Elemental Affinities tend to have very clear cut manifestations: Fire, Flame, Heat, Ice, Freezing, Life, Regeneration, the list can go on. They might not always be flashy or visible, but they can be applied and shaped fairly directly.
Conceptual Affinities are often less clear-cut: Understanding, Connection, Trails, Health, Growth. They have some degree of benefit to the Awakened's Path but they sometimes take more effort to identify applications for.
Of course ease and directness of application are in relation to Combat Awakened. Non-combat paths tend to find Conceptual Affinities easier to apply and Elemental harder, simply because what obvious use does Ice have to an Engineer or a Seer?
~ * ~
Seb knew Anya was going to get even with him later. He wasn't sure what she'd come up with but he could feel her mixture of love and frustration simmering over the bond. He hadn't lied when he'd told her he thought the Path suited her, nor when he'd started implying other things..
He hadn't expected her to actually answer him out loud, let alone that Fay would commit fully and actually call her her sister. Apparently time apart, or maybe just time with Briana, had helped bring Fay even further out of her shell. The smug look on her face when Anya hid behind her coffee cup was almost enough for him to flip the tables and tease her, almost but not quite. He'd let Anya have her fun when she figured out what she intended to do to get even.
"Fay, is there a way to have it show current selections along with the choices so I don't have to remember?"
"Yes, just a second," she said before his feed refreshed with the current details included.
Energy Signature identified as [ Sebastian Holding Syl - Witchblade Farer ]
NOTES 1, 2, 3 recorded
Affinity: Currents
Advancement options
- 2 - Special Slightly improved ability to manipulate multiple threads of Energy simultaneously. This option will grow and advance with future Path selections.
- 2 - Special Your bound weapon naturally emits Bladesong. Bladesong range is slightly increased. This option will grow and advance with future Path selections.
- Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of timing and placement in combat.
- Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of Bladesong.
- Enhancement Techniques meant to hinder opponents are slightly more effective.
- Enhancement Hindered opponents are slightly affected by weapon imbuements as long as they are in range of the Bladesong.
…
He was fairly certain about his Archetype Options, focus on what he was already improving and lessen the injuries he was sure to accumulate. For his Specialization he had more doubts, he could continue to focus on Bladesong, improve the effects further, focus on improving his hindering, or work with his ability to control flow.
"Is the compounding significant?" he asked. "When compared to adding additional options?"
Fay sighed and pinched her nose before answering. Apparently he'd asked her one of those questions. The ones that could easily lead to hours and hours of discussion without any good answer.
"If you keep compounding time and time again it is very strong. If you never compound the variety of benefits becomes equally strong. A mixture of compounding and variety is just as strong. The strength of the choices is in the Awakened and how they follow their own Path."
"That's what all the research says," she continued. "That's what everyone will tell you. Every choice is equally valid, every choice can be the strongest or the weakest."
"So the choices don't matter?" Anya asked.
"No, they matter, otherwise you'd be just as well off to pick at random. The best choice is the one that makes most sense to you, that feels most right."
"So continuing to pick Bladesong would make everything Bladesong related more and more powerful, but give me less variety of benefits. Not picking Bladesong means neglecting the rare benefits."
"Exactly." Fay agreed. "Both work, the choice depends on what feels right."
"It's powerful," Anya said. "It makes a difference. But if it didn't work…"
"Then I'd be missing out on a lot."
"My choices were about me, affect me. They don't need a weapon, they don't stop just because someone else isn't affected."
"You are a weapon love."
He felt her shift at his words before she nodded.
"So I should focus on what makes me me. On how I can overcome and challenge everything around me."
"And I need to make sure I can still do what I need to do, no matter the circumstances."
"Seb," Fay said. "As Seer Phelann I can't give any opinion."
"Can my sister?" he asked.
He saw her back straighten, her shock oh so visible after having seen her spiral into doubt in the past. The near immediate smile showed it was simply surprise at his words, not anxiety at the situation.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Seb.
She called you sis. We've all danced around saying it.
"Your gifts let you do things that are non-standard. Your Affinity focuses not just on the moment, but how moments connect."
He thought about her words. She was still acting as a Seer, she was still here as a liaison so could not speak the way they might have upstairs. She'd made it clear there were rules that she should not break, boundaries that she couldn't cross while acting in her official capacity. She was saying what she could, telling him what she saw within his choices.
She's right, Anya said. But what does that mean for your choices?
Placement and timing, but also the flow of battle.
He felt Anya lean against him and their shared realization at how they choices might work out. He made his selections, pausing for the briefest of moments before each choice to give her the chance to bring up an issue. He felt her silent support for each, her thoughts in sync with his as the choices were made.
Confirming the selections he looked at the new information and feeling confident in his choices. Even if they gave him no immediate benefit he had no doubt they fit him. He could always compound his benefits with their future selections after all.
Energy Signature identified as [ Sebastian Holding Syl - Witchblade Farer ]
NOTES 1, 2, 3 recorded
Affinity: Currents
Advancement options
- 2 - Special Slightly improved ability to manipulate multiple threads of Energy simultaneously. This option will grow and advance with future Path selections.
- 2 - Special Your bound weapon naturally emits Bladesong. Bladesong range is slightly increased. This option will grow and advance with future Path selections.
- 2 - Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of timing and placement in combat.
- Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of movement around and through combat.
- Knowledge Slightly improved ability to learn or discover non-standard uses for Techniques.
- Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of Bladesong.
- 2 - Enhancement Techniques meant to hinder opponents are slightly more effective.
- Enhancement Slightly less vulnerable to physical and energy based injuries from opponents who are hindered.
- Enhancement Hindered opponents are slightly affected by weapon imbuements as long as they are in range of the Bladesong.
- Enhancement Techniques manipulating the flow of battle are slightly more effective.
~ * ~
Anya turned back to her own selections and thought about what she'd said to Seb about what she should focus on. Her change of Specialization left her with fewer options for doubling down, but her new choices all resonated with her Affinity.
Energy Signature identified as [ Lysanya Sovereign Syl - Path of the Defiant ]
NOTES 1, 2, 3 recorded
Affinity: Challenge
Advancement options
- 2 - Special Slightly improved ability to manipulate multiple threads of Energy simultaneously. This option will grow and advance with future Path selections.
- 2 - Special Know all aspects of yourself. All bond-related effects and benefits are slightly improved. Bond growth slightly empowers you. This option will grow and advance with future Path selections.
- Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of self balance and how to achieve it.
- Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of Energy flow and self.
- Enhancement Slightly less vulnerable to physical and energy based injuries while in balance.
- Enhancement Understanding of self slightly enhances all aspects of self.
…
"Double down on Archetype?" she asked.
"Makes sense," Seb agreed. "Not sure what I'd take for the last one though."
"Proprioception," Fay said, her words clipped and nervous.
"Fay?"
"It will improve your awareness of where your body is when you're in your Husk. Everything that is considered part of your body will be affected. Most Combat Paths that fight in close quarters benefit from that awareness."
"I know what-" she began, still confused.
Anya, Seb sent before she could finish her sentence. She can't fully answer as family, not while at her desk.
I know Seb. But I don't have any trouble keeping track of my body, or your body. I just sometimes forget where my robe…
Not even taking time to finish her own thought she confirmed her Archetype selections. Her robe was considered a part of her for enhancements. Her robe moved and sometimes felt like another set of limbs when it helped her block. If this helped her incorporate the feeling into her awareness of her body then it would make the mental effort that much less.
"Those goblins that enraged us, that wanted us to focus on them." she said. "Was that an affinity meant to challenge in some way?"
"Probably," Fay said. "Or at the very least a Technique to do so that was tied to an Affinity."
"After the first few we started doing better at resisting."
"I think so," Seb said.
"All-in on Challenging and Defying?" she asked.
Fay said nothing but Anya saw her give the slightest of nods. She could feel Seb's support and agreement over the band. That was more than enough for her to make her choices and confirm them.
Energy Signature identified as [ Lysanya Sovereign Syl - Path of the Defiant ]
NOTES 1, 2, 3 recorded
Affinity: Challenge
Advancement options
- 2 - Special Slightly improved ability to manipulate multiple threads of Energy simultaneously. This option will grow and advance with future Path selections.
- 2 - Special Know all aspects of yourself. All bond-related effects and benefits are slightly improved. Bond growth slightly empowers you. This option will grow and advance with future Path selections.
- 2 - Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of self balance and how to achieve it.
- Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of Energy flow and self.
- Knowledge Slightly improved understanding of how to defy and challenge threats.
- 2 - Enhancement Slightly less vulnerable to physical and energy based injuries while in balance.
- Enhancement Slightly improved Husk proprioception.
- Enhancement Understanding of self slightly enhances all aspects of self.
- Enhancement Techniques meant to defy and challenge are slightly more effective.
- Enhancement Slightly less vulnerable to physical and energy based injuries from opponents who are actively defied or challenged.
They'd made their Selections, they were ready to get back to Diving, to seeing how much had changed now that they were past the wall. They could test themselves once again and find their way.
"You have your meeting with your Godparents tomorrow," Fay said.
"I know," she said. "And we need to plan for my sister and mother to come visit."
"I can reach out-"
"Fay," Seb said. "We can do it. We're back."
"He's right, this isn't your responsibility. It isn't a Seer's responsibility."
"Can I plan dinner once you know the date? I know someone who can make sure we have good coffee"
She heard Seb start to laugh and found herself chuckling.
"Yes Fay, Briana can come too."
Want to support Confluence Saga?
Leave a comment to tell me what you think of the story so far.
Want to chat about the story? Come to .
Current Bonus Chapter Goals:
- 209/500 Followers - Bonus Saturday
- 44/50 Favorites
- 27/50 Ratings
- 4/5 Reviews