Tree was pulling in mana. It was everywhere. It filled him from the bottom of his roots to the tip of his crown. Energy flowed around his leaves, down his branches. The air around Treeville tingled. Electric blue arcs jumped from ground to air. Tree wanted to stop but he couldn’t. He needed more mana. Down, swirl, up, left, right, swirl. Again and again. Tree felt like it was being torn apart again and again. Tree struggled to contain the energy all around him.

The universe tore asunder. Tree began to see the reality all around him. There weren’t things around him. Energy vibrated all around Tree. No, that wasn’t right. Everything was energy. Mana twined and crawled through everything. Light grew brighter and brighter in Tree’s mind. The rock between its roots vibrated at a slow frequency. The humans living beneath Tree were a swirl of vibrating particles. Tree could see everyone’s core. The humans with tree seeds within them had stronger currents surrounding them. The humans who lived outside the walls and were not trusted still had cores but the lights were not as bright.

Tree watched as streamers of light rose from within the earth to high into the sky. Tree’s mind became unbound and its consciousness floated up. Tree traveled along the new pathways it discovered. There were eddies and vortices where energy collided and ripped apart. Tree could comprehend everything. The mystery of where all the unconnected items were disappearing to was solved. They were not disappearing but merely returning to the greater ether matrix in which all things existed. You could use the mana to call back the items. Make new items. Create and summon creatures of all different types.

Tree saw how the universe connected. Tree could see worlds beyond worlds and how to travel to those worlds. But in the midst of all the wonder Tree saw, there was danger. There were things in the mana void. Watching, waiting.

“we can see you.”

Oh shit. Tree was not expecting that. The things could see it. Tree tried to pull but it was already too late.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kimma was fluttering around the Grand Gallery. “What did you do?” She asked.

“I am not entirely sure.” Admitted Tree. “I was meditating while absorbing mana and suddenly I had a vision of the world.” Tree paused for a moment. “It seems like a dream now. The details are fading from my mind. All I can feel is the remaining wonder of the things I perceived.”

Kimma paused. Her face took on a thoughtful mein. “You must have leveled up. You’ve been doing almost nothing but cultivating. I’m surprised you’re not a fat little tree.”

“No need to be mean about it.” Tree replied. “Solar mana is delicious.”

“You’re a little piggy tree, Tree.” Kimma said. “You exceeded your limits before you were ready for the consequences. Tell me, Tree, did anyone notice your little show?”

“I am not sure.” Tree slowly replied. “Maybe. Things got a little weird in the end.”

“Yeah, that means something noticed you.” Kimma said. “Now you have to get ready. What else did you learn?”

“Magic is amazing. But I also saw why we can’t directly access it. Mana needs an intermediary for us to use it effectively.”

“Yes, that’s what the mana system is for.” Kimma told me. “But the water creatures of this world already influenced the system and the System Council cannot install another one. The Council usually uses a system that compliments the sentients way of thinking on any given world. Let me ask something. Can you see electricity?”

“No I can’t.” Tree answered. “Why do you ask?”

“Hold one.” Kimma said. “Can you change your skin design by just thinking about it?”

“No.” Tree answered again. “What is the point of this?”

“Because the water creatures can. The system propagated across this world relies on that ability.” Kimma explained. “If you can’t do that, you will never access the mana system as effectively as they can.”

Tree fell into thought. “What if I made devices that mimicked that ability? I could use tattoos, armor with the mana designs already installed. That sort of thing.”

“That could work but it will always be second best to the real thing.” Kimma replied.

“You have given me a lot to think about, Kimma.” Tree said. “I have some design work to do.”