Cedric smiled, then as he continued to weave the lower half of the braid, he said after a moment, "I still can't figure it out, though." He leaned closer to her side. "Any idea how it works?"
Aika thought for a few seconds before replying. "I've been trying to figure it out while you were recovering, and although I haven't fully grasped everything about it, I have noticed a few things." She looked out over the city with a thoughtful expression, then continued after a brief moment. "In our case, our subjects of influence are all those we've ever brought back to life, so we can only get essence from them. As for how we get essence, I think it has to do with their karma."
"Karma?" Cedric asked, arching a brow.
"Yeah. Just like how our authority revolves around karma points, we get essence from the karma they generate through their actions."
