Caswar spent the rest of the evening writing up everything he could about Liam's evaluation results. The actual test administrators knew the results were unexpected and exceptional, but had no idea to what degree that was true. Since Caswar hadn't stepped in, they simply continued the full evaluation - finding Liam from adequate to exceptional in every testable affinity. Caswar's report was going straight to the head of research at Everlight University - he needed answers - or at least rational guesses.
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Liam:
The spirit wasn't going to make this as easy as I had hoped - he didn't take any direct action at all as the tests were thrown at me. What DID happen was that my energy levels stayed full, no matter what I did, meaning that I had endless tries at manifesting each affinity they asked of me. I often had to get them to repeat or clarify the instructions several times, because I'd never even heard of any of the strange affinities they came up with at the end of the test period - chaos? void? Were those even real things?
Yet somehow once I understood the instructions well enough, I was able to manifest what they were asking for. It was as if affinity just didn't matter. I was simply using magic to create the effect they asked of me. With some of it, I could see potential, but most just seemed to have no practical use at all.
The other part that bugged me was that I felt cut off from feeding my magic into body enhancement - practically the only thing I had experience with! Instead, I felt strange drilling feelings and oddly uncomfortable pulsing in many parts of my body.
Whatever it was, my physical evaluations were even lower than normal for me, the class weakling.
After several hours, they were done with me, and I waited with Dad as they prepared my future. When I talked over what had happened with Dad, he got a very strange look in his eyes and said: I think you misunderstood some of that, son, but I'll want to hear what the evaluations have to say.
Most on an hour later, the head evaluator came in. He addressed Dad first: Misho, this boy of yours is both incredibly lucky and in great danger. The good news - he can work with any known affinity. The bad news is that he is going to be a target. He's simply too weak to defend himself from those who would want to abuse his more unusual talents, like Mind or Chance affinity.
Because of this, we advise he spend the next few month in training and study, then attempt another bursting. Yes, I know it's dangerous, but he just can't survive in his current condition once his skills become known. From what little we know, he needs to somehow create channels in both his body and astral form, that will guide and store incredible amounts of magic.
With his first burst, he registered level 3 magic. Next time, we should expect at least level 5. So think of it as having to endure the effects of the highest-power Lightning Grasp YOU could put out.
Liam, YOU are going to study like mad! But for tonight, here are the rules for NOT using certain restricted affinities - read them carefully, because the laws regarding them are very strict. The big one - no one with Luck affinity is allowed to gamble for anything of value. Even your friends and family will be held suspect if you are present when they win anything.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Also, tomorrow, you are going to get a personal Spar session. The one affinity we couldn't test today was Life Force. We need to see how your system handles your kills.
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Well, that went better than expected. They were still stuck on the "burster" explanation and had no clue about me. This "aspect" framework was obviously what was holding this world back. They had no "unified field theory" for magic, and weren't looking for one. Instead, they were treating magic like we treated the chemical elements back on Earth - creating table and properties and dividing them into groups. They hadn't yet gotten to the "subatomic" level of seeing it was all made of protons, neutrons, and electrons. My own "magic" had that as a basic assumption, and so the magic I provided Liam could be used for any of it.
Of course, looking at it that way also made me the analog of a magical atomic bomb.
I hoped they had a good training regime in store for Liam, because I REALLY needed a handle on this "aspecting" system.
I also though over how I would handle the Spar tomorrow. I certainly didn't need any energy from a dead critter, either for myself or to give to Liam. I could hang back and let Liam try to process it on his own - he would at least have a connection to it now.
The combat itself would be a great test of my own control. I was certain that once anything entered Liam's aura, it would be mine to do with as I pleased - but what SHOULD I do with them? I would protect Liam from harm, of course, but should I take a hand in the kill or let Liam do the dirty work?
My other project was under way - forming a true chakra system for Liam, both physical and astral, and all the supporting energy channels. I had been gratified to hear that the evaluators had recommended much the same thing - even though they did so out of fear of what a "burst" might do to Liam. As I worked, I could feel his vulnerabilities to casual magic start to fade and natural cycling begin to take hold. A few more days, and THEN we could start really buffing up his body the way he had always wanted.
The astral part was tricky. I had learned that his astral form had lived his entire life constantly draining itself to buff his physical body - gathering energy into itself was a new experience. Also, astral forms here were confined - not allowed to go out and explore. I didn't know yet how or why that was the case, other than their weakness and vulnerability. From what I had felt around me with my own astral senses, people didn't start any serious astral development until at least level 4, when they needed it for longer range effects. I'd bet air mages started on it earlier, though, so maybe get Liam to ask Salia??
As for myself, I was fairly sure I could astral project safely, but the silver cord would be very fragile, since Liam's body wasn't much of an anchor for it yet. Tonight, I would try it - staying within the home itself and observing what his parent's astral forms did at night.
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At Everlight University, Moridan, head of research, was very excited! If he was correct, this burster kid had opened up a channel giving him access to Primordial magic - PURE magic, untouched by intent. It might only be a trickle, but it could advance his studies by centuries. In the world of Atlan, Primordial magic had been used up - changed into cycles of attuned intention by a billion years of living beings making use of it. What little new magic entered came in already aspected by the intent of the summoner.
Somehow, this kid was bringing it in BEFORE giving it purpose. Moridan quickly headed for the Great Library - it looked like the ancient history section might have useful information for once.
In the outer office, unnoticed by Moridan, a receptionist decided this was the time to go active and contact the cartel. Endless power held by a helpless child - she would be set for life with just the award for passing on this information. All she had to do was make sure she herself wouldn't be killed to keep the secret. Her level 7 Mind affinity had finally made her the fortune the cartel had promised when they assigned her this job.