[Lesser System Creator] (Worldly Feat)
A permanent mark placed upon the soul of Xerion Säkene Širdis.
Formed by the world’s will, as an acknowledgment of his achievement: The invention of a new ability creation system – Bound Spirit Forging.
Made through the fusion of various elements stemming from three different systems – Conceptual Essence Usage, Essence Construct Formation, and Totem Engravement – combined with unusual and noteworthy actions.
Due to the new system being fully assembled from previously existing ones, as well as due to the minuscule amount of effort put into its expansion, this Feat received the designation of “Lesser.”
The Lesser System Creator Worldly Feat provides:
1. A permanent 10% boost to its recipient’s Heart Sub-Attributes,
2. All abilities formed by its recipient through the use of the Bound Spirit Forging system shall be permanently elevated by 1 grade,
3. All abilities formed through the use of the Bound Spirit Forging system and used against the Feat’s recipient shall be temporarily reduced by 1 grade,
4. The Feat’s recipient, as a carrier of the world’s acknowledgment, shall find existence to now be slightly more amenable to their wants.
Xerion spent over half his life in the clan’s Archives, and given his love for reading, he took a peek at nearly all texts contained within. And yet, even though that place acted almost as his second home, not once had he seen a mention of something like a Worldly Feat.
He always thought of himself as above the common rabble, those few gifted with the ability to wield essence that stayed content despite achieving and dreaming of nothing. To be graced with power yet not strive for greatness beggared his belief.
But a lot of people did pursue the peak, as evidenced by the creation of [Empyrean Revivification], and he held no doubt that the accomplishments of many of them far surpassed this little invention of his.
That led him to a simple conclusion: the existence of Feats must’ve been deliberately concealed from the public.
But why? Wouldn’t it only serve as an additional source of motivation for Practitioners, the knowledge that their efforts could be rewarded in such a significant manner?
Xerion’s eyes scanned over the contents of the floating Sui Scroll. What it provided was frankly ludicrous. Whether it be the Attribute boost or the grade elevation, they’d ensure he stood head and shoulders above the cultivators of comparable Rank. Maybe not immediately, but even the least observant would notice how much this soul mark changed his future potential.
Then there was that last point. What exactly did it mean for “existence to now be slightly more amenable to his wants?” One idea sprung to mind, and he tested it right away.
“I want to see my dad,” he said and waited. Sure enough, after a minute or two, multiple spots of darkness started to appear in his vision.
Lightning seemed to course through his veins at their sight, his limbs trembling in anticipation of a face he thought lost to time. Cold sweat broke on his back, and he felt increasingly unwell as black became all he saw. This power, to ask and to receive, must’ve put a heavy toll on his body.
A sadful whine broke the boy out of his stupor, and let him realize that no magic was happening. He was, in fact, just in the middle of passing out of pain, exhaustion, and blood loss.
Xerion’s head struck the floor with a muffled thump, the action bringing some clarity to his mind. He looked at Ether, this cutest of pups, and asked it to fetch him one of the scattered vials.
Or he thought he asked, given that the furry ball did exactly what he wanted, yet he couldn’t recall a single word leaving his mouth. How peculiar. On careful consideration, he didn’t remember checking the Sui Scroll of his new ability. He’d do that in a second though, after returning to a more functional state.
Ether didn’t wait for further commands after coming back. It used its tiny paws to somehow pull out the potion’s cork, then tilted the vial and poured pure filth down its companion’s throat.
Tears filled Xerion’s eyes as he desperately tried to keep this disgusting liquid in his stomach. Empyrean help him, what sort of abominable things did they put into those concoctions?!
As minutes passed, his breathing went back to a consistent rhythm. The darkness retreated, and even a bit of a rosy color crept onto his cheeks.
“Hey buddy,” he croaked out. “Could you—”
Ether’s fangs sunk into the boy’s robe, again seeming aware of his asks before those left his mouth. It pulled him all the way until he found himself below the tub.
His dirty fingers stroked the pup’s snowy flowing fur, making it wag its tail and whine in a joyful manner. “Thanks, bud.”
Taking off his outfit was the furthest thing from a quick affair. The cloth clung to him as if the material grew claws and sunk them deep into his flesh. He made note of the possibility of using blood and sweat as replacements for glue in his future experiments, given how they worked wonders right here.
With the stripping done, he threw himself into the tub and activated the enchantment responsible for pulling water out of the mansion’s underground reserves. It arrived already hot, striking at his tender skin and stripping all the gunk out of its surface.
It was at that moment that the smell hit him. The stench was so overpowering that it reminded him of a corpse left to decompose and rot freely, and as if he had been living in a shoddy butcher's shop for a month or more simultaneously. His eyes filled with moisture as his stomach convulsed with violent spasms, one of his palms grabbing at his nose and failing to keep that pungent odor away.
The next half an hour went by in a bit of a blur, as he scrubbed at his body with all the strength the potion gave him. By the time he stopped, not a soul in Virsha wouldn’t compliment the scent wafting off of him.
Despite being done, Xerion remained in the tub and relaxed for a while. The hot water hugged his form so tightly, so warmly, that it lured his mind into a state of blissful calm.
Ether decided to join him. First, a happy snout appeared from outside the deep bronze metal, two endless blue swirls assessing what lay within its confines. Inspection completed, the puppy jumped into the azure liquid with a loud splash, sending ripples and tiny waves in all directions.
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Thank the Empyrean it didn’t enter earlier, when the water’s color was closer to the tub’s than to the sky of his dreams.
Ether emerged from the depths and climbed onto his chest, its mist-like fur somehow dry and tickling at his skin. Xerion patted it on the head, and the sounds it made in response warmed his heart like little else.
He cupped its muzzle between two of his palms, then started making strange cooing sounds to the pup’s delight. The thought of how silly he looked did cross his mind, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.
“I made you barely a few minutes ago and I already can’t imagine you not being here. How’s that possible, hmmm?” he asked, and Ether yipped in response. “Yeah, I know. You’re super-duper great. Let’s check out your details, yeah?”
A Sui Scroll unfolded before him.
[Ether] (Heroic+) (Rank 1)
An essence ability created by Xerion Säkene Širdis.
Its roots stem from the Bound Spirit Forging^* system. Formed using an image of an ever-faithful dog, imbued with a wisp that contained truths and impressions of canine-type essence beasts, molded through the use of a specialized circle, and realized by the engravement of a personalized Courage-attuned totem.
Ether is a Spirit bound to the flesh and heart of its creator. This connection makes it possible to communicate with it telepathically.
Ether is undying for as long as its creator remains. Each time its form is destroyed, it shall be reborn within the body of Xerion Säkene Širdis.
Ether is constructed from essence and other substances of mystical nature. Its magical biology (fur, hide, fangs, bones, and more) provides it with great durability, allows it to tear apart even considerably tough materials, and grants it the capability to achieve high speeds while remaining stable and maneuverable.
Ether is in possession of vastly enhanced senses. Its sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch all markedly exceed those held by Practitioners of similar Rank.
Ether is able to change its size. It does so based on the wants of its creator, as well as its own judgment. The maximum and minimum dimensions it can assume depend on the amount and quality of energy provided to it.
Ether is capable of borrowing some of its maker’s abilities, though they will function at a moderately reduced power.
Ether requires essence to sustain itself, though its upkeep cost is negligible while it resides close to or within the body of its maker. Energy expenditure will rise when Spirit: employs one of its special means, is injured and in need of healing, and moves far away from its originator.
Ether’s overall essence cost, the extent of its might, and the breadth of its abilities, are all largely dependent on its grade and the user’s power.
^As an ability formed through the use of a system you invented, its advancement and usage will come significantly easier than abilities created through different means. Its initial grade has also been boosted by one whole level.
*As the first ability created by you through the use of this system, its advancement and usage will come noticeably easier than the following ones. Its initial grade has also been boosted.
“What in the void, buddy! Aren’t you a bit too awesome?”
Ether barked and raised its head high, showing itself off in all of its miniature glory. Xerion patted it again, then sent some essence to it through their link. Saliva, as white as snow, started streaming down its maw, and he smiled, content in having discovered what worked as a treat for the pup.
“And you can change in size, yeah? Bet you’ll look amazing all buffed up. Oh, we’ve got so, so much testing to do.”
A gentle knock echoed across the room, the pair’s attention shifting to the door in eerie synchronicity. Xerion noticed that out of the corner of his eye and guffawed, while Ether chuffed in response.
“Please wait a minute, I’m indecent.”
The boy found himself unwilling to leave the comfy confines of the tub, but he couldn’t exactly greet anyone naked. Still, his good mood remained despite that minor annoyance, as the presence of his fluffy companion kept it at an all-time high.
In short order, a robe of stunning blue clad his form from head to toe. Ether stood beside him, and his often too-critical eye decided their colors to be quite complementary indeed. He also smeared a bit of perfume over his neck, for such a handsome puppy needed an owner with a manly smell.
He strolled to the door with a smile on his lips, opened it, and froze.
“Mother?”
“Yes. May I come in?”
“Uh… yeah, sure. Why not. Please enter.”
The shorter woman passed him by, her thick braid of ginger hair swinging from side to side. Her silky, white robe clung to her body and made each of her movements seem refined. Xerion, in comparison, looked like an oaf as he hastily swiveled and hit himself in his funny bone on the door’s frame.
Air escaped his lungs with a sharp hiss as he rubbed at his hurting elbow. Never in his life would he understand why the slightest of strikes against that point pained him so.
“Xerion,” his mother – Martha – said, while crinkling her nose in clear distaste. “Would you mind opening a window? It smells positively ghastly in here.”
“Seems fine to me,” he answered on reflex, then wondered why as that stench was getting to him too. He might be all clean and fragrant, but his room sure wasn’t.
The woman sighed, then looked at him with those blue eyes of hers, the pair identical to his own. “I didn’t wish to criticize, but—”
“No, you’re right. It stinks in here.”
Without saying anything further, the boy moved and opened the before-mentioned window. A zephyr flew in immediately, and its gentle and oh-so-fresh nature caused him to swear at himself for not doing so earlier.
That done, he turned to face his mother and waited to hear the reason for her visit. It didn’t come, however, as she asked a question he really should’ve expected.
“Is that… a beast? An essence construct?” She peered at the wolf closely. “Both? Neither?”
Xerion bent his knees, to the point that his head rested just above the pup sitting primly by his feet. He scooped it up into his arms, one of them holding it close to his chest while the other started playing with its fluffy ears.
“This is Ether, and it’s my companion,” he said, a slight heat to his voice.
“Ah, I was simply curious as to the—”
“Mother, why did you come?”
Martha opened her mouth, then closed it. She rubbed at her brow while shaking her head. Some mutterings reached Xerion’s ears, too faint to make out their contents, unfortunately.
She slipped her hand into the folds of her stunning robe, rummaging for a moment before pulling out a tiny orb nestled in her palm. Its glowing surface cued Xerion in to its mystical properties.
“This is an Equilibrium Sphere. It contains special energy, and the person who absorbs it will be able to shorten the time needed for their cultivation to stabilize.” She took a couple of quick steps as she spoke, closing the distance between them. “I want you to have it.”
Xerion gazed at his mother, then at the item that she held. Hesitant fingers reached for it, retreating in surprise at the heat it transmitted.
“This… I’m going on my first mission soon. This could be so useful. Maybe… I might manage to squeeze in another breakthrough. I don’t…” he said, trailing off.
“I know your departure is nearing, and so I came to give this to you. I want… I need you to be safe.”
The boy looked at his mom, at her youthful appearance and that face full of worry. Words of thanks climbed all the way to the tip of his tongue, yet they didn’t get a chance to exit.
Maria barged into his room, seeming completely flabbergasted at the sight of the two of them so close and acting amenable to each other. The fact she didn’t comment on the horrific state of his abode spoke volumes of her surprise.
“Mistress, what are you…” The maid stopped, cleared her throat, and focused on Xerion. “Young master, a messenger just arrived, carrying news of your initiation mission. He said for you to ready yourself and be at the northwestern wall in less than an hour’s time. The man was very insistent that I tell you to not be late.”
Xerion stared at the middle-aged woman, then shifted to his mother, until his gaze finally rested on a nearby mirror. It showed quite the handsome lad, he had to admit, but one with obvious lines of exhaustion streaked all over his face. Especially the eyes, those held bone-deep tiredness of the highest sort.
A quick check of his Heartspace revealed what he already knew to be true: his essence reserves were close to empty. On top of that, his heart and mind continued sending tiny pulses of hurt throughout his body. This was the absolute worst moment for him to depart. And so, he released his frustrations in the most expedient way possible – by cursing.
“Oh, you’ve gotta be fuc—”