CHAPTER 7 - Resonance

Lucian's discerning gaze settled on the sword in Desmond's hand as he helped him to his feet. "A remarkable weapon you wield, Young Master," he said, his eyes narrowing at the blade. "I discern two Glyphs etched upon it, am I correct?"

Desmond looked puzzled for a moment before examining his blade. Indeed, two radiant markings—what he had internally termed Essence Runes—gleamed back at him. 'So they're called Glyphs,' he thought.

"Yes, it is," Desmond confirmed cautiously, "although I'm not entirely sure what they do."

Raising an eyebrow, Lucian inquired, "Lord Stallard bestowed upon you such an exquisite blade without explaining its Glyphs?" He motioned for Desmond to hand him the sword.

Desmond hesitated for a split second, then passed the blade to Lucian. The young man held the sword from the handle, cradling it between both hands, shutting his eyes in concentration. Moments later, the Glyphs began to vibrate, shining brightly momentarily before settling back to their usual gentle glow.

Admiration filled Lucian's eyes as he opened them. "This blade must have been a considerable investment for Lord Stallard. The Glyph on the left is a Reinforcement Glyph—commonplace among Essence weapons. It not only enhances the sword's resilience but also endows it with self-repairing capabilities." His fingers lightly caressed the second Glyph. "This one is a true rarity. It bestows upon the wielder the capacity to transmute the weapon into different forms. An impressive ability”

Desmond’s curiosity was palpable. “How did you learn that?”

"You've just witnessed what we call 'Resonance,' Young Master," Lucian began. "Only cultivators can fully tap into the power of Glyphs. That's because they require your internal Essence to display their abilities. However, not all Glyphs function the same way. Some, like the space Glyph in your Pocket Ring or the Reinforcement Glyph on this sword, operate passively. Others, like the morphing Glyph, need you to channel your Essence into them to build a deeper connection. This is achieved through 'Resonance.'"

Desmond nodded, absorbing the information.

"Think of channeling your essence as an extension of your cultivation practices," Lucian continued. "The main difference is where you place your focus. Instead of directing the ambient Essence inward, you send the internal one outward, letting it flow through your arms and resonate with the Glyphs. Once you achieve that, the Glyphs will reveal their secrets to you.

"Is it possible to master this before we reach the Ice Crest? I'll need all the strength I can get," Desmond inquired.

"It's a tall order," Lucian said. "Most cultivators take years to fully resonate with a glyphed weapon. The process is intricate and demands a high level of control."

Desmond's face fell a little. “So you mean I won’t be able to use this sword's full power for years?”

"Unfortunately, that's likely," Lucian reassured. "But with diligent practice, you might master it sooner than you think."

Feeling resolved, Desmond nodded. "Let me try then."

"By all means," Lucian answered, a playful glint in his eyes. "But don't underestimate the task ahead."

Unfazed by Lucian's subtle skepticism, Desmond's focus sharpened. He adopted Lucian's stance, recalling the lessons he'd absorbed from his recent cultivation practices.

Over the past few days he'd become intimately familiar with ORION's cultivation methods: the rhythmic breathing, the complex flow of Bio-Energy, and the absorption of external Essence. His sword training had been the only break from this intense focus, demanding as it did, complete control over his body.

This constant immersion in cultivation had given Desmond an instinctual understanding of the Stallard's Physique Cultivation technique. He could now cultivate independently, although his approach differed from ORION's.

While ORION manipulated it effortlessly at a cellular level, leveraging his vast processing skills, Desmond's engagement was more visceral and instinctual. Stillness and focus were his allies, but he lacked ORION's precise touch, especially in purging excess essence.

As he mulled over Lucian's counsel. He grasped that the 'Essence' Lucian spoke of was actually the Bio-Energy coursing through cultivators, not the untransformed, external Essence. Interestingly, others in this world didn't differentiate between the two.

This was a crucial insight. While the external Essence behaved akin to quantum particles and was subject to quantum physics, Bio-Energy was now inherently linked to hemoglobin. This aligned it more closely with classical mechanics.

If Desmond’s theory was right, ‘resonance’ likely had something to do with aligning both the frequency of his Bio-Energy and the sword's Glyphs. And if that was the case, then increasing the speed of its circulation might be the key.

Taking a deep breath to focus, Desmond closed his eyes and began to channel his Bio-Energy through his body. Starting slowly, he gradually increased its speed.

After some time, just as he thought he was making progress, an electric-like tingle jolted through his fingers. This wasn't mere sensation; it was as if the glyphs were screaming for attention, demanding immediate synchronization.

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As the call intensified, something extraordinary happened: his hold over the Bio-Energy's flow was abruptly disrupted.

It was as if a dormant volcano had suddenly erupted within him. A torrential surge of Essence burst forth from his Essence Core, sweeping through his body like a tidal wave of pure energy. The sensation was overwhelming, as if the very fabric of his being was being rewritten, the excruciating pain threatening to break him.

The sword in his hand quickly became the epicenter of this event. The Glyphs on the blade ignited, glowing with a luminescence that seemed to defy the laws of physics. It was as if the universe itself had acknowledged the union between Desmond and the weapon.

In that moment, a flood of knowledge cascaded into his mind, akin to the way ORION's memory injections worked but far more profound. As the pain faded, the Glyphs revealed their secrets to him, imparting an instinctual understanding of their ancient power and how to wield it.

The resonance he had been striving through Bio-Energy was transcended. Desmond had tapped into something far greater, a mysterious connection between his Essence Core and the Glyphs that felt as ancient as time itself. It didn't require any fine-tuning of frequencies. His Essence Core had done the work for him, bypassing years of practice in mere seconds.

Lucian's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth agape. "Young Master," he stammered, grappling with what he'd just witnessed, "tell me truthfully... have you been cultivating in secret all these years?"

Taking a few deep breaths to recover from the violent experience, Desmond replied, "Not really..." his eyes twinkling with a blend of pride and awe. "I was inspired to start just the other day after watching you in action."

Lucian stood there, utterly flabbergasted. "That's impossible! It took me over a decade to achieve a perfect resonance. How did you manage this?"

"I merely did as you advised," Desmond responded, carefully choosing his words. "I created a resonance between my Essence and the sword."

Lucian's astonishment was palpable. "Just doing what I advised should be impossible!"

Realizing the magnitude of his achievement, a grateful smile crossed Desmond's lips. "Then you must be an extraordinary teacher. Thank you." With that, he turned and walked away, his mind buzzing as he pondered the enigmatic event he had just experienced.

Left behind, Lucian stood, eyes tracing Desmond's path. He wanted to feel proud of the compliment of his young master, but instead, he was left grappling with bewilderment and unanswered questions.

Moments later, Cedric joined him. Their eyes met, sharing a sense of awe and confusion.

"Was that 'resonance'?" Cedric asked.

Lucian nodded. "It was."

The two looked back at Desmond, now comfortably settled in the carriage. What they had witnessed defied explanation.

It had taken Lucian nearly a decade to master resonance to his current level. His progress, although impressive, had always followed a logical trajectory. The phenomenon they'd just observed in Desmond, however, fascinated and unsettled him in equal measure.

Walking a bit further from the carriage, the two men exchanged a glance that conveyed more than words ever could.

Cedric broke the silence, his eyes narrowing. "It's clear the young master is hiding something. What we witnessed was... extraordinary."

Lucian nodded, his mind racing. "Just a few days back, he hadn’t even started cultivating, yet his current physical abilities defy explanation for someone his age. And during our spar—"

"—His reflexes and battle sense were uncannily good," Cedric interjected, nodding as if to confirm his own words.

Lucian sighed. "Given the rapid pace of his growth over these past days, I assumed he was adept at hiding his true capabilities, revealing them gradually as he grew more comfortable with us. That alone would be remarkable for someone of his age. However, what we've just witnessed transcends that. For someone so young to achieve a perfect 'resonance'—it's as if it's been pulled straight from the pages of legends."

Cedric looked down, lost in thought, before finally looking back up.

Catching a glint of realization in Lucian's eyes, Cedric heard him whisper, "The sudden journey to the mythical Five Peaks, the rapid growth in his cultivation, and now this... Could it be...?"

"Stop," Cedric cut him off sharply. "We're not here to speculate. Our duty is to escort him to Lyrhaven, and that's all there is to it."

"If this is true, the implications for the Stallard family could be enormous—the potential power, the influence..." Lucian’s voice trailed off, his eyes widening as if seeing a new universe of possibilities.

Before he could spiral further into his musings, Cedric's hand met his cheek with a stinging slap. "What was that for?" Lucian blurted, more shocked than hurt.

"We stay focused. Let's move," Cedric declared, his voice laced with the urgency of their mission's importance.

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Inside the carriage, Desmond was lost in thought. How much had they noticed? How much did they know? He had tried to act like a normal 11-year-old boy to the best of his ability, but the events of today might have given him away.

Fortunately, once they reached Lyrhaven, Cedric and Lucian would return to the Stallard Manor, and he would have the freedom to act as he pleased.

His focus shifted to the red Glyph that had formed on the back of his right hand. With a thought, the sword materialized in his grip, glowing softly. Another thought, and it vanished, leaving only the pattern on his hand as evidence of its existence.

The knowledge of how to perform these actions had been imprinted onto him when he achieved 'Resonance' with the weapon. The Glyphs had imparted not just the ability to summon and dismiss the weapon but also the skill to alter its form.

Desmond asked, breaking the silence in the carriage. ‘ORION, any theories on how the sword is stored within me?’

<< Based on the data, I theorize that your recent 'Resonance' attempt with the weapon and its Glyphs have actually caused a form of quantum entanglement between your Essence Core and the weapon, sir,>> ORION responded.

‘You're saying the weapon and my Essence Core are quantum-entangled?’ Desmond's eyes widened as the weight of ORION's statement settled in. ‘Is it akin to how you and I are entangled within Bale's body?’

<> ORION clarified.

‘So, when I summon, dismiss, or even morph the sword, I'm essentially altering the quantum state of my Essence, which is then instantaneously mirrored in the weapon due to this entanglement?’ Desmond sought to confirm.

<> ORION affirmed.

‘The Glyphs... the instinctual knowledge they've imparted seems to have granted me access to my Essence Core,’ Desmond mused in his mind, his tone tinged with scientific curiosity.

‘Understanding the quantum mechanics behind these actions could serve as a pivotal point in our research into the nature and behavior of Essence, and the even more elusive Essence Core.’

Excited by the prospect of finally having a tangible starting point for their research, a sudden realization struck Desmond.

‘If resonance has led to quantum entanglement between the weapon's Glyphs and my Essence Core, how does this mechanism operate for other cultivators who lack such a Core?’

With renewed determination, he instructed, ‘ORION, pull up the latest scans on Cedric and Lucian.’