Return (Conti.)

We took a winding course back to Vytal. With my Aura-supported fuel economy, taking a little longer wasn't an issue and there was no point in taking any chances. I flew us down between the continents and then around the unpopulated coast of Vytal, keeping far out to sea. We didn't have any major issues, my luck finally seeming to take a turn for the better—there were the occasional Grimm, of course, but nothing truly nightmarish. With my Elemental's assistance, I generally spotted them first and just flew widely around anything I didn't like the look of. So what if it added a few dozen kilometers to how far we needed to go when fuel wasn't an issue? It was a lot better than risking any of my passengers.

But besides the occasional change in direction and a few minor incidents with persistent Grimm that needed a hint, it was smooth sailing. Once everything in the cockpit was set up, it was mainly a matter of sticking to the course, beyond the occasional adjustments. Barring very rare exceptions or a screw up, there wasn't anything but Grimm to run into in the sky and the route I was taking wasn't near anything; even the relatively rare inter-Kingdom flights wouldn't so much as cross my path, much less at such a time that it might realistically endanger anything. With the amount of practice I had with the ship, it wasn't too difficult to fly the plane even outside the cockpit.

So as I brought the White Whale around the underside of Vytal, avoiding any paths common to man and treading carefully around the Grimm, I did it among the people I had saved, drawing out the lights of their souls.

Throughout history, there were a lot of different ideas and opinions about awakening Aura, many schools of thoughts, and countless different methods stemming back as far anyone could remember—to say nothing of the myths about where it came from—and the commonality of it varied throughout history. At times, powerful users of Aura had lorded its use over others, rising to power on the protection they could provide people from the Grimm and demanding payment in return, while in several cultures, one's Aura could literally decide their role in life very early on. The nature of Semblances had further resulted in many traditions believed to influence them, some quite barbaric if arguably historically successful.

Depending on how far back you go in Remnant's history, you could find children being taken away from their families at a young age to be trained, marriages between peasants and kings based on the nature of Aura, physical and mental brutality meant to influence the development of Semblances in what were deemed useful ways, and countless experiments and forms of governance all surrounding it. No matter what age, however, the size and quality of ones Aura was important and it had been a power sought and wielded by countless heroes and villains, shaping the world into what we knew today.

There were dozens of ways to awaken one's own Aura and countless more suspensions and myths about the process. The Ice Lords of ancient Mantle had used done it through a shockingly well documented process involving careful administration of medicines, areas that were later found to be above Dust deposits, now worn machinery believed to be a primitive ways of channeling the trace energy below, and horrifyingly specific forms of sacrifice to cause a reaction using the dormant Aura within living things—and maintain it for several hours for the sake of Mantle's oldest confirmed Aura users. There were the monks that trained themselves for years to achieve it, grasping the power within through enlightenment. The oldest records of Mistral told of ritual battles being fought to awaken the participants Aura as well as of the greatest libraries of the ancient world, with warrior sages fighting their ways across the continent to receive it. Vacuo had stories of the King of Forty Flames; supposedly an exile stripped bare and sent into the desert to fend for himself, yet who returned with great power.

They'd found the King's tomb several decades ago, with carvings to match the stories and his honor guard all in place, proving the truth of his existence, if not necessarily the truth of his story. Remnant's history was often like that, with it being neigh impossibly to separate fact and fiction because a nation had succumbed to the Grimm or war or countless other things. There was no way of confirming if the Ice Lords had based their experiments on earlier methods because the documents they referenced—the cities they referenced—had been destroyed. There was no real way of saying if the Prometheans had merely stolen the art from another society, because both were dust. And whether it had come to Vytal in one of the Freeing Queen's thousand and one stories…well, only about three dozen had definitively survived.

Every kingdom and culture had its history and legends and tales, but…the reason we called our world Remnant was because it was all that remained. We couldn't even say where Dust had come from or if the simultaneous emergence of different methods had been the result of independent study or somehow related.

But there was one thing that was agreed no matter where you were—the easiest way of awakening your Aura was to have someone else do it for you. We didn't know where that method came from, either, but what few records we had seemed to imply that there had been a wide-spread shift to the method somewhere between one and three thousand years and knew for sure that it was considered the common method in Anserini's texts five hundred years ago. At some point, pretty much everyone had shifted to the method and for good reason; it removed the complexity of the experience and just made it difficult.

There was a process to it, of course, some tricks and methods and even a few risks, but if done properly, anyone can have their Aura awoken—because everyone had soul and that's all you truly needed for the ability. Certainly, the quality and quantity of Aura could vary tremendously based on God only knows what; Semblances, the expression of who you are as a person, even more so. But the basic act of using Aura was within the grasp of anyone who had a soul, given a proper push.

Well. It was a bit more complicated than that, granted. But mainly because you had to push really hard. But in the end…

Awaken Aura (Active) LV1 EXP: 0.00% MP: 2000

A skill to draw out the potential of others, enflaming one soul with another. Through the granting of great power, sweep away the lies that hide the light within, releasing a soul kept bound by mortal flesh.

Effect: Awakens the Aura of another living being.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality; through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee." I spoke again, power rising as my soul shined through base matter, burning brightly in the dark room. I felt it touch another, completely different in nature and shape yet undeniably like my own. It seemed trapped within something, blinded and deafened and bound. Alone, it struggled futilely.

But I set it free with a warm touch and bright power, breaking chains and giving light to unseeing eyes.

In the end, Aura was one of those things that was easier given then grasped on one's own. A lot of important things were like that; faith, love, happiness. The process was exhausting even after it had started leveling, my most expensive skill by far in terms of MP even if it was a one-time expenditure, and yet…

I happily cast it again and again. I could afford to, thanks to the Dust I'd taken from the town—and though it was costly in terms of the crystals, somehow this seemed like the most fitting use for them and though there was a part of me saddened by the loss of resources I could have used in other ways, there was a much larger part that was simply…pleased. As I saw lights rise up in countless colors and intensities, I felt quiet doubts dwindle away, felt more sure that they'd be safe when they left. If this was it, if the only impact I'd have on their lives was to save them once and bring out their own power, I thought I'd be content with having given them a chance.

"Done," I said kindly as the navy blue Aura receded into his skin. "Be sure to take care of Zora, Bosko. Next."

"Lord Jian," He returned, bowing lowly as he withdrew, something that had started early on. Even as he did, I saw him looking down at his hands in wonder and could remember the rush of power I'd felt such a short time ago. He retreated to his Daughter's side, a small girl with dirt-smudged cheeks who I'd healed first and then enlightened. Many of the miners had minor wounds or illnesses of one type or another and in-between consuming crystals I generally had a moment to fix them. With any luck, it'd fix some of the damage and avoid later complications.

As he did, he passed Faraj, who stood with the other White Fang members and just watched me in muted disbelief as I'd enlightened five people in a row—and gone on to ten, a hundred, and now nearly a thousand times, something that should have been—was, honestly—too exhausting for anyone to do. With only someone powerful and experienced capable of it in the first place, given the cost…well, it wasn't something that could be done casually. Generally, there was about a month or so at the Academies like Signal where Hunters gathered from volunteered and worked in shifts to pass it on to the new crop of students.

To be able to do it this quickly…even I was amazed and I was the guy blatantly cheating to do it.

"Raisa," I said, turning to the woman next in line before pausing and raising a finger. I followed the touch on my mind outwards, images flitting across my vision. "Ah, it seems we've made good time."

I rose smoothly and looked over the remainder—less than a hundred Faunus, now, perhaps another hour and a half of work or a bit more.

"I apologize, but I'll need to speak with my companions below," I said, honestly sorry. "We'll continue after, however, as I'm sure it will take quite some time to get everything organized. Please forgive this delay."

As I spoke, I heard mutters go through the crowd as people pressed up against windows, eager to catch a glimpse of what was outside. I kept my eyes focused on Raisa and the men and women behind, and saw her eyes widen as she realized I was actually asking for her forgiveness.

"Yes," She blurted and then flushed slightly in embarrassment. "I mean, of course, Lord Jian. I, uh…we understand and, uh…"

I inclined my head at her slightly smiling.

"Don't leave until we get another chance to speak, okay?" I asked.

"Sir!" She nearly stuttered. "Yes, sir."

I was already walking away, moving towards the nearest broken window and sliding out into the open air. I fell for a minute and then felt the air catch me, letting me float my way slowly to the ground below. As I did, my smile widened and at once became something simpler.

"Hey," I said as I floated close enough for them to hear. "Long time no see. Do anything fun while I was away?"

Adam and Blake watched me as I descended.

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