And so it begins

Sunlight was shining through the glass window of a small room. Inside the room, was a crib, and inside the crib, was a green baby with a stern face.

"This is hard, my channels are undeveloped, I can't open them no matter how much energy I try to absorb. Is this because of the prana? Might be, no other prana individual has thought of opening the channels this early. Damn, what should I do....? "

This was something Iono was puzzled by for a week now. He knew that something was wrong, he just didn't know what, or how to fix it. He worked hard for a very strong prana core, only for it to become one of the obstacles in his path.

Cores were an impressive thing. Out of the four energies only two were present in the atmosphere. Mana and Aura. Prana was a combination of the three forces and Ether was the catalyst of the combination. Once someone received Ether, the amount they possessed, would always be the same. Never decreasing or increasing.

Although they could absorb mana and aura, and increase the quantity they could contain, it would also be used up. Prana was the mixture of the four and could also be used up. But since ether acted as the catalyst, it would always remain unchanging. That's where the core came in.

The core would absorb mana and aura, and before they could dissipate, it would compress and store them, increasing in size, potency, efficiency, etc. It possessed a part for the ether to be stored, and also a part where the three energies would merge to create prana. At least for a prana core.

Normal cores only possessed one part, and it was chaotic since, without ether, mana and aura couldn't merge and the core, would end up with two opposite sides, clashing against each other constantly. That is why most people, would rather only focus on one of the two, not both unless they were confident in enduring pain, frustration, and difficulties. Although as they say, high risk, high reward.

The last time he was here, Iono also had a mana and aura core. Now he "returned" with a prana core, which was obviously way, way better.

It's not a secret that not everyone could get a prana core. Iono's situation was special, the gods aren't usually that giving.

If a god gave a mortal his ether, he would forbid him from using other energies, or he would strip him of the privilege. Since the only upside of giving their ether, was that it would return stronger to them if one practised mana and aura, why would they waste time practising ether as well?

Iono was struggling with his situation. He needed to condense those channels because the faster he grew, the quicker he could end this life, which although sad, was what he must do. This is only a dream, a way to obtain experience, and learn the truth of what happened to him. He needed to absorb as much information as he could so that once he lived through all his lives, and returned to the real world, he could settle all his grudges.

Even though he pretended to not be aware, he knew that this was all but a ruse, he did not know what was waiting for him on the other side of that bright light, but he knew that the moment he stepped out, he would hunt down the one responsible, and make him suffer much, much more than Iono ever will.

While thinking of what could be wrong with him, he happened to gaze outside the window. He could see a small river running away from a terrifying mountain, and on the river a wooden structure, that resembled a wheel. It had planks arranged in a way that, the moving water would push the planks, and so the wheel would turn indefinitely.

Connected to the wheel was a stone structure, the village's windmill. That was the place where the bread was made by crushing the wheat and making it into flour. Of course, other than putting the wheat between the grinding stone, this was all automated, made possible only because of the wheel.

Iono appreciated the serene scenery in front of him when enlightenment struck him like lightning. "This is it!! I see what's wrong now! All this time I've been trying to make my channels open, but I haven't given a way to mediate the energy!

Without a medium, how could the energy transverse from them to my core? Of course, they are difficult to open! I possess a core, before even opening them!

The energy is inside, I just need to make it flow, just like that river and the wheel, the wheel is the medium that connects the river to the windmill, moving the grindstone to make the wheat.

I see it now! The river is my channel, the wheel the medium, the windmill is my core and the wheat is the energy! To think I would be so blind!"

Iono was ecstatic, he finally solved his problem, and could now start working on creating a medium. He closed his eyes and remained still for at least 10 minutes before his door opened wide, and his mother came in. "Let's go, angel, time for your bath!". And so Iono was carried away with a smug grin on his face, looking like he was bragging to someone.