“Welcome back,” Kyle says. “How did your matches go today?”

“You didn’t watch?” I ask.

“I’ll watch you,” he says. “Once you reach Floor 200. At that point, I’ll watch to see how you fight with your Aura. Did you notice anything, when you stepped into the arenas today?”

“I couldn’t sense my Aura or Mana,” I nod.

“Same,” Tyler says. “We found it odd.”

“The god that created the Towers,” Kyle says. “Crafted the arenas to negate anything that isn’t allowed. Were you to wear a protection charm into any arena, it would have no effect, even in the Tower of Magic, where magic is used. You’ll find magic is completely negated in the Tower of Aura’s arenas, even in the upper levels.

“Today,” Kyle says. “I’ll introduce the two of you to the different types of Aura and magic. Aura has six types, while magic has seven.”

“Why do they have two different amounts?” I ask.

“No one knows,” he shrugs. “But to be honest, we can’t think of a way to improve it.

“For Mana,” he begins writing on the board, drawing two hexagons on opposite sides of the board. “There is Light,” he writes that at the top notch of the hexagon on the right, then goes clockwise. “Water, Stone, Shadow, Air, Fire, and in the center,” he writes in the center. “Specialist.

“For Aura,” he begins in the lower-left notch, ignoring the bottom one and moving clockwise. “There is Manipulator, Transmuter, Enhancer, Emitter, Conjurer, and then Specialist.”

This feels like something I saw in an anime once, but I can’t place it. The part about Aura, not magic. That one feels… weird, to me. Like a mix of things. Why is Specialist in the middle of one, but at the bottom of the other?

“Why is Specialist in the middle of magic,” Tyler asks. “But at the bottom of Aura?”

“No one knows,” Kyle shrugs, looking at us. “You have the greatest affinity for one of the notches, with an eighty-percent affinity for those next to it, forty for those next to those, and twenty for the one opposite. However, you can’t simply learn Specialist techniques. With Aura, Manipulators and Conjurers have the highest chance of becoming a Specialist, while with magic, no one does. However, in both cases, this is extremely rare.”

“What class do you fall into?” Tyler and I ask.

“I am a Specialist in both,” Kyle answers. “However, I am also a master in either, and started off as an Emitter for Aura and a Stone for magic. My status as Specialist comes from mastering both and learning to manipulate them on advanced levels. It’s a fair bit more complicated than that, but-”

“How do you know what type you fall into?” We ask, and Kyle sighs.

“We can test for that,” he says. “Once you reach Floor 200. For now, it’s better to focus on meditation, so you can strengthen your will, and pushing your Pools to their limits so that they increase, as well as you gain greater control over it.

“To do this,” he says. “You will use Shroud, massively increasing the amount of it surrounding you. Eventually, you will learn Enfold, which, instead of just surrounding you with immense amounts of it, holds it around you in a form, rather than just emitting it.”

Isn’t that what we did when we learned Shroud, though?

“The reason for this,” he says. “Is that it takes one hour of being able to hold it outside of combat to be able to hold it for a single minute inside of combat. How long you can hold it depends on your Shroud and Enfold Skill Levels, as well as the size of your Pools. Using Shroud and holding it until you’re too exhausted to continue, your Aura or Mana entirely used up, is the best way to increase their Pools.”

“So how do you test for it?” We ask again.

Kyle sighs, then walks into the kitchen. A cabinet opens, then closes, then a moment later, the sink turns on. He returns with a wineglass filled with water, and sets it down on the coffee table.

“Put your hands to either side,” he instructs. “Then use Shroud. However, because you two are in the Tower of Aura, use Mana Shroud?”

“Why?”

“Because you two were pestering me to test,” he answers. “As a result, I am forbidding you from attempting to learn your natural Aura types,” he looks like he has thoughts on what they are, judging by the look in his eyes. “For three months. Yes, you’ll hit Floor 200 before then, and yes, starting to develop your own technique will help you, but it isn’t necessary, as the basics will, quite often, suffice in the Tower, and you’ll only do one or two battles in that time, unless you’re rushing, since you have two months from when you register to start your next fight, there.

“For magic,” he says. “There are six standard reactions. Anything outside of them denotes a Specialist. For Aura, it’s five. The six responses for magic are: evaporation for Fire, movement for Air, dirt particles forming within for Stone, increased water level for Water, a glow for Light, and darkening without particles for Shadow. Tyler, with what you are, I already know what your response will be. It’s indicative of Water, despite being different. It’s a ‘rare’ different effect for an element. Only do this if you’d like Colt to know.”

“Colt’s my best friend,” Tyler stands and walks to the table, placing both hands to the sides of the glass. “I don’t care if he knows.”

Tyler begins to emit a violet fog all around him, and the water takes on a very, very pale red hue to it.

“That’s… representative of it?” Tyler looks at Kyle in shock, and Kyle’s on face is showing shock as well, his eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

“I think we broke him,” I say. “Too many shocking things.”

“No,” Kyle says. “That is not representative of your people’s talents. That was the water turning to blood, a Specialist affinity.”

Kyle picks up the glass and returns to the kitchen, washing it out and filling it with more water, then setting it down and looking at me.

“With how shocking you two are,” he says. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you were a Specialist as well.”

I approach the table and place my hands to either side of the glass, then activate Shroud, allowing my Mana to flow around me. I barely notice a difference, but can’t tell what happened. The moment I stop Shroud, the difference is gone.

“I couldn’t tell what happened,” I say.

“Same,” Tyler says. “And I was looking as hard as I could, too.”

“Specialist,” Kyle sighs, plopping himself onto the couch. “You two are, more likely than not, going to be Aura Specialists as well, at this rate, though your people, Tyler, are typically Transmuters, capable of transforming their aura into that.”

“So what was my effect?” I ask.

“We can get into that,” Kyle responds. “Once it actually matters.

“But I want to-”

“Later,” Kyle rubs his temples. “Use Aura Shroud, and bring it to the maximum that you can without fainting. Hold it there for as long as you can. Remember – Shroud isn’t you shaping your Aura, nor is it you containing it. You are surrounding yourself with it.”

Tyler and I both stand, and I begin to use Shroud, surrounding myself with Aura. I can’t believe he won’t tell me what my Specialist Magic is. He told Tyler his. That’s not very fair!

Taking a deep breath, I return to focusing on Shroud, increasing it to the point that my vision starts to turn blurry, and black spots start to appear. My head starts to hurt, too. At the same time I do that, Tyler does, too.

___________________________________________________________________________________

(Tyler)

Why didn’t Kyle tell Colt what his Specialist Magic was? He even told me mine, and mine’s Blood Magic.

I bring my Shroud up to as high as I can, just barely getting blurry vision and black spots, and feel Colt do the same. His Aura is agitated, and he’s probably bothered by not being told what his Specialist Magic is. I would be, if I were him.

I’m also very, very tempted to find out what my Aura aligns to, even though Kyle forbid us from learning it.

After probably ten minutes or so (though honestly, Colt would probably be way better at telling it than me, and I’m probably off a fair bit), my Aura runs out, and my vision goes black. When I come to, Colt’s sitting on the couch, grinning at me.

“I recovered faster!” He sticks his tongue out, and I laugh, then ask where Kyle is. “In the kitchen, cooking dinner.”

I sniff the air. Smells like steaks and potatoes.

“Steak and potatoes,” Colt says, confirming that. “Garlic and butter in the potatoes, and I don’t know the smells for the herbs he put in the steaks. There are also rolls in the oven.”

“How long ago did you wake up?” I ask.

“About ten minutes ago,” he sticks his tongue out at me again.

“You both passed out at the same time, though,” Kyle says from the kitchen, and Colt giggles. “And I can’t figure out what Colt finds so funny.”

Colt giggles again, then points at the wineglass – which is still sitting on the table. My Aura has restored to full, and on top of that, it’s increased to almost twenty. It went up by sixteen total points. That’s… incredible. I wonder what my Mana would go up by, if I did that.

Wait – is Colt saying what I think he’s saying?

I grin at him, then walk over to the table and place both hands by the cup, using Aura Shroud. Nothing happens. Colt giggles again, then I hear Kyle returning, so quickly switch to Mana Shroud, watching as the water turns pink again, holding it for a few moments, then grinning at Kyle.

“Just making the water pink!” I tell him, and Colt cracks up laughing.

“Sure,” Kyle grabs the wineglass, then stares into it. He dips a finger in, then puts the finger in his mouth, frowning as he pulls his finger out, licking his lips a few times. “That’s odd.”

“Well, it’d taste like blood,” I say. “You did say I was turning it to blood.”

“No, not that,” he frowns, looking at me, then at Colt. “Did one of you use Aura Shroud on this glass?”

Colt stops giggling, and I freeze up. How did he know?

Transmuter… does it change the taste of the water?

“You both did,” Kyle realizes. “I told you both not to do that.”

“You can’t expect us to not try!” Colt blurts out. “And besides, it’s not like you’d tell me what my Magic Specialist was, anyway!”

“You both did?” He frowns, then leaves, returning a moment later with two wineglasses with water. “Both of you – Aura Shroud. Now.”

He seems very, very serious, so we each do it to the wineglass he indicated. He tastes each water, frowning as he does.

“Nothing,” he says. “But then why…”

He goes back into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a fourth wineglass filled with water, setting it down.

“Both of you,” he says. “Aura Shroud. Same time.”

Colt and I put a hand to either side of the glass, and Kyle mutters something with ‘of course’. We both use Aura Shroud, and when we finish, Kyle tastes the water. His eyes widen, and he looks at the two of us.

“The two of you meeting,” he says. “Was by the design of a god. I should’ve realized it, the moment you two proved to have 5 Talent for both.”

“Wh-wh-wh-what do you mean?” Colt suddenly looks scared. The kid who doesn’t bow to gods, scared of having a god manipulate him? “Why would you think a god would do this? What god?”

“I don’t know,” Kyle answers. “And I don’t know. I can’t think of a god who would know Talents and traits before they’re awakened. None of them do, as far as I’m aware.”

Colt’s clearly scared. He knows a god who can, doesn’t he?

“Both of you,” Kyle looks between us. “Taste the water.”

Colt and I do, and the moment I touch the water, a sense of power forms in it. Not a strong one – just barely noticeable, but it’s there. When I taste it, I feel my Aura grow stronger, if only for a moment.

“Now taste the separate waters,” Kyle instructs, and we do. Nothing. “Notice a difference?”

“The one we did together,” Colt says. “It enhanced my Aura, just a little bit, when I tasted it.”

“Same,” I say.

“Your Auras,” he says. “Work in sync with each other. I’ve only heard of this in myths. Synergystic Aura is a powerful thing. It’s a Specialist Ability, though you both likely have another you can wield.”

“It works together?” Colt asks.

“Yes,” Kyle nods. “The two of you can combine your Aura to create an even more powerful effect. However, I don’t want either of you to attempt it until your Aura is at least twenty thousand.”

“Why?” We both ask.

“Safety,” Kyle answers. “You’ll have greater control at that point, and you’ll have begun to develop your own abilities and techniques with Aura. For now, you should focus on increasing how much Aura you have. Once you reach Floor 200, we can begin working on different forms of using it – the basics, no other techniques.”

“Got it,” we say.

“Now behave,” he gives each of us a stern glare. “And next time I say ‘don’t do something’, don’t.”

“Yes, sir!” We salute to him, and he sighs, then returns to the kitchen, and we grin at each other.

“Why’d you look scared?” I ask Colt, and he looks confused. “When Kyle mentioned a god probably interfered.”

“I know a god,” Colt answers. “He sent me here. He told me I’d be making a friend. He was pretty insistent that I leave then. I think… I think he knew about you, and wanted me to meet you. I also think he knows about our Auras and their synertistatic state.”

“Synergystic!” Kyle calls from the kitchen. “And while we eat, you’re going to tell me who this god is.”

Colt looks down, his usual smile gone, and I feel bad for him.

Kyle serves us dinner, and we start eating, the room completely silent, apart from our forks and knives hitting each other and the plates. After a few minutes, Kyle asks Colt about the god.

Reluctantly, Colt tells about Tyr, the God of Fun and Games who created the System because he wanted to have fun, and is a fan of all things fun. Colt loves fun things, too, so I can see why Tyr likes him. From the way he talks about Tyr, it’s like Tyr was his best friend or little brother, to him. I want to meet him and play games with him.

While talking, Colt reveals that Tyr pulled him here from another world, where the System didn’t exist, and as far as he knew, magic and aura didn’t, though there were stories that had it. He tells us about how his family ignored him and kept secrets from him, and how kids at school made fun of him, and how he was a lot shorter and skinnier when Tyr brought him here.

He definitely has grown a few inches the few months we’ve known each other, and he’s got a healthy appetite, too. I bet he’s making up for all the lack of food from before.

“Is that why you didn’t bow to the gods?” I ask him. “Because you serve Tyr, and he took you away from that abusive family?”

“No,” Colt shakes his head. “Tyr said that those who have moved between worlds can’t sense Divine Presences. To me, the gods seem like they’re just people. The only reason I’d know they’re not is because people are bowing to them out of fear and awe. The gods I did encounter were looking for Tyr – they probably thought that he’d come here, when his airship came here, and were looking for him, probably thinking he’d concealed his presence or something. That street seemed to be the last place they could find him, though.”

“I heard,” Kyle says. “That they looked at someone who didn’t bow, then left. Now that I know why the person who didn’t bow did, I think I know.”

“Really?” Colt looks at him. “It’s been bugging me for awhile.”

Bugging? What’s that supposed to mean?

“Odds are,” he says. “They knew that you didn’t sense their divinity, and know what the circumstances are for that. Add on to that the presence of a god of games, and they probably deduced that they’d sensed your arrival. Most gods wouldn’t care in the slightest if a follower of Tyr ignored them or downright disrespected him.”

“I thought you didn’t know of him?” Colt asks.

“I knew his name,” Kyle shakes his head. “I didn’t know he was a god – I assumed he was simply a magician or an Aura user of great power. The gods have always been respectful of him, and some have even expressed fear of him. I know the Elementals like playing with him, and that he’s got a kingdom somewhere in the world that no one can enter without passing through many puzzles and games, and that even the gods themselves can’t get through them.”

“Oh,” Colt says. “He’s a god. I think. He pulled me from my own world to here, at any rate. He doesn’t like things that aren’t fun. I’m not having fun right now, either.”

Colt puts his fork and knife down, then looks at me.

“I’m heading back to the Tower,” he says. “Going to turn in early for the night.”

“I’ll go with you, too,” I say. My appetite’s kind of gone. “I’m not very hungry anymore.”

Colt and I bid Kyle farewell, then begin to make our way back to the Tower. As we’re walking, a woman approaches us, and I sense Colt’s annoyance bloodlust. It’s been months, and people are still in a tizzy about him not showing gods proper respect. She looks annoyed, and so is probably one of them.

“Tyler,” she looks at me. “There’s some guy asking around town for you. We sent him to the Tower, but you weren’t there, and so he’s back to asking around. He seems desperate, and he’s covered in blood. I’d suggest you tell your family to look like proper people, even if the company you keep isn’t respectable.”

She gives Colt a glare, then walks past us.

A moment later, I hear a shlick!, and Colt’s gone. I turn to find him breathing heavily, his hand in her back, his eyes widened in shock and horror.