"You have all the information on the basics. Now apply it. Breathe, sense, and understand. But this time don't apply it outward. Focus your mental presence, your thoughts, and will within you". I frowned as I found myself abruptly changing the focus of my sight from outside to a mental search. My lids shut and I found myself truly breathing slowly and peacefully.
It was all dark. Nothing but the lights and motes swirling beyond my lids.
"Focus. Many things require focus. For the Psychae focus is imperative. They're said to have complete domination over mind and matter. For that the need focus. Complete subjugation of their mental selves. Ergos don't need such focus but we have found it to be imperative for our manipulations. Even the mana wielders know such".
I kept searching and mentally pushing the shapes and lights away. I didn't even know what I was searching for.
"Focus. Your breathing is imperative yet not important. Your will is desired more but not wanted at the moment. What you need is peace. A thoughtless mind is open to the tiniest distinctions. The calmest ponds register the littlest disturbances. The quietest halls notice the minute drops of sound. Find this state of equilibrium and keep it".
Her words went silent and for a moment I almost pondered the accuracy with which the recordings acted in tandem to their listeners almost like they were present.
'Focus'
'Focus'
A pond of ripples. A quiet hallway. A raging storm.
'Focus'
I willed the waves to spread in one direction. Hitting the boundaries of the imaginative walls repeatedly until they became a pattern that would be undisturbed and unchanged. I forced the storm to form an eye. One where it held no power. Finally was the loudness. And listened and listened and focused and focused.
I focused on the eye of the storm and pushed all things to the back of my mind. The waves and wind crashing about moved to the background of my mind. All I saw was the eye of the storm, all I heard was the pin-drop silence and all I felt was a calm ripple spreading over the surface of the water.
'Focus'
[Nexus has been located]
[Nexus has been given mental form]
Like a ripple, everything took on a more surreal presence. The storm became a wall, the water became ground and the center became calm. There in the cylindrical peace that was my mind rested a huge sphere.
I started astounded at the ball of gas that seemed reminiscent of the sun yet different. It was like sound waves, light, heat, and all manners of effect were crushed into a large ball. Hovering there it turned and revolved around the peaceful place. Like a star.
I woke up.
I was panting. I was covered in sweat and soaked to my pants. Standing up I staggered as I felt my legs going limp beneath me.
[Medes has awakened from his trance session. I hope your unveiling went well. Most are unable to correctly allude a form for their Nexus. Quite unfortunate ]
"You knew this would happen?" I queried attempting to stand.
[I assure you there is no Buddha in other universes or worlds. Seating and crossing of legs is advantageous for staying in position under such trances]
'Bloody A.I'
My rain of expletives came to an end with a blinking white light next to my vision that I noted right as I fought myself to my feet.
[You have found your Nexus]
[+100Exp]
[You have given your Nexus form]
[+170Exp]
[Follow up quest]
[Nexal Pathways I]
[Forge your Nexal pathways. Create a route easily accessed by your source]
[Rewards - 500Exp, Skill Proficiency]
I stopped, looking blankly at the instant level-up reward. I fiercely wanted to know just how many attribute points I would get if any and how it went. Sighing I ignored the quest and focused on keeping myself standing. Fortunately, the blood was returning to my legs.
'Should I continue or rest?' I wondered looking back to my seating.
[This Unit advises Medes to have appropriate rest. The task of finding and giving a Nexus form is not a slight one]
Nodding I vanished into my room.
The next day began almost the same with Adam reading me my rights basically. A shower doing wonders and decking myself in another similar set of base uniforms.
Seated at the same spot as the previous day I realized something interesting.
"Adam. Why am I not hungry?"
[Records show this as an unintended effect of your body's capabilities. While you may still eat and enjoy delicacies. The very need for food has been rendered mute by your absorption of Solar Rads]
It made sense given that food gave the body needed minerals and proteins for bodybuilding and all that biological nonsense. With solar rads doing the same and even better and faster, food just like Adam stated was now rendered as a pastime and not important.
"Nice."
"Adam. Please activate the tutorial videos".
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
[Affirmative Medes]
The video hologram activated and the female red-eyed elf reappeared. She looked much the same as when I shut my eyes further shattering the illusion of it being more than a recording. The video remained silent for a few moments as I watched her swirled a finger around eyes closed. After about a few seconds she spoke.
"Congratulations to any watching this part of the video you have successfully found and formed your Nexus core". She made a slight head tip.
"What comes now though is not by any chance less difficult. A trading hub with trade routes is useless and unfeasible. The same applies to a Nexus. But first I'm certain most of you wonder what is a Nexus. Why is it important and what are its uses?".
I found myself nodding like a schoolboy and like she could see a smile stretched on her cheeks.
"The Nexus is a metaphysical zone within all entities possessing a source. It is a section really where all your power lies. From your source to your affinity or affinities. All can be found in the Nexus. Fortunately for all the Nexus is something beyond the power of all entities within the system's purview. While death and all manner of atrocities are ignored and perhaps encouraged, wiping a man of his hard work in life is seen as sacrilege". The frown and cold glint in her eyes showed me how personal her words were.
"Regardless this means no attack can reach your Nexus no matter how horrifically damaged your soul is. Yeah soul. Because somehow your Nexus exists and interacts through your soul".
I shrugged considering it made sense. My affinities after all had reacted when my soul had been placed in my body.
"Now to the Nexal Pathways. Just are the routes to places are never one but innumerable so too are the Nexal pathways. Through these routes you channel source to all paths of your body so long you can bear it".
'Bear it?'.
"The most basic knowledge about this all is simply by calling out your source to you from the Nexus, guiding it through your body in the desired part and remembering it as permanent. Those with more knowledge of their body both in and out have more chances of success ".
The hologram paused and Adam spoke.
[This Unit advice her warnings be heeded]
"Is it that dangerous?"
[Dangerous. No. Unless one is stupid. What danger it brings is pain. Pain maddening enough to many that it is seen as the first source of the pain resistance skills]
"That painful?".
[Biting a belt as you humans do will not cut it]
"Anesthesia?"
[The Moonbase lacks adequate medical facilities and tools]
My mind burned at the words and I almost leaped up from my seat. Shaking myself I focused on completing one task. Besides I hadn't even started my compulsory quest and I felt touching on the medical facility was a new can of quests on its own.
[Also pain is the best indication of where and how the pathways are being made as an error could lead to issues]
"Issues?".
[None that you should desire]
'Lovely'. I exhaled in exhaustion at the number of things getting dangerous to do.
"Will you..., can you guide me?"
[Negative. Adam wishes the best of luck to Medes]
"Asshole"
[...]
I shut my eyes and tried remembering the feeling from the other day. The calm, the quiet, and the stillness. I didn't know how long I was expecting to wait to get into the 'Focus' but fortunately I just found my awareness in the Nexus.
Above was the big ball of Source. I knew it was it since there was nothing else that could be the same. But this time I searched for the rest. I found nothing but a wall of storm around me and the ground of calm water.
Shrugging I turned my attention back to the source ball and began the processing of masochism. With an inhale as I had learned I tasted and understood the energy of my source. Then I let the sensations wash over me.
'Follow'
Using the same one-word mantra I utilized for my Nexus formation I drew the source after me. The elf said those who knew their body more had more chances of success. So what were the chances of I who built his body from scratch?
Then the pain came. I didn't know what getting branded by hot iron felt like but I surmised this was it. Or worse. Definitely worse.
I could see the very parts of my metaphysical skin getting ripped aside to create access for the pathways These were the pathways. Controlled guided and kept from spilling out of the metaphysical segment of myself and into the physical by the hollows borne by the source.
It was a constant drilling effort. But I persisted. I could feel the energy slipping at times, other times growing erratic. Focus and follow, two words kept my attention and helped me keep the source at attention. I carved the first large path down from what I noted as my heart region to my abdomen. It filled out into a larger cavern where the source then split into two. One following a path down my right leg and the other my left. It was gruesome and painful but I persisted. Pain almost made me leave it at that but I knew just like my days working out that going out with a bang was always beneficial. The bang in this case was forming yet another cavern for energy to pull and then splitting the paths in six. One ending at the center of my heel where I widened it till it was wide enough to stretch around beneath the feet. The other five came out on the five toes and I made them narrower than the other.
Once I was done with forging the path through my lower body and legs I moved back to the source and pulled once more.
Forming the pathways to my hands and the center of my palm was arduous. Fortunately, I had an incentive to finish. There were rewards to be earned so I gritted my mental teeth and pushed on. I repeated the same design for my palms and almost exhaled and ended it there but with a push I carved out caverns on the ridges between my knuckle fingers. Three in total for each hand making six.
'Focus'.
'Follow'.
Source followed and I focused. I created a cavern of energy in my chest realizing that the little trickle of source might not be enough to go to all paths quickly. Once the cavern was the size of a fist I carved yet another path. Paths more like. It was slow and painful but I pushed till there were five adequate paths across my neck and to my head. Things got tricky here as I found some interference. Grumbling I tried going through but found myself repelled.
Fortunately, I ended up able to move around. Only when I found nowhere else to go did I halt the forming of paths and exhale.
'I did it'. Exiting my Nexus I opened my mouth to rejoice only for a mind-grinding pain to seize me. My body spasmed and rocked while the voice of the elf faded into nothing as I lost consciousness.
¶¶¶¶¶¶
[Status].
[HP - 150/150]
[Source - 300/300(608/608)]
[State - Healthy]
[Sun Heart - 64.8/100]
[Name - Medes Luminare]
[Race - Erizian]
[Age - Body - 0, Soul - 21]
[Level - 0] - [Exp - 430/1000]
[Affinities - Haendro, Aestro, Sol, Psychae]
[Class - Unlock Level 10]
[Vitality - 15] - [30.4] - Health, Skin Durability, Regeneration and Healing rate. Strength against poisons and status effects.
[Might - 15] - [30.4] - Bone strength, Muscle mass, force exertion, and velocity application.
[Agility - 15] - [30.4] - Speed, Dexterity, Flexibility and Acceleration. Strength against Status Effects.
[Mind - 15] - [30.4] - Mental acuity, concentration, speed of thought, will, and imagination]
[Source Energy - 30] - [60.8] - [Your source holds weight due to the amount you are capable of harnessing and storing within your body]
[Nexus - The Metaphysical sector within your soul housing the core of your Source and other affinities.
Cores - Energy, Unfound, Unfound, Unfound.
Nexal pathways - Energy]
[Passives - Levitation, Mind Veil, That Which kills you makes you stronger, Sol's Grace, Sun Heart, Calm as the Breeze Rough as the Storm]
[Skills
- Basic Energy Sensing, Focus, Basic Energy Control. Pain Resistance I]
- Aestro - Null
- Haendro - Null.
- Sol - Energinesis.
- Psychae - Mental Touch]