17 The Art of Manipulating Spirits

I sat quietly in my seat, my eyes fixed on the board as Maria, our homeroom instructor and my fiancé, entered the room. She greeted us with a warm smile before starting her lecture.

"Good morning, class. Today, we're going to talk about something that's essential for every student who wants to become a powerful shaman: understanding your spirit and how to channel its power."

I leaned forward in my seat, intrigued. I had always felt a strong connection to the spirits around me, but I had never quite understood how to harness their power.

"As you all know, each of you has a unique spirit that is tied to your aura," Maria continued. "By learning how to control and manipulate your spirit, you can unlock incredible abilities and become a formidable shaman."

I nodded, my eyes never leaving the chalkboard. Maria's words were like music to my ears, and I couldn't wait to learn more.

"Rahu, would you care to share what spirit you have?" Maria's question caught me off guard, and I felt a flush of embarrassment creep up my neck.

"I-I have two spirits," I stuttered, feeling everyone's eyes on me. "One is a serpent, and the other is the dragon."

Maria's eyes widened in awe, still can't get over with that fact, and for a moment, she looked almost proud.

"Very impressive, Rahu. It's incredibly rare for someone to have not just one, but two mythical spirits within them. You have a great responsibility to wield their power responsibly and with honor."

I felt a thrill of excitement run through me at her words. I knew that with the right training, I could become one of the strongest shamans in the world.

As the lecture continued, I listened intently, taking notes and asking questions whenever I could. By the time it was over, I felt like my mind was buzzing with newfound knowledge.

As I packed up my things and headed out of the classroom, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for the midterms that were now only a month away. With my spirits by my side, I was ready to face any challenge that came my way.

After arriving home, I immediately took a long, relaxing bath and changed into comfortable clothes before settling down at my desk to review the day's lesson. The excitement that always filled me when learning something new was practically bubbling over this time.

As I reviewed my notes, I was struck by the realization that channeling strong emotions is a crucial step towards unleashing the full power of our auras. To develop the required level of emotional control, it is essential to engage in mental training, particularly through meditation.

What intrigued me the most was the concept that spirits possess elemental properties, which can be manipulated by skilled shamans. By exploring their properties in-depth, we can transform their fundamental form and mold them into various states. For instance, by altering the state of water from solid ice to gaseous steam, we can manipulate its elemental properties.

Driven by my insatiable curiosity, I delved deeper into the study of auras, attempting to distinguish their differences. To my amazement, I found that my serpent spirit had a significantly more robust aura, specifically tailored for defensive purposes. On the other hand, the dragon spirit had a relatively weaker aura, but it was designed to enhance speed and agility, traits that are typically associated with an assault-class shaman.

As I pondered over this discovery, I couldn't help but wonder why I was able to tap into the serpent spirit's power so effortlessly. Was it due to some preordained connection between us? Or was it simply a result of our chance encounter? And what about the dragon spirit? Why did I feel such a strong pull towards it, even though I had never met it in person? Could it be possible that we had met before, and I had simply forgotten?

With bated breath, I focused my mind and summoned forth the two auras that I had hidden away from Maria for the past month. It was a secret training I had undergone in order to surprise her with my newfound abilities. And as the two auras emerged, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment wash over me.

The strong aura erupted forth, coating my body in a shimmering sheen of water. It felt as though I was donning a battle suit, designed to protect and defend against any foe. It was a fitting manifestation, given that I had been assigned to the vanguard class.

The weaker aura, on the other hand, took the form of a small ball of light, hovering and circling around me. It seemed almost hesitant, waiting for its chance to shine. But I knew that with time and practice, I could unlock its full potential and unleash it as a powerful force to be reckoned with.

As soon as I summoned my two auras, a rather unconventional idea sprang to mind. In our lessons, we had learned that auras could be materialized into various objects based on the user's will. And so, a question began to form in my mind. What if I could create a shield made entirely out of water? Would that provide a solid defense against fire-based attacks? And if I could manage to create such a shield, perhaps I could even use it to protect my comrades.

The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. The idea of creating something out of thin air, just by harnessing the power of my auras, was both exhilarating and daunting. But I knew that if I could pull it off, it could be a game-changer in battle.

With intense focus and concentration, I willed the water to take on a solid form, shaping it into a crystalline shield that glimmered in the light. It was a remarkable achievement, and for a moment, I felt invincible.

But that feeling was short-lived. As soon as I had created the shield, I could feel my energy rapidly depleting. The strain of manipulating such a powerful aura had taken its toll on my body, leaving me feeling drained and exhausted.

And just as suddenly as it had appeared, the shield dissolved into nothingness, leaving me gasping for breath. I knew that I still had much to learn about harnessing the power of my auras, but the experience had taught me a valuable lesson.