Power
Power is desirable... from a distance. This terrible condition is contracted upon realizing the true nature of Flux, making it chronic and incurable no matter what treatment is used.
"Want" is hollow and unspecific. "Duty" is efficient but pointless. "Life" is the balance and manipulation of factors. Where one sees only chaos, another will find simplicity; when one is restrained, another will be released.
Transmission & Vectors
In Flux, knowledge is not power. To unlock this world's terrifying potential, one must understand exactly how it came to be but when that happens, the mage will typically become severely depressed. This plagues many of those who sink into deep thought on a regular basis, so it is not uncommon to find those infected by it.
Power is a magic-oriented disease that is similar to Ignorance in how it absorbs the host's identity, but has an incredibly different function. Some (like Linn Ennim) are so thoroughly shrouded in this disease that they can consciously manipulate it, turning weakness into a terrifying weapon. This disease is automatically born when the host is at a deficit of biases and/or judgement, so power can't be directly contracted from an environment.
Causes
Such a deficit can only be reached when a curious mind is completely lost in thought, which is why power is so often associated with mages. Those who're affected by this condition are very different from beings with resources and an impressive stage of ignorance. This is due to Fluxer biology.
All Fluxers require magic to live but exactly how much depends on the individual, but magic in excess generates a kind of high that leaves one prone to stupidity. However, if one were to understand (or develop a decently accurate understanding of) the intricate workings of Flux, the Law of Perception would either kill the host, or "infect" it with power. This condition occurs when one's magic is used so efficiently that it ceases to be pleasurable.
Symptoms
Loneliness is probably the most common symptom of power. While Fluxers have emotional reactions independent from magic, they are only familiar with magic-based responses, so they become chronically depressed when their primary internal motivation is dampened. Some will continue to pursue magical emotions despite having lost them.
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