Pain seared through him, as if magma had entered his bloodstream, Pain Suppression activated but it was useless. The sensation spread throughout the entirety of his body. He felt it squirm through his system like a hot parasite looking for a home.

  Quickly, the sensation spread to all his limbs, growing more intense with each passing second. His vision blurred, and he could feel himself losing consciousness. Not knowing if that was good or bad, he willed himself to remain as awake and alert as possible.

  As the creeping sensation continued crawling through his body, he felt energy begin to congeal just above his navel. The violent force rushed and spun into a bottomless pit within him, as if something deep inside his body was being charged and awakened.

  A spike of pain radiated from that spot. He gritted his teeth as sweat dripped, but something else left him as well. The liquid coming out of him wasn’t clear, but black. Whatever was being expelled from his body felt sandy and gritty as it raced out of him. On top of the pain, a strong smell hit his nose, causing him to gag. He fell to the ground, both hands holding him up as he released that morning’s breakfast onto the grass.

  “Hey. I told you I did not want to clean up breakfast twice this morning. Pull it together,” Rowan said with a laugh.

  The pain kept rising, and he started to panic. He knew this would be risky and painful, but he had never imagined something this intense.

  Through gritted teeth, he snarled. “I thought you said this would not kill me.”

  “Aye, you will be fine. Nothing like a little character-building exercise after a good, hearty breakfast. You are going to need to focus; I did warn you that you would hate me. Alright, it's time to get serious. You should be able to sense how the energy in your body is pooling around your core. Nod if you can still understand me.”

  With great effort, he managed a shallow nod in Rowan’s direction as another pulse of pain forced what little remained in his stomach out onto the grass in a rather dramatic display.

  “Oh, that is unpleasant. Listen, though. You need to focus on the energy. Intent matters here. If you want something that fits you, really pour it in. Think about meditation, but louder and significantly more painful.”

  “Okay,” was all he managed to mutter as the fire within his body grew hotter, feeling as if his insides were being cooked. Focusing with what little mental energy he had left, he saw a green light in his mind’s eye. It felt warm and pleasant, a bastion of hope in a sea of pain. He focused on that bastion, and the longer he did, the clearer the image became.

  The pain still wrecked his body, but his mind began to steady. A crackling pop echoed somewhere deep within him as the pain lessened slightly, replaced by an uneasy pressure flooding his system. Notifications flashed before his eyes, but he pushed them aside, focusing on the task at hand.

  The green bastion of hope became clearer still. His vision sharpened as the physical world around him faded away. Whatever that light was, it soaked up the pain that threatened to overwhelm him.

  [Pantheon System Alert]

  [Unscheduled Core Interaction Detected]

  [Subject: Hector Renegade]

  [Action Classification: Volitional Core Manipulation]

  [Warning: Mortal Core integrity is being forcibly altered]

  [Risk Assessment: Severe]

  [Failure may result in permanent Core destabilization, loss of function, or death]

  [System intervention limited]

  [Proceed?]

  He barely registered the text as it flashed brightly in front of his face. He simply nodded, his intent clear.

  [Intent Lock Detected]

  [Core Synchronization Attempt Initiated]

  [User intent exceeds standard parameters]

  [Deviation Threshold Escalating]

  [Pantheon Observation Heightened]

  The pain eased slightly.

  “Ah, I know that look. I was waiting for the system to finally give you something. Quickly, sit down and begin to meditate. Do not worry, I will walk you through what I can.”

  He gingerly crossed his legs and lowered himself to the ground. The meditation pose was familiar to him, but today it was a struggle just to complete the simple task. He had no skill to activate, only experience from the field and his old life. He calmed his mind as best he could.

  [Core Manipulation Begins]

  [Warning: Deviation Detected]

  [Results May Vary]

  The next thing he knew, he stood in what appeared to be outer space. Darkness stretched beneath him, while countless white lights shone all around, as if he stood upon the sky and gazed upward into the heavens.

  “Beautiful,” he managed to squeak out.

  As he marveled at the sight, some of the white dots began to radiate a faint green glow, which quickly grew brighter. Green light spread across the sky, turning the perceived stars into bright green celestial entities. The energy in the heavens began to pulse, and he felt the familiar warmth and comfort he had come to associate with his healing spells.

  They pulsed again, and this time he felt the internal carbonation of overheal bubble through his body in waves, forcing him to double over. A third pulse followed, stronger than the last, stripping the overheal from his body. The cycle continued, and concern crept in. Pain began to rise again before being pushed away by another surge of healing, each pulse stronger than the last. He checked for an explanation but saw no system message, and Rowan had not mentioned what to do next.

  Then a loud pop sounded, and a puff of smoke appeared. The floating head of his newest friend materialized beside him. Rowan looked around slowly, eyes bright as he took in the green-lit expanse. He nodded once, clearly pleased.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “Ah. There it is, you have drifted right to the edge.”

  Hector groaned, clutching his torso as another pulse rolled through him. “Edge of what?”

  “The Pantheon’s notice, you are not outside it, not quite, but you are not fully inside either. Think of it as standing in a doorway with one foot through the door. You are in two places at once.”

  “That does not help.”

  Rowan chuckled. “Fair. Listen carefully, then. What you are seeing is not space. It is your core, your internal world. Healing energy, Overheal and how your body handles all these new powers. The system is cycling it through you faster than it should.”

  Another pulse hit. Warmth flooded him, followed by pressure that made his teeth rattle.

  “I feel like I am being boiled alive!” Hector gasped.

  “Yes, that means it is working.”

  Hector shot him a glare that went unnoticed.

  “You need to stop fighting the pulses. Right now, you are bracing for each one. That wastes energy and shreds your core. Instead, you need to bathe in them.”

  “Bathe?” Hector echoed weakly.

  “Exactly. Let the healing wash through you, let the overheal follow, do not reject it. Do not fight it, you need to absorb it into your core. Every pulse is information. Every surge is pressure teaching your core how to hold more than it was meant to.”

  Another wave rolled through. This time, Hector did not resist. The pain flared, then softened, spreading outward instead of tearing through him.

  Rowan smiled. “Good. Now radiate it back inward. Pull the energy through the pulses and feed it into the core you felt forming earlier. That dense point just above your navel. You know the one.”

  Hector nodded shakily. He could feel it now, heavy and compressed, like gravity had taken root inside him.

  “Picture it as a sinkhole or maybe an endless abyss. You need to think of it as something endless. Everything flows into it, healing, Overheal, pain, mana everything must be forced into that point for this to work. Don’t try to compartmentalize what it consumes your core is very efficient at keeping and removing what it deems fit, it is your soul after all, no one will know you better than yourself. Let the core decide what to keep and throw away. You just worry about feeding it.”

  The pulses came again. Green light surged across the sky, brighter than before. The warmth became nearly unbearable, pressure stacking layer upon layer. Hector screamed, then forced the sound back down. He focused, imagining the pulses pouring into him, sinking into that dense center instead of ripping him apart. Something shifted as the pressure stopped feeling external. It started to feel like an extension of himself; the pain was still there, but the process was starting to become easier. His spiritual form slowly began to take on a green hue.

  “That is, it; you are doing it. This is why I warned you. You are on the fringe now. The system cannot fully regulate what you are absorbing. That is what makes this dangerous. Your possibilities are increasing.”

  “Possibilities...?” Hector gasped.

  “To become something the system did not plan for.”

  Another pulse struck, stronger than before. Instead of pain, Hector felt expansion, like his core was stretching without cracking. He gritted his teeth and pulled the energy inward again.

  “Do not let it escape! Radiate it through the core. If you lose focus, the system will step back in and this window will close.”

  Hector nodded, sweat pouring down his face as he focused harder. The green sky pulsed again and again, increasing steadily as the process continued. Each time, the energy felt less like punishment and more like shaping hands pressing him into something new.

  Jovial laughter boomed as Rowan grinned with anticipation.

  “Alright, the rest is on you. This is as far as I can go. I will have drinks ready for when you get back, so do not make me wait too long.”

  With another soft pop, he was gone.

  Pulse after pulse slammed into Hector as he fought the urge to resist. He focused, allowing the energy to pass through his body and into his core. He did not fully understand what he was doing, even with Rowan’s explanations, but he trusted him.

  “Alright, cannot leave him waiting long. He better have some damn good beer ready.”

  Smiling, he focused deeper. The pulses became easier to follow and absorb. With strong intent, he imagined each surge being drawn into his core, bottomless and hungry, feeding readily.

  The longer it continued, the stronger and more stable he felt. It was hard to describe. He felt more real as if a foundation was being laid within him, though he could not yet see what it would support.

  An uncountable amount of time passed. Pulse after pulse of healing and overheal energy washed through him. At first it had terrified him, but now he welcomed it. Each surge satisfied a hunger he had never known existed. Green light radiated from him as the energy circulated. More notifications appeared, but he willed them away, staying focused on the task.

  Finally, something clicked. His thoughts cleared as a strange sensation passed through his body, like the energy could now move through him with less resistance. The sensation lingered, subtle, but unmistakable. The energy no longer tore through him in a violent rage. It flowed, passing through muscle, bone, and soul with ease, as if his body had learned how to make room for it.

  Hector frowned in concentration.

  “So that is what you meant, stop fighting it...”

  The energy sank into him, radiating outward from his core in smooth, controlled waves. His skin prickled as warmth spread through every limb. His body responded. He felt it adjusting, reinforcing itself at a level deeper than flesh. Tendons felt denser. Breathing became easier. The constant low resistance he had grown accustomed to was significantly dampened.

  A notification forced its way through his focus.

  [Skill Created]

  [Body Adaptation Detected]

  [New Skill Acquired]

  [Classification: Body]

  Hector sucked in a sharp breath.

  He nearly lost his concentration but caught himself and pushed the notification aside.

  “Later, not done yet.”

  The pulses continued. He leaned into them, drawing the energy through his core and letting it radiate outward again, faster this time. The green light around him brightened in response to his intent. He lifted one hand experimentally. Energy gathered along his arm, responding instantly.

  Curiosity flared, and he extended his focus beyond his skin. For a brief moment, the connection wavered, tension building as if the system itself resisted the extension. Hector clenched his jaw and pushed anyway, feeding more power through the core and outward.

  Another pulse hit, instead of collapsing back into him; the energy held its shape. Something snapped into place.

  [Skill Created]

  [External Energy Projection Detected]

  [New Skill Acquired]

  [Classification: Ranged]

  Hector laughed, breathless.

  “Oh, that is new.”

  The laughter cost him. Pressure surged back in, heavier this time, the pulses stacking faster than before. His focus trembled as exhaustion threatened to pull him under.

  He felt the edge then, the point where instinct screamed to stop, but he kept going. He allowed his thoughts to settle, breathing steadily as he centered himself around his core. He stopped chasing the pulses and let them come to him instead.

  A deep, profound calm settled over him, as if the chaos had finally found something solid to break against. The pulses did not disappear, but they no longer threatened to overwhelm him. Another notification surfaced, quieter than the others.

  [Skill Created]

  [Intent Stabilization Detected]

  [New Skill Acquired]

  [Classification: Mental]

  Hector exhaled slowly. His body felt whole. The green sky dimmed; the pulses slowed and stretched farther apart as the pressure eased. The hunger inside him faded, satisfied for now. He remained still, eyes closed, letting the last of the energy settle naturally into his core. Whatever he had just done, it was finished, and the Pantheon had noticed.

  [Warning: Stronger Than Average Levels of Deviation Detected]

  [Corrections Being Implemented]

  [Stand-By]

  He shot up from his meditative pose as the world around him shattered like glass. It looked as if the sky was falling. Before he knew it, bright light flooded his vision, forcing him to close his eyes as a familiar voice rang out.

  “Took you long enough. How did it go?”

  He blinked as light blinded him. As his vision returned, he realized he was still sitting in the field. Rowan had a goofy grin spread across his face as he waited for his answer.

  “Phenomenal... I think. I have a lot to run by you after that.”

  Laughter spread across the field as they made their way back toward the humble dwelling.