Unlocking the Secrets of the Soul Tool

The laboratory was a unique blend of futuristic design and ancient mysticism, carefully arranged by Norris to suit his research needs. Drawing inspiration from the modern labs he had seen in sci-fi movies, Norris crafted a space that balanced cutting-edge orderliness with mystical elements.

The stone walls of the laboratory were lined with sleek, metallic shelves holding various mystical components and tools, each meticulously arranged. Crystals, enchanted inks, and ancient quills glowed faintly, reacting to the magical energies in the air. The workbench at the center of the room was made of polished steel, clutter-free, with everything Norris needed within arm's reach. It featured touch-screen interfaces that projected holographic displays, showing complex diagrams and arrays.

Flickering candles provided a soft, eerie light, casting shadows that danced across the room. Spectral lanterns hung from the vaulted ceiling, emitting a dim, otherworldly glow. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment, burning incense, and the faint tang of magical energies that lingered like a whispered promise.

Norris believed that this meticulously arranged environment would enhance his focus and productivity. He thought that the combination of modern scientific order and mystical properties created an atmosphere that would help him experiment better, even if the effects were just psychological.

The Arcane Projection Display, a masterpiece of Norris before becoming a sublimation mage, utilized the *Major Image* (3rd Level) and *Hallucinatory Terrain* (4th Level) spells to create detailed and dynamic holograms for research visualization and analysis. The display allowed him to interact with the holograms, adjust visuals, and project data for comprehensive and collaborative research sessions.

Norris sat hunched over the wooden workbench, surrounded by scattered parchments, flickering candles, and the worn, leather-bound tome that the Noble Death Knight had given him.

As he delved into the mysteries of the soul tool, the words on the pages seemed to come alive, dancing in the flickering candlelight like restless spirits that whispered secrets in his ear.

Norris's eyes scanned the text, drinking in the knowledge contained within like a parched traveler quenching his thirst at an oasis.

"The soul is a tripartite entity, comprising three sacred aspects: the Chronicle of Information, born from the whispers of experience and the rhythms of daily life; the Luminari of Thought, forged from the crucible of emotions, desires stripped of fake masks, delusions, and self-deception; and the Auric Body, a shimmering vessel of energy that cradles and sustains the soul's essence."

He thought about the implications of this, his mind racing with the connections between the soul and the physical world.

"Think of the soul as a complex system, comprising three interconnected components," Norris thought, his analytical mind working to translate the mystical concepts into modern scientific terms.

"The information aspect is like a database, storing our memories and experiences. The thoughts aspect is like a software program, processing our emotions and desires. And the energy aspect... the energy aspect is like a bio-energy field, interacting with the physical world around us."

As Norris continued to study, he discovered that an array needed to be engraved on his soul to help the soul's regulation.

Seeing this, he felt a surge of confidence. Arrays were his forte, the most scientific aspect of the mage profession, and he had always excelled in this area.

It was akin to programming or scripting, and Norris's analytical mind had always been well-suited to this type of work.

As Norris continued to study the ancient text, he came across a warning about the dangers of self-regulation.

"Self-regulation is a double-edged sword," the text read.

Norris pondered the mystical interpretation of the disruptions to the soul's self-regulation. "When the soul faces traumatic experiences, prolonged negative emotions, spiritual disconnect, external negative influences, energy drain, or unresolved conflicts, it becomes akin to a symphony suddenly disrupted by a discordant note. The once harmonious melody of the soul's energy becomes fractured and chaotic. The Auric Body, the vessel that cradles and sustains the soul's essence, finds itself out of tune. The Chronicle of Information, the reservoir of memories and experiences, becomes clouded with shadows and echoes of discord."

In his analytical mind, Norris translated this mystical concept into scientific terms. "Disruptions to the soul's self-regulation can occur due to traumatic experiences, prolonged negative emotions, spiritual disconnect, external negative influences, energy drain, or unresolved conflicts. The soul can regulate itself instinctually, but with the addition of an external body, it loses its sense of balance. This soul tool is meant to help the user manually self-regulate."

Norris realized that self-regulation was an instinctual process that allowed the soul to maintain balance and harmony within itself. However, when an external body was added to the soul, it disrupted this instinctual process.

The secondary array, engraved on the soul, was a crucial tool helpful in this process. It allowed the soul to adapt to the new body and re-establish its instinctual self-regulation. However, Norris knew that self-regulation encompassed not only the physical state (the Auric Body) but also the mental state (the Chronicle of Information). While the array could adjust the Auric Body, it couldn't do anything to his memory.

"This process only lasts until the soul has adapted," Norris thought. "During this period, it's advised not to experience any drastic changes in situation and to remain calm-minded. Once the soul gets used to its new external body, you can go back to your chaotic life."

Norris understood that the process of engraving the array was impossible for the Noble, a warrior, and somewhat dangerous for him as well. He needed a tool to help draw the array. He went over to the holographic table to plan it out. He was going to use what he knew best to do this—Array Magic.

By creating an array he named the primary array, Norris aimed to aid in engraving the array that helps self-regulation, which he named the secondary array. The primary array projected what happened in real time to the user when they were engraving the secondary array, correcting them on time and giving instructions on how to continue. Though he didn't need something this complex for himself, he had a client to aid who was a warrior.

"The primary array projects real-time feedback to the user while they engrave the secondary array, correcting them on the spot and providing instructions on how to proceed," Norris thought, his mind racing with the implications. "This way, even a warrior like the Noble can safely navigate the complex process."

"The secondary array must be engraved on the energy body of my soul, the tangible part of the soul," Norris thought, his heart racing with anticipation. "It's a delicate process, one that requires precision, control, and a deep understanding of the mysteries of the soul." The primary array would aid him in carving the secondary array, guiding him through the complex process of self-regulation and soul manipulation.

After getting a hypothetical design for the array he was going to use on his holographic screen, Norris went on to continue reading. He discovered that the next step was a process of self-reflection.

Norris knew that the process of self-reflection was not simple for everyone. For some people, it was a natural and effortless process, a journey of discovery that led to greater understanding and insight. But for others, it was a perilous and treacherous path, fraught with danger and uncertainty.

The reason for this disparity lay in the nature of the soul itself. The soul was a complex and delicate entity, comprising information, thoughts, and energy. At its core, the soul was a reflection of one's own self-image, a manifestation of one's deepest thoughts, emotions, and desires stripped of fake masks, delusions, and self-deception. A lot of people go about wearing different kinds of masks for the evolving situations that they may face in their lives. Some people, though, are unfortunate enough to wear a mask until it becomes part of them, and they remain oblivious, thinking they are still wearing a mask and can remove it anytime they want.

Any self-denial or doubt about oneself could lead to a collapse of the soul, a catastrophic failure of the entire system. Any dislike or hatred of oneself could create a rift in the soul, a tear in the fabric of one's own being.

This was why self-reflection was so crucial, yet so dangerous. It required a deep understanding of oneself, a willingness to confront one's own flaws and weaknesses. It required a delicate touch, a precise calibration of one's own thoughts and emotions. But Norris was undaunted. He knew that the reward was worth the risk, that the secrets of the soul tool were waiting for him at the end of this perilous journey. With his confidence in arrays guiding him, he set out to unlock the mysteries of the soul tool and tap into the deepest power of his own soul.

Norris wondered why the concept of the soul tool had not become popularized. He reflected on the examples he had read about: A conspirator received a chessboard that could receive information from the warp and be used to make the world a chessboard subtly influencing fate, A mage who defies death and created a lich box where the soul could escape to from anywhere preventing death, A fire mage with the obsession of controlling flames and a tool that granted unparalleled control over fire. Each soul tool embodied an obsession and created a solution, helping their users achieve their goals. It was truly the alchemy of the soul.

However, there was one part that Norris didn't understand—the part that transformed obsession into strength. He knew this was the core of the soul tool creation, and his current level wasn't enough to comprehend it fully. The way to solve the problem was by using a ritual though attempting to try it on himself was too risky, as rituals involving unknown concepts and entities were extremely dangerous so the noble was to test first. This couldn't be considered as breaching the contract so he decided to ask the noble with peace of mind.