Nyx stood on the porch of his farmhouse, the setting sun casting long shadows across his fields. He took a deep breath, savoring the earthy scent of his land, before closing his eyes in concentration.
"It's time to come home. We've learned what we needed. Now, we put it all into practice."
With a gentle mental nudge, he dismissed the clone working beside him.
As the clone faded away, a rush of memories flooded Nyx's mind. He saw flashes of the day's work of brewing potions. But mixed with these familiar scenes were glimpses of distant places and familiar faces.
He could almost feel the mix of excitement and reluctance from his distant selves. They had grown attached to their mentors and the skills they were honing. But Nyx knew that the real test lay ahead, here on the farm where theory would meet reality.
As the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the Whispering Woods, Nyx turned and walked back into the farmhouse. He had preparations to make. Soon, his clones would return, bringing with them a wealth of knowledge and experience. It was time to transform their humble farm into something extraordinary.
In the northern forge town of Hammerfall, Nyx's first clone used his bandaged hand to wiped sweat from his brow, the heat of the forge a constant companion. Thorin Ironhammer, his dwarven mentor, approached with heavy footsteps.
"Well, lad," Thorin grumbled, his beard twitching, "seems you've learned almost all I can teach. Never thought I'd say that to a human, let alone in just a few months. I hate to see ya go, but tonight the Miners Rage is on me!"
The clone smiled, running a hand over the intricate axe he'd just completed. "Thank you, Master Thorin. Your teachings will serve me well."
As Thorin turned away, muttering about "unnaturally quick learners," the clone began packing his tools. It was time to return home.
In Sapphire Bay, the second clone delicately placed the finishing touches on a complex, gem-encrusted bracelet. Elara Moonstone leaned in, her keen eyes studying every facet.
"Remarkable," she breathed. "Your work has a... harmony to it. As if each piece knows exactly where it belongs."
The clone inclined his head, accepting the praise. "I've learned from the best, Master Moonstone."
Elara's brow furrowed slightly. "You know, in all my years, I've never had a student progress so... uniformly. It's almost—"
"Magical?" the clone supplied with a wry smile.
Elara laughed softly. "Indeed. Well, I daresay you're ready to strike out on your own. May your creations always shine true."
High above the ground, in the floating spires of Aetherspire, the third clone stood before a shimmering magical construct. Caelynn Starweaver circled it, her ageless face a mask of concentration.
"The layering of enchantments is flawless," she murmured. "You've mastered techniques that take most decades to grasp."
The clone bowed slightly. "Your guidance has been invaluable, Master Starweaver."
Caelynn's silver eyes locked onto his. "There's something unusual about you, young Shadowbrook. It's as if... well, no matter. You've exceeded all expectations. Your training here is complete."
As the clone began dismantling the construct, Caelynn added softly, "Whatever path you walk, I sense it will be an extraordinary one."
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Over the course of a week, the three clones made their way back to Nyx's farm. Each carried with them not just new skills, but a wealth of experiences and perspectives. As they approached the farmhouse, where Nyx waited on the porch, a sense of anticipation filled the air.
Nyx smiled as his clones gathered around him. "Welcome home," he said.
Nyx stood before his three clones, each a mirror image of himself yet subtly different from their varied experiences. He took a deep breath, centering himself for the familiar yet always intense process of dismissal and knowledge absorption.
He turned to the first clone, the one who had studied in Aetherspire. With a nod, Nyx dismissed him. Instantly, the shimmering prism of light appeared in his mind's eye, a new orb of knowledge pulsing within. Nyx reached out mentally, eagerly absorbing the wealth of arcane secrets and enchantment techniques.
Next, he faced the clone who had trained in Sapphire Bay. As this clone faded away, another orb materialized in the prism. Nyx delved into it, marveling at the intricate details of jewelry crafting and gem-setting that now became part of his own expertise.
Finally, Nyx turned to the last clone, the one who had apprenticed with the dwarf. That's when he noticed the bandage.
"What happened?" Nyx asked, concern creasing his brow.
The clone flexed his hand gingerly. "Ah, some slag hit my hand during forging. Master Thorin gave me an ointment. It's blistered, but he assured me it won't scar."
Nyx nodded, then dismissed the clone. As the familiar prism appeared, he braced himself for the influx of blacksmithing knowledge. But as he absorbed the orb, a sharp, unexpected pain lanced through his hand.
Gasping, Nyx looked down. To his shock, a blister had appeared on his own hand, mirroring the clone's injury perfectly. He prodded it gently, wincing at the tenderness.
"By the Four Towers," Nyx muttered, examining his hand closely. "I knew I gained their knowledge and experiences, but physical injuries too? This is... unexpected."
As the pain subsided to a dull throb, Nyx's mind raced with the implications. He had gained so much from his clones' apprenticeships – skills, knowledge, and now, it seemed, even their physical experiences. It was a stark reminder of the deep connection he shared with his duplicates.
Flexing his newly blistered hand, Nyx couldn't help but smile wryly. "Well," he said to himself.
The blistered hand sparked a realization in Nyx: for all his progress, he had barely scratched the surface of understanding his unique power. With a determined glint in his violet eyes, he decided it was time for some rigorous experimentation.
"Alright," Nyx muttered to himself, "let's see what you can really do."
He summoned four clones Nyx handed the first clone a heavy tome on advanced alchemy, the second a bucket filled with water, and the third gripped a finely crafted dagger.
"Hold these," he instructed, then dismissed them one by one. To his amazement, when resummoned, each clone reappeared clutching their assigned object.
Nyx's mind raced with possibilities. "So, they retain non-living items," he mused aloud. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he handed the fourth clone a confused chicken. When he dismissed him, the chicken fell to the ground flapping its wings running off. Upon resummoning, the clone reappeared empty-handed, confirming his theory about living beings.
Next, Nyx tested distance. He sent a clone to the far end of his field, about six meters away. When dismissed, the clone vanished, but his clothes crumpled to the ground in a heap.
"Interesting," Nyx muttered, making mental notes. He summoned the clone again, who appeared beside him, completely nude and looking rather disgruntled.
Pushing further, Nyx had a clone walk towards the edge of the Whispering Woods. At about ten meters, Nyx attempted to dismiss the clone. Nothing happened. The clone turned, shrugging helplessly.
"So there's a range limit," Nyx concluded, beckoning the clone back.
As twilight fell, Nyx sat on his porch, jotting down his findings in a journal. The day's experiments had revealed crucial information:
1. Clones reappear with non-living items they were holding.
2. Living beings can't be transported via clone dismissal.
3. Beyond 5 meters, clones leave behind all items upon dismissal.
4. Clones can't be dismissed beyond a 10-meter radius.
Nyx stood in the center of his farm, surrounded by his four identical clones. Each shared an equal portion of his impressive 3,900 mana pool, leaving them with 780 MP each. A thought had been nagging at him: could his clones also summon clones?
"Alright," Nyx said, addressing one of his duplicates. "Let's see if you can summon a clone of your own."
The clone nodded, closed his eyes in concentration, and to Nyx's astonishment, another identical figure shimmered into existence beside him.
Suddenly, Nyx felt as if the ground had dropped out from under him. His head spun, and he staggered, nearly falling. Alarmed, he checked his mana levels:
Level: 15
HP: 350
MP: 78/78
"By the Four Towers," Nyx gasped, steadying himself against a nearby fence post. The clone-of-a-clone experiment had drained his mana reserves to dangerously low levels. Hastily, he dismissed all the clones, including the newly created one.
Nyx sank to the ground, focusing on his Mana Meditation skill to replenish his depleted reserves. As his strength returned, his mind raced with the implications of this discovery.
Once recovered, Nyx summoned his clones again, this time with a new experiment in mind. "Let's test out some spells," he announced.
One by one, Nyx had his clones cast Enhance Ability, Alter Self, and Detect Magic. Each time, he carefully monitored his mana levels. A pattern quickly emerged: the clones could indeed cast these spells, but at twice the normal mana cost.
Spell: Enhance Ability
Normal Cost: 50 MP
Clone Cost: 100 MP
Spell: Alter Self
Normal Cost: 50 MP
Clone Cost: 100 MP
Spell: Detect Magic
Normal Cost: 25 MP
Clone Cost: 50 MP
Nyx jotted down these findings in his journal, his quill scratching rapidly across the parchment. "Fascinating," he murmured. "The clones can use my spells, but at a premium. And summoning clones of their own... that's powerful, but potentially dangerous."
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across his fields, Nyx dismissed his clones and retreated to his farmhouse. He had much to ponder. These new discoveries opened up a world of tactical possibilities, but they also presented risks. Managing his mana efficiently would be crucial.
Settling into his favorite chair, Nyx allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. With each experiment, he was unraveling more of the mysteries behind his unique ability.