The Master of Uradan

"What do you know about the Barren Lands, Rohan?"

A question out of the blue for Rohan, as he was following his master inside the dark stairs going up. He had learned a few things about these lands, after all it wasn't that far away from where he was right now.

"I know there isn't any country on this part of the continent, and only nomad clans can be encountered. I also know that there isn't much diversified fauna and flora, and the lands are so famished that a forest near a desert is a normal sight."

The door of the shop opened in front of him, letting out the light of the day showing the powerful shadow of his master in front of him. A second later, Horim was already inside the second staircase, followed by Rohan.

"Well that is true, but what do you know about the most gigantesque mountain of the Barren Lands?" For this question however, Rohan didn't really know. He might have read about a legend when he was little, but he had forgotten about the details of this one.

"Not much, only that it is in the middle of the Barren Lands and that it is the only mountain out there."

They appeared on the first floor of the building, which Horim didn't go often, only briefly each day to make some food. He entered on his left, where his bedroom was. He didn't talk back to Rohan, and instead headed toward a desk on the right of the room. Rohan followed suit, and waited at the doorstep.

What did his master suddenly want to tell him? He saw him taking out what seemed to be a map from inside the desk, and the man unfolded it on the table that was in the middle of the room.

"Come closer, are you afraid that this paper will eat you up?" He waited until his disciple came near the map and began to teach him what he knew about this legendary mountain.

"I only know a bit about that, and it might even be wrong, so listen carefully and don't take anything for the only truth." The warning made Rohan roll his eyes, such a great start to teach him something. Horim continued as if he didn't have seen anything.

"Firstly, what you have said is right. There isn't any country out there, and only clans could be seen, moving all around the area. What I am sure about, is that the smaller clans are near the frontier, while the bigger and well known ones are at the foot of the mountain, Kolmos. I don't know the reason, but it must be a cultural or belief thing. It isn't important so you can ignore it."

Then was saying it in the first place? Rohan was feeling the same as when Delia was talking to him, but he did his best to keep listening. This man wouldn't have taken the time to come here if it wasn't important. Or maybe?

"But the most important point I will talk about is the mountain, and you." He felt the changement in his disciple's eyes, and resisted the urge to punch him. "There is an old legend about the mountain of Kolmos, and this one was said to be the reason for the lack of mana in the south of the continent."

The story that Rohan had read a long time ago appeared a new time in his mind. There was indeed such a story, and it was said that there was a cave in the center of this big mountain.

What was said about this abode, was that inside, was a mighty item, or maybe even a legendary beast that was slumbering for millennia, or maybe it was the place where the heart of the mountain was.

Maybe it was a mighty tree growing inside this mountain, or maybe it was the place where a god was living. Or maybe it was the place where the means to go into another world could be found.

A lot of myths had traveled around the world, modified by the different cultures and species. But all these myths agreed on one thing, and that was that inside this mountain, was something incredible that was unique.

But even after all this time, after the powerhouse of all different species had tried to go there, it was dimmed to be an impossible task. The reason for that was because the only way they had discovered to enter this cave, was to be able to manipulate the mana that wasn't theirs.

Rohan could vaguely recall another legend about a species that would have been able to control all the mana, even the one that should belong to someone else, but all of that was of course only a legend, why did his master want to talk about that?

As Horim stopped talking, he saw the incomprehension that Rohan was feeling, and without wasting more time, he explained to him the situation he was in.

"Secondly Rohan, and what I will say right now needs to be remembered until the day you die." His throaty voice was unusually serious, as if he was prepared to give the most important secret of the world. "Rohan, you are able to control the ambient mana."

"I'm what?" Rohan blurted out without even thinking. Was his master mad? Did he catch a heat stroke after all this time hammering near the furnace? Maybe he had passed too much time without seeing the sun, after all it was said that the sun was needed to live.

"Stop looking at me with this stupid face you mudhead! Do you think I'm joking right now? Do you think I'm playing around? Don't you ever feel that something is not right with you?"

Each question hammered on the head of Rohan, who looked deep in reflection.

That was without a doubt true, his ranking up and his constitution was definitely on another level compared to other warriors of the same rank as him. But what the deal with manipulating the outside mana or whatever? He didn't ever remember doing such a thing.

'Hold on.' Rohan widened his eyes. When he was in the middle of an intense fight, he sensed sometime that his vision became clearer, and that the time seemed to slow down.

He felt at more than one time a gray veil coming into his vision, enveloping the whole world. And of course, he remembered about the night in the count's mansion. This gray veiled had appeared once more, but more importantly, there were these strange red dots.

He had thought that he was just losing his mind, that maybe he had seen too much blood for a whole life.

He had thought it was simply an illusion, a trick played by his mind. But that didn't make any sense, as in front of him during this moment was a scared warrior, who was also a rank 3. There wasn't a sense for him to be fearful at this point, unless of course, there was a specific reason.

What if, just what if, he was indeed capable of having a partial control over the mana hovering around him, everywhere?

Horim, seeing the young man in deep thought, brought him back to what he had to tell.

"That is why I am talking to you about this mountain, Rohan. Maybe this is bullshit. Maybe there isn't anything in the middle of Kolmos. Maybe even I was wrong and you can't control the mana, but in any case, if you want to try your luck, then I'm telling you that you should go to this place without hesitation."

Roahn thought about what his master was telling him. He was right, maybe they were exciting themselves for no reason. Maybe they were both losing their mind? After all his master was far from being completely sane, as he was a shut-in forging almost day and night.

But he was also right. Even if they were mad to just think about it, just what if? If he could do something in that place wouldn't that be fantastic?

Even without talking about becoming more powerful or what not, it would just be like an adventure in the book that he had read since he was little. An excitement spread in his whole being. It was the same one he had felt when he had plundered the whole wizard's place. A thirst for adventure, a thirst for treasures, a thirst to encounter new things!

At this moment, he agreed in his heart, and nodded his head at Horim, like a puppy who couldn't hide his excitement.

"Once I become a rank 5 Beginner Warrior, I will definitely go to this place. It's not like I'll need to pay attention in these Barren Lands, but I'll still be better prepared at any events." Hearing these words, Horim could only agree with him.

What Rohan didn't had tell to his master, was that before going to this place, he also had another problem that he wanted to resolve.

And that necessitated him to advance the opening of his fifth meridian.