The Mimic in Monsterland

The two loud personalities left the room, leaving only me and Daila now. She got up and sat in Len’s chair, pulling her notebook out. “So Liam. What can you tell me of these flowers you found?” Her nose twitched after asking the question. Need to figure out what the twitching means. Probably helps me gauge her mood. I think it's happiness or maybe excitement but I’m not sure.

“The flowers. Right.” I recollected myself, shooing away the pointless thoughts. “Like I said earlier, they came in an assortment of dark blues and violet shades. They gave off this light blue glow while still growing from the corpse. And that monsters or all kinds seemed to be attracted to them.” She flipped through her notebook while I described them. Eventually stopping on one page and sliding the book to me. “Are these them?”

The page contained a surprisingly in-depth and detailed drawing of the very same gardenias. The top of the page called them Inspiratus Gadenas, which sounded a lot like Latin. Not that I knew anything about Latin. But it was eerily familiar to the scientific names we give to plant life back on earth. How strange.

There were notes littered across the page about different parts of the flowers. But oddly, some of the notes were titles to blank sections. Such as one section titled Growth Rate or another titled Seed Shape.

“Did you make these notes and that drawing?” I asked Daila. She nodded. “Yes, but that is not important right now. Are these the same?”

“Yes, I’m positive they are. Are they common? Well, I guess not if you don’t have the growth rate recorded.” I said. She looked at the page again and then back to me.

“And you consumed how many of these?” She asked with that patented serious look on her face.

“Probably about five or so in the raid. It was the only reason I could activate my powers that much and keep fighting.”

“And you feel no need to ingest more?” She asked, her face unwavering.

“I do when I’m Energized, but right now, no, can’t say that I am. Why?”

She closed the notebook and closed her eyes. When they opened there was a new glint of seriousness in them.

“Liam, these are wildly addictive. So much so that if one consumes even a single petal, they are bound in the Capitol Building for the next month. Until their urges subside. The flowers are banned completely from every Spice Capital in Kniyas. Except for the most trusted of alchemists. Even having a single bloom will get you locked up and sent off to Tiamantis immediately.”

My face twisted in confusion. “Why? That buff is incredibly useful. And like I said, only when I’m under the influence do I have weird urges.” Plus, I was planning on striking it rich with them.

She shook her head. “You don’t understand what that buff even means. Or what actually fuels that state is probably the better way to describe it. It’s your aura. Your very life force, your very consciousness.”

I responded defensively. “What does that even mean? What is aura? I've heard it a lot recently and have no idea what it is.”

She clamped down on the bridge of her nose with her index finger and thumb. “Len told me you were behind. I didn’t realize by how much.” She said, speaking to herself, I’m sure. She looked at me again. “Len didn’t tell you anything about aura?”

I shook my head. She sighed. “Looks like my day will not be devoid of lecturing then.” She stood up and gestured to me with her hand to stand with her. Once I stood, she walked around the desk and away from the chairs, about ten feet away, and then she wordlessly beckoned me for again.

I took one step. A wave of pure energy crashed into me, sending my heart into my stomach. I tried as hard as I could, but no amount of effort moved me an inch. I could make small twitches of movement, but that was all. It felt like I was drowning not in water but in liquid and dense metal. My mind returned to yesterday, the fierce sensation that scared off the guard who tried to bar my escape. But now it was solely concentrated on me.

The feeling stopped after what felt like an eternity. I heaved in gulps of fresh air. “What. The. Hell. Daila.” I spoke in between the labored breaths. She returned to Len’s chair, sitting back down with a huff. She looked winded by the ordeal as well.

“That was unexpected.” She said, while I seated myself back down. “Wha…What was?”

“You have an incredible amount of aura. Never in all my years have I come across such a vast amount. Why?” She turned to me, her face filled with bewilderment.

My current state only allowed me to shrug at her. “No clue. Is it a good thing?”

She inhaled and exhaled once, regaining her composure. “It’s certainly something. But for now, let me explain Aura. At least at a basic level. We could be here all night if I went into the deeper aspects.” She shifted her position in the chair.

“Aura, as we understand it, is the basic life force in every living being in Kniyas. And not only is it one’s life force. It also represents one’s own consciousness.”

My forehead wrinkled in thought. “Is it like willpower, or in this case tied to the Charisma stat.”

“Not quite. Consciousness is not quite as succinct as that. There does seem to be a trend in those with primary Charisma and their talent in controlling Aura. But Aura is not so easily quantified as Charisma is.” Daila paused for a moment.

“Tell me, Liam. How would you describe consciousness?”

I thought about it for a moment. I was never very good at answering such abstract questions. I hadn’t thought of anything like this in months anyhow. Too busy working on the not-dying thing. Shouldn’t have skipped all those Philosophy Classes.

“I guess just general awareness. Like awareness of self and others. That I am aware of my feelings, my thoughts, and even my life itself. And that others have them too. Maybe?” I finally answered, scratching my head.

She nodded. “That is a decent description but only half of it. It is awareness of the world around you as well. And how you can change it. You could say Aura is the physical representation of that awareness. We take hold and then use it to manipulate the world around you. Next question: what are you without consciousness?”

“An animal…or in this case a monster. But you said all living things have Aura. Monsters would have consciousness at that point.”

She smiled. “Yes, that would be true, if Aura did not come in two forms. The Physical and The Mental.”

I shook my head. “What's the difference, and how do they pertain to consciousness?“

“Physical is simpler. You know the three status bars. Health, Stamina, and Mana. Those are the three aspects of Physical Aura. That is the Aura even monsters have because even they are conscious of their own tangible existence. Of when to eat, and when to sleep. Things of that nature. The abilities you use, the rage and the shadow sphere, are manifestations of Physical Aura.” She explained.

I rubbed my chin. “Then does that mean monsters don’t have Mental Aura?”

Her nose twitched. “Precisely. The very fact that we have Mental Aura is what makes us different.”

“Then, that power you used on me just a minute ago. Was that an ability made from Mental Aura?”

“Not quite. The lines begin to blur when explaining Mental. It can be controlled much like Physical Aura, but it is much harder and dangerous.”

“Why dangerous?”

“Because, if poorly controlled, it will leak out of you. And I believe you can make an assumption as to what will happen should you lose too much.”

I contemplated on it. My thoughts drifted to those weird feelings and instincts that attempt to sway my actions. Then it hit me. “You lose control of your gene.”

“And become just as base as the monsters we fight.” She nodded.

“Len explained some of that to me last year. About the predilections we each get from our monster genes.”

“Yes, those instincts only become stronger as Mental Aura dwindles. That’s why, starting from a young age, we teach how to control Aura in both its forms.” She pointed at the flower in her notebook.

“And that is why it's so dangerous for people to consume those plants. Those powers come from burning through Mental Aura in exchange for Physical Aura. And that exchange, that boost in strength, is sensational, to say the least. Hence why the plants are so regulated.

“Why regulate them at all at that point?”

“Because the effects can be mitigated to where they aren’t as addictive by an alchemist. And because this world is cruel beyond the walls of each city. Many have sacrificed their sanity for that enhancement to ensure a crucial victory. And we must always be prepared for those scenarios.” She said solemnly. Her face betrayed some painful memory for a moment before she regained control.

I sat for a moment. Why did the flowers not affect me like that then? Maybe Tutor can give me something later about it. Doubtful but maybe.

I went to say something to her but… Knock! Knock! Both of us flinched at the sudden banging on the door. Daila got up and went to the door.