TRISTIAN
Aether sensing.
The first foundational stage of becoming a legend—at least, according to the path I was on. And now, I had finally achieved it. To my surprise, the process came to me with ease. The sensation of unlocking this ability wasn't as monumental as I had imagined, though he had made it sound like a feat worth recognition. His words echoed in my mind, "Impressive," he had said, but it didn't feel like it. Not a genuine acknowledgment, just... something.
Damn him. If he had seen what I had just done—no, of course he saw. He was watching the whole time.
Wait. Something wasn't right.
I could sense everything in that garden. The flow of Aether was so clear to me, almost like a second sight. I could feel the pulse of energy in every living thing, every plant, every twig—anything that could absorb Aether was practically glowing in my perception. The entire environment was laid bare before me, vibrant and alive with the force of Aether.
And yet... I couldn't feel his energy.
Not even a flicker.
I turned my gaze toward him, studying his form, expecting to detect something—anything—but there was nothing. A complete void. How was that possible? Even now, with my senses fully awakened, fully attuned to the subtle currents of Aether flowing through everything around me, his presence remained imperceptible.
I stared harder, focusing, but the result was the same. It was as though he existed outside the flow of Aether itself, an enigma that defied all the laws I had just come to understand.
He was right in front of me, and yet it felt as if he wasn't there at all.
Snap!!
We are outside, just a single snap of his fingers and we are at the top, not the very top but I can see the port at a far distance, "the next level it's for you to find your nature. In five days find out what and where you fit best,"
"What do you mean?" I ask my gaze still outside. It's almost dark. Yeah I know, I didn't take long or maybe I did but this place is completely weird. Each passing time, it just gets weirder.
"Mages, Tanks, Knights, and Maiden and Healers," he states, "You have to figure that out, what and how you will use this Aether."
Scoff!!!
"Protecting people obviously," I say with a sigh as my face lands on the sun, "what if you don't have to in a specific group, just be able a tank, a mage and knight. Is it possible?"
Silence!
More silence!
"Have you ever encountered the terms Ascendants, Virlance, and Purlance?" he asks with a composed demeanor. My eyes widen slightly, a clear sign of my intrigue, though I remain silent.
"Awakening refers to the moment one first becomes attuned to Aether—able to perceive, sense, and interact with it on a profound level. The way in which individuals connect with Aether can vary greatly, which is why we categorize practitioners into different roles such as mages, tanks, knights, and healers. Each role reflects a different facet of Aether's interaction. However, among these categories, there are certain individuals who possess extraordinary abilities."
He pauses, allowing the weight of his words to settle before continuing.
"Within these classifications, we have those who are exceptional—Virlance, Purlance, and Ascendants. These individuals exhibit unique capacities and skills that set them apart from the norm. They represent the pinnacle of what one can achieve in mastering Aether, transcending conventional roles and showcasing abilities that are both rare and remarkable."
Pause!
"The first are the Virlance. They possess a distinctive aptitude for Aether manipulation and employ a specialized breathing technique known as double valance. This advanced method allows them to channel Aether for various purposes, including enhancement, offensive capabilities, and healing. Essentially, a Virlance can function as a knight and mage, or a tank and knight, or even, in some rare instances, as a maiden and mage simultaneously. While they are uncommon, their rarity pales in comparison to that of the Purlance."
Sigh!
"Purlance employs a tri-valance breathing technique, which culminates in a triple heart release. This sophisticated method allows them to embody aspects of all classifications. They can engage in combat with the prowess of a knight, defend and provoke with the tenacity of a tank, and wield healing or offensive spells with equal skill. While Purlance are exceedingly rare, they are eclipsed by the rarity of Ascendants."
"Right, I think I recall hearing that terms mentioned by some of the men. What exactly does it mean to be an Ascendant?"
"As I mentioned earlier when a person becomes capable of sensing Aether, they are said to have awakened. This typically happens around the age of sixteen, though some may not awaken until eighteen or later. However, there are exceptionally rare individuals who are born already attuned to Aether. These individuals are known as Ascendants.
Ascendants possess a unique aptitude for one particular specialty. For example, if an Ascendant is a knight, they rapidly ascend to a level of skill and honor beyond that of their peers. More frequently, Ascendants are either healers, Maidens, or mages, each wielding a specific attribute with a level of mastery and intensity far surpassing that of ordinary practitioners. Their ability to control and channel their chosen attribute is markedly superior to that of others."
Ufff!!
To much to take in but, "so if one attribute is fire then they manipulate it in a higher and more frequency than the others who can use the same attribute."
"Yeah you could say that," he replies calmly, "humans view them as special classes since they use the pure part of Aether which normally one has to advance to top tier level to use and tap in it."
"Humans!" my eyes looked up at him, his eyes were different, they resembled that of a reptile, like a lizard, "so if we are humans what does that make you?"
Silence.
"Listen, kid, the world is far larger than the one you've experienced," he says, effortlessly sidestepping my question.
"I've read about the other races—elves, dwarfs, beastmen, mermaids—but I've yet to encounter any of them." I recline on my back, my gaze never leaving the calm, unshaken expression he wears.
"As I said, the world is vast," he continues, turning to meet my eyes. "Only when you've reached the pinnacle will you truly comprehend what I am."
when our eyes met something terrifying took form.
My bones felt like they were on the verge of shattering, crushed under an invisible weight. Fear—raw, primal—gripped me like never before. Was this what they called aura manifestation? Or was this something else entirely? Aether, maybe, but at what level? I felt insignificant like an ant staring up at a towering giant. The sheer magnitude of his presence was overwhelming as if he'd been holding back this power for a long time, only to unleash it now. My stomach churned, bile rising as my heart raced uncontrollably. This was madness.
"When you reach this level," he thundered, though the overwhelming weight of his aura made it seem louder than it was. His voice remained calm, steady, but the force behind it was suffocating. "You'll be able to do this."
He compelled me to look up, forcing my eyes to meet his. His right arm stretched forward, deliberate and fluid. He folded it slowly, then snapped it back into position, and in that instant, the ground trembled beneath me. A devastating blast erupted from him, tearing through the trees with a deafening roar. They shattered and swirled violently, forming a path of utter destruction that burrowed deep into the forest. Yet even with that chaos, he maintained absolute control. The whirlwind of debris suspended mid-air, hovering, as if held by invisible strings tethered to his will.
With a simple flick of his wrist, the suspended trees were launched forward in a ferocious attack, obliterating everything in their path, leaving nothing but devastation in their wake.
Such a destruction!!
Gulp!!
I swallow hard, the weight of it all pressing down on me, my mind spiraling as it tries to process the enormity of the power I've just witnessed. It was intoxicating, like a drug that clouded my thoughts and left me yearning for more. Could I ever wield such power? The question hangs heavy in my mind, gnawing at me from the inside. Would I be capable of unleashing such raw, unrestrained destruction? To command an aura so intense it suffocates everything in its path? The mere *glance* he gave—the deathly, hollow stare—was enough to make someone crumble. What kind of being could kill with just a look?
And yet, here he stood, using that unimaginable power as if it were nothing, like it was woven into his very essence, a part of him he barely needed to think about. It's effortless for him, second nature. Who wouldn't desire that kind of control? To be feared, revered, unstoppable?
Our eyes meet, and in that instant, time seems to stretch, warping into an eternity. His gaze holds me in place, and the longer I look into those piercing, reptilian eyes, the more I feel myself being drawn in. It's like his very presence is creeping into my veins, invading my mind, suffusing me with a strange, magnetic force that I can't resist. The weight of his power presses against my chest, making it hard to breathe, and yet... I can't look away.
It's as if I've been hexed. His presence has branded itself into my soul.
I want that.
I need that.
To feel that kind of power coursing through my veins, to wield Aether with such precision and strength that the very world bends to my will. It's not just a desire anymore—it's a hunger, gnawing at me, consuming me from within.
And then, just as quickly as the moment began, it ends. In a split second, as if melting into the very air around him, he vanishes, disappearing without a trace. I stand there, panting, my breath coming in ragged, heavy bursts, my body trembling from the intensity of it all. A smirk curls at the edge of my mouth, despite the chaos still swirling in my mind.
One thought races through me, echoing louder and louder with each passing second.
I have to achieve it. This power. This mastery. Nothing else matters. I have to!!!!
RHAZMIR
I needed to ignite something within him. To make him crave it, to push him beyond his limits, and this was the only way. Showing him a glimpse of my power, letting him feel the weight of it, the sheer magnitude that could shatter worlds—it was the only way to awaken that hunger in him. I could already see the curiosity burning in his eyes, the question gnawing at the edges of his mind. Who am I? What am I?
I knew this would happen. It always does. The moment they see what I'm capable of, they can't help themselves. They're drawn in like moths to a flame, desperately seeking answers, trying to piece together the puzzle of my existence. I've seen that look too many times—the look that says we're something otherworldly, something not meant for this realm. Something beyond life itself.
To them, we aren't even truly *alive*. We're specters, shadows, beings so far removed from the world they know that they can't grasp it. And yet, they can't stop trying. The more they witness, the deeper their curiosity becomes, the more they're pulled into the mystery. I knew he'd be no different. The hunger, the ambition—it would consume him. And I had no intention of stopping it.
This was the spark he had been waiting for. A quiet flame ignited in the depths of his being, pushing aside the remnants of doubt. The desire to understand, to unearth a power that transcended the limits of his comprehension, began to take shape within him. It was no longer a matter of curiosity—it was survival, an obsession that tugged at his soul.
Every part of him craved it. The raw strength, the unshakable dominance that he glimpsed for the briefest of moments. And now, that taste had burned into him, leaving an insatiable hunger in its wake. The seed of curiosity took root, intertwining with ambition, wrapping its tendrils around his heart. There would be no turning back.
Smirk!
Trying to sense a dragon using Aether sensing is impossible. Dragons have a unique core that insulates our presence, making us untracable, only a fellow dragon kin or a Basillisk can detect us. However those in higher level can briefly detect us and as such they refer to our level as Trascendants and they strive to reach it but humans are humans and will have their limit.
Striving to become a god is impossible especially if you aren't blessed by that force. Rhett was the only to achieve it and probably… No need to rush into it but I just need to do my part just hope it won't strike me back.
I surveyed the island, my gaze sweeping over every inch of the land, making sure nothing was out of place. I had to re-adjust it, and conceal it carefully, every single day. It was the only way to ensure they couldn't sense his growth—couldn't feel the shift in power that was gradually taking root inside him. Each day, I layered more intricacies into the island's wards, keeping him hidden just a little longer. Once he achieved Aether manipulation, it wouldn't matter anymore. By then, he would be beyond detection, a force too potent for them to trace.
But a part of me wondered, unease gnawing at my conscience. Was this the best way? Or was I only repeating history—creating the very monster I had once faced, all those years ago? I pushed the thought aside. I owed someone. This was me repaying my debt, fulfilling a promise made in the shadows of a past I'd rather forget. I could only hope I wasn't setting the stage for something far worse.
Sigh!
A storm might be coming soon.