[volume 0 chapter 1]
(Y/N) P.O.V.
. . .
It's been a week since I arrived in this world.
After I awoke following my first fight I made sure to create a weapon for myself as I didn't want to fight those things hand to hand again... or hand to claw in this case I guess.
Said weapon was a axe made from a sharp rock, some twine, and a branch from a tree.
Crude, but it gets the job done.
In fact I had a few more encounters with the beasts and that axe came in handy in dealing with them.
I've also been starting to hunt various animals for food.
Yeah, killing, gutting, cooking, and eating my first animal was certainly an experience.
For some reason that meal tasted better than what I expected.
I tried to skin it so I could try and use it for the creation of a bag but I didn't have enough experience or knowledge to pull it off.
. . .
some good news I found a road.
It was made of dirt and the foliage suggested that it hadn't been traveled in a long while but it's better than nothing as it could lead to a more well traveled road.
And from there, I can find some form of civilization.
And with civilization, I can find food, water, shelter, and safety.
Speaking of safety (or lack there of) I've fought several more of those beasts. Luckily the wounds I received during my first fight seems to have healed completely thanks to that black ash stuff the beasts dissolve into when they are killed.
This Essence as I've come to call it seems to have some other uses but I can't quite get it to work, it's as if I'm missing something important. . .
Another thing I noticed is that absorbing it feels rather pleasant. . .
Further research is required.
I've also noticed that I don't tire out quickly, I have been power walking for several hours straight and yet I haven't become tired.
It's become pretty obvious that I'm not human anymore, which leads me to a concern that if I do reach civilization. The people there might not react well to the aforementioned fact.
But, yet again I will have to save such concerns for when civilization is actually in reach.
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(2 hours later)
(Y/N): *singing* "Traitor, Xeno, Heretic. There all as one to us~"
(Y/N): *singing* "we will scorch then from existence with our engines devious~"
(Y/N): *singing* "our hate for them encoded into every bolt and truss~"
(Y/N): *singing* "our wrath has come online~"
(Y/N): *singing* "engage the linkage omni-"
(Y/N): "oh shit a town!"
A ways ahead lay a Town with a large wall surrounding it... Not surprising seeing as the beasts seem to be very aggressive.
I quickly but cautiously approach the town, but as I got closer I started to notice several things that were... Off.
The first thing I noticed was that there were a load of vines growing on the walls and that the wall itself seemed rather... Unkept.
Next is that there used to be a gate but it had been broken down.
Then when I passed through said gate to find it empty and with several burnt buildings and destruction everywhere.
Yet. . . Despite all of this, it feels right. Like there's something in the air that just feels... nice?
Like, it's similar to the feeling I get when I absorb essence.
(Y/N): ". . . *Sigh* at least it's a step in the right direction"
The town itself was a bizarre mix between modern and medieval fantasy.
Like you have a bunch of modern looking buildings next to what is obviously a blacksmith albeit one with a modern design.
Searching the blacksmith revealed that most of the stuff had been taken baring a few tools with the exception of a axe marked as being made from a lightning dust alloy.
But what is lightning dust?
After a bit more searching, I find some strange crystals in the back they seem to be organized by color with red, yellow, green, blue, white all of which are marked as 'dust'.
Each color seems to have a element associated with it.
So this 'dust' is some sort of crystal that possibly has unique properties of some kind?
I should see if there is a local library that I can look through to maybe find some answers to my questions.
But before I leave I swap out my hand made stone axe for the shining dust alloy one
(Y/N): "sorry little buddy, you've served me well but I need something better than a rock on a stick"
Heading back out I search the town for useful stuff and I manage to find one of those hiking backpacks so I now have a proper way of carrying my stuff.
While looking around I found a replacement for my shirt as it was still torn and bloody from my first fight with the beasts.
I also grabbed some spare clothing for me to wear.
. . . It was al girls clothing, and while boys clothing was available I didn't pick any up because...
Wearing a skirt has kinda grown on me, I actually find it quite enjoy crossdressing.
Whatever, moving on.
Oh! I also found some canned food and some jerky so I won't have to go out on any more hunting trips for a while.
I also found not only some bottled water but a well too.
(Y/N): "time to get back to finding the librar-
**ROOAAR**
Oh, that didn't sound friendly.
I look around a bit to find what had made that noise.
What I found was something that looked similar to the beasts I had fought in the past except bigger, more bone armor things and extra spikes.
Well shit it's charging at me now.
I ready myself for the coming battle, my grip tightening around my axe as it approaches.
... closer
... closer
... closer
NOW!
I roll out of the way just as it tries to swipe at me with those massive claws.
I then take a swing at one of it's hind legs with my axe and it goes chops said leg straight off.
But that's not all, it also discharges electricity into the beast. Causing it to yelp in pain... Actually that may have just been the de-limbing it just experienced.
I then jump back as it swipes at me with surprisingly speed.
It then jumps at me in spite of the fact it's missing one of it's hind legs.
I, however manage to bring up my axe to block the attack, the force of the beast knocking the wind out of me and causing the ground underneath me to crack slightly.
But the beast brought it's other claw into my side.
*CRACK!*
(Y/N): "Kcshhaaaah"
I hiss in pain as I feel several of my ribs break from the force of that stile but I manage to hold my ground
I manage to recover and deliver a kick to the beast's chest forcing it back a few feet before it could bite or take another swing with it's free arm.
I then charge it, ducking under an reactionary swipe and impaling my axe deep into it's skull, killing it.
I was catching my breath as the beast Disintegrated into essence, which I, in turn absorbed. A sensation of catharsis washing over me
(30 minutes later)
After a bit of searching I found what I was looking for:
The library.
(Y/N): "finally I can get some answers"
I enter the building and start looking around.
(Y/N): "alright, non fiction. Du du du du duuu. Ah, there we are.
(Y/N): "now dust, dust dust dust dust D to the U to the S to the T Dduusstt-ah
(Y/N): "here we are"
'Dust And You, Understanding The Basics Of Dust Usage'
(20 minutes later)
Ok so, dust is this elemental crystal stuff that discharges said elemental energy when put under certain conditions.
Apparently one of these conditions is exposure to this stuff called 'aura' but I have not clue what the fuck that is, at first I thought it the natives name for essence.
But it doesn't quite describe the ways aura works in the same way essence works.
So they're different things but what is aura?
Luckily I am in a library so finding the answer should be easy.
And after a few minutes I do find it.
'Aura: The True Power Of The Soul'
What the fuck is this pseudoscience shit?
No, there are monstrous beasts that dissolve into ash when they die, and crystals that have almost magical properties being that their discharge elemental energy under the right conditions. So a soul based energy doesn't sound THAT far out I guess.
(3 houry later . . .)
Ok, so if this book and the others I read on the subject matter is correct, then aura is a strange energy theorized to be generated by the soul. However It does not initially generate this power. It has to be activated via a process that people call unlocking their aura.
Most of the time this is done by someone who already has their aura unlocked, but there are cases where it can happen on its own, generally when a person is rather under extreme stress or in deep meditation.
Unfortunately the knowledge of what aura is actually capable of seems to be very limited, other than acting as a forcefield, granting minor regeneration, enhancing physical capacity's, helping manipulate dust and acting as fuel for semblances (something that I would have to investigate later) knowledge of it's use seems. . . Limited, like it's clear that people can manipulate aura, but they don't try to manipulate it beyond focusing it to block strong attacks or making ones own attacks stronger. Very few people seem to to be attempting to experiment more heavily with it.
Like there seems to be an aura based martial art technique originating from a kingdom called mistral where a person could essentially create a small explosion almost at will. Or a group of people who had figured out how to weave dust into their clothes to allow them to create almost magical effects when combined with aura.
So the question remains . . . WHY THE FUCK HAS NOBODY BOTHERED TO PUSH THE LIMITS OF THESE VERY MUCH USEFUL TECHNIQUES!
. . .
. . .
. . .
Ok, I've calmed down. Maybe the people here have done these things and these books are just outdated.
The town is abandoned after all.
It just really pisses me off when a character in a book or anime has a cool and versatile power but never uses it to it's full potential, instead opting to use over the top flashy moves.
This further irritates me when said character gets their ass handed to them when they could've easily won if they had just used more than 0.1% of their brain and applied something called creativity when using their abilitys.
But I digress, I won't know more until I reach civilization so there's no use being mad at stupidity that may or may not still exist.
Still, I do wish to experiment with this aura myself.
(Y/N): "but *yawn* sleep first."
I then made sure all of the library entrances we're ether locked or barricaded before setting up a bedroll I had snagged from a shop and went to sleep.
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(2 weeks later)
Ya know, I'm kinda proud of this place.
Over the past two weeks I have been slowly turning that library into my home base at least until I find a way to civilization... Or maybe even permanently if the locals turn out to be assholes.
I've built proper barricades on all but two entrances in order to better keep out Grimm (which is apparently the locals term for the beasts is.)
I've also requisitioned a bed from the town for myself as well as any useful supplies that could be found. Be it food, water, cooking supplies, additional clothes, etc.
I've also made my living space within the library far more homely. With all sorts of neat stuff being added like beanbags, a desk, a cool looking rug and even a T.V. with a few movies (I also found a generator along with enough fuel to power it for a decade.
Oh, yeah and some batteries so I can use the excess power later.
I've also been purging every Grimm I find in this town during my excursions, I hope to fix up the gates or at least barricade them up and make a different entrance/exit for myself.
On another note, after the first night in the library I started meditating daily before bed in hopes I would unlock my aura but so far it hasn't worked, and I'm not Keen on traumatizing myself for a chance to unlock it.
And seeing as I have yet to get to civilization asking someone with aura to unlock it for me is right out.
Though, I think I'm getting pretty close as I believe I did feel something last night so that might be it.
I wasn't able to "unlock" it so to speak however.
Which brings me to now, me meditating in order to try and unlock my aura.
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Focus...
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Remember that feeling...
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There!...
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Reach out...
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Almost there...
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I̵̯͗ ̵̻́ţ̷̑o̴͉̅û̴̘c̶̗̄h̴̨̊e̴̖̓d̶̙̄ ̶̫̈́m̵̤̽y̶̢̍ ̵͛͜o̶̺͝w̴͔̒n̵̠̿ ̵̟͌s̵̨̚o̷͑͜u̴͙͒l̵̬͑.̸̳̎
. . .
And was bathed in it's light...
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So that's what aura's like.
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[Volume 0 chapter 1 end]
Hello there you wonderful people it's me, Xvolts and, I hope you enjoy this chapter, please let me know what you think of it
I am already open to suggestions and constructive criticism as I want to improve as a writer.
I'm personally surprised I finished writing this chapter as quickly as I did.
That's all from me so I hope you have a good day/night and with that
Xvolts out-