Chapter 232

Joys of Creation

Every once in a while, you get to the point where you realize that you are merely a conduit for something greater.

In my particular case, I realize that I am both simultaneously the conduit for change, but also the instrument for how things will grow and evolve.

There is a lot of power being put on display thanks to my Arcane Geomancy, where even now, after using such a powerful discipline, I realize that there are layers and levels to this.

Flutter.

The pages that I am personally writing are moving. Odder still they are moving on their own.

To make matters even stranger still, I almost intuitively know why the pages are moving.

These pages are new and are slowly coming to life with a form of sentience. Meaning that their movements are caused by the fact that they are both becoming alive, but also that they are experiencing thoughts, emotions, and responses to physical stimuli just like a child would.

Thus, when I touch a page to write upon it, to impart part of my knowledge to the page, the reason why it ruffles its pages in minor protest. The reason becomes simple when you realize that I am apparently tickling the page.

Also, there is a quick growth to power learning curve with these books.

What I mean by that, is the more I focus on one particular book, and lavish it with power and attention, the quicker that book, or rather the thoughts expressed on that book come to life. It is so much fun, almost like I am forcing a novel or story that I am interested in to just randomly start filling with words and thoughts.

At first the thoughts begin with the basics, mostly being bland and emotionless picto-diagrams detailing how things happen. Then as they grow older, they mature into words and semi-concise thoughts. After that they go through a bulking process where they mature into full sentences and thoughts. Until finally they become pages that seem alive and almost feel like the thoughts will come off the pages as if they were being read by Mare Trevathan.

Of course, these can only express my thoughts and my own knowledge, but this is a much easier way to pass down future skill books, and likely tomes of knowledge and different disciplines.

Basically, the world saw that I was against the slow stale process of writing on my own. By just having my soul broken by the idea of shackling myself to a desk for hours a day to get a few thoughts and ideas out in a slow methodical process that would ultimately never be perfect right off the bat. Then they went and created this amazing new system, where I will trick myself into creating the skill books and processes that it wants to distribute to the world.

Honestly, I can’t tell if I am amazed by the fact that the world was willing to meet me halfway at creating Skill books, or if this is just a happy accident.

By all accounts, my first time using Arcane Geomancy should have been outside and not in a teacher’s classroom in our college’s faculty building. Yet, here we are, and here I am, delicately sharing my knowledge on Aura Guidance to this book.

Obviously, this is just my test Skill Book, and one of my first Skill Books that I both want to be good enough to stand on its own, but one that I know better skills will come. That is also why I chose a skill with the word Guide in its title, as I feel that will make it more nurturing and patient with the other Skill Books. At least that is what I hope will happen.

As I work, I almost feel that the skill book itself seems to understand this, that after its completion, it will be a protector for other future skill books and disciplines that I create.

Finally, I pump the last of my Qi and Mana into the book, well the last that is needed for this process. Now I can feel that we have at least gotten through its initial stage. Somehow, I Innately feel that we need to stop here for the skill book to fully comprehend what its process is.

Pausing here, I watch and see the book fully come to life. What had started off as just a few loose leaves of parchment, slowly morphed into a linked set of pages with a spine. Then as the spine became stronger it began to grow a thin protective layer, making it a paperback edition. Then finally that outer layer began to thicken and strengthen going first to the semi wooden structure that most hardbacks have. Then with the final stages that too hardened into a thick well worn and treated leather outer coating.

Phew.

Picking up the book, my baby, I almost feel a bit of awe and reverence for it.

Startle.

The book woke up from its nap, apparently startled that I had taken it from its rightful place on the desk and was now holding it cradled in my arms.

For a moment, the book awoke and almost looked like it wanted to scream, until it seemed to smell me? Or something, it opened up its eyes, and yes this book does have eyes, a mouth, and even teeth if needed, though the teeth are retractable. A fact that I happened to notice when the book instinctively growled at me, until it realize that I was actually its creator.

Then seeing me, and realizing that it was safe in my arms, the creature went from being a monster to the most perfectly contented being. Even seeming to shimmy itself as it snuggled deep into my arms and cozily fell asleep.

“Aww,” was all I could say.

It was my book, my first book and it, no she, seemed to recognize me.

On a whim, holding the book so delicately in my arms, I decided to peer into the work with my third eye.

Whoosh!

The minute I looked at the book with my third eye, I saw it, lines of freely flowing thoughts and images that spiraled out and around in a never-ending string of words, concepts, and ideas.

This was a skill book for Aura Guidance, which seemed to take all of my concepts that I had fully come to understand and laid them out in a linear fashion. First showing what the different levels were, then of my training regimen to improve the skills, then of the ultimate final way to practice so that you could increase your value in the skill as efficiently as possible.

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The book, this tome of knowledge, was perfect. Showing how to get from level 1 to 175 in Aura Guidance. Better still, I knew that it still had room to grow. If I came back and eventually imparted future knowledge on how to get the skill to 250, that it would be capable of handling such knowledge.

Seeing the beautiful creation, and how tired it was from growing into first sentences, then to sentience in a matter of hours, I could see why it was tired. That is why I delicately stroked its soft leather binding now, and all but felt it go to a deep contented slumber that only a finished good book could offer.

I am so lost in the process of having a new child. I mean, yes I love my kids, they are all great and wonderful. But this was amazing, it was like all the same joys and senses of accomplishments without feeling the nine months of pure pain, bloating, skin stretching, hunger pains, and morning sickness that comes along with the real deal.

With so much to feel and process, it should come as no surprise that I lost track of my surroundings. Which is why Mallory was able to sneak up on me and see me at such an awkward state.

“Uhh, you okay there?” Mallory asks, somehow once again finding me at my most vulnerable. Is this a Cassie only related skill? If so could I get her to put it into a book as well and then reverse engineer a skill from this seemingly pointless skill.

“Hey, how are you?” I ask excitedly but also in a whispered tone.

“Why are you whispering?” Mallory asks as she reluctantly strides forward, peering about the room that is slowly coming to life due to the latent effects of Arcane Geomancy.

Flap, flap.

At her loud voice and sudden appearance, the book that had been perfectly asleep in my arms a moment ago suddenly sprang to life and in a startled state, jumped out of my arms the way only an infant could.

Then with reflexes and skills that I hadn’t used in a long time, I reached out and double grabbed the falling book. First with my hands, and then a second one with my Telekinesis, where I made sure to protect the vulnerable spine of the new book.

Grabbing the book, and once again clutching it protectively against my chest, I feel the book slowly calming down as it was clearly frightened.

“Okay, what was that?” Mallory asked, seemingly aware and able to see the fact that there was a complete look of shock and horror on the falling book’s face as it plummeted downward.

“That was you possibly creating problems when your granddaughter gets here at the end of the week.” I say, clutching the book tightly to my chest and gently patting its back cover. The whole book is clearly trembling, but at my touch seems to calm down.

“Is that alive?” Mallory asks.

“Yes, she is.” I state, making sure to add importance to the fact that this book is going to be an older female role model for my future spell books.

“She?”

“Yes, she,” I state, then grabbing and turning the book around, I show the adorable book to Mallory. “This is Aura, Aura Guidance, and she is my first skill book that I created.”

With that, I extend the book at full distance and let the smile I’ve been holding back suddenly burst to life on my face.

“Skill book?” Mallory asked.

“Yeah.”

“A skill book on Aura Guidance?”

“Yeah, with this a reader could get from level 1 to level 175 in the skill Aura Guidance. It even has a training regimen that one could do to get down the basics for each section, along with what the overall goal for each set of training exercises will ultimately be.” I state, proudly explaining all the accomplishments of my child, a literal extension of me, but also its own independent volume ready to see and add to the world on her own.

“Um, wow.” Mallory states, as she apparently was not ready for such an advancement. Or maybe she is just trying to fully understand just how amazing my child is. Then pausing, I realize that this is my first true child in this new world.

Yes, I have my other kids, grandkids, and Cassidies out in the real world. But for here, I just now realize that this is my first real child, or what I could consider to be a child, as this book clearly has sentience and is almost a perfect copy of myself, that I can look at and remember fondly.

“Do you want to see her?” I asked excitedly, ready to show off my first child of this world.

“Um, okay.” Mallory replies, still a lot of hesitation in her voice, but she clearly was not prepared for just how cute this little girl would be.

With that I hand over the book to Mallory, where the book instantly begins to twist, turn, and struggle against the foreign touch of Mallory.

“None of that now. This is auntie Mallory and you need to treat her with respect.” I chide the book, which then instantly causes the book to stop struggling within Mallory’s arms.

With that Mallory holds the book, and then tries to open the covers to see what is inside.

Crackle.

There is a slight crackling of the spine, as one would expect from a book being opened for a first time.

“WAHH!” And like that, the book cries.

“Oh one second,” I say, swooping in to grab the book and then using a bit of Arcane Geomancy, I heal any damage done to the spine and, after a second the book relaxes again in my arms. Then having settled the skill book down, I hand her back to Mallory.

Once again there is a bit of struggle as the skill book clearly doesn’t like being held by anyone other than me at the moment, but that is something she is going to have to get used to.

Mallory for her part just stands there, holding the book open and seeing the words, but clearly not taking a moment to read them.

“This really is a skill book that helps to teach Aura Guidance?” Mallory asked.

“Of course, what did you think that I was just making this stuff up?” I ask.

“No, though I didn’t know that you could actually make a living sentient book? Though I guess I should have sort of expected such an event would come from you.” Mallory stated as she began reading through the book. Her fingers turning the pages and causing the book to squirm and move in her arms.

With the sudden movement, she backed up as she wondered what was happening this time.

“Oh, you are just tickling her, but don’t worry, she seems to be warming up to you.” I reply.

At that, Mallory looks from me, then back to the book and then sees that her finger is right at the bottom right page. Then in a moment of curiosity, she gently drags her finger across the page, which instantly causes the book to chuckle and squirm in her grasp.

“Okay, this is probably the oddest thing I will see today.” Mallory said.

Snap.

Just as Mallory was about to turn the page and go onto the next section, the book that she had been holding violently snapped shut and glared at Mallory.

“What? What just happened?” Mallory asked, turning from the book that now refused to let her read its contents, and then turning back to me.

“You did just call her odd.” I state, reaching out to grab the book, and gently stroke its cover. Instantly the tension that had been building began to lessen as the book no longer glared, now that she was out of Mallory’s hands.

“I, okay, wow.” Mallory began, but then turning to face the book, she quickly regained composure. “I did not mean that about you at all. Instead, I just found myself not able to fully comprehend what was happening here, and instead found myself saying whatever came to mind. I did not mean it as a slight against you, but rather at how lacking in a world view I had been up until this point.”

With that, the skill book turned to face Mallory, and seemed to nod in understanding, before turning back to face me and snuggle against my body. It was clear that while the book had forgiven her, she did not want to be held by Mallory at this time.

There was an awkward silence as I was there holding and rocking a baby book against my floating body.

Then finally after a second or two of awkward silence, Mallory finally broke the silence by asking a question that I was ultimately not prepared for.

“When and where exactly did you learn the skill Aura Guidance?”

Hearing Mallory’s question, I could only shrug.

“I don’t know, but I do know that I am super glad to have found her, otherwise I would not have this little miracle right here.” I say, as I reach down and gently stroke my pointer finger against the soft leathery outer cover of my first skill book.

Seeing me, Mallory takes me in for a second, before finally adding to the conversation.

“You really don’t do anything in half measures do you?”

“Nope, I can’t say that I do.” I reply, then somehow feeling that my book is finally asleep after a long and trying first few hours of life, I take the book and gently slide her into place on the bookshelf behind me.

A bookshelf filled with hundreds of books, but none of which are as special as my little Aura.

Then finally after a second of silence, Mallory who was just standing there finally asks.

“So did you manage to accomplish my original task I set out for you?” Mallory asks.

“What?” I ask, then realize that she took over my Bloodline Awakening Class so that I could come in here and make books.

Then holding up a finger, I realize that I have the answer right before me.

“Oh, right,” I explain as I reach into my desk and pull out yet another sheet of parchment that I will use to create my second living text.

Seeing the imprint of the first book I created clearly working on Mallory, even now. I realize that my plan to track all spies here will be relatively easy.

“I am about to use my new energy. As per your regulations, I am supposed to I believe give you the chance to leave?” I state, trying to remember the new safety regulations that have come about.

Mallory for her part, just stares at me and then shakes her head.

“Don’t worry about me, I will be fine.”

With that I shrug my shoulders and begin using Arcane Geomancy to create a book about the new skill Arcane Geomancy. The whole process is kind of meta to me, but I fully enjoy trying to expand on my knowledge of the skill, while providing all of the details that I have learned about the skill and its related discipline right now.

In all, I manage to get the book to be another leatherbound book, but with this one, I keep it as more of a diary. Where in order for someone to unlock it, they will need to provide a thumbprint and a minor application of dead skin cells to open. With that, the second component to this book, the tracking of knowledge component will be complete.

Sweat.

Only after pausing do I realize just how labor intensive creating a second book was. While the first one came sort of easily to me, the second one seemed to take more time and energy.

Still, I had done it. The book wasn’t much, maybe a few dozen pages, but the information that it had was truly cutting edge. That was why I believed it would be the perfect target for any spy or espionage network to get.

Taking the completed work up from my desk, I held it up for a second. Then begrudgingly I handed it over to Mallory.

Tingle.

The moment Mallory touched the still morphing book in her hands, I could feel the transfer of energy come over her as she suddenly gasped.

Shock.

“What?” I asked, seeing her face and body suddenly tense up.

“The book, I just…” was all Mallory could say as she looked at the tiny, sealed parchment in her hands. A parchment that would apparently change not just her immediate life, but also it would hopefully have the same impact on unmasking and identifying future spy networks as well.

Only time would tell. Though I could definitely see the immediate change to Mallory.

“Yeah, about time it happened.” I stated.