Surrounded by man-eating creatures, Dylan had expected to be served questionable, perhaps even disgusting meat. Yet, to his surprise, Basaros had offered him fruits that appeared perfectly edible.
At first, he accepted them with suspicion, but hunger soon overcame his doubts. He began devouring them with almost childlike eagerness, as if he had been starved for days.
Every now and then, he cast furtive glances at Basaros. The creature sat nonchalantly on a rock, arms crossed, observing Dylan with a look of intrigue, as though analyzing his every move.
Dylan was seated near the naiads' basin. The aquatic creatures were absent for reasons unknown to him, but their absence didn't bother him. The basin's water was calm, except for the continuous and soothing flow of the waterfall feeding into it.
Curious, he approached the edge and leaned forward to observe his reflection in the water. Though the ripples distorted the image, he managed to make out his silhouette. He stayed there for a while, contemplating the strange familiarity of his face in such a hostile environment.
"Lord Basaros," he said cautiously, without turning his gaze from the water, "what is this strange energy flowing within me?"
His voice carried clearly to Basaros, despite the distance between them. The latter let out an exasperated sigh before replying:
"Do I have to explain everything to you?" he said, visibly annoyed. "It's getting tiresome."
Despite his tone, Basaros shifted his position on the rock. From a relaxed posture, he sat cross-legged, as if preparing for meditation. After a brief moment of thought, he continued:
"The energy you're talking about is mana. Perhaps you're a human not born here, but on this continent, all living beings possess it. The anima gem you absorbed contains a high concentration of mana, and every creature carries it within themselves. Three gems are the limit we know of so far, but that's not the most important thing.
Mana acts as fuel for the body: the more you have, the stronger you become. That's where 'faculties' come into play. They can be innate or acquired. You can use your mana to manifest these faculties, which humans often refer to as magical powers.
As for 'attributes,' that's a different story. They represent a natural affinity with an element, like fire, water, earth, or air. For example, I have a fire attribute. With a source of fire, I can manipulate flames as I wish without getting burned."
Intrigued, Dylan finally turned to him and asked, "You said 'for now'? Does that mean you can become even stronger?"
Basaros nodded slightly, a smirk on his face. "Exactly. Mastery of an attribute improves with experience and training. The more you use your power, the more proficient you become. But I doubt your little brain can grasp the subtleties of this progression. Did you at least understand the basics?"
Dylan responded, slightly vexed, "Yes, I understood. But how can one acquire these faculties? And what about attributes? Can they be obtained as well?"
Basaros let out a long sigh, as if explaining drained his precious energy:
"Faculties, as I said, can be innate or acquired. Some creatures are born with specific powers, while others develop them through training or by absorbing anima gems. These gems are fragments of purified mana. By integrating them, you can awaken new faculties or strengthen those you already have.
As for attributes, they're rarer. They are usually determined at birth, an affinity engraved into your essence. A few rare rituals or exceptional circumstances can modify or add an attribute, but that's extremely rare. For most beings, an attribute is immutable and remains a fundamental part of their nature."
Dylan nodded, absorbing the information. The idea of harnessing mana to grow stronger fascinated him, but he knew he still had many questions.
And yet, still perplexed, Dylan recalled the many medical exams he had undergone in the past. Never had anyone mentioned the presence of a foreign object within him, making Basaros's explanations all the more bewildering.
Despite his reluctance, he felt compelled to ask the question that lingered in his mind:
"For someone like me, who isn't from this continent, is it possible to possess or acquire faculties and attributes?"
Basaros fixed him with a reflective glint in his eyes before replying:
"To possess any attribute or faculty, it's essential to have a stable source of mana circulating in your body, acting as fuel. In other words, an anima gem. I don't know how humans do it, but some manage to use faculties and attributes without having this gem. For you, for now, absorbing the concentrated mana from gems will strengthen your body and make you more powerful. However, without an anima gem, your chances of developing powers are nil."
Dylan nodded, trying to process this information. The thought that his potential might be limited by the absence of this gem left him pensive. He wished he had more advantages in the arena.
Tomorrow would be a special day for him. He had to prove to the Matriarch that she was right to spare his life this morning. But to do that, he needed to mentally prepare for the upcoming fight. The trials of the Inverted Pyramid were never announced in advance, leaving him uncertain about what to anticipate.
Still, he was determined to explore all the possibilities this new world had to offer, especially in this deceptive environment where he was surrounded by enemies. Honestly, he preferred the arena to staying here with Basaros, this creature who didn't even bother hiding his desire to cook him alive.
As the old proverb goes: Befriend wolves, but always keep your axe ready.
He was constantly on guard around Basaros. He didn't know how powerful the creature was, and truthfully, he wasn't eager to find out.
What mattered to him most at this moment was survival. Not because the naiads had advised it, but for himself.
He was driven by a far greater purpose: to uncover the mystery of his sudden appearance in this strange, accursed world.