brute strength. No need to fry my brain trying to outsmart the universe."

Ronan, watching them with that usual blend of patience and exasperation, sighed. "You two… please. Let's focus."

He pointed at the glowing holograms floating in front of them. "That crystal measures your base stats. Pretty standard stuff."

Then, more casually, he added, "That's your starting point. And, to be honest, it's pretty impressive for normal humans."

Jordan's grin widened—but not too much. Because right then, a thought crossed his mind. If this was impressive… what did Ronan's stats look like? The guy had tanked a beast-man's strike like it was a pillow fight, moved like he had cheat codes, and talked like he'd seen a thousand lifetimes. His numbers were probably on a whole different chart. Jordan glanced at Ronan and considered asking—and wisely decided not to.

Because sometimes, knowing the gap between you and a legend is inspiring.

Other times? It was just depressing.

Elion, standing beside him, didn't say a word—but the thought was clearly written across his face, too. He was curious. Deeply. But there was also a weight in his expression. Like he knew that if the difference was too vast, it might not drive him forward. It might stop him cold. So, they said nothing. They simply looked at their own numbers—whatever the crystal showed them—and chose to believe it was a good start. Because it had to be.

Jordan then waved at the panel in front of him. "I don't know, but it feels like I just stepped into a video game. But… what's with the Mana stat being at zero? That's kinda rude."

Ronan pointed at their holograms again. "Because you haven't opened any Mana Gates yet. That's what we're here to fix."

Elion frowned, eyeing the floating numbers. "And these attributes? They're going to change, right?"

Ronan smirked. "Oh, they'll change. The question is how much—it depends on how well you handle opening your first gate and of course, training."

Jordan cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders. "Alright then. No time like the present. Hit us with the tutorial, cowboy."

Ronan chuckled. He took a while before he tried his best to make his expression more serious. "Listen up. Unlocking your Mana Gates isn't as easy as flipping a switch. You need to push past the barriers, keeping them closed."

Jordan took a deep breath. "And how do we do that?"

Ronan's smirk widened. "The same way you saw in that vision. But… you're going to feel it firsthand, the hard way since we do not have enough time."

Jordan groaned. "Why do I feel like I will regret this decision?"

Ronan took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he were getting ready to face something frustrating. Then, he stepped closer with a smile and cracked his knuckles. "Because you definitely will."

He added, "Take off your shirts."

Jordan blinked. Then, his lips curled into a slow smirk. "Whoa, whoa, cowboy. If you wanted us to strip, you could've at least bought us dinner first."

Elion groaned. "Jordan—"

But Jordan wasn't done. He placed a hand dramatically over his chest. "You could've just said you were into us instead of making up this whole 'training' excuse. It's okay, man. We're all friends here."

For the first time since meeting them, Ronan actually looked stunned. His mouth opened slightly before closing again. His eye twitched.

"Wha—? That's— I—" He shut his mouth, inhaled sharply through his nose, and exhaled slowly like he was restraining himself from chucking Jordan off a cliff.

Jordan grinned, looking very proud of himself. Elion, already exhausted by just existing near this level of stupidity, sighed and pulled off his shirt without another word. Jordan smiled and did the same thing quickly. "Just kidding, cowboy. Hurry up."

Ronan shook his head and quietly said, "This is why I work alone."

He reached into his storage space, which Jordan was eager to understand, and took out a small glass bottle filled with a thick, dark green substance.

Elion squinted at it. "I'm sorry but what's in that?" he asked as he wanted to learn as much as possible about the new things that were happening and the things he was getting himself into at the moment. He could never be okay with everything.

Ronan popped the cork off the bottle. A strong, herbal, almost spicy scent filled the air instantly. "Ointment," he said simply.

Jordan wrinkled his nose. "Dude. That smells like someone crushed an entire forest and dumped it in a bottle."

Both Elion and Ronan chuckled, but they chose not to entertain him much as Jordan would go on and on while they still had a pressing matter at hand.

Elion raised an eyebrow before asking Ronan, "What is it for?"

Ronan poured a bit into his palm. "Opening the first three gates is rough on the body. This will help."

Elion eyed it skeptically. "Help? How?"

Ronan smirked. "By speeding up the process and keeping you from passing out after one gate. It's pretty helpful."

Jordan's grin faded slightly. "Wait. I can pass out?"

Ronan clapped his hands together, mixing the ointment before reaching forward. "Oh, definitely. You might even become a cripple."

And with that, he slapped a handful of the ointment onto Jordan's bare back.

The sudden action made Jordan yell. "WHAT THE HELL, COWBOY?!"

Ronan ignored him and carefully rubbed the ointment into Jordan's skin. He moved as if he had done this many times before. "Stop squirming. You'll thank me later."

Jordan absolutely would not, but he didn't get a choice. It was too much for him to take, but he wanted power. So, he could only grit his teeth in pain.

Elion, watching all of this, sighed before asking, "Do I get the gentle treatment, or is this a one-size-fits-all suffering?"

Ronan smirked. "You get the same."

Then he slapped the ointment onto Elion's back, and Elion yelled, too. "WHY IS IT BURNING?!"

"I've told you!" Jordan shouted.

"Be quiet. Both of you."

Ronan kept rubbing the substance into their skin. "You can tell it's doing its thing."

Jordan grimaced and shot him a look. "You sure you're not just having fun with this?"

Ronan grinned but didn't say a word. After a few minutes, the burning feeling went away. It was replaced by a cool sensation that spread into their muscles. It was… weird. Almost like their bodies were getting lighter.

Elion flexed his fingers. "Honestly, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm kinda feeling good right now."

Jordan rolled his shoulders. "Yeah. Like I just had the best deep tissue massage of my life."

Ronan cracked his knuckles. "Good. Because now comes the painful part."

Jordan groaned. "Oh, come on. It thought that was all."

But Ronan was already stepping back, ignoring Jordan and eyes sharp as he gestured to the ground. "Now, sit. We're opening your first Mana Gate."

He then added, "Don't delay. Or else I need to apply the ointment again."

Hearing that, both Elion and Jordan exchanged a glance. Then, with a deep breath, they sat down again. No turning back now. They closed their eyes, steadying their breathing.

"Good. Steady your breath," Ronan instructed.

"Now, I want you to recall the figure and his actions to open the Mana Gates," he added.

The image of the glowing figure from before—the one they had seen in the vision—was burned into their minds. They remembered how the figure had done it. How it had taken a deep breath, how it had focused, how it had forced the energy within to move.

"Remember how it was done to open your First Mana Gates," Ronan said.

Elion recalled and copied the motion, focusing on the bottom of his back—his spine. He had no clue if this would actually do anything, but Ronan didn't strike him as the type to mess around with pointless stuff.

Next to him, Jordan was making a face, deep in thought. "Alright, let's see… and… nothing's happening."

"Shut up and focus," Elion muttered. "You're disturbing me."

At first, nothing happened. Just them sitting there, legs crossed, backs straight, pretending to be all zen while the cave air smelled like moss and old smoke. Elion cracked one eye open. Still nothing. No glowing power. No divine light. Not even a tingle. Jordan looked like he was about to fall asleep or achieve inner peace—same face either way. Elion closed his eyes and tried again.

Without the two of them noticing, Ronan moved. He shifted behind them without a word, settled into a cross-legged position of his own, and closed his eyes. For a second, it looked like he was just joining the nap party.

But then… the air changed.

It was subtle, like static in the air before a lightning strike. The hairs on Elion's arms stood up, and if they'd turned to look, they would've seen it—light building around Ronan's fingers. Not blinding. Not dramatic. Just real. Real enough to make your breath hitch. Faint arcs of silver and blue flickered around his hands, wrapping his fingers like liquid flame. The light pulsed with each breath he took—calm, controlled, ancient.

Ronan didn't speak. But he was troubled in his thought.

'I'm sorry, Master.'

His jaw clenched just slightly.

'You told me to guard the embers, not ignite new fires. You wanted the remnants protected… not dragged into another war.'

He glanced toward Elion—not opening his eyes, just sensing. Something was shifting there. The pressure. The flow. The pull.

'But as you always say, fate has a way of laughing at good intentions, doesn't it?'

He exhaled through his nose.

'I didn't want to involve them. Especially him. I really didn't.'

The aura on his hands shimmered brighter, laced now with a hint of gold.

'But if these two are the reason the tide turns… if they're the spark we need… then I believe this is the right move, Master.'

The energy cracked once—soft, like a whisper splitting the air—and Ronan lifted his hands. He hovered them just behind Elion and Jordan's backs. Not touching. Just… guiding. And then, the aura moved. Not with sound. Not with force.

But with purpose.

Then, the moment Ronan pressed his fingers to their backs, just above the tailbone, Elion knew something was wrong. Not wrong in a bad way. More like wrong in a 'what's happening to my body' kind of way. A warm, tingly feeling started at the bottom of his back—the spot where the First Mana Gate was. At first, it felt nice, like getting cozy in a warm bath. Then it spread pretty fast, like wildfire, licking up his spine. His muscles locked. His breath hitched.

The burning wasn't like fire on his skin—it was inside him, deeper than anything he had ever felt. Like his body was trying to remember something ancient, something buried so deep in his bones that it shouldn't have been awakened.

Jordan was definitely the first to jump in with his thoughts verbally.

"Whoa—what the heck—"

"Quiet," Ronan muttered, voice sharp but low. "Focus. I don't need anyone exploding because they couldn't sit still."

Sweat trickled down his temple. He was calm on the outside, but inside, the pressure was mounting. Guiding someone through this process wasn't exactly light work—it was like threading a needle while holding back a tidal wave. He adjusted his fingers slightly, the glow around them pulsing like a heartbeat.

"One wrong move and this could go sideways fast," he added, more to himself than to them. His jaw tightened. This process was too risky and he couldn't afford to screw it up. He was out of breath, palms flat on the ground like he was getting ready to launch.

Elion wanted to say something, but his throat felt really tight. His nerves were on high alert; every inch of his body buzzing like static had flooded his veins. His mind wavered between panic and acceptance.

Should he fight it?

Should he let it happen?

The pressure built. Something was pushing from the inside out, like a dam about to burst. And then—

CRACK.

Not a sound in the cave. Not something physical. Something inside them. A door, a barrier, a wall—whatever it was, it just got smashed.

Elion felt it.

The rush.

The surge.

It was like a rush of electricity zipping through his body, but instead of hurting, it felt like waking up to something that had been just sitting there, waiting to be tapped into. His vision got a bit fuzzy for a moment. His body felt both impossibly light and impossibly grounded at the same time, as if he could run for miles but also sink into the earth and become it.

Jordan let out a breathless laugh, his eyes wide with shock. "Oh my god. I did it. I actually did it!"

Elion took in a shaky breath. He couldn't really put into words what he was feeling. It wasn't just that he felt stronger; he felt… like he had changed in some way. Like every fiber of his being was sharper. More alive.

Jordan grinned, hands still trembling. "Dude, I feel like I just downed ten energy drinks. This is insane!"

Elion was about to agree—about to revel in whatever just happened—when—

"Enough," Ronan said, cautiously.

Both Elion and Jordan froze.

Ronan's tone had shifted—just enough to make the hairs on the backs of their necks stand up. Something was wrong. Really wrong. Ronan stood suddenly, his movements too sharp, too fast. He didn't speak. He didn't smirk. He didn't toss out a sarcastic remark about "stretching his legs." He just moved—like a wolf catching the scent of danger. His hand hovered near his gun, fingers twitching, itching to draw. His eyes were fixed on the mouth of the cave, where shadows pressed against the light like they were trying to sneak in.

Elion didn't have to ask what was out there. Whatever it was… Ronan was ready to shoot it in the face.

"Get up," Ronan ordered, his voice low, tense.

Jordan blinked, his pulse still racing from the rush of energy. Because of his excitement, he asked a silly question, "Wait. What about the two—"

"No time." Ronan spun toward them, jaw clenched, eyes like razors. The usual laid-back cowboy swagger? Gone. What replaced it was a soldier—one who knew exactly how bad things were about to get. His voice dropped, tight and grim. "How the hell did they find us?"

Jordan's grin slipped clean off his face. "Okay… yeah. That did not sound good."

Ronan didn't respond. His fingers twitched again, hovering just above his holster. His eyes were still locked on the darkness beyond the cave.

After a few seconds, he said, "They're coming."

Elion felt the chill creep up his spine, the kind that tells you to run before your brain even knows why. He didn't ask who they were. He already knew. Or worse—he didn't want to know. Then it hit them.

A roar—deep, primal, and impossibly loud—ripped through the forest like a freight train made of teeth. Distant but closing fast.

Leaves rustled. Branches cracked.

The kind of sound that said: run or die.

Elion didn't say anything. He just met Ronan's eyes. And for the first time, the cowboy didn't smirk. Ronan nodded once.

"Get ready," he said.

Because whatever was coming?

It wasn't here to talk.