Cultivation is Creation

When I arrived at Elder Molric's laboratory the following morning, I found that the cactus from a few weeks ago had changed. And not subtly.

Where before it had been a relatively normal-looking desert plant (you know, aside from the whole sentience and projectile-launching abilities), it now sported what could only be described as carefully sculpted muscles.

Tiny green biceps bulged as it curled what appeared to be a miniature dumbbell made from a piece of lab equipment.

"Three hundred and ninety-eight... three hundred and ninety-nine..." Elder Molric counted enthusiastically as the botanical bodybuilder completed its reps.

I couldn’t help but wonder if it had existed in the previous timeline and I just hadn’t been introduced to it, or if some butterfly effect had led to this…

The moment the plant noticed my arrival, it dropped its weight (which landed with a concerning crack on the lab floor) and pointed one of its muscular arms directly at me. The gesture was unmistakable – the universal "you're going down" sign that seemed to transcend species, and apparently, kingdoms of life.

"Um, Elder?" I asked carefully, keeping one eye on the increasingly aggressive succulent. "What exactly did I do to offend your... creation?"

The elder looked up from his notes, his face breaking into that familiar manic grin that usually preceded something either brilliant or terrifying. Often both. "Oh, don't take it personally! Constantine here isn't angry with you specifically."

"Constantine?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow at the unexpectedly dignified name for what was essentially a buff houseplant.

"Yes, yes," Elder Molric waved dismissively. "It's his frustration with that traitorous vine of yours. Abandoning the lab after all the time we spent nurturing its growth!" He shook his head disapprovingly. "Constantine here has taken it quite personally. Professional pride, you understand."

As if on cue, Yggy emerged from my sleeve, its tip raised in what could only be described as a challenging pose.

The cactus immediately responded with a pose that would have made professional bodybuilders envious, its needles bristling with competitive energy as it flexed its abs, all six of them.

"Now, now," I started, seeing the situation rapidly deteriorating toward what would undoubtedly be the world's strangest botanical brawl. "I'm sure we can—"

Before I could finish my diplomatic attempt, Elder Molric made a casual gesture with his hand. Constantine went flying across the lab with a surprised spiky squeak, landing safely but firmly in what looked like a reinforced terrarium.

“Master, did you notice the runes on Constantine’s surface? They appear to be some variation of strength enhancement, but the configuration is unlike anything in the standard texts."

I glanced at the muscular plant, trying to get a better look at the runes without being too obvious about it. The patterns were indeed unusual – more organic-looking than the geometric designs we typically used, almost as if they'd been grown rather than inscribed.

"Interesting," I murmured inwardly, making a mental note to ask about those particular patterns... eventually. Preferably when the cactus wasn't around to take offense at my curiosity about its personal enhancements.

"Spoilsport," the elder muttered, though whether he was addressing me or his relocated experiment wasn't entirely clear. His eyes suddenly lit up with that dangerous sparkle I'd come to recognize. "Speaking of disappointments, have you finally given up on energy weaving yet?”

I couldn't help but smile. This was the moment I'd been waiting for. Without a word, I held up my right hand, letting him see the perfectly formed Vine Whip rune I'd inscribed through energy weaving.

The elder's eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline. "Well, well..." He tried to maintain his composure, but I could see the excitement building. "I suppose my demonstration must have been particularly inspiring. Though of course, with a student of your natural talent..."

He trailed off as I slowly revealed each of the other runes I'd successfully woven. His attempts at maintaining a casual demeanor grew increasingly strained with each new pattern.

"The Explosive Seed too? And the Woodweave Seal?" He circled me like a proud parent at a child's art exhibition, examining each rune with critical appreciation. "All perfectly balanced, energy distribution precisely controlled..." He straightened up, puffing out his chest. "Well, of course! This just proves what I've always said about proper teaching methods!”

I bowed deeply, fighting to keep my expression appropriately humble. "Your guidance has been invaluable, Master."

In the background, Constantine made what sounded suspiciously like a scoffing noise.

"Yes, yes," Elder Molric shushed it. He then turned back to me and raised his hand, and I felt the familiar distortion in space that preceded either a training room transformation or – worse – a trip to his infamous forest of experiments. "Now that you've mastered the basics, we should really test these new skills of yours..."

"Wait!" I said quickly, perhaps a bit too loudly. The elder's hand froze mid-gesture, space rippling uncertainly around his fingers. "I mean... wouldn't it be more beneficial to learn a few more runes first? To really round out my capabilities before any serious testing?" ⱤᴀƝốΒĚs̩

The attack on the academy would occur in less than a week if this timeline maintained its previous pattern. I really didn’t have time to waste on runes I’d already practiced. I needed to be out of here before shit hits the fan, getting vaporized by a zealous light priest once was more than enough.

Elder Molric's expression fell slightly, like a child whose favorite toy had been taken away. "Are you sure? I have this fascinating new variant of my forest maze that I've been dying to try out..." He brightened suddenly. "The mortality rate is only thirty percent! Well, thirty-five if you count partial survival..."

"Perhaps later," I cut in, trying not to think too hard about what "partial survival" might entail. "Actually, I was hoping you might tell me more about something I've been curious about – the blue sun?"

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The elder's eyes narrowed instantly, all traces of his previous enthusiasm vanishing. "Oh? And what exactly do you know about that?"

I kept my expression carefully neutral, shrugging slightly. "Just what I've heard from other initiates. They mentioned the Lightweavers, how they're driven to religious fanaticism by the blue sun's energy. Something about purifying all Skybound practitioners?"

"Ah, yes." The elder nodded slowly, his expression growing unusually serious. "I probably shouldn't tell you this yet, but..." He paused, muttering under his breath, "You'll likely encounter them soon enough. Talent like yours tends to draw their attention..."

I blinked. That wasn't ominous at all.

The elder seemed to realize his slip, coughing awkwardly. "Not to worry, not to worry! Your master will protect you." His eyes took on a mischievous gleam. "Actually, you might make excellent bait for capturing one of their priests. The research possibilities..."

I raised an eyebrow, and he laughed, waving off my concern. "Just a joke, just a joke!" But I noticed he didn't quite meet my eyes as he said it.

"The blue sun's energy is fundamentally different from what we harness," he continued, seemingly eager to change the subject. "It's more closely tied to the soul, which explains its superior life-giving properties." He gestured at his various experiments, including the still-sulking Constantine. "If I were a Rank 7 Lightweaver, these wouldn't be mere curiosities. They'd be teeming with true life energy."

I nodded, having already suspected as much from my previous observations. The blue sun focused on the soul whilst the red sun focused more on physical enhancements, yet they both had spiritual effects.

"Do the Lightweavers only use the light element?" I asked carefully, remembering how the priests I'd encountered in my previous loop had favored light-based attacks.

The elder let out a bark of laughter. "They certainly love to pretend so! It fits their self-righteous image, and many of them do seem to have a natural affinity for it. But just as we can convert red sun energy to other elements through proper runic inscription, they have their own methods."

"So, they use runes like we do?"

"Yes and no." Elder Molric's expression grew thoughtful. "They have their own runic system, but it's fundamentally different from ours. The blue sun's energy operates on entirely different principles – our runes would be useless for channeling it."

It was as I feared, I would need to learn a whole new runic system to properly channel the blue sun’s energy..

"Master," Azure commented, "at least the basic principles we've learned here should be transferable."

“True,” I thought back. “How different could it really be?”

The elder had taken on that distant look he got when contemplating his grander theories. "I've long believed that the powers of both suns could be merged," he said softly, almost to himself. "But it would require someone capable of manipulating both energies..." He sighed heavily.

I didn't mention that I fitted that particular requirement. Instead, I asked, "How do people gain access to the blue sun's power in the first place?"

"The fanatics would tell you it's the blue sun's 'blessing,'" he replied, his tone making it clear what he thought of that explanation. "As for the actual mechanics... no one knows for certain. Some individuals simply have an affinity for one sun or the other, developing a core that resonates with that energy."

He must have noticed my interested expression because his face suddenly split into what he probably thought was a gentle smile. On anyone else, it might have been. On him, it looked distinctly predatory. "You know, if you're really curious, we could always capture a Lightweaver and... investigate."

"I think I'll pass," I said quickly, recognizing another attempt to use me as experimental bait. "Perhaps we could focus on some new runes instead?"

The elder sighed dramatically but reached for his tome of runic patterns. "Very well. What catches your interest?"

"That Impact Rune that Bane used," I said immediately. "And the one that enhanced his perception – what was that called?"

"Ah, the Hawk's Eye Rune!" Elder Molric's enthusiasm returned full force. He flipped through his book until he found the right pages. "These are both excellent choices, though they each come with their own... quirks."

He tapped the Impact Rune's pattern. "This one converts momentum into explosive force on contact – devastating in close combat. But there's a reason most practitioners do not simply abuse it ceaselessly." His expression grew serious. "The conversion process creates significant feedback. Use it too many times in rapid succession, and you'll start damaging your body. Even with perfect technique, you're limited to about three full-power strikes every few minutes."

I nodded, thinking of how Bane had stopped using it after his transformation, he must have hit the limit by then.

"The Hawk's Eye is even trickier," the elder continued, pointing to the complex pattern of overlapping circles and angular lines. "Enhanced perception, movement prediction, micro-expression reading – all incredibly useful. But the mental strain adds up quickly. Use it too long, and you'll get splitting headaches at best, temporary blindness at worst. And that's assuming you can handle the sensory overload in the first place."

He grinned suddenly. "I heard one initiate activated it for the first time in the middle of a crowded marketplace. Poor fool spent the next three days in a dark room, crying about how he could still see everyone's pores in perfect detail."

"That's... disturbing," I managed.

"Fascinating though, isn't it? The mind simply isn't designed to process that much information at once. Most practitioners at the lower ranks can only maintain it for about thirty seconds before the strain becomes unbearable. The truly skilled ones can maybe stretch it to a minute, but that's more or less the limit for you lower ranks."

The elder's smile grew wider as he opened his book farther. "Now then, let's see what else I have that might interest you."

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