The thing in front of Lucas didn't move, it only made an unpleasant sound that cracked as if it was trying to free itself from the inside.
"That's Izek's mana?" Lucas swallowed his saliva as he felt a flash of terror run through his skin.
"Yes, and it's bound to you now."
'Why is it bound to me? That made no sense to him.
"You shouldn't worry about it and concentrate on your own mana for now."
Lucas agreed with the voice that spoke from somewhere and turned back to his own thing, "why is mine blue?" he thought as he watched this thing in the air.
He stepped closer to it again and tried to touch it with his fingertips once more. The string was no longer as long as before, but only 40 centimeters long.
"Wow, it's changing shape fast." Lucas felt delightful, experiencing weird butterflies in his stomach again.
"Now connect." The woman ordered him.
"Connect? How do you want me to do this?" Lucas backed away from the thing a little.
"You'll have to figure that out for yourself."
"How am I supposed to do that?" He put his hands on his hips and let out a long sigh.
Various thoughts just ran through his mind, he shook his head to the side and decided to pull himself together. 'Mana, this is like video games." He took his hand from his waist and put it to his chin.
He walked around this floating thing and analysed each part of its shape, 'I touched the middle part, what would happen if I touched the end or the top part?' A quick thought blessed his mind.
'In the games, you usually have to connect both sides, what would happen if I did the same?'
Curiosity killed Lucas now, he felt like experimenting with his own mana.
'Okay, here goes nothing.' He bent down and put one of his hands on the bottom, 'I got it! Lucas caught it with his hand.
Then he put another hand on the top and now held it with both hands. Lucas felt as if he was holding a warm creature in his arms, but this one was softer and not wet.
It reminded him of a wire, which was how he usually felt when he held one. It looked flexible and stretchy, but when held in the hands it felt cold and stiff.
He stretched both hands out to the side as if to measure something and this thing just followed him, it had no real shape or texture.
'Now if I imagine it connecting with me, my body should absorb it.' He sighed. 'Okay, let's do it.'
While he held that, Lucas closed his eyes to concentrate again.
He began to imagine this thong entering him as if it was being eaten by Lucas' skin.
'Please work, please work.' He whispered to himself, then felt another strong circling of blood through his veins, making his body tremble.
The pressure pressed down on Lucas' head, forcing his eyes and mouth open against his own will. His skin began to break into tiny little pieces, allowing his leather skin to open and be exposed to the darkness in the room.
His body was still shaking, sucking up every last piece of that blue fiber in his hands, then the voice spoke again.
"Now tell it to stop."
'Tell it to stop?'
Lucas' body felt like it was being burned, its colour changing from naked to a bright red. He could feel his blood rushing to the open areas.
It felt like it was bubbling, blistering, and dividing all at the same time.
"Sto-stop!" Lucas screamed in pain.
His body lost control and fell to the floor. He put his arms, which helped him keep his balance, closed his eyes, breathing in more air.
When he felt his blood finally calming and the pressure in his head easing, he breathed in again, "what the hell was that?" His arms continued to shake.
Lucas opened his arms and a bright light, like the blessing of the sun from heaven, welcomed him back.
He felt blinded by it.
"Congratulations, now you can finally control mana." The same woman as before spoke in front of him.
"I can control it? Already?" Lucas put one of his and on his eyes to see better and squeezed them with his fingers.
"Impressive, you've managed to absorb it very well. Now stand up and summon the white phoenix."
This woman didn't seem to let him rest, she was ready to go and see what else he could do.
"Right now?" Lucas' voice slowly lost its energy.
"We don't have all day, get up."
"Sigh, this is so exhausting." Lucas stood up with a sweaty brow.
His body was still shaking slightly, but it seemed he was returning to his normal self.
"The white phoenix is one of the most dangerous familiars, if you summon it, you must feel safe."
"I guess that's where my other personalities could be of help," Lucas smirked, trying to make small talk out of this awkward situation.
The old lady didn't react to his remark and just stared at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Understood, that wasn't funny." Lucas turned his head away from her, "so what do I do now?" He asked her.
"I need you to lift one hand up, close your fingers and squeeze them together." She spoke slowly.
Lucas decided to do exactly what she said.
He raised his arm in the air, "now lower it and straighten it as if you were pointing at someone." She added.
Lucas lowered and straightened his hand with a closed fist.
"Now release your index and middle fingers from it." Her tone was a little higher now, it almost sounded as if she was eager to see what would happen next.
Lucas opened both his fingers and held his hand straight. "Now close your eyes and say white phoenix, obey."
Lucas felt a shiver run down his skin, he felt a little uncomfortable as his arm was in a tense position and it was already too much for him after that mana thing.
"White Phoenix, obey!" He shouted with his eyes closed.
Within seconds, he felt like someone was standing right in front of him. Lucas slowly opened his eyelids and saw a white majestic bird with ashen and silver feathers covering its body.
"Ohohoho." A loud laugh filled this room. "This is the White Phoenix standing before you, tell it to obey."