Aura Awakening

But there was one thing that was agreed no matter where you were—the easiest way of awakening your Aura was to have someone else do it for you. We didn’t know where that method came from, either, but what few records we had seemed to imply that there had been a wide-spread shift to the method somewhere between one and three thousand years and knew for sure that it was considered the common method in Anserini’s texts five hundred years ago. At some point, pretty much everyone had shifted to the method and for good reason; it removed the complexity of the experience and just made it difficult.

There was a process to it, of course, some tricks and methods and even a few risks, but if done properly, anyone can have their Aura awoken—because everyone had soul and that’s all you truly needed for the ability. Certainly, the quality and quantity of Aura could vary tremendously based on God only knows what; Semblances, the expression of who you are as a person, even more so. But the basic act of using Aura was within the grasp of anyone who had a soul, given a proper push.

Well. It was a bit more complicated than that, granted. But mainly because you had to push really hard. But in the end…

Awaken Aura (Active) LV1 EXP: 0.00% MP: 2000
A skill to draw out the potential of others, enflaming one soul with another. Through the granting of great power, sweep away the lies that hide the light within, releasing a soul kept bound by mortal flesh.
Effect: Awakens the Aura of another living being.

“For it is in passing that we achieve immortality; through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee.” I spoke again, power rising as my soul shined through base matter, burning brightly in the dark room. I felt it touch another, completely different in nature and shape yet undeniably like my own. It seemed trapped within something, blinded and deafened and bound. Alone, it struggled futilely.

But I set it free with a warm touch and bright power, breaking chains and giving light to unseeing eyes.

In the end, Aura was one of those things that was easier given then grasped on one’s own. A lot of important things were like that; faith, love, happiness. The process was exhausting even after it had started leveling, my most expensive skill by far in terms of MP even if it was a one-time expenditure, and yet…

I happily cast it again and again. I could afford to, thanks to the Dust I’d taken from the town—and though it was costly in terms of the crystals, somehow this seemed like the most fitting use for them and though there was a part of me saddened by the loss of resources I could have used in other ways, there was a much larger part that was simply…pleased. As I saw lights rise up in countless colors and intensities, I felt quiet doubts dwindle away, felt more sure that they’d be safe when they left. If this was it, if the only impact I’d have on their lives was to save them once and bring out their own power, I thought I’d be content with having given them a chance.

“Done,” I said kindly as the navy blue Aura receded into his skin. “Be sure to take care of Zora, Bosko. Next.”

“Lord Jian,” He returned, bowing lowly as he withdrew, something that had started early on. Even as he did, I saw him looking down at his hands in wonder and could remember the rush of power I’d felt such a short time ago. He retreated to his Daughter’s side, a small girl with dirt-smudged cheeks who I’d healed first and then enlightened. Many of the miners had minor wounds or illnesses of one type or another and in-between consuming crystals I generally had a moment to fix them. With any luck, it’d fix some of the damage and avoid later complications.

As he did, he passed Faraj, who stood with the other White Fang members and just watched me in muted disbelief as I’d enlightened five people in a row—and gone on to ten, a hundred, and now nearly a thousand times, something that should have been—was, honestly—too exhausting for anyone to do. With only someone powerful and experienced capable of it in the first place, given the cost…well, it wasn’t something that could be done casually. Generally, there was about a month or so at the Academies like Signal where Hunters gathered from volunteered and worked in shifts to pass it on to the new crop of students.

To be able to do it this quickly…even I was amazed and I was the guy blatantly cheating to do it.