The Awakening: Core, Magic, and the Delicate Balance

Elyon's POV

As the days passed, I found myself fully immersed in the things I loved. My daily routine consisted of losing myself in books, only taking breaks for sustenance and tidying up.

However, the real magic happened at nightfall. With a deep breath, I would begin practicing magic and honing my core.

The breathing technique sunlight was invigorating me, as it provided the perfect support for my practice.

The pages of the books I read were filled with adventure and mystery, taking me on a journey to far-off lands and ancient times.

As I read, I could almost feel the sea breeze on my face or the whisper of the wind through the trees.

The books became my constant companions, and I treasured what they provided.

But as the sun began to set, my focus turned inward.

I would find a quiet spot, close my eyes, and take a deep breath.

As I exhaled, I could feel my energy surge, my core pulsing with power.

With each breath, I felt myself growing stronger and more focused.

The night air was cool and crisp, and the stars shone like diamonds in the clear sky. I would practice my magic under their watchful gaze.

My breathing technique was crucial to my success, and I utilized it with each spell I cast.

With each passing night, I grew more confident in my abilities and more in tune with the natural world around me.

As I continued with my routine, I began to notice small changes taking place around me.

With each passing day, I found myself more deeply connected to the natural world and more in tune with my own inner power.

The simple routines of reading, practicing magic, and utilizing my breathing technique had transformed my life in ways I never could have imagined. 

Occasionally, I take a moment to pause and allow my body to regenerate and revitalize.

My days have been filled with blessings, and it was quite the scene.

It had been far too long since I had experienced such joy, and I was determined to savor every moment without allowing anyone or anything to detract from it.

On this particular day, I made a vow to safeguard my interests at any expense. Though it may appear self-centered, sometimes putting yourself first is necessary to ensure your own well-being.

Loving yourself is paramount, as it sets the foundation for everything else in your life to fall into place.

Only when you prioritize your own self-love can you effectively accomplish anything.

***

The book Elyon was gifted by Marduk, contained valuable knowledge about the Awakening and its lore.

Through this, he gained a rudimentary comprehension of how the body and core are intricately linked.

It was not typical for someone to be born with a yellow core, and even more improbable to survive the consequences of possessing such immense power.

The book explicitly outlined the risks associated with Awakening, and Elyon became acutely aware of the danger it posed.

The awakening process involves tapping into the world's energy, also known as ambient Mana, and allowing it to flow into one's Mana core.

This results in the core becoming "awakened" from its dormant state, generating a mana flow that grows stronger over time alongside the core.

The resulting effects include body refinement, making it a transformative experience.

Those who have awakened possess the ability to manipulate their own mana cores, granting them access to magic much like that of the mystical beasts.

With a simple command of the mind, they can guide their magic with ease.

Moreover, their refined mana cores have the power to draw in the energy of the world, permanently adding it to their own.

The awakened are blessed with the ability to wield all elements and Spirit magic, or pure mana, without any difficulty.

Moreover, their lifespans are elongated, thanks to the newfound power they possess. They no longer draw upon their own life force as a source of energy, rather they absorb the boundless energy of the world, replenishing their strengths.

Truly, the awakened have transcended the limitations of mere mortals.

The Awakened are a highly secretive and guarded group, and it's no wonder why.

Their abilities grant them not only immense power, but also the gift of longevity.

However, if the entire human race were to become Awakened, the consequences would be dire.

The need for population control would be inevitable, and procreation would become criminalized.

It may seem drastic, but it's a logical decision they have made to protect their way of life.

While the long lifespan of the Awakened ones may seem like a blessing, it often leads to a sense of isolation as they outlive their peers. Despite this, many still desire to maintain a connection with the rapidly changing world around them.

Among the Awakened community, having children is a common way to bridge the ever-widening gap and remain grounded in the present.

Although the potential for growth is limitless, most Awakened individuals find that reaching the Blue Core is a significant achievement. While some may strive for the Violet Core, it remains a rare and exceptional feat that only a select few are able to attain.

Refining the core for Undead Awakened is a much more challenging task, due to the inherent flaws in their blood cores.

The blood cores have a tendency to absorb a significant portion of the light element, resulting in a much slower accumulation process. As a consequence, refining the core becomes a much more arduous and prolonged endeavor.

As they age, the awakened often find themselves pulled in two directions: either they close themselves off to protect against the endless losses and solitude, or they open their hearts as much as they can to stay connected to others.

It's the natural order of things, a delicate balance between self-preservation and connection that can only be navigated with time and experience.

"Woken" is the term used to describe apprentices who have been awakened by masters, themselves already awakened.

This process of awakening is a deeply transformative experience, often requiring years of dedicated study and discipline. Through the guidance of their masters, these apprentices are drawn into a world of ascendance, where they learn to unlock the hidden power within themselves and channel it into the world around them.

It is a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment, leading to a profound understanding of the nature of reality itself.

Similar to humans, beasts also keep the secret of awakening close to their chests, only revealing it when strictly necessary to maintain balance among all the races.

The art of awakening is a powerful and ancient practice that requires great responsibility and care to wield.

Thus, those who are entrusted with its knowledge take great care in ensuring that it is not misused or abused.

It's their way of protecting the delicate balance of the natural world, ensuring that all living beings can thrive in harmony.

The laws decreed by the Awakened Council are highly stringent, as they prohibit Awakened from imparting their gift to their children, unless they are willing to stake their own lives for their offspring.

Furthermore, Awakened must bear the weight of responsibility for those they choose to share their secret with.

Should any disciple transgress the laws, the Awakened must also face the consequences of their actions, inextricably bound by their shared fate.

Since Awakened ones have a long life, only after 100 years is the bond between master and apprentice considered broken.

However, the 100 hundred years is the fixed term for apprentices that their master discards or doesn't trust.

After the apprentices finish learning from their master, they become full fledged members of the Awakened Council and are even eligible to become Council Elders.

The Awakening process can be quite hazardous and individuals with a cyan or higher core risk losing their lives, with bright blue and violet cores being extremely rare and difficult to obtain except through Guardians who can easily guarantee success.

The cores of Awakened individuals develop differently.

While a Non-Awakened individual's core will still grow naturally as they age, an awakened human can hasten and continue the development of their core past the age of 20 by using Accumulation.

Furthermore, impurities in the Awakened's body will move towards their core, turning the core blacker as more impurities amass inside.

If successful, the mana core will pulse, contracting and expanding before expelling the impurities in a violent breakthrough that involves tearing flesh and muscles and cracking bones, reconstructing the body to accommodate the stronger core.

The result is a rapid advance in both core and body.

Hair and nails fall off before quickly regrowing and skin dries and cracks, revealing the muscles underneath.

They will experience excruciating pain, their muscles ripped to shreds, bones fractured to splinters, and part of their skin bursting into a bloody mist.

Their organs will start to break apart one by one, there is even the probability of dying through the process.

And those Awakening with a blue core will experience a sudden increase of their mana flow during the organ refining process.

For a few moments, instead of just channeling the mana coming from the core, they will draw the world energy themselves.

Despite this great benefit, Awakened must be careful to ensure their core does not outgrow their body.

A brighter shade mana core is much stronger than the darker shades, but at the same time it puts a much stronger burden on the body, and the imbalance can affect the mind.

Bottlenecks that can't be overcome with training or study can only be resolved after the body becomes strong enough to allow one to refine further the mana core.

If an Awakened uses Accumulation too much or undergoes a breakthrough without refining their body to a proper level, they will encounter a lot of pain and run the risk of dying or becoming an Abomination.

For an Awakened, magic must be second nature because once the mana core goes past orange, each breakthrough becomes exponentially more dangerous.

Self-awakening is the act of an individual perceiving the energy of the world and allowing it to course through their being, igniting their core essence.

Those who have not yet Awakened, but are exposed to the mana flow of an Awakened and practice magic for extended periods of time, may find their impurities gradually penetrating to their core.

Depending on proximity, inherent talent, and the amount of first magic they practice, there is a chance that they, too, will Awaken.