《Mythshaper: A Slowburn Crafting Litrpg》 Chapter 01: Life, Death, Rebirth, and Other Unusual Magics Chapter 01: Life, Death, Rebirth, and Other Unusual Magics I wailed in a gut-wrenching scream, snatching another chance at life from the clutches of Death. Pain ripped through my core as my eyes snapped open. A bright, glaring light blinded me, followed by an overflow of tears. I had to squint to keep my eyes from wavering, but even that proved to be hopeless. The light receded and dimmed, and in its place, a huge, radiant head loomed closer, staring at me unblinkingly. Startled, I cried, exerting every ounce of my will to break free from the giant¡¯s grip. But my efforts were futile. I couldn¡¯t muster up the barest minimum of strength. All my energy was wasted on wailing. No matter how much effort I put into speaking, all I managed was incoherent wailing. The giant held me close, as though afraid to let go. Then through blurry eyes, I noticed the bright auburn locks cascading over her shoulders, her exterior pale and feminine. She was staring at me kindly, tears in her eyes, a deluge of raw emotions playing across her luminescent face. Finally, I apprehended the ultimate conundrum of my predicament. The woman wasn¡¯t a giant. She was likely as normal as a human could be. It was I who had shrunk, nestled in the protective custody of her arms as if I were a baby to be pampered. In fact, I was a baby¡ªa newborn, at that. The woman cradled me and passed her other palm over my chest. She whispered soothing words into my ears¡ªwords I was hopeless to comprehend¡ªyet they calmed my restless heart. A dim, golden string of light spilled from her palm and disappeared into my skin as she rubbed my chest. Something inside me resonated with the light. My chest grew warm as the combined effort of the light and her soothing voice drove the pain away. Relieved, I tried to contemplate the sheer absurdity of my situation. This could have been a feverish dream for all I knew, a figment of my imagination. Not for a second did I believe that events such as reincarnation or rebirth were normal¡­ At least, not with my memories intact¡­ Wait, who was I? My memories failed me. Only an image remained in my mind¡­ I was dying¡­ somewhere chilly and dark¡­ with an icy knife in my chest¡­ The thought of my father¡ªwith whom I had a love-hate relationship¡ªcrossed my mind, yet no mental image of him appeared. Only a vague silhouette. I forgot him first. Utter terror gripped me as I lost more and more about myself. The most emotion-laden memories went first: my friends, companions, and family¡ªpeople I could trust with my life. The memories drifted off like wisps of river fog threading their way up in the sunlight. Despite all my efforts to cling to the fog, it slipped from my grasp. All that was left of me was the vague impression of my education. Without a second thought, I tried to put it to the test¡­ The best I could muster with my current mental faculties was to count to thirteen before I felt a strain in my mind. I turned my attention back to the woman. The incandescent feature of her skin had dimmed while I dealt with my inner turmoil. Under her care, my pain vanished too, though the powerlessness lingered. Well, I was a baby, for God¡¯s sake. My fragile brain turned to mush just thinking about the mysteries of such an event. I had no choice but to sleep on the problem... Several hours later, I awoke again, properly cleaned and swaddled in a cotton cloth, still within the protective custody of the woman¡­ My mother? I tried to commit her face to memory. It was a demanding job with my terrible baby eyes. At least she didn¡¯t glow like a lightbulb anymore¡ªI wondered what that was about. She appeared to be in her early thirties, fair-skinned, her face symmetrical and pale. A little sickly, perhaps, as if she had been through a great battle recently. Maybe she hadn¡¯t fared well in labour, yet she could still stand with a baby in her arms. Sometime later, the door of the hovel opened, and a man came in. Tall, dark, and bald, he was swathed in black attire and looked somewhat frightening to be my father. Then his eyes found me, and the look in them changed. Tears streamed down from those bloodshot eyes as he picked me up into his arms. The man was large, built like a boulder, and his arms were¡­ not particularly gentle. He kissed me on the cheek, once, twice, thrice, and wiped his tears. I contemplated another bout of cries. Thankfully, the man returned me to the more responsible person. Kissing her on the head, he led us to sit on a bedroll, and finally uttered some words into my ears. Obviously, my feeble brain failed to grasp the words. But then a sharp pain stung my left palm, jolting me awake. I wailed once more, eliciting her to cradle me on her lap. The pain washed away, soon followed by a voice. I looked between them to find that neither of the two had uttered the words. Furthermore, the voice was clearer, younger, and comprehensible, and it rang in my mind. [You have been Named.] [Arilyn Arcis O¡¯Ryon, welcome to the paths. The Spell understands your unique circumstances. The Paths are partially open for you.] What in the world? I was flabbergasted. Who are you? No ideas of what it could be came to mind. All I could do was listen to the words until they finished their commentary with a presentation of a lustrous green box with text written in it. [Profile] Arilyn Arcis O¡¯Ryon Age: 0 days.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Path: U/A Honours: U/A Attributes [1/10]: Gift: [Fractal Soul] I ran the words in my mind dumbly. It seemed to be something only I heard and saw, as my mother betrayed no sudden reaction to suggest otherwise. I inclined my mind to understand¡­ this spell. This was the second, no, third startling revelation after my reincarnation. I had to account for the glowing spell as well. Well, compared to rebirth and magic, this voice¡ªwho called themselves the Spell¡ªfelt rather tame. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how it was possible to transfer one¡¯s voice into another¡¯s mind. Some trick with vibration? Mind magic? I wondered if it was anyone related to my rebirth. That reminded me, my mother had magical power? In my earlier restlessness, I had failed to see the implication behind that. Was she a healer? Considering her spell drove away my pain. Could she teach magic to me? Was it possible? Did I inherit the power from her? Dozens of such questions crawled up in my mind with little to no explanations or answers to them. I would be lying if I said I didn¡¯t consider all of it to be a drunken dream. Mother always thought I had a knack for creativity¡­ Mother¡­ Mother who looked after everyone... worked tirelessly, and didn¡¯t receive all that she deserved... I sighed as I remembered one last fact. My mind lingered on my name. Arilyn was countless times better than Paul, or whatever I was called in my previous life. Now, what did it mean by Fractal Soul? On that topic, what was a soul? Was it something that reincarnated you? What about attributes? Cognition? Was it what I thought it was? Brainpower? The stinging sensation returned to my left palm, but it was reduced to a tenth of its strength, insufficient to make me uncomfortable. As if on cue, the voice followed up. [A new Way is accessible: Words I (1/100).] Hmm, what do you mean? I repeated the sentence many times in my mind, but that only made my head hurt. All this thinking was still beyond me. It looked like the Spell wasn¡¯t all that interactive with babies. Or it couldn¡¯t read minds. Time flew by. My early days were peacefully boring, with little to do beyond contemplating life, death, and reincarnation. There had to be a reason, a purpose for my rebirth. Just as gravity operated, there must be laws governing life and death. The topic was so nerve-wracking that I had to spend equal amounts of time staring at the monotonous, inclined roof to recalibrate my feeble brain. Imprisoned by the weight of my own head, my daily life was filled with immaculate tasks like drinking, sleeping, peeing, and defecating. Only one of these could I manage on my own. The worst part was my occasional inability to control my bowels. I was fairly capable of managing them while awake, but on many occasions, I¡¯d wake to the smell of my own piss. And then cry. Infantile amnesia, please erase those embarrassing memories first! I prayed, clasping my palms together. Only when my mother came to change my clothes and sing me to sleep did I find relief. She was an angel like that. I hadn¡¯t seen my father since the week after my birth. I feared I couldn¡¯t recognise his face again. All I remembered were his features: tall, gloomy, and bald. And callous hands, terrible at holding babies. We had moved from the hovel where I was born to somewhere better in the countryside, perhaps. The wooden house did not speak of wealth¡ªI guessed I missed out on that lottery¡ªbut it had four separate rooms, nice furnishing, and most importantly, it was warm and cosy. On top of that, I suspected I was abandoned by my father. But then I remembered the only memory of my father¡ªnaming me, the sheer joy on his face. I sighed and decided not to jump to conclusions just yet. Instead, I devoted the few measly waking hours to something useful. With focused thought, I summoned the Spell to express my [Profile]. It didn¡¯t take long to learn after I found the small runic star circle mark on my left palm. All I had to do was stare at the mark and wish, and the Spell would reveal its magic in my mind. I did not want to theorise on assumptions, but it felt like the Spell was doing its magic through the mark. The slight stings before the messages only gave evidence to it. My [Profile] remained mostly unchanged, with some progress in the Way. [Words I (92/100)] Just eight more words to go, I mused. It had taken me some time to figure out what the Way was. It turned out it was exactly as it sounded¡ªjust magic tracking the number of new words I learned. Aside from those immaculate tasks I¡¯d rather not discuss, I dedicated all my effort to learning unfamiliar words every waking moment of my new life, going as far as to rumble them like a mantra in my mind. I was bored, and there was nothing worthwhile to do. The Spell kept track of all that in the [Profile]. With each new word I learned, the anticipation of what would occur when I learned my hundredth word grew. I was awake in my cradle when my mother came to check on me. Her lips curled into a smile upon seeing me reach out my arms towards her. Yes, that was all I could manage, along with some jumbled mumbling. Although I had learned many words since my birth, my vocal cords were not yet developed enough to articulate any of them. For instance, if I wanted to say mama, it came out as ¡°Yaya¡± at best. My mother would always adopt a childish voice to call my name when speaking to me. This occasion was no different. I showed my appreciation with giggles, which brought a radiant smile to her face like spring sunshine. She lifted me, ensuring my clothes were dry. It was the Afternoon Stroll Time, arguably my favourite part of the day. Every day, she carried me around the neighbourhood, past the same houses and wheat fields, as a few people came to talk with her. My attention, however, drifted everywhere. Today, it was skyward, where flocks of cloud folded together to create a spiral pattern which only the sun could pierce. I knew my eyes weren¡¯t perfect¡ªfar from it. I struggled to track moving objects. Perks of being a couple of months-old baby. Yet, I didn¡¯t believe there was nothing magical about the pattern. As though prompted by my thinking, those magical threads of light high within the clouds revealed themselves to me. [A new Way is accessible: Fractal Sight (1/10)] I blinked, feeling a trace of weakness in the back of my mind. Well, that proved there was something mystical about the spiralling clouds, though it failed to explain anything more, much like my own existence. By the end of our stroll, mother cast the same spell on me, regardless of my state. I suspected she could somehow read my exhaustion by looking at my face. Golden light spilled from her fingers in a string of chains and disappeared into my skin. The mystical power washed away most of my weariness. I had formed a distinct mental image of the light threading in eight separate ways through my body in a clear, symmetrical form. Naively, I entertained the notion that if I could latch onto this warm power and somehow tame it, I might become a sorcerer or healer one day. The familiar sensation stirred in my left palm, and the Spell¡¯s voice manifested to quash my childish fantasies. [A new Way is accessible: Meditation I (1/10).] Of course, I thought, how could I forget that visualisation was a crucial part of meditation? And that was precisely what I had been practising since day one. At least, there was another Way to keep me invested. Chapter 02: Ways Chapter 02: Ways My memories didn¡¯t magically return as the weeks flew by. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise¡ªnot being weighed down by regrets of my past life, or the sorrow of leaving my loved ones behind. I kept telling myself that, trying to fill the void they left within me with something else. Unfortunately, the task became immeasurably tough when I had nothing to occupy my mind. My days remained the same: boring, repetitive, and forgettable. Well, aside from the occasional messages from the Spell like this one: [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Words I (100/100)] [+1 Cognition.] [The Way of Words II (100/1000) is now accessible.] [A new Way is accessible: Perseverance I (1/10).] The glittering texts of the Spell greeted my sight, followed by a narration of their meaning. I blinked twice and stared suspiciously, wondering if doubling my Cognition would make me twice as smart. This line of thought led nowhere. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t merely the words that I had begun to figure out. The mystical power still eluded me, but I was only a little boy. It was natural that magic was largely beyond my grasp. Imagine the atrocities a thoughtless baby would wreak just because their milk was not at the right temperature. Still, I hoped Way of Meditation could help me with it. I wasn¡¯t entirely convinced, but seeing my mother meditate as part of her morning ritual was a great incentive to keep my hopes up. I had been trying since I gained the Way, yet barely seemed to have gotten the hang of it. It didn¡¯t help that Meditation was exceedingly more difficult than Words, nor that the progress counted differently. Whereas the Way of Words measured the number of words I learned, the Way of Meditation likely measured the hours I spent meditating. It seemed to count only the time I spent in a completely thoughtless state. Being passed out or asleep didn¡¯t count. On another note, my mum wasn¡¯t a healer. Probably not a mage, either. She was still paranoid about my health and cast the light spell on me three or four times a day. She did the same for other babies occasionally, when their mothers brought them to the house with colds or other minor ailments. I supposed that made her a healer, but nothing revolutionary. Just the other day, she sent a man with a broken arm away, since healing broken bones was beyond her abilities. She was some kind of magic crafter, and her work wasn¡¯t limited to smithing metals into tools and weapons. She worked with leather, cotton, and wood as well. I had even seen her fix light constructs¡ªblobs of magical devices that emitted warm light when triggered. Villagers came to her for repairs on those and many other tools. She would scribble a peculiar symmetrical geometrical pattern with runes on them with a sharp pen, check their utility, and hand them back. When the villagers pressed her to accept coins for her effort, she always refused, telling them the little repair didn¡¯t warrant payment. After rubbing some smelly oil all over me, she had left me in the open for sunbathing, as I watched her carry huge chunks of stone from one corner of the yard to another. Sheesh! That stone was enough to squish any normal person to a bloody pulp, but she moved as if she was taking a stroll in the park. She didn¡¯t even break a sweat. Her figure didn¡¯t suggest any inhuman build either, though she did cut a tall, lean figure with long auburn hair bound in a braid. I watched her carrying stones and gathering them near our house¡ªwhich she was rebuilding. Single-handedly. Every time she passed after dropping a small boulder, she checked on me, a smile playing on her lips. My mother worked like a machine. She was relentless once she started, which was every morning. I didn¡¯t think we were so poor that she had to put in half her waking hours doing heavy work, but I couldn¡¯t be sure¡ªlike most things. The uncertainty of my life was killing me, but all I could do was not make things extra hard for her. Slowly and unwittingly, mum had become my earliest inspiration, rooting deep into my memory. Watching her work so tirelessly motivated me to do the same. I wanted to learn the language as soon as I could, to learn new things, to understand her better, and to understand the world. Since she took care of all of my needs, I devoted half my waking hours to meditation. At first, it had been largely draining, but one day, I felt rejuvenated after a meditation session. And it wasn¡¯t simply because I completed the first tier of the Way. [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Meditation I (10/10)] [Attribute Gained: Focus (Elementary).] [+1 Focus.] [+1 Cognition.] [The Way of Meditation II (10/25) is now accessible.] So completing the Way could grant new attributes, too. Now, with two mind-based attributes, my mind wasn¡¯t as feeble. Hopefully, they would help me make more of my time. Focus should make it easier to concentrate. Like, I wouldn¡¯t be distracted by hunger or my bowel movements, right? My progress in meditation skyrocketed from there. At first, I had barely gained a point every two or three days. Now, it was quite the opposite. With nothing else to tire myself with, I clocked about fifteen unfamiliar words and a couple of points in meditation each day from then on. My hard work bore fruit. Within the next week, I completed the Way of Meditation II. The rewards didn¡¯t disappoint me at all. [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Meditation II (25/25)] [+1 Focus.] [+1 Cognition.] [The Way of Meditation III (25/50) is now accessible.] The improvement was staggering, and I wasn¡¯t slowing down at all. But there were still more things I could try. Days passed as they should. It was still autumn, the weather lovely, save for the occasional ashen dust storms when we had to spend entire weeks confined within the bounds of our house. My mother had stopped casting the golden light on me after I learned to crawl. I guessed her paranoia had eased as I grew fast and strong. Still, she made sure to give me the rejuvenation light once or twice every week. Those spells had helped me in more ways than she probably realised. Visualising the golden energy threading its way into my body had led me to the Way of Meditation, but it didn¡¯t end there. After sensing the familiar energy hundreds of times, I received another Way. [A new Way is accessible: Essence Sense I (1/10).] That wasn¡¯t all. [A new Way is accessible: Motor Skills (1/100).] This had been a long time coming. Crawling was still difficult. I had bumped my head on the ground more times than I could remember. Oftentimes, it hurt like a bitch¡­ and I cried like one too, wailing at the top of my lungs, even though I did everything to muffle my cries. Some things just weren¡¯t in my control. Mum usually bolted from whatever she was doing to heal me. Unfortunately, she decided crawling was too much of a strenuous job for a barely 105-day-old infant. She wouldn¡¯t leave me alone long enough to finish the Way of Motor Skills. The little practice she allowed would barely get me through it in about a year.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Thankfully, she relented whenever I made a pouting face. I was glad to learn she wasn¡¯t impervious to cute baby faces. I only got to practise for about an hour, and that too under her direct supervision. Her cheers and encouragement for my feeble attempts were a pleasant addition, however. Winter came with a sudden blizzard and snow. It was an atrocity, of far less competency than the ash storms, but the terrible cold, the chilly wind, and the measly six hours of sunlight made it just as detestable and confining as the ashen storms. Thankfully, snowstorms were rarer and hardly ever longer than a couple of days. [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Motor Skills (100/100)] [Attribute Gained: Alacrity (Elementary).] [+2 Alacrity.] Finally, an attribute to cast aside the frailty of my fragile form! I cheered. Sadly, Motor Skills seemed to end there, though I didn¡¯t have to be disappointed as more Ways were waiting for me to unlock. [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Meditation III (50/50)] [+2 Focus.] [+2 Cognition.] [The Way of Meditation IV (50/100) is now accessible.] [A new Way is accessible: Balance I (1/100).] [A new Way is accessible: Mobility I (1/100).] ... [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Meditation IV (100/100)] [+2 Focus.] [+2 Cognition.] [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Essence Sense I (10/10)] [+2 Focus.] [The Way of Meditation V (100/250) is now accessible.] [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Perseverance I (10/10)] [+2 Unallocated Points.] [The Way of Perseverance II (10/25) is now accessible.] Great, more physical-based Ways. I was going to be buff in no time. Magically speaking, it would take months¡ªyears even¡ªbut I was too moved to care. **** ¡°Can you say it again, Pumpkin?¡± Mum asked, lifting me up with her hands under my arms. ¡°Mama,¡± I obliged. She pulled me close, kissing my cheeks, a twinkle of tears in her eyes. It was difficult for me to comprehend the kind of joy my mere existence brought her, and I likely wouldn¡¯t be able to understand it for a long time. It had taken me longer to speak my first words than it had to do most things. I guessed it was mostly because I was a silent child. My vocal cords and voice probably hadn¡¯t developed enough. Who knew not crying at every little discomfort would come back to bite me like this? My mother had been worried sick for a couple of months, since all the other infants my age were babbling incoherent sounds. She had even brought me to a local healer a few weeks ago. ¡°Mama,¡± I called again and pointed towards the bookshelf. It was story time, and I¡¯d even miss my meditation session for it. ¡°Sorry, sweetheart,¡± she whispered into my ear. ¡°I have some errands to run.¡± My expression fell, but she knew how to coddle me. ¡°I promise to read you one at bedtime. One you haven¡¯t heard yet, about the First Knight.¡± I beamed. She asked if I wanted to come with her, but I declined, shaking my head. Just after she left, I jumped to my feet and dragged a stool over to the bookshelf. I couldn¡¯t read, but some books had beautiful pictures in them. I enjoyed them as much as the tales bound within the pages. Although, I couldn¡¯t deny that a tiny part of me hoped to gain a Way¡ªperhaps something related to reading¡ªout of it. Not all the books had pictures in them. In fact, only a few did. The rest were large leather-bound volumes. Who knew what kind of gospel they held? Mum rarely read those, as she barely had any spare time. After a few minutes of scuffling around, I found a picture book. Well, it was more like an encyclopaedia of rare plants and exotic animals. But to my infant mind, all that mattered was that it had pretty pictures. The book was thick, and the number printed on its cover suggested it was the third volume in the series. I searched for its predecessors but couldn¡¯t find them. Well, it wasn¡¯t like I could read... A thought crossed my mind, and I immediately summoned my full profile, turning my attention to the tiny wheel mark on my palm. [Profile] Arylin Arcis O¡¯Ryon Age: 571 days. Path: U/A Honours: U/A Attributes [4/10]: (Unallocated Points: 2) Gift: [Fractal Soul] Ways: In progress: Meditation VI (479/500) | Essence Sense III (35/50) | Balance II (294/1000) | Mobility (75/100) | Swimming (2/100) | Perseverance II (11/25) | Words III (2593/10000) | Fractal Sight I (1/10) Completed: Meditation V (250/250) | Essence Sense II (25/25) | Balance I (100/100) | Words II (1000/1000) | Motor Skills (100/100) | Perseverance I (10/10) My [Profile] looked a little more impressive since the first time it revealed itself. Meditation remained my most accomplished Way, while I had found some success in Essence Sense. I had failed to complete most of the physical Ways. Mobility required movement, and Mum wasn¡¯t keen on letting me practice. Swimming was completely under her supervision, and I was glad for that. As a baby, I had limited freedom. Balance was the only one I had succeeded in, and it helped me gain Body Coordination (Elementary). Yeahhh! No more (less) falling on my head from now on. I had pushed Meditation and Essence Sense the farthest because I could do both while confined to my cradle and the house. More attributes helped, but I was still very much within mortal limits. Engaging in Essence Sense for extended periods inflicted piercing pain on my mind, and only Meditation could save me from the headaches. And then there was Fractal Sight, which eluded me since the one time it had activated. Perseverance seemed to count the total number of layers of each Way I persevered through. It was also the only Way which awarded unallocated points. Right now, my focus wasn¡¯t on my growth. What mattered was the fact that I could read profile texts. Why? The Spell had narrated them so many times that my mind had memorised them, but even before that I could still somehow interpret them. What intrigued me was the possibility of learning to read from this. Grabbing a notebook and a pen, I sat down on the floor and started scribbling all the unique letters from the profile. I counted thirty-three of them. Then I went back to the thick volume and wrote down the missing letters. There were nine more, but thankfully, most of those seemed to be rarely used. Next, I began noting down words that only used the thirty-three known letters from the encyclopaedia. I pronounced them aloud, or at least tried, hoping they¡¯d be among the 2593 words I already knew. The total wasn¡¯t that large, despite being enough to understand most of what my mother or other people uttered on a daily basis. The results were depressing. Out of the couple dozen words I noted down, I barely recognised a fraction. While I could make guesses for the rest, they¡¯d just be that¡ªguesses. Simply asking Mum to teach me would be so much easier¡­ Learning the numbers was easier. It ran on a decimal system, which I picked up from the page numbers in the book. Oh, I remember what a decimal system is¡­ Clicking my tongue, I trudged along the path of literacy. It was a dark, depressing road full of guesswork, but I persevered. Here¡¯s what I managed to learn about a certain plant: So?egir Grass: A highly ¡ª grass, grows on ¡ª. It does not demand (require?) earth to grow, ¡ª water grows like ¡ª Hardly readable. But I didn¡¯t give up easily. After all, I had all the encouragement I needed. [A new Way is accessible: Education I (1/100)] ¡°Great!¡± I jumped to my feet in triumph. ¡°Thank you, Spell¡­ I¡¯ve been waiting to hear your voice all week¡­¡± I had likely been scribbling for over an hour, prompting the Spell to grant me this new Way. Most Ways were time-based, so it was reasonable to make the conjecture. Chapter 03: Advanced Attribute Chapter 03: Advanced Attribute It barely took me any time to complete my homework, but I spent about half an hour on other studies before I ran to find Mum. A month had passed since I picked up running, and I hadn¡¯t grown bored with it yet. Learning to run had stretched my world vastly wider than it used to be. I didn¡¯t believe I would ever grow tired of it. Mum was cooking our supper in the kitchenette, humming some familiar tunes soothing to ears. ¡°Move carefully within the house, pumpkin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± I called, sniffing the aroma wafting from the pan. ¡°Spinach, yuck!¡± ¡°Already?¡± Mum turned to face me, completely overlooking my dissatisfaction with the food. She took the notebook from me and turned page after page, her eyes scanning over my messy handwriting. ¡°Wow, pumpkin, you aren¡¯t lying when you said you¡¯ve learned all the letters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all...¡± She flipped to another page, where I had tried to arrange letters into words and sentences. Her brows furrowed as she examined the page. It¡¯s normal for infants to do at least this much, right? I thought as she returned her gaze to me. ¡°Ari, how did you learn all this?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I read your books... I mean, I tried to read them and imitated...¡± ¡°You imitated,¡± she mumbled, her impressed tone fading. ¡°The sentences are clumsy, but for you to learn all this by yourself... Which books did you read?¡± ¡°It was a record of exotic creatures. It has a lot of beautiful pictures. Let me bring it to you.¡± Wasting no time, I hurried to the study room and climbed onto the stool to pick up the leather-bound book, already set apart from the rest. I returned with the same enthusiasm, clutching the huge encyclopaedia to my chest, when my foot bumped into something. Unable to balance myself in time, I fell, my head knocking against the hardwood floor. It was only during summer Mum had removed all the cushioning after I had learned to walk properly. Without it, I felt the full brunt of the blow. A yelp escaped my lips, causing Mum to leave everything behind to come to my rescue. ¡°My boy,¡± she cried, swooping down to take me into her arms. ¡°Are you alright? I told you not to rush within the house. Now look at yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡ª¡± She shushed me, drawing her palm over the slight bump on my forehead. Golden light spilled out of her hand and soothed the pain instantaneously, while the power rejuvenated any kind of exhaustion or weakness I hadn¡¯t even realised I had. It barely took a fraction of the golden light to heal the bump, while the rest spread throughout my body slowly¡ªI could almost envision it in my mind¡¯s eye. She has gotten better at this. [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Essence Sense IV (100/100)] [Way of Essence Sense V (100/250) is available.] [You have met both requirements for an Advanced Attribute.] [Please choose between the two options: Arcane Acuity | Essence Sensitivity.] ¡°Wow!¡± I mumbled unwittingly before the spell could finish. I didn¡¯t know what the other requirement had been, but for the first time, I was given a choice for my reward. ¡°Ari, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Arcane Acuity or Essence Sensitivity... Why do both sound so impressive? I thought hard, as both options seemed like they could push me closer to wielding magic. One literally had the word ¡°Arcane¡± in it, while the other, ¡°essence,¡± basically meant the fuel of magic. My joy knew no bounds. It was only when Mum nudged me, pulling me up to her eye level, that I came out of my stupor. ¡°Pumpkin, are you feeling alright?¡± Worry tinged her voice. ¡°If you feel any discomfort, I can take you to the healer, and¡ª¡± ¡°Mum, which one is better?¡± I asked, excited enough to fumble the question. ¡°Arcane Essence or Essence Acuity?¡± Mum blinked, then her eyes narrowed sharply. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Oh, I said it wrong,¡± I admitted, realising my mistake. ¡°It¡¯s Essence Sensitivity and Arcane Acuity. Quick, tell me which will make me a magus...¡± My voice slowed as I realised Mum didn¡¯t share my enthusiasm. ¡°Sweetheart, where did you learn all this?¡± she said, a line forming between her brows. ¡°The spell told me.¡± I noticed she was holding her breath. ¡°The spell always rewards me whenever I complete the Way, and this time...¡± Mum rubbed her forehead. Did I do something wrong? ¡°... it gave a choice between the two options.¡± Her expression only grew grimmer as she began examining me. Her eyes squinted, spilling deep golden light. Those unusual eyes bore down me as if searching to find something wrong with me. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± My voice came out hesitant, perhaps even frightened. As though realising her reaction wasn¡¯t appropriate, Mum¡¯s eyes returned to normal, and she hugged me tightly. ¡°No, pumpkin, you did nothing wrong,¡± she said, soothingly stroking my head. ¡°Are you not angry at me?¡± ¡°I can never be angry at my sweet boy,¡± she said. ¡°No matter what you do.¡± ¡°Even if I don¡¯t eat spinach?¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t eat spinach, broccoli, fish, or any of the vegetables,¡± she said, cradling me quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ari. Mum didn¡¯t want to scare you...¡± ¡°Mum is never scary.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. She kissed me on the cheek, her eyes turning teary. ¡°Alright, can you tell Mum what this is about?¡± I had learned a general idea about the Spell from all the stories she narrates me to sleep. Of course, there were still many holes in my knowledge, as Mum deemed some stories were too convoluted and sensitive for a child¡¯s mind. Essentially, an Entity named the Oracle had devised the Spell to fight against dark forces that had threatened to engulf the entire realm. And it had worked. It had been centuries since the world had experienced any calamity. Civilisation was thriving. With the support of the Spell, the number of awakened was multiplying in each generation. Apparently, only one in thirty was born with a mark like the one on my palm, and the Spell helped them cultivate their powers. Of course, my curiosity had only piqued from there, and Mum had to narrate stories about the Oracle and the First Knight to appease my thirst. Nobody knew how much of the story was the truth and how much of it was pure fiction, but the presence of the Spell proved there was at least some authenticity to the tales. I explained about the Way of Essence Sense, from where it all began. Mum listened in silence, her face was a mask of solemnity. Eventually, she rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache building. ¡°To awaken a perception-based attribute of Advanced rank, one must complete the seventh step of meditation,¡± she said to herself and turned to me. ¡°How did you even learn Meditation, much less complete seven whole steps of it? You¡¯ve not even seen two winters.¡± ¡°Watching you do it every morning...¡± I said, as though it was only natural. She seemed like she wanted to object, but suppressed it. ¡°Oh, it was an accident. Whenever you healed me, I could see the golden threads spreading all over¡­ then the Spell said it was meditation...¡± ¡°More like visualisation, which is a big part of meditation...¡± Mum explained, and then her eyes widened once more. ¡°Wait, did you say you glimpsed the golden threads of light?¡± I tilted my head in confusion and nodded slowly. Is this something to be surprised about? Exhaling sharply, she stooped down to my level. ¡°Can you describe it to me, what you see when I cast the spell on you?¡± I told her about the golden shimmering threads, weaving their way inside me in a symmetrical form. How the power resonated with me and became a part of my being. By the time I finished, her expression couldn¡¯t have been more astounded. ¡°There¡¯s no mistaking it,¡± she muttered to herself, ¡°my son can really see the aether. I don¡¯t think Jinn had that gift...¡± ¡°Mum?¡± The smell of burned vegetables drifted to our noses, causing her expression to stiffen. She carried me back to the kitchenette to stir the pan. ¡°Pumpkin, do not choose your rewards now, alright?¡± she said, turning the stove down. ¡°Mum will check if it¡¯s safe for you to gain those attributes at your age.¡± I could only agree and stayed in her arms while she finished cooking. She didn¡¯t seem to trust me enough to leave me out of her sight, while the promise of magical power lingered in my mind. After serving me my supper, she crept to the study room and unfolded dozens of thick leather-bound books that were filled with small-lettered words. She even put on her glasses at some point, which she always avoided unless she was drawing geometrical figures and runes on things. She flipped through one book after another, noting down things in my notebook, which went completely over my head. I gave up on understanding an hour ago and instead concentrated on solving the puzzle piece Mum had made for me. There were some complex rules in it that my feeble kid brain barely comprehended, but it was fun to play with. Not to mention, my time spent solving the puzzle counted towards the Way of Education. ¡°Arilyn, can you summon your [Profile]?¡± she asked, resting the tomes. I nodded again, eyeing the mark on my palm. ¡°Reiterate everything you see,¡± she said, her tone unusually serious. ¡°Don¡¯t leave anything out.¡± As I listed my attributes and the points in them, she nodded along, though her expression twitched momentarily once or twice. Surely, my attributes explained why I was so smart for my age. Her lips parted slightly when she heard about my gift. ¡°[Fractal Soul]?¡± she repeated after me, her expression growing contemplative. ¡°This is likely what enables you to see essence threads and aether.¡± ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± I asked. She stared at me for an extended moment before giving a nod. ¡°It¡¯s a very... good thing.¡± I considered her words and expression and felt she wasn¡¯t painting me the entire picture. But she was my mum. It was likely for my own good. ¡°Alright, Ari, you¡¯ve given me a great scare today,¡± she said. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to educate you a little about the Spell and the attributes... I¡¯m not sure I can make it clear enough for you to understand, so if you don¡¯t get something, ask me questions, alright?¡± I nodded eagerly. ¡°Foremost, you need to understand that you¡¯re special,¡± she said. I raised an eyebrow, urging her to elaborate. ¡°There are two types of people in the world. First, those who are blessed by the Aether and born with the spark of magic, and those to whom the Spell grants magic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the first kind?¡± I asked, unable to keep my hope from spilling into my voice. ¡°Maybe.¡± The corner of her lips curved slightly upward. ¡°Magic comes easier to the first group, but that also makes their path more... arduous. I won¡¯t go into unnecessary details. It¡¯ll only confuse you right now. You just need to make sure you keep your gift a secret until it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She explained that people blessed by Aether received unwanted attention from various groups, both good and bad. Some simply wanted to study unique gifts, while others sought to use them for their own designs. The empire had a protection law in place that allowed them to take anyone blessed into custody, where they would be trained through all the hoops. While it didn¡¯t sound bad to my ears, Mum seemed highly against it, so I promised her to keep it all a secret. ¡°Now that¡¯s out of the way, it¡¯s time to decide about the attributes,¡± Mum said. ¡°Even with all its limits and constraints, the Spell is a force of goodwill and...¡± She still seemed worried and hesitant to go forward with this. ¡°Mum, as soon as I learn magic, I¡¯ll help you with your work,¡± I said, clasping my palms into fists. ¡°My sweet boy, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. But if you really want to learn magic, I suppose I can¡¯t stop you. Be aware, however, for the path of a shaper is not easy to trudge through.¡± With my enthusiasm returning, I didn¡¯t even hear the last part. ¡°Which one should I take? Essence Sensitivity or Arcane Acuity?¡± ¡°It depends,¡± she said, pausing to think of an explanation. ¡°As the name suggests, Essence Sensitivity sharpens your senses toward various essences, while Arcane Acuity is a more specialised attribute that enables a shaper to some specific fields of study. I¡¯d advise any novice not too keen about studying to take the first option, whereas Arcane Acuity needs immense hard work for it to come to fruition.¡± ¡°Then which one should I take?¡± ¡°There is no wrong choice,¡± she said with a smile. Fearing I did not understand her explanation properly, she decided to provide easier examples. ¡°Think Essence Sensitivity as a magical nose, whereas Arcane Acuity is a magic wand which will only be useful if you know your way around it.¡± I hummed, considering. ¡°Hmm, if I cannot use the magic wand in the end, is it not better to have a magical nose?¡± Hopefully, it actually doesn¡¯t grow a second nose, or I might lose it. ¡°Like the answer to most questions involving magic, it depends,¡± she sighed. ¡°But you can already see essence threads. There¡¯s no point in taking Essence Sensitivity. It would hardly add anything that your eyes will fail to perceive.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I agreed, though I didn¡¯t understand half of it. ¡°The process may give you a headache,¡± she said, ¡°but I¡¯ll be with you throughout to help. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± She clutched my shoulder, her golden essence at the ready. ¡°You can begin now.¡± I sucked in a deep breath. With her approval, I wasted no more time summoning my [Profile]. The Spell presented the options once more, and I focused on the tab for Arcane Acuity. [Please confirm your choice: Accept | Decline.] [You have chosen Arcane Acuity (Advanced). However, since your body and mind are not fully developed, as a safety protocol, the Advanced Rank Attribute may take a few hours to take effect.] [The Spell hopes you understand their plight.] Huh, I guess most of Mum¡¯s worry was unfounded after all. In the end, the process took all night. I didn¡¯t feel anything out of the ordinary and slept through it, while Mum stayed awake the entire night to ensure nothing went wrong. Chapter 04: Friends And Family Chapter 04: Friends And Family The name of the game suggested a novel recreation, which Serenade Circle decidedly was not, but that didn¡¯t make it any less enjoyable. Its complexity was perhaps too challenging for kids, but all of us had watched it played so many times that it was practically unreasonable to not play. At least, we had kept most rules intact. It was a regional favourite. There were even Serenade Circle contests during the Solstice festival. I had barely glimpsed the real, seasoned players play out the game. The competition was held at night, and Mum was unreasonably strict about my bedtime habits. However, if I knew one thing, it was that playing the game far surpassed the enjoyment one gets from spectating others. Ignoring the fact that Serenade Circle particularly honed one¡¯s Way of Balance, which I was on the verge of completing. ¡°Arilyn, it¡¯s your turn,¡± said Eran, our proxy leader for this round. He was three seasons older than me, already half a head taller, and maybe a full head above most of the kids. ¡°Remember, even if you can¡¯t eliminate anyone, don¡¯t let them move another step. They¡¯re already halfway across.¡± His advice essentially translated to don¡¯t mess up, which I didn¡¯t intend to do. I inhaled deeply, set my sights on the opponent¡¯s circle, and left ours, humming the most generic tune of the game. My spell would hold only as long as the melody. Keeping my rhythm, I rushed towards their territory. They had five players left in the game, to our three. I skirted at the edge of their circle, stretching my arm as far as I could to touch my opponents without stepping into the bounds of the circle. A simple touch would eliminate that player, but if I were to slip into their domain and they touch me, I would be eliminated instead. The complications didn¡¯t end there. For example, with each player eliminated, the radius of the circle would shrink so it wouldn¡¯t become impossible to reach the remaining players. Currently, the circle was large enough to leave most of them safe. While I darted along one side of the circle, my opponents retreated to the other. When I rushed to the opposite side, they fell back, all the while shielding their leader, Priam, out of my reach at the centre. Our team was at a disadvantage, cut down to three members, which only meant winning would feel twice as sweet. Although I wasn¡¯t the opener, I could sustain my rhythm the longest, benefitting from meditation and breathing control, and a little help from Alacrity. Little because half of the kids possessed the attribute. A couple with more points in it than myself. Being the youngest doesn¡¯t help. I moved back and forth several times, my throat beginning to strain. The kids mirrored my tempo, advancing and retreating with each shift of my gait. After half a dozen repetitions, they had decidedly memorised my rhythm. That was where they made the mistake. Once the opponent players grew used to my movements¡ªand weary from the repetition¡ªI suddenly cut my motion short and feinted to the opposite side where they had fallen back. My fingertips failed to touch anyone, but the little discordance in the tempo left their whole coordination in shambles. Other than Priam, who remained safe in the centre, the rest faltered. I set my sights on the weakest member of the group. Diana was the youngest after me. She was frail and mostly mimicked others¡¯ movements. Unable to keep up with the sudden change in pace, she stumbled over when my fingertips brushed her shoulder. As she banged against a portly teammate, I tagged him too, felling two birds with one stone. Cheers erupted from my team as I retreated, breaking the hum. ¡°That was so great, Arilyn!¡± Eran praised, patting my shoulder. I flashed a triumphant grin, gasps escaping my lips. ¡°The game¡¯s ours now¡­¡± cheered the other kid. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and sat down. My spell brought the game to even. It was all on them now. On the other side, the little girl I had eliminated looked as if she were about to cry. It didn¡¯t help that she was the smallest of the bunch and was always among the first two players eliminated. To make matters worse, Priam berated her for costing them a second player. Guilt prickled under my skin as I looked away. All I could do was urge Eran to start his spell quickly, so Priam and the others would stop scolding her. We won the round rather easily. Though they eliminated one of our members, their circle diminished to such a degree, that the last round became merely a custom where Eran walked to Priam and eliminated him. We changed our leader in the next round. The tactic didn¡¯t work well, especially if the new leader played rashly. We might have won the game already if Eran or I remained as the leader, but what was fun in that? This was no official game with consequences. ¡°No, you can¡¯t lead!¡± Priam yelled. ¡°It¡¯s already 4¨C3. If we lose another round, we¡¯ll lose the game.¡± ¡°But they switch leaders every round,¡± Diana said timidly. ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯re winning,¡± Priam retorted. ¡°If I¡¯m the captain, I can¡ª¡±Stolen story; please report. ¡°You want to be the leader every day,¡± retorted Tullus, the chubby boy she crashed onto during the game. ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± ¡°You do!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Diana made a fist. ¡°The last time I led was three, no, four days ago.¡± ¡°And we lost because of you,¡± Tullus accused. ¡°We¡¯ll lose on the very first spell if you¡¯re the leader like the last time,¡± the others agreed with a crackle of laughter. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t!¡± ¡°We most definitely would!¡± Priam shook his head, coming forward. ¡°If you want to become a leader,¡± he snorted, ¡°why don¡¯t you join their team instead?¡± To her fault, she actually turned to us, her eyes glistening. ¡°Can I?¡± she asked, her voice trembling as tears threatened to spill. ¡°Can I join your circle? I¡¯ll do anything you ask...¡± Her plea left Eran in a tight spot. Though we rotated our leaders, he was our spiritual leader. He keeps everyone motivated and steady, and others listen to him. ¡°Please...¡± Diana pleaded. It wasn¡¯t simply a matter of taking another member, since her inclusion would make the team unequal. Eran glanced around, clearly reluctant to deny her, but equally unwilling to swap anyone from our group. He seemed to hope someone would volunteer themselves. Regrettably, none wanted to join the losing team. Ultimately, it fell to me. Honestly, I had no desire to join the losers, either. But Mum always taught me to be gracious. It was much more so of her dedicating herself, rather than simply telling me I need to be kinder. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll swap with you,¡± I said, exhaling slowly. ¡°Really?¡± Diana¡¯s eyes sparkled. My teammates protested, but I made up my mind. My new team seemed more excited about her exclusion than my inclusion. Priam welcomed me, graciously assigning me the opening spell. That hardly changed much. While Diana played the role of leader lead, Eran maintained everything. I eliminated two players in my three spells, but we lost the game, anyway. As the sun dipped below the horizon, I bolted home before the others began chanting their taunts. Because it simply wasn¡¯t enough to win; you also had to annoy those you defeated. That was the true spirit of the game. Solas, I hope they grow up soon. Of course, Eran didn¡¯t join in their taunting, nor did Diana, who was simply content with her small victory. [Congratulations! You have completed the Way of Running I (100/100)] [Congratulations! You have awakened the attribute: Agility (Elementary).] [+2 Agility.] ¡°Finally,¡± I muttered, stumbling mid-stride. Mum didn¡¯t let me train actively, so it had taken me longer to complete this Way. Oddly enough, she didn¡¯t allow me to sprint like the older kids in the mornings or evenings, but she didn¡¯t mind me playing for hours. Weird rules adults make. ¡°Arilyn, wait!¡± Eran called, running to catch up with the blonde girl in tow. ¡°Why do you always run home?¡± ¡°Running is fun,¡± I replied simply. I understood why he was here¡ªhis house was on the same path, the closest to ours¡ªbut Diana¡¯s home was in the centre of town. Why was she out this late? ¡°I heard tomorrow¡¯s your birthday,¡± Eran said. I turned to face him. ¡°Who told you that?¡± I asked, suspicion creeping into my voice. Does he want me to invite him? But there¡¯s no celebration though... Unlike many patricians, Mum detested pandering to every little thing that was worth celebrating. ¡°Your ma came to get fresh eggs and milk this morning,¡± Eran explained. ¡°She mentioned it to ma.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting a birthday cake!¡± Diana chirped. Now I was excited too. ¡°I¡¯ll wish you a happy birthday tomorrow,¡± Eran said. ¡°Me too!¡± Diana chimed in. ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you both tomorrow,¡± I chuckled. Eran¡¯s house was further down the road, divided by sprawling wheat fields, all owned by his family. He bid goodbye and veered onto another path, but Diana didn¡¯t follow him. As I neared my home, I noticed she was still trailing me. I turned to give her a curious look. The spring evenings weren¡¯t as brief as those in winter, but it was already getting dark. ¡°Mum, I¡¯m home!¡± I shouted upon arriving. Diana hovered at the doorstep. Finally, unable to ignore her any longer, I asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to go home?¡± Diana nodded urgently. ¡°Mama asked me to invite your mama to fix the water at our inn.¡± ¡°Fix the water?¡± I arched my eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t think Mum does that. Wait, you mean, repair the runes in the water system?¡± Diana seemed unsure but nodded anyway. ¡°Is the water not heating?¡± I asked, while heading to clean myself. ¡°Not purifying?¡± ¡°There is no water.¡± ¡°That she can fix, probably,¡± I assured her. ¡°Mum!¡± She appeared instantly, wearing her apron. ¡°Welcome back. Oh, did you bring a friend home?¡± ¡°No, she came for you.¡± ¡°Good evening,¡± Diana greeted quietly. ¡°Their inn¡¯s water system is broken.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Mum said, turning to the girl. ¡°Anything more I should know to fix?¡± The little girl looked out of her depth. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted. ¡°Mama asked me to bring you.¡± ¡°She let you wander alone this late?¡± Mum frowned. ¡°What if you didn¡¯t know the way? Can you even navigate back in the dark?¡± Diana hesitated, finally realising how dim it had become. ¡°I... Mama asked me to call you in the afternoon, but I went to play and forgot.¡± Mum rubbed her temple and crouched to Diana¡¯s height. ¡°I¡¯d have come to fix the problem in the morning, but I can¡¯t let you wander back alone now, can I?¡± Diana looked relieved. ¡°I¡¯ll go grab my gear,¡± Mum said, standing up. ¡°Ari, do you want to come along?¡± I considered it briefly and shook my head. Repairs might not take long, but Mum tended to dive into small talk with other women afterwards. And let me tell you, they were hardly ever small. She prepared quickly, slinging a leather satchel over her shoulder. Before leaving with Diana, she crouched beside me. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± she said. ¡°Do you remember the house rules?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wander at night,¡± I recited, ¡°and don¡¯t let strangers in.¡± She kissed my forehead and vanished down the path with the blonde little girl. I watched their figure fade into the darkness before stepping inside. Now that I had the entire house to myself, I wondered what I should do. Then I remembered, tomorrow was my birthday! Mum probably had my gift hidden somewhere. My eyes lit up with excitement. But before I could begin my search, someone knocked at the gate. ¡°Who is it?¡± I called, scurrying to the entrance. Then I remembered the rules and decided against opening it immediately. ¡°Is this Ashlyn¡¯s house?¡± replied a feminine voice. I crept to the side window to get a look at the visitors. The voice was unfamiliar, and the figures outside were strangers too. In the dim light, I made out two people: a woman and a young girl, both swathed in thick coats and carrying bags. The younger girl noticed me peeking and moved closer to the glass window. She stared at me, opened her mouth to speak, but ultimately said nothing. ¡°Oh, my, are you Arilyn?¡± the older woman asked, her eyes lighting up as she spotted me. ¡°You have Ash¡¯s eyes.¡± I frowned. ¡°Mum¡¯s not home. She¡¯s out, working. Will be back soon. Can you wait until she returns?¡± The woman smiled warmly, but the younger girl stared at me with frosty eyes. ¡°We certainly can. After all, we came a long way to meet you. What¡¯s a little more waiting?¡± ¡°To meet me?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I thought you were here for Mum.¡± ¡°That too,¡± the woman said with a mysterious smile that felt so much familiar. ¡°You may not recognise us, but we¡¯re actually family.¡± ¡°We¡¯re your aunts!¡± announced the haughty girl. Chapter 05: Aunts Chapter 05: Aunts My frown deepened at the unabashed declaration. The older woman looked close to Mum¡¯s age, with a clear facial resemblance, softened only by a brighter shade of red hair. The younger girl, on the other hand, had muddy brown locks, braided boldly on one side, with an imperious adolescent face. If you ask me, she looked nothing like the older woman or my mum. ¡°You¡¯re my aunts?¡± I asked, trying to mask my eagerness with scepticism. ¡°So I¡¯m supposed to invite you in and serve tea now, is that it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink tea,¡± said the haughty girl. I ignored her. ¡°If you¡¯re my aunts,¡± I pressed, ¡°why have I never even heard your names?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you existed a couple of weeks ago, either,¡± she sputtered. The older woman shot her a pointed look, silencing her before she could say more. How exciting, I thought. Two strangers showed up claiming to be my aunts and expecting me to open the door for them. No, I hadn¡¯t ruled out the possibility that they could be my mother¡¯s sisters, but the rules of the house needed to be taken seriously. I didn¡¯t know them as my aunts, but I did know them as strangers¡ªand this house did not welcome strangers. At least when Mum was out. ¡°Why are you smiling like a dolt?¡± asked the girl. ¡°Open the damn door! Do you have any idea how far we travelled to this mud-splattered village?¡± ¡°I wonder how far that is,¡± I said, tilting my head. ¡°Perhaps from the spirit realm?¡± The supposed aunts¡ªor perhaps fae¡ªexchanged another look. The younger one bristled, and the older one bit back a grin. My expression hardened. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± fumed the brown-haired girl, wagging her finger at me. ¡°You think we¡¯re fae from the spirit realm, here to kidnap village children?¡± Karmel is a town, you snotty little brat! I suppressed the retort. One simply does not reprimand a faerie lightly. Even if they were inconsiderate little brats. ¡°Mum told me not to let strangers into the house,¡± I replied, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. After all, it was common knowledge to show caution around the fae, even if you didn¡¯t want them in your house. Mum had recounted three entire stories about the wrath of the fae¡ªenough to ensure I wouldn¡¯t make such a mistake. ¡°For Solas¡¯s light, there hasn¡¯t been a faerie sighting for centuries,¡± she swore, turning to her elder sister as though asking, Can you believe this? ¡°I don¡¯t know, Rose. It seems like sound reasoning,¡± the redhead woman said, flashing her teeth. ¡°Fine,¡± huffed Rose, her cheeks flushing a faint red. ¡°I¡¯ll prove we¡¯re not fae.¡± She marched to the door. ¡°If I am a faerie, will I be able to enter without an invitation?¡± A loud thump against the doorframe followed her declaration. And they continued, growing more forceful with each failed attempt. ¡°I¡¯ll break this stupid door open,¡± Rose roared, ¡°and make you eat your words!¡± The door held firm, but my breath hitched with every crash. No one had ever threatened to break into our home before, and the thought was terrifying. ¡°You¡¯re only going to hurt yourself, Rose,¡± the older woman pointed out. ¡°Did you forget your elder sister¡¯s vocation?¡± Rose relented at her words, though her face burned with anger. ¡°The door is reinforced,¡± she observed begrudgingly. ¡°I fear the whole house is,¡± the older woman observed. ¡°Every beam and nail here is warded.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Mum about this!¡± I cried, my voice higher than I meant it to be. ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done,¡± said the woman, shooting Rose a pointed look. ¡°You¡¯ve frightened your little nephew on your first meeting.¡± ¡°I did not!¡± Rose glared at me. ¡°If you¡¯d just opened the door without making a fuss¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never open the door for you,¡± I said stubbornly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Little Rose¡¯s behaviour,¡± the older sister said. ¡°Let me apologise on her behalf. I¡¯ll make sure she never frightens a child again.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°I¡¯m not frightened!¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯re not,¡± she said with a soft smile. ¡°Arilyn has the blood of Amadeus... Either way, you don¡¯t have to open the door until Ashlyn arrives. We can wait outside till then.¡± Unlike Rose, she was genuinely convincing at being my aunt. ¡°If you¡¯re really my aunts,¡± I ventured cautiously, ¡°why haven¡¯t I seen you before?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you live in a backwater fringe,¡± Rose said with a huff. ¡°It had taken two whole days to find the way here, can you believe it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind her,¡± the older sister interjected. ¡°But yes, we¡¯ve come a loooong way!¡± Someone knows how to talk to kids. ¡°Where do you live?¡± ¡°Our family¡¯s from Vashar. Ash never mentioned it, has she?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°I¡¯ve read about Vashar in maps and picture books,¡± I said proudly. ¡°It¡¯s full of mountains and snow, where white Sabretooth Tigers and Winterheart Deer roam...¡± The older woman¡¯s smile mirrored Mum¡¯s. ¡°I have seen a Winterheart Deer when I was young,¡± she said. ¡°Your mum did too... They¡¯re so rare now.¡± ¡°You saw one?¡± My eyes sparkled. ¡°How was it? Was it three metres tall, like the books say? How big were its antlers?¡± ¡°It was huuuuge!¡± She stretched her arms wide. ¡°Ash almost shot an arrow at it. Thankfully, the saint beast didn¡¯t take offence.¡± I gasped. ¡°Mum would never do that!¡± ¡°She did though,¡± she chuckled. ¡°It was foggy and terribly cold. She mistook it for a common Frostbloom Elk...¡± I nodded slowly, finding that to be reasonable, though I could not picture Mum in that terrifying pose.¡°So Mum¡¯s a magic craftswoman. What about you?¡± ¡°Is that what she told you?¡± Rose perked up, still standing on her high horse even after attempting to break in. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you,¡± I said, ignoring her completely to face the older woman, who might actually be my aunt. ¡°Wait, you haven¡¯t introduced yourself yet, and you already know my name...¡± ¡°How rude of me,¡± the provisional good aunt said. ¡°Let me rectify that.¡± She pointed at the teenager. ¡°This is your little aunt, Rosalyn. She had gone through her Calling last winter and hadn¡¯t gotten many chances outside the confines of the training halls. Usually, she¡¯s not so¡­ skittish.¡± The brat snorted at the introduction. ¡°I¡¯m your Aunt Emelyn,¡± she said, smiling brightly. ¡°As for my Calling... I¡¯m a Shaper. I¡¯m what you¡¯d call a Magus.¡± My eyes lit up. ¡°A real Magus?¡± I almost asked her to cast a spell right then and there, but stopped myself, noting something important. Mum said not to let strangers in, but... we all have rhyming names. That had to mean something, right? ¡°I¡¯m sorry we haven¡¯t come sooner,¡± Aunt Emelyn said apologetically. ¡°Praise Solas that we arrived just in time for your birthday.¡± Should I open the door? I wondered. It¡¯s bad manners to keep guests waiting outside too... ¡°Who¡¯s out there?¡± Mum¡¯s voice echoed abruptly. I found her figure joining on the rear of them. ¡°Emi? Rose?¡± Mum dropped her bag as a couple of potatoes rolled out. Paying no attention to it, she rushed forward to embrace both of them. ¡°You actually came,¡± she breathed into Emelyn¡¯s shoulder, her voice brimming with joy. ¡°How could we not, when you tell us you¡¯re hiding such a cute nephew?¡± said Aunt Emelyn. I¡¯m sure of it now. That made the whole thing doubly embarrassing. ¡°Does Mother¡­¡± Mum stiffened. ¡°If you sent her a letter,¡± Emelyn sighed, ¡°do you think she¡¯d discuss it with me?¡± More family coming? Well, the more the merrier. Mum shook her head and focused on the ones present. ¡°Little goblin, you¡¯ve grown so tall!¡± she exclaimed, moving to the teenager. She cupped Rose¡¯s cheeks and kissed her on the head. ¡°You look old¡ªer,¡± the brat said, her cheeks flushed, though this time not in anger. The gall of this brat! I¡¯ll show her who¡¯s old! But for now, I opened the door wide to let them in. ¡°Why are you waiting outside? Come in! I have so much to catch up on with you.¡± Mum practically herded them inside. ¡°We were just chatting with our little nephew,¡± Aunt Emelyn said with a chuckle. ¡°Did anyone tell you how smart he is?¡± ¡°He thought we were fae here to steal him,¡± Rose sputtered, flopping onto the couch. Mum laughed. ¡°Can¡¯t help with that; he loves those old tales too much...¡± As Mum went to bring water and beverages, I endured a very thorough session of cheek-pulling courtesy of Aunt Emelyn. Rose wisely kept her distance, as she should. There was no way I¡¯d let her touch my cheeks, much less pull them. Later, as Mum cooked and caught up with Emelyn, Rose hooked two fingers in my collar and dragged me toward the study. My protest only seemed to bolster her resolve. ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, batting her hand away. She let out a heavy sigh, opened her bag, and pulled out a flute. A metal flute with fine carvings on its surface. ¡°This is for you,¡± she said, thrusting it into my palms. I stared at it blankly. ¡°Take it,¡± she insisted. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked, still not grasping it. ¡°I can¡¯t play the flute... I cannot even whistle.¡± More importantly, I didn¡¯t understand why she was giving it to me. Rose pinched her braid, exasperated. ¡°I should have guessed,¡± she muttered, as if it were my fault. ¡°Well, you can learn to play it...¡± ¡°Thank you, but I like violins more,¡± I said as politely as I could. ¡°Or a harp. If I were to learn an instrument, those would be my first choices.¡± She made a strange choking noise that sounded remarkably contagious. ¡°Gosh, tell me about being demanding!¡± She shook her head before digging through her bag again. This time, she produced a metal device. I immediately recognised it. Mum had one, though hers was much larger. ¡°A recorder,¡± I murmured. ¡°This is too good a gift for you,¡± Rose said reluctantly. ¡°It has twenty-three whole songs recorded on it. Do you fancy this?¡± I nodded dumbly. She gave the device one last look and sighed. ¡°This is yours...¡± I reached out to take it, but she didn¡¯t let go, clutching it tightly. ¡°This is yours,¡± she repeated in a slow, deliberate tone, ¡°only if you promise not to tell Eldest Sister about my... earlier actions.¡± So that was the price. I nodded knowingly. Rose didn¡¯t want me to snitch on her. I do want to see her get scolded by Mum... but twenty-three songs! My eyes darted to the device. Mum¡¯s recorder only had a dozen songs, and I didn¡¯t even like half of them. I guess I can be kinder more than once a day. Finally, Rose let go. ¡°So, do we have a deal?¡± I nodded. ¡°Should we shake on it?¡± Chapter 06: Birthday Chapter 06: Birthday [The Spell wishes you a happy birthday. May you prosper in life and be a blessing to others.] [The Way of Self-Mastery I (1/10) is now available.] The messages from the Spell filled my mind the moment I woke up. "Thanks..." I whispered, yawning. "Is the Way a gift for my birthday?" Silence answered me. Might just be a coincidence, I thought, making a mental note to ask Mum how common birthday wishes from the Spell were. Even after all this time, the Spell was still as mysterious as the day it revealed itself to me. It (or she? they?) usually popped into my mind when needed, offering little to no instructions. Mum had explained that the Spell was designed to make magic more viable and to guide those born with it. Normally, it was only after one¡¯s awakening during their sixteenth season that one gained full access to its benefits. Or four years, according to the new calendar. I was merely two today¡ªeight seasons tough¡ªand had eight more long seasons to overcome before my awakening. I could not wait to see what else there was to learn. So much so that I had begun counting my days. 2 years and 148 days. Exactly 1487 days to go. The year had to be 669 days long, as if the long-suffering fall and winter weren''t enough. It would have been over a hundred days less if I could have gone through it right after my fourth birthday. Unfortunately, the sacrarium did not have enough manpower to awaken everyone immediately after their birthday. They gathered all the unawakened children above four during the two solstices and performed a communal awakening ritual. I had yet to witness it myself to know how they went about it. All I knew was that the process rooted an essence seed into a child''s body, along with awakening any latent talents. After a couple of hours of meditation, I left my room with a big smile plastered to my face. "Happy Birthday!" Mum and my aunts cheered in unison the moment they saw me. Clearly rehearsed. Though not a complete surprise, I smiled and thanked them, my eyes scanning for presents. None in sight. Before I could ask, Mum swooped me up and herded me off to get ready. She trimmed my hair with practised ease, as if she had done this a hundred times before, then shooed me off for a bath. There, she scrubbed me down as if washing away a year¡¯s worth of grime. Once I was clean, dressed in new clothes, and my hair neatly combed, I was marched against the wall in the study room. "Stop looking up and hold still while I measure," Mum said, steadying my head. She placed a ruler on top of my head and scratched a line onto the hardwood with her nail. The wall had been my growth chart since I could stand. "Alright, now you can look." She aligned a measuring strip along the markings. "99.3 centimetres. You¡¯ve grown a whole eighteen centimetres this cycle." I''m practically half a man now! Just a few more years to go, I thought, clenching my fist. I only had a vague recollection of the man I was, all my habits, characteristics, and knowledge lost through the process of rebirth. Oddly enough, I could still recall most things from this life, as if infantile amnesia stole away only the sense of myself. "He¡¯s going to tower over me," Aunt Emilyn commented, stroking my hair. That much was obvious. Mum was just under six feet tall, and what little I remembered of my father hinted at a brooding, towering figure. "Alright, it''s time for the gifts!" Mum clapped her hands. "We also have a cake!" Mum set up a recorder on the table to capture the moments as we cut the cake and devoured it with utmost gusto. So much so that I ended up with a creamy moustache on my upper lip. Then, it was time to unwrap the presents. Mum helped me unwrap a small gift box. "Your aunt must have picked something truly special for you, Pumpkin." I held my breath in anticipation, hoping for something magical. After all, Aunt Emelyn was a Magus. Maybe a magical trinket! But when the wrapping fell away, I found a silver chain with a phoenix pendant. It was pretty, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disappointed. However, Mum¡¯s expression changed when she saw the pendant, and she glanced at Aunt Emelyn. "Emi, you didn¡¯t!" "It wasn¡¯t easy finding the right gift for a two-year-old nephew," Aunt Emelyn said, holding up the chain. "Rose kept suggesting silly things like wands, scrolls, essence strips, even aether droplets..." And you didn¡¯t think a kid might have a better idea of what a younger kid would like? "In the end, I chose this. He¡¯s an Amadeus, after all." I stared at the pendant, suppressing any disappointment I bore in my heart. "It¡¯s beautiful," I said quickly. It wasn¡¯t a lie. The phoenix pendant was stunning and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. One could not mistake it for an ornament for only girls. When Mum fastened it around my neck, I noticed that the small phoenix wasn¡¯t silver¡ªit was some kind of silvery gem, and it felt heavier than it looked. With one gift down, I eyed Rosalyn. Noticing my gaze, she turned to me, baffled. "What?" she said. "I already gave you a gift, remember? Or have you suddenly taken a liking to the flute?" "I was looking at your pendant," I said, quickly holding up my phoenix pendant to point at hers. "It looks like mine." The only difference was that hers was sapphire, while mine was silvery. "Of course it does," Rosalyn said curtly. "We all have one." I had never seen Mum wear one. I looked at Aunt Emi, who smiled, showing me a ring on her index finger with the same phoenix emblem. Hers was sapphire too. Now there was only one person left. I turned to Mum. "I lost mine ages ago," she said, crouching down to my level. "And your grandmother would kill me if I asked for another." Before I could ask any more questions, Mum pulled another gift box from behind her. "This one¡¯s from me, Pumpkin." This time, I got to open it on my own. Everyone waited to see what was inside.Stolen story; please report. "Is that what I think it is?" Rosalyn leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. Aunt Emelyn shot a very measured look at Mum. "Really?" "What is this?" I asked, pulling out a crystal cube covered in familiar and unfamiliar letters and runes. "Another puzzle?" Mum had given me a wooden puzzle cube for my first birthday, but this one looked far more impressive, dazzling with complexity. "Did you craft this, Ash?" Rosalyn asked. "Wait, isn¡¯t he a little young for something like this?" "You should''ve thought of that before suggesting wands and scrolls," Aunt Emelyn said with a laugh. "Don''t worry, little Goblin, I made one for you too," Mum said, patting Rosalyn¡¯s shoulder. "I was planning to send it to you when you go to the academy." "Can I have it now?" Rose asked, her eyes lighting up. "Only on one condition." Mum pulled another box out of nowhere. How did she do that? Is Mum a Magus too? "You can¡¯t get help from anyone to solve it." "Obviously. I''m not a blighted fool." Why did you look at me when you said that? I glowered at her, but the brat had already moved on. She snatched the box from Mum¡¯s hands and ripped the wrapping off to reveal a crystal cube similar to mine¡ªbut hers had no runes or letters on its surfaces. I couldn¡¯t help but grin, glancing between the two cubes. "What?" Rosalyn caught my expression. "Yours is smaller," I teased, smirking. "So?" the brat snorted. She held her cube up to my face as it came to life with dozens of shimmering blue spirals. "See this? This proves my cube is magical, compared to yours, which is simply a bigger one." I frowned, glancing between the two cubes before turning to Mum for clarification. "You¡¯re not allowed to get help with yours either, Pumpkin," Mum said, planting a kiss on my forehead. "What is it, though?" I asked after a tentative study of the cube. "Stupid, it¡¯s an Arcane Knot," Rosalyn said. "Well, mine definitely is. Don¡¯t know about yours." Thanks for no help, then. I returned to Mum. "That is the common term for it," she said. "As for magic, I¡¯ve told you before, you¡¯re a little too young to practise." "Not even those runes you draw?" I cocked my head. "Can I not practise those?" Although rune formations also required essence to function, their creation was more mundane, relying on careful handwork with a metallic engraving pen. Even if I couldn¡¯t channel my essence before awakening, I felt like I could at least draw those geometric lines and rune symbols. "You want to learn runes?" Mum asked, her eyes widening in surprise. I nodded eagerly. Perhaps it was my ignorance, but to me, runes felt like the written form of magic spells. Of course, I would want to learn them. "Will you teach me?" "I¡¯ll give you a hint," Aunt Emelyn chimed in, shooting a suggestive glance at Mum. "Once you solve the cube, you can begin practising them¡­ Right, Ash?" Mum shot her a sharp look. "Emi, that was supposed to be a secret!" she complained. "Now you''ve filled him with expectations without telling him how rare it is to be born with the right talent for runes." "I can learn runes if I solve this cube?" I asked eagerly, overlooking the later part of her statement. "That¡¯s not what I said," Mum sighed, "but¡­ yeah." She crouched down, placing her hands on my shoulders. "Pumpkin, you need to understand, it¡¯s not the end if you can¡¯t solve the rune knots. It would simply mean rune magic isn¡¯t for you." I nodded, feeling the weight of her words. Hopefully, I won¡¯t have to be disappointed, I mused, focusing on the cube. Mum lifted her hands from my shoulders. "But if you do solve it," she said softly, "know that it isn¡¯t an easy path to traverse." I was not distraught by her words. The important question here was, how do I solve the cube? The surface of the cube was littered with broken pieces of those runes. Do I simply have to join them back to thier complete form?
**** "Where are we going, Pumpkin?" Rose asked, smirking. She seemed to find my nickname funny, and hers was Goblin. Rosalyn spent the entire morning absorbed in her cube. Eventually, Mum and Aunt Emilyn got fed up with her lounging on the couch and sent us both outside to play. Of course, the girl didn¡¯t forget to bring the cube with her. It remained in its active state, glowing in spirals of blue light, manipulated by her threads of essence. "Is it really that fun?" I asked, watching her. "Hmm," she hummed distractedly. "We¡¯re going to the playground." "Hmm." Only Eran and Diana knew about my birthday, but when I got to the playground, it turned out everyone did. Soon, I was surrounded by my friends. Under Eran¡¯s lead, they sang a stupid folk song, wishing me a long life while circling around me in floppy steps. Even Rosalyn looked up from her cube to see what was happening, though she stayed a dozen paces away, watching with amusement. I guessed this was a birthday ritual among playmates. I vowed to make every one of them embarrassed when it was their turn. Once the singing and dancing finished, the kids split into two teams for Serenade Circle. I was made leader, probably due to it being my special day. "Hey, Ari, who¡¯s that?" Eran whispered, nodding toward Rosalyn. A snotty little brat, that¡¯s what she is. Unfortunately, I had the misfortune of being her nephew. That¡¯s what I wanted to say, but instead, I managed with, "My unpleasant aunt." Eran exchanged a look between us. "Should we ask her to play?" he asked hesitantly. "She¡¯s standing there all by herself." "You can try," I said, though I doubted she¡¯d want to. The brat probably thought she was too good to play with little kids. Eran was unsure, but a group of adolescents arrived and headed straight for her, sparing him the awkwardness. Not that she looked any more interested in talking to them either. We had just started the second round when the kids spotted something far more exciting than our little game. And what could be more interesting than Serenade Circle, other than the presence of a Shaper? "Look, it¡¯s Ulric!" one of the kids shouted, and the group scattered to join the teenagers. "He¡¯s going to show us spells!" In the end, only Eran, Diana, and I remained behind in the circle. My friends cast their glances over at the commotion. "Who¡¯s Ulric?" I asked. "You don¡¯t know Ulric?" Eran gasped, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "He¡¯s the son of Master Luna¡­" "Who¡¯s Master Luna?" I asked, still confused. Both Eran and Diana stared at me, dumbfounded. "Never mind," Eran said. "Didn¡¯t you hear that Ulric awakened the Shaper path last year? His Da threw a feast for it. Come on, let¡¯s go watch!" I hadn¡¯t, but I followed them anyway. The term Shaper intrigued me. Shapers were among the rarest and most sought-after paths. They were the foundation pathways towards magi and knights. They came in all kinds of elements: Shaper of Fire, Shaper of Life, Shaper of Water, and so on. Ulric was about Rose¡¯s age and seemed a bit out of his depth, surrounded by eager onlookers. He looked uncomfortable in the spotlight, enough to give him stage fright. It looked like he was playing with mud, but there was something more to it. Something arcane. I inched closer to Rosalyn, trying to get a better view. My Arcane Acuity tingled. It took me a moment, but I realised Ulric wasn¡¯t just playing with mud. Thin, mud-green threads of essence weaved through the soil as he lifted his hands. The mud began to shift. Under everyone¡¯s riveted gaze, the muddy soil rose into a small wall, the essence binding it together. The crowd erupted in cheers, but Ulric wasn¡¯t finished. With a gesture, the wall lifted off the ground and began to float in a slow circle. Claps broke out among the kids. The mud changed shapes in the air for several minutes as the young Shaper began to sweat, despite the cool weather. "Alright, that¡¯s enough for today," he said, wiping his forehead. The kids groaned in disappointment. His eyes briefly flickered towards Rosalyn. "I need to practise more, or I¡¯ll be stuck playing with mud forever." "You didn¡¯t have much training before awakening your path, did you?" Rosalyn asked, cutting through the chatter. "I¡­" Ulric flushed, unsure how to respond. "All he does is train, train, and train," another boy said, coming to his defence. "Either with his father or his mentor." "There¡¯s a difference between regular training and Shaper training," Ulric said with a sheepish smile. "I never expected to awaken as a Shaper, let alone train for it." Rosalyn nodded, as if she had already known. "Are you a Shaper too?" Rosalyn frowned at him, then glanced at me, noticing my curiosity. "Yes," she admitted. "Can you shape earth like Ulric?" Diana asked, a sparkle in her eyes. "Earth is not my element," my aunt said. Diana and the other kids looked visibly disappointed. "But I can do this." She raised her hand. Wisps of mist and wind curled off her palm and rose into the air. Most of the kids looked puzzled, finding nothing unusual, but I could see the blue threads of essence spiralling from her fingertips, binding the mist and wind together. So could Ulric, who sniffed the air, sensing something mystical. I watched closely, but I couldn¡¯t figure out what she was doing. The others lost interest and began to leave, but I stayed. Then, the first flake of snow landed on Diana¡¯s shoulder. She looked up in surprise. "Snowfall?" More snowflakes followed, drifting lazily through the air. The kids cheered again, lunging to catch them on their tongues. I caught a few myself, watching them melt in my palm. Finally, I realised how she did it, though I was hopeless to replicate it. It didn¡¯t take long for everyone to figure out where the snow was coming from. "Arilyn, you didn¡¯t say your aunt was a Shaper?" Eran asked, wide-eyed. "This is amazing!" I had to admit, it was. Rosalyn¡¯s face was a mask of satisfaction when she noticed me watching. We played for another hour before it was time to go home. After saying goodbye to Eran, I walked beside Rosalyn in silence. Intrusive questions built up inside me as I stole glances at her. "You drew the heat from the moist air to make snowflakes, didn¡¯t you?" I finally asked. Rosalyn faltered, shooting me a surprised look. Her expression told me I¡¯d guessed right. "How long will it take me to learn that?" "Weeks, maybe months," she said. "Or perhaps never." "When did you start training?" "Since I was three," she answered, frowning. "Though I could not do those then. It took me almost nine seasons. Why are you asking?" I didn¡¯t reply, clenching my fists. Four more seasons to go. Interlude I

Ashlyn ¡°Now if I can get some wine,¡± Emi said, wiping her arms with a towel before sinking onto the couch. ¡°I won¡¯t even say no to some cheap ale.¡± ¡°I have a house rule against alcohol,¡± Ashlyn stifled a laugh. ¡°And smoking.¡± Emi snorted. ¡°Mighty noble of you to make up some rules like that, since you do neither.¡± Ashlyn smiled, and for a moment, it felt like she was back in the old days when the two of them could talk without any reservations. ¡°I would have given you a pass, but there¡¯s nothing unfortunate to drink in the house.¡± ¡°How you spend out here alone like this, I¡¯d never know,¡± her younger sister said, shaking her head. Arilyn and Rosalyn were fast asleep after hours of playing around, and Ashlyn had finally finished tidying the house. She sank onto the couch beside Emelyn, thankful for her help with the cleaning. They had spent the afternoon together, but neither had brought up the heavier topics then. ¡°If you are staying for another night,¡± she proposed, ¡°I might not be against the idea of brewing something nasty for now. Only have to make sure the children are not close.¡± ¡°Never imagined I¡¯d see this day,¡± Emelyn said, nudging against her shoulder. ¡°You, settling down, raising a family all by yourself. You were so wild and feisty.¡± ¡°Nor did I,¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°But raising a child changes you... My little pumpkin is so sweet. He makes it all worth it.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± her sister chimed, patting her lap and inviting her to lie down. Just like old times. ¡°He¡¯s so adorable, and so darn curious... Solas, he asks so many questions.¡± Ashlyn gave in too easily, laying her leg over the head of the couch, her head nestled on Emi¡¯s lap. Her sister brushed a clumsy finger through her locks, nuzzling slowly. ¡°He usually finds the answer to his question on his own,¡± she murmured. ¡°Only asks when he couldn¡¯t find them... or if he¡¯s overly excited about something, which is everything concerning a Magus.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, far from it,¡± Emelyn said. ¡°I¡¯d say it is a defining characteristic of excellence. Curiosity.¡± Ashlyn stared at her in silent contemplation. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± her sister snorted. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have taught him meditation at such an early age or given him the cube if you thought he¡¯d be average.¡± ¡°He learned to meditate on his own,¡± she sighed. ¡°Really¡­ How?¡± ¡°Said he imitated watching me, and one day it began to make sense to him.¡± Emelyn¡¯s brushing fingers froze, the magus in her beginning to calculate what it could entail in raw talent. ¡°Ash, this is really... With meditation, he¡¯s already half-prepared for spellcrafts.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she whispered, her lips pressed into a thin line. Perhaps the simplicity of living in a village with little to no distraction had led him to be so earnest in it, but that didn¡¯t explain all of it. There were hardly any kids as diligent as her pumpkin. ¡°It¡¯s not just meditation... he can sense essence... read and write. He has already filled up a dozen notebooks.¡± It might sound like the ability to read and write was minuscule compared to the ability to sense essence. But essence came naturally to many gifted individuals. ¡°Well, having Focus and Cognition could help one develop their mind sooner.¡± True, there was no shortage of kids who were a bit smarter for their age. A bit, because a few points in this and that attribute could never be a better teacher than first-hand experience. Then there were also those the Spell was partial to. ¡°What worries you?¡± Emi asked, squeezing her palms. What worries her? Well, she could name a dozen. Ignoring the antagonistic relationship she had with her mother before cutting herself off from everything, I worry I¡¯ll repeat the same mistakes with Arilyn. That he¡¯ll hate me and will cut ties with me like I did. All those chaotic thoughts gripped her heart, and yet she didn¡¯t bring herself to voice her concern to her sister¡ªthe person she was once closest to all her life. ¡°I worry the Spell is stealing my little boy¡¯s childhood from him,¡± she sighed with a heavy heart. ¡°You remember Nero,¡± her sister said, reading her expression and her aura. ¡°Of course, you do¡­ He turned out to grow up pretty well, even with all the interference. I¡¯m sure you have nothing to fear.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Her heart jumped as the face of a young boy resurfaced in her mind. A boy, a genius with talents like no other, the youngest to advance to the Prestigious Class. Like Arilyn, Nero was born with a gift, one that bloomed at an early age. Unfortunately, too many people tried to mould him to their liking, forced him through gruelling training when he needed pampering, and left him with nobody to turn to. Ashlyn would never let anyone, perhaps even her own family, shape her little boy. Emelyn was closest to her heart, and even then, she had deliberated for months before inviting her. ¡°You are exhausted, Sister,¡± Emi murmured, massaging her head. ¡°You are trying to play all the roles you can for Arilyn while also doing everything else...¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t bad,¡± she said, letting out a slow breath. ¡°I know, but all these years, you¡¯ve been raising him alone.¡± Ashlyn could feel the question brewing at the tip of Emi¡¯s tongue¡ªquestions she had dodged for years. ¡°What of his father?¡± Emelyn asked. ¡°Where is he? Even our father was never...¡± She didn¡¯t complete the sentence, but Ashlyn knew what her younger sister was getting at. Surprisingly, she wasn¡¯t angry... Perhaps she would have been if it was Ashlyn of a decade ago... she didn¡¯t have the same fire in her anymore. Ashlyn traced her finger over the left side of her ribcage, reaching for the old scar there. Even covered under her clothes, she could still feel it. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t even know where he is currently,¡± she said, her breath hitching. ¡°If even alive...¡± ¡°Oh, Ash...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Ashlyn sat up, a brittle smile on her lips. ¡°I chose knowing it all.¡± ¡°But,¡± Emi sighed, ¡°doesn¡¯t Arilyn need his father?¡± Ashlyn groaned. She had to bring that up. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if you like being alone,¡± her sister said. ¡°You ran away from home, fighting Mother¡­ then that whole thing at the Olympus, and you left your job and everything to disappear completely for years¡­ Sometimes I feel you don¡¯t need us¡­ you don¡¯t want us.¡± ¡°Emi, you know it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± ¡°I know, and I still feel that way¡­¡± She bit her lip. ¡° Can you imagine how hard it is for Rose? Like you, she doesn¡¯t express much, but I know how much she misses her eldest sister.¡± Ashlyn parted her lips to say something, but she found no words that would excuse her absence. Perhaps she could give a valid explanation, perhaps she could blame her mother, but she couldn¡¯t change the fact that she was absent while their little sister grew. In the end, all of her valid reasons would be nothing more than hollow excuses to Rosalyn. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not being a filial elder sister to you two,¡± she finally said, kissing Emilyn¡¯s palm. Now all I hope is that I don¡¯t become an even worse mother to Arilyn. Emilyn shook her head. ¡°When I first told Rose about coming here, she said she didn¡¯t want to come¡­ However, on the day of the journey, she silently showed up hours before time.¡± ¡°That really sounds like our Little Goblin,¡± she chuckled. ¡°She idolizes you.¡± Ashlyn furrowed her brows. ¡°Gosh! You¡¯ve made it so hard now,¡± Emi said, exhaling deeply. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d come with us¡ªto live together.¡± Ashlyn cocked her head up. ¡°You have done all you could alone to raise him,¡± Emilyn continued. ¡°Let us¡­ let me do my part as an aunt.¡± ¡°Emi,¡± Ashlyn opened her mouth, yet couldn¡¯t find the words. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re still going to be stubborn,¡± Emilyn said, reading her expression. ¡°I cannot leave,¡± she said, biting her lip. ¡°Not yet. I still have work to do.¡± Her sister only stared at her with a pained expression. A deep-rooted guilt resurfaced within Ashlyn¡¯s heart. She closed her eyes before they could break into tears. This is where we agreed to unite. This is where he¡¯ll return to if he¡¯s still alive¡­ I cannot leave. Not yet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Emi, but¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright," her sister said, her lips pressed to a thin line. " I guess I was hopeful for nothing¡­¡± ¡°I promise to visit you and Rose,¡± Ashlyn said, but the damage was already done. ¡°Just give me a little more time to make it to you¡­ Let Arilyn have a normal childhood, with no pressure and expectations weighing on his little shoulders¡­¡± And let me cling to the little hope I have of him returning¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll come to you, Emi¡­ when this little world is not enough for Arilyn¡­ when I cannot give him everything¡­¡±

Emilyn Rose awoke a little later than usual and then had to wipe clean her made-up moustache and beard¡ªher little nephew¡¯s handiwork¡ªpushing their return journey to be delayed. But Ashlyn did note her little sister¡¯s sullen expression. Rose didn¡¯t want to leave, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. She had training to attend, and it was the same for Emilyn¡ªthe difference being that she would be the one giving the said training. ¡°Can¡¯t you just teach her here?¡± asked her little nephew. His face still bore the moustache, though Rose¡¯s hand hadn¡¯t been as creative as his, but it did match his bright red hair. ¡°I could,¡± she said, kneeling down to wrap him in a hug. ¡°But that will make the rest of the students miss the training.¡± Arilyn pouted sullenly, wrinkling his moustache. ¡°Aunt Emi, will you teach me magic when I grow up?¡± ¡°Of course, sweet child. But make sure you learn everything you can from your mum before you¡¯re ready.¡± He nodded eagerly. Then, mischief sparkled in his eyes. ¡°Aunt Emi, I have a grave question. One last one, I promise,¡± he asked with all the seriousness a child could muster. ¡°Mum calls me Pumpkin, and she calls the brat¡ªuh, Rose¡ªLittle Goblin. What nickname did Mum give you?¡± Emilyn smiled, amused. ¡°She calls me ¡®Emi,¡¯ of course.¡± He made a face, feeling a little cheated. ¡°How about this?¡± she laughed, pulling his cheeks playfully. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I used to call your mum when we were younger.¡± Her nephew perked up. She grinned and leaned in close, whispering in his ear, ¡°Chipmunk.¡± Arilyn couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t tell her I told you that.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± he giggled. On the other side, Rose clung to Ash, crying like she didn¡¯t want to let go. ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t leave me!¡± Rosalyn sobbed, wrapping her arms around her as tightly as she could. ¡°We just reunited, and now we¡¯re parting again¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you, Little Goblin,¡± Ash said softly, nuzzling Rosalyn¡¯s brown hair. ¡°I¡¯ll keep in touch, and I¡¯ll even visit you when you feel lonely. But soon, you¡¯ll be busy at the academy, with all your classes and training¡­ and the boys.¡± Rosalyn snorted, snot bubbling out of her nose. ¡°Train well, little sister,¡± their eldest sister said, patting her head. ¡°And don¡¯t forget to have fun.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Rosalyn mumbled through her tears. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± After wiping away her tears and snot, Rosalyn finally let go of Mum and turned to face Arilyn. ¡°I¡¯ll show you an even greater spell next time I visit,¡± she told him. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Chapter 07: Forgive me, Im Late Chapter 07: Forgive Me, I''m Late The sun sank low on the horizon, signalling the end of playtime, but I didn¡¯t even notice, completely absorbed in solving the cube once and for all. I was on Layer IX now, after solving all the word, number, and maths puzzles that had come before. The final problem involved the runes, and solving them would hint at whether I''d be any good at rune magic. Two whole seasons passed for me to finally get here. Regrettably, the seasons weren¡¯t autumn or winter, when I would have spent long days within the confines of our house, assailed by the ashen dust or snowstorms. I would have been twice as fast then. The brat had called it an excuse the last time we went on a picnic together. It was untrue... The reason was that I simply didn¡¯t want to spend all day solving a puzzle. Only the blighted tempests could force me to it. However, after receiving a letter from my aunt a couple of weeks ago, I became desperate to solve it. Supposedly, the brat had solved hers, and I was still unable to, when mine was the dumb variation of her Arcane Knot in her opinion. I implored Mum to push the date forward, before she sent the reply, hoping to solve the puzzle by then. I couldn¡¯t let the little goblin gloat for too long... Thankfully, I was on the right track. There were thirty-six fragmented runes engraved on all six surfaces of the cube, while double that number could be revealed by spinning the edges and centre. I spun the edges swiftly, cross-checking if the chains of runic letters were in the right order every once in a while. Almost... Almost! I clenched my jaw, gingerly manoeuvring one side to avoid any mistake that might undo all my progress. Each of the runic fragments was like a clockwork cog¡ªany of them could fit with another, even when they didn¡¯t make sense. My task was to make them make sense. ¡°Come on!¡± I muttered, pressing my lips together. The runes seemed to line up correctly... but then... I narrowed my eyes, examining all sides of the cube, when the engravings beamed with golden light. ¡°Yes!¡± I jumped to my feet, punching the air. My eyes returned to the cube and found thin strands of smoke wafting out of it, accompanied by a mechanical hum. The cube¡¯s shape readjusted on its own; the metal of its surface shifted, shrinking to match Rosalyn¡¯s Arcane Knot. The letters compressed, altering into something different once more. Under my blazing gaze, new layers appeared on the cube. There were as many spiralling weaves as there were runes. My eyes widened like saucers when the familiar voice of the Spell chimed in my mind. [+1 Focus] Woooh! Thanks! This was one of the few times I had received a reward for accomplishments outside of the Ways. Mum once mentioned that the Spell did not create the rewards, but merely distributed them. Obviously, she wasn¡¯t telling me all of it, fearing I wouldn¡¯t understand. As far as she was concerned, the Spell was like the Custodian of Rewards. ¡°Hey, Spell,¡± I called to the air, peering at the mark on my left palm. ¡°Please show me my full [Profile].¡± A second passed, and the familiar green script manifested in my mind¡¯s eye, looking fuller than ever.
___________________ [Profile] Arylin Arcis O''Ryon Age: 2 Years 408 days. Attributes [6/10]: (Unallocated Points: 8) Gift: Ways: ________________
Two whole seasons had passed, and I hadn¡¯t been wasting much of it. I still might not be as tough as an Awakened, but I had eliminated many of the weaknesses of my early days. As my active hours rose along with my agency, I divided my time between all the activities depicted in the Ways. There wasn''t a definitive schedule per se, but a few of them had become permanent habits. I used to meditate for three hours easily when I was younger, but gradually, I reduced it to an hour to devote more time to studying. Meditation was crucial. No joke, I received eight points in Cognition and Focus when I completed the VII layer of meditation. But even after Mum completed the X layer, which was the whole Way, she still meditated regularly for half an hour or more. I deemed an hour more than enough to make gradual progress in the Way. I fit in two two-hour study sessions in the morning and evening. Then there was my playing time, which lasted between two to three hours. Some days I played alone with the cube, other puzzles, or simply ran around to complete a Way like today. On other days, my friends pulled me into their games and usual mischief. Way of Education was where I had made the most progress in the last two years... and I was rewarded with six unallocated points. Two for Layer I, and four more for Layer II. The only thing stopping me from allocating all these points into Arcane Acuity was my Mum. She reasoned that uninvested points were hard to come by, so it was best to leave them unallocated until I hit a block. ¡°Finally, did you finish playing with that thing?¡± Eran¡¯s voice interrupted my thoughts as my Profile vanished. ¡°Look what I found.¡± Eran stood proudly, holding an old bow almost as tall as him, using a common stick in place of an arrow. He had a few more of those cobbled-together sticks in the quiver strapped to his back. He had grown as much as I had, but the bow and quiver remained comically oversized.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± More importantly, why don¡¯t you have arrows if you have a finely crafted bow and quiver? Maybe his mother didn¡¯t let him take the real ones, fearing he¡¯d hurt himself or others. ¡°My Da was cleaning the old attic today, and we found this,¡± Eran said. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we can take turns playing with it.¡± Evidently, this had nothing to do with Priam showing off his bow and arrow set to the other kids the other day. Even if it did, Eran was too pure-hearted to show off. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°To the institution field,¡± Eran said, picking up his pace. ¡°We can target practice there.¡± I looked at the dulling orange sun creeping towards the horizon. It would be dark within an hour¡ªhalf of that would be wasted going back and forth. The institution was at the foot of the mountain range, while both of our houses were further south. I didn¡¯t believe we had enough time to get any decent practice in, especially since the institution was only open to the Awakened. Still, I might get a chance to receive Way of Archery. I knew for a fact that such a Way existed and was rather easy to obtain. It wasn¡¯t like I would forget the way back. With that in mind, I dashed forward, running beside Eran, keeping up despite him being three seasons older. After a brisk fifteen minutes, both of us were red-faced, wheezing, our breath heavy and erratic. Through heavy breathing, I collected myself. Even if I did not get Way of Archery, this run had brought Way of Running a bit closer to its second completion. The institution was rather modest, with two separate buildings divided by a large field to serve the newly Awakened students of Karmel and the neighbouring villages. The district of Dimir was at the very fringe of the Alberan Empire. By the time education funds were divided among various districts, little of it remained for us. I would be admitted in two years, while Eran had only one year left. Four was the accepted age for the Awakening Ceremony, and also the typical age to start schooling. The light continued to fade, but a bunch of Awakened kids still remained on the field, either playing or training. Only a few stood gawking at others. ¡°Where are you two kids running off to at this hour?¡± a voice called as we entered the grounds with agitated hearts. ¡°Good evening, Aleya,¡± Eran greeted first, followed by me. I looked to find a familiar girl with sun-kissed hair. Boasting a couple of winters in age over us, Aleya Octavius cut a taller, lean figure, though her sweat-ridden face, unkempt braid, and clothes full of dirt and grime hardly matched her Equites upbringing. ¡°Sorry, I do recognise you both,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes at us, ¡°but I cannot remember your names. You two are Priam¡¯s friends, right?¡± Maybe infantile amnesia had caught her faster than me, because I clearly remembered us playing together sometimes. Before Priam, she had been the one bossing the kids around. Eran took the responsibility of introducing us, and Aleya nodded, repeating our names after us, in case she forgot them again. Aleya was the elder sister of our friend Priam, and her father was the Lord Magistratus of Karmel Valley. With the firstborn son set to take over his father¡¯s position, she was likely putting her best effort into getting into the academy. Her dishevelled appearance decidedly suggested so. ¡°That¡¯s quite a hefty bow you have there.¡± Only then did Eran become a little self-conscious, flushing. ¡°Would it be a problem if we target practised a little?¡± I asked. She cocked her head at my question. ¡°A little... won¡¯t be a problem.¡± She led us to the archery course. Two boys, a couple of years older than her, were already there, packing their stuff to call it a day. ¡°Hold on for a minute, boys,¡± Aleya said, causing them to perk up. ¡°Let these two play around for a few minutes.¡± ¡°Forgive me, Aleya, I¡¯m already late for home,¡± said the taller one, a rough, lanky figure with buzz-cut hair. ¡°What¡¯s urgent at home anyway?¡± the other boy said with a snicker. ¡°You left a young bride at home, Lys?¡± Lys glared at his friend before turning to Aleya. ¡°It will be dark in no time... and my classmates from my village will leave soon. I¡¯ll have to travel alone in the dark.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll only take a while,¡± Aleya paused. ¡°It''s only a matter of storing the equipment and targets, right? I can do it in your place.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll also help,¡± Eran chimed in for both of us. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lys examined her expression, probably wondering if he would get into trouble if we messed with the equipment. ¡°Yeah, it will only take a few minutes,¡± Aleya said. ¡°You are free to leave with your friends.¡± A couple of minutes later, Eran stood ten paces away from the target, the longbow set in his arms. He loaded an arrow and pulled the string tentatively. ¡°Your hands are shaky,¡± Aleya said. ¡°Stand firmer, and raise your right shoulder a bit.¡± I observed from the sidelines and nodded. Eran¡¯s body language was far from controlled, and the bow, being almost his height, only made it worse. Sadly, Aleya¡¯s advice barely did any good, so she moved to stand behind him and guided his posture. Even after all the teaching, when Eran finally shot the arrow, it missed the wooden target completely, albeit by only a few inches. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad first shot,¡± Aleya said, patting his shoulder. Eran blushed. This was not his first shot. I turned to the other boy, who had been watching everything in silence since his friend left. ¡°Can you show me how it¡¯s done?¡± He met my gaze and peeked at Aleya before saying, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see why I can¡¯t show you a couple of tricks.¡± Then instead of mentoring me like Aleya, he took position twenty paces away¡ªdouble the distance of where Eran had stood before¡ªand held his bow. It was two-thirds the length of Eran¡¯s, though not inferior by any means. A full-metal piece, which could be folded to make it easier to carry when not in use. As the boy loaded an arrow, my attention shifted from the design of the bow to his body language. I watched him in complete concentration. The little sparkling light in his eyes didn¡¯t go unnoticed, nor did the way his breathing slowed just before he released the string. The arrow cut through the air and landed at the very centre of the target chart. ¡°At least you didn¡¯t mess up in front of them, Tehn,¡± Aleya laughed. ¡°An unmoving target is hardly a challenge for me,¡± Tehn boasted. He raised the bow again and shot a couple more arrows in quick succession. The second pierced a finger¡¯s width away from the first, while the third landed a few more inches off but still at a respectable spot on the chart. ¡°Ten points for you,¡± Aleya clapped. Tehn¡¯s face flushed completely. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before I complete the third layer of Archery.¡± He was probably not going to stop until someone acknowledged his mastery. ¡°Thank you for showing me,¡± I said, then stared at the bow in his hand. A less self-obsessed person would have caught on and handed me their bow, but Tehn was obviously not that guy. ¡°Give him the bow, Tehn,¡± Aleya said, being the observant one. ¡°Umm, right...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to dislodge the arrows you so impressively fired.¡± Tehn quickly obeyed, handing me the bow and an arrow first. ¡°Is it heavy for you?¡± ¡°A little,¡± I admitted. The bow was easily over two kilograms, but thankfully, its length was more manageable. I held it up, aligning an arrow. ¡°Archery requires steady hands as much as good eyesight,¡± Tehn instructed, freeing the three arrows from the target board. ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ve got steady hands...¡± I set my target, slowed my breathing, and pulled the string. I held my aim for an extended moment¡ªthen released. [A new Way is accessible: Archery I (1/100).] ¡°Yes!¡± I cheered. The arrow lodged itself right at the centre of the target. My shot was in no way inferior to Tehn¡¯s, though I had shot from half the distance. My mental attribute points were likely too high for me to do badly at it. ¡°Nice going,¡± Aleya said. ¡°Have you tried archery before?¡± I shrugged like an adult. Taking another arrow, I prepared for a second shot. It missed my aim by a fair margin but still found purchase on the chart. The third missed the board completely. I guessed I wasn''t paying my full attention. Thankfully, it helped to prove a point that false shots did not count towards Way of Archery. We fired a dozen more arrows until it was sunset and our fingertips swelled. Aleya told us we didn¡¯t need to help with the cleanup, but we stayed to be of some use. After all, Eran had promised. I¡¯d be getting scolded the moment I got home, I thought anxiously, glancing in the direction of my house. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark,¡± Aleya said. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll drop you off.¡± She didn¡¯t listen to any of our protests, acting like a responsible adult. She only let us go when I could see my home in the distance, where Eran and I finally parted ways. I bid my goodbyes and danced my way back. Not only had I solved the cube, but I had also received a new Way. The first layer could even be completed in a couple of days if I tried hard enough. Way of Archery only required true shots. I wondered what rewards I¡¯d receive from it. My thoughts were soon interrupted when I spotted a very suspicious-looking man loitering around our home. My eyes widened upon noticing the large longsword strapped to his back. And he looked like a man who knew how to use it. I faltered in my steps. The man turned around, his hawkish eyes narrowing at me. Scary eyes! I glanced back and saw Aleya¡¯s figure fading into the darkness as she made her way home. Should I call out to her? I hesitated, deciding to give the man the benefit of the doubt. He could just be a guildsman, lost after spending many nights in the mountains. His wild appearance certainly supported that theory. ¡°Excuse me, mister?¡± The man stepped towards me, the fierceness in his eyes dimming as he realised I was no threat. ¡°You, ahhm,¡± the man opened his mouth and cleared his throat. ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked. ¡°What are you doing sneaking around our home?¡± The bearded man, with a wild mane of hair, squinted. Then, before I could react in any way, he appeared right in front of me. ¡°What?!¡± Rough hands clamped onto my shoulders, preventing me from struggling. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demanded. ¡°Are you¡ª¡± ¡°A child snatcher!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± the man tried to silence me, but that only made me scream harder. ¡°Mum! Save me! I¡¯m being abducted!¡± The snatcher tried his best to silence me until a figure flew over the green hedgerow fence, fiery golden strings of essence warping around her as she cast her sight on the child snatcher. ¡°Ashlyn,¡± the bearded man froze, his grip on my shoulders finally loosening. Mum faltered mid-step; the look in her eyes sharpened. ¡°Jinn?¡± ¡°Ashlyn, forgive me. I¡¯m late.¡± Chapter 08: Old Tales

Chapter 08: Old Tales I observed the bearded man from behind the neatly cropped hedge fences as the sun beamed overhead. Mum was there with him in the garden, sitting close, their hands clasped together as though they had known each other for a long time. Well, that had to be true if what Mum explained last night was to make sense. The man was still barefoot, just as the day he was born and when he arrived last evening, though he had lost much of his homeless bum look after finally getting a bath, healthy food, and a roof over his head. However, his hardened presence was unmistakable. He was easily a towering figure of two metres, built like a boulder or an unmovable tree that had stood the test of a hundred ashen storms. ¡°You need to lose that blighted beard,¡± Mum told him as she stood up. Her hand was still in his grasp. ¡°Just wait a minute, I¡¯ll bring the utensils. And no, I won¡¯t take no for an answer. You frightened Arylin enough last night.¡± He finally let go and lay back on the lush grass. A minute later, Mum returned with a box and a mirror. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly shaving equipment, but I guess we can make it work,¡± she said, holding up a spoon whose edge soon turned razor-sharp under her power. I had no idea all this time she could shape metal without any effort. The man, on the other hand, gave no indication of surprise. ¡°Now, sit back and let me do my magic.¡± ¡°Hey, Arylin,¡± the familiar voice of Eran rang in my ears, followed by a pat on my shoulder. I spun around and shut my friend¡¯s mouth with my palm. ¡°Shh!¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Eran whispered, freeing his mouth. ¡°Nothing,¡± I said with all the nonchalance a kid my age could muster, ¡°just snooping around, sneaking here and there.¡± ¡°Sneaking?¡± Eran followed my gaze. ¡°That¡¯s your home, though.¡± My mother was shaving the copperish wiry beard off the man¡¯s face with the spoon-turned-razor. From the sheer length of the beard and the unsuitable instrument, it was going to take some time. ¡°Who¡¯s that man?¡± Eran asked. ¡°My...¡± I paused, staring at the man, who was staring at my mum with heavy eyes. Sucking in a frigid breath, I answered, ¡°He¡¯s... my father.¡± ¡°Your father?!¡± Before I could respond, my father perked up at his hitched voice and turned in our direction. Logic said he couldn¡¯t see through the hedge, but the piercing look in his eyes felt like it could punch through any obstruction. Thankfully, it only felt that way. There were spells or skills for that, but according to the books, they weren¡¯t highly impressive. Even after mastery, one could barely make out vague figures. ¡°Arylin, what are you doing there?¡± my mum called. ¡°Is Eran with you?¡± To his credit, my friend turned his head and ran straight back the way he came. I didn¡¯t believe he was old enough to understand that this was a family matter he couldn¡¯t interfere with. Eran was shy, and my father did have a face that wasn¡¯t very welcoming. Just like how I had been too frightened to talk to him throughout the night. Before Mum could call again, I dragged my body to the garden and presented myself before them. The man looked up at me, but I kept my eyes trained on Mum. I had been doing that since last night. ¡°With everything going on last night, I forgot to congratulate you for solving the cube,¡± she said, ruffling my hair. ¡°Good job, Pumpkin.¡± I grinned and recalled the new form the cube had reshaped into. I had tinkered with it for hours last night and figured out what needed to be done to solve it. As it turned out, the plight of meeting your father for the first time since birth was a great motivator. The problem was that there was no way for me to solve its newer form. I feared something magical needed to be involved in untangling the Template. ¡°Can you teach me how to work on it?¡± I asked, even though I suspected it was impossible without the ability to wield essence. That was why she had given the cube to Rose when she had good control over her power. Since my birthday, I had been working on the cube diligently. If I couldn¡¯t spend time on the cube anymore, it would leave a large gap in my schedule. Well, I could fill it with other kinds of training or study. But Meditation didn¡¯t pack the same punch anymore. Two half-hour sessions at different times of the day were more than enough to get the peace and calm feeling it brought¡ªnot to mention how god-awful boring it sounded to simply meditate for hours. ¡°You¡¯ve left me in a pickle here, Pumpkin,¡± Mum said. ¡°You were supposed to finish it sometime around your next birthday and almost be prepared for the next part of the study.¡± Study? Of course, that¡¯s what it was. The runes were eerily close to the ones Mum engraved to make all the magical instruments. ¡°Since I finished it early, can¡¯t I simply practise it now?¡± I asked, my eyes widening in hope. Logic said it was impossible, but since we were talking about magic, anything should be possible. ¡°Without the ability to wield essence outside your body, it¡¯s impractical to even try,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°And I won¡¯t have essence for another 1,058 days.¡± I pouted. Mum stared at me blankly. I bet she didn¡¯t think I had already begun counting the days. She turned her head to the man¡ªto my father¡ªwho had been watching the whole conversation with equal parts attention and hesitation.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°You do have essence,¡± she said slowly, as though measuring every word. ¡°How do you think you can focus on studying for several hours without breaking a sweat?¡± ¡°Because of my high points in Focus?¡± ¡°That too, but what do you think supplies power to those attributes?¡± Mum smirked. ¡°It¡¯s essence?¡± I arched my eyebrows. ¡°Attributes are a complex form of essence,¡± the man interjected, finally finding something to express his view on. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Mum said, ¡°but a simple line like that doesn¡¯t even begin to express the complexity at play. For now, think of attributes as a skill with a preset essence usage.¡± ¡°Like how the Focus attribute only lets me focus on something by spending essence?¡± I asked. ¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m already using essence? So if I could awaken a new attribute that enables me to wield essence more freely, wouldn¡¯t that solve the problem?¡± Mum opened her lips, exchanging a look with Father, then grinned. ¡°Clever, isn¡¯t he? I wonder who shall take credit for that.¡± Obviously, it should be her, and her alone, but that didn¡¯t answer my question. ¡°Your thinking is not wrong,¡± she said, ¡°though tragically unrealistic. It¡¯s tremendously hard to wield essence at will without a proper Essence Seed and binding to the spirit realm.¡± I knew the Essence Seed to be the most important mystical organ for an Awakened. As the name suggested it served as the reservoir for all their essence. It was also what defined an Awakened. Only by forming an Essence Seed could one truly awaken their latent abilities and gifts. Now, I had a gift since birth, but since I did not have an awakened Essence Seed, I could seldom use the gift. All these seemed reasonable. What got me off track was the other part. "What does the binding thing mean?¡± Mum was about to explain, dumbing it down for a child to understand, but the man¡¯s words stopped her. ¡°We can actually help him form an Essence Seed, can¡¯t we?¡± he said. ¡°As for the binding, that can¡ª¡± ¡°Hush, you.¡± Mum glared at him, sneaking a measuring glance in my direction. She could tell that, although I wasn¡¯t fully on board with the idea of this unfamiliar man being my father, his words had my full attention. ¡°You haven¡¯t even been back for a full day, and you¡¯re already putting rash ideas in his head.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± The man scratched his index finger with his thumb. His skin looked somewhat papery. Mum turned back to me. She saw the expectation on my face and sighed softly. ¡°You have to wait a little longer, Pumpkin," she paused. "But just because you can¡¯t wield essence yet doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t start training for it when you have full access.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I asked expectantly. She nodded. ¡°I warn you, though. It¡¯s not going to be easy.¡± I acted as though I hadn¡¯t heard that last part. ¡°When can we begin?¡± Before she could answer, I sensed a couple of people creeping toward our compound. It was Eran, trailing closely behind his father, whose eyes shifted immediately to my father as he entered the yard. Dalin Stonecutter was a dark, tall man with a protruding stomach and clean-cut facial hair. I had rarely interacted with my friend¡¯s father, but I knew him to be a hardworking, honest farmer. And he was among the very few people who had ascended his path to the Noble Class and received a title without being born into it. And now that man was looking at my father like a common plebeian looks up at a Patrician. From Mum¡¯s explanations, I pieced together that the Path was divided into different classes, starting from the lowest, Common class, all the way to the Legendary and Mythic rank. The Noble class was the second stage, where one could receive a noble title if they didn¡¯t already have one. Stonecutter, for example. Next came the Prestige class, which I suspected was the minimum requirement for a prestigious title like Magus or Knight. That meant Aunt Emi was definitely at Prestige Class, and I strongly suspected Mum was too. I had once asked her outright, but she had merely smiled and dismissed the question. ¡°Ta''shin,¡± Dalin Stonecutter said with great deference. ¡°When Eran told me about Arylin¡¯s father, I thought...¡± My father stood up, narrowing his eyes at the man. A look of recognition flashed across his face, though he probably failed to recall the name. However, before he could ask, Eran¡¯s Da stepped forward and dropped to one knee, his right fist clutched to his chest. ¡°I can never repay you for what you¡¯ve done for me,¡± he said. ¡°If you need anything, at least let me show my gratitude once.¡± Well, that was a bit... dramatic, I thought. And I wasn¡¯t the only one. It stunned Eran. His father was a respectable man among the people, with a properly designated title that he had earned on his own merit. What could my father have done for him to show such deference? ¡°Please stand up,¡± Father said, his eyes flickering to Mum, clearly uncomfortable with the whole thing. The man obeyed before turning his gaze to his son. ¡°Eran, do you remember the story I told you about when I was a soldier?¡± The boy nodded. ¡°You remember Lord Jinn, the man who saved my life? This is him.¡± Understanding finally dawned on Eran, but being a child of merely three winters, he was utterly lost on what to say or do. Thankfully, before he could stammer out a bow, Mum said, ¡°Shall we go inside to discuss the rest?¡± Although she phrased it as a request, she had already begun moving toward the house. The others had no choice but to follow. As the men talked, Mum prepared a light lunch for us, despite Eran¡¯s father¡¯s protests. ¡°So your father is a knight?¡± Eran whispered to me, his eyes wide with expectation. ¡°He¡¯s not,¡± I replied without thinking, my ears absorbed in our fathers¡¯ conversation. Wait, was he? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a knight,¡± my father said, clearly hearing our talk. Eran looked easily disappointed. Honestly, I felt a tad bit let down too, though it was within my expectations. Knights were the fabled heroes of the realm, not to mention that it was an honourable vocation; seldom did one in ten thousand Awakened ever make it to full knighthood. My father seemed to read our disappointment and found something else to appease us. ¡°But I can go toe-to-toe with a knight.¡± I couldn¡¯t tell how much of that was boasting. They recounted the events of a decade ago when Eran¡¯s father was a soldier in the army. In the very first year of his service, Dalin¡ªwho wasn¡¯t titled Stonecutter back then¡ªalong with many others, had been assigned to deal with the aftermath of a Rift breaking. The higher-ranking fighters were already handling most of the trouble, but they had failed to account for the Rift turning into a Gate, releasing hundreds of monsters at once. ¡°Many people died that day. Good soldiers and common folk alike,¡± the former Decurion said. ¡°Many more would have fallen if not for Ta''shin''s timely intervention. He saved my life, along with a thousand others, and fought until reinforcements could arrive.¡± ¡°I was merely doing my job,¡± my father said. Apparently, his job had been exploring and studying Rifts, ensuring they were closed if possible. If he hadn¡¯t made it all up to appease us, then he had been part of some special military force that dealt solely with such threats. ¡°Enough about me,¡± Father said, waving a hand. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you earned a title for yourself, Dalin. Stonecutter certainly has a ring to it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Like my friend, his father, too, was embarrassed easily at compliments. ¡°I earned it fairly early¡ªthree years into the army.¡± He patted Eran¡¯s head. ¡°But after Eran was born, I couldn¡¯t do it anymore. I chose to settle on the land I was awarded with the title, far from all the trouble and my past aspirations, and I never looked back. Honestly, it agitates me sometimes, thinking about the battles the...¡± ¡°It¡¯s a common folly,¡± Mum said, serving plates of food. ¡°And don¡¯t discourage yourself. It takes as much courage to give up the sword as it does to pick it up for a second time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something I can agree with,¡± Dalin said, releasing a breath and easing his legs. ¡°Perhaps it is my weakness speaking, but I would never want to pick it up again.¡± Chapter 09: Essence Unification

Chapter 09: Essence Unification ¡°The training method I''m going to teach you is called Essence Unification,¡± Mum said, settling on the mat before me. ¡°But before that, you must know that this process is extremely strenuous for unawakened individuals. And it remains difficult even after awakening for many. Before I begin my explanation, can you tell me the difference between you and an awakened?¡± ¡°Other than me not having an essence seed?¡± I said. ¡°Awakened have a gift. Well, I have one too, but they can utilise theirs at will.¡± ¡°Anything more?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I thought hard. ¡°Oh, awakened are not restricted from gaining the Way of Pain Tolerance and other self-harming ways.¡± Mum nodded. ¡°You are aware of the basics. Now, I''m going to tell you something that is not discussed enough.¡± Easily, I became eager. Anything involving awakened could excite me. ¡°You see, essence does not exactly work as fuel for magic, or rather, it does not work on its own. You have to draw it to work, and to do that, you need Will.¡± Are we thinking about the same will, or was she talking about something mystical, like an attribute, perhaps? I didn''t even have to ask the question¡ªshe was already explaining it. ¡°Will is involved with a person¡¯s aura, psyche, and many other things, but most of all, only the awakened have a substantial enough Will to draw essence at their liberty.¡± Does that mean I am doomed to fail at learning Essence Unification? No, if that were the case, Mum wouldn''t have even considered teaching me. ¡°A Shaper tends to have more of this Will,¡± she continued, ¡°making it possible for them to draw essence out of their body, even for a newly awakened Shaper. Anyhow, this Will works like stamina. Exert too much at once, and you¡¯d be out of it for a while. Even with all the essence in your core, you won¡¯t have a way to use it. ¡°Now, you might be wondering what all that has to do with an unawakened individual if they don''t even have a substantial Will to begin with. The thing is, Pumpkin, you too have Will, albeit in a very embryonic form.¡± ¡°So that means I can perform Essence Unification?¡± Mum nodded. ¡°But there are a few caveats to that,¡± she said. ¡°Your nascent Will is more rigid. Exercising it is good practice for your future, but overexerting it too much may do more harm than good. Meditation is arguably the best way to recover exhausted Will, but even it cannot restore Will at the rate you¡¯ll exhaust yourself.¡± She paused, peering at me with a thoughtful look. ¡°As you are now, a little over an hour of Essence Unification should be your limit. Do that for three or four seasons, and you''ll be fully prepared for Essence Weaving.¡± ¡°Weaving?¡± I asked, curious. ¡°You see,¡± Mum said, ¡°although ambient essence remains mostly in ethereal vapour form, an awakened can only utilise it through threads of such essence, stitched together in a particular weave. The higher one¡¯s mastery, the more complex the weave becomes. But we won¡¯t be covering much of that tonight¡ªor, in fact, before you awaken.¡± After lunch, Mum sent me off to play, informing me my first lesson would begin in the evening. Needless to say, I was excited enough to cut short my playtime and return an hour before sunset. Of course, she didn¡¯t start until she had finished all her tasks. I¡¯m certain she takes some pleasure in watching me fidget with anticipation. The masses believed that before an essence seed was formed, drawing essence was an impossible task. Like most beliefs involving the primal force of the universe, this one didn¡¯t tell the whole truth. It was impossible to draw essence from outside one¡¯s body, but one could still gain mastery over the faint, dormant essence that lay within. ¡°Most do not bother,¡± Mum said. ¡°For them, the trouble does not outweigh the rewards they gain. But the practice of Essence Unification remains vital even after awakening... ¡°You are a couple of seasons too young to learn this, but since you are fairly accomplished with meditation, perhaps it won''t be a disappointment.¡± She had warned me several times about the likelihood of failure¡ªsaid the process was too difficult for unawakened children to grasp and cost a great deal of time to even find a semblance of success. ¡°Can we begin now?¡± I made my intentions clear with the question. ¡°We can, but first, you need to promise Mum a couple of things.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± I said. A smile tugged at her lips. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d say this, but there is a time to hurry and a time to be patient,¡± she said. ¡°If it involves the primal force of the universe, patience is usually the optimal choice.¡± ¡°But I know what you¡¯ll ask of me,¡± I whined. She tilted her head questioningly. ¡°And what might that be?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t want me to do this practice without watching over me, and¡­¡± I racked my brain to come up with what else was there. ¡°And I¡¯m not allowed to complain if I fail or if the practice is too difficult?¡± ¡°Well, you got one right,¡± she said. ¡°Under no circumstances are you allowed to practise this without my supervision until I say so.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°I promise,¡± I said loudly. ¡°Secondly, you are not to teach this to anyone.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I frowned. ¡°Is it a secret like my gift?¡± ¡°It is dangerous to meddle with power beyond your comprehension,¡± Mum said conspiratorially. ¡°I¡¯ll be there to make sure you do not cause any undue damage during your practice, but who will be there for them?¡± I frowned, finally understanding. After I swore to follow her demands, she finally began instructing: ¡°I¡¯m going to show you the way to it,¡± she said. ¡°Close your eyes, give me your palm, and feel the threads of essence I pour into you. It will be uncomfortable at first, and then painful. You may give up whenever you want.¡± ¡°I will not give up.¡± I clenched my fists. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of resolve. The key for you to understand, Pumpkin, is that Essence Unification requires seasons¡ªdays of steady accumulation rather than a single gruelling session.¡± I shut my eyelids. No way was I giving up without even trying. She took my palm in hers, and soon the familiar warmth of her essence threads seeped into my skin. Mum didn¡¯t weave them to cast the rejuvenation spell I was so familiar with, nor did she relinquish her control over the threads. Instead, she kept pouring a sizeable amount of essence, threading it through my body. Goosebumps crawled up my skin as a prickly sensation rippled through me. I fought to keep my eyes closed, my focus intact. ¡°Visualise,¡± she instructed. ¡°Visualisation is the secret to all essence-related arts.¡± I was visualising before she even asked me. My only advanced attribute helped, as did my experience with the Way of Essence Sense. I could practically see the essence; with my bare eyes if it was outside, and in my mind¡¯s eye if it was inward. The latter provided more minute details, though it also required my utmost concentration. ¡°Can you feel my essence moving into your own?¡± she asked, though she didn¡¯t expect an answer. ¡°Visualise your essence, just like mine, and try moving it along.¡± This was where the challenge began. I clenched my jaw and had to force my essence to listen to my command. ¡°Easy,¡± Mum said. ¡°Try not to fight it. A nascent Will is weak, and your body doesn¡¯t yet know the way, but it is possible to draw essence within without making it feel like a battle every time. Coax it by visualising it moving through the pathways.¡± It was easier said than done. Essence moved naturally within its channels all the time, but controlling it with my mind was an entirely different feat. ¡°Do not rush¡­ mastery takes years, not moments.¡± She clasped my palm, easing me. ¡°Focus. Take only as much essence as you can handle and circulate it the way I¡¯m showing you. The pace is of no concern.¡± I listened, because otherwise, it felt impossible. ¡°Now comes the painful part,¡± Mum warned. ¡°Lead the essence to your centre¡ªto your abdomen¡ªand imagine a circle.¡± I coaxed my colourless transparent essence to follow the path after her bright golden threads. Sweat formed on my body as a pricking pain assaulted my abdomen, where my essence was accumulating. My form quivered, my back shook, as though my gut was being twisted from the inside. A groan escaped through my clenched teeth, and Mum¡¯s grip tightened. She asked if I wanted to continue. I replied by pressing on. ¡°Imagine a circle of essence, ever swirling and condensing with each moment towards a spherical form,¡± her voice echoed in my mind. ¡°Only draw more essence when you¡¯re fully in control.¡± The pain persisted the longer I drew the essence. She had warned me my body would need time to adjust to the new flow, and only then would the twisted pain cease. No wonder she had been reluctant to teach me. By the third circulation, Mum stopped handholding my essence, though I could sense she kept a few threads leashed on my essence in case I encountered a problem. I did not. By the fourth round, I drew more threads of essence into the fray. By the seventh round, the flow had doubled. At first, it took me about a quarter of an hour for a full circulation, but the time only shrank the more familiar I became with the whole process. Unlike meditation, however, this process was not peaceful. By the ninth round, exhaustion weighed on me, my Will fraying. I had to slow my pace and finally stop inducting more essence into the centre by the twelfth round. The familiar feeling that remained, other than the dull twisted sensation, was the warmth of my mother¡¯s palm as I fell fully into the process. [A new Way is available: Essence Unification I (1/10)] At last, the familiar voice of the spell rang in my mind, announcing the fruit of my labour. A satisfied smile touched my lips as I gave in to the exhaustion.
***

Ashlyn Ashlyn supported her son as he fell asleep on her lap, a content smile resting on his lips. With a quick examination, she found nothing amiss inside his body and withdrew her threads of essence. Unable to hold back any longer, Jinn finally crept into the room. Their eyes met for the briefest moment before he turned his attention to Arilyn. A sigh escaped him, the tension dropping from his shoulders. He settled beside her and opened his lips. ¡°For all your protests against helping him form an essence seed, you so easily taught him the process to form it on his own.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Ashlyn glowered at him, but her shoulders didn¡¯t straighten, knowing there was some truth in his words. ¡°It¡¯s merely the elementary method of Essence Unification. To form a seed, he will need to advance beyond that.¡± That would take at least a year and a couple of seasons, she thought. By then, he¡¯ll be at the accepted age for awakening. Of course, she would be delighted if he ultimately formed his essence seed without the help of the ritual, but her heart couldn¡¯t help but worry¡ªworry about how agonising the next few weeks would be for him. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jinn mused, a rare smile playing on his lips. ¡°Our son seems intelligent and diligent enough to figure all that out.¡± Ashlyn bit her lip. ¡°Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have shown him the way, but I feared he¡¯d try to figure it out on his own and fall into disaster.¡± Her gaze returned to her boy. At ten seasons old, he had grown so much¡ªso much that she missed the days she could cradle him in her arms without him protesting. She nuzzled his wild mane of unruly red hair. Finding his face pale, his Will dwindled, she sent a twirl of rejuvenating light into his chest. ¡°Your worry is unfounded,¡± said the father, placing his palm over hers. ¡°He doesn''t even have a secured Aether root yet, and the amount of essence in his body is too low to harm him in any way. As long as we watch over him, he¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she whispered. But a mother¡¯s heart never stops worrying. ¡°Sometimes, I feel so resentful of his gift for taking away his chance of having a normal childhood.¡± Jinn¡¯s countenance betrayed an expression that said he didn¡¯t feel the same way. But he was clever enough to keep his opinion to himself. ¡°Look on the bright side, if he succeeds at creating an essence seed, he will receive an Honour.¡± A frown crawled onto her brow. Ashlyn hadn¡¯t thought of it that way when she decided to teach him. Creating an essence seed on one¡¯s own was not an impossible task, though it demanded perseverance and raw talent. ¡°Honestly, I thought it would take him days to get the hang of it,¡± he said. ¡°I was double his age when I formed anything that resembled an essence seed. He looks like he merely needs a couple more seasons and more essence to succeed.¡± ¡°I keep forgetting he can see essence,¡± she mumbled. ¡°He can?¡± It was news to Jinn. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± asked Ashlyn. Finding him shaking his head, she returned, ¡°Perhaps you would have known if you had been here with us.¡± The mood soured instantly, and all he managed was to look ashamed. ¡°Ash, you know I was¡ª¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said, standing to her feet with Arilyn in her arms. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make it easy.¡± Chapter 10: The City of Klearon

Chapter 10: The City of Klearon The City of Klearon was the heart of the district of Dimir, even though it was situated at the intersection of four other districts. The city was not founded simply because five separate districts met at their borders¡ªhistory suggested the opposite. The city was formed first, on account of a stabilised Waygate¡ªwhich could transport people thousands of miles in mere minutes¡ªthen the district came to be. Thanks to the Waygate, Klearon served as the central city for the entire western outskirts of the empire. Of course, nothing suggested Klearon to be a backwater city, even though it was founded a mere hundred and fifty years ago. This late foundation favoured Klearon, allowing it to benefit from the latest innovations and mechanisms to erect a city of magnificence. As I walked between my parents on the fine cobblestone path, I rarely saw any hardwood houses like ours. On both sides of us, tall establishments of stone and concrete stood, clustered together, squeezing for every inch of space. Business and trade thrived in the city, unlike in Karmel Valley, where the main occupation was farming and rearing animals. I counted thirteen inns and taverns on the way, each larger than the two we had in Karmel combined. We came to a halt before one called The Lonely Wanderer. Inside, a dozen or more people lazed and ate¡ªexcluding the attendants¡ªalready telling me the inn was, in fact, not for lonely wanderers. ¡°Ash!¡± A voice caught my mother¡¯s attention before mine, and I spotted my aunt at one of the empty tables in the lounge, a book in hand. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me Aunt would be here?¡± I grumbled, though delighted at the surprise. Mum smiled as I ran to the table. I was big enough now that my aunt would have trouble swooping me up in her arms, though I was sure she would manage fine with her magical power. She settled for embracing me gently, stroking my hair. ¡°Is Rose with you?¡± I asked, my eyes wandering in search of my other aunt. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Aunt Emi said, ¡°she doesn¡¯t have much leeway now that she¡¯s entered the Oracle Academy. She has to study for two whole seasons before she can get a break.¡± For some reason, my expression dropped a little. It wasn¡¯t that I missed that goblin, but she was the only one who showed me magic and what was possible with it. I loved Aunt Emi, but she merely smiled when I asked her to demonstrate. The last time she visited, she demonstrated a telekinesis spell and a little fireworks. Mum and Father joined us at the table as Aunt Emi flashed a quick glance towards my father before returning her focus to me. ¡°Although she isn¡¯t here,¡± she said, reading my disappointment, ¡°she has sent a gift.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± I jumped to my feet. ¡°What is it?¡± She smiled and brought out a large present box from her duffel bag. She handed it to me, and I found it was easily half as tall as I was. ¡°What¡¯s inside it?¡± I asked, my eyes glued to the box. ¡°Open it and find out.¡± My gaze drifted towards my mum, who nodded. Only then did I abandon all propriety, tearing through the wrapping paper. Inside, I found another rectangular box made of thin, flat wood. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether Rose was playing a trick on me¡ªthat when I opened this box, I¡¯d find another box inside. Thankfully, that was not the case. Mum helped me open the wooden box since it was sealed with pins and nails. My gaze remained fixed as she lifted out a violin. I remembered telling Rose once that I would love to learn the violin when she tried to give me a flute. I hadn¡¯t expected her to remember it. ¡°Thankfully, it''s not a sword or a staff,¡± sniffed Mum, handing me the instrument. I held it in reverent awe. It was a lot heavier than I had imagined. My fingers traced the smooth, polished wood of the violin as the oily scent of paint and varnish filled my nostrils. Although the smell was a bit pungent, I found myself in love with all of it. Hesitantly, I plucked a string, causing a sharp note to echo. Of course, the note was nowhere near a soothing sound, as a few patrons at a nearby table shot their gazes towards us. ¡°Let¡¯s put it away for now,¡± Mother said, securing the bow before placing the violin back into the wooden box. I pouted. Obviously, I would have liked to play with it some more before putting it away, but I didn¡¯t believe the other people would enjoy my attempts. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to practise,¡± Aunt Emi said fondly. ¡°Rose went to great lengths to track down a master luthier and hire her services for the violin.¡± Luthier? Is that a person who makes violins or other musical instruments? My assumption turned out to be correct, as the voice of the spell echoed into my ears. [Congratulations! Way of Words III (10,000/10,000) is completed] Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.[+1 Cognition.] Words were the only Way where the reward didn¡¯t increase with the layers. I supposed it was reasonable, given the difficulty involved. The first hundred words were the most difficult¡ªthen it was all smooth sailing. Noting the completion of the Way of Words progressed Self Mastery to [2/10]. Mum refused to tell me what the rewards for Way would be, teasing me by saying it simply wouldn¡¯t be more attribute points. I suspected and hoped it would be an Advanced or Greater attribute. Unfortunately, it was cursed to be the slowest Way everyone completed. The Way of Self Mastery didn¡¯t measure hours or years of me honing myself. No, it counted the number of other Ways I mastered, and inferior Ways like Motor Skills did not cut it. ¡°I forgot,¡± Aunt Emi said, handing me a letter. ¡°She sent a note.¡± There were barely a couple of paragraphs from Rosalyn, asking me to tell her if I liked her gift. And, of course, she did not forget to threaten me about taking it away if I failed to play a full song the next time she visited. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to thank her,¡± Mum said and cocked her head. ¡°Now the question is, who is going to teach you to play the violin?¡± I looked at her, then at Aunt Emi, who shook her head lightly, before I finally turned towards my father. Not for a moment did I believe that my father¡¯s large, calloused hands had ever lain upon any unfortunate musical instruments, and the dismayed look on his face only confirmed it. ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°we can hire someone to teach him if it comes to that.¡± Mum shook her head. ¡°Good luck finding someone willing to move or travel regularly to Karmel.¡± Is there nobody in the valley who knows how to play the violin? ¡°Can¡¯t I learn it on my own?¡± I asked. Mum exchanged a glance with the others before replying, ¡°Of course you can, though it might take time to figure out your way into it. The violin is a difficult instrument to master.¡± I arched my eyebrows. ¡°More difficult than learning a magical spell?¡± ¡°That depends,¡± Mum uttered her famous two words to most of my curiosity. ¡°If we go by pure numbers, there are more Shapers in the realms than musicians. I suppose, if we''re talking talent, it¡¯s fair to say there are fewer with a gift for music than for the primal forces of nature. But, unlike casting a magical spell, a violin doesn¡¯t require you to be born with a specific kind of talent.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s not more difficult than learning to spell-cast?¡± I asked, more unsure than before she began. ¡°You¡¯ll get your answer after you try it, pumpkin,¡± she said. At least she wasn¡¯t forbidding me from learning. ¡°There¡¯s a novelty in music,¡± Aunt Emi said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t pay well as an occupation. Between the cost of the instrument and lessons, most common folk don¡¯t even consider it. And yet the number of musicians among the awakened may surprise us all¡ªsome even manage to advance to Prestigious and Fabled Class.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of Master Kaius?¡± Mum said. ¡°He¡¯s still around?¡± Father perked up, interjecting for the first time. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him for years,¡± Mum said, turning to Aunt Emi. ¡°Does he still teach at the academy?¡± ¡°No.¡± Aunt Emi¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°He was relieved from his office.¡± ¡°Who would be foolish enough to do that to someone like Master Kaius?¡± Father asked, a frown creasing his brow. ¡°There are always some,¡± Aunt Emi said, shooting him a look. So far, they had only exchanged a nod¡ªa nod of acknowledging each other¡¯s existence, not of familiarity. ¡°How do you know him, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡± ¡°A long time ago,¡± Father said, ¡°when I was a little older than Arilyn, Master Kaius was in a travelling troupe that came to our town to perform. I saw him from time to time, and he helped when I needed it.¡± ¡°That sounds like him,¡± Aunt Emi said. "Well, I haven''t seen him for over a year either. Hmm, maybe we can find the book he published about Music and songs." An attendant arrived to take our orders. Folks around us were ordering all sorts of hearty meals with steaks, but Mum, being Mum, ordered Moha bread spread with a healthy bit of butter, along with vegetables and salads. Father was fine with leaving all the decisions to her, so I kept my lips sealed too, even if I wanted to have something exotic for my first visit to a city. ¡°Arilyn, are you circulating your essence right now?¡± Aunt Emi asked, narrowing her eyes at me. Mum¡¯s sharp gaze snapped to me at her words. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I said, ¡°not actively. Mum only lets me practise an hour a day.¡± Aunt Emi arched an eyebrow, sparing a glance towards her elder sister, a wordless understanding flowing between them. It was not something anyone else was privy to. ¡°I had to teach him the process last week,¡± Mum explained. ¡°His body only just adapted to the circulation and pathways.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s pretty impressive to have passive circulation,¡± Aunt Emi said. ¡°For a moment, I thought you were doing it actively.¡± ¡°It is impressive,¡± Mum said curtly, ¡°for his age.¡± I wasn¡¯t so sure about that. Passive circulation was merely the byproduct of having secure pathways where the essence could move. It didn¡¯t require the great mental power that active circulation did. Of course, it was multiple times slower¡ªto the point that a couple of hours of active Essence Unification was more useful than an entire day of passive circulation. Besides, passive circulation hardly counted towards the Way of Essence Unification. ¡°Last time we spoke, you said you didn¡¯t intend to teach him before the ritual. That there was still a year and a half. What changed? Are you planning on having him awaken naturally?¡± I perked up at the question, though I failed to comprehend what a natural awakening was compared to whatever the alternative was. ¡°Only the Oracle knows what it will come to be,¡± Mum quashed all the questions before they even began to form in my mind. I grumbled, looking at her with puppy eyes. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t as effective as it used to be. The years had stolen my absolute and only weapon¡ªcuteness. The food arrived soon, and we ate our lunch in relative silence. It all tasted good, especially the Moha bread. It wasn¡¯t like usual bread¡ªfar more tender, melting with the slightest chewing. I wondered how they baked it. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve filled our bellies,¡± Aunt Emi asked, turning to Mum, ¡°can you tell me why you called me all of a sudden? It can¡¯t be simply because you want me to meet your spouse. You mentioned it¡¯s important, though you refused to say what it is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, my spouse is naturally not important enough for me to call you,¡± Mum jabbed, ¡°though a rare sight in our life.¡± Aunt Emi didn¡¯t appreciate the quip, but it did reach its mark¡ªmaking Father uncomfortable. ¡°I didn¡¯t give you the reason in the letter,¡± Mum hesitated, measuring her words carefully, ¡°because I feared you might decline my request.¡± ¡°And which is?¡± Mum inhaled deeply, wisps of faint, translucent essence seeping into her skin, forming out of nowhere. I was so transfixed by the phenomenon that I almost missed her next words. ¡°I want you to be Arilyn¡¯s godmother.¡± Chapter 11: The Business of Books

Chapter 11: The Business of Books ¡°Oi, boy, quit making a mess of the shelf,¡± said a gruff voice from behind, breaking me out of my reading. Closing the book I was holding, I turned to find a middle-aged man putting new books on the emptier part of the shelf. His movements were slow, patient, the kind that only came with age. ¡°I¡¯m not messing, sir.¡± I was unaware if he was the owner or only a worker here, but it didn¡¯t hurt to be respectful. ¡°Of course you are,¡± the man said harshly, pointing at the shelf exactly where I had left a bunch of books after browsing. To prove his point, he grabbed one of them and placed it in the middle of another shelf, sighing deeply. ¡°Why did I even bother to think a child would understand order and cataloguing? Listen, you need to put the books back where you found them. Otherwise, people will have trouble finding what they¡¯re looking for.¡± I wanted to argue, to put my case forward, but he was right. I had messed up the arrangement, hadn¡¯t I? ¡°Sorry, sir,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll put them back where they were.¡± ¡°Leave it.¡± The middle-aged man clicked his tongue. ¡°You probably don¡¯t even remember where they were to begin with.¡± With that, he set about reorganising the books. Then, as if the thought had just struck him, he asked, ¡°Can you even read, or are you just looking at the pictures?¡± ¡°I can read.¡± My response came out snappier than I intended. I wanted no smear on my intellect. Sighing, I held out the tome in my hand. ¡°I¡¯m actually going to buy this.¡± ¡°Secret History of Althelon,¡± he read the title and murmured something under his breath about pretentious kids. Moving away from the rude salesman, I entered another section. Half an hour had passed since we entered the bookshop, and I had barely managed to contain my excitement. How could I not? After all, this was the first time I was ever surrounded by so many books. The shop was large, two-floored, with towering shelves that reached the high ceiling. Thousands of books were stacked along the walls, packed tightly together. A few fine wooden ladders were scattered around, proving how rich their collection was¡ªthat one needed to climb to find a book to their liking. Many other brick-sized tomes were stacked in corners in precarious piles, each one taller than myself. There rarely seemed to be any books purely based on fiction. Most of what could be considered storybooks seemed to hold the stories of some distinguished figure of the Empire. People were really progressive about letting their stories out, huh? Nah, it was probably related to the Class thing. To advance higher above the Noble Class path, to the Prestigious or Fabled Class, an Awakened needed a certain degree of fame. I was not intelligent enough to know how the Spell calculated fame, but after reading a bunch of these biographical books, I discerned it was more about achieving some sort of feat and collecting gravitas from that to advance. Achieving Centurion rank in the legionaries, for example, was a feat of great honour and pulled enough gravitas for one to advance their path from Noble to Prestigious Class. From there to Fabled Class, it was a lifetime of work. I could only imagine what an Awakened needed to achieve to ascend to Legendary Class. Along with fiction, there were little to no books involving magic. I did find a few about the secrets and mysteries of the Spell, as well as books that simply narrated what an Awakened person needed to do to get the most out of the Spell. Books titled like A Dictionary of 10,000 Words and More, 100 Simple Drawings to Achieve Mastery over Your Way, or 10 Honours to Reach Prestige, for the Determined were bestsellers. I thought about getting a few of those. Many of them covered everything people before me had already figured out about the Spell. These books were written to complete the Ways in the most efficient way. My gut twisted, feeling how boring it would be to complete different Ways simply for the sake of a few attribute points. Then the thought dawned on me. I am already doing that, aren¡¯t I? But most of my Way hadn¡¯t gotten boring yet. Suppressing my thoughts, I picked a book that discussed various Ways and the philosophy behind them. For the first time in my life, Mum had given me an allowance¡ªa full twelve silver leafs. When I got it, I wondered what I would do with so much money... A loaf of bread did not even cost two copper chips, which was a tenth of a silver leaf. But now that I saw how expensive these books were, my perspective of the world finally began to change. Twelve silver leafs were hardly enough to buy a couple of dozen books of my choice, but I doubted Mum would want me to buy that many anyway. Her shelf was almost full. I had already finished most of her collection¡ªthose that I could understand, that was. A couple of dozen books would keep me company for a couple of months more. That was why I needed to be absolutely thorough about my choice. I needed to leave some money to buy a gift for Rosalyn, too.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. I wasn¡¯t much of a fan of history, but I still kept Secret History of Althelon in my arms. I had told the man I was buying it, and I supposed there was no harm in learning more about the time before the Empire. After wandering between the aisles, I found another book I wanted to read. It was actually about the Oracle Academy¡ªthe same one Rose attended and my aunt taught at. From the few pages I had glimpsed, I found that the academy was founded right around the time the Spell came to be. Given how involved the Oracle was in both, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it held any answers or even hints to the greatest question of my life. Other than being the focal point of magic and everything related to it, I really wondered if the big answers to all the questions of my life would be there. As the burden of knowledge rose in my arms, I crept from one side to another, finally climbing to the upper floor, which was not decorated as well as the ground floor. There weren¡¯t many shelves, just massive stacks of books and notebooks leaning against the walls. The narrow paths between the rows of books would be a struggle for anyone broad-shouldered. Although the entrance was open, the sight of uncategorised books bound by thick ropes made me hesitate. Was I even allowed to remove anything from their stacks? As I searched for an attendant, I heard soft, familiar voices on the other side of the row of books. Moving a few steps closer, I found the owners of the voices: Mum and Aunt Emi. ¡°Who would have thought I¡¯d find a copy of Heretical Sins in here,¡± said Aunt Emi. ¡°They don¡¯t even publish this anymore. Now, if only I could find something to gift Arilyn.¡± ¡°He probably has stacked volumes taller than him by now.¡± Not true. I was about to join them but faltered on my path, hearing the next phrase. ¡°Curious. How long do you think it will take him to form his Essence Seed?¡± ¡°Hopefully,¡± Mum¡¯s voice, ¡°not before the ceremony.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then you shouldn¡¯t have taught him the Way, sister.¡± A pause. ¡°I thought it would take him time to learn it. A season or two to get used to it, you know, like normal people.¡± ¡°So now you want your son to be normal?¡± Aunt sounded amused. ¡°Didn¡¯t you give him a customised Arcane Knot when he was two?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d solve it so quickly.¡± ¡°Well, Mother taught us Essence Unification when we were... a little older than him,¡± Aunt said, drawing a breath. ¡°We turned out fine. I¡¯m sure he will too.¡± Mum grunted at that. ¡°That reminds me, have you changed your mind about leaving the village? You can¡¯t give Arilyn the right education and training there.¡± ¡°Who said I want him to go through the perfect education and training Mother forced on us?¡± I frowned. Mum didn¡¯t want me to study or practise? No, it sounded deeper than that. ¡°And yet, I see you raising him with similar methods to hers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same,¡± Mum snapped. A short pause, then a deep breath before she continued, ¡°There is wisdom in her ways, even if I hate them. But I won¡¯t put Arilyn through all that... No, I want him to grow as he chooses, without being burdened by our expectations.¡± ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t even tell her about her grandson?¡± ¡°No... It¡¯s because I still resent her,¡± Mum said curtly before changing the subject. ¡°Enough of that. You still haven¡¯t answered me about my request. Will you be my son¡¯s godmother?¡± ¡°What, I had a choice?¡± Aunt Emi laughed. ¡°I thought you¡¯d force me into it regardless.¡± ¡°Emi, I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Then you should have been honest from the start. As for godmotherhood, I¡¯d be delighted.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You know you can talk to me about your worries,¡± Aunt said softly. [Congratulations! Way of Sneak I (100/100) is complete.] [+2 Unallocated points.] [Way of Sneak II (100/1000) is now accessible.] I blinked before a grin spread across my lips. Mum and Aunt stopped talking. Finally, I stepped forward, books in hand. ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Mum said, eyes flicking to the books in my arms. ¡°And you¡¯ve only chosen four?¡± ¡°Mum, there are so many. I want to read them all.¡± Then I finally noticed the rack behind them, where thousands of books lay in a chaotic mess, hardly any care given to their arrangement. None looked new, but most seemed readable. ¡°Used books?¡± I arched a brow, settling my stack with Mum to step closer. ¡°They are,¡± Aunt said, holding a couple she¡¯d picked. ¡°Some are missing more than just a few pages, though.¡± ¡°Are they cheaper?¡± I asked, eyes still fixed on the neglected stacks. Aunt exchanged a glance with Mum, her lips curving upwards. It turned out used books were cheaper. I bought fifteen for a third of their price, while some barely used ones and old editions cost half. Regrettably, I couldn¡¯t find The Secret History of Althelon among them. That one alone cost eighteen copper leafs¡ªI could get four used books for the same price. I was debating whether to leave it when Aunt Emi came to the rescue, adding a couple more books to my pile. ¡°It¡¯s a good book, though it holds more known facts than secrets,¡± she said. ¡°And history is important. These three will give you a solid understanding of how the Empire came to be and why it is the way it is. Maybe you¡¯ll appreciate them more when you¡¯re older.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll read them all,¡± I promised. ¡°Of course you will,¡± Mum said, half amused, half exasperated. On one hand, she approved of my use of the allowance in this bargain; on the other, they would now have to carry books heavier than me for hundreds of miles. Not to mention the lack of space at home. ¡°Now, are you going to carry them back to the inn?¡± Thankfully, Father presented himself at the apt moment, looking thoroughly bored. I stacked the books into neat piles, then handed them to him one by one without a word. Carry the book, Bookcarrier. He glanced at Mum, bemused, before accepting his fate. In total, I bought thirty-two books, spending ten silver and sixteen copper leafs, leaving me with only one silver and four copper leafs, which was hardly enough to buy a gift worthy of the violin Rose had given me. Well, it wasn¡¯t a competition. But then again, it was Rose. That brat would definitely complain if I got her a cheap earring. Still, I didn¡¯t ask for more money. Not after what I¡¯d overheard. Then it dawned on me. If I used Mum¡¯s coins, wouldn¡¯t that mean she was the one gifting her little sister? No. I have to do this on my own. Chapter 12: Tree of Life Chapter 12: Tree of Life Mum wanted the whole baptism and godmother business completed as soon as possible, but she too knew the value of tradition to get it over with. Thus, at the first break of light the day after, we hurried to the local sanctum. Cold gusts of wind blew, easily finding its way through the loose ceremonial robe draped on my shoulders. I clasped my arms tightly under my chest and crept between my parents. The biting winds would have miffed me royally if not for the cold bath I endured. Thankfully, it''s not winter. Aunt Emi walked before me; she wore a blue full-sleeved traditional attire, similar to Mum¡¯s, though her hem was not so easy to manage. Counting father, their gait held an air of nonchalance. The sanctum stood at the heart of the city, protected by two towering walls. The first wall enclosed a large block of land where the city''s most influential people resided, including the lord of the city, many noble families, and, of course, the Fabled Knight, who had sworn an oath to protect the sanctum with his life. His immediate disciples and their squires also lived within these walls. The inner city was far more beautiful, and different, too. Buildings weren¡¯t clustered together, competing for space, nor were there crowds of people. Well, given the hour, we¡¯d be lucky to find anyone on the path. We scurried closer to the grand hippodrome, marking halfway to the final barrier. The majestic edifice was built mere decades ago, employing the finest builders and artisans. It would be centuries before it sees any wear or tear. A dozen youths of different ethnicities practised their swordplay in the open field. On another side, a few more meditated, wearing thin, sleeveless robes, their backs straight under the caress of the icy wind. ¡°Are they¡­¡± I opened my lips, faltering midway. ¡°Squires,¡± Aunt Emi answered. ¡°Come now, you¡¯ll have plenty of time to peep at them.¡± They¡¯d probably be done with their training by the time we were finished, but I did not complain. Four stalwart guards stood at the final gate, ensuring that we entered through the legitimate way. They took this very seriously, as even a freeholder could not enter the sanctum without a prior appointment, which usually took days to be approved. Aunt Emi had to use her station of a Magus to get our appeal approved last evening. The innermost wall protected a small plot of land¡ªbarely a few acres¡ªwhich held a vast green field and the sanctum. It stood more like a solitary fortress than an edifice of religious importance. Still, with its walls plastered pristine white, and its form symmetrical, the sanctum boasted a view of contemporary brilliance. Eight towers stood on all sides, with a higher circular tower of black stone in the middle. Even though the Oracle was the newest being to ascend to godhood, her influence was more prevalent than that of the old deities, such as the goddess of Fire and Passion, Solas, or the god of Earth, Zaguar. We crept closer to find the gate closed. We had to wait before a rector would come to oversee our ceremony. It seemed there was still some time, so everyone secured themselves on a bench under a tree. ¡°I¡¯ll go check what¡¯s taking them so long,¡± Mum said, standing up after a few minutes. Father joined her as they hurried towards the west side of the sanctum. I rubbed my palms together, whereas Aunt Emi used her time reading a book with one leg crossed over the other. ¡°What are you reading?¡± I asked. ¡°Some fascinating theories,¡± Aunt Emilyn said, lifting her head. ¡°What does it say?¡± I perked up, already invested. ¡°It explains how the sun¡¯s rotations affect the aether density of the realm.¡± Finding me intrigued, she continued, ¡°You know aether is strictly native to the spirit realm?¡± I shook my head. Mum had never explained anything about that. I knew a little about the spirit realm, that it was the land of spirits, fairies, and gods. ¡°Doesn¡¯t our world have aether too?¡± ¡°It does, though in far lower density.¡± Aunt Emi paused, searching for the right words to explain to a child. ¡°Our world and the spirit realms are connected. Some scholars argue that one is absolute for the other to exist. You see, aether is not native to our realm. Occasionally, ruptures form where the physical and spiritual realms overlap, allowing otherworldly aether to permeate our land. And in doing so, the energy changes form. ¡°While both come from the same source, pure aether from the spiritual realm is different from the energy you can feel in the air, which, for lack of a better term, is called the essence of the world.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± I sucked in a deep breath, but Aunt Emi wasn¡¯t finished yet. ¡°An awakened naturally has a connection to the spirit realm. It is through that connection that they gain aether, which in turn transforms into their essence through the process of Unification.¡± Gods, this explained so many questions I hadn¡¯t even begun to ask. ¡°Now, this is just the least amount of requisite knowledge you need to understand before I explain how the suns affect the energy density of the realm.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. And, as it turned out, she had hardly even scratched the surface. Aunt Emi opened her palm, and two spheres of light formed above it¡ªone large, one far smaller. The smaller one ceased spilling light and swirled slowly around the gleaming orb. ¡°Consider the smaller one as our world,¡± she said. ¡°You know the world is a globe, right?¡± I nodded, and Aunt Emi sighed, relieved that she wouldn¡¯t need to go on a tangent about why we don¡¯t fall off when we¡¯re on the underside of the globe. A halo of shimmering mist coalesced around the small sphere. ¡°And this represents the essence. I don¡¯t have to tell you what the large sphere of light is, do I? Now, you see¡­¡± Under her control, the smaller sphere swirled around the larger one, its orbit more oval-shaped than circular. As it moved, the misty light shifted along with it. When the sun shone on one side of the world, it pulled the essence toward that side, leaving the dark side nearly barren. The cycle continued every day, while the rest of the world remained unaware of its importance. ¡°It¡¯s like the tide and ebb?¡± I blurted out, my eyes glued to Aunt Emi¡¯s imitation. ¡°You know how the tide and ebb work?¡± She cocked her head. ¡°I¡­¡± I mulled over the question and found my understanding lacking. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Aunt Emi, being the good teacher she was, explained everything in great detail, using a live model formed from her essence. ¡°You two are certainly having fun.¡± Mum¡¯s voice pulled me out of my stupor. ¡°I am,¡± I said. ¡°Aunt Emi knows so much.¡± ¡°That she does,¡± Mum replied. ¡°It is practically my job,¡± Aunt Emi said, bemused. Soon, the gate opened, and an elderly man with fair, wrinkled skin and thin grey hair stepped forward. A ceremonial white robe with deep green stripes draped over him, while he himself wore a pleasant smile, as though not at all offended by the rude awakening at this early hour. He ushered us into the mostly empty sanctuary, which looked far grander and more spacious inside. It could easily hold over a thousand people for a theological function. The early light struggled to fully illuminate the contemporary, artistic decorations, though I glimpsed various figures in the stained-glass paintings¡ªsome depicting the Oracle herself, others portraying different deities or legendary figures, like the First Knight, a long-time companion of the Oracle. Marbled pathways paved our way directly into the main hall. A slight tug pulled me towards our destination, as though the essence within me was calling to it. Unlike the rest of the sanctuary, the main hall brimmed with brilliant light. It wasn¡¯t merely the light constructs. No, the entire tower was carved from clear glass, allowing the sunlight to filter through effortlessly. I could glimpse the bleak sky through the glass, even though it was all black from the outside. However, what caught my full attention was the reason they had adopted this see-through, marvellous glass. It was the elder tree¡ªseveral dozen metres tall¡ªstanding proud in its full grandeur. Its bark, bone white and shimmering, stretched into many branches, each holding equally lustrous deep crimson leaves. Together, they painted a picture of otherworldly glamour. But it wasn¡¯t just its appearance. The sheer intensity of its essence tugged at the minuscule force I had managed to unite. I could almost glimpse into it, yet I feared that doing so might blind my senses. Much like the suns, Aunt Emi whispered to me, sensing what I was feeling, Avisidora has a similar effect on essence. I was entranced, too enthralled, too exhilarated to answer. I had read about Avisidora in books, every known fact about the tree etched in my mind, yet none of it had prepared me for this. Hesitantly, my green eyes shimmered dimly as I gazed upon it. Hesitant, because I knew what it would do to me. But I couldn''t help myself. A light as intense as the sun struck my Fractal Sight, freezing me in place. Blinding white light stretched into every nook and cranny of the elder tree, and I knew what it was. The tree was alive¡ªfar more than any other tree had the capacity to be. It was more alive than any of the people in the chamber at this moment. Then I heard something. A mild echo of laughter? Or was it the rippling echoes of essence surging through? My gaze traced the blinding light and found threads of essence coursing through its bark. Yet it was not peaceful, not like how the tree presented itself outwardly. A torrential force gushed through it, drawing in the aether of the realms, its depth seemingly infinite, even though it shouldn¡¯t be. A tug on my shoulder pulled me out of the vision, and I found my heart restless. ¡°Breathe,¡± Mum said. She knelt, rubbing my shoulder to ease me. She hardly needed to say more for me to understand that she was there for me. Not only her. When I looked up, I found Aunt Emi and Father watching me with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, tearing my eyes away from the tree. This was probably the second time Fractal Sight had activated itself. However, unlike the other time, when it had revealed intricacies without any warning, this time I had felt it coming, and I could have stopped it. Great, eight more years, and I might just complete the Way of Fractal Sight I. Mum shot me a look, one that said she wasn¡¯t done with this. ¡°So, how do we go about this?¡± Aunt Emi asked the clergyman. ¡°If you can¡¯t tell, we¡¯re all fairly unfamiliar with the ceremony.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing too complicated,¡± said the rector with a kind smile. ¡°If you¡¯ve been to the temples of other deities, their ceremonies might have been a bit more extensive. The Church of the Oracle is loosely bound by edicts or traditions, but we do strive to keep our teachings authentic¡­¡± He went into further detail, mostly unnecessary, but it gave the feeling that his religion was for those who did not want to be bogged down by all the rules and traditions. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t delve too deeply into preaching about the religion of the Mistress of Omen. He likely recognised that most of the people here were learned men and women, not particularly devout. ¡°Beyond the purview of fate and divination,¡± he continued, ¡°the Lady¡¯s dominion extends to Oaths and Bonds.¡± ¡°Most gods do,¡± Mum muttered under her breath, so only I could hear. ¡°We simply require you to vow before the Tree of Life. After the pledge is made, you may request documentation, should it ever be required for legal purposes.¡± ¡°That simple?¡± Aunt Emi perked up. The book she had been holding had vanished long ago, and I found myself wondering where she had left it. ¡°Well, let¡¯s begin then.¡± As it turned out, we couldn¡¯t begin immediately, as there was an entire order of knights pledged to protect the Tree of Life. At least one had to be present during the ceremony. So we waited for several minutes. Then, finally, a knight joined us in the chamber, and it was not the figure of nobility and prestige I had imagined. The man was middle-aged, and looked good for his years. Dressed in a simple tunic, he boasted more than just a healthy stomach. A sheathed sword was strapped loosely to his hips, perhaps only there because it was required. Only a Knight of the Order of Emberleaf was allowed a weapon within the hallowed ground of this chamber. After settling a few formalities, Aunt Emi and I stood before the Tree of Light. We were only permitted as close as twenty metres to it. ¡°By the light of the Oracle, Mistress of Omen and Oaths,¡± she began, ¡°I, Emilyn Amadeus, daughter of Shenaryn Amadeus, and Arcis Silverheart, do swear the sacred vow of godmotherhood, to guard and guide the child of my eldest sister, Arilyn Arcis O¡¯Ryon, through joys and sorrows, victories and defeats.¡± [Your vow has been witnessed.] A voice rang in my mind, catching me off guard. From the look on my aunt¡¯s face, it seemed she had heard it too. The rector clapped his hands together and ushered us out of the main hall, relieving the knight of his sacred duty. As I crept out, I couldn¡¯t help but glance back at the sacred tree one last time. Then, finally, just as I was about to cross the entrance, something soft fell upon my head. A deep crimson leaf, its veins bone white. Chapter 13: Journey Home

Chapter 13: Journey Home On our visit to Klearon, I experienced a few great things the city had to offer. We had a sitting with a true knight, the protector of the sacred tree, even if he was in his ill-fitting attire the entire time. I had glimpsed squires sparring inside the empty hippodrome, which was as impressive on the inside as it was outside. Unfortunately, there were no cavalry runs on this visit. Then it was time to bid goodbye to Aunt and return home. I enjoyed every moment of the last two days, all the new experiences, and finally seeing the wider world. Unfortunately, I did not have the same outlook for the journey home. No, it was not because I was reluctant to leave. Unlike how Aunt travelled back through the mystic waygate, glittering with a large spectrum of light, we had a far more boring journey home. Not to mention the commute was more tiring than it needed to be. On top of that, the coachman asked for more leafs when he saw the sheer number of books we would be taking home, enough to account for an extra person¡¯s travel. So far, the carriage ride back to Karmel was as uneventful and boring as the first time. I had no choice but to immerse myself in one of the books I had kept with myself. Sadly, the uneven pathways kept jolting me out of my reading every other moment. Once again, the carriage tumbled over an outstretched rock, causing me to jerk forward. The carriage was moderately large, comfortably seating eight people, including one escort. Three other carriages like ours trudged along, along with a couple carrying goods. Mum had bought a good load of leather, metals, and rare gems for her crafting, whereas Father was happy with a few fine tunics and formal clothing. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the coachmen put the horses into one last stretch before finally bringing them to a halt. They were no Asturian stallions, but they were still fine-bred horses, able to make the long journey in only a night. Soon, darkness blanketed the surroundings, and the borrowed light of the moon was never bright enough to be of any help. We passed along the portable light constructs among ourselves, as the caravan master set up a fire to ward against the chill and gloominess. The six carriages stood in an arch on the south of the path, shielding us and the fire from the biting wind. Night in this part of the realm stretched over fourteen hours before the sun blinked into existence. ¡°Arilyn, do not wander off on your own,¡± Mum¡¯s voice echoed in my ears as I crept into the darkness. Knowing my dilemma, she sent Father after me. The two-metre-tall man stood guard as I relieved myself. I was not the only one who had received nature¡¯s call. Men and women, even the escorts, took turns tending to their needs. I turned to my father, who did not seem to have the same issue, only waiting for me. Although we had grown familiar, my interactions with him remained minimal. I was not sure if this was how a father-son relationship was supposed to be, nor did I know how to fix it. ¡°Are there bandits on the road?¡± I asked him. ¡°Maybe,¡± he returned, uncertain. I forgot that he was not native to the Empire. Still, he was a grown-ass man; he should be sure about these things. ¡°There were none on our way,¡± he continued. ¡°If some turn up, I am sure your mum and I can take care of it. You have nothing to fear.¡± I perked up at the inclusion of Mum. Father always carried his longsword around, even though I had never seen him unsheathe it. Even when he practised his stances in the yard, he usually moved as if imagining he were holding a sword. With his towering stature and wiry muscles, he still looked like a formidable figure. Whereas Mum¡­ well, she was Mum. I had never seen her carrying a weapon. ¡°You do not know,¡± Father whispered conspiratorially, ¡°but your mum is one of the most daunting figures I have ever faced.¡± I arched an eyebrow. Before I could even ask my question, the person in question presented herself. ¡°What foolish ideas are you putting into his head this time?¡± she asked, cocking an eyebrow. Father¡¯s expression wilted like a dead flower. Now, I kind of believed him. We sat around the fire along with the rest, our family gathered on the far side. ¡°Are you cold, pumpkin?¡± It did not matter if I agreed or not, she pulled out a sweater from the duffel bag and forced me into it. Well, it was chilly, and the wind bit through the fabric of my tunic. Only the bonfire provided a bit of warmth, keeping me from shivering. ¡°Mum, can I practise Unification?¡± I whispered to her. ¡°Now?¡± She raised an eyebrow, considering. ¡°I did not get to practise properly in the last two days,¡± I said. ¡°Can I, please?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± She glanced towards the caravan cook, who was cutting vegetables. ¡°Fine, but only until the food is ready.¡± Receiving her approval, I was ready to dive in right then and there, but she stopped me once again. ¡°You are going to catch a cold,¡± she said, handing me a meditation mat. ¡°Here.¡± I sat cross-legged and let the distractions slip away one by one. The conversations around me did not concern me, so they were easy to tune out. Next was the cold¡ªthe biting wind. Up until this point, the process was not much different from meditation, but the paths diverged from here. Meditation sought nothingness, whereas I needed to seek unity. I had been practising regularly since last week when Mum taught me the Way and had made considerable progress in essence sensing as well as unification. I had no trouble drawing my essence anymore. Will and visualisation were all that were required. Soon, under my control, my essence wove through my pathways, circulating towards the centre. My circulation pace had increased by leaps and bounds, and the amount of essence had doubled since the first time. I still failed to detect my Aether Root¡ªthe ethereal thread that supposedly connected me to the spirit realm. Books described it as being similar to essence threads but different in nature. Mum had told me that most individuals never managed to detect it in their entire lives, and I was not even awakened. I should not be discouraged.Stolen story; please report. Regardless, essence unification was a marathon, not a sprint. Time blurred in my mind as I lost myself in the repetitive process. Warmth spread throughout my body, and finally, as I reached my twenty-seventh circulation, the familiar sensation crept up on my left palm. Only then did I open my eyes, and found my back damp with sweat. [Congratulations! Way of Essence Unification I (10/10) is complete.] [+3 Unallocated points.] [Essence Unification II (10/25) is now accessible.] That is three whole points in merely twelve days, I thought, as my lips curved upwards. Simply considering the sheer number of unallocated points I would rack up in the coming days got my breathing hitched. But then surprising me... the Spell spoke into my ears once again. [Congratulations! Way of Perseverance II (25/25) is complete.] [+4 Unallocated points.] [Perseverance III (25/50) is now accessible.] Right, I almost forgot about that. Well, considering it was the way that depended on the completion of the others, I had no reason to keep it in mind. But I was delighted to find the unallocated points doubled from Layer I. I told Mum about my accomplishment. She smiled, ruffling my hair. ¡°Do not think I will let you practise Unification more just because of that.¡± ¡°When will you let me?¡± ¡°We will talk about that after you accomplish the fourth layer.¡± Counting that I got one point in the Way daily, that was ninety more days. Not too long for me to whine, nor short enough for me to be excited over. Well, the process was still stressful enough, even with all my familiarity. A delectable smell wafted in the air. It appeared the food was about ready as well, signalling the end of my practice. The meal was simple¡ªroasted chicken along with bread, curry, and some vegetable side dishes. There were forty-odd people in the caravan. While one party got their plates, the other remained on watch. Father and I were in the first party, while Mum talked with some other passengers. The chicken tasted poorly compared to how it smelled. I guessed that was what you could expect from a full-time travelling escort and part-time cook. Still, it was tender enough that none of my teeth fell out. I was off that age, after all. Halfway into his meal, Father suddenly faltered as he turned on his rear. His eyes peered into the darkness, looking for something. ¡°Ashlyn?¡± he called, rising to his feet, his arm clutching the scabbard. Mum was nearby. With one look into Father¡¯s eyes, she seemed to know what to do and swooped me up in her arms. Sometimes I forgot that she had super strength. She had no trouble keeping me in her arms, even though I was three times the size I had been when she used to cradle me. ¡°Mum, what¡ª¡± An eerie, high-pitched screech cut me off. Goosebumps crawled up my arms as Mum turned me over. Following her gaze, I found the owner of the screech. A long, serpentine-like creature shot from the darkness towards the person at the very edge of the group. However, before it attacked the horrified man, a figure appeared between him and the monster. My father, who had been standing next to me a moment ago, somehow crossed ten paces in the blink of an eye, thrashing his foot into the head of the creature. I finally saw the creature for what it was. It was no serpent. The dozens of appendages gave evidence against that, though its form was three metres long, its body segmented and covered in a deep brown carapace, gleaming in the bonfire¡¯s light. Centipede? The monster thrashed under the weight of Father¡¯s foot, yet its head could not move an inch. Then Father unsheathed his blade. It was a straight, long sword, simple in design. And he swung it equally simple form. The blade flashed in an awfully slow arc, yet somehow beheaded the monstrous centipede easier than a hot knife through butter. Ghoulish blood sprayed into the air, along with the horrifying screams of the people. Father turned away from the creature. Chaos ensued in the camp of forty people. Although I had witnessed it all, my mind barely registered the sequence of events. ¡°Everyone, get behind us,¡± said one of the escorts as more screeches echoed from the darkness. ¡°Blight and ashes, do not run! We cannot protect you if you run.¡± Another centipede, only half a metre smaller than the first, bolted from the other side towards us. My heart lurched inside my chest. I almost shut my eyes and only had the courage to look when I felt warmth rising in Mum¡¯s body. My Arcane Acuity detected the sheer amount of Essence surging through her¡ªit was practically sizzling, urging her to unleash it on the poor creature. She did not need to. An arrow flew from our right and struck the creature in the eye. My eyes flashed to the archer and found a diminutive figure in a headgear and simple leather adventurer¡¯s attire. She was the escort from our carriage, the only adolescent among them. She had remained completely silent throughout the journey, as far as I was aware, but now she held her bow tall, her eyes blazing with a yellowish light. She drew a couple more arrows. The first was deflected by the tough carapace, while the second dug deep into the monster¡¯s maw, ending its scream. Another escort, a middle-aged man with a gruff beard, jumped onto it and finished it with a couple of swings of his axe. His procedure was not as clean as Father¡¯s, but it got the job done. The archer girl crept closer to us, believing she needed to protect us. ¡°Three more coming. Two from east, one straight!¡± Father alerted as he appeared before the line of escorts, sword in hand. ¡°Four,¡± Mum corrected. Well, I could see nothing in the darkness and had to take her word for it. After exchanging a look of understanding, Father¡¯s figure blurred once more, this time into the darkness. I could only glimpse the dim shimmer of his sword flashing in the air a couple of times before he returned to us. On the other side, three escorts encircled a centipede. High screeches followed their battle until it ended with minimal to no injuries. They remained vigilant, even though the four enemies Mum had called out were slain. Even the archer did not lower her bow. ¡°Scolopede,¡± Father muttered. ¡°Did not think they were common here.¡± ¡°They are not,¡± Mum said, still keeping me in her arms. The sizzling power inside her veins had calmed down, however. ¡°That could only mean one thing,¡± Father said. ¡°You think there is a rift breaking somewhere nearby?¡± the archer asked, her accent foreign, as though she had learned the language recently. ¡°The evidence,¡± Father pointed at the bloodied corpse of the monster with his sword, ¡°suggests the chance of there being one.¡± I imagined her to be horrified at the implication, but she merely frowned, her eyes tracing the blade Father finally sheathed. ¡°We should leave as soon as we can,¡± someone shouted from the back. ¡°If more of those suncursed creatures come, we may not be able to leave without a loss.¡± Shouts of agreement followed until the caravan master, a portly, middle-aged man with a longbow of his own, came forward. His presence calmed the passengers. Although he did not make the final decision there, he asked everyone to collect their belongings before calling all the escorts for a discussion. Unsurprisingly, he asked Father to join as well, after thanking him for his timely intervention. ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± he asked. ¡°The horses have barely rested. I do not think we can go far enough to escape if more of those creatures decide to chase.¡± ¡°These are merely tainted creatures,¡± Father said, arms crossed over his chest. ¡°Probably fled through the cracks when the rift appeared.¡± ¡°Maybe some of us should go scouting,¡± the archer girl said hesitantly. ¡°If a rift goes unchecked¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± the caravan master cut her short with a glower. ¡°There are soldiers, guilds for that. Your job is merely to protect the folks.¡± The girl nodded curtly and remained silent for the rest of the discussion. ¡°I can go and take a look,¡± Father suggested, before his eyes found Mum and me. ¡°But¡­¡± The portly man shook his head. ¡°I commend your bravery, but there is no need to risk yourself,¡± he said. ¡°I will send a missive about it as soon as we reach the next town. For now, if everyone agrees, we should move out from here.¡± Before anyone could answer, Father¡¯s head turned once more. The air of the group grew sombre, but thankfully, only a couple of humanoid figures in plate armour came into sight. The lack of army insignia suggested they were from some guild or squires in training. ¡°Praise Earth, none of you got hurt,¡± said the frontrunner, his eyes drawn to the corpses. He sighed in relief, as though a great weight had lifted off his chest. The people once again burst out at the appearance of two armoured warriors. ¡°Everyone, calm down,¡± said the leading man. ¡°Yes, we are clearing a rift, but you can rest assured everything is well under control.¡± That would have been easy to believe if a bunch of monsters had not attacked us out of the blue. But their duties went only so far before they moved on to track any other creatures that had escaped their watch. The caravan did not remain there waiting for more monsters, either. The exhausted horses barely trotted at half their pace, all the passengers quiet, clinging to one another in worry. I, for one, did not hold the same anxiety as them. Even if those suncursed creatures gave chase, I felt reassured with my parents by my side. Chapter 14: Duel

Chapter 14: Duel Eran released a slow breath, following it with the release of his bowstring. The arrow cut through the air and almost struck the middle of the target. It missed by only a fraction, which was still a win. ¡°Did you get it?¡± I asked, creeping closer. Eran waited, a shudder running through his body, then his lips curved into a grin. ¡°Yeah, I got it,¡± he said, making a fist. ¡°It¡¯s two unallocated points this time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to invest it all in Fortitude, aren¡¯t you?¡± I asked, scrunching my nose. ¡°Maybe,¡± Eran said with an embarrassed laugh. ¡°You have to admit it¡¯s a good attribute.¡± That it was. Unfortunately, I did not have it yet. Eran completed a thousand hours of running to receive the Advanced Attribute a few days ago, whereas I still had four hundred hours left to go. Other than having three seasons on me, Eran¡¯s family let him have more freedom with his Ways. He handed me the bow and arrows. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn. How many do you need again?¡± ¡°Four,¡± I said, taking the bow. Four more true shots and I¡¯ll complete Archery II. Seems easy enough. Steadying my breath, I aimed and released the string. The arrow flew and struck the middle of the target, right next to Eran¡¯s last shot, right where I aimed. ¡°Solas!¡± Eran swore. ¡°You know, I practise archery only the Oracle knows how long, and yet somehow you¡¯re better than me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in the mind,¡± I said, flashing my teeth. Two were missing in the upper row. ¡°Meditate for an hour or two every day, and your focus will be as sharp as a blade¡¯s edge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s sheepdung, and you know it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll learn when you stop fidgeting every minute.¡± In the early days of practice, Eran essentially slept through entire meditation sessions. Nowadays, he was better, but he still refused to believe that sitting and thinking about nothing could help with something like archery. He¡¯ll understand when he completes the third or fourth layer, I thought. ¡°We have six arrows here,¡± Eran said. ¡°What do you say? Can you complete the second layer without us recovering the arrows?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± I said without thinking. An unmoving target was easy. Most of the time, my arrows struck true. After nearly a thousand successful shots, my hand-to-eye coordination had improved to the point that I rarely missed if I had even a split second to aim. ¡°Show me,¡± Eran challenged. ¡°If you fail, you¡¯re going to put away all the stuff in the training hall.¡± ¡°You bet,¡± I said, shooting once more. This time, the arrow struck the very bottom edge of the circular target. I nocked another arrow and shot, this one sticking at three o¡¯clock. ¡°Only four more remain,¡± Eran said. ¡°Looks like luck¡¯s not on your side.¡± My lips curved upward, and I aimed for the top edge of the target board. The arrow struck true once again. A rush of current prickled on my left palm immediately, as though the Spell had been waiting for me to complete the Way. [Congratulations! Archery II (1000/1000) is complete.] [+2 Unallocated Points.] [Archery III (1000/10,000) is now accessible.] I gazed at the mark intentionally to call up my profile.
[Profile] Arylin Arcis O''Ryon Age: 2 Years 442 days. Path: U/A Honours: U/A Attributes [6/10] (Unallocated Points: 31) Gift: Ways: In progress: Meditations IX (2896/5000) | Essence Sense VII (819/1000) | Balance II (903/1000) | Essence Unification IV (94/100) | Running II (596/1000) | Swimming I (78/100) | Perseverance III (30/50) | Education III (7009/10000) | Sneak II (156/1000) | Evasion III (1421/10000) | Music II (119/1000) | Painting II (101/1000) | Archery III (1000/10000) | Self Mastery (2/10) | Fractal Sight I (2/10)
The unallocated points had amassed to a considerable amount. Looking at them, I considered once more whether to spend a point or two on an attribute. The only reason I had not yet was that I wanted to invest in higher-ranked attributes, since the higher the rank, the greater the benefit would be. Obviously, the counterargument would be that the more points I had in an attribute, the easier it would be to complete Ways involving it. Forty-nine points in Focus had already made me a better archer than Eran, who practised archery for hours daily. Other than that, I hardly improved much over the season. Both Music I and Painting I gave two unallocated points each, even though I was still pretty terrible at them. My only consolation was that the hours I spent learning to play the violin and paint were measured in the Way of Education, raising it all the way to the seven-thousand mark. I was pretty confident I would complete it before my awakening. ¡°Arilyn?¡± Eran called my name for the third time, nudging my shoulder until I remembered to attend to him. ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re as bad as Priam.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I said. ¡°Was checking my [Profile.]¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°You¡¯re checking your profile before completing the Way?¡± A knit appeared on his brows as he tried to decipher my expression. Ultimately, my grin gave it away. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you completed it? But your shots weren¡¯t at the centre.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to aim at the centre of the target for the Spell to acknowledge it, Eran. You just need to hit your aim.¡± Eran blinked, then his eyes widened, looking as though the revelation had expanded his mind. I left him to his thoughts, quickly emptying the last three arrows. After knocking one into the nine o¡¯clock of the target, I shot the next two dead in the centre. ¡°So, are you going to begin cleanup?¡± I asked him. ¡°Or shall I start on my own?¡± Eran released a breath like an older man before getting to work. One benefit of befriending Aleya was that we got to practise on the school field after the students were done with their training, but of course, that came with the stipulation that we clean up after ourselves. Eran carried the large target board on his shoulder, tumbling his way to the training hall. I shook my head and joined to help. ¡°You know, betting¡¯s no fun with you,¡± he clicked his tongue. I smirked. ¡°You¡¯re saying that as though you wouldn¡¯t have helped if I failed.¡± Together, we put away the target board along with the extra arrows we had gathered, then took care of some other equipment the other boys had left behind. ¡°Done early today, huh, boys?¡± Aleya said as we came out of the training hall. ¡°Yeah,¡± Eran said. ¡°We also put away all the stuff, Aleya.¡± The Lord Magistratus¡¯s daughter smiled before her eyes drifted to the other side of the field. ¡°If only my foolish brother were as responsible as you two.¡± My eyes followed hers and found Priam playing with wooden duelling canes with others. A bunch of boys and girls a year older than us, most already awakened, surrounded him. ¡°He¡¯s duelling,¡± Eran said, his voice full of enthusiasm. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± Without paying the older girl another glance, Eran shot in that direction. He did not forget to pull me along with him either. Priam was in the middle of a duel with another kid, at least the juvenile equivalent of it, using wooden duelling canes to avoid serious injuries. Obviously, there were no real stakes involved. The two were matched almost equally, the wooden canes clashing with each move, until Priam managed to overpower his opponent, swinging a thrashing blow to his chest. The opponent dropped to the ground in defeat. All the kids applauded as Priam held his cane high, spinning it along his thumb and ring finger. ¡°Who¡¯s going to fight me next?¡± he asked, his eyes moving from his defeated opponent to the others and finally to us. ¡°I will,¡± Eran said, raising his hand. ¡°I want to duel.¡± Priam Octavius considered it for a moment before letting out a reluctant, ¡°Fine.¡± The defeated boy handed Eran the duelling cane as the farm boy entered the ring to fight the son of the Magistratus. ¡°Remember not to strike the head,¡± Aleya¡¯s voice echoed from behind me. I turned to find her standing there. ¡°And don¡¯t use your awakened gift either, since your opponent isn¡¯t one.¡± ¡°Geez, Aleya! I know the rules,¡± Priam whined before his eyes turned imperial once more, fixing on his new opponent. Eran was swinging the wooden cane to get a feel for it. ¡°You know the rules. You win if you get three points first, or if the other party forfeits.¡± Eran nodded, taking his position, mimicking his opponent. As soon as the sparring began, the farm boy shot toward his opponent, the duelling cane moving in a broad arc. Priam seemed to have seen it coming. He stepped sideways to avoid the blow, his own cane moving to strike Eran on the back. ¡°That¡¯s one point,¡± said a boy acting as the referee. ¡°First rule of a duel,¡± Priam said, standing tall. ¡°You don¡¯t run at a superior opponent without a plan.¡± Then he clashed duelling canes with Eran¡¯s a couple of times before his found purchase on the farm boy¡¯s chest. Priam pushed it against Eran, gracefully unbalancing his opponent. Eran fell on his rear. Defeated. Damn, that looks so¡­ incredible. Of course, I knew Priam was no swordmaster. He was barely a year older than me, but he certainly knew his way around a weapon. ¡°That¡¯s two points,¡± called the referee. ¡°Three points to Priam. It¡¯s his victory again.¡± Eran stood back to his feet, rubbing his chest. Although the duelling cane was wooden, its surface dull, it still hurt, especially on the tender bones. He returned the cane to the next opponent, slumping next to me. I wondered what I needed to say to lift his spirit. Before I could manage, someone relieved me of the duty. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad,¡± Aleya said, patting the farm boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve probably never held a practice sword before, have you? Whereas my brother¡¯s been training under an accomplished swordsman for a couple of seasons now. It¡¯d have been a miracle if you actually managed to defeat him.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t even land a blow,¡± Eran sighed. Meanwhile, Priam sent his next opponent to the ground, securing another victory. This time, it didn¡¯t come as easily. The other boy managed to take one point from him. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± Priam asked imperiously. ¡°Come now, the sun¡¯s low.¡± I found myself picking up the cane on the next turn, surprising even myself. I¡¯d probably get destroyed like Eran and the rest, but it felt wrong to be left out. ¡°Ah, Arilyn,¡± Priam called. ¡°Another unawakened. At least better than your cowardly bunch.¡± I held the cane in my palms. It felt a bit chunky, but the weight was about right. ¡°Don¡¯t run in like a lost sheep, like Eran did,¡± my opponent said. I took that as advice. Three points to victory or defeat, I mused, forming a rough plan. A blow to the limbs was worth one point, whereas a strike to the torso or abdomen counted for two. So, I had to protect those more. I took my stance, sword held high on my right, its tip pointing upwards. Instantly, I recalled where I¡¯d learned this stance. It was how my father positioned himself. I remembered how sublime his swordplay was when he dispatched those centipede monsters on our return trip from Klearon. I wonder if I can imitate¡ª ¡°Begin!¡± Priam dashed at me, knowing I wouldn¡¯t follow in Eran¡¯s footsteps after seeing how easily he¡¯d been defeated. He denied me any time to come up with a strategy, his cane swinging toward my face in a furious arc. I raised my own in a block, only to find my opponent¡¯s weapon curving in the air, avoiding my guard to strike my shoulder. Pain shot through me as I let out an involuntary squeal. Priam withdrew a couple of steps to take position again, giving me a moment to collect myself. ¡°That¡¯s one point to Priam,¡± called the boy, while others cheered. I gritted my teeth, measuring my opponent through teary eyes. Priam was a year older than me, but if we stood shoulder to shoulder, no one could tell who was older. That didn¡¯t change the fact that he was stronger and had probably invested most of his points in physical attributes. But there had to be a way to defeat a stronger opponent. Like in the stories¡­ Wait, was I truly thinking of defeating him? Before I could answer that question, Priam was upon me again, this time targeting my lower body. I managed to parry his attack, though the force jolted my arms. Firming my grip on the wooden weapon, I fended off his next few blows, almost easing into the rhythm. Almost¡ªbecause Priam¡¯s attacks came faster, sharper, more severe, as though it insulted him that I¡¯d deflected a few of his strikes. Raw orange threads of essence flowed through his limbs, making his movements nimbler, his swings more rapid. This was likely unconscious usage of essence, legal within the rules imposed by Aleya. Focus, Agility, Alacrity, and all my mental attributes worked in tandem to track his sword arcs. I managed to avoid getting hit, but under his relentless assault, I kept retreating. At some moment, the cheers of the crowd faded into silence. Their faces blurred. The only things I saw were the arcs of the cane and Priam¡¯s shifting movements. My chest burned as my breathing grew heavier. A stream of chilly air flowed through my nostrils and mouth, and¡ª Priam aimed for my head again. The natural reaction was to block, but the head was off-limits in the spar. So, as I prepared to defend, I kept myself open for an opportunity. As I¡¯d hoped, the cane curved in the air once more, this time toward my torso. Prepared, I parried the blow. Not only that, I shifted left, to Priam¡¯s weak side, and crashed my sword straight into his arm. Priam jolted back, jerking his arm. ¡°Damn, that hurts.¡± ¡°One point to Arilyn!¡± Now the crowd cheered for me, all of my opponent¡¯s heroics forgotten for a split second. But I had no ears for them. Although Priam had advised against charging in recklessly, I bolted toward him, sword at the ready. Electric jolts ran through my arms as he blocked my first attack. While he was busy with that, I thrust a kick at his calf. Off balance, Priam stumbled back. I pressed forward. I struck at his lower body. He parried. I prowled at his chest. He stepped back. I arched my dull blade toward his face, and he made the same mistake I had. Without thinking, Priam raised a block, the plain thought forgotten in the heat of battle. My cane curved in the air, ready to thrash against his shoulder¡ª Light flashed in my eyes, and the next thing I knew, I was thrown to the ground. A jolt of pain flared in my chest as the loud world returned to my ears. ¡°Two points to Priam! He¡¯s victorious once again.¡± Gasps escaped my lips as my chest heaved. A swelling pain coursed through my torso, and I found my tunic torn, an angry red welt on my bare skin. ¡°Wrong!¡± Aleya¡¯s voice rang out from the back, her accusing eyes fixed on her brother. ¡°Priam cheated. In that last burst of power, he used his gift.¡± [A new Way of available: Duelling I (1/10)] Chapter 15: Natural Awakening Chapter 15: Natural Awakening ¡°Are you feeling well?¡± Eran asked. ¡°Mhm, yeah?¡± ¡°Then why are you walking so slow?¡± Because I was coming up with a believable excuse about the bruise and torn cloth so that Mum wouldn¡¯t make a big deal out of it. Regrettably, I saw no way out of it. Maybe if I sneak into the house and change my shirt before she notices¡­ but that was almost akin to lying. ¡°So, when did your Da start training you in swords?¡± my friend asked. ¡°I heard from my Da that your Da is a swordmaster.¡± ¡°He has never,¡± I said, crossing my arms on my chest as we neared home. ¡°Truly?¡± Eran said, incredulous. ¡°For a moment, you really were like a true swordsman, you know?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± I hummed, wondering about that. I got no certain answer to explain that single moment of brilliance. It was as if all my attributes worked in perfect alignment, enabling me to something greater. Maybe it was somehow related to my past life. Maybe I was a swordsman back then, and some of that spark returned to me during the fight, like how sometimes I got weird words and questions crawling up in my mind. I shook my head. Whatever I was in my previous life wouldn¡¯t help me now. I had hundreds of unanswered questions to prove that. ¡°That reminds me,¡± I asked, ¡°aren¡¯t you and Priam the same age? How did he awaken his Path when the ceremony is still a year away for you?¡± Perhaps he had done it in a big city like Kleron, where the ceremonies were held twice or thrice a year, unlike in Karmel¡¯s once during the winter solstice. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Eran said. ¡°I heard his Da hired a magus to help him awaken early.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± I froze on the path. Eran shrugged, unsure. ¡°Da told me even a bag full of silver leafs isn¡¯t enough to get a magus to help with awakening.¡± But I had glimpsed Priam¡¯s bright essence, not to mention how abrupt the last attack was. Surely, I hadn¡¯t mistaken that, and his own sister confirmed it to be the case. ¡°You two finally found the way back, hmm?¡± Mum¡¯s voice brought me back to reality. I froze, finding her standing on the path along with Eran¡¯s mother, cradling her newborn baby in her arms. ¡°Mum.¡± I pressed my arms tighter over the wound and walked falteringly towards her. ¡°Ma, we completed the second layer of archery today,¡± Eran ran enthusiastically with the good news. Then he began narrating the duels. I almost facepalmed myself, but that would let them see the wound. ¡°You are sparring with awakened kids?¡± Mum faced me. ¡°I did only once,¡± I said, averting her eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t believe it, but Arilyn almost won¡­¡± Eran, stop helping! I screamed inwardly. ¡°¡­but then Priam cheated by using his gift¡­¡± I could not stop myself from palming my face anymore. ¡°Arilyn,¡± Mum said slowly, her eyes boring into me, and finally found the angry red bruise through the gaps of my torn tunic. Mum rarely reprimanded me, and I felt like this was one rare occasion. Stooping down to me, she forcibly pulled my arms away, the look in her eyes shifting. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± I said before her lips could part. ¡°Then why are you hiding it?¡± Umm, a fair question. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go home. We have to tend to the wound,¡± she said, pulling me along with her after bidding goodbyes to the Stonecutters. Father was lazing on the couch when we got home. Other than practising with his sword and helping around the house a bit, he didn¡¯t offer much since he had been here.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°What happened?¡± he perked up, noticing the wound on my chest. ¡°Nothing much,¡± Mum replied in an even voice. ¡°Our son thought it was a good idea to fight against an awakened.¡± ¡°Foolish,¡± Father said, turning to me. ¡°Did you win?¡± ¡°I won by disqualification,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°Well, that¡¯s something.¡± Mum glared up at him, challenging him to say another word. To his credit, he shut up instantly while she picked up a medicine kit. I ground my teeth the moment she began cleaning the wound, though it didn¡¯t help with the whimpers. The welt was mush now. ¡°At least she¡¯s tender with you,¡± Father said with a smirk. ¡°She poked my wound once to prove a point.¡± ¡°And you deserved it,¡± Mum snorted. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair.¡± ¡°Mum, do you know Priam already awakened his Path?¡± I said. ¡°Before his ceremony.¡± ¡°He did, huh,¡± she mused. ¡°Eran said the Magistratus Octavius hired some magus to do it. Do you think it¡¯s possible for Aunt to¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± she cut me off. ¡°I didn''t even say it¡­¡± ¡°You are going to awaken your Path the correct way,¡± she said. I pouted, letting out a deep sigh. Well, it wasn¡¯t like I absolutely needed to go through the ritual to awaken. I still remembered the conversation between Mum and Aunt Emi, where she hinted that Essence Unification was going to help with awakening. If it¡¯s just Essence Unification, I couldn¡¯t even begin to understand why everyone needed outside help. Maybe because the process was slow? I had been practising it for a couple of months now and hadn¡¯t received any notion that I was anywhere close to awakening. ¡°You¡¯re young, so you don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°Those rituals are highly unreliable. Many children become crippled or face other problems because their parents thought it was a good idea to give them a few months of head start. What it does is force them to cut short their childhood.¡± But what if the child wants it? I¡¯m sure Priam wanted it. But I could also see the reasoning behind Mum''s argument. ¡°You still have it good,¡± Father said. ¡°I was twice your age when I finally awakened my Path.¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t the Spell help everyone awaken after they turn four?¡± I said, slowly laying down on the couch. ¡°Unfortunately, the Spell is not available for everyone,¡± he said ruefully. I tilted my head. As far as I was aware, the Spell was accessible throughout the realm and to everyone. Well, not within the rifts, but those places were uninhabitable. ¡°So, a magus helped you too, like Priam?¡± I said. He shot a measured glance towards Mum. ¡°Something like that.¡± Mum sighed and rested across from me. ¡°Your father did it on his own,¡± she said, as though a big weight had come off her chest. ¡°Actually, I, your aunt, and even the little goblin¡ªwe all awakened our Path on our own.¡± I frowned. ¡°You know the Unification process I taught you?¡± I nodded. ¡°That is all you need to ignite your Essence seed.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± I asked. ¡°How?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a natural process,¡± Mum said. ¡°When you reach the point where you believe you can no longer gather Essence in your centre, that¡¯s when it happens. As you introduce more Essence into the fold, the swirl finally ignites to form a more solid seed of Essence. It¡¯s a bit painful, but that¡¯s common with the ritual as well.¡± My frown only deepened. ¡°But that¡¯s so¡­ simple.¡± ¡°Hear him?¡± Mum said to Father, her upper lip curving upwards. ¡°He thinks it¡¯s simple.¡± ¡°Must feel good to be born with a Gift,¡± he said, giving me a pat. ¡°You are on a good path, Pumpkin,¡± Mum said, coming before me. ¡°Your ability to see Essence gives you an edge most people don¡¯t have. Keep working at it, and you¡¯ll get there soon.¡± ¡°Can I practise Unification more?¡± I pleaded. Mum exchanged a look with Father. ¡°No,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°As much as your Gift gives you an advantage, Essence Unification is still an exhaustive process. Your Nascent Will may not be able to withstand more of it.¡± I pouted. Mum considered for a long moment. "Tell you what, you complete the fourth layer, and we''ll discuss extending your practice." "Truly?" I perked up Mum nodded. ¡°Meanwhile, there are still a few other things you can train.¡± ¡°Like swordsmanship?¡± I beamed at her. Mum looked slightly affronted by the intensity in my eyes. Before she could give a definite answer, Father opened his mouth. ¡°Sure, I can train you in swordsmanship and some other forms. You¡¯re about the right age, I¡ª¡± ¡°Right age?¡± Mum interjected. ¡°He hasn''t even seen three full winters.¡± Father opened his mouth to argue, then pursed his lips, remembering he couldn''t win an argument against her. He could only turn to someone who could win it for him. Me! "Why don''t we hear from him?" he said. Mum glared at him. ''''This isn''t over here," saying that she turned to me. ¡°Pumpkin, do you want to learn swordsmanship?¡± My brows wrinkled as I peered at her. Her expression did not betray anything, but I could tell she didn''t favour the idea of me fighting with a sword. Perhaps not at my current age. True, I hoped to be a Shaper, which strictly didn¡¯t require swordsmanship, though many still trained in it. Besides, it was my wish to be a Shaper, and wishes often did not come true. Like how Mum¡¯s mum trained her to be a Shaper, but what she got was a Crafter. Then I remembered the exhilarating feeling when I took up the wooden cane against Priam. I couldn''t even recount the moment properly, much less tap into it. But only made me stubborn about learning swordsmanship. ¡°I¡­¡± My eyes snapped open and found her staring at me. I met her gaze ¡°I want to try¡­¡± Mum exhaled slowly. "I was finally ready to give you lessons on Runes," Mum teased, "but it seemed, you don¡¯t want it anymore." "Who said I don''t?" I flared up. "I want it!" Mum smiled, stroking my hair, which was enough to reassure me. Finally, she turned towards Father. "Make sure to not go full burning hell on him." "I wouldn''t even dream of it." Father lips broke into a soft smile before he turned to me. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll teach you self-defence from tomorrow." ¡°Self-defence? Not swordsmanship?¡± ¡°That too,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I warn you, though. It won¡¯t be as you may have imagined.¡± I spared him a glance. ¡°I imagine it to be putting in hours after hours¡ªhundreds of thousands of them¡ªpractising boring stances and katas, sparring with others while bleeding sweat and tears¡­¡± I paused. ¡°Is it different from that?¡± Father was flabbergasted. He shot Mum a look, which she returned with a smirk that clearly said, It¡¯s your problem now. Deal with it. ¡°Well, so long as you¡¯re prepared for it.¡± Chapter 16: Swordsmanship

Chapter 16: Swordsmanship The soothing wind curled around my thin, sleeveless vest as I swung the duelling cane in practice arcs, shifting my balance from front to back foot. My arms ached from the repeated motions. I had been moving through them for close to an hour. I did not complain. Not about my aching arms, not about the exhaustion, and certainly not about the stupid sword form. The two people sitting on the porch, my parents, were probably waiting for me to whine, to give in to a complaint, but I would not give them the satisfaction of being right. After all, I had asked for this. I¡¯d follow through, even if I had to lie down all day afterwards. The practice was obnoxiously boring. Well, what had I hoped for? I was repeating the same motions over and over without rest. It wasn¡¯t some secret sword art, just basic sword motions. One swing from my upper right downwards, followed by a returning arc. Needless to say, the electrifying feeling I had experienced during my spar with Priam last evening was nowhere to be found. Since the night had passed, the sensation had faded, making me question whether it had simply been a rush of thrill. [A new Way is accessible: Swordsmanship I (1/100)] I faltered mid-swing and finally rested my aching arms, gasping for breath. Turning to my parents, I found Father watching me with an unreadable expression, while Mum¡¯s gaze was a mixture of motherly worry and something else I couldn¡¯t quite place. Pride, perhaps? ¡°Did you get it?¡± she asked. I nodded with a bit of disappointment. ¡°It is a three-layered Way.¡± I had been hoping it would be like Meditation or Essence Sense¡ªdivided into ten layers, which would grant me more rewards, making all this exercise worth every minute. ¡°Swordsmanship can be as awfully simple as it is complex,¡± Father said, standing up, the twin of my duelling cane in his hand. It looked like a toy in his grip, out of place compared to the greatsword he usually carried. ¡°There¡¯s a reason it¡¯s arguably the most common weapon,¡± he continued, stepping in front of me. ¡°Ease of use, light weight in the hands, and, of course, the dual functionality of offence and defence. All this elevates the sword as the most prominent weapon of choice. There¡¯s no novelty to it, no matter what everyone says. Its superiority lies in its simplicity and versatility.¡± I remembered reading about a time when common folk did not wield swords. Aside from the weapon being far more expensive than others, some high-class patricians had made up absurd rules about the sword being the sovereign¡¯s weapon¡ªthat one had to be born of privilege to wield one. Of course, such notions did not last long. When war struck and they needed to train the highest number of soldiers in the shortest time, practicality won over moronic vanity. ¡°I¡¯m not a big fan of lecturing,¡± Father said, ¡°but it¡¯s imperative that I tell you what my swordmaster once told me. A sword can mean different things to different people. To some, it¡¯s their life; to many, a mere weapon to kill; to a few, a means to defend their honour. But in the end, a sword is nothing but a tool. The wielder is always greater than the weapon.¡± Then he asked me to attack him. I questioned him no further and swung my cane, which barely reached his waist, given his tall stature. But, of course, Father blocked it with ease, his arm moving as lazily as ever. ¡°You learn as much, if not more, from sparring as you do from practising alone,¡± he said, continuing to parry my attacks. If only I could call this sparring. Father acted as if he were playing with a child¡ªwhich I was¡ªbut that hardly warmed my mood. I attacked more fiercely, the wooden weapon cutting through the air swifter. The result remained the same, no matter what I tried or where I aimed. ¡°Finally,¡± Father said, ¡°you¡¯ve lost a bit of the stiffness in your shoulders.¡± I had no idea what he was talking about. ¡°Remember, stiff shoulders can only defend,¡± he said, mounting onto his front foot, shifting from defence to offence. ¡°But even then, they¡¯re no good.¡± His cane moved in the same motions he had asked me to practise, the pace low enough for me to parry them, knowing where they would land. He did not attempt any other moves, but I kept my eyes open in case he was waiting for me to lose focus. I didn¡¯t need to. Father simply continued with the same simple swings, though he added minor variations to catch me off guard. I was breathless in no time. Compared to swinging my blade alone, defending against a grown man¡¯s attacks was far more exhausting. Father noticed and soon called for a break. ¡°You¡¯re a natural at defending,¡± he said while I panted on my knees. Wheezes came out of my burning throat like I was an old man out of breath. ¡°But you cannot win on defence alone.¡± He paused, his eyes drifting to Mum. ¡°Catch your breath and go back to practising the forms.¡± Quickly, I sat down on the ground and controlled my breathing with a simple exercise. I supposed I had to abandon the childish notion that kids had infinite energy. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m not a child in spirit. As training continued, Father added two more moves to the first form. Now, I had to take a step forward for one long arc and pivot on my back foot for a block. Still, it seemed like there was room to add more moves to the form, but with these two additions, it felt more complete.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°This is the first form,¡± Father said. ¡°The simplest of the eight katas passed down by our people for millennia. Over the ages, it has evolved in various ways, but the essence of the sword remains.¡± He stood beside me and moved with the grace of the wind. ¡°The First Form: Whispering Gale.¡± For the remainder of the practice, he trained beside me. His large frame shadowed mine, but I found it endearing to be training together, even though I hardly understood the man any more than I did the sword. [A new Way is accessible: Armed Combat I (1/100)] My training came to a sudden halt with the new Way. The first thought that came to my mind was whether there was an unarmed version of this Way. There had to be. I grinned at the thought. I was about to return to practice when I spotted a familiar face peeking through the hedge. ¡°Eran!¡± I called, and my friend stepped into the open, looking slightly out of place. His eyes flickered between my father and me. ¡°I came to call you for a game,¡± he said, ¡°but I didn¡¯t know you were practising. I¡¯ll come later.¡± He turned to leave, as though he shouldn¡¯t have seen our practice. I called after him, dropping my sword to chase. I would be a complete fool if I didn¡¯t notice the sheer awe Eran had for the sword. ¡°You came at the right time,¡± I said, dragging him back into the yard. ¡°Well, a little late, but we can still practise together.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡­¡± Eran craned his neck towards my father, who had stopped practising and was watching us with amusement. ¡°One can only learn so much alone,¡± Father said. ¡°It is indispensable to have a sparring partner.¡± He held out the duelling cane to Eran. ¡°Unless, of course, you don¡¯t want to learn.¡± Eran¡¯s gleaming eyes told me everything I wanted to know, but there was still hesitation in his stance. I didn¡¯t know if it was because of the ridiculous issue of birth or if his family was against him learning swordsmanship. All I knew was that my friend wanted to learn. So, I pushed him forward. Eran stumbled before Father. ¡°I want to,¡± he rasped. Father handed him the weapon and gestured for him to take a stance beside me. I showed him the form and asked him to follow along. Eran imitated as best as he could on his first try, which was to say, calling it awkward would be an understatement. ¡°Your grip is wrong,¡± I told him, showing my own grip¡ªleft hand near the pommel, right at the other end of the hilt, a big gap between. ¡°Hold it like me.¡± ¡°But I feel like I can use more strength like this,¡± Eran said, clasping his palms together as if holding a bat. ¡°No,¡± I cried. ¡°That grip compromises the whole utility of the blade.¡± ¡°A day with a sword, and he¡¯s already talking like a swordsman,¡± Mum¡¯s voice came from behind me. ¡°What have you done to my son?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Father replied. ¡°He has more of your cleverness than my brute hands.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± Mum smiled, turning away. ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare breakfast. Don¡¯t go all out on day one.¡± Father left the teaching to me, saying something about how you learn as much, if not more, by teaching others. Perhaps he was simply being lazy, but there was some truth to the statement. I had no problem teaching. In fact, I kind of enjoyed it. It added some variety to the monotony of practice. Unfortunately, my friend didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of respect for his young teacher. Whatever I taught him, he would second-guess and turn to my father for approval. ¡°I got this,¡± Eran said. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. So, what now?¡± I glanced at Father, who said nothing. I supposed we had to continue with the first form. We resumed training, alternating between attacking and defending against each other until both of us were completely drenched in sweat. Soon, it became apparent that Whispering Gale would be the only form we were going to learn today, as Father turned to leave. ¡°We¡¯ll continue tomorrow,¡± he said, more for Eran¡¯s benefit than mine. ¡°Do not be late.¡± The moment he left, our bodies slumped onto the lush grass. The morning mist had vanished, and in the last couple of hours, the sun had climbed higher, radiating brilliantly over the Candor Mountains. ¡°Don¡¯t be late tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Eran replied, trying to replicate the fancy sword spin Priam had shown yesterday. He almost managed a full arc through his thumb and index finger, but the cane fell before he could grab it on its returning arc. The trick was not useful, perhaps even fatal with a true blade, yet I found myself imitating it. ¡°You said something?¡± ¡°Ahh~¡± I jumped in glee, managing the sword spin after a couple of tries. ¡°Oh, practice begins two hours after sunrise.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± Eran said with sure finality, and I did not doubt him. ¡°Actually, you could come sooner,¡± I said. ¡°We could meditate together¡­¡± Hmm, though that might be more distracting than doing it alone. ¡°Thanks, but I jog at that time,¡± Eran said, still catching his breath. ¡°You can jog in the afternoon or evening,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Since archery is going to take more time now, I think I should focus on it too.¡± ¡°Will your mother let you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s letting me learn swordsmanship.¡± Mum would probably be worried that I was overworking myself. Unification and swordsmanship were already exhausting enough. She definitely wouldn¡¯t let me run around for another couple of hours, even if I split it into two separate sessions. Maybe she would agree to half an hour. Way of Running only measured the distance covered, not the time spent. ¡°I can skip jogging for swordsmanship,¡± Eran said, suddenly jumping back into practice. ¡°I asked Da to teach me last night. Since he was a legionnaire, he should know a thing or two about it. But he said he hadn¡¯t practised in years and had forgotten the forms that would give me the Way.¡± I raised an eyebrow. Five years wasn¡¯t that long to forget something that was once your profession. ¡°I¡¯m going to train until I receive the Way,¡± he declared. I wanted to join him, but my arms wouldn¡¯t allow it. Mum would call me for breakfast any minute now. Besides, I had an interesting book to finish reading. ¡°I¡¯m going to bathe,¡± I said. And meditate while I¡¯m at it. It was a good idea, even if meditation did little to heal the ache in my limbs. Meanwhile, Eran finished practising and left, resting the two wooden canes on the porch. I carried them inside and found breakfast was already served. Father was helping Mum dish it out. ¡°Did Eran leave?¡± she sighed. ¡°I should have told him to stay for breakfast.¡± He probably left because he knew you¡¯d ask him, I mused. Eran was noticeably shy around my parents, especially my father. I couldn¡¯t blame him. I was just as bad at addressing unfamiliar people. Even now, I still felt awkward talking to my own father. ¡°Come on,¡± Mum waved me to my seat. ¡°Training drains a lot of energy. You¡¯ll need more for forging next.¡± ¡°Forging?¡± I raised an eyebrow. Is she finally going to let me enter the workshop? ¡°Well, it''s more like giving you a tour of the workshop, where you watch me forge stuff,¡± she smirked. ¡°For all its worth, swordsmanship doesn¡¯t pay nearly well enough, even if you turn out to be any good at it. Whereas Runesmithing is the wealthiest vocation in the realm.¡± ¡°Arguably,¡± Father added, sipping his water. Mum ignored him with practised ease, her eyes studying my expression. ¡°Why don¡¯t you look as eager as you did when you were learning to poke things with a stick?¡± ¡°You carved the stick,¡± I argued. ¡°And what a fine stick it is,¡± she snorted. "We can postpone the lesson if you feel too drained right now." ¡°No!" I exclaimed. I had been waiting for too long to give up so easily. "I am interested." Mum smiled. "I''ll show you how true forging is work today..." Chapter 17: Fabricator

Chapter 17: Fabricator ¡°So, when do I begin?¡± I asked, a little of my curiosity returning after finishing the meal. I remembered practically pleading with her to take me to her workshop and teach me the runes so that I could help her. That was when Father was still not here with us, and I had no grasp over my own essence to be of any help. Perhaps, that was going to change now. More than getting my primer in forging, I was excited to experience Mum¡¯s workshop for what it was. She had built the workshop underground when she single-handedly constructed our house. While she had taken me in before, I never got the whole tour of the place, and how she did he work. ¡°In a couple of hours,¡± she said. ¡°After you¡¯ve had some rest.¡± ¡°Or you could cast the rejuvenation spell on me,¡± I suggested with a grin, "and we can begin now." Mum shook her head. ¡°I would have, but your essence is growing swiftly. It¡¯s best if we let your body adapt to your essence recovering your stamina passively.¡± I considered her words and sighed. Mum¡¯s spell was already becoming less effective, but the relieving sensation would still have been welcome. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard at first,¡± Mum said, her voice tinged with worry. ¡°But I promise you¡¯ll feel a lot better within a couple of weeks.¡± ¡°Your endurance will grow. Your stamina,¡± Father added, ¡°and your recovery speed as well.¡± ¡°Unless, of course, you find swordsmanship isn¡¯t for you,¡± Mum said. ¡°It¡¯s not really a requirement for Shapers. Take Aunt Emi. She was terrible at it, but that didn¡¯t stop her from reaching Prestige class.¡± ¡°But I might not be terrible at it,¡± I said. While Shapers¡¯ power manifested directly through manipulating the essence of nature, many still found it essential to train in swordsmanship or another weapon¡ªmostly the combat-class Shapers. Aunt Emi was more of a scholar. On that note, perhaps I was delving into too many paths, but that was merely because I found them all interesting. Perhaps there was a trouble of spreading yourself too thin, but I felt none in the elementary grades. I had enough time to train them all. Maybe that would change once my essence seed ignites. ¡°I¡¯m going to read until I¡¯m ready,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°What am I going to do about him?¡± I heard Mum say from the kitchen, as I crept to the study.
The entrance to the basement forge was locked with an essence seal that only Mum could open. She placed her palm against the thick door, and light shimmered into existence, swirling in a perfect circle. The glow dimmed with Mum¡¯s essence unsealing the lock. A soft click echoed, and with a creak, the door unlatched. Inside, it was much colder than I had imagined a forge to be. Fluorescent light constructs flared to life, illuminating the hidden room before us. A small staircase led down, bridging the gap. The basement was vast¡ªalmost half the size of our home¡ªand entirely dedicated to her workshop. It was divided into two sections. On one side were all the instruments: hammers, anvils, a large set of tweezers, and a table stacked with ingots and bricks of various metals. More of the materials were neatly arranged beneath the staircase. Rare metals, alloys, crystallised essence, and leather lined the space. A moderately sized hearth was installed against the far wall, while the side wall was decorated with swords, axes, hammers, arrows, and bows. On the other section stood another table, cluttered with a microscopic device, a forging pen, large stacks of parchment, and other instruments I didn¡¯t recognise. A single chair accompanied the workstation. The forge itself was neither finely furnished nor ornately decorated, but it was marvellously clean and well-lit. ¡°Disappointed?¡± Mum asked. ¡°I guess it¡¯s all archaic compared to what you probably imagined. The old hearth can do everything a plasma smelter can, with some hard effort. We do lack a good refiner or a spectral analyser, but I can do what those cutting-edge mechanisms do.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± I muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t understand half of what you just said, but it sounded wondrous.¡± ¡°That only means you have a lot to learn,¡± she said, her lips curving upwards. ¡°Do you know how we make fabricators?¡± ¡°Fabricators?¡± I repeated, furrowing my brows. ¡°Artifacts, apparatus, relics, magical devices,¡± Mum said with some distaste. ¡°These are the more common terms for it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think ¡®apparatus¡¯ is common, Mum.¡± At least, I had never heard of it. ¡°Nor are artifacts or relics,¡± Mum snorted, ¡°but people see a crudely built sword that can cut wood better than an axe and call it an artifact. In truth, it is merely a sword with a script formation which can fabricate the effect of the [Empower] weave." "So a fabricator is anything that can fabricate weaves?" My brows knitted together. "The process is different, but more or less." Mum was delighted that at least I caught the right term. "Whereas a high-functioning fabricator needs to meet a certain process of production and threshold for it to be called an artifact, and that said artifact, once antiquated, and embodies certain characteristics will become a relic.¡± ¡°That explains why Relics are so rare.¡± I nodded in understanding. ¡°What about an apparatus?¡± ¡°An apparatus isn¡¯t a single tool but a system of tools designed for a specific task. A refiner, for example, extracts the purest forms of ore and metal.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Wow, I love it when Mum gives straight answers. ¡°Now, before I begin my lesson,¡± she crossed her arms, ¡°tell me what you know about the process of forging.¡± I paused, trying to give a more concise answer. ¡°You smelt the metal here first,¡± I said, pointing towards the cold hearth. ¡°Then beat it into shape with a hammer¡­ or use essence to shape it?¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°You engrave all the runes and weaves,¡± I guessed. ¡°You¡¯re mostly right, though we engrave the magic while the metal is still hot,¡± she corrected. ¡°And a hammer isn¡¯t as useful as you think, at least not in the hands of a novice. Most artisans work alongside blacksmiths, but those more proficient in their craft use essence to forge directly.¡± Needless to say, she fell into the latter category. ¡°Can you show me?¡± I asked eagerly. ¡°You making something?¡± Mum looked at my beaming face and smiled. ¡°Sure. What do you want me to make?¡± I froze, swallowing the first answer that came to mind. While a sword might be something stunning, there were already several swords hanging on the walls, along with other weapons and tools. ¡°Choose something smaller,¡± she suggested. ¡°A proper piece takes time.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± I thought hard, finally settling on a very lame answer. ¡°A pen?¡± ¡°An engraving pen?¡± Her gaze flickered to the four different metal pens on the table. ¡°Those are some of the most complex articles to create, despite their size.¡± Well, I was thinking of a normal pen, one that wouldn¡¯t need to be refilled with ink. I told her as much, and her eyes gleamed. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting idea,¡± she murmured. ¡°I wonder why that never crossed my mind.¡± ¡°Maybe because ink is easy to refill?¡± I said Mum hummed, though she didn¡¯t seem to hear me, still lost in thought. ¡°I have a brilliant idea,¡± she said suddenly, coming out of her reverie. ¡°Well, maybe not brilliant, but certainly interesting.¡± She stroked my head. ¡°I definitely know what to get you for your next birthday.¡± A pen with never-ending ink? ¡°But for now, how about an engraver for you to practise rune engraving?¡± I was okay with anything. ¡°But why not the pen of never-ending ink?¡± ¡°Because that idea needs to be revised, drawn into a design, and tested a few times,¡± she said. ¡°First rule of an artisan: you do not begin forging on whims. A good idea deserves good time in the mind and some more on paper before coming to fruition.¡± I nodded along, finding it reasonable. ¡°Whereas I have made dozens of engraving pens and do not require an essence design or schema to get myself working.¡± Still, for my benefit, she swiftly drew one and handed it to me. One page held the outward design with the rune patterns, another held the essence weave¡ªthe machinery that would let me use it without utilising my own essence¡ªand finally, a schema with a plan for the entire construction. Mum said it was a hybrid model that could work with the artisan¡¯s essence or the essence core built within. But, like a normal fountain pen, the essence within was not infinite. ¡°Mum, how much do these things cost?¡± I asked. She had already lit a small fire in the hearth, with an ingot of metal placed into it. ¡°The cost of production is not high,¡± she said, ¡°but since anything involving essence is practically a luxury product, it¡¯s quite expensive. A rune engraver of novice rank can cost up to a hundred silver leafs or two.¡± I sucked in a deep breath. That tiny thing cost so much? It was more than what I needed to fill a large empty shelf with books. ¡°Why do you ask, sweetheart?¡± ¡°I was thinking about what it would cost to buy something good for Rose and Aunt Emi.¡± And for you too. ¡°Hmm,¡± she hummed, turning the heat up, the small metal ingot already smouldering red. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to buy it for them?¡± ¡°I would, but that would make it your gift,¡± I said seriously, ¡°not mine.¡± Mum chuckled. ¡°You are not wrong, though I suppose your aunts will appreciate your thinking.¡± ¡°No, I want to gift them something on my own.¡± ¡°Then you should learn quickly and forge them something they will like,¡± she said fondly. ¡°Now, watch.¡± Threads of yellow light flew from her palm, swirling around the smouldering bronze ingot. Slowly, it floated out of the hearth and hovered in suspension. Under her control, the ingot began to flatten, unfolding into a metal plate as thin as a couple of sheets of paper. I watched with unwavering fascination. Mum shot her palm towards me, and a thread of essence shot towards the table, connecting with the engraving pen there. The thread made contact with the pen, and it flew to her palm. That¡¯s telekinesis, right? I thought but didn¡¯t ask, fearing it might break her concentration. She didn¡¯t use the pen at first. More threads of essence sprung up, forming a tapestry of weaves, glowing in smouldering yellow light. It took several minutes, but my eyes remained glued to the whole process. Mum drew the essence weave into the plate¡ªnot atop it, no, inside the thin metal plate. The process was even slower. I didn¡¯t know if she was slowing it down for my benefit or if the process simply required it. Once that was done, she finally played her hand with the engraving pen. She infused her essence into it as a smouldering nib elongated from the pen. It was almost like an essence thread, but far more physical. Using it, she began drawing the geometric pattern first before engraving the small runes within them. ¡°Many artisans, usually novices, use stencil paper to draw the runes and then transfer them onto the fabricator,¡± she said. ¡°The chance of error is low, though it takes a little more time.¡± ¡°Then why are you not using one?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m proficient enough,¡± she said, golden eyes glued to her work. ¡°And the transferring may leave the synapses between the runes and the essence veins weak.¡± The runes needed essence to work, and the essence veins were the path through which essence travelled inside the metal. If the connection was weak, the output would be less than satisfactory¡ªmaybe even malfunction after some use. Mum finished the rest of the process in about a quarter of an hour, though the end product was far from done. ¡°You can sit down,¡± she chuckled. ¡°The remaining processes are as interesting as swinging a sword.¡± Over the next half hour, she rolled the metal plate into a cylinder in the shape of a pen, connected a small essence core¡ªan amber gem, smaller than a peanut¡ªinto the network, and then forged the nib. ¡°There are classifications in essence cores. Usually, amber, yellow, or golden ones are best for engraving pens or any other enchanting-related fabricators.¡± Finally finished with the product, she handed it to me. ¡°It needs some polishing, but you can inspect it.¡± I could not draw essence out of my body, so the only inspection I could do was turning it on by the little trigger she had put at the end of the pen and trying to draw runes. I already knew them through the puzzles in the cube. Mum handed me a couple of sheets of stencil paper to try. ¡°I knew you were a natural,¡± Mum said, looking over my shoulder at the simple formation of runes I drew. A fire script. Investing any essence into it would cause a flame to manifest. ¡°I studied them on the cube for close to a year to call myself a natural,¡± I snorted. Mum grinned, pulling me into a hug. ¡°Do you feel I cheated you into learning artificing?¡± A little, I thought, but then the spell¡¯s voice echoed in my mind. [A new way is accessible: Rune Engraving I (1/10)] ¡°Not at all,¡± I said, as though convincing myself. ¡°Does the symmetrical form symbolise any practical function?¡± I asked, eerily aware that all the patterns I saw were enclosed in symmetrical geometric forms. Even spell weaves utilised symmetric forms, though not always in geometric shapes. ¡°There is,¡± she said thoughtfully. I waited for her to elaborate. She didn¡¯t. ¡°And that is?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the fun in telling you that? It¡¯s better if you figure it out on your own. Hmm, consider it your first assignment under my tutelage.¡± Chapter 18: Perfect Form

Chapter 18: Perfect Form Books were arguably my favourite things, right on par with delicious food, but I could not eat indefinitely. Thus, books remained my most cherished leisure activity. A captivating story or a book on mystical subjects could keep my hunger at bay for hours. Though some time had passed since I brought home the thirty-odd books, the urge to devour them all was still as strong. I wanted nothing more than to speed-read, moving from one book to the other as fast as I could, but that might cause me to overlook some important things. I forced myself to read slowly, lingering over every word to truly digest them. For the first few days, I carried a book everywhere¡ªthe dining table, the playground, and almost even to the loo. It wasn¡¯t until Mum caught me reading hours past midnight instead of sleeping that she imposed her tyrannical house rules. I was allowed to have a book at the dining table sometimes, but reading after bedtime was strictly forbidden. History had its value, but stories held a special place in my heart. The culture of the realm encouraged people to publish their life stories. When fame was directly involved with the mystical essence, it was really easy to make literature rich and abundant. Of course, embellishment and artistic liberties were inevitable. Many dismissed them as phoney, but I found them enchanting, enhancing the reading experience. It was endearing to read about someone like Emil Thorgen, who had risen from humble beginnings to become a living Hero of the Alberan Empire. Resting the crimson leaf where I left off in the book, I turned to my journal for this week¡¯s entry. Supposedly, the leaves of an elder tree had alchemical uses, but I found them perfect as bookmarks. After some failure, I found daily journaling was not for me. Some days, nothing interesting happened for me to note, while at other times, I was too overwhelmed to record anything. Ultimately, I negotiated with myself to make it a weekly thing. My penmanship had improved significantly over the past year. Rather than a conventional, elaborate style, I had chosen straight, compact lettering, the font small enough that one had to squint to read. I could squeeze two pages¡¯ worth of content onto one, and no, it wasn¡¯t out of desperation for not having enough notebooks. Mum spared no expense on my education, even if she wasn¡¯t entirely convinced about my other training. Like my current practice of writing with my left hand. She probably wouldn¡¯t object, given that I had seen her engraving runes with both palms. She likely felt all this was too much for my tender bones. It took nearly an hour to fill just a couple of pages about my new swordsmanship regimen with the wrong hand. Still, I didn¡¯t stop until, at last, the Spell revealed itself. [A new Way is accessible: Ambi-dexterity I (1/100)] ¡°Finally!¡± I exhaled in relief, and then felt a headache building, thinking about completing the Way. I could do the same writing in mere minutes with my other palm. Hmm, I wonder if I could improve Ambi-dexterity through sword practice. Probably¡ªbut I would have to start from scratch. For the first week, Father had us repeat Whispering Gale in shadow practice and mock battles without introducing anything new. Only when he deemed our forms commendable did he proceed to the next form, Tidal Surge. Needless to say, the second form was far more complex and required significantly more time to master. At this rate, I feared it would be Fall before I got to learn the third. At least rune engraving was more immediately gratifying. Although both Ways counted hours spent training, not actual improvement, it was easier to determine my progress with runes. That reminded me¡ªit was about time I finished my assignment. I brought out my stencil papers, rune engraver pen, and got to work. Although I had unlocked the Way of Ambi-dexterity, attempting to draw with my left hand would be pointless. It would only ruin expensive materials. Mum refused to tell me how much these special papers cost, but I intended to waste none of them. So far, I had learned only one elementary script of the fire element. Engraving it wasn¡¯t particularly difficult, but achieving perfect symmetry was another matter. A slight tremor in my hand or too much pressure in one stroke, and the script was ruined. Even with the engraver pen¡¯s uncanny ability to draw precise lines, it took some time getting used to. Now, I found even drawing a deliberate flaw on the octagonal line was a careful task. To be thorough, I prepared another imperfect script for my experiment, but just as I was about to step outside, the Spell¡¯s voice halted me. [Congratulations! Engraving I (10/10) is complete.] [+2 Arcane Acuity.] This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.[Engraving II (10/25) is now accessible.] ¡°But these scripts aren¡¯t perfect,¡± I muttered. I was already aware of the reward I''d receive, but the message confused me. Does the Spell only count time spent on the craft? It finally dawned on me. That feels so wrong¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that encourage people to repeat the same elementary script endlessly without actually improving? Shaking off my concerns for now, I proceeded with my experiment. I already had answers to Mum¡¯s assignment; now I just needed to collect evidence. I found a dry piece of wood and wrapped the stencil paper around it. If I had my own threads of essence, the process of imparting the runes would have been much easier. Instead, I painstakingly traced over the stencil¡¯s lines onto the wood. Once finished, I opened the small vial of diluted liquid essence Mum had given me. Using the small pencil brush that came with it, I carefully traced the input point of the script and observed. Immediately, the essence flowed through the octagonal path to activate the fire rune. However, the deliberate imperfection on one corner caused a slight delay. While the other seven sides reached the rune almost instantly, the flawed side lagged behind by a moment or two before igniting the wood. That wasn¡¯t all. As I scrutinised closely, the script began to disintegrate from the flawed side. It was designed to provide a steady flame, but instead, the rune burst abruptly, setting the wood alight, rising to a flame higher than myself. I stepped back as the fire flared, but it receded just as quickly, leaving behind pure black charcoal. Huh, that was more fun than I expected, I thought, shaking my head. Without wasting time, I repeated the process with the second script, though this one had a different type of flaw. This time, the rune malfunctioned much faster, with the faulty side disintegrating first. But instead of erupting into a towering blaze, the rune was slowly consumed by its own weak flame. The script acted as nothing but a glorified matchstick. With that out of the way, I returned to the study room and began scribbling. Mum arrived just in time, asking if I wanted to join her in the forge. She asked, not ordered; there was a clear distinction. Before she could leave, I handed her a notebook, flipping to a specific page. ¡°What is this?¡± she asked. ¡°The homework you gave me the other day,¡± I said with a grin, almost certain about my answers. On my first day in the forge, she had demonstrated the fabrication process, showing how most runes were carved symmetrically. When I asked why, she made it an assignment for me to figure it out on my own. So I did. I considered all the factors I was privy to with my meagre knowledge base on the subject before coming up with my experiments. Then I meticulously recorded every detail of my observations, filling more than a few pages. ¡°This is well detailed,¡± Mum murmured, flipping through the pages. ¡°Writing helps me,¡± I said, craning my neck. ¡°It keeps me focused on the facts.¡± The truth was, too much information in my head became overwhelming. Writing it down made everything concrete and easier to analyse. It also freed my mind. ¡°So, what¡¯s your judgment?¡± she asked, her expression unreadable as she mulled something over. ¡°Did you reach an answer?¡± I grinned as she turned to the final page, where I had written my conclusion. Runic designs needed symmetry to function correctly. The more precise the form, the better the rune¡¯s performance. This principle was at least true when it came to circuit integrity and rune efficiency. Also, a symmetrical design allowed runes to operate at full capacity with minimal essence consumption. The imperfect scripts I tested were not only inefficient but also structurally weak. Calling them unstable would be an understatement. Mum hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Anything else you discovered?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Did I miss something in my observations?¡± Not exactly. But there was one question that had been nagging at me since she had given me this assignment. ¡°Mum, do spell forms also need to be symmetrical to work properly?¡± I asked, recalling how all the rejuvenation spells she had cast on me followed symmetrical patterns. She smiled, ruffling my hair. ¡°It¡¯s all about efficiency, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve come to the right conclusion, though you can¡¯t yet explain why symmetry enhances performance.¡± She paused, as though she had forgotten to praise me properly. ¡°Good job. It usually takes a novice months to figure that out.¡± It hadn¡¯t even taken me a week, I thought, but I kept the smugness to myself. She didn¡¯t like gloating, and neither did I. Then again, my success was the result of months of study, ever since she first handed me the cube. We left for the forge underground. As Mum discussed my observations, I asked the question gnawing at me. ¡°But why does a symmetrical form raise efficiency to such a high degree?¡± ¡°You probably would have figured out the rest on your own if you could use your own essence to power formations,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s all about flow distribution¡ªnot just in rune design, but also in essence veins, spell forms, and even within our bodies. The more evenly distributed the flow, the more efficient everything becomes. ¡°When essence pools unevenly, it destabilises the design. It becomes inefficient, and eventually, the structure collapses. There¡¯s also an argument that symmetrical forms allow for the fastest essence flow output.¡± I clicked my tongue. ¡°Blight and ashes, I forgot to measure that.¡± Mum didn¡¯t seem at all disappointed. I had been so focused on analysing flawed scripts and backtracking to the answer that I completely forgot to test with a perfect script. There was still so much to learn. Now I knew symmetrical forms were needed for runes to excel, but that was only where the problem began. There was a huge gap between knowing and applying it in practice. Just knowing wasn¡¯t enough. A scriber needed to be perfect in their scribing to make it symmetrical. Even a tiny mistake, invisible to the naked eye, could eventually make the formation break. ¡°There are many dishonest artisans out there,¡± Mum said, her voice turning serious. ¡°They deliberately leave imperfections in their designs so that the integrity weakens over time. That way, the fabricator malfunctions, and the owner is forced to pay for repairs. Some do it out of greed, others just to survive. Runesmithing is expensive to learn and practise. Either way, the motivation doesn¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s a dishonest practice.¡± She stopped walking and turned to face me, her gaze firm. ¡°I want you to never practise such dishonesty,¡± she said, her voice turning grave. ¡°Your work defines the kind of man you are. If you ever feel like the coins you have aren¡¯t enough, just tell me. Hmm?¡± I nodded like a woodpecker, completely in agreement. Although we were not rich¡ªcertainly not like the Octavius family¡ªwe lived a fulfilling life. Mum provided for everything we needed, and she never hesitated to invest in my education. That was more than enough. Chapter 19: Failsafe

Chapter 19: Failsafe While I took my seat in Mum''s workshop to practise my rune penmanship, she settled on the other side. She usually did paperwork or worked on designs for her next project, but today, she was redecorating the place. I would have liked to watch and help out if I could, but she told me I needed to practise my elementary fire rune. Mum didn¡¯t enforce the 10,000-hour rule zealously like the Spell did. She said I could move on to the next elemental script if I engraved the fire rune ten times in a row without making a mistake. As for attempting my hand at creating a fabricator, I knew it was beyond me until I formed my essence seed. My ability to see essence threads gave me a huge advantage over other novice artisans, but I wasn¡¯t sure how much it helped with essence unification. It had taken Rose eight seasons to form her core, but according to her, two of those seasons were wasted on meditation and training her ability to sense essence, another was spent getting used to the process of unification, and the remaining five were dedicated to igniting her essence seed. My mind was far beyond my years. Ignoring my unique circumstances, the mastery I had over meditation was rare even among the awakened. Combined with Fractal Soul and my high mental acuity, I had all the resources I needed to sense essence and adapt to unification within a week. Unfortunately, it hadn¡¯t even been a full season since I began training in unification, and so far, my centre had been absorbing the essence greedily without showing any signs of igniting the essence seed. If I based my timeline on Rose¡¯s ignition, I was looking at a maximum of four more seasons to finally awaken, three earlier than my official communal awakening date. So why did it still feel slow? I shook my head and completed my fifth script, all taking less than half an hour in total. Engraving demanded far more attention than those lifeless drills did. It was too repetitive to be more fun than an actual sparring session, but perhaps it would get there when I was finally doing my own designing and artificing. As I worked on my next engraving, the room¡¯s temperature abruptly shifted, and a refreshing air surfaced. I faltered and turned to see that Mum had installed some kind of fabricator next to the hearth. It wasn¡¯t large, but it looked far more complex than it initially seemed. A greater probe revealed ley lines of essence veins carved all over the walls surrounding the hearth, extending beyond the room. The engravings covered the entire side of the wall, though most were hidden beneath the surface. Somehow, Mum had managed to engrave the script without needing to slice the wall into parts. It had probably taken her days to finish this project. Perhaps she had begun only after I pointed out how claustrophobic the workshop was. ¡°Well, that takes care of the ventilation problem,¡± she said, a bit haggard but with a satisfied smile plastered on her lips. She had definitely done all this to placate me. Mum wanted me to learn forging, to understand how to craft fabricators. It was clear she wanted to share something she loved, to teach me her craft, but she feared that forcing it on me might make me resent it. In the end, she had decided to make the environment more inviting for me to train. She would likely do everything she could to ease my path into runesmithing. ¡°Maybe we can even install some fancy apparatus when you finally awaken,¡± she suggested. ¡°It¡¯s perfect as it is,¡± I told her, then showed her my work. Mum examined it with a scrutinising gaze and exhaled deeply. ¡°The speed at which you are improving is prodigious.¡± ¡°Perhaps all the play with the Arcane Knot helped,¡± I muttered. ¡°That it certainly did,¡± she said, deep in thought. ¡°Though the culprit should be your ability to see essence threads to the minute details.¡± ¡°If only it helped as much in the way of essence unification,¡± I added suggestively. ¡°Patience, Pumpkin,¡± she said. ¡°You are already far ahead of your age group.¡± I kept my expression neutral as though that didn¡¯t mean anything to me. ¡°Mother would have loved to have a child like you,¡± Mum muttered under her breath and shook her head. ¡°Anyway, I thought it would take you half a season to master the elementary runes, but looking at these¡­¡± She held up my work and inhaled deeply. ¡°It would be a crime if I cannot make you at least a Master runesmith in the next ten years.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. What could I say? It was mostly geometry and repetition. I still wasn¡¯t as precise as I wanted to be, but that would improve with practice. But I had to admit, engraving was almost like spell weaving, at least in theory and in outcome, though the middle process differed greatly. Nobody could tell which one derived from the other, but nobody could deny the unmistakable connection between the two. ¡°Mum, doesn¡¯t it feel wrong to you that the spell acknowledges only the time spent on a Way, rather than actual mastery over it?¡± ¡°Does it now?¡± she asked, bemused. ¡°It does,¡± I insisted. ¡°I intentionally created some flawed scripts but still made progress in the Way.¡± ¡°But did you learn something from it?¡± I scrunched my nose. ¡°I did, but¡­¡± I paused. ¡°Are you saying I¡¯ll make progress as long as I learn something from it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mum replied with a straight face, though something in her eyes told me she wasn¡¯t telling me everything. I stared at her suspiciously for an extended time until she finally caved. ¡°Learning is more important than simply progressing in a Way,¡± she said, ¡°but even if you don¡¯t learn anything, if you just draw the same script over and over, you¡¯ll still be rewarded.¡± My expression stiffened. Mum smiled, clearly amused that I found this unnerving rather than reassuring. ¡°At least, that¡¯s true for a while,¡± she continued. ¡°You see, the higher you go in a Way, the harder it becomes to advance, not just because it takes more time. The difficulty rises too.¡± She raised four fingers. ¡°Take Engraving, for example. You¡¯ll make progress just by drawing the elementary form for only the first four layers. The first hundred hours is roughly the lower average time needed to absorb the basics.¡± ¡°What happens after that?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Mum smirked. ¡°Intermediate runes take up to the seventh layer. After that, it¡¯s all advanced practice.¡± So there was a failsafe in place to keep people from gaming the system. ¡°With how zealously you have been practising all the Ways, I feared you might begin scraping for every attribute point without trying to improve if I told you all that.¡± Mum sighed. ¡°But I¡¯m fully convinced now that my worry is unfounded.¡± Somehow, she managed to look both frustrated and proud when she said that. *****
Later in the evening, I finally completed the fourth layer of the Way of Essence Unification. [Congratulations! Way of Essence Unification IV (100/100) is complete.] [+6 Unallocated points.] [Essence Unification V (100/250) is now accessible.] The reward for the fourth layer was the same as the third. Well, it was quite a lot of unallocated points, but nothing compared to what I would get for completing the next layer. I certainly did not practise simply for the rewards, but it was still a welcome bonus. By now, I had accumulated a total of thirty-seven unallocated points. ¡°Mum, should I invest these points in anything?¡± ¡°You completed the fourth layer already?¡± She paused, noting the change in me, though her fond expression soon became unreadable as she fell into silent contemplation. What was she worried about? I couldn¡¯t tell, and she probably wouldn¡¯t give me a straight answer if I asked her either. She placed her palm on my chest, and her energy flowed into my body. It wasn¡¯t as subtle as it used to be. No, there was no change in the way her essence threads flowed. I had just grown more perceptive to them. ¡°Your centre is growing properly. With each session, you¡¯re getting closer to awakening.¡± My eyes widened sharply. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take?¡± ¡°Only the Oracle knows.¡± Mum shrugged. ¡°It depends on many factors¡ªattributes, one¡¯s affinity, certain gifts, and even the environment. You could probably form an essence seed right now, though it wouldn¡¯t be perfect.¡± She paused briefly before continuing. ¡°Each individual has different capacities, different attributes, and different gifts, which create different needs for their essence seed. But don¡¯t be sad. There is a reason why some people have more essence than others at the same stage. Higher efficiency rate and range as well.¡± I had heard about that from her before. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of quality over quantity¡ªit was both. ¡°Mum, if it takes me longer than expected to awaken, should I go through the Awakening Ceremony or continue through unification?¡± Mum gave me a look. ¡°It won¡¯t take longer,¡± she said matter-of-factly. As if sensing my doubt, she hesitated before adding, ¡°In case you¡¯re worried¡­ I may let you practise for another session if you have 25 points in Arcane Acuity.¡± My heart lurched in excitement, and I immediately turned my gaze towards the mark on my palm. ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty.¡± Mum caught my arm before I could make any rash decisions. ¡°You¡¯re free to invest your points as you like, but you need to understand how important they¡¯ll be for your future growth. Remember, the interval between completing each step of the Way will get longer the further you go.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I receive more points on higher layers, though?¡± For me, the maths checked out. ¡°While that might be the case, you can¡¯t account for any bottlenecks you might encounter on your path. And I don¡¯t have to tell you that higher attributes are superior to their lower counterparts, do I?¡± She stood up, releasing me. ¡°Always think carefully before investing your points. It will save you from a lot of regret in the future.¡± ¡°So I shouldn¡¯t invest in Arcane Acuity?¡± ¡°Did I say that?¡± I tilted my head. You didn¡¯t say it outright, but that was definitely how it came across to me. ¡°I advised you to consider everything before committing fully to an attribute,¡± she said, turning to leave me with my thoughts. You can¡¯t just leave after giving me a lecture! I shouted inwardly. But deep down, I knew she wanted me to decide for myself¡­ to come to the right conclusion. Letting out a deep breath, I flopped onto the couch and opened my notebook. I needed to calculate how long it would take to complete more layers of Essence Sense and Engraving. After all, those two Ways rewarded points directly into Arcane Acuity. Chapter 20: Rune Magic Chapter 20: Rune Magic In the end, I did not invest any of my unallocated points into Arcane Acuity. As it turned out, I merely needed to complete three layers of Way to reach 25 points in the advanced attribute, and all three were already close to completion. Well, not Engraving, but I was so new to the path that I could practically complete the next two layers in two weeks if I put my mind to it. Then there was Essence Sense. My progress stood at (928/1,000). In about 72 more hours, I would gain 8 points in Arcane Acuity¡ªmore than half of the points I needed. In the next two days, I managed to draw ten perfect elementary Fire runes in a row, which meant Mum would finally allow me to inscribe them onto metal pieces and potential fabricators. However, I hadn¡¯t asked her yet. Instead, I put my mind to the other elemental runes¡ªEarth, Water, and Air¡ªand began practising those. There were many variations within these elements: ice or vapour for Water, metal or sand for Earth, and don¡¯t even get me started on Wind. It was arguably the most complex elementary rune I had practised. Water was as easy as Fire. It had two alternative runes¡ªone that absorbed vapours and humidity from the air to form water, and the other that simply transformed essence into water. The first was more complicated but more cost-efficient; the latter burned essence to produce water, but its formation was quite similar to the Fire rune. I practised both. Since I had already perfected the Fire rune, mastering them wasn¡¯t too difficult. The octagonal forms were identical; only the inner runes needed practising. Five days after Mum¡¯s promise, I completed the second layer of Rune Engraving. [Congratulations! Rune Engraving II (25/25) is complete.] [+2 Arcane Acuity.] [Way of Rune Engraving III (25/50) is now accessible.] It was only the beginning. I stole time from my playing hours and even from other activities such as reading, painting, and music to practise Engraving. Since I had been working on foreign essence, there was no strain on my body. Instead of being pleased to see my growing interest in runes, Mum had become pensive. She should have been more careful before issuing me this challenge. Well, she didn''t throw it as a challenge, more like an olive branch, but I took it as a challenge to achieve my goal in the shortest time, and that too, without spending any unallocated points. I didn¡¯t practise after bedtime or during my recreation period, however, fearing she might confiscate my stencil papers and engraving pen, as she did with my books. Besides, Engraving required a sound mind and focus; if I didn¡¯t get enough sleep, my work would suffer. While I was entranced with runes, I didn¡¯t neglect my Essence Unification sessions with her either. She still supervised me through every step, even though I had memorised every nook and cranny of my essence channels. One hour of Essence Unification progressed both Essence Sense and Unification by one point, since I needed to fully sense the essence within my body to draw it. At that rate, it would have taken me half a season to complete the seventh layer of Essence Sense. Thankfully, that wasn¡¯t the case. Even when working with foreign essence in Engraving, I still had to sense it, and make sure the lines were precise, the runes perfect. That, too, counted toward the Way of Essence Sense. Additionally, I could simply sense essence anywhere, In my free time, I began scrutinising every little fabricator we had at home. From the tubewell that supplied water to the water heater and kitchen appliances, there were even runes and essence veins carved on the walls of our house to keep it warm during winters and withstand those ashen storms. I was in the middle of Essence Unification when it happened. I was so grossly aware that it would happen that the Spell didn¡¯t find it improper to announce the good news I had been dying to hear. [Congratulations! Essence Sense VII (1000/1000) is complete.] [+8 Arcane Acuity. +8 Focus.] [Way of Essence Sense VIII (1000/2500) is now accessible.] [Congratulations! You have met the criteria to evolve your elementary attribute Focus.] [Please choose between two advanced attributes: Split Focus | Immovable Concentration.] ¡°Whooa!¡± My mouth parted in stunned awe. I wasn¡¯t aware this was going to happen. It had been so long since I received a prompt like this. ¡°What happened?¡± Mum asked, narrowing her eyes at me. ¡°I just completed the seventh layer of Essence Sense,¡± I told her, my lips curving upwards into a grin. ¡°So you only need three more points now, hmm¡­¡± Mum murmured, and then it finally dawned on her. ¡°Did it¡­ did it upgrade your Focus?¡± My brows knitted together. Even the book I had bought on attributes and the Ways didn¡¯t have any information on this¡ªthat I might get the chance to upgrade an attribute. I supposed it made sense that she knew. She had likely completed the Way long ago and reaped all its benefits. ¡°It gave me two options,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°Split Focus and Immovable Concentration.¡± I let the words hang in the air, waiting for her advice. ¡°Lucky,¡± Mum said, pinching my cheek. ¡°In my time, mine upgraded to Immovable Concentration without giving me a choice.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Why didn¡¯t it give you a choice?¡± I frowned. And why was I given a choice? Why didn¡¯t the Spell just spell the criteria outright in the prompt? ¡°Because I wasn¡¯t as diligent as you,¡± she said fondly, ¡°and didn¡¯t meet the necessary requirements. I imagine reaching fifty points in that attribute shaped the options you received. Remember, just like the threshold in the Ways, there is one for an attribute. Twenty-five is the lowest mark when the attribute begins to show its true mystical capacity, fifty is where it evolves, and then one hundred.¡± ¡°What happens at one hundred?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°That is for you to find out, Pumpkin.¡± Mum smiled mysteriously. ¡°Just know that one hundred is the threshold that most Awakened never manage to cross.¡± So it was another thing where experiencing it first-hand would be better than learning from others. Still, all this felt important enough to be covered in the book I bought. There was nothing about this sort of information in there. I etched all the information into my mind before finally asking the question she would give an answer to. ¡°Which one should I choose?¡± ¡°Pick whichever you like. There¡¯s no wrong choice.¡± ¡°I¡¯m gravitating towards Split Focus,¡± I told her, ¡°thinking it would enable me to concentrate on two things at the same time?¡± ¡°It will,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Not in the way you¡¯re probably imagining. At first, you¡¯ll be able to focus on one highly demanding task and another that requires only minimal attention. Essence Unification and solving a mathematics problem, for example.¡± ¡°Will that change if I gain more points in the attribute?¡± ¡°You already have over fifty, which means you¡¯ll be plenty good at multitasking in no time.¡± Mum sighed and shook her head. ¡°That is to say, there will always be the trouble of over-exhausting yourself.¡± That pretty much sealed my decision. Still, I forced myself to learn about the other attribute before choosing. "Immovable Concentration is a good option too," she supplied. "I had it for years. It lets me enter a state of deep focus instantly, no matter the situation. But this too does not come without a risk. You can completely lose track of time. "Once, I focused so intensely on my work that I forgot everything else. Two days later, I found myself with my project finished, my eyes bloodshot, my clothes filthy, and my stomach painfully empty. I must have lost a couple of kilograms in those two nights." Wow. That certainly made me deliberate over the choices a bit more. Then I remembered her actual words. "You said you had Immovable Concentration," I asked. "What do you have now?" "I was waiting to see when you were going to ask that." Mum¡¯s lips curled into a grin. "Of course, it¡¯s a higher form of Split Focus. How do you think I keep track of so many essence threads during my work?" Without wasting another breath, I prompted the Spell to grant me Split Focus. A sharp, impaling pain stabbed through my mind, sending me flailing on the meditation mat the very next moment. Mum caught me, her hands running over my back gently, telling me I¡¯d be fine. The last time this happened, she had to stay awake the whole night to make sure nothing went amiss. The process was far more instantaneous this time around. Within moments, the pain receded, and the spell¡¯s voice rang in my mind once again. [Your elementary attribute Focus has evolved into Split Focus (Advanced).] I didn¡¯t forget to complete my Essence Unification session when Mum asked, "You¡¯re not going to take the day off from Rune Engraving, hmm?" I shook my head. I had barely begun to make strides in the Way. Why would I stop? Not to mention, I only needed a few more hours of work to pass the third layer. Mum clicked her tongue. "I guess it is time to show you the more complex runes," she said. "Hope you don¡¯t burn out too quickly." When I turned to leave for the workshop, Mum pointed towards the couch, suggesting we¡¯d have the class here today. I had no problem practising in the study room. It wasn¡¯t like I could actually forge anything yet. As I settled on the couch, Mum stood before me, composing the lecture in her mind. "There are a bunch of elementary runes you need to learn, but these four"¡ªMum raised four fingers and began counting them one by one¡ª"Amplification, Acceleration, Transformation, and Restoration, are irreplaceable in the creation of a fabricator. We may not need all in a fabricator, but having them certainly helped. We''ll start with Amplification." Before explaining what the rune did¡ªthough I could already guess¡ªshe traced it in the air with her essence. She had been doing that a lot, knowing I could see it clearly. Within a moment, an octagonal model materialised before me, shimmering in a golden glow. "And I thought Wind runes were complicated," I muttered, shaking my head. Although this one also followed the octagonal form, the runes inside were far longer and more spiralled than the strange letters used in elemental runes. "You¡¯ve probably already figured out what it does," Mum said, drawing another rune alongside it. As it came to be, I recognised it as an elementary Wind rune. She released the Wind rune at my face. A gentle burst of air struck me, barely ruffling my hair before fading. "An elementary rune is hardly effective on its own," Mum said, forming another Wind rune. "But what if I add the same rune with the Amplification rune?" The two runes merged seamlessly, leaving not even a hair¡¯s width of space between them. Without waiting for me to prepare, she released the new compound rune. Thankfully, not in my face this time. She directed it above my head. Still, the gust of wind whipped my hair wildly, with a tearing force that might have ripped my hair from my scalp if she hadn¡¯t directed it elsewhere. Only a few books flew off the shelves. "This is like spellcasting!" My breath caught. I jumped off the couch, eyes widening with excitement. "What was that again?" Mum¡¯s lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Are you finally taking an interest in the runes?" "I was always interested," I replied, "but I didn¡¯t know this was possible. I thought runes always needed a medium, like fabricators or those essence charms, to activate their... spell." What she had just shown me was practically spellcasting. Of course, the wind was not threatening like a Windblade, but she would only need to use a Wind rune variant to concentrate the wind¡¯s power into a jagged edge. "This is spellcasting?" I asked. "We have a fancy term for it." Mum¡¯s smile reached her eyes. "It¡¯s called Spell Forging, and by no means is it inferior to conventional casting." "When can I learn this?" I asked, my excitement soaring. "Obviously," Mum laughed, "after you awaken. But even then, it takes considerable effort to become as proficient in Rune Magic as in the conventional way of Weaving. I think you¡¯ll do just fine, considering your gift and attributes. But of course, there is always the fear of spreading yourself too thin. To both our relief, you don¡¯t have to worry about that today." Now that the demonstration was over, I put my mind to practising the new rune and completing the third layer of Rune Engraving. I had so many questions about Spell Forging, but I held them back for now. Getting my Arcane Acuity to 25 points took precedence. After all, I could practise none of the forging without the ability to draw essence outside my body. Sensing I might struggle to replicate the form she had shown me, Mum lent me a bunch of stencil papers where she had drawn the Amplification script, emphasising different parts. I spent an extended time studying every intricate detail of the rune. Even then, I expected that I¡¯d fail a few times before getting used to the new script. But I almost succeeded on my very first try. Despite the complexity and my doubts, I found it surprisingly manageable, even if my hands weren¡¯t particularly attuned to drawing it yet. Perhaps it was the new advanced attribute, and having over fifty points in it. Arcane Acuity itself made me inherently intuitive about all essence-related business. Was that why Mum insisted I reach 25 points before allowing me to practise more? A question I would contemplate when I had free time. For now, I had runes to master. It took a couple of days, and finally, the spell enunciated the long-awaited words. [Congratulations! Rune Engraving III (50/50) is complete.] [+4 Arcane Acuity.] [Way of Rune Engraving IV is now accessible.] With that, the challenge was complete. I now had 26 points in Arcane Acuity, which meant Mum would let me continue practising Unification for another session. At this rate, I was looking at a timeline of just a couple of seasons before I finally awakened. Perhaps even sooner. I cannot wait. Chapter 21: Progress Chapter 21: Progress "When are you going to teach us the third form?" I asked, wiping a line of sweat from my face. My wooden training sword rested on my other arm, its brown colour darkening over the past month, marking the time I had spent with it. "When it is time," Father said vaguely. "Blight and ashes, you¡¯re becoming as bad as Mum," I swore. "You have not yet mastered the first two forms," He said. "There is no need to rush." "If I haven''t mastered them," I said, furrowing my brows, "then why did you teach Tidal Surge before I even mastered the first form?" "Whispering Gale alone is too simple," he shrugged. "You needed another form to truly have good practice going." I let out a small mewl before turning to Eran, who sat cross-legged¡ªnot meditating, just doing some breathing exercises. Along with my father and my wooden cane, Eran had been my constant companion in practice. I could only recall one morning he hadn''t shown up, ignoring all the others when the ashen storm had plagued our days. What Father taught us was none of his concern. Eran absorbed all his teachings without complaint. "Is it because you think we¡¯ll quit?" I asked hesitantly. "Is that why you refuse to teach the third form?" His expression froze as his eyes focused on me. "Where did that come from?" "Mum doesn¡¯t like me practising swordsmanship," I told him. I figured Eran¡¯s parents felt the same. Father shook his head. The war had ended centuries ago. Adventurers and soldiers were enough to maintain peace in the realm. Not all Awakened needed to pick up swords or staves to defend against the forces of evil. "Your mum wants many things," Father said, kneeling beside me. "What she doesn¡¯t want is for you to get hurt. If she didn¡¯t approve of me teaching you, I wouldn¡¯t have been training you all these weeks." "I hardly get hit," I countered. Even though we practised with wooden swords, they were still rough on our tender skin. We were building a resistance to pain, but the days of getting bruised up were only beginning. There was a duality in Mum in how she wanted to raise me. One part of her wanted to snuggle me in her arms, shielding me from whatever the world might throw my way. The other wanted to forge me into the best version of myself. She was far more forceful about the former than the latter. She didn¡¯t want me spending my unallocated points, but instead of forbidding it outright, she laid out every reason why it was a bad idea and left the decision to me. Even then, I could argue she was still being too cautious. "However, I did try to dissuade you," Father said, his eyes shifting to Eran. "Both of you." I looked up at him. "What? Why?" "Nobody asked me to do it," he said, dismissing any accusations that might have risen in my throat. "I needed to see that you two wouldn¡¯t give up halfway. Every child wants to swing a blade and become a knight, unaware of the hard work it takes to get there. I needed to make sure you two possessed the perseverance to withstand some gruelling training in your early days." As I listened, my expression couldn¡¯t have been uglier. "Anyway, get back to your training." Eran didn¡¯t seem the least bit offended by my father¡¯s admission. Instead, he simply prepared for another round, taking his position before me. He was just glad to be here. Glad to be practising. I could only sigh and follow through. While we sparred on one side of the yard, Father watched, until a group of people arrived at our house, accompanied by a few boys our age. Four to be exact, and I recognised some familiar faces among them¡ªKash and Markus, our playmates. "Continue practising," Father commanded before we could even break focus. We fell back into rhythm, fending off each other¡¯s attacks. Using Split Focus, I divided part of my attention between their conversation and my sparring match with Eran. Mum had come out from the kitchen, greeting the visitors and joining the discussion. News had already spread about Father teaching me and Eran swordsmanship, and now, it seemed they had come to see for themselves. From what I could tell, we would be getting more sparring partners in the coming days. None of the children that tagged along were Awakened, though they bore the same mark on their palms, waiting for their dates in the communal Awakening ceremony. But before that, their parents thought it would be good practice to put them through basic swordsmanship drills. "The Way of Swordsmanship is a bit tricky to grasp," said the leading man I didn¡¯t recognise. "Some lucky ones get it within a few days of swinging a blade, while others miss it for weeks, no matter what they try." "What we want is for you to show our children the way," said the only woman in the group. She had distinctive facial features similar to Kash, and her age suggested she could only be his mother. Father turned towards the four boys¡ªone was picking his nose, two stood idly, while Kash had joined Eran and me, watching our sparring. "I¡¯m not against teaching others," Father said hesitantly. "But there are a few things we need to agree upon beforehand." "Of course, of course, we wouldn¡¯t ask you to do charity." Father narrowed his eyes. "I''m not asking you to pay me." A few of them looked relieved at that, though the leading man hesitated. "There is one thing, though," Father added. "I need to make sure they truly want to learn swordsmanship, and that they¡¯re not just doing it out of pressure." "That¡¯s obvious, ain''t it?" the balding man said, pushing Markus forward. "You ain''t gonna find a single kid who doesn¡¯t want to swing a blade while riding a red dragon." Father shook his head, as though they weren¡¯t understanding him. Seizing her chance, the woman spoke. "We can¡¯t simply allow you to teach our sons for free. We came because none of us have the skill. We thought it would be better for them to receive a lesson or two in swordsmanship before joining the institution once they Awaken. What we can offer probably isn¡¯t nearly enough to hire a true swordsman, but we hope you will accept."Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Father exchanged a look with Mum, who nodded, and he finally acquiesced. And with that, the number of my sparring companions rose by four more. Or so I thought. The next morning, all four showed up with their parents. The day after was another story. Only two turned up on time. The last two arrived when we were already halfway through the drills. Father merely sighed and forgave their tardiness but otherwise paid it no mind. It didn¡¯t end there. As though inspired by the others'' lateness, the first two also began failing to show up on time. However, their attendance wasn¡¯t the only thing that irked me; their practice did as well. Most of them went through the drills upon arrival, but their arms and legs remained stiff, as if they had been dragged here against their will. They had no real interest in learning swordsmanship. At least Kash had tried in the beginning, but being surrounded by unwilling pupils didn''t help. I saw the enthusiasm wither in him like an untended flower in a vase. Once they realised how repetitive and dull the training was, their numbers dwindled within a week. Two of them left, claiming they had already learned the essentials and could continue practising at home. Is it because they don¡¯t want to pay for Father¡¯s teaching? I considered. But Father had outright told them he didn¡¯t need any compensation. Whatever the reason, the way those kids and their parents treated my father felt outright disrespectful. Father, however, didn¡¯t seem the least bit offended. He simply trained those who showed up. Eran¡¯s father, Dallin Stonecutter, came to watch his son practise now and then. He spoke briefly with my father before leaving each time, never staying until our training ended. I noticed that Eran became distracted whenever he was near during practice. Then finally, the day I had been waiting for arrived. [Congratulations! Way of Swordsmanship I (100/100) is complete.] [+2 Alacrity, +2 Body Coordination.] [Way of Swordsmanship II (100/1000) is now accessible.] "I got it!" I shouted mid-spar, immediately pulling up my profile. Armed Combat was still 27 points away from completion. Perhaps I could finish it within the month, along with Running II and Rune Engraving IV. "Finally!" Eran grinned at me, clapping me on the shoulder. He had been refining his forms even during off-time and had completed the first layer of swordsmanship a couple of weeks ago. "Now, if you¡¯d just finish the second layer of Running, you wouldn¡¯t be so painfully slow." I snorted but couldn¡¯t deny his claim. While I had saved up all my attribute points, Eran had invested everything into Fortitude and Agility. The only reason I still managed to keep up with him in sparring was through my high mental attributes. On that note, the second layer of Way of Running wasn¡¯t far from completion either. I didn¡¯t train it as rigorously as Eran did, but the time spent running around and playing had done most of the work for me. I could see it completing in a week or two, though I wanted it completed sooner. I hadn''t been paying much attention to physical-related Ways other than swordsmanship for some time now. If I counted my actual training hours, they¡¯d amount to only about five per day. Well, six now, after Mum agreed to another hour of Essence Unification. Meditation did not count. It had become just a peace-inducing habit, a daily ritual like brushing my teeth or eating meals. My real training was broken into two hours of Essence Unification, two hours of Swordsmanship practice, and a few hours of studying Rune Engraving and other subjects. I didn¡¯t count my leisure reading. I did it purely for pleasure. The same went for music and painting, though I had neglected both in the past few days. To my utter disappointment, I had not turned out to be a prodigy in music or art. I knew how to appreciate them and took care to do so, but appreciating and creating were as different as night and day. The difficulty of crafting something truly unique and great only deepened my respect for musicians and artists. I completed Running II before the fourth layer of Rune Engraving. The rewards only made me question why I hadn¡¯t done it sooner. [Congratulations! Way of Running II (1000/1000) is complete.] [Congratulations! You have awakened the Advanced attribute: Fortitude.] [+2 Agility, +2 Fortitude.] [Way of Running III (1000/10000) is now accessible.] With this, the swordsmanship drills became a bit easier. Perhaps if I spend a couple dozen unallocated points in Fortitude, Mum wouldn¡¯t worry so much about me getting hurt¡­ Then I shook my head. Who am I kidding? She¡¯d never stop worrying. My Rune Engraving practice was mostly smooth sailing. Well, except for one rune. Most of my study sessions were dedicated to learning four new runes. Each was vastly different from the elemental runes I had studied before. But the Restoration Rune was something else entirely. It alone took twice as long to master. As the name suggested, Restoration restored, but not the object itself. Rather, it preserved other runes from erosion. This alone made it invaluable, especially for combat fabricators, whose runes tended to degrade first. It was considered an elementary rune but had the complexity of an advanced one. Typically, pupils weren¡¯t introduced to it until they had mastered the rest of the elementary runes, not to mention many never managed to master it. Given its importance, I had to dedicate extra hours, nearly twenty whole hours, to it. The Transformation Rune was the easiest and arguably the most used in fabrication, alongside Amplification. Its function was to transform rare mystic materials or essences into other forms, much like how elemental runes worked. Acceleration had moderate difficulty and was mostly used in bows, arrows, or other ranged weapons. Finishing all those eight, I practised a few variations of these runes, combining them with one another, when finally it happened. [Congratulations! Way of Rune Engraving IV (100/100) is complete.] [+4 Arcane Acuity.] [Way of Rune Engraving V (100/250) is now accessible.] With that, my elementary education in runes had officially ended. Unlike swordsmanship, rune studies had not been particularly difficult or physically straining. But I was eerily aware that I had barely scratched the surface. Maybe I¡¯ll get a good handle on the advanced forms of these runes before I awaken¡­ Without wasting any more breath, I summoned up my Profile. [Profile] Arylin Arcis O''Ryon Age: 2 Years 502 days. Path: U/A Honours: U/A Attributes [7/10] (Unallocated Points: 37) Gift: Ways: In progress: Meditations IX (2946/5000) | Essence Sense VIII (1108/2500) | Essence Unification V (156/250) | Engraving V (100/250) | Running II (1005/10000) | Swordsmanship II (112/1000) | Armed Combat I (82/100) | Balance II (983/1000) | Ambi-dexterity I (47/100) | Swimming I (78/100) | Education III (7344/10000) | Sneak II (216/1000) | Evasion III (1781/10000) | Music II (149/1000) | Painting II (112/1000) | Archery III (1204/10000) | Self Mastery (2/10) | Perseverance III (38/50) | Fractal Sight I (2/10) One of these days, I''m going to awaken, I mused, looking at my profile conspiratorially. One of these days! ___________ Chapter 22: Leecher Vine Chapter 22: Leecher Vine It was a rare, perfect day of summer. The temperature was mild, the sky an abstract of more white than blue, and the absence of dust storms made it ideal for an outing in the wild. A few stray clouds swirled gently as morning sunlight filtered through the atmosphere. The warm weather allowed us to enjoy the day without putting on traditional heavy clothing, though we wore the best hiking gear we had on hand. I wore a simple tunic with a sleeveless leather vest over it, complemented by thick leather trousers. My hiking boots were slightly big for my feet. Mother assured me that they would be a perfect fit by the autumn. Given how fast I was growing, I could only agree. A similar outfit draped over Eran, though his was sleeveless, sporting a straw hat to shield himself from the sun. My friend didn¡¯t forget to bring along his oversized bow and a quiver full of arrows. His father finally allowed him to carry those, though only after learning my parents were coming along on this trip. Other than him, only Father brought any weapon. He leaves for nowhere without his trusty longsword. Mum was in her usual full-sleeved robe, her hair bound in a bun atop her head, as she led the group through the rocky terrain. Her nonchalant poise suggested she was used to trudging through the mountain paths many a time. The first time I had come to the mountains was with my mum and aunts. We had a great time hiking all day and hunting small game for a feast. Aunt Emi shared stories of their youth and adventures, mostly involving how unruly Mum had been in her younger days. Mum had, obviously, denied it all with a straight face. Eran, however, had visited more often, usually with his da, either hunting or collecting herbs and other items. The forests here were rich with hardwood trees. Even a single one that had stood a decade against the storms was a small fortune, though carrying one back to the valley was more trouble than it was worth for most folks. During spring, the forest was more lush with vibrant greenery, but with the autumn around the corner, the wild forests would soon turn dull under the ashen storms. These dust storms swept through the land like a plague. Though they didn¡¯t kill the hardwood trees, they made their leaves seem dead. And that was after the peaks obstructed the storms¡¯ path. I could not imagine how the people of Thera endured it. Well, in their communal ziggurat forts, I¡¯d presume, but life must be so different for those people, shut within the walls for more than half the year, unable to see much of the sun. ¡°You know the peaks were a place of pilgrimage once,¡± Mum said, glancing over the cliff. She chose the left path and led us down. ¡°Because of the sacrarium?¡± I asked. We had a grand chapel in Karmel, tracing back to the early days of the Alberan Empire. Although it was much older than the one in Klearon, time had left it in ruins, its structure crumbling, with only the skeletal remains standing. ¡°It was before the ascension of the Oracle,¡± Mum said, sparing me a look. ¡°Before the empire, and perhaps even before the rise of Althelon. And I¡¯m not talking about the sacrarium¡ªat least not the one we had in Karmel.¡± My brows knitted together, but I didn''t pester her, knowing she would get to her point. ¡°Back then, civilisation was more fragmented,¡± she continued, ¡°with no Grand Spell helping them advance in the Path. The blighted storms were far more merciless.¡± I stepped carefully behind her, following her exact path. Father and Eran after me. ¡°Many tribes and regions had different answers for how to save themselves from the storm. Some built underground shelters, some impressive fortresses, and many devoted themselves to the mercy of the deities. This was a time before the Awakened powers flourished. Essence weaving was more intuitive than the science-based study that it is nowadays. There were only about one or two Gifted in tribes of a couple of thousand folks...¡± She turned to give me a look, making sure I was listening. ¡°Anyhow, while others succumbed to praying to the forces of nature, there used to be a tribe of godless folks who flourished in the mountains. They carved out dwellings, cut into the mountains, built huge shrines and castellums, and somehow remained unmolested by the storms.¡± Mum faltered on the path and pointed to a downward glade. ¡°We need to get there.¡± I considered her words as she helped me down the steep slope. ¡°You said they were godless folks,¡± I asked, ¡°then why did they build shrines?¡± ¡°There are many contradictions to anything about these folks. Althians, they were called," she said, looking distantly towards one of the peaks from where the river Anileo flowed. "Some believed they were mere wanderers who came across the ruins of a past civilisation. Some think of them as the shepherds of the people, who shaped our world. "We mostly presumed these folks did not pray to our deities, but they did pray to something¡­¡± Mum continued, almost sounding envious. ¡°They worshipped the will of the Aether and sought to join the great astral bodies in the astral plane once their cycle of life was severed.¡± I tilted my head, barely understanding the concept. If I was getting what she said, it meant they worshipped mystic power? ¡°For their time, Althians were vastly adept in the ways of essence. Before the Spell made it easily accessible, they were the ones who established the paths. ¡°Legends say a part of the tribe broke away from here to form Althelon originally,¡± Mum said with a smile. ¡°If we trace our ancestry back to Althelon, it would not be wrong to assume we share some lineage with those godless folks.¡± I still did not understand her envy of these people of bygone times. Perhaps she wished to understand them and their ideologies towards mysticism and divinity. But I still thought living in the mountains sounded miserable. The river snaked its way along the side of the glade, providing a good spot for us to settle down for lunch. Mum got busy unpacking while Father eyed the forest ahead.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can find something fresh for us to eat,¡± he said, setting down his baggage. He turned to us. ¡°Who wants to come along?¡± Eran raised his arm, but I hesitated, glancing at Mum, wanting to help her. She waved me away. ¡°Go, hunt some mighty game for us to feast upon. And be careful out there.¡± With that, we crept eastward along the riverbank, heading deeper into the wilderness. The great backdrop of the scenic white cliffs disappeared behind the canopies as we trudged through the wild. Though the Candor Mountains weren¡¯t the highest, their vast expanse was staggering. ¡°All right, my little men,¡± Father said. ¡°You know the rules.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wander off alone,¡± Eran said, counting on his fingers, ¡°and ask for help if we find anything, or before we get in trouble.¡± Father nodded, though there was little chance of encountering anything dangerous out here. Most of the wildlife here consisted of honey badgers, wild foxes, or perhaps a few hyenas or wolves, though they rarely ventured near the valley. Unless we went at least a hundred miles deeper into the mountains, there was no chance of encountering them. Mystical creatures like snow elk or winterheart stags migrated to colder regions during the summer. After creeping around for half an hour, all we found were a few small flying squirrels and some greenish lizards. Nothing to make a meal out of. I did collect some basil leaves and other fragrant herbs, but it wasn¡¯t much. Then, finally, I found a bird perched on a tree branch, its form resembling a ball with a pointy head and an even pointier beak sticking out. I nudged Eran on the shoulder and whispered, ¡°Look, a bird!¡± He turned to look where I pointed. ¡°It¡¯s a roroa.¡± The lack of feathers was a dead giveaway. My shoulders slumped as I remembered that roroas couldn¡¯t fly. They were more like wild siblings to chickens, but far uglier. Birds were a rarity in the West. With the dust, ash, gales, and snowstorms, they didn¡¯t have an easy time flying, though there were some occasional songbirds in spring. As if sensing our gaze, the bird turned its head towards us. Eran wasted no time. He equipped his bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed at the featherless bird as it tilted its head. The arrow flew, but the bird darted from branch to branch, moving rapidly until it disappeared from sight. "Blight ashes, it''s fast!" he swore. ¡°You¡¯ll have a hard time hunting a small creature like that out in the open,¡± Father told him. ¡°Signal me if you find something useful again.¡± Eventually, we tracked down the roroa. Well, Father did. We simply followed him. As it turned out, the bird had led us to another of its kind. Both perched on a thin branch before noting our presence. This time, Eran was ready with an arrow, but before he could make his move, Father acted. His arm flashed in a motion too fast for human eyes to follow. Something shot from his palm. A moment later, one of the roroas tumbled over, while the other fled, chirping loudly. ¡°That should be enough for the four of us,¡± Father muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s go collect it.¡± Eran and I practically ran to where the bird had fallen, Father following behind. It had tumbled down the tree¡¯s branches and rolled far down the slope. Thankfully, it was still within sight. We found the featherless bird dead, a small knife embedded in its body. I had no idea Father carried those. I was about to inspect, to look at what runes they bore, when his voice faltered us on our track. ¡°Wait!¡± I turned to find him scanning his surroundings, eyes sharp with alertness. ¡°There¡¯s something here.¡± Without hesitation, he unsheathed his blade, gesturing with his other arm for us to stand behind him. Cautiously, he approached a nearby shrub, sword raised in his right hand, adopting the First Form. With his backhand, he gestured something I failed to catch. Probably telling us to stay back? As he inched closer, something burst from the tall bush. A thorny, serpentine form, green and writhing, lashed at him with great speed and power. Father moved before the attack could land, his form blurring for a blink of an eye. His blade struck true, severing the viny, snake-like limbs with precision. ¡°What was that?¡± my friend croaked, stepping back. I, too, became fully alert as the answer came to me. ¡°Leecher vines.¡± A kind of awakened plant¡ªa forest fiend¡ªthat thrived by leeching the life force from living creatures. Normally, leecher vines weren¡¯t supposed to grow this large, but it seemed this one had absorbed enough nourishment to reach its current size. More vines slithered from the hedge, longer now, their jagged thorns gleaming. Sharp leaves swathed them, each filled with pinkish pores capable of draining the life from any organism. Father didn¡¯t wait ceremoniously for its attack to land. He leapt forward, slicing through the writhing vines with meticulous precision. There was nothing chaotic in his technique. Every movement was deliberate and controlled, following the Forms. He moved so fast my eyes barely registered the motions, but I could tell he was using more than just the first two Forms. Severed vines fell as he advanced, leaving thick tendrils and miry green fluid in his wake. The forest fiend was deeply rooted, its main stem buried so far underground that it could only target creatures within the reach of its vines, which, depending on maturity, could span over a dozen metres. This one had barely reached maturity. So far, it had survived through trickery and camouflage, blending into the surrounding shrubbery to ensnare prey. I had read that common forest fiends like leecher vines didn¡¯t prey on neighbouring plants. Instead, they nourished the surrounding underbrush to ensure a natural disguise. Well, that hardly helped this time around. Father didn¡¯t even have to reach the base of the plant to end it. His blade flashed in the final release of Whispering Gale. A nearly invisible burst of power shot from the sword, severing the stem from its root in a single, clean strike. The vines stopped moving, falling lifelessly to the ground. ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d find something like this out here,¡± Father said, sheathing his sword. He fished out a small knife from his clothes and crept closer. Crouching beside the now-lifeless forest fiend, he began digging at its root. The main stem''s girth was as thick as an adult''s waist and tougher than it looked, but he didn''t seem to be having any trouble with it, just as he hadn''t had with severing it. Unable to help myself, I asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Forest fiends don¡¯t tend to die just because their stem is severed,¡± Father rasped as he worked. He dug through the soil and pulled at the main root with his bare hands. It looked like an impossible task, yet somehow he made it look effortless. ¡°Remember, kids, if you do something, be thorough. Never half-arse it.¡± With that, he hacked into the main root with his knife, prying it open. Eventually, he unearthed a fist-sized bead, seeping with green and grey juices. Arcane Acuity buzzed in the back of my mind as I turned to the thing. There was more to the bead than met the eye. ¡°An essence seed?¡± I asked, surprised. Father tossed it to me to examine. The bead was slimy, its juices still oozing, but it didn¡¯t make me panic or feel nauseous. It wasn¡¯t gooey or sickening, just plain strange. Forest fiends were known to accumulate some of the purest forms of essence. That was one of the reasons people even farmed such creatures. Well, definitely not leecher vines. They were more trouble than they were worth. But that didn¡¯t mean this bead was useless. An essence seed from a leecher vine was starkly different from a human essence seed. A human essence seed was more impressionable and more efficient at weaving essence, whereas the one in my hand was pure essence accumulated through sucking the life force of other creatures. Something like this could easily sell for a bunch of gold Leafs. ¡°Ask your mum if you can use it,¡± Father said, wiping the miry fluid from his hands. Hardly any had splashed on him during the fight. Most of the smears came from digging out the bead. ¡°Use it?¡± I bobbed at him. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± He looked at me, half-smiling. ¡°People used to kill for resources like this back in my day. An alchemist could make you an essence tonic from it, or you could eat it raw to awaken yourself.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± It was Eran who asked. ¡°For most people, it¡¯s a bad idea,¡± Father said, shooting a meaningful glance in my direction. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that cause trouble in the future?¡± I asked. "It worked out for me." He shrugged. ¡°Your mother will know more about it.¡± He led us back, tracking the way home. Although I had memorised the route we had taken, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, my whole focus being stolen by the bead in my hand. ¡°Is he telling the truth?¡± Eran whispered from behind me as we reached the glade. ¡°Is this what they used to awaken Priam?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure. But if what Father said was true, it could mean I might be able to awaken soon. Possibly as soon as today. Chapter 23 Awakening Chapter 23: Awakening Once we returned, I handed the essence bead to Mum for her to deal with it. Her eyes narrowed as she recognised what it was. She peered over me to look at Father. ¡°A forest fiend, out here?¡± ¡°Leecher vines,¡± he said. ¡°A lone one, from what I found.¡± ¡°Good thing you dealt with it,¡± she replied, ¡°before anyone unfortunate stumbled upon it.¡± Her gaze returned to the bead. ¡°Now, what am I to do with it?¡± she asked, shooting a scathing glare at Father. ¡°Mighty impressive of you to find the exact thing Arilyn would need for his awakening.¡± Father averted his gaze. ¡°He will awaken eventually,¡± he said. ¡°Sooner than you imagine.¡± Mum sighed, unable to deny his words. She knew Father hadn¡¯t ventured into the wilderness with the intention of finding something that might help me awaken. It was merely a pleasant coincidence that he happened to be the one capable of finding the forest fiend and putting an end to it. Her expression grew contemplative as she rested the bead on one of the flat stones. She had gathered and washed a few more to create a makeshift arrangement for cooking. I reckoned she was mulling over the benefits and drawbacks of letting me use it. Her eyes returned to me. ¡°Do you want to use it to awaken?¡± ¡°Only if you allow it,¡± I said. Mother nodded before busying herself with other work. I turned to Father, who simply shrugged and began skinning the bird with one of his small knives. He was quite proficient at it, as I saw it. High points in Dexterity or Alacrity made anyone a master of any simple task they had performed a few times. Eran shot perceptive glances in my direction, though he hadn¡¯t asked any of the questions I felt he should be asking. While our conversation wasn¡¯t very informative, the hints were sufficient for him to piece things together. I considered telling him about Essence Unification, but it was a long explanation, and I had promised Mother not to teach it to anyone. Eran was perhaps too shy to ask outright, though I knew he would want to learn if he could. After all, we were both equally eager to awaken our paths. I decided to keep my silence for the time being. In truth, unification required a calm mind and keen perception to the essence flow. Eran could be calm, but I wasn¡¯t sure about his ability to perceive essence. Mum roasted the skinned bird whole, leaving it atop the flat stone after igniting a fire beneath it. She had seasoned it with various spices and fragrant herbs to mask the meaty stench before beginning to spread butter on the rye bread we had brought with us. I offered to help with the preparations, but she didn¡¯t need it. Two people were already too many, so I opened the rucksack to check the book I had brought along. I knew it would come in handy to stave off my boredom. Eran alternated between watching the meat roast and practising archery. For obvious reasons, I found it difficult to immerse myself in the book. Every so often, my gaze drifted towards the bead of essence. I felt like Mum had agreed to let me use it, so why did she refrain from speaking about it? Was she saving it for when we were home? As the questions swirled in my mind, I noticed she had picked up the essence bead once again and was doing something to it. Her golden essence wove its way into the bead, interlocking and intertwining in a fascinating process I didn¡¯t fully understand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, resting my book on my lap. She lifted her head and smiled. ¡°It pains my heart to see Jinn planning to make me the villain,¡± she said, throwing a teasing snort at the man, ¡°who stops you from awakening through the crude method that barbarians devised.¡± ¡°I planned no such thing,¡± said Father. ¡°True,¡± Mother agreed. ¡°You do not have enough wit to think of such a devious scheme. That didn¡¯t stop you from leaving me in a bind, however.¡± A sigh escaped her. ¡°I have already denied Arilyn enough times that if I do so again, he will feel betrayed and come to hate me in the future.¡± ¡°I would never!¡± I interjected. She ushered me closer, and when I stepped forward, she pulled me into a hug. ¡°You have been ready to take the final leap for a couple of weeks now,¡± she said, stroking my head. ¡°But I refused to acknowledge it, knowing how brutal the process can be. ¡°Your grandmother used to say, It is the cost of power¡­¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°She was, of course, right, as she tended to be about most things. However, sometimes the cost is too steep for a child to pay.¡± ¡°Did it hurt you badly?¡± Mum broke into a small laugh and shook her head, wiping a lone tear from the corner of her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s finish what we came here to do,¡± she said. ¡°You can try your hand at awakening when we get back.¡± As she finished, my excitement dropped considerably. I still had to wait till we get back? That was going to take hours. Well, I had waited for months, what more a few hours could do to me? I could not blame her for wanting to get through it in a more secure location. ¡°I also need to refine the essence bead for you.¡± ¡°Refine?¡± I asked. Mum shot me a pointed look. ¡°You think I¡¯ll let you consume something you just picked up from the woods? A forest fiend¡¯s core may form with the purest essence, but that doesn¡¯t mean it is devoid of impurities. They may not be fatal, but they can hinder your future. I¡¯m purifying it before you use it.¡± With that, she worked on the bead before serving our meals. For the remainder of the day, she didn¡¯t discuss anything about my awakening. While I fidgeted over the path I might awaken to, Mum spent a good amount of time explaining the process to Eran and asking him not to tell anyone. Though this method of awakening was thoroughly proven, many devout people took offence to it, as it did not fall under the purview of their goddess.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Then finally, under my constant reminders, we cut short the outing before the sun reached its zenith and trudged our way home. ¡°Will he be able to keep his mouth shut?¡± Father muttered once Eran broke away towards his home on our return. Mum shrugged. ¡°The Stonecutters are good folk. Even if he told his parents, they know how to keep a tight lip,¡± she said. ¡°But word will get out eventually. Hopefully, there won¡¯t be a line of people bringing their children to our home, hoping for me to awaken them.¡± I could see that happening. It was the reputation Mum had built helping people. Once we were home, I asked the question burning in my gut. ¡°Can I begin now?¡± ¡°Go meditate while I prepare a few things.¡± As she had asked, I sat cross-legged in the study room and prepared myself for what was to come. Finding emptiness proved more difficult than I had anticipated. Just the thought of my awakening sent shivers of joy and excitement through my bones. The refinement took longer than I had imagined. The hands of the clock practically crawled as I waited, until finally, Mum returned with a small vial of transparent liquid and several metal rods in hand. She handed me the vial. ¡°Wait a bit while I lay the formation.¡± ¡°Formation for what?¡± I asked, tearing my gaze away from the vial. ¡°A ward to prevent any upheaval you may cause,¡± she explained, placing the four rods at the corners of the room. Four threads of essence flowed from her palm as she activated them, and soon, an ethereal barrier formed around us, gleaming dimly. ¡°You see, natural awakenings tend to cause disturbances in the ambient essence, and more. The ward will prevent that.¡± ¡°Is this an essence tonic?¡± I asked, my eyes returning to the vial. The liquid inside was barely a mouthful, yet I could sense the pure essence within it more clearly than ever. ¡°You could say that.¡± ¡°How do I do this? Drink it and then channel it all through Essence Unification?¡± ¡°More or less,¡± Mum said. ¡°It sounds crude, and it will be even cruder. Agonising. Don¡¯t give in to it if you want the process to be seamless. Your Split Focus will help, as will other attributes. We¡¯ll make sure everything outside is taken care of. You only have to pay attention to unification.¡± I nodded heavily and was preparing to begin when she turned to Father. ¡°You¡¯ll make sure everything goes seamlessly.¡± Father nodded solemnly before settling down in front of me. ¡°Why Father?¡± I asked, unable to help myself. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you did it?¡± After all, she was the one who had taught me the method of Essence Unification and had always stayed by my side to ensure I didn¡¯t run into any issues during the process. ¡°Because your father¡¯s Gift is perfect for the job.¡± I furrowed my brows, glancing between them. ¡°What is his Gift?¡± ¡°The ignition requires you to unify a large quantity of essence at the centre,¡± Father explained, placing a palm over my shoulder. Something passed from his palm into my body, and I felt an electrifying pull outward. My essence, which I had never been able to draw out of my body, was pulled by Father as if it were nothing. ¡°Whaa¡­¡± I was flabbergasted. Of course, he returned the essence he stole from me, which relieved me a bit, though the process was still startling. ¡°It¡¯s called Nullification,¡± he said. ¡°The awakening will be painful,¡± Mum explained. ¡°The more essence, the more brutal it becomes. Your father can unload the overflow of essence from your channels faster than it can cause internal injury, should anything go wrong. Though, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll need to use it.¡± ¡°I have complete faith in you, son,¡± Father assured me, and it worked. ¡°Unlike the ritual, this is going to take a while,¡± Mum said. ¡°A quarter of an hour to over an hour, though much of that time will not be painful. All you need to do is channel the essence through the pathways of unification.¡± I nodded, eyeing the vial in my palm. She exchanged a nod with Father. ¡°Swallow it whole.¡± I was eager to awaken, yet I felt hesitant as I opened the cork. I calmed my mind with a few minutes of concentrated breathing exercises. Finally, I uncorked the vial and poured everything into my mouth, feeling a deep chill spread across my tongue. I swallowed all the icy liquid, the coldness surging down my throat and settling in my stomach. My essence responded instinctively, surging to combat the chill. Then it melted in my gut into a fiery storm of essence, engulfing my entire system of channels in a scathing burn. ¡°Steady,¡± Mum¡¯s voice echoed in my ears. ¡°Channel the power. Tame it. You know the process.¡± She didn¡¯t need to say more. I harnessed all my essence to seize control of the foreign energy. It was unruly, difficult to rein in. Gingerly, I guided it into the path of Essence Unification. Instantly, I became aware of the pain Mum had warned me about. It felt as if I had been thrown back to the day I first learned Essence Unification. My body felt like it was splitting apart from the inside. It was as though my muscles, guts, and intestines were being devoured by the swirling essence at my core. That was definitely not the case, but I felt my inner muscles being pulled and contorted under the stress. My jaw clenched tight, my eyelids squeezed shut, and my facial muscles tensed at every passing moment. Opening my mouth to scream would have been so easy, but if I lost control over the essence, it would all be for nought. After minutes of incessant effort, I finally succeeded in subduing the unruly power to a degree. My centre expanded by leaps and bounds, concentrating rather than expanding. However, the sheer amount of essence was still overwhelming. I didn¡¯t feel like I needed all of it to form my seed. Carefully, I withdrew small tendrils of essence, ones so minuscule they caused no trouble flowing back. Even if they did, I had no extra willpower to spare. What was happening in my centre took precedence over everything else. The concentrated energy swirled in my core like a vortex, its revolution more orderly than chaotic. But that was not enough. It needed to be completely in order. As I pushed my nascent will to make the flow uniform, my awareness expanded. Eerily, I became conscious of my body¡¯s state. Beads of sweat poured from me in waves, lingering only briefly before evaporating, and I could visualise it all with startling clarity. The tearing agony reached its peak as all the essence flows aligned into a uniform state, coalescing at my centre at a pace that was almost beyond my control. Then, something shot through my core. And it wasn¡¯t just the agony. I let out a raspy croak, expecting the torment to last longer, yet the process was nearly instantaneous and strangely autonomous. It was as if a straight arrow had pierced through my core, trying to shatter all my hard work. But it couldn¡¯t. Instead, once it breached my centre, it was devoured by the insatiable suction force. The arrow thinned to the mere form of a thread under the pull, yet the essence flowing from it seemed near endless. I had no clue where it came from, though I was certain it wasn¡¯t from the essence I had ingested. Also, it was green. All this time, I had worked with colourless, transparent essence, but now, as my centre absorbed the green essence, it began to change. My embryonic essence seed grew in a greenish hue, and slowly, similar to the green light, eight other pieces emerged. It was as if the green ray had splintered into eight distinct lines, no longer straight, spreading through my body like threads. My own essence threads. Immediately, I understood what the ethereal green ray was. It was my Aether Root. Which means I succeeded. The swirl in my core solidified, eight intricate threads branching outward, weaving through my channels and spreading throughout my body. Like branches, they grew within me, dividing into smaller veins. Yet they were unlike blood vessels. For one thing, they were piercing green and ethereal, but they were far more spiritual than physical. The entire process was autonomous. My consciousness remained only as a witness, a bystander to the transformation. The Aether Root reshaped my essence swirl into a green seed, elevating its condensation far beyond what it had once been. When the spell¡¯s voice rang in my mind, it was softer, as through filtered through something. [Congratulations. You have taken the first step on your path.] [You have awakened.] [Your latent gift, Fractal Soul, is¡­] Before I could hear more, I was rudely pulled from my ethereal consciousness as the cries of my own misery tore through my mind. Chapter 24: Nightmare Gloomy darkness greeted my sight, as my eyes snapped open. My body was heavy, resting on something cold and hard. Groaning, I rolled to sit upright, feeling the pain raking through every fibre of my being. I scanned my surroundings, searching for Mum¡ªor anything to anchor me back to reality. My parents, who had been by my side during my awakening, were gone. This wasn¡¯t even the familiar ground of our home. Instead, I found myself in the midst of some grand devastation. The night was cold and desolate, and the air felt¡­ heavy with a pungent, burning reek, the chthonic wind carrying it along. My disorientation didn''t allow me to choose which one irked me more. But both put me on edge before I had even taken in my surroundings. Is this a dream? I wasn¡¯t sure if awakening could cause surreal dreams like this. "Mum?" I called hopelessly. Gusts of wind howled through the ruins as I forced myself to stand, feeling every twitch of my muscles. My body felt heavy, and I quickly realised why. A thick breastplate weighed on my chest, with other torn pieces of armour strapped to my arms and legs. But those alone weren¡¯t the cause of such heaviness. It was my body. I was tall. Staggeringly so¡ªperhaps only a hair short of my father. ¡°What in the name of¡­?¡± I rubbed my face and found a thick, gruff beard, plastered with grime and some liquid I deemed to be frozen blood. My hair was cropped shorter, and more blood was matted there. I am really dreaming, I confirmed, because nothing else could explain the absurdity I was facing. Before me stretched a vast ruin of broken buildings. Shattered glass, concrete remnants, twisted metal, and jagged splinters littered the ground wherever my eyes wandered. Fires still flared in some areas, while in others, the flames had long since died out, leaving only the crusty stench of burning behind. The wind carried dust and ash¡ªat least that was something familiar. If this is just a dream, then I must have a damn good imagination. The longer I stared at the devastation, the colder my insides grew. It would take an ashen storm of near-apocalyptic scale to cause destruction of this order. Unwittingly, I lifted my gaze skywards, searching for something¡ªanything¡ªthat might give me clarity. A chill spread down my spine immediately. The sky was empty. No twinkling stars, no familiar moon. Nothing. What is this dream? How did I end up here? Maybe it was one of those dreams, the kind so common in stories. And when I woke up, all of it would disappear. Yeah, I thought that too the day I was reborn in this world. Perhaps there was some meaning to this absurdity. I didn¡¯t dwell on the questions for long since answers weren¡¯t likely to be found here. Tearing my gaze away from the starless sky, I cautiously crept into the ruins. A heavy axe lay in my path. Without hesitation, I picked it up, my grip tightening as I noticed the dark stains of dried blood along its edge. I kept the weapon, its weight felt solid in my hands. The axe was finely crafted and definitely not a tool for woodcutting. I tried to move quietly, but the heavy boots I wore made it difficult. Finding nothing but devastation, I decided to climb to the top of the rubble to see if I could recognise anything. As I navigated through the wreckage, a soft whisper stopped me on my track. The howling wind made it difficult to tell from where. "Help . . ." Again, but more distinct. Someone else was with me in this madness¡ªand they needed help. The voice was almost a whimper, so probably not far. After scanning my surroundings, I spotted the source of the voice within ten yards. A man lay trapped beneath a concrete slab, both his legs pinned. I almost vomited at the sight of bare bones protruding from one of them. The gore was filtered by the looming darkness, but the sight still churned my stomach. "Can you hear me?" I asked, crouching near the man¡¯s face. "Help," was all he managed. His eyelids fluttered as though he was struggling to keep them open, his face pale from all the blood loss. "Hold on a little longer." Without thinking, I attempted to lift the concrete off his legs. It was heavy, yet the strength of this body I now inhabited proved sufficient. I still had to exert all my effort, slowly lifting the slab and pushing it to the side. Finally, I tried to help the man up, ignoring the horrifying wound as best I could. He cried out in pain as I lifted him.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. I wondered what I could do to relieve him. Perhaps I could find bandages and medicine in the rubble, but that could take all night. The sound of shifting debris clanged on my rear, interrupting my thoughts. I turned sharply. Something was moving. A silhouette, shifting through the darkness. My gaze darted around, trying to determine if it was real, or just my mind playing tricks. Then a horrifying screech tore through the night, warping in the heavy air as it reached my ears. My stomach twisted. I had no clue what creature could make such a sound, but I knew it meant trouble. Without thinking, I lifted the wounded man onto my back and ran, unaware that the screeching monster was waiting ahead, ready to devour me whole. It had six¡ªno, eight¡ªlegs, though I couldn¡¯t be sure, my focus locked on its maw. A horrifying maw, twice the size of my head, filled with dagger-like, jagged teeth in more than a couple of rows. Its sinewy form was hairless, standing over a metre tall and several more in length, a wiry mass of muscle. The creature found no apparent eyes, but perhaps I had simply missed them in my horror. All the records I had read on exotic and extinct creatures were useless in recognising this nightmare. The blighted thing bore all the signs of being cursed, but I didn¡¯t stand around to confirm. I spun on my heel and bolted in the opposite direction, not sparing another look. It gave chase, screeching all the way. Splintered rubble flew in its wake. I was running faster than I should have been capable of, yet it wasn¡¯t enough. The weight of the man on my back didn¡¯t help. The thought of abandoning him didn¡¯t even enter my mind when it crashed into me, sending me flying. My back smashed against splintered concrete. I heard my spine break. Felt it. A squeal echoed from the creature as it descended upon me. An involuntary scream ripped through my throat as¡ª ¡ªmy body jerked upright. Blinding light burst before my eyes. My ears buzzed with a deafening ring as though I had been struck by something too hard on the head. My mind was eerily aware of the pain that had gorged through me. Something warm wrapped around me. Voices echoed in my ears. Voices I recognised. ¡°Arilyn? Arilyn?¡± Mum¡¯s voice. ¡°Pumpkin, I¡¯m here.¡± My hitched breath slowly calmed as she stroked my head to soothe me. I blinked, squinting my eyes to look at her. It was too bright. What worried me was that its source was not any construct, but my mum. Her entire figure was glowing¡ªluminous, with thousands upon thousands of intricate threads of essence flooding through her. It reminded me of the night of my birth. She had been just as radiant then, though never in such vivid detail. Reading her expression became a near-impossible task, as all I saw were the veins of essence within her, the intricate weave in which it flowed, all in near-perfect symmetry. All but on the left side of her ribs. Then I peered deeper, to the source of all that essence, and immediately, I was blinded. It wasn¡¯t as startling as the Elder Tree, but it was still too glaring for my senses to comprehend. I averted my gaze and found Father standing behind her, his expression pensive. Hmm. I could read his expression. His essence veins were not as prominent as Mother¡¯s. Yet there was something intrinsically wrong with them, I realised. Unlike the glittering shimmer of essence I saw in her, his veins were empty. When I looked deeper, I found not a sun, but a deep, inconceivable sea¡ªone my Fractal Sight was unable to pierce. "Close your eyes," Mother told me as I shuddered in her arms. "Close your eyes and concentrate. Calm your emotions. You know the way." I knew the way. But it was her voice, her reminder that soothed me. But even then, I found it harder to quell the turmoil within. First my awakening, then the nightmare, and finally this sight that I hardly could control what I see. I had never felt so empowered, and the sheer sense of it overwhelmed me. [Congratulations! Way of Fractal Sight I (18/10) is complete.] [+4 Unallocated Points.] [Way of Fractal Sight II (18/25) is now available.] What? My brows knitted together, but of course, the Spell was not finished yet. [Congratulations! You have taken the first step into your Path: Shaper (Common Class).] [You have awakened Shaper Aspects: Influence, Weight, Will.] [Most of the restrictions on your paths have been lifted. The path is broadly open to you.] [You have achieved a Noble Honour: Wunderkind.] [Wunderkind (Noble Honour): Your Essence Seed is superior in every aspect to others without this honour. +10% to all Shaper Aspects.] [A new Way is accessible: Pain Tolerance I (1/10).] [A new Way is accessible: Arcane Resistance I (1/10).] [A new Way is accessible: Essence Weaving I (1/10).] [Congratulations! Way of Essence Unification V (251/250) is complete.] [+12 Unallocated Points.] [Way of Essence Unification VI (251/500) is now available.] Whoa. There was so much to unpack¡­ ¡°What happened?¡± Mum¡¯s voice woke me from my reverie as I let the messages disperse. "Mum, I''m a Shaper," I said, my eyes snapping open to look at her. The Fractal Sight finally calmed down, as I didn''t see the essence threads within her anymore. "I''m aware," she said, her lips pressed to a thin line. "You fell unconscious after forming your core, which is not uncommon¡ªbut then, moments after, you awoke screaming." "I¡­" My brows furrowed. Moments? It felt like I had been in that dream for far longer than just a few minutes. "I had a nightmare." One I could still remember down to the smallest detail. "I''m fine now," I said, noticing the way her face scrunched with concern. "Truly¡­ Did I mention I awakened the Shaper path?" "You did." "Then why are you not surprised?" Before her answer, my stomach growled, and I felt like I could eat the meals of a dozen people. "I''ll make something for you," Father said, turning towards the door. "He needs you now, Ashlyn." Chapter 25: Shaper

Chapter 25: Shaper Father handed me a hefty sandwich as I finished recounting the surreal nightmare to Mum. I had no other choice. She refused to answer any of my questions regarding my awakening until I told her about it. ¡°Is this like the nightmares you used to have when you were young?¡± I blinked, then shook my head. For one thing, I couldn¡¯t recall any of those nightmares. However, the one I had just woken from remained fresh in my mind¡ªthe details too significant for me to even differentiate between reality and dream. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I told her. ¡°I can¡¯t recall them well.¡± Her expression grew pensive. ¡°I¡¯m fine, though,¡± I said. ¡°It was just weird and¡­ disturbing.¡± That did not ease her worry whatsoever. Knowing that nothing I said would quell her concern, I took a bite of the beefy sandwich. The whole experience had left me thoroughly ravenous. Taking another huge bite, I called upon my profile. The minute change in the mark on my left palm did not go unnoticed either. It wasn¡¯t a huge difference, though it looked far more detailed upon closer inspection. The wheels were more distinct now. But not more important than my Profile.

[Profile]

Arylin Arcis O¡¯Ryon Age: 2 years, 567 days Path: Shaper (Common Class) Honours: Wunderkind (Noble) Aspects: Attributes [7/10] (Unallocated Points: 53) Gift: Ways: In progress: Meditations IX (2946/5000) | Essence Sense VIII (1108/2500) | Essence Unification VI (251/500) | Engraving V (100/250) | Running II (1005/10000) | Swordsmanship II (112/1000) | Armed Combat I (82/100) | Balance II (983/1000) | Ambidexterity I (92/100) | Swimming I (81/100) | Education III (7782/10000) | Sneak II (256/1000) | Evasion III (1781/10000) | Music II (149/1000) | Painting II (112/1000) | Archery III (1204/10000) | Pain Tolerance I (1/10) | Arcane Resistance I (1/10) | Essence Weaving I (1/10) | Self-Mastery (2/10) | Perseverance III (39/50) | Fractal Sight II (18/25)
First things first, I needed some explanation on the aspects. As far as I could tell, Weight didn¡¯t measure my actual weight but some kind of magical weight that I did not yet understand. Influence was probably something I could wrap my head around if I tried, whereas Mum had already explained Will before. In layman¡¯s terms, if essence was the fuel for magic, Will was the power to command that fuel. My gift, Fractal Soul, remained unchanged, though it felt like I could finally bend it to my will. It would require some experimentation, but I had high hopes after the improvement in Fractal Sight. However I wondered, would it only allow me to see essence patterns and weaves? That was another question for later. My eyes skimmed over the new Ways I now had access to, finally landing on Essence Unification. In the last couple of hours, it had increased by 21, which proved that it didn¡¯t simply track the hours I practised, as I had initially thought. Much like Rune Engraving, it too was likely divided into Elementary, Advanced, and Greater tiers. All in all, it didn¡¯t seem like much had changed in my status phase. There was no tab for Essence Seed or for the eight threads of essence I now controlled. "Your profile won¡¯t show you everything that has changed inside you." Mother¡¯s voice pulled me from my study, and I shot her an inquisitive look. "Young Awakened always think their profile exhibits everything about themselves," she said, shaking her head dismissively. "It¡¯s merely a glorified progression tracker¡ªnothing more, nothing less. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s unhelpful; no, it is immeasurably useful in producing elite Awakened. But there are always fools who obsess over the numbers and forget about the person they are." While I didn¡¯t fully understand her, I saw where she was coming from. That didn¡¯t stop me from asking, ¡°So what else is there about me?¡± "Finish your meal, and I will tell you. You need a change of clothing too, and a bath."If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. She was right about that. My tunic and trousers were completely soiled, and a layer of sweat and grime covered my entire form, an icky reek wafting off me. I finished my sandwich before darting into the washroom. Even after cleaning myself off, my stomach felt as if it could take a few more sandwiches. It took a great deal of restraint not to attempt to manipulate the water. On that note, most Awakened on the Path of Shaper had an element attuned to them. Shapers of Earth could channel their energy to manipulate soil and stone, while there were also Shapers of Water, Light, Fire, and other elements. That seemed like important enough information to be included in the profile. Or did it mean my path was different? Sometime after refreshing myself, changing into clean clothes, and devouring a couple more sandwiches, I finally asked Mum that very question. "A Shaper can be whatever they want to be," Mother answered cryptically. I detested answers like that, but I liked the sound of it, even if I didn¡¯t fully understand. "Some are born with a definitive affinity for a certain element," she explained. "Others are attuned to more than one. Some choose a single element to master, and as their path grows into noble and prestigious classes, they become Shapers of different elements." ¡°So my profile doesn¡¯t show one element because I have more than one?¡± I asked, my chest rising with anticipation. She nodded. ¡°How do I know what my elements are?¡± "Of course, by training them." ¡°Are there no tests or rituals to measure them?¡± Like instantly. "There are some tools," she admitted, pausing. "But they are highly unreliable. You¡¯d get a more definitive answer through practice than through those devices, which barely measure your current capacity rather than the potential you have within you." But wouldn¡¯t it take a long time to figure out which element I had the highest affinity for? "Awakened do tend to inherit their parents¡¯ highest affinity initially," Father interjected, craning his neck towards Mum. "So, I¡¯d guess Fire and Metal for you." "And Kinetic Force," Mother added with a lopsided smile. "Which may give you a better hand at telekinesis." "I can move objects with my mind?" I said, jumping to my feet. "That¡¯s not entirely accurate," Mother said. "But yes, considering you weave essence with your mind and Will, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say that you move objects with your mind." "Can you teach me?" I asked eagerly. I wanted to learn it right now, right here. I had seen Mother move objects without using her hands¡ªfar too often, in fact. "I will," she assured me. "But before that, we should determine your essence type." "Essence type?" I arched an eyebrow. "As you know, different paths have different types of essence," Mum explained. "Since you walk the path of a Shaper, you¡¯ll likely have Arcane types, such as Transference, Transformation, or Enchantment." I narrowed my eyes. This was the first time I was hearing about these types, even though I knew different Paths had different kinds of essence attuned to them. "Which one do you have?" I asked. "High Enchantment," Mum said. "And Transference." I frowned, turning towards Father with an inquisitive look. "I didn¡¯t even know these types existed before I met her," he admitted, tilting his head towards Mum. "According to her, mine is just the most common. Enhancement." "What does each type do?" "There¡¯s a broad answer and a simple one. I won¡¯t bore you with the broad one now," Mum said, and we both listened like heedless sheep. "Enchantment is the crafter¡¯s essence, Enhancement is the brute¡¯s essence, whereas Transference and Transformation are the more arcane types. They¡¯re best for elemental shaping, healing, and other wizardry. There are a few rare types, like Dream Essence and Midnight Essence, as well as many subtypes, but those four are the fundamental ones." "I see," I said, though the explanation didn¡¯t completely clear up my confusion. "Let¡¯s find out your essence type first, Pumpkin. Then we can discuss it all night if you like." By all night, she meant until it was bedtime. But I was too eager to find my own type and get the answer to my questions to point out the stupid thing. "How do we go about it?" "There are several methods," Mum said, her eyes narrowing towards the pendant on my neck. "But the easiest would be to test with the pendant Emi gave you. Infuse your essence into it, and you¡¯ll know." How could a pendant help determine my essence type? I didn¡¯t know the answer, but I held the phoenix pendant in my palm and attempted to infuse my essence into it. I was so used to drawing essence inward that it felt unnatural to push it outside. I channelled my essence and willed the threads to extend from my body. But the moment they reached my skin, they met with terrible resistance. With careful visualisation and Will, I pushed through. Thin strands of essence threaded out from my palm, extending outward. All eight of my green essence threads emerged from my hand and entered the pendant. Slowly, the pendant began to absorb tiny bits of my essence, the flow steady through the threads. A corner of the phoenix¡¯s white wing changed to a hue of green. [A new Way is available: Influence Manipulation I (0/10)] [A new Way is available: Weight Distribution I (0/10)] "What?" I blinked, unsure what I had done to prompt these new Ways. I looked up at Mum, and her eyes widened as she peered at the pendant¡ªor rather, at the green hue it had adopted after absorbing my essence. I wasn¡¯t sure what this phenomenon meant, but I hesitated, uncertain whether I should continue feeding my essence to the little phoenix. "Well?" I nudged her. Mum inhaled sharply, as if she had just remembered to breathe. "Well, Transference is expected since it¡¯s the regular essence type for Shapers," she muttered. "But I didn¡¯t expect you to have two more." "What are they?" I urged. "Transformation," she said with a bright smile, her voice filled with excitement, "and Enchantment. Do you know what that means?" I could guess, but I let her continue. "It means you can pursue the higher path of essence weaving and runesmithing." There was a childlike joy in Mum¡¯s expression as she said that. She was thrilled to realise she could finally teach me more about artificing and her path. I shared her enthusiasm, but I couldn¡¯t help glancing at Father. He smiled warmly. "Congrats, son," he said. "As far as I know, most Shapers have two types. Three is rare even among them." I was still unsure how the pendant changing to green explained my essence types, but that question could wait. Instead, I asked the one that was clawing at my throat. "While I was feeding essence into the pendant, I received notifications about two new Ways." "Let me guess," Mum interjected. "Weight Distribution and Influence Manipulation?" My eyes widened. She had guessed correctly. It made sense that she¡¯d know, being raised among Shapers, but then I remembered¡ªshe had Transference essence too, which she said to be common for Shapers. "Mum¡­ are you a Shaper?" I asked, my expression a mix of surprise and confusion. Her lips curled into a knowing smile, as if saying, You just figured that out? "Depends on your definition of a Shaper, Pumpkin," she said. "If you imagine a magus, binding all elements of nature and reshaping the world as they see fit, then no, I am not one." But she still had Transference essence, wielded objects with telekinesis, and cast spells through runes. Those were all capabilities of a Shaper. But I had also seen her carry boulders with her bare hands. "What path did you Awaken?" I asked. She laughed. "It¡¯s adorable how your skills are years ahead of your age, yet your knowledge remains the same. I suppose that¡¯s my fault." She shook her head and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You see, a Shaper can be anything¡ªa magus, a knight, a healer, or, in my case, a runesmith." Chapter 26: The Colour of Essence

Chapter 26: The Colour of Essence As it turned out, the explanation of the test was far simpler than I had presumed. The pendant was made from a rare ingredient called Holreum, more commonly known as Halostone. It possessed characteristics of both metal and gem. However, what was important here was that Halostone could be used to store one''s essence, serving as a top-tier reservoir in times of need. There was essentially no loss of essence, regardless of the time that passed. For this characteristic alone, Shapers used rings, earrings, or other ornaments made of Halostone as a secondary reserve for their essence. As for its ability to change colour, that was directly related to the essence types. Transference-type essence was colourless, but Transformation turned it blue, Enhancement made it red, and the last primary colour yellow for Enhancement. Now, where did green fall into this? According to Mum, Halostone followed the simple rules of primary and secondary colours. Transference didn¡¯t cause much change, but when the yellow of Enchantment and the blue of Transformation mingled together, they formed green. ¡°I think I have a book on the theory of essence colour somewhere in there,¡± Mum said, peering towards her shelf. ¡°Or maybe I gave it to Emi.¡± ¡°So, essence colour is practically the same as the colours I see,¡± I muttered. ¡°If you had just asked me, I could have told you.¡± Mum blinked. ¡°That completely slipped off my mind.¡± Well, she couldn¡¯t see it the way I did, so it was easy for her to miss the details. Moreover, I believed Mum didn¡¯t fully understand the extent to which I perceived the colours of those threads. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t your essence be yellow, with Transference and Enchantment?¡± I asked. ¡°Why is it golden?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± She paused, startled, perhaps not expecting me to distinguish the difference. ¡°Subtypes. I have a subtype that adds some healing qualities.¡± That was an explanation that brought along more questions, but for now, I was satisfied. What confused me was the peculiar emptiness I had sensed in Father''s channels. If it was only transference, at least I could still sense its presence... yet Father''s channels felt completely empty of essence. It was like a common folk, except that they didn''t even have channels. I turned to him. ¡°Why isn¡¯t yours red?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t?" Father grinned. "Look again.¡± I stared at him suspiciously and prodded Fractal Sight to activate, allowing me to see the essence veins within him. Unlike the last time, when I had seen hollow veins, this time, they were filled with a reddish hue, showing his Enhancement-type essence at full capacity. As if to show off, Father withheld the essence somewhere within himself. The weaves inside him interlocked, withdrawing the reddish glow, and all his channels became hollow. ¡°How?!¡± ¡°What?¡± He shot a lopsided grin at me and Mum. ¡°You think only you Shapers know tricks about manipulating essence?¡± ¡°What trick?¡± I asked, my throat a bit sore. ¡°Can you teach me?¡± ¡°I probably can¡¯t.¡± Father exchanged a look with Mum. ¡°This concealment is something of a bonus of Nullification.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± My excitement faded, but then again, it didn¡¯t seem all that important. Most gifted people couldn''t see essence anyway. ¡°So if I had Green, there¡¯s purple and orange essence too, right?¡± ¡°There is,¡± Mum said, standing up to pour a glass of water. ¡°Orange is more common than green, but purple is the rarest. It¡¯s practically the best of both worlds for a combat-class Awakened. I think I¡¯ve only known three people with all three¡ªTransference, Transformation, and Enhancement types.¡± She handed me the glass and slowly drank it all down, recalling something about the Arch Imperator of the previous generation. He had been of a hybrid class¡ªboth a Grand Magus and a true swordsman. He likely had Purple essence to pursue the path. While many combat-type Shapers learned swordsmanship or other ways to protect themselves physically during a fight, none had pursued a hybrid path as he had. One could learn swordsmanship all they wanted, but without a certain type of physical gift, they were doomed against formidable foes. Which reminded me, should I reduce my sword practice? With my Awakening, I would need to spend more time training my Shaper skills, not to mention artificing. I could finally try my hand at creating fabricators. ¡°So, the aspects,¡± Mum said. ¡°The art is easy to wrap your heads around, but time-consuming to be proficient in their Ways. Will, Influence, Weight¡ªyou cannot overlook any of them, especially if you want to focus on spell casting moving forward.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. I didn¡¯t ask questions or interrupt her, knowing she would explain everything perfectly. Mum was a good teacher. Even if she often taught in a roundabout way, it was excellent for driving the lesson home. Instead of giving me straight answers, she always wanted me to find them myself. "You already know the theory of Will, so we should start with Influence," she said. ¡°Draw your threads, but this time, push them as far away as you can.¡± I repeated the process, coaxing my threads of essence out as I thrust my palm forward. Since I didn¡¯t have the same reserves as last time, the threads practically shot out of my fingertips. Uncertain what to do with them, I simply focused on pushing them as far as possible. Soon, I felt a tug at my essence seed, and I could push no further. The tip of my essence threads frayed, withering as they tried to move further. "Influence illustrates the area of effect for a Shaper,¡± she said, turning her gaze to where my essence reached, as though she could see the threads. ¡°In simpler terms, it shows how far your spell would be effective." ¡°I can only move a couple of feet,¡± I said, a knit appearing on my brow. Mum nodded. ¡°That¡¯s about the limit for a newly awakened Shaper.¡± ¡°But it''s so small,¡± I cried. ¡°It will grow as you advance further into the path,¡± Mum said. ¡°Now, about Weight, did you feel how your control and power diminished the farther your essence moved from your core?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because of Weight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s both Influence and Weight,¡± she said. "While Influence determines the area of effect, Weight depicts the impact your essence will have within that area." So, Influence was the reach of my essence, and Weight dictated how impactful it was within that range, I determined and felt better about forming my core on my own. That 10% boost from the honour would be so much impactful in the future. ¡°The Weight of your essence always concentrates closest to your Essence Seed, and it spreads in all directions within your Influence. The Way of Weight Distribution teaches you how to extend that Weight farther from you¡­ same as Influence Manipulation. And remember, it takes Will to manifest both, though Weight requires more than Influence.¡± Now I wondered how much my Will had improved since I awakened. It felt like a significant amount, given how easily I could manipulate my essence now. It could easily be a few folds. "Additionally, just because you¡¯ve awakened doesn¡¯t mean your journey into Essence Unification ends here. That skill wasn¡¯t just to help you awaken. It is, and will continue to be, crucial no matter how further down the path you advance.¡± ¡°Can I practise it on my own now?¡± Mum narrowed her eyes at me, considering. ¡°As long as you do it responsibly, why not?¡± That was a small victory, though I was more eager to practise my other skills. I was practically itching to try some spell weaving or engraving runes with my own essence. Mum¡¯s eyes darted to the clock. It was only a couple of hours past evening. "It will take time before you can effectively shape essence outside of your body,¡± she said. ¡°So in the coming days, you should focus on that. Telekinesis can be a good primer¡­ You¡¯ve been through a lot during your awakening, we should pause the lesson until tomorrow, hmm?¡± ¡°No!¡± I practically shouted. ¡°Teach me now!¡± ¡°You do know, with your current control and power, you can barely move a pebble?¡± My eagerness faltered, but I refused to show it. ¡°A pebble will do for now,¡± I said, rising to my feet. ¡°I¡¯ll go pick one up.¡± Before she could argue, I darted out of the room and ran outside. Scooping up a smooth pebble from the yard, I hurried back to the study and held it up for Mum. Mum shook her head and found no other choice but to demonstrate it to me. A thin strand of essence threaded from her palm, much like mine, though far faster and far more solid. Unlike my fragile threads, which trembled with every small movement, hers shot straight for the pebble and connected to it. She didn¡¯t need to weave a web around it. Her threads latched onto the stone, and she pulled with her essence, causing the pebble to rise into the air effortlessly. I had seen her do this countless times, and just like before, it looked simple. She connected her essence to the stone, then pulled on her thread to lift it. "I think you could have figured it out on your own," she mumbled, letting the pebble hover before my eyes. "It¡¯s as simple as it looks. Connect your essence thread to the object, wrap your Will around it, then visualise how you want it to move. Try it.¡± She dropped the pebble back into my palm. ¡°How do I wrap my Will around an object?¡± ¡°Try wrapping your essence over it first,¡± she said. ¡°Your Will is infused with your essence. In time, you will learn to distinguish between the two.¡± I needed no further explanation. Connecting my essence threads to the pebble was easy enough, but since I was still new to this, I drew all eight threads for the task, beginning to wrap my essence around it. ¡°Do not infuse essence,¡± Mum warned, her voice halting me. ¡°It¡¯s wasteful.¡± Although she couldn¡¯t see the essence the way I could, she still knew when I was doing something wrong. ¡°Focus only on the pebble. Close your eyes and feel the connection.¡± I did. Even with my eyes closed, I could see the connection clearly in my mind¡¯s eye. I latched onto the pebble with my essence threads, pouring all my focus into the act. ¡°Now, will it to move.¡± I poured my all into it. The pebble shot upwards with surprising speed, easily escaping my area of Influence and soaring metres into the air before hitting the ceiling. I was about to catch it¡ªeither with my palm or my telekinesis. The latter, of course, was doomed to fail due to my lack of experience with the art. But Mum intercepted it effortlessly, returning the pebble to me without lifting a hand with utmost grace. [A new way is available: Telekinesis I (0/10)] "Looks like I can move more than just a pebble," I said with a grin, turning the smooth stone in my fingers. I tried again, but this time, I didn¡¯t give it my all. I used only four essence threads and a smaller portion of my Will. Moving it was easy, though it drifted unevenly, especially near the boundary of my Influence. "It will take a lot more training to become a natural at it," Mum said. "Anyone can fling objects around, but very few master the art of moving them with precision. Now, let me show you a few exercises to train your control.¡±