Zeke sat in his room, surrounded by the familiar comforts of home. His gaze fell upon the two wrapped presents sitting on his bedside table. He couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement as he examined them closely. The first present, from Viola, was large and heavy, the wrapping straining under its weight. He could hear the sound of stones rattling within as he shook it lightly. The second present, from Sophia, was smaller and fit easily in one hand. He was fairly certain it was a book, but he had purposely avoided paying attention to his [Perfect Spatial Awareness] spell to ruin the surprise of the gifts by peeking inside.

Zeke carefully unwrapped Viola's present, eager to see what lay inside. As the vibrant fabric fell away, he was greeted with the sight of a black, polished marble box, divided into three equal-sized sections. Each section was filled with small, sparkling crystals of different colors. Zeke picked up a purple crystal and held it in his hand, studying its surface critically. As he looked closer, he felt a strange sensation, as if the crystal was trying to influence his mind. He quickly dropped the crystal back into its section, feeling a sense of unease.

He picked up the small card that had accompanied the gift, reading the message written in Viola's elegant script. It read: "Hey Zeke, I hope this gift serves you well on your journey as a mage. If you don't know what these crystals are, then you should ask your mentor. Use them wisely, and they will aid you in your studies and your future. With love, Viola."

Zeke felt truly moved by Viola's gift and the heartfelt message she had left for him. He didn't know what those beautiful stones were used for, but he could sense the potent magical power contained within them. He carefully placed the box back on the table, vowing to study and learn how to use them properly.

He then turned his attention to Sophia's present, carefully unwrapping the delicate paper. As he had suspected, it was a book, but the title caught him by surprise: "Basics of Telekinesis in the Geistreich style." Zeke knew that the Emperor's family kept their mind magic secrets closely guarded, so he couldn't help but wonder if this book would get Sophia into trouble. Zeke opened up the first page of the book and started to read the introductory text.

Welcome to the world of Telekinesis in the Geistreich style. This book is designed to provide you with a comprehensive introduction to the basics of this powerful ability. In the Geistreich tradition, we focus on fine control and precision, rather than raw power. While this approach may not be as immediately impressive as other forms of Telekinesis, it is the key to true mastery.

Please note that until full mastery is achieved, Telekinesis in the Geistreich style is not recommended for use in combat. However, with patience and practice, you will discover the many ways in which this subtle and sophisticated approach to Telekinesis can enrich your life. So, without further ado, let us begin our journey into the fascinating world of Telekinesis in the Geistreich style.

Zeke was not disappointed by the book's claims of the spell not being immediately useful for combat, he had always thought of Telekinesis as a useful tool in day to day life instead of a weapon in battle. He picked up the small card that was attached to the cover of the book. It read:

"Dear Ezekiel, I know you have always been interested in learning more about Mind Magic, and I wanted to give you something that would help you on your journey. This book contains information on the Geistreich style of telekinesis, a technique that is closely guarded by my family. Use it wisely and be careful who you share it with. With love, Sophia."

Zeke felt a mix of emotions as he read the card. He was grateful for Sophia's gift, but also concerned for her safety. He knew that Sophia had put herself at risk by sharing this knowledge with him, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility for her well-being. Zeke carefully placed the book back on the table, vowing to study it in secret and use the information wisely. He knew that the knowledge contained within the pages of that book would be invaluable to him no matter what path he chose to take in the future.

Zeke picked up the box containing Viola's gift and set off in search of his mentor, Maximilian. He found the old man holed up in his study, surrounded by books and papers. Zeke knocked on the door frame, and Maximilian looked up from his work, surprised to see him.

"Maximilian, I have something to show you," Zeke said, holding out the box.

The old man's eyes narrowed slightly as he took the box from Zeke. He carefully opened it and peered inside, his expression turning from one of curiosity to one of shock.

"Where did you get these?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Viola gave them to me as a present," Zeke explained.

Maximilian let out a string of curses, muttering something about "spoiled little girls" and "too much wealth."

"Teacher, what is it? What's wrong?" Zeke asked, confused by the old man's reaction.

"These are affinity crystals," Maximilian explained. "They're the best way to advance your core after reaching true mage level. They allow you to absorb specific types of magic directly into your core, greatly accelerating your progress."

"Why can't I just gather ambient Mana from the air like I've been doing until now?" Zeke asked, confused.

"That method still works," Maximilian said. "But it's too slow. It would take you decades to reach the next stage by only absorbing ambient mana."

Zeke was shocked by this revelation. He had never considered that there might be a faster way to progress. "I had no idea there was such a way, why isn't everyone doing this all the time, then?" he said.

"Do you remember how the other space mages treated you on your first day?" Maximilian asked, his face hiding a certain amount of concern upon bringing up painful memories for Zeke.

Zeke nodded, his face growing dark. "Yes, I remember. They were cold and distant towards me. I had the strong impression that they didn't want me around. I always felt like it was weird, since all the other groups of mages seemed to welcome newcomers."

"That's because of this," Maximilian said, picking one of the white crystals out of the box with extreme care. "This is a space affinity crystal. It's one of the rarest and most sought-after affinity crystals. They're not found on this planet, and the only known source is from meteors that land here."

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Zeke's eyes widened in surprise. "No wonder it's so expensive," he said, looking at the crystal in Maximilian's hand with wide eyes.

"Exactly," Maximilian said, impressed. "I'm amazed at how much of this crystal Viola was able to gather for you. It's a very costly present, you should be grateful to that little girl."

As Zeke looked at the box of affinity crystals, a smile spread across his face. He realized that she must have spent a lot of her money on this. As he thought about how she must have rushed around the capital for the entire weekend, he felt a sense of warmth in his chest. The gesture must have not only been meant as a birthday present, but also as an apology for initially forgetting about his special day. He couldn't help but feel touched by Viola's thoughtfulness. He then turned to Maximilian, eager to learn more about these powerful crystals and how he could get more of them in the future.

Maximilian nodded, his expression serious. "Affinity crystals can be found where there is a lot of the property they're bonded to. For example, fire crystals are found in volcanic regions, and water crystals are found in the ocean."

"Then where do blood and mind crystals come from?" Zeke asked, looking up at Maximilian with a curious gleam in his eyes.

"Mind crystals are not rare at all," Maximilian replied, "In every big city where there are a lot of people gathered, mind affinity crystals will form in people's homes and in public spaces. The people of the capital actually make a good bit of money when a crystal forms in their home. They can sell it to the mages' guild for a nice profit."

"Really?" Zeke asked, glad to hear that he wouldn't have to be worried about those crystals at least.

"Yes, in fact, I was able to gather a small mountain of those crystals in preparation for when you would need them," Maximilian nodded, before going on, "But blood crystals are a different story. They only form in places of great bloodshed. Ancient battlefields are a good place to find them, or places where monster hordes usually clash outside the civilized parts of the world. I still managed to get a decent amount of them, but I was really worried about how we would get our hands on space affinity crystals in the short term."

"It makes a lot of sense that something that can only be found periodically would be highly coveted," Zeke said, "I assume scarcity determines the price of essence crystals?"

"It's a major factor, yes," Maximilian said, "Most nations trade affinity crystals with each other though. The empire exports almost all other crystals and imports an obscene amount of elemental affinity crystals. That's also one of the reasons why there are no prominent mages from other affinities in the empire left. They can't even get the resources to advance past the stage of True Mage without paying a premium."

Zeke shook his head in disbelief. He had never realized the extent of the resources needed to advance in magic. He looked back at the box of crystals from Viola, feeling a newfound appreciation for the gift.

"Why would the empire trade with other nations if they're at war with most of them?" Zeke asked, confused.

Maximilian leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers thoughtfully. "The empire could never gather enough elemental affinity crystals within its own borders to satisfy the needs of the great families," he explained. "These crystals are vital for the advancement of any mage, and the empire simply doesn't have the resources to provide enough for all of its citizens. So, they must rely on outside sources."

Zeke nodded, understanding. "But who would even trade with the empire, considering the war?"

"Ah, that's where the merchant union comes in," Maximilian said. "They have their own small city state in the middle of the continent, and they're a neutral power. They trade with every country, and almost all international trade is done through them. The empire may be at war with its neighboring nations, but they still need these crystals to survive. So, they sell them to the merchant union, who in turn sells them to other countries."

Zeke was fascinated by this new information. The politics and economics of the world were far more complicated than he had imagined. "And what about the merchant union? How do they survive in such a war-torn climate?"

Maximilian grinned. "They have some of the strongest mages on the continent protecting their city state. It's rumored that they even have exarch-level powerhouses in their employ. Even if the empire had twice the strength, they wouldn't dare attack the merchant union directly. And with a reputation for being fair business partners and never taking sides, they have the respect and loyalty of many nations."

Zeke sat back in his chair, taking in all of this new information. He had much to consider, and much to learn about the world outside his small village. Nodding slowly, Zeke began to understand the strategic importance of this trade. "But what about the other nations? Why would they trade with the empire if they're at war? They have to realized that they are giving the empire the resources it needs to train even more mages?"

Maximilian smiled wryly. "War is a costly thing, Zeke. Even the most powerful nations need resources to keep growing. The merchant union offers a way for them to acquire those resources without directly dealing with the empire. It's the only way for the nations to conduct business as usual during the war, without cutting off all means of acquiring resources."

"I see," Zeke said, "I had no idea there was a power like the merchant union on the continent. I'll have to do some more research on them."

"Yes, you should," Maximilian said, "It's important to know and understand the different powers at play in this world. The merchant union is a force to be reckoned with, and they are a valuable connection to have."

Zeke nodded, taking in the information that Maximilian had given him. He was grateful for the old man's knowledge and wisdom, and he knew that he still had much to learn about the world and the powers that governed it.

Maximilian then showed Zeke how to use the affinity crystal in his magical advancement. He guided Zeke through the steps and as Zeke put one of his blood crystals on his open palm, he tried to absorb it in the same way he would do with ambient mana.

The moment he started, he felt an absolute flood of blood-attuned Mana invading his core. It was overwhelming, almost too much to handle. He closed his eyes, focusing on the influx of power, trying to control it and direct it towards his core.

After a few minutes, the flood slowed, and Zeke opened his eyes. The crystal in his hand had transformed into a dull stone, that looked like it could have been picked up by the roadside. He looked up at Maximilian, who grinned at him.

"Quite the rush, eh?" Maximilian asked.

Zeke couldn't help but agree with Maximilian, the feeling of the blood-attuned Mana flooding his core was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Even after a long moment of trying to grasp what he had just experienced, the feeling remained something he could not put into words, but in the best way possible. He held up the dull stone, now nothing more than a lifeless rock, and examined it closely. "Wow," he muttered, still trying to process the new sensation.

Maximilian chuckled. "I told you, it's quite the experience. And you should be aware of it yourself, you've probably made more progress in a few minutes than most people would make in weeks of absorbing ambient mana."

Zeke sat in awe as he looked at his blood core. The small, blood-red figure representing his blood affinity had grown a little, and now appeared to be more substantial. He couldn't believe the amount of progress he had made in such a short amount of time. "This would have taken me months of absorbing ambient mana," he said to Maximilian.

The old mage nodded. "Your perfect affinity makes the absorption a lot more efficient than it would be for others," he said. "But don't expect to make the same amount of progress with your mind and space cores. They only have a greater affinity, not a perfect one."

Zeke couldn't help but feel grateful for his perfect affinity. He knew that if he had a lesser affinity, the cost of resources would be astronomical. He couldn't imagine the struggles that other mages with lesser affinities had to go through. But what was at the forefront of his mind was the progress he would make in the future with the help of these affinity crystals.