A Hand-Woven Universe 93 93. Growth

That night everyone huddled around a small fire as a howling wind snaked through a forest of stone and shrubbery. Skeletal trees peppered the rocky environment, casting deep shadows.

The last few hours were spent in silence apart from the patter of feet and the clop of summoned-horse hooves. The adrenaline which coursed through them had worn off, leaving the acolytes feeling shaky. They handled the strain on their bodies much better than before when they fought Noone, but they also came out of this encounter less injured.

The past six months had been nothing but daily training. Their battle prowess had flourished as had their magic capability. In this time, both Sarah and Feylin had managed to learn a minor healing miracle along with making progress on their personal studies. Being so easily defeated by Noone had caused their desire for strength to ignite.

Raelith sat with her own thoughts, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the sparkling stars of the night sky of the far west.

Sally and Tobias both snacked on dried meat, they would be back to the outpost temple soon and had more than enough food, thus they unanimously decided to splurge a bit. The tense atmosphere that had pervaded the s.p.a.ce between the two earlier had disappeared as they walked through the day.

Sally realized she had been a bit brash, and ultimately Tobias was higher in the order than her and had their best interest in mind. In her lap laid the smooth bindings of a holy ma.n.u.script which she studied religiously. It was only a copy of course, but the words held the value.

Tobias kept eyes up and scanned the horizon. He was worried that the scouts may have already sent word back to the tribe. If that was the case, then he wanted to be ready in case there was another attack.

Noone sat on the stone floor, legs crossed and facing the fire with eyes closed. His breath was steady, and he slowly melded with the surrounding atmosphere. The flicker of firelight played orange designs against his grey stone skin and marbled white lines which snaked across his body.

The axes he retrieved were laid to the side, along with the belt they were stored in. Noone found it incredibly uncomfortable to sit with them, and figured having them close enough would be good for now.

Light pulsed from his flesh, in tune with his breathing. The stone around him s.h.i.+fted between white and grey as he inhaled and exhaled. The sound of his breathing became white noise. Everyone eventually found themselves looking at Noone. He was sitting so still that the acolytes sometimes found it hard to distinguish his body from the darkness surrounding him. If it weren't for the white lines which emanated light from his body, his existence would practically melt into the environment.

They couldn't help but feel Noone looked like a statue, chiseled from stone and swarming with subtle magic. The time ticked by, counted steadily by Noone's breath.

Right now, Noone's mind was sinking into himself. His thoughts floated down a stream of memories, evaluating the events of that day.

Everything that happened, from the initial attack with the arrows, to the violent but sudden engagement with the tribesmen… his thoughts catalogued every action and decision.

Noone had no one to teach him how to fight, so this was the best he could do - running through scenarios.

His mind replayed each scene, and his muscles twitched - barely perceptible to the human eye. Every microsecond was relived in excruciating detail. Soon he reached the end of the fight, and he watched the memory, disa.s.sociated from the experience. Noone's lungs tightened when he watched the s.h.i.+eld crush the tribesman's neck. The fear and shock in those golden eyes made Noone uncomfortable. The pain… Noone understood it.

He could almost see the mind of the man thinking "Is this it...?" The same thoughts he himself has known.

The memories slowly sank down, like a stone in a lake. Noone sat there at the center of this lake free from the world around him. Right now, his consciousness was embodied within his own mind, a large void s.p.a.ce from which memories and experiences streamed like water.

"I can't afford to go easy." Noone thought. "The people here do not care for each other's lives. Not in the same way as home…" his breathing betrayed his confliction, quickening as he worked through his thoughts.

"I have a goal. One that I must complete. I can't afford to die before then. I even have an advantage," As Noone came to his own resolutions the fluctuating and pulsating light from his body began to s.h.i.+ne brighter, cutting through the dark night. "I have the inheritance… of the ancestor…"

Sally shot a look at Tobias, the light around Noone was definitely brightening. Noone had not moved or changed in any way they could see, but something was changing. She could feel it in the air.

Not just her, everyone noticed a subtle hum that seemed to come from his body. The air around every person began to vibrate, almost completely imperceptible. But the tiny hairs on the back of their necks stood up on end.

No one could take their eyes off Noone, and the bonfire between them began to flicker wildly as though being attacked by a gale. But there wasn't any wind.

Tobias watched carefully, not making any sudden motions and slowly waving his hand as if to say, "No one move." And no one did.

Noone's thoughts and consciousness caused the world in his mind to ripple. Noone had broken through three minor realms six months ago, and thus his body and mind were both put under tremendous stress. If it were not for his innate strength, and his reinforced body… the influx of energy would have torn him to shreds.

For sixth months Noone had felt that he was barely able to understand the changes which occurred. He gained some extraordinary innate abilities – like his extended sight – and experienced a growth in mental and physical stability.

But he didn't understand it. What triggered it? Obviously it was part of the inheritance but…

What was the energy?

Where did it come from?

what does it do?

Is it finite or does it replenish naturally?

These thoughts constantly nagged at him.

And… can I improve more… and if so, how?

Since the very first day he emerged from the seal, he tackled these questions every way he could think of. He had no guidance, no teacher, no experience. All he could do was teach himself, from the ground up.

Over these last six months, that is what he did. He trained every innate skill he had, attempting to push himself over and past his limits.

Maintain sight.

Maintain strength.

Maintain breathing.

Sense the world around, what does it feel like? Taste like? How does it move?

He would sit and quiet his thoughts, focusing on experiencing the world around him. He strained to remember everything he had ever been told in Tapestry about the laws of the universe, cosmic energy, world energy, elemental energy. Were they all the same thing? Or different? And how do you know if you are sensing it? And even if you can sense it… what then?

Noone truly felt lost, his abilities have stopped improving, and Noone could not help but feel that he must have taken a wrong step somewhere.

As his thoughts spiraled, an answer came to him like a candle in the dark.
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The energy of the universe… harness it.

It was part voice, part primal urging. Like a bell in a silent room, it resonated within Noone's mind.

Inside the core of Noone's body his life flame had been quietly burning – hued by three colors - not flickering in the slightest. It lit his dantian in a beautiful symphony of blended blues, pinks, and greens. But suddenly it shuddered. If a flame could feel desire, what would it do?

The flame of his life force, tinted by the existence and will of a galaxy tree… yearned.

I must not only get stronger… Noone's thought echoed within his own head, resonating with the river of memories beneath him. He felt that his own body had become a sh.e.l.l which he was trapped within, limited by. But I have to experience… growth.

Suddenly images and thoughts floated to the surface which were not his own, but they seemed incredibly familiar. He saw a large blue brown and green planet, a tree which grew from it, leaves and branches and trunk extending out above reaching into the heavens themselves.

He saw leaves which stirred in the cosmic winds, colored garishly bright as though mocking the dark void itself.

He saw a pod, inside which was a seed.

Noone did not notice it the first time he had seen these memories, but he could sense energy surrounding the bulb. Like strings of pure essence, the bulb slowly filtered them out of the void using the power to form a seed. To form strength.

Looking back on it, it seemed as though time had pa.s.sed slowly. But in reality - a few years had pa.s.sed since he saw this image last. They were the memories of the flower which strived for life. He remembered experiencing the endless years of minor improvements in its memories. Stretching small roots out and gradually growing bigger…

It had been harvesting something out of the air for energy… but what?

The water rippled, and he felt something pull at his awareness. His consciousness looked down into the lake of thoughts. Down, deep down, a small light could be seen s.h.i.+ning up and reflecting through the dark light scattering thoughts and memories.

Pink. Green. Blue.