- Great snake. Is your friend, who will help us, by any chance a giant spider coming out of the waterfall?

  - That's right, Breigon.

  - How are you, old friend? Can we enter your territory? They are the last offspring of Tammat and the last kobolds remaining in the great caves, and as I told you, we need your help to reach the seal where Tammat worked.

  Little by little, the spider began to descend from a cave hidden behind the waterfall. I thank God for not being arachnophobic; however, if I didn't know that the great serpent trusts her, I would be terrified. It's like those giant spiders in horror movies. In the end, it came to us; I expected it to speak to us like the great serpent did, but it didn't.

  - Yes, let me introduce you, this is Garrl and this one here is Breigon, they need your help. Would you, do it?

  -…………………………………………..…………..

  - Of course, this will help us all; we are trying to prevent humans from continuing to arrive. Do you know how problematic they are becoming?

  -………………………..…………………………………

  - No, never, they won't harm any of your young. Right, Garrl and Breigon? Right, Garrl and Breigon? You won't harm or hunt their young while you roam your territory? You won't hurt or hunt their young while they roam their territory?

  - Great snake, excuse me, I don't know if it's just me or not, but I don't hear the spider lady's voice like yours or do you, Garrl?

  - No, brother. But I was able to perceive his intentions through the mana.

  - Feel their intentions through the mana? What do you mean, Garrl? What do you mean, Garrl?

  - Tell me something, Breigon, during the whole time we were coming here. Did you not manage to perceive your mana?

  - I'm sorry, I couldn't.

  - Don't you also perceive the mana of others?

  - I don't think so.

  - I'll be honest with you, Breigon, it's very strange that you still can't, but one of the reasons you need to learn is that the "spider lady," as you called my friend, as well as other creatures like her, don't communicate through vocabulary, but through emotions and expressions via mana that you have to interpret into words; that's why I wanted you to practice while we were coming here.

  - I truly feel sorry; I really try, but I don't know why I can't.

  - I'm sorry, old friend, but we have a problem; something strange is happening to Breigon, he says he can't perceive his mana. Could you check him? Maybe it's me who doesn't notice something that's affecting him.

  I was starting to worry about my situation with not being able to perceive my mana; but then the lady spider, as I decided to call her for now, approached me and placed one of her legs on my chest. After what I believe was a minute, she removed it.

  - …………………………………………………….

  - Yes, I know, everything is fine with his crystal and flow, but he says he can't perceive it. Any idea?

  - ………………………………………………………

  - I understand now, ……………………. I didn't know that, ………………… Do you think it will work?

  - ……………………………………………………….

  - Listen Breigon says she doesn't understand why you can't perceive it since everything is fine with your body, however, she did feel something different in you, something in your being; something she never perceived in any other Kobold and that reminded her more of humans in part, yes, I know, it sounds strange; she doesn't understand it either; but you know humans not only don't have their own mana, but they also can't perceive it, unless it is highly concentrated, that's why they use magical tools that only they can use thanks to the pact with the great spirits, but returning to your problem, she would expect that by getting closer to the seal where there are high concentrations of mana and with it being naturally rejected by your body, you might be able to feel it, for now, it's our only idea. The other option is that you ask your great ancestor; maybe he can give us another idea.

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  - I'll try, I'll ask him.

  Next, I sit down and begin to meditate to reach that place where I first met the great ancestor, and it turns out that I could get there not only through dreams or when I was asleep; if I concentrate enough, I can get there. Although I still don't know what that place is, but, anyway.

  ………………………………………………………………

  - Hi, it's me. I know you heard and saw my problem. Sorry to ask, I know you haven't said anything, but if you could give me some guidance, I would appreciate it. great ancestor .... …………… I fear it is related to my previous life as a human, but I still can't tell them. Please!

  When I thought he wouldn't answer me, out of nowhere I hear.

  - What you assume could be a possibility; the ability to manipulate mana and perform magic is a matter of body and essence; and in your case, your essence is human and your body is kobold. What the great serpent said is true: humans cannot perceive mana; and if your essence is mostly human, that could explain your problem.

  - Mostly human? I'm losing my humanity! Will I forget who I am if I use mana and magic?

  - Calm down already! The truth is, I don't know, but I don't think so; neither magic nor mana can alter the essence of any being; and what I mean by it being mostly human is that the so-called "instincts" are what have helped you adapt to your body; they are part of you and it would be good if you didn't suppress them. Listen to me, Breigon. Do you remember when you felt sadness and anger in the village and didn't know where it was coming from? Well, that's where they came from; your instincts are part of our heritage and they are part of you.

  - So, if I accept my instincts. Maybe I can perceive the mana?

  - I don't know, although it could be; do you remember when the great serpent pushed its mana into you to save Garrl, and you managed to feel that mana; you said it was warm. At that moment, you were at your limit and not trying to suppress your instincts …………………….. Listen, Breigon, I'll be honest with you: I know you cling to your humanity and think that your instincts will drive you away from it, you're even thinking that now, and I don't like that way of thinking of yours; it reminds me of that little kobold who saw his reflection for the first time and, instead of feeling pride in his lineage, felt sadness.

  Was what the great ancestor said true? If I'm honest with myself, in these 5 months, every time I trained or played with Garrl and felt my instincts rising, I immediately suppressed them, not because I hated them, but because I told myself that wasn't me; that's why, in part, I cling to doing things from my former humanity. However, they are always there; even with the antlers, a part of me was happy and proud, and I didn't want to admit it just because I couldn't sleep well. I hadn't realized that even today I haven't adapted to myself in this new life, but ………….…

  - Listen Breigon, I can't force you to be anything you don't want to be, it's your decision; however, if you're still worried about the mana, the idea of the spider could also work. Besides, we're just going to look at the Seal; you don't need to manipulate mana or do magic yet. Similarly, if you need it, Garrl is here.

  - No, you are right, great ancestor, I must accept myself as I am. I sincerely apologize if I offended your lineage with my way of thinking and acting; I didn't know, I am still learning and trying to understand who I am in this new life that was given to me. I will try not to suppress my instincts and trust them more.

  - No, Breigon, you still see it as if they were two separate parts of you, when they are one and the same; that's why this place reflects your insecurities and fears, and you hide them in this darkness. Why do you fear your heritage?

  - I, …………………, hope not to offend you, great ancestor, ……………………………… but I fear forgetting who I am. I've seen in Garrl how the hatred he inherited sometimes consumes him; I'm afraid it will happen to me too. I am human even in my soul, I don't want to hate or kill other human beings, due to some inherited impulse; I'm sorry, I don't want to offend you, seriously, but that's what I fear.

  - …………………………………. I must admit that you are partly right, perhaps we should have inherited our knowledge instead of our hatred for the kobolds, but what's done is done; however, you have changed that in Garrl, and even he is considering the possibility of getting along with humans. Although I don't know if that's possible in the end, our heritage is so that our descendants don't forget us and feel proud of their lineage. You can keep running from it or grow like Garrl and be proud of who you are now. It's your choice.

  - You know, great ancestor, I'm glad to know that I think we can get along well. Thank you for everything, I know we didn't start on good terms, but both Garrl and you show me that I shouldn't hold my lineage against you. That said. How do I get rid of this darkness?

  - What strange things you say, but, well, it's not about taking away, it's about accepting, and it starts with him.