18 Meeting The Ethereal Figure

Leaving the assessment array, Gris told him he had to go see his master since he should have returned by now. He handed Enzo his room number so that they could meet each other in the future. Thenne also said she best get back to her cousin but wanted to be involved in everything. Thus they all said their farewells and quickly parted ways, leaving Enzo by himself.

Standing there, he realized that the day was nearly over, as the light from the sun could just barely be seen. Soon it would be night time at the School, and most disciples would be returning to their living quarters. As much as Enzo wanted to head to the Promotional Plaza and get his advancement, it was getting late. Thus, he opted to return to his room and head there tomorrow.

Pulling out the map Kaiden gave him, he quickly memorized the route to his room before tucking the map back in his uniform.

He couldn't help but wonder how Kaiden was doing. Thinking back, he was the first person to really help him get used to this new environment.

I have to get stronger so I can not only pay back Kaiden, but to also help those from my village.

Looking at his hand, he remembered the ring on his finger.

I wonder when I'll be able to use this.

Although the mysterious man Ruen had explained it to him, Enzo hadn't any foundation, so most of Ruen's explanation went over his head. He'd have to figure out how to use the ring himself once he reached the requirements.

Tomorrow I'll head to the Plaza and get my advancement, then I'll finally get to pick out an Art like what Gris used!

Thinking about what lied in the future ahead, Enzo was filled with excitement.

With everything in mind, he left the practice grounds and followed the path in his mind. Without Elder Jao to worry about, the walk back to his room was extremely peaceful. Soon a familiar lake was in sight.

Oh?

Someone could be seen sitting cross-legged by the lake.

Lilaya? I see she took my advice!

Before Enzo left for the practice grounds, he told her that this lake possessed a calming effect on the mind, thus it would be beneficial to meditate there as it would help with finding one's core.

Walking past her, he mentally wished her good luck before scanning his token and heading inside. Under normal circumstances, he should be feeling extremely exhausted and it wouldn't be strange if he collapsed on the bed and fallen into a deep sleep. However, when he was at the assessment array, the entity inside of him surrounded his core and restored it.

I don't feel tired at all!

Sitting on his bed, he organized his thoughts.

When I took the assessment, It was a little above the one minute mark before I couldn't last any longer which means I'm still only in the Core Consciousness stage…

After thinking a little while longer, Enzo stood up with a determined look on his face.

I'll just have to reach the next stage then!

Standing in the middle of the room, he closed his eyes and thought back to the images the entity had shown him. He envisioned the old man teaching the masses of Core Guiding, the motions he had used. He remembered the young girl who controlled the waves before meeting with the old man.

He then studied the memory of the seminar.

Copying the same stance as the old man, he lifted his arms high above him and playing back the memory, waited, mimicking the old man perfectly.

As though he attended the seminar, lined his right hand parallel with his stomach, and with the images in mind, began to move slowly upwards.

As though responding to his movements, the elemental energy within his core began to follow.

In a sense, Enzos hand was like a magnet, pulling the elemental energy and guiding it to wherever he wanted it to go.

Enzo didn't realize that by mirroring the old man's movements, a drastic change was occurring within him.

There are twelve meridians in the human body, however, at birth they are clogged and prevent elemental energy from flowing throughout the body. This is the reason why someone who is at Core Consciousness can't use Core Guiding Arts, as their meridians would be clogged and would be unable to guide the energy through to perform them.

Most elementalists would only be able to unclog 4 of their meridians, which i was the minimum requirement for reaching Core Guiding Pinnacle. Every meridian you could unclog would boost your strength further, however it wasn't easy. It could take years to unclog even a single one, so most would only unclog the 4 main meridians which most Arts used.

"The arms and the legs." was a saying most 2 star disciples used to answer the popular question of those up and coming Core Guiding practitioners.

"What meridians should I open?"

Gris for example unclogged 3 of his meridians. He has both of his arms and a single leg cleansed so that his elemental energy can flow freely throughout, allowing him to perform nearly all the Arts available in the School.

Unfortunately, the Core Guiding manuals which the School provides only touch the surface of what it really is. As a result, even the headmaster of the School only has 5 meridians cleansed, as the knowledge of the stage was too shallow here.

…

Cracking sounds echoed, reverberating throughout the room as Enzo was unknowingly cleansing all of his meridians. He had fallen into a trance.

Time passed.

1 meridian unclogged…

2 meridians unclogged…

5…

8…

10..

Before Enzo knew it, he had cleansed all 12 of his meridians!

Waking up from his trance, Enzo felt entirely reborn. He had grown taller, his shoulders broader. He looked as if he had aged a few years.

What happened…!?

Clenching his fists, he felt the endless stream of energy flowing throughout all of his body.

So this is the Core Guiding stage?

The Core Guiding stage was one of the 3 main foundation building stages, most called it the initiation stages for becoming an elementalist. It was meant to strengthen your body for the later stages to come, using the flow of energy to fortify the bones.

The following stage, Core Refinement, was to build off of Core Guiding and strengthen the Core itself by refining it, purifying the energy at its root. Doing so would further strengthen the body, building a stronger foundation for the later stages.

Feeling the influx of energy inside of him, Enzo needed to release it, however, he didn't possess an Art. He had an abundance of energy, but no way to release any of it.

I need to get my hands on an Art!

He quickly opened the door to his residence, ready to head to the Promotional Plaza only to see the starry night sky.

Sigh

Closing the door, he paced around his room for a bit before finally deciding on what he wanted to do.

I should try and see if I can contact that entity inside me.

Taking a seat in the middle of his room, he closed his eyes and envisioned the lake in front of him. He imagined the feeling it gave off and he soon found himself in a deep meditative state.

*GONG*

Enzo opened his eyes and saw himself in a completely blank space.

Is this…?

He turned around and saw his Core, along with an ethereal figure sitting cross-legged before it. It had its back facing Enzo, but he could tell that the figure still hadn't changed its appearance from before.

Enzo slowly walked over towards his Core, before taking a seat on the other side of it. Having reached Core Guiding, he could see veins of elemental energy flowing out from twelve different points. It seemed like the entity was absorbing a small amount of it as energy for itself..

Enzo sat there for awhile, waiting for a moment to speak up, however he was having trouble forming the words on his mind.

Finally, he looked up.

"U-um…!?"

Before Enzo could finish his sentence, the ethereal figure put his hand up to stop him.

Particles fluttered up slowly from the figure's hand, forming two words.

"Follow me."

The ethereal figure turned around and began walking into the boundless void, with Enzo trailing closely behind.

...

The two walked for a long while before the ethereal figure suddenly stopped and knelt down.

It placed it's index finger on the ground and began drawing, slowly turning, covering the ground with inscriptions.

Suddenly, a circle of runic symbols could be seen beneath the figure.

Enzo stood to the side with his thumb to his chin in deep thought.

The figure then began to channel energy into the circle of inscriptions, empowering it.

Soon, the void began to tremble.

Enzo looked around anxiously, unsure of what was about to happen.

*Rumble**Rumble**Rumble*

A massive structure phased up through the floor beneath, the circle of inscriptions positioned in the center, as though calling it forth.

The structure seemed to emerge endlessly, growing larger, taller and wider until it rose out from under Enzo as well.

"What is this!?" Enzo shouted out, being carried high above the premises of his mind.

Perched near the top of the structure, Enzo could see his Core way off in the distance. He couldn't help but take in a deep breath from the sheer size of this structure.

The ethereal figure glanced at Enzo before walking over to him.

Grabbing Enzo's shoulder, they teleported to a spot away from the structure as to view its entrance.

Looking dazed, Enzo glanced up and slightly shuddered. It was indeed a superstructure. He couldn't imagine its exact size, as even standing far away one could barely see the top.

Just who could build something like this?

Even as Enzo gazed upon it, more of the structure was still materializing out of view, growing infinitely.

The ethereal figure began walking towards its entrance.

Enzo snapped out of his thoughts and followed.