In Lassim’s quarters, he sat cross-legged on the freshly revived earthen floor. Exhaustion weighed on his limbs, a testament to the day’s relentless efforts, but there was a contentment in his heart that hadn’t been there before.
Settling into a meditative stance, he closed his eyes, focusing on the steady rhythm of his breathing, feeling the enriched mana swirl within him.
As he delved deeper into meditation, a familiar stirring in his inner heart world pulled at his senses.
Mari and Zaphy, long dormant due to the previous mana deficiencies, began to slowly awaken, their essences nourished by the influx of pure mana that Lassim had funneled into their shared spiritual sanctuary in the inner heart world.
"[Lassim, are we... are we home?]" Mari’s voice, weak but imbued with warmth, echoed softly in his mind.
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"[Not yet, Mari,]" Lassim replied gently, a smile played on his lips as he felt the comforting presence of his companions. "[But we’re getting there. You’ve missed quite a lot.]"
As he recounted the recent events—their initial struggle for survival after being captured, meeting the High Priestess,, the discovery of his ability to cleanse the mana, and the first sets of transformation of the Drow’s underground realm—Mari and Zaphy listened intently.
"[Busy, Busy! It sounds like you’ve been super busy,]" Zaphy chimed in, her voice crackling with a nascent energy that mirrored her elemental nature. "[And you’ve managed all this without us? I’m itching to help speed things along with my own lightning!]"
Lassim chuckled softly, feeling a surge of affection for his spirited companions. "[I’m glad to have you both back. It’s been too quiet around here without your presence in my mind.]"
As the conversation flowed, Lassim noticed a subtle shift within himself—a surge of power that seemed to well up from the depths of his being.
The cleansed mana he had been absorbing was resonating with his core, propelling him forward into Spirit Growth Stage 3.
The realization brought a sense of exhilaration; his own powers reaching a new height rather quickly after having advanced to Spirit Growth 2 before the Martial Tournament. It’d been roughly only a month and half since he experienced the leap from Spirit Incubation to Spirit Growth. He was advancing at a remarkable pace.
"[This mana... there’s something different about it,]" Lassim mused aloud, trying to articulate the odd sensation that came with each pulse of energy. "[It feels more potent, more... alive than anything I’ve encountered before.]"
Mari, ever the contemplative spirit, hummed thoughtfully. "[I’ve noticed it too since being awake. There’s a theory I have…,]" she began slowly, her tone cautious, "[...but it’s a bit too outlandish to think about as a possibility. For now, child, I encourage you to continue absorbing as much as you can. Try to convert all your reserves to use this new, purer mana.
It might be beneficial if my suspicions are correct.]"
Lassim nodded, trusting Mari’s wisdom. "[I’ll do just that. If you believe it could help, then I’m all in. Let’s make sure we’re doing everything we can to not only save this realm but also prepare ourselves for if we have to face that crazy guy Mercy again. I don’t want to be so weak again, if I can help it at least...]"
As the night deepened, their conversation flowed, energized more after Lassim’s advancement as they discussed the tasks ahead.
Lassim initiated the conversation with a spark of inspiration drawn from his past experiences. "[Sanvra is still working on recording the data for it, but there’s a possibility that all the work I’ve done so far might get recorrupted again. I’ve been thinking about a way to prevent that. Do you remember the crystal fields in Etherys that used arrays to enhance growth and stabilize energies?
Those rods all connected by mana? Maybe we can draw some inspiration from that here.]"
Mari, always the contemplative one, sent a mental nod thoughtfully. "[That’s a viable concept. Also, if the Drow has traditional methods or materials that could function similarly to arrays, adapting those to our needs could be possible if they have them. We don’t need to replicate the exact technology, just the principle.]"
Zaphy, always the embodiment of energy, sparked with ideas. "[Imagine we set them up and BAM! A storm of purification through the land’s mana!]" Her voice crackled with enthusiasm.
Lassim nodded, intrigued by the possibility. "[That might be a bit much, Zaphy, but I like where your head is at! We could set up a series of those conductors, maybe use some of the Drow’s metal artifacts as focal points, and charge them with lightning mana to last a while.
It would give us the chance to fully establish the sanctuaries more efficiently without worrying about them getting corrupted again. Who knows, maybe it’ll help purify the surrounding mana as well.]"
Zaphy, fluttering excitedly around the space, chimed in with her characteristic zest. "[Ooh, magical formations! Let’s ask Sanvra if they have shiny things too! Maybe old stones or crystals, or special Drow feather pins? I bet they have something sparkly! Also, brother, you handle the fine tuning, and I’ll back you up with the brute force.
Together, we’ll make this work!]"
Mari nodded approvingly, "[Just remember, balance is key. Harnessing such potent mana without overwhelming the natural balance here could be tricky. We must be cautious not to create new problems while solving the old ones.]"
Lassim chuckled, feeling a practical plan forming. "[Alright, alright. Tomorrow, I’ll talk to Sanvra about it and ask if she has what we need AND if they’ve got anything sparkly for you. Once we know what resources they have—anything that can hold or channel mana—it might help us set up protective barriers around the cleansed zones.]"
Mari suggested a detailed approach, "[While you discuss with Sanvra, I can delve into sensing the land’s energies. Perhaps lightning isn’t the only way to cleanse the corruption, but only the first you tried. Understanding the realm’s inherent mana properties will help tailor our approach more effectively.
I should also be able to establish where the source of corruption is in the wider water network as well if you make another trip there at some point.]"
Zaphy, not one to be left out, added her own twist. "[And I’ll think about patterns! Like, where we can put all the shiny things to make the biggest, bestest arrangement of the charged conductor thingies! Maybe something that makes the mana all happy and strong! Just like a big net but with extra sparkle!]"
Their strategy session, filled with technical details and theoretical adjustments, stretched into the early hours. Each suggestion was debated and each plan considered. Lassim was happy they were a team once again.
The next "morning" in this land of eternal night, Lassim and Sanvra met near the newly cleansed water source, the light from the lamps along the walls casting a gentle glow on the clear waters.
Lassim had just finished explaining their ideas about using some of the Drow relics or items in the plane to create a makeshift array of some sort to help keep things cleansed or spread cleansing more easily over larger areas.
"[That is a novel idea, my star,]" she started, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet of the early morning. "[While we don’t have the same ’array’ technology as this ’Etherys’ you mention, we might have materials that could serve a similar purpose.]"
Lassim nodded, eager to hear her suggestions. "[What do you have that might work? Anything that can hold or channel the lightning mana could be usable for us.]"
Sanvra motioned for him to follow her, leading him to a small chamber where various artifacts were stored.
"[Here,]" she said, pointing to a collection of metallic rods and some ancient stone carvings. "[These are relics from our ancestors. Originally we used them for barriers to protect our original towns from the invading enemies we faced. They’re imbued with elemental energies but have been dormant for ages as we’ve run out of need to recharge them since we moved underground.
With your lightning, perhaps we could reactivate their properties or change them slightly. I believe there might be a book or two about how they work, or an Elder that is familiar with the technology that could assist.]"
Examining the rods, Lassim felt a spark of excitement. "[These could act as conductors! If we can re energize them and strategically place them around the sanctuaries, they might help maintain the purified zones and possibly extend their influence.]"
Sanvra smiled, pleased with his enthusiasm. "[I also believe these might work]," she added, showing him a set of crystal-like stones in a barrel nearby that shimmered faintly. "[They’re not that special, but they’re native to our deeper mines in this plane. They have a natural affinity for mana absorption and storage.
They could potentially amplify your lightning’s purifying effect if you charge them enough.]"
Lassim held one of the stones, feeling a subtle pull of mana. "[This could be perfect. If we can attach them to the defensive barrier poles somehow, we can then set up a network or a grid to support the cleansed areas. This is great Sanvra!]"
Sanvra nodded, her eyes alight with the possibilities. "[I’ll send my aides to go gather the books and see if there is one of our tribe members that still knows how these functioned. They can help us design and put your idea in place hopefully. With everyone’s help, I believe we can make this work.]"