The Covenant Seal

Luke's body ached mightily as the SUV flew down the highway. He tried to calm himself. He didn't need to stay tensed for action now, he knew, but getting his body to believe it was another thing altogether. The threats were behind them, at least for now.

He closed his eyes, reaching out with his mana sense to feel the energy in the atmosphere around him. He was surprised to find the air absolutely overflowing with mana. Before the mana had been like flakes in a light snow, plenteous but not overwhelming. 

Now, though, it was like a flood of mana pouring toward and over him without stopping. He felt like he was deep underwater, surrounded by darkness. His thoughts began to spin out of control. He suddenly found that he couldn't breathe. If he did, would he drown in this ocean of mana around him? 

He'd struggled with anxiety more than he cared to admit growing up, but when he'd moved to Everhearth and began living on his own, he felt as if he could finally unfurl his wings enough to catch himself. At Everhearth, he didn't feel like he was plummeting toward the ground anymore.

Here he was again, though. Barely able to think straight. He knew he was hyperventilating, but he couldn't stop it. 

A voice broke through his chaotic thoughts, and a cool hand gripped his. "It's okay, Luke. There is far more mana now, but it won't hurt you."

The calming, resonant voice had to have belonged to Lila. Her voice was exactly what he needed at that moment. He followed the music up to the surface of the deep he'd been drowning in. 

He felt her presence grow as her golden light enveloped him. He inhaled deeply, and suddenly he was back in the vehicle with his family. He felt his body relax once more as the surrounding mana flooded into him, replenishing his energy and restoring him physically. 

He opened his eyes, a hollow grin spreading across his face. "Thanks, Lila. It felt like I was about to drown." He stopped focusing on his mana sense so much then so that he was aware of the mana all around, but he wasn't seeing it like he had been moments ago.

She sat facing him, her golden eyes glowing more brightly than usual. She smiled back at him, "Glad to help. I sensed a rapid influx of mana coming our way. I'm sorry, I should have said something to you."

Luke nodded, his body calm now. "There's so much more mana in the air," he said. "I don't know how I missed it before."

"I suspect that we're going to see waves of mana like this off and on as it forces its way into Earth." She kept her voice low, matching the solemn air in the vehicle. "I think your body just wasn't ready for that. And since you opened your mana sense right then, it only made it worse. Fortunately for us, you happen to be quite strong."

Luke smiled softly, grateful for his new friend. "Is all of this because of the APA explosion?" he asked after a few moments of silence. It was the only plausible explanation, but Luke was still having trouble believing it.

"Yep," she replied simply at first, then went on in more detail. "I'm sure it's only going to get even more dense going forward. What you see now is quite a lot of mana for Earth, but it's nothing compared to the amount of mana in the Aetherion Universe. And the more mana there is, the more change is going to come to this world." Lila was now looking around the vehicle, making eye contact with each of those inside. 

"You all saw what raw mana can do to Earth's creatures. Before long, the plants, the rivers and lakes, and even the very mountains themselves will change. This is why I'm here," her eyes, now glowing softly once more, "this is what we're here for, Luke."

Luke felt a profound sense of purpose as she spoke. It was a feeling he'd never felt before, but one that was more than welcome.

"Wait, does that mean we're going to change like the animals, too?" Sophia asked, anxiety etched into her features.

Lila shook her head. "No, that's not likely. Mana affects humans, and other species of higher intelligence, differently than it does nature."

"How so?" Luke's interest was piqued.

"Well, plants, animals, and ecosystems are naturally inclined to absorb and respond to mana due to their lack of barriers like a conscious mind or higher intelligence. This allows mana to flow freely through them, leading to accelerated growth, mutation, or the development of magical properties. Humans possess complex consciousness and spiritual layers that can resist direct mana absorption. This resistance acts as a shield, preventing mana from mutating their physical forms in the same way it does to flora and fauna."

"Wait, didn't you tell me that some people can naturally harness mana, or at least that there have been people like that in the past?" Luke said, remembering their past conversations.

"Indeed I did. And that is true. While mana does not affect humans passively like it does nature, individuals with the right predispositions, such as a strong affinity or training, can actively harness mana. But no humans have ever gone beyond the level of He, or Divine Breath, without a guide."

"What level is that?" Luke asked, acutely aware of his own lack of knowledge. 

Lila smirked, "That is the fifth level. I guess I know what homework to give you now," she chuckled. 

"Shouldn't I be focusing on getting stronger over cramming info into my head?" Luke did not like the idea of homework. He'd had enough of that already.

Lila laughed aloud for a few moments, then spoke once she regained her composure. "Trust me, you need that knowledge. Without it, you won't be able to understand anything you're going through as you get stronger. And you have to understand where you are before you can move forward. The more you understand, the easier it will be for you to grow."

Luke nodded, lapsing into silence. A few moments passed that way before Evelyn spoke.

"Lila?" 

The Celestial looked at Luke's mother, "Yes?"

"Listening to you two talk is… honestly… confusing me even more about everything that's going on," Evelyn wore a sheepish grin, her cheeks tinged slightly pink.

"Oh! Well, I'm more than happy to answer any questions you have," she returned.

A collective sigh echoed through the vehicle at her words. Clearly Evelyn wasn't the only one who wanted more information.

"For starters, who, or what, are you? Sorry, I'm not trying to be rude at all, it's just…" Evelyn trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Lila smiled gently. "It's quite alright," she began, "I'm a Celestial…"

Luke remained quiet as Lila answered his family's questions, effectively explaining basically everything that had happened from the day they met until the current moment. By the time she was done, they had reached Everhearth University. 

As the SUV drew nearer to campus, Luke could see a blue, mostly translucent barrier that appeared to surround the entire place. 

"Whoa, what is that?" he asked Lila. 

"It must be because of those runes we saw earlier," she muttered.

Aiden spoke next, "What are you guys talking about?" 

Luke looked at him, baffled. 'You don't see that barrier up ahead?' He could feel the mana more keenly now, its density pressing against his senses. The translucent blue shimmer that had once been invisible was now clear as day.

Aiden turned his head, looking through the front windshield. After a few moments, he shrugged and said, "I don't see anything unusual."

"You just haven't been exposed to mana long enough," Lila explained to Aiden and the rest of Luke's family. "The more mana you're exposed to, the more sensitive you will become to it. Eventually, depending on your natural resistance, your body and mind will come to see mana and maybe even be able to manipulate it to some degree."

"Guys, I don't see a thing. You sure it's there? If it is, will we pass through or hit it?" Nathaniel asked calmly.

"No, we won't hit it. My best guess is that it was put there to protect Everhearth from raw mana itself, not from people. I don't think it was built for this exact event, but someone must have foreseen something similar happening." 

"How could anyone know that something like this would be needed?" Luke asked. "Didn't you say that very few people throughout history have ever harnessed mana?"

"Very few humans," Lila corrected. "I suspect that Everhearth was originally built by a very un-human group."

Luke's eyes went wide, "The Ancient Builders?" 

Lila nodded fervently, "Yes. At first I thought that whoever built Everhearth just happened to use a bunch of stones from an older site, and that the runes were linked together by happenstance. That doesn't stand to reason, though. I think Everhearth was actually built by the Ancient Builders themselves. It's the only way the runes could have been arranged in a way that would function properly and be able to form this mana construct," she finished, gesturing toward the dome-like barrier ahead.

Luke furrowed his brow as they neared the barrier. He didn't say anything to his family, but he couldn't help the twinge of anxiety in his gut as the nose of the SUV touched the barrier. Fortunately for everyone inside, Lila was correct. The barrier let them through as if it wasn't even there. 

As they drove through the campus, Luke quickly realized something was off. People were everywhere, far more than there were usually, and it seemed like every parking space was taken already. All the people looked like they were moving in one direction, toward the center of campus. 

"Let's try to park by my dorm building, then we'll follow everyone and see what's going on," Luke said. Everyone nodded their agreement as Nathaniel pulled in front of Whitlock Hall where Luke lived. 

Whitlock Hall stood just as Luke remembered, its weathered wood and stone exterior exuding the quiet dignity of a structure far older than its official records claimed, as it would almost have to be if it really was built by the Ancient Builders. The tall, arched windows reflected the golden afternoon light, and the carved details on the beams around the entrance were familiar in a way that made him feel like he could finally exhale after everything they had endured.

The SUV rolled to a stop in one of the last remaining empty parking spots, and Luke climbed out, stretching his limbs. He took a moment to let the familiarity of the campus settle over him. It was strange—almost unnerving—how normal it looked. The chaos of the Riftwilds felt like another world entirely, yet here, within the safety of the mana barrier, everything appeared untouched.

Whitlock Hall's front doors loomed ahead, heavy and solid, their ornate carvings almost inviting. Luke had passed through them countless times before, never giving the patterns a second thought. But now, after everything he'd learned and experienced, those carvings looked different—almost alive. The intricate spirals and shapes seemed purposeful, as if they were part of something far larger than just a decorative motif.

Lila drifted beside him, her glowing presence a comforting contrast to the hall's shadowed facade. "The mana here is pooling," she said quietly, her gaze scanning the building. "It's subtle, but these carvings… they're part of something very old."

"I guess you'd know, huh?" Luke said, chuckling to himself. 

"Did you just make a joke about my age?" Lila questioned, her voice growing higher in pitch with each word.

This only made Luke laugh even more, though he couldn't escape the feeling that he was getting deeper into hot water as he did so. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he eventually said. "You kind of floated right into that one."

Luke looked at her face and, while her eyes were still wide and her face was beet red, he could tell that she was trying to hold back a grin. 

"You're lucky we're friends," she muttered. 

He nodded, feeling lighter than he had in quite some time. Just then, his attention was drawn to a faint hum he hadn't noticed before. "So, you really think the Ancient Builders made this place?"

"I'm certain of it now," Lila said. "The barrier, the runes, even the layout of the campus—it all fits. This hall, though…" She paused, tilting her head as if listening for something. "It's significant. There's more to it than even the other buildings here."

Luke pushed the thought aside for now. "Come on," he said, glancing back at his family. "Let's get inside and drop off our things. Then we can figure out what's going on with all these people."

They followed him toward the entrance, Nathaniel locking the SUV behind them. As Luke reached for the door, the carvings seemed to glimmer faintly under his hand. He froze, staring at the pattern as a faint tingle ran up his arm.

"You felt that, didn't you?" Lila asked, her tone sharp with curiosity.

"Yeah," Luke muttered, stepping inside. He cast one last glance at the door frame before letting it swing shut behind them.

Whitlock Hall's interior hadn't changed either: high ceilings, polished wood floors, and the faint scent of old books and aged stone. Yet, there was something else now—an undercurrent of energy he could feel in the air, like the building was alive in a way it hadn't been before.

Luke shook his head, trying to focus. The mysteries of Whitlock Hall could wait. Right now, the crowd moving through campus was more pressing. Still, as he led his family upstairs to his room, he couldn't shake the feeling that the hall was waiting for him. It had something to tell him—if only he could figure out how to listen.