Reward Chosen: Life.

[Mana-Life Conversion] Acquired.

Gained the Lesser Core Skill: [Life Essence Manipulation I].

The thought-light flickered, revealing my current status.

Name: Paradox

Species: Snake, Ouroboros

Major Title: [The Snake That Eats Its Own Tail]

Minor Titles: [Minor Mana Core] [Venomous Retribution] [Touched By Fire] [Little Guardian]

Innate Traits: [Venomous II]

Blooded Traits: [Paralyzing Venom IV] [Poisonous Blood III] [Illusion Spark IV] [Clinging Grasp III] [Sound Shaping VII] [Chains Of The Creator I] [Anticoagulant IV]

Resistances: [Piercing Resistance - Intermediate I] [Venom Resistance - Intermediate II]

Level: 30

Trait Points: 4

Core Skills: [The Endless Cycle] [Chrono Fire]

Lesser Core Skills: [Mana Manipulation XI] [Mana Venom X] [Mana Fire IV] [Little Guardian’s Totem XXI] [Life Essence Manipulation I]

Level Rewards: [Traveler] [Mana-Life Conversion]

Description: A growing Ouroboros, symbol of the eternal.

The flames of [Chrono Fire] continued to dance around me; the battle, too, raged on. I ignored all of it, deep inside the protective embrace of [Chrono Fire]’s slow-spot. Instead, I focused inwards.

[Mana-Life Conversion], given by the most recent of the Great Core’s blessings, was the ability to alter the nature of my mana. With it, I could transform mana. Supposedly, combined with[Life Essence Manipulation I], I would be able to fuel multiple abilities.

As of right now, I didn’t know how to do any of it.

Actually, I didn’t have the mana to do any of it, even if I wanted to. Which I did.

I hissed with displeasure, rebuffing another of Tiamat’s attempts at invading my mind with more force than strictly necessary. I had grown more used to her constant demands, less indignant though no less forgiving, but I was already in a poor mood.

Because, somewhere nearby, one of my Coreless’ Totems had begun to cry out.

The emotions that flared across the links weren’t always the same, when a Coreless was faced with death. Sometimes it was [DESPAIR], sometimes it was [TERROR], or [HORROR], [GRIEF], [DESPERATION] - a swarm of emotions that screamed at me, nearly impossible to ignore. Other times it was [relief], [exhaustion], or [acceptance] - muted emotions that were more whispers than they were screams.

I had come to recognize them all.

Slowly, a drop of mana returned to me. It dripped into the empty pool that was my mana core, finding its rest at the bottom.

I seized it. I twisted it, but the tiny droplet resisted the change. Even with [Mana-Life Conversion], even in such a small quantity, it seemed that mana did not like being told what to do.

Despite my agitated state of mind, I gave up on trying to force the issue. Instead, I let myself slip into the calmness of my mind-nest. The Great Core’s light washed over me, drowning out the [SUBMIT] of Tiamat, washing away the [FEAR] and [DESPERATION] and [acceptance] of my Coreless.

My mind calmed, soothed by the image of the Great Core that I kept within my mind-nest.

In that moment of calm, the droplet of mana changed. It twisted upon itself in a way that I couldn’t quite track or understand, shifting states as [Mana-Life Conversion] transformed it into something new.

A heartbeat later, a drop of life essence rested inside my mana core.

I exited the boundaries of [Chrono Fire] just as the battle came to a close. The last of the bad-things twitched in its final death throes, the slash of a Coreless’ ore-flesh fang having gouged a great furrow from its throat. Blood seeped out from the wound, trailing across the stone to meet the blood of others.

I followed one of those trails to its source.

A Coreless lay down, holding a hand to his side. Blood spilled from between his fingers in small rivers, puddling underneath him and soaking his skin. The other hand clutched a small carving to his chest, faint mana-light spilling from the gaps.

He leaked with [surprise] and [regret].

A number of Coreless clustered themselves around him, some sporting bloody wounds of their own - but none so deadly as this one. Many of those, too, pressed fingers against their totems. I wasn’t sure that they even noticed.

They spoke to one another; some in soft hisses, others in loud shouts. I ignored it all, slithering closer to the dying Coreless.

My dying Coreless - one of many, over the recent days.

The Coreless barely noticed my approach; his listless eyes stared out at the world around him, unseeing.

As I reached his side, another droplet of mana returned.

I plunged into my mind-nest, into the calming influence of the Great Core’s light. The Coreless’ emotions still screamed at me, pressing against my senses, but the light kept them distant.

In that calm, [Mana-Life Conversion] activated again.

A new drop of life essence formed.

Blood continued to run through the Coreless’ fingers; his skin paled, and the fingers around his [Little Guardian’s Totem] began to loosen. His emotions grew more distant. Faded.

Dying.

There was no time to think. I wished that there was. I may have received [Life Essence Manipulation I], but - just like with [Mana Manipulation XI] - being able to manipulate the life essence was only the first step.

I still needed to direct it. I needed to create a skill. And I needed to do it quickly.

And so, despite not knowing what I was doing, despite only having two drops of life essence at the ready, I sunk my fangs into the Coreless’ side; I ignored the flashes of [surprise] from around me. The other Coreless stayed back, trusting that I wasn’t attacking him - or maybe realizing that it didn’t matter if I was. The wounded Coreless was already dying, with or without me.

I pulled the drops from my core; like venom, the tiny beads of life dribbled down the hollows in my fangs. They spilled towards the dying Coreless’ veins. Unlike venom, they did not inflict injury. Instead, they gave life.

Gained the Lesser Core Skill: [Life - Invigorating Bite I].

The dying Coreless let out a gasp as the life essence dripped down. Beside me, the rivers of blood slowed slightly. His other hand tightened around [Little Guardian’s Totem] that hung from his neck, their strength marginally renewed. His eyes gained a little more life.

But just a little.

Two drops was far from enough, and I could tell that [Life - Invigorating Bite I] was not quite what I needed. It was crude. It was healing, yes - but it was also strength, speed, and many other things. It was unfocused.

With as little life essence as I had to spare, I needed something better.

I didn’t have time to create it.

By the time another drop of mana returned and a drop of life essence replaced it, the Coreless was already dead. I had already failed. His Totem fell silent; his hand fell from his side.

I bit down again, sending that too-late drop of life essence into his body. I watched as the wound closed itself a little more - far too slowly to have ever been able to save him.

A few drops of life essence would never have been enough.

Still, as my mana continued to slowly return, I bit down again and again. The wound knit itself together again. The Coreless was already dead.

Someone picked me up; I didn’t look around to see who. Around me, [Little Guardian’s Totem] after [Little Guardian’s Totem] hissed the Coreless’ [grief]; I sensed their stifled [disappointment] and [loss].

I think, after the wound had begun to close, they thought that I still had a chance to save him.

Maybe I did, too.

Emotions bled into me through the links, a near-match for my own. I didn’t know the thoughts that slithered behind them, but the emotions were something that I knew well. Elsewhere in the World Dungeon, the wayward group of Coreless found their targets - found the dead. They, too, resonated against my [regret].

Unable to stand it any more, I threw myself into the safety of my mind-nest as the world moved around me. I lost myself in the light of the Great Core, pretending that the warmth wasn’t only created by my mind.

That it was real.

It was hard, sometimes, being the Great Core’s Champion - being responsible for so many disciples’ lives.

It was hard, sometimes.