Lukas found himself back in front of the library, to which he started to subconsciously call the Eternal Library after his experience in the magical place. Its door was opened and the quiet atmosphere within was a clear contrast to the ruckus caused by himself and the lady over his shoulder.
He crossed the threshold and noticed his father coming out from the depths of the library, the glow that he was accustomed to seemed to be put out. Gareth also seemed to carry a strange expression on his face.
His mind worked quickly. The woman slung across his shoulder should be the suspicious focus.
“I found this woman passed out on the side of the road. She looked like she needed some help. I’ll try to wake her up in the back.”
Lukas proceeded to walk back into his usual den within the library depths before he remembered the chaos outside.
“Oh… don’t go outside today dad.” There was a touch of concern within his voice.
Once he heard his father’s affirmation, he carried and gently placed Thearessa on a wider table. Her body was quite lithe and curvaceous now that he had a better look, nothing like how he imagined a woman who secluded herself within the mountains to look like. Her slightly teal hair almost reminded him of a certain female goddess from a show in his past life.
Other than that though, she really didn’t seem like the type who could commit a bloodbath like those rumors he had heard earlier.
Then again, he still didn’t have a grasp on the natural order and power structure of the world. Based on his frequent conversations with Merla, Lukas had somewhat deduced that natives in this world had been naturally gifted with some innate strength that varied from person to person.
There was also some mysterious stuff with the Churches, but the knowledge he gained was bare bones. Merla had never left the town and the churches themselves seemed quite guarded about the origins of their miracles.
As for the cults, there was practically no information about them either, even less than the churches. He just assumed, they were a group of naturally talented people like Thearessa before him.
He then got an idea… a burst of static ran across his fingers as they reached toward Thearessa. Before he could get closer, she woke up and immediately moved off the table.
Surprised, he had also armed himself with the fully empowered version of Shocking Touch. Electricity jumped between his fingers and around his hand.
Their eyes once again met, this time though, Lukas noticed that her eyes had lost the magical luster that he saw at the Makers’ District.
“Evening to you, Thearessa Hart? Yes?” He tentatively asked.
Her eyes narrowed, the hostility in them slowly faded.
“So you know about Source then?” Her voice was a bit hoarse, but it failed to hide the curious intent. She pointedly stared at his hands.
“Ah yes. I apologize for my rough handling of you earlier, but I have a feeling it was better that you went with me rather than the guard.”
Lukas raised his hands and the spell ceased.
“Of course, you made it difficult.” He then stared back at her, with hopes that his actions would come across as intimidating and mysterious.
Thearessa broke the gaze and looked around. The shelves of books and somewhat dim lighting almost made this unknown location homely, but the heavy musk of old books was unfamiliar to her. On certain shelves nearby, some books called out to her and caught her attention.
She slightly opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it and bowed sincerely.
“I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused and I appreciate that you dragged me out of my own mess. But… can you answer my earlier question?”
From her bowed position, she straightened herself up.
“Though I have a feeling, I already know the answer.”
Surprised at the fast development of the mood, Lukas also put away his previous acting and properly introduced himself.
“Pleasure to meet you, I’m Eliott Hearthrom. From your earlier question, I have a good feeling that you were shown a new influence in the world. Source!”
Lukas saw that Thearessa seemed to be less tense than before and continued on, “Well, I actually know of the three of you who were exposed to Source earlier in the week correct?”
Thearessa was visibly shocked and tried to hide it in vain.
“Hahahaha! It’s alright, I don’t mean any harm. If anything I could probably help you guys understand Source in general.” He offered a friendly smile and gestured to the table in front of them.
“Here sit, I can briefly explain and maybe answer some of your questions. Though, anything too complicated will have to be reserved for tomorrow.” Lukas pretended to be in thought as he sat at the table.
“The other two should have made some headway here also by now if they are as resourceful as you.” He smiled.
This was the first contact with an influential native of the land and an influential one with a bloody history at that. Lukas really didn’t want to mess it up because it would hinder some ideas he had to help make Source be more cohesive with the world’s people.
Of course, in their eyes, he was technically one of them. A person who acquired mysterious means of power.
The only difference so far was that the Hearthrom family didn’t have any previous influence in the world when he crossed over. Maybe he was lucky in the regard that he managed to meet Thearessa first out of the other three. She at least seemed… less intense in terms of ideology.
Thearessa eventually made herself comfortable across the table. She didn’t hide the obvious way she was trying to figure him out.
Maybe this was her trying to be more sincere in her own way?
He broke the silence, “Well, you three aren’t exactly the first beings to find out about Source. Obviously, there’s me, but I have a feeling there are others who are quite receptive to the nature of the world that found out about it too.”
“Besides that, I can answer anything else you might have questions about.” Lukas then gestured to her.
Silence pervaded the area as time passed.
The lady in front of him seemed to still be processing the events of today or maybe the time she spent in the Eternal Library, Lukas wasn’t sure. He wasn’t about to break the silence though, that would be too damn embarrassing.
His image of a senior in the field of Source and as a knowledgeable existence would probably crumble if he spoke after asking for her questions. Without breaking his posture and façade he built up, Lukas opened his inventory and task list.
[Inventory:
Essence Orbs (S x1) (L x1)
Mysterious Seed
World Fate Enhancer
Eternal Showers
Source: The Beginning (x6)
Runes & Variations by Faust XX
Crystal Focus]
Perhaps he could speed up the proliferation of Source and magic in the world. It’s only been a week or so and he was already getting impatient with the progress of Source, but maybe he could do something big that could distract him.
Glaringly obvious is the mysterious seed and the world fate enhancer. Yet something told him it wasn’t time for that yet.
[Current Tasks:
Home Sweet Home. Establish a secure base of operations where you can operate in this new base. This must be an area where there is a naturally high concentration of Source.
Reward: Weak Source Fountain
Personal Skills. You are a mortal god on this plane yet you are so weak and have fallen behind in terms of personal power! Enter the Source Core stage and establish your first innate Source spell.
This means the spell is unique to you and cannot be used by others.
Reward: New ‘Create’ function.]
Lukas inwardly grimaced at the description of the second task. He did feel the limits of his personal power when he had to fight against Thearessa. That was him using magic against her personal strength too.
A voice broke him out of his trance.
“So, this power is not limited to specific individuals?”
He looked up at her, her gaze lingered on a spot on the table.
“Um. No, from my understanding- well, I’ll give you this book first.”
He reached beneath the table as if there was something under there and brought out a book in his inventory. Then placed it on the table and pushed it towards her.
“Source is a natural resource in the world from what this book says. After some time, I believe that a lot more people and things will be affected by it.”
Thearessa grabbed the book and slowly marveled at the title and quality of the book. Her hands caressed it and slowly opened up its pages.
“Maybe in the future, there be whole locations filled with people that can manipulate Source like you and I. Then again, this is just from my understanding.” Lukas shrugged and looked around.
He then got up from his seat and stared out one of the library windows.
“We’re new existences. Magical ones that this world has never seen before. It would be quite boring if it was limited to certain people don’t you think?” He sighed.
There was no answer.
Then again, he didn’t need one. Thearessa was destined to be one of the pioneers that would push Sourcery and magic around the world. The sound of pages being turned already sealed the deal for her beliefs.
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