What happened next was a strange juxtaposition of competing energies. On one hand, he saw the floating light flare brighter, the energy within his aura dip. He could feel as it almost literally sucked away his power, empowering the creature. At the same time, he felt unvarnished Tower energy - the portions of it that still were part of his body, his Yin Aura, the technique - attack the creature. Tearing at it.
Competing energies, both of them flickering back and forth till his aura, put under unusual strain from it all, collapsed. Moments later, the ghostly light brightened even further and then, to Arthur's surprise, disappeared.
"What in the hundred hellls?"
No answer, but he was not waiting around to figure it all the way out. Two more of the ghosts impacted his body, flowed into him, freezing buttock and right chest. It made him groan, his lung straining for a second before warmth rushed in from the heart and dantian to cover it. Good to know his body automatically safeguarded the most important parts.
Could he maybe use what he knew about the Energy Dart, the way he could form it anywhere and make it part of his Aura? He had not tried it, because he had always been focused on other options. The energy of the dart, the way it had been created was so different too. Not a steady state form of energy but more explosive.
It was why the Exploding Energy Dart was so easy to create. And why creating a weapon wasn't.
Not the time to experiment.
Instead he pushed his Yin Aura out. He had a feeling what had happened was a matter of stability, that the ghosts - weak as they were - could not handle the full influx of Yin Aura. He was empowering them, but the same Tower energy was also hurting them, destabilizing them. Then, the absence of more Yin energy was enough to cause them to fail.
So, all he had to do was pulse his aura.
Not too fast though, otherwise they would just suck it all up and not be hurt. Not too slow, or else his control would fail. Energy expanded around him in a sphere, a sphere that he made easier to manage by crouching down, hugging his body close. The aura swept out, a globe of energy that he swore was purple but might just be his imagination.
It flared bright at multiple spots, coming into contact with the ghost. His control of the aura churned and twisted, buckling in his mind and spirit and he fought to keep it smooth. To keep feeding energy into it, desperate to not lose it all before enough of the Tower energy had cracked these creatures apart.
He tried not to let the aura flow out too far, tried to keep it only a few feet around him. Watched as his Tower energy dropped, every moment that the aura interactedwith these monsters.
Pressure kept building, his control like holding onto a flopping, slick eel. Moments later, he dropped it rather than let it backlash against him. Once more, a few of the ghosts burned bright and then disappeared. Not all of them. A few of the lights at the far edges of his aura had brightened and managed to weather the storm and surge of power, continuing to exist even after the sudden loss.
They darted forwards, heading towards Arthur as though guided now by a living will. He threw up the Yin Aura again, finding that they were caught in it and slowing down as they absorbed his energy. He breathed out in relief, then turned his attention once again to the twisting of power, the way his aura continued to attempt to escape him.
He let it pour power into the ghosts, pulled it back, shrinking his own aura. Watched as they shuddered, twisted and then pushed again. That movement, that sudden change saw another flare, a destruction of the creatures structural integrity.
More effective but harder to control.
Gritting his teeth as a second pulse failed, his threads folding backwards and making his meridians ache. He gritted his teeth, forcing the pain aside as he rebuilt his technique once more. By the time he got control again, a couple of the empowered ghosts had struck him. It left him cold, pained and numb, their strength greater than the ones which had impacted before.
For a time, he struggled with his frozen body, at getting the meridians and energy to move properly. He only finalized it moments before he was struck by one of the ghosts. It paused, drifting back and forth before Arthur pulled his weave all the way back to his body.
Watched it explode and then poured out his power again.
He knew now what he needed to do for the rest of the night. Train his aura, control and empower and feed these ghosts and kill them with generosity. If he failed, he would suffer. Fail too often and he would die. So that was his test.
Learn control, wield his aura. Or die trying.
***
Morning came slowly, the first signs of it the reduced number of ghosts. They had never stopped coming, all through the night. Sometimes, there was a break, a few less such that he would remove the flow of energy entirely and take the attacks on his body. Feel the chill steal through him, the numb pain that lulled him to rest. That break never lasted long, for soon enough the ghosts would come once again and he was forced to utilize his Yin Aura.
Desperation and focus had him pour energy and attention to the technique. He had been stuck, unable to progress it meaningfully for weeks. Now, with no other choice, with death a moment away, he found himself tapping into a well of creativity, trying and testing ever more elaborate weaves and methods of control.
In the last hour before dawn, something had clicked. Something in the way he wielded all of it worked, and finally, a small insistent pressure appeared in his mind. His control of the Yin Aura felt easier than ever, the Tower aiding him as much as the simplified weaves he practised. Energy pouring all through him, giving him what he needed. The control to pulse his power as it rippled outwards and retracted, empowering and killing the spirits one after the other.
Now, with the energy gone, he let that insistent demand from the Tower blossom.
Yin Aura (Level 1)
Allows the extrusion of Yin energy into the users aura. Yin aura has multiple uses and effects, most commonly including poison, lethargy, somnolence and fatigue. Yin energy also promotes intuitive leaps, introspection and cold energy states. Only one aspect may be used at this time.
Cost: 2 Energy per Minute
Fascinating indeed, that description. He had only thus far focused on the poison aspect of his Yin energy, drawing understanding of it from his kris. Now, however, it was clear that he could not just use the debuff affects of Yin energy but even utilize is a buff. How that would work, of course, he was not certain – but he also knew how the colder, chillier and more intuitive aspects of Yin energy had aided him during his trek.
Of course, all that would require training and testing. And after the night that he had, not getting an ounce of sleep through the day and his Tower energy stores low, he knew better than to expect to get any more training done.
Especially when he couldn’t afford to waste time either, resting the day away. Not only just to get away from the ghost in here, but also to avoid the incoming pack.
Crawling out of his makeshift shelter, Arthur ran through a series of quick stretches before beginning his hike out. He still had a mountain range to traverse.