The warm glow of the late afternoon sun bathed the island as Mia and Kei sat on the sand, discussing their progress. Their conversations often drifted toward reflection, and today was no exception. This time, the topic was their professions.
Mia glanced at Kei, who was absentmindedly tinkering with a piece of equipment he had recently modified. “Kei,” she began, tilting her head, “when you’re working with your profession… how does it feel?”
Kei paused mid-adjustment and looked up. “My profession?” he asked, his tone curious. “You mean crafting?”
Mia nodded. “Yeah, crafting. What’s it like for you? Does it feel like coding, or is it completely different?”
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KEI’S CRAFTING PROFESSION
Kei leaned back, placing the modified piece of equipment on the ground as he scratched the back of his head. “It’s… a little like coding,” he admitted. “But not in the way you’d think. With crafting, it’s not about building from scratch like coding is. It’s more like… refining.”
“Refining?” Mia echoed.
“Yeah,” Kei said, gesturing with his hands. “Coding is about creating a system from the ground up. You’re deciding how things interact, writing the rules. But crafting? It’s like taking something raw and messy—ores, materials, Essence—and molding it into something functional. There’s a flow to it, like piecing together a puzzle.”
Mia considered this, her expression thoughtful. “So, less about inventing and more about perfecting.”
Kei grinned. “Exactly. But don’t get me wrong—it still has that creative spark. When I’m working on a piece of equipment or infusing it with Essence, it’s like the materials are telling me what they want to become. I just have to listen.”
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WHY NOT RUNES?
Mia tilted her head, a faint smirk playing on her lips. “You know, it’s funny. For someone who loves tinkering and creating, you didn’t choose Runes as your profession.”
Kei chuckled, shaking his head. “Runes? Are you kidding? That’s just coding with extra steps. Drawing precise symbols, calculating the flow of Essence through them... it’s like trying to debug a program with a pen and paper. No thanks.”
Mia raised an eyebrow. “You gave up a profession that could let you create powerful enchantments because it sounded tedious?”
Kei shrugged, unrepentant. “Pretty much. Besides, crafting is way more hands-on. I get to shape, mold, and infuse directly. And honestly, it’s more satisfying seeing a piece of equipment come together.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
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CRAFTING AND ESSENCE
Kei picked up the piece of equipment he’d been working on—a small, modified blade with faintly glowing etchings. “Take this, for example. It’s just a basic dagger. But by working the Essence into the metal, I can make it resonate better with vibrations. The trick is finding the right balance between durability and flexibility.”
Mia watched as he demonstrated, striking the dagger against a nearby rock. The blade didn’t just cut—it seemed to hum, vibrating faintly as it made contact. The rock cracked cleanly, shards falling to the ground.
“See?” Kei said, holding up the dagger. “It’s not just a tool anymore. It’s a partner. And crafting lets me bring out the best in it.”
Mia nodded, impressed despite herself. “You’ve got a knack for it. But I still think you avoided Runes because you didn’t want to deal with more coding.”
Kei laughed. “You’re not wrong. Coding was fun, but crafting? Crafting feels alive. It’s like the materials are talking back, and I get to have a conversation with them.”
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COMPARING PROFESSIONS
Their conversation shifted to comparing their approaches to their professions.
Kei’s Crafting Profession:
1. Core Approach: Refining raw materials into functional tools, with an emphasis on synergy between Essence and physical properties.
2. Focus: Enhancing resonance compatibility, creating tools that amplify his sound-based abilities.
3. Strengths: Highly versatile, with room for innovation.
4. Weaknesses: Resource-dependent and time-intensive.
Mia’s Alchemy Profession:
1. Core Approach: Balancing components to create elixirs, powders, and materials that optimize energy flow.
2. Focus: Using her Balance Law to enhance the stability and potency of her creations.
3. Strengths: Unmatched efficiency and quality.
4. Weaknesses: Requires extensive knowledge and preparation.
“You know,” Mia said, leaning back on her hands, “it’s interesting how different our professions are, but they still suit us perfectly.”
Kei nodded. “Yours is all about precision and harmony—balancing every element to get the perfect result. Mine’s about shaping raw potential into something usable. It’s like our Laws in action.”
Mia tilted her head. “Do you think you’d have done as well with a different profession?”
Kei grinned. “Probably not. Crafting’s a good fit. It’s chaotic enough to keep me interested but structured enough to let me focus.”
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LOOKING AHEAD
As the sun set, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple, they packed up their notes and tools. Their reflections on their professions left them with a renewed sense of purpose.
“You know,” Mia said, glancing at Kei, “I think you’re underselling yourself. Crafting isn’t just about making things—it’s about understanding them. And you’re pretty good at that.”
Kei smirked, tossing his modified dagger into the air and catching it effortlessly. “Thanks, but don’t let it go to my head. I’m still just a guy who avoided Runes because it sounded boring.”
Mia shook her head, laughing softly. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re stuck with me,” Kei replied with a grin.
Their laughter echoed into the evening, blending with the sound of the waves—a reminder that even amidst the challenges they faced, there was always room for a little levity.