The Implock – Chapter 110 – “Auras”

∼ Auras ∼

Chapter - 110

Arms folded, stance straight, Zechariah held himself as a man of substance, despite his humble and harsh origins. This was but one of two qualities that kept The Orphans cohesive, the glue, making it capable of standing toe-to-toe with the giant that was The Stained Tooth. Zechariah watched silently, observing the hooded elf engrossed in her work, green particles twisting and twirling around her hands as they moved with masterful grace.

He had seen few true healers in his life, and none in practice. But even so, he knew that; this one was special. She had more than just talent. More than just passion.

Her blood.

"Your craft becomes more remarkable by the day, Miss Aria." Zechariah finally spoke as she finished up with the woman she had been working on.

Letting out a squeal as the red-haired elf jumped in fright. "Zechariah! I-I'm sorry, I didn't notice you..."

"Fret not. Didn't mean to impose. I just can't help but admire. Now that you've reached your first advancement, your skill has become just that much more pronounced.

Blushing, Aria looked away.

"S-surely not..."

"You doubt yourself needlessly. I'm not one to speak frivolously."

Aria didn't answer, evading his gaze. She merely began packing her things, a few tools, a notebook, and some tinctures.

Zechariah sighed then gestured to the rest of the healing ward. "I must admit. I've never been able to see a healer work up close. It is most fascinating. A privilege that few have. I could've only hoped you came to us sooner as your efforts have been immensely helpful to my people."

Aria paused, finally reacting to his words. "If you're that interested... I could show you. First hand, especially now that I possess the means for even... that." Aria offered pointedly, glancing at his disfigured face.

"This?" He scratched the white scars as if they itched. "No... They serve as a reminder. A reminder that I have a certain someone to thank for them. A person whose kindness I intend to repay tenfold one day. Enough to make him wish he'd never have left me alive to see the day that I do..."

Zechariah's voice hadn't raised or fallen at all, yet Aria felt a shiver from the venom hidden in his seemingly calm tone. She had her suspicions of whom he spoke but kept them to herself. Though, something had been on her mind for a long time.

"Why... is it that The Stained Tooth does that? By now, I've seen many with similar, although admittedly less severe, disfigurations."

"It's their signature punishment. It's a statement. It's a curse. To help or interact with any that bear these marks is to make an enemy of The Stained Tooth. It makes for some exceptional fear mongering."

Aria's expression fell at that, Zechariah's self-deprecation not lost on her.

"Do you know why we fight The Stained Tooth, Miss Aria?"

"Because... they do horrible things?"

Zechariah gave her a weary smile. "Not quite."

"Here, in Boreas. There's no good or evil. There is only survival and power. Who you are in this cursed city depends on what you're most desperate for."

"We sabotaged that transport for a reason."

At the mention of the excursion, Aria grew suddenly somber. Nyx hadn't returned. That dumb, m-mean man had even claimed he was dead without a doubt! That he had seen it with his own eyes. Aria did not believe him. Nyx could never die like that. He couldn't die. She had been holding out hope more than anyone. But even her confidence had been wearing thin by now, and engrossing herself in her work helped less and less with each day that went by.

"Nyx," Zechariah said, understanding her downcast expression. He sighed, folding his arm behind himself with a shake of his head. "That's actually why I'm here. Your little fiendish companion has miraculously returned. Though... saying little seems no longer apt."

Eyes lighting up as if her soul rekindled, the petite elf sprung to her feet, her bag and tools all forgotten.

"H-he's back?!"

Before Zechariah even got the chance to respond, she sped past him, stumbling and finding little purchase on the wooden floorboards as she slid into the hall. Tears were running down her eyes as she ran past vagabond assassins and crass rouges who all hastily made way for the small girl, without as much as a word. She had already long earned the respect of most all the men in the underground garrison by saving dozens and healing them of crippling ailments.

As Aria ran into a dark mess hall lit by candles and lanterns, she saw a cloaked figure. She did not recognize it. But she didn’t need to. She could feel him. His mana. His aura.

"Nyx!"

Aria nearly toppled him, despite now being smaller than the demon. Arms tight around his back and head pressed into his chest, she cried. Expelling her worries, sorrows, and reprimands in one incomprehensible stream of words.

"Uh... hi," Nyx said in a scratchy, sheepish voice, more than a little embarrassed by the eyes they drew.

Nyx felt happy. But he also felt something else. A new strange feeling.

Guilt?

He had made this girl who had saved him multiple times over, passed on invaluable knowledge, and taught him almost everything he knew about magic, waiting for days and weeks, thinking he was dead.

...

"Oh my, Nyx. She's a beauty!"

Running around the massive demon that was Nyx's new familiar, Aria fussed about and prodded the demon while it absentmindedly munched on the stone grounds of the dilapidated courtyard.

Crossed-legged and relaxed as he sat in a slight meditation, Nyx tilted his head in confusion. "She?" He asked, his voice scratchy. "How do you know?"

Aria paused to look back at him, smiling toothily as her inner mentor shone through. "From her aura." She reached out a grabby hand for him. "Here, come."

Shrugging, he got up and approached, letting Aria take his wrist. She placed it on rockling's warm obsidian surface. "Close your eyes and see with your mind's eye."

With little trouble, Nyx did as she said. This was one of the first things she had taught him, so it came easy. As the world of his physical senses faded out, a new world came to be in his mind. A world of mana. A world of auras. All things held mana, from the smallest pebble to the air itself. Through this, he could observe his surroundings by mana radiating off them, which essentially was what an aura was.

However, it was blurry and hard to make anything out except shapes and colors. Whereas shapes were detailed by the mana within objects, the colors denoted what type of mana it was. What affinity it was tinged with.

Most pronounced in his mind's eye were the two shapes in front of him and to his side. One was a massive ball of fiery demonic mana. His familiar. The other, however, was an odd mix of a green vitality and the same orange demonic mana pouring off his pet rock demon. But redder, darker. Viscous, crimson. Just like her hair. It was Aria.

"Focus on her aura, and her aura alone." She said, her voice as if coming from the other end of a tunnel.

Doing as she said which required a little bit more concentration, the surroundings faded and only the large shape of his familiar's fiery form was left in the pitch darkness.

"You can sense her mana. Her affinities. But there's more. Look closer."

Frowning, Nyx dove closer than he had ever done before. Within the fiery red of demonic mana. There was something else. Something colorless. Yet distinct. They were sensations, different types of energies than affinities entirely.

But what it meant, Nyx hadn't the faintest idea. However, there wasn't just one. There were many, becoming harder and harder to distinguish the deeper he went. Suddenly stumbling away, Nyx felt a little dizzy. He had barely used any mana, but what he had just done had been inordinately taxing on his mind.

"You saw it." Aria smiled. "Now, try to see if you can match some of the ones you found on the surface of her aura to my own."

He took a moment, then he put a hand on Aria's shoulder. This time it was a lot faster now he knew what he was looking for. He had a few... sensations or energies in mind. And soon, he found a matching one. It felt delicate. Cold and mercurial, yet alluring.

Retreating from her aura, Nyx looked to Aria. "Is this something only females have?"

"Correct. Every creature, male, female, even gynandromorphs - creatures with both sexes or none - produce a specific energy in their auras beholden to their genders. It often affects nothing. But in some cases of mage classes and certain magics, one gender might be more powerful than the other. It's said that most of the highest level frost mages are nearly all females whereas most of the highest level fire mages are male. It's a fascinating topic."

"I see," Nyx muttered.

"This technique Nyx is something you will find very useful."

"Knowing genders without asking?" He asked confusedly.

"Not quite." Aria smiled. "But those energies you sensed can help you identify traits, emotions, and in some cases, even thoughts. Archmages have been known to root out malignant practitioners in Arcanum by reading the validity of a person's words using this very method. However, you are far from reaching that level. As I said, only Archmages have been recorded as being capable of such a feat."

Suddenly finding a new appreciation for the seemingly unassuming skill, Nyx thanked his mentor.

"So, what's her name?" She suddenly asked, running her hands down the demon's obsidian exterior.

"Rocky."

Aria's face became an unreadable deadpan.