'Slow down,' I said, trying to temper Luna's enthusiasm. 'We need to figure this out first.'
'Yes, of course… read?' she prompted eagerly.
I flipped back to the start of the explanation on the creation of the Path—actually, you know what? I don't care. I like "Circuits." Circuits System it is.
"You must scar the inner body with the flow of World Force. Carve memory without damaging the Nexus," I read aloud.
'Do you get any of that?' Luna asked, clearly just as lost.
And yeah… same. Who decided to make this sound so poetic? The more I read, the less helpful it seemed. Where was Ironscribe when I needed him? I bet he could dumb this down into a handful of verbal diagrams and some grunting.
"Okay, maybe here."
I continued.
"Creating Tuning Scars consists of deliberately overloading a section of your body with World Force, allowing the pressure to build until slight injury."
'More pain… yippee,' Luna muttered with fake cheer.
"When the first mark, near the Nexus generally, is created, the first connection can be established. With talent or a high level of control, the first scar can be established further away, resulting in more effective transformation in the future."
The next part described a process almost identical to how I'd extended force for my Spiritual Reservoirs.
"The process is delicate. Think of etching shallow grooves into a mirror… without shattering the glass."
I sighed, reading the last bit. That metaphor didn't help much. There were illustrations, some theoretical visualizations, and one literal cracked mirror. Super helpful, thanks.
'This book wasn't worth it. Now I get why everyone looked at you like you dropped a massive opportunity,' Luna said, her tone laced with sarcasm.
Obviously it was useful. Definitely worth it… Anyway.
"Points for Tuning Scars are usually at the body's extremities. Fingers, toes, that kind of thing. But since it's hard to extend energy that far early on, you're supposed to start with the chest and groin."
Huh. That part sounded a lot like the Grand Channel. Still, I was getting excited, especially considering my own advantage.
'No need for you to spread the connection,' Luna quipped. 'You've already got that bit handled.'
I closed the book, satisfied for now with what we'd learned.
'Alright, first up, you,' I said to Luna. 'You should try all three systems. Spiritual Reservoirs, and… wait, do you even have a Nexus?'
She tightened around my wrist, glowing a shade I was pretty sure meant "about to insult me." 'Of course I do. It's just not in my center. It's where my roots and body meet.'
Interesting.
'Okay then. Spiritual Roots, feed your Nexus until little "hairs" sprout, then extend them out.'
'I'm familiar with roots,' she deadpanned, dripping sarcasm. And if she had eyes, I knew they'd be rolling.
'Right. Then Grand Channel, you remember when I explained it to Synthia? Forming those small containers of energy in key areas for quick access?'
'Yep!'
I took a breath. 'And finally, the Tuning Scars. Overloaded points of power. I think you could probably pair it with Body Refinement since they both involve physical stress. But it looks like the scars need to be made through isolated absorption.'
'Cool. Sooo do we try it now?' she asked, clearly ready to go.
I was just about to say yes when a shout from below nearly launched me out of my skin.
"Come get some food!" Marcus. Apparently, dinner was ready.
My stomach growled in response, the blue hue of the sky darkening over the endless sea of trees.
'Food for me?' Luna asked hopefully.
'Eat me,' I replied. Usually that phrase was reserved as an insult but here, it wasn't a joke. 'I'll try to hunt something soon,' I added, softening the tease.
I stepped out through the door and looked down. Yeah, we were way up. A wide canopy stretched out in every direction below, the height making me rethink every decision that led to coming to the treehouse.
Honestly, the lack of an elevator didn't really bother me. I trusted my hands and strength more than I trusted the aging, probably half-decayed organic ropes holding that platform together down below.
Thankfully, the bark had plenty of cracks for grip, and as I dug my fingers in, nothing peeled away. Good sign.
It made for a decent climb, the tree feeling solid under my grip, but it did raise a concern. Marcus had carved a massive hole into this tree. Just how strong was he? 'Luna, can you keep an eye on Marcus? Let me know if you sense any energy fluctuations.'
'I can keep an eye on anything,' she sassed.
I rolled my eyes and started climbing down, half sliding. 'You know what I mean.'
She glowed a soft pink. 'Of course!' she replied, chipper as ever.
When I reached the ground, I was greeted by six wagging tails and a ring of eager eyes. They'd surrounded me, not with hunger, but with expectation. Begging?
'Your blood's flowing faster,' Luna noted, hopefully getting some kind of nutrient boost from the warm fuzzies.
'They're cute,' I said defensively.
I shuffled through the pups, who were only mildly successful in blocking my way. I rubbed a couple of their heads, their coarse fur surprisingly comforting.
A soft chuckle came from Marcus. "Since I won't let them eat you, now they want a share of your food." Unsettling phrasing, but I was just happy not to be dinner.
I saw it, a large stone pot. I had no clue where it came from. Definitely not the treehouse. Maybe he had another stash buried nearby?
And then... water. He made soup.
I looked at him, eyes narrowing in disbelief, and he just smiled, offering me a wooden bowl filled with what could only be described as the nectar of the gods.
I hated to admit it, maybe it was just the starvation speaking, the world's most effective seasoning, but Miss Star, wherever you are… I'm sorry. This already smelled better than anything you'd made.
I'll make it up to her next time I see her.
I took the bowl, and Marcus seemed satisfied, completely unaware that my interest wasn't just the food, but the life-saving water I'd been craving for who knows how long.
"Thank you." I said, staring down into the bowl. Bits of dissolved meat floated alongside fatty remnants from dried strips, all mixed in with chunks of mystery root and fruit. "Is there a water source near here?" I asked, already halfway convinced this soup was made of divine essence.
He nodded, still smiling. "Yeah. I'll show you later. Feel free to grab more from the pot."
The flavor was light, diluted even, but that didn't matter. Like I said, hunger is a hell of a seasoning. "Oooooh SWEET HEAVENS," I groaned, shuddering as the warmth hit my insides. The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Marcus chuckled, rubbing his arm. "Good grief. I've never had anyone react like that to my food."
"Maybe—" I downed another mouthful, barely breathing between slurps, "—you should open a restaurant."
He laughed. "Yeah? Got a name in mind?"
I walked toward the pot, gave him an asking look, and he nodded. I dumped my bowl in and went back for another helping of miracle broth.
"Hmm… maybe 'The Treehouse'?" I offered.
He gave me a blank look, then shook his head. "Close. Tree's gotta be in it, though."
Honestly, I appreciated that he was game for a little back-and-forth myself. After what was must have been ages alone with monster puppies judging by his appearance, conversation must've been rare, and he was handling it well.
'Tree Blood! Name it after food and trees!' Luna chimed in helpfully.
'No.'
'Tell him,' she said with unsettling seriousness.
I sighed and gave in. "How about… Tree Blood?"
Marcus's eyes lit up with dramatic astonishment. "Brilliant."
'LUNA, KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THIS GUY.'
"Yeeeah." I grabbed another bowl and gave up the naming conversation. Those eyes were just too much. I lowered the bowl to the ground, occasionally refilling it for the dogs while shifting gears to more serious matters.
"You've been here a while, have you found anything? Like an exit?"
Marcus froze for a moment, then exhaled, his gaze dropping. "I've walked around the cliff edges, even climbed above. This place... it's like that bowl on the floor. No clear way out."
My stomach sank, but I pressed on. "What about the forest? Anything there?"
"Too dangerous," he said. "Finding this place was a stroke of massive luck."
'So the center of the bowl is more dangerous?' Luna asked.
'The forest is the center, so I guess,' I agreed.
'Before this… I remember glimpses of your memories, my home. That place, it was like a trial to you right?.' She asked.
And it clicked. 'You really do have a good head on you.'
'I don't have a head.'
'You're overusing that,' I warned, but she didn't respond, just glowed a brighter pink in smug satisfaction.
Marcus looked at my wrist. "Looks like your system's not too different from mine. Didn't expect to find another unique class."
I gave a weak, probably too obvious laugh. "Yeah. Small world." I took a shot in the dark. "Tamers like us, ending up in the same place."
He nodded.
"One more thing, if you don't mind," I prompted.
Another nod.
"How'd you get here?"
"My friends and I entered some kind of labyrinth. Things went wrong... I fell through a fissure, they followed." He answered quickly and honestly, I think.
So, another dungeon. Another test. This whole world was starting to feel like one big exam.
"The forest's dangerous, right?" I asked. "But what about deeper in, closer to the center?"
He went still. His expression hardened, eyes narrowing to slits. "Impossible," he said. His voice dropped, cold and quiet. "They all died."
I drew a steady breath, trying to balance sympathy with urgency. "I'm sorry, truly. That must've been hard. But… what if that's the only way out?"
He didn't flinch. Just repeated the word again, like a curse set in stone.
"Impossible."