The Mana Drainers lunged from the darkness, like huge, transparent spiders, their bodies made of intertwined mana threads, and their eyes gleamed with a faint green shimmer.
They moved with astonishing speed, weaving invisible webs of mana in the air, trying to ensnare Theo and Celia.
The stench of corrupt mana emanating from them was strong, causing Theo a slight nausea, but he suppressed the feeling, focusing all his senses on the coming danger.
"Don't let it touch you!" screamed Celia, her voice sharp, carrying a tone of anxiety Theo had never heard before. "Their webs absorb mana quickly. Use a mana shield!" Celia had already begun to cast powerful fire spells, burning the invisible mana threads, and forcing the Mana Drainers to retreat.
Theo did not hesitate. He focused the mana in his body, and felt the shield form around him, a thin but strong layer of energy.
One of the Mana Drainers lunged at him, trying to wrap him in its web.
The web collided with the shield, and Theo felt a slight absorption of his mana, but the shield held. The creature could not penetrate his defense.
Theo seized the opportunity and drew his daggers, and delivered a quick strike to the Mana Drainer's body.
The dagger passed through it, but did no physical damage. He remembered Celia's words: "Weak against light and concentrated mana." He focused mana into his daggers, making them glow with a faint blue light.
Then he struck again. This time, when the glowing dagger hit the Mana Drainer, the creature glowed for a moment, then dispersed into a dust of scattered mana.
"Excellent, Theo!" Celia shouted, launching another fireball. "Keep it up!" Celia was fighting fiercely, her fire spells illuminating the darkness, and forcing the Mana Drainers to retreat.
Their numbers were great, and they were attacking from every direction, making it difficult to defend.
Theo fought with intense focus. He used his mana shield to block the Mana Drainers' attacks, and focused mana into his daggers to launch counterattacks.
He was feeling exhausted, but he was determined to endure. He knew this battle would be a true test of his abilities.
Theo was hit in the leg, as one of the Mana Drainers managed to penetrate his shield.
He felt a strong drain of his mana, and fell to his knees.
The pain was sharp, but he suppressed the feeling, and focused mana into his leg, trying to stop the drain.
The Mana Drainer was trying to wrap itself around him, but Celia intervened quickly, and launched a powerful fireball, forcing the creature to retreat.
"Are you alright?" Celia asked, standing over him, protecting him from attacks. "Don't let it overpower you!" Her eyes were staring into the darkness, searching for any threat.
Theo nodded, signaling that he was fine.
He felt weak, but he was determined to continue.
He got up with difficulty, and focused mana into his leg. He knew this battle would be long, and that he had to conserve his energy.
The fight continued for a long time.
The Mana Drainers attacked relentlessly, but Theo and Celia fought back fiercely.
Celia was using her fire spells, and Theo was using his glowing daggers.
Eventually, the number of Mana Drainers began to dwindle.
The monsters were retreating, disappearing into the darkness.
Theo was utterly exhausted, and it was a miracle he had lasted this long.
The building was silent once more, but this time the silence was a comforting one.
Theo fell to the ground, feeling the mana drain from him rapidly.
His leg ached terribly, and he felt dizzy. Celia knelt beside him, placing her hand on his leg. "You did well, Theo," she said, her voice holding a note of admiration. "You stood up to the Mana Drainers. That's no small feat."
Celia took a vial from her dimensional ring, and gave it to Theo.
"Drink this. It will help you recover your mana, and it will heal your wound." Theo drank the liquid, and felt a warm flow of mana return to his body, the pain began to fade, and he started to feel better.
Even his injuries from previous training were completely healed!
"The Mana Drainers are remnants of Ilandar's experiments," Celia began to explain, while Theo rested. "They tried to create beings that could absorb mana from the environment and convert it into energy. But they lost control of them, and these beings became a threat. They feed on mana, and can cause great destruction if they are not stopped."
"Not every monster can be killed with a sword. Some monsters require different tactics, and an understanding of their nature. You have shown an ability to adapt."
Theo listened attentively, every word from Celia added to his knowledge.
"Now, we must continue on our way to the Silent Archive," said Celia. "But before that, we must rest a little. You did a good job today, Theo. You've proven that you deserve to be my student." Her words carried a tone of satisfaction, which made Theo feel proud.
Theo slept a deep sleep, exhausted from the fight, but he felt satisfied.
With the break of dawn, Theo and Celia awoke. His leg had healed completely, and he felt energized.
He was ready to face whatever this day had in store for him. Celia was looking at him with a slight smile. "Are you ready, Theo?" she asked.
Theo nodded, signaling his readiness. He was still silent, but he felt words beginning to gather in his throat.
He knew his return to speech would be gradual, but it would happen. He knew this world would change him, but he was ready for the change.
"The Silent Archive is not far now," said Celia. "But the path to it is not easy." Her words carried a tone of det
ermination, which made Theo feel confident.