A New World, An Immersive Game Experience

While Eldrian was still trying to wrap his head around what this all meant, Ziraili sighed. An action which threw all his thoughts into disarray. Her sigh seemed so disappointed. It made Eldrian question just why she would sigh, as if dismayed.

"Ziraili?" He asked, unable to return to his thoughts.

"I know it's a lot, but we need to get down to business." She said. "Defeating the Alacrad is all fine and swell, but it won't change anything. They are certainly tough opponents, but they only amount to an Ancient beast in strength. And the limitations of this space aren't enough to limit your abilities."

"Still, it was a good starting point." With that, Ziraili asked Eldrian what he thought about magic. Specifically, higher Tiered spells.

"Why do spells use more mana, even when their size doesn't increase?"

"Because the mana is denser." Eldrian replied, adding when he saw her ready another sigh, "The clearer the image, specifically with regard to the molecular structure of the element I am summoning—past Tier 5. The more mana is required to build it. And in return, the spell is far more powerful."

"Alright, and what of spells that aren't as clear to imagine. For example, healing?"

This stumped Eldrian a little. While healing used to be one of his best attributes, he had since diverged from the path of a healer. After all, there was just so much he had to do.

He could still cast healing spells just fine (at Tier 5 or lower), but he relied more on feeling than an image. Which was why he was stumped now. Thinking harder, Eldrian realized he hadn't ever learned the spells needed to heal truly serious injuries.

He had been going on his bad habit of "things will work out", learning only the most basic of healing spells. A rejuvenation spell (Florere), to give energy, and a healing spell (Theragennisi), to mend. With those two, things generally did work out.

After all, Florere bought time while Theragennisi started the healing. And since Eldrian wasn't a true healer, or at least didn't consider himself one, that was enough. He only needed to buy time for someone with better expertise to save the person in question.

As such, Eldrian hadn't learned any spells designed for specific injuries—as was common for healers after reaching Tier 5 and having the spell diversity open up for them. Heck, there were even spells for curing diseases. Sadly, Eldrian knew of no spells designed for soul mending.

That he would not have skipped on. Not after everything.

Now, naturally, Eldrian's method lacked resolve. Relying on feeling was sure to be worse than relying on knowledge. He knew that his healing spells would lack the substance compared to a clearly designed spell.

Sadly, that was reality. Eldrian wasn't a doctor, he didn't have the knowledge. And with everything else going on, trying to become one seemed like a waste of his time.

Strength, Eldrian believed, was far more important than the ability to heal someone after the fact.

Now, this didn't mean Eldrian couldn't force himself. He might be capable of casting a Tier 6 healing spell on feel alone. But he was sure it would missfire. He wouldn't dare cast it on someone for fear of doing more harm than good.

The image of "get better" simply wasn't good enough at this level. Yes, Eldrian had succeeded in such feeling casting before, but training after reaching Tier 6 spells, Eldrian realized his limitations. He might be talented, but talent could only take him so far.

"Let me ask you this instead," Ziraili spoke, bringing Eldrian out of his thoughts. "What is the difference between the healing done with nature and water elements, compared to the aspect of divine magic?"

Eldrian knew the other elements could also heal, but their effects were rather awkward. Fire, he knew, was used for treating illnesses, in conjuncture with earth. That, however, held no bearing on this question.

Still, Eldrian thought it was simple enough. "Nature and water follow the rules of the world. To heal a wound, you supply the patient with energy while guiding the regrowth. Divine, in seeming defiance of natural laws, appear to rewind time."

"Instead of the wound closing and healing, it is more like it disappears. Like it never happened."

Eldrian couldn't comment much more on it since he wasn't capable of casting divine spell. However, from what he had seen, experienced, and tried, he understood there was a fundament difference.

Divine brought into question the reality of needing knowledge. Even someone with no understanding of human biology is capable of not only regrowing lost limbs, but even resurrect the dead with a simple (relative) divine spell.

This, however, was also part of the course. After all, with divine, you leave the actual healing to the gods. You simply supply the intent, mana, and faith to bring a miracle down.

"Alright, so why do you think this happens?" Ziraili questioned, clearly not content with Eldrian's answer so far.

"Because divine spells use lifeforce in the form of faith and are guided by you, the gods." Eldrian replied. The obvious answer he had come to.

"Yes, you are correct. And it should be clear that our guidance allows the flow of energy to be as near perfect as possible. Unlike you, we have near infinite processing power." Ziraili paused. For just a slight part of a second, but Eldrian noticed.

Naturally, Ziraili's statement sounded amazing, but it came with its fair share of problems.

The foremost was the fact that they had to fulfill their role as a 'god', and normally, most of their amazing abilities after becoming an AI went towards that. Which also caused corruption of their souls, on a level far surpassing what Eldrian had gone through due to the 'assistance' from GAIA.

But that was neither here nor there. Eldrian had no need for such information, so Ziraili continued almost immediately.

"As a result, divine magic has the best blueprint possible for the act of healing—corresponding to the Tier of spell cast, and faith of the caster. Which naturally means it will be far more effective." Having explained this part enough, Ziraili asked, "Why is lifeforce important then?"

"Umm..." Racking his brain, Eldrian tried to figure out the answer. One that didn't just sound right, but actually connected with the fundamental nature of magic.

After all, saying that lifeforce was simply more powerful than mana would be a useless answer. Sure, it's true, but it also doesn't explain a single thing. It would be like saying nuclear power is more powerful than electric.

In fact, such tremendous power often leads to problems. As Eldrian is a living witness to. Too much power can cause loss of control, loss of self, and, in the most extreme cases, corruption of the soul. Having power without control is often more dangerous than being powerless.

'With all that in mind, what makes lifeforce necessary for divine magic? After all, if the blueprint is already perfect, then the healing would be miles ahead of any elemental healing.'

'No, that's going the wrong way. Perhaps...' Sorting out his thoughts, Eldrian asked, "Is lifeforce needed, not to empower the spell, but to guide it? To create the blueprint in the first place? After all, even if you, gods, are near omniscient, you are also self-sentient."

"I can't say for sure, but I believe that is a limitation you have placed on yourselves—no, perhaps Miracle forced it onto you." Coming to a nasty realization, Eldrian wondered, not for the first time, just what the AI actually were.

GAIA was the closest to a true divine Eldrian had met. They gave little presence in the way that people do.

Skepsi and Ziraili, however, felt more like people than divine beings. Sure, Skepsi wasn't as human as Ziraili, but her wish for entertainment was as real as could be.

As human as any other emotion.