“I’m assuming that the Eternal Library is the small world of a being on the Source Star or King realm?” Septimus was reading through the books and a few stringent ideas had formed in his head. Some of the book's content was simply mind-blowing and seemed to be a child’s fantasy.
“I wouldn’t know, I’ve never been. But if it’s as Thearessa has described to me, then probably. That person only has ever talked to me in dreams.” Lukas replied from behind a shelf nearby.
“How wonderful! That person was just like us at one point and became something akin to a god.” Jack had taken off his hood, showing off a healthy but gaunt look.
“God or not… you have to remember that this being existed during a time when Source apparently became dormant in our world. You have to wonder how powerful they truly are.”
“For someone who strives for power, you sure are cowardly for the Sword of the Golden Kingdom,” Jack said mockingly.
He then turned to Thearessa, “So how far have you comprehended it? You were once a well-known scholar after all. Though I doubt much has changed except your reputation to the general population.”
“I know a bit of this and a bit of that. Mostly things in relation to my innate Source and some convenient spells that Merla had created.”
“My control over Source is a bit different from yours so my current research won’t be of use to you.” She remained silent after much to Jack’s slight chagrin.
“Though Merla might have some ideas you might be interested in.” Thearessa then pointed at the young lady who seemed to be in deep thought.
Jack had found quite early into their little gathering that he was nothing compared to the talent of the young lady, but he acquiesced that he had his own advantages that she didn’t have. Being a leader had its own perks and his own power coincided with that.
Unfortunately, these books were too generalized on Source practices for improvement. There wasn’t much that could take into account a person’s innate Source ability.
Shaking his head he turned back to the book in front of him.
“How do we improve our attainments in Source? It seems that we're currently just trying to gather Source from the world to grow our ‘pool’ within us.” Jack flipped through the pages in search of something.
“Yet the book doesn’t seem to mention any ways of doing so in an efficient way.” He looked up confused.
“Well Uncle Jack, meditating seems to help a lot. It’s a boring process though since you just control your breathing and Source naturally gets absorbed in a stable way.” Merla answered.
She stood up from her seat and stretched before grabbing an empty piece of parchment on the table and a quill.
“However, mister Eliott said that there may be more ways to take in Source and expand our ‘pool’ of energy.” She started to draw a shabby human outline with a circle in the chest area, putting a swirl in it and an arrow to label it Source.
“Any way of ingesting it within the body is good too, like eating or even absorbing things that contain Source. That’s how artifacts work, well the book says so anyway.” Merla then drew a few items beside her messy humanoid diagram.
She pointed at them and looked at Jack.
“Anything ranging from plants, rocks, and meat can be used to increase the speed of absorbing Source in a stable and safe way.” The young lady started to sound like a teacher in front of the three individuals that carried heavy reputations.
“There’s also the more unstable way which mister Eliott forbid me from trying since I’m too young and don’t have the proper resources. You can keep casting spells till you experience Source overload which can forcefully increase the depth of your pool at the cost of your wellbeing.”
Merla turned around and looked for Lukas.
“Am I right mister Eliott? I only guessed the effects of Source overload, but I believe I did encounter this at one point and found that the following day my pool did increase in depth.”
She then got into a thinking pose before muttering, “I didn’t feel too well afterward and found that I couldn’t cast spells easily.”
Lukas appeared from behind a bookshelf. In his hand was a glowing blue orb the size of a small bird egg, it emanated a faint mist-like smoke.
He acknowledged Merla’s explanation with a nod.
“As Merla said, at your stage, you are essentially gathering Source into your body to form the shape of the core in the next realm of Sourcery. Natural intake or forceful measures as she mentioned, are just some of the means to take in Source from the world. There are probably more efficient ways to do it that I don’t know or is not said in the book.”
He placed the orb on the table attracting the gazes of the other four. Faint fluctuations of Source could be felt from each of them, each distinct with their own personality.
“This is an essence orb. A small one from my understanding.” Lukas pointed at it and lightly smiled.
“It is a concentrated form of Source that can be found in areas of the world that are rich with the magical energy. Like plants and other edibles, this is one of the items you can directly extract Source from without facing some horrible backlash.” He looked at all of them in the eye and shrugged.
“Of course, that’s what that one being has said to me in my dream anyway. I don’t care for it as much, but to you guys, it could help with exploring how to improve with Source.”
The eyes of the other four gleamed. Jack quickly glanced at Septimus and Thearessa, these two were his competitors. Merla was too young to be considered by him. The other two thought the same, with the exception of Thearessa who thought the opposite; Merla was their biggest competitor is trying to gain this orb.
Lukas was ecstatic from seeing the silent enthusiasm from these people before him. He chuckled and smirked.
“It can also diffuse itself in the air, thickening the latent energy in the air which can be shared between all of you through meditation.”
“But remember,” he stopped and gave them a serious look. “Source is a living energy, it can run rampant within the body if you don’t use your own means of taming it. That’s why Source overload is dangerous. Too much foreign and untamed energy can harm your pool and maybe even cripple you physically.”
The four eventually calmed themselves down and sat quietly in their seats. Breathing quietly as the essence orb slowly dissipated into the air.
Lukas felt the fresh energy make its way around him, but he ran his Source within him to reject its influence. He didn’t expect it to be so forceful in trying to integrate.
He watched the others slowly form whirlpools of Source as they took in the wild energy into their chests. Hoping that they listened to his advice to control it as it entered into their pools. Maybe another person would enter the adept stage of the Source Opening realm.
------
When Septimus closed his eyes to take in the fresh Source, he felt his blood boil as the banner of the War Tempest unfurl within his consciousness. The cautious attitude he had before dissolved as untamed Source made its way into his body threatening to wreak havoc.
He felt at home on this battlefield. This was where he would regain and conquer all the control he had lost over the years. This Source was his alone!
------
Jack immediately felt the connection with the wild Source essence when he closed his eyes. It almost felt like how he quietly led the developments of the Dark Sun cult over the years. Faceless, unknown, and a fake god!
The experience of being a dark hand behind the curtains finally paid off. The lost, untamed, or the wild can find a home under the shadow of his figure. Source was no exception!
------
Thearessa’s eyes saw a whole new world after she went into meditation. Her soul, changed by Source, had finally awoken from its deep slumber. Everything around her was tinged with color, some she couldn’t even describe. Each was filled with Source and carried a sense of self.
She wanted to see it all. Know it all!
------
Merla felt the freshness of the concentrated essence enter her body. She had mastered the guidance of Source through her body by use of her innate Source ability. If someone like Thearessa looked closer at the strands of essence around Merla, small swarms of Source birds formed from the foreign essence before being assimilated by her.
This was an opportunity that fell within her range of control. Subconsciously, her Source awoke and helped transform any possible dangers into benefits.
------
Lukas watched from the sidelines as the dwindling essence orb slowly dissipated and get devoured by the people in front of him.
Theoretically, he could use this essence as well, but the improvement would be minimal due to his current stage of Sourcery. He’d rather give this chance to the future paragons and protagonists of Source.
He felt the three champions of the System experience a breakthrough into the realm of the Source Opening- Adept. Their pools should have grown larger and deeper. This kind of speedy growth was natural, they already had a solid foundation before Source appeared. Source simply needed time to assimilate and meld with it.
Merla no doubt would fall behind them sooner or later due to her young age and lack of experience. Her current lead over them was purely because of her talents and great compatibility with the spirit of Source.
Maybe it was time to introduce them to a challenge worthy of a fantasy world. To build experience with the use of Sourcery and further deepen the relationship of Source to the mundane world.
Lukas’s eyes glazed over as his mind wandered to the menus of the system.
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