The Evolution of Mana Echoes

Ch 2 - Pt 2 The Road to Sigil Mountain

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months turned into years.

Training never stopped, and neither did Teacher Long.

Eight years passed.

The children had grown into young adults, and all of them had reached sixteen years old. The backyard looked just the same as before. The dirt ground was unchanged, the trees stood tall, and the old wooden fence still leaned a little to one side.

But the students were completely different.

Bren had grown even larger and stronger. His body filled out, and every punch he threw carried real weight behind it. Maya no longer jumped at every small sound. Her movements were faster, sharper, and much more controlled. Judy’s attacks became precise enough to find openings that no one else could see. Glendo moved more smoothly and dangerously, like water flowing around rocks.

Bram stayed just as stubborn as ever. Rona still loved making fun of others. And Bigolo? Even without sight, his other senses had grown amazing. He moved through the world with such quiet confidence that sometimes even Tyda felt uneasy around him.

As for Tyda?

He grew stronger right alongside all of them.

Another fight was taking place on that same familiar training ground. Eight fighters clashed hard. The sound of impacts rang out again and again. Everyone moved much faster than they had years before. Their bodies were tougher, their strength greater, and their understanding of battle went far beyond what they could have imagined when they were younger.

Teacher Long watched quietly from the side of the yard.

Years ago, no one had stood a chance against Tyda. Now things were different.

Seven students attacked him all at once.

Tyda laughed loudly as he traded blows. “That’s it!” A punch barely missed his jaw. “Come on, don’t hold back!” Another strike hit his shoulder, making him stumble half a step before he found his balance again. He just grinned even wider.

“You guys have finally learned how to fight properly!”

The attacks kept coming. For the first time in years, Tyda found himself being pushed backward. His feet dragged through the dirt. Sweat flew from his forehead every time he dodged or blocked.

But he wasn’t angry or frustrated.

In fact, he looked happier than ever.

Every good move earned praise. Every improvement got noticed.

“Nice work, Bren!” Tyda blocked a kick that almost knocked him right off his feet.

“Maya, that was way faster than before!” He ducked just in time to avoid a strike aimed at his ribs.

“Glendo, that move would have knocked me out cold years ago!”

The fight went on. Minutes passed, and everyone started to get tired. Breathing grew heavier, and movements slowed down. One by one, the students dropped to the ground, exhausted. Heavy breathing filled the training area.

In the end, only one person remained standing.

Tyda.

Sweat dripped down his face. His chest rose and fell in deep, fast breaths. He rested one hand on his knee, and his legs shook beneath him.

Then his body gave out.

Everyone noticed right away.

Tyda suddenly dropped down to one knee. The group froze. A second later, he fell forward completely and landed face-first in the dirt.

Silence fell over the yard.

Then—

“WE GOT HIM!”

All seven students jumped to their feet. Cheers rang out, and laughter filled the air. After years of losing, they had finally worn Tyda down before collapsing themselves.

Tyda lay on the ground laughing, his face still pressed into the dirt.

“You guys really have gotten stronger,” he said, wiping sweat from his forehead and rolling onto his back. “I can’t keep up with you as easily as I used to.”

Bren sat nearby, breathing hard. A proud smile spread across his face.

“Tyda.”

Tyda looked over at him.

Bren nodded. “The reason we improved so much is partly because of you.” Several others nodded in agreement. “You beat us so many times that we had no choice but to get better.”

Tyda laughed. “That sounds fair enough.”

At that moment, Teacher Long started clapping slowly.

Everyone turned toward him. The old man’s smile looked different today—warmer and filled with pride. The wrinkles around his eyes showed clearly, and his usual frown was completely gone.

“Good,” he said simply.

The students exchanged confused but happy looks.

Long folded his arms across his chest. “The Great Sage of Sigil Mountain is waiting.”

The group went quiet. No one spoke. Those words hung in the air, feeling too important to take in right away.

Long kept speaking. “Are all of you ready to awaken your mana?”

Silence stretched out for a moment.

Then Rona stepped forward, her voice shaking a little. “Teacher… when do we go?”

Long smiled.

“Today.”

The backyard seemed to freeze.

Then everything exploded into noise.

“TODAY?!”

Tyda jumped up despite how tired he was. Bren nearly lost his balance from surprise. Maya stared in disbelief, covering her mouth with both hands. Judy’s eyes went wide, and even Glendo’s calm expression broke into shock for the first time in years.

Long pointed toward the path leading away from the village. “Go clean yourselves up and get ready.”

The students ran off at once. Excitement replaced their tiredness. Sore legs suddenly felt strong again, and aching muscles didn’t bother them anymore.

The day they had waited and dreamed about their whole lives had finally arrived.

Several hours later, the group reached the foot of Sigil Mountain. Their footsteps slowed, then stopped completely. No one said a word.

Far above them stood an enormous castle. Its ancient walls rose high enough to pierce the clouds, and its massive towers stretched toward the sky. The whole structure looked as if it had never changed since the beginning of time. The stone was darker than anything they had ever seen in the village, covered in carvings that no living craftsman could possibly copy. The windows were dark and reflected nothing back.

It looked powerful, ancient, and completely out of reach.

All eight students stared upward in awe. For years, they had pictured this place in their minds. They imagined it when they couldn’t sleep, talked about it around campfires, and trained every single day so that when this moment finally came, they would be ready.

Now it stood right in front of them. Real and solid.

Tyda took a slow step forward. His eyes never left the castle. The wind blew against his face, pushing his blue hair back. His heart beat fast and loud in his chest.

A wide, determined grin appeared on his face.

“So this is it…”

The others kept looking up at the mountain, too stunned to move. No one needed to speak. They all felt exactly the same thing.

Ahead of them waited the Great Sage. Ahead of them waited the awakening of their mana. Ahead of them waited the future they had dreamed of since they were little children.