“Officially, there are no real rankings or preferences when it comes to affinities and their aspects of mana. Each and every single one is a blessing beyond compare and brings along with it countless uses, applications, and opportunities for the Ascendant. In actual practice, however? Those of the Life affinity are by far the most valuable. More so than every other affinity combined. And truthfully how could it not be? It is the sole affinity and aspect of mana capable of mending grievous wounds, of managing one’s age, and of growing the most bountiful of harvests and herbs. All without disrupting one’s inner resonance. As such, Life affinities, be they the most exalted of Paragons or the lowliest of Dormants, are prized beyond compare. A fact of life that every aspiring, or enkindled Ascendant should make do to remember.”

—Affinities of the Realm, Grieg Jann, The Golden Age, 4889

They ended up settling the purchase for five motes of life mana.

It was a little more than Vincent was truthfully hoping to spend, yet at the same time, was what he inwardly accepted as a fair price for everything that he wanted.

Now is there anything else I need before I get down to work? Vincent asked himself eagerly as he strode down the street that led out of the market square, all while calling up his Insight before him to check his soul well. With how quickly the day is flying by me, it’s past time that I start putting all I’ve bought to use.

The Well of Eternity:

Radiant 1: 79/100 Motes

17 Fire

15 Water

18 Air

14 Earth

15 Shadow

Radiant 2: 95/100 Motes

95 Life

Radiant 3: 12/100 Motes

1 Lesser Manifestation of Slicing — Grade: C

1 Lesser Manifestation of Strength — Grade: B

6 Lesser Manifestation of Growth — Grade: C

3 Lesser Manifestation of Restoration — Grade: B

1 Lesser Manifestation of Tenacity — Grade: C

1 Lesser Manifestation of Resilience — Grade: A

Hmm, all right. I think that’s everything I’ll need in terms of mana and virtues, if at least for now, he thought after a second’s inspection of his soul well’s contents before moving on to consider, or rather, to deeply inhale the tantalizing aroma that wafted up and out from the heavy package he held in his hands. Comprised of the intermingled scent of spiced meat, roasted potatoes, vegetables, and a thick gravy to bring the meal together, it was all Vincent could do to stop himself from tearing the paper bag apart and devouring the food within.

Having been his final purchase on his way out of the merchant district, one that had cost him a handful of fire and air mana, the food had been the last item on Vincent’s mental list to buy. However despite what one would think and the price he’d paid for it, it hadn’t been just a single meal that Vincent had purchased. No, rather it had been a literal feast packed into individual paper wrapped containers, enough that in any other circumstance the quantity of food would have satisfied a team of laborers after a hard day at work.

Or, as Vincent was intending to use it for, satisfy a Fallen Ascendant as they restarted their Ascent.

It was that particularly exciting thought in question that helped speed Vincent along his journey through the city, already having picked out his destination ahead of time during his days of research, for despite all the money that he had now, there was one major thing that he still lacked.

And that was a place to properly do said training.

Fortunately, as Vincent discovered during his days in the archives, the city of Everness had an answer to that problem, for he was far from the only would be Ascendant who didn’t have the backing of a guild or dynasty to help him. As such, the city set up a park, aptly named Aspirant Park for those looking to prepare themselves for their eventual Awakening and subsequent ascent as an Ascendant.

A place that as Vincent discovered when he finished climbing the last road was all but breathtaking in its appearance.

Did…did they manage to grow an entire forest made of glass over there? Vincent wondered in awe as he strode down the main park path, his head turning to look at a sweeping expanse of exotic looking blue and white trees that grew en masse far away to his left. Or maybe they’re all made of ice?

Before today, Vincent had forced himself to avoid making the journey to the park, knowing that if he allowed himself to even so much as a glance at the displays that the various guilds, sculptors, and artists put forth on the public grounds that it would absolutely consume him and his thoughts. A decision that he now knew had been the right one given all of the competing wonders that he saw unfold before him.

Now I know what the book meant by this place serving as an inspiration place to the wonders of magic, he admitted to himself as his eyes shifted away from the exotic forest, only to land upon an intricate hexagonal sculpture made of stone, one that easily towered twenty feet tall and just as many across. If I’d come here before I was ready, I’m sure I would have completely lost the day, just walking around as best I could to take in the sights. At least now while I’m here, I can work and still see everything.

Feeling exceptionally eager to do exactly that, Vincent leaned upon his iron-willed discipline to force himself deeper into the park without detouring until he arrived at one of the many sprawling pagodas that dotted the place. Plain in design, it comprised of only a few benches, several rows of cubby boxes, and a handful of partitions to serve as changing areas. Moreover the place was completely empty when he arrived, the only mark of people having been there being their clothes and bags stuffed into their respective cubbies.

No doubt I’ll see them out there once I get started, Vincent thought as he quickly shed his burden, putting his backpack and food into one of the square shelves, trusting that it would remain there safely until his return. From what I’ve seen so far, I doubt any thief would be desperate and foolish enough to try and steal from a group of aspirants. If they were caught, it would likely quite literally be the last thing they’d do.

Then, with that final thought giving him a boost of confidence as to the safety of his things, Vincent left the pagoda dressed only in his work clothes and boots, immediately spotting a sign that caught his attention.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

This way — Beachfront Running Path, he read, feeling a smile spread across his face as he instantly made up his mind as to where he was going to go next. That sounds like a perfect place to start.

Choosing to take the opportunity to stretch as he follow the sign’s arrow, he started to mentally prepare himself for what the afternoon had yet to bring. He knew it was going to be an uphill battle to regain even a tithe of his former power, but he was ready for it, the gradual sense of anticipation the day’s events having grown to the point where he practically vibrated with every step he took.

“There’s no step more important in one’s journey than the first one,” Vincent whispered to himself when he finally arrived at the running path, which as its name had suggested followed alongside a beach, the very same one that belonged to Lake Everness itself and bordered the park’s eastern most edge. Close to the shore he could see dozens of aspirants swimming in the water as part of either relaxation or training, with ships and boats of all kinds filling out the lake beyond. Pausing just long enough to take a deep breath and steel himself, Vincent then turned his attention back to the running path and broke into a run, officially beginning his journey, or rather his Ascent anew.

A journey that lasted for exactly three hundred and fifty three steps before he was forced to stop, clutching at a stitch in his side.

Okay, that wasn’t the greatest start I could have hoped for, Vincent exclaimed with a mental wince as he fought against the sudden pain, his lungs all but begging for relief even after the short run. Understandably so, given that his body had never endured anything more difficult than a long walk. It was a plea that Vincent paid no meaningful heed to, instead simply muting that feeling with his Insight as he lifted his arms over his head to help with his breathing before prompting setting off again.

This time he made four hundred and sixty-five steps before a new stitch in the opposite side formed, its appearance accompanied by a sense of growing dizziness and weakness in his legs.

A sign as good as any that I’ve hit my limit, which is what I wanted to find first. No matter how small it might be before I did anything else, Vincent thought, this time with a grimace as he also masked the newly arrived pain, banishing it to a corner of his mind where he was aware of it, yet not so he had to actively deal with it. However this time, when the pain faded, Vincent didn’t force himself back into another sprint, yet instead he reached down into his soul well and pulled free a stream of water, air, and life mana.

Weaving the streams together as he drew them forth, Vincent’s next act was to pull three virtues out from his other radiant nexus, the first two being virtues of growth while the other was that of restoration. Holding onto them firmly as he drew them out, he then directed the now thick strand of mixed mana towards the manifested concepts, blending them together wholesale. Feeling both the mana and the virtues change to his senses the instant they touched one another, the next thing Vincent felt was a warm and soothing sensation spread out through his body, beginning at his heart and flowing outwards from there with every beat. As it did, Vincent felt his exhaustion, shortness of breath, and pain fade away as if it was never there, filling him with boundless energy, as if he could continue on forever and ever.

Which was exactly as he expected to feel as the Invigoration spell he just cast upon himself took hold.

Now that most certainly feels more like it! Vincent exclaimed with excitement as he promptly launched himself back into a run. However this time as he did so, the exhaustion, pain, and shortness of breath that had forced him to stop before never returned, the magic of the spell that Vincent had cast upon himself keeping it at bay. Or at least that is what it felt like from his perspective as he began to run down the beachfront path in the way only a seasoned runner ever could, each step and breath timed perfectly as his legs ate up the ground before him.

In practicality however, the spell that Vincent had woven upon himself did nothing of the sort, and if one was to break down the core components of its purpose down to its most basic threads, all that they would find would be a spell of healing, cleansing, and breathing. Flowing through his lungs, the air mana that comprised the spell ensured that he would practically never run short of air as he exerted himself, his breath coming steady and sure. Coursing through his veins alongside his blood was the water mana, both aiding it to carry the air from his lungs to fuel his muscles, but also serving to sweep away the efforts of his labor, ensuring that he did not cramp or falter. Then, lastly amid the mana that surged through him, was the life mana which healed and soothed all that it touched. Merged together with the virtues he’d bound to them, the aspects of mana permeated the entirety of Vincent’s body, working to not only mend the exertion that his exercise brought, but encouraging it to grow rapidly in response.

All of which allowed Vincent over the course of the next hour and a half to accumulate little over twenty thousand steps without so much as a pause, that distance being roughly how long it took him to run the beachfront path end to end three times.

Oof, I…I think that’s all I’ve got in me right now, Vincent exclaimed mentally as his foot crossed the arbitrary finish line that he’d set for himself, instantly slowing what up until that point had been a steady jog into a weary walk. A weariness that even the lingering dregs of the Invigoration spell that still coursed through him couldn’t fully banish. I…I need a bit of a break…and a lot of food, ideally before this spell completely expires at that too.

Knowing very well the healing rebound that would occur if he did in fact let that happen, Vincent wasted no time in making his way back towards the pagoda where he’d left everything, the comparatively leisurely journey allowing him a chance to cool down and think. As he did, he noticed that the park was now noticeably full of aspirants, or most certainly was compared to the half dozen people he’d seen on running path. Glancing around as he walked he saw several clusters of young men, women, and even children, now spread all throughout the park grounds, each of them in the midst of some sort of exercise.

I’m glad that out of all the things I could have remembered about magic and Incarnation is that Shaping was one of them, he thought as his attention fixed on one particular group in question and saw that they were all collectively in the middle of what looked to be grueling set of pushups. All while wearing what looked like weights strapped to their bodies. At least with it to start, I can carve down the time I’d spend burning in the sun here building my body into something more manageable.

Not quite advanced enough to be considered a true technique, but rather a method as to how to apply life mana and the appropriate virtues, Shaping helped a person to essentially speed up one’s physical development and growth by an order of magnitude. By infusing one’s muscles with a steady, yet low supply of life mana, any damage, such as that from vigorous exercise, was quickly mended. However more than just flash mending as seen in more emergency healing magic, the low amount of mana present instead used the body’s natural recovery process to mend itself, simply serving to accelerate it by leaps and bounds. A process that in this case allowed worn and torn muscle to regrow itself all the stronger, the very same way that it would with rest and a proper diet to support that growth, save only in a fraction of the time.

And that was even before augmenting Virtues, such as the Growth one Vincent had chosen, were taken into account, taking a process that was already comparatively quick and turning it into something absolutely blistering.

Judging from how I feel, I think I could probably do another two laps of the path to strengthen my legs, lungs, and heart before I move onto my upper body, Vincent thought as he planned out the next stage of his training, his journey eventually leading him to the pagoda. As he arrived, he noticed that there were a trio of aspirants all rapidly changing into training clothes, their movements a touch frantic and excited. Figuring that they were late for one of the groups that he’d seen earlier, Vincent simply nodded at the one that looked up to make eye contact with him before continuing to his cubby where the food he had stashed awaited him.

Yet before he could even undo the strap on his bag, let alone reach inside it, a voice interrupted him.

“Hey, did you come from the beach?” One of the men asked right as they began to pull their pants up, their tone sounding particularly earnest. “Are there any opens spots or any space there for us to use?”

It was a question that completely caught Vincent off guard, forcing him to blink blankly for a second as he considered it. “Uh, yeah, I did, and the beach was fairly open when I left the running path a few minutes ago. There were only a few groups on it and in the water, but by and far it was pretty clear.”

“Is it? Oh that’s great!” The man exclaimed with what looked like clear relief in his eyes, a look that was shared amongst each of the others along with him. “We got here far enough ahead of the crush to be safe.”

Of course that statement only served to puzzle Vincent further, leaving him to stare at the three men in confusion. “Er, what do you mean safe? Did something happen in the city?”

“Eh, what? Did something happen in the—oh, oh damn, you don’t even know yet do you?” The disjointed reply practically fell out of the man’s mouth as he moved to put his shoes on. “There was announcement just barely a quarter hour ago in the city from Duke. A huge announcement, especially for aspirants like us.”

The man paused for a second to flash an eager and excited smile at Vincent before continuing. “He’s announced that there’s going to be a Grand Selection in a month’s time.”