Bloom and I work together sorting through all the cores. We have over a thousand minor cores from lesser monsters like wargs, shadow hounds, and screeching lizard bats. The cores are smaller than my hand, and I can easily fit three of them in my palm. Each has a faint white glow that increases and decreases brightness in slow intervals.

I create twenty bone boxes to contain all the standard cores and fill each with a hundred standard cores. I pick up one of the shining green cores that's slightly larger than the smaller white ones. Based on the number of cores, I'm guessing it correlates with the rank of the slain enlightened beast. To break the silence and decrease the monotony of our task, I take the initiative to gain a better understanding.

"What is the color difference in these cores? I have a shining green core and a larger purple gem in my hand. I could've picked one of the blue cores, but the purple is bigger and prettier. That isn't just me being subjective, either. The purple shine far outshines the other cores in an almost quantifiable glow.

Instead of answering my question, Bloom just offers up a pity laugh. It's a decent fake laugh — the right amount of sincerity to almost be believable while at the same time leaving a hint of scrutiny at the close of the chuckle. It's her displeased eyes that really give it away. Bloom continues to sort the remaining gems in the appropriate boxes before she looks back at me. "That wasn't a joke?"

"Are my jokes really that bad?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

"Have I ever told you a joke?"

"Haven't you?"

"Not that I recall?"

"You keep track?"

"If they are good enough, I like to keep them in a little box and reminisce on them later." The conversation is going nowhere near where I intended, but it's not nothing, so I'm gonna run with it as long as it can. One of these days, I'll master engaging conversations. Until then, I'll fight on the small battlefield of pointless banter.

"Must be a scant collection inside your memory box."

"It's slowly growing."

Bloom takes longer to inspect the blue core in her hand before placing it in her box. A wry smile replaces her earlier dull countenance. "I don't think that is as impressive as you think it sounds."

"But you're impressed?"

"Not even in the slightest."

"Damn." I failed miserably to keep the conversation engaging, and we still have a hefty pile in front of us. My mind is scrambling to find better grounds to converse on while my hands continue to work. I guess I could be cultivating or even meditating right now. My passive focus is adept enough to handle sorting tasks. I can even do all three if I engage my secondary focus.

I think I want conversation more than anything else. I spent plenty of time on my own. I'm going to take advantage of the company that I have. To increase my productivity, I allow my secondary focus to practice cycling my mind mana. Cores and channels, my spirit, is much like a muscle. The more I use it, the stronger it becomes. Since my mind core is the newest addition to my soul, it's still weak and unrefined.

"What do you suggest we do with all of these?" My main focus is conversation, and I return to my opening question. This time I pivot and ask a more opinion-heavy question. I'm still curious about the difference in the luminosity of the cores, but maybe that is more of a Gene question. I could have engaged my mind tether and pulled the information out of Bloom, but that is not a good way to make friends.

Bloom shakes the blonde hair out of her eyes and looks at me intently. She's no longer sorting the cores but instead trying to cipher the sincerity of my question. I take it upon myself to make her perception check much easier.

"I either hit my head hard or died too many times. A lot of my memories are lost. I might have known all about cores at one time, but now it is mostly a mystery. I probably should've opened with that."

Bloom's yellow eyes pierce into mine more thoroughly. If I was easily intimidated, which I am, I'd be intimidated by the intense gaze. Which I am. Bloom's taller than me by a good six to seven inches. She has just as much or more muscle than me, and her soul is at the templar rank. She can probably suck the very life out of me if she wants to.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

She hasn't taken the proverbial bait, so I add more. "One day, I woke up in the desert with a certain set of skills and a severe lack in my memories. After struggling to survive, I eventually met Gene, and she helped me fill many gaps in my knowledge. We struggled to survive together until we all wound up here."

Bloom drops the incredulous look and replaces it with one of concern. She continues the process of sorting the cores, alleviating a portion of her focus. "You know the difference between awakened and enlightened beings, right?"

"Enlightened beings have cores, and awakened beings have souls that are like glorified cores." I do my best to recall and summarize the information Gene shared with me back in the cave. "Enlightened beings progress through consumption, and awakened beings progress through cultivation." Bloom nods her head along with my summary giving me complete confidence in my comprehension.

"Beasts with cores don't really jump in rank regarding core rankings. For the most part, Shadow hounds will always retain a normal core." She points her finger at the boxes of the smallest cores we already packed up. "When they advance, it is usually from the enlightened to awakened."

"So, what does the difference in core ranks mean? I thought that was a natural ladder of progression for them."

"Enlightened beasts are stuck with the core they are born with, and common beasts don't rank up their cores when they gain one. They are set with what they have. The difference between the ranks has everything to do with the power levels of the beast. Shadow hounds with normal cores will have a greater understanding and power than most common animals. Superior-ranked beasts like the shadow cats will not only be stronger and smarter, but they will also be able to display a form of power. The cats can step in and out of a shadow."

"So higher ranked beasts will be able to display more power." Bloom gives a head nod of confirmation. "Then that means the cores with higher ranks have more power. How are the cores formed? Other than absorbing the cores, how can the cores be used?" My mind's blazing with questions, and I fire off the first two I settle on.

Bloom takes a moment to tuck her hair behind her ears and sorts a few more cores. "We don't exactly know how cores are formed. Most think it is a mix of genetics and the mana density the beast is in when the core is being created. Of course, much speculation exists on the animal's skills, comprehension, and other variables that can add to the rank of a core being formed. If you ask Glimmer, she will spend days taking you through separate theories.

"My sister is adamant that I bind a common beast as a pet so we can experiment. I can think of nothing worse and refuse." There's a satisfied grin on her face as she tucks her hair behind her ears again. Then she picks up a brilliant purple gem and scrutinizes it.

"Cores can act like a power source to power runes that need energy. They can be used to modify weapons to give them stronger attributes that align with the core's identity. Or they can be used to improve one's rank. Since most cultivators don't know how to identify cores or tap into their power, they are most often used to grow in power. Many cultivators stuck on a rank have used legendary cores to break past their barriers. I have even known a couple cultivators about to die from old age gifted with rare cores that boosted their progression and extended their lives."

My hand runs through my thick beard, which I have neglected to trim, while my other hand taps my knee. All the while, I continue to sort the cores as I ponder about power potential. It seems strange that people run into roadblocks in cultivation. "How often are people stunted in their path of progression?"

Without looking my way, the dryad tosses the purple gem into the corresponding box and continues to sort more. "It is more common for cultivators to be stuck than for a cultivator to progress to the next rank."

"That doesn't make sense. It seems like there is an endless amount of energy out there. Death practically killed me to get inside my soul."

"Just because there is an abundance of energy doesn't mean cultivators know how to obtain it or have the ability to obtain it. Throw the greed of power on top of it all, and you have the powerful picking on the weak so they can continue progressing."

"But couldn't a life lancer like yourself just surround themself with life and gain power?"

"Sure, they can do that if they know how to cycle the energy and properly harness the energy. If they can't condense the energy in their soul, they will never be able to force the soul to expand. Learning the cultivation basics can take years of practice, especially if you don't have someone helping you. Then consider the life of a common cultivator who expands their soul and gains a rank. Now they are an easy target for a combat-focused cultivator to come in and take their power for themselves. For most, it is easiest to cultivate very little and stay out of the sights of the more ambitious."

The pace at which I'm sorting through the cores has increased significantly, which is impressive because my hands stopped working sentences ago.

"How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?" I look down at my hands and notice a bunch of cores drop to the ground.

"You were moving the cores without your hands."

"No, I wasn't… I was sorting the cores the whole time… my hands were involved — How was I doing that? "

"Stop playing games. What's going on?"

"I honestly don't know. I got lost in our conversation, and for a moment, my hands wandered, but my focusses never strayed…." Now I'm deep in my head trying to replay what happened and how it happened. Was I moving the cores with my mind?