Luke woke up to the sounds of the forest around him. Nothing about the sounds, the smells, or even the chilly morning air seemed different than the world he had come from. He could almost close his eyes again and pretend he was camping with Ben and his Mom again. That thought meant to be a happy one turned quickly to one of sadness. He had no idea if he would see his mom again, let alone Ben. The depressive thoughts were just what he needed to snap back to reality and wake the sleepiness from his eyes.
He sat up, half expecting the roguelike form of Sean to be standing over him telling him he had slept too long. However, he noticed the sun was just slowly ascending over the trees, and that's when he noticed something peculiar. As he sat watching over the course of five or so minutes not only did what he would call the sun rise, but so did a blue object somewhat smaller than the sun but just as bright also ascended the horizon.
“Pretty interesting huh” said a voice behind Luke.
He jumped out of the blanket that was his bed and slowly scrambled away from the form that was mostly shadows. Like a fog. The fog like substance then seemed to gain depth to it and within seconds resembled the form of Sean looking at Luke with a little bit of playfulness to his eyes.
“While I did mean to give you a little startle, that was more than I could have hoped for. I didn’t even fully repress my power so I shouldn’t have been able to sneak up on you that well. I guess improvements must be made.” He said as he walked over to the fire and in a brief moment a small flame took in the bed of coals and he threw some more wood on it.
Luke looked at Sean with annoyance, but taking his log seat after folding up the blanket he had been given decided that he would ask some questions in the hopes of learning something other than the lessons he was supposed to be given.
“While I appreciate the help you have promised me I think giving me a heart attack was not on the list of things to teach.”
“What's a heart attack”? Sean said with actual curiosity in his voice as he tended the fire, manually blowing into it to get it going better.
“Wait, you don't know what a heart attack is? How is that possible?
Sean, thinking about it further, looked to understand, “Oh you must be talking about a health condition from your world. Listen kid, let me ask you something. Do you feel what you would call a heart currently beating in your body? Actually have you felt the need to eat, or even drink anything since you woke up?
Luke, looking at him curiously, took his palm and put it against where he knew his heart was, but to his growing concern he started to breathe faster and faster after feeling absolutely nothing. To make matters worse he realized he didn’t feel the slightest need to drink or eat anything. He started to lose control of his thoughts, putting his hands to either side of his head, he only let out a small whisper, “Wait was this all a dream, and now I’m dead”?
Sean knew he shouldn’t rile the kid up this early but the sooner he learned the better.
“Alright, listen I do know what a heart is, and I do understand that in the world you come from there is a need to eat and drink. To allow your body to grow and to function. However, in this world our bodies are nothing more than a conduit for essense to flow through. There is a greater way of explaining this but someone at the Academy will do a better job than I will. Think of your Body and Soul as a medium for power to flow through to affect the world around you. In some worlds that lack Essence our bodies do revert to the principles similar to your world, but with Essence flowing throughout the world in and out of your body it does not need extra stimuli to make it function.”
Sean continued, as Luke looked more and more confused. “ Let me put it even simpler, your basic function as a vessel on this planet is to fulfill the needs of the Gods. You are but a tool for them, a tool that can harness power to get the things they want or need.”
Luke was having an internal struggle with everything that was just said. The basic principles of his world were of little consequence here. Did that mean if he were to theoretically be pierced through the heart he would survive. Since his body was just a medium for essence. “Okay let me ask just one clarifying question. Does that mean if something was to pierce my heart, I would survive?
Sean, seeing that Luke finally understood, just simply nodded. Luke going further, “What if say I got my leg or arm cut off? Would it grow back or something?”
“For most no, however if you found a healer he could reach it or theoretically grow you a new one but that is something that is rarely done as you are most likely killed before you have a chance to escape one arm less.”
Luke finally understood a little, alright well not related to the body and this whole concept that my body is just a medium. What was that blue object in the sky trailing the sun?”
“That's pretty simple actually, it's a celestial being.” Sean said it as if it was the simplest thing in the world. Luke again looking confused, Sean corrected himself and put it in an even simpler way. He is a big, scary, powerful creature that feeds off the power of the sun.”
Lukes head whipped around to look at the far away object, a little sweat trickling down his back. “Don’t worry he wouldn’t ever be concerned with this world. There are beings called celestials that walk in the Void and their power is so great they must feed off the natural resources of universes to sustain themselves. I have never heard of even a God being of notice to those creatures. The celestial creature is known as Remidius and has been doing the same thing before even the gods walked this world if our history is to be believed.”
This was all so much for Luke he had no response initially his eyes never leaving the blue object that seemed like a planet to his earth brain. He then noticed that Sean seemed to be lost in his own thoughts so he didn’t say more. He instead thought over everything that had happened in the last 24 hours.
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His previous morning was one at home, and now he sat around a fire with a supposed wizard, warrior that used to be friends with his parents. This was all so much for him to take in. He knew though that he had to take it one step at a time because no matter how weird or out of hand it got if he let it take over his every thought he knew he would be rendered mentally useless. Like someone from his world who suffered too much PTSD.
After letting the silence carry on for a few more minutes. Sean stood up and stretched his body, throwing sand over the fire to stifle it and looked north at the mountains just in the distance. Looking back at the kid, and then the mountains he really didn’t know if they were going to make it in time. Not only did they have to cross a pretty significant distance, but they really should make it to the base of the mountains he could see on the horizon. He was sure there was no campaign in the area but with the veil so thin they were bound to run into somethings. Good teaching material he thought about it further.
“Alright kid get up, next lesson is going to be a little simpler now that you understand fine essence control. We are going to have to move at a pace faster than you have ever traveled with your own two legs.”
Seeming interested Luke stood up, and felt the energy around him again, it was almost like a calming blanket now like he was supposed to feel it and now that it was everywhere it did root him to his spot and he used that to turn his thoughts from being morose to those of anticipation to learn how he could be more.
“Alright, well tell me about this malleable side of essence he said. I remember last night that you said the essence that flows within my body is more malleable and less restrictive to the power flowing all around us”
“Good you were listening then, think of the essence as you do all around you but this time you must feed that essence into your body. Unfortunately you have most of your affinity channels blocked so the best we can hope for is enhancement of your body. Which by itself is useful but anyone can do that much.”
Hearing that his channels were blocked did not seem like a good thing, “What do you mean my channels are blocked”, Luke said.
“Let me break your body down for you in a way you might understand. You have three main components to who you are in this world. Your Soul is you, it encompasses all of your thoughts, feelings, it makes you who you are. Then you have the essence that resides in your body. It makes up the functionality of your body in succession with your soul. Then you have what we call meridians in each part of your body. Everyone is different in the number and that is based on your affinity but everyone has a minimum of 7. One at your head, one at each arm and leg, and then your main one around your navel.”
Processing this information Luke tried to see his meridians in his mind's eye but for the life of him he couldn’t fully grasp what he was saying.
Sean, seeing the boy seem to look internally smiled, “You won't be able to feel it yet, your meridians are blocked, I am not sure what runes have been put on them. Essentially you will only be able to feel your Soul and the Essence within it. In that you should be able to enhance your body. Your abilities will come with time as those runes are unlocked. Some of those that come from other worlds sometimes have their meridians sealed behind runes. When you get to the academy you will have the opportunity to see about breaking them as they will want to get the most potential out of you as possible.”
Not being able to hold himself back again, “So what you are saying is not only are they blocked, but sealed does that mean I am already crippled from the start?”
“Not necessarily some have their meridians unlocked at birth, some have to unlock them through various trials. Everyone who comes to this world is different, it's inevitable. Let's start though with a simple meditation technique to allow you to feel your Soul, then we can start to enhance your body, because we are losing daylight and we still have a long way to go.”
“Wait, you called them affinity channels earlier, not just meridians. I have heard you and my mother talk about affinities before I was brought here. Are they the same thing or different?”
“Good you are picking up things, they are in most ways the same thing however the fundamental principle of an affinity is far more important. Your affinity makes up how many channels you have and how many meridians or abilities you will have as well. An Affinity is the conceptual fabric of your soul. It defines all of your abilities and how you may manipulate the essence within your soul. To put it in a different way, my affinity is one of storms. My abilities are all based around the concept of them. Concepts have a deeper meaning when a soul and essence is involved.
To show his point, Sean decided a little show and tell was on the agenda. Using the essence that was in his soul Sean pushed and weaved it through the meridian that was located in his left arm. He had two in his left so he focused the power closer to the meridian at his shoulder and not his hand.
Before Luke's eyes he watched as the man turned incorporeal as if he was made up of a cloud or fog. Realization dawned as he remembered this morning when the man had stood over him looking as he did right now. He was using a power to turn himself to resemble what would be a cloud. His mind was ablaze with the possibilities. A storm incorporated everything from clouds, to winds, to thunder and lightning.
“I see you have the idea now” letting the power dissipate from his ability. “Your abilities, strength, and possibilities are bound to the concepts of affinity your sold is made up of. Then it comes down to control, and how much essence you can use to fuel that power.” Some abilities take more than others, and the longer you channel them the faster you deplete your essence. Just remember that your body functions on essence, if you burn up all of it your body will not function. This will take time to understand but let's start at feeling it first. Get down on both knees and take up a meditation pose. Get comfortable and relax your mind.”
Doing as he was told. Kneeling on the ground he got as comfortable as his body would allow him. He remembered the negative feedback he had felt last night and hoped that if he couldn’t grasp the concept that the same thing wouldn’t happen to him again.
“Now that you are comfortable I want you to think of the concept of the Soul, sitting in your navel. You will have to take some time to grasp that concept as you think of your belly being full of organs but use the essence that is flowing around us now to help fuel the connection. Once you establish this connection it shouldn’t be hard to do it again.”
Breathing, even though he didn’t really have to anymore, was distracting him from fully calming himself. He tried anyway. He wasn’t sure how long he had been kneeling down, but he let his mind calm itself. He didn’t think of anything other than the darkness that was the back of his eyelids. That darkness seemed to become tangible as the minutes went by. He felt as though he was back in the dream that started everything surrounded by a black void that felt both alive and dead at the same time. It encompassed his whole being and he wasn’t sure if this could be his Soul or had he fallen asleep and this was a nightmare reborn.
“It seems to me you finally found your soul. Everyone has different interpretations of it but during extreme concentration we can intrinsically find this place. For me my soul is a never ending storm. For you it could be your favorite place. It is not for me to discern but keep it to yourself. However, what you see now will be your underlying affinity.”
Sean watched Luke take in his words, wondering what he was truly seeing. A soul’s image was personal and that was something respected by everyone except for the Gods. His curiosity stemmed from the fact that Lukes channels were sealed and as he had told him that he had found his Soul his face looked almost worried, scared even. Whatever he was seeing he didn’t like. However, Luke would have to embrace it if he were to grow