The Goblin Nation

"My name is Mark. I'm, I'm, Seventeen Years O-o-old." The large man said. His height was impressive, and his muscles equally so. His lavish clothes could barely contain his muscular figure. Meanwhile, his short blond hair was tied into a ponytail, pointing towards the sky.

"And I am his half-sister, Layla." The orc woman said. Her body was lean and petite, and her face was sharper in comparison to the more broad face of an orc. Her jawline was pronounced just like her half-brother. And the clothes she wore were far too big for her slim body. It hid her petite frame, making her seem larger than she should be. "We came from the duchy of Norman, a former settlement in the north."

Sun and Lo introduced themselves and their companions and why they are there. They sat in a circle under the gentle light peaking through the forest's branches. "You have the same thing as us?" Mark asked.

"Yeah," Sun answered. "But, after seeing a giant like you try to carry that, I don't think any of us will be leaving the forest with our MacGuffin."

Layla gazed at Lo and Kee, "But you said you have a plan."

"Yes!" Lo shouted with such delight that everyone, including his partner, was taken aback. "Everyone here should know how mana works, give or take." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "Well, I have a theory. What if the stone is heavy because of mana? If it is made of mana, then we might have a solution to our heavy problem!"

Sun raised an eyebrow. It felt that Lo's plan had too many uncertainties, and yet, his confidence was far more potent than those uncertainties. It's as if this theory's existence hinges on the plan's own success, which intrigued Sun because the stone was, in fact, manipulated with mana. "And how would you know the stone is heavy because of mana? Can you see it?" Sun asked.

"No," Lo coughed, "Wait, can you?" He asked in a hostile tone.

Shuja opened her mouth, but Sun quickly covered it, "No. This is why I'm questioning this plan. What if it doesn't have any mana infused in it."

"I agree with Sun," Layla said. "If your theory is wrong, what then?"

Kee butted in, "Can you guys at least let him tell you the plan. We haven't even talked about the method of moving the Back Stone of Egad, and we're already hostile against one another. Remember passing this part of the exam most likely hinges on the idea that we must work together to move this."

"Exactly," Lo added, "I don't know how to use Isiptali, but there is another way for us to test our theory, and it's connected to my plan."

"And the plan is?" Sun asked.

"We are going to observe the mana infused in the stone! And once we do that, its weight should drop low enough for all of us to carry it as a group. But of course, that's only possible if everyone here knows how to absorb mana. So, who knows how?" Everyone raised their hands but quickly changed it to a lukewarm response. None of them have ever absorbed mana from the physical world, especially of such scale. "Don't worry. The concept is similar to how we get mana from the infinite sea. Is just that we have to do it manually. Extend our kas into the concentrated mana and use it like a straw. Suck the mana into you."

"Wouldn't that b-b-be bad for us," Mark stated. "I mean, I'm big, but I don't know if my kas is that b-b-big. Um, you know. That stuff very different to us, but kind of the same. Like when I eat too much, I get stomach, stomach ache."

"Then we'll have to expel all of our mana," Shuja said.

"But we can't do that!" Lo protested.

"What? Why?" The group asked him.

"The rule they put in place." Lo crossed his legs. He leaned in close then whispered to the group. "How do you think they're going to enforce their rule about fighting? How are they even going to find the conflict?" Lo looked around him, "Look around us!" He yelled.

"There are trees around us," Shuja said.

"Trees? We are in the middle of this dark forest. The light could barely penetrate and land on us despite us sitting in the middle of this clearing. "

"Get to the point already."

"If we release a large wave of mana out from our body, we will only attract the attention of the clergy. You've seen those runes and giant gemstones attached to those flying buttresses? They are not only shielding the island but it's also tracking mana, our mana! "

"So we can't even expel our mana!"

"Which is why there's six of us here," Lo said calmly. "One or two of us won't be able to consume whatever many mana contained in that giant black cube, but we have the manpower, and why? Because this is part of that exam. This isn't about the strength of our muscles or our indomitable will. It's about cooperation between different leaders coming together to succeed."

Sun laid on the cool earth and stared at the leaves dancing in the wind. Lo spoke fast with so much conviction. His plan was tempting, but something was still nagging in the back of Sun's mind and he can tell Layla thinks the same way. But they won't get anything done just sitting around next to the thing they had to bring to the demon hovering above the courtyard. "Fine," Sun said, "I'm down to do it. Who else with me?"

Mark stood up, "Let's go!"

"Yes!" Lo jumped up and ran to the stone and touched its polished surface. "Come on, we have to hurry."

Sun kept an eye on Lo and Kee. He knew of another method. The same method Pagasa intended King and Sun to use to unlock the sword. To break the seal and release the mana that keeps the sword heavy. Absorption was far too risky for their bodies, and Pagasa already stated that Sun's method was new to him and should be new to the world. An unknown way to solve the problem.

Everyone gathered around the large black cube and pressed their hands against the stone. Shuja and Layla stared at each other. They both felt this was dumb, especially Shuja, but she knew Sun had similar suspicions as her and he planned to find out what that may be.

The group started absorbing the mana infused in the cube. The sound of mana being f.o.r.c.i.b.l.y pulled out from the stone sounded like lightning strikes in a storm. Their kas quickly expanded to make room for the excess coming in, but the process was visibly exhausting. Their veins began to pop out from their skin and their bones were shaking under their skin. Layla's nose started bleeding, with her blood slowly dripping down to her lips. She gritted her teeth, but her body caved in from the pressure and she fell to her knees, but her hands were still on the surface. "Maybe you should stop," Mark suggested out of concern.

"I'm fine!|" She yelled.

Shuja also fell on her knee. The stress brought by the excess mana was staggering. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably as the mana pours into her arm and to her body. It felt like several needles poking through her flesh until they reached her bone.

"I can't do this!" Mark yelled. His muscles flex and ripped his expensive wear apart.

"We need to stop now!" Sun yelled.

"Ok take a break!" Lo dropped to the ground, "I think that was good enough."

Sun sat down and cracked his knuckles. Shuja looked over him and noticed that he barely looked exhausted. That's because Sun did not participate. He was busy watching Lo and Kee. "Shuja," He whispered, "They didn't absorb any mana."

"What?"

"I used Isiptali because it's hard to see with so many stings of mana flying around. I looked in closer and I saw no mana going inside of their body. They're using us to lighten the load. Then, they'll grab it for themselves while leaving us here trying not to die from having too much mana in our body."

"Those f.u.c.kers!" Shuja tried to get up but her aching body stopped her. "Oh f.u.c.k, my body hurts!"

"I have a plan, but I need a distraction." Sun stood up, "Lo!" He called out to him on the other side of the stone. "I think we're close, if everyone is fine with it, we could try it one more time!"

No one answered, instead they got up and placed their hands on the stone. Sun smiled and placed his hands on the stone once more. The mana surged out from the cube and stabbed the skins of those trying to absorb the mana. While the electric sound pollutes the air and the intense blue light blinds their vision, Sun tinker with the seal's coding. The mana being removed was replaced with his own. But it's not enough. "Shuja, I'm going to need a hand here."

Shuja stopped pulling in mana, and instead pushed out she's into the stone. The stone got heavier from Shuja's mana but did not matter. Sun started molding the seal into a trigger that only those that contributed to it could control. And after one grueling minute, he finished, "Stop! We are done!" Sun shouted.

Mark and Layla collapsed on the earth while trying to catch their breath. Sun winked at Shuja and she followed along. They laid on their backs acting like they were unable to move their body. Lo and Kee walked over to them, "Can you guys move?" Lo asked while trying to lift the black stone. He managed to carry the giant thing over his head. And he could not help but laugh. It was light as a feather.

"No!" Mark coughed out. His face was red and his clothes covered in sweat. "B-but how can you," Mark took a deep breath, "Move? My body hurts."

Kee kneeled down next to him and said in her sweet little voice, "I'm sorry big guy. But you've been scammed. Prararara!" Kee laughed.

"I can't believe it worked!" Lo laughed as well, "I mean come one. Do you really believe all of that? All the things I said were lies. Now come Layla, let's leave these idiots. It's time to receive my blessing as the next ruler of Deset."

Lo carried the stone on his head, showing off his success. Kee glorifies his deceit with compliments and praises his balance. But suddenly, the stone started getting heavier. It started slow. the weight increased in increments until it tipped over and fell off Lo's head. He caught it before it could hit the ground and placed it on his shoulder. He acted as if it was just his balance that made the stone fall.

But the stone continued to weigh him down as the pressure increases. He had to carry it with both arms. "What's going on?" Kee asked.

"Hahaha!" Sun laughed, "You thought you tricked us. Think again." Sun snapped his finger and the stone's weight doubled. Lo's feet started shaking and sweat profusely. "What's wrong? Did I make it too heavy?"