Reborn as an Elemental Wisp

Chapter 3: First Encounter

I had always assumed that growing stronger in a new world would feel... well, more heroic. But here I was, a glowing little wisp, fumbling through magical concepts like a toddler learning to walk. Still, the faint hum of mana I had absorbed gave me a strange sense of comfort. This was progress. Maybe not flashy, but it was a start.

I practiced lifting small rocks for a while longer, trying to get the hang of moving things with earth magic. But the problem was, every time I tried, it drained my mana quickly. I needed to be smarter about this. I couldn't just burn through energy whenever I wanted to move a pebble.

Control. Precision.

The words echoed in my mind like the advice of a wise old mentor, though I was very much on my own here. I tried to steady my mana flow, moving just one rock with as little energy as possible. It was slow, but the rock quivered, and then—yes!—it shifted slightly without completely draining me.

A small win, but a win nonetheless.

As I hovered around the dim crystals, trying to absorb more of their energy, I felt something odd. There was a presence nearby—faint, but getting stronger. I froze, listening. At first, it was just a faint shuffle of feet on the cave floor, but then it became clearer. Something—or someone—was moving in my direction.

Panic surged through me. The last thing I needed right now was another encounter with a massive troll or that earth-snake thing. I couldn't handle another monster.

I backed into the shadows, retreating into the safety of the crevice, my glow dimming to make myself as unnoticeable as possible. My heart—or whatever passed for it in this new body—raced.

The sound of footsteps grew louder. Then, a faint light appeared from around the corner. Not a magical glow like mine, but a steady, warm light—firelight. That could only mean one thing: a person. A human, or maybe something else.

The figure stepped into view, and to my surprise, it was indeed a human—or at least it looked like one. He was young, probably in his mid-twenties, with scruffy brown hair and a slight frame. A torch flickered in his hand, casting dancing shadows on the walls. His clothes were a bit ragged, like he had been wandering the cave for some time.

I wasn't sure if I should be relieved or terrified. Was this guy friend or foe?

Stay hidden, I thought. I couldn't trust anyone yet, especially not when I was this weak.

The man muttered something to himself, looking around cautiously. "Where the hell is this thing...? That scroll better not have been a scam." He scowled, his eyes scanning the cave walls. "The ancient wisp... it's supposed to be here."

Ancient wisp? I was a wisp, but definitely not ancient. Still, the fact that he was looking for one made my curiosity spike. Maybe there was some legend about my kind? And if he was searching for an ancient wisp, he was probably after power—or information. Either way, I had to be careful.

The man walked closer to where I was hiding. I held my breath—not that I actually breathed, but the instinct was still there. He stopped right near the crystal cluster I had been practicing on earlier, staring at it.

"This has to be it," he muttered. "The mana here is weak, but... there's definitely something."

His hand reached out to touch the dimmed crystals. The same ones I had drained.

Uh-oh.

His expression darkened. "Something's been feeding on this. I'm not alone."

Panic surged through me again, and I instinctively shrank further into the crevice. My glow flickered faintly as I tried to make myself even smaller. Come on, man, just move on already...

But the guy wasn't moving on. In fact, he turned and looked directly toward my hiding spot. His eyes narrowed.

"I know you're there."

My nonexistent heart dropped. Crap!

For a moment, I thought about running, but where would I go? The crevice was small, and he was blocking the only way out. I couldn't fight, and I definitely couldn't outmaneuver a fully grown human, even if he didn't seem like a warrior.

"I'm not here to hurt you," the man said, taking a cautious step forward. His tone was calm, almost soothing, like he was trying to coax a frightened animal. "If you're a wisp, then you're just what I've been looking for."

What you've been looking for? That didn't exactly make me feel better.

I stayed silent, trying to weigh my options. If I revealed myself, I could be putting myself in danger. But if I stayed hidden and he found me anyway, things might get even worse.

"You've been draining the mana here, haven't you?" he continued, his eyes scanning the shadows. "That means you're capable of more than just floating around. I'm not interested in destroying you. I need your help."

Help? From me? What could he possibly need from a barely competent wisp like me?

Curiosity started to override my fear. Maybe this guy wasn't a threat. Maybe he actually knew something about what I was—or at least, what I could become.

Slowly, cautiously, I let my glow return, just enough for him to see me. His eyes widened slightly when he spotted me, but he didn't look surprised. If anything, he seemed... relieved?

"There you are," he said softly. "I knew you had to be nearby."

I hovered just above the ground, still keeping my distance. "What do you want?" I said, my voice shaky but audible. It was the first time I had spoken since being reborn, and the sound of my own voice startled me.

The man blinked, clearly taken aback by the fact that I could talk. "You can speak?"

"Obviously," I replied, a bit more confidently this time. "Now answer my question. What do you want?"

He hesitated, then sighed. "I'm looking for something—a relic, buried deep within these caves. But the place is filled with dangerous creatures, and I can't get through on my own. I need help from a creature that can manipulate mana. That's where you come in."

A relic? Dangerous creatures? This was starting to sound like a standard fantasy quest. But if this guy thought I was powerful enough to help him, he was way off the mark. Still, maybe there was something in it for me. If he had knowledge of mana, or if this relic could help me grow stronger...

"And what do I get out of it?" I asked, keeping my tone guarded.

The man's lips twitched into a small smile. "I can offer you knowledge. I know how to harness mana—how to help you grow stronger. If you help me find the relic, I'll share everything I know with you."

I considered his offer. It was risky, no doubt. But if he really did know how to help me grow stronger, this could be the opportunity I needed. Staying here, hiding from every danger, wasn't going to get me anywhere.

Alright, I thought. Time to take a leap of faith.

"Deal," I said, floating closer. "But if you try anything funny, you'll regret it."

The man chuckled. "Fair enough. My name's Ren, by the way. And you?"

I paused for a moment. "Kaito."

Ren nodded. "Nice to meet you, Kaito. Let's see if we can both get what we're after."