Oath of the Survivor

Kyle had to admit, it was incredibly convenient having C.H.A.D.D.’s guidance as the duo progressed.  The trees and undergrowth got thicker, and Kyle began to detect strange fluctuations in the mana around them.  It was faint at first, almost a phantom tingling sensation across his skin, courtesy of Auric Perception.  With each step the feeling grew, until he felt like he was right on top of the source.  Kyle looked around the area to try and locate it, when C.H.A.D.D. spoke up.

[ABOVE YOU, DR. MAYHEW.]

Looking up, all he could see was towering trees and a thick canopy. 

“How far up?”

[SCANS WOULD INDICATE ROUGHLY FIFTY METERS.]

Kyle nodded, continuing to fix his eyes on the wall of greenery above him.  Evaluating the nearby trees, he looked for a path to climb higher.  He needed trees that were both tall enough to get him the fifty or so meters high, while also being sturdy enough to hold his weight.  Finding a candidate that fit the bill Kyle placed his hand on the bark.  Then he stopped, stunned at what he felt under his hand.

He’d originally practiced RESONANCE on the trees surrounding Duilleag, which is when he’d first learned how mana flowed through them.  Naturally, he’d expected a similar sensation when touching these trees, a gentle trickle of mana slowly circulating through the organism.  Instead, he was met with a powerful torrent of energy, all contained within the trunk.  Focusing on the movements of the energy, it felt even more powerful than the mana he felt flowing through the Wall.  How is the tree handling the pressure so well? 

“Hey C.H.A.D.D., would you mind running a scan on this tree?”

The drone obliged, showing what Kyle suspected.  The sturdy wood had done a good job handling the mana, though pieces were beginning to slowly break down.  The core of the tree was in the worst shape, with cracks appearing in the scan.  While Kyle was no arborist, he was pretty certain in another couple of years the tree would be nothing more than a dead husk, the interior being completely consumed by the powerful mana surging through its paths.  Even though it was just a plant, Kyle felt that it was a sad end. 

Touching the other trees, Kyle felt the same rushing energy.  While he still wanted to secure the treasure above, he had a couple hours left before the extraction shuttle would make it to his location.  With no dangerous creatures nearby, he decided it was time to try an experiment.  He grabbed a fallen branch with his left hand while resting his right on the trunk of a nearby tree.  Closing his eyes, he activated RESONANCE.  He focused all his attention on the tree, and as he felt his mana connect to it he drew it through his body, pushing it into the inert branch.  The energy tingled as it moved through him.  As he directed it into the branch, he didn’t focus on any specific shaping, just allowing the connection to create a flow.  He felt the weight in his left arm increase and he opened his eyes, satisfied he could maintain the process. 

The tree branch was visibly growing as he watched, behaving almost like a new sapling.  On one side it was beginning to grow roots, while the other slowly branched as buds appeared, soon unfolding into small, green leaves.  He set the branch down and let go, watching it continue to grow for several moments before it stopped, having drained all the mana that was left over.  Kyle left his hand on the trunk of the tree as he continued to reflect on what he’d seen. 

Mana on its own wasn’t a force that necessarily supplied growth, at least not in a conventional way.  It was fuel for skills, fuel for abilities.  One could shape it to their will to produce different effects, but this was a tree.  It wasn’t using a skill; it didn’t have a class.  The tree possessed no specialized runes or equipment to use the mana in different ways like C.H.A.D.D.  So why was the mana being converted into energy for growth? 

He stood with his hand on the tree for a while longer before removing it, deciding to take a different approach. 

“C.H.A.D.D., how do your rune formations change raw mana into the different applications you use?”

[I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, DR. MAYHEW.  THEY SIMPLY DO WHAT THEY WERE INTENDED TO DO.]

“I get that much, but how?  Do the arrays do something to the mana to change it?  What does that process look like?  How efficient is it?  Does mana get lost in the conversion?”

[THE PREMISE IS INCORRECT, DR. MAYHEW.  THE FORMATIONS DRAW IN AMBIENT MANA, THEN SHAPE THE MANA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTENT OF THE SPECIFIC ARRAY IN QUESTION.  EACH ONE IS MADE UP OF MULITPLE COMPONENTS THAT DEFINE THE INTENTION.]

Intent….  The thought lingered in his mind for a while as he considered the possibilities. When he thought about what happened with the branch, some of it made sense.  He wasn’t sure if he could consider the tree to have a true intent, but the mana was clearly being put to use facilitating growth.  That opened doors to more different applications, and he was getting excited about it. 

“Alright, C.H.A.D.D.  I’m collecting some samples of my own, help me look for seeds.” 

The drone obliged, lighting up different areas with glowing projections.  In short order, the C.H.A.D.D.pack was stuffed full of various seeds and plant material. 

Checking the time, Kyle saw that he had about an hour left until the extraction shuttle arrived.  He climbed the trees easily, and in less than a minute he found himself breaking through into the subcanopy.  It was a verdant dome, only sparsely covered in branches compared to the near-solid carpet below and ceiling above.  In many ways, Kyle felt like he was underwater.  All around him the tree branches gently swayed, casting moving shadows in every direction.  Looking around the breathtaking environment, he spotted the source of the mana he’d been feeling. 

A perfectly spherical opalescent orb rested in a gnarled hollow of a tree, and Kyle watched just in time to see a small drop of what looked like sap fall into the orb, instantly being absorbed.  A cloudy pattern lazily swirled inside the sphere, reflecting what little light was able to get through and strike it.  It’s beautiful.  Kyle sat, mesmerized by the gentle movements inside the orb, until C.H.A.D.D.’s urgent tone snapped him out of it.

[MOVE, NOW!] 

As the drone spoke, bright orange projections flashed at the corner of his right eye, alerting him to the attack.  Without hesitation Kyle dove forward, keeping his chin low.  He grabbed onto a narrow branch and turned, only to feel it give way beneath him a moment later.  With HASTE active Kyle crossed to the other side of the small dome, for the first time laying eyes on his assailant.   A massive black and red praying mantis three meters tall stood opposite him, hind legs each resting on a different branch as its wings fluttered angrily. 

Its forelimbs were folded, though a glance at the neatly sliced branch he’d been standing on confirmed they concealed wickedly sharp blades.  The mantis’ head articulated in his direction as it regarded him, and Kyle suspected it detected the strange essences he’d absorbed.  Like the Wall before it, he found himself at a brief impasse.  Without taking his eyes off the creature, he slowly drew his baton while he spoke to his metallic companion. 

“C.H.A.D.D., what can you tell me about this thing?”

[MANA SIGNATURE IS POWERFUL, DR. MAYHEW, THOUGH IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE D GRADE.  HIGHLY DEVELOPED NERVE GANGLIA AT EACH JOINT, MUSCULATURE APPEARS TO BE DESIGNED MORE FOR EXPLOSIVE BURSTS THAN SLOW-TWITCH.]

“Anything else?”

C.H.A.D.D. didn’t get a chance to respond as the mantis dashed towards him, using its wings to enhance its speed.  The tree branches below it shook wildly as it closed the distance, both forelimbs snapping forward like whips.  Even with HASTE active, Kyle had to admit the speed was impressive.  He jumped backwards out of reflex, only to remember at the last minute he wasn’t standing on solid ground.  He grabbed a branch with his free hand and used his momentum to swing up, landing on another branch just in time to dodge away as it, too, was slashed into thirds by the mantis. 

[I WOULD ALSO ADVISE YOU TO AVOID FALLING OR BEING SLICED INTO PIECES.  NEITHER WOULD RESULT IN FAVORABLE OUTCOMES, DR. MAYHEW.]

“Thanks, C.H.A.D.D.” Kyle grumbled, eyes not leaving his new foe. 

“Very helpful.”

~~~

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