Laying the Groundwork

 
The next morning, Fiona woke up to the harsh sound of her alarm and turned it off quickly. She remembered strange dreams of shadowy figures in blue fog. Her first classes were all extra boring today because now she had something to look forward to that had nothing to do with school. In English class, the teacher asked her a question about one of the chapters she was supposed to have read but she couldn't answer it.

“Fiona, you really need to keep up with the book or you won't get as much out of class.”

“Alright, I'll catch up tonight.”, she said, trying to end the issue quickly. It wasn't like her to promise such a thing so hastily. She saw a few brief confused looks from her friends out of the corner of her eye. Fortunately, the teacher relented, and stopped asking her questions.

With her mind still firmly on the book, and not the English book, time passed slowly, until she was finally back at home, alone.

 
Once you can see your mana, chapter two will be open to you.

 
I didn't realize I could start on chapter two already, she thought.

 
First Steps: Chapter Two: Focus is the Key
 
Mana, or magikal energy, is just another kind of energy, like heat energy, light energy, sound energy, electrical energy, and kinetic energy. Also, it is possible to convert between these different forms. That means it is possible for you to convert the mana that surrounds you into heat, light, sound, electricity, or movement. This book has been imbued with these transferrences. But before you can convert between different kinds of energy, you must learn to focus your mana on the area where you want to convert the energy. At the end of the chapter, you will focus your mana on this book, and in so doing, move this book across a smooth, flat surface with the power of your mind.

 
A tingling sensation ran down her spine.

 
First, find a flat, smooth surface to set the book on. The top of a desk or table is best. Clear out a space about two handspans around the book.

 
She grabbed most of the papers on her desk and quickly dumped them on the floor.

 
Take a moment and feel the mana around you, and feel this book's magikal power. As you hold that feeling, and turn the page, you will sense the transformation from mana, magikal energy, to movement, kinetic energy, and the book will move to the right. Again, make sure there is some space for it to move. Turn the page.

 
Fiona concentrated on her sixth sense, and turned the page. She felt the book get more powerful somehow, as if it were larger, and it started to move to the right. Not only was there the sensation she had learned to interpret as mana, but a new sensation. It felt like the book was a part of her body, and she could feel it move with her sixth sense. When the book stopped, so did the feeling. It had moved about the length of a ruler.

 
When you turn the page, this book will levitate. As it does so, it must continually convert mana to kinetic energy in order to remain balanced against the force of gravity. You will feel the book continuously using mana, but it will float motionless in the air.

 
She turned the page, and could feel the book get more powerful again. It rose to about the length of a ruler over a few seconds. She could feel the book continuously using its energy to remain in place. After a few moments, the book slowly came to rest back on the desk, and the feeling died down.

 
Now, you will provide some of your own mana to the book as it moves to the left. The first step to accomplishing this task is to learn to focus your mana, and make it denser around the book. You have learned to feel where your mana is, and you will now try to focus it. If you don't focus your mana, then it will be denser around your body. Think about this concept for a moment, and feel your mana around you once again, and understand that the farther away you feel your mana, the less of it there is. When you turn the page, this book will pull some of your mana towards it. Concentrate on the feeling you have. If you concentrate on the feeling after this book stops tugging on your mana again, it will form the key to focusing your mana all by yourself.

 
She focussed her mind on her mana as much as she could, and turned the page. She could immediately feel a pull on her mana, almost like a drain pulling water down. At first she tried to resist, and hold her mana where it was, but realized that she wanted to focus her mana, not pull it away. As she tried the opposite approach, the book started to move to the left. She felt the same odd feeling of movement again. She was so suprised that she stopped, and so did the book. A tingle ran down her spine. She focussed her mana again, and the book moved further to the left. When the glow around the book started to fade, she stopped again. Words started to appear on the page.

 
Congratulations. You have learned to focus your mana. Chapter Three is now open to you.

 
Fiona looked at her watch and realized it was just about time for her mom to come home. She quickly hid the book under her bed and put the papers back on the desk in her room. Although it was unlikely anyone else would see the book, even in plain sight for her, it was out of the way so at least no one would trip over it.

She thought about the day, and that she had promised her English teacher that she would be caught up by tomorrow. I better read those chapters because I know she'll ask me about them tomorrow, she thought. She still felt drawn to the book, but she knew she had to read her English book tonight for sure. It made it even more boring than usual, but that night she managed to finish her homework.