With a sigh, he looked at Tekime and replied: — "Later, Tekime. This isn’t the time... But for now, just know I’m alright."

  Tekime still looked confused, but respected his space and fell silent. The scent of fresh coffee and warm bread filled the air, but the tension still lingered between them. As they drank their coffee in silence, Hitory seized the opportunity to share an important decision with Elyndra and Tekime.

  — "I’ve decided I’m going to continue. The journey to the Kingdom of Valonia can’t wait any longer."

  Tekime looked at him, surprised, but at the same time, she seemed to understand that something deeper was behind this decision. — "Valonia? Isn’t it too soon for you to leave, Hitory?"

  Hitory looked at her, his eyes resolute but with a slight hint of sadness. He knew that, in some way, Tekime cared, but the answer was clear in his mind. — "No, Tekime. I need to go. It’s no longer about me or who I am. Now, it’s about her. I need to find her."

  — "Her, who, Hitory?" Tekime asked, but he remained silent.

  Hitory didn’t mention the exact reason behind his search, leaving a space of mystery about what drove him, but the words "find her" made it clear what was on his mind.

  Elyndra, listening intently, raised an eyebrow, showing a hint of concern. — "Isn’t it too early for you to leave? The journey to Valonia is long and full of dangers. Maybe you need more time to prepare."

  Hitory shook his head, determination clear in his expression. — "No, Elyndra. I know what I’m doing. I have to take this path now."

  At that moment, Tekime stood up from her chair, breaking the silence with her determination. She looked at Hitory, her gaze serious, but with a slight softness. — "I’m coming with you."

  Hitory stared at her in surprise, not expecting such a direct reaction. He knew Tekime was strong, but this decision felt like more than he anticipated. — "Are you sure about this, Tekime? The journey won’t be easy, and it could be dangerous."

  — "I know. I won’t let you go alone. If this is your journey, then it’s mine too."

  Hitory looked at her for a moment, considering her words. He knew Tekime was determined and that nothing would make her change her mind. — "Alright then. We’ll leave tomorrow. We need to prepare."

  Tekime simply nodded in agreement. Hitory didn’t know what the future would bring, but now he knew he wouldn’t be alone on this journey.

  Elyndra watched the exchange between the two and, with a slight smile, finally spoke: — "So be it. The path ahead is challenging, but if this is your decision, I wish you both good luck."

  After breakfast, Hitory and Tekime stepped outside the house, where the morning sun illuminated the open field. Hitory, with his sword by his side, began to practice his movements. He was much faster now, his blades cutting through the air with a precision he hadn’t shown the day before. His technique flowed naturally, each movement more agile, more precise. He was visibly stronger, as if the rest and reflection during the night had given him a new energy.

  Meanwhile, Tekime watched, a gleam of admiration in her eyes. She felt the vibrant energy in the air, a desire to improve her own skills, but her mind was focused on magic, as Elyndra had suggested. She knew it was time to try something different. Magic intrigued her, and despite her previous attempts, she had never managed to cast any elemental spell. But with Elyndra’s help, she felt more confident.

  Elyndra stood beside Tekime, with a patient and attentive look. — "Let’s try again. Focus on a single element, any one, and believe in your power."

  Tekime gripped the wand tightly, closed her eyes, and concentrated all her energy on trying to summon the magic. She tried to feel the mana around her, as Elyndra had shown her. The wand began to glow faintly, but when she attempted to cast the spell, nothing happened. She tried again and again, but the elemental spells continued to fail.

  Elyndra, watching with a concerned expression, paused before speaking. — "This is... strange. You can feel the mana, but you can’t seem to direct it to cast a spell. This isn’t common."

  Tekime looked at her, frustrated, but Elyndra, thoughtful, had an idea. — "Wait a moment. I want you to do something a little different. Instead of trying to cast an elemental spell, focus your mind on something simple. Try moving that vase over there, with your mind."

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  Tekime looked at the vase placed in a corner of the garden and nodded, determined. She pointed the wand at the vase and closed her eyes, focusing all her mental energy on moving the object. A silence hung in the air for a few seconds, until, to her surprise, the vase began to tremble slightly and then lifted off the ground, floating to a higher point.

  — "I... I did it!"

  She opened her eyes, looking at Elyndra with a radiant smile as the vase floated gently in front of her. Elyndra, on the other hand, was impressed. She hadn’t expected Tekime to achieve such a feat so easily.

  — "Incredible... You have a unique ability. Now, let’s try something even more complex."

  Elyndra thought for a moment, then asked: — "Focus your mind again. Try to create something, maybe a stone. Something simple, but that requires control."

  Tekime nodded and began to concentrate again. Her mind focused on creating a stone, trying to shape something solid out of pure mana. Elyndra watched carefully, with an expectant look, until, after a while, Tekime opened her eyes in surprise, seeing a small stone materialized before her.

  — "I... I created a stone!"

  Elyndra couldn’t hide her astonishment. She approached the stone, touching it to ensure it was real. She looked at Tekime with a mix of surprise and admiration. — "You... you have the ability to manipulate mana in a way I’ve never seen before. It’s something unique."

  Tekime smiled, her confidence growing, but a shadow of doubt hid in her eyes. — "But... what does this mean?"

  Elyndra looked at her seriously, still trying to process what she had just witnessed. — "It means you have a rare and powerful ability. You can manipulate mana directly. But... there’s a price."

  Tekime furrowed her brow, still not fully understanding.

  — "With this ability, you won't be able to use elemental or rudimentary magic like other mages. You're a manipulator of pure mana. This is extremely rare in the world; very few people have this ability... At most, ten people throughout history have possessed this power."

  Tekime fell silent, processing Elyndra's words. She felt a mixture of joy at the discovery and concern about what it meant for her future as a mage. She could be powerful, but in a completely different way from the others around her.

  — "So, I can't use magic like the others... but still... can I do something valuable with this?"

  Elyndra smiled slightly, admiring Tekime's courage and curiosity.

  — "Yes, Tekime. You have tremendous potential. If you learn to control this ability, you will be able to perform feats others can't even imagine. But you will need time and patience to master this power."

  Tekime, feeling grateful for Elyndra's help, turned and walked toward Hitory, wanting to surprise him. She smiled, knowing he was focused on his training, unaware of what she might be doing.

  As she approached quietly, suddenly, Hitory, with quick and precise reflexes, appeared behind her, placing his wooden sword against her neck.

  — "Sorry, sorry. It was unintentional, it's just a reflex to avoid a surprise strike."

  Tekime was startled, fear instantly taking over her body, and she quickly pulled away, falling to the ground from the reaction. Hitory, seeing her reaction, immediately lowered the sword and extended a hand to help her up, sitting her carefully on a nearby bench.

  — "Please, forgive me. It was just instinct."

  Tekime took a deep breath to calm down. — "Of course... I just got scared because it was so random." — What she saw was not only that Hitory had something behind him.

  Hitory watched her for a moment, realizing she was still a little dazed, but she was quickly recovering. He smiled, trying to ease the tension.

  — "Now, can you tell me what you wanted, Tekime?"

  Tekime, still a little nervous, composed herself and, with a shy smile, spoke:

  — "Ah, yes... I want to show you something."

  She extended her hands in front of her, focusing her energy, and soon a soft aura of mana began to emanate from her fingers. She closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating, and then, with the strength of her focus, a small wooden sword formed in front of her, made entirely of manipulated mana. The sword, though simple, had a clear appearance, with a thin and firm blade that seemed to glow with a soft light.

  Hitory, surprised, took a step back, his eyes wide.

  — "Wow... You have the ability to manipulate mana."

  Tekime smiled at the creation of the sword, but before she could respond, Elyndra, who had been watching from a distance, was so shocked by what she had just seen that she fainted, clumsily falling to the ground. The shock was enough to make Tekime and Hitory quickly turn toward her.

  — "Elyndra?!"

  Tekime ran to Elyndra's side, concerned. Hitory, equally worried, crouched down and touched Elyndra's forehead, trying to understand what had happened.

  — "Is she... Is she okay?"

  Hitory, checking that Elyndra was just fainted, looked at Tekime and nodded, relieved.

  — "I think it was just a shock. Let's take her to the couch."

  The two carefully helped Elyndra to her feet and laid her on a nearby sofa, adjusting her to make her comfortable while they waited for her to wake up.

  After some time, Elyndra finally regained consciousness, still with a dazed look, but she soon realized where she was and slowly sat up, feeling the pain from her fall. She looked at the two, a bit confused but also somewhat surprised.

  Elyndra, with a look of disbelief: — "I... I can't believe what I saw. Tekime, you have a rare power, truly rare. The ability to manipulate mana purely, without needing incantation or recitation... This is... impossible for most people, and you managed to learn so quickly."

  Hitory, still impressed, approached Elyndra, concerned for her health.

  — "Are you okay? We didn’t expect it to be so... impactful for you."

  Elyndra, breathing deeply, still recovering from the shock. — "I'm fine... It was just a bit too much to process."

  Meanwhile, Hitory and Tekime began preparing dinner for the evening, the atmosphere returning to a more peaceful tone. Elyndra, despite the surprise, watched the two with a contemplative look. She knew Tekime's discoveries were just the beginning of something much bigger and more complicated, but it was also something that could be incredibly powerful if she learned to control this ability.

  End of EP 14: "Between the Sword and Mana."