Chapter 14: The Science of Essence

Cal sat quietly, observing his surroundings while his mind raced with plans. The shackles on his wrists were a constant reminder of his current vulnerability, but they also provided him with a potential advantage. Being attached to Beron meant he could stay close to the person who was brimming with essence. The allure of that energy was almost overwhelming, but he knew he had to be careful. If he acted too soon or too recklessly, he might lose his chance to harvest the monster cores scattered around the cavern.

I need a plan. They either don’t care about all the monster cores in these corpses or just haven’t thought about it yet. But it doesn’t matter either way—I need to get my hands on them. With the amount of essence I could get, I wouldn’t have to worry about running out anytime soon.

Cal took a moment to focus on his core. It was still broken, but to his surprise, it held more essence than before he fell unconscious. The group had mentioned something about him consuming essence earlier, and he was lucky they hadn’t pressed the issue. If they knew the truth—that he was devouring souls along with the essence—they might not be so willing to keep him around.

Right now, the group was resting while Fael, the small elf, continued examining the water. The shackles on Cal’s wrists were attached to a chain connected to Beron’s belt. The chain was long enough to give him some mobility but not enough to wander too far. Beron was currently speaking with Jora and cleaning his blade, leaving Cal with a bit of freedom to think and plan.

The clothes they had given him were little more than a potato sack, but they would suffice for now. As he surveyed the room with his essence sense, Cal noted that none of the group members seemed to notice his probing. His essence sense had become sharper, more precise, allowing him to read the energy signatures of those around him.

Jora was an anomaly. She didn’t have an essence signature. Her massive sword, however, radiated a strange essence that reminded Cal of the makeshift blade he had crafted from the bug claws. There’s something off about her, he thought, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It's almost as if shes normal but that can't be, shes holding that sword like its nothing.

Fael, on the other hand, was practically glowing with essence. It flowed through her like water—fluid and hard to contain. The essence seemed to originate from her arms, beneath her sleeves, where her tattoos were likely etched. But that wasn’t all. The essence in the air around her also moved when she muttered what seemed to be spells. Cal had the distinct impression that she was manipulating the essence around her actively.

Spells of some kind, I bet. Goddamn, this world is cool.

Beron was the most essence-rich individual in the group, almost like the pool at the center of the cave, but with a sharper edge. That same strange essence Cal sensed in Jora’s sword also emanated from Beron. He moved with an unnatural grace, his movements resonating with the essence within him. His sword, too, beamed with the same kind of energy, a lethal combination of skill and power.

Tain, however, was the most frustrating to read. He gave off absolutely nothing, like a void in Cal’s senses. His items were undoubtedly magical, but underneath his cloak, Cal couldn’t sense anything. It made him uneasy, as he frequently lost track of the man.

He’s dangerous, Cal mused, and the fact that I can’t sense him makes it even worse.

But right now, his priority was the monster cores. He needed to figure out a way to get to them without arousing suspicion. If he could just get his hands on one or two, he could replenish his essence and buy himself some time to figure out his next move.

Maybe if I can distract them somehow… he thought, his mind already working through possible scenarios. The group was resting, which gave him a window of opportunity, but he needed to be careful. Any sudden movements or suspicious actions could blow his cover.

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He decided to approach Fael, who was intently examining the pool of water. The chain attached to his shackles clinked softly as he moved, and Beron glanced back, his gaze briefly following Cal before returning to his conversation with Jora. Cal approached Fael, but his chain grew taut, forcing him to stop a few feet away.

“Hey, Fael, right? What are you doing?” Cal asked, trying to sound casual.

Fael looked up, her brow furrowing with suspicion. “What’s it to you? You’re our prisoner, not our friend.”

Cal shrugged, feigning innocence. “What? Is it illegal to ask questions and be curious in this world?”

Fael's eyes narrowed. “Okay, you say you’re from another world, but what does that even mean? Are you talking about an alternate reality, a different planet, or something else?"

Cal sighed, rolling his shoulders slightly as he shifted his weight. “Listen, I’m not trying to be unreasonable. I am from a different world. It’s kinda like this one but not exactly the same. But I don’t know you either, so don’t expect me to spill my guts.”

Fael's confusion turned to mild irritation. “Spill your guts?”

“Tell you everything about me,” Cal clarified, raising an eyebrow.

Fael’s lips twitched into a smirk. “Fine.”

“Fine,” Cal echoed, with a nod of agreement.

For a moment, they stood there, assessing each other. Then Fael's stern expression softened, and she let out a small, almost sheepish laugh. “Okay, look, this is a complex explanation, so listen closely. Ask questions if you need to.”

Cal nodded, sitting down on the ground with a curious look. Fael smiled and moved closer, settling cross-legged in front of him.

“Alright, so first, how much do you know about essence?” Fael began, her tone serious but engaging.

Cal shrugged. “Assume I know nothing.”

Fael’s eyes brightened as she launched into her explanation. “Essence is like a scent. It’s not a perfect analogy, but it’s how I was taught. Everything has a scent—some things smell alike, like sweet things and sour things. Some things might smell like one but are actually another. At its core, everything has a recognizable scent. Similarly, all essence has a scent or attunement. For example, fire essence and sword essence. Some essences are more elemental, like fire, while others are more conceptual, like sword. The essence in the water however is unattuned, pure essence. I don’t know where essence comes from, so don’t ask. Mages like me use the essence in the natural environment to cast spells. Watch.”

Fael extended her hand, palm up, and whispered a word under her breath. Cal watched in awe as essence from the ground surged toward her hand. A small marble-sized ball of rock formed in her palm, glowing with an ethereal light.

“Whoa,” Cal said, his eyes wide. “You can literally make stuff like a god.”

Fael shook her head, a playful smile on her lips. “No, no. You’re missing it. This isn’t real stone.”

Cal leaned in, intrigued. “What do you mean?”

“Look closer,” Fael urged, her gaze focused on the marble.

Cal used his essence sense to examine the marble. He felt the energy within it and realized it wasn’t stone; it was pure essence.

“But how did...” he began, clearly fascinated.

Fael’s expression was one of gentle amusement. “Essence can be condensed and used to craft constructs. It’s solid essence that can be touched and interacted with.”

“Does the attunement of essence affect making constructs?” Cal asked, eager to understand more.

Fael’s eyes lit up with approval. “Good question. The short answer is yes, but it’s complicated. Let’s save that for another time. Now, about the pool: this water is different from the marble. It’s not a construct; it’s infused with essence.”

Fael reached down and picked up a small rock from the ground. Speaking another word, earth essence gathered around the stone, making it glow faintly.

“See the difference? This means it must have been infused somehow. I’m trying to figure that out,” Fael said, her focus returning to the pool.

“So, because it’s pure essence infused, it’s not usable in spells?” Cal asked, connecting the dots.

“Yes. How did you know that?” Fael asked, her tone warming slightly. “The infused nature means it already has a structure it’s clinging to. If it was a construct or just solid essence, I could work with it. That’s very insightful of you.”

So that’s why I can’t consume it. It already has a structure.

“What about monster cores? Do they have structures?”

Fael’s expression turned guarded. “No. They are essence constructs created by the monster’s biology, filled with essence and contained inside their body. But that doesn’t mean I can use that essence in spells. That’s the biggest difference between monsters and people. We have souls that pass on to the afterlife. All a monster leaves behind is a faint imprint of their animalistic tendencies and memories inside their core—a shadow, a footprint left behind, nothing more. When a monster dies, all that’s left is a broken voice, with no thoughts or feelings. The imprint left behind and the living soul of a monster protect the core from outside threats. There are exceptions, but usually, the only way to access a core’s essence is if it belongs to you. Monsters don’t last long enough to ask questions like that, except for you, of course.”

Cal’s eyes widened with realization. “Oh. Then what’s the use of dead monster cores?”

“They can be used by mages specializing in summoning monsters or in crafting items. But I’m not an expert,” Fael said, her tone dismissive.

Cal pondered for a moment, then asked, “Is there a way to strip the essence from this water and make it usable in a spell?”

Fael considered his question, her gaze thoughtful. “It’s possible. You’d need to either break the connection between the essence and its structure or use some alchemical processes.”

“Okay, I’ll leave you alone now,” Cal said, standing up with a determined look in his eyes. Now he just needed to get those cores, it seems they aren't useful to anyone but him so maybe just maybe he could do it without any conflict at all.