Witch of the Gate (Part I): Empyrean Crystal Soul

I am reading a novel, one of the last on the shelves. It is quite interesting. Despite that, I can’t focus on it. I keep remembering last night.

After my nightmare, grandmother came to my room and tried to comfort me. I was vigilant at first but when she hugged me, I couldn’t keep my tears.

-“If you are bored, you can follow me into the forest. I am going to collect some herbs.” She says as she is ready to leave. I think of it for a moment and I follow her.

We are neither taking the path to the Gate, nor the path for the oak forest, where I meet Derek. This time we are taking a western path full of bushes and vigorous vegetation.

Every now and then, I watch grandmother picking up into her basket some herbs or roots. She tries to explain to me but I know most of them. I was paying attention at the biology class and I have read a lot of books on plants and animals. I like biology quite much.

When grandmother realizes about my knowledge in plants, she smiles with pride.

-“If you want to be a good witch, you must know about plants. After all, a very powerful weapon of the witches is their magical potions or elixirs.” She says.

I remembered the bottles of liquid she had thrown to those monsters. Even without her powers, she could cope with the situation.

However, the herbs she is collecting are nothing but normal. I can’t think of how they can concord a magic potion. There are also some that I don’t even know their names.

A little before the lunch, we return home. She is taking the way to the basement. I am a little hesitant but I follow her.

-“There is a specific way of treatment and storage for these herbs before using them. This shelf contains books on plants and their appropriate treatment. Could you study them and help me to prepare them? I need to prepare lunch, after all we have some guests.” She asks me.

I look at the books and then at the herbs in her basket. It seems interesting like a laboratory work so I agree in the end.

When she leaves, I take the first book of the shelf and I start reading it. It is a little boring at first but in the next chapters, it is getting really interesting. I also find a couple of herbs that are in the basket.

In the shelves and the drawers there are all the useful tools that are needed for processing the herbs. It is so interesting that even after lunch I continue to process them. In a couple of days, I have already read all of the books about the process of the herbs. Well, I don’t have other novels to read.

The next book, I have in my hands after three days, is about making some potions. The book is similar to a chemical protocol. There, it is described the procedure with analytical steps and the kind of ingredients and tools that are needed. It is more interesting and I am curious to see what kind of potion is going to come of it. However, there is one ingredient that I can’t understand.

All the recipes need one common ingredient and that is mana. I meet this term in fantasy novels but now I meet it in an actual book. Even though I am a witch according to grandmother, I don’t have any powers and of course I don’t know how to use mana, if I have it.

-“Do you want to try?” I suddenly hear grandma’s voice and I startle. It is really temping.

-“I can follow pretty much the recipe but I can’t use mana.” I say.

-“Do you want to learn?” I bite my lip.

I don’t want something as troublesome as to become a savior. However, even if I learn to make some potions, there is not a difference, is there?

Then, I nod.

-“Mana is the name that people give to the source of mystique. From mana are generating the magic powers. Earth and Etheria, both have mana. In both worlds, people are born with mana, others with high quality and others with low quality. However, the definition of mana was lost from Earth through the centuries as people developed science or depended on religion.”

I can’t believe what she says, but if I think of it better, there molecules that even scientists can’t identify so they call them anti-matter. This is getting interesting.

-“The quality of mana is determined from the class of Soul that one is born with.” She says and I furrow my eyebrows.

-“There are grades of Souls that determine if one will be born as a mortal, a warrior, a magician and how charismatic he can be.

Most of the mortals or normal people are born with Bronze class Soul. Warriors and magician are born with Silver class Soul. Kings or leaders and some powerful wizards are born with Golden class Soul. But this is not the end. There are also some really rare cases of Souls that belong to the Crystal class.” She explains.

-“But in every class there are some subclasses too, that determine the potential of every person. In Bronze class, people can belong to either to the Mortal or the Semi-Mortal subclass.”

-“Let me think. Those with Mortal Bronze Souls are just normal people.” I conclude.

-“Exactly. On the other hand, those with Semi-Mortal Bronze Souls have the potential for something more. They can distinguish from others by becoming artists, doctors, philosophers and craftsmen. If someone is determined enough, he can use his mana and become weaker wizards like alchemists or beast tamers.”

I listen to her with interest. It is like I hear a fairytale.

-“In the Silver Class, people can be born with a Fine Silver Soul and in that belong people with the charisma of a fighter. Most of the soldiers, warriors and generals have this kind of Soul. There is also the Argentium Silver Soul in which belong charismatic warriors and generals. This kind of people can also use mana combined with their weapon. In Etheria, they are called Magic Warriors and due to their preferred weapon, there are Magic Swordsmen, Spearmen and Archers. If they don’t use a weapon, they are called Magic Fighters.”

She looks at me for a second.

-“Tarragon and Gina have Argentium Silver Souls. Tarragon is a Magic Archer and Gina is a Magic Fighter.”

I could understand why by the way they were fighting those monsters.

-“Finally, the Golden Class has also two subclasses. People born with Pure Golden Souls are mostly leaders like kings or emperors. In this category, there are born some powerful magicians, too. Then, there is the Platinum Golden Soul. This kind of soul is met to purely magic creatures, like fairies and angels and even high class demons.”

-“What about the Crystal Class?” I ask curiously.

-“The Crystal Class Soul is really rare. With this kind of soul there is a lot of potential. One can be whatever he wants, from a rare genius to a powerful magician. It is said that the most charismatic leaders of the magic tribes are born with Clear Crystal Souls. However, the past few centuries there is nobody with that kind of Soul. Only Dragons are born with Crystal Souls now.”

-“Then, what is an Empyrean Crystal Soul?” I ask as I remember the oracle and the mention of that term.

-“Empyrean is the highest grade of a Crystal Class. Dragons have Regal Crystal Souls and they are the most powerful creatures in Etheria. However, there is a myth that there is an even more powerful class, the empyrean one. It is said that the only other person with that kind of Soul was the founder of Etheria. In other words, a god.”

-“You are kidding, right? Do you mean to say that I am as powerful as a god?”

-“I don’t know.”

-“Whatever. Then, how can someone use his mana?” I remember that this was my question but grandmother gave me a whole teaching in the matter of Souls. She smiles at me.

-“You must believe in your power and use your imagination to materialize your energy. If you can do that, you can channel your energy to your potions.”

-“Are you speaking Chinese? I don’t understand.” I say.

-Close your eyes and think of the stronger emotion in your heart. Give it a form. It can be anything in its fundamental state. Then, imagine this form to surround your whole body.”

-“ That simple?”

-“That simple. Of course, you need to try hard. It may take a few minutes, hours even days. In the lower classes, it takes a lot of time to use mana. Some people are training for years. So before making potions, you need to produce mana. If your Soul class is so high as the oracle indicates, then it won’t take you long.” She says cunningly. Then, she wants to let me train.

Before she close the door behind her, I stop her.

-“Grandma, what grade is your Soul?” I ask.

-“Does it matter anymore? It is broken.” She says and leaves the room.

-“Mrs. Matilda was the most powerful Witch of the Gate that appeared for centuries. She had a Platinum Golden Soul.” I hear Adrian’s voice. Then, he appears in front of me. I didn’t know that he was in the room this whole time.

-“What about you?”

-“An angel must have the same kind of soul with his partner so they can resonate. So, I also have a Platinum Golden Soul.”

-“Then, if I had agreed to be a witch, my angel partner must have an Empyrean Crystal Soul?” I ask and Adrian gets surprised.

I can see the worry in his eyes as he realizes that this is impossible. There is no angel with a Soul from the myths. In a matter of fact, there is no other creature in Etheria with this kind of soul.

He disappears again and I sigh.

Well, I don’t care so I can’t be bothered by this.