Aether's Progression

Noah POV

I continued reading. Although this book is full of nonsense and lies, but it is based on the truth, and there is nothing more beautiful and dangerous than a lie based on the truth.

I started flipping through the pages until I came across something that caught my interest.

The chapter title in front of me is,

<THE STAGES OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S DEVELOPMENT WHILE USING VAILUS OR AETHER>,

This is interesting; although this knowledge might not be complete, but it must be based on some truth at least.

I started reading the chapter.

'In the Vailus Balance System, the Stages of a Sorcerers power can be structured to reflect their mastery of Aether and their adherence to its principles.'

This has been explained in previous chapters, but I think it is that necessary to repeat it.

'The first stage was Stage 0: THE UNINITIATED,

Individuals at this stage have no awareness or interaction with Aether. They live ordinary lives, unaffected by the complexities of Magic.'

People of this class are called initiates, usually because they are under the age of sixteen and also because they have the highest chance of interacting with the Aether. Once you pass the age of sixteen, you become unclassified, even lower than stage 0, where I am now. I have passed the age of sixteen, so I'm considered just a human, and there's a strict class system based on these stages.

I sighed, cursing my life that was over before it even began, but I'm not going to cry over spilled milk; I'll just have to live with it.

It's a bad feeling to discover that you've been transported into a Supernatural world and can't even have the chance or the choice of using what called Vailus.

I returned my attention to the book.

What exists after stage 0, clearly is,

'Stage 1: THE AWAKENED,

'Individuals begin to sense and interact with Aether. They learn basic spells and the fundamental principles of it.'

Well, this is the first stage that usually occurs in the middle of the age of fifteen for most people, but the talented one's Awakened at the beginning of the age of fifteen, and there are monsters like Eyo who Awakened at the age of fourteen, and there are scumbags like me who never awaken.

What does it feel like to be an Awakened, and how do these people see the world?

These questions have been on my mind since I arrived in this world. Some people tried to describe it, but they were met with rejection and contempt. It seems that every individual interacts with the Aether in his own unique way, and it varies from one individual to another.

I continued reading the book to distract myself from these thoughts.

'Stage 2: THE APPRENTICE.

Apprentices can cast simple spells and start to understand their affinity. They practice the Principle of Reciprocity, learning to make small sacrifices.'

Well, that's an obvious lie. According to what Eyo said, she couldn't understand her affinity at this stage because she was focusing on transferring her use of Aether from Artifacts to the Aether Core,

Because this stage is the stage where Aether users start using their Aether Core naturally from their bodies,

In the first stage, the user cannot use the Aether stored in the body, so they resort to artifacts that store Aether with usability.

And yes, ascending from the first stage to the second is very difficult—close to impossible, in fact—for the poor. Because in order to progress, the body must familiarize itself with Aether, and here large sums of money are of great help.

Since this book is for the poor, instead of telling the complete truth, they contented themselves with stating that at this stage only small sacrifices are made, because if you tell an individual that he cannot advance because he is poor, the matter will turn into chaos.

The ironic thing is that people believe this nonsense and hope for a better future.

Well, it's not that funny. I also want a peaceful and happy future.

But they also have themselves to blame for their stupidity.

The law does not protect fools; it only exploits every little drop of blood in them.

I returned my attention to the book.

'Stage 3: THE PRACTITIONER.

Practitioners have good skill in using spells within their affinity. They adhere to the principle of balance, using Aether responsibly. They understand the principle of consequences and avoid spells with negative repercussions.'

I have no objection to the second and third points, but the first point is not entirely correct. At this stage, practitioners begin to explore their affinity, and only later can they use spells within their affinity.

There wasn't anything mentioned about the other stages, because this book is for the common people after all.

They give them this as a distraction and tell them that if, by some miracle, you make it to the third stage, you can visit the IMPERIAL LIBRARY to get the remaining content, and that's how the people in power control the common people. With information, if you don't join us, there's nothing we can do for you.

and if they don't join them, they put them on a waiting list that lasts forever. We want to give you the knowledge you want, but there are so many people, you have to wait another 500 years.

Just from reading the book, I can tell what world I live in now.

I couldn't help but sigh.

I went back to turning pages in this damn book.

Until I came to a bunch of other lies.

'HOW DOES THE AETHER OR VAILUS ACT ON THE INDIVIDUAL?'

I was tired of these lies, so I just remembered what I read from Eyo's book that she shared with me in the past. She didn't tell me the origin of the book or anything really, she just said that it was her property and that its contents were completely true.

Remembering this, I couldn't help but think back about her words in the cemetery.

I put this out of my mind.

And I started looking in my memories about the content that I read a long time ago.

'Stage 1: THE AWAKENED.'

'Aether Core Creation:

Individuals at this stage cannot store Aether within their bodies due to their emerging connection to the energy of the world.They must rely on external objects, such as a Crystal or Talisman, which they infuse with Aether to serve as their storage vessel.'

'Aether Infusion:

Through rituals and meditation, they channel ambient Aether into their chosen object, allowing them to tap into this reserve for casting basic spells.'

This was comprehensive and correct information; this only adds to the mystery of Eyo's character, but I am someone who appreciates the truth both in the book and in her words.

Remembering this, she did not allow me to read the book as a whole at the time. Was this to protect me? Even in this fake copy, there is no complete knowledge about the stages of Aether.

Well, I don't like to put myself in dangerous situations just for the sake of my curiosity, so I will forget about it, not like I will suddenly Awake, there is no hope for me, not like it was from the beginning, but I have to do what I have to do.

And I need this knowledge for that.

Although it only gave me knowledge of the first and second stages at that time, it was complete knowledge compared to the book in front of me.

'The second stage: THE APPRENTICE.'

'Aether Core Dependency:

As Sorcerers bodies begin to adapt to the Aether, they develop the ability to store a limited amount within themselves. However, they continue to rely on their own Aether Core for excess storage and to prevent ether overload in their bodies.'

'Aether balance training:

Sorcerers learn to balance the flow of Aether between their Core and their body, using the core as a buffer to manage their internal Aether levels.'

This is all I learned from Eyo's book, or what she allowed me to learn; although it is only the first and second stages, but it is very complete.

I closed the book in front of me because it was completely useless, and prepared to move on to the second book for this long night.