‘Right, focus Ori… Should be no problem,’ Ori said to himself, overwhelmed by the physical sensation of Harriet’s naked back rising and falling in time with his own. Applying lessons learnt from Sera, instead of attempting to clear his mind in the same way he used his soul-bound artefact to sense mana, Ori used that sensation as his focus. While this wasn’t a step required for the transmutation Split Mind, it did allow Ori to sink below the scattered sea of thoughts towards something more singular, and easier to direct.
Beyond her cool, silken skin was a presence that sat heavily on his arcane awareness, like a boulder that influenced the flow of a river. The arcane potential of an Awakened at the Sovereign Rank, by definition, affected the flow of reality around them, their spirit, belief, and even moods seeping into the world and affecting things in countless, indescribable ways. Or at least that was normally how it felt.
Here, before the Aether Rift, Harriet’s presence was more like a shield against a burning wind, her will blocking the harmful tide of chimeric energies too intense for Ori to inspect with Mana Sight.
“Okay, I’m ready,” Ori said after peeling back the many layers of the circumstances he found himself in, the novelty of their skin contact temporarily pushed to the side. Marshalling ambient Mana and removing all aspects as far as he could, Ori formed the spell form and pushed his intent, and his mind opened.
Neutral Mana flooded into his mind, reshaping it and being reshaped by it, his affinities and nature forming a feedback loop that broadened his intellect, and grounded his thoughts. For a moment, Ori floated on this pleasant sensation of cool, liquid Mana coursing through his mind. Bodily sensation fell away as Ori sank inside himself.
Distantly, he remembered the instructions of the scroll, how this was the most important part of the transmutation and how any deviation or distraction at this moment could be fatal. However, Ori was distracted, too much had happened to him in too little time, just who was he now and what did he want from life?
Could he go home? Did he even really want to go back? Could he escape the infernal prison? What happened if he just lived the rest of his life here, free from danger and perhaps with people who cared for him?
It was a pleasant illusion, a world free of risk, consequences, and urgency. But it was one he could no longer indulge in.
Ori shattered his mind.
Tendrils of Aether directed by Harriet’s bloodline trait comingled with the influx of Mana reshaping the metaphysical construct of Ori’s mind, splitting it into three equal parts, before linking and reinforcing them in ways stringent and profound.
Without his soulcraft ability, knowledge of the process would have been lost to Ori. However, as his astral awareness watched on in fascination, he could feel the flows of Peritia as his page from the library of fates was rewritten. The slow restructuring and build-up of his mind, both the biological brain and that soul-deep construct that interacted with Mana and granted him his sense of memory and self.
Hours passed, and when Ori finally opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Poppy sitting patiently on the floor less than ten paces away from him. His heart raced upon remembering their evening together in the garden the night before. Though still unsure of what it meant, surely being caught shirtless with another woman couldn’t be good?
He was just about to open his mouth when she smiled, shook her head, and mouthed the word ‘later’. Before standing up, diaphanous gown in hand for her mistress.
“Thank you, Poppy. How were the preparations?” Harriet said, wearing the dressing gown after moving to greet Poppy.
“I managed all that you instructed, Mistress,” Poppy said, handing over her ring.
“Any complications?” Harriet asked.
“I was tailed in several instances, but nothing beyond expectations. I would think that my unusual activities would have drawn suspicions though.”
“It can’t be helped,” Harriet sighed, before turning to Ori, “Congratulations, it seems like Aether had a positive effect on the process?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“We’ll perform a divination here later, for now, let us retire for some refreshments and to review the Perception abilities Poppy sourced before continuing.”
“Sure. And thank you.” Ori said, putting back on his discarded shirt.
“The worst is yet to come,” Harriet said.
“Yes, and it’s not too late to put this aside, you’ve already accomplished much.”
Ori stared into Poppy's warm brown eyes, her gaze full of concern stalled the flippant expression of bravado on his tongue. He summoned the fractured pieces of Seraphine, the clear crystal glittering blue in the sapphire light. His thoughts split; he considered his plans and their probabilities with and without Quicken Perception. Enchanting wouldn't be a problem as Mana Sight was likely enough to fix his wand. However, as another faction of his mind stared at the hole where Sera’s bond should have been and with his current lack of anything approaching a plan to fix it, Ori’s heart rebelled at his cowardice. “Thank you for your concern. I’ll think about it, but honestly, I don’t think this is enough.”
----------------------------------------
Several scrolls were laid out across the table, with Harriet standing over them across from Ori, while Poppy sat on the floor in her typical manner, legs to the side. The contrast between one on the floor and one standing made Ori’s current seat on a chair feel oddly uncomfortable. Split Mind, or at least his implementation of it, made such intrusive thoughts more common, albeit less disruptive, as he was still able to focus on and consider Harriet’s words while shuffling through scrolls, assessing their details, pluses, and benefits.
“I would suggest forming your own limit. I personally would choose no more than four, focusing on those with common or synergistic effects that would reinforce each other in the Quickening,” Harriet advised.
“Soul Lens, True Sight, Chimeric Gaze, Perceive ManaScript, and then one more,” Ori mused aloud, his eyes on half a dozen scrolls he also had in mind.
“Soul Lens?” Poppy interjected, her tone curious.
“It’s like I can almost see my soul already and feel the presence of others around me. From what I understand, soul-related skills are pretty useful for the Bonding stage of the enchanting process,” Ori explained, noticing another pointed glance exchanged between Harriet and Poppy.
“What about a Fate or Karmic-related perception ability, like Kismet Insight?” Poppy suggested.
“What, for naming? I’ve never…” Ori’s voice trailed off, unable to articulate his nascent thoughts.
“I believe those with a keen sense of freedom and self-determination are often at odds with divination-based affinities and skills,” Harriet observed.
“Yeah,” Ori smiled, finding clarity in her words. “That’s pretty much what’s going on.”
“While these can all be toggled, which is good, I still worry about the lack of synergy, especially with your existing Mana Sight.”
“I actually want something for healing, something for diagnosing physical or even mental ailments, a Mana or Soul-based perception ability.”
“We found one of each: a light mana-based perception ability called Triage, and a soul-based perception ability called Chirurgeon’s Echo,” Harriet said, sliding the scrolls towards Ori.
“Yeah, I’m going to take them both, though I’m surprised you don’t have something related to Quintessence as well.” Ori decided after reviewing both scrolls for several minutes.
Harriet sighed. “What happened to setting your own limits?”
“So you plan on taking a healing class when you awaken?” Poppy inquired.
“I’m already a Journeyman White Mage of the Chromatic,” Ori replied, “While my current focus is on enchanting, the ability to heal, even if it’s just mortal wounds, it’s a miracle I’m never going to take for granted. And I think these six, I think I can handle them.”
“So, along with your preexisting Mana Sight, you intend to quicken; Triage and Chirurgeon’s Echo with Soul Lens, True Sight, Chimeric Gaze and Perceive ManaScript?”
Ori nodded, reviewing the details of the scrolls in confirmation.
> Ability Name: Triage
>
> Type: Active, Perception, Healing
>
> Characteristic Requirements: Perception: ≥20, Wisdom: ≥25
>
> Other Requirements: Light-related affinity
>
> Effects: Enables rapid assessment of physical and magical ailments in living beings; ideal for healers.
>
> Description: Triage is an active perception ability that allows users to quickly and accurately assess the physical and magical health conditions of living beings. This ability is particularly useful for healers and medics in emergencies, enabling them to prioritise treatment based on the severity of injuries or ailments. Triage enhances the user's ability to detect both visible and subtle signs of injury, disease, or magical afflictions.
>
> Notes: Upon activation, Triage enhances the user's perception, granting them the ability to recognise the minute flows and disturbances of light-aspected Mana and their associations with different types of health at a glance. This includes identifying life-threatening conditions, magical curses, or poisons that may not be immediately apparent. The ability is essential for making quick, informed decisions in high-pressure environments.
---
> Ability Name: Chirurgeon’s Echo
>
> Type: Active, Perception, Healing
>
> Characteristic Requirements: Perception: ≥45, Spirit: ≥50
>
> Other Requirements: Soul-related affinity
>
> Effects: Enables detailed perception of internal bodily structures and functions; ideal for medical diagnosis and treatment.
>
> Description: Chirurgeon’s Echo is an active perception ability that grants the user an enhanced understanding of internal bodily structures and functions. This ability is invaluable for medical practitioners, enabling them to diagnose and treat ailments with a high degree of accuracy. Users can perceive the intricate workings of the body, including organ function, blood flow, and even subtle imbalances in bodily systems.
>
> If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
>
> Notes: Activation of Chirurgeon’s Echo provides a deepened insight into the patient's body by using its soul as a conduit. It is known for allowing non-invasive internal examinations, aiding in accurate diagnosis and effective treatment planning.
---
> Ability Name: Soul Lens
>
> Type: Active, Perception, Soul
>
> Characteristic Requirements: Perception: ≥60, Wisdom: ≥25, Will: ≥25, Spirit: ≥55
>
> Other Requirements: Soul-related affinity
>
> Effects: Enables perception of soul energies and conditions; useful for soul-based diagnostics and interactions.
>
> Description: Soul Lens is an active perception ability that allows the user to see and understand soul energies and conditions. This ability is crucial for those who work with soul-based magic or need to diagnose soul-related afflictions. Users can perceive the quality, strength, and anomalies within soul energies, making it possible to interact with souls in a more informed and sensitive manner.
>
> Notes: Upon activation, Soul Lens enhances the user's perception to detect and interpret the nuances of soul energies. This includes identifying soul bonds, detecting soul damage, and understanding the soul's alignment with physical and magical conditions.
---
> Ability Name: True Sight
>
> Type: Active, Perception
>
> Characteristic Requirements: Perception: ≥70, Intelligence: ≥60
>
> Other Requirements: Mana-related affinity
>
> Effects: Grants the ability to see through illusions, invisibility, and other forms of magical concealment.
>
> Description: True Sight is an Active perception ability that enables the user to see through most forms of magical concealment, including illusions, invisibility, and disguises. This ability is invaluable for detecting hidden threats, uncovering truths, and navigating deceptive environments. Users with True Sight can discern the true nature of their surroundings, making it difficult for magical trickery to deceive them.
>
> Notes: Activation of True Sight provides clarity of vision that penetrates magical obfuscations. It is particularly useful in situations where discerning reality from illusion is critical.
---
> Ability Name: Chimeric Gaze
>
> Type: Active, Perception, Transmutation
>
> Characteristic Requirements: Perception: ≥65, Will: ≥55
>
> Other Requirements: Aether-related affinity
>
> Effects: Allows perception of chimeric energies and their interactions with the physical and magical world.
>
> Description: Chimeric Gaze is an active perception ability that grants the user insight into Aetheric energies and their interactions with both the physical and paracausal realms. This ability is particularly useful for those who work within enchanting or use Aether as a component in spellcraft, as it may aid those who desire to understand the complex interplay of different energies. Users can perceive the emission and decay of Aether to a far higher degree, aiding in the creation and manipulation of chimeric substances.
>
> Notes: Upon activation, Chimeric Gaze enhances the user's ability to perceive and understand the complex nature of Aetheric energies. This includes identifying the sources of Aether, Aether-warped entities and materials, intuition towards the outcomes of Aether-infused transmutations, and understanding the impact of chimeric energies on the physical and paracausal world.
---
> Ability Name: Perceive ManaScript
>
> Type: Passive, Perception, Transmutation
>
> Characteristic Requirements: Perception: ≥50, Intelligence: ≥40
>
> Effects: Enables remote reading of mana-sensitive texts, with range based on perception; ideal for enchanters.
>
> Description: Perceive ManaScript is a passive transmutation that allows users to remotely interpret texts, runes, and glyphs written with mana-sensitive ink or reagents. The range of this ability increases with the user's perception level, making it particularly valuable for enchanters who need to understand complex magical scripts or researchers who need to be able to read multiple texts from a distance.
>
> Notes: Upon activation, Perceive ManaScript permanently enhances the user's perception, enabling them to detect and understand mana-infused writings from a distance. The ability to perceive these scripts remotely, and the range at which this can be done, increases with the user's level of perception. This includes the ability to detect subtle nuances, and hidden messages, and to comprehend the complex arcane mechanisms behind magical texts. The ability can be toggled on or off as needed. It requires a moderate level of perception and intelligence, as it involves not only the recognition of mana-infused scripts but also the comprehension of their deeper meanings and magical constructs. Perceive ManaScript is particularly effective when used in conjunction with the Split Mind ability, allowing the user to process and interpret multiple streams of magical information simultaneously.
----------------------------------------
Ori was back within the Eldamar Sanctum. Harriet and Poppy were in discussions out of his hearing as he sat crossed-legged on the floor in the same position as before. Ori’s mind was split three ways as he prepared for Quicken Perception to absorb and merge his existing Mana Sight with six new perception-based abilities.
Two parts of his mind were focused on spellcraft, while the final part couldn’t help but linger on the image of the two elves. Both were starkly different, with Harriet’s prideful, poise even while wearing a silken gown contrasting with a relaxed Grace that made Poppy seem like her next step could be a pirouette or an arabesque.
So caught up in his blatant admiration that he missed the moment their discussions ended and their gazes settled upon him.
“I take it, something has stolen your attention? Or have you finished your preparations?” Harriet said with a rueful smile, her voice loud enough to carry across the sanctum.
“Split Mind makes it easier to be distracted than normal, and… well, you already know the effect you both have on me.”
“Perhaps we should start before our summons loses all sense to our elven wiles,”
“Yes mistress” Poppy giggled before Ori’s heart once again lept into his mouth when Harriet disrobed. Naked from the waist up once more, he was able to fully take in her figure, her long, unblemished thighs, hips that flared out from an impossibly narrow waist, a torso that would have otherwise seemed too small, if not for proportionally large breasts that were perfect on her figure. With Harriet’s challenging expression, and Poppy’s amused smirk, it was all Ori could do to not shift his sitting position as the space within his pants suddenly became all too tight.
Ori closed his eyes as a deluge of lurid thoughts suddenly dominated all of his thought streams. He was just about done wrangling his concentration back to the task at hand when he felt Harriet's back rest against his own.
“I shall take my leave mistress. Ori, I’ll see you when you’ve succeeded. And you will succeed, yes?” Poppy said, a hint of nerves behind her lingering smile.
“Yes,” Ori confirmed. And she walked out of the sanctum leaving him alone with the Queen, and the Aether Rift behind her.
----------------------------------------
Part of the reason why Quicken Perception was such a dangerous skill was the high requirements, requirements many Awakened below the rank of Sovereign would fail to meet. When skills that made permanent, fundamental changes to a person required triple digits in will, this apparently signified that the effects were soul-deep, or in other words, a form of soul crafting on a living soul.
> ‘Am I alright? Ori, you're the one who went through a soul craft, as a mortal, while still living. Such a despicable act of cruelty I have never heard of, if it were up to me, I'd have wrapped you up in wool and forced you to heal your spirit for a season.’
Sera’s words replayed in his mind, feelings of warmth and melancholy from her concern lingered until the realisation of her soul detonation was likely a thousand times worse than anything he had gone through so far.
‘I will find you, Seraphine.’ Ori promised to himself, his fists tightening by his side as he placed in context just how small a sacrifice this was going to be, when compared to the chance of survival she gifted me, when up against Eltitus.
“I sense a shift within you?” Harriet said, the sensation of her skin, now more a comforting presence than a distracting source of sexual arousal.
“I’m ready,” Ori said, the scrolls for every spell placed around him within the enchanted, ritual circle.
“Very well, I’ll flood the room with Mana, take what you must, and remember, in this version of the spell, those scrolls will be consumed.”
“Alright. I’m going to begin.”
Ori exhaled deeply, focusing the full might of his newly enhanced mind on the task of enchanting his perception. The process of Quicken Perception, when viewed as an enchantment, transformed the prospective spell scrolls into the Shaping. Their words and the mana-infused ink became the Enchantments, his affinities provided the aspects to be Infused, his own mind served as the medium to be Refined, and his soul, with its link to his ability to perceive Fate, was the aspect to be Quickened.
Spell forms hung fully formed in the air as Ori channelled more Mana than he had ever consciously managed outside of a domain. Each spell form was drawn faster, his mind sharper, the process of manipulating Mana becoming increasingly effortless.
The scrolls around him, each representing a unique perception ability, seemed to burn with blue fire, their ashes swirling around him in a storm of paracausal energies. Harriet, sensing the progress of the process, began to channel Mana into the room, filling the space with a palpable energy that Ori could taste on his tongue and feel on every inch of his skin.
As the Mana swirled around him, Ori reached out with his mind, and the un-aspected Mana obeyed as if it were an extension of his body. Merged within were strands of Aether which Ori ignored even though a background curiosity drew his attention towards them.
He felt the core of each ability seep into his essence, his eyes ablaze as if only a part of his soul was thrown into the blast furnace this time, instead of the entirety. Mana Sight blurred as his vision burned, ash from the scrolls fusing with it to form something greater and unique. Had Ori been able to see his physical body, he would have seen his eyeballs glowing and his prefrontal cortex radiating an orange, gold, and white-hot silver, in stark contrast to the spectral blue of the Aether Rift. Burning smoke flowed into every open orifice on his face as if he were a vacuum.
Triage, with its ability to rapidly assess physical and magical ailments, Chirurgeon’s Echo with its deep insights into the body's interface with the soul, the revealing clarity of Soul Lens, True Sight with its power to see through illusions and magical deceptions. Chimeric Gaze granting insight into the true nature of Aetheric energies, and Perceive ManaScript with its detail-oriented ability to read mana-infused writings from a distance – the essence of each enchantment merged and then morphed before being Infused with his affinities and the Aether directed to him in minute amounts by Harriet.
Ori’s soul had fled his body. Life and death were no longer meaningful concepts as his sense of self teetered on the edge of oblivion. Like in the soul furnace and his dreamings, it was his bonds and connection to them that allowed him to remember who he was, anchor himself, and regain his purpose.
‘Seraphine,’ his soul called out.
The Aether responded. Distantly, a gasp was let out as the sanctum was washed in blue brilliance that overwhelmed the light of his burning face and spell components. The Aether released a chaotic, unrestrained howl as its power forcefully mutated the Nascent amalgamation of transmutations into something unbound and profane.
But before it could truly do something monstrous, before it could warp Ori beyond the bounds of humanity into a beast of rage and chaos, the wild torrent of Aether crashed upon Ori’s resolve and broke like waves against a rocky coast.
Survival, however, came at a cost.
Ori could feel his soul fracturing. Despite surviving the tide of Aether, its power still lingered in the air, crackling and snapping with uncontained fury, seeking any outlet for escape. It prodded, probed, ripped, and tore at anything within its influence. The boundary of Ori's soul, tormented and abused far too often in too short a time, was like an eggshell with cracks, his soul seeping into the void like egg whites.
Then, things worsened. Triggered by a qualitative change in Ori's soul or general characteristics, something within him unlocked at the worst possible time. The assimilated fragments of Eltitus's soul released their payload of knowledge and experiences, obliterating Ori's tenuous sense of self. The cracks within the shell that was his soul became irrelevant as the entire structure exploded into the aetheric wind within the Sanctum.
For a moment, Ori Suba of Peckham Rye ceased to exist. His page of Fate was archived; his story was no more. His last thoughts were of Freya and Seraphine, his fear not for his own fate, but for theirs.
But within that last stray, errant thought, that single spark of soul essence, that tiny mote of will, was enough of himself to rebuild himself. Aether was consumed as Ori rebuilt his soul fragment by fragment. Power swirled into himself with cyclonic forces that shook the foundations of a palace built for Sovereign Rankers. Eltitus's experiences were incorporated into his soul, including knowledge that enhanced and accelerated the process. A part of Ori remained ever watchful for undesirable aspects of his erstwhile foe becoming part of his whole while his new vision further accelerated the rebuilding of his self. Insights new to both Ori and what was left of Eltitus, were discovered whilst awash with the titanic quantities of paracausal energies saturating the sanctum, and his newly formed transcendent vision.
The entire process, from start to finish, was over in ten breaths. And ten breaths later in the relative silence of the damaged sanctum, Ori opened his eyes to a dusty, damaged hall. Blue light still poured into the Sanctum, but it seemed dimmer than before.
"You alright?" Ori coughed, his lungs finally deciding to clear out a bucket of inhaled dust. Behind him, he found Harriet untouched by the dirt and debris, her intense blue eyes wild with panic and fear. Beyond her eyes were a maelstrom of energies, Mana aspected with unfamiliar affinities, a wall of thick, golden Grace that acted like a second armoured skin, meanwhile a soul so beautiful and melancholic outshone the pulsing blue chaos of the rift.
"Ori, what in the spirits happened? I thought you were doomed. And your eyes, spirits… your eyes are glowing."