CHAPTER 148: Souls

“Souls are the most important part of any of us. Yet they are extremely misunderstood by the rest of the races, to our great benefit,” Tithixal'gx'Guntraz said, beginning his lecture. “Losing a finger, arm, or leg will reduce the power that you have control of, but those can be overcome by healing, a magical contruct, or learning different techniques. However, if your soul is damaged then you might lose memories, your personality, and even your connection to the [System]. Those can’t be overcome.”

The instructor looked over all his students, making sure the point was sinking in. Adam wanted to ask about soul damage, hoping that this was a place where he could learn more about his corruption and possibly a way to fix it, but decided this wasn’t the time. He was still a beginner student on a long journey. There would be time in future classes or in a one-on-one setting to find out more about it. No need to proclaim his weaknesses so indiscriminately.

“Due to our race’s affinity to the soul, we are the exclusive group who knows how the [System] affects the people in it. For millennia we have researched souls at all stages of [System] growth. We know where the important parts are and how they gather energy and change as the so-called XP is collected. While it isn’t possible for us to build skills and classes like the [System] does, we are able to view skills and classes inside others with the right skills. The knowledge gained from this can give us a huge advantage over other races.

“The basis of the Red Clan’s classes is a [Soul View] skill that allows us to look inside others. Like other class variations, the exact skill changes both in name and ability as we evolve the class and depending on the class variation that we have.”

Adam took in all the lectures that he was a part of. There was no trivial information in them, as even the smallest concepts were built upon and expanded. The number of [System] classes and purposes for them was great, and the knowledge of them would give him a solid foundation for when he was trying to evolve whatever class he received. Later they were scheduled to review soul affinity to decide which path of classes each student would be told to follow.

“By looking inside a soul with the [Soul View] skill,” continued Tithixal, “we take the first step towards affecting the soul. While some of the more advanced [Soul View] skills allow us to not just see but to interact with the soul we are viewing, souls cannot truly mix. If they try to occupy the same space then one moves out of the way of the other, with the weaker one creating space for the stronger or more precise one. This is a protection that each soul has for itself. They cannot be blended with another. Specialized skills are required to truly influence another’s soul.”

A red light appeared above the seat of a Red Clan girl halfway across the room. Her expression seemed both curious and a bit smug, as if she had caught the lecturer in a lie.

“Yes, number 12?” asked their instructor with a distasteful expression on his face. He referred to them with numbers instead of names. No one in the tower became very attached to the trainees prior to becoming apprentices, and even then, it was limited. Adam knew that part of this was the inherent danger of the path they would be following, possibly damaging or crippling their own souls as they tried to meet the qualifications for a soul class. The other part was because until they were a useful member of the Tower then they might be put down for any offence.

Each student was also expected to find strength and advancement on their own. The lectures and activities were there to guide them, to provide what they needed to succeed, since the Red Clan was stronger as a whole with more people serving it. Even with the onus for success put on the individual, there wasn’t any cutthroat rivalry encouraged. Civility and respect were important in this culture and resources would be provided to help all the students advance in proportion to their capability and effort. The Red Clan knew that creating animosity early was counterproductive in the long run, and their racial superiority led them to work together to ensure they stood above as many other races as possible. The belief in superiority was not limited to just the Red Clan’s culture.

The girl spoke up when she was called upon. “You said souls can’t be blended, but I’ve heard that there is a technique to do just that. Is it really impossible?”

Tithixal looked at her and flashed his teeth. Adam wasn’t sure if that was a sign of approval or disgust, but either way it was an ugly look with those uneven rows of triangular teeth.

“It would be better for all if it were impossible, child. The knowledge I am about to share with you is something that all in the Red Clan should fear. I was not planning on telling you this because should you ever manage to use this ability then your life, even your very soul, will be forfeit,” he said with a cautionary weight to it.

“There is a technique called Soul Bonding. It is not a direct skill and allows an adequately powerful soul to make use of a combination of skills to tie their own soul to another. This bonding becomes nearly impossible to break. It becomes a very complex weaving of the two souls. What affects one will also affect the other.”

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“What is the point of the bonding?” asked another student after a red light lit up and the instructor acknowledged them.

“The point is difficult to fully understand, which is but one reason it is so taboo,” said Tithixal. “In most cases it does not give one person control over another or allow them to shape the other soul. Both souls are affected equally. There seems to be very little purpose for it. However, the downsides of it are devastating. Damage taken by one of the souls will affect the other, damaging both more strongly due to the protection gaps this technique causes. This damage can be inflicted even through physical skills. It is a weakness created with no benefit.”

“Then why would anyone use it?” asked a third student once called on.

“Occasionally there are people who are more useful to the Red Clan that the elders do not want to eliminate. In these cases, the elders can have a much stronger member soul bond the perpetrator with less risk of injury.”

“I thought you said it doesn’t allow control,” questioned the second student once more.

“True, they can’t control them directly. However, the real danger with soul bonding is that the stronger soul can exert pressure on the weaker. While someone weaker might be able to initiate the technique, they can’t terminate the bonding without destroying their soul. The stronger person, depending on the strength discrepancy, can terminate the bonding, but they will suffer an unknowable backlash. It might weaken them, destroy part of their soul, even create a permanent XP leak that will stop them from growing.”

Adam watched the rest of the students make a variety of expressions, hard to read with their ugly, alien faces, but he knew each one was disgust or fear. The explanation of this technique terrified them all.

“Fortunately,” continued the instructor, with a lighter tone, “you are in very little danger of encountering this. First, you will all be too weak to do it by accident for a long time. Second, this is a technique that only those with a soul class can do. Only people in this Tower, who are sworn to the collective good. No one here that knows how to do it would be willing to endanger themselves or to go against the Tower’s rules.

“Now let us return to the proper topics. As is commonly known, our race can drink the blood of others. What is less commonly known is that we aren’t truly drinking blood but using it as a medium to absorb some of our opponent’s soul. We can both weaken them while also strengthening and growing our own soul. This provides us with a secondary growth metric to the [System]. Just one of the reasons our race is feared and respected by even those who claim to be superior.”

Adam continued to listen as the lecture discussed the advantages the Red Clan race had over all others. It was only slightly informative since it seemed more like propaganda. Regardless, hearing them made Adam hope he never had to go against them now that he had been accepted.

After a while the topic turned to different soul classes.

“There are numerous soul classes. Not everyone from our race is fit for this, as we have plenty of citizens who are led to physical or magical combat classes. One myth that we spread to other races is that our soul classes come from offensive magic in nature. That is only a myth. Within this Tower everyone starts out as a support class.

“Old research suggests that these classes were meant to be used for empowering and healing others. There are very few attack skills that come from these classes. Over the centuries we have learned to use these classes for other purposes, and now there are no better classes at control, infiltration, self-protection, or manipulating targets.

“We can develop skills, based on our affinities and training, to travel unnoticed, or to gain favor from others. The highest tiers, five and six, even can learn abilities to manipulate and alter memories and emotions, although those are exceedingly rare.

“Before coming here, you were each checked for several factors, including your ability to learn a soul class. Those checks were what qualified you to begin this path. Tomorrow we will be testing each of you on path affinities. We will use that information to decide on the classes you will be guided to and the role you might have within the Tower once you come to greater power. For now, rest. Tomorrow, each of you will be summoned for the testing before we resume education.”

With that, Tithixal’gx’Guntraz turned, no longer acknowledging them, and left the room. Adam released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and reclined in his seat. There were no conversations between the other students, no comradery or excited discussions about tomorrow. Each student stood in turn and walked out of the room.

Adam waited until everyone else was gone. He considered the pseudo-skills he had gotten from future Adam. It sounded like the memory and emotional manipulation that he had was unusual, though believable with the other Adam having reached Tier 5. He couldn’t help but wonder if the affinity would send him on this path, and what the lower-tiered classes for it were. Whether they would give him new skills he didn’t have or weaker versions of what became his pseudo-skills.

Not wanting to be the odd man out by lingering too long, Adam followed the other student’s leads and left the room. Tomorrow would be an eventful day, one way or another.

***

Outside of Jackson an army was gathering. Sgolkr waited beyond the city, in an isolated wildlife park, for the Scyrric from the region to arrive. He had already been unpleasantly surprised to realize how far the natives’ territory had grown since the beginning of the Scyrric claim to the planet had been allowed. The size wasn’t enough to be explained by a few Dimensional Convergence Rifts being claimed. This would take many more than he had been notified of.

That aberration sure had turned what should be a routine conquering and war game into a mess. However, the aberration had been struck down, and even though Sgolkr disapproved of the Red Clan wench spiriting the aberration away, there was no question that he would be gone for good. Even the Red Clan wouldn’t endanger their relationship with the mighty Scyrric over one unusual native.

Sgolkr had no doubt in his mind that when he and a few of his brethren converged on the natives’ base, the battle would be quick and decisive. He still decided to wait until more forces had gathered. There was no reason to rush into it. Based on what the Red Clan wench had reported, there would be plenty of XP for them to consume. That was the reason they were here after all.

While he felt like waiting was a waste of time, Sgolkr had no doubt that he would be exalted by the end of his time on this world.