Construct

"Ah," Atrox thought, "Here it goes again—something unexpected that I wasn't taught before. Something that will shake me up."

Syla continued after giving him a single look. "You don't know what a construct is. Alright. They're like the advanced type of enchanted tools, and I'm not talking in terms of strength or power.

"Even now, constructs can't be made. They are only found in ruins and such. They are like enchanted tools—and not. In the sense that they have spirits that can be bonded with."

"Spirits that can be bonded with?"

"Yes. This allows the construct to grow in power and..."

"Wait, wait. I don't understand," Atrox said flatly.

Syla took a deep breath. "Constructs are essentially something we can bond with that replaces the core inside individuals. It takes in the mana that the core should, and then said individuals can use magic through it, just like a normal Knight. Of course, the amount of advancement you can gain is fixed..."

She trailed off when she saw that he wasn't listening.

Atrox's face was flat and shadowed. 'Just how many things didn't I know?' he thought. 'I thought there was only Knights' power here in the Eternal Skies, but it turns out...' He shook his head and sighed wearily. It should have been expected; he hadn't really 'seen the world.'

"So, they're constructs. Can Knights also use them?" he asked.

"No. It's only for people who haven't activated their cores—and they never will be able to."

"Are they more powerful than Knights?" Atrox wanted to know.

"On average? No. But we do have some very powerful ones. As you can imagine, the Clans and the Knight Assembly don't look at construct users with favorable eyes."

"I can imagine," Atrox said with a bitter smile. "They tend to be against things they don't understand. So, the construct users are basically borrowing artificial powers?"

Syla paused. "Yes. And it's one of the reasons why a lot of normal people flock to the Borderlands. People like me and Tiber—we hope to gain a construct, even if it can only take us to the rank of Official Knight."

"So, the rank that a construct can reach is already set?"

"Yes. That's one of the disadvantages—and you can't change constructs."

"Impressive," Atrox said, and it was the truth. No wonder people always said the Borderlands were full of dangers and opportunities, all in equal measures.

"And this Nyxori can provide that?" Atrox asked.

Tiber shrugged. "Yes, and although you might have no need for it, think about how much you can sell it. Even if it's one with a low rank and relatively weak, it's still valuable."

Atrox nodded. No matter what, he was going to need a lot of money. He nodded firmly. "This is worth the deal. Then, you mean this Kade is a construct user? Very impressive."

His eyes blazed. Atrox had read a lot about Knights—read what was available in the books provided by the Clan—but this was entirely outside it. His body trembled slightly, and he tightened his grip on his pickaxe. "I'm very curious about this construct. Then I'll ask you this, because you two seem experienced in such things:

"What happens when a Squire or Knight kills a monster?"

Tiber frowned. "From what I know, Knights can take some essence from the monsters they kill. A rush of essence will settle into their cores. It's why they like to hunt and kill monsters, and it's also one of the easiest ways to advance."

'So that's why my core started working again—because I killed that monster. Then what I really need to fill my core up is to kill monsters?' Already, Atrox could feel it regenerating, but it would take days at this rate.

Atrox smiled. "Thank you. I can't wait to see this Kade. You'll have to excuse me. Oh, and I've made enough starsalt for all of us. Cart my share in my name. See you before dinner!"

With that, Atrox turned and disappeared into the tunnel.

Tiber and Syla stared for a while before she said, "Why did you tell him about the monsters? Now our second hope of survival here might get himself killed."

Tiber grunted and picked up a shovel. "We've got work to do."

Atrox saw through the dark as he delved deeper. The further he went, the less starsalt he saw. Most of it wasn't on the surface anymore, buried under rocks and stone.

He picked his way gently over the rough terrain before finally stopping. He stood there, unmoving, digesting everything he'd just heard. "It seems things aren't always what they seem."

"I am hesitating. I know because once something begins, there should be no going back. Hesitation is only for when making the decision." Atrox smiled a twisted, bitter smile. Those were his father's words.

There was silence. Then, in the dark, a pair of green eyes gleamed brightly. "I am Atrox Soryu, and I have the highest potential in hundreds of years of history. Let's see what that's worth."

He began to walk again, his pickaxe ready. "I will climb the ranks of advancement and see what knighthood has to offer me."

Potential, after all, simply meant the amount of essence one could hold in their core, which also directly determined the number of techniques they could use.

He must have walked for close to half an hour, thankful that the tunnel was straightforward—or he might have gotten lost. "Should I join this Nyxori? I don't care about their plans, but maybe I'll be able to get information about the other organizations. Maybe they'll know about one with my mark."

Suddenly, he stopped as he heard a dry giggle, like an old man with lung disease trying to laugh. Atrox tensed, took a step forward, then shifted his body slightly to the left and loosened his stance.

The air shifted behind him, and he whirled, his pickaxe low to the ground. He heard a sharp crunch, and warm liquid splattered onto him. Something warm, like liquid honey, settled on him and then into his core. It was small, but it was noticeable progress.

Atrox smiled. "Time to get my core filled for the first time."