Chapter: 551 – It’s Actually Reality Iron

Tala took a deep breath, locking eyes with Eskau Meallain. “Reforging.”

The elf nodded, leaning in slightly, even as she continued her manipulation of the white steel.

“The basic premise, as I understand it, is to remake yourself fully as you choose, with material you already have authority over, so that your physical form, at every level, is completely under your own authority. It seems to be a sort of ultimate statement of autonomy? It at least seems to lean that way, based on what we’ve heard from those who have succeeded. Though it does seem that it is not always so, and likely not truly perfectly.”

Eskau Meallain frowned, seemingly latching onto one specific point. “What do you mean, using material you already have authority over?”

Tala nodded, giving a small smile. “That’s one thing that seems to vary incredibly from person to person. Apparently, some people buy farms, so that all the food they eat will be theirs at every level. Some go further, and grow their food within their soulbound dimensional spaces, thus making it even more ‘theirs’ than simply owning the farm. I’m told that some people Reforge almost instantly, which means that it isn’t required to totally change out one’s body. Though, I know of one, personally, who remade himself into pure light, thus Reforging himself in material of his own, magical creation. Since his magic came though his gate, and is his unequivocally…” She shrugged. “I supposed that isn’t the best counter example.”

“That’s… a jumbled mess.”

She huffed a laugh. “You’re not wrong. But tell me then, how do you achieve the same level of advancement? Revered, right?”

The book on arcane advancement that she’d memorized before giving it to Thron had been less than helpful. It likened everything to the sun, or fire, or light, and tried to make her imagine herself as a plant of various kinds…

She hoped that the explanation that she was about to get would be more understandable.

Eskau Meallain nodded. “That’s right. The basic concept is the ability to draw in and retain magic of a certain level, but that would just be arbitrary, if there weren’t a meaning to that level.”

Tala grunted. “I’m listening.”

“First, each threshold purifies the body somewhat. The reason why is pretty obvious. The impurities are a hallmark of Reality, and Magic and Reality are in opposition. Thus, as the concentration of Magic reaches sufficient levels, it squeezes the Reality out of you.”

“So… why in stages? Why not get a little more purification for every bit of extra power that you have?”

“It was explained to me as being like friction. There is a level of ‘force’ required to get it moving, then that same level of force continues to push until the object is out of reach, and therefore, the object stops once more.”

“So, a quicker infusion of power will cause more purification?”

“In some ways, yes, but the best is a slow, steady increase, calibrated and regulated to keep a steady rate for the release of impurities. This might end with a bit less impurity being expunged, but it is easier on the body and results in a more stable advancement.”

Tala blinked a few times at the other woman, then groaned. “That… that makes too much sense…”

The elf chuckled. “Well, now you know.”

Tala frowned then. “But wait, that doesn’t explain the tiering then. If you can expunge impurities even when not switching tiers, or continue to purify and end not at a specific tier, how are they related?”

Eskau Meallain shrugged. “You can think of it, then, as the amount of magic-moving muscle a person’s will has, as that is dependent on magical density, that explains why it degrades as power is used.”

“But why the delineations? What’s special about being barely Revered versus at the top of Honored? Just a little bit of power?”

She shook her head. “Yes and no. That’s sort of like asking ‘what’s the difference between about-to-melt ice and about-to-freeze water? Just a little bit of temperature?’ Sure, that’s true and all, but there is a qualitative hurdle, which results in a quantitative difference.”

“So… power at that density is in a different state?”

“That’s a reasonable way to consider it. It’s actually one thing your Talons will have to overcome. Each density of power responds slightly differently, and trying to pretend they are all the same increases inefficiencies and drastically reduces capability.”

Tala gave her a blank look. “What now?”

The other Eskau sighed. “This is yet another difference between gated and non-gated. You are married to your power as only Sovereigns are among the non-gated. We lesser beings”—she said the last with a mocking tone—“have to first catch the interest of our magic, then draw him in, then woo him, and so on. At each stage of the relationship, we must act differently in order to maintain and improve our interactions. If I went up to a random man and treated him as if we were married, it likely wouldn’t go well.”

“So… in the analogy when you drop down a tier in density…?”

“We’ve begun to drift apart, and I must entice him back.”

Tala huffed a laugh. “And you entice magic… how?”

“It depends on what stage you’re in.” Eskau Meallain winked, then she sobered slightly. “But the analogy breaks down a bit there, as we don’t actually entice. We grab ahold and bend power to our will. It simply requires slightly different techniques to do so to best effect at each advancement. That is likely one of the greatest distinctions between the levels of advancement.”

Tala found herself nodding. “So, how should a Revered handle her power?”

“A Revered’s power should revere her. That’s one of the origins of the name. A Child must beg, wheedle, follow strict rules, and hope that magic does what she wants. One who is Mature can petition power to do as she wishes. An Elder has far greater influence. One who is Honored can be assured of getting their way almost all the time, if they are so crass as to demand such a thing. Revered? Obedience is a matter of course. It isn’t expected, it just happens.” She grinned then. “Hallowed though? To be Hallowed is to have power, itself, strive to meet your desires without you doing anything more than simply having them.”

She sighed. “That’s a wonderful metaphor, and likely a very nice way of conceptualizing the difference, but what does it mean?”

“We have likely landed on one of the primary stumbling blocks for human gateless. It is a nice way of conceptualizing it, because it’s a matter of concepts.” Eskau Meallain grimaced, then sighed. “Maybe a demonstration would be useful. May I have leave to draw in power up to Revered?”

Tala gave her a flat look. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely. In this space, you could strip me of power in an instant. I’m no threat to you, especially with you right beside me. That won’t be required though. I will relinquish the power after my demonstration.”

She narrowed her eyes at the far older woman. “Very well.”

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-I’ll be keeping a close eye as well.-

Thank you.

Eskau Meallain closed her eyes, setting her white steel to the side. “Watch closely.”

Then, in seeming opposition to what she’d implied, she emptied herself of power completely.

“Funnily enough, the emptying of oneself in a power-rich environment is being child-like as well.”

And oddly enough, Tala could see it. The elf’s aura almost felt like it was throwing a tantrum… of sorts. No, it’s more like a child pushing away food it doesn’t want to eat…

In short, it was an odd rejection of a purely good thing. The very power around the woman seemed to tremble in… confusion? More like the water of a small stream rippling when something suddenly dammed it up.

Within a moment, Eskau Meallain was completely empty. “If you would, lower the amount of power that is in the zeme in my immediate area to just below the next threshold. So, now, please make it Child level. Once I cross the line, raise it to Mature, and so on.”

Tala grunted agreement, the zeme around the elf fluctuating at Tala’s will.

“That’s still so incredible, that you have this level of control.”

She smiled but didn’t reply further.

Then, Eskau Meallain’s aura changed. Rather than pushing power out and away, it settled to a rest, simply accepting the power that was trying to come in. It didn’t get her to Child level as Tala had lowered the density, but she did instantly match the offered power.

At that point, her aura shifted again, feeling like it was beckoning, and to Tala’s surprise, Eskau Meallain immediately crossed the threshold to Child, surpassing the power density around herself.