My Twisted Heart

Chapter Fourteen

 "What is magic?"

"..."

Mr. Lewis rolled up his sleeves as his gaze swept across the room. "Is there nobody who can tell me what magic is?"

Silence filled the room. I glanced around, noting the puzzled expressions on my classmates' faces. Everyone appeared lost. Not because the question was difficult, but because it seemed too simple.

Is it a trick question, perhaps?

"Magic is the act of utilizing mana to produce a reaction," Violet replied.

Mr. Lewis smiled approvingly. "Okay, then... Can you tell me what mana is?"

"Mana is a form of energy that mages can absorb, store, and manipulate," she answered. "It exists all around us, functioning similarly to how potential energy operates in the physical world."

"Very good, Ms. Violet! Can you tell me where mana comes from?"

Violet hesitated for a moment before lowering her head. "I... I don't know..."

"That's alright. You're not the only one. It's one of the biggest mysteries in our world. Even though many theories exist, nobody knows for sure where it comes from."

Mr. Lewis turned to the board and drew a large circle.

"Can anyone tell me why humans develop rings around their hearts when they absorb a substantial amount of mana?"

The room remained silent. No one seemed to have an answer.

"Has anyone heard of the Mana Resonance Theory?" Mr. Lewis asked.

Once again, the room was silent.

"That's okay. I didn't expect any of you to know about it," Mr. Lewis said, before clearing his throat.

"The Mana Resonance Theory is rather simple. It simply suggests that when mana is absorbed and refined within the body, it seeks a stable structure to prevent chaotic dispersal. In other words, the heart... The heart's rhythmic beating creates a natural resonance that organizes mana particles into rings. These rings help stabilize the mana within the body, allowing it to be stored and accessed when needed."

I couldn't help but notice the looks of awe and curiosity on my classmates' faces. It was a little surprising that none of them had come across this theory before. I had always assumed it was common knowledge among mages.

As I scanned the room, I shot a glance at Nicole. She was furiously scribbling notes into her notebook. By the looks of it, she seemed determined to write down the entire lecture.

"Uh, Mr. Lewis... There's one thing I don't understand. Why do mana particles form around the heart instead of other body parts?" Elijah asked.

I was a little surprised by Elijah's question. It seemed thoughtful. For some reason, I hadn't expected him to be paying attention.

"When humans absorb mana into their bodies, the particles interact with their bioelectric field, particularly around the heart. As many of you already know, the heart is a central organ that pumps blood and sustains life. For this reason, the heart becomes a natural focal point for mana convergence... Does that answer your question?"

Elijah nodded.

"Good," Mr. Lewis said, turning back to the rest of the class. "Now that we've talked about why mana builds around the heart, let's take a quick step back."

"Everyone knows there are two types of mages. Augmenting type mages and elemental type mages. Or more commonly known as Augmenters and Sorcerers... Augmenters are mages whose mana holds no affinity, while Sorcerers are mages who possess mana that holds one or more elemental affinities... Can anyone tell me why mana develops differently in some people, even though everyone absorbs the same mana?"