I was in the middle of walking inside my dorm room when I saw it glowing on my desk.
The necklace.
The eclipse on its pendant started to radiate with light. I walked to it and grabbed it, holding it up to my face I thought to myself.
'How can I use this?'
The necklace has been sitting in my room for a few days now. Ever since I found it I haven't used it at all, I wasn't even sure of all the things it was capable of.
It could change shape.
That was all I knew about it, and that for some odd reason it resembles the sigil of my family. Although I did gain the ability to use RC after obtaining this, I'm sure it could be useful for me in some way. I could use it's sword form if I learn how it works.
****
"What the fuck happened to the package?"
In a dark room a man could be seen sitting at a desk smoking a cigarette.
"It was stolen sir."
Speaking up was a man standing up straight that was profusely sweating.
"By who?"
The man standing straight up swallowed his saliva and stuttered before giving an answer.
"W-we don't know sir."
Slam-
The man's knees slammed onto the ground as the man sitting at the desk exuded an absurd amount of bloodlust and pressure.
"S-sir please calm down! We'll find it I swear!"
The man at the desk calmly and coldly glared at his subject with glowing yellow eyes. Smoke from his cigarette surrounded and enveloped him, only revealing his menacing eyes and his obscured silhouette.
"Then get to it."
The pressure was relieved from the man and he stood up and bowed to the man at the desk.
"Yes sir!"
The man walked out of the room with quick steps while sweating from fear.
"This is a pain."
The man with yellow eyes said with a deep and monotonous voice. He exhaled a puff of smoke before putting out his cigarette.
The smoke cleared a bit and a painting could be seen behind his desk.
A demon with three horns.
***
8:00 PM, Aethra training courtyard.
The sun was setting as I made my way to the courtyard. It was a cloudy day so the sun shone through the clouds with glints of light.
I loved days like this, when the clouds filled the sky and the sun broke through like the bright moon on a dark night.
It was serene.
I couldn't explain it but I was enjoying the weather a lot today. As the sun was saying goodbye to this day, I arrived at the training courtyard.
As I swiped my student ID through the scanner I saw the necklace. Its chain was wrapped around my forearm and it kept glowing.
Ignoring it I opened the doors to the facility and turned on some lights. The dummies activated and gave me some time for prep.
'Let's test out that weave theory I heard about earlier in class.'
I sat down and tried to focus on my body and how I could make the RC within flow seamlessly.
When I focused on my body, I found the energy inside of it to be in a scramble. There were also two types of energy.
One seemed lighter, and one seemed darker.
After meditating for around 30 minutes, I managed to sort out any energy blocks I had and now I could freely use RC.
At least I think I could.
"Let's find out."
I put my hand out and tried to make something happen.
5 minutes past and nothing happens.
10 minutes past nothing.
20 nothing.
I had forgotten something very key to this process.
"Wait shit, I don't know any Rift arts."
How the hell could I forget such an important part of the process? I had no rift arts to use and I couldn't exactly go grab the ones my family used and learn them right now.
Rift arts were essentially skills and techniques passed down by families utilizing the way RC reacts to the physical world. There are plenty of Rift Arts you can learn by buying books or taking a class.
'I'll have to just train with my sword for now then.'
Suddenly, my eyes lit up and my eyebrows raised up.
I had an idea.
Maybe I could practice using the artifact necklace. I could try and use it while it's in its sword form.
I looked at my wrist and saw the chain wrap around my forearm like a snake, and suddenly it transformed into what I wished.
A sword.
A blade of onyx
"That was easier than I thought."
All I had to do was think about what form I wanted it to take and it formed automatically. The artifact listened to my thoughts like it was meant for me.
I should probably give it a different name, calling it the artifact every time I refer to it seems like a waste of time.
"Hmmmm."
I thought to myself.
"Ah- I'll call it the Onyx."
The blade itself looked like it was made out of an onyx-like material so why not? It also felt good to say in my opinion.
I took the blade and walked towards a dummy. I tried slashing with the blade and it felt amazing. The blade cut straight through the air like it ripped apart reality itself and it hit the target with perfect force and accuracy.
I knew I had some skill with the sword already, but this was on another level entirely. The sword not only improved my own skills but showed me things I'd never seen before.
All from one single strike.
This was the key. This was my chance at getting stronger. The Onyx severed the chains I was held back by and now I could reach my goals. I believed those goals to be feasible and reachable.
My first goal is to live a life worth living.
My second is to become strong enough to stand side by side with powerful Riftwalkers.
I went on to train with the dummy and the Onyx for a few hours until it was dead silent in the middle of the night.
Even then I was still going at it, performing strikes and stabs with all kinds of combat movements
"Ah I need a break."
I stepped away from the dummy and took a seat at the bench. I reached into my bag and looked for something, I moved my hand around a few times but I had no luck in finding it.
"Shit, I must've forgotten my water bottle."
"Here, take this."
'Huh? Was someone here? Since when?'
I had no idea who was here at this time. I turned around to see the face of the quiet and elegant voice that rang out.
Her eyes were an icy blue and her hair shined bright underneath the dark sky.
"Ah, thank you."
I took the water bottle swiftly and took a few sips.
"You're Keir right?"
"Hm? Yeah I'm Keir, and you are?"
I didn't know much about this girl, I've only seen her once or twice in the research class. From what I recall she only hung out with Jenna and she was relatively quiet.
"I'm Fukuyo, Fukuyo Yukimura."
She said with a slight smile.
"Yukimura? Ah you're a Scion right?"
"Yes I am."
She said in a very aloof and somewhat elegant manner.
"So what are you doing here Miss Yukimura?"
"Just call me Fukuyo, I was out here this late to do some daily training."
She seemed friendly but very reserved and quiet. Hearing her last statement made my eyes widen in confusion.
"You train this late every night?"
I asked.
Fukuyo looked at me for a brief period of time before looking up to the sky.
"I like looking at the moon after I train. It helps me focus and recover."
I've never thought of it that way. It seems kinda handy winding down after training.
"So what are you doing out here Keir? Training I presume?"
"Yeah I've been training since about 8:00 PM, I was trying to get my sword strikes perfected."
I said in response.
"Well I wish you luck with your training Keir, I must get back to mine so I'll see you in class some other time."
Fukuyo got up and headed to a private training room. From what I can gather, that room she just walked in needed to be reserved ahead of time for a while.
Though I bet nobody wanted to take the room from a Scion.
She waved me off before exiting my vision and entering the room.
"Time to get back to training."
*****