My silver hand was crafted by the Clockwork Sect. While made of metal and rare materials, it is as alive as the arm that was cleaved from my body. My silver hand can compete with gods, so I fear their ability to create Clockwork men.

~Nuada the Silverhand, First God King

Within the vestige was a simple way to move Qi or mana—the process was universal. It also demonstrated the visual technique to produce a standard shape about the size of a gambler’s die. Included in the content was a chart to determine each crystal’s rank by its color and clarity.

“There are only three grades of crystals?”

“Yes, but there are different ranks. Every rank has a low, mid, and high grade, and they are worth ten of the previous rank. So a Mortal Rank Low-Grade Mana Crystal is the worst Mana Crystal in existence. Ten of them are equivalent to a Mortal Rank Mid-Grade Mana Crystal, and ten of those are high grade.

“What about ranks? What are they, and how do they quantify?”

“I’ve never seen an Earth Rank, but I know one Earth Rank Low-Grade Mana Crystal is worth a thousand Mortal Rank High-Grade Mana Crystals. Don’t even bother thinking about those for now. You can’t even create an Earth Rank crystal without having a Topaz Shield or higher. It has to do with the changes within your Source—it goes through a baptism of sorts beyond the fortieth floor. Truthfully, very few people can create high-grade crystals at all because of the clarity and color. Some mines produce uncut mana stones, and most high-grade crystals come from those.”

“Does the color really hurt clarity?”

“No, but it can hurt the value. If a crystal is like transparent glass, it has no mana affinity and is the easiest to process when you cultivate. The tower likes crystals as currency because they rarely lose value and have next to no inflation. We use them in cultivation, powering airships, and in talents like formations. Here we use gold because there are more mortals than cultivators.

“As far as color goes… The coloring of a crystal comes from the energy used to create it. If there is a Mana Crystal mine in a volcano, then those crystals will probably be red or orange. Its value depends on where you make a trade. A water mana crystal might be worth twice as much in a fire-based realm.”

“Why that cube shape?”

“Easier to stack and count at a glance. No real reason other than that. No point in experimenting because merchants won’t take irregular shapes unless it’s a naturally formed and unrefined Mana Crystal. Everyone that enters the tower receives that vestige as part of their welcome package. Most people don’t bother creating them, though.”

“Isn’t it basically free money?” Crow asked, feeling like he was missing something.

“Hah! I almost feel bad introducing you to this, but the whole reason we are recommending it is to harden yourself to your new reality. I won’t lie, this is going to be like torture for you, and we won’t force you to do this. Luthais said that when he is working on patients, he gives them something to focus on to move past the pain. This is the culmination of that conversation. Focus on creating crystals, train your mind to ignore that pain. People throw this technique away because a mana crystal has a quarter of the mana it takes to create one. You lose seventy-five percent of the energy you used to create it. It is a steep price.”

Gavin stopped talking and held out his hand. Crow sensed the energy fluctuations pulsing through the old man and then saw wisps of mana rising from his palm. More and more threads joined it until it formed a cube. In no time at all, a Mortal Rank Low-Grade Mana Crystal was created. Immediately after it formed, Gavin stopped channeling and pushed the last lingering bits of mana into the cube.

Clink.

The crystal dropped to the table, and Gavin flicked it over to Crow.

Holding the warm object in his hand, he could sense the mana without even activating his mana sense. The crystal was cloudy and had a light green coloring.

“It’s wood mana, something I have a high affinity toward. I can make a mid-grade one, but it takes longer, and you have to continually refine the crystal. Alright, enough of that, your turn. Oh… and before I forget. In the tower, people just call these crystals since any cultivator can make them. Mana, Qi, Hex—all amount to the same thing. By default, a crystal means low-grade. Unless they specify, it is always low grade—everyone knows this, so don’t let anyone play dumb. Now, begin.”

Touching the object with his mana sense, the crystal in his hand melted. Crow didn’t let it move and around and felt that if he removed his mana sense, the crystal would turn solid once more. Allowing the liquid mana freedom, it flowed into his body and rushed toward his Source. Before it could even reach it, Soul Burn rushed out to meet it, devouring it like a hungry wolf slaughtering a lamb. Gasping, he placed his hand on his chest to prevent himself from coughing.

Gavin winced while watching the boy absorb the crystal but said nothing. He was convinced the curse wouldn’t kill the boy, and sympathy or pity isn’t what Crow needed. This was a tough-love scenario, and while he hated telling the boy to suck it up, it felt like the best approach. It kept the anger simmering, and his drive to overcome wouldn’t be overshadowed by the pain.

“Good, now that you understand how it works… make one.”

Crow held out his hand and concentrated on the pattern of moving the energy inside his body. First, he only used his recently opened chakra, but the Qi inside of it was limited. Practicing allowed him to find the correct pattern through his body. It was necessary to limit the duration he drew upon his Source. After several cycles of using Qi, he felt more comfortable with the process.

Subconsciously, he was using the breathing methods that the Song sisters taught him, and it helped keep him centered. He took a few deep breaths to pump himself up and then opened up his Source to unleash the black fire. Because he cultivated those flames, they were pulled along with the Source energy. The pain numbed him into a semi-meditative state, and most of his conscious thought was focused on keeping Soul Burn under control.

Compared to his nearly clear Qi, the wisps of Source energy that rose from his palm were like black smoke. After it entered the congealing point, it burned away the impurities. It now looked like clear black glass. The clarity was remarkable, and the shape nearly solidified the moment the Source energy entered it. Feeling it was time, he sealed off his Source and let the last bit of mana flow into the crystal while cycling the Qi to soothe his swollen meridians.

Crow’s focus dwindled because of his depleted energy. It became a struggle to force his mind to visualize the cube shape needed to form the crystal. His eyes blurred, so when he finally released everything, including his mana sense, both his hand and the crystal fell to the table.

Clink.

Startled out of his trance-like state by the sound, he looked down at the crystal. Grabbing it, the heat was a bit fierce but manageable. Holding it to the light, he expected the crystal to be cloudy—like looking at clouds in a night sky, but it wasn’t. Despite the black coloring, it was transparent and extremely clear. Something wasn’t right.

“Is… this a Mana Crystal?”

Gavin reached over and took the offered crystal from Crow. The moment his fingers touched it, he almost dropped it. “Hell’s balls, son! Is the fire in your body that tyrannical?”

“It has my Soul Burn in there?”

“Yes. Damn near burned my hand. I don’t even know what to do with that. But one thing is for sure, this might be more valuable than a mid-grade crystal.”

“Why?”

“Ignoring the purity for the moment, any cultivator leaning toward a fire affinity would—hmm. I would say they’d benefit from it, but this might be too tyrannical for most. Either way, just having it around would help their comprehension of fire. I’m even more convinced you need to learn formations, especially any of them that use the aspect of fire. These crystals would magnify those formations tremendously.”

“Can I ask you a non-related question?”

“Always,” Gavin said, still staring at the mana stone.

“Why is everything about defying the heavens?”

Gavin chuckled. “Boy, that is a question that has no short answer. The shortest and most direct answer I can give you is that the heavens control this world’s truths. If you want to harness that level of power, you must fight the heavens for it. There is no history recorded on this, but every clan across all continents has legends about breaking through the heavens’ barrier. I know one thing, the heavens are jealous of anyone that has the potential to overcome it. It will stop at nothing to destroy those who openly defy or taunt it. But it too must abide by its own rules.”

“And our ancestors believed deviants were the key to breaking through this barrier?”

“Correct. It was something they could never prove, or at least if they did, we don’t have any evidence of it.”

“Is that why our order is in its current shape? The heavens struck us down?”

“Maybe. The hand wielding the sword that struck us down was human, but it’s likely the heavens played a role too. In fact, it would make the most sense if they did. But don’t worry about these things. You have a long way to go before you have to face those trials. First, let’s work on getting you over your current calamity.”

Crow nodded, and while he recovered his energy, he started reading through the book on formations.

Gavin watched the boy and inwardly frowned. He wanted the kid to succeed, but based on what he saw in the black mana crystal, he was less sure about his chances of success. Forming a Shield opened a vortex that absorbed all mana surrounding the cultivator—the more powerful the cultivator, the larger the vortex needed. Crow was powerful before, and it was likely those flames were part of his power now. It was impossible to judge Crow with standard means. It was a lot of power entering his body, and Soul Burn would explode like an inferno. Gavin decided to shelve that thought. It wasn’t helping.

“Alright, this old man has some tasks to take care of, so I’ll let you explore for the remaining time. And I’m going to keep this crystal. I want to run this by an elder who has oddly spent time studying Soul Burn. Those formations in Sweet Onion, he based some of them off that curse. Maybe he’ll have an idea that can help.”

Crow nodded and wandered off.

Gavin left the workshop and thinking about the best way to teach Crow about formations—Sigils!

“Would that works?” Gavin muttered to himself before changing course and told the Librarian to load the central column with all books related to sigils. Not even bothering to find a table, he sat down in front of the shelf and paged through book after book. His mind was more focused than it had been in years, and an idea was forming. He remained there all night, and Crow didn’t disturb him when he left. It didn’t mean he didn’t peak at the books the old man was reading.

Crow found Gavin in the workshop the next day. A barrier around the station he was at didn’t allow him entry. The Librarian handed him several books on formations. While taking the books, he called out to Arawn but got no response.

The workshop’s atmosphere was to Crow’s liking, so he made himself comfortable at the formations station, which was right across from whatever Gavin was doing.

Seeing Gavin’s disheveled appearance and books were strewn across any surface that could hold one, Crow was more curious than ever. Another day after that, one of the elders asked him if he’d seen Gavin; Crow helplessly delivered a mumbled message about research. Several more days went by, and still, Gavin remained locked in his station.

Grandpa Niall had even heard about Gavin’s seclusion and came all the way from the ancestral grounds to check on the eccentric elder. Niall naturally knew what Gavin was researching once he entered the workshop.

Seeing his grandpa’s eyes light up, Crow felt something strange was going on.

“What is he doing?” Crow finally asked, unable to help himself.

“Grandson, keep studying whatever it is he told you to do. It might be some time before he comes out of there. I’ve only seen him this way one other time in the last hundred years, and his discoveries were enough to shock all of Oiche,” Niall said, not really giving him an answer. “Mugna has asked for you, so why haven’t you visited him?”

“I… forgot,” Crow said sheepishly. “I was going to go last week, but then teacher went into seclusion, and I’ve been staying in here during my spare time waiting on him.”

Niall sighed. “Sometimes you shock me with all that you accomplish, and then I’m reminded you are still a young idiot. Get your ass to Mugna. Now.”

Crow grinned and nodded before turning and leaving. Plagued by nightmares, struggling with an impossible cultivation method, not sleeping, and struggling daily, he still felt a level of optimism. Hope was strange. Crow wasn’t clueless and knew his chance of succeeding was slim, but every time he wavered, someone was there to support him. They gave him the courage to continue and were the source of his hope.