Theo and Celia crept inside the massive building, which was once a majestic palace or temple, and now only towering ruins remained, interspersed with black gaps like blind eyes.
The darkness inside was deeper and more intense than outside, as if the building was absorbing light instead of reflecting it.
The smell of ancient dust and mold filled the air, mixed with a faint scent of dry blood and corrupted mana, which warned of the presence of undesirable creatures.
Celia motioned for Theo to stay close to her, then it seemed as if she was planning to create light.
A faint blue light glowed, barely enough to illuminate a few meters in front of them, but it was enough to reveal the mysterious shapes of cracked columns and collapsed walls.
The light danced on the walls, creating moving shadows, as if the ancient ghosts of the building were awakening.
Theo walked behind Celia, his senses on high alert.
He felt faint mana presences in every corner, some appearing to be asleep, and others awake, waiting for their prey.
He heard faint sounds, rustles, whispers, as if the building was breathing.
He realized that this place was not deserted, and that they were not alone.
"These ancient places," Celia whispered, her voice low, barely audible. "Are often havens for monsters that feed on leftover mana, or those attracted to darkness and despair. We must be careful. Some may be asleep, but others may be awake, waiting for an opportunity to pounce."
Suddenly, Theo felt a strong mana presence, moving quickly towards them from the darkness.
It wasn't one monster, but several.
He gestured with his hand to Celia, who nodded, realizing the danger. She had already prepared, raising her hand, ready to cast a spell.
Monsters lunged from the darkness, they weren't massive beasts, but rather wolf-like creatures, made of shadows, their eyes glowing red in the dark. They moved with incredible speed, as if melting into the darkness and reappearing from it.
They attacked silently, making no sound, which made them even more terrifying.
"Shadow Wolves!" Celia whispered, her voice carrying a warning tone. "Don't attack them directly. They feed on mana, and can drain your energy. Use your daggers, and try to target their weak points. They are vulnerable to light and concentrated mana."
Theo didn't wait. One of the Shadow Wolves lunged at him, trying to bite him, but Theo was faster.
He used his dagger, delivering a quick strike to the wolf's head. The body wasn't solid, but the dagger passed through it, as if the wolf was made of smoke. Theo felt a slight mana absorption from his body, as if the wolf was trying to feed on him.
Theo retreated quickly, realizing that a physical attack would not be effective. He remembered Celia's words, "vulnerable to light and concentrated mana." He closed his eyes for a moment, concentrated mana in his hand, then released a small fireball towards the wolf.
The fireball hit the wolf, and the wolf glowed for a moment, then dispersed into black smoke and vanished.
"Well done!" Celia said, her voice carrying a tone of satisfaction. "Use concentrated mana. Don't let them drain your energy." Celia was casting light spells towards the other Shadow Wolves, causing them to retreat and scatter.
The battle was quick and fierce. Theo was firing small fireballs, and using his daggers to fend off the Shadow Wolves' attacks. The creatures were fast, moving in the darkness, making them difficult to target.
But Theo focused on sensing mana, and used it to track their movements. He felt mana absorption every time they touched him, which made him feel weak.
Theo was hit in the arm, as one of the Shadow Wolves passed through him, and he felt a strong mana absorption. He fell to his knees, feeling dizzy.
Celia cast a powerful light spell, illuminating the entire room for a moment, and the remaining Shadow Wolves scattered. The creatures vanished into the darkness, leaving behind a heavy silence.
"Are you alright?" Celia asked, kneeling beside him, placing her hand on his arm. "You've absorbed a lot of mana. You need to regain your energy."
"Shadow Wolves are dangerous creatures," Celia said. "They are not physically strong, but their ability to absorb mana makes them a significant threat to mages. You acted well. You were quick-thinking in using the light generated from the fire, even if it was weak, and also when you concentrated your mana into a small ball so your fireball wouldn't be absorbed. But you must learn how to protect yourself from mana absorption. That is the next lesson."
"There are techniques to protect your mana flow," Celia began to explain, as they continued to walk slowly through the building. "You can create a mana shield around your body, or you can concentrate mana at specific points to prevent its absorption. These techniques require great concentration, but they are essential for survival in this world. I will teach you how to do that."
Theo listened attentively, every word from Celia adding to his knowledge. He realized that this world was full of dangers, and that survival in it required more than just physical strength.
It required knowledge, intelligence, and adaptability.
They reached a large room, which looked like a grand hall in the past. The walls were decorated with faint carvings, depicting strange creatures, half-human and half-animal.
There was a raised platform in the middle of the room, and on it was a massive statue of a winged creature, half-lion and half-eagle. The statue was broken, but it still held an aura of power.
"This is the Gryphon," Celia said, pointing to the statue. "A mythical creature, symbolizing power and courage. In Elandar, they worshipped the Gryphon as a symbol of power. But they weren't content with worship, they tried to tame them, and even create them. These carvings depict their attempts to merge mana with living creatures, to create hybrid beings."
"Real Gryphons are incredibly powerful," Celia continued. "They have massive wings, sharp talons, and the ability to unleash powerful sonic screams that can paralyze enemies. They are skilled hunters, flying in the sky, searching for their prey. But what we encountered outside was not a real Gryphon, but merely a shadow, remnants of corrupted mana."
Theo looked at the statue, feeling an aura of power emanating from it.
He realized that this world was full of mythical creatures, and that what he had seen so far was only the tip of the iceberg.
He felt curious, and eager to learn more about this strange and cruel world.