We continue like that, exchanging and practising techniques more than actually fighting until my own stamina pool runs out. At that point, we stop and I run mana through both of our bodies, healing the damage caused by exertion. It’s a little challenging to make sure that I heal the damage but do so in a way that builds the muscles up from where they were damaged, rather than returning them to their original state pre-exercise.
That wasn’t something I had needed to worry about with Lay-on-hands: in that Skill there seemed to be an automatic function which recognised when damage was caused by exertion rather than injury in a fight. Fortunately, because otherwise any healing I’d done would have undone any beneficial effects of exercise. Flesh-Shaping is far more flexible, but that means I have to give it more detailed instructions.
Still, the practice is good for me. By the time River and I decide to call it a day, mostly because we’re both famished and it’s way past lunch, I’ve got another two levels in Flesh-Shaping which – excitingly – means I’ve ranked the Skill up. And that’s not the only notification waiting for me.
Before I check them out, though, I take a moment to pull some meat out of my Inventory to chew on even as River makes a beeline for a corpse tucked in the shade. Making a face at the too-familiar taste, I decide that the rest of the day is going to be spent working on my Inspect Flora Skill, finding more things I can eat. Some more fresh meat for my Bound would probably be a good idea: since I’m not keeping the majority of it in my Inventory, it goes off much quicker. Though, with as many mouths as are eating, that rarely means much goes to waste.
Briefly glancing at my other Bound, I see that the cubs are curled up with Bastet who, in turn, is curled around an Energy-Heart. I was vaguely aware of her – grudgingly – practising speed runs earlier. Though, I did notice her mood improve as time went on – I think she got a bit into it when the cubs started joining in. Maybe she was able to convince herself that she was doing it for the sake of the cubs. Or maybe she just found it was helping. I don’t know – I’m probably humanising her motivations too much again.
Fenrir also joined in and Sirocco was doing…something. I’m not sure what it was, but it involved a whole lot of aerial manoeuvres. Both of them have stopped too and are absorbing Energy-Hearts. Interestingly, so is Lathani.
“It’s safe for her?” I check quietly with Kalanthia. She looks at me as if to ask why I’m even questioning whether she’d allow her cub to do something unsafe. Well, more than necessary for a young predator who needs to grow up. “I know it must be,” I respond defensively. “I’m just a little surprised. And curious.”
We have been hunting together. The Energy from her kills has been improving her Energy channels. Some use of these natural Cores will help reinforce the channels which are already there. We are going hunting again tonight to continue expanding her Energy channel network.
“So Energy from kills expands the channels but Energy from Cores reinforces them?” I ask, interested.
It is not so clear-cut as that, but yes, in a broad swipe, we could say that.
Interesting. I don’t think it works exactly like that for me, but maybe it does? I should see what happens when I kill something: if the Energy starts carving new channels or not. And when I absorb an Energy-Heart, I know that the Energy rushes directly towards my Core, but is it reinforcing the channels as it passes through them?
But right now, I have something else to do. Thanking Kalanthia with a small dip of my head towards her, I find a nice spot in the sun and sit to check my notifications.
Congratulations!
You have advanced a Skill past Novice. Flesh-Shaping is now Initiate 1. You have familiarised yourself with this Skill and the differences between it and your previous Skill. You have learned to heal a number of injuries in yourself and others. You have learned to scan another’s body to discover injuries. Due to your focus on healing up to this point, your Skill has grown to be able to heal more efficiently and effectively. For every level in this Skill, you become quicker and more mana-efficient when healing consenting targets. Your ability to scan a consenting target’s body is improved: +10% chance to discover physical abnormalities per Initiate level in this Skill. +5% chance to discover non-physical abnormalities per Initiate level in this Skill.
Next messages Y/N
Relatively expected, I decide. It’s been clear for a long time that the way my Skills advance is based on how I’ve used them and heretofore, I’ve been using Flesh-Shaping as another version of Lay-on-hands. However, I do make a mental note to explore other options between now and reaching Journeyman: I don’t want to accidentally pigeonhole myself into becoming a knock-off healer rather than the widely effective flesh-shaper which the Skill potentially offers.
I should try using Flesh-Shaping on those hides, I think to myself: if Flesh-Shaping can work on dead creatures, then I have the opportunity to test things out without the moral issues of testing them out on live enemies, or the practical concerns with testing them out on myself or my Bound. Not until I’m confident that I have some clue of what I’m doing.
Still, since my primary need is that of healing, being more able to do it on this rank-up of Flesh-Shaping is a good thing. I move onto the next message, also a rank-up.
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Congratulations!
You have advanced a Skill past Initiate. Energy Manipulation is now Journeyman 1. Having previously focussed on the internal, you have recently been exploring your ability to manipulate your mana externally. You continue to earn 1% Energy efficiency per Journeyman level in this Skill. In addition, you will gain +4% Energy control while mana is not in your internal matrix and a further +2% Energy control while mana is within the domain of a consenting target per Journeyman level in this Skill.
Next message? Y/N
The description takes me a little time to get my head around it, but when I do, I’m pleased with the improvement. Although only getting a single percent increase in Energy efficiency per level isn’t as good as before with two percent, I’m currently sitting at forty percent Energy efficiency increase. That means by the end of the Journeyman levels, I’ll be at fifty percent Energy efficiency, which is a pretty good level.
The real benefit is the other six percent increase to Energy Control per level. What does it mean when it says it’s not in my internal matrix? Does that mean that when I have to feed the mana out of the channels and into the black area, my control will be better? I hope so – it gives me hope that another thought I had earlier might work. Four percent per level in that will soon offer noticeable improvements.
As for the additional two percent improvement in Energy control while I’m controlling mana in my Bounds’ bodies – since that’s what I interpret by this description – I’m hoping that it will enhance the improvements that I’ve already got to healing with my Flesh-Shaping upgrade. I guess I’ll see the next time I heal one of them.
Moving onto the next message, I’m excited to see that it’s a new Skill: it’s been a while since I got one of those!
Congratulations!
You have earned a new Skill: Spearmanship
Would you like to see the Skill description?
Y/N?
Spearmanship
You have taken the first step along the path to Spear Mastery. You have displayed an understanding that wielding a spear means more than simply jabbing a stick at a target. Continue practising techniques designed for the more efficient and effective use of a spear in order to advance this Skill. Gain 1% to the effects of Strength and 1% to the effects of Dexterity per level in this Skill when using a spear.
Close messages? Y/N
I think that’s the first Skill I’ve had which has so directly affected my stats, I decide, remembering the various descriptions of my other Skills. Some of my Skill leverage my stats – like Fade and Dominate – and others seem to link indirectly to them – like Energy Manipulation. None so far, however, have given me more stat points. Though neither does this, if I’m reading it correctly.
I’m not completely certain of my interpretation, but I think it means that if I have a base status of twenty points in Strength, and I reach Novice in Spearmanship, when I use a spear I’ll be able to act like I have twenty-two points.
Perhaps that doesn’t seem like much, but what about forty points acting like forty-four? Or if Novice also adds another 1% per level and so it’ll be twenty-four or forty-eight points by the time I get to Journeyman? Or what if instead of Novice adding one percent to each of those stats, it adds two percent? Then I could be gaining a thirty percent increase to my stats by the time I hit Journeyman.
It also makes me think about something else: why haven’t I yet got a bowmanship Skill? Or Skill for a mace? I’ve used those arguably more than my spear. Maybe I just haven’t been using them well enough: it’s only now when I actually spent a few hours concentrating on improving my technique that I’ve earned an actual Skill in spearmanship. Well, I know what I’m going to be doing in the next few days, I say to myself ruefully, adding another task to the mental to-do list which is already as long as my arm.
Actually, maybe I should write the to-do list down: I feel like I’m forgetting things. Maybe I’ll do that tonight when it’s dark outside: finding some tasty plants to add into my diet is no longer something I’m willing to put off until later.
There are two more notifications which I’m glad to see.
Congratulations!
You have worked hard on your Dexterity and have earned a point. This has been applied to your status.
Next message?
Congratulations!
You have worked hard on your Dexterity and have earned a point. Would you like to apply this to your status?
Y/N?
With that, I only have a single more point to earn in Dexterity to finally get it to the level 20 threshold. Then I feel comfortable in levelling up – once I earn enough Energy for it again. That’s the downside with picking up stat points, I think to myself. And also the problem with levelling up to the point that I need a day of absorbing the ambient Energy just to gain one or two percent towards my next level, let alone the level itself.
I’ve got plans for improving that, I think, but quite a few other things to do first. That was another good argument for actually writing a physical to-do list: that way I can most effectively plan when to do things and in what order.
But that will be for tonight. For now….
“Who wants to go hunting with me?” I ask all and sundry. It’s always better to kill two birds with one stone. Besides, even if I don’t go out looking specifically for meat, I’m sure we’ll still get attacked at some point. I shrug to myself – the more the merrier, I suppose.