Aeres Academy - Chapter 3 preview

I was directed by bored looking attendants through a series of halls into a massive room in the center of the building where a massive orb hung in the air, glowing pale blue and white with wisps of clouds hanging around it. The approach to the orb was roped off but for a few specific routes, while numerous other adventurers and attendants waited within. No surprise that the Aeras academy kept their core room near the center of the building itself, just off to the side of the center for convenience sake.

Even from the distance, I shivered a little as the orb – the size of a beach ball – emanated a chill through the room. I was not the only one cold, the gathered magicians and guards all bundled up against the chill. The aspirants required nothing like that, what with most of us under multiple layers of armour. 

“Get in line,” one of the guard growled, pointing rudely. 

“Sorry. Never seen one that big. It’s impressive.” I flashed him a bit of a smile, playing up the awe just a little. 

That mollified him a little and the man preened at the simple psychological trick. I had to admit, decades of living in a world that had advanced therapy and general psychological and leadership rules gave me an unfair advantage. “Not surprised. It’s a full twenty first floor boss core, still in its first decade.” 

“Very impressive. What boss?” I said, making sure I got into line as I did so. Idly, I note the chests pushed against the wall, large chests that I assumed stored foodstuff when the core room was not as heavily trafficked. Waste not, want not, eh?

“Ice giant,” the attendant who stood beside the guard at the end of the line spoke up, his voice annoyed at my interruption. “Now, listen.” He turned, making sure all of us heard him, though I wondered why he bothered. He’d have to repeat himself anyway, soon enough. “All of you. I won’t repeat this for any of you.”

“You will be allowed to attach to the academy’s orb on a temporary basis. You’ll receive a minor bonus in strength and recovery. And ice resistance, but that won’t matter.” A finger rose, as he continued. “It will also allow us to monitor your health – and state of aliveness. You will be instructed on how to attach to the orb and when. As this is a twenty first floor major core, the draw will be significantly higher than what most of you experience. If you do not have the draw space to handle it, you will not be allowed into the fissure. Understood?”

At the affirmation echoed out from us, the attendant gestured for us to keep moving. I’m just a little surprised that they’re not doing a check on our draw rates, but I guess they don’t really care. It’s unlikely we’d die from overdrawing, what with us trapped in the room till we settle. As for the damage from breaking the attachment to their orb – well, that was our problem. 

The process of attaching was quick, the attendants and mages guiding the process of reaching for the orb with our auras, locking it in and then, moving the dazed aspirants to the corner of the room where we can rest. There’s a buzz in the air, the smell of ozone of magic in use, the cold growing deeper with each moment that I’m tempted to put on my gloves.

Soon enough, it is my turn. The attendant barely even glanced at me, more focused on verifying that I was not carrying anything dangerous before he asked his first question. 

“Number of connections?”

“One – the city core.”

They frowned at m reply, but I ignored it. It’s unusual not to have at least a few more connections – if nothing else, most people had connections to their building orb, a family orb and often, a medical center’s. Many also joined guilds, neighborhood associations, even investment groups to give themselves another minor bonus. That I had none, not even a leeching attachment, was unusual. 

“Well, then you’ll be fine on the limit. Go ahead.”

There’s no physical contact required to make a connection. Even standing a couple of feet away, I could feel the core tugging at the energy within me, desperate to achieve a connection and fill its center.

Releasing the hold of my aura was similar to the unclenching of a tense muscle, one that was always held tight. It was easy, and within moments, I felt the leak of power, the loss of energy that flowed outwards. The nearby mages made sure that the energy I released went through the right portions of the enchantment, such that I would form an attachment – and not just see my energy stolen for no gain. 

Within moments, the tendril of energy I extruded touched the orb, and the connection established itself, a sharp pain that shook my very soul as a portion of it was connected to the orb. The tug on my energy shifts, going from across physical space to another, unseen dimension. Released energy now crossed the distance to the core via a magical dimension. There is no stopping this draw now, no way to shut it off without severing the connection – and the patch of soul that I had utilized to form it.

The tug on my soul, the pull on my magical energy was intense. The soul equivalent of adding a thirty pound weight onto my back. I swayed for a moment before firming my stance and shuffling over to the side where the other aspirants before me were busy managing their own status. 

To my surprise, the kid - Brand - was over there, pale and sweat beading his face as he hid in the back, leaning against the wall. Each of his breath’s were slow, ragged but regular at least.

As I made my way over, I glanced around to see who else was paying attention. No one else was, the other attendants busy with the growing inflow of candidates and the aspirants either dealing with their own burden. Or perhaps they just did not care, not till someone fainted. No one gave the kid a second look.

Why would they? They had no idea what Brand would become, what he would make of himself. Neither did I, I’ll admit. Not even an inkling.

“You okay?” I murmured.

“Just… a little much.”

“You’re overdrawing.” The signs of it were clear, the sweating, the glassy look in his eyes, the pale skin. “How many connections do you have?”

“I can handle this.” He reached out, grabbed my arm tight. “Don’t say anything, by Leopold’s loincloth. I just… need a moment.”

My lips thinned. The energy that was drawn from us – the magic that powers our skills – all came from the same place. For most people on this world, they had access to their internal magic, a pool of power deep within that refilled at different rates depending on the density of the world around them and their own abilities. Some people had deep pools but a slow regeneration, others a high regeneration and shallow pools. Each attachment to an orb drew from those pools, put a strain on ourselves.

The only way to deepen the pool and increase regeneration was the same way you increased muscle mass – you exercised it. I know I’m messing up the metaphors here – or are they analogies? – but the point was, the orbs did more than just empower the buildings, the city shields and gift us their intrinsic abilities. It also strengthened us, in a way that only specific exercises and training could.

Training that was – for the most part – hidden behind the walls of academies and guilds like these. 

For everyone else, it was cores and the basic knowledge that had become common knowledge. It was the reason why most people had multiple connections, why my single connection was an oddity. And why, draw death was somewhat common – as sickness and injury could also reduce our regeneration rates. Drift too close to your maximum and simple illness could finish you off.

It began with fainting, the loss of vital energy and a general malaise. Death eventually was the final result. Such things were generally a matter of days, not minutes. Which was why I was willing to give the kid a few minutes, though the speed of such failure increased when you added a new draw and your soul tried to rebalance everything.

“Fine. If you faint, I’m calling for help.” I then leaned against the wall to wait.

My own adjustment was simple. While for many, the new burden was significant and they had to realign their mental and spiritual model, embrace the new draw and adjust to the weight, this was by far the least of my burdens. After all, I dealt with something much heavier every day.

My skill.

It took Brand about fifteen minutes, about ten more than I needed before he stopped sweating so profusely and managed to straighten. I had to admit, I was rather impressed. Impressed and a little puzzled, since if he was overdrawing; the only way to fix the problem was releasing the siphon. And the only way – supposedly – was in a core room. 

“You going to be able to delve?” I asked.

“Got to.” There’s a firmness in his voice, a hint of desperation. I forgot about the bet and, I almost offered to partner with him. The look he gave me when he caught sight of my face was one of disgust and anger, sufficient that I changed my mind. He punctuated the point by adding. “Don’t need your pity. Or you slowing me down.”

“Slow you down.” I glanced down at the knives he wears, his lack of armor. Find myself smirking as I answered. “Pretty sure it’d be the other way.”

“You still think that?” He stretched, colour returning to his face. “Not worried, with my advantages?”

“What advantages? Bullheadedness? Pass.” I sniffed. “Remember, highest position.”

“I remember. See you later, old man.”

He sauntered off, acting as though he had everything under control. He might have – you just never knew with what kind of skills there were. And whatever he had, it certainly had given him connections to multiple orbs. And even a single one, like this one, could give quite the advantage.

Connection 2: Aeres Academy Frost Core

Draw: 27%

Benefits: Minor Cold Resistance, Minor increase in Durability, Minor increase in Recovery, Trivial increase in Strength

Potential Increase: 0.3-2.1%

All the more the pity for him, as he wasn’t the only one with a secret or two.