Ivor settled into a routine where the days merged, but it was a focused routine. He still hunted to survive the Scar, but he spent most of his time on the two things necessary to reach the labyrinth and the cave as he intended.
Mana nodes. Soul nodes. Hunting gave him resources. Attunement gave him a future.
He trained every morning and evening until his body felt heavy and drained. Between those sessions, he worked patiently on attuning his mana nodes. He would fill his core, empty it, and fill it again, repeating the cycle slowly. Over time, the repetition began to reveal patterns.
The first pattern involved his soul energy.
Whenever he actively used Soul Sense, the Ember Seed responded. It pulled more energy from the Primordial Source, and his reserves recovered faster. If he simply moved through the day without using it, the recovery stayed slow and steady. Active use clearly increased the rate of replenishment. The Seed functioned better when it was engaged.
