"I understand that. But you've got to understand that protecting this country is my job. I mean… was my job. I had to deal with foreigners. I also only kept this." He pointed at the old box on the white iron table. "Because he explained everything to me. He said that it could help you unlock your powers."
"But did he say why he left?"
John shook his head. "He said that he had to leave, and he wouldn't explain why. We got into a fight before he left."
"Okay." Rico hung his head. "I understand."
"He said that you should look for him if you got your powers. Rico, I think we should go there and kick his ass."
"Casey, come on, now."
"No dad. I hate this… it's disgusting. He had a family here and just left."
Rico actually smiled. "I said the same thing, too."
"Then we need to try." Casey honestly wanted to help. He didn't like how this situation made him feel useless to his friend. His dad shook his head, and smiled at him.
"Lloyd is equivalent to a Mid Red Sorcerer. You two don't stand a chance."
"Dad… How about you? Did you win?"
His dad gave him an offended look. "Case… I'm me. If I gave you the names to name, there aren't five people stronger than me."
Rico said. "I guess that counts as an answer?"
Casey looked at his dad. "Then why are you building houses?"
"I'm studying abstract applications of earth mana. Mostly I'm doing so through the observation of my workers." John looked at their confusion. "See, I want to know the perfect shape for strength. All of the houses and restorations we do are on cement and stone structures, and roads." The longer he talked the more they looked confused. "I don't understand what you're not understanding. I study the mana placement of the earth element to make progress in my mana application."
"I still don't get it. Why don't you study volcanos instead? " Casey, thought this has something to do with his age. Maybe it affected his mind. He honestly wanted to hug his father.
"You know your expression, I feel like you're being rude, Casey." John continued explaining. "I've studied volcanos, but sometimes, logical studies, rather than natural study, can bear surprising fruit."
"One day I'll be studying ice cream?"
Rico laughed. His father finally scolded him. And, after a moment John settled and got to the important part.
"We need to go somewhere safer to try this out." He touched the box.
"How about Barritarie?" They looked at Casey. "I wanted to drop some cameras into the fish pool."
"That would be near a good spot. But we're not going to the cave. We've got other things to do." John got up and left the money for the meal under a plate. Casey got up slowly, and limped behind.
.....
The bushes and trees seemed all consuming. They were dark, and the wind barely had the strength needed to move them.
The heads of the trees near the road sides were all covered by dust. As they had drove further the trees began to grow higher. Further in trunks and tree leaves, and darkness were what then remained of their presence. Casey eyes calmly roamed on the sides.
He began to smile and opened the truck's window, and which brought in an earthy smell.
They had dropped off Rico's mom's vehicle, Ms. Leona, and she had joined them for the ride.
"Man, I really don't see how there aren't monsters in this place, ya know Case?"
John looked at him curiously. "And just why would you say that?"
"He just says stuff sometimes without thinking." Casey answered truthfully.
"Rico, you've got to know what to say. Don't you believe in bad luck?"
After Rico kept quiet for the remainder of the ride.
They passed the first bridge, before the settlement of Barritarie, and then the road had forked into two. On the left was a huge flat piece of land.
It was mixed with bushes as far as the eye could see, but if you paid enough attention you would notice the water moving in the distance. So of those distant plant life were actually mangroves.
Casey could hear it splashing, and almost taste it on the wind.
He shutoff the truck. John had sat besides him. Casey watched as his father got out in time to help Leona out of the high vehicle. She smiled as he assisted her. Leona had worn a white dress which contrasted nicely against her darker complexion.
John said. "I bought this land twenty years ago. Back then I used a spell to compact the dirt so people from the community around the bend wouldn't farm it."
"It kinda makes sense, if you think about it." It was warm out. The sea breeze traveled through the thinner bushes, it brought along the sea's briniest to his nose.
Rico walked onto the land while holding the box in hand. He walked up and took it away from him. Casey held it up and out and Rico smiled.
Rico opened the lid and took out the brown leather gloves. They had lighter brown sigils and circular patterns. The patterns were sown in fine threads. Rico turned over several times. He then slowly slid them on.
Rico shuffled and said wow.
The air had feelings in it now. The air had different sounds. And the ground had life moving through it. Things that felt so natural. Even moreso than dirt to the feet or tree bark to a palm.
That was mana.
"Casey, I feel so different. Do you feel like this all the time?"
Casey smiled" Basically. It's awesome. You should try to do something."
"Mr. Knowles, how do I magic?"
"You have to talk to the mana. That's the first step to it."
"Okay." He looked around and didn't know how, or which mana to talk to. "Casey, what do I say?"
"Say something that feels natural to you. I think you should go by instinct. Don't listen to anyone; just let it go."
Rico held out his right hand and tried to focus.
"Come to me."
He felt something leave his body. Something that had kept him standing.
A flow of energy came from the surroundings and entered his body.
"Casey, it feels like something changed."
"I feel a lot of mana coming from you. That's composite… throw out a punch."
Rico whispered. "Let's see."
He threw combinations that took him high and low. The air whistled and he became a blur.
Leona's mouth dropped open. She probably hadn't seen a wizard up close. Her son was the first. She rubbed her head, and sighed. She hoped he'd still be safe.
"Okay. That was impressive. I think you should give projection a try now."
"Shooting stuff out? Like your ice thing?"
"Yeah, but I can do more than ice. Try shooting some.. rocks, or fire?"
"Only a little, Rico. Hold your hand out, and keep it there."
Leona gave John a worried look.
"You sure this is a good idea? … Can we let him try water instead?"
"Okay, but he'd be fine either way. Rico try holding your hands up, and calling the water to you. After that pull it apart. I remember seeing Lloyd do something similar in our fight."
Rico wondered how that would work, but he did as John instructed. He got into a pose with both arms stretched overhead.
"Give me water."
Drops were pulled from the saturated sea breeze. They accumulated into a globe as big as a boulder and rested on his palms. The clear water seemed solid to Rico, and it felt light. He could see the sky through its bottom.
He pulled, and it separated cleanly into two equal parts. Casey looked at them in a daze. This was simply amazing.
"I can't wait to heal up. We can definitely handle your dad."