Adam sat cross-legged in the center of a dark room, his back perfectly straight and his hands resting loosely upon his knees. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was slow and steady, almost imperceptible.
To an outsider, there was nothing remarkable about him. He appeared to be nothing more than a Magus sitting and practicing mindfulness.
But within his body, an entirely different scene was unfolding.
Mana surged through his channels in endless streams, drawn from the surroundings and pulled into his body. It flowed through the intricate network of channels he had spent countless years tempering, nourishing his flesh, strengthening his bones, and reinforcing his very existence.
That was where every Magus began.
At the Apprentice ranks, mana was something external. Something borrowed from the world.
