Boosting Greg's Mind

Ethan sat on the edge of the bed, the strange dream still lingering in his mind like a weight. It had to be real, he thought. Somehow, his dreams were a connection to Earth, to his old life, and maybe even to Sarah. That fleeting moment he'd shared with her was enough to push him forward. He needed to gather enough mana to communicate with them properly, to reach out across the worlds.

But he sighed, knowing that was still a long way off. He had so much to train, so much to learn before he could wield that kind of power again.

For now, though, he had another promise to keep. Ethan looked over at Greg, his silent companion who had been there through everything. "Alright, buddy," Ethan muttered, a small smile forming. "Let's do what I promised. It's time to give you that boost."

He stood up, feeling the gentle pulse of mana within him, though still tired from the day before. This was going to take precision, something he hadn't attempted fully before. He focused, summoning the Life Element first, feeling the energy of growth and vitality flow through him. It wasn't the raw power of fire or the solidity of earth—it was the essence of life, the energy that made things thrive, expand, and evolve.

Greg stood still, his stone form rigid as always, but Ethan could sense that faint connection between them, the bond that had been there since Greg's creation.

"Let's make you more than just a follower, Greg." Ethan spoke softly as he channeled the Life Element into Greg, imagining the small spark of consciousness within the golem growing, expanding. He didn't want to change Greg's essence, just enhance it—bring out more awareness, more ability to think and feel.

The Mind Element came next, weaving into the life force he was channeling. This was delicate—boosting Greg's mental faculties without overwhelming him. Ethan focused hard, drawing on everything he'd learned so far. He could feel the pulse of the Mind Element, flowing from his own thoughts into Greg's stone form, expanding the golem's capacity to understand and process more complex ideas.

For the next few hours, Ethan worked in quiet concentration, layering the elements carefully, watching as Greg's inner light—the faint connection that had always been there—began to brighten. It was subtle, but Ethan could feel the shift. Greg's presence was becoming more dynamic, more alive.

When Ethan finally stepped back, panting from the effort, he looked up at Greg, who remained standing silently. But something was different. There was a faint flicker in Greg's eyes, a new awareness that hadn't been there before. It wasn't just the mechanical loyalty of a golem anymore—it felt like Greg was thinking, even if just a little.

"How do you feel, Greg?" Ethan asked, not really expecting a verbal response.

Greg, still silent, slowly tilted his head in acknowledgment—a gesture he had never made before. It wasn't much, but it was clear: Greg was more aware than he had been. A small change, but a significant one.

Ethan smiled, feeling a surge of pride. "Looks like we're getting somewhere."

Though he still had a long way to go in training himself, and figuring out how to contact Earth, it felt good to know he was keeping his promise to Greg. His friend was evolving, just as he was.

Ethan let out a long sigh, feeling the exhaustion settle in after working on boosting Greg's mind for hours. His body was drained, both mentally and physically. It had been an intense process, but worth it. Greg felt more present, more aware, and that gave Ethan a sense of accomplishment.

"Well, that's done," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Now I'm shattered."

His stomach grumbled, reminding him of what he hadn't done yet—eating. The last thing he'd had was during the feast with the kids, and that felt like a lifetime ago. He pushed himself off the bed, stretching out the fatigue from his limbs.

"Let's get food," Ethan said, glancing at Greg, who stood there with his usual silent but now slightly more thoughtful demeanor.

They made their way downstairs, stepping out into the busy streets of Greystone. The city was alive with the sounds of merchants, bustling people, and the occasional clink of armor from passing adventurers. Ethan scanned the street for a place that might offer something hearty and filling—he needed a good meal after the day he'd had.

After wandering for a bit, he spotted a small, cozy-looking tavern on the corner with the scent of roasted meat wafting through the air. Perfect.

He stepped inside, the warm atmosphere immediately soothing his exhaustion. The tavern was lively but not too crowded, and a few adventurers sat around, chatting over drinks. Ethan and Greg found a table in the corner, and soon enough, a waitress came over.

"What'll it be?" she asked with a friendly smile, glancing curiously at Greg but saying nothing.

"Something filling," Ethan said, smiling faintly. "I'll have whatever's good today. And some bread and water, please."

The waitress nodded and hurried off. Ethan slumped back into his chair, the warmth of the tavern already making him feel a little more human. Greg sat across from him, the golem's presence as comforting as ever, though Ethan could sense the subtle shift in Greg's demeanor, more thoughtful, more... present.

"Good job today," Ethan muttered, giving Greg an appreciative nod. "You're definitely coming along."

As they waited for their meal, Ethan closed his eyes for a moment, letting the sounds of the tavern wash over him. He still had a lot to figure out, especially with his growing connection to Earth, but for now, all he wanted was to eat and rest.

The waitress soon returned with a plate of roast meat, bread, and a tall cup of water. Ethan's stomach growled in response as he eagerly dug in, savoring the food that seemed to revive him with every bite.

"Much better," he murmured between mouthfuls, already feeling a little more alive.

After finishing his meal, Ethan felt his energy slowly returning. The food had done its job, and now his mind was buzzing with new ideas. One thought stuck with him—there had to be information about other worlds somewhere in Greystone, maybe even something that could help him understand his connection to Earth better. The best place to start would be the library.

Not only that, but after spending so much time enhancing Greg, Ethan realized he knew very little about how golems were actually formed in this world. He had created Greg through pure mana manipulation, but what if there were established ways of creating them, maybe even ones that came with intelligence? It would be cool to dive into that and see how Greg's evolution compared to what was normally expected.

"Let's head to the library," Ethan said, standing up and stretching. "There might be stuff about other worlds there, and I want to look into golems too."

Greg stood up silently as usual, though Ethan felt that subtle new awareness in his golem companion. With a nod, they left the tavern and made their way through the winding streets of Greystone, heading toward the city's main library.

After a bit of wandering, they reached the entrance of a large, stone building with tall columns framing its doors. It had an air of ancient wisdom about it, the kind of place that held knowledge stretching back centuries. Ethan felt a small thrill at the idea of uncovering something new.

Inside, the library was quiet, the scent of old books and parchment filling the air. Long shelves stretched out in every direction, stacked with dusty tomes and scrolls. The soft flicker of candlelight illuminated the reading desks, where a few scholars were hunched over their studies.

Ethan approached the librarian, a stern-looking older woman with spectacles perched on the edge of her nose. She glanced up as he neared.

"Excuse me," Ethan said politely. "I'm looking for books on… two subjects, actually. Anything on other worlds, and also on golems—how they're made, how they work, that kind of thing."

The librarian raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. "We have a section on otherworldly studies toward the back, on the second floor," she said. "As for golems, that would be under arcane constructs in the magical studies section, also on the second floor."

Ethan thanked her and headed in the direction she had pointed out, Greg following quietly behind. They climbed the spiral staircase to the second floor, where the otherworldly studies section was housed. Rows of old, leather-bound books greeted them, many with titles in strange languages or with faded, gold-etched letters.

Ethan began scanning the shelves, pulling down a few promising volumes that seemed to deal with alternate dimensions and worlds beyond this one. One book in particular caught his eye—"Crossing Realms: Theories of Interworld Travel."

"Perfect," Ethan muttered to himself, tucking the book under his arm. He grabbed a few others before moving to the section on arcane constructs. There, he found books on golem creation, some of which seemed highly advanced, detailing the intricacies of their construction and the magic that brought them to life.

One book had a particularly interesting title: "Soul and Stone: The Evolution of Golems and Their Intelligence." That one felt like it was calling to him, so he added it to the pile.

With a stack of books in his arms, Ethan found a quiet table and set them down, flipping through the pages eagerly. Greg stood nearby, watching over him silently as he began his deep dive into both the mysteries of other worlds and the true nature of golems. This was going to be fascinating.

Ethan spent hours pouring over the books, his eyes scanning each page carefully, hoping to find some clue about other worlds—specifically how to travel between them. But the deeper he read, the more disappointed he became. Most of the texts focused on dimensions connected to this world—pocket realms, shadow planes, and alternate layers of reality that seemed to overlap with Greystone's world. There was nothing about true world-hopping or ways to reach entirely separate realities, like his Earth.

However, one passage did catch his attention. Some mages who specialized in dimension magic had discovered ways to astral project themselves into connected realms while they slept. These mages could explore other planes of existence through dreams, sometimes consciously, sometimes subconsciously. The process involved their soul temporarily leaving their body and traveling through the veil separating dimensions.

That gave Ethan an idea. Maybe what he had been experiencing in his dreams—those fleeting moments with Sarah and Earth—was a form of astral projection, happening on a subconscious level. His connection to Earth might still be present, even if his body was stuck here. The dreams were his link. It wasn't a full answer, but it gave him hope that if he trained his mind and mana, he might be able to control it better.

Satisfied with this insight, Ethan shifted his attention to the golem books he had gathered.

The book "Soul and Stone: The Evolution of Golems and Their Intelligence" proved to be particularly interesting. Here's what he learned:

Golems are usually created by mages as servants, protectors, or tools of war. Most golems are animated through elemental magic, specifically earth and stone, which gives them their durable, unyielding forms. However, the true intelligence of a golem depends on the magic used in its creation.

Most basic golems are little more than automatons—they follow basic commands but lack any real thought or consciousness. They are driven by the will of their creator, unable to act independently unless given very specific instructions.

However, certain mages had experimented with imbuing golems with a small fragment of a soul or using Life and Mind Elements (just like Ethan had done with Greg). This gave the golems the potential for true intelligence. While rare, these golems could learn, adapt, and even develop emotions over time. This was considered dangerous by many mages, as such golems could eventually become independent—free from their creators' control.

Greg, Ethan realized, was closer to one of these advanced golems. By using Life and Mind Elements, Ethan had unintentionally given Greg more potential for growth. The more Ethan worked on Greg's mind, the more Greg would evolve—becoming more aware, more thoughtful, and perhaps, one day, more human than Ethan expected.

The book also mentioned a process called "Soul-Linking," where the mage and the golem share a portion of their souls, deepening the bond between them and giving the golem greater autonomy while keeping it connected to the mage. This seemed to explain why Ethan could feel Greg's emotions and thoughts through their link.

Ethan leaned back, absorbing all of this. He had created something truly unique with Greg, something most mages wouldn't dare to attempt. And while that excited him, it also came with a responsibility. Greg was growing, and soon, he might be much more than just a silent protector.

"Looks like you've got a lot of potential, Greg," Ethan muttered, glancing over at the golem, who stood quietly by his side. "Guess we'll have to see where this goes."

With a small smile, Ethan closed the book, his mind swirling with ideas. Golem creation was far more complex than he had realized, and now, with this new knowledge, he could push Greg's development even further—if he dared.