"Ygraid, what you call Earth, was saturated with mana during our time," Xavier began. "What is mana, you ask? Hmm… how do I put this? It's a form of energy that surrounds us, so tiny it can't be seen with the eyes, only sensed with the mind's eye. You develop that ability through meditation.
"Mana allows us to perform what you humans call magic. And I don't mean cheap tricks or illusions, I mean true magic, the kind that makes anything possible with the right level of mastery. Like, say, destroying a mountain with a single punch."
My brain screeched to a halt trying to process that. A whole mountain with one punch? I always thought magic was cool, but that sounded insane.
"There are also mana derivatives," Xavier continued. "Necro energy, used by necromancers. Sword Ki, used by swordmasters to enhance their techniques. Mages channel raw mana into spells, while body cultivators use it to strengthen and evolve their physical forms. They gain heightened strength, speed, healing, and defense. They develop their bodies to superhuman, even inhuman levels. Some become so tough, physical attacks don't even faze them.
"This isn't all. Some people forge their own paths with mana, creating entirely new systems of power. Mastery over their unique path grants them immense strength and an edge over others.
"Take Monarch Swordsaint Zadin Myxterio for example, the founder of Sword Ki. He was born unable to perceive mana at all and was labeled a cripple. But he didn't fall into despair. He loved the sword and had talent like no other. From the moment he could walk, he trained with it. During an enlightenment, he created Sword Ki. He was the first to say these words: 'The sword is you, and you are the sword.' He became known throughout the universe."
That was when I interrupted.
"He was known across the universe? I thought you said it wasn't easy to breach into another planet. And what about now? Can't people just use space shuttles to travel?"
"Hmm, how do I say this?" Xavier replied. "It's better to stop thinking of Earth as just a planet. It's more like a dimension. Other races live in their own dimensions, so space travel isn't how they move between them. Earth, because it contains the heart of the universe, is especially hard to access. That's what we believed, until the demon appeared. So yes, travel between dimensions is possible, just not to Earth. But from one dimension to another, it can be done, especially with technology or magical artifacts."
I was curious. "How do you know all this? I thought you spent your whole lives in this dimension."
"Well, let's just say we took the occasional break from guard duty," Xavier said.
That irritated me a little. The two most powerful beings in existence were supposed to protect the heart of the universe. The destruction or corruption of the heart would mean the end of all life. And they took vacations?
I took a deep breath and calmed myself. Honestly, I couldn't say I wouldn't have done the same after a million years stuck in one place.
"Okay, I get it. Everyone needs a break. Go on."
"I just want you to erase the idea that some things are impossible," Xavier said. "With magic, nothing is impossible. Keep that in mind and everything will make more sense.
"There are many paths. Illusionists, enchanters, tamers, druids, warlocks, sorcerers, knights, healers, and more. Even we don't know them all. They're all mana cultivators, and you'll learn more about them when you arrive.
"Now, about the classic naming system. People are often named by the element they control. Like fire mage or water mage. The four main elements are fire, water, earth, and wind. Sub elements include things like lightning, which comes from fire, or metal and wood from earth. Ice and blood come from water. There's also gravity, nature, light, darkness, and others."