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The Prayerborne Mandates and the Flow of Mystic Power
In this world, where the breath of gods stirs the wind and ancient truths echo through cathedral halls, the gathering of Mystic Energy is not a pursuit governed merely by will or talent. No—it is a sacred economy of faith, a covenant woven between the divine and the mortal, sealed with whispers, blood, and belief.
Mystic Energy, at its purest, is not drawn—it is "granted".
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On the Nature of Prayer and Divine Response
When a soul burdened with sorrow, hope, or desperation turns their heart skyward and utters a prayer, that plea carries weight. Though unseen, the gods are not deaf. They are beings nourished by belief, by the fire of conviction that mortals dare to call faith.
Not all prayers are answered. Not all are even heard. But when a prayer burns bright enough—when the need is dire, and the offering of trust is absolute—it may be received.
The gods who listen, in their timeless realms, do not descend themselves. Instead, they craft "Mandates", fragments of divine will shaped into earthly tasks. These sacred directives are not sent to the one who prays, but to the representatives of the divine—the High Bishops, the chosen vessels of the gods' presence in this world.
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The Role of the High Bishop and the Dissemination of Missions
A High Bishop, upon receiving a divine mandate, undergoes a trance or vision. This revelation might arrive as a voice of thunder in a dream, a burning sigil upon scripture, or a visitation in the hallowed sanctum of prayer. Through rites too sacred to describe, they translate the divine will into missions—tangible tasks to be carried out by the faithful.
These missions are inscribed, blessed, and dispersed to every branch of the Church, carried by parchment and priest alike, sent across provinces and borders.
Some are calls for healing. Others are edicts to hunt the corrupt, to rescue the lost, or to dispel an evil that festers unseen.
But each mission carries one constant: it is a "channel" through which mystic energy flows.
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How Mystic Energy Is Acquired
When a follower accepts and completes a divine mission, they do not merely perform a task—they become a conduit. The act of fulfilling a divine mandate becomes an answer to a prayer. And when a prayer is answered, a circuit is completed:
- The one who prayed offers gratitude, praise, and trust.
- This spiritual offering ascends to the deity who first granted the mission.
- In response, the deity imparts Mystic Energy upon the mission's executor.
The flow of this energy is measured not by the difficulty of the task, but by the intensity of belief it invokes, both in the one who receives aid and the one who delivers it.
The more who believe—the greater the sacrifice, the deeper the gratitude, the stronger the divine current.
In some cases, this energy can awaken dormant seals within the soul of the executor. These seals, described in earlier chapters, are the spiritual gates that govern a soul's path toward higher evolution. As each is unlocked through faith and sacrifice, the bearer climbs ever closer toward the divine.
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Conclusion
Thus, to walk the path of a mystic is not to walk alone. It is to walk amidst prayers, to carry the weight of the unseen, and to draw strength not from the self—but from the trust others place in the gods.
Such is the way of sacred strength.
Such is the art of the Prayerborne Mandates.
Such is the flow of Mystic Energy.
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The morning sky above Pelion Forest remained gray, veiled in the lingering mist of last night's rain. Dew dripped from tall leaves, and the scent of wet wood mingled with the faint trace of ash still drifting in the air from yesterday's battle.
Demian sat leaning against a large tree, his body exhausted, skin burning, and hands still trembling. On his lap lay one of Leonard's books, wide open—its pages filled with complex writings, marginal notes, and symbols that shimmered faintly in the morning light.
"First phase 100,000 of Mystic Energy upon divine initiation…"
"200,000 required for evolution to Second Phase…"
"Energy acquisition occurs through Divine Mandates—missions given to the faithful by the Church, based on prayers received by their respective gods…"
Demian furrowed his brow. "So… all that mystic energy comes from... someone else's prayer?" he murmured, trying to piece together the scattered information in his mind.
"And also, if an evolution leaves their Church affiliation, they will be punished by losing 100,000 units of mystical energy—equivalent to dropping one evolution phase. That's absolutely insane!"
He gazed up at the sky through the canopy of leaves.
"That means… power in this world isn't just about training. It's about belief—about becoming a vessel of a god's will."
He took a deep breath and slowly closed the book. His eyes were sharp but filled with hesitation.
"But… I haven't joined any church. I don't even know who to worship…"
He looked down at his palm. Faint marks formed the outline of ancient runes, like an invisible circuit etched into his skin. This was the "Rune Seal", mentioned in Leonard's first book—his personal research into Demian's body.
"Your body is not ordinary, Demian,"Leonard's voice echoed in his memory, like a recording played back from deep within.
"You carry something older than any church. You don't need to be some god's hound… all you need is faith."
Demian clenched his fists, staring into the forest slowly brightening with morning light.
"I don't need a god… I just need people who believe in me. Faithful followers…"
His eyes fell to the worn leather satchel carrying the three books. His hand tightened.
"If I can create my own belief... if I can make others trust in my power... then I can unlock this seal, and walk a path without kneeling to anyone."
Suddenly, the sound of a branch snapping echoed in the distance, reminding him he was still in a dangerous place. He stood up slowly, biting through the pain, clutching the books close to his chest.
"I have to get out of this forest… find people… build a foundation. I can't die here."
Step by step, he began to walk—though with a limp—heading toward the nearest city, Western Rosenthal, the place of his birth and his family's home. The place that would become his first stage was Aetherthorn Academy, as an evolution without a god.
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