When I returned, I found Tiber and Syla nearly done with their removal of starsalt in my tunnel, so I sat down and took a quick nap.
Everything had happened so quickly, and with my recent breakthrough, I was tired and needed to regain my mental energy. I ignored the looks the two of them shot me anytime they entered the tunnel.
Essence had been rushing through my body, and I knew I was changing. Not physically, but there was now something about me, a weight in my gaze that made people instinctively sense something different. It happens to all Knights.
About half an hour later, I opened my eyes into the near darkness and thought about a few things. The main agenda for me now was to solidify my power, and that meant getting stronger. With that, I would turn my gaze to other things.
"I should try and break through to the Knight rank," I said softly.
The Knight rank was the official rank for the journey of Knighthood, and I wanted to join it as soon as possible and move into the second layer, where I’d be able to affect things in the Borderland.
"Then I’ll form a team of my own, but that’ll be difficult. After that, I’ll then..." I pressed my lips together and stopped. I had been taught to take things one step at a time, as long as one had a hazy image of their final destination.
I saw myself going back to the Athrimir Clan, and it wouldn’t be for a friendly visit.
I took a deep breath. "First things first. How do I break through to the Knight rank?"
I blinked. ’The only way I know was through the Knight Assembly, but then...’ I let the thought trail off. "I guess I really should focus on the first thing, which is to survive this Labor Camp. Kade will come after me for sure... and this alchemist organization. I should be prepared for that’
I sat in a lotus position and extended my two hands, palms facing up. The Squire ability was simple and lacked any complicated techniques; it was basically to shape essence.
I reached inside myself and took hold of the channels again but didn’t immediately pull. "If those lines are drawing essence into my body, then pulling them will weaken me. No, that’s not how to do it. Should I use the lines linked to my hands? Or... should I create new lines?"
I frowned. ’Is that even possible?’
I took a deep breath; there was only one way to find out. I closed my eyes and turned my attention inward. I could see my core, a blazing blue and white orb the size of a fist, slowly rotating, and the lines that collected power into the rest of my body.
I felt essence in my core sloshing around and then sent my presence to wrap around it like a cloak, but nothing happened. I frowned mentally, then pulled the essence toward myself.
At first, nothing happened, but then I felt resistance. This time, I pulled again, harder. Essence flowed out of me, and I directed it outward.
When I opened my eyes, I was met with the surprised looks of Tiber and Syla. They were glancing at my hand, where blue-white energy had gathered. I stared at it for a while, watching it in fascination. ’So this is it. I’ve finally begun my first move on the long path of advancement to Knighthood’
"Wow," Syla said, her voice low. Jealousy tinged her words, but she didn’t try to hide it and smiled a bitter smile. This was something she had wished for herself. She’d dreamed of this for years, and it was one of the reasons that had led her to the Athrimir Borderland.
"Impressive. Are you going to try out a skill?" Tiber said in his deep voice.
I shrugged and then flicked my hand, using my mental energy to press my will into the essence, shaping it as I wished. It formed into a ball that increased in size as I poured more essence into it until I was holding a head-sized sphere of energy.
Tiber and Syla sucked in sharp breaths and moved away from me.
I frowned at them, my concentration breaking as the energy fizzled and disappeared. "What is it?"
Tiber shook his head and spoke while Syla looked at me as if I’d just grown two heads. "First, can you create that ball of essence again? But this time, pump as much essence as you can..."
He trailed off because I was already shaking my head. "No way. I won’t use up my reserve. Tell me what happened."
Syla sighed. "I’ve never seen anyone create an essence ball that big before, and trust me, I’ve seen a lot of Squires. But then again, I only study weak ones," she grimaced. "It’s the only thing I can do since I’m not a Knight, gather as much knowledge about it in case I later see an opportunity."
’So that’s why you’re so knowledgeable about stuff like this. This might be useful’ I thought. I weighed how much I was going to tell them, but then decided to share a bit since it wasn’t going to affect me much, maybe just draw some attention my way.
"How much do you know about the ritual of manifestation? About the potentials?" I asked.
Syla’s eyes gleamed. "The potential is a rough estimation of how powerful a Knight can be. The higher the light, the greater the potential."
Tiber nodded. "High potential means that such a Knight will be able to draw and store a much larger amount of essence."
I nodded. "Then what do you consider as high potential?"
It was Syla who answered. "I’d say if the individual raised their hand and the light was taller than it, or higher than half their height. But that’s only for geniuses."
I paused and then nodded. "My own was a bit taller than my height."
I didn’t tell them that it had reached the roof.