The next day, I dropped into the Astral Space and ran down my wall of shields. The bottom ones were showing signs of breaking down. I looked at the shields at different levels, and they all showed signs of decay. These shields were iron-rank, and I guess then mana was being sucked out of them. I can create bronze ones now. I could probably make them into ladders or at least have ladder-like protrusions. The bronze rank Resin was holding up better, but it was also starting to break down. They should be OK until tomorrow.

I moved a bit away from the shields and sat down to sense the magic creatures. I thinned and shaped my aura and honed my senses. I was getting a clearer sense of where the creatures were through my nose and my aura and honing my aura senses. I could sense them further out, and sometimes the creatures were condensed into a smaller area, and sometimes they were spread out. I don’t know why.

I got up and followed one creature. I don’t even know what to call them… I will go with Smelly Aura. I followed a Smelly Aura and watched it go through the process of reducing in size. This one was iron rank and quite small. It was probably the volume of a large pantry when I started to sense it, and it shrunk to the size of my head when it went out of range.

I followed several others. The bronze rank one was larger, probably the size of a lounge area in a mid-sized house, and then it shrunk to perhaps double the size of my head. They all did this. What I thought was that they were sensing me and reacting to my aura. If I want to be undetectable, I need to be able to separate my aura from my aura senses.

This was only touched on in my aura classes at the academy because we were only iron rank and lacked the needed control. My aura is bronze now, even though I am still iron. I seem to remember it really needed silver-rank auras, but some upper bronze ranks could do it. My aura was only Bronze 1, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t try.

The other thing to learn here was to find a way to stop the mana drain. The mana drain increased with the bronze rank Smellys. It was less with iron rank one close. I spent a lot of time monitoring this to get a feel for it.

After what I judged to be a half day, I went back up to the gate and brought up my arch, had some lunch and went through all my exercises and weapon routines. I was still exhausted, but I would improve fast.

Next, I had to decide whether to go back down into the astral or start exploring the area. I wanted to find out where I was and what was out there, and I also wanted some sun and fresh air. It has probably been three to five days since I escaped. I don’t think they would have given up looking for me yet. They went to a lot of trouble capturing me and transporting me, probably weeks to months of work. They will spend more than a few days looking for me.

I went back down to the Smelly A’s.

Aura and mana. I think it all comes back to the aura. When I am sensing the Smelly A’s, what am I actually sensing? I smell their mana, and I sense their aura. Yet I get mana drain even if they are not right on top of me. It is like they have split their aura: one to coat their body and one for sensing and draining mana. The mana drain might be a natural function of their aura, like mine boosts the spirit, but I can try to copy the way they are using their aura. I may be able to block the mana drain, but first, I am going to try splitting the aura from the aura senses. I have the theory from the academy, but I have live examples in front of me, including iron-rank examples, so it is possible.

It is also as frustrating as anything. When I gave up for the day and climbed out, it was dark. It is a little frustrating not knowing the time, but I recreated my arch and went in for the evening. I exercised and meditated and cooked some dinner. I had plenty of vegetables from my garden, but I was running out of meat. I would need to hunt in a few days. Need is too strong a word. I hand plenty of vegetables and fruit, but if I wanted meat, I would need to hunt.

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The next day, after my morning routine, I dropped into the astral space. I rebuilt some panels of my tower and then sat to examine the aura techniques of monsters.

I came up for air and lunch, but I was still very frustrated. I am missing something. Maybe I am not sensitive enough. I need to try a lighter touch and use my aura senses better. The aura part they have around their body is holding back the mana drain from the other Smelly A’s. This is an aura technique I should be able to replicate. Simultaneously, their senses and aura ability are active beyond this barrier.

I was going through my Tranquil Axe meditation when it occurred to me that I should probably try and rebuild my aura technique from the ground up and incorporate what I am sensing from the Smelly A’s. My aura foundations are strong, but I can’t just tack on what I am now sensing. I need to incorporate it into the foundations. That is going to take a lot of work. It will be worth it, though.

After lunch, I went back down and stripped back the aura techniques and started adding them again while separating the aura shield from the aura senses. Shield is the wrong word, but it is a concept that is close to what I was aiming for. There is also the concept of aura spikes that I had clumsily used to attack another aura and, of course, aura suppression that I was taught. They were part of the shield that could also be used to attack and bash.

It was slow work, and I had to backtrack several times when I realised more of what the monsters were doing. I retired late that night, and it was not even halfway complete. It was growing and evolving as I put it together.

My morning meditation highlighted a couple of areas of my aura I could improve, but it also highlighted something else that was much more interesting.

I got out my list of skills and looked at my Resistant Fur again.

* Resistant Fur {Hair Stone} Bronze 1

* Iron Rank: Fur becomes resistant to cutting and piercing.

* Bronze Rank: Actively reinforce parts of my fur against cutting and piercing for a Mana/sec/cm² cost. Resistances to other effects can be gained and increased with exposure.

My fur has developed a slight resistance to Mana Drain. That is incredible and way beyond what I was expecting. I was expecting that if I was in the snow, I would start to develop a resistance to the cold or heat in a hot area, etc. In fact, I was hoping spending time in hot pools would classify as training. It still may, but this is resistance to things I had never considered. It is only slight, but I guess it can grow. I need to note this resistance down as part of the skill.

I headed back down and continued to work on my aura. I thought I might be onto something when I finally rested for the day. Tomorrow will be interesting.

In the morning, I went through my normal routine and weapons exercises and then returned to the Smelly A’s. This was a lot closer. In fact, my aura shield meant a lot fewer Smelly A’s came my way. They were sensing my mana leak and were attracted to me. Now that I have plugged that leak, the attraction is not there, Yet I can still sense them. My senses are not great and don’t range far, but that will get better as I practice and as I level the skill.

There are a number of Smelly A’s always near the tower I built, sucking the mana out of it. The next question is, what would happen if I attacked one of these creatures? I need to practice my shield first, as I imagine they will attack back. I am guessing it will be an increased mana drain, but there may be other attacks. Aura attacks, possibly others.

The mana drain has dropped off, but it is not zero. I think I need to be bronze before I try this. I will spend one more day here practising and strengthening my aura, and then I will see how it works up on land with all my other skills.

The next day, I went through all my weapon exercises and upped my exercise routine. Then I spent the day with the Smelly A’s.

I was practising the various shields and sensing altogether. I was glad of my boosts to the Spirit Attribute. Once Blend gets to Bronze then Hunt will be all bronze, and the Hunt Essense is connected to my Spirit attribute, so it may all get easier then.

I need practice now, as I will need to use this in the real world tomorrow, which is potentially hostile. There is nothing potential about it. It will be hostile.

I hope my Kidnappers have moved on. It has been enough time, and I need some sun.