Ascension by Craig Zerf

Author:Craig Zerf [Zerf, Craig]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

"Bloody slavedriver," muttered Leo to himself.

Every day for over three weeks, each day had been ostensibly the same. Wake up, eat Glimmerfruit, two hours of kata with both axe and spear. Then Mossweaver would make him assume the position, legs shoulder width apart, hands on thighs, clear the mind.

And work on his mana control.

Breathe it in. Circulate it around his body. Guide it through his main meridian down towards his core.

That's where things got difficult. Try as he might, he could not get any of the mana to enter his core. It swirled around it, coated it, bathed it in mana-light.

But not one tiny iota entered it.

It took every ounce of Leo's self-control and perseverance to keep trying what seemed to be an impossible task.

"It will come," said Mossweaver. "Trust me, this is all part of the process. The System rewards persistence. You are looking to create a working core; this is something that only the tiniest percentage of mortals have. And something that rare, and that precious does not come easy."

"I been at this for three weeks," complained Leo.

"And you have not yet begun to scratch the surface," replied Mossweaver. "Time spent trying is all important. Only time will familiarize you with the inner workings of your mana. The central feeling of your core."

"How much fucking time?"

"Months," answered Mossweaver. "Perhaps years. Who knows, much of that is up to you. Concentrate. Delve deeply. Envisage a successful outcome. Become one with the mana. Bond with your core. Give it your all, child."

So, Leo did.

Day, after week, after month.

And on the final week of the sixth month, Leo saw a difference. The tiniest bit of mana disappeared from the cloud surrounding his slowly spinning core. Leo stared at it, using his mana-sight to zoom in as close as he could. After a full minute of watching, a tiny bit more disappeared.

"Where's it going?" he whispered to himself as he continued to both observe and cultivate. Then he smiled as he noticed his core swell fractionally. If he hadn't been looking at it constantly for the last half a year, the incremental expansion wouldn't have been noticeable.

But Leo knew the size of his core intimately. To the nearest micro-inch.

Seven hours later, the core was noticeably bigger. Not only that, it was definitely spinning slightly faster than before. Almost a full revolution per second.

He joyfully announced his breakthrough to Mossweaver.

"That is excellent news, child," said Leo's mentor. "Now, do not rest on your laurels. Continue to cultivate. I will tell you when you can rest."

***

Mossweaver had insisted that Leo continue working on his core for another full month. Then he told him it was time to use his newfound mana control and put in some serious practice time Imbuing his arrows before he ventured out once more into the dungeon.

Leo equipped his quiver and his bow and began to do as told.

But first, he looked at his Stat sheet, basking in the massive advances he had made, thanks to his training and the daily Glimmerfruit increases.

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