As Aeon prepared to leave the training ground, he couldn't help but notice the other students were still actively practicing their respective attributes with obvious enthusiasm. Sarah was creating increasingly complex flame patterns, her movements fluid and energetic as she shaped fire into dancing spirals above her palms. The wind-wielding twins were collaborating on a miniature tornado that lifted leaves and small debris in precise formations, their laughter carrying across the clearing as they competed to see who could maintain better control.
Even Thomas, despite his earlier lightning demonstration, was continuing to practice small electrical discharges with steady focus, showing no signs of the fatigue that was currently weighing down Aeon's every movement.
They all seem to have significant energy reserves remaining, Aeon observed with growing realization. While I'm completely drained after less than an hour of active practice.
The contrast was stark and telling. Most of the other students had been training for the entire afternoon session, using their attributes repeatedly and pushing their limits through sustained practice. Yet they appeared capable of continuing for hours more if necessary.
Infinity magic is fundamentally different from elemental manipulation, Aeon concluded as he made his way back toward the village center. It requires exponentially more energy to maintain than conventional attributes.
This was crucial information about his own limitations. While his infinity barriers were incredibly powerful defensively, they came with a sustainability cost that made prolonged combat or extended use impractical with his current energy reserves.
Quality versus quantity. My attribute trades efficiency for absolute effectiveness.
The walk back to his quarters gave him time to process the afternoon's discoveries and begin formulating a more comprehensive understanding of his capabilities.
As he climbed the stairs to his apartment, Aeon's mind was already organizing the day's experiments into systematic categories. Once inside, he settled at his desk and began mentally cataloguing what he had learned about his infinity attribute.
Manifestation capabilities: I can create infinity barriers in various geometric configurations, with the default being a rectangular plane approximately two by three meters. The barriers are malleable and respond to conscious direction, allowing me to reshape them into curves, spheres, or presumably other forms with sufficient concentration.
Defensive properties: The barriers create zones of infinite distance that absolutely cannot be crossed by any object or entity that encounters them directly. This includes magical attacks, physical projectiles, and living beings. The effect is complete—nothing passes through an infinity field.
Limitations: Objects can potentially circumvent the barriers by traveling around their boundaries rather than through them. Additionally, the energy cost is extremely high compared to conventional magical applications, severely limiting the duration and frequency of use.
Tactical applications: Excellent for defensive scenarios where complete protection is required, but positioning and energy management become critical factors. The barriers could potentially be used offensively to trap opponents, though biological constraints like oxygen depletion would eventually resolve such situations.
Unknown factors: Long-term sustainability with improved magical conditioning, potential for offensive applications beyond simple containment, possible development of more energy-efficient manifestation techniques.
Aeon leaned back in his chair, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling into his bones. The analytical process had helped organize his thoughts, but it had also made clear how much he still didn't understand about his own abilities.
I need more practice, but more importantly, I need better energy reserves. Physical conditioning might help, but this feels like a fundamental limitation of working with infinite mathematical concepts.
A soft knock at his door interrupted his contemplation. Aeon rose from his desk, noting how the simple movement required more effort than it should have, and opened the door to find a young woman in the brown and green uniform that marked her as one of the village's administrative messengers.
She appeared to be in her early twenties, with auburn hair pulled back in a practical bun and intelligent brown eyes that assessed him with professional courtesy. Her posture was straight but relaxed, suggesting someone comfortable with her duties but not overly formal about them. A leather satchel hung at her side, and her hands showed the ink stains that came from extensive writing and document handling.
"Aeon?" she inquired politely, consulting a folded paper from her satchel. "I have a message for you from the civic administration."
"That's me," Aeon confirmed, accepting the offered document.
The messenger nodded efficiently. "Please read it carefully, as there are specific conditions that must be understood. If you have questions, you can find me at the administrative office near the Assembly Hall during regular business hours."
With that, she turned and made her way back down the hallway, her footsteps echoing briefly before fading into the late afternoon quiet.
Aeon closed the door and unfolded the message, noting the official seal and careful handwriting that marked it as a formal communication:
To: Aeon (Temporary Resident)From: Oswald Merchant, Chief LibrarianRe: Library Access Authorization
By recommendation of Instructor Maya and approval of the Village Council, you are hereby granted limited access to the Millhaven Public Library for educational purposes.
Conditions of Access:- Library visits are permitted during regular hours (sunrise to sunset)- You may study materials within the library premises under supervision- No books, scrolls, or documents may be removed from the library for any reason- Access is restricted to the general collection; special archives remain off-limits- This authorization expires upon the conclusion of your residency period
Please present this letter to library staff upon your first visit to complete the registration process.
—Oswald Merchant, Chief Librarian
Aeon read the message twice, noting both the opportunities it provided and the restrictions it imposed. Access to the library's general collection would give him the information he needed about the outside world, but the prohibition on removing materials meant he would need to absorb as much as possible during each visit.
No taking books back to study privately, he mused. They're limiting my research to what I can accomplish under observation.
It was a reasonable security measure from their perspective, but it would make his information gathering less efficient. He would need to approach library visits strategically, focusing on the most critical knowledge first and developing techniques for rapid information absorption.
Tomorrow, Aeon decided, feeling the exhaustion of the day's magical experimentation settling deeper into his consciousness. Tonight I need rest more than information.
The infinity attribute's energy demands had been more severe than he had anticipated, and pushing himself further without proper recovery would be counterproductive. Better to approach the library with a clear mind and full energy reserves than to struggle through research while mentally compromised.
Aeon placed the authorization letter on his desk and prepared for sleep, already planning his approach to tomorrow's educational opportunities. The library would provide access to the knowledge he needed for survival beyond Millhaven, but tonight belonged to recovery and preparation.
Four months to learn everything I can, he reminded himself as he settled into bed. Starting tomorrow, every day counts.