A New World, an immersive game experience

Chapter 251: Night attack developments (5)

As Eldrian tried to recover and overcome the extreme discomfort assaulting his body he received a strange system prompt.

[Player has received a special title: Facing Death; and not succumbing]

[Player rewarded 1 level and a special ability.]

[Special ability: Aura sensitivity]

The hell is that? Eldrian thought as he finally managed to push himself away from his vomit. Rubbing his hand he wanted to use Nidia to clean to floor, but stopped himself and checked up on Kydone first.

He quickly found that she was breathing better, but she was still pained and the wound was still not healing. Now what? Is the corruption gone, or is just its source gone? I don't want to just try something, something that might hurt her. Let's be more responsible. Eldrian thought, quickly casting Nidia and using it a couple of times to move all the vomit out of the room.

After which he picked Kydone up and left the inn, heading for the keep to get some proper help. As expected it took him just shy of fifteen minutes to get there, during which Kydone had become colder and colder in his arms. Eldrian was glad he had been reckless after being foolish, he was certain she would be dead by now if that black wisp was still inside her.

The square was far less busy than before, but there was still a bunch of soldiers moving around. Though most of them were moving out of the square with only a few drizzling into it. Upon seeing Eldrian carrying someone over one of the nearest soldiers rushed over.

"What happened to her?"

"She got hurt in the fight..." Eldrian paused as he tried to recall what Kydone had said had done it. "A ghoul I think."

Hearing this the man flinched, "How is she still alive?" He asked in shock, Eldrian quite upset that he wasn't helping.

"Where can I get help for her?" He asked, not wishing to waste time.

"Right, follow me." The soldier replied, quickly leading Eldrian to one of the groups. Upon reaching the group Eldrian recognized one of them.

"Ayden?" Eldrian said, causing the man dressed in white noble clothing to turn around. Upon seeing the girl in his arms, Ayden quickly asked what had happened.

"A ghoul, how is she still alive without treatment?" Ayden mumbled as he placed his hands over her wounds and started healing. Surprise quickly overcoming him, Ayden turning to Eldrian in response.

"That should not have been that easy." He said, removing his hand with the wound now completely healed.

"Is she alright now?"

"Yes, but how was she still alive? And how was the corruption so weak?" Only after confirming that Kydone was breathing easier did Eldrian pay attention to Ayden again.

"Can you explain to me what type of wounds ghouls leave?"

"Sure but why?"

"Because when I tried to heal her at first it caused her to collapse."

"You did what!?" Ayden shouted in shock, he knew Eldrian did not know divine magic. Any healing other than divine healing would just cause the wound to worsen, but it was also much more than that.

"I never thought something countering healing existed. I mean I should have, but how was I supposed to know she was under such an effect." Eldrian replied, placing Kydone down in the nearby shade of a tree. Ayden followed Eldrian as he was curious who this guy was and how this little demi-human girl had survived for so long, even after being mistreated.

"What did you do after that?" Ayden asked.

"It's complicated, and I want to ask a bunch of questions. Do you have time?" Eldrian replied, to which Ayden nodded.

"Alright, then let me start with..." And so Eldrian started explaining how he used magic and why he could control spells at will. His method of approaching totally flabergasting Ayden, though the latter was more open to other methods as he used divine magic. A completely different aspect of magic, which required a different approach than normal elemental magic, in most cases.

"So then when I saw her worsening I thought of trying to see what was going on. I am not sure myself what I did, I don't know if you know how to control mana."

"I do it through belief, but I know mages need to form their willpower into something concrete enough to envision a spell module with."

"But what if you take it a step further and simply control the mana?" Eldrian countered.

"Impossible, unless you are one of the higher races. Wait... I see, so you sent these concentrated thoughts into her?" Ayden asked, Eldrian caught by surprise at how quickly he understood his aim.

"Yes, but instead of finding mana, it was something else. I mean mana, it feels real. Like I can touch it with my thoughts. This was still abstract, just thoughts and emotions attacking at me. And here is my other question, this is not the first time it happened..." And so Eldrian explained his attempt at reaching Tier 2 in the forest.

"Now I think that that would have been auras of intensity and calmness, the one in Kydnen is an aura of being freeness and being unbound. The corruption instead was an aura of death. What are these?" Eldrian asked, causing Ayden to frown as he had no answer.

"We call them aspects inside of aspect magic. Normally we just call them auras as you did, as that is how they appear and feel. I have no idea what they really are..."

"Is it related to souls?" Eldrian asked.

"I don't know. I am not like most who believe blindly that we all have souls. While it is clear we do have something like a soul, I do not think a soul is so simple."

"Meaning?" Eldrian asked, thirsty for knowledge that will allow him to move forward.

"Let me first show you what, or rather how, divine magic feels," Ayden said, casting the ball of light he had continually cast during the attack. "Normally I would ask someone to use Magic Inspection, but you clearly have yet to learn it. So try to send your thoughts out into it."

Eldrian did just that, finding that as soon as he tried his thoughts managed to quickly lock onto the ball of pure white light. Sending him feedback as if it was his own spell, catching him by surprise. What he felt was extremely similar to what Anthizo felt like.

It was rejuvenation and invigorating, but far more extreme. He couldn't quite place what this was supposed to feel like, but it was not an aura.

"I still don't get it," Eldrian said as he failed to feel an aura, he was just feeling mana. Very specific mana, but mana nonetheless.

"Do you know what the difference is between using elemental magic to heal, and using divine magic?" Ayden questioned, to which Eldrian promptly replied no.

"In simple terms, nature magic hastens your natural healing to an extreme. Giving you the energy to rebuild yourself. The other elements can also be used together with this to accomplish the more extreme heals, such as regrowing limbs."

Eldrian nodded as he took note that Nature magic was not the only one used to heal. He quickly wondered how the others would mix, but kept his focus on Ayden's explenation.

"Divine magic circumvents this natural healing. It is almost more like time is rewound to before, so the energy is directly turned into your lost limb. Now tell me what you feel when I cast divine healing on you."

Eldrian nodded and said, "Wait first." Cutting his own arm Eldrian then said he was ready, his action surprising Ayden though the latter continued with his plan.

Eldrian kept his full focus on his wound, discovering that the healing was indeed different. Instead of the energy starting at a certain part and then slowly working to heal everything. It now just covered the entire wound and suddenly his wound was gone. Truly as if time had been rewound, though the healing was not truly instant.

"Now let me ask you, do you think this is divine magic?" Ayden asked as soon as Eldrian felt the remaining energy in his body healing shallow scars and such.

"It is certainly much stronger," Eldrian replied.

"But do you think it is divine?"

"Can I learn it?" Eldrian asked instead of answering.

"If you can understand the mana, you should be able to. Though I only know of believers being able to use if."

"If there is the possibility, then it is not divine."

"Great, so you agree with me." Ayden smirked as he was satisfied with this reply, "Now to get back to your question, what do you consider to be a soul?"

"I don't know, that's why I am asking you."

"But it is meaningless, as there are many different thoughts and beliefs on it. So how can I be certain what I tell you is correct?" Ayden countered.

"Then..." Pausing for a bit Eldrian thought on it. "I would say it is a collection of our thoughts and experiences. Our consciousness. I can't say if it has a form or not, if it has a limit or not. It..." Think back to both experiences Eldrian replied, "It differs base on what you believe and live by." He said as he realized how different his and Kydone's souls seemed to be.

His had been limited to a vague presence with a shattered heart. Kydone's instead had been so vast he believed it was infinite.

"Exactly, it differs. Most believing in the goddess of life, believe it has an ethereal form equal to our human one. Those believing in the god of war believe it is in the form of your weapon, those believing in the god of blacksmithing and fire believe it is in the form of a bright burning fire."

"So then, was it related? I would say yes, auras generally only flow from people who have cultivated their souls. And while you do not spread an aura, if you are in your own soul then you will certainly feel an aura."