"Shattered fucking axles, that sure is quite something," Kenva whispered.
"It certainly was," Ianmus replied. "I’ve never seen anything like it. It was much more than anything I’d possibly expected. So similar, yet so different from mana — health and stamina too, I suppose."
"That is to be expected," Xenanra confirmed. "Essence is something of a progenitor or ancestor for all three. Not in the sense that all sources of those energies come from a degradation of essence, but it carries the potential to become any one of them.
"Now we repeat. This time, once we reach the peak, I will slowly draw back on the pressure, and your goal will be to flex your intent and authority to amplify your natural response until you can maintain the flaring of your aspects alone."
"I’m sorry, What?" Kenva asked. “How are we supposed to do that?"
Kaius also wanted to know. He hadn’t really thought of authority as something that could be wielded. Not at his current level at least — both Ascendants he’d met seemed to wield it like a scalpel.
He didn’t even know where to begin. Up until minutes ago, he had perceived it as just a simple spiritual weight — a fullness of being that had come with embodying his aspects. Not a limb. Not something he could consciously control.
Xenanra tilted her head towards the ranger, giving her a fanged smile—revealing triangular teeth. It was still odd to see them on her. He knew carnivorous peoples existed, and that all of them were just as civilised as humans, elves, dwarves, or more. But there was an atavistic unease about it — an undeniable quality of predation.
To his surprise, Xenanra’s eyes flicked to him.
"You asked me why I do this, despite my power. I told you that I enjoy guiding those new to the Path. This? Cycling? It is where the Path truly begins. Taking each step to the utmost degree possible, and accruing every advantage you can to make the later journey just a little easier.
She turned back to Kenva. “I will guide you directly through the process of learning to wield your authority and learning to cycle."
"You do not mean through oral pedagogy, do you?" Ianmus said.
"I do not. My capability and the strength of my authority are so far beyond your own that mine will overwhelm, prod, and guide yours — force it to move in the ways it must, so that you have direct, first-hand experience. Once you grasp it for yourself, I will steadily give you more control over the process.
Kaius couldn’t help but frown. What she said sounded uncomfortable on an instinctive level. His authority? It felt like it was a direct representation of his will and his sovereignty over himself. To have it taken away — even willingly, by someone with good intentions — made his bones itch.
Xenanra nodded slowly.
"You all think the same thing, as is normal. It is an instinctive reaction to shy away from having such a deep part of you torn from your control. And I will not lie — it is distinctly unpleasant.”
“If it is so viscerally unpleasant, why not take a slower route — watch us, and guide us?” Ianmus asked.
"Because it is effective. With the way the System has designed the pillars that underlie your Aspects, it would take far too much effort and time for you to learn by a normal method of teaching. There is insight required, and personal experience. The pitfalls would be great, and many who would otherwise rise to ascension would fail simply because of an early mistake they could no longer correct.”
Kaius winced, if it was truly so easy for a minor mistake now to have such catastrophic consequences, he could handle a little discomfort.
"Even if I’m confident that you are among the rare number who could do it, this is the way that the System decrees it must be done. Marshal yourselves — we continue at once.”
Xenanra gave them a heartbeat to prepare — a mere fraction of a second. More than enough, with how quick his thoughts now were.
There was little he could do to prepare. He tensed, steeling himself as essence returned — bright and violent.
It flooded the ancient and forgotten temple as Xenanra led them through an even older rite. Kaius watched the stone glow with primaeval power. In many ways, he expected the space to brighten; yet it was not mortal light — it was an intensity all its own.
Once again, his aspects flared.
Once again, his Authority bound tightly to his skin as it bolstered him against the external pressure. Almost instinctively, he fell inwards and saw the spark that floated atop his aspects’ triumvirate.
An instant later, a foreign grip violated his innermost sanctum.
It was at once similar to the way the System had reached in with every new skill, with the ignition of his aspects, and with the creation of his class. Yet at the same time, it was lesser — if no less superior to his own.
He couldn’t stop himself from rebelling against the claws of iron that sliced and squeezed as the grip settled in.
Xenanra paid his rebellion no mind, brushing aside every instinctual flare of panic that he made with his will and intent.
It was only by the grit he had found in battle that he held himself back from reaching for the payloads locked within his glyphs.
For one, it would be utterly pointless. No doubt it wouldn’t even tickle the Ascendant.
For another, it would be incredibly rude.
Once Xenanra had a grip on him, she stilled — giving Kaius the time he needed to come to terms with the sense of foreign invasion that suffused his everything.
Then she yanked.
His authority snapped outwards in a strange way — like somebody had grabbed his hands and was bending them, curling his fingers one by one inwards, then flexing them to full extension.
A full range of motion.
It wasn’t painful, but it did feel alien, both in his lack of control over the motion and in the simple newness of the sensation.
He stiffened, his eyes opening in shock, and saw his team sitting with their backs ramrod straight as well.
Ianmus had a grimace stretched across his angular jaw.
"Unpleasant indeed," he said.
"You can say that again," Porkchop replied. "Feels worse than the time I had a botfly when I was a kit."
Kaius chuckled, the analogy cracking his shell.
The entire time during their exchange, Xenanra simply fixed them with a knowing smile and continued to flex their authorities within them, making them grow used to the sensation of movement.
Every now and then, she would prod deep into his soul and mind — drawing instinctive reactions to each jab. Little by little, he noticed his Authority twisting and curling as it danced to the Ascendant’s tune.
"Talk, if it makes you more comfortable. Once we have grasped movement, we will grapple with the flare," Xenanra said.