5. The Plotting of Man

Caster sweated mentally, worried that he may have revealed himself to Yursa as she looked him up and down. He concerns were quickly dropped as Yursa simply nodded her head, backed away and started to clean up in his room. Caster thought of the theoretical possibility of being discovered as someone from another world.

Thinking back to Earth and the stories of aliens, his first concern was xenophobia, but that was quickly pinned down as the least worrisome factor. As a baby he was defenseless and immobile. He couldn't run so if he was discovered he might be experimented on or hauled away to some facility for the rest of his life on this planet. He knew nothing of the culture, customs, or morality. He then thought of the horrid possibility of his parents discovering he wasn't a normal son as they currently believed. If they knew, would they kill him? Would he be thrown out as a baby for being some abomination? Thinking about it from the parent's perspective Caster had a hard time believing that he would accept someone as his child if he knew that inside that baby's body was someone who had already lived twenty years or so.

It was truly a secret Caster had to hold close to his heart. Maybe, later in his life when he could take care of himself would he consider telling people. But right now, in his current state, someone finding out was the equivalent of death he surmised.

Yursa eventually left the room, but Caster waited for much, much longer after she left before he considered opening the screen again. He debated waiting for nightfall, but with his constitution he was concerned he would not be able to make it as even now he was already feeling tired again after only being awake for a short period of time. The curiosity chipped away at him. To know what information that screen held. It was a risk he knew he had to take.

Caster instinctively tried to clench his jaw, but without teeth it was unsatisfactory. Caster sighed at his pitiful state and regained his focus. Keeping his ears wide open to listen for any movement he opened the screen again and expanded out his Blessing for the first time.

-Blessing of Creation: This Blessing is classified as unique and only one may remain in existence at any given time. Upon the owner's death another with this Blessing will come into existence. There are no restrictions on race or morality for this Blessing. The Blessing of Creation is split up into six distinct parts. The owner will be brandished with the mark of Gearsing.

Caster spent significant time staring at the information he had just read, before snapping out of his daze and quickly scanning for noises again. Upon giving himself the "all clear" he continued reading.

'This sounds waaay too good to be true.' Caster was suspicious as everything was a give and take. There was no way that something this unique and special wouldn't have some serious drawback. Moving to the second body of text he began reading.

I: Material Analysis: The Blessing's owner may sacrifice a portion of a held material to fully understand and store the information of the sacrificed material. Anytime the Blessing's Owner observes or comes into contact with an analyzed material they will instinctively know it. They will also be able to determine if composite materials have a portion of analyzed material in them.

II: Material Generation: The Blessing's owner is able to transmute mana into any material previously analyzed. The mana requirement of this varies with different materials.

III: Material Manipulation: The Blessing's owner is able to freely manipulate any materials that were created through part II for a small mana cost. The precision, speed and accuracy of this manipulation is scaled by intelligence.

IV: Creation Destruction: The Blessing's owner may freely transmute previous materials from part II back into neutral mana. This mana is distributed into the environment and does not return to the Blessing's owner.

V: Blueprint Library: Anytime the blessing owner creates something made of materials that have been analyzed they may store a blueprint of it. The blessing owner can then directly create that item in the same fashion as part II.

Caster's small frame shook at what he had read so far. While he hadn't even begun to think of applications of these powers he could tell they held amazing potential. A nagging feeling in the back of his mind came to him as he finished the fifth part. Something he had overheard from his new father. It was rare, but sometimes blessings had a detrimental effect to the owner. Gulping down the drool that had been pooling up in his mouth he looked at the last part.

VI: Creative Body: The blessing owner is prevented from learning any offensive skill. This covers any type of skill that could be utilized singularly to bring harm to another being. Magic is the only exception, but its use is limited, preventing the blessing owner from ever using it on another being. The blessing owner gains the experience required to level up at a x0.1 multiplier. The blessing owner gains a 0.5x multiplier to all physical stats, a 2.0x multiplier towards intelligence, and a 2.5x multiplier to mana capacity.

Caster's face scrunched up in frustration. He curiosity towards magic was still safe based on what he could see, but the limitations were severely restricting. While he knew about levels and experience, a 0.1x multiplier was cruel. Not to mention his physical capabilities being permanently halved of their potential.

'I knew it. It was all too good to be true.'

Caster sighed coming to terms with the restrictions he would now have to live with. Footsteps began approaching the room, Caster closed the screen in front of him and ignored his sisters leaning over the crib wide eyed taking looks at him. He had to be careful now. As he took in everything he had heard and knew, a plan slowly started to formulate in his mind. As the pieces slowly started to fall into place he reflexively started to smile, which only resulted in squealing laughter erupting from his childish body.

"Look Erin! He likes us!" Aria jumped giddily pointing.

"Mom said we can't play with him till he's older though. I wish he would grow up faster so I'm not always it when we play." Erin sighed, her eyes looking at Caster, but her mind clearly elsewhere.

Caster attempted to control his stubborn body and thought to himself. 'You and me both Erin. I miss being an adult. I don't think I'm going to be the brother you think I will be though.'