P: ‘So did some research on that little end bit of Tyrant’s -Tulpa Realm-, where it talks about =Spirits=; from what I can gather, these are -Mana Spirits-. Constructs of elements that you absorb into your forge, make contracts with, and allow you to use that element.’
Having been laying in this crib for the passed five days with nothing better to do save for be held and fed by Mother; why not do some more research, and just what I would need… more voices in my head. Though that does bring forth the notion of being able to use some forms of mana; and my -Mixed Breath- would get some use from those elements.
‘So tell me =Spirit= basics? What’s the base, how do we acquire, what makes it easier to acquire, and how do we hold more?’
(“Allow me; basics of my children are simple, you absorb mana from their element into your forge at a variable rate based on factors. Once it reaches a threshold dependant on the element’s place in the world; makes plenty sense, stop giving me that look!”) Hannash seems to be upset that I am just staring forward… as most babies do; seriously dude, I gathered all that… (“Fine; by opening your mana channels, or -Enhanced Circuits-, you gain the ability to draw in ambient mana. The more channels you open, the easier this is; but you will need a couple more traits to do this proper.”)
‘Okay, so work on my enhancements; next?’
Listening to Hannash drone on, I am slowly getting used to being fed by the tit, changed, then carried around since I never sleep. Mother is the best when it comes to comfort, her arms very soft and her chest giving me pillows. Father enjoys reading most of the time; and I am slowly learning things from those books… and the near nightly games of chess he and Oma play.
Yes.
Hannash literally talked for days about traits and spirits.
As soon as he mentioned that even with my eyes, that I would need -Mana Senses-, guess what I started moving my mana around for to figure out how to get. Bad news is; I sort of fucked up and can now smell mana! Can’t even get a secondary sense to switch it around with until I get to tier two of the damn trait.
Ever wonder what mana smells like? Case in point, as I am handed over to my mother once more for feeding; her strongest spirit happens to be of the =Cryo= element, or ice. She smells very much like winter-mint, and I am all for it.
Luckily, it’s a very limited range that I can smell the mana; at the moment it’s half a meter radius from me, with a slight bonus from my mind stat. Just barely a meter radius at this point; which is at least a bit bearable save for those instances when someone with =Toxic= spirits come near me… which is that Elder who oddly hates me.
Bastard needs to take a shower…
Being twelve days old sucks… but I can continue with my fun at least without bother…
…
(“So that Tulpa trait is interesting, giving you an extra spot in your forge for spirits, but you first need to work on the actual… housing as it were, for them.”) Oh, he is still talking about this… and yes I am listening, or Philosopher is, and thus making it so I don’t have to. Having an eidetic memory is fun! (“The actual trait is a bit more difficult to get than the others; it is called =Sanctorum=, and visibly changes your forge in a way that fits the… theme. Base rank allows for two separate spirits to inhabit your forge, and requires a bit of mana to form.”)
‘What do you suggest at this juncture, oh masterful Hannash?’
<”Get the third tier of -Expanded Circuits-, then just power through the creation of the sanctum; most spend way too long forming it with middling mana pools.”> Baal giving his two cents, which is actually a good idea for once. Giving myself a bit more mana would be helpful for more traits in the future, and not like I have any pressing engagements for the time being. Back to the grindstone it is…
…
So to be noted, is that after training up my senses, it was noticed that a strange sound was coming from my forge; Beast was the first to notice since… well he’s a beast. With some looking around, and the old tabletop gamer in me, it was found that there is a council chamber in my forge castle; which is a round table with five chairs, and dice in the center. Whenever I circulated mana to train my senses, a set of ten sided die would roll, the ones that landed on ten would glow to fill a progress bar.
Oddly enough, there seems to be enough room around the table for more chairs; but cool… my training at least is dictated by dice…
Once this was discovered, a new window for my HUD was unlocked; which showed the progress bar as well as various choices for… well, seems to be variables. Like for Hannash, his Mana purview would either allow an extra dice to any mana roll, or would allow tens to explode. This made things even more interesting; and of course I was going to milk this for all it is worth.
So for forcing my mana through my circuits to expand them further; Hannash’s Mana was used to make tens explode, Yrmala’s Growth was to add an extra die, and even Baalish’s Desire allowed an extra die. Since I already had the second tier of the trait; that allowed hits on nine and ten, as well as one die. Then Wisdom and Mind combined to give me three more die… with the one there from the beginning, that gave me seven die for each roll with tens giving me more.
Still, even with those seven die and the tens… it took me twenty-two days to fully tier up the trait to the third tier; which gives me a multiplier of six on my mana. I don’t know if that is fast or not… but I learned a few other lessons when doing this;
Firstly, never allow your mana to go below a certain threshold; cause it causes your mama to panic and start calling on mage friends to examine you. Seriously, that was difficult to feign ignorance on, as one of her friends is apparently an Archmage in some Academy, and can sense the mana circuits in flux. Luckily for me, the lady gave me an excuse;
“His mana is flaring up, but other than that nothing is out of the ordinary. The boy’s -Expanded Circuits- is just slowly forming thicker channels and probably used too much at once.” I could kiss this lady, that is brilliant… any more ideas… “From what I can see, he is a special child; why not give him to me when he’s older and I can train him to be a mage?”
“Kalice, you know I love you, but please do not make jokes about abducting my child.” Mother gives her friend a glare, but I can tell neither is too serious, “I already know he is special; his brothers just as much so, just a bit more… docile with their growth.” This whole conversation going on as mother bathes a chill little Xihlis with a wet cloth, “Trust me when I say this; cause Zekiel has doubts, but I am sure that Zeri is… conscious, like he is more aware than he lets on.” Uh oh, “He follows conversations, his forge opened already, there’s the awakening… and now all these mana traits unlocking. I am sure he has been doing this all himself.”
Really can’t fool mothers it seems; not only do they have eyes on the backs of their heads, but apparently eyes on their hearts too. My eyes moving to look at this, Kalice… and her icy blue hair shadowing well with her green eyes. Still too blurry to get other details, but I can tell scholarly robes when I feel them, and her look of doubt; don’t press x too soon there lady.
“Indra, I know that every mother thinks highly of their children; even thinks them special is some odd ways… but that ones a bit hard to swallow.” Then there is the mischievous twinkle in her eye, as she looks down at me with a grin; “So you’re awake in there? Able to understand what we say? Then why not prove it; if you can understand us…” Then she stops and thinks… “What can babies do when they’re not even a month old… that can be used as proof of awareness…”
“Not much I am afraid, as everything is sort of involuntary at this age.” Oma walks into the door to join us in the bedroom, taking a seat near the sleeping Yehai, “One of us can always go into his forge and look for his spirit; unless he has some way to project his will outward.”
<”I mean, you do, but why would you reveal things this early… heck, why reveal anything ever? It would cause nothing but problems… and you’re thinking it, aren’t you?”> Oh Baal is learning; and it’s making me give an evil cackle internally; <”Sometimes you scare me, and I’ve eaten people. Does that tell you anything about your personality?”> Preachin to the choir there buddy…
(“I sort of agree with my Nephew here, as things could turn ugly if they realize you can already think for yourself.”) Yes, but I do trust my mother to not freak out too much… the others; maybe not so much…
With the debate going on in my head, mother finishes bathing little Xihlis and drying him off, then placing him in the cradle next to the clean Yehai; both now sleeping all cozy like… sort of jealous they can do that. She then comes to get me, time for my bath;
“No one is going into their forges until they can give consent; it could harm them in ways, like losing parts of themselves. I trust either of you to not harm them, but accidents do happen.” Mother is very gentle when she wipes me down, making sure to give my growing horns a good scrub to ensure nothing gets infected; as instructed by father and Oma. “I know he is in there and listening; but I am sure that he might be afraid of being found out. Can’t hide anything from Mama.” She smiles at me, and good lord that smile makes me understand why father is such a softy with her.
The bathing continues as the girls have their chat; before Kalice leaves for her own adventures with her lover, her words not mine. It seems it is my turn to rest on Mama’s chest as she lays down for a nap; normal for mothers to take naps here and there when they can. Before sleeping though, I receive a small kiss on the forehead and a gentle caress;
“Little Zeri, don’t worry, Mama is on your side if you ever want to talk… but do please do so only when you reach a proper age; you talking before then would strain my heart a bit too much.” That soft smile again before she starts to rest, her chest quickly reaching the rise and fall of someone in a light sleep; being an adventurer must come with the need to get as much sleep as possible, as quick as possible.
<”Kiddo, let me tell you; you really lucked out with your mother. She’s one strong woman, almost as strong as mine.”>
[“Love you too Baalish, still a little upset with you for all that back then. I do forgive you, and understand why, but…”]
‘Spoilers folks, don’t let me know until I can find out myself. So what should I do after forcing my circuits a bit wider?’
(“My recommendation would be enhancing your circuits further; the first tier allowed you to open the pores in your respiratory system, making it so you can breathe in mana. For the second tier, I would suggest your horns being the focus.”) Hannash takes a moment to think; (“It might then be prudent to get to the third tier as well, and open the pores on your feet and legs. This way with three tiers; you can breathe mana, absorb mana while walking, then absorb is ambiently from the air.”)
‘That might be for the best, time to roll more dice!’
…
Well, we are gathered here today in the main hall of the longhouse, to apparently celebrate my brothers and I reaching a month of age. I also have survived my lack of sanity, thanks to the training… but the next tier for both enhanced and expanded would need way more hits than I am willing to try for right now… but both are at tier three.
Seriously… my luck I chose a world with two suns, three moons, and a fifty day month! I am also told that there are thirteen months in the year, with thirty six hours each fucking day… someone please send help in the terms of alcohol!
Anyway, mental crisis of faith to the back burner, Hannash tells me that getting to tier three of any trait within twenty-three days is a feat in of itself; but I am not breaking any records. Should have considering I am working with less than those assholes, but who am I to complain against the voice of the world. Now I regen a full two mana every hour, bow to my superiority for I am… seriously not cut out for anything right now; newborns are sure weak compared to those who have lived for a couple hundred years… looking at you Oma.
On our guest list today of monsters in terms of stats, traits, and full biography; Mother and Father, Old Bear with Nana, Old Bull with Oma, Aunt Xitra and Vivian… also various friends of both parents. Xihlis seems a bit restless with all the people around, while Yehai is downright grumpy with being played with by the women. I’m chill, being cradled by Oma who is rubbing my horns; Nana is enjoying herself by serving people food and drinks.
It is times like these that make me nearly forget that there’s a relative of mine who actively wants me dead, or rubbed out of the picture. Nearly, but there’s a trait that stops me from forgetting, quite a little bastard that one is… sometimes. Well, let’s forget about that and enjoy the party that I can’t really enjoy… cause no one gives a month old any form of alcohol.
(“We’re making great progress to the -Sanctorum- trait, now I would suggest getting sense to the next level… and this time choosing sight. It will mesh with your eyes so you can… Philo, please explain in your terms.”)
P: ‘Right, so in the minimap function, you will be able to toggle mana density around; so you can see where the proper mana is for integration.’
‘Makes sense, though I’ll wait until everyone is done here before I do anything stupid around people who can actually perceive mana.’
So while the party rages around me, with more guests coming in from the village; I just spend the time fiddling with my HUD, and checking the settings it currently has. Nice drop downs here and there, as well as a few interesting points…
‘Oh, what do we have here?’
<”-<u>Evolution Points</u>-? I’ve never seen it put in that way; but evolution is a known subject of Agenai. Like a warrior who wants to be stronger, really willing it into existence, and their yearly gain of strength goes up; or they gain a strength trait.”>
P: ‘Since the HUD was installed, it makes things not normally available, well… you get the picture. You can see the amount of evo points you have, as well as what to spend them on.’
Looking through the list of what I can spend points on, as well as what I have available; on an interesting note, there seems to be some good cheap options…
Okay, so maybe not good but they were indeed cheap. Randomized traits based on an attribute, blah and blah… yeah nothing that sings to me. A panel tells me how I gained my points; four from getting a trait to tier three before thirty days, five from three tier three before thirty days, four from creating a new ability… and five from being the youngest lord crowned. From the two I started with from birth, this gives me twenty points to play with; let’s look at the stuff I can buy for twenty points directly…
…
So remember when I said that there was a dice room in my castle…
<”Who are you talking to?”>
‘Myself mostly, now shush.’ Anyway, from the list of what I can afford, then I can increase any of my lower end attributes by a dice stage per year; at least four of them. Then there’s a purchase of an extra ten sided die for a specific action for ten; so attack, defense, mana training, etc. Specific types are numerous, so best to think about it. Though for twenty even, I can add a die for everything… which is beyond tempting…
T: ‘Why not just go for it? Will definitely help in the long run, and our race increases gain of evolution; so just do it.’ Well why not…
B: ‘To be the other side of the argument here; I don’t have another side of the argument, so please ignore me.’ Thank you for that… anyone else? No? Then we’ll go ahead and just increase our die pool by one for everything; will make life easier in the long run…
…
Half a week after the celebration for us being alive for fifty days, I’ve been able to get my -Mana Sense- up to tier two; making sure to concentrate around my eyes this time so I now can perceive mana via scent and sight. This also unlocked my mini-map''s ability to show me mana dense zones; as well as what kind of mana is densest in the area. From a couple of days of watching, they move around depending on what’s going on.
Before I can start drawing any specific mana in for the purpose of gaining a spirit; it’s time for me to get through the toughest portion of my current training regime… someone stop me, cause this is going to take forever… fuck…
…
…
Thirty-eight days into my second month; and I now have the -Spirit Sanctum- trait, won’t be upgrading it anytime soon… it hurt like fuck. Considering my forge was reworked to allow spirits of mana to reside within it, I was expecting some pain; but my god that was soul shattering.
(“Well, now that there’s the sanctum within your forge, you may take your time absorbing mana and making contracts with spirits. From the Tulpa trait, and this… I can see room for three separate elements within you at this time.”)
Oh goody, something to think about while my mother runs around like a chicken with its head cut off, my father tries to calm her down to the best of his abilities; and oh hey Oma, she’s giving me that look that usually means she’s staring into my soul. I mean her eye is alight with flame, so that’s a dead giveaway right there. Wish someone had told me that it would cause racking pain that would alert people who paid attention; oh hey, there are many of those constantly around me!
<”Okay, that is our fault, sorry about it.”>
“Well, from what I can see, there’s nothing seriously wrong with the boy. It just seems that he gained the trait that allows him to store mana spirits.” Oma sighs as she pinches and pulls my cheek; “I am sure you can hear me, just like your father. Will you quit it with this, and just be a normal infant for a while?” I can see her thinking about it for a moment before waving that question off; “Naw, forget I said anything; must be boring being stuck in there.”
I mean, she’s not completely wrong, it can get boring not being able to sleep as an infant and only able to keep yourself busy. Why don’t you people at least keep me company until I can walk around and see things? Or I can train some more… I don’t really care… why don’t I care?
“Indra, calm down, you’re making the other two boys anxious with your pacing; they can feel their mother’s emotions.” Oma turns towards Mother and says with a small hint of annoyance; a sigh coming from her before she shakes her head. “He’s fine, again, probably just trying to figure things out; with an astonishing degree of speed. Mana spirits at a month old; bloody beats Zekiel and I by… beats everyone by leaps.” I can almost feel her jealousy from here.
“He was bleeding; he was clenching his jaw so tight that he was bleeding from his gums, I am sure he might have cracked some teeth. How is that alright?!” Mother is angry, rightly so; and whenever she gets angry the air around starts to actually get colder. Decent level Cryo Spirit within her forge, affects the area around her based on emotions; so with some frost forming in the air… she must be really ticked.
I mean, can anyone really blame her… the taste of copper still permeating my mouth as my mind glosses over the actual amount of pain it was. Any form of renovation to the forge, should be put on hold for the time being…
“Surely the boy is being influenced in some way to grow the way he is; or he’s just stretching his… legs? Mana?” Nana forces mother to sit in a chair with a cup of some liquid, rubbing her shoulders in a gentle way; “Runesca says Zekiel was the same way when he was this age… do you remember anything?” The angelic woman looking to my demonic father, who thinks for a second before shrugging;
“I can easily remember to that point in my life, but no actual thoughts besides those garnered through instinct were in my mind.” Father smiles in a way that makes me slightly nervous, “So Zeri, why not calm down and do something that won’t cause issues.” I have been told this quite a few times already… and I blame my patrons for this kind of bullshit; Hann, Baal… seriously… next time you tell me to train something… WARN ME!
<”Again, sorry. Should have told you it would hurt since it makes changes to the forge.”>
(“It was my mistake, I apologize.”)
[“Okay okay, let’s all calm down; one person having a mild panic attack is enough for one room, don’t you think?”] Mala calmly states as she sips at some tea little Martyr had made for her; little suck up he is. We all love him. Mother does the same, drinking the liquid in the glass, probably tea; as she slowly breathes to try and calm herself down.
Lord, make me feel anymore guilty and I may have to think about how to keep myself busy during these times of inactivity… or I could just do research into the secrets this world harbors. The mini-map feature does have a search bar… could be fun to look into that for a bit. Maybe find some random treasures nearby for later retrieval.
‘So for the first spirit, what was everyone thinking?’
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
B: ‘It has to be a =Dark= spirit; one as black as my soul!’
M: ‘But milk isn’t dark?’
Martyr over here spitting all kinds of accidental venom, making me wonder what is going on with that boy… but that is not here at the moment. Besides, Beast is red in coloration for his soul, it’s Philo that is black. Currently the local densities that would prove useful; =Dark=, =Aero=, =Terra=, and =Aether= types of mana…
‘I get all the other, but what in the ever loving flippity flap is =Aether=?’
(“To put it in the most basic of ways; it’s one of the two =Dimensional= style Mana, the other besides =Aether= is =Nether=. both do relatively the same job; just one is more accepted than the other.”)
Each of the mana options has a strange question mark on the bottom right corner of their symbol; they each come with symbols denoting their type by the way. This was luckily a quick description of the mana type, what it is good and bad at, as well as the basic look of the spirit if one decides to go for the default option; as well as their ranking of spirit.
‘Yeah, it’s either going to be =Dark= or =Terra= to start with; they have even temperaments, are in the higher density in the area, and have equal standings in many of their uses with a higher standard for defense.’ The standards for mana is the simple; Attack, Defense, Utility. =Terra= has more defense going for it than =Dark=, but =Dark= is more built for utility.
(“Choose either one, you’d only get the passive effect from any spirit at this time; need a few more skills to make them useful.”) Oh goody, make things so much easier for me… getting out of my thoughts for a moment to pay attention to the outer world; and Mother is calm now, people are eating… and here I am just laying in a basket with my brothers.
Taking a closer look at the adults in the room; Oma, Bull, Nana, Bear, Ma and Da, I check out the spirits they are contracted to for a bit of inspiration. Screens begin to appear in front of my eyes, translucent blue, which wouldn’t do. A quick jaunt into the settings, and a quick change of opacity and screen color settings; some other changes here and there to make the screens how I like.
These screens had kind of a cathartic feeling to my brain; making me smile to myself as I begin reading through the information stored within the records of my family. The more I read, the more I wanted to question what the fuck creation I made. Screw the name I gave it, -Eye of Nephilae-, shoulda frichen named it something… along the lines of FBI or Federal Agents getting your info for selling. Honestly, from the moment of your birth to the current time… I can even see way too much details…
Anyway, trauma later, the information I came for were the spirits each had contracted to; with Oma leading with a total of eight spirits types. Looking at the grades, I was at all not surprised to see that two of them were at the grade of =Omega=. Those two were of the ones I wanted to grab for myself; =Dark= and =Terra=, and judging from their appearances; Oma has a bit of a type… my eyes turning to look at the old Bull.
Well, in all honesty, I’m going for many if not all spirits… maybe not =Toxic=, but that’s more a preference against a certain individual. We’re just going to start with =Dark=, so many lovely spells to make with that individual… or however spirits work. To be fair, with the amount of pain I went through getting the infrastructure, I expect villages to pop up and pay me taxes in the form of magic. Does this mean the first spirits of each element will be the fief lords?
(“Honestly, I have never seen an inner world of the forge quite like yours, so maybe?”)
<”If that’s how you want it, then I am sure you will find a way to do it.”>
Oh well, only thing to do at this time is to just try and see what happens; from what Hannash says, just need to draw in ambient mana of the type one wishes to contract with…
P: “Hey Lord, check this out… odd effect from the =Eyes=.”
Oh well looky here…
…
…
I can’t help but continue to smile, inwardly, like a maniac after the discovery made by Philosopher; may he forever be immortalized in some kind of metal. Not gold, fuck that metal. Also, the reactions of the old ones in my head, the =Patrons=, being as mixed as they are…
<”I feel violated in every sense… to think purviews can be used like that…”> Baal laments, looking as if his world view was just shattered.
(“Interesting… never would have thought of that, never seen it done like that…”) Hann muses silently to himself, all while sitting next to the dice table; looking at the screens hovering around it.
Mala is just in a bean bag, absolutely roaring with laughter as piles of books lay around her… how she reads while blind is not for me to question; but Dralath, is calmly sipping tea near her.
P: “I mean… this is the first time you guys ever saw a basic interface change, which gives the option to turn on options from purviews… even view what they offer really…” Philo moves screens all over the place as he looks through them, almost so quickly that he doesn’t seem to be paying attention; “Who the fuck actually designed this game? I’d wonder if any quality assurance was actually done to ensure nothing like this -could- be done.”
‘So what you’re telling me… is that we modded the matrix of =Agenai=, and thus found a glitch that was never patched out… an exploit if you will?’
M: “It just works.”
So in recap; twenty nine days have passed by since Philo got my attention, and we now have the fourth rank of expanded circuits. Since we could activate options of the purviews, all of the options that would work in the situation… doubled the dice rolled, and even allowed exploding tens. Rank five won’t be gotten for a while; but four is good enough, as it also allows one to hold -Beta- ranked spirits within their forge.
Now why did I do this, I hear you questioning, we’re getting to that! Patience is a virtue dear… well… random thought or spirit in the aether that’s even bothering to pay attention? Dunno who you are; but Martyr wants to say something…
M: “Hello! Glad to meet you! Please remember to take care of yourself; proper sleep, drink and food, or whatever it is you need to be healthy.”
<”I worry about that boy, talking to the aether.”>
So the true reason for going through the effort to get to fourth rank… the -Beta- rank of spirits; all spirits start off as -Alpha- in all but rare cases… like a ninety-seven percent chance of being -Alpha-, but that three percent is where I am looking. Cause Philo has been looking through the records of obtaining spirits; Beast has been sleeping, while Martyr is planning for new lands to be added to house the spirits… Anyway, Philo found that if one absorbs more mana than is needed, the chances of a -Beta- ranked spirit goes up… not by much, but we have nothing but time to do this.
T: “Still blaming you for this by the way; who thinks not sleeping is a -good- idea?”
Ignoring Tyrant right now, who has been doing NOTHING productive with his time I might add;
T: “Fuck you, that is a lie of the highest order. I have indeed been doing things more productive than Beast at least. Check the memos I left in the menus, and you might learn something.”
Oh, that’s what those were… okay I half take back what I said; but not important at this time.
Though on the outer world, nothing has really changed; mother feeds and changes us babies, father works; old bear Jarls up a storm. Oma and Nana come by every so often to help ma… and maybe check on me to see if there’s anything going on. I swear, I’ve been good, only training things that don’t hurt to rank up.
Though being two months of age, my brothers seem to be getting a little more active during the day… okay Yehai is more active, Xihlis is still mostly sleeping. Must be so nice, but at this point I’d rather take some movement options… walking would be fun. Have noticed as I kick my legs more to get the muscles worked, Yehai copies in a sort of; ‘I can do this too!’ kind of way… he’s cute.
‘So, new moon is coming in a couple of days; and according to all of you, that’s when the =Darkness= element will be at its most abundant. Answer me this one question…’
(“What question requires answering?”)
‘How does a planet with three moons, have a new moon?” Very important question; as the night sky, besides having more stars and colors of nebulae and such than I have ever seen, has three moons.
<”Well, once every three months, the spirits of the moons gather in a separate plane of existence to go over the happenings, talk amongst themselves, and more than likely just talk.”> The fact they’re spirits and can just blink in and out of existence fills me with a bit of dread…
So just have to wait two more days… guess I’ll just catch up on some reading, and try to stay sane… as I see Aunt Xitra and Vivian walk through the door, and many of Ma’s friends. Here comes the bloody cooing and fawning over the babies…
…
…
Well, I remember the adults saying things about placing bets when it came to my first mana spirit… and lord a lot of money changed hands, that’s for sure. Friends, family, people I don’t know through Oma’s mirror she uses for the sake of communication; and I feel so bad for all of them… cause Da and Oma are gonna win this betting pool. Ma didn’t bet, per se, she more along the lines said;
“It’s my little amber-light, more than likely he’ll go for an option not a single one of you thought of. I’ll bet on that option, sounds more in line with his personality.”
Now my mother knows me a little too well… but I dunno if anything is going to go differently here, save the spirit will be of a higher level if my luck is good. Course, I can always try again if it doesn’t roll well… not like it’s gonna bother me. What does bother me though, is the fact everyone that made bets is now gathered in the longhouse… this isn’t some kind of fucking festival…
<”Kid, best to just give it up… they know what you’re up to, so why not just let things happen. Not like you have ever been normal in the days we’ve known each other.”> Trust me, last thing I ever imagined was actually having this many voices in my head, can’t even charge rent; abilities and traits kind of cover the compensation…
So to lightly describe how we got here; I tried to absorb some mana while Oma and Nana were around, they noticed; and called everyone for this impromptu celebration… guess first spirits are a thing?
(“Of course! One’s spirits, especially to a family with me in their lineage as a Patron, are a big deal.”) Hann doesn’t have a big head about this, naw, not at all…
Listening to both the conversations inside my own head, and what the adults and some of the kids that were brought; it’s late and some of the parents felt uncomfortable leaving their children home alone. One thought crosses my mind when I examine many of the children; the human race as a whole, are Bards.
How many half-breeds? Many, though not fair for me to put it all on humans, as there are a few here and there… elves are a second place for types of halfers. Scary thing is… my -Lord- title is affecting each of them at least by one bloodline. Guess it’s correct when they say every race on Agenai was birthed from a -Progenitor-; four total, so every race can trace back their lineage from those four in some sense. There are some artificial, but those lines loosely lead to the four.
Anyway, too much talking… I’m just going to concentrate on absorbing mana like Hannash told me, after-all, this party is due to my first spirit, wouldn’t it be sad if that didn’t happen…
…
Did not think that this many people would make their way to this humble residence, all for the new moon party and the celebration of my grand-son’s first spirit. Zekiel, my son, has done well with the raising of his children; spending most of his time taking care of them and his lovely wife. Even though we aren’t known for showing our emotions, due to -Cieri’s Blessing- having the slight side-effect of giving our kind blank faces; Indra and her family have excepted us with open arms, allowing me to move my tower to Freyjan so I can visit these little bundles more often…
“Runesca, dear, are you thinking deep again?”, My husband, Kragna, gets my attention; this man easily two times my size… with three times my heart. Don’t know why he loves me, but that goofy smile of his is his best feature; “I’ll take that as a yes, you and little Zeke are both too in your head sometimes.”
“Kragna, dear, me being in my head is nothing new; helps me process everything.” He has rubbed off on me too much, as I keep finding myself following his name with the term -dear- as he does mine, though I don’t mind. Looking down at the young Zeriq in my arms, his eyes looking an odd way of tired… though he does this, every time there’s a large crowd around him. “I think Zeri has low tolerance for crowded places. His eyes always get drooped whenever we have these gatherings.”
“So he’s very much like little Zeke, and Xitra… even Vivian… you also get a little listless in crowded areas.” His deep chuckle resonates through my body; lords above this man’s deep voice is earth shattering sometimes, “No other scryings need to be done; he’s related to your side of the family, with Indra’s looks, her smile as well. Even the way he rolls his eyes reminds me of you and Zeke.” Another chuckle…
It is true, this childe does have many odd and interesting habits as I’ve examined him these two months; with my scryings with -Keeper’s Eye- and just paying attention. Then there’s the fact he’s a new -Lord- at such a young age… then there’s the fact the race of Nephilim is listed, when that race hasn’t been recorded in any books, but has been theorized.
“I am glad to see no elder’s of the Haruk have come, they always smell off.” There goes Kragna, his instinctual side coming to the front; “Also do not like the glares that one always gives Zeri.”
“It is unsettling, yes,” Nodding along with those words, that particular elder appears to have some kind of issue with the young one, “None of the leads I have tried to look into have come back with anything substantial; even Vivian can’t find anything. So whatever he has hidden, is kept close to his breast.”
Wanting to continue the conversation for a bit, I feel a difference in the air around all of us; all with senses for mana look towards the bundle in my arms; and those with the eyes begin to scry… and I am not at all surprised with what I see…
…
…
Well, from that little bit of absorbing, I now have all eyes on me. Why are all eyes on me, you may be asking? It’s cause I am doing something that no one was willing to believe was to be done… so Ma wins the bet.
(“I mean, who would actually begin to think, that one of such youthful age… fuck it; why two spirits at once?! Even I can’t fathom this decision, one at a time is already a chore when it comes to contracting!”) Uh oh, Hann is cussing, that means he has really lost all semblance of being a scholar of high class, to being a scholar of middle class.
P: ‘Well it’s never really been heard of, even with all my research. You’d be the first to do so at this age, to the first to do so within ten years of age. The only records I can see, would be those of venerable age and have already been contracted to other spirits.’
‘So, people who got bored and decided to save time; versus we, who just want to fuck with people?’
P: ‘Exactly.’
This just causes me to cackle like a madman, why I am absolutely laughing like some kind of evil lord or something. Luckily my alignment is nothing close to evil, but details. Honestly, it was a last minute decision, but I had noticed the ambient mana was both =Darkness= and =Terra=, so two birds with one stone kind of thing.
To do this, one has to absorb the mana surrounding them, circulate it through their veins to purify slowly, before allowing it to condense into the forge. This process is a little time consuming, but it only takes five minutes till I allow condensation. I swear to god, this feels like cultivation a bit; but I am not really feeling like attacking the heavens and becoming a god or something. Too much annoying things, like people whining to you for every little problem.
T: ‘I mean, it could be a little fun; okay stop glaring at me like that, it’s just a joke.’
Anyway, back to topics at hand, to process the mana from two separate types, one has to concentrate and circulate the mana in separate directions. Normally this would be a difficult task unless one had experience with mana for many years; but I have multiple sides of my soul to help me work. While I work on =Darkness=, Philo is working on the =Terra= mana.
There is a weird thing though; I can feel the mana… I mean the feelings of the mana, the texture, the ambiance of it. Hann states that every thread of mana has its own sentience, allowing thoughts and feelings; threads that feel the same way, bunch together. Through the rite of contracts, and forming a physicality in the forge, then the mana creates its own sapience. It’s an interesting view point when it comes to this whole ordeal, I’m glad the spirits get something from this as well.
(“You are truly a kind person. Not many share that view, but it should help you with making contracts. Also, you’ve been thinking too much, shouldn’t you concentrate on the mana?”)
‘Honestly, it’s very easy to do this, sort of like data entry to the point it makes me sick. The element is pliant in a way, it makes me think that the being made from it will be the sort that likes to read, drink tea or coffee, and enjoy the night sky. Philo?’
P: ‘Yeah, I get that feeling from =Darkness= as well, while this sentience of =Terra= gives off the emotions of one who has been around a long time, cliche as that would be of that element. They just want a home they can rest in, and a garden they can take care of. It might be prudent to also bring in some =Chloro= mana as well.’
Honestly, it’s nice that my first children will be of calm demeanor… lord, if I had chosen fire, then I’d have to be prepared for an excitable child. Checking on the fill gauge, I can see that I’m roughly twenty percent filled… we’re gonna be here a while. Better listen to some music while we’re doing this.
But, and that is a rather big but… we could always do things a bit more fun; a bit more chaotic.
<”Oh dear lord, what is this one thinking now?”>
Now hear me out, this body is currently circulating two separate mana elements in separate directions. If we look closely at the body, specifically the veins and mana channels, and we can see the colors of the mana flowing. Looking closer, we can see smaller veins that aren’t being used, but are connected to the channels. They may look small and undeveloped, but they should also be under the influence of the mana traits we have.
(“Yes, they can be seen now that your unique vision trait is concentrating on them. Connecting here and there to bring a rather beautiful lattice to the body’s mana channels.”)
T: ‘Wait a minute… this looks oddly familiar.’
Hehehe, exactly, think on it clearly and one could easily see these as bypass routes used for trains; keeping trains going the same way from crashing into each other. So if we think on it like this?
P: ‘Oh dear lord… are we going to do something crazy, that might lead to possible death?’
Of course not; we’re going to do something crazy that may or may not cause internal explosions if done incorrectly, but would only leave the body crippled, but alive.
B: ‘Fuck it, why not. What elements we adding?’
M: ‘=Aero=, or wind, is in abundance obviously… the other elements are either not here, or not enough for the plans we’re going for.’
P: ‘Wait, if we look closely, =Cosmo= element is also in abundance, but it’s a bit higher.’
Ah, third dimensional view of the mini-map, such an amazing thing. It also makes sense; no moons in the sky, meaning less light to cover the infinite cosmos that hang above us. The mana of the cosmos is strikingly abundant at this time.
Then we’ll go ahead and add these two into the rotation; Martyr and Tyrant will take up the mantle of guiding these two, Beast will keep an eye on the outside and warn of disturbances. Oh I can imagine the absolute chaos of this…
<”He’s doing that creepy chuckle again…”>
…
…
As a father, I can only show pride with my life at this moment; a beautiful wife that knows nothing but kindness… just don’t piss her off. Three wonderful sons, only one of which is a true handful, though even this I can show profound pride in. After losing our first two daughters, I was worried what Indra would do if we lost these three as well, but everyday she glows so brightly that one has to shield their eyes just to look at her.
She has also gained a lucrative amount of coin due to the bets on little Zeri, though the feelings of betting on one’s son are turbid at best. The room is filled with merriment as everyone enjoyed the drink and food, a small festival of sorts. Everything was going well really… then a sigh excapes my lips as a wry smile spreads;
“Boy couldn’t wait a day to do something… impatient little brat.” Muttered under my breath, and then turning towards my son in Mother’s arms… noticing that others turned to look as well… even Mother was staring at the boy with a quirked brow.
“Mother, what are your thoughts on our little bundle of trouble?” Looking at my son, only slightly lifting a brow, and enjoying the view of the little bundle of chaos… then my feelings took a bit of an odd turn. A strange mixture of pride, awe… and fear; not of my son, but what others would think of him…
“Well, dear son, I would say that this boy’s mind is a bit more aware than anyone had ever thought before. Seeing as how he is currently circulating a total of five different mana types within him; and doing it with such precision that I am considering giving up on the magic theorems I learned.” Well, that is surprising to hear considering Mother has continued to study magic and =Mana= itself since she learned to read, not necessarily walk.
“Can you see which manas they are, dear?” Father looks down at Mother, and being of the warrior branch, he’s not able to look into =Mana=
“Darkness, Terra, Aero, Cosmo… and Chrono… but the mana of Chrono shouldn’t be abundant anywhere near here? And this technique of circulating isn’t recorded in any books… around the body with four, the fifth circulated in the heart or forge… and everything is processed one at a time in quick rotations.”
“Wouldn’t the four come into contact with each other, and thus cause =Mana Rupture=?” One of the party goers, who looked to be an old mage in blue robes with gold trim, asks with curiosity.
“That’s the thing, from looking at the movements of the mana, when two are coming towards each other; one will go to the side, both continue, and once the paths are away from each other, it will move back to the channel.” Mother rubs her chin as she contemplates, looking like she has found a fun little puzzle to solve.
“Hmm… why does that sound familiar…” Hilda says, Indra’s mother looking contemplative as she thinks while crossing her arms; “It sounds like the passing method of Litmari’s mana trains, but that could be a coincidence.”
“It’s very much deliberate, and looks too smooth to be instinct. This brat is doing it consciously, and is far too skilled at this control; as if he has a clear mental image of how it should be done.” Mother clicks her tongue, before a sly smile grows on her face; “Ohoho, this is honestly an interesting concept that can work in many facets of mana works. One would need a major understanding of their own channels to get it right, but I can see it being done.”
“Could have something to do with this trait I’ve not read about; =Eye of Nephilae=, since we’ve not a clue what it can do.” One of mother’s colleagues, don’t care to remember their name, comments, “I’ve seen the way his eyes roam, and they make me feel like he’s staring directly into my soul.” That I can agree on at least, something about the boy’s stare does give one an off feeling… but it’s not the type that makes you dislike the boy.
While everyone in the room debates on theories, thoughts, and their own comments on how little Zeri can be doing this; I just watch my boy… my first pride. In case me misses a beat, somehow loses control, I will have to step in and try to help him keep control.
“Indra, I know you’re against it… but with your permission… I wish to enter Zeriq’s forge, and see if we can communicate with him. Seeing as how this is going, I feel it prudent to have a word.” Mother, without looking up from Zeri, asks of my wife. Indra in her own right, looks to be about to angrily turn down the recommendation, but with her mother’s hand on her shoulder, a sigh escapes her…
“We can talk about this later, I’d rather be safe… but it could help me understand my baby a bit more. Walk me through it later, and we’ll see if I accept.” Indra calmly answers, her grip tightening on the chair’s arm, and with a sigh; “I am just glad it’s only Zeri, if it was all three… I feel my heart would more than likely explode with all the stress.” That I can agree on…
With that, everything continues on; debates, and watching Zeri…
…
…
Beast; buddy, friend, ya fuck. Explain.
B: “Hey, I saw the Chrono mana in the air, it was enough for the plan; why ya giving me the creeps?”
P: “Okay, let’s calm down, we have work to do, and it’s already a pain in the ass enough to do all five at once. Concentrate, we’ll flog the beast once we’re done.”
(“I can honestly say, that I’ve never seen one be bold enough to try and contract five separate mana entities at the same time. Bit nominal really… considering how each of you are going about the forming… okay, seriously, how are you all the same person yet so different?”)
That’s a bit fucked up there Hannash, just because we’re all mental manifestations of the same being in a way, we’ve all lived separate lives than the others. Of course we’re going to have differences… though I do see what you mean…
…
If one took the time to look into the forge, into the large gothic castle where everything is taking place, and in the council room of the round table… yeah… they’d see a right fucking sight. Each of the mental projections of the core, together in the center where threads of mana congregate into the ball of energy that is the =Forge Core=, each threads depicting the color of their element. These threads then further spread out to the boys, who are weaving the threads of these elements in their own unique ways… creating the Primogenitors of the forge.
Lord and Tyrant; Sanity and Insanity, two sides of the same coin… twins of a singular mind, are moving as one. Backs facing each other, threads of =Darkness= and =Cosmo= wrapping around their outstretched arms and down to their fingers, threads coalescing to form twine wrapped around spindles. The two breathe as one, reading the thoughts and feelings of the entities they will create with these entwining threads, gathering as much as they can before they are able to begin…
Philosopher; Analytical mind, professor of what can be learned, one who has already used threads of two separate abilities to create a brand new tapestry. Sat cross legged on the ground, he brings the threads of =Terra= around him, working the threads with skilled fingers to create a more yarn like substance from these; creating small balls of the yarn from each ten fingers. Eyes spark with magical circles, almost like glasses, bits of data flitting across as he reads… creating a detailed blueprint of what he wants…
Martyr; Emotional spectrum, a boy who clearly enjoys the life given to him, as a smile always plays on his face. Hidden beneath could be a cacophony, a symphony of emotions that hide even more twists and turns. This little maestro brings around the element of =Aero=, waving the threads around with two outstretched fingers, swirling the energies to a singular point, wrapping around an ever growing lattice to create a more fine silken thread. Eyes closed, but ears fluttering as if listening to the hints of music that flutter within the winds themselves.
Beast; Instinctual intellect, a rash individual who will follow the instincts he was blessed by, even if it means accidentally harming himself, though usually ends on a good note. With his own hands, he grasps at the small threads of =Chrono=, willing the wisps to come together and form a strong rope. His desperate attempts to gain enough of the element from the atmosphere around the host don’t go unnoticed, but whenever he grasps for more threads, more appear. Guttural growls come from these threads, which he answers with his own… two beasts communicating in a way that no other can understand.
…
‘Hey guys… I have an question. Mostly for Hann, but any of you can chime in.’
(“What kind of question do you have, Zeri?”)
‘How do spirits of mana gain strength, once they are incorporated into the forge?’
(“One would normally draw more of the type of mana into the forge of the spirit in question; basically doing what you are doing currently, and should concentrate on.”)
‘I see where you are coming from; but is there no way to do it passively? It all has to be a conscious state of mind, and thus controlled?’
<”I mean, kid, it has been like that for… ever since the spirits came to be with the moons and suns. But I feel there is to be an idea in your head?”>
Oh this one is starting to get me; give him a cookie. So to draw in mana like we are, circulate it, and add it to the scion spirits we create. That feels like way too much work, and too much time…
P: ‘Lord, we have nothing but time since we don’t sleep…’
Shush now, for here is idea that might just be insane enough to work; and could become a conduit of change for the future generations…
T: ‘Translation, we’re too lazy to keep doing this whenever… what’s the idea?’
‘Conduits that tie to the specific mana variety, and can act as a home for the Scions. Where pure mana may pass through, and thus become the mana that ties to the conduit.’
P: ‘Could work, but drawing mana is still a thought aware process… or…’
(“So if I am to get this straight, and if I follow correctly; you wish to create a passive way to draw in ambient mana, filter through these ‘conduits’ to then feed the Scion Spirits?”)
…
Then silence, as the Lord was lost in thought deep within himself, images and ideas flowing through the library and the council seats without focus. The Patrons were new to this process, but stayed silent as well… as the alternate selves waited…
‘Has anyone ever tried to create a Scion from just pure mana?’
<”Now you’re speaking insanity… are we sure you’re the sane one? We keep beating this horse, but come on!”>
Baalish was right to be a bit aggravated, while Hannash wanted to agree; his own thoughts started to flow through, keeping him silent. Mala, on the other hand, sat back in the bean bag chair; sipping her tea as everything continued on.
[“Why not? If it has never been done; which it hasn’t, then be the first to do so. Create new life, from that which others don’t see a point.”]
That is when the Lord smiles… a grin that spreads from ear to ear… fangs glinting as madness seeps into his eyes. Followed by Tyrant, then the others… thoughts running rampant, as the air around the entirety of the inner Forge itself shimmers. Fragments. Changes…
…
…
“Oh what is this child doing now?!”
Oma would state from outside my forge; as I start to draw in pure mana alongside the other elements.. letting it flow freely in my channels at an alarming rate. The mana of pure non-element easily filtering around all the other types of mana without a need for keeping it separate; it has no will of its own, no thoughts or needs. It just is. That is what I need, an empty vessel to carry what I require of it… while slowly forming its own conscious mind.
“What is he doing, Runesca?” Mother questioned, looking a bit worried… but also a bit exasperated as it seems Zeri is doing something again.
“He started drawing in mana, but of no element type. Pure Mana, which doesn’t have a thought or will, thus shouldn’t have a spirit… but he seems to have a plan.” Oma tilts her head as she watches; then her eye twitches, which her kin all seem to notice… Father sighing, and Old Bull giving a chuckle; “His forge… it’s changing…”This information now seems to give everyone a kind of… fright? The mood quickly changes as I am surrounded; but I take no heed, as I am now having pure fun with what I am doing… weaving mana of all kinds into my forge, making changes; creating life from spirits.
“At least it seems he is having fun; look at that smile… and it seems he is humming to himself. Wonder what it is he is doing…” Opa, Old Bull, comments while chuckling; humming along to my tune… just something random really… but this is fun indeed.
Weaving of new threads, adding them to the matrices of my own forge to add conduit buildings that would tie to their particular element; and even a room for the pure mana to settle. What kind of Scion will they turn out to be; and how best to make this happen…
It has been a while since I’ve had this much fun… and for more to come; as my mind has some devious thoughts in it.